《Assassination System》 -3 Cultivation Realms Flesh Tempering Realm Organ Tempering Realm Spirit Tempering Realm Divine Soul Realm Divine Ascendance Realm Divine Emperor Realm All realms are separated into, Early, Middle and Peak Stages, in each breakthrough after Divine Soul Realm, a tribulation will arrive from the heavens. System Terms: ASP = Assassination Points: Can be used to buy items at the Item Shop or utilize some of the System''s Paid Functions such as the System Assisted Recovery, etc... -2 Welcome aboard! Maligayang pagdating or Welcome aboard! Before you start reading the story, I want to clarify that the first hundred chapters is the introduction stage where the MC learns about the world he currently is and adapts to it, he will also meet numerous people that will help him survive through this world and some future events that may happen. Also, Romance happens early in this story, so if you expect a ninja assassin MC in the early stages of the story, you can add this to library and wait until the story arrives at like a hundred and fifty chapters since according to my outline, you may like the parts above the hundred and fifty chapter mark. I do hope that people do not judge this story because of it''s start, and judge it because of it''s journey, I won''t keep you guys reading this for long and after hearing this and you still wanna read it then, Welcome aboard! -1 Prologue: Dan Gabriel Luther Inside a cramped room filled with all sorts of garbages. A young man whose visual appearance looked to be at his late teenage years could be seen seating before a computer screen. The young man''s figure looked slender. His countenance pale yet the zealous light burning within his eyes indicated his determination on completing the game before him. With a click of the mouse, the two-dimensional figure of what looked like a young woman gave a sweet smile. "I understand your feelings and I also think so. But are you really gonna give up just like that?" Her voice contained an ethereal tone within it as the figure of the young man shivered. The hand he used to hold the mouse slightly trembled as tears fell from his murky and darkened eyes. His expression looked like he struggled about something. But soon, a flash of resolve surged within his eyes as he tapped on the mouse. "I''m sorry, Rin-san. But it is my decision, Thank you for everything so far..." The scene before him changed. Replaced by a scene of two figures walking towards the opposite direction from each other. An elegant background music that brought with it a sorrowful air rang out as Dan''s figure continuously trembled in anguish. He had no other choice. To save the best, he had to make some sacrifices. And the one he sacrificed was his childhood friend. He sacrificed it for the sake of the true waifu. Though he didn''t have any regrets. The sensation of sacrificing you loved for the greater good still destroyed his young and maiden heart. Taking a tissue from the side. He wiped his face before standing up and washing his face in the bathroom. The sensation of emptiness crept over his body. This feeling really doesn''t go old, he mumbled. In each time he completed a masterpiece or his favorite novel. He would feel this emptiness which threatened to devour his entire soul. Fortunately, he had a favorite manga that started publishing in the 20th Century. But now, though it was already at the year two-thousand ninety-five. His favorite manga, One Piece was still ongoing. He felt somewhat proud about the fact that he could endure the massive chapter fillers which dotted the entire volumes. The young man''s name was Dan Gabriel Luther. Living somewhere inside the small Island of the Philippines called Cebu. Ever since he was young. He had a complete obsession towards anime and games to the extent that he neglected his studies. The country where he lived in was known for valuing education higher than everything else and as a result. Dan was exiled from his family. Fortunately, his family gave him a portion of his inheritance and Dan was able to continue his life of laziness and depravity. Dan lifted his head and stared at the time. It was already eight in the morning. Stretching his limbs, he stood up and prepared for his morning routine. Placing his computer into hibernation. He walked towards another room where his full set of gym equipment laid in. After training his entire body for about an hour. Dan took a shower and returned back to his cluttered room. Pushing the mess of junk foods and tissues aside. A wry smile leaked on his lips as he thought, ''I wonder, why I am still training my body when I am eating all of this junk?'' He shook his head as the illumination from the computer revealed the prized treasures that he kept, all these years. Innumerable figurines of his favorite waifu and all sorts of collectibles from animes could be seen neatly piled inside a bookshelf. Despite the fact that Dan didn''t even clean his room. His bookshelves full of these treasures looked clean and pristine. "My treasures," He mumbled before turning back to his computer and opening a certain website whom he earned most of his income. The website where all sorts of mysteries and worlds, thrived. Under the pen of the authors. Inside that website, Dan assumed the identity of TheAdventurer and was currently writing The Ancient Cultivator in Modern World. HIs hands turned into a blur and danced around the keyboard as rhythmic tapping sounds destroyed the tranquility of the room. HIs eyes completely focused on his task, Dan heaved a sigh of relief when he completed his first chapter of the day. But little did he expect that after writing his chapter. The comments that he received were full of negativities. His expression turned somber. The fresh wounds in his heart that came from the disappearance of his childhood friend, resurfaced as Dan couldn''t help but continuously tremble in a mixture of anger and sadness. Closing his novel''s page. He calmed himself down and listened to some nightcore music. His morning routine looked as average as ever and was gradually becoming repetitive. In each time he received negative comments. He would ruminate about it and try to learn where he went wrong. Suddenly, his eyes flashed in a light of inspiration as he hurriedly opened inkstone and typed in these words. Chapter 100: Departure... The idea for his hundredth chapter turned into a stream of information of which he continuously wrote. But little did Dan expect that someone had actually crept up behind him. Engrossed in the brilliant idea that he had, it didn''t even take long until Dan pressed the publish button as a smile of success crept out on his lips. "Finally, a hundred chapters...I hope that my readers won''t roast me too much..." He lightly chuckled and started reading his novel from scratch. He became adamant in finding out the faults that he made in the course of his writing. However, little did he expect that when he saw his favorite character dying at a certain chapter. The sensation of sadness that he received from his favorite visual novel, the negativity from the trolls and the shock of witnessing his favorite character''s death. All combined into a lethal concoction which gave him a cardiac arrest. As he fell onto the ground, Dan mumbled, "Please let me transmigrate or at least reincarnate..." Amidst his darkening consciousness, Dan stared at the masterpieces that he collected before he whispered his final words in this world, "Please let me be a woman in my next life, I''m tired playing this game called Life in the Veteran Difficulty..." He lightly chuckled as his consciousness darkened. Never to return again. 1 Young Master of the Longinus Clan Continent of Dawn On the Empire of Dawn''s Capital City, the City of Cloud, numerous people could be seen, holding flags engraved with the symbol of the Empire; their faces painted with excitement and joy as they cheered in praise of the victorious return of Zaramias Longinus. This Zaramias was considered as one of the strongest cultivators of the Empire of Dawn, he protected the empire''s border from its enemies so that they wouldn''t dare to invade. Because of this, the neighboring empire; the Empire of Eternal Faith attacked in anger but was quickly subdued by the Fiery Blood Army that Zaramias himself, raised on his own. Upon hearing his success, the Emperor himself gave him his rewards and commendations along with a blank Imperial Decree wherein he could write whatever request that he wanted. But when he arrived, he didn''t answer the Emperor''s summons. Instead, he frantically ran towards the Longinus Clan''s Estate. Every servant present in the area knew the reason why the mighty commander was so frantic. It was all because of the young master. It was said that while Zaramias guarded the border, that bastard actually tried to take advantage of the Batian Clan''s Young miss. And when he was caught, he even refused to offer his apologies, but instead, acted arrogantly and domineering all the while insulting the Clan of the latter. Because of this, the Clan Chief of the Batian Clan became unable to hold his anger as he viciously attacked the young master, causing the latter to fall down on the ground while coughing litters of blood. However, instead of regretting their actions. The Batian Clan righteously declared that it was not their fault that the young master of the Longinus Clan fell unconscious. Fortunately for them, the young master didn''t die, which prevented a huge disaster happening to their Clan. The young master of the Longinus Clan was not only known for being arrogant but also for being a womanizer. It was said that one''s hands and toes wouldn''t suffice to count the number of women that he had deflowered. Sitting under a tree trunk was a young man whose visual appearance looked to be of sixteen to seventeen years old. His expression devoid of any ripple as he stared at a thick book that he held in his hands. Occasionally, his eyes would flash in excitement and sometimes it would shine in anticipation. But mostly, the light within his eyes looked dull and bored. For the past two weeks, the so-called Young master of the Longinus Clan had been collecting books regarding history and cultivation and have been earnestly reading it by himself However, little did they realize that he was not actually reading it. Instead, he was integrating it into the database of the peculiar system that he had obtained. The Assassination System After collecting all sorts of information these past days, he finally became bored as he yawned. Tilting his head towards the skies, his eyes shone in a melancholic light as he remembered the on-going anime and doujinshis that he would never be able to watch once again. Back then, it was already the year of two thousand ninety-five and One Piece was finally about to end after twenty thousand chapters. Sadly for him, he never saw through the end since he died from feels after reading his favorite novel. Sighing in his heart, he reorganized his thoughts as he remembered the information that he obtained regarding this body''s previous owner. The identity that he assumed right now was the Longinus Clan''s Young master, Dan Longinus. This Dan Longinus was a well-known trash and tumor of the entire city. Not only his talent in cultivation was garbage. And despite the fact that his cultivation was quite good thanks to the resources that he enjoyed inside the Clan, his attitude didn''t make him worthy as a cultivator since he disliked violence and murder the most, to the extent that he would endlessly fawn over someone just to have them spare his life. In this world where the strong was respected, someone like him would never amount to anything and would surely die early without a proper burial. But even though he had garnered the ire of literally everyone in Cloud City, no one dared to openly attack nor despise him. After all, the huge name of the Longinus Clan stood behind him as his bastion. However, by the time that Dan Longinus returned to the Estate in an unconscious state, nobody knew that he was already dead. And now, it was actually the soul of another person inside the body of the former. Closing the book, Dan stood up, carried the book with him as he mumbled, "Since the sun is shining this bright and its angle has considerably changed in compared to daybreak, It should be the time for me to eat some lunch." He walked towards the mansion, but before he could enter, a frantic maidservant greeted him as she said, "Young master! Your father, General Zaramias is here!" 2 Scheme After the servants spoke these words, Dan''s expression flickered, a smile hung on his face as he greeted a sturdy and olden figure coming his way. Clasping his hands together, Dan bowed before saying in a clear voice: "Father, your son, welcomes your arrival." Zaramias stared at his son, not knowing whether to laugh or to cry. When he heard the message about what his son did towards the daughter of the Batian Clan. Scanning his son''s figure, Zaramias noticed that he held a book and he said in curiosity, "Son, it seems like you now have an idea about how you should act. To think that you''re actually reading books regarding cultivation..." A smile crept on his face as he said those words. Dan''s expression brightened, but inwardly, he frowned for he knew that according to the memories of the previous owner of this body. His father, Zaramias Longinus couldn''t easily be fooled. A flash of suspicion ran through the former''s expression as he mused, "Dan, no matter what you did, you''re still the proud son of mine." His eyes shone in a critical light, "I will ask the Batian Clan for an explanation!" Dan''s expression became tender and his eyes glimmered in gentleness, back at his previous life, his parents didn''t even care for him and to have someone acting gently like this to him, was a foreign sensation for him. His face flashed in a solemn light, "You need not worry about that father, I started the matter, so I will deal with this myself!" A domineering aura enveloped his body as he declared. Staring at his son whose attitude went a complete change. He didn''t know what to react. But soon, a small smile of satisfaction spread on his lips as he walked towards his son, tapped on his shoulders before saying, "I see, since you''re saying that you will deal with it by yourself, I won''t bother with it anymore. However, if you ever ran through a quagmire, remember that you have me behind your back." Between this father and son, words were useless as Zaramias calmly retreated back to his room, leaving his son, smiling to himself as he thought, ''This must be the reason why the previous owner of this body became so complacent about himself...However, since I''m in his body now, it could be said that his father I also my father, and all of his previous grievances, I will definitely solve." ''First thing first, let me open this beginner''s pack first...'' He became excited as he went back to his room. After making sure that there was no one around him, Dan opened the System''s Main Menu and opened the beginner''s pack reward inside the System''s Virtual Inventory. [Skill Coupon(1)] A floating icon of a scroll with a Skill Coupon name manifested in the air, Dan tapped on it and the scroll exploded with a blinding light as a notification sound echoed within his mind. Regaining his sight, he found a system notification before him. [Skill Name: Absolute Disguise] [Skill Effect: An excellent disguise is the Assassin''s best friend, with an impeccable technique of deceit, how could someone reveal your true identity?] [Skill Duration: Until the user turns it off] [Skill Costs: Half of the user''s Qi] The sheen of excitement on his expression intensified as he stared at the skill name and thought, ''Goddamned it, this is really too timely!'' Calming his nerves, Dan walked out of the Longinus Clan''s Residence, heading for the direction of the Batian Clan Region 3 A Surprise Donning his disguise, Dan now looked like a callous middle-aged man. The smell of iron constantly wafted around him, making the people that walked past him, instinctively evade him with fear. He soon arrived before a restaurant where he entered and sat on the third floor, staring at the direction of the two teenagers, laughing and teasing as they dined. "Now that I think about it, it seems like that bastard from the Longinus Clan is still alive..." The young man, dressed in luxurious clothes belonging to those with nobility, said. "Yeah, it seems like he has the blood of a cockroach inside his veins..." The gorgeous young woman before him snickered in disdain when he remembered the lustful expression of that frog who tried taking advantage from her "Well, you know that saying? Like father, like son. Since his father is also a cockroach, that could only mean that he took the image of his father." The young man sneered in response. The young woman chuckled in delight after hearing the young man''s reply, she twirled the glass wine on the table with her hands as she said, "Brother really is still the best..." The pair of siblings continued on their meal, but little did they know that a coldly smiling figure stared at them, intently, on the sidelines. Several hours later, the two of them walked out of the restaurant, with the young woman carrying with her, a dessert that looked like an Ice Cream. They walked together under the darkness of the night, on a dim path towards the forest. Dan knitted his eyebrows, ''What are they doing inside the forest, this late of the night?'' He followed suit, but his figure froze when he heard hushed and pleasure filled moans, echoing from the direction where the two disappeared. ''What in the actual fuck?! Are they doing something like what I''m thinking right now?!'' Dan calmed his mind, snickering to himself, he took a Profound Imagery Stone from his Virtual Storage, he didn''t expect that the two who came from the same father but a different mother, would engage in such an activity. "You like that you fucking bitch?! Are you still going to let that trash from the Longinus Clan, take advantage of your body?" The young man slapped the pearly-white butt before him as he thrust. "Please, no...I won''t do it again, I won''t do it again so please forgive me!" The young woman hollered in pain, but her eyes still shone in a glazed light. She even took the initiative to match his movement as she bobbed her butt. Dan who observed at the sidelines was already speechless, ''Why the hell are you including me in such a dirty talk?'' He inwardly thought as the glimmer of the Profound Imagery Stone captured all the activities that they did. Soon, their activity reached a crescendo and their breathing merged with each other as they arrived at the climax. Huffing and puffing, the young man separated his body from her as a milky-white liquid, dripped from the young woman''s lower body. The latter took a garment from her chest pocket as she wiped himself. She even knelt down and cleaned the former''s lance with her mouth as she stood up and suffusing a satisfied smile, she said. "It''s getting quite a bit late, how about we return for today? We can just continue it at home..." The prospects of continuing their lecherous activity at home, excited the young man as he quickly nodded and soon, the two disappeared from the scene, not even noticing that a wickedly smiling figure who was observing them from the side, all this while. ''To think that I would get a grasp of such a precious material in such an unexpected way...'' Dan walked out of the forest. And since the Batian Clan always fought vigorously against his clan, He couldn''t help but anticipate the advantages that he would take as long as he had this piece of evidence. 4 Demanding a Compensation Morning soon arrived, and Dan walked out of his room, feeling refreshed as he thought about the events that occurred, last night. But as soon as he stepped inside the hallway, rowdy voices of complaints and the voice of his father, refuting someone could be heard at the front yard of the mansion. Frowning, Dan walked outside and there, he found the Batian Clan Chief along with the two step-siblings, staring at Zaramias with a grieved expression on their faces. "How could you be like this?! It was clear that your son was the lecherous one! We''re just here to ask for compensation about the mental trauma that my daughter, suffered!" The Batian Clan Chief, Zacarias Batian cried out. The young man covered his sibling behind him as he stared coldly at Dan''s direction. Dan shrugged, for he noticed that the eyes of the former, contained a deep mocking and disdain towards him. "Mental Trauma? Do you know how serious the injury that my son, suffered under the hands of your guards? If not for the fact that I spent at least a fourth of my assets to buy a medicinal pill for him, he would not be standing right now!" "So what? Your son is now healed but my daughter still suffers from nightmares because of that event!" "What nightmare are you talking about, are you trying to pull my leg?" "Are you saying that I''m lying? Is that what you''re implying?!" The two men fought with words and soon as their banter intensified, Dan interjected at the side, "Father, it''s fine, let''s just compensate them so that this matter will be over for good." His father''s eyes flashed in confusion, ''Back then, he would always urge me to help him compensate his enemies, but now...Why is he acting like this?'' Zacarias didn''t expect that Dan was really that timid, inwardly sneering in disdain, he pointed his finger at him and said, "You must compensate my daughter with at least, an Earth Grade Excellent Rank Pill!" Zaramias frowned, "Bastard, stop being so cheeky as if I would compensate you with something like that!" It has to be known that the rankings of pills were divided into three, namely, Mortal, Earth, and Heaven. A Mortal Grade pill was already so rare, much less an Earth Grade Pill! "Well, if you can''t fork out at least that much," Zacarias sneered in his heart, the reason why he requested such a steep price was because he was sure that Zaramias could never hand him over such a precious and expensive pill. His eyes gradually swept over at Dan, "How about we have your son, serve inside our clan as a servant for half a month?" "Are you mocking me?!" Zaramias thoroughly exploded as his expression reddened in anger and shame, Zacarias chuckled in his heart, "Mocking? I''m certainly not doing that! How could I do that to such a mighty general like you?" The two siblings that observed all this while, already stared at Dan with a venomous light within their eyes, Dan only shrugged, patting his father at his shoulders, he focused his gaze towards the young man behind Zacarias and said, "Young Master of the Batian Clan, did you properly clean yourself, last night?" His strange inquiry froze everyone in the scene. His father''s anger surged as he said, "What bullshit are you talking about, Dan? If you''re just trying to fool us, then back down!" The young man stared at Dan with a confused expression on his face, Noticing the former''s visage, Dan lightly chuckled as he continued, "That''s not good, you should properly wash after doing such a steamy activity last night at the Forest of Seclusion, right...? Y-o-u-n-g m-a-s-t-e-r?" Dan purposely lengthened his tone at the last part of his sentence, his eyes momentarily glanced at the young woman beside him as he stared at the two with a meaningful gaze within his eyes. He even showed them a glimpse of a Profound Imagery Stone as the young man''s expression shook with fear. Zacarias noticed this change and he asked, "What''s going on here? What steamy activity? Could it be that you''re hiding something from me? Ivan?" "Father, let''s go back for now..." Ivan spoke with a slow tone filled with anger and humiliation. The young woman beside him also turned pale in terror as she remembered the fact that Dan had a used Profound Imagery Stone. And judging from the tone of his voice and the hints that he threw at them; she knew that he definitely knew about their secret activities, and even had it recorded inside that Stone. Zacarias''s eyebrow lifted, realizing the upheaval inside his son''s mind, he grimly nodded his head. Throwing a fierce look at Dan and glancing momentarily at the dumbfounded Zaramias. The group walked out of their Estate with their tails, tucked deep in their ass. 5 Display of Fierceness Batian Clan Region, Batian Clan Manor. A vexed Ivan stared at his father with a wronged expression on his face, "Father, no matter what happens, we must get our revenge!" Hearing his words, Zacarias turned towards the former with a helpless expression on his face, "I was planning on compensating them earlier but you''re the one who held us back, just what is going on with you?" Because of the angle, Zacarias didn''t see the Profound Imagery Stone and he became suspicious about his sudden change of heart. turning towards his daughter, he found that she also had the same flushed expression. Ivan repeatedly coughed in an effort to diffuse the strange atmosphere, "Father, let''s just stop talking about that bastard, It''s about time for lunch, how about we have something to eat first? I''m sure, Elder Sis here is also quite hungry..." Zacarias became indifferent, not replying to his son''s question. He started walking towards the direction of the dining room. Looking at the disappearing figure of Zacarias, Sophia''s eyes swept over at Ivan as she spoke, "What are we going to do now? It seems like that trash actually got a hold of what we did last night!" Her expression turned venomous as she pointed at him. "Shut up, Bitch! Can''t you see that I''m thinking about it? If not for you being so fucking horny, we wouldn''t be caught!" Ivan''s expression flushed, his eyes full of anger and shame when he remembered Dan who cheekily presented them with that Profound Imagery Stone. "Now it''s my fault?! Aren''t you the one who led me there?!" Sophia''s expression became bedraggled, Ivan whom she scolded became irritated with her actions as he turned around and said, "I''ll look into this myself since I bet you will not going to help anyway..." He coldly snorted and walked away from the residence. Sophia who was left behind, tightly clenched her fists, ''If not for the fact that you''re still useful to me, I, the rightful daughter of father wouldn''t even do this with you...'' Her eyes flashed in an icy cold light before heading to the direction of the living room. =================================== Arriving inside the warehouse, Dan searched for the items that he needed, several minutes later, he came out with a crossbow and a quiver filled with six bolts. Placing it inside his Virtual Storage, Dan walked out, his expression devoid of impatience as he calmly strode along the hallway. The servants greeted him with respectful smiles as he continued on his way towards the Forest of Seclusion. Upon entering the Forest of Seclusion, Dan noticed something odd. He turned his shoulders to the right and used his peripheral vision to scan, but when he found nothing, he went on while inwardly mumbling. Dan walked at a constant pace towards the deeper parts of the Forest, however, he didn''t hunt for any beasts, instead, he analyzed the plants around him. Plucking a four-leaf clover whose leaves had black and white strips on it, He curiously stared at it before asking the System to analyze. [Name: Zebra Clover] [Effect: Nothing in particular] [Hidden Effect: Nah, nothing...] Throwing the clover, the feeling of imminent danger rose within his heart as he swiftly leaped towards the side, followed by an explosion that occurred at his initial location. Bang! Taking advantage of the dust that sprung in the air, Dan took his crossbow from the Virtual Storage and ducked, scanning the area for the enemies'' location. Visually confirming that there was no one before him, Dan had no choice but to ask for the System''s help. "System, locate the enemies'' location along with their weaknesses!" [System Function Initiating; 35%] [System Function Completed! Results: Two enemies at twelve o''clock, one at six!] ''Shit! a pincer attack?!'' His mind crazily spun before his body moved, striking a nearby tree trunk with his feet, he used it as a leverage to evade the incoming attacks of the three. Clang! Clashing sounds of metal striking against each other resonated, Dan scoped in with his crossbow, pointed it at the enemy at his six before pulling the trigger. Pew! The arrow flew, but the figure easily avoided it with a sidestep. Witnessing their ghost-like movements, Dan gritted his teeth, took a small jade bottle filled with a viscous liquid from his Virtual Storage and quickly applied it at the tip of the arrows, all the while evading the constant attacks of the two Assassins. Blood continuously dripped from the injuries that dotted his body. However, his eyes still shone in a light of stubbornness and determination, which astounded the three Assassins. For they knew that if the bastard was a trash, by this time, he would be kneeling down on the ground, begging for respite. Gripping their daggers. The three of them resolved to finish this job faster so that they could return earlier. With a whoosh, their figures formed a triangle formation, thoroughly sealing Dan''s escape route. Dan stood still. But inside his mind, the simulation of the system rapidly spun while his mind also moved faster than ever under this crushing pressure of death. Within the next second, Dan decided his next course of actions as he leaped sideward and backward, evading the attacks of the two assassins in front. Twisting his body in mid-air, he greeted the dagger of the remaining assassin all the while holding a crossbow with his right hand. the Assassin''s expression flickered, just from the trajectory of his attack alone, if the young man got hit, he would surely die without any doubt, yet he''s not doing anything to dodge! Wait...That''s wrong... This bastard is aiming for... Mutual Destruction! His eyes widened in shock as Dan slightly retracted his left shoulder to avoid a clean hit on his heart. Meanwhile, his crossbow bolt laced with poison plunged deep within the Assassin''s jugular as fresh blood scattered, staining the ground in a scarlet hue. Puchi! The Assassin''s dagger descended on his left chest, burying deep as a sharp pain coursed through his nerves. Gritting his teeth, Dan prevented himself from screaming, yet his throat emanated a deep growl akin to that of an enraged beast. Fresh blood trickled down his chest, soiling his pure white robe in a crimson sheen. Paired with his ferocious expression, he thoroughly looked savage and barbaric. The two Assassin''s gulped a mouthful of saliva, their actions didn''t go unnoticed by Dan who crazily chuckled, "You bastards must''ve come from the Batian Clan, right?!" His words resonated in the air as the two jolted for a moment before speaking in a hoarse voice, "We''re not from the Batian Clan. We came from the Night Ranger''s Association, and since someone paid us to take your life, we will surely do it at all cost." "Really?" Staring at the man''s nonsensical attempt on hiding his blunder, Dan continued chuckling as he said, "You don''t need to fool me anymore like I''m a child, your fast heart rate, and your trembling hand as you hold that dagger is the best evidence that you''re not a cold-blooded Assassin! If you''re trying to fool someone, then you better not try it on me!" Dan clutched the dagger lodged on his left chest as he slowly took it, the faint sound of flesh being ripped, echoed clearly inside the silenced atmosphere, Dan''s display of ferocity and stubbornness made the hearts of the two Assassin''s tremble in fear. 6 Predicamen "I''ll be borrowing this for a bit..." Dan viciously smiled, holding a crossbow bolt on his right hand, and a dagger drenched with fresh blood on his left hand, he looked like the incarnation of the God of War as he said, "Are you guys going to attack or not?" His eyes flashed in a teasing and murderous light as he continued, "If you''re not going to attack, then I will!" His figure sped towards the frightened Assassin''s as both of them retreated backward. Even though the two were intimidated, that doesn''t mean that he wouldn''t take them seriously. Evading the frantic counter-attacks of the immature assassins, Dan rolled on the ground as he flicked his wrist, sending a crossbow bolt flying at the jugular of his enemy. Puchi! A sound of penetrated flesh rang clear, followed by a dull thud, indicating the death of another man, as the remaining Assassin hurriedly threw several jade bottles which exploded into a thick mist, reducing visibility for Dan. But how could he escape under Dan''s heightened senses? With a flick of his wrist, a crossbow bolt flew at three o''clock as a miserable groan resonated. A dull thud soon followed and the forest regained its tranquility. Soon, the smoke dissipated, revealing the scene of utmost destruction and gore. One of the Assassins that Dan slashed to Dan looked as if his head would fall from his neck. Huffing and puffing, Dan''s eyes flashed in solemnness, realizing that his vision started tunneling, he knew that he didn''t have much time left. If the effects of adrenaline simmered down, he understood that an excruciating pain will definitely follow suit. With swift movements, Dan gritted his teeth, searched for any relevant items that he could acquire as his spoils of victory. Unfortunately, the bastards didn''t even have a copper coin or any pills that can help him recover. Cursing in his heart, Dan erased all traces of evidence by burning their bodies, apart from the changed terrain due to the intense battle, one would find this particular area of the forest as normal. After all of this was done. His mind relaxed followed by a sharp pain that surged from his shoulder as blood once again erupted from his wound. "Guaaah!" Dan fell on the ground, twisting and squirming. It was the first time for him to experience such an agonizing pain. Since he was a sheltered man in his previous life, he was seldom injured and the most painful experience that he had when it comes to injuries was stepping on a lego. Just stepping on a lego back then made him scream like a girl. But compared to what he was experiencing right now, the difference was like heaven and earth. His face full of beaded sweat and his expression pale like paper. His teeth chattered, as he pushed his right palm on the wound, effectively diffusing the bleeding. Opening his mouth, he spoke these words amidst his gritted teeth, "System, use the limits of my body as the benchmark and create a percentage of how much damage I can still take..." [System Function Simulation Initiating; 35%] [System Simulation Completed!] [Dan Longinus: 35%] A health bar along with a percentage manifested in the air. Staring at the crimson red health bar, Dan forced his body to stand up as he groggily walked towards the outer area of the Forest of Seclusion. "At this pace, I will be dead when I arrive there..." His eyes flashing in solemnness, glancing at the vegetation around him, Dan instructed the system, "System, sort out all the knowledge of medicinal herbs that I acquired from the library and give me the information about those herbs that I can get in here..." [System Function Simulation Initiating; 35%] [System Simulation Completed!] [Blood Coagulating Grass, Hundred Stalks Grass, Gingko Biloba, Panax Ginseng, Rainbow Cap Mushroom...] Numerous list of herbs materialized in the air, Clicking his tongue, Dan ordered, "System, delete the herbs that cannot be obtained in five minutes!" Ding! [Blood Coagulating Grass, Panax Ginseng, Rainbow Cap Mushroom, Forest Panacea] Dan quickly tapped on the Blood Coagulating Grass as a holographic image depicting the characteristics of the grass floated in the air before him. Focusing his gaze, Dan scanned the area around him, particularly near the tree roots, and there, a tree about five meters away from him, a Blood Coagulating Grass calmly swayed along with the air. "Found you!" He strode in big steps. Arriving before the Grass, Dan uprooted it, crushing it into a paste mixed with his blood as he applied it to his wound. A warm surge of itchiness took over the hole in his left shoulder as the profuse bleeding decreased in intensity. Sighing in his heart, he slowly resumed his journey back to the Longinus Clan Estate. Covering his body with the robe that he took from his assailants, Dan merged with the crowd, entered a narrow alleyway before scaling it and leaping towards the backyard of the Mansion. Although there were numerous restrictions in place to prevent spies or burglaries, since Dan was recognized by the formation, he wasn''t sanctioned as he entered his room, all the while maintaining his silenced footsteps and taking advantage of the surrounding terrain as cover. Entering his room, Dan took several medicinal pills from a nearby cabinet before chugging them down as he fell on the ground with a thud. His exhausted body and mind, finally found respite as he slowly entered his dreamland. 7 An unknown amount of time passed as Dan''s consciousness gradually awakened from slumber. Opening his murky eyes, Dan scanned the familiar room and found that it was night time. Fortunately for him, his father became busy about official matters which gave him enough time to hide his injuries. Because he was known as an arrogant and easily angered young man. The servants didn''t dare to knock on his door to tell him that it was time for dinner, and so, Dan felt incomparably hungry, to the extent that he could eat a whole hog if he wanted to. Seating down, he leaned on the wall as he remembered the events that happened earlier in the day. The wound on his left shoulder still ached in pain, but it wasn''t as intense as the pain that he felt back at the forest. ''Now that I think about it, I didn''t have much time to explore this Assassination System since I was quite busy learning about the matters of this world...Since I have some free time anyway, how about I explore it for now?'' He inwardly thought. Raising his hand in the air, Dan opened the System Menu as a User Interface manifested. [My Account] [Settings] [Save] [Load] [Options] [Item Shop] [Rage Gauge] [Inventory] [Quests] ''Rage Gauge?'' Apart from this, all of the icons were familiar to him, and so, he curiously tapped as a three-dimensional glass gourd appeared in the air. The glass gourd didn''t have any contents and when Dan tapped onto it, a system notification surfaced. [Rage Gauge: Absorbs the attacks of the enemies, and once full, release it in a single devastating strike.] ''Wait, so this is kinda like the Rage Gauge of BDO? The only difference is this one is released instead of absorbed...'' He cupped his chin as he pondered. Returning to the main menu, Dan tapped on the inventory icon. After finding nothing, he went back to the Main Menu and opened the Quest List. Seeing the empty list. Dan returned to the Main Menu and there when he once again stared at the line-up of buttons. He finally noticed the existence of the Load and Save button. His expression flashing in excitement, he curiously tapped on the Save button as a notification surfaced. [Do you want to save the current instance? Y/N] Tapping on the Y button, the system replied, [Current Instance Saved! Remaining Save: 9; Remaining Load: 10] ''Wait...'' His eyes widened in shock, ''The Save and Load feature is not unlimited?!'' He facepalmed when he realized that he just wasted a save file. Sighing in his heart, he regained his calm after a moment of contemplation about the meaning of life. He then returned at the Main Menu and pressed on the My Account button. [Name: Dan Gabriel Longinus; Age: 16; Status: the Young Master of the Longinus Clan] [Stats; Str: 0.50, Int: 3; Dex: 0.23, Agi: 0.90; Sta: 2] [For Reference, one stat point equals an average human''s stat.] [Cultivation: Middle Stage of the Flesh Tempering Realm] [System Evaluation: Weak aff] Reading the end of the prompt, Dan''s expression became bleak for he knew the reason why this body couldn''t even compare to those of the average person. First, although the previous owner of this body cultivated Martial Arts, the bastard was very lazy that in his sixteen years of age, he only achieved the middle stage of the lowest realm. But Dan''s determination didn''t diminish, after all, he reincarnated inside the world of those novels that he read, how could he not be thrilled? He sat cross-legged in the air and ordered the System, "System, arrange the memories of the previous owner of this body, sort out the information about the Longinus Clan''s Cultivation Method and place it inside a folder named Main Cultivation Method!" [System Function; Initiating; 50%] [System Function; In-Process; 1%] [Predicted Duration until Function Completion: 3days, 21mins, 21secs] "Wheeew...At least it is working," Dan ordered the System in an overbearing way. Fortunately, the System didn''t seem to care as it mechanically started working. Afterward, Dan opened the System Menu once again and tapped on the Item Shop. [Welcome to the Modern World Item Shop!] [Search:____________________________] [Note: Only items that have the purpose of killing can be bought from the Item Shop!] Dan''s eyebrows knitted, ''The purpose of killing? Which means I can buy poisons, firearms, knives, or something like that?'' He mused and when he raised his hands in the air, a holographic image of a keyboard manifested, ''How convenient...'' His hands moved in quick successions as he entered the following words, "Assault Rifles] Ding! [M416; Price: 1250 AS] [AKM; Price: 1325 AS] [SCAR L; Price: 1235 AS] [Groza; Price: 3208 AS] Eyes widened in shock, Dan''s breathing hastened and his expression looked flushed as he read through all of the prompts, ''What in the hell? There''s even the Groza and AKM!'' Tapping on it, an error surfaced, [Not enough AS Points to purchase, please earn more AS Points!] ''AS Points?'' Dan mumbled before saying, "System, explain to me what is this AS, thing?" [AS short for Assassination Points can be obtained by completing quests or killing a monster without being detected, the collected points can be used to redeem various items inside the System''s Item Shop.] ''Wait, wait wait...So to earn AS Points, I need to kill monsters without being detected or to complete quests? But there are no quests at all!'' His expression flashed in a peculiar light as a smile crept on his face, ''So the only way to earn AS Points is to kill monsters...'' Void of the timidness that he displayed to the outside world, Dan dismissed the System Menu as he walked outside of his room. Since it was currently night time, it was impossible for him to hunt and so, he returned to the main menu and tapped on the most curious icon that he saw. The Options Icon. [Current Difficulty: Dark Souls] [Graphics Settings: Realistic] [Call the GM] ''There''s a difficulty, wait... Why is difficulty labeled as Dark Souls?! and why is there a graphics setting?! Could it be that I can turn it down so I can see the individual atoms around me?!'' Dan''s lips lifted in an amused gesture, but when he reached the end of the interface, he found a Call the GM button, unfortunately, it was greyed out and cannot be used. ''A Call the GM, button? Could it be that once I can use this, I can contact the creator of this system?'' He mumbled, ''Well, that doesn''t concern me for now anyway...'' He closed the Main menu, and glancing at the area around him and hearing the occasional chirping of birds, Dan shrugged, returned back on his futon as he once again, returned to his dreamland. 8 Cloud City, Empire of Dawn Flowing Cloud Sect, one of the overlords outside the Empire of Dawn, a figure could be seen inside a glamorous mansion, this figure, clad in a dress shining in resplendent colors, sat before a table. In the opposite direction, another figure clad in a jet-black robe. The figure''s aura retracted and if you would never detect his presence if you''re not looking at him. "Molox, how''s everything going in the Imperial Palace?" the figure clad in the beautiful dress spoke, her tone filled with anticipation towards the robed man''s answer. "Everything is going fine, however, that Emperor is too cautious, I could only intrude with the help of the First Prince," Molox replied in a hoarse voice, "You need not worry about everything, Mistress Batian, or I should say, Mistress Cloud?" The woman''s expression turned ugly, "Did I told you not to call me with that despicable name?" Molox laughed in return, "Yeah, I shouldn''t call you that, however, are you sure about continuing this plan? If we do this, your daughter, Sophia will lose a father, you know?" In response to his words, her gorgeous expression became devoid of the previous beauty as she venomously spat, "That man, ever since he abandoned me to die, ten years ago, I have already considered him as a stranger, all the time that we spent together is just a matter of the past." Her eyes flashed in a critical light, "However, that doesn''t mean that I will forget what he did! Soon, soon...My revenge will surely come..." Molox chuckled and didn''t say anything. =============================== The first burst of sunlight descended as Dan''s consciousness awakened from slumber. Standing up, he took a bath and prepared for a feast. The servants who noticed him greeted him with respectful smiles as usual. Arriving at the dining room, Dan knitted his eyebrows and asked, "Mister George, where is my father? He''s been missing since yesterday..." He took a chair and sat down before the table. "The master is still busy training the troops, he came out of the Estate early at daybreak..." A butler with olden features responded to him as he handed Dan some utensils to use. "Training the troops, eh? Why is he doing that so urgently, could it be that the situation at the border is worse than we think?" Dan munched on a meat dish as he spoke these words. George turned towards him, his eyes flashed in a confused light, ''Why is the young master interested in these matters? Previously, the questions that he would ask me was what family''s girl is beautiful or who is the girl that has the biggest booty in the City...'' Regaining his calm, he became happy when he noticed that the former''s demeanor looked more of a man than a spoiled brat. Respectfully smiling, George replied, "There''s been quite a strife between the Empire of Dawn and the Empire of Eternal Faith, at first, it was just small skirmishes but the enemy started sending Divine Soul Practitioners in the battlefield, causing massive damage and casualties..." "I see," Dan mumbled as he continued his meal, not bothering about the matters of the Empire anymore, after all, he still has his own problems to solve and it would be inefficient to solve them all at once. Finishing his meal, Dan didn''t eat much, instead, he walked out of the Estate, turning towards a dark alleyway before activating his disguise. Continuing his journey, he walked towards the direction of the slums community. The Empire of Dawn maintained a strict hierarchy when it comes to power, from Noble, Middle Class, and Slum. The person''s qualification in society would be decided at birth according to the status that the person''s parents have. Fortunately, one could rise up through the ranks by giving meritorious services in the army or gaining a vast amount of wealth. Both of the options were difficult to achieve. Because of this, the population of the slum community increased as it became the land where crimes and petty thievings, concentrated. Eventually, they were shunned by those people above and garnered a hatred for them deep within their hearts. That was the reason why Dan suffused a disguise when he visited the area, and indeed, when he arrived at the border separating the Middle Class from the Slums, a putrid stench of excrement and urine assaulted his sense. Dan knitted his eyebrow. But as someone who lived his childhood in such conditions back in his previous life, he quickly regained his calm as he slowly walked, deeper into the slums. People stuck their heads outside of their thatched huts, wondering about the foreign visitor who suddenly arrived. But upon noticing that he looked average and that he didn''t seem to have that much wealth on his body, they became uninterested as they retracted their gaze. Dan''s aim wasn''t to only take a closer look at their living condition. But also, to find people that were worthy of nurturing, after all, one of the most hardworking people, came from the lowest rung of society. His journey continued on for five minutes before he arrived in front of a hole in the wall, a street food stall where the fresh scent of fried meat and vegetables emanated. Dan entered it as a kind-looking auntie whose visual appearance looked to be at the mid-twenties greeted him with a smile, "Welcome!" "May I get some fried dough sticks and some savory soy milk?" Dan spoke in a hoarse tone, the auntie nodded her head with a smile as she took two bowls before handing it over to Dan. Staring at the shiny soy milk and the freshly fried dough sticks, a smile crept on his face as he reminisced about his previous life. He became gratified that this meal existed in this world. Finishing his meal, Dan paid two copper coins, but he didn''t leave. He just sat down, relaxing as if in a middle of deep contemplation. The auntie didn''t mind as she kept on humming a tune, waiting for customers. Two hours passed, yet the auntie still didn''t have any customers other than Dan. Everything seemed tranquil. At the next hour, Dan finally stood up. The auntie followed him with her gaze as she said, "Thank you and come again..." Walking outside of her store, he was about to continue his journey, but before he could step a single foot outside, a coughing fit of a young girl echoed behind him. "Juliet, are you okay?" The auntie said as she hurriedly supported the young girl who looked to be at the age of nine, her figure looked skeletal and her visage, pale, an indication that she''s not receiving nutrients from what she was eating. Dan turned around, staring at the scene of the auntie whose expression looked like she was about to cry and her gesture of desperately helping the young girl, Dan didn''t realize his frozen heart, slowly thawing away. Moving towards the two, Dan placed his right hand on her back as she utilized a technique that he learned back then in calming coughing fits. The furious coughing of the young girl disappeared, and the color of her expression returned, the young auntie stared at this change and she couldn''t help but endlessly thank him in return. Dan waved his hands, "You need not mind it, but I''m just curious, just where is her father?" The young auntie''s expression turned melancholic, ushering her daughter inside their room just behind their stall, she started talking, "My husband died early while fighting for the Empire..." Her words, simple, yet it contained several deep meanings about the reality of the lives of the common populace inside this Empire. "The Empire didn''t give any financial support?" Dan''s eyebrows lifted. The young auntie shook her head in reply, "No, they gave us money but it is still not enough for us to get out of the slums." Indeed, one would need at least a million silver coins or a hundred thousand gold coins to achieve the qualifications of a middle-class citizen. Dan sighed in his heart, he knew that the young auntie was kind in heart, just from her actions alone, he understood her undying love towards his sick daughter. Taking a token from his robe, Dan threw it towards her as he said these words, "Tomorrow, you can find me at the Longinus Clan Estate, give this token to a butler named George and he will know what to do." His cryptic words resonated in the heart of the young auntie as she stared at the token with her eyes, reddened. The jade token looked simple, but the domineering and mighty name engraved on the token, enabled anyone who holds it, entry to any place within the City with the exception of the Imperial Palace. Later on, Dan finally arrived at the Longinus Clan Estate, walking inside the hallway, butler George greeted him as he said, "Young master, the master is asking for your presence at the study room." Dan''s expression flickered, nodding his head, he continued in the study room where he found his father, leaning on a chair, staring at him with a slight smile on his face. "You did well fighting against those three assassins," Zaramias spoke in a teasing tone. Dan revealed a wry smile, ''This old man''s stealth skills is actually good enough that he evaded the System''s scanning...'' "Old man, since you knew about it already, how about you stop teasing me and get to the point?" Dan rolled his eyes in response, Zaramias saw his actions as he exploded into a jubilant laugh, "You really fooled everyone in the City of Cloud, to think that you just acted like the pig to eat the tiger..." His eyes flashed in a complicated light, clasping his hands together, he said, "Well, putting all the jokes aside, since you''re quite a competent one, how about you join the Fiery Blood Army?" Dan''s visage changed, he stared at Zaramias whose expression maintained that teasing and complacent smile. Shrugging, he replied with a determined tone, "Since I don''t have anything much to do anyway, Fine, I''ll join that army of yours..." Dan knew that the only way he could increase his fighting strength was with constant life and death battles, and to survive in this world, one needs strength! 9 Fiery Blood Army Zaramias patted his shoulders, "Tomorrow, come to the Western Guard Camp, we''re staying at that place for this month," He said a satisfied smile crept on his face, placing the book on his desk back at the shelf. He stood up and returned to his room. The next morning, Dan woke up at daybreak, after taking his breakfast, he sped towards the Western Gate and asked the guards for the directions to the Western Guard Camp. The guards stared at him with a dumbfounded expression, ''What the hell is this black sheep of a young master, gonna do at that Camp where there are no girls to be found?'' But of course, they still answered him respectfully and even bowed as they watched his disappearing figure. After walking for an hour, Dan finally caught a glimpse of the so-called, Western Guard Camp. He wanted to ride a horse, but his father took the only horse on the Estate as a result, he didn''t have any other choice but to walk at his destination. Arriving at the gate, two soldiers clad in reddish armor blocked his way. Their expression solemn as they demanded, "Please show your pass!" Dan awkwardly scratched his head, "Sir, my father summoned me here and it seems like I don''t have my Clan Token, can you fetch him up for me?" One of the guards, named as Clyde, stared at Dan with an exasperated expression. "If the Battalion Commander can easily be summoned by anyone, then he won''t have any time to rest!" Dan scratched his cheek in annoyance, ''Goddamned it that old bag, why didn''t he tell me that I need a pass to get inside?'' Smiling wryly, ''Now, I''m stuck in here...'' "Well, just tell him that his son is here, waiting for him," Dan replied. Clyde stared at him with a dubious expression, turning towards his comrade at the side, the latter shrugged and he replied at Dan with an angrier tone than before, "What son are you talking about? The Commander is a rugged and cold man! He won''t have a son that looks like a boy-toy like you!" "That''s enough, Clyde. Stand down." A familiar voice echoed behind. Dan''s expression brightened while Clyde''s visage turned pale. Turning around, he quickly saluted, "Greetings to the Battalion Commander!" Zaramias nodded his head, and Clyde retracted his salute. "Clyde Barthos, lead Dan Longinus to his quarters," Zaramias said these words as he stared directly into the eyes of Dan, looking for any wavering. But when he found nothing, a smile crept on his lips as he turned around, leaving these words as he walked away, "Your training will start today at lunch, the troops will also gather at noon, you''ll train along with them." By this time, Clyde''s expression looked pale as he stared at Dan with an apologetic visage. The latter shrugged, tapped his shoulders as he said, "Don''t be bothered about that, I know that you''re just following the protocol," Clyde heaved a sigh of relief, although he didn''t understand why a person like him would act so kind towards him, he still accepted his words as he patiently guided Dan to his quarters. When Dan walked into his temporary residence, he found that it was void of other people. Instead, he was given the special treatment for being the Battalion Commander''s son. The room contained all basic furniture, a cabinet and a personal bathroom were even present for himself. Satisfied with this arrangement, Dan started unpacking his luggage. Afterward, he walked outside, enjoyed the glory of sunlight as he arrived before a huge square where soldiers practiced their archery, swordplay, or movement techniques. Staring at these hot-blooded men, working for the sake of their country, Dan had a strange feeling in his heart. He couldn''t help but also become hot-blooded along with their dignified shouts and movements that trembled the earth itself. The soldiers around noticed his presence and they couldn''t help but whisper to each other. "Hey, look, just who is that boy-toy?" "Could it be that he''s in here to snag some men?" "Oh shit, no, he''s looking at me..." Dan rolled his eyes towards their actions. Soon, noon came and Zaramias arrived on the training grounds. Seeing their commander, all soldiers neatly lined up, raising their hands, they greeted the latter in a proper salute. Dan could also Clyde at the formation of soldiers, noticing the badge on the latter''s armor, Dan knew that he must be an infantry commander. "Today, I gathered you guys in here to train as usual. But there''s a special twist. My son, Dan Longinus will be joining the Fiery Blood Army..." His dignified voice resonated across the entire training ground as literally, all the soldiers stared at each other in bewilderment. Their eyes shining in expectations, imagining that the son of someone as fierce as Commander Zaramias should also be as fierce, or fiercer than the father himself. But they were bound to be disappointed. "Dan, come here, present yourself before the brave soldiers of the Fiery Blood Army!" Zaramias gestured and Dan who leaned on the wall abruptly stood up. His actions made him the focus of the soldier''s attention as all of them stared wide-eyed at the man whom they mocked earlier as a boy-toy. However, Dan couldn''t really blame them. For the previous owner of this body was a timid man, he spent all of his life as a sheltered spoiled brat and had never experienced bloodshed nor the hard work of labor. As Dan arrived before the soldiers, Zaramias dropped another bombshell which shook the body and mind of all soldiers present. "From now on, he will be the Vice Battalion Commander of the Fiery Blood Army!" 10 Not Convinced? Everyone stared at Dan with a doubtful light within their eyes. But on the outside, they remained indifferent, as if the matter of Dan becoming the Vice-Commander didn''t bother them at all. But Clyde Barthos who stood among the soldiers stared at Dan with a shocked expression on his face, "Commander," He spoke up, face still respectful as ever, he glanced at his fellow soldiers before saying, "Do you think that is somewhat inappropriate to promote someone so easily? What if he''s incompetent? Instead of helping us, he would just hold us back, especially since I don''t think that his cultivation is even at the Organ Tempering Realm." The soldiers stared at Clyde with a gratified expression on their faces, Zaramias chuckled, his eyes momentarily swept over at Dan. But when he found that the latter didn''t seem to mind the doubtful expressions of the soldiers, he said, "Okay, I see, I understand your feelings, but since I have decided, it shall be effective." Clyde Barthos stared at Commander Zaramias. Taking a deep breath, he stood upright before saying, "This humble one doesn''t dare to question the commander''s decree! However, if we do it like this, the morale of my fellow comrades will definitely drop if they are led by such an incompetent brat." He glanced at the nonchalant Dan before staring at Commander Zaramias. Silence took over the entire training grounds. The gazes of those present concentrated at Dan who suddenly revealed a slight smile as he said, "You''re right about that Clyde Barthos," Clyde''s expression darkened, ''How dare this brat call me with my full name? Is he thinking that just because he''s appointed, he could exert his authority?'' Dan noticed his inner monologue. But he shrugged, before continuing, "I do think that your opinion is right, but since father appointed me as the Vice Commander, no matter how much words you say, the outcome will not change..." A smug smile lifted on his face as he scanned the irritated soldiers. Clyde became exasperated towards the brat''s presumptuous actions, "Even if you''re the Commander''s son, the army needs cooperation and mutual consent to work. If you can''t prove to us that you''re capable of leading us, then you better scram and go back to your home!" The soldiers who observed all this while started expressing their objections, "That''s right, Commander! Clyde is right! You can''t expect to be led by such a brat that still has milk on his lips!" "At least have him show his prowess before us!" Zaramias crossed his arms together, his expression stoic and his body faintly emanated an imposing might before saying, "I already bestowed upon him the position of the Vice Commander! Are you saying that you want me to renege on that?!" "No, sir. We won''t dare, we won''t dare..." They bowed their heads in fear and submission, Clyde also backed out, his might retracted as he stood there, maintaining his tranquil expression. Zaramias'' eyes gradually swept over at Dan. The latter noticed his father''s gaze as he sighed in his heart, ''Damn this old man really is pushing my limits, if I don''t do anything, this guys will never submit under my authority...'' He shook his head, dispelled all unnecessary thoughts before saying, "Since most of you guys are opposing my father''s decision on the basis that I am not capable enough." Raising both of hands, he cracked his knuckles, stretched his neck as a domineering smile crept on his lips, "How about we settle this with a showdown? Test me on whatever topics you like." His words resonated across the training grounds as all of the soldiers stared at Dan with incredulous lights in their eyes. Clyde lightly chuckled, disdain and mockery evident on his expression as he calmly explained, "I don''t mean to underestimate your skills since you''re the Commander''s Son, however, most of us here, trained our own skills for several decades! Are you really that naive to think that you can surpass us? Even if you started training inside your mother''s womb, you will never surmount our abilities!" Dan didn''t reply, his gaze swept over at his father who remained indifferent. Zaramias sighed, staring at Clyde whose expression reddened in anger, he said, "You need to calm down Clyde," Glancing at the soldiers, Zaramias continued, "Dan Longinus'' position as the Vice Commander of the Fiery Blood Army will be temporarily withheld unless he passes the test of Clyde Barthos in this topics." Smiling, Zaramias continued, "Archery, Swordplay, and Strategy!" "The assessment will be held two hours later. Until then, I want all of you guys to prepare this training ground for the assessment." Nodding his head, he continued, "All of you are dismissed for now. Remember to come back here, two hours later, including you, Dan Longinus." He turned his body around and returned back to his quarters. Leaving Dan alone with the soldiers of the Fiery Blood Army. Clyde Barthos coldly chuckled. Directing his gaze at Dan, he mumbled, "Even if you''re the commander''s son, I won''t hold back. You better prepare yourself." He shrugged, turning around, he also returned to his residence. But before he could walk far, Dan lightly chuckled. "Not convinced? Then I''ll force you to submit!" 11 Archery Clyde''s footsteps halted. But he soon continued without looking back. The soldiers who stood around the training ground stared at Dan with admiring gazes. Although the young man was quite brash and somewhat arrogant, at least he had the guts to fight against Cylde, whose figure alone, looked like a desert buffalo. Remembering the assessment that would occur two hours later, they revealed wry smiles. After all, they were familiar with Clyde''s capability when it comes to Archery. With his strong arms, core and lower body. He could easily pull a bow with a draw weight of a hundred and fifty kilograms. Compared to Dan''s figure that looked pretty average, they could only shake their heads as they arranged the training grounds into an archery range. Soon, not even an hour passed and Dan could already see the transformations, at the distance, three dummy targets with a circle on their bodies could be seen. Along the path, there were distance markers and looking at it, Dan knew that the distance between the targets and him was three hundred meters. "Kid, do you wanna have a go at it?" A middle-aged man soldier approached him, smiling amiably as he handed over a recurve bow. Dan nodded his head, took the bow from the former''s hands as he started pulling on its strings. The resistance that he felt, made him knit his eyebrows as he whispered, "System, calculate the draw weight of this bow." [System Function Initiating; 50%] [System Function Completed! Results: The draw weight of the bow in the host''s hands is a hundred kilograms...] Dan wryly smiled, with his cultivation, he could pull the strings but his accuracy would surely suffer. But since he wouldn''t know until he tried, he asked for an arrow as he aimed the bow towards the dummies. The soldiers noticed his actions as they couldn''t help but stare at him with gloating expressions. "Look! It looks like the brat is trying to pull the Demonic Bow," A soldier pointed, his fellow comrades behind him followed his line of sight and when it landed on Dan, they chuckled, "That kid has kicked an iron plate this time, after all, Clyde is one of the most accurate and strongest among us..." "He''s even pulling the Demonic Bow. Can he even draw it all the way?" A soldier chimed, the Demonic Bow was known to the Fiery Blood Army as the bow with the second to the highest draw weight among the bows that they would use. Only Clyde and a handful of soldiers could draw the bow and the resulting power, could easily pierce through a three-meter thick tree. Dan didn''t mind the jeering soldiers, his concentration, focused on the training dummy ahead. "System, simulate the aim inclination and strength exertion to effectively hit the target on its torso." [System Function Initiating: 50%] [System Function Completed! Results: Aim slightly above the training dummy with an inclination of forty-five degrees. Use all of the host''s strength to obtain a hit probability of forty percent.] ''Just forty percent?'' Dan inwardly thought, assuming a stance. Dan drew the bow amidst the crowd''s surprised gazes. But when they noticed his slightly trembling arm. They returned to their previous jeerings. "That kid really surprised me. To think that he could even draw the so-called Demonic Bow!" "But that''s still useless, even if he could really draw it, that doesn''t mean that it would be accurate..." "Well, you''re right about that..." A holographic image manifested in the air before Dan. He aimed his bow, according to the System''s simulation and with a whistling sound, along with dust flying into the air, he released the arrow as the air itself, screamed. Peng! A clear sound echoed, the soldiers hurriedly turned their gazes towards the training dummy and found that its head, actually got pierced by the arrow that Dan, released! Low hissing sounds resonated, everyone stared at Dan, void of their previous disdaining gazes. After all, they didn''t hate him that much. And as long as he can prove his capability. They would accept him as their comrade. Rubbing his sore arm, Dan revealed a wry smile. Even though he struck the dummy on its head. If his firing rate wouldn''t increase. Then his ability would not be that much of use in medium range combat. He practiced drawing the Demonic Bow until he couldn''t feel his arm anymore. Staring at the sun, Dan calculated that at least an hour and a half of time had passed. Sighing, he returned to his temporary quarters, resting his body in preparation for today''s assessment. Laying on his bed, Dan immersed himself about the Assassination System''s functions, ''According to the previous usage that I did, it seems like the System can calculate, analyze, and simulate. As long as my imagination allows it, I can use these three functions to exploit the weaknesses of my enemy, and this system will be my strongest bastion when it comes to battles.'' Opening the Modern World Item Shop, Dan stared at the line-up of firearms that he could not buy. Sighing in his heart, he mumbled, "So I need to kill beasts, or someone, without being detected to qualify for those points? How many points will I get in each kill though..." [The points that the host would acquire, will depend on several factors like the difference of strength between the host and the assassinated enemy...] "System, what will happen if I killed someone at the Organ Tempering Realm? How many points will I get?" [It is calculated that the host will acquire, 250 AS Points per kill] ''250?!'' Dan''s eyes shone in an excited light, ''Which means, if I participate at battles, I can potentially earn an infinite amount of AS points as long as I kill them without being detected?'' His lips lifted in an excited smile, ''Since it requires stealth to obtain those points, I will definitely need to enter that job!'' Dan stood up, dusted his robe, he walked outside and headed for the direction of the Archery Range. There, almost everyone from the Fiery Blood Army had gathered. And when he arrived, all of them stared at Dan. Their eyes filled several complicated emotions. But excitement could still be seen within their eyes. "Two hours had passed and now, The Archery Assessment for Dan Longinus will commence!" Zaramias announced, his words echoed loud and clear throughout the entire area. "As an Archer, not only one needs an accurate aim, but also a steady rate of fire. Both contestants will be tested with these factors in mind, and I will be the presiding judge of this Assessment." Flicking his wrist, he ordered, "Both of you, take your bows and arrows, now!" "Yes, sir!" Dan and Clyde replied as their figures clutched their bows from the army''s arsenal. But when Dan took his bow, Zaramias'' expression changed. He stared at his son that looked nonchalant as ever. Nodding his head in satisfaction, he didn''t say anything as both contestants, aimed their bows towards the distance, ready to release the first shot! 12 Display of Prowess At the moment of release, the two arrows tore through the air! At first glance, Dan''s arrow looked wobbly and unsteady due to the erratic force applied when drawing the string. However, it stood firm with the arrow shot by Clyde beside it. Everyone''s eyes focused on these arrows. Normally, a person under pressure and with insufficient strength wouldn''t be able to even reach the hundred meter mark at the Archery Range. And judging from the wobbly arrow that Dan shot, it would never reach its mark. Even if it had enough force to reach the dummy, the trajectory of the arrow alone which was far above the dummy''s head will still cause it to miss. Clyde inwardly smirked, with his two decades of experience. He felt pretty confident of himself. Glancing at the commander and his son. His expression flickered when he noticed that the two remained unperturbed. A smile lifted on their lips as they stared at the flying arrow. ''Why are they so confident?'' Doubts filled his mind. But when he returned his gaze at the range, he dispelled all of his suspicious when he noticed that the arrow even deviated from its original path, swerving slightly to the right. ''Judging from this angle, It will never hit the mark,'' He deduced in his heart. But what everyone didn''t expect was when the arrow reached the fifty meters mark before the dummy. It suddenly dived downwards and turned left, striking the dummy right on its abdomen. ''What the...'' Clyde''s expression blanked. All other soldiers who thought the same as him also turned incredulous, after all, it was the first time that they saw such a strange occurrence. Commander Zaramias chuckled. Sweeping his gaze, he announced, "First of the three exchanges. Winner, Dan Longinus." All eyes glanced at Commander Zaramias. Although they had their grievances about the strange matter. Since the Commander itself announced his decree. They wouldn''t dare to question it. Clyde clicked his tongue, his expression remained stoic. But deep inside, he was unwilling. ''To think that a boy-toy like him defeated me?'' It was a great humiliation for him. Dan didn''t say anything. Picking up his bow, he placed a single arrow on the string, but when he nocked it, Clyde noticed that when Dan nocked his arrow, he twisted the bowstring around it as he aimed. Clyde didn''t only have brawn without brains. He knew that Dan''s way of nocking the bow had something to do with that strange movement of the arrow. However, since he wasn''t really that knowledgeable when it comes to bow drawing techniques. He didn''t recognize Dan''s techniques. Dan glanced at Clyde, a small smile lifted on his lips. The technique that he utilized was called the String Twisting Hurricane Technique recorded inside the Longinus Clan''s Library. When Dan asked the System''s help. It quickly proposed this technique which didn''t need much arm strength to accomplish. The reason why Zaramias didn''t do anything towards this peculiar phenomenon was that he recognized the technique that his son used. He didn''t understand it himself but he felt like his son had become more mature these past years as if he became a new man without him realizing it. Both competitors nocked their arrows and the surrounding area turned stiff. Everyone''s eyed stared at Dan, void of disdain that they had for him earlier. Instead, they anticipated him using that unique technique once again. With a whistling cry, both arrows flew towards their targets. Dan''s arrow still looked wobbly, but no one dared to underestimate it. Cylde tightly clenched his fists, his eyes shining in a solemn light. Even if he lost the Archery Competition, there''s still the Swordplay and Strategy part and if he won those two, he would crush Dan under his foot. As expected, Clyde''s arrow barely struck the shoulder''s of the dummy while Dan''s arrow went deep into its left chest. Everyone cheered and since Dan won the second round, they would now proceed at the next challenge. Strategy. "I will be the one who will pose the questions, both competitors, stand before me!" Zaramias announced, the Strategy contest was an impromptu contest where they would answer Zaramias question within ten seconds. It could be considered as the hardest part of this test, and one it would only take one mishap for you to fall this test. The soldiers moved closer, not wanting to miss a single detail of their answer. Seeing that Dan and Clyde stood upright without a hint of expression on their faces, Zaramias nodded his head, before saying, "You are the commander of a certain battalion inside a certain City. The city is the last stronghold of the entire empire and if it falls down, the empire will soon follow." "Your enemies are at your door, but you only have three thousand soldiers left, and your enemy has a hundred thousand. What are you going to do?" Zaramias stopped, he stared at Clyde as the latter nodded his head, stepped forward and said, "Commander, I would first evacuate all of the citizens of the City and then fight my enemies to death! Even if I die, at least I can still bring some of them with me and save my fellow citizens in the process!" The soldiers nodded their heads in admiration towards Clyde''s answer. Not only he saved the citizens, he also valiantly fought to the death against the intruders! It could be said that this answer of his was an admirable one, and struck deep within the soldier''s hearts. Zaramias nodded his head, turning towards Dan. He said, "The question for you will be the same as Clyde, you have ten seconds to answer." Dan''s lifted in a smile, walking forwards, he announced, "Commander Zaramias, you said that the City is the last stronghold of the empire, right?" Zaramias replied with a nod. "Then, What I will do is since everything falls when the stronghold dies, I will arrange every citizen, may it be men or women, with the exception of children, to pick up their swords and rise to fight against those intruders that dared to defile the land of the Emperor." His tone turned solemn, and an indescribable air of beguilement surrounded his body as he continued, "Even if we fall, I will not hesitate to cause further destruction by poisoning their wells and burning all of rations inside the City, so that even if they win the war, they will never be able to take advantage of the structures that we built, and that they would still start from Zero if they want to settle on our land." The entire training ground became quiet. All eyes focused on Dan with a light of disbelief within their eyes. They had never expected, even in their dreams that someone whose age was decade lower than them would possess such a keen insight and wisdom along with sufficient ruthlessness towards not only himself but his enemies! Zaramias stared at Clyde. The latter bitterly chuckled, bowing his head down, he clasped his fists together before he respectfully said in a clear voice: "This humble one, Clyde Barthos, greets the Vice-Commander of the Fiery Blood Army!" 13 The Grim Situation of Azure Hamle The soldiers stared at Clyde with stunned expressions, ''There''s still the swordplay test and it''s his specialty yet he admitted defeat?'' Murmurs echoed out as Zaramias nodded his head before saying, "Since the contestant, Clyde Barthos has acknowledged Dan Longinus'' position in the Fiery Blood Army, it could only mean that he has admitted his defeat." Sweeping his eyes, he announced, "From this day forth, Dan Longinus shall be the Vice-Commander of the Fiery Blood Army! Whenever he commands you to go, you obey, even if the path is riddled with swords and fires!" "Yes, sir!" A deafening roar composed of hundreds of men rang out. The earth itself faintly trembled as an indiscernible aura enveloped the atmosphere. Each soldier emanated a ferocity akin to that of a beast. Staring at these brave soldiers, Dan nodded his head in satisfaction. To be able to command such capable men. It was an honor for him. But before he could greet them one by one, a soldier whose expression looked bedraggled and was breathing with ragged pants, interrupted their salutations with a solemn news. According to him, the Empire of Eternal Faith''s Hawk-Eye Battalion successfully captured a village located on the border between the two empires, further west from the Western Guard Camp. The village that they captured was called the Azure Hamlet. And even though its population, only numbered to three thousand plus. It performed a vital role for the empire since it was also a place where tourist and merchants frequently converged. In other words, the village could be considered as a center of trade for foreign visitors and the merchants of both empires. And one could say that capturing it was akin to thoroughly provoking the Empire of Dawn''s wrath. Enough that the Emperor himself issued a decree. He instructed the Fiery Blood Army. To do what it takes to retake the Azure Hamlet. No matter what the cost would be. Zaramias tightly clenched the scroll containing the Emperor''s decree as his expression reddened in anger, "Those coward bastards actually dared to provoke us first!" His eyes flashed in viciousness when he remembered his first encounter against the Hawk-Eye Battalion. The Hawk-Eye Battalion was composed of soldiers skilled in long-range combat. And they were slippery like fish, especially when the battle was inside a huge forest, which was practically their playground. Their main weapons were bows and their accuracy in using it was dreadful enough to the extent that in each arrow that they shot, one would definitely die. Zaramias knew that the weakness of these bastards was a close-combat quarter. But since these guys cultivated a peculiar cultivation method that enables them to tap on Nature''s Power, increasing their perception inside a forest. He always had a bad time, settling his debt with these bastards. But now, since they openly dared to provoke the dignity of the Empire, Zaramias hollered, summoning all soldiers of his battalion, they marched towards the nearby forest along with Dan who was kept protected at the center of the soldier''s formation. "Take the high ground! Never let those bastards take the higher ground or else, we will all be dead!" The imposing soldiers retracted their might as they extinguished their presence. Thanks to the sunset, their fiery armor seemed to merge with the surroundings giving them the perfect camouflage. Dan followed suit, his nimble movements atop the branches gathered the attention of the soldiers who stared at him in disbelief. After all, to be able to do such maneuvers in mid-air, one would usually train for several years. But this kid, he only looks like he''s at his late teenage years, yet he could do such skillful movements... The admiration that the soldiers had for Dan intensified. "Quiet, don''t cause a ruckus," Clyde signaled to the backlines as all soldiers stopped what they were doing. A strange atmosphere enveloped everyone as all of them held their breaths. However, Dan''s eyes flickered in shock when he stared at the system notification that floated in the air before him. [Quest Name: Retake Azure Hamlet] [Quest Difficulty: S Rank] [Quest Objective: Retake Azure Hamlet and survive in the process] [Quest Reward: System Upgrade] ''A system upgrade? and the quest is even at S Rank at that...'' Dan mumbled, staring at the notifications. Just the difficulty of the quest alone tells him that the quest would not be that simple. Moving along with the soldiers, the army could finally see a clear view of the hamlet and what they saw, perturbed them to an extent. Remnants of bodies scattered before the gates of the hamlet could be seen, piling into a mountain. The mountain of corpses composed of both men and women, along with the old and children. The soldiers inside the village endlessly pillaged everything which they find as valuable. Dan felt a swelling feeling inside his abdomen as he quickly covered his mouth. Although he killed two men before. It was a do or die fight, completely different from this scene before his eyes. "Vice-Commander, are you okay?" A soldier asked beside him, concern evident on his face. Handing over a gourd of water, Dan took the bottle from his hands and chugged it down, dissipating the feeling of unrest within his heart. ''Yeah, that''s right...'' ''I should remember this fact...'' ''I''m not in Earth anymore and this world is clearly more ruthless and unforgiving towards the weak...'' ''If I want to survive,'' ''There''s only one way.'' ''And that is to become ruthless towards anyone who blocks my path...'' The sudden realization gave him a grim reminder that even though he was in the world of his dreams. It was also merciless and barbaric towards the weak. Clenching his fists together, Dan stared at the Azure Hamlet. With his eyes, shining in a light of resolve and killing intent. 14 Intrusion Inside the Azure Hamlet, numerous figures clad in thick infantry armors could be seen surrounding a bonfire, all of them held a glass of liquor in their hands as they shouted in cheers. A middle-aged man with a rugged visage stood out among the crowd. The soldiers who stared at him wore respectful gazes and the badge on his brilliant armor with the image of the Empire of Eternal Faith, indicated his high standing. "Hey, hey, hey, calm down guys! Are all of you forgetting that we still need to honor our commander?" A loud jubilant voice echoed out. The gazes of the soldiers focused on the middle-aged man as they whispered, "How could we forget the commander?" "Yeah, yeah, that''s right, if not for the commander''s close combat skills, we would''ve died already!" "This glass of mine is for the Commander of the Hawk-Eye Batallion Commander Anthony! Long Live the Emperor!" "Long Live the Emperor!" Cheers echoed out, the middle-aged man named Anthony revealed a vicious smile as he said, "Now that we have captured the Azure Hamlet, the reinforcements from the Empire should be coming soon. Now, all we need to do is to maintain our position here..." Raising his glass, he shouted, "Glory to the Hawk-Eye Batallion!" "Glory to the Hawk-Eye Batallion! Long Live the Emperor!" Meanwhile just a kilometer away from the Azure Hamlet, numerous ghastly figures clad in an eerie fiery armor which seemed to merge with the environment itself, could be seen standing atop branches of trees. Their expressions solemn as Commander Zaramias summoned everyone to a meeting, "According to the information that I received from the primary scouts, it seems like they didn''t fortify the surroundings of the Hamlet." His eyes flashed in a complicated light, "However, even though that''s the case, we can''t just run through it and challenge them in a head-on fight, after all, they have the advantage of being at the defensive." Scanning the soldiers around him, Zaramias stopped, he seemed to wait for something as a hand followed suit, "May I propose something? Commander Zaramias?" A voice filled with vigor and tenderness echoed out, everyone turned to the source and found the newly-assigned Vice-Commander of the Fiery Blood Army. Even though his visual appearance looked beautiful like a woman. They witnessed his capability beforehand and they would never dare to underestimate him just because of his looks. Zaramias nodded his head. Dan smiled in return before pointing towards the map of the Azure Hamlet that Zaramias laid beforehand. "Although you can see that there''s no trap, right here, I don''t really believe that that is the case. After all, the other side knows that we''re an expert in close combat quarters." Everyone threw a dubious glance at him ''That was common sense, everyone in here knows that there''s a trap, there...'' But before they could continue their thought process, Dan smirked before saying, "So here''s my proposal, according to what I heard from the Commander, it seems like the Hawk-Eye Batallion is a highly organized group handled by that so-called Commander Anthony of the Empire of Eternal Faith, right?" Zaramias nodded his head as he frowned. He couldn''t help but have a bad premonition about Dan''s proposal, "Yes, that''s right, it''s Anthony that mostly ordered the Army..." Smiling, Dan continued, "Now then, my strategy is straightforward. What would happen if that Anthony disappeared?" His words rang loud and clear, sending everyone into a clamor. Commander Zaramias'' eyes widened, "Could it be that you''re proposing an Assassination?" Dan''s eyes flashed in an amused light, "Yes, that''s right, as long as we can get rid of that Anthony, we can easily clean them up." Everyone froze. Even though Dan''s proposal was sound, that doesn''t mean that anyone would take such a risky mission of assassinating the enemy commander at the enemy''s stronghold. "You need not worry about who will do the deed. I will do it myself!" Dan declared, everyone stared at him with stunned expressions along with Zaramias whose eyes shone in deep concern. "No, we cannot do that. Instead of you doing that, I will do the assassination," Zaramias replied to him with a solemn expression. "No, Commander Zaramias, if you himself go there, literally all soldiers of the other side will recognize you. After all, your name is widespread across the two Empires." Zaramias clicked his tongue, his gaze swept over his soldiers, but he found that none of them looked willing. None of them was willing to jump in the fire like a moth. "Don''t worry about it, I''ll do the deed, but before I enter there, I will take this red handkerchief and no matter whose forehead I wrap this. That person is a comrade and should not be attacked." Dan left these words as he raised the handkerchief on his right hand. Soon, his figure gradually disappeared into the darkness as everyone that he left, turned towards the Commander with worried expressions, "Commander, will the Vice-Commander, really be alright?" Zaramias shook his head, "I''m not sure about his chances of coming out there alive, but I know my son. I know that he''s not someone that will do something risky without confidence that he could surmount it." Indeed, when Dan walked away from the camp, his eyes focused on the system notification that floated before him, [Quest Name: Assassinate!] [Quest Difficulty: A] [Quest Objective: The leader of the Hawk-Eye Batallion, Anthony, is the core of the battalion itself. Take him out and his soldiers will go into a panic.] [Quest Rewards: Two-Thousand AS Points] Just the AS rewards alone convinced him to do the deed. But even though it was dangerous, why was he so confident in doing it? The answer was the power of skills. When Dan arrived, fifty meters away from the Azure Hamlet, he spotted a single sentry which intermittently glanced towards the camp, as if waiting for the arrival of something. Smiling to himself, Dan decided, ''He shall be the first, then.'' Extinguishing his presence, Dan crouched, withdrawing a small straight dagger that he obtained from his father, Dan slowly approached his prey. The sentry still looked as nonchalant as ever. He even yawned, looking somewhat sleepy as he stared at his surroundings. Without any warning, a deep sense of imminent danger surfaced in his mind. But before he could withdraw his weapon, a sharp pain struck his neck and a blood arrow spurted from his jugular. His eyes widened in shock and his body slowly crumbled on the ground. Staring at the dead sentry, Dan rolled him over his back so that he could see his face. Scanning the sentry''s visage with the System, Dan activated Absolute Disguise as he dismissed the system notification before him and hid the body at a distant shrubbery. [You successfully assassinated a member of the Hawk-Eye Batallion! Obtained 15 AS Points] 15 Obtaining Information When he returned, his face looked different from before. His aura, expression, and the armor that he clad made him an indiscernible member of the Hawk-Eye Batallion. However, the Absolute Disguise was not a perfect skill. It still has its flaws. Even though he assumed the identity of the sentry. Since he didn''t know who the sentry was, he still needs to act cautiously until he discovers more about the identity of the sentry. Soon, a man clad in the same armor approached him from behind. The man patted his shoulder, "Arathos, it''s for my shift, you go there and eat." Dan merely nodded his head and walked inside the Azure Hamlet unimpeded. The Hamlet looked eerily quiet, apart from the illumination from bonfires and the occasional cheers from soldiers, only the chirping of birds could be heard. He walked nonchalantly towards the place where numerous rowdy voices concentrated, and when he arrived, the scene that revealed itself before him, shook his core. Several stark naked women tied into stakes could be seen laid on in a line. The soldiers of the Hawk-Eye Battalion relentlessly molested them. Poking their fingers towards the vital areas of the women. Some were atrocious enough that they used branches of trees, inserting them in the women. Clenching his fists, Dan took a moment to control his anger. In the next instant, he carved their faces in his heart as he approached them. "Hey, Arathos, now that I remember it, you''re a virgin, right?" A drunken man holding a glass of liquor pointed towards him. The gazes of the soldier swept over, filled with ridicule and teasing as they said, "So, Arathos is still a virgin? Hmm, this is a good opportunity to graduate, after all, we got ourselves, beautiful women from the empire of that coward bastard..." Dan inwardly frowned, but on the outside, he revealed a lecherous smirk. Staring at the soldiers, all of them nodded their heads as the man who shouted earlier, handed him a young woman whose eyes looked lifeless and mechanical. However, her figure looked gorgeous, and her aquamarine hair that splayed over her shoulders paired with her simple and bedraggled clothing, her figure alone told a thousand words. "By the way, brothers, do you know where I can find the Commander, right now?" Although his question sounded weird since all of them knew the place where the Commander resided; they didn''t mind his inquiry and pointed him in the right direction. Dan nodded his head in thanks as he dragged the young woman near an abandoned thatched hut. The soldiers sent him off with a lecherous smile of their own. He threw the young woman on the bed, and the latter just closed her eyes in despair and hopelessness. By the time that she was captured by those soldiers, she resolved to kill herself if her purity was in danger. Just as Dan approached her on the bed, she slightly raised her teeth, biting onto a pill lodged on her gums. But before her teeth could penetrate the pill, Dan noticed her action as he swiftly clutched her jaw. The young woman struggled, as pain filled moans echoed from the thatched huts. The soldiers who teased Dan earlier didn''t really move. Instead, they observed his thatched hut with amused and interested gazes, waiting for him to emerge from the hut as a true man. This caused a headache for Dan if he just casually came out; he would be under the suspicions of the soldiers. Clicking his tongue, he forced the pill from the young woman''s teeth as the latter cried in despair. She endlessly sobbed, her figure looked defenseless and pitiful. After seeing that she didn''t possess any dangerous items, Dan sighed, moving closer towards her. The latter tightly crossed her legs and her right hand, covered her chest while her left, covered her tear-filled expression. When Dan arrived beside her, the former wryly smiled, before taking a small badge from his pocket and revealing it before the latter. "Do you recognize this?" The young woman slightly opened her eyes; and when she saw the familiar insignia of the Empire of Dawn. Her expression widened in shock as she almost exclaimed in excitement. Dan swiftly blocked her mouth, gesturing with his right hand to keep her silence. The latter nodded her head as Dan slowly removed his hand from her mouth. "I''m the Vice-Commander of the Fiery Blood Army, from now on, if you want to live, I want you to follow my orders." Dan solemnly said, his critical expression, made the young woman serious as she nodded in response. "What should I do?" The young woman mumbled in a hushed tone, Dan''s expression flickered for a moment, moving his head closer, he whispered into her ears. Upon hearing his orders, the young woman''s furiously blushed, "What''s wrong? You can''t do it?" Dan frowned, if this young woman can''t even do such a simple thing, then he would just force her. "I can...But..." Her gaze darted around the surroundings, Dan clicked his tongue, he knew that the soldiers outside must be becoming dubious as time passed by. "I''ll just help you do it..." Dan''s expression darkened, his hand stretched insider her clothes and his decades of experience as a doujinshi connoisseur, displayed its might as pinkish moans, gradually emanated from the thatched hut. 16 Revelation With the emergence of the muffled moans, the soldiers who observed outside became embarrassed as they scratched their heads. Retreating, far away from the hut. Dan removed his hand from her clothes as he wiped his hand on the edge of her clothes. Staring at the glazed young woman, Dan wryly smiled, taking a handkerchief, he wrapped it on her forehead and said, "Once war erupts, run towards the side of the Fiery Blood Army. Once they see that red handkerchief on your forehead. They won''t attack you." Dan whispered, and the young woman who still felt the aftershocks of Dan''s deft movements weakly nodded her head. Dan stood up, glanced at her who splayed on the bed, before his figure, disappeared into the darkness. Now that he achieved his goal of locating Anthony''s residence, it would just be a matter of time until he executes his plan. Arriving at the southern side of the Azure Hamlet, Dan found a thatched hut that looked reinforced and bigger than the others. Beside that hut were the warehouses where the rations of the soldiers were located. Smiling to himself, his figure disappeared into the darkness as he slowly crept towards the huge hut. Since it was in the middle of the night and most of the soldiers were dead asleep after celebrating their capture of the Azure Hamlet, Dan walked seamlessly and arrived at a door where moans and rugged grunts constantly emanated. Smirking, he bore a hole in the door using the tip of his dagger and peeked. Indeed, the figures of a stark naked young woman could be seen, bobbing up and down on the bed. [You found the Quest Objective!] A timely system notification confirmed his theory. The man on the bed should be Anthony, and it was time for Dan to act. Entering the door, the two didn''t even notice his intrusion as they were completely immersed in their night activities Dan kept his body, close on the ground as he crawled. Eventually, he arrived under the bed. "System, create a holographic image of Anthony''s weak points!" A blue hologram manifested in the air before him. The reason why he asked the system to form a hologram was that he could use it as a reference to accurately hit his target above him. The only problem that he had was the woman. How can he silence her without giving her the time to shout? Dan''s mind spun, numerous idea sprung into his mind which he quickly denied. ''Wait...'' Dan inwardly mumbled, staring at the creaking bed that he was under, a slight smile lifted on his lips as he took his dagger, fixed it on a certain location with the sharp edge, pointing towards the skies. He damaged the feet of the bed before crawling outside the bed. There, he looked like a cougar, ready to pounce for the kill. "I''m almost there, I''m almost there..." A hoarse masculine voice echoed out, their grunts and moans gradually reached the peak. But before Anthony could eject, the bed they laid on collapsed, and the dagger, fastened under the bed, directly under his neck, pierced through his neck, sending a blood arrow, flying from his mouth. His eyes widened in confusion and shock. He didn''t even know how he died as his consciousness succumbed to death. The young woman looked confused, staring at the crimson blood that drenched her naked body. Her mouth opened to scream. But before she could do so, Dan was even faster, his figure leaped behind her and mercilessly sliced the nape of her neck, almost decapitating her in the process. [Quest Completed!] [You have successfully assassinated the Commander of the Hawk-Eye Batallion! Obtained 250 AS Points!] [Quest Reward: Two-Thousand AS Points, Obtained!] Staring at the bloody scene before him, Dan didn''t understand why he felt no remorse towards what he did. As if the person that he killed wasn''t a human being but an animal for the slaughterhouse. Wiping his blood-drenched dagger, Dan ordered the System to erase all traces of evidence after paying a hundred Assassination Points. Several minutes later, the room looked clean and tidy. And the only person present inside the room was Dan, whose visage, looked like Anthony. Walking outside, Dan arrived before the warehouse and lit it on fire. Afterward, he returned back to Anthony''s residence, donning the latter''s armor for himself before walking outside again. Seeing the orange fire wreaking havoc inside the warehouse, Dan exclaimed, "Intruders! The bastards of the Empire of Dawn has breached our perimeter!" His solemn and dignified tone became akin to that of a thunderclap which awakened the consciousness of the entire Battalion from slumber. "Those dogs of that coward Emperor, how dare they invade us while we''re sleeping!" "Hey, look! The warehouse is burning!" "Oh, hell no!" Panic surged throughout the entire camp as every soldier rushed towards the warehouse, desperately throwing water into the flames in an effort to subdue it. Meanwhile, the Fiery Blood Army, just outside of the Southern Gate of the Azure Hamlet, noticed the commotion as every soldier raised their swords and unleashed a battle cry. The battle cry of the furious soldiers shook the entire forest as the attention of all soldiers inside the Azure Hamlet turned towards the distance. Donning their armor, they gathered at the center of the Hamlet upon the orders of their commander. "Those pigs from the Empire of Dawn dared to challenge our authority with a measly number of a hundred soldiers!" Dan declared, the faces of the soldiers before him flickered before they jeered, "Those bastards really are too naive, to think that they would only send a hundred army to try and retake this place...How stupid..." "Today, we shall drench their land with the blood of their own! Raise your swords, we shall meet them head-on!" Dan raised towards the skies, and the morale of the Hawk-Eye Batallion exploded. They hurriedly retracted the traps that they set before the gates and rushed out, intent on clashing head-on with their underpowered enemies. But of course, not everyone came out, some of them, stayed with their bows in tow. Dan also rushed out, and there, he saw the figure of his father, raising his sword, bringing with him a domineering aura as he rushed towards his own son. Zaramias expression looked sorrowful and full of killing intent. ''Why is he targeting me? Wait...'' A sudden epiphany struck his mind, ''Goddamned it, I forgot that I gave that handkerchief to the woman!'' Meeting his father''s strike, Dan barely parried it as he leaped backward. By this time, the battlefield became filled with chaos as all sorts of miserable shrieks echoed across the entire forest. Zaramias smirked, staring with disdain at Dan, he declared, "Do you really think that we just clashed with you, head on?" Dan momentarily glanced at the Hamlet and indeed, he could see numerous figures clad with fiery armors, killing their way into the core of the city. At this moment, the Hawk-Eye Battalion displayed their cooperation and teamwork as they lumped together with Dan in the center. The man who mocked Dan earlier, stared at him with a critical expression, "Commander, at this rate, we will all be killed, we need to take our retreat or else we will all die together..." Dan stared at the former, "Yeah, all of you guys will surely die..." A vicious smile lifted on his lips as he stabbed his sword, right into the heart of the man! "C-c-commander?" Even when he died, he didn''t understand the reason why the Commander that he was loyal to would attack him. His eyes widened, dying with endless regret. Both sides became confused, particularly Zaramias who knitted his eyebrows in contemplation, the remaining soldiers of the Hawk-Eye Batallion stared at their commander with venomous expressions on their faces. "Commander Anthony! How dare you betray us!" The soldiers raised their swords against him. Anthony merely chuckled, "Betrayed you? I''m not even at your side in the first place!" He coldly spat and his figure turned into dust. Revealing the visage of an unfamiliar young man, underneath! 17 Upgrade Zaramias stayed wide-eyed at the transformation of the Hawk-Eye Batallion''s Commander. Everyone on the battlefield paused for a moment. The members of the Fiery Blood Army stared at Dan with stunned expressions while those at the Hawk-Eye Batallion froze. "Members of the Fiery Blood Army! What are we waiting for?! KILL!!!" Dan screamed his battle cry, bringing with him his bow, he leaped towards the backlines and proceeded to send volleys of arrows towards the direction of the despairing enemies. Zaramias lightly chuckled, he swung his sword and leaped towards the chaotic battlefield. In each slice, a body would crumble on the ground followed by fountains of blood spurting from their headless shoulders. Zaramias transformed into an incarnation of an Asura. Seeing their commander going ham. The members of the Fiery Blood Army started their rampage as countless miserable shrieks echoed throughout the entire forest. Dan didn''t slack off either, his arrows soared through the skies, piercing through the bodies of his enemies that tried their hardest to defend. The scary part about his arrows was that each time they neared their targets. They would twist in a strange trajectory making them hard to evade or block. With their enemies'' morale at the bottom, the Fiery Blood Army swept their enemies, leaving none of them alive while having no casualties on their side. It could be said that this fight was a perfect fight. Huffing and puffing, Zaramias pierced his sword towards the skies, as victorious cry, echoed from his mouth. The earth itself trembled, and the hot-bloodedness of the soldiers revealed itself. Forming a chorus which shook the entire forest. Dan stood, observing their cry. Clenching his fists, he raised his bow and screamed in victory! Dan fell to the ground; his expression complicated as he stared at the numerous pile of corpses around him. Staring at his bow and his almost empty quiver. Dan knew that he had taken at least a dozen lives. But strangely. He didn''t feel guilty about taking the lives of those scums. Instead, he felt that his actions were justified. Still, the horror of war and its ramifications burned deep within the recesses of Dan''s mind. He knew that once he returned back to Cloud City. He would not be the same man again. He had to adapt, or he would die. Calming his nerves, Dan clenched his fists in an effort to suppress the trembling of his arms. Walking towards his father drenched in blood. The latter stared at him before smiling in satisfaction, "Brat, I didn''t expect that you would have such a strange disguise ability that even I didn''t see through it." Zaramias praised. His ability to discern disguises as a Spirit Tempering Realm was top-notch. But he was unable to notice his son''s disguise, and the fact made him suspicious and at the same time, satisfied of his son''s capabilities. Dan awkwardly scratched his head. The former lifted his lips in a smile, "You better explain things to me when we go back." Zaramias turned around, not minding him anymore as the rest of the soldiers proceeded to loot. There was an unwritten rule within the Army when it comes to loot. And that was finders, keepers. Dan tried looting but in face of these soldiers who mastered the art of body groping. Dan couldn''t compare and could wryly smile, retreating towards the residence assigned to him by his father. Several days later, the reinforcements from the Empire of Dawn, arrived and secured the perimeter of the border. The Fiery Blood Army finally received their long wanted vacation as most of the soldiers returned back to their cities. Zaramias and Dan also returned to Cloud City. On the Longinus'' Estate training grounds. The figure of the two could be seen standing before each other. Zaramias wore a loose robe while Dan wore the same outfit. The only difference was that he had a wooden dagger in his hands. "Father, are you sure about not using any weapons?" "Hahaha," Zaramias chuckled, assuming a stance, he replied, "In dealing against a brat like you, My fists are enough as a weapon." His innate arrogance wafted out.Bringing with it an indiscernible pressure towards Dan. The latter merely smirked, bending his knees, he wielded his dagger with his right hand as the System in his mind, simulated his father''s weakness. A holographic image of his father manifested in his peripheral vision. With a burst of strength. He rushed, swiftly arriving before the former as he stabbed. "Quite vicious, eh..." Zaramias revealed an amused smile, staring at his son''s attack that threatened to tear his jugular into pieces. He merely turned his body to the left and clutched his son''s wrist. Dan only felt that his attack struck a deep ocean, disappearing into nothingness before his vision rotated. A sharp pain surged on his back and he found himself laying on the ground. Staring at the skies, he saw his father cheekily smiling at him as if teasing a little kid. "Goddamned it, old man. Just how did you that?" Dan rubbed his aching back and the former chuckled, "Well, it''s just a simple application of how a weak force can subdue the strong..." Zaramias merely shrugged. Turning around, he said, "I''ll be handling some matters with the Emperor in the next days. So you better be a good boy and don''t cause any trouble, okay?" Dan rolled his eyes, ''Why are you acting like my mother...'' He stretched his exhausted body, returned back to his room and excitedly opened the System Menu as a series of system notification greeted him. [Quest Completed!] [Reward: System Upgrade Obtained!] [The Host will now enter a system-induced coma!] [5] [4] [3] ''What the-'' Dan couldn''t even finish his sentence as the scene before him, blackened. His consciousness dissipated as he entered a deep slumber. 18 Rewards Countless existence has always protected the dignity of the Empire and its standing on the continent. it covered at least half of the southern part of the continent and the vast resources that it had, would always attract the greedy eyes of those Sects, scattered across the planet. No one knows when the Empire of Dawn started its reign. But one thing was for sure; a supreme existence was definitely protecting it from the sidelines. Because of this deterrence, no sect had dared to provoke it and the Empire enjoyed several thousand years of peace. But now that rumors of that supreme existence''s death became widespread. One of the Sects that eyed the Empire ever since the beginning of history. The Flowing Cloud Sect evidently became itchy. After all, a Sect would only flourish if they had enough resources. Inside the Imperial Palace, in a certain room. Two figures could be seen seating before each other. One visage belonged to a young man whose figure looked imposing and exuded a faint arrogance of nobility. The other figure clad in a jet-black robe, stared at the former while calmly sipping his tea. "First Prince, the Sect Master is becoming quite impatient..." The man spoke in a hoarse tone. The young man referred to as the First Prince froze, before wryly smiling, "I know that the Sect Master is getting impatient. But until I confirmed that the supreme existence protecting the empire is gone. We can''t just directly induce a coup." "There''s also the matter of the Longinus Clan, Zaramias Longinus. Back then, when I was reading one of the forbidden books of the Imperial Library. I found that the Longinus Clan actually isn''t just a simple clan that rose to prominence by meritorious deeds." The First Prince cupped his chin with his right hand, apparently falling into deep contemplation. "Nevertheless, we need to think about the consequences if we acted too early. And I have a feeling that our plans won''t go so smoothly..." The expression of the man clad in a jet-black robe flickered. Staring at the First Prince. He knew that this young man had the ability to perceive danger beforehand. As if he was a prophet that could see the future. Beaded sweat formed on his forehead. Nodding his head, he replied, "I understand, I shall report the contents of our meeting to the Sect Master..." He stood up and vanished into nothingness. Leaving the First Prince behind who still calmly sat with his right leg over his left leg. Hidden in the dark. A vicious and ambitious smile lifted on his lips as his eyes, stared at the distance. Back at the Longinus'' Clan Estate, everything looked as tranquil as ever. Except that a pair of mother and daughter could be seen begging a guard to let them inside. "Sir, please look! We even have that young master''s badge with us!" The young woman embraced her daughter as she revealed a jade token towards the guard. The latter merely shrugged, although the jade token looked genuine. He still found it hard to give entrance to this two. After all, there was this matter of burglars using forged jade tokens of certain families as an entry pass. Who knows if these two were a part of that syndicate. The guard stared at the young child and found that her expression looked pale, and her eyes looked yellowish. Evidently, the young child had a severe disease that needed immediate medical attention. Inside a certain room in the Estate. Dan''s consciousness slowly returned from a deep slumber. When his eyes opened, what greeted him were a series of system notifications which stunned him silly. [System Upgrade Completed!] [Host Confirmed as Dan Longinus!] [Arranging World History according to the host''s inner desires!] [Welcome to the Assassination System v2.0] The world turned monochrome for a moment. And when he blinked his eyes, the colors returned, making him think that the previous colorless world was an illusion. [The System has concluded that the host is now capable of defending himself in this merciless world.] [System Tutorial Ended!] [Activating Dark Souls Difficulty] [Graphics Set as Realistic] [Because of the System Upgrade, the Main Skill Tree of an Assassin has been activated!] [Crafting System Activated!] Numerous mechanical voice echoed in his mind, Dan excitedly summoned the System Menu and tapped on the Skills Icon as an Inheritance Tree of skills materialized in the air before him. Staring at the upper part of the Skill Window, Dan realized that he had three Skill Points, and to activate a skill, he needed a single Skill Point. Without hesitation, he placed it on three different skills named, Flicker, Stealth and Sudden Strike. [Skill Name: Flicker] [Skill Effect: Momentarily disappears into a different space dimension, becoming invincible to all kinds of attack for theduration of the skill.] [Skill Duration and Cost: Lasts for three seconds; Costs: 2% of the Host''s Qi.] [Skill Cooldown: One minute] [Skill Name: Stealth] [Skill Effect: Manipulates the light around the user to create an effect of Stealth, becoming invisible towards the surrounding enemies or allies alike.] [Skill Duration and Cost: Lasts for ten minutes; Costs: 10% of the Host''s Qi.] [Skill Cooldown: Thirty Minutes] [Skill Name: Sudden Strike] [Skill Effect: Condenses the Host''s strength onto his arms, bestowing his next attack with a strength, far above than normal, causing massive damage to the enemy and a chance of insta-kill.] [Skill Cost:5% of the Host''s Qi] [Skill Cooldown: Five Minutes] Dan slapped both of his cheeks to find out if he was still dreaming or if the scene before him was a reality. Calming his emotions. He opened his My Account and there, he found that he had amassed 4312 ASP. Closing the System Menu. Dan knew that he needed time to digest everything that happened to him as he stood up, clutching his complaining stomach before walking towards the direction of the kitchen. "Please, Sir. I''m begging you, let us meet him!" "I''m really sorry, Ma''am but I''m just following the rules, and the Master is still at the Imperial Palace. I can''t really help you out with that..." Two voices echoed from the gates of the Estate. Dan''s expression flickered when he heard the sobbing voice of a young woman. Memories flashed in his mind as he mumbled, "That hole in the wall, auntie?" He quickly turned around, walking towards the direction of the gates. 19 Charity The guard felt sympathy towards the pair of mother and daughter. But rules were rules; No matter how much the two would ask him, he would never open the path for them. Gritting his teeth, he took a small pouch on from his armor and presented it towards the two. The young woman stared at the cloth bag with a dumbfounded expression. Her sobbing stopped for a moment as she digested the actions of the guard. The latter wryly smiled, "This is the bonus that the master gave to me. Since I don''t need this much in the first place, you can take it and bring your daughter to a physician or something..." Dan who approached at a slow pace noticed the charity of the guard as a smile couldn''t help but surface on his lips. He was glad to find that people who possessed such an altruistic trait still existed in this cruel world. The young woman''s expression froze, she noticed the arrival of the familiar young man as she once again sobbed, "Y-y-young master..." The guard''s expression flickered, he turned around and there; he found Dan staring at the scene with a slight smile on his face. The former tensed up. After all, he had heard rumors about how vicious this young man was. "Y-y-young master..." The guard saluted. Dan nodded his head towards his gesture and said, "What''s your name?" "Reporting to young master. This one''s name is Reggis..." "Okay then, Reggis." Dan''s glance landed on the cloth bag for a moment before returning at the guard, "How much is inside that pouch?" Reggis became stunned for a moment, ''Why would the young master ask about that information? Could it be that...He''s gonna steal my bonus?!'' Reggis wryly smiled, "There are about ten silver coins inside the pouch, young master..." "I see..." Dan nodded his head, "Go find Mister George and tell him that I''m giving you a ten gold coins bonus..." Dan instructed; he wouldn''t mind rewarding such a kind and righteous man. Reggis'' expression changed, he didn''t expect that the arrogant and depraved young master would hand him over such a sumptuous reward. Dan noticed Reggis'' doubts. Smiling, he continued, "Don''t worry, I''m not scheming against you. That is your reward for keeping the rules and being so astute. I appreciate people like you." Reggis'' didn''t say any more words as he quickly disappeared into the depths of the Longinus Clan Estate. Meanwhile, the young auntie and her children still sobbed on the ground. Dan took a closer look at the young girl and found that her eyes looked yellowish and her blood vessels dilated, along with her hastened heartbeat and her pale countenance. Dan knew that if something wasn''t done; she wouldn''t last until daybreak. Dan carried the young girl, along with the young auntie, they sped towards his room and Dan quickly called for the City''s greatest physician, Elder Manong. Several hours later, Elder Manong came out of Dan''s room with beaded sweat on his forehead. Carrying with him a bucket of putrid water, he said towards Dan, "Young master, I managed to stabilize her condition and it seems to be somehow curable, however." Elder Manong''s eyes shone in a critical light, "Pardon my rudeness but May I know your relationship with her mother? Young master?" Dan remained nonchalant, he turned towards the almost sobbing young auntie before saying, "I''m her friend, now. How can we cure her condition?" Elder Manong replied, "It''s not like I want to say something bad about your act of kindness, young master. But the cost of curing her is just too enormous..." "How much?" Dan said without any hesitation. The young auntie who stood at his side, trembled for a moment, before her eyes, shone in infinite gratefulness. "It''s about ten thousand gold coins." Elder Manong dropped a bombshell and the two became stumped. It has to be known that an average family living in the Middle-Class Realm of the City of Cloud would only earn three gold coins in a year. The cost of treating the young girl was something exorbitant that Dan would bleed his heart out. Staring at the young auntie who once again became despondent; Dan gritted his teeth before saying, "Fine, I''ll pay that ten thousand gold coins, however. I will only give the payment once treatment is done." Elder Manong revealed a slight smile, as one of the greatest physicians in the entire City. Almost all of the influences in here tried their hardest to curry his favor. And because of his high standing; he wouldn''t be afraid of being scammed by such a young man. Nodding his head, Elder Manong left a recipe for a medicinal soup that he can give to the young child before the operation begins in two weeks. When Elder Manong stepped out of the Longinus Clan Estate, a small smile crept on his face as he crushed a jadeslip, sending a stream of information, flying towards a certain manor inside the Noble Realm of the City of Cloud. Inside that mansion, a young man could be seen, staring at the information contained within the jadeslip with a vicious smile on his face. Before him, stood a middle-aged man with a bedraggled expression, "Hey, it seems like I found your wife inside that bastards mansion..." The middle-aged man''s expression flickered in hatred, "Why are you doing this to me, young master? I haven''t done anything to offend you..." He had been kneeling on the ground for about three hours now. "Okay, you can stand up now." The young man gestured and the middle-aged man heaved a sigh of relief as he stood up. "Let''s do this fast," The former clapped his hands together as a butler came out of nowhere. Bringing with him a big pouch containing gold coins. The middle-aged man stared at the pouch, gulping as his hands couldn''t help but tremble in excitement. As a man who loved money than his relatives. He knew just from staring that the pouch contained at least, five thousand gold coins. "I have a simple job for you..." The young man walked towards him and whispered something in his ear which made him excited beyond belief. ... Meanwhile, inside Dan''s room, the young auntie could be seen wiping the forehead of her daughter with a wet cloth. The latter became relaxed and even stretched her body in pleasure. Dan stared at the pair of mother and daughter and couldn''t help but admire their tenacity. Soon enough, the young auntie stopped wiping her daughter. Instead, she looked as if she was resolving herself before saying, "Young master..." Her countenance flushed and she looked somewhat fidgety. Dan who could be called as a connoisseur of dating sims couldn''t help but feel a premonition in his heart, ''Could it be that me saving her child has triggered some kind of a flag?! It''s not like I don''t like MILF''s but this is just wrong! I feel like I''m taking advantage of her weakness!'' On the outside, Dan looked as nonchalant as ever, but he was inwardly panicking as he stared at the embarrassed young auntie. Before the young auntie came to his Estate, she heard all kinds of rumors about this so-called Dan Longinus, and all the rumors that she heard was something about his pervertedness and his strange hobby of eating girls together. Since she already had a child; she wasn''t a stranger towards those things and she felt quite nervous towards what she was about to do for her daughter''s sake. "What is it?" Dan replied with a smile. She turned stiff for a moment before saying, "Young master...I don''t know about how can I ever repay this favor..." She bit her lower lip before her hands stretched towards her robe, slowly removing it. "Stop!" Dan hurriedly interjected before things become worse, The young auntie startled for a moment. "If you really want to repay me that much, then work in our Estate! Don''t just do that to anyone! You need to think preciously of yourself!" Dan declared, his eyes, shining in a light of sincerity made the latter tremble, as tears threatened to spill out of her eyes. It was the first time that she heard such words. Ever since the time that her parents died, she always had to care for herself and when she got married, she thought that she could finally relax. But little did she knew that the person that she married had a tendency of being violent. In an effort to save her child inside her womb. She secretly snuck out and from there on. She lived at least a decade inside the Slum Community of the City of Cloud selling breakfast meals and barely paying the rent and protection fees that the thugs demanded to her. Eventually, the tears forming in her eyes fell down into a stream as she hurriedly covered her face. Dan revealed a slight smile, the love of a mother was something that he admired, yet he never experienced back in his previous life. And seeing someone that sacrificed everything for the sake of their own kin. Dan didn''t know why, but he knew that they needed his help. And even without anything in exchange, he would definitely help them. Dan moved closer beside the young auntie and gently embraced her. Placing her head on his chest, he patted her head and rubbed her back in a constant and slow motion. But instead of calming down. Her crying intensified as Dan felt moisture, building upon his robe. Shaking his head, Dan wryly smiled and continued on consoling her. But before he could do so, a scream full of rage and indignance echoed out from the distance. "Natalie, you slut! To think that I would find you in here, flirting with that bastard of a young man! Come out here and present yourself to me!" The young auntie''s figure shook, Dan''s expression darkened. The two retracted their embrace and when Dan stared at the former, he found that her expression looked pale and ashen. "What''s wrong? Do you know him?" Despite her shivering figure, she nodded her head and said, "That voice belongs to my husband..." " 20 Schemes and Set-Ups Dan walked out of the Estate as people gathered around, spectating for a good show that would surely arrive. Opening the gates, Dan found a middle-aged man clad in an outfit meant for nobles. The man''s expression twisted in anger when he saw the former as he cursed, "You fucking bastard! How dare you steal my wife! Where''s that slut?!" He looked around and was about to enter the gate before being stopped by the guards. Dan stared condescendingly at him, "Stealing your wife? Anyone can do such an accusation but without solid evidence, everything that you say will be baseless!" The middle-aged man chuckled, stretching his hands inside his robe, he took a small Profound Imagery Stone and activated it before the eyes of the crowd, "Evidence? Since you''re forcing my hand, I''ll have everyone in here see how you stole my wife!" A cloud of mist formed in the air, as vague silhouettes materialized inside the mist. One of the silhouettes belonged to that of Dan while the other belonged to a young woman! Everyone stared at Dan with an expression of utmost disdain, ''How dare this bastard asked for evidence when his actions were recorded?'' Dan shrugged, his eyes kept on staring at the Profound Imagery Stone. Although no voices could be heard, the intimate rhythmic actions of the silhouette and their slightly flushed expressions indicated their activity and witnessing this blatant cuckolding happening before the gazes of the crowd. Almost all of them exploded into fury. But still, they kept their anger inside their mind. After all, the influence behind the young man was something that anyone couldn''t easily offend. A complicated light shone in Dan''s eyes as he stared at the conjured images. The young man definitely looked like him, but with just a single look, Dan realized that it was the work of a master of disguise. However, even though the trick was obvious; the middle-aged man''s goal wasn''t to demand any kind of compensation for Dan. He just wanted to further destroy Dan''s reputation and push him down to the bottom. Dan inwardly chuckled before saying, "So that is your evidence? Okay, fine. You win this time," His words reverberated across the surroundings as the crowd who expected his denial became stunned, ''He actually admitted to stealing someone''s wife?'' They inwardly thought. The middle-aged man raised his trembling hand and pointed a finger at his direction, "You bastard! Instead of apologizing, you even admitted to the crime! How can someone like you, someone like you that is the tumor of this entire City, still exists?!"His words carried a righteous tone which rallied the crowd to his favor. Crossing his arms together, Dan cooly replied, "That''s because my background and my strength is stronger than yours..." His eyes filled with disdain focused on the man. Dan knew that to fight against someone that was sly like this man. Dan could only assume an arrogant stance and "confess" to his so-called crime instead of being condemned. The middle-aged man who prepared numerous scripts against Dan''s denial of his crime became stunned. But as a merchant, he had an opportunistic and sly mind which enabled him to grasp this opportunity to push Dan, even further the abyss. The ire of the crowd thoroughly roused when they heard Dan''s response. But still, they do not dare to address their grievances openly. Afraid of Dan''s retaliation against them. "Just because you have such a gigantic background behind you, doesn''t mean that you can bully the weak! I will not give this case up! I will ask the Emperor itself to hand over his judgment towards this case!" The middle-aged man turned around in indignance, he walked towards the direction of the Imperial Palace. The crowd started dispersing, and the eyes that they used to look at Dan became filled with concentrated disdain and mocking. But Dan was always a person who didn''t care about what others thought of him, and so. Why would he care? He shrugged, turned around and ordered the guards to close the gates. Arriving back to his estate, he found the worried young auntie, "Are you okay? Did he do something to you?" "I''m fine, I''m fine, however, he thoroughly destroyed my reputation by spreading to the common populace that I''m a wife-stealer..." Dan wryly smiled, the young auntie''s expression darkened, "A wife stealer? What a joke! Now that you''re helping me, he''s trying to deprive me of any help by pushing anyone who helped me into the pit of despair..." She bitterly chuckled, turning towards Dan, she said, "Don''t worry, I can just give myself up and clear your name..." Dan stared at the young auntie and found that the latter stared at him with a complicated expression painted on her face, Dan chuckled, "Don''t worry about that, I have my own idea on getting back at him. But for now, ask Mister George for the medicinal herbs that Elder Manong told you and take care of your daughter..." Dan turned around, intent on walking outside on his own. "Wait!" His figure froze, turning around, he found the young auntie who shook her head before saying, "Nevermind, I wish you success," She thought for a moment before her expression turned bleak. Dan nodded his head before his figure disappeared from her line of sight. When Dan''s back vanished, she murmured, ''How can I hope of staying beside such an outstanding young man? I''m just a loose woman whom people wouldn''t even care for even if I die...'' After that humiliation, how could Dan let him go? Standing before dark alleyway just outside the Longinus Clan Estate, Dan activated Absolute Disguise before following the stream of people towards the direction of the Imperial Palace. With the help of the System, Dan constantly scanned the area, looking for someone that matched the Soul Signature of the middle-aged man who caused such a ruckus, earlier. [Target Found!] A system notification sprung, along with the map of the entire City of Cloud. Inside the map, a small red dot could be seen, indicating the location of the middle-aged man as a small smile lifted on his lips. 21 Escalation Inside a small dilapidated room, three figures clad in black robes could be seen standing before each other. One of the men said in a hoarse voice, "How''s it going?" the figure whom he indicated took off his robe, revealing the figure of the middle-aged man who wreaked havoc back at the Longinus Clan Estate. "It''s going fine, young master, but I didn''t expect that bastard to be that shameless..." The figure referred to as "Young Master" took off his robe, revealing the figure of a young man underneath. He threw his robe on the bed and chuckled, "It''s fine, as long as we can rally the public opinion against him, you can consider your job as done." "As for the next phase, take this medallion and complain towards his Majesty, I''m sure that when he sees this, he will address your problem..." The young man handed over a golden jade token carved with numerous intricate sigils. The middle-aged man who received the token became excited beyond belief. "Thank you, young master, for your generosity..." His eyes flashed in a critical light. How could he not accept such a good deal? Not only he would receive money, he could also take possession of his wife! "As for the end of the deal, we shall talk about it once you succeed..." The young man uttered in a nonchalant tone, turning around to leave. He gestured with the other man who observed all this while as both of them, came out of the inn. But little did they realize that when they came out of the room, a shadowy figure wearing a vicious smile could be seen, standing at a dark corner, on his hands, a faintly shining Profound Imagery Stone could be seen. ... Several days later, the condition of Natalie''s daughter became better, thanks to Elder Manong''s treatment. The young child finally recovered from her illness. When she opened her eyes, Natalie''s tears rolled down from her eyes as she embraced her daughter who looked confused about what''s going on. Staring at her surroundings; she realized that they were inside a luxurious room with a constant smell of medicinal herbs wafting around the area. She was a precocious child, and she understood the cost of treating her illness. "Mother? Where are we?" She mumbled, staring at her mother in confusion. Natalie replied with a small smile, "Do you remember that young man who ate at our stall several days ago?" Memories flashed in the young child''s mind before she nodded. Seeing her response, Natalie continued, "We''re inside his home, he''s the one who paid the money to treat you..." Upon hearing her mother''s words, she frowned, about several weeks ago, people came into their stall with lecherous intentions, saying that they could pay for her treatment. But in exchange, their mother would become a hostess in a brothel. Her mother looked heartbroken as she adamantly begged for that landlord''s help. But the latter only shrugged and said, "If you accept my offer, I will definitely treat that child, but if not...How could you expect me to treat her without something in exchange? Well, if you''re really that persistent," She remembered that the ugly man scanned her mother''s body with a lustful light within his eyes, "If you can help me vent out my stress, I may rethink my decision..." Of course, her mother denied doing such things, but because of this encounter. That bastard of a landlord increased their rent which made them destitute in a matter of weeks. A week later, her illness frailed up, and without any other choice, it seems like her mother came to this noble''s house for help. "Mother...Did he ask you for something like...Your body?" She spoke in a hushed voice, Natalie''s expression abruptly flushed in embarrassment, while Dan who heard her words with his heightened senses couldn''t help but twitch. "What are you saying, you bad child! Dan is not someone like that!" Natalie refuted in anger. But her crimson expression said otherwise which made her daughter, frown in doubt. She glared at Dan and the latter staggered backward. Wryly smiling, he explained, "Don''t worry, I didn''t ask something in exchange for your treatment..." But he didn''t expect that the young child would reply, "I don''t believe you! Mother said that all noble are lecherous people with hidden intentions, and you''re a noble!" She pointed with her small finger, causing Natalie to abruptly embrace her in an effort to hide her presumptuousness. Dan wanted to explain. But before he could, a familiar light chuckled echoed at the door. The group turned around, and found the figure of Zaramias who scanned the three, "Dan, so that''s the woman that you picked up from the slums?" His eyes narrowed when he stared at the young child, "This girl''s tongue really is vicious..." Natalie and her daughter twitched upon hearing the man''s words. Dan noticed their anxiety and explained, "Don''t worry, this is my father, Zaramias Longinus. He won''t do something outrageous." Dan consoled Natalie. The latter slowly raised her head, but she still was reluctant in seeing Zaramias eye to eye as she mumbled, "Really? Won''t he punish you for paying so much for my daughter''s treatment?" "Well, he certainly would, but if that really happens, I will just accept it." Dan nonchalantly chuckled, turning towards his father, he said, "Old man, is there any matter that you need me for? Why did you come here?" Zaramias slapped his head to the ground, "Brat, do you know how much trouble you''ve caused me? Everyone around us is talking about how you stole someone''s wife!" Natalie''s expression turned pale, and her embrace of her daughter tightened. Dan rubbed his aching head, "Do you really care about the public''s opinion that much?" Zaramias rolled his eyes in vexation, "Normally, I wouldn''t, but that man who complained in here actually used an Imperial Token to complain towards the majesty!" Dan''s expression flickered, ''Imperial Token?'' From what he remembered, those who possessed such token would have the ability to make a single request towards the current reigning Emperor. Unfortunately for the possessor, the token would be confiscated after making a request so it could only be used, once. "Really?" "Really, your ass! If you''re a man, bring over your woman and her daughter, come with me to the Imperial Palace and explain what you did!" Zaramias'' eyes shone in a critical light, he scanned the apprehensive pair of mother and daughter before he gestured at his son. Dan stretched his body, standing up. He stretched his right hand towards Natalie and said, "Let''s go, it seems like that bastard of a husband of yours is really going all out to take you back again..." Natalie lifted her head, she didn''t say anything as she stared at Dan. "Do you want to return back to him?" Dan asked. Natalie''s expression trembled for a moment before she shook her head. "Well, if you don''t want to return, no one can take you away from me..." Dan stood up, turning towards his father, a slight smile of anticipation leaked on his lips as the group, walked towards the direction of the Imperial Palace. 22 Imperial Palace Discussion Inside a luxurious hall, decorated with deep sea gold and silver, three figures stared at each other, one of the figures wore an outfit painted with pure purple mixed with gold glitters, the staff on his right hand and the crown on his head, indicated his position inside the Imperial Palace. But now, the Emperor of Dawn was facing a headache. Staring at the middle-aged man who used the Imperial Token to complain against one of the most influential clans in his empire, he didn''t know whether to laugh or to cry. But still, as an Emperor, he needed to uphold justice and as a result, he summoned the condemned, Dan Longinus inside the Imperial Palace. "To think that Dan Longinus would do something as despicable as stealing someone''s wife..." The young man who sat in the seat, below him spoke in a sarcastic tone. "Well, since he''s evil deeds are widespread enough to provoke even the heavens...It seems like his retribution has finally come..." The young man casually crossed his legs together, staring at the middle-aged man with a glint in his eyes. The middle-aged man standing on the podium before them said, "Please uphold justice for me, your Majesty! It''s been five years since I last saw my daughter and I truly missed her..." The Emperor inwardly rolled his eyes, How could he not know that this farce is the work of this young man, just below him? After all, he belonged to one of the clans that hated the Longinus Clan the most, along with the Batian Clan. Jericho Varkaant, the apparent heir of the Varkaant Clan. Sighing, he could only let the young generation settle their own debts. "The Young Master of the Longinus Clan, Dan Longinus has arrived!" A eunuch announced at the side. Everyone''s eyes focused on the arriving group and when the middle-aged man spotted Natalie, his eyes shone in deep concern and longingness for her, which made her cringe in response. Her daughter, which clearly doesn''t recognize the middle-aged man. Frowned in displeasure when she saw him staring at her mother with such eyes. Dan chuckled in acknowledgment when he saw the two seated figures. ''It seems like the Varkaant Clan is on the move. However, even though our clans have always been at odds, we''ve been doing everything behind the scenes. This is the first time that they did their schemes in broad daylight.'' Dan inwardly thought. "Pay your respects to the Emperor!" The same eunuch bellowed and everyone kneeled on the ground in respects. With the gesture of the Emperor, all of them stood up as the Emperor scanned them with their eyes before saying, "With my name as the 69th Emperor of the Empire of Dawn, Rodriguez Dragnil. I hereby grant the request of the Imperial Token holder." Rodriguez revealed the token before confiscating it. "This man here, complained against the Young Master of the Longinus Clan, with the reason that he found his wife, sleeping with the former. Is that true?" The Emperor glanced at the middle-aged man. The latter nodded his head. "Good," "Since the Empire promotes equality in a trial. I will cross-examine both of your statements and decide with my own judgment as to who is speaking the truth and who is now. Is that okay?" All of them nodded their heads. "The complainant, Joseph Astaar. Requested the full custody of his daughter and the death sentence for the guilty party." A severe light flashed within the eyes of the Emperor, Natalie''s clutch on her daughter''s shoulders, tightened. "However, if the complainant was the one that is found as guilty, then his entire clan shall be subjected to the punishment that he asked for the condemned party..." "Now, let the trial start!" The Emperor slammed his staff on the ground, sending a ringing sound echoing across the entire hall as both parties became apprehensive. Soon, two bedraggled people entered the hall, staring at Dan Longinus with an expression of hatred and anger. "According to the complainant, these two were the people that witnessed you, the condemned, going at the former''s wife''s stall to eat some breakfast. However, when you left, you also left behind your Clan Token, is that right?" The Emperor''s eyes momentarily swept over at Dan. The latter nodded his head in response. The Emperor noticed his gesture and asked, "Now, both of you, state your statements, what exactly happened there and just what did you witness?" Feeling the sensation of the Emperor''s gaze landing on them, the two men became anxious as they hurriedly said, "T-t-that day... We saw...We saw, him going inside Madam Natalie''s stall and after eating, he even flirted with her and her child!" "Yeah, that''s right! He also left a good amount of tip along with his token, and when he left, he even smiled to himself, knowing that she would definitely follow suit!" The Emperor nodded his head, Zaramias'' expression darkened while Natalie''s visage turned pale. Only Dan remained nonchalant as if everything that occurred in here didn''t concern him in the slightest. "Are you sure that both of you are speaking the truth? Remember that if both of you are found to be lying, you would also be punished..." The Emperor said in a grim tone as both of the men, furiously nodded their heads like chicken pecking rice. "Now then, since the complainant has already given his statement beforehand. It is time for the condemned to give his excuse..." The Emperor stared at Dan with an indifferent expression on his face. Jericho Varkaant''s lips lifted in ridicule, ''Let''s see how you can escape this...'' One of the reasons why he staged such play was that he realized the talent of Dan, especially when his spies at the Western Guard Camp told him of the latter''s prowess. He understood that he needed to get rid of such a threat, as soon as possible. After all, there''s no more time left until that person from the Flowing Cloud Sect arrives. And when she arrived, he must offer something towards her that she would definitely like. And that was Dan Longinus'' life. Dan stared at Jericho and the fuming middle-aged man before saying, "I don''t have much to say..." Everyone became dumbfounded, ''Not much to say? Does that mean that you''re conceding?'' These thoughts ran through the minds of everyone. Zaramias clicked his tongue, his hand stretched inside his robe, clutching a golden parchment known to as the Imperial Pardon. Natalie stared at Dan with anxiousness visible in her eyes. But before they could speculate, Dan chuckled, taking something from his chest pocket, he said, "I don''t have much to say, but I have something that I want everyone in here to see..." He opened his palm, revealing a faintly shining Profound Imagery Stone inside! 23 Turn of Events Everyone''s eyes landed on the faintly shining stone in Dan''s palm. And all of them, except the pair of mother and daughter, recognized the item that he presented. a Profound Imagery Stone? This thought rang inside Joseph''s mind, inwardly frowning, there was no way that Dan could''ve sneaked past their perceptions when they were talking to each other earlier. After all, that man from the Flowing Cloud Sect was also there. "Everyone must be curious about the contents of this Profound Imagery Stone, right?" Dan spoke in an ambiguous tone. The middle-aged man''s expression momentarily flickered before returning to its previous calm when he noticed that the young man from the Varkaant Clan remained unperturbed. ''If the young master doesn''t care about it, why should I?'' He inwardly thought. The Emperor and Zaramias stared at the Stone before nodding their heads. "Well, since his Majesty is asking for any evidence that I could use as my defense; let the images inside this stone, reveal itself as the ironclad proof that I am being framed!" Dan crushed the stone in his hand, as a mist wafted from the fragments of the stone. The mist eventually coalesced into a dimly-lit room wherein three figures which shook everyone inside the hall, could be seen, standing before each other! The middle-aged man''s expression quickly turned pale, as the conversation about their plan of destroying Dan''s reputation came to light. Eventually, when their meeting ended, the two of the jet-black robed men, left the room. But for some reason, which made Dan frown in confusion. The figure of Joseph Varkaant couldn''t clearly be seen from the images, as if a dark cloud was blocking his visage. The Emperor''s expression turned ugly. His chest heaved greatly as a powerful might surged around his body. "To think that you actually used an Imperial Token to frame someone and even ask me to become your subordinate..." The Emperor spat in a cold tone, his expression indifferent and frosty. Staring at the shivering group of men, the Emperor said, "I''ll give you a chance." Dan''s expression flickered along with the middle-aged man who became dumbfounded but soon became excited about the prospects of being pardoned. "Confess whoever instructed you to do this kind of thing, and I shall let you live..." The Emperor''s tone became amiable and gentle. But if one looked closely, one could see a seething wave of anger boiling within the Emperor''s eyes. The middle-aged man didn''t notice it as his figure stiffened, glancing at the cold expression of the young man beside the Emperor, he took a deep breath, kneeled down and said, "I beg your Highness to spare me from punishment If I tell the truth..." The Emperor replied: "Didn''t I tell you that I would do that? All of my words are precious akin to gold. As long as you honestly speak up, I will forgive you..." The middle-aged man''s figure shivered, gritting his teeth, he wondered about why his employer didn''t try and protect him? Was he really just a disposable pawn in his eyes? Clenching his fists, he inwardly thought, ''No matter what, If that bastard is not planning on helping me, then I''ll bring him with me to the grave!'' He lifted his head and murmured two words which shook the entire Imperial Hall. "Joseph Varkaant." "What did you say?" The Emperor''s eyes widened in shock, the middle-aged man glanced at Joseph who was already trembling in anger before saying, "Your Highness! It was the Young Master of th-" Puchi! Bang! The sound of penetrated flesh accompanied by a sonic boom echoed in the area, Dan''s eyes widened in shock when he realized that the young master from the Varkaant Clan attacked the middle-aged man, lodging a dagger deep within the latter''s neck. "How presumptuous!" The Emperor''s expression changed along with Zaramias who floated in the air, both of them summoned the might of their cultivation base in an effort to subdue the young master who fell flat on the ground, completely unable to resist the pressure from the two experts. "Young Brat from the Varkaant Clan," Zaramias mumbled, "Although our clans have been at odds ever since our settlement, we''ve been keeping everything under control. But today, because of your scheming, I hope your father doesn''t blame me for erasing you in the face of this earth." Joseph who laid on the ground, snickered, ''Fools! Do they really think that I would openly oppose them without a backing behind me?'' He inwardly chuckled, not replying to Zaramias. "On the account of the Varkaant''s clan loyalty towards me, I will pardon you from the death sentence, but since you acted so arrogant and presumptuous before me, you shall be imprisoned for a decade!" The Emperor slammed his staff on the ground before flicking his wrist as he ordered, "Someone! Take this brat away! Place him inside the Great Abyssal Dungeon!" Dan''s expression flickered while Zaramias viciously smiled, the Great Abyssal Dungeon was the place where all kinds of serial killers and horrendous crime committers where imprisoned, the fate of Joseph who would be incarcerated inside such a place could be imagined. A eunuch rushed to the scene, bringing with him two shackles with iron balls on the end. But before he could approach, an indiscernible pressure encompassed the entire hall. As everyone lifted their heads, they noticed a golden parchment shining in a brilliant light, showering everyone in its light. "A-an Imperial Pardon?" Rodriguez Dragnil mumbled. Zaramias'' expression turned stern while Dan stared at the skies with a blank expression on his face, the sudden turn of events made him astonished as a deafening voice echoed throughout the entire hall. The golden parchment rolled out, displaying the domineering word, written in an impressive calligraphy, "Pardon" The word floated in the air, displaying the utmost extent of its imperial might before dissipating into nothingness. The brilliant light soon disappeared and the hall returned to its previous dimness. However, the Emperor''s expression looked flushed and he gritted his teeth as he slammed his staff on the ground before saying, "According to the Empire''s written laws, anyone who uses an Imperial Pardon shall be forgiven of any crimes, no matter how grievous it is, for as long as it doesn''t directly affect the Empire itself." His eyes glanced at the person that hid in the shadows, along with Zaramias who stared coldly at the silhouette who soon disappeared from their sight. Joseph stood up with a mocking smile on his face as he stared at Dan whose expression looked frosty. The latter didn''t expect such a turn of events, and what''s more, he also didn''t think that the Varkaant Clan, would use such a precious Imperial Pardon that could only be obtained, once every generation. ''An Imperial Pardon is nothing since this Empire wouldn''t last for long anyway, it would be better to just use it outright... He dusted his robe, not saying anything, he walked away from the scene as Zaramias handed something over to Dan. The Emperor''s expression looked ugly beyond doubt. But since rules were rules, he couldn''t do anything other than watch the young brat, disappear from his sight. "Wait..." Dan''s cold voice resonated. Joseph''s figure froze, turning around, he lifted his eyebrow and said in a sarcastic tone, "What is it? Young master? Do you have any orders for me?" The former shrugged, "Just because the Emperor has forgiven you, that doesn''t mean that we, from the Longinus Clan, has pardoned your crimes." He took a golden parchment from his robe before throwing it up towards the skies. "Remember that we, from the Longinus Clan, isn''t so easily provoked!" Dan bellowed and the golden parchment rolled up, exuding the familiar imperial aura, it displayed its contents. Revealing two overbearing words which shook everyone to their cores. [Imperial Decree!] 24 Chaos and Escalation of Situation It has to be known that an Imperial Decree could only be obtained once in a clan''s lifetime. Meaning, Dan had just used the only Imperial Decree that they had, ever since the establishment of the Longinus Clan. The Emperor''s expression frowned; ever since he saw Joseph activate the Imperial Pardon without any care for repercussions, he became suspicious about everything and thought that there must be some deep reason behind their actions. Zaramias thought the same when he handed over the Imperial Decree to his son; he knew that something would definitely happen to the Empire, and it could possibly a coup, staged by the two clans, Batian and Varkaant. And if those guys succeeded, Zaramias wouldn''t have any chance to use the Imperial Decree anymore. After all, it would only work if the Emperor didn''t dispel its effects beforehand. And if they succeeded. They could just use the Staff of Everlasting as the Emperor and dissipate their Imperial Decree. The shadowy figure who carefully hid in the dark didn''t dare to come out, lest he provokes the anger of the ancestor that created the Imperial Decree, after all, according to what he heard from Rodriguez himself. Those Imperial Decrees have existed, ever since the creation of the Empire. "I, with my blood as the first heir of the Longinus Clan," Dan bit the tip of his index finger and threw it towards the golden parchment. As a response, the brilliant light from the parchment emanated boiling sounds as if something was burning inside. Staring at the Decree, Dan continued, "Condemn you, Joseph Varkaant, into being sentenced for life imprisonment inside the Great Abyssal Dungeon, and the second part of my decree, is that..." When he reached this part of the sentence, Dan whispered his words, making everyone speculate about his last request. "Heed my words! The Imperial Decree shall take effect today!" "Let the judgment of the Emperor descend!" Joseph who sat on the ground, already looked pale and ashened as he stretched his arms towards the distant corner, "Dad! Don''t abandon me...Dad!" He cried out as the golden parchment''s light temporarily blinded everyone. In the next instant, his figure disappeared from the hall. Eventually arriving inside the most dangerous dungeon, the Great Abyssal Dungeon, soon. His miserable shrieks echoed out, but no one was there to hear his cries. The shadowy figure clenched his fists, staring at Dan with a venomous stare, he swiftly disappeared from the hall. The golden parchment that floated in the air descended, and when it landed. It sent a burst of golden beams inside Dan''s body, which momentarily startled Zaramias. The Emperor stared at the two with a dumbfounded expression. Coughing to take their attention, he said, "I can''t understand why you did such thing, Brother Zaramias..." Zaramias wryly smiled, even he, himself didn''t have a concrete proof in regards to his reasons. "It''s fine, that scroll has been collecting dust for god knows how many years already. At least now, it had some use." Zaramias shrugged, and the Emperor threw a strange smile in response. Ordering a eunuch to clean up the corpse of the middle-aged man. He dispersed them all and was soon alone inside the hall. "Flowing Cloud Sect, it seems like I won''t be escaping disaster this time. Especially when Grand Ancestor is nowhere to be found..." He mumbled with his hands clasped together. His countenance solemn as he thought of the grim future. Inside the Estate of the Longinus Clan, the two pair of son and father talked to each other before a table filled with numerous dishes. Zaramias turned to his son, clearly didn''t have the appetite to eat as he asked, "Earlier, when you asked me for that Imperial Decree, just what is your reason for doing that? If you won''t give me any proper answer, I will not let you off..." He lifted his lips in a vicious smile which sent a shiver down Dan''s spine. Wryly smiling, he sipped his tea and replied. "Father, did you notice something suspicious about the Varkaant and Batian Clan?" His words rang clear in Zaramias clear as his figure trembled for a moment. Suffusing a solemn expression, he replied, "Indeed, it seems like those guys are becoming restless, and according to what I found, it seems like they''re slowly sending their wealth inside the Empire of Eternal Faith." Dan revealed a small smile, "It seems like they''re planning a coup." "Planning a what?" "A coup..." Zaramias'' expression darkened before he retorted, "That''s nonsense! Are they going to plan a coup with only the power of both of their clans? That measly strength that they have would definitely not be enough! Especially before that expert from the Imperial Palace..." HIs expression went cold when he remembered the power of that hidden expert, that realm of strength, definitely belongs to the realm of Divine! "Yeah, you''re right about that father, so let''s disperse that idea for now and let''s think about this first. What if they have a sect''s backing behind them? Would they still act presumptuously or not?" Dan''s words made bell echo inside Zaramias mind. And the sudden realization of everything shook him in his core as he stammered, "C-c-could it be that... The Flowing Cloud Sect?!" "If it really is the Flowing Cloud Sect supporting them from behind, then they could definitely subdue the current Emperor and take his position, Fuck those bastards of a dog that bit the hand of who fed them!" Dan was familiar about the influence called the Flowing Cloud Sect, all of their Elders had a cultivation that rivaled that of his father, and let''s not even mention their patriarch that had the power comparable to that expert protecting the Empire of Dawn behind the shadows. But before they could continue in their discussions, a news that made their blood run cold echoed throughout the entire mansion. According to a scout from Fiery Blood Army, a ten-thousand strong army from the Flowing Cloud Sect has arrived before the gates of the Empire, demanding that the current reigning Emperor should abdicate his position or they will annihilate everything. Dan and his father, along with everyone inside the Longinus Clan Estate was taken aback. They didn''t expect that the Flowing Cloud Sect would start their attack so soon. Dan immediately stood up, running towards the room where the pair of daughter and mother resided. He took them towards his father as the latter handed them several defensive artifacts that they could use. Zaramias asked Dan to protect the two. Of course, Dan adamantly refused, saying that he should also participate in the upcoming battle as the Vice-Commander of the Fiery Blood Army. But after his father said that he was the only hope of continuing the bloodline of the Clan, Dan gritted his teeth, took the young auntie and her daughter, as they ran towards the direction of the Imperial Palace. But before they could do so, a cold voice filled with mockery and delight echoed from the gates as the wooden gate, exploded into splinters, sending fragments of wood, flying everywhere. Dan covered the two as he felt a searing pain forming on his back. Turning around, his expression turned pale when he realized that the patriarch of the Batian Clan himself was among the people who intruded their Estate! "Old geezer! It''s time for us to settle our debts!" His voice resonated loudly across the entire Estate, followed by a familiar chuckle as Zaramias'' figure came out of the Estate. "To think that you really turned traitor. Oh well, at least, I predicted right." Zaramias shrugged, standing between them and, he clenched his fists together and mumbled, "Thunder God''s Divine Arts: Thunder God Transformation!" Lightning crackled followed by a deafening boom which rattled the entire City itself. Dan, along with the two, flew backward, and taking advantage of the force, Dan carried the two as he scaled the walls, escaping towards the direction of the Imperial Palace. "Son, you go take the head of that bastard..." The middle-aged man who stood in the front mumbled towards the young man whose lips lifted into a mocking smile all this time. "Yes, father. You need not worry about it, as I will definitely take his head..." The young man''s figure disappeared along with a young woman who followed closely behind him. "Now then, Old geezer Longinus, how about we settle this, right now?" The middle-aged man cracked his neck before taking a stance. Staring at each other in a standstill, their figures blurred as they rapidly exchanged fists in mid-air. Sending shockwaves of destruction which destroyed at least half of the Longinus Clan Estate. Dan who was running for his life while carrying the two, thought to himself, "Goddamned it, I didn''t expect them to take action this fast!" He scanned his are and found that every citizen looked panicked as chaos shortly consumed everything. There were fires, and people forcefully taken by the Civil Groups that joined the coup as they rallied towards the Imperial Palace. Turning his head to the side, he noticed the pair of incestuous siblings chasing him as he clicked his tongue in annoyance. Placing his feet on the ground, he quickly flipped through the records of his family''s Cultivation Method within the system and activated a rudimentary movement technique that he could execute perfectly for now. Staring ahead, Dan found that the Imperial Palace was surrounded by numerous resplendent formations which prevented entry towards those unauthorized, fortunately for Dan; he had his Clan Token and was able to enter inside the Palace. "Young auntie, there''s a coup going on right now and I need you to listen to me..." Dan held Natalie''s shoulder and solemnly explained, "No matter what, never open this door until I come out and fetch you guys...Do you understand?" Dan placed the two inside a completely protected and hidden compartment inside the Imperial Palace after asking the Emperor for permission. Inside the compartment, Dan also found the Emperor''s daughter who looked quite pale as she stared at Dan, "How about you? Dan Longinus, aren''t you going to go in?" "No, I won''t, there''s so much chaos going on right now and I don''t really wanna miss out some free ASP..." He said these cryptic words before shutting the door close. He walked towards a dark corner and bought a simple Desert Eagle handgun that he could use in the upcoming fight. Holding a dagger on his right and a handgun on his left, Dan entered Stealth as he walked towards the direction where the two incestuous bastards were stopped. There, he found that not only they were at the scene, the members of their clans that acted as civilians were also there, wildly protesting towards the Emperor, wishing for him to descend down from his position. Walking towards the unsuspecting Ivan, pointed his handgun at his head before emerging from Stealth. His sudden appearance startled everyone as Dan mumbled, "Sleep well, Ivan..." 25 Merry Christmas Flowing Cloud Sect, a gorgeous woman could be seen talking to a jet-black robed man, small smiles lifted on their faces as they conversed, "It seems like your news about that expert disappearing was true...If that''s the case, then this won''t take long until I can meet my daughter..." The jet-black robed man chuckled, "Well since you''re thinking that this won''t last that long, how about we take a small bet?" "A bet?" The woman was intrigued, "Sure, what are the stakes and what bet are we taking?" "The bet is simple..." The man''s smile turned ambiguous, "If the Empire manages to last until daybreak, then I win, if not, then you win..." "Hoooh? Then what are the stakes?" The woman chuckled, glancing at the man who started approaching her, she replied in a coquettish tone. "If I lose then you can order me whatever you want, but if you lose, you shall be mine for a single night..." The man coiled his arms around her waist, pulling her closer as the latter moaned in the sudden movement. "You really are a helpless man," She shrugged, but eventually, a smile blossomed on her lips as she nodded her head, "Sure if you win, you can ''take me out'' for the entire night..." The man lecherously smiled as both of them engaged in a quick steamy activity. Meanwhile, back at the Imperial Palace, the Emperor''s expression was solemn as he stared at the commotion, outside. Clicking his tongue, the only reason that he could find as to how the Flowing Cloud Sect infiltrated without him realizing it should be the handiwork of the two clans that opposed him. Sighing inwardly, he realized that the hardest thing to comprehend in this world wasn''t the heart of the women, but the heart of the men. He didn''t expect that the two brothers that accompanied him through the fire and flames would betray him, just for the sake of attaining power. Lifting his head to stare towards the skies. He eventually urged his body to move towards the direction of the Imperial Treasury. Outside the Imperial Palace, where the so-called civilians had gathered in protest, Dan''s sudden appearance stunned everyone as they hurriedly manifested the might of their cultivation bases to attack. Resplendent beams of light flew towards Dan''s direction. But unfortunately for them, Dan''s pulling of the trigger was faster and with a bang. He activated Flicker, combined it with Stealth as he safely retreated back inside the formation of the Imperial Palace. Turning around, Dan found that an Azure light encompassed the figure of Ivan who looked thoroughly enraged as he bellowed, "Fucking Coward! Get the fuck out of there and challenge me instead of hiding like a goddamned turtle!" He even crazily attacked the formation, wasting quite a bit of his Qi reserves in the process. Inside the formation, Dan merely chuckled as he analyzed the defensive artifacts on Ivan''s person. And after realizing that the bastard was so afraid of death that he covered himself with at least, thirty defensive artifacts, Dan could only helplessly retreat. "What the fuck is with that guy? Is he thinking that he''s Bai Xiaochun or something?" Ivan''s fear of death reminded Dan of a certain novel''s mc which made him endlessly curse in response. Entering the Imperial Palace, Dan knocked on the doors of the compartment as it opened, revealing the figures of the three girls who sat on the bed inside the fairly huge room. Their faces painted with worry and anxiousness about their upcoming fate. Dan also felt helpless about this. After all, he only has a cultivation of the Flesh Tempering Realm, a cultivation that anyone from the Spirit Tempering Realm could easily crush under their foot. But still, he didn''t lose heart. He knew. He knew that there must be some way on how the weak like him could potentially impact the battlefield and turn the tides of the war in their favor. Natalie took notice of his apprehension as she stood up and forced him to sit down. "Dan, can you please tell us everything? Don''t tell me that, there''s really a coup going on?" Dan stared at her in shock, ''How does she know all of this information?'' Glancing at the beautiful young woman whose visual appearance looked like she was at the same age as him, Dan sighed and said, "Yeah, there''s complete chaos everywhere and we''re surrounded by our enemies, the Flowing Cloud Sect, the Batian Clan and the Varkaant Clan..." Dan told about the situation that unfolded outside and the scene of destruction that he witnessed. As expected, Natalie became pale as her daughter patted her head, in an effort to dissipate her fears. Dan stared at the cute young girl who addressed him as her Big Brother. The latter noticed his gaze as she said, "Brother, brother, rub mama''s head so she won''t be sad..." The young girl clearly unfamiliar with some emotions of people, said these words to Dan which made the latter, somewhat delighted as he complied. Stretching his hand atop Natalie''s head, he gently ruffled it, making the latter, narrow her eyes in delight and pleasure from the sensation of Dan''s hand. But of course, she quickly realized the inappropriateness of her response and Dan''s actions as she begrudgingly removed her head from his hand. "The two of you shouldn''t worry about the outcome of this Empire, rest assured that this Empire will definitely not fall under the hands of those bastards..." The daughter of the Emperor coldly laughed, Dan turned his attention towards her and said, "What do you mean by that? Could it be that the expert that protects this Empire is still alive?" She shook her head in response, "No, that expert is dead, I have confirmed it with both of my eyes." Dan frowned, "Then why are you saying such words that are uncertain?" The young woman threw him a long look, "Uncertain? I am saying these words because I am certain, father alone can repel these invading bastards..." Dan wanted to ask for more information but the former kept her mouth shut, keeping him in suspense. After playing with Natalie''s daughter for a moment, Dan assured Natalie with a hug, but what he didn''t expect was that the latter would firmly hold on his waist, not wanting to let go of him. "Ermm...Young Auntie...I still have some job to do so can you please, remove your hand?" Dan who was unfamiliar with this kind of scenario spoke up in a hushed tone as Natalie quickly retracted her hands in a flurry. Hiding her crimson expression from Dan, the latter walked outside as her daughter stared at her with a confused gaze. Rubbing her daughter''s head, she mumbled, "Agatha, do you want to have a new father?" Meanwhile, with Stealth activated, Dan approached the people that relentlessly battered on the formation. He couldn''t care less about them. He only cared about the person whom he swore to kill when he arrived in this world. Ivan Batian The killer of the previous owner of his body. This time, he wouldn''t charge through them. Instead, he would make them feel the power of Modern Weapons. Holding several Frag Grenades in his palm, Dan infused them with his Qi per the System''s Instructions before pulling the pin and throwing it at the direction of the gathered crowd, particularly, near Ivan whose expression, distorted into an ugly one. "Merry Christmas, boys..." Dan mumbled as several explosions droned out every sound in the vicinity. 26 The Horror of Modern Weaponry Dan who observed while in the middle of Stealth saw the scene of carnage that the Frag Grenades unleashed unto the unsuspecting members of the two clans. When the grenades exploded, they carried, not only their sheer power, but also the might of Dan''s infused Qi which strengthened the piercing power of the fragments and the destructive strength of the explosion itself. Flesh flew in all directions as blood splattered the ground. Everyone stared in horror at their charred limbs as chaos ensued among the flock of horrified sheep. Dan coldly smiled, although he still felt strange about the idea of relentlessly killing anyone just because they sided with his enemies. Dan knew that in this ruthless world. Becoming merciful to your enemies was being merciless to yourself. They could only blame themselves for being so blind as to believe everything that their Clan Chief said. With a flick of Dan''s wrist, several booming sounds resonated and as the chaos intensified, numerous system notification sounds echoed inside Dan''s mind, reminding him of his successful Assassinations. "Tcch." Dan clicked his tongue, ahead of him; the cultivators that panicked because of the sudden attack, now regained their calm and rallied their comrades in creating a defensive formation which thoroughly engulfed the group. Dan also found that the bastard Ivan still has fifteen defensive artifacts on his person. The bluish dome that enveloped the cultivators looked sturdy and according to the System, Dan would need to generate an attack that could rival a Spirit Tempering Realm Cultivator''s full strength to destroy it. "System, analyze the defensive formations remaining durability and visually display it as a percentage!" [System Function Initiating; 35%] [System Function Completed! Results: Pseudo-Heaven Grade Formation: 97%] Dan took a Frag Grenade from his Virtual Inventory and detonated it directly on the barrier. [Pseudo-Heaven Grade Formation: 95%] ''So a single Frag Grenade takes off two percent of their barrier''s health?'' Dan smirked, opening his My Account, he noticed that he now had two thousand Assassination Points. Tapping on the air, he bought at least a hundred Frag Grenades as his assault, once again restarted. Inside the formation, Ivan Batian''s expression looked pale. Although he had so many defensive artifacts on him, he still felt unsafe and had to force his fellow disciples to erect a barrier for him. Sophia inwardly sneered, she clutched a jade pendant that hung on her neck and thought to herself, ''Goddamned it, I shouldn''t have come to this Clan! Fucking useless of a brother and I even let him do me...'' she rolled her eyes in vexation. Meanwhile, beaded sweat formed on the former''s forehead as he carefully stared around while holding his sword, ''Just where is that bastard attacking from?'' He repeatedly cursed in his mind. From what he saw, the cause of these explosions were those small green balls that mysteriously flew towards them in an unknown direction. Clenching his fists, he didn''t understand why; but he could only think that this event must be Dan''s handiwork. Eyes reddened, he rotated his cultivation base and powered the formation around them. However, he also marked Dan''s name inside his to-kill list. Several minutes later, the barrier looked like it was on the brink of destruction under Dan''s relentless attacks. Ivan shouted, "Everyone, we cannot last for long anymore! Use all of your defensive artifacts so that we can escape from this hellhole!" He crushed a jadeslip as an azure light enveloped his person and Sophia. His fellow disciples looked pale, not all of them had a defensive artifact that they could use. Cursing Ivan in their hearts, they slowly retreated, bringing with them the barrier as they inched away from the Imperial Palace. Crack... Several cracks dotted the formation and its light started flickering. Dan who observed all this while took a small dagger from his virtual inventory and readied it along with a Flash Grenade. When the last Frag Grenade exploded along with the defensive barrier. Dan threw the Flash Grenade, disorienting everyone and temporarily taking their sight. Ivan hastily covered his eyes, but since his cultivation wasn''t at the Spirit Tempering Realm; he couldn''t utilize his soul to scan his surroundings, making him akin to a headless fly. A vicious smile lifted on Dan''s lips as he pounced, cold light flew in all directions as Dan begun his assault. Bloodcurdling screams echoed as blood flew everywhere, Dan transformed into a God of Slaughter, as bodies after bodies turned cold and fell to the ground. Even those beautiful disciple''s of the two clans were not spared. What use was a beauty if their heart was as venomous as a snake? Dan inwardly thought as he sliced. Soon, ten seconds passed as the eyesight of the remaining disciples returned. But when they opened their eyes. The scene that revealed itself to them, made them stagger backward in fear. "Y-y-young master..." A senior disciple pleaded on the side. The aggravated Ivan stared at the former with the same light within the former''s eyes. They were terrified. Terrified of the unknown that was killing them all. A putrid stench wafted from the scene, as Ivan found that he just pissed in his pants in fear. Sophia knitted her eyebrows and she subconsciously stepped backward in disgust and annoyance. The deaths of these disciples didn''t touch her heart. Instead, it made her happy that the forces of that bastard of a father have been reduced by this unknown killer. But still, she felt apprehensive. As if that killer also targeted her. Clutching her jade pendant, she was ready to crush it when everything goes wrong. "R-r-r-Retreat! Everyone retreat!" Ivan madly screamed and started running in the opposite direction. The despairing disciples who sat on the ground didn''t even move. Instead, they looked dead and their expressions, blank as they stared at the distant horizon. Dan didn''t bother about these bastards that already lost their will to live. Instead, he sped towards the direction of Ivan, emerged from Stealth and said, "Hello, Ivan. Who is chasing you that you became that miserable?" Dan chuckled. Ivan abruptly stopped, he stared at Dan with a venomous expression on his face, "Could it be that it was you?! It was you who killed them all?!" He lost all of his reasoning and started spouting nonsense. Dan frowned, although Ivan was a shameless and arrogant bastard, he should not lose his sense of reason just because of such a small affair. "System, Scan." Dan stared at his figure and scanned. [Name: Ivan Batian; Age: 17; Status: the Young Master of the Batian Clan] [Stats; Str: 1.20, Int: 5; Dex: 2, Agi: 1.53; Sta: 6] [For Reference, one stat point equals an average human''s stat.] [Cultivation: Early Stage of the Organ Tempering Realm] [System Evaluation: Can threaten the host.] [The System has found that the target is under a debuff, would you like to reveal the information pertaining to that debuff? Y/N] "Y," Dan replied. [Debuff Name: Whispers of the Succubus] [Debuff Description: Once a Succubus has taken the essence of a man; she could intertwine his mind with hers, making the man her loyal slave and will certainly obey, all of her instructions.] [Debuff Hidden Effects: Increased Sensitivity to Emotions and Pleasure] ''What in the actual fuck? A succubus?! Could it be that her sister is the succubus?'' Dan''s eyes widened in realization; even though he didn''t have enough concrete evidence to support his claim. He knew that he had to trust his instincts. Dan turned back at the Imperial Palace. But before he could do so. A coquettish whisper echoed beside his ear, "Hello, little boy-toy...I didn''t expect that you would become so formidable in such a short span of time..." His figure went cold. 27 Hidden Exper The moment the sound echoed beside his ears, Dan''s instincts activated Flicker as a cold gleam passed right through where his head was supposed to be. Inside the independent space, Dan stared with widened eyes towards Sophia whose figure looked different from how she looked like before. Currently, her jet-black hair turned purple and the pupils in her eyes turned into slits. Claws extended from her nails and an ominous abyssal energy enveloped her body. [Name: Sophia Cloud; Age: 15; Status: Member of the Demon Race] [Stats; Str: 4, Int: 9; Dex: 12, Agi: 13.2; Sta: 5] [Note: Stats currently strengthened] [For Reference, one stat point equals an average human''s stat.] [Cultivation: Early Stage of the Organ Tempering Realm] [System Evaluation: Can eliminate the host] Several system notifications manifested in the air, Dan stared at the Status with eyes widened. How could he not know about the Demon Race? After all, those bastards were the nemesis of the human race. Just as Flicker''s effects dissipated, Dan entered Stealth and found that he only had two minutes of Stealth time left until the skill goes on cooldown. Sophia merely stood there, scanning the area with her cold gaze. Dan clenched his fists, holding a curved dagger in his right hand and a handgun on his left, he knew that he had no other chance than to fight Sophia. However, just how will he fight? His enemy had a cultivation that was almost a realm higher than him and his Qi Reserves were also running low. ''Fuck it, If I can''t clash with her head-on, I''ll just play with her for a while...'' Dan pounced, emerging from Stealth, he sliced behind Sophia as sparks flew in the air, he swiftly retreated after attacking and found that he didn''t even damage her reinforced skin. "With your measly cultivation, you will never be able to cut, even a strand of my hair..." Sophia coldly said, turning around to stare into his eyes. Her expression full of disdain and mockery towards an inferior existence. Dan clicked his tongue, glancing at the system notification at his peripheral vision, his expression turned solemn. [HP: 100%] [Qi: 33%] "Are you not going to attack?" Sophia mumbled, Dan lifted his head and he saw her smiling at him with a sinister gaze. "If you''re not going to attack, then I will!" Cracks spread on the ground as Sophia''s figure disappeared, reappearing beside Dan, she attacked with a kick as Dan who was taken aback, flew sideward, striking a pillar as a blood arrow spat from his mouth. "H-h-How fast..." Dan mumbled, his HP dropped from a hundred to eighty percent. Lifting his head, he stared in shock when he found that Sophia wasn''t there. Instead, she reappeared beside him and swung a kick to his head. But this time, Dan was prepared and reacted by entering Stealth, completely disappearing into an independent space. Inside this independent space, Dan swiftly bought Frag Grenades and Flash Grenades before he took his initiative to attack and pounced on her figure. Sparks flew as cold lights flashed in the air; both parties engaged in a fierce fight with their daggers, looking for an opening between their exchange. Pulling the pin on a Flash Grenade, Dan hurled it towards her direction and averted his gaze. Bang! The sound disoriented her, but unfortunately, it didn''t take her vision. Dan was dismayed, but he took advantage of the precious time that he gained as he rampaged, slicing deep on her skin as purple blood flew everywhere. When the effects of the enchanted Flash Grenades dissipated, Sophia''s figure looked wretched and bedraggled; her dress of nobility now looked like a rag in the slums. "IM GONNA KILL YOU, YOU BASTARD!!!" Sophia roared in an androgynous voice, as the ominous energy that enveloped her body, exploded, flying towards Dan''s direction as the latter quickly leaped in an erratic pattern, barely evading the corrosive energy which melted the ground itself. Despite her upheaval. Her attacks were still precise and ruthless, forcing Dan to dodge in each time she sent those black tendrils on his way. With her stats, Dan knew that it would only take five or six hits to kill him, and in each engagement, he had to be careful or else he would lose his life. Dan clenched his teeth; the searing pain that wracked his body threatened to extinguish his consciousness. Fortunately, the effects of Adrenaline helped him tide through this extreme pain. Removing his robe that was blown apart, Dan saw that his chest looked completely mangled and that he could even see his ribs. Before he could continue inspecting his body, Sophia once again pounced towards him. But this time, she brought with her those black tentacles, slapping onto him in all directions. Wielding his dagger and his handgun, Dan deflected the tentacles with his dagger and counter-attacked with his handgun. The sheer speed of the bullets prevented Sophia from evading as her body became riddled with bullet wounds which sent a dull pain echoing through her body. Grinding her teeth, her eyes reddened in anger and irritation, ''This bastard is harder to kill than a cockroach!'' She inwardly thought before intensifying the speed of her attacks. Dan''s gaze landed on his peripheral vision; absorbing the information that the System laid out. [HP: 54%] [Qi: 26%] [Sophia''s HP: 79%] [Sophia''s Qi: ???] Clicking his tongue, he realized that Sophia''s attacks intensified in speed, and in response, he deflected with even more vigor than before as his right hand gradually became numb due to overexertion. In each time he shot his handgun, his bullet would bore a hole through her body. But Dan knew that he wouldn''t last in a battle of endurance; especially when he realized that Sophia''s maneuvers became more skillful as time passed by. Sometimes, her tentacles would swerve in a weird angler and sometimes it would manifest in his blind spot, striking him and taking a chunk off his HP. Biting the tip of his tongue, Dan dissipated the feeling of dizziness as he crazily roared and deflected three tentacles at ones. "Hahaha," Sophie chuckled in amusement, "It looks like you''re at the end of your rope!" She used five tentacles in a row and struck Dan at his abdomen, shaking five of his vital organs as the latter flew backward, while painfully groaning. "What''s wrong?! What''s wrong?! Is that the best that you can do?!" Sophia kicked Dan''s bedraggled figure that splayed on the ground, sending him striking a pillar which crumbled to dust in response. "Hmmph..." Dan coldly snorted, despite the pain that he felt he still wore a smile as he stared at his peripheral vision. The health percentage that the System displayed turned crimson red and his Qi Reserves percentage also turned grey, indicating that his life was in critical danger. However, when he turned to Sophia''s stats, he could only shake his head when he realized that she still has half of her Health Points and a quarter of her Qi. The battle that Dan fought was a hopeless one. However, Sophia frowned when she realized that Dan didn''t seem to be bothered at all. As if it was not him that was dying. This strange attitude of him made her insecure as she hurriedly took a dagger from her Spatial Ring and aimed it directly at his head. "Dan," She mumbled, "I didn''t want to kill you at first, but since you stood in my way and knew my true identity, I don''t have much choice..." She raised her dagger up and prepared to plunge it on the ground. But before she could do so, she found that Dan had closed his eyes as he threw a small canister on her direction. "Wait..." "That''s the flashy th-" Bang! A deafening boom echoed as she became disoriented once again. But this time, since she was caught off guard, her vision was also temporarily taken as Dan quickly stood up and launched a skill that he never used before, Sudden Strike. Lightning crackled on his arms as Dan clenched his right fist. Aiming towards her head, he stretched his fist upward and punched her, directly at the back of her neck. BOOM! A thunderclap manifested because her affinity was Yin and Dan''s attack was Yang; the damage caused on her figure looked horrendous and her life bar, quickly fell down to twenty percent. Staring at the bloodied figure of Sophia, Dan snickered as his vision swam. "Damn it...I''m feeling sleepy..." Biting the tip of his tongue, Dan was dismayed to find that his technique didn''t work anymore due to the sheer amount of severe injuries that he sustained. Falling on the ground, he realized that Sophia was still able to stand as the latter dragged her injured body towards him. All while holding a dagger in her right hand. "In the end..." She mumbled in a hoarse tone, "In the end...No matter how much you struggled, I still win in the end..." She painstakingly lifted her lips in a smile full of ridicule. Arriving before Dan, the latter smirked and whispered, "I still haven''t revealed my trump card..." Her eyes widened when she heard his words as a brilliant light exploded from Dan''s body. The golden light surged; bringing with it an Imperial might which didn''t allow any resistance nor rebellion. Sophia quickly fell on the ground, kneeling before the arrival of the Imperial Decree. Her expression, distorted into shock and despair when she realized the trump card that he meant. The trump card that Dan meant was the second wish that he asked from the Imperial Decree when he forcefully imprisoned Joseph, and that wish was. To protect him from imminent danger and destroy the enemy that caused his injuries. The silhouette of an indisputable Emperor manifested in the air, awe-inspiring everyone as they stopped what they were doing before kneeling down on the ground in submission. The two who fought in the Longinus Clan Estate also stopped, and along with the Fiery Blood Army, they kneeled on the ground. Almost all citizens within the City of Cloud submitted themselves to the silhouette of the Emperor. Zaramias'' expression widened in shock, that silhouette, that figure, that was... That was... That was the visage of the hidden expert that protected the Empire of Dawn! 28 Promise and Hesitation Before anyone could speak, the Emperor slammed his hand on the ground, crushing Sophia into a meat paste as the ground itself crumbled down. The entire City of Cloud experienced an earthquake and the silhouette of the Emperor, gradually dissipated after utilizing this attack, returning back to the golden parchment before it turned into dust. Everyone who felt the Imperial Aura shivered, and the expert that controls everything behind the scenes with the name of Mistress Cloud, immediately ordered a retreat, leaving the experts of the Batian Clan and Varkaant Clan in despair as they were annihilated by the Longinus Clan. Inside the Flowing Cloud Sect, a furious woman slammed everything inside her room into the ground, staring viciously at the jet-black robed man, she screamed, "Molox! Didn''t you say that the expert that protects the Empire of Dawn is gone?! What the hell was that Imperial Aura?!" When she felt that all-encompassing aura that forced everyone into submission, she didn''t know why but she felt that she had to retreat, or else they would be completely annihilated. Molox revealed a wry smile, he calculated that everything would go right, yet all of his plans were destroyed by the appearance of that Imperial Aura. Clenching his fists until it turned white, he coldly replied, "Mistress Cloud, I indeed said those words and even personally confirmed its legitimacy, but I didn''t expect..." His expression turned frosty, "I didn''t expect that they were actually waiting to lure us out..." Fortunately for them, the expert that protected the Empire of Dawn couldn''t come out from the Capital City of Cloud for some unknown reason. And so, they weren''t afraid of any retaliation from the Emperor. Grinding his teeth, Mistress Cloud walked towards the hall where the soul slips of the members of the Sect were placed. Entering deep within the hall, she arrived before a secret compartment where the soul slip of her daughter was located. But when she opened it, she found that her daughter''s soul slip was broken and looked dim. Her eyes widened in realization, ''S-s-Sophia''s soul slip is...'' She dropped the slip on the ground and it dissipated into dust as a scream of agony and misery echoed throughout the entire Flowing Cloud Sect. Meanwhile, back at the Empire of Dawn, the scene of destruction that occurred was still currently in repairs. It was already a month since the upheaval. Inside a certain Estate''s backyard, a figure of a young man could be seen coaxing a small young girl on his lap. Rubbing her head, the young girl gave a small moan of delight making Dan chuckle as he continued. Behind the two, Natalie observed them with a small smile on her face, walking towards them, she brought a tray full of sweet snacks and tea before saying, "Both of you must be tired, come here for some refreshments..." Juliet heard her mother''s words and she struggled from Dan''s embrace, standing up, she walked towards her mother and helped her carry the tray which made Dan and Natalie, stare at her in amazement. Natalie sat beside them and the three looked like a normal family. Due to the life and death battle that Dan experienced last month. His figure would emanate a manly and domineering vibe, completely opposite of the boy-toy feeling that he had just several months ago. Natalie''s expression turned crimson when she realized that she was subconsciously staring at Dan''s visage. Her eyes momentarily flashed in excitement, but it soon dimmed down as if she remembered something. Dan noticed her inner turmoil and he suddenly became quiet. He was a master of dating sims and the conqueror of at least a hundred loli and thicc waifus. He knew about her feelings, however, he knew that as a Martial Artist, his path would definitely be the path of carnage. Something that he didn''t want her to experience nor her daughter. Sighing in his heart, he moved his left hand and circled it around Juliet as he held her waist. Natalie trembled for a moment, but she didn''t do anything in refusal. She just sat there, silent and tranquil. Juliet, on the other hand, was happily eating the sweet cookies and chugging her tea. Soon, she became full and started leaning on Dan''s body before eventually snoring which made Dan chuckle in response. Ruffling the head of the adorable young girl, Dan turned around to find that Natalie was staring at him with a complicated expression. He wasn''t stupid and he knew what she meant. Juliet was starting to recognize him as her father and ever since she was born, she never had a father figure and the bastard whom Joseph killed didn''t even acknowledge her as his daughter. Inwardly sighing, he stretched his hand out and cupped Natalie''s chin. "Natalie," He said, for Natalie hated being called young auntie. The latter''s figure shivered, her eyes looked glazed with a desire that she couldn''t express. Soon, tears started trickling down her eyes as Dan revealed a concerned expression, he became confused and heartbroken at the same time when he saw her crying. "Do you know about the reason why I am like this?" She uttered in a hushed tone. Dan hung his head low, how could he not know about what she meant? Clenching his fists, he realized the determination that Natalie mustered to say those words. And as a reply, he took a deep breath and said, "Natalie, From the first time I saw you, I was captivated by your gentle, graceful and pleasing appearance; but when we spent our time together, I found that I wasn''t only enticed by your visual appearance." "I was also captured by your determination and lovingness towards the people whom you truly loved." "When I saw you knocking on our gates begging the guards so that you can enter my Estate, I confirmed that you thoroughly have a kind and the heart of self-sacrifice." "Ever since then, although it was short, I enjoyed the moment that we''ve been together, playing with Juliet, having you cook me your specialty dishes and making Juliet sleep by singing her our lullabies..." "I know what you feel about me, Natalie..." "But..." Dan''s expression turned somber and despondent, Natalie''s mood turned for the worse and the atmosphere became laden with a sorrowful vibe. "But..." "I am worried about your safety..." "Eh?" Natalie subconsciously uttered, she didn''t understand why Dan would say such thing, she had expected to be denied and what she heard instead were words of concern. Because of this, she became confused and stared blankly at him. "My path is destined to be a path of carnage. Ever since I had a mind of my own, I knew that I have the potential to reach the apex. But I also know that in process. Those people close to me will certainly be affected and would possibly, die..." Dan stopped, staring at Natalie who started crying once again, she leaped on his chest and snuggled tightly, not wanting to let go of him. "It''s fine..." She uttered, "What do you mean...?" Dan blankly replied. "It''s fine, I understand, I know that with my age, I have already passed the golden age for cultivation, and no matter how much I exhaust my potential, I will never be able to reach the same level as you..." "But please..." She lifted her head, revealing her wretched and sorrowful expression, "Please just don''t abandon me and Juliet..." "Abandon?" Dan uttered before his expression changed into anger, "Why would you think of something like that? Natalie? Ever since you lived here I have already accepted you as a part of my family, how could I abandon you?" Natalie''s figure trembled for a moment and her crying fit calmed down, lifting her head, she said, "Really? You won''t abandon me and Juliet?" She said in a hushed tone and she looked like a child that was wrongfully scolded. The adorableness that she displayed, made Dan subconsciously pat her head as the former narrowed her eyes in delight. Realizing that he forgot to reply, he quickly nodded his head and the former became reassured, but still. She kept embracing him, basking in his warmth and the manly scent that he emanated. "Can you give me some evidence that you won''t leave us?" "Evidence?" Dan lifted an eyebrow, but before he could reply, Natalie''s figure swiftly planted a deep kiss on his lips, making his eyes widen in shock as he felt her tongue, intruding inside his mouth. The passionate kiss of the two painted a picturesque scene, moving away from Dan''s lips, she said in a small tone, "This is the first time that I shared such a happy kiss." Her words that contained thousands of deep meanings made Dan somber as he embraced her, bringing her into his chest, "It''s fine, I won''t definitely abandon you and Juliet..." The two stared at each other before engaging in their passionate kiss once again. Carrying Natalie towards the futon, Natalie spread her arms wide and embraced his head, "I''m sorry that you won''t be my first..." She uttered and as the veil of the night encompassed everything along with tranquility descending on the entire city, a storm raged on inside this certain room. And it only calmed down when daybreak arrived. 29 Morning After Morning soon arrived and the first sunlight basked the couple that laid under the sheets in its warmth. With the urging of his biological clock, Dan''s consciousness awakened from slumber. He felt a sensation of softness that pressed onto his arm. Beside him, Natalie slept, her expression still looked glazed from last night''s affair. With Dan''s nourishment, her countenance became even rosier and plump. Several days ago she looked pale as paper, but now. She looked satisfied and happy with her life. Dan couldn''t help but poke her cheek and feel the buoyancy that deflected his finger, smiling to himself. He planted a kiss on her forehead and raised his upper body. "What a mess..." Dan commented. Before him, the remnants of the storm could be seen in the form of scattered clothing and there was even a strange smell that resembled bleach, wafting in the air. Manifesting his Qi, Dan quickly got rid of the fragrance and buried the clothes under the sheets of the bed. "What are you doing, Dan?" Because of his movements, Natalie awakened from slumber and she spoke in a groggy tone. Dan turned around, moved closer to her face and poked her nose with his nose before saying, "Good morning, sweetheart..." His words created an epiphany inside Natalie''s mind as her expression quickly turned crimson. Dan chuckled upon seeing her reaction and said, "You''re not going to greet, your hubby?" Puffing his cheeks, Dan suffused a pouting expression. Natalie stared at his antics and chuckled, moving closer to him, she pecked his cheeks and said, "G''morning, hubby..." She immediately covered her head with a pillow, not daring to meet his gaze and see his reaction. But little did she knew that something else had reacted on Dan''s body, and upon seeing the tent that formed under the sheets, she pouted and said, "You''re still not satisfied after last night?" She mumbled in a helpless tone, earlier. They worked through the entire dawn and only slept for thirty minutes before they had to wake up for breakfast. Dan sighed to himself, ''Goddamned it, this body''s libido is too much...'' If Dan didn''t found Natalie, he would have to go to a brothel to suppress his urges. The two stared at each other, and Natalie stretched her hand inside the sheets, pistoning the lance with her hands. The sudden pleasure that arrived made Dan narrow his eyes in response. However, he still complained in the end, "Can you use that technique that you learned last night from me?" He said in a hushed tone. Natalie bit her lower lip, but she didn''t refuse his request as she dove under the sheets and worked in satisfying Dan. ... Thirty minutes later, Natalie and Dan could be seen standing inside the huge bathroom of the Longinus Clan Estate. Both of them took a bath together while Natalie gargled water in his mouth. Wryly smiling, Dan approached her and said, "Little wife, I''m quite curious, just how does it taste like?" Natalie turned towards him, her expression indescribable before saying, "It tastes bad and is definitely not for eating..." "I told you that you didn''t need to swallow it..." "It''s fine, It''s yours anyway, and it would be a waste to just spit it out..." Her casual response garnered the admiration of Dan as the latter became energized and even took the initiative to wash her body, scrubbing it clean of sweat and making it shiny that he could see his face being reflected on it. His actions made Natalie inwardly smile, though Dan looked quite terrifying and domineering at the first glance. She knew that he had a soft spot towards the people whom he loved. And she felt blessed and joyful that Dan accepted her, even though she was not pure anymore. "Little wife, " Dan chuckled, Natalie stared at him before the former continued, "I wonder just how will father reacts if he knew about our relationship..." Her expression quickly turned cold and her rosy countenance became pale. Dan noticed this change and worriedly said, "What happened to you? Did I say something wrong?" Natalie shook her head, burying herself in his chest, she said, "I''m afraid..." "Afraid of what?" Dan knitted his eyebrows before continuing, "Afraid of my father?" Natalie didn''t reply. But the faint trembling of her shoulders indicated her answer. Clicking his tongue, he embraced her, reassuring that everything will be fine before lifting her head and saying, "Don''t worry about my father. Even though he always looks like you owe him money, he''s quite a compassionate, gentle and open-minded old man. He won''t do something outrageous such as separating us apart and our child..." When she heard that Dan already regarded Juliet as his own, Natalie''s expression softened, she returned the embrace with a tight hug of her own. But when she did that, her mouth gave a small "Ah" when she felt the protruding phallus. Dan awkwardly scratched his head as he inwardly cursed himself. When he embraced Natalie, he kept on chanting, "Please don''t get a boner, please don''t get a boner" inside his mind, but alas, before Natalie''s sex appeal, his mudra crumbled into dust. Natalie sighed to herself, but since Dan recognized her as his wife and she recognized him as her husband. She had to take care of his urges as she kneeled down, and once again worked the techniques that Dan taught her last night. An hour later, the couple emerged from sleep and Natalie went to her room to fetch Juliet for breakfast. Meanwhile, his father has already arrived at the dining room with fresh breakfast meals served on the table. Zaramias raised an eyebrow, "Where''s Juliet, that child?" Dan revealed a small smile. Ever since Natalie lived inside the Estate. The despondent Longinus Estate became lively thanks to Juliet''s playfulness and innate cuteness as a child. Zaramias took a liking to her and even felt like he was flying in the skies when Juliet called him Grandpops. In reply, Dan said, "Little w-Natalie is fetching her for breakfast..." Dan stammered through his words and Zaramias threw him a doubtful expression. "Now that I think about it Dad, how''s it going with the Army? Are those guys still missing me?" Dan employed his topic changing techniques, and fortunately, Zaramias took the bait as he said in an energized tone, "Yeah, yeah, those bastards are slacking off, they''re even threatening me that If I don''t let them see you. They will come here instead..." Dan chuckled, "We''ve only been together for two days at most, yet those bastards are talking to me like we''re close..." He commented and Zaramias said, "Well, even though those bastards look like the monsters that mothers use to scare their child into sleeping; they''re quite an affectionate and loyal bunch..." While the two were in the middle of their engaging talk, Natalie arrived with Juliet who was already jumping in joy when she saw her grandpops, "Grandpops! Grandpops! Grandpops!" Juliet broke free from Natalie''s grip and walked towards Zaramis with a smile plastered on her face. "What an adorable kid..." Zaramias'' hand flashed and in the next instant, stacks of candy bars and gummy bears appeared in his palm. Seeing this act of sorcery, Juliet stared in amazement as she took the candy and embraced her grandpops as thanks. Natalie walked inside the room, bowed her head in respect to Zaramias before saying, "Sir Longinus...As always, please let me thank you for having us here..." Zaramias waved his hand and said, "That''s fine, that''s fine, by the way," He gestured with his hand and pointed at Juliet as George entered out of nowhere and took Juliet away. Dan and Natalie stared in confusion at this sudden turn of events. "Dad? What''s the meaning of this?" Dan frowned. He realized that an indescribable air of majesty and arrogance encircled the former''s body. Natalie''s expression turned pale and she had a premonition in her mind. ''What''s the meaning of this?" Zaramias coldly chuckled, "Do you think that I, a Spirit Tempering Realm Practitioner will not notice those things that you did last night and in the bathroom?" His words appeared like a thunderbolt, striking the two into silence. Zaramias crossed his arms together, his expression frosty and a pressure of coercion emanated from his body as Natalie''s expression quickly turned for the worse. "I want you to properly explain yourself, Dan..." 30 Declaration and Resolve In the face of his father''s domineering figure, Dan remained steadfast, moved Natalie behind him in a protective manner. Staring deep into his father''s jet-black eyes, Dan said, "Explaining? Since you peeped onto us doing things between husband and wife, what else should I explain?" "Peep..." Zaramias'' stammered through his words, awkwardly coughing, he explained, "Although I said that I knew what you were doing, it is only limited to voices..." His rugged expression looked quite adorable in face of Dan''s counter-attack. "That could still be considered as peeping!" Dan launched his assault, Natalie who heard Zaramias'' explanation turned even more embarrassed by the fact that he must''ve heard her lecherous and pleasure filled moans. Zaramias rolled his eyes, "Goddamned it, even though I quite liked Juliet and her mother, that doesn''t mean that I would readily accept her into this family..." His eyes narrowed like pins before sweeping over to Natalie who became flustered. "Dad, must you scare her like that? It''s not like she''s doing anything to harm us..." Dan knew his father''s actions were meant to intimidate Natalie and reveal her true attitude, but the former understood that Natalie wasn''t a woman that used her husband''s coattails to raise her own status. All of her motives only focused on raising up her daughter. "Dan, why are you so naive?" Zaramias coldly said, "Remember that a criminal will never admit to his crimes." His words contained several meanings and Dan kept his mouth shut. Natalie who realized that the two became silent, took this opportunity and said, "T-t-then, how can I prove that I am worthy of becoming Dan''s wife...?" Her words made Zaramias viciously smile in return. Natalie who saw his cold and calculating smile, froze while Dan who knew about his father''s playfulness rolled his eyes in return. He could only hope that his father won''t go overboard in testing Natalie''s resolve. "Very well, since you put it like that, let''s do what you want..." Zaramias glanced at his son and said, "No matter what happens, do not interfere, even if she''s about to die, you shall never try to save her, understand? The household of Longinus doesn''t need any weak people..." Dan could only nod his head while tightly holding Natalie''s hand, the latter lifted her head and stared at Dan while biting her lower lip, her expression revealed her worry and fear of dying. She glanced at Zaramias and found that his expression didn''t seem to be joking. Taking a deep breath, she calmed herself and accepted her faith. If accomplishing Zaramias'' trial meant that she could stay with him forever, then she will do it. And if she failed and died, she could only hope that Dan would take care of her daughter, and love her more than he loved her. She expressed her intentions with her eyes and Dan received it as he solemnly nodded his head in return. Facing Zaramias, Natalie took her hand from Dan''s clutch and declared, "I will do whatever you want me to do, Father..." Zaramias'' expression frowned when he heard the words ''father'' coming out of her mouth. Natalie didn''t mind the former''s displeasure and continued, "However, if I fail, I hope that Father can take care of my daughter in my stead, tell her that her mother valiantly fought against her enemies and died with pride..." Zaramias'' momentarily closed his eyes as he fell into deep contemplation, ''Why in the hell does it feel like I''m the one that is the villain here? I just want to test her loyalty towards the family...'' He took a deep breath and his eyes, snapped open. "Are you ready?" He spoke in a complicated tone, he was visibly moved when he knew her last request about her daughter. And unbeknownst to Natalie, her position within his heart and soared, reaching the same level as Dan. Meanwhile, at the side, Dan stared at his father as the System Scan Process rapidly spun, revealing his father''s weakness that he could exploit in case he goes overboard, ''Hmmph, even if you''re my father if you dare to bully my little wife...'' He inwardly thought. Natalie''s expression turned serious, clenching her fists, she replied, "I am ready whenever you want to, Father..." Nodding in return, Zaramias took a stance, formed a mudra with both of his hands and said, "Prepare yourself..." Natalie assumed a defensive stance, "Come..." "Then take this! Seven Emotions and Six Desires Formation!" A burst of resplendent lights exploded from Zaramias'' body, squarely striking Natalie''s forehead as the latter became frozen like a statue. Sighing to himself, Zaramias returned to his previous posture and could only wait until Natalie surmounted the trial that he bestowed upon her. Rubbing his hands together, he glanced at his son and was taken aback when he found that the latter''s expression looked dark and solemn, staring at him with a venomous gaze. "Why are you looking like me like I owe you a hundred gold coins...?" Coldly snorting, Dan replied, "You best not do anything to harm her, or else, even if you''re my father, I won''t hesitate to hurt you..." In the face of his son''s threat, Zaramias dryly chuckled, after all, he was to blame in the creation of this misunderstanding. Sitting down, he gestured towards the nearby chair and explained the reason why he did such thing to Natalie. Inside dilapidated room filled with filled, Natalie could see a familiar emaciated figure, her eyes widened in shock when she realized that the skeletal figure belonged to her daughter, Juliet. "Mom...It hurts..." Juliet moaned in pain, her shoulders trembled as she spoke these words amidst her pale lips. Natalie held her tears back, moving towards her daughter, she found that blood dripped from her thighs, and the scene reminded her of something sinister which scared her soul out of her body. "So you finally woke up..." A familiar voice that she never wanted to hear all her life echoed beside her. Turning around, the figure of the vile man who fathered her daughter could be seen, viciously smiling at her. "Why are you looking at me with such a venomous stare? Everything is not my fault, it''s your fault for being so useless, that I had to have that noble, borrow our daughter for a while." Natalie ground her teeth and sent a slap flying on that man''s face. But alas, her strength was lacking and the man easily blocked her slap while returning an attack straight to her abdomen. "Guaaah..." Natalie hunched, and the man viciously smiled before taking his clothes off, his lance hard as a rock as he approached his so-called daughter and spread her legs. Natalie immediately regained her calm, holding the man tightly and pushing him away. "Why must you act like that, Natalie, since you''re unwilling to be intimate with me, I just have to make do with her..." The man spoke in a vexed tone, slapping Natalie away, her face looked swollen and purple, yet she still gritted her teeth and blocked his way. After about a hundred punches, Natalie''s consciousness barely maintained its clarity, yet his maternal instincts utilized its might in wholeheartedly blocking that man''s path to her daughter. Witnessing Natalie''s resolve, the man chuckled, and everything around her turned into pieces., before it changed into several other scenes which tortured her, not only mentally but physically. Even though in each trial, her consciousness threatened to give way. Her boundless love for her daughter pushed her through her goal. Her goal of protecting her daughter, no matter what happens. The scene around Natalie blurred before it cracked into pieces, the illusion around her disappeared before a mighty figure of a lightning clad young man appeared on her vision, the young man turned at her and gently smiled, "I''m the Progenitor of the Longinus, the God of Lightning, Barbarrossa, After witnessing your resolve, determination, and all-encompassing love that you displayed for your daughter," The young man stretched his hand out, and what laid on his palm was a seed made of lightning. The seed emanated a might which threatened to subdue everything under the heavens, "From now on, you will have the bloodline of the Longinus Clan and will also possess the Divine Arts of the Clan; but in exchange, you must swear upon your life that you and your future generations shall be forever loyal for the Clan...." "If you agree, take this lightning seed and your destiny shall change; if not, pay no heed to my words and close your eyes. This world shall disappear and everything that you''ve experienced will be forgotten..." The young man spoke in a calm voice, Natalie resolved her mind, from the time that he received Dan''s kindness and care, she already considered herself as a member of the Longinus Clan, and as his woman. How could she hesitate at this time? Stretching her hand out, the lightning seed dissipated in her mind as the illusion around her cracked, disappearing into nothingness as her consciousness returned to her true body. Dan and Zaramias who was discussing seriously between each other turned their heads towards her, and at the same time, their expression changed as a thunderbolt manifested in the air. Lightning crackled and Natalie''s countenance changed, her visage that looked timid and easily intimidated transformed into a mighty and domineering one, her eyebrows became sharp and her eyes alone, could tremble anyone who stared at it. Zaramias'' turned joyful while Dan felt relieved, the phenomenon before them, could only mean that she accepted the grace of the God of Lightning, the Progenitor of their Clan. From now on, Natalie will forever be his woman, and she will be a member of the Longinus Clan, for all eternity. 31 Dual-Cultivation When Natalie''s eyes snapped open, lightning momentarily flashed and a strange air enveloped the entire room. She experienced a metamorphosis that changed not only her physical body but her mentality towards the world. If previously she was a woman who only relied on a pillar that was her husband. From now on, she was confident that she could tide through anything, as long as she has him beside her! Clenching her fists, she clasped her hands together and deeply bowed towards Zaramias who gave her this opportunity, "Thank you father, for giving me this opportunity to change my life..." Zaramias chuckled, "Pay no heed to it, my daughter. From now on, you are a member of this family and Juliet is officially my granddaughter now," He nudged Dan''s shoulders and said, "You better work hard and give me a grandson." His words diffused the solemnness in the air as Dan awkwardly scratched his head, Of course, he was working hard! If not for the fact that the heavens envied his potential, he would''ve impregnated Natalie already! But alas, the heavens would not let such a powerful clan that possesses the bloodline of the Gods itself to flourish, and as a penalty, their fertility would severely be affected. But if they successfully conceived an offspring, it would have a boundless potential that could seal the heavens itself! This was one of Zaramias'' regrets, he was happy when he found that their offspring with his late wife was a son. However, because of his spoiling, this son of him became complacent and the tumor of Society, deflowering innocent girls after innocent girls, he was thoroughly disappointed. But now that his son''s mindset had changed, how could he not take this advantage to thoroughly lecture him? Several ideas for training flashed within Zaramias'' mind. But for now, they had to celebrate such an occasion by eating together as a family. After they ate, Zaramias played with his granddaughter while the husband and wife worked hard with each other, especially after their father handed them a dual-cultivation method suited for the members of the clan. Dan wanted to smack his father''s face when he saw his look when handing the cultivation over to them. That bastard even licked his lips and repeatedly raised his eyebrows in an ambiguous gesture. Inside their room, Dan exhausted half of his Qi and deployed a formation disc that protected them from his father''s perceptions, after all, it would be weird doing it when you know that your parent could possibly hear everything. Reassuring Natalie that her lecherous father couldn''t hear anything anymore, he slowly took her robes off and revealed her porcelain-like skin, opening the dual-cultivation book, Dan saw several indecent poses depicted and Natalie who saw the poses flushed, Dan inwardly sighed, he was reminded of a book called the Kama Sura back at his previous life. The book depicted numerous positions such as the reverse cowboy and the jackhammer which made him eager to try everything out. But of course, without Natalie''s consent, he would never force her on doing such things. Glancing at Natalie, the latter embraced her head and said, "It''s fine, If this is the only way so I can keep up with you, please do it..." She spoke in a coquettish voice which didn''t match her current icy countenance The fire of lust ignited within Dan''s mind and he relished on his delicious meal and a unique Lightning Qi surged from their room. Zaramias who was playing fetch and catch with his granddaughter noticed the disturbance as a small smile hung on his face, "It seems like it won''t be long before this family grows once again..." He mumbled in a tone filled with expectations. But of course, he knew that it wouldn''t be that simple. Because he fell too deep in his thoughts, he didn''t notice the incoming ball and was slapped directly by it, staggering backward as a humored laughter from a child echoed before him. Zaramias scratched his head, and chased his laughing granddaughter, "Brat! You dare to hurt your grandpops!" He ran and the two of them encircled the entire Estate with their joyful laughs echoing everywhere. The veil of the night descended and the family once again gathered in the dining room. Dan''s expression depicted his exhaustion with dark circles under his eyes while Natalie looked refreshed and energized, a hint of dew could even be recognized drenching her face. Natalie stared at her husband with a guilty expression, she knew that because she didn''t have any cultivation yet, Dan was bound to suffer as she needed his nourishment for her dantian. In other words, all of the benefits from the dual-cultivation method would be reaped by her alone. Calming her nerves, she turned into a virtuous wife, feeding Dan with food and even wiped his exhausted countenance with a fabric. On the outside, Dan wryly smiled, but inwardly, he didn''t really mind his exhaustion, after all, even though he didn''t gain any benefits when it comes to cultivation. He still attained the apex of pleasure after having Natalie serve him like a pharaoh. The usually assertive Natalie became obedient and even tried the jackhammer position which made him secretly praise his father''s insight in his mind. Zaramias glanced at the two and said, "Eat well, both of you worked hard after all..." His words contained several meanings which changed Natalie''s expression into an embarrassed one. "Dan, don''t even bother setting a Sense Hindering Formation, you can''t dissipate the unique Qi that the cultivation emanates anyway..." Dan who became suspicious as to how the old man knew about their activities became stumped as he awkwardly scratched his cheeks. "However, even though Natalie obtained the bloodline of the God of Lightning, that doesn''t mean that she could tap those potential that she lost because of her age, meaning that even though she could still cultivate, it couldn''t be said for sure if she could even break through the realm of the Spirit Tempering..." Zaramias'' shook his head, Natalie''s age was far from the prime age of cultivation, which made him sigh in helplessness. Dan also knew about this fact. According to the cultivation novels that he read, the prime age of cultivation was the late teenage years, which means Natalie''s potential has already expired. Dan glanced at his little wife and held her hand in his palm, reassuring her that no matter what happens, he will never leave her side. Noticing the apprehension of the two, Zaramias solemnly said, "Don''t worry too much about it. Every problem under the heavens has its own solution, and that includes the problem about Natalie''s potential..." Clasping his hands, he continued, "I have a solution, however, you won''t have time to do anything other than this, and I will not be lenient..." He displayed the assertiveness befitting of a commander and reminded them before saying, "Tomorrow, I want both of you to gather at the grounds and you better arrive exactly at daybreak or else..." He chuckled and said nothing more. 32 Training After finishing their meal, the couple returned to their rooms, Juliet insisted that she wanted to be with her father and mother, and Dan who couldn''t resist the cuteness of his little angel agreed. Now, the three of them laid on the futon with Juliet sleeping soundly between them. The atmosphere turned ambiguous as Dan reminisced about what they did earlier in the day, a tent inadvertently propped on the sheets that covered their body. Natalie wryly smiled, her husband really was a helpless man, to think that he would still think of such things even when their daughter was sleeping between them. Raising her lower body, she stared at Dan and found that the latter stared back at her. Helplessness could be seen painted on Dan''s expression, he wanted to address this issue of his libido by himself but after experiencing Natalie''s flavor, he became reluctant in using his own hands. How could he do it by himself when he has a consenting partner to do it for him? He inwardly thought and gestured at Natalie who slowly moved under the sheets. Deftly avoiding her daughter''s body, she undid his robes and the lance struck her nose. Arranging her posture, Natalie opened her mouth, stuck her tongue out as Dan felt a familiar warmth and suction force pressing on his lance. The sudden pleasure that surged from her lower body struck his mind like a sledgehammer, making him roll his eyes and groan with pleasure. Natalie felt the throbbing of his lance and her attacks, intensified. Thirty minutes later, she stuck her head out of the cheeks and a layer of body liquids lingered on her lips as he took a fabric and wiped her mouth. Dan stared at her flushed and glazed expression. The erotic scene that he witnessed ignited his vigor and his limp weapon stood mighty in the air. Natalie knitted her eyebrows, ''Just how insatiable this man is...'' She inwardly thought. But before she could dive under the sheets, her daughter moved and the two were forced to stop their activities lest Juliet woke up. Dan didn''t know whether to laugh or to cry as he endured the stinging sensation that he felt and forced himself to sleep. Although it took him quite a long time to calm down. With the help of his adorable daughter that closely resembled her mother, Dan finally succumbed to sleep. Daybreak arrived and the couple struggled out of their sheets, Juliet soundly slept as the couple took their bath together. Inside the bathtub, Natalie sat above Dan as the latter rinsed her hair with shampoo, Natalie insisted that she could do it herself, but Dan was adamant, saying that he wanted to spoil her. However, the sad reality was, as a lonely, and ugly bastard at his previous life, Dan didn''t manage to become intimate with the opposite sex and had to shower his love to his virtual waifus such as Kobayashi Kanna and Kirigiri. Although he felt saddened that he could never see them anymore, he didn''t want to go back to his previous life. After all, even though this world was dangerous as hell. At least, he had people that thoroughly loved him. His father, Zaramias, and his little wife along with his daughter was now his world. And he would do everything to protect them. Sighing to himself, Dan felt his weapon standing up, and Natalie who sat on his thigh also realized this fact, turning around, she cupped her husband''s chin with her hands and said, "Can you wait until we finish father''s task? I don''t know what would happen if we arrive late..." She spoke in a gentle and understanding tone. Dan felt guilty; his body''s reaction was something that he could not control because the previous owner of this body trained this body as one of the best sex predator, his stamina and innate techniques that the previous guy learned. Became imprinted as a muscle memory that affected Dan. Dan nodded his head and Natalie turned around, it was her turn to clean her husband''s body. Taking the nearby soap, she prepared to wash him but she noticed that his lance looked crimson on the tip, as if blood coagulated in it. ''It must be painful for him...'' Natalie''s expression flashed with concern, while Dan who noticed her reaction quickly assumed a pained and enduring expression before saying, "It''s fine, don''t force yourself, I can endure this much..." His tone somehow constricted amidst his gritted teeth. His actions depicted that he really felt pain and Natalie''s maternal instincts surged, cupping her husband''s cheeks, she said, "I''ll help you with it, but can you finish in five minutes?" Dan''s pained expression disappeared. Replaced by a mirthful one, he repeatedly nodded like a chicken pecking rice. Natalie stared speechless at the 180 degrees turn of her husband''s attitude. But in the end, she still helped him. However, when the two of them came out of the bathroom, Natalie wryly smiled when she realized that they stayed inside the bath for two hours. He felt like scolding her husband so that he would not act so spoiled around her. But after remembering the sacrifice that he did with their dual-cultivation session, she could only endure and slowly walk out towards the training grounds where they met a Zaramias whose expression looked dark in anger. "Brat, how dare you make light of my words, didn''t I tell you that both of you should come here in daybreak?! And what time is it now?" Zaramias scolded and Dan awkwardly rubbed his head. Zaramias didn''t bother scolding his son''s wife for he knew that it should be this lecherous bastard''s fault that they were delayed, "Even though I want another grandchild as soon as possible, that doesn''t mean that you''ll only focus on such things!" "As punishment, Natalie!" Zaramias shouted Natalie who was mentioned stiffened, but she maintained her calm countenance as she said, "Father?" "You, go! Run around this training ground for at least fifteen laps!" Natalie helplessly sighed, even though it was just fifteen laps, the training ground was as big as a soccer field, but still, she obeyed and started running. "As for you, you perverted brat," Dan rolled his eyes towards his father''s words, "Father, why are you trying to hurt yourself?" "Hurt myself?" Zaramias revealed an astonished expression. Dan chuckled before continuing, "You called me a pervert, but don''t realize where this trait of mine came from?" Dan cheekily smiled and Zaramias who realized what he meant turned into a furious dragon. "How dare you tease your father, you brat!" Zaramias manifested his cultivation base as lightning crackled around his body, Dan shrugged, with the help of the System''s memory arrangement, Dan knew the circulation method of their family''s Divine Arts as he also took a similar stance and mumbled, "Blessing of the Lightning God: Manifestation!" Lightning materialized in the air around the two before their figures disappeared and fiercely clashed in mid-air! 33 Breakthrough! According to the System, the Longinus Clan''s Divine Arts or Cultivation Method. Excels in speed and destructive power. The explosiveness of Lightning and the speed of Thunder becomes the vital core of this method. The cultivator''s ability to balance the two and manipulate each element could mean the difference between life and death. Both father and son used the first stance of the Blessing of the Lightning God Divine Arts. The Manifestation wherein they summon the might of lightning and send it flying towards their enemies with the speed of thunder. Dan threw a lightning ball at his father while the latter coiled his arms with Lightning Qi and absorbed his son''s attacks. Dan clicked his tongue, lowering his center of gravity, he activated the Thunder Element and reappeared beside Zaramias with a booming sound. Upon arrival, he enveloped his palm with Lightning and sent it flying towards his father''s chest. "Hmmph! As if that''s enough to defeat me..." Zaramias snorted, twisting his body, he ignored Dan''s attack and clutched his wrist before sending an attack of his own in the form of a palm strike. Surprised by the sudden turn of events, Dan activated Flicker disappearing from the area before reappearing. But this time, with a fully-charged Lightning Ball in his palms. "Chidori!" Dan exclaimed and slammed his palm on his surprised father''s chest. With a deafening crackle, the latter flew backward, hitting a boulder and smashing it into smithereens. Witnessing his father''s bedraggled appearance, Dan felt smug and even lifted a cocky smile on his lips. Beating his domineering father until he struggled to stand up made him somehow proud of himself. But at the same time, he became doubtful. How could he not avoid that simple attack? He inwardly thought. "I''m here, my boy..." Zaramias'' cold voice echoed behind him and Dan turned around, forming an X with his arms as a roar of thunder blasted him away. Blood trickled down his lips as he struck a nearby pillar. Standing up amidst the dust, Dan spat his blood and wiped his lips. Staring at his father that formed come hither sign with his hand, Dan''s expression turned cold and he sped, this time, manifesting two chidoris with both of his palms all the while moving in an erratic manner. But even though his movements looked confusing to the eye, Zaramias easily followed each of his movements and could even predict where he would land. "There!" Zaramias exclaimed, flicking his wrist, he sent a blast of lightning bolt towards an area, three meters away from his left. Dan who just landed there clicked his tongue and activated Stealth. The disappearance of his son made him confused. But still, he just stood there with his arms crossed over each other, waiting for his son''s emergence. Inside the independent space of distorted lights, Dan couldn''t summon an attack or his Stealth would be disrupted, however, he sneaked behind his father, laying low on the ground, Dan emerged from Stealth and the same time, his father smirked and sent roundhouse kick on his right torso. Sneering, Dan caught a handful of dust and hurled it over his father''s face. "Goddamned it, you brat, that''s dirty!" Zaramias who ate the dust complained, his kick interrupted and he staggered backward. Dan took this opportunity, encircling his father, he threw a palm strick on the former''s back, which made him roll on the ground. His father''s wretched appearance made him chuckle as he thought about the times where the former repeatedly teased him and Natalie, taking a stance, Dan said, "Still wanna have a go?" Zaramias inwardly cursed as he stood up. Although he complained in his heart, he knew that when it comes to battle or war, everything was allowed. Because of this fact, he could only swallow his bitterness as he dusted his robe. By this time, Natalie finally completed her mission and when she returned, her expression looked haggard as she repeatedly took deep breaths with her chest violently heaving. Dan walked beside her and wiped her sweat as his father rolled his eyes, "You brat, I''m still your father, but you''re not even taking care of me, you''re prioritizing your wife..." Dan chuckled, "Well, I know that you can handle that yourself..." "She could also wipe herself!" "That''s different, she''s adorable and you look like an emaciated old man..." In the end, Zaramias could only helplessly smile and said, "That''s it for today. At noon, I will have George buy some medicinal bath so both of you could break through at least a single stage..." He waved his hand goodbye and walked towards the direction of his granddaughter''s room. Natalie stared at Dan who was still wiping her sweat off her forehead and said, "Thank you," She took the towel from his palm and also used it to wipe his sweat. "Wait, that towel is already drenched though..." She stopped, and upon realization, the two stared at each other and chuckled. Soon, they could be seen walking side by side as Dan cracked numerous jokes that he prepared during his previous life for picking up girls. At first, he thought that he would never have the chance to use them. But now that he transmigrated and even had a wife; he could finally showcase his humor as laughter like bells echoed from the empty courtyard. At noon, the couple returned, hand in hand as Juliet ran towards both of them and gave them her small embrace. Dan became overwhelmed of her cuteness and couldn''t help but poke her rosy cheeks. "Were you a good girl? Were you a good girl?" Dan pinched her cheeks and the child laughed in his embrace. Natalie also went on her own and arranged her ruffled hair, with Dan teasing the young child and Natalie arranging her clothes, They thoroughly looked like a joyful family of three, and it was something that Zaramias appreciated as he smiled. "Juliet, we''re gonna talk with your grandpops for a bit so can you play with your toys, outside?" Natalie kneeled and said, gesturing at a ball, Juliet obediently nodded her head and carried it outside. Inside the room, George suddenly appeared out of nowhere, shocking Dan and Natalie who revealed wry smiles towards the strange capability that George had. Dan couldn''t see through his cultivation, even with the Systems help and he became a big mystery for Dan. "Young Master and Mistress, the medicinal bath is ready..." George respectfully said, Zaramias nodded his head and gestured for him to leave. With the disappearance of George, Zaramias turned his attention to Dan and said, "Go, both of you take that medicinal bath together, I want to see Natalie and you breaking through at least a single realm before I send you guys off towards a certain place..." "Also, stay there until all the liquid is consumed..." Dan was intrigued by the mention of a certain place. But since his father looked like he didn''t want to explain any further, he could only nod and drag Natalie away towards the bathroom. There, inside the wide bathroom that looked more like a hall, A jacuzzi tub filled with sticky aquamarine liquid could be seen. Dan took his little wife''s clothes and the latter did the same to him. Fortunately this time, Dan didn''t have any indecent thoughts as the two entered the bath. It was normal at first and the two relaxed, leaning onto each other''s shoulders. However, as time passed by, a numbing feeling spread through their bodies which eventually turned into a sharp prickling sensation akin to needles boring through their skin. Dan gritted his teeth in face of this inhuman pain. But still, muffled grunts echoed out of her mouth and his body repeatedly twitched. According to the wuxia novels that he read back at his previous life when it comes to this kind of bath. One must not lose his consciousness or else he would implode from the inside. Biting the tip of his tongue, he glanced at his wife and found that she valiantly endured the pain without letting out any yelps of pain. Dan became astonished about Natalie''s pain tolerance and the thought of having his wife surpass him in this aspect made him somewhat somber and determined as he refused to let out any groans of pain. Circulating his Qi, the medicinal liquid soon dried up and both of their bodies shone in an aquamarine light. Dan could feel a sensation forming on his navel that felt like an oncoming orgasm. But it was more painful than pleasurable. Holding his wife''s hand, both of them focused their consciousness onto that impending release as a rumble echoed out from their bodies. Both of their muscles repeatedly twitched and it gave off a faint aquamarine color. Apart from that, even though it looked nothing different; Dan could feel that his physical prowess doubled. Even though his skin looked fair like a woman, with his will, that beauty could turn into a destructive force which could annihilate everything that stood on its path. Natalie, on the other hand, experienced more changes. Her sharp countenance became emphasized and the coldness and domineering pressure that enveloped her body intensified even further. If not for the fact that she was already his woman. Dan would be afraid to approach her vicinity. However, Dan knew that hidden under that coldness was a warmth that could melt anything in this world. And he felt satisfied with himself that he had such an eternal comrade right beside him. With their hands intertwined, they turned to look at each other and gave a small smile. From the Middle Stages of Flesh Tempering Realm, Dan reached the Peak Stage while Natalie broke through the middle stage. Standing up from the empty bath, the two found that they didn''t feel the sticky sensation of the liquid that disappeared in their bodies. Instead, they felt quite refreshed and satisfied, as if they just scratched an itch that they could never scratch before. Smiling to each other, the two dressed up and walked out of the bathroom, only to be greeted by Zaramias who handed them a letter. Upon opening the letter, the two stared dumbstruck at the contents. [Tomorrow, the Vice Commander is invited to a field simulation battle, it is expected that the Vice Commander will command Squad A while his wife will command Squad B. I expect every combatant of the said squad, should be present at the scene. If not, prepare for the consequences.] Behind the letter was Zaramias blood red stamp. "What in the hell is this, old man?" "Hmm?" Zaramias took the letter from Dan before continuing, "Ah, this? I was just about to say something about this to you, so, come, come, sit down..." He gestured and both of them sat on a chair at the opposite side. "As a member of the Longinus Clan, not only both of you should possess the power to subdue your enemies, you should also possess the capability to scheme and see through schemes, along with leadership and the ability to defeat your enemies using the minimum resource as possible..." Zaramias clasped his hands together, an amused smile lifted on his lips. "Both of you, husband and wife, shall lead these two squads against each other in a Field Simulation Training..." He declared and the mouths of the two gaped in shock as they stared speechlessly at Zaramias. 34 Battle between Husband and Wife! As usual inside the room of the couple, the faint traces of night battles could be seen in the form of scattered clothes. Natalie snuggled up to his chest and she was the first one to wake up. Staring at the reliable man that slept beside her, she felt blessed that she met such a man that didn''t care about her past. His puffed rosy cheeks that could make every woman feel envy, looked adorable to her as she poked. Even if she was older than him for several years and even had a child. He displayed that he didn''t care about such things and that he thoroughly loved her. How could she be dissatisfied, she wouldn''t even mind it if Dan would find other wives other than her as long as she can stand by his side. Natalie''s incessant poking woke him up, and when Dan opened his eyes, the scene that greeted him was her sweetly smiling face that said, "Good morning," Dan revealed a satisfied smile, ruffling her head, Dan found her cute and loved to dote on her, even though she was much older than him. As the saying goes at his previous life, Age is just a number, and jail is just a- Wait, let''s forget about that... Dan shook his head and returned her gesture with a kiss on her forehead. These several days, both of them tirelessly engaged in activities between husband and wife, Dan felt quite guilty about his insatiable desire, yet Natalie just accepted it all and endured, he knew that she must be exhausted and he promised to himself that he won''t do anything to her, at least, for the rest of the week. Standing up, he deployed his lance adjustment technique and hid his morning wood from her sight. But Natalie who was familiar with him already knew that he would normally be energetic in the early phases of the day. Seeing his gesture of hiding his desire of her, she became confused and stared blankly at him. "Is there something wrong?" She inquired and Dan revealed a wry smile before saying, "You must be quite tired, after all, we''ve been training early in the morning for several days already, and in the afternoon, we still have that Field Simulation Training that father said..." He pampered her by ruffling her hair and patting her back. Natalie''s expression indicated her satisfaction, but Dan''s visage didn''t really look satisfied at all, but still, he endured and was about to stand up before being stopped by Natalie who grabbed his wrist. "Are you trying to endure?" She mumbled, her words contained meaning that both of them understood as her expression turned crimson. Dan''s figure froze, turning around. He stared at her with a guilty expression, "We just did it all night long, I can''t just selfishly force you for my own satisfaction..." Natalie''s heart was moved, as a woman, how could she not want to hear these words coming from the man that she loved? These kind words akin to the whispers of the celestials pierced through her soul as her eyes teared up. Dan who saw her reaction became even more somber, her clear eyes became wet in tears and Dan embraced her in response, "Don''t cry, please don''t cry, I hate it the most when the person that I love is crying before me..." "No, you''ve got it wrong, I''m not crying because I''m sad, I''m crying because I''m happy." All sorts of memories flooded her mind, including those tragic and joyful moments that she experienced in the past years, and it made her realize how thoroughly lucky she was that she met Dan, who accepted her without judging her by her past. Her words echoed inside Dan''s mind. But still, he maintained his embrace until her tears halted. Pushing him away, Natalie mumbled, "It''s fine, I understand your urges, even though I''m tired, I''m pained to see you enduring because of my sake..." "As your wife, I have the obligation to make sure that you''re happy and satisfied, please don''t take my role away from me..." By this time, she buried herself deep unto her chest and Dan couldn''t take it anymore. His hormone driven body exploded as a storm manifested in the room, only calming down when Natalie pleaded to be spared. At noon, the entire family went towards the Western Guard Camp, and as expected, Dan was respectfully greeted by the soldiers whom he fought with, side by side when retaking the Azure Hamlet. "Vice-Commander! Why didn''t you tell us that you will come here, today? We could''ve prepared a much better reception!" The men chimed and upon Zaramias'' order, all of them gathered on the muddy training grounds. Because the current climate of the Empire of Dawn leaned on the rainy days, the roads were sticky with mud and that includes the training grounds. The soldiers gathered under the cloudy skies without any voices of complaints. "As you bastards know, today is the day that we will commence the Field Simulation Training, right?" "Yes, sir!" Zaramias nodded his head," And since I still haven''t handed you guys a commander, I will take this opportunity to announce that my son, Dan Longinus will lead Squad A while Natalie here will lead Squad B." The letter that Zaramias showed the two yesterday wasn''t actually sent to the Fiery Blood Army, after all, he had a much better plan to use. The soldiers who didn''t know the relationship between the young woman and Dan doubted their ears, ''Will the commander make us the lackeys of a woman?'' They raised their eyebrows in suspicions. In the Empire of Dawn, the status of women was innately lower than their male counterpart. Part of the reason was they believed that women should just stay in the kitchen and take care of the children, while the other reason was they didn''t believe that a woman could possess a strength that could surpass men. Granted, there were women that were powerful, however, there were also men that were more powerful than them. And paired with the lack of information about the woman''s identity, they thought that the reason why the Commander included her in this Field Simulation Training was that the woman must''ve done something despicable for the Vice-Commander. After all, he was known to like beauties, it was easy to trap him in a honeytrap. And any woman who managed to trap someone from such a prestigious clan would surely soar in status. By this time, the soldiers thought of Natalie as a leech who relied on her beauty to deceive their Vice-Commander who looked green and young. Dan stared with a long look at his father, and when the gazes of the two met in mid-air, they simultaneously nodded. When his father didn''t announce Natalie''s relationship with him, he already knew the reason why. And that was, to have the soldiers underestimate Natalie''s ability. And the end result should be something amusing that he looked forward to seeing... However, it would only work if his wife could defeat him in a battle of wits. Smiling to himself, he gathered the five men of his squad and so did Natalie whose expression transformed into a cold and domineering one. Arriving at their assigned location, both husband and wife stared at each other, from now on, it will be a fierce battle of supremacy for both of them! 35 The Little Wifes Schemes In a shaded area that could see everything on the training ground, Juliet could be seen eating a watermelon as she cheered on both of his parents, "Go, mama! Beat papa!" Zaramias'' leaked a small smile as he doted on his granddaughter, having Juliet beside him colored his life. Natalie heard her daughter''s words and returned a sweet smile at her. The members of her squad who observed her all this while turned dumbstruck upon seeing her sweet smile, and they couldn''t help but blush under her presence. Calming her nerves, Natalie returned to the task at hand and took the papers that contained information about the strength and weakness of each man along with the information about the game. According to the paper, the Field Simulation Training that they would be doing was Capture the Flag. Inside the bases of each squad, a resplendent flag would be placed and the winning conditions of the game was to bring their enemies'' flag inside their territory. Each flag brought was worth a single point and one would need two points to win the game. Returning the documents on the table, Natalie frowned, according to the paper, the terrain of the match will be manipulated accordingly to what the Commander decides. Which means, she can''t create any drastic strategy and would have to adjust according to the situation. The same happened to Dan''s squad, rubbing his aching temples, he tried his best in memorizing the strength and weakness of his squad members, and formulate a strategy which would take advantage of their weakness and emphasize their strength. Soon, thirty minutes passed and Zaramias'' voice boomed through the area, "Everyone, the Field Simulation Training will now start, the terrain has been decided as Forest, all squad, please prepare for deployment in another fifteen minutes!" Zaramias waved his hands in the air as the muddy terrain shone in an azure light, soon, this azure light formed a dome which encompassed the entire training grounds and transformed it into a forest with towering trees. Tapping his foot on the ground, Dan found that it didn''t feel soft anymore, instead, it felt rocky and solid. Smiling to himself, Dan felt lucky that the terrain was a forest, after all, as an Assassin, complex terrain such as this would make him like a fish in water. Natalie gathered her squad members and the men obeyed without any complaints. But deep within their hearts they already sighed in defeat. They knew that a woman like her couldn''t possibly stand against the Vice-Commander who showed his viciousness back at the Azure Hamlet. "Steven, Harold, and James go there and dig a hole that is at least a meter deep, encircle the flag with holes like that and cover it with a layer of soft soil." Upon hearing her words, the three sneered to themselves, ''How could the Vice-Commander fall to this kind of simple tricks?'' But still, since she was deployed by the Commander, they could only obey. But little did they know that once they started working, she brought the two trustworthy looking men and whispered to them her plans, the two men named Danilo and Jeff nodded to each other as a light of enlightenment shone within their eyes. As they thought about their current commander''s plans, the more they thought of it as plausible and could surely rake them a good chance of winning this Field Simulation Training. Dan, on the other hand, decided on a straightforward plan, and that was to leave a single member near the flag while the other four will follow him and stick together until they reach the enemy territory. Soon, both squads looked ready and the fifteen-minute reprieve disappeared, "Both squads prepare for deployment..." The husband and wife stared at the distant horizon, and despite the separation of distance. They could feel the anticipation and excitement that they felt. Clenching their fists, with the sound of Zaramias shout, both squads rushed through the forest! Dan''s plan was considered as the most standard plan when comes to playing in this complex terrain, not only he would reduce the chance of getting caught off-guard in ambushes, they could also utilize the greatest amount of strength as a squad. He thought of Natalie as a smart woman and he never underestimated her capabilities. However, as a man, he had to maintain his pride and this fight, was a fight that he could never lose! Gripping their wooden swords, the group slowly crept their enemies'' territory. The rules of engagement and elimination were as follows, all contestants will wear a hit detecting armor and when one was struck five times, they would automatically be defeated and sent away. "Young master, there''s the flag!" His comrade gestured and Dan frowned after realizing that there was no one that protected the flag. Feeling a sense of premonition rising through his heart, Dan was too late, he heard the miserable cry of his comrade as his body turned into specks of light. At the same time, smoke rose from the ground and reduced his visibility, "Scatter!" Dan shouted and the remaining members of his squad skillfully maneuvered themselves in the complex terrain, Dan managed to pinpoint the location of the hidden enemies and removed two members of Natalie''s squad. "Idiots!" Dan scolded when he noticed that instead of retreating, the four members of his squad ran towards the Flag, stretching their hands in a greedy manner as the soil under them collapsed. "Waduheck?" All of them gave a queer cry as they found themselves stuck before being struck by the remaining three members of Natalie''s squad. Hiding under the smoke for cover, Dan could only see three men, the figure of his wife was missing. Because of him and his squad was too busy looking atop the branches, little did they realize that Natalie took advantage of this and covered themselves with bushes and leaves all the while proning on the ground and waiting for their intrusion. Natalie knew that with Dan''s personality, he would not stand and wait for his enemies. She simply took advantage of this flaw and formulate her own plan. Dan who carefully stared on the ground for pitfalls, froze, when he heard the victorious voice of his wife behind, "Sorry, hubby, but I have to eliminate you." A wind brushed past as Dan ducked on the ground, but as a response, Natalie''s sweeping attack turned into a downward one. Holding his wooden sword before his chest, he parried his wife''s attack and kicked off the ground, temporarily retreating from the battlefield while taking a good look of it from the higher ground. The three men noticed the movements and they quickly pounced at the tree where Dan stood, hacking, slicing, and dicing, they managed to take, three hitpoints from Dan''s armor, only two more and he would ''die'' Clicking his tongue, Dan knew that this fight would be tricky. If not for the fact that Zaramias forbid the use of Divine Arts or any techniques driven by Qi, he could''ve just entered Stealth and secretly steal away their flag. Staring at his cheekily smiling wife, Dan commented, ''If I don''t make you scream at night, I won''t be a man.'' He puffed his cheeks, feeling somewhat shameful that he got bullied by his little wife. "But if you really think that just schemes alone is enough to stumble me, then you''re wrong!" Dan stomped on the tree trunk and sped towards the three men who snickered to themselves, ''It looks like Vice-Commander became ashamed after being bullied by a woman...'' They prepared a defensive stance and when Dan reached their attacking range, they simultaneously sliced. But little did they expect that Dan''s figure easily slithered through their pincer attack and arrived behind their back. His ghastly movement techniques astonished the three as fifteen strikes echoed in an instant. Their glowing and regretful figures soon disappeared from the battlefield. Turning around, he stared at his wife with a slight smile on his face. From now on, this battlefield belongs to them! Pointing their wooden sword at each other, Natalie said, "Hubby, I''ve been practicing with Father and he told me your weaknesses, so please don''t be mad if I defeat you, okay?" A small smile lifted on her lips. "Well," Dan shrugged, pointing his sword and bending his knees, he replied, "If you can defeat me, that is..." 36 Showdown between Husband and Wife! Outside. The soldiers including Zaramias and Juliet stared at a transparent screen that floated in the air. Displayed within were the figures of Natalie and Dan pointing their swords at each other while mumbling. The mocking expressions of the soldiers towards Natalie disappeared after witnessing her prowess in tactics and leadership, knowing that Dan would inadvertently be on guard from aerial attacks, she took advantage of it and hid her squad members on the ground. Even Zaramias couldn''t help but nod his head in satisfaction, ''It seems like my son really got himself a solid wife...'' He inwardly thought, however, he knitted his eyebrow along with the soldiers who realized that Dan didn''t have much hit points left, two more strikes and he would lose. Everyone whispered to each other with some even betting for the outcome, Zaramias calmly observed the scene with his granddaughter on his lap, playfully eating her watermelon. Inside the field, both husband and wife narrowed their eyes as their figure sped towards each other. With a swing of their swords, dull sounds of wood clashing against wood echoed as the two retreated. A numbing sensation spread on both of his arms, Dan had the advantage of a higher cultivation, but Natalie had the advantage of hit points. Dan would still need to hit her five times while he would ''die'' if struck two more times. Calming their nerves, they knew that if they eliminated the other party and took their flag, they would obtain two points, effectively ending the simulation and winning the game. The two went on a standstill, calmly observing each other for openings. They knew that with just a distance of five meters before them, the other party could easily take the initiative and attack. Scanning his surroundings, Dan knew that once the smoke that surrounded them, disperse, he would have less opportunity to maneuver. And after experiencing the taste of his wife''s schemes and ability, he didn''t dare to look down on her. Lowering his center of gravity, he utilized the same ghastly footsteps and danced around the smoke, Natalie smirked. She knew that her husband would use this technique and that''s one of the reasons why she prepared these small potholes around their area. After she memorized those potholes, she easily avoided them, but it was not the same for Dan. "Shit!" Dan exclaimed, after about ten steps, he found himself stuck in a pothole and Natalie swiftly took advantage of his circumstances, sending a flurry of attacks on his chest. However, when Dan saw his comrades perish before his eyes, he already knew about these potholes, even if they were not that deep, they could still trap the foot, but in the fact of Dan''s powerful lower body, these kinds of small holes couldn''t hinder his movements. Slamming the ground with his free foot, the ground shook and he freed his left foot all the while deflecting his wife''s constant attacks. Natalie smirked, her sword moved in a strange angle that closely followed Dan''s blind spot giving the latter a constant headache and without a leeway for a counter-attack. Their constant exchange of attacks stirred the air itself as Dan repeatedly stepped backward, smiling to himself, he turned to Natalie''s flag behind him and inwardly thought, ''If I''m a disadvantage when clashing with you, why should I?'' In the next instance, Natalie became shocked to find that Dan abandoned her and went towards the flag! "Oh, no!" Natalie exclaimed but it was too late, Dan shamelessly avoided her attacks and made a run to it with the flag towards his base. His actions garnered the rolling eyes of the soldiers that observed him outside. Even his father couldn''t help but awkwardly cough as he stared at his son''s antics. But they couldn''t really blame Dan, in the face of such aggressive attacks, turning tail and focusing on the objective would be the smartest choice. Soon, Dan''s base could already be seen His strange movement techniques made his wife speechless as she closed on him. But it was too late, Dan threw the Flag beside his Flag as a point indicating the objective captured rose in the air. "A = 1 B = 0" Natalie clicked her tongue, ''Do you really think that you''re the only one that can be shameless?'' She sneered and pretended to attack him. But when Dan raised his sword in defense, Natalie swept past his figure and captured his flag before shamelessly running towards the opposite direction! "Hey! That''s dirty!" Dan shouted and Natalie rolled her eyes, ''Dirty? You''re the one who employed this first!'' Although Dan''s speed was fastest, he lacked the mobility that Natalie had. The latter weaved through branches after branches and using the soft parts of the ground and the thick branches on the trees as her advantage, Dan almost wanted to scream in anger and shame. "A = 1 B = 1" Huffing and puffing, both husband and wife stared at each other, Dan pointed his sword towards Natalie and said, "You shameless little apple! How dare you do that! Fight me fair and square!" Natalie couldn''t help but chuckle, "Hubby, why are you calling me shameless when you''re the one who used that tactic first..." Dan choked in his words, calming his nerves, he stared at his wife and found that for some reason, he couldn''t get a good grip of her, and this realization made him somewhat speechless. But at the same time, he felt satisfied knowing that her wife wasn''t just a pushover and could handle everything that comes her way. But still, he had some questions in his mind that he would ask when night comes... Eyes flashing in seriousness, Dan hinted, "Be careful!" Bang! Both figures clashed in mid-air in a flurry of successive attacks, the soldier who observed outside could barely see their movements as they moved too fast while Zaramias who stared at them lifted a small smile on his lips. Natalie was the ideal daughter that she wanted to have! Not only she''s beautiful, she also has the mind to scheme and to be shameless! Ruffling the head of her granddaughter, he hoped that she would grow up like her mother, but not like his son... In just under a minute, both parties exchanged not less than a hundred strikes! Standing at a distance of twenty meters between each other. Both parties furiously breathed with their chest violently heaving. Exhausted painted on their faces, but their eyes still shone in a light of determination and excitement. Natalie and Dan''s armor looked bedraggled and dilapidated, according to the faint light that enveloped it, it could only withstand a single attack before dying out. Meaning, both parties only needed to land a single strike to defeat each other! Gripping their wooden swords, Dan took a posture of sheathing the sword without the sheath while Natalie assumed a standard offensive stance. Dan imagined the figure of Rurouni Kenshin within his mind and slightly bent his knees, holding his wooden sword on his left waist, he used his left hand as a sheath while his right hand readied to release and attack! The atmosphere around them turned cold as everyone who observed outside became quiet, no one dared to give a single sound nor blink their eyes, afraid that they may miss such a spectacle that was bound to happen. "Come, my little wife..." Dan signaled with his eyes as Natalie''s figure disappeared, releasing his wooden sword, Dan retaliated with a horizontal slash while Natalie sent a thrust! Both parties froze before each other as their figures wobbled, falling on the ground, they turned into light particles as the entire training ground in the outside world, exploded into cheers! 37 Her Pas The cheers of the soldiers rocketed everything under the heavens, Zaramias nodded his head with satisfaction while Juliet raised both of her arms in enjoyment. With a wave of his arms, Zaramias dissipated the formation that covered the training grounds, revealing the figure of the two who laid on the ground, motionless. Soon, with the disappearance of the formation, the consciousness of the two returned and they were greeted by their squad members, especially Dan who was even thrown in the air. "Goddamned it, Vice-Commander! Awesome as always!" "It''s okay, Ma''am, we tried our best, after all, it''s the Vice-Commander that was our enemy..." Natalie''s squad member looked somber, but still, their eyes shone in admiration when they remembered the prowess and intelligence that Natalie showcased. Dan stood up, walking towards his little wife, she revealed a small smile. Even though she was defeated, she didn''t care for the person that defeated her was her husband. The couple approached each other and Dan carried his wife in his arms amidst the stunned gazes of the crowd, Zaramias chuckled, and explained to the astonished soldiers, "Bastards, you better keep your lecherous gazes away, that''s my daughter-in-law..." Those men that had lascivious desires in their minds immediately shook their heads and hung their heads low. Dan who noticed their actions pinched Natalie''s cheeks and said, "Look at what you did, just why are you so beautiful..." Natalie chuckled, "Aren''t you the one who made me this beautiful?" "What do you mean?" "Aren''t you the one who kept nourishing me these past days?" Dan chocked when his words when he heard the word nourishment coming out from her mouth, stretching her cheeks, Dan commented, "You''re becoming quite, cheeky, aren''t cha..." The laughter of the two echoed like bells, bringing with it a joyful and ambiguous vibe. But the soldiers who heard their sweet talks only rolled their eyes in annoyance and mumbled to themselves, ''Goddamned it, why is the Vice-Commander rubbing salt on our wounds...'' They silently consoled their lonely hearts. Inside Dan''s temporary residence, the couple ignored the voices of commotion outside and tended to each other''s wounds, sitting inside the bathtub full of clear medicinal liquid, Natalie sat on his thigh while Dan embraced her neck from behind. Mysteriously, Dan was void of lust and he just wanted to dote on his wife, staring at the bruises that covered her arms, his heart ached and he gently rubbed them, hoping that his actions would hasten their recovery. "Little Wife, mind if you tell me more about yourself?" Dan chided in a hushed tone, Natalie turned her head behind and stared right into his eyes "Hubby, it''s not really a good story to listen to..." Her tone turned despondent, before continuing, "It''s just a tale full of tragedy and misfortune..." "It''s fine, didn''t I tell you that you can rely on me in everything? Since you''re my woman and I''m your man, we should not have any secrets before each other..." His words convinced Natalie and she started talking about her past life. When she completed her exposition, Dan''s expression turned red in anger, his theory was right. Natalie wasn''t someone that belonged to this Empire, instead, she belonged to the distant, Empire of Eternal Faith, or more specifically, the Luzon Clan! According to Natalie, the Luzon clan was the strongest clan of the Empire, second only to the Royal Family, they held quite a good number of connections within the Empire, and Natalie was a previous member of that clan. But when they found that she lacked the affinity to cultivate, and since her late mother was just a lowly servant, she was expelled from the clan and had to fend for herself. However, inside this world where the positions of women were treated as lower than men, she couldn''t really find a job and had to resort to being an escort, wherein later on, she met Juliet''s father. When she talked at this part, she couldn''t control her emotions and started choking with tears. Dan affectionately rubbed his head on the back of her head and patted her back with his free arm, letting her vent the emotions that she held for the past years. "It''s fine, everything will be fine now, all those people, and everyone who wronged and bullied you, I will make sure to have them pay a great price that they would never forget..." Dan vowed, and Natalie lifted her head. "No! You must not go against them, what I said to you, only scratched the surface! They are more powerful than you can ever imagine..." Natalie warned, but Dan only chuckled, "I know, little wife, even if I can''t destroy them completely, I can still make them suffer, right?" Natalie hid her expression in his chest and replied with a soft moan of confirmation. Dan lightly smiled, taking a soap from the side of the bath, Natalie insisted that she could do it herself, but Dan shut her down, "This is one of the joys of a husband, can you not take this role from me?" Natalie shyly nodded her head and the couple took turns washing each other''s body. Later on in the afternoon, Zaramias finally answered the summons from the Emperor and took the two towards the Imperial Palace. There, they found the Emperor greeting them with a smile. "Brother Zaramias, you finally answered my calls." "Sorry about that, I was quite busy with the army..." Zaramias took a seat before him and the couple behind respectfully bowed. "Let''s get rid of all these annoying pretenses and get straight to the point, both of you, I have two recommendation letters here, take a look at it and decide if you want to accept it." The Emperor handed two letters sealed with a deep sea gold insignia of the Empire of Dawn. Dan knitted his eyebrows but when he received the letter, his expression widened in shock when he realized the letter''s identity. "What do you think? Dan? Those two letters can guarantee you an entrance for the Paradyne Academy, no matter what your cultivation is..." Zaramias revealed a slight smile, Dan glanced at Natalie and the latter gripped his hand, indicating that she would follow his decision. Staring at the letter, it said that the Paradyne Academy was located at the heart of the Empire of Eternal Faith, recalling Natalie''s words earlier in the day, a small smile lifted on his lips and said, "I understand, both of us shall enter the Paradyne Academy, and eventually bring glory for the Empire..." Both men nodded their heads in satisfaction and the Emperor said, "My daughter is already a step ahead of you and started her journey, yesterday, maybe you''ll meet her in the way and if so, I hope you take care of her since she''s quite a handful of a child..." The Emperor said with a slight smile and Dan clasped his hands together and nodded his head in response, "This one shall obey..." At night, Zaramias summoned the three and gave the two of them, Spatial Storage devices filled with money and food that they would need for their journey. Zaramias felt reluctant giving Juliet towards the two but he knew that his granddaughter needed the doting of her parents and could only let her go. Daybreak soon arrived and the couple bid their farewells towards the Clan, entering inside a luxurious carriage manned by the servant George, the two started their seven-day journey towards the Empire of Eternal Faith. 38 Empire of Eternal Faith According to George, they would need to cross at least two mountains before they could see the border of the Empire of Eternal Faith, Dan asked, why won''t they just enter using the path near the Azure Hamlet? But George only replied with a smile before saying that it would lead far from the capital of the Empire. Their journey was a peaceful one, and all the bandits along with beasts that came their way were dispatched by George who possessed a mysterious strength that the System couldn''t identify due to the existence of an interference. At night near the bonfire, Dan was doting on Juliet when he asked, "George, mind telling me, just how strong you are?" He spoke as he spoonfed his daughter. "Hahaha," George chuckled and bit on his roasted meat, "You can say that I''m stronger than your father..." Dan was astonished, how could father hire and turn such an expert into a servant? He inwardly thought. George noticed his suspicions and he gladly dropped a single hint, "Young master, you should not think that you and your father''s background is so simple, after all, both of you has the God of Lightning''s blessings." He continued eating and said no more. At night, the two couples laid beside each other with Juliet in the middle, Natalie embraced her daughter while Dan ruffled her hair. "Hubby, could it be that the reason why you accepted both of those letters is..." She stopped and became reluctant to continue, Dan reassured her, "Didn''t I tell you that I will make them pay? Even if my cultivation is low, I still have my own methods, just believe in your husband..." Dan mysteriously smiled and Natalie calmed down. But when her gaze glanced at his lower body, her expression turned helpless while Dan scratched his cheeks in awkwardness. Ever since they started their journey six days ago, they didn''t have any time to become intimate due to George and Juliet''s presence. Natalie stretched her right hand and said, "Hubby, please be satisfied with this, for now, I''m sure when we arrive we''ll have plenty of time to catch up." She boldly declared amidst her crimson expression as her hands started bobbing under the sheets. Dan nodded his head and narrowed his eyes, enjoying the moment and sensation that Natalie''s skillful hands bestowed. Several minutes later, Natalie took a fabric and wiped her sticky hands, Dan turned around and stared at her glazed and reddened expression. Her slightly opened cherry-like lips gave intermittent hot breaths and Dan revealed a smirk, this time, his hand sneaked past her robe and executed the mighty hand techniques that he learned at his previous life. Natalie couldn''t even last two minutes under his attacks before she intensely quivered. Clicking his tongue, Dan felt Juliet movements and had to retract his hands. Natalie looked reluctant but since she was afraid that her daughter may wake up, she could only calm herself down and sleep. Morning arrived and the group was awakened by George''s voice, "Young Master, Young Mistress, we''ve finally arrived..." The group approached the City Gates and disembarked, after checking that their luggage didn''t contain anything suspicious, the group was led inside and Dan could finally see why the Empire of Eternal Faith was so glorified as the number one Empire in the Continent of Dawn. The group arrived at the Commoner''s Realm, the lowest leveled region of the City, yet it didn''t give off a vibe of poverty. Instead, it gave off a luxurious and calming atmosphere, fitting for those tourists from far away land and astonishing those country bumpkins. Dan realized that the Empire had a strict crime control and that people could walk around without worrying whether their purses or coin pouches would be stolen, unlike the Empire of Dawn where crimes were rampant, the Empire of Eternal Faith looked clean and free of filth. But inwardly, Dan sneered; it was impossible for such a glorious Empire to exist without doing dirty deeds behind the scenes. Discarding his thoughts, George led them towards their temporary residence inside the Commoner''s Realm near the border of the Middle-Class Realm. "Young Master, that''s the Paradyne Academy, the master brought this house since it only takes a ten-minute walk to arrive near the academy..." "George, thank you for everything that you have done for us, I really appreciate it," The couple respectfully bowed, towards this old man that helped them arrive in the Empire without any problems, Dan couldn''t thank him more. "It''s nothing much, don''t mention it, Young master," George chuckled and took something from his robes before saying, "The master is also giving this to you, young master, he says that only use this when you''re in the brink of death." Dan''s eyes widened in shock when he saw the golden parchment that laid on George''s palm, "Imperial Decree!?" He exclaimed and Natalie''s expression who looked confused all this while became astonished. How could she not know the existence of those scrolls which can exert the full power strike of an Emperor? A single scroll like that could possibly save them from perilous situations. Dan received the scroll and George said, "Young master, I''ll be off now, the Entrance Assessment will occur in three days, and I hope that once the young master is admitted, I hope that you could visit us back at the Empire, once in a while." He chuckled and retreated, but before he disappeared, he left these words, "The Master also says that the master and mistress should work hard in giving him a grandson." Dan''s expression flickered while Natalie hung her head in embarrassment, turning around, Dan stared at their sleeping daughter and held Natalie on her waist, coercing her inside their room, moans, and grunts of pleasures soon emanated, bringing with it an amorous atmosphere encircling the entire mansion. 39 Vow At noon, the couple had to emerge from their sleep after hearing Juliet''s cry of hunger, Dan covered her exhausted wife''s body and said, "I''ll take care of Juliet for now, you relax for a bit...I''ve been taking advantage of you for these past hours." Dan revealed a guilty expression. Indeed, his pent-up desire paired with high sexual drive combined together, making him a monkey with the stamina of a bull. Natalie wryly smiled and closed her eyes before she fell into a sleep, completely exhausted. Dan walked out of the room and found Juliet on the brink of crying. When she saw Dan''s figure, Juliet burst into tears and embraced her father, "Papa!" "Here, here, here..." Dan patted the girl''s back and took some soft candies from his Spatial Storage. Dan transformed into a spoiling husband and told Juliet some stories from his previous life, including the story of a beautiful woman with seven short men. Juliet''s bell-like laughter echoed from the room and soon, Natalie woke up from slumber and dragged her tired body towards the bath. Dan moved his head closer to Juliet''s neck and said, "Hmmph, you stink!" Juliet turned around and pinched his nose, which made him chuckle in response. ''Papa also stinks!" Juliet cheekily replied and Dan carried her towards the bathroom, there, he found Natalie lying on the bath with a wry smile on her face, but when she saw Juliet who happily struggled in Dan''s arms stretching her hands towards her mother, Natalie''s exhausted expression melted and she joyfully took her daughter and bathed her. "I''ll go prepare for dinner, both of you, just enjoy..." Dan turned his back towards them and walked towards the kitchen, taking some ingredients that Natalie brought for dinner, he rolled his sleeves up and reminisced about the memories that he had to cook nutritious meals for himself as a NEET. Since he had no parents to care for himself, Dan had to learn recipes so that he could reduce his cost of living, and now that he transmigrated and realized that the ingredients used in cooking here didn''t differ that much from Earth, Dan knew that with his knowledge, he could beat his wife''s cooking. Smiling to himself, he prepared one of the best meals that he could cook, Red-Braised Pork. Soon, the fragrant aroma of tender meat and the alluring scent of sweet soy sauce along with a spicy kick wafted from the pot that Dan continuously stirred, Juliet who bathed with her mother, took notice of this smell and exclaimed, "Mama, it smells so good!" Natalie knitted her eyebrows, ''Could it be that Dan brought someone else to cook?'' She knew that her idea was impossible, after all. It was the first time that Dan went to this Empire. But she also didn''t believe that a silk pants young master like her husband could whip out such a dish that aroused her hunger and tempted her palate. Standing up, she wiped Juliet''s body clean and walked out of the bath. There, she found Dan cheekily smiling at her with a proud expression on his face, "How''s the bath? Are you okay now? Come, I prepared a dish that will surely revitalize you..." Dan gestured and Natalie''s doubt intensified. "Hubby, are you really the one who cooked, this?" She said, Dan faced her, knitted his eyebrows and said, "Why? Do you want the recipe or your doubting my culinary ability?" Natalie didn''t say anything in response, taking a spoon, she scooped a spoonful of the sticky and thick sauce of the pork and sipped. A burst of fragrance and fattiness exploded within her mouth, Natalie couldn''t help but quiver, while her daughter exclaimed in delight, "Papa cook delicious!" Witnessing their dumbfounded expressions, Dan followed a certain anime''s gesture and said, "Glad you liked it!" He even turned his back away, looking cool and indifferent. Natalie rolled her eyes, "Confess, who cooked this?" Dan turned around and chuckled, "You''re still suspicious about that? How about this, tomorrow at breakfast, I''ll teach you the recipe." His words reassured Natalie. And since she couldn''t find anything to refute, she could only enjoy the meal in indignance. Dan felt his wife''s feelings, he knew that she looked somber and despondent upon the realization that her husband was even better at her in chores that could be considered as her job as a wife. The veil of the night came and the family slept inside the same room but with Juliet sleeping on a separate bed. Dan once again took the initiative and pressed his wife under him. Natalie stared at Dan with a speechless and helpless expression as she mumbled, "Hubby, in the future that I''m old and spent, will you still take care of me like this?" Her expression turned melancholic and the sight of it, made the latter''s heart, ache. "What are you saying? Didn''t I say that I won''t let you go old? We''ll stand together and achieve Immortality..." Dan refuted, but since he didn''t answer Natalie''s questions, the light within her eyes, dimmed. "I won''t say any flowery words since I suck at that, but just remember." Holding her shoulders, Dan declared, "As long as I''m alive, I will never abandon you and Juliet." His words reassured Natalie, but she once again turned her head away and said, "Hubby," Her expression turned scarlet-red and she looked reluctant to meet his gaze. Knitting his eyebrows, Dan said, "What''s the matter? Is there any problem?" Natalie turned her attention to him but she still didn''t meet his gaze as she said, "Are you planning on taking other wives beside me?" Her words echoed inside Dan''s mind like a thunderclap. Indeed, when he just transmigrated, he looked forward in meeting and conquering beauties, eventually creating the largest harem in the entire universe. But now that he thought about it, Dan realized that having a harem was something unromantic. The idea of sharing your love between other wives didn''t click right in his mind. But still, having numerous beauties beside you was every man''s dream, and because of that, he found it hard to answer Natalie''s question. Natalie took his silence as confirmation, embracing his neck, she said, "It''s fine if you take other wives, and I don''t think that I can handle you alone..." She spoke in a hushed tone. "Can''t handle? What do you mean?" Natalie shivered, taking a pillow, she covered her face and said, "I don''t think I can handle your desires alone..." Hearing his wife''s words, Dan didn''t know whether to laugh or to cry. But he also couldn''t blame himself. After all, he was a virgin wizard at his previous life, and after tasting Natalie, Dan didn''t even know if he can still use his hand. "As for other wives, potentially, I may marry other women, especially if our feeling is mutual and strong. But I want you to remember this, No matter how many wives will I have in the future, you''re my first wife and you will forever be my priority..." Dan said these words which made him inwardly cringe. But upon hearing these, Natalie removed the pillow from her face and passionately kissed her husband. Under the veil of the night, a scene which the gods above the heavens even felt reluctant and embarrassed to watch, unfolded. Apart from Juliet''s hushed snores, a pair of hastened breathing and moans converged in a form of a storm which destroyed the room''s tranquility. The calm only returned, when daybreak arrived. 40 Pleasant Discovery Morning arrived and Natalie took a bath with her daughter while Dan prepared the meals like an obedient house-husband. He prepared two vegetable side-dishes and a nourishing porridge for his wife. Several minutes later, the two arrived in the dining room and sat before the table filled with fragrant dishes, Dan wore a smug expression and as expected, the two were blown away with his skills that traversed time itself. Juliet ate until she couldn''t move anymore and had to sleep. Natalie walked towards the backyard of the mansion and practiced the moves that she learned from Zaramias while Dan explored the City, bringing with him a pouch of gold coins that he needed to buy himself a weapon. After asking for information, the people around led him towards the most popular blacksmith shop inside the Commoner''s Realm. As Dan continued his journey, he realized the sheer difference between his home Empire and the Empire of Eternal Faith. Just the armors that the soldiers wore that were made of Hundred Tempered Iron couldn''t be compared to the light armors that the soldiers from the Empire of Dawn, wore. Sighing to himself, Dan walked inside the blacksmith shop and was greeted by a hunchback old man who revealed a small smile upon seeing the customer. "Welcome, respected customer, How may I help you?" His figure gave an aura of nobility as he bowed, just the light within the old man''s eyes along indicated that he wasn''t a normal old man. "Old man, give me the best, curved dagger that you have..." Dan coolly said and hurled his coin pouch as the old man promptly received it in mid-air. Nodding his head, the latter turned and walked towards the insides of the shop. Upon returning, he brought with him a jet-black curved dagger which looked heavy, yet light when carried. The old man noticed his fascination and explained in an indifferent manner, "That curved dagger is called Nigh Executioner, it''s made with Thousand Tempered Obsidian mixed with Deep Sea Silver and finished off with volcanic dew." "I can guarantee it''s quality and your coin pouch seems to have the right amount to buy that without a sheath." The old man lobbed the coin pouch and felt its contents before nodding in satisfaction. Dan took the dagger from his hands and when he sliced in the air, a buzzing sound of the air being torn apart echoed out, touching the tip of the dagger, his skin broke as a droplet of blood emerged. ''How sharp!'' Dan inwardly exclaimed, keeping the Night Executioner in his Virtual Storage, he turned around to leave but stopped upon seeing a sign which said that the blacksmith shop was recruiting apprentices. ''Now that I think about it, I should''ve unlocked a new sub-system within the Assassination System...'' He inwardly thought and discreetly opened the System Menu, pressing on the My Account Icon, Dan''s eyes widened in shock. Indeed, the Crafting System that he previously unlocked was there. "Old man, what are the requirements on becoming an apprentice blacksmith of this shop?" Dan said, and the old man lifted his head in amusement, staring at the young man before him that looked fair and delicate, he couldn''t imagine him forging and playing with fire. But still, his eyes flashed in a complicated light and said, "Forge me a Fifty Tempered Lump of Iron the size of your fist and come back here..." He said these words and Dan nodded his head before leaving. Walking outside the store, Dan activated the Crafting Sub-System. [Crafting Sub-System Initializing; 50%] [Crafting Sub-System Initialized!] "Sub-System, how do I make a Fifty Tempered Iron?" [A Fifty Tempered Iron can be automatically made by the System, the host''s just needs the appropriate ingredients and place it inside the host''s virtual inventory.] ''Wait, what? Automatically made by the System?! This is a goddamned cheat!'' He inwardly exclaimed returned towards the blacksmith shop and ordered a lump of Iron the size of his head amidst the old man''s amused gaze. Returning back to his home, Dan found that Natalie tried her best in recreating the recipe that he recorded earlier in the day. Embracing her from behind, Natalie''s figure shivered before saying, "Hubby, you scared me..." Dan chuckled, directed his gaze at the boiling pot that she continuously stirred before saying, "This looks passable, but let''s see how you do at dinner..." Dan nodded his head and planted a kiss on her neck, he took some candies that he bought on the way and handed it over towards the child who jumped in joy upon seeing her favorite soft candy. Ruffling Juliet''s head, Dan walked towards the bedroom and placed the lump of Iron atop a porcelain table, opened the Crafting Sub-System and whispered, "Sub-System, Temper this Iron Fifty times; the resulting product''s size should be the size of my fist." [Crafting Sub-System Project Obtained] [Initializing Factor Values] [Analyzing Crafting Materials] [ERROR; No Crafting Materials found inside the Virtual Inventory!] Dan slapped his forehead because he became too excited, he forgot that he didn''t need to take the material out of the Virtual Inventory. This time, it worked and a holographic image of the lump of Iron being pounded by a virtual hammer floated in the air. [Project In-progress; 70%] In just under a minute, the crafting completed, but Dan frowned when he realized that the lump of iron became the size of his fist. However, it didn''t look as shiny as before. Instead, it looked dark and its density even doubled. "System, Analyze!" [System Function Initiating; 50%] [System Function Completed!] [Name: Fifty Tempered Iron] [Description: An Iron tempered fifty times, its density is double than a normal iron and it is void of impurities thanks to the use of the apex Crafting System.] The description written in the air made him incomparably excited. Depositing the iron back inside his virtual inventory, Dan took a moment to calm himself before inwardly thinking. "Not only I can buy items from the Modern World, I can also craft items without exerting any effort..." With eyes flashing in a light of anticipation, he mumbled, "What a goddamned cheat!" 41 Sudden Turn of Events The next morning, Dan couldn''t even sleep well thinking about the possibilities that he could do. Even Natalie was astonished by the fact that he fell into such a deep contemplation. He didn''t even eat his breakfast and just rushed out of the mansion towards the blacksmith shop where he got the lump of iron. Knocking on its doors, Dan found the indifferent old man looking as cold as ever, walking towards him, he revealed a slight smile and said, "Old man, I completed the task that you asked me to do," taking the iron from his pocket, Dan placed it on the table and the old man''s attention turned on the iron. His eyes flashed in fascination upon realizing that the Iron looked different from before. Yesterday, it looked shiny but now, it looked dark and dense. Holding the fist-sized iron in his palms. He closed his eyes and focused his senses towards the iron. Dan calmly crossed his arms together with an indifferent expression on his face. When the old man''s eyes opened, it momentarily shone in a light of excitement which didn''t escape Dan''s perception. But when he placed the iron on the table. The old man spoke in a cool tone, "Pretty average at best, even though you managed to pass the apprentice examination for your first time, I hope you don''t get carried away and brag..." He thought and Dan inwardly smirked. Among the myriad occupations under the heavens, crafting or smithing was something that belonged near the apex. After all, a good armor could possibly save your life and a good weapon could mean the difference between life and death. Dan knew that the old man was taking precautions and was testing his attitude; if Dan was an arrogant young master who took advantage of his position as an apprentice blacksmith, he would immediately refuse admission and send him home. ''However, to think that he would assess the iron that the Sub-System crafted as an average one...'' On the outside, Dan revealed an excited and relieved expression. Scratching his head, he said in an uncertain tone, "Well, I was quite embarrassed bringing this iron to you, after all, I don''t have much experience and I only managed to make it fist-sized after ten minutes..." When Dan spoke the first part of his sentence, the old man nodded in satisfaction but when he heard the latter part, he almost choked in his saliva, ''Ten minutes?! Even I would take an hour to temper an iron to this extent! Are you kidding me?'' His experience in dealing with people as a merchant surfaced and he scanned Dan''s expression, looking for deceit. But when he realized that he looked nonchalant and as casual as ever, the old man sighed in his heart, defeated. Towards this monster of an apprentice that suddenly arrived; he didn''t know what to feel nor to say... "It''s fine, you''re accepted, however, let me see you temper an Iron first..." The old man smirked and opened the back door of the establishment. Dan revealed an awkward smile and said, "Ermm, sir, I just finished making that yesterday and my arms are still aching..." The old man turned at him with a stern glare, "Take that ointment and rub it on your skin!" He pointed at a shelf where a jade bottle filled with a green liquid could be seen. Dan couldn''t do anything other than to obey and he obediently rubbed the ointment on his ''aching'' arm. Dan knitted his eyebrows. He realized that the ointment that he applied not only relieved pain but also increased the muscle''s power and endurance. Scanning with the System, he was astonished when he found the real identity of the ointment that he just carelessly used. [Name: Nature''s Dew] [Effects: Purifies, Tempers, Heals all sorts of wounds under the heavens, a rare find under the heavens and could only be stumbled upon by luck.] [Hidden Effect: If you manage to find a bathtub full of this liquid, if you take a bath on it, you will reemerge as a Spirit Tempering Realm Cultivator.] ''What in the actual...'' Dan hissed, just the effects of the ointments alone indicated its preciousness, yet the old man just displayed it on the shelf like it was some kind of a common commodity. "Hey, what are you doing there? Come in!" The old man threw a fierce glare enough that his white hair stood on its end, Dan returned the bottle on the shelf and followed suit. Inside the room, Dan could see a furnace and a hammer, the old man placed a lump of iron in the fire using a thong. Soon, the lump of iron looked fiery and hot as the old man placed on an anvil. "Come, temper this iron, fifty times." The old man crossed his arms together, a small smile lifted on his face. He still didn''t believe that it was Dan who tempered the iron that he brought. And to make clear sense of everything, he planned on having him temper an Iron on the spot. ''Let''s see how you can trick me this time...'' He inwardly thought as Dan approached the furnace. When he held the hammer, the old man shook his head and found that his movements looked simple and lacked the innate gracefulness that blacksmiths had when they work. However, as soon as Dan slammed his hammer down, the atmosphere that surrounded him changed. The old man''s eyes widened when he saw that Dan''s right arm bulged and under ten seconds, he tempered the iron for twenty-times. Clang! Clang! Clang! Consecutive striking sounds of metal clashing against metal echoed inside the room. The old man threw his previous mockery to Dan and stared at him with a light of admiration and worship. ''Fucking hell, if someone like this guy becomes an apprentice, then what am I? A mere carpenter?!'' He inwardly cursed Dan for his pretentiousness that he applied for an apprentice position even though his skills were this high. Indeed, under ten minutes, Dan completed his work and the Iron that looked shiny from before now looked dense and jet-black. The old man held it in his palms and found that it was void of impurities. His figure trembled in shock and he couldn''t help but cry his eyes out. Dan''s expression flickered in shock when he realized that the old man was sobbing. Supporting him with his hands, he said, "Hey, old man, what''s wrong with you?" Dan took him away from the hot room back to the reception where he made him sit on a chair. The old man finally calmed down, and he spoke in a deep tone, "Back when I was still at the peak of Smithing, I could achieve the same results that you did but double the time that you took." Hearing his words, Dan awkwardly scratched his cheeks, ''I knew it, I should''ve turned off the System Assist function...'' Since everything was already done, he could only sigh in his heart. "Ever since my father died, my only companion in life was my hammer and my pursuit in life is to create an armor and a weapon set that could be considered as the strongest among the strongest..." "However, after that tragic time, I failed and could only hide inside this small Empire, masquerading as a small merchant of weapons and as the Elder of the Blacksmith Association..." ''Small Empire?'' Dan''s eyebrows knitted, ''And he''s also an Elder of the Blacksmith Association?'' "Yeah, that''s right, I am an Elder of the Blacksmith Association, but since almost all of the Elders have their own disciples that they nurtured for the future, I was eventually exiled and could only return when I find a disciple." "Back then, I told them that how could I easily pass on my techniques towards these people that didn''t have the skills to deserve it?" The old man''s eyes flashed in a complicated light, lifting his head, he stared into Dan''s eyes and said, "But now, I found you, as a person who possesses such a skill in smithing, and with such a young age like that? How could I let you go now? Not only will I proclaim you as my direct disciple, I will nurture you and make sure that you''ll definitely stand at the top!" The old man''s expression reddened in excitement, standing up, he looked down at Dan before saying in a clear and powerful voice. "Young man, will you be my disciple?" His words echoed throughout the room, but Dan only revealed a slight smile in return before dropping a bombshell. "Nah, I don''t want to become someone''s disciple nor a follower. How about this, you become my disciple and I will help you reclaim what is rightfully yours." The old man''s figure froze and he chocked in his own saliva. 42 Knowledge is Greater than Strength Dan stared at the frozen old man with a nonchalant expression on his face. The old man, on the other hand, froze as a smile soon lifted on his face followed by a cold chuckle. The atmosphere inside the room turned incomparably cold and Dan who remained his carefree expression became stunned when he saw the blaring red system notification that floated in the air. [Warning: The System has detected the existence of a lifeform that could easily extinguish the host''s life] [Suggestion: Please stay away for at least a kilometer from the lifeform!] Bending his knees, he concentrated and focused on activating Flicker if something goes wrong. Fortunately for him, the old man calmed down and sat on the chair, staring at him with a cold expression. "It''s the first time that I met such a presumptuous brat like you..." He snorted, "If I announce to the world that I am accepting disciples, everyone in this entire empire will surely flock over and beg me for that position." "But you..." Dan knitted his eyebrows, "I simply said the words that I feel in my heart. If Senior feels offended to what I said, then pardon this one''s wrongdoings." Dan clasped his hands together and spoke in a respectful tone. Towards a powerhouse that could turn him into dust with just a thought, he knew how to act and compromise. "Now that you know my power, how about you consider my proposal once again? I promise you that you will definitely not regret becoming my disciple." The old man spoke his proposal and Dan sighed before replying, "Ever since I started on the path of cultivation, I strongly believe that only those who walk their own path to the peak will surely succeed. I appreciate Senior''s offer but I am suitable to lead than to follow." Crossing his arms together, Dan lifted a smile on his lips and said, "How about you consider my proposal, Senior? Even though I''m quite young, there''s a saying that age doesn''t reflect knowledge, maybe your more skillful than I am but you can''t say for sure that my knowledge doesn''t surpass yours." The old man stared at him with a cold gaze. Although he wasn''t an unreasonable man, he still felt ashamed about the fact that not only the young man before him, denied his proposal; he even proposed an idea of his own. With his cultivation and skill sets as a Legend Ranked Blacksmith. How could he submit to an unranked young man? He inwardly thought before saying, "I can consider what you said as quite logical, however, if it is true or not, I can''t say for sure..." "How about this," A smile lifted on his face as he continued, "Since you claim to be more knowledgeable than me, Let''s have a battle of knowledge, we will ask each other questions in turn and if one of us can''t answer the other''s question, they will lose." His eyelids squinted, "Simple, right?" "Yeah, quite simple, so what are the stakes?" Dan inwardly chuckled, not only the Crafting Sub-System helped him create weapons or armors, it also had a deep database that he obtained from the Longinus Clan''s Great Library. He was pretty confident that he could answer the old man''s questions. The old man stared at the fearless Dan with a complicated expression on his face, but still. Since he already went this far, he planned on going through as he said, "If I win, you''ll become my disciple, but If I lose, then I will become your disciple or follower..." "Really?" Dan couldn''t help but make sure that the old man was speaking the truth. After all, after he scanned him with the System, he found that the old man before him possessed a Divine Soul Realm Cultivation, a realm higher than his father. Having such a sturdy and powerful bodyguard was something that he could use to protect his family. Smiling to himself, Dan said, "Old man, are you sure about the stakes?" "Yeah, I do believe that in any bet, fairness should be upheld, and to make everything fair, it should be natural to place that on the stakes, right?" The old man smiled which revealed his pearly-white teeth. Dan nodded his head and said, "Okay, but we won''t go into turns, how about you ask five questions first and I will answer it." "That''s also fine." The old man shrugged, walked towards the entrance of the blacksmith shopped and flipped over the OPEN sign. "Now we''re good to go, okay, I''ll ask the questions first." He crossed his arms together and sat before Dan as he continued, "When it comes to tempering Crystallized Blood Iron instead of using the highest temperature possible why is it that it won''t melt when it reaches a certain temperature threshold?" Dan pondered for a moment, the question that the old man asked really was a tricky one. According to the Crafting Sub-System''s database, the Crystallized Blood Iron was a crafting material that could be formed from the blood of your enemies. By freezing their blood and condensing it into a dense concentrated core, it would form a Yin affiliated material that was two-hundred times stronger and harder than Deep Sea Gold. The old man smirked to himself, waiting for Dan''s answer. "To answer that question, the reason why the Crystallized Blood Iron won''t melt when it reaches a certain temperature threshold is that if that temperature is reached, it means that the Yin Affiliated Iron is being saturated with Yang. Which means the overbearing Yin made from the blood of people would rebel, suppressing the Yang and concentrating once again." He smiled amidst the old man''s widened eyes and offered a solution. "In solving this problem, one must maintain a temperature that a fourth lower than the melting point of Deep Sea Gold. Not only that, one must continuously fluctuate the temperature between cold and hot so that the Yin inside the Iron won''t become agitated." Swallowing a mouthful of saliva, the old man struggled to maintain his calm. For when he checked his memories, he understood that the answer that Dan gave, thoroughly matched the answer from the books that he read from his homeland! He was pretty confident that no one in this small empire should even know about the Crystallized Blood Iron but when he heard Dan''s answer, his eyes narrowed, ''it seems like this brat is a scholarly one...'' Clenching his fists, he asked a series of questions that baffled even the blacksmiths of his homeland, yet Dan seamlessly answered it without any problems or even stopping. By the time that Dan was finished; he found that the old man''s expression looked flushed and agitated as he slowly kneeled to the ground. Embracing Dan''s knees, he said, "Y-y-young master...Take this old man as...Your...Disciple..." He threw all of his pride and kneeled down, begging Dan to take him as his disciple. What was pride in the face of benefits and a possibility of a brighter future? He consoled himself. "Old man, stand up, stand up, stop doing that, it''s embarrassing," Dan awkwardly scratched his head, and the old man stood up, holding the walls, he calmed his furiously beating heart as he stared at Dan with a light of loyalty within his eyes. ''Yes! Divine Soul Bodyguard, acquired!'' Dan inwardly exclaimed but kept all of his excitement within his heart. Turning around, he frowned when he realized that it was very noisy and that the roads were cleared. The civilians looked at the incoming carriage with excited looks on their faces. The old man stopped and explained, "Young master, that''s the carriage that belongs to the Paradyne Clan, and the one inside must be the daughter of Mathias Paradyne, Charlotte Paradyne." Dan nodded his head in confirmation, "Why the grand entrance? It feels like they''re welcoming a hero instead of a brat..." The old man wryly smiled, he also felt that such a welcome was an absurd one. But still, he answered his young master''s question with a smile, "Well, that''s because it''s the first time that the daughter of such a powerful Clan Chief visited the Empire, and the Emperor itself planned to welcome her in this way so that she may potentially become attached to the Empire..." Upon hearing the old man''s words, Dan commented, "That''s quite a smart move from him," The old man at the side chuckled and both of them stared at the incoming entourage. Dan knitted his eyebrows when he realized that someone from the crowd mixed among those people that surrounded the luxurious carriage. The old man''s expression darkened, from this angle, he also noticed the man and opened the doors of his blacksmith shop. But Dan was even faster than him, manifesting his Divine Arts, he sped towards the middle of the entourage, caught the suspicious man and threw him the air before saying, "CROUCH DOWN! THERE''S A SUICIDE BOMBER!" His roar resonated in the area and the old man rotated his cultivation base as he quickly propped a barrier followed by an explosion which shook the entire Region. Lightning crackled and fire rained down from the skies. Fortunately for them, the old man managed to activate a barrier in time, resulting in no casualties among the civilians. Clenching his fists, Dan''s eyesight followed a jade token that came from the bomber''s wretched body. Picking it up, his eyes widened as he remembered a piece of information that he read from the Longinus Clan''s Library. The jet-black jade token had an insignia of two bloodied daggers forming an X with a crow sitting on top of a skull above the daggers. Gripping the jade-token, he spoke in a solemn voice, "Night Ranger Association?" Towards this mysterious association of Assassins, Dan''s expression flushed red in anger. Assassins should only eliminate their indicated target and should not include everyone around the target, yet the actions of that suicide bomber indicated that he wanted everyone around to lose their lives. If not for the presence of him and the old man, this region of the City would''ve been bathed in flames and ruins, resulting in innumerable casualties among the civilians. Calming his anger, he hurled the token towards the old man before walking towards the carriage to check if the passenger was alright. 43 In the Face of a Divine, No one Dares to Stand Dan stepped inside the luxurious carriage and found the ethereal figure of a young woman whose visual appearance looked to be the same age as him. When she turned around, her phenomenal visage appeared before the former and his figure froze. Her sharp eyebrows and her slightly moistened contrasted each other and her pink, cherry-like lips along with her rosy, supple cheeks painted a picturesque scene that paired with her perfect body that looked curvaceous despite her young age, depicted an image which staggered Dan who loved legal lolis. But this beauty before him stared at him with eyes full of suspicions and anger before flicking her wrist as she shouted, "Who are you?!" A shriek that resounded that of a phoenix echoed inside the carriage and the sense of imminent danger pushed Dan''s instincts into activating Flicker, avoiding the high-temperature beam that she sent onto him by a hair''s breadth. His sudden disappearance startled the young beauty and she warily looked around. Three seconds later, Dan reemerged from Flicker and she sent another beam, but it was stopped, by an invisible barrier. Dan turned around and stared at the young beauty with a critical light within his eyes. The young beauty coldly crossed her arms while Dan suffused a solemn expression before saying, "Young Miss, why must you be so rude, attacking someone that only wants to check if you''re safe or not." The young beauty threw a cold glare at his direction before saying, "Who knows if you''re a friend or an enemy..." She turned around and didn''t bother about him anymore. But Dan who received her glare realized that even though she acted serious and cold, he could see that her moistened and dilated eyes, indicated her apprehension and fear towards the sudden explosion that occurred earlier. "Well, you''re right about that, I''m sorry that I suddenly came into your carriage, but we''re just checking if you''re alright," Dan scratched his head and apologized, the young beauty only snorted in response as the old man chimed, "Young master, her protectors are coming, it would be better for us to retreat from here else we''ll get accused..." Dan''s expression flickered and he closed the door of the carriage. But before the two of them could walk away, a stern shout echoed from behind, "Where do you think you''re going?! You terrorists!" His shout gathered the attention of the nearby guards and they prepared their weapons, pointing them at the direction of the two. Dan''s expression went cold before turning around. There, the figure of a blonde-haired young man riding a horse decorated with numerous shiny ornaments could be seen approaching his vicinity. The guards around the young man emanated the energy waves of a Spirit Tempering Realm Practitioner, meaning this young man should have quite a high standing inside the Empire. The young man didn''t bother about Dan and the old man as he suffused a worried expression and ran towards the carriage, "My dear, Charlotte! Are you okay? Don''t worry about everything, just leave it to me...I already caught the accomplices of that terrorist!" When he heard that the young man called the young beauty inside the carriage as "My dear," his expression became even colder and the two turned around. But before they could walk away, a Spirit Tempering Guard prevented them as he said in a cold voice, "Freeze, you better not walk away or you''ll be accused of terrorism and treason against the Empire..." Both crimes that he said were punishable by capital punishment and the frosty countenance of Dan became filled with annoyance, ''I just only want to help, but look what I received...'' He sighed in his heart, staring at his old man disciple that looked as tranquil as a lake, he calmed down and thought, ''Well, I doubt that they could do anything against me when I have such a powerful bodyguard beside me.'' "I''m fine, Ivan, you need not cause too much ruckus of such a simple thing, " The familiar voice of the young beauty echoed inside the carriage and Ivan could be seen chattering around the latter like a broken music box. When he realized that Dan and the old man were still standing outside the carriage, he pointed his fingers and said, "Look! I just caught the accomplices of that Assassin terrorist, I''m giving them to you and you can do whatever you see fit." At this time, Dan felt incredibly annoyed by the bastard''s mouth and couldn''t help but reply in vexation, "Giving? Just who the hell are you?" Ivan''s eyebrows knitted and his expression darkened, "Brat, I even gave you a chance for life, but it looks like you''re adamant on going onto hell!" He signaled and the guards around Dan became alert. "Enough! They didn''t come here to harm me, in fact, they protected me from that explosion and even checked on my condition." Charlotte interrupted and said in a cold voice, "But, My Dear, we can''t be so sure of that, what if this just a part of their plan on getting close to you and assassinate you after doing it?" Charlotte glanced at Ivan who looked frantic and couldn''t help but sigh in her heart when she thought about his stupidity. Putting aside Dan''s incredibly weak cultivation, she couldn''t even measure the old man''s strength that stood respectfully at Dan''s side. However, she knew, she understood that if Dan and the old man wanted her life, the latter could easily reap her head like harvesting wheat. But she didn''t tell this information to Ivan, she wanted him to learn a vital lesson in life, and that was, stop being so arrogant and self-titled, thinking that everyone in the world was lower than you. She inwardly thought. "Stop being so arrogant, brat, what she said was true, we indeed protected her from that Suicide Bomber, and also, just who the hell are you that you''re thinking that you have the right to accuse us, good samaritans?" When it comes to fighting an arrogant and shameless bastard, Dan knew that he had to fight fire against fire. "How about you shut the fuck up? Don''t you know who I am? I am a mighty member of the indisputable number one clan in this Empire! The Luzon Clan!" He crossed his arms together and said in a clear voice which resonated across the area. "So what? Does that give you the right to stay beside her and act like her grandpa or some sort?" Dan retaliated and the young man chocked in his words, his expression flushed in anger but he still replied, "I have the right...Her father, Senior Mathias Paradyne gave me the permission to protect her from behind the scenes..." "Haaah." Dan coldly chuckled, "Protect her? And Behind the scenes? What kind of joke are you stirring here? Most mighty young master, If we didn''t intervene at that time, this young miss of yours would be charcoal by the time that you arrive!" Pointing his finger at him, "And what behind the scenes? Don''t you know the meaning of keeping a low-profile? And you came staggering in here like you own the place and didn''t care about the Emperor''s reign!" Dan''s voice contained deep ridicule and annoyance, and each word that he sent made the young man''s expression change into different resplendent colors. He thoroughly looked like a clown as he stood there with his figure slightly quivering in rage. But when he heard the last part of Dan''s sentence, he pointed and said, "How dare you accuse me of not respecting the Emperor! Guards, capture them for Libel!" "Yes, young master!" The guards unsheathed their weapons and slowly encircled Dan and the old man. Ivan''s expression turned smug as he thought, ''Now, let''s see how you escape from my grasp...Ever since I was born, no one dared to insult me like you did...'' His expression looked frosty and his eyes radiated his killing intent. Charlotte who stood beside him only revealed a mysterious smile. ''The guards that Ivan had around him only had the cultivation of a Spirit Tempering Realm Practitioner, and as for that old man besides that young man whose cultivation I couldn''t even see through...It would be a joke if they were captured.'' Charlotte inwardly thought. Ivan who stared intently at Dan''s expression, waiting for his despair and helplessness frowned in confusion when he realized that the latter looked as nonchalant as ever. When the guards approached the ten-meter mark before Dan, the old man coldly snorted as the guards that surrounded them flew in all directions, crashing towards the ground with their condition, unknown. Ivan''s expression twisted into shock and surprise, the old man who looked unassuming and frail transformed into a mighty general in the battlefield as he said in a domineering voice, "How long has it been since a member of the young generation dared to be this presumptuous before me..." Everyone in the vicinity froze and their knees couldn''t help but become weak. Gritting their teeth, they struggled under the tempest''s raging wrath. Apart from Charlotte and Dan, everyone''s expression turned ashen as numerous consecutive dull thuds echoed in the area. Those who dared to stand under the tempest''s might succumbed to its intangible pressure and kneeled down, declaring their respect towards the Divine. 44 Respec The unaffected Dan and Charlotte realized the gravity of the situation and the former immediately nudged the old man whom upon receiving his request, retracted the domineering might. Ivan who kneeled on the ground looked pale and ashen, not daring to meet his gaze with the old man, he signaled to his troops and they sped towards the opposite direction. But as soon as he turned around, his expression turned venomous as he cracked a jadeslip, sending a stream of information that didn''t escape the old man''s perception. Wryly smiling, the old man stared at the beam of transparent light that disappeared into the distant horizon. The people that stayed to watch a good show immediately retreated out of sight. Afraid that the Divine Cultivator may punish them for their impudence. Soon, the people left standing on the road were Charlotte and her troops, Dan stared at Charlotte and the latter stared back with a complicated expression on her face. The atmosphere turned incomparably silent with both sides, staring at each other in a standstill. Soon, the silence was broken by a deafening boom that echoed in the air as a figure fell from the skies. Dust flew around as the old man beside Dan waved his hand, forming a thin barrier that prevented any dust from sticking on Dan''s clothes and himself. When everything was cleared up, Dan found a blonde-haired middle-aged man whose expression looked rugged and dignified, his figure clad in a fiery robe with an insignia of two Vambraces crossed against each other could be seen imprinted on his left chest. His eyes softened when it landed at Charlotte and when he turned around to face Dan and the old man, he clasped his hands respectfully towards the latter and said, "Junior Mathias Paradyne, greets Elder Takemikazuchi," The old man chuckled, "It''s been a long time since a member of a younger generation recognized this old man''s name. Since you know who I am, I hope that you won''t cause any trouble for my young master..." He revealed a wide smile and Mathias'' eyes landed on a young man with a jet-black hair beside the old man. Despite the fact that the young man was standing before a powerful powerhouse such as him, the former looked as casual as ever and his eyes emanated a calm ripple comparable to that of a tranquil lake. His fair skin and slim figure looked more feminine than masculine, but Mathias knew that from the respectful tone of Elder Takemikazuchi alone, he knew that the young man couldn''t be underestimated. "I give my sincere apologies towards my daughter and the heir apparent of the Luzon Clan''s impudence before you and your Elder''s presence, I do hope that you won''t bear a grudge towards us." Mathias maintained a respectful tone and his daughter that stood beside him glanced at him with an astonished gaze. Her father, Mathias Paradyne was known for being a ruthless, yet compassionate man, even though he couldn''t be considered as the most powerful cultivator in the Empire, only the Emperor alone could make him speak these words sincerely from his heart. However, when he faced the old man beside the unassuming youngster. Her father acted in a manner like a junior would act towards a Senior, completely humble and his arrogance retracted. ''Just what is his background?'' A small smile crept on Charlotte''s lips, she became interested towards the young man who could command such a powerful Elder, and she also admired his audacity and unyielding heart when Ivan accused him earlier. "Don''t worry about it, Lil'' Zaramias, " Takemikazuchi waved his hand in a casual manner, and Dan who heard his words choked in his own saliva, ''He actually dared to call the Clan Chief of the strongest clan in this Empire as a Little one...'' He inwardly thought. On the outside, he maintained his indifferent expression before clasping his hands together in respect and saying, "Since Senior Mathias is already here, I do think that this young miss here is in good hands, so the two of us shall retreat now..." Dan deeply bowed and Mathias nodded his head in satisfaction. At first, he thought that Dan who clearly had a huge background behind him would act arrogantly and demand some shameless compensation, but he was astonished to find that not only he humbled himself down before an expert like him, he was also willing to forget about the disrespectful attitude that his daughter did. Towards such a smart and humble young man, Mathias could only nod his head in appreciation before turning to leave with his daughter. With his command, the disarrayed entourage of Charlotte formed together as they sped towards the direction of the Paradyne Academy. The old man and Dan returned to the blacksmith shop and upon entering, the old man boisterously chuckled, patting Dan on his shoulders, he said, "I like your attitude, we''re quite similar when I was still young, completely unyielding, hot-headed and shameless..." Dan rolled his eyes, "Who are you calling, shameless? If I didn''t do that, that so-called Ivan will most likely continue his chatter like a broken engine..." "Well, you''re right about that..." Takemikazuchi chuckled before changing the topic, "Now that I think about it, aren''t you going to go to the Paradyne Academy? It''s about time for their Entrance Assessment," Dan''s expression flickered, staring at the angle of the sun, he deduced that it was close to high noon and he hurriedly said, "Goddamned it, I will be late at this pace!" He exclaimed and swiftly exited the blacksmith shop, leaving the old man behind. When Dan''s figure disappeared from the shop, the old man cracked his neck and his knuckles, holding a small hammer in his hands, he wore an ash-colored dilapidated robe and walked outside, heading towards the direction of the Paradyne Academy as he mumbled, "Since young master is aiming for the student position, How about I become a part-time teacher at that Academy...It''s been a long time since I taught people how to forge..." Back at his manor near the border between the Noble Realm and the Middle-Class Realm, Natalie could be seen sitting on the couch with her daughter asleep on her thigh, when a creaking noise came from the entrance, she coldly turned around and said, "Didn''t we have the Examination Assessment, today? How come you are so late?" Dan awkwardly scratched his head, "Well, an important matter happened and I was delayed, It''s fine, there''s still thirty minutes before noon and we can still catch up." Natalie shrugged, "What are we going to do with Juliet..." She turned at him and stared right into his eyes. Dan who saw her expression replied with a frown, "Of course, we''re bringing her, how could we leave her here and alone?" When she heard his words, a sweet smile lifted on her lips and the couple hurriedly took a bath together and dressed up. But when they came out of the bathroom, Natalie rolled her eyes when she realized that Dan''s lower body had a tent protruding from his robes. Since they couldn''t possibly leave the house with him having his rock-hard lance standing within his robes, Natalie sighed, laying down on the couch, she dragged Dan and said, "Please be satisfied in five minutes..." She mumbled. An hour later, at the height of the noon, Natalie stared at Dan with a speechless expression spread on her face, she clearly said that they would only do it for five minutes but the lecherous bastard took an hour to finish. Now, with her aching body, how could she still take the Assessment? Taking a fabric, she wiped her drenched thigh and Dan stared apologetically at Natalie, "I''m sorry, everything is my fault..." The honest admittance of his fault softened Natalie''s expression and she went and embraced him, bringing his head onto her chest, "It''s fine, I''m your wife, after all..." She consoled but in the next instance, she pouted, "But how are we supposed to catch up, now? We''re at least, thirty minutes late, already..." Dan smirked, he didn''t just indulge in his lust without a backup plan. Staring at his wife, the two snuggled at each other with him on top as he said, "Don''t worry, your husband is quite reliable, and every time I do something, I have my own backup plan..." "Hoooh," Natalie coldly chuckled and suddenly, her expression became stern, "You won''t do something without having a backup plan? Then, what are you going to do if I didn''t satisfy you, earlier?" Dan''s lips twitched, scratching his cheek, he inwardly cursed the fact that he carried a stone and slammed it on his own foot. "I''ll just do it by myself..." Her answer astonished, Natalie as she said, "You can do it by yourself? Is it even possible?" When he heard her words, Dan''s expression twisted into a lecherous and vicious wolf, taking off her robe, he replied in an ambiguous tone, "It seems like this little wife of mine here is quite ignorant when it comes to ''that'', how about we do a little, ''experiment''?" He thoroughly scanned her body with his eyes and even licked his lips in delight as Natalie softly slapped his cheeks in defiance. But the glazed light within her eyes and her soft, ragged breathing indicated otherwise. She struggled under the wolf''s ruthless teasing, but how could a mere rabbit like her, escape the wolf''s grasp? Soon, her figure shivered as the wolf, thoroughly ate her from the inside. 45 Regret and Provocation The entire high ranking echelons of the Paradyne Academy exploded into a clamor. Inside a luxurious and humungous hall located at the peak of Fragrant Mountain, the Grand Elder, and the Clan Chief, Mathias Paradyne along with the other Elders lined up and respectfully glanced at the approaching old man who carried on his shoulders a rusted hammer. "This is quite a nice welcome, did you expect that I would come here? Lil'' Mathias..." The old man leaked a wide smile which exposed a row of pearly white teeth. The other Elders who knew about the identity of this old man revealed a slight smile of their own with their eyes, shining in a light of reverence. "Senior could say that this junior, indeed. Expected Senior''s arrival..." Mathias bowed and his lips, lifted a slight smile before continuing, "I suppose, Senior Takemikazuchi''s purpose in coming in here is to join our ranks of Elders?" Takemikazuchi smirked, "Well, yeah, Since Young Master is definitely joining this Academy, I will follow him," Mathias expression flickered when he heard Takemikazuchi''s words, "Is there something special with that young man that he could command such a powerful man, like you, Senior?" The former who heard the latter''s words revealed a cold smile, "Is there any reason for me to answer your question?" Takemikazuchi turned around and walked towards the exit. But before he could walk away, Mathias shouted, "Senior, your blacksmith hall''s peak is at the Hell''s Furnace Peak, the second peak after this mountain..." The former didn''t answer as his figure disappeared into thin-air, flying like a beam towards the distant horizon. The Elders who observed Takemikazuchi''s arrogance revealed wry smiles on their faces. The old man was a realm higher than them, how could they fight back? They could only sigh in their hearts as they retreated along with Mathias. Meanwhile outside the Paradyne Academy grounds, the figures of Natalie, Juliet and Dan could be seen lining up along with different other students. When their turn arrived, the Elder saw that both of their cultivation was at the lowest realm. Scanning their figures, his expression turned weird when he realized that there was a child in between them. Without saying anything, he threw two jade tokens towards the two and said, "Since both of you came here late and your cultivation is subpar, both of you are not qualified to be an Outer Sect Disciple. The most that you could become is a medicinal servant." His words indifferent and calm, but Juliet who snuggled up against the arms of his father, struggled and pointed at the old man, "Grandpa, bad grandpa! Don''t scold mama!" Her innocent voice rang loud and clear as everyone who heard it turned towards the source of the adorable voice. When they realized that Dan and Natalie held with them a dilapidated token meant for servants, they shook their heads and the light within their eyes changed into disdain. Particularly those who were accepted as a Peak Rank Outer Disciple. "Both of you, since the Elder says that you do not have the qualification to even become the lowest ranked Outer Disciple, may the two of you please go away and follow your fellow servants at the side? You''re wasting our time..." A feminine voice filled with mockery could be heard and the couple turned their heads towards the source of the voice. When the crowd noticed the jet-black haired young woman clad in a robe befitting that of nobility. Their expressions turned respectful and some even commented about her beauty, satisfying her vanity in return. Natalie who realized what kind of a woman she was, couldn''t help but scoff in disdain as she mumbled, "So it''s just a pretentious one..." She turned around as Dan revealed a smile of appreciation on his face. However, the young woman and the people around heard what she said as the latter pointed her fingers. "You bitch, just what did you say? Why are you so disrespectful to me when I politely told you to scram away? Are you trying to test my patience?" Natalie found herself pierced by all sort of gazes, but she maintained her calm and indifference before saying, "Young miss, do you know how the saying goes for people like you?" Her words echoed loud and clear as Dan''s smile turned weird as he had a premonition in his mind. Juliet in his arms stared at her mother with a light of admiration, and Dan who noticed this couldn''t help but think if she becomes like her mother when she grows up. The crowd focused their gazes on Natalie as amused expressions surfaced on their faces. Mumbles echoed and everyone looked forward to seeing her comeback as the young woman said, "I don''t have any interest towards the sayings in your dilapidated rural village, so can you please step aside and go with your fellow servants?" She condescendingly glanced at her and the men who noticed Natalie''s beauty couldn''t help but curse the useless Dan who just observed at the side. However, if they knew what Dan was thinking, they would also do the same; after all. Natalie, his little wife wasn''t someone that could easily be bullied. "The smallest dogs always barks the loudest..." She dropped this bombshell and everyone''s expression changed. The young woman who walked away froze as Dan''s weird smile intensified. "Bitch, just what did you say to me?! Are you saying that I am a dog?" The young woman''s expression flushed in anger and she pointed her finger towards Natalie''s direction. However, Natalie just stood there and said, "Did I say that I referred to you as a dog?" She suffused a confused expression before her face lightened up in an epiphany, "Ahh!" "So the reason why you got hurt by what I said is that you consider yourself as a dog?" Natalie''s vicious retaliation earned the admiration of the crowd and Dan could see the young woman''s expression turning a shade redder than before. "How dare you insult me like this..." Her figure shivered and her expression looked as dark as the abyss. Natalie took this opportunity as she said, "Did I say something that insulted you? What I said was a fact, the smallest dog really barks the loudest." She clapped her hands together, "It''s not my fault that you got offended by my words that spoke the truth. Hubby, let''s just go and stop bothering this crazy woman..." Before the couple could leave, her daughter, Juliet followed up with a laughter, "A crazy dog!" She even pointed her small index finger as the crowd prevented their guts from exploding into laughter. "Who says that you can leave?!" She rushed forward, stepping onto the ground, she leaped towards the skies and sent a palm strike directly at the child that Dan carried in his arms. If she attacked Natalie or himself, Dan would just block her attack. But since her killing intent was directed at the small innocent child within his arms, his expression turned incomparably cold, withdrawing his Desert Eagle, he quickly shot before swiftly returning it back at his Virtual Inventory. "AAAHHH!" A miserable shriek akin to demons echoed out as a hole opened on the young woman''s thigh. Dan avoided a crucial artery so she wouldn''t die from blood loss, but he still increased the temperature of the bullet so that it would cause the maximum pain possible. She started thrashing on the ground as the people around them called for the Elders, saying that someone was murdering a fellow disciple of the sect. Staring at the young woman who was writhing in pain on the ground, Dan didn''t care whether she looked beautiful or not, all that he knew was that she targeted someone that was incredibly precious to him, akin to the reverse scale of a dragon. Towards such a young woman who regarded the lives of other people that had a lower standing than her as a trash; he didn''t have the leeway to give any mercy. Instead, he would try his best and teach them a vital lesson in life. And that was, to never underestimate the common people''s determination and perseverance. No matter how poor they were in life, they were still human and should not be regarded as garbage. Sighing in his heart, Natalie tugged his robe sleeve as Dan stared at the incoming Elder. The Elder clad in a fiery robe of the Paradyne Academy stared at him in anger. But Dan didn''t even look scared nor intimidated. Instead, he just calmly ruffled his daughter''s head and waited for the arrival of the Elder who said. "Young man! How dare you do such a thing! Someone, explain the situation in here," A member of the crowd approached the Elder and whispered something in his ears which aroused the anger within the Elder''s expression. "You look so young yet you already have such a vicious heart to do something like that towards your fellow disciple..." He enunciated each of his words and it echoed out, sending a cold vibe running through the hearts of everyone in the vicinity. "That young woman insulted us first, saying that we don''t have the qualifications to become an Outer Sect Disciple just because we have the lowest cultivation in here, at first, I didn''t bother about what she was saying, but when she started insulting us along with the other servants in here that painstakingly cultivated to achieve their current achievements, my wife couldn''t hold it anymore and retaliated..." Dan calmly explained the situation and the Elder''s anger slightly dissipated. However, when he realized that the young man before him didn''t even have that much of a background compared to the injured young woman who was still trashing on the ground, he maintained the fires of his anger before saying, "That doesn''t matter! All I see is that you injured this beautiful young woman of the Varandis Clan!" Pointing his fingers, "Both of you, come with me and explain yourself!" Dan coldly sneered, "So Senior thinks that we should be punished because we have a lower background standing than that young woman?" The Elder choked in his own saliva, "What background are you talking about? I am just here to bring justice for this injured young woman, what are both of you doing, standing there? Do you want me to drag both of you towards the Detention Hall?" Natalie who became incredibly annoyed by the Elder''s antics couldn''t help it anymore and take the letters that the Emperor of the Empire of Dawn itself handed over and opened it amidst the focused gazes of the crowd. When the letter revealed its contents, a surge of Imperial Aura descended as everyone''s figure shook. A mist of beguilement manifested along with a shadowy figure of a man clad in a brilliant armor that said, "This letter is a bonafide request from the Emperor of the Empire of Dawn, I do hope that this message is opened in the face of the Clan Chief itself, &$%*&$%^%" The shadowy figure spoke a bunch of intelligible nonsense at the end of its sentence. But when the words echoed in the entire area, Mathias who was sipping his tea, snapped his eyes open, staring at the base of the Fragrant Peak, his figure rushed down and within a matter of seconds, reappeared towards the source of the voice and there, he found a bloodied young woman along with an Elder who looked angry and the young man who saved his daughter. The Elder who violently berated Dan couldn''t help but stagger backward as he stared at the couple in horror, ''Why...If you had such a huge background that even an Emperor of an Empire itself is behind you...Why must you come here in such a low-key manner...'' He inwardly thought as he humbled himself down. Under the presence of the Imperial Might and appearance of the Clan Chief itself, he didn''t dare to be arrogant. The bloodied young woman who was still conscious turned green in regret as she laid on a pool of her own blood. Staring at the Clan Chief, a pleading look surfaced on her eyes as she realized that her vision, started narrowing. If she could reverse time, she would never provoke these couple and attract a calamity for herself. No matter how huge her clan was, it was still, after all, a clan. And it could never compare with the power that an Emperor commands. At this time, she could only hope that the couple would forget about what she did and forgive her presumptuousness, her intense regret along with her fluctuating emotions made her spat a mouthful of blood as her consciousness succumbed to slumber. 46 Twis Mathias frowned when he saw the condition of the injured disciple that laid on the ground. With a flick of his wrist, she floated in the air and her body flew closer at the former. Taking a jade bottle from his Spatial Storage Device, Mathias gave her a small translucent pill which evoked changes that spread throughout the surroundings, her wounds then healed in a visible rate and soon, her consciousness returned and she groggily stood up. From the expression of the healed young woman, Mathias'' experience in life enabled him to take a quick guess about what happened in here as his expression, darkened. Glancing at the Elder from the Detention Hall that looked apprehensive and Dan who looked as nonchalant as ever. He formed an idea in his mind as he said, "This request from the Emperor of the Empire of Dawn is received, from now on, both of you shall become an honorary disciple of the sect," His words echoed throughout the entire area and even though they didn''t know what the title of the honorary disciple signified. When it came from the Clan Chief itself, they didn''t dare to belittle it as the disdain within their eyes dissipated, replaced with complete respect and admiration. Dan sighed to himself, ''It seems like having a solid background in this world really is a necessity if you want to be respected...'' If not for the recommendation letter that the Emperor bestowed upon them, Dan knew that they would surely be treated as servants with their current cultivation. The disciples who registered themselves in here had at least a cultivation of the Organ Tempering Realm, and Dan along with his wife who was a realm lower than that would certainly be ridiculed. "Both of you, come with me, I think someone will be happy when she sees you..." Mathias revealed a slight, amiable smile and Natalie who heard the word ''she'' coming out of his mouth, glared at her husband beside her. Dan gave a wry smile as he nodded his head. With the help of Mathias, the four floated in the air as they turned into beams of light, flying towards the direction of the Fragrant Peak. The young woman who recovered stared at their distant silhouette with a slightly trembling figure. One of her subordinates approached her from the side and said, "Young Mistress, should we report this to the Clan Chief?" She turned to face her subordinate and fiercely said, "Report this to my father? And what can he do in the face of someone who is backed by an Emperor?" She ground her teeth in shame and humiliation. But still, she knew that with just the power of her clan alone, she will never be able to stand against the power behind the couple. She understood that if she kept standing in their way. She would definitely be annihilated. "All of you, you better not tell any soul about what happened in here, or else..." She glared towards the surrounding spectators and all of them, who fueled the fire earlier had the same thought, ''Why would we tell anybody about this? It''s enough that we got face-slapped but sharing our shameful deed is too much!'' The Elder from the detention hall wryly smiled, calming his quivering body, he stood up and despondently walked towards the Detention Hall. His expression ashen and pale as paper, especially when he heard the Clan Chief''s words that he transmitted into his ears. At this time, he could only hope that he wouldn''t get severely punished... Meanwhile, at the Fragrant Peak, Mathias along with Dan and his wife descended from the skies. Juliet who felt the sensation of flying for the first time joyfully as she said, "Mama, can we fly again? I wanna fly like the bird!" She gesticulated with her hands and Natalie chuckled, "Of course we can fly, but not today because the bird is tired..." "Okay, Juliet understands..." The little girl nodded her head and Dan who stood at the side ruffled her hair, "Eh? So this little girl of mine really wants to fly? Who do you want to fly with? Mama or Papa?" Juliet''s expression shook and her eyes shone in a light of innocence as her cheeks puffed, painting a scene of absolute cuteness, pointing her fingers at Dan and Natalie, she said, "I want to fly with papa and mama, I want to fly with them together!" Her words made the two exclaim in happiness as they snuggled together, happily talking to each other to the extent that they forgot the existence of the Clan Chief that guided them to this peak. Mathias who observed them from the side revealed a small smile. His eyes, shone in a melancholic light as he remembered the moments that he spent together with his daughter, happily talking to each other like a true family would do. Ever since he became the Paradyne Academy''s Headmaster, the time that he spent with his daughter, drastically reduced to the extent that she wouldn''t even look at him in the eye, making him endlessly sigh in regret when he was alone. Staring at the family of three, he felt that they emanated a vibe of contagious determination which infected his cold heart. And he became confident that he could surely establish the connection that he had with his daughter, several years ago. Amidst their banter, Dan finally realized that they had been ignoring the presence of the Clan Chief all this while as he turned around and awkwardly scratch his head, Natalie suffused the same awkward smile as Juliet continued smiling on her embrace. Mathias wryly smiled, "Are both of you, husband and wife?" Natalie''s expression flushed and she glanced at Dan as the latter nodded his head, "Yes, Senior, we''re not officially married yet but I consider her as my wife..." Mathias momentarily closed his eyes. And when he opened it again, a strange light shone within his eyes as he said, "I see, then that''s fine, come here, follow me, I will lead the two of you in your temporary residence." When the group arrived at the temporary residence that Mathias said, they were astonished to find that the identity of that so-called residence was a mansion that could definitely house at least fifty people, it was too enormous that it would be impossible to maintain with just the two of them. "What''s wrong? You don''t like my present?" Mathias'' revealed an ambiguous smile as Dan scratched his cheek, "Ermm, could it be that this is one of the perks that I can get as an honorary disciple?" Both men stared at each other. Their eyes shining in an ambiguous light as Mathias nodded his head, "Indeed, this is one of that perks, so what do you think? Satisfied?" "Definitely, so Senior, I thank you for this enormous gift and I hope that you could relay this message to that old man." Mathias who was smiling all this while, froze when he heard the mention of that ''old man''. But before Dan could continue through his words, a fierce light shone and Dan activated Flicker, just in time to avoid the attack that targeted his head. Natalie''s expression changed and Mathias'' stared at the side in horror. The sudden attack that arrived astonished him greatly than Dan disappearing from his sight. Diverting his gaze at the source of the attack. Natalie and Mathias saw an emaciated old man carrying a sword that resembled a katana, his eyes narrowed slightly and his lips, lifted in a small smile. Emerging from Flicker, Dan cursed, "What the hell was that, old man..." He dusted his shoulders and the gazes of the two, met in mid-air, forming an intangible collision between master and disciple. 47 People Stake their Lives for Benefits Takemikazuchi approached them with a smile, and Natalie who felt the terrifying attack from the old man subconsciously stepped out and blocked the path between him and Dan. The former revealed a wry smile, "Little girl, you need not worry about me hurting your husband," Dan retorted at the side, "Then why did you suddenly attack? Old man?" "Well, that''s because I am quite sure that you can avoid that attack..." His emaciated figure emanated an indiscernible pressure which pressed onto the bodies of the three, with the exception of Juliet who pointed at him and said, "Skeleton Grandpa!" Her words broke the silence that circulated in the area and almost made Dan bust a gut in holding his laughter down. Natalie hurriedly covered her daughter''s mouth while Mathias had a weird expression on his face. Witnessing the mighty Legendary Blacksmith being insulted by a nine-years-old child was a scene that was out of this world. He maintained his indifferent expression but his gradually flushing face indicated his pent-up laughter. Takemikazuchi approached Juliet and Natalie staggered backward, Dan''s eyes also narrowed and Mathias discreetly summoned a thread of his cultivation base, ready to protect the little child. "What a cute little child, but why do I feel like she doesn''t possess an extraordinary bloodline like you? Young Master?" Takemikazuchi scratched his head and glanced at Dan while Natalie''s expression went dim. The sudden change in the atmosphere enabled the old man to get a hold of some clue and he quickly switched the topic, "Now that I think about it, It seems like it''s noon already, " Glancing at Mathias who stood at the side like an obedient child, he mumbled, "Lil'' Mathias, prepare us some meals to eat..." He unceremoniously walked towards the gates of the mansion as the formation that enveloped the manor rotated when it felt his unfamiliar aura. Mathias exclaimed but the old man calmly sliced the air as lightning crackled. With a booming sound, the formation grounded to a halt and the group entered with Dan wearing a wry smile on his face. Mathias stared at the old man''s actions with shock evident on his face. The formation that enveloped the mansion could deter a Divine Soul Practitioner like him but it couldn''t even halt the old man''s entrance? Just how powerful is he in the end? He bitterly chuckled and thanked the heavens that the old man and he didn''t become enemies or else...Sighing in his heart, he turned around and crushed a jadeslip, sending a stream of information flying towards a distant residence. Arriving inside the mansion, the group found themselves in a huge dining room with a jade table in the center. Atop the jade table were fruits with different sizes that emanated the light of Spiritual Qi. With just a look, Dan knew that those fruits should be Spiritual Fruits that could only be planted in certain conditions. He plucked them and fed Juliet and his wife while he himself ate like a slouch, not minding the presence of the powerhouse before them that didn''t seem to mind their lack of manners. "This is awesome, eating a single fruit gives me the sensation of breaking through..." Juliet who possessed an average talent and physique gradually improved in terms of cultivation talent just from eating these fruits. After they were done taking their snacks, the old man finally spoke, "SInce it seems like both of you are full already, I am here to discuss with you, the matters about this jade token." The old man took the jade token of the Night Rangers Association from his robe and placed it above the table. He glanced at Natalie and Dan nodded his head, "It''s fine, my wife isn''t someone that is a stranger so it''s fine..." He reassured the old man and the latter started talking, "It seems like that young miss from the Paradyne Clan has a huge bounty above her head..." Dan''s expression didn''t change much, he had guessed this much but since he didn''t know how much was her bounty, he asked, "How much is that huge bounty?" "At least a hundred thousand gold coins..." The amount changed the expression of the husband and wife as the two of them stared at the old man with widened eyes. A hundred thousand gold coins were at least a decade worth of money that Dan''s household would earn. And placing that much above the head of someone could be considered as overkill and would surely attract the eyes of those Assassins whose aim for killing people was money. But there''s a certain issue that bothered Dan; If that''s the case, why was that young miss, still alive? He didn''t believe that the Night Ranger Association with such a deep history behind them would be that incompetent. "You must be wondering about why their target was still alive, right?" The old man accurately guessed Dan''s thought and the latter nodded in response, "That''s because-" "Let me explain that, Senior..." Mathias'' voice interrupted from the side and his figure materialized in the air beside them, Dan glanced at the arriving Mathias and the latter stood before them as he said, "That''s because my daughter, possesses a unique physique constitution called the Soaring Phoenix Physique, this gave her an excellent disposition for our clan''s Divine Arts, however." Mathias'' eyes flashed in a critical light, "It''s also because of this cultivation that she''s being targeted. The reason is, she could become a cultivation furnace which gives at least a hundred times of the benefits that you could acquire from using an average girl as your furnace..." ''Cultivation furnace?'' Dan mumbled under his breath as his eyes widened in shock, Natalie looked visibly shaken and her daughter in her arms became silent. "Yes, that''s right, the employer of that mission was a Necromancer, he wants my daughter dead so that he could use my daughter as a cultivation furnace whenever he wants without any possible resistance..." At this time, Mathias'' expression looked dark and reddened in anger. But Dan knitted his eyebrows as he asked, "If that''s the case, why didn''t you accompany her when she arrived at this city?" Dan felt that it was weird that he didn''t accompany his daughter when she arrived at this city, doing that thing was akin to announcing his daughter''s unpreparedness. "Of course I did that to lure out those bastards plotting behind the scenes, but who would''ve thought that they would use a suicide bomber in their Assassination..." At this time, Dan''s eye lit in enlightenment, so that''s the reason why that carriage looked unnecessarily decorated. When Dan heard Mathias'' words, he understood that someone that loved his daughter like him would surely not place his daughter in any kind of danger without any protection. Nodding his head, Dan said, "Then, why are you telling this to me? Senior? Could it be that there''s something that I can do in this matter? Don''t forget that I''m just a cultivator with the lowest cultivation in this Sect." The old man and Mathias stared at each other as the latter sighed, "You do know that Necromancers has an affinity for Yin, right?" Dan nodded in confirmation, Necromancers who summoned the dead from their graves always has an affinity for Yin, but why would he ask something so obvious. But this time, Natalie interrupted, "Could it be that you want to utilize my husband''s Divine Arts to finish that Necromancer off?" Mathias''s figure shook and the old man stared at Natalie with a light of satisfaction within his eyes. There was a saying in this continent that says, "A strong husband is the wife''s bastion but an intelligent and tactful wife is the husband''s greatest support." Now that he witnessed Natalie''s intelligence, he realized that the saying befitted her. Dan glanced at Natalie and nodded his head, indeed, with the Divine Arts of the Longinus Clan, Blessing of the Lightning God, he was the ultimate of all Yin affiliated enemies. Mathias stared at Dan with a hopeful light within his eyes while the old man looked bored as he placed both of his hands on the back of his head. Emerging from his contemplation, Dan stood straight and crossed his arms together as he said in a clear voice, "What Senior said is right, but what benefit I could get from such a dangerous endeavor? Do you expect me to stake my life for nothing?" His words echoed throughout the dining room as the figures of the two powerhouses froze. 48 Sneaking Ou In a region somewhere at the northern outskirts of the Empire of Eternal Faith, all sorts of cries from powerful beasts could be heard and the earth itself would tremble upon their movements. However, inside a certain valley deep within the mountains, no such cries could be heard. Only an eerie silence along with a mist which reduced visibility and the coldness of the air could be felt. An existence of a thriving lifeform should be impossible under such circumstances. However, at this time, a middle-aged man clad in a jet-black robe could be seen standing atop the valley. His face covered by his hood was indiscernible except for the fact that his eyes shone in a terrifying crimson light. He stretched his arms out and a sensation of death manifested in the air. Everything around him turned murky and the mist that enveloped the valley turned thicker. Suddenly, the earth intensely trembled as numerous skeleton parts emerged from the soil. The soil broke and the earth continued trembling. Soon, the numerous skeleton fragments on the ground stuck against each other; forming a magnificent figure of a Phoenix. "Finally..." "I have finally completed it..." He evilly chuckled, the crimson eyes inside the robe shone in a light of avarice. "There''s only one thing left..." "And that is the entire blood essence and soul of that young woman..." He turned around, leaving the twenty-meter tall carcass of the Phoenix behind as he walked towards a certain direction. Back at the Paradyne Academy, Dan''s lips lifted into a small smile as he stared at the astonished Mathias, the old man, Takemikazuchi''s expression looked indescribable but he soon laughed out loud, "Yeah, that''s it, that''s it! What are you gonna do now, Lil'' Mathias?" He powerfully patted the shoulders of the still astonished Mathias as the latter bitterly smiled, "Sigh...." Lifting his head, he stared into Dan''s eyes as he declared, "You''re right that I can''t possibly expect you to risk your life without any benefits..." He glanced at Takemikazuchi before saying, "I also don''t think that any kind of armor nor weapons can satisfy you since you have Legendary Blacksmith, right at your side, however." He clasped his hands together and the air around him changed as Dan stared at the former with a light of expectations within his eyes. "I have some pills that can help you improve your constitution and innate talent along with your cultivation. I am confident that if you take these pills, you can instantly reach the next realm. However, this can only be taken once and will cause you an intense pain that will surely kill you if you can''t endure..." Mathias revealed a sly smile on his face, Takemikazuchi glanced at his master and Natalie stared at her husband. Dan knew about his pain tolerance. However, right now, he desperately needs strength so that he could protect those people close to him and prevent harm from coming in their way. Clenching his fists, he declared, "That''s fine, I''ll take that so-called pills of yours and I will also cooperate with you..." Mathias sighed in relief as he took a jade bottle from his Spatial Storage Device as he said, "This will be the first round of reward, more rewards will come after we killed the Necromancer." "Hoooh, this is some good stuff..." Takemikazuchi commented and Dan analyzed the pills with the System. [Name: Tyrannical Strength Increasing Pills] [Effect: Forcibly raises the cultivation of the eater; only works under the Spirit Tempering Realm] [Hidden Effect: If two such pills are eaten at the same time, there''s a great chance that it would cleanse the eater''s blood from impurities.] Dan''s eyes shone in a strange light, taking the jade bottle, Mathias said, "We will start planning everything out after you break through. For the meantime, prepare yourself and don''t disappoint your master..." He glanced at Takemikazuchi and respectfully bowed before disappearing into thin air. "So what are you going to do now? Young master? Are you planning on eating that pill?" Takemikazuchi chimed in along with Natalie who said, "Hubby, I don''t think killing the Necromancer is a job that is so urgent, If possible, I hope that you don''t eat that pill..." Juliet raised her small hand and affectionately held his shoulders, indicating her feelings towards the matter. In response, Dan gave a small smile, "Natalie, the thing that we need right now is power so that we won''t be bullied no matter where we go. Second, we need money to comfortably live our right and third, we need status so that we can exert our influence over our enemies, especially that certain clan." When Dan mentioned that certain clan. A hint of anger surfaced on Natalie''s expression which she quickly dissipated. Glancing at her husband''s expression, he looked tranquil yet his eyes shone in a light of utmost determination. Taking the jade bottle with him, Dan said, "Old man, is there any way to lessen the pain caused by this, or if not, what kind of pain does this do?" Takemikazuchi gave a small smile, "Well, there''s not much of a way to reduce the pain that it causes since it''s from the inside of your body, however, the kind of pain that it gives is akin to a fiery volcano." "So, it''s a pain filled with Yang, then?" The old man nodded his head and Dan revealed a small smile, because of this affair, the group didn''t have the appetite to eat except Juliet that Dan happily spoonfed. The night soon came and Dan sneaked out from the mansion at daybreak. He walked slowly and extinguished his presence. However, when he reached the gates of the Academy and readied himself to scale it. He saw the figure of a purple-haired young woman whose body looked golden under the light of the sunrise. Her expression looked somewhat pale, yet her eyes shone in anticipation as he leaped towards the other side. Dan who saw her actions hurriedly followed suit, but to his astonishment, all that he could see was her trail and when he lifted his head to stare at the distance, where he saw her figure that looked like a dot. "How fast!" He inwardly cursed and activated the System''s abilities, tracking her movements, he slowly leaped from the walls of the Academy and ran towards her direction while closely following her trails. 49 Charlottes Feelings Daybreak ended and the sun illuminated the entire world. Dan who kept trailing Charlotte finally stopped when he realized that she took a break and removed her robe from her body. Taking a plate-like object from her Spatial Storage Device, she infused it with her Qi as resplendent lights flew from the plate and struck her face. When the light dissipated into her face, Dan could see her figure visibly transforming. From a beautiful young woman, she became a woman whose visual appearance looked like she was in her mid-twenties. After transforming, she took her clothes off and Dan who observed her from the side momentarily looked away. After the rustling of clothes from her direction, ended. Dan turned around and found a young auntie whose visage didn''t look too beautiful nor ugly. In fact, her eyes that shone in a light of tenderness could fool anyone if they didn''t know about her transformation. Charlotte calmly walked away from the secluded area and she continued her journey. She eventually stumbled upon a small village where numerous kids could be seen playing on the streets. The children drew a line on the ground and they happily skipped over it while humming a tune. "Look! Sister Vanessa is here!" One of the children shouted and all of them turned around as they ran towards Vanessa, all the while carrying a smile on their faces. Witnessing the smiles on the children''s face, Vanessa couldn''t help but chuckle, "Don''t worry, don''t worry, this time, Sister bought many candies so all of you guys can eat..." She took a small pouch from her bag and handed over small white candies that looked like hardened condensed milk. The children happily ate and Vanessa rubbed their head, one by one. A small smile lifted on her lips as she talked with the little kids. Her previous haughty and cold countenance replaced with an innocent and adorable one as she told the children some stories and tales. Soon, the temperature that descended from the sun, intensified and the children have to go back to their village to eat some lunch. Vanessa bid them all farewell and promised that she would definitely be back for tomorrow and she would bring more candies for them to eat. Dusting her clothes, Vanessa turned around to leave, her footsteps quick and she returned back to the secluded area where she transformed. But this time, she didn''t return to her previous visage. Instead, she looked at the nearby shrubs and coldly said, "Bastard that kept following me all this while, you better come out and explain yourself!" Dan who sat atop a tree branch shivered. But when he realized that she wasn''t looking at him, he calmed down and followed her line of sight wherein a figure of a young man whose visual appearance looked sixteen to seventeen, appeared. The young man looked average and his clothes that looked faded gave him the impression of a teenage farm boy inside the village. However, when he stepped forward, a vicious smile lifted on his lips as he clapped his hands together. Dan''s expression changed, he realized that the young man''s movements looked stiff and mechanical and his arms that he raised in the air were encircled with flies, staring at the young man''s smile and his emotionless eyes, Dan concluded in his mind, "It''s a zombie! Could this be the work of that Necromancer?" Dan calmed himself, but still, he took his dagger and Desert Eagle and aimed the handgun at the young man. "Young Princess of the Paradyne Clan, you already know that I am pursuing you but instead of running away, you stayed here and waited for us to encircle you..." The young man spoke in a hoarse voice. Charlotte sneered, "I still haven''t forgotten the fact that you bastards tried to cause a disaster inside the city...Ever since such a huge attack occurred, I already knew that it should be me that is your target..." A soft sword materialized in the air, and when it landed in Charlotte''s palm. It hummed in excitement as she pointed it at the young man. "As someone who possessed the Physique that we wanted, It''s of course, you that is our target." The young man waved his hand and Dan could see that for a moment. The world turned monochrome and seemed to freeze. "I shall not waste any more words towards you that will soon be dead, my minions, attack! Remember the formation!" With his command, the earth trembled as countless hands stuck out, under the ground. Charlotte calmly stood there, with her expression indifferent, awaiting the emergence of the undead troops. The undead that the young man summoned composed of people clad in an ominous jet-black energy. And when they emerged from the ground, they hastily formed a diamond-like formation that rotated as they walked. Dan''s expression turned solemn, One of the incredible traits of the undead was their inability to feel pain nor any emotions. In other words, they were the perfect meatshields or weapons of murder. The huge disadvantage that the undead had was that they had an abysmal intelligence. But witnessing these group of undead, Dan could feel that each of their movements was calculated and that they should not be underestimated. His eyebrows knitted, despite the fact that she was surrounded by a group of intelligent undead, Charlotte remained calm, just what was her trump card what did she rely on to maintain that state of mind despite such dire circumstances? Dan kept his worries to himself and observed the fight. As soon as the undead approached the area around Charlotte, silvery sword lights flashed and the limbs of the approaching enemies fell on the ground. The troop grounded to a halt, but when Dan thought that everything was over. That eerie black energy connected the limps from the severed area and the troop, once again stood up, rushing towards Charlotte''s direction. Several minutes passed and Charlotte finally felt the exhaustion from fighting a troop that could not die nor feel pain, holding a jadeslip in her palm, she crushed it, but her expression turned pale when she realized that her teleportation device didn''t work. "Hahaha," The young man viciously laughed, "Don''t be so cold, Little Princess, I already sealed the surrounding space so that any spatial device couldn''t tear through it, any escaping artifact that you have is useless inside this space..." The young man even leaned on a nearby tree and watched Charlotte, fall into despair as minutes passed by. Another fifteen minutes later, Charlotte finally took her trump cards in the form of a plate and tapped on it. As soon as she pressed the plate, it flew up in the air and deflected all the incoming undead away as a transparent barrier separated her from the outside. "Futile..." The young man coldly spat and he personally made his move, disappearing from his initial location, he appeared above the barrier and sent a palm strike. Clang! A sound of a dull object striking metal echoed and as soon as it reverberated. The barrier cracked and eventually collapsed to pieces with Charlotte coughing blood as she staggered. Holding her soft sword, she sliced the undead around her, but still, she became overwhelmed and when the young man noticed that she couldn''t fight back anymore, he lightly chuckled and reappeared before her. Dan whose expression looked pale with his forehead sweating bullets finally heaved a sigh of relief when he realized that the young man''s perception retracted inside her body. The reason why he didn''t intervene in the fight earlier was that the young man kept a revolving barrier around him and Charlotte which would trigger upon detecting any foreign movements. But now that he took that barrier away. It was time for Dan to show him the horror of Modern Weaponry. Infusing his Desert Eagle with his Yang Rich Thunder Qi, Dan carefully aimed at the young man and pulled. Bang! 50 Life and Death Before Dan pulled the trigger he took a look at the young man''s stats and found that his true identity was just an Elder Lich, an undead creature capable of controlling hordes of undead for his bidding. However, the Lich''s cultivation was a realm higher than Dan. Meaning he couldn''t afford a frontal clash else he would die with a single strike. After all, even if his flesh could resist the attack, his organs would collapse. Inspecting the barrier, Dan realized that it still has two hours before it would automatically dissipate. Infusing his Desert Eagle with his Yang Rich Thunder Qi, Dan carefully aimed at the Lich and pulled the trigger. Bang! A deafening roar echoed followed by a wretched cry as a hole the size of a bullet bore its way on the back of the young man. Lightning crackled and the flesh of the young man melted. "WhO thE fuCK is TheRe?!" The young man angrily turned around and screamed in a grating voice. However, after he pulled the trigger, Dan instantly activated Stealth, effectively escaping from the Lich''s perception. Reappearing at another direction, he shot and the Lich turned around once again. Only to find nothing which greatly infuriated it. "Come out, come out, you bastard!!!" The Lich howled to the skies and Charlotte knitted her eyebrows, staring at the back of the young man, she found that it was riddled with numerous holes that crackled with lightning. Her frown intensified and she stared at the area, awaiting the arrival of that mysterious assailant that infuriated her enemy. Bang! Another gunshot that broke the sound barrier itself whistled past her gaze. Charlotte followed the lightning trail and momentarily found the smiling figure of a young man whom she recognized as she mumbled, "He''s the one who saved me! Why is he here?" She calmed herself down and observed the finesse that the young man utilized in attacking his opponent. Dan clicked his tongue, the Lich had quite the intelligence. Ever since he''s tenth attack started, the former started catching up this location by sending fragments of Yin Qi flying in all directions. At this time, Dan also needed to factor the arrival of those fragments so that he could safely evade before he could shoot. The combined mental strength and physical fatigue quickly took over his mind. Gritting his teeth, he took another Desert Eagle and dual-wielded it. Even if the consumption of Qi would double, that wouldn''t matter as long as he can reduce this bastard''s fighting capability to the minimum. Bang! Bang! Bang! Consecutive gunshots echoed followed by the intensified ghastly shriek of the Lich, Dan quickly tumbled down, barely evading a fragment of the bastard''s Qi, glancing at his peripheral vision, he realized that he would run out of Qi before he could reduce the bastard''s HP to the red region. Assessing his current battle prowess and his enemy. Dan knew that he had to stop using Stealth or else his Qi reserves would run out. Holding a branch, Dan kicked in the air and turned, pointing his gun, he shot as his body that twisted in the air, evaded another fragment of Qi. Charlotte who stared at his calculated movements and the increasingly enraged young man whose expression looked distorted and inhumane. Charlotte''s mouth couldn''t help but widen in amazement. Just who is this young man? How is he so good at this? Even when his cultivation is at the lowest realm, he managed to step over a realm and battle against his enemy, toe to toe! But now that she analyzed it, the young man had a natural advantage against the Necromancer, after all, his Divine Arts was affiliated with Extreme Yang, the natural nemesis of all Yin beings under the heavens. But even so, it was an excellent feat, his fearlessness, and stoic appearance. Charlotte didn''t realize it at first but all of it was imprinted, deep within the recesses of her mind. The gunshots in the area intensified as numerous holes found its way at the Lich''s body, soon, its flesh looked mangled and some of its limbs looked like they would fall from its root. But at the same time, Dan''s expression didn''t look well off either. His average constitution showed its downside, his forehead dotted with beaded sweat and his face looked pale, the hand that held the trigger of both his guns trembled and his shoulders ached. Huffing and puffing, he took a moment to regain his energy, but that moment revealed an opening that the Lich took advantage. "Gotcha!" The Lich hoarsely screamed in excitement as it extended its hand, sending a beam of frigid Qi towards Dan''s chest, the latter''s eyes widened and with a sidestep, he avoided most of the Qi but his expression turned paler in pain when the attack grazed him. He madly ran towards the barrier as the Lich chased him from behind, running in an erratic trajectory. He managed to dodge all the incoming beams of frigid Qi and landed inside the barrier on his butt. Sighing in relief, he glanced at Charlotte and said, "Do you have any water with you?" His smile as casual as ever, as if he didn''t enter a life and death battle with the Lich earlier. Charlotte replied, "Water? I have two gourds of water here, you can take one," She revealed a small smile before taking a gourd and handing it over at Dan who chugged it down. The two engaged in a small banter, with Dan asking some questions and the latter politely answering. In the end, Dan sighed in his heart, with what he witnessed earlier with the kids, it seems like everyone greatly misunderstood Charlotte. She wasn''t a cold, arrogant and spoiled young woman. She was just someone that wants to live a regular life; a regular life where everyone regarded her as an equal, not a Goddess. The Lich outside the barrier stared at the chuckling duo with a light of shame and anger within his eyes, ''How dare they ignore me?! How dare they ignore someone like me?! The Bringer of Death and the Harvester of Souls?!'' The Lich inwardly growled and flicked his wrist. The surrounding undead madly intensified their attacks. But unfortunately for the former, the duo completely ignored his presence and continued talking to each other like nothing. The continuous banging sounds on the barrier didn''t do anything to disturb the two as they chatted like old friends that just met each other. Finally, an hour later, the two stopped their banter and Dan scanned the area, "Charlotte, can you use your Spatial Artifact, yet?" Charlotte shook her head, "No, the bastard used a high lever formation to lock everything in a three-kilometer radius..." "So that means if we escape from here for about three kilometers, we can escape the range of that formation and you can activate the Spatial Artifact?" Charlotte''s figure shook and he stared at the latter whose lips lifted into a defiant smile, "What are you planning? Could it be that you''re planning on fighting with him?" ''Is he crazy? That guy is an Organ Tempering Practitioner and is a realm higher than yours! Are you mad?'' Charlotte furiously thought but Dan replied with a single nod of his head as he escaped the barrier. "Come back!" Charlotte reached her hand out but Dan shook his head, "There''s no other choice when that barrier dissipates, we will eventually fight with him so why not fight him now so we won''t give him a chance to recuperate?" Dan took both of his Desert Eagle and rushed towards the Lich who started viciously laughing, "Hahaha," The Lich stretched its bony arms towards the skies, "How foolish, such creatures daring to attack the mighty me..." Pointing at Dan, it grimly said, "Face your death!" A surge of Frigid Qi exploded from its index finger, flying in high-speed at Dan''s chest. But contrary to Charlotte''s expectations, Dan didn''t evade the Frigid Qi as it struck his chest, sending him flying towards a tree which exploded into fragments as a result. "Dan!" Charlotte clicked her tongue, clenching her fists until it turned purple, she prepared herself to come out but Dan shouted, "Are you stupid?! Didn''t I tell you that I have certain plan to kill this guy so just stay there obediently and watch me annihilate this bastard!" His shout intensified his injuries and he coughed another mouthful of blood. His vision started swimming but he kept his defiant and courageous smile as he stood up, glancing at his peripheral vision, his eyes shone in a light of determination before rushing back at the Lich. "I didn''t expect that you would be such a cockroach. But this is the end, time to face your death and welcome to my army!" The Lich stretched its palm and an attack that was bigger than before surged towards Dan''s body. The attack melted Dan''s chest and in an attempt to dissipate some of the force, Dan kicked off the ground and flew backward, rolling on the ground like a sack of potatoes. Charlotte held her hand on her mouth. Gritting her teeth, she unsheathed her soft sword and raised it in the skies, aiming at the barrier in an attempt to destroy it and rush at his side. "Do you really think that you''ve won? Undead Lich..." Dan''s cold voice echoed and the Lich stopped its approach. Its expression indiscernible but the disturbed air around it indicated its shock and surprise. ''This bastard is still alive?'' It inwardly thought. Dan''s vision looked dark and the only thing that he could see was the Lich''s figure that stared at him with surprise, lifting his trembling arms, he stared at a system notification in the air as he mumbled, [Rage Gauge Full; Do you want to activate? Y/N] "Yes..." 51 Rage Gauge "Yes..." When his mumble echoed out, everything around him froze. The rustling of trees, the explosion of dust, the vicious expression of the Lich and Charlotte''s teary and worried face all came to a halt. The whistling wind even stopped, and when he realized this fact, he was stunned to find that his body moved on its own. Both of his arms stretched outward, forming a triangle by overlapping his left palm on the back of his right hand and with both thumbs touching each other. The gap that they made formed a triangle where his body sized the Lich''s figure. A strange indescribable strength surged from his body. The power looked pitch-black and intangible yet when it appeared, it consumed all light and devoured even time itself. Everything distorted as a small black hole, the size of the gap on both of his arms, condensed before his outstretched palm. His expression indifferent and his eyes lacked any life as he slightly opened his mouth and mumbled these foreign words. "Mawala ka sa aking harapan!" Upon the completion of his sentence, the black hole became a jet-black beam which instantly pierced the body of the Lich and upon impact, everything around the Lich and its body itself, deteriorated into dust as time once again, returned back to normal. "Eh?" The silence was broken by Charlotte''s queer cry. She stared at the location where the Lich was supposed to be but when she blinked her eye, she found that the Lich has disappeared. The undead that it controlled returned back to Earth and the restriction that enveloped the entire forest disappeared. Charlotte quickly snapped a jadeslip into two, sending a stream of information, flying back towards her father. "Dan!" She noticed that Dan kneeled on the ground on all fours. His mouth endlessly dripped with blood and his face looked purple as if out of blood. Dissipating the barrier before her. She ran towards him and inspected his condition. "What did you do?!" She mumbled, her expression horrified when she realized that the meridians within Dan''s body, looked mangled, some of his bones dislocated and his Dantian, empty. If not for the fact that Dan''s lifeforce continued burning in a fierce light. Charlotte would''ve thought that he was already dead. After all, the injuries that he suffered was very serious and not everyone could survive it. She frowned, just how did he sustain these serious injuries when I didn''t see him taking the attack of that Lich without defending himself? She felt doubtful, but she soon shook these thoughts away from her mind. The first thing that she should do right now was to disinfect his surface wounds and have him recuperate. Taking a jade bottle from her Spatial Storage, she fed him a pill and Dan''s murky consciousness somewhat solidified and he could finally see the figure of a young woman whose expression looked worried and filled with panic. Inwardly cursing, he didn''t realize that the price of activating such a powerful attack would be this serious. If not for the fact that Dan controlled the strange power at the last moment, he would''ve died from the backlash alone. After overcoming the sensation of death, Dan heaved a sigh of relief, even if he sustained these serious injuries, at least, he didn''t die outright and could still have a chance for life. "Are you okay? Can you move?" Charlotte carefully blocked the gaping wounds and disinfected them with a cooling ointment which brought comfort upon Dan''s body. Dan couldn''t even lift a finger much less reply. But still, the vibrant light within his eyes indicated that her treatment was working as she sighed in relief. Now that she was done with first-aid. His injuries wouldn''t escalate anymore but it wouldn''t also heal without proper treatment. Standing up, she stared at the distant horizon and frowned upon seeing a black dot that approached their vicinity. Feeling the sensation of mightiness that enveloped that figure, she thought that it was her father and even waved her hands in the air. "You idiot! That''s not your father, that''s the true Necromancer!" Dan utilized the remnants of his power in speaking these words amidst his gritted teeth. Staring at the blaring red system notification before him, his expression turned grave. [WARNING: The System has detected a killing intent from a Divine Soul Practitioner, Escape is advised or die...] These merciless words were displayed by the System but Dan bitterly smiled. Escape? How could we escape? I''m severely injured and Charlotte''s Qi Reserves is not even half of her peak, even if she possessed her true strength that doesn''t mean that she co- Wait... Escape? Dan''s expression turned brighter for a moment before he fiercely reminded, "Charlotte, hurry up! Activate that Spatial Artifact of yours before he restricts the space around us!" Charlotte''s figure shook and she broke away from her fear. Staring at the Necromancer that closed in at their direction. She resolutely, clenched her fist, bit the tip of her tongue and spat a huge glob of blood essence wherein she wiped on a small plate that she took from her Spatial Storage. "Bastards! That''s a Spatial Artifact!" The Necromancer hurriedly continued his chant, hoping that his Space Restriction Spell would catch up and prevent them from escaping. However, before he could complete his chant, a distorted black hole enveloped the duo and they disappeared from his eyes as his mouth, gave a scream filled with anger and utmost hatred. 52 The Great Wilderness of Torb A burst of sunlight struck his face and Dan''s consciousness awakened from slumber. When he woke up, the first scene he saw was the vast skies and the towering trees around him. Staring at the semi-transparent notification screen that floated in the air, Dan slowly stood up and scanned the surroundings. [System Assisted Recovery has recovered one-fourth of the host''s health!] [Duration until full health is achieved: 7d 23m 21s] Not far away from him in a nearby bush, he saw Charlotte''s figure drenched in her own blood. Moving close to her, he inspected her body with the System and found that she suffered blunt injuries on her back, most likely sustained by falling from a high place. Unfortunately, Dan''s Virtual Storage didn''t contain any medications and if Charlotte had pills that could help her recover. Dan couldn''t open it since it''s bound to her soul. Clicking his tongue, he realized that her body felt cold and her expression looked pale. This indicated that she suffered some minor hypothermia from the cold temperatures at night, and it was backed up when Dan found that her clothes looked incredibly moist along with the bush that covered her lower body. Carefully supporting her spine and her head, Dan dragged her towards a nearby patch of grass under the shade of a tree and inspected her body. ''It seems like her injuries are something that I cannot meddle for now, however, the most pressing issue in here is hypothermia...'' Dan also realized that her lips looked cracked and dry, indicating her dehydration. Clicking his tongue, Dan ordered the System, "System, scan the surrounding area and mark the location of a nearby body of water, also factor that there should be no dangerous beasts nearby..." [System Function Initiating;50%] Since his request went through, Dan praised the convenience of having a system. If not, he would''ve to manually search the area for water and food, and that included leaving Charlotte in here with her defenseless state. [According to the database information recorded at the Longinus Clan Library, the host is inside the Great Wilderness of Torb, approximately thirty-thousand kilometers away from the Empire of Eternal Faith.] [The nearest body of water has been found and marked. A mini-map is generated.] Dismissing these messages, Dan fell into deep contemplation. According to his memories, the Great Wilderness of Torb was a huge patch of land that separated the Empire of Eternal Faith and the Northern part of the Continent, spanning several hundred thousands of miles, all sorts of lucky chances and dangerous creatures were present in this Great Wilderness. Wryly smiling to himself, Dan shook his head and focused on the matter at hand. And that was, securing water for Charlotte. Carrying her body, Dan followed the indication on the mini-map and he soon arrived at a river. Scanning the System, there were no indications of any nearby life forms that could harm them in a radius of two kilometers. If there were beasts around, they would be something that Dan could easily handle in his current state, that was unless the System lied. Stretching his hand on her body, Dan mumbled his apologies and quickly stripped her off, revealing the glory of her young body and her curvaceous curves. However, her gorgeous body looked miserable, dotted with numerous purple patches and wounds that looked full of blood. Sighing to his heart, Dan was grateful that she wasn''t conscious or else she would''ve to endure such intense pain, continuously wracking her body. Placing her inside the cold waters of the river. The clear water became filled with blood that quickly ran downstream. She carefully adjusted her posture so that she won''t get swept by the current and drown before saying, "System, list every edible plant along with medicinal herbs that you can find in the database of the System that could be found here, along with their characteristics, sort them out by only including those that were easily found..." Dan didn''t have much time to spare, especially when he still needs to find shelter and he had an injured person along with him. [Results: Blood Coagulating Grass, Hemostasis Mushroom, Cooling Fragrant Leaves...] Numerous names of medicinal herbs floated in the air and Dan tapped on those ranked highest at the easiest to find. Moving away from the river, Dan dressed and hunted for those herbs and edible vegetables, nearby. When he returned several minutes later, Dan carried with him numerous herbs and mushrooms along with green vines like vegetables that he stored inside his Virtual Storage. Staring at the naked Charlotte that was still unconscious, Dan took some leaves and weaved simple clothes that could cover her body. Thankfully, he learned how to weave from the H.E Class back in his previous life so he completed her temporary clothes in just under thirty minutes. After securing some water and food, Dan stared at the skies and found that the sun was about to set, the air in the area became cold and mysterious fireflies that shone in different colors floated in the air. If Dan didn''t know the dangers of this forest, he would''ve thought that this would be the nearest comparison of a paradise known to man. Gritting his teeth, Dan continued his journey with Charlotte on his back, seeking out any caves where he could enter. But after realizing that all the caves were occupied by predatory beasts. Dan had to settle down by hollowing a nearby tree, creating a space where both of them could safely sleep together before covering the entrance with leaves. Night fell and only the incessant cries of insects could be heard. The temperature dropped to the extent that the unconscious Charlotte started shivering. Embracing her, he hoped that she wouldn''t suffer from the cold as Dan constantly scanned the area with the System. The darkness in the area reduced any visibility and Dan didn''t dare to light any kind of fire lest he attracts the attention of a beast. If not for the system which gave him information about his surroundings without being impeded by eyesight, Dan would''ve grown crazy from the fear of the unknown. Using his Divine Arts, Dan lighted the area inside the hollowed tree and charred some of the edible mushrooms that he scavenged. Since Charlotte was unconscious, obviously she couldn''t swallow and Dan had to crush the mushrooms and mix it with water so that she could at least have something to digest and nourish her delicate body. Fortunately for Dan, the night safely passed and when daybreak arrived, he finally lost his power and fell unconscious beside Charlotte whose figure started shivering as her consciousness, returned to her body. 53 Red-Colored Calamity Standing near the front yard of a certain mansion inside the Paradyne Academy, the figure of Natalie could be seen furtively glancing at the entrance. Worry painted on her dignified expression as she kept on waiting for Dan''s arrival. Ever since Dan disappeared yesterday, he never returned. And his sudden disappearance endlessly worried his little wife. Fortunately, her daughter was still a gullible child and with a simple diversion, her questions could be avoided but Natalie knew that it would be a matter of time until she realized that her beloved Papa was gone. Feeding her a bowl of nourished congee, Juliet stared at her mother with uncertain eyes. With their connection as mother and daughter, Juliet could feel the former''s apprehension as she raised her small arms and asked, "Is mama, okay...?" She spoke in a small tone. Natalie turned at her and gave a wry smile, "Yes, Juliet, mama is okay..." She patted her head and the latter nodded her eyes in satisfaction. Raising the spoon, she aligned it near her mouth but under her stunned gaze. Juliet took the spoon and painstakingly stretched it out with her entire arm towards her mother while saying, "Mama, eat!" She joyfully said with a laugh and Natalie''s figure quivered in response before opening her mouth and eating the congee. Witnessing her mother''s actions, the little girl chuckled and said, "Good mama, mama shud eat okay?" She patted her mother''s right arm and reassured her. Natalie''s expression turned complicated, staring at the entrance, a nightmare that occurred several years ago that resulted in her expulsion from her clan, surfaced in her mind. The thought of Dan leaving her side haunted her as if she became someone that found a beacon inside the dark, only to find that beacon of light destroyed right under their eyes. "I have some serious news to share with you, little girl..." Takemikazuchi''s solemn voice echoed behind and Natalie''s figure shook in surprise while Juliet pointed at him and said, "Skeleton Granpa!" Takemikazuchi glanced at the young child and patted her head, satisfying the little child''s desire for head pats. Natalie took her daughter from the chair and placed her on her thigh. Staring at Takemikazuchi, she said, "What news is it Senior? Could it be about the disappearance of my husband?" Takemikazuchi narrowed his eyes before nodding, "Yesterday, late afternoon, we received an Emergency Transmission from Lil Mathias'' daughter and the contents of her message contained urgent summons for help and she also described that she was with the young man who previously saved her in the Capital..." Takemikazuchi explained "Saved her? Could it be that she''s with my husband?" Natalie asked, and Takemikazuchi nodded, "Yes, it definitely is young master that is with her since it is the two of us that saved her from those bastards. However, when we reached the area, we only found some traces of Spatial Transfer, and since there''s no corpse in the area, we didn''t draw any conclusion. But I can still certainly safe that they did escape..." His eyes flashed in a critical light, "The only problem is where did they escape and where could we find him..." "What do you mean, Senior? You cannot find them?" Natalie''s worry surfaced on her expression and her daughter''s expression also turned somber, clearly affected by her mother''s emotion. "Even with my cultivation, it is hard for me to track something that crossed through space..." Takemikazuchi sighed, "But even so, we''re certain that they''re in a place that is fifty-thousand kilometers away from that place, the only problem is we don''t know which direction they tunneled in, the continent is, after all, a huge place." Natalie understood his message, finding two people inside this huge continent without any clear directions was akin to finding a needle inside a haystack. But still, on the outside, she maintainer her tranquil expression but the wavering within her eyes indicated the upheaval in her mind. "However, don''t worry, I didn''t go old for nothing, even if I can''t clearly track them, I can still draw their general direction. However," Takemikazuchi''s eyes shone in a critical light, "That place is extremely dangerous, not only it''s a place where all sorts of dangerous beasts could be found, it''s also filled with outlaws or people exiled for their crimes..." "Then, what would happen to..." Natalie covered her mouth with her hand, holding back her emotions. She knew that the cultivation of her husband was merely just at the Peak of Flesh Tempering Realm, surviving under such conditions would undoubtedly be harsh. "Don''t worry, I believe in young master''s capabilities and that little brat isn''t something so simple, I don''t believe that he would die in such place..." Takemikazuchi stood up, walking towards the exit, he said, "The only thing that you could do right now is to increase your strength so that when he returns, you could stand right at his side..." Takemikazuchi threw a jade bottle full of crimson pills before his figure disappeared from her sight. Meanwhile, inside the Great Wilderness of Torb, Charlotte''s consciousness returned from her body. When she woke up, she realized that she was inside a hot and cramped space. Opening her eyes in confusion, she exclaimed in shock when she found that she was on Dan''s chest, lifting her head, she found his tranquil sleeping expression and she quickly hid her expression. Surveying the surroundings, she realized that this wasn''t the location where she wanted to arrive, just what did happen? was the teleportation, faulty? She mumbled and stared outside using the hole blocked with branches and leaves. The earthy smell of nature and the fragrance of herbs in the air indicated that she was in the forest. Bending her body, she went outside and there, her expression changed when she realized that her clothes looked different from before. From the previous majestic fiery robe, she found herself clothed with woven clothes made from leaves, ''C-c-could it be that he took advantage of...'' Her expression became horrified when she thought of this, since she was still severely injured, if that man really did something to her, she wouldn''t be able to resist. After inspecting her lower body, she sighed in relief when she realized that her most important barrier was still intact. But still, the embarrassment and shame upon realizing that her entire body was seen by a foreign man deeply imprinted within her heart. She decided that when he wakes up, she will definitely make him explain. Stomping her foot on the ground, Charlotte realized that the place she was in looked similar to paradise described in those books of fairy tales that she read when she was still a child. Bewitched by the beauty of the forest and her innate naivety due to being sheltered all her life, she didn''t realize that this beautiful nature hid a danger that could instantly reap her life. Walking around, she looked for some fruits but sighed in disappointment when she couldn''t find any, and when she found one, she realized that the fruits were too high for her to reach and since she couldn''t use her cultivation base due to her injuries, she could only stare at the hanging fruits with desire, surging within her eyes. Suddenly, her ears twitched as she heard the sound of water rushing downstream. Following the source of the sound, Charlotte found a crystal clear river and the fascination of seeing the water while she was thirsty lured her towards it. Slowly approaching, she knew better not to approach such a body of water without any caution, after all. Beasts would also drink from this water and if she met a carnivorous beast in here by some kind of a coincidence, she could only blame herself for her death. However, what she found wasn''t a beast, but a figure of a middle-aged man dressed in tattered gray clothes carefully fetching water from the river with a bow on his back. The smell of blood around the man and his dignified expression indicated his experience when it comes to life and death battles. Retreating, she unknowingly stepped on a dried out branch and this attracted the attention of the man, "Who''s there?!" The man took a dagger from his waist and there, he spotted Charlotte''s figure. "A woman?" He licked his lips in desire after seeing Charlotte''s curvy figure, inside this wilderness, he had to use coconuts in getting rid of his pent-up desires and lust, and it would be rare for him to get the chance in doing it with a woman. Now that a woman whose looks rivaled that of a Goddess appeared before him, how could he let go of this opportunity? Taking his bow out, he shot at her feet and the stunned Charlotte quickly leaped backward and ran towards Dan''s direction. The man evilly chuckled and shouted, "Brothers! I found a high-quality woman in here! It''s been a long time since us from the Blackwing Gang tasted some flesh..." His shout garnered the attention of his fellow brothers that carefully plucked some fruits atop the tree branches. When they heard his words, they immediately leaped down and stared at the direction where he pointed, "Indeed! That curves and those fair porcelain-like skin, fucking hell bro! Good job!" The men cheerfully praised and a middle-aged man whose expression looked darker and rugged than them nodded his head, "Since you''re the first one who found her, when we catch her, you''ll be the one to experience her first," Taking his sword, he said, "Let''s go, be careful not to injure her since it''s not fun doing it with an unconscious woman..." "Yes, sir!" The men madly ran at Charlotte''s direction and because of this delay, the latter managed to arrive at Dan''s sleeping place and she knocked, "Hey, you! Hey, you!" Dan who was snoring while she slept abruptly awakened, his body tensed up as he said, "Is there any enemy?" Taking his dagger out and his peculiar weapon, Charlotte stared at him and said, "Yes, there is! I don''t know why they are running after me when I don''t have any money..." After she spoke these words, the men finally caught up and surrounded the area around her, "Beauty, why don''t you run more? It''s better and much fun pursuing a delicious prey like you..." Seeing that she didn''t run anymore, one of the men said, "Since you already surrendered, we won''t make things harder for you, just obediently strip and bend over, we''ll do all the moving..." He approached the frightened Charlotte but before he could step forward, a gunshot echoed and his body, lifelessly collapsed on the ground. "Did I say that you can approach her?" A cold voice echoed at the side and as the men turned their heads, they found a young man staring at them with cold eyes while holding a peculiar weapon that still smoked near its muzzle. Staring at the men, Dan calmly walked between them and Charlotte. Manifesting his Qi, he drew a circle that separated him and the men as he boldly declared, "Anyone who steps inside this circle will die..." 54 Role, Reversed The leader of the Blackwing Gang stared at Dan as if he was some kind of a retard. His pale complexion, his slightly trembling figure and his faintly shining Qi indicated that he was severely injured, how dare he declare this right in front of us? His men''s expression turned red in anger, withdrawing their bows, they aimed at him. ''Hmmph! Even without stepping into that circle, we can still deal with you.'' Exerting their strength, three arrows flew towards Dan''s vital organs but the latter deflected it with his dagger before retaliating with his gun. Bang! Bang! Bang! Three gunshots echoed and the men who shot the arrow fell on the ground, the leader who realized how strong his weapon was staggered backward before saying, "Don''t stay in one location, make sure that he can''t predict your movements or we''ll fall under his strange weapon!" The remaining men looked horrified and they quickly encircled them while moving in an erratic pattern. However, Dan that had the System and was thoroughly angered quickly dispatched them in successive shots. In the face of Modern Weaponry that could travel in supersonic speeds after being reinforced by Dan, only barriers which protected them from all sides could possibly protect them from his bullets. The leader who was the only man standing after Dan''s retaliation quickly said with a pale expression,"Young man, you must not burn your bridges after using them, you already dispatched all of my men so can you be kind enough to let me go?" His words rang loud and clear but Dan who was physically exhausted and mentally irritated pretended to not hear his words as he sent another volley of bullets at his direction. Clang! Clang! Clang! Numerous shouts of metal clashing against metal rang out. The leader stared at his chipped treasured sword and couldn''t help but tremble in anger and shame. This weapon that accompanied him for decades withstood innumerable killings of his enemies but under this brat''s attack, it finally succumbed and turned into scrap. Seeing that Dan didn''t have the intention of letting him off, the leader''s eyes reddened and he shouted, "Since you''re not willing to let me go, I''ll bring you both to hell with me!" Activating his Divine Arts, a roar of a tiger echoed inside the forest as the man rushed at Dan''s direction. But contrary to his expectations, Dan calmly waited for his arrival. But as soon as he stepped into that circle, cold lights flew from Dan''s dagger as a searing hot pain stretched through her neck. Even his hand that he used in protecting his neck got severed by the sharpness and ruthlessness of Dan''s attack. He collapsed on the ground, regretting the fact that they even pursued the beauty filled with thorns. Dan''s expression looked lifeless. Upon seeing the death of his enemy, Dan turned to look at Charlotte, but his blood-drenched figure along with his deadpan expression frightened the young woman. Stretching his hand out, Dan cupped her chin with both of his hands and stared right into her eyes, Charlotte closed her eyes, fear taking over her soul, she gritted her teeth, hoping that Dan wouldn''t be so rough in doing her, but when she realized that nothing happened after several seconds passed. She opened her eyes and saw Dan painstakingly opening his mouth as he said, "I''m too exhausted right now..." "So please..." "Please use that transformation technique of yours and pretend to be a man..." Dan left these words before his body fell on her chest. Charlotte shrieked for a moment but she still carried him at the nearby tree trunk. Making sure that he''s comfortable, she stared at the heaps of corpses around her and decided that this place would surely attract beasts thanks to the smell of blood that constantly lingered in the air. Carrying Dan on her back, she could hear her bones complaining as she gritted her teeth and carried him at the river. There, she smirked to herself, "Since you previously took advantage of my body by giving me a bath, I''ll also do the same..." She thought about how funny would Dan''s reaction be when he realized that she just stripped him naked and gave him a bath, like a baby. Taking off his clothes, her expression reddened when she arrived at his lower body. But still, she thought about Dan''s embarrassed reaction and it gave her the motivation to continue as she pulled down. A grotesque object sprung striking her nose, "Uweeh? What is this? This looks too ugly..." Having no idea about the intricacies of relationships between men and women due to her living a cultured and sheltered life, she curiously stared at his lower body and said, "Isn''t this the place where babies pee? Wait, could it be that..." Her expression froze in realization, but she still curiously poked at its reddened tip, "How strange...It''s squishy yet it''s hard and it looks like it''s in pain..." She mused, but she soon frowned after taking a breath of Dan''s manly smell. Standing up, she dragged him inside the river and made sure that he wouldn''t be swept by the currents as she waited until all the blood on his body, disappeared. She also cleaned his clothes with the river water and Dan who didn''t realize that he was molested by the young woman subconsciously frowned when he felt the sensation of coldness on his body. Later in the afternoon, Charlotte managed to acquire some mushrooms and vegetables that looked like what Dan had collected yesterday. Crushing it into small fragments, she mixed it into the water and slowly fed Dan, making sure that he wouldn''t choke. After this meal, Charlotte finally remembered the ''dying words'' that Dan left to him and even when she had her doubts, she still followed what he said since he looked very serious when saying it. Poof! A small sound echoed and Charlotte''s figure transformed into a dignified man whose expression looked like he was on his mid-twenties. However, despite the fact that his face and physique had changed, her expression remained tender and gentle as she cozily snuggled up Dan''s arms where she felt the most secure. The next day, Charlotte opened her eyes and found a group of men staring at their location with disgusted looks on their faces. 55 Cooperation "This looks a little gay..." One of the men that saw the scene inside the hollowed tree gave a queer smile, his expression dark and within the next seconds, he retched along with his other subordinates. The impact of seeing a sturdily built man cuddling with a young man with a frail figure with a skin that looked fair like a boy-toy gave them a shock that they would never forget in their entire life. Dan knitted his eyebrows while Charlotte struggled and came out of the hole, fortunately, her Divine Arts of Transformation can manifest clothes or else she would have to settle with leaves and bushes. When Dan woke up, the first scene he saw were several foreign men staring at him with disgusted expressions and Charlotte''s manly and dignified face, giving off a vibe of an embarrassed maiden. "Fuck..." He mumbled and rubbed his aching temple, although he requested that she should transform into a man, Dan didn''t know that her perception of a manly person was this strong. She even replicated a perfect six pack abs along with pectoral muscles and biceps which bulged, emanating a mighty and manly sensation. Normally, she would look handsome and attractive, but Charlotte didn''t match her current figure with her expression. Instead of looking collected and stoic, her expression looked like a shy maiden that was about to be scolded for being naughty. Suddenly, a feminine voice interrupted the standstill, "What''s going on here? Is there a problem?" The men turned around and stared at the incoming young woman whose visual appearance looked similar to Charlotte along with her age. The only difference was she gave off an air of undeniable authority. Like an insurmountable mountain, people would feel suffocated if they stared at her casually. "Miss Boss, it seems like we found two gay men in the middle of doing it..." One of the men chimed in and she revealed a similarly disgusted expression upon hearing his words. However, she maintained her indifference and said, "Both of you," Her attention turned to Dan and the former perked his ears. "What are you guys doing in here, so deep in the forest?" Her expression somewhat indescribable, two men inside a secluded area and one of them clearly had an expression of a swinging that way. The answer to her question was obvious but she didn''t want to assume until the condemned admitted to it. "Young miss," Dan clasped his hands together as a gesture of respect before saying, "We''re a part of a tourist group but we suffered attacks from powerful beasts, and only two of us survived, " Dan activated his acting skills and his eyes shone in a melancholic light while his face looked pained and sorrowful. The men sympathized to his feelings, after all, who among them didn''t experience losing a valuable brother from the attacks of beasts? Their disgust to them lessened and they only felt that both of them were somehow pitiful. As for the gay man, they wouldn''t mind him going with their group for as long as he won''t randomly grab their snatch. "I see, however, you can''t expect us to believe anything that you say, right? How about this? Show us some proof that you are indeed, a member of that group that you''re speaking about..." The young woman, clearly the leader of the group, said. Dan inwardly clicked his tongue, cursing himself for carrying a stone, only to drop it on his foot. However, at this crucial time, Charlotte chimed in. Speaking in a deep tone which contained a hint of femininity which sent shivers down the men''s spines, she said. "Ermm, young miss, I have this token with me, I hope this can prove our identity as a member of that tourist group." She took the jade token of the Paradyne Academy and the young miss, recognized the two of them as unfortunate students that wandered too far inside the Wilderness. With Dan''s bullshit as a support, he managed to have her believe that they both wandered like headless flies inside the Wilderness and only managed to survive after finding a water source. Fortunately, the leader of the Tyrannical Jollibee Gang, Caitlyn was a woman whose external impression looked cold, yet quite compassionate to her comrades. The reason why she earned this much respect from these group of battle-hardened men was that her prowess when it comes to Cultivation exceeded even Charlotte, reaching the Early Stage of Spirit Tempering Realm in such a young age of nineteen. But of course, if not for the fact that Charlotte was currently injured, her strength at the peak of Organ Tempering Realm along with her young age at sixteen would thoroughly astonish them down to their very souls. The group continued their journey with Dan and Charlotte in tow. The men sighed in relief when they found that Charlotte didn''t seem to be willing in approaching them. Instead, she just stuck closely at Dan. However, the scene of seeing a dignified man whose physique, at least a head bigger than Dan hugging his body from behind made the men endlessly cringe in their journey to the extent that Caitlyn pleaded Charlotte to temporarily stay away from her boyfriend. But Charlotte remained unwilling, fear visible on her face as she denied her request and Dan could only helplessly smile in response. Thankfully, the men of the Gang only bore ill-intent towards the members of the other Gangs and even though they were just strangers; they still treated them with the respect that they deserved as human beings. But Dan knew that because they lack ruthlessness, they stayed at the bottom rungs of the Society of Gangs, completely unable to rise due to their enemies'' incessant pressure. This time, with hopes that they could hunt a Spirit Tempering Realm Beast, they journeyed out towards the heart of the Wilderness, but only they didn''t manage to hunt anything, they even picked up two baggage which equals to two pairs of mouth that needed to be fed. Their boss'' kind heart endlessly bothered the ruthless members of the Gang to the extent that they had long since planned a rebellion in hopes of usurping her position. But because of her sheer strength, everything that they did behind the scenes would be crushed before it could come into fruition. Night came and the Gang camped at the Northern Border of the Wilderness, according to Caitlyn, they would reach their destination; The Desert Wilderness Bazaar, in about half a day''s journey. In the middle of the night, Dan went out of his tent and left Charlotte cozily sleeping on her own as he approached Caitlyn''s tent. "Ermm, Miss Boss," Dan said in a hesitant tone because it was in the middle of the night, he didn''t want to become a bother. "What is it? Dan?" Caitlyn''s voice echoed inside and Dan said, "May I come in?" Caitlyn took a moment to reply before she voiced her consent, and when Dan came inside the tent, he saw a single futon and some comb laid atop it. "I have a matter that endlessly bothered me about your group, ever since you picked us up, Miss Boss..." Dan said and Caitlyn frowned since Dan wasn''t a threat to her, she said, "What is it? Feel free to speak..." Dan sighed and continued, "I noticed that apart from you, most of your men had quite a good cultivation yet their equipment are subpar, some are even in the brink of being turned into scraps," Dan stopped speaking and stared at Caitlyn''s expression. The latter turned somber and despondent, one of the reasons why the group of her Gang became so slow was because of the lack of weapons and armors along with not having a Forger that would forge items exclusively for them, this forced them to buy their items inside the bazaar where prices were highly inflated and absurd. "Don''t worry, Miss Boss, I didn''t come here to mock you, instead, I came here to offer a cooperation." Caitlyn''s expression changed and she lifted her head, staring right into his eyes in an effort to see through his deceit. But what she saw was a terrifying calmness and confidence that brimmed in his eyes and exuded itself within his natural movements akin to that of a dignified merchant. "What kind of cooperation are you talking about?" Caitlyn became interested and Dan gave a small smile as he said, "I will personally forge weapons and armors for your Gang, however, you must gather the materials yourself and If you''re planning on selling the items, I should get at least twenty percent of all the profits..." Caitlyn took a moment to register his words, but still, she remained her calm and thought that his proposal was quite logical and good, however, she didn''t decide as she said, "Sure, we can do that, but what is your success rate?" "Seventy Percent." "Eh?" Caitlyn absentmindedly mumbled, her F cups juggled in the air and paired with her slightly reddish hair along with her innocent and adorable expression, this painted a scene that would prove fatal to any third party men. Calming his nerves, Dan assumed a dignified expression once again as he asked, "So, what will Miss Boss'' decision be? " Caitlyn revealed a small smile, "I will agree to this terms however, you must swear a cultivation oath that you would never create weapons and armors for other Gangs apart from our group until our contract lasts." "How long do you want the contract to go on?" She added and Dan mused for a moment, "Until I find a way to safely return back to the Empire of Eternal Faith..." "Agreed." Caitlyn nodded her head, the Empire of Eternal Faith was a distant Empire that would take at least several months to travel even by using a Unicorn Horse which could travel in speeds four times faster than a normal horse, meaning their contract would last at least six months or more. Dan bit his wrist and Caitlyn did the same, dripping their blood against each other''s wrist, they swore a contract bound by their blood and Dan swore an additional oath with his cultivation. Before he left back at his tent, Caitlyn gave him three batches of forging materials for a simple light armor asking him to forge what she needed. If Dan succeeded and met her standard, the contract would take effect. Else, they could just forget about it. Returning back to his tent, Dan carefully shoved the sleeping Charlotte to the side and calmed himself down, preparing to sleep. But before he could do so, Charlotte suddenly embraced his body using her manly transformation and Dan could only wryly smile since his strength wasn''t enough to push her gigantic body away. Without any other choice, he could only let himself become a body pillow for Charlotte, and even though her physique looked like a man, she still was a woman inside and as the saying goes back at his previous life, "Traps are not gay" so it could be said that his manhood was safe. 56 A Vital Lesson in Life Morning soon arrived and the group arrived inside the Desert Wilderness Bazaar. Although it was called a Bazaar, it would be more fitting to call it a Town full of experts, just casually glancing at someone, Dan would find that they possessed a strength of at least the Organ Tempering Realm. The smell of dust and filth that constantly lingered in the air made Charlotte''s expression frown in disgust. It was the first time that she entered such a dirty town, but since she doesn''t have any choice, she could only follow. The group entered the Bazaar without any problems and Caitlyn chatted with the two, explaining all sorts of rules inside the Bazaar. As a place where the outlaws, exiled and people isolated or condemned by society gathered, there were sets of rules which prevented them from wantonly killing anybody inside the Bazaar. The unknown expert that established this safe haven for criminals placed a formation which would track everybody who set foot inside the City. Not only that, if murdered someone in here, the formation would track their Soul Signature and forcefully teleport them somewhere inside the Great Wilderness of Torb. Dan nodded his head in understanding while Charlotte frowned in confusion. Dan understood the reasoning of these rules. If these rules were not established. This small town would be filled with the smell of blood and murder. But still, even if murder wasn''t allowed, injuring someone was possible for as long as the other party still had a breath of life within him. As they continued on their path, Caitlyn turned to Dan and asked, "Did you notice something odd about this town?" A small bitter smile hung on her lips and Dan knitted his eyebrows for a moment before saying, "Indeed, there''s something odd, but the answer for my question can be answered with common sense..." Caitlyn turned her head away in a bitter gesture and Dan shook his head, not wanting to talk about it anymore. Just as Charlotte asked about what they talked about. A feminine pain filled voice echoed in the dark alleyway paired with a huffing and puffing of a man. Charlotte turned around along with Dan and found a young woman crying in pain, she gripped the hand that held her hair in a defiant manner but the man that mounted her from behind continued his thrust. The young woman noticed their gazes and turned to look at the group with a pleading gaze in her eyes. Charlotte opened her mouth and was about to shout before Dan covered it with his palm. Staring at her with a stern glare, she didn''t have any choice but to shut up as they continued their journey towards the Tyrannical Jollibee''s Base. Each Gang or Organization that established itself within this town would have a set of territory for them. But since the town was small. Fights would often breakout against those Gangs from the outside that wanted to establish a foothold inside the City. Because of the curfew that the formation of the Bazaar enforced, those unaffiliated men would be thrown out of the Bazaar if they didn''t have an authorized place to stay such as an Inn or a Base. These were the reasons why competition within this Bazaar was so fierce that at least a hundred people from these organizations would die, every day. Arriving at their small base, Caitlyn summoned the other members of the Gang that numbered at least fifty people inside a huge hall inside church looking warehouse that gave off a smell of thick filth and mold. At this moment, Caitlyn asked Dan and Charlotte to check out their temporary residence. However since both of them were men and the Gang lacked enough facilities to house themselves, Dan and Charlotte had to share a small bed which could only fit three children sleeping beside each other. When they arrived inside their room which looked like a small storehouse, Charlotte couldn''t endure it anymore and said, "Why didn''t you help her, earlier? She was clearly being forced by that man!" Even if Charlotte couldn''t understand the actions of the two, she could still feel the pleading and sorrow within the young woman''s eyes. Dan''s inhumane actions disappointed her as she glared right into his cold eyes. Staring at the fierce-looking young woman, Dan''s expression turned cold. Grabbing her wrist and throwing her on the bed, he said, "Will you stop being naive? We''re in a city filled with criminals and crime is an everyday occurrence here! If you do not want me to abandon you, then shut up and adapt!" He harshly scolded, what a joke. If Dan couldn''t even return at the Empire of Eternal Faith, what use was Mathias'' reward for him if he couldn''t enjoy it? He inwardly thought. Charlotte stared at Dan with tears threatening to spill from her eyes. She didn''t expect that Dan whom she shared those harsh days back at the Wilderness would be so mean at her. It was the first time that she was reprimanded by someone. Even her father, endlessly doted on her and didn''t dare to dwell on her mistakes, but he? Someone whom she really didn''t know actually did something like that to her? Rage filled her chest and her chest heaved in response, slapping his hand away from her wrist, she turned around and walked away, exiting through the backdoor so now one from the Gang could see her leave. Dan shook his head in disappointment, a spoiled brat''s attitude really is too different from those who could accept his circumstances. Walking outside, he took Caitlyn''s attention and said, "Caitlyn, I have some matters to handle in here first, Do your announcement at night," Caitlyn didn''t have any problems about it but there''s a matter that bugged her, what matters is he talking about? Isn''t it the first time that he came to this Bazaar? She became puzzled but since Dan was already gone from her sight, she could only muse to herself. Charlotte walked through the bronze looking muddy path with her figure shivering. At this time, she returned to her previous figure and the shabby, torn clothes that she wore didn''t hide the beauty that she had as literally every man who noticed her followed her figure all the while licking their lips in response. One of them that had a cultivation of a peak Flesh Tempering Realm crushed a jadeslip and transmitted this information to his boss. Taking a jade token from his pouch, he flashed it at those greedy bastards around him and they immediately shut up. What a farce! He possessed the jade token of the Black Widow Gang! Inside this Bazaar, one could offend the formation that guarded the Bazaar, but one should definitely not offend this Black Widow Gang or else, your corpse would be seen by the sewers the next day. His flashing of the jade token declared the message that none should touch the woman other than the Black Widow Gang. He then stood up and observed the young woman with his sharp eyes. Noticing that her movement looked irregular and her breathing, hastened in exhaustion, it could only mean one thing, first, she didn''t have a cultivation and second, she was currently injured. Since it was impossible to cross the Great Green Desert and the Great Wilderness of Torb without having any cultivation, the answer should be the latter. He inwardly thought and carefully approached the young woman all the while holding the jade token of his Gang closely on his chest. Charlotte continued her walk for about twenty more minutes before she became tired. At this time, she regretted walking away from the Base and had some thoughts in returning as the kind voice of an auntie echoed before her. "Oh? Young miss, are you okay? You look like you''re having a hard time..." Charlotte turned around and found a forty-years-old woman staring at her. Seeing the wrinkles on the old woman''s face when she smiled, Charlotte knew that she should be a kind auntie as she said, "Yes, auntie, I am quite thirsty, do you have some water that I can drink?" "You''re dizzy? Come, come, come inside, the sun has been shining so hot since morning even this auntie is becoming faint..." She gestured with her hand and Charlotte happily obliged after finding out shelter. The auntie prepared a glass of water and Charlotte chugged it down without any hesitation. The two talked at each other with Charlotte mostly complaining about a heartless someone until her body suddenly felt wobbly and hot. "I''m hot, auntie, I''m hot..." Charlotte moaned in pain, her eyes looked glazed and her cheeks shone in a rosy color. "Yes, you will definitely be hot after drinking the strongest aphrodisiac available in this Desert Bazaar..." The auntie''s voice became filled with disdain, turning around, she shouted, "Young Master Roger, it seems like this girl is a pretty naive and innocent one, it didn''t even take me that much to complete my mission." Behind the darkness at the corner of the room, a thin silhouette of a young man emerged. Charlotte froze in despair when she felt the probing gazes of the man and the desire within his eyes. "This smell, ahh..." The young man sniffed the air and covered his mouth as he exclaimed in ecstasy, his body twisted and a tent propped on his lower body. The auntie noticed Charlotte''s apprehension as she stretched her out and affectionately rubbed her head, "Don''t worry little sweetheart, as long as you can satisfy young master Roger, he would never let anyone hurt a strand of your hair. Charlotte stared at the auntie whose expression distorted into a vicious smile in horror, Satisfy, what satisfy? She had an inkling about what the auntie was saying and in the end, she remembered the moment where that man was forcing that young woman earlier when they arrived. The realization sent her deep into an abyss of despair as tears spilled from her eyes. She wanted to struggle but she couldn''t gather strength in her body. The only sensation that she felt was throbbing, almost painful sensation deep within her lower body. The young man licked his lips, moving close to Charlotte, he stretched his index finger and stuck his tongue out, tasting her tears. "You need not worry about everything, sweetheart, it won''t be painful, the sensation would be the same as stepping into heaven..." Charlotte didn''t reply. The only thought that she had in her mind was how naive and stupid she was, shoving away someone that genuinely cared for her. If she could reverse time, she would never do something like that again and would definitely stay right at his side, where she felt the most secure. As the young man took her pants off, he stretched his hand and stripped her clean. Utmost despair filled Charlotte''s mind and heart as the young man spread her legs and prepared himself. Closing her eyes, Charlotte could only resign herself to faith. Her cultivation and strength were suppressed, there was nothing that she could do. Staring at the ceiling, her eyes looked blank and void of life, but just as she lost all hope, a gunshot echoed in the room followed by a cold voice that said, "It took me quite long to find you, and now. Are you still gonna be that naive and refuse to adapt?" 57 Effects of the Aphrhodisiac "Who are you?!" The auntie screamed in horror as the young man collapsed on the ground twitching with a hole on his back, Dan targeted his spleen so that he wouldn''t directly die from the gun wounds, but the blood loss. Collecting her nerves, the auntie took a pair of scissors from a nearby cabinet. But before she could attack Dan, another gunshot echoed and her body, tumbled on the ground, a similar hole could be seen on her chest. The rules of the Bazaar prevented any direct murder but dying from injuries was something that wasn''t prohibited and as long as Dan left them for dead, he wouldn''t be sanctioned by the formation. And since the formation couldn''t detect who killed someone who died from injuries, the killer wouldn''t be sanctioned. This was the loophole that Dan found in the system after witnessing the situation inside the Bazaar. A strong smell of blood soon wafted in the air and Charlotte sniffed as she cried her tears out. Staring at Dan who once again saved her life, she couldn''t say any excuse about her attitude as she just laid there, not even caring about her shameful appearance and the blood that splattered on her stark naked body. "I''m sorry...I won''t do it again...Please forgive me..." The spoiled Charlotte pleaded with all of her might, struggling to move under the effects of the drugs. Dan''s cold expression somewhat softened as he walked beside her and dressed her up. Charlotte became bashful upon witnessing his gesture but since she couldn''t move, she could only quietly stare at him with a complicated expression on her face. It was the first time that she had such a horrifying experience. Fortunately, she still possessed some brain cells which enabled her to understand her current circumstances. Closing her eyes for a moment, she resolved herself that she should not trust anybody in this area anymore, like what she did when the auntie invited her. Dan kept an indifferent expression as he dressed her up but the alluring fragrance that came from Charlotte''s body proved fatal even to him. Ever since he tasted the flavor of women, he longed to taste it once again, especially when he was parted with his wife. Calming his nerves, Dan thought to himself that he would never betray his wife. The only problem that he had was how could he dispel the effects of the drugs from Charlotte''s body? Carrying her like a sack of potatoes on his shoulders, he didn''t wipe the blood that splattered on his body as he activated Absolute Disguise and came out of the room with the young man, called Roger''s face and physique. The people that discreetly observed the establishment saw that their customer, the Young Master Roger came out of the room, carrying the gorgeous woman that previously entered the building. Witnessing that the young woman laid lifelessly on his shoulders, they shook their head, but they still followed him, hoping that they could take a taste of her freshly dead body. Even if she''s dead, they have several ways to warm her body up so her insides would feel the same as if she was alive. Dan noticed these bastards and grimly thought, ''Goddamned it, they won''t even spare a dead body...'' Turning around, he glared using Roger''s expression before saying, "You bastards better stop following me, I will be collecting her body for now and use it for my own..." His glare proved effective and the following men immediately dispersed, after all. Roger belonged to the strongest organization, the Black Widow Gang. Everyone who saw him averted their gazes and Dan safely arrived in a dark alleyway near the Tyrannical Jollibee Gang. Removing Absolute Disguise, he carried the steaming hot potato that was Charlotte into his room and immediately summoned Caitlyn. When the latter arrived, she stared at Dan with a look of confusion and he had no other choice but to explain everything. At the end of his explanation, Caitlyn nodded her head, the position of women inside this Bazaar really was too dangerous. If not for the fact that she possessed a powerful enough strength, she would''ve already become someone''s sex slave. Sighing, she said, "She''s inflicted with a One Drop a Hundred Round Aphrodisiac..." Her expression looked bitter as she stared at Dan who asked, "One Drop a Hundred Round? What does that mean?" Even though he has an idea about what she meant, he didn''t dare to confirm anything without her confirmation. "Yes, that''s right, if a man consumed it, they could last a hundred rounds and if a woman takes it, they would tighten up and their insides would repeatedly constrict, this kind of thing has been extremely popular in here, since it could make an old woman feel tight as if she was eighteen..." Caitlyn explained, yet her expression remained bitter. Dan''s eyes twinkled, ''Goddamned it that''s an awesome concoction, Just where can I buy such a thing?'' He thought but didn''t dare to say these thoughts out loud. After all, who didn''t wish to satisfy a hundred woman? If Dan acquired such thing, he could subdue the word under his nut. He inwardly thought, and his pause made Caitlyn suspicious as she frowned. Noticing her impatience, Dan said, "Then, how can this be treated? Her temperature is flaring up so bad, it would be a matter of time before she goes unconscious due to shock..." Dan assessed and Caitlyn stared at him in shock. "Are you by some chance, a doctor?" "No, I''m not, but I had to learn some techniques since this world is quite dangerous," Dan explained and Caitlyn didn''t inquire any further. Instead, her cold expression became somehow embarrassed as she said, "I have a treatment but doing this treatment is very important for a woman, so forgive me about this, but can you tell me if the two of you are lovers?" Her words astonished Dan but he still answered honestly, "No, we''re just comrades who got stuck in the same boat..." He wryly smiled. Caitlyn stared at him with complicated emotions. But before she could say something else, Charlotte''s body suddenly twitched as a pain-filled moan came out from her throat. A stream of clear liquid that emanated an inviting fragrance drenched her lower body along with her pants. Dan turned his head to the side and Caitlyn pushed him away outside. "I can''t delay this anymore, stay outside, I''ll treat her!" She declared and Dan obliged. Outside, he fell into deep contemplation. His expression turned weird when he thought about the moment where Caitlyn asked if he and Charlotte were lovers. ''Could it be that the treatment involved sex? If so, why is she saying that she could treat her when she''s a woman?'' His eyes widened in shock and his figure quivered, ''Don''t tell me, she pretended to be a woman all this time like Charlotte did when we first met?! Fuck, no!'' Dan sprung into action, harshly shoving the door, he found Caitlyn who spread Charlotte''s legs with her index finger poking on the latter''s swollen entrance. "Nani?" A quaint cry came from Dan''s throat and Caitlyn''s expression froze, in a flash, she turned around and kicked his stomach, sending him flying backward as he repeatedly coughed in pain. However, as he stood up, he wiped a trail of blood from his nose as he thought about the ongoing yuri action inside the room. 58 Friendly Competition Night arrived and everyone inside the Tyrannical Jollibee Gang was gathered inside a hall except Charlotte who was in the middle of recovering. The men noticed the newcomer Dan as they mumbled to themselves. The latter was sure that they were currently badmouthing him. After all. His figure looked frail and his skin even looked as fair as a woman. Shaking his head, he paid no heed to their comments as he waited for Caitlyn''s announcement. Among the summoned men were three Forgers of the Gang called Monali, Giovanne, and Patrick, both men looked sturdy with their arms bulging like a body-builder. But now, this three men wore irritated expressions on their faces as they mumbled, "What kind of nonsense is she announcing again? Doesn''t she know that we''re in the middle of creating weapons? A single moment of lagging in our concentration will result in failure!" They complained but Caitlyn didn''t bother about them, instead, she inwardly sneered. After Caitlyn recruited these three bastards from the Great Wilderness of Torb, they said that they were reputable Forgers of their time but when they were tasked to create simple crossbow weapons. Their success rate didn''t even surpass thirty percent. The lost that the Gang suffered every day paired with their arrogance as mighty Forgers made the other members of the Gang, infuriated about their antics. If not for the fact that they needed them to repair their weapons, they would''ve already thrown them back at the Great Wilderness. The three men stood side by side with their heads raised proudly at the skies. Ever since they became the Forger of these Gang, they enjoyed fame and riches that they never experienced back at their homeland. Although they claimed to be reputable Forgers. The truth was all of them were only carpenters that were sentenced to be exiled after being convicted of murder. But since the Gang didn''t have any means of confirming that, they could rest assured that no one would find any hole in their stories. Clapping her hands together, Caitlyn gathered the attention of the men and everyone turned their heads at her. "From now on, the three Forgers, Monali, Giovanne, and Patrick will be fired. They will be replaced by Dan." She only spoke two sentences but this became like a thunderbolt which struck the minds of everyone in the scene, particularly the three Forgers whose expression quickly distorted in anger and shame. How dare she do this to us?! Didn''t she know about the consequences of firing your own Forgers? Without weapons for your troops, you may as well just commit suicide! The men who didn''t like the three couldn''t help but frown, even if their attitudes were haughty and arrogant. At the least, they could provide them with weapons to use. But now that their leader fired them, who would replace their post? Their gazes landed on a young man whose figure looked feminine and when their eyes landed on his frail hands, they doubted their eyes and rubbed it for a moment. But when they looked again, they found the same thing as they voiced their complaints. "Miss Boss! This guy''s arms look too weak to even carry a hammer! How can we expect him to forge weapons for us?" "That''s right, that''s right, Miss Boss, what are you doing?" Despite the incessant voices of complaints, Caitlyn remained stoic and declared as she used her cultivation base as a pressure to directly stifle their resistance,"Shut up! I have already handed over my decree, if you have any complaints, voice it to Dan!" Everyone became silent like scolded kids and Dan who was suddenly called out shook, he stared at Caitlyn with a complicated expression on his face. However, when he turned, the former stared at him with a smile before coquettishly saying, "Consider this matter as a repayment for me, helping you cure your comrade..." Sighing to himself, Dan could only accept this as he stepped forward. Suffusing an indifferent expression, he said, "Those who are not satisfied with me being assigned as a Forger, come step forward." Bang! Literally, everyone took a step forward as they stared at Dan with vicious expressions. Especially the three fired Forgers whose face twisted into different colors. Glancing at the men, he gestured, "The three of you, come here, since you look like you''re dissatisfied about the Miss Boss'' decision, let''s decide this with a quick contest..." Everyone''s eyes stared at Dan with a light of shock and doubt, but some shone in admiration as they thought. How bold! To think that he would directly challenge the three Forgers, it seems like this boy-toy isn''t so simple... The expressions of the three men turned vicious, "Brat, what kind of qualifications do you have to shame us like this? We worked hard for the Gang and ever since we were recruited, we tirelessly handed over weapons and armors for everyone to use but this is how you''re gonna repay us?!" Monali stepped forward and voiced his complaints. His tone carried a melancholic vibe and unwillingness to depart from the Gang. The two other men picked this clue up and they stood right beside each other, suffusing wronged expressions on their faces. Dan stared in amusement at the antics of the three while the other men shivered in cringe. How shameless! What handed over are they talking about? In each weapon they make, we''re losing seven to eight batches of materials! What kind of forgers are you, you bastards! Some men who were privy to inside information inwardly cursed while some who didn''t know much about the matter became swayed by their acting. But Dan remained calm as he replied, "That''s enough since Miss Boss has already passed her decision, we could only follow it." His eyes swept past the men, "But since the three of you are unwilling, we will decide if we follow her decision in a simple contest..." Since Dan said so, the three men didn''t have other chance but to oblige. And they felt quite confident about their chances of winning. After all, even if they were just carpenters, they made weapons for about several months already and were familiar with how every process works. Seeing that the three went silent, Dan explained, "The competition is simple, as a Forger or Blacksmith, we will compete by making the most weapons in ten batches of materials! If we made the same amount, the quality of the weapons would be judged instead!" The three men shook for a moment as Giovanne asked. "What kind of weapon will we make?" Dan smiled at them, "A sword!" When they heard his words, they rejoiced in their hearts. If they claimed that they were the most knowledgeable people inside the Gang when it comes to weapons, particularly, Swords, No one would dare to object. And now that Dan actually wanted to compete with them using Swords as a topic, they inwardly sneered, but on the outside, they maintained a dignified and righteous expression. After all, this was the time where they could show everyone their true prowess. After receiving a pair of hammer and anvil along with a furnace of their own, the four received their batch of materials and under the gaze of the men, the four raised their hammers in the air and pounded! 59 Sadness comes After Happiness When the four raised their hammers, everyone''s eyes glued onto them. But when their arms descended, along with a consecutive clanging sounds. The crowd deduced whose movements were more graceful and fluid. And that was the three men. Their movements looked as fluid as water without waste and their poundings of the Iron echoed out at the same time indicating their harmonious coordination towards each other. Meanwhile, Dan''s movements looked stiff and his frail arms looked like it couldn''t even carry the hammer itself as he smashed it down the iron. Dan glanced at his competitors and noticed their flair, but he didn''t mind their flashy movements, after all. He had his own tricks up his sleeves. The crowd shook their heads and Caitlyn who saw his movements sighed in disappointment. The fluidity of a forger''s movements indicated the mastery of their occupation. The three men. Even though they were wasteful, they could still spit out three weapons after spending ten batches of materials. At the least, even if they had to swallow a loss, they could still obtain their needed weapons. The members of the Gang who noticed Caitlyn''s disappointed and deflated expression shook their heads in return. Some of the arrogant ones started booing with sneers up their faces. The three men noticed the crowd''s agitation as a wicked smile lifted on their lips. They had long since mastered these movements yet the young man actually challenged them in their own territory, hoping that he would win? Fat chance! Soon, they finished tempering their irons and started melting it and afterward, using a casting mold, they dripped their melted metals and cooled them with sand instead of water quenching, increasing their durability in the cost of sharpness. After finishing theses process without any problems, they haughtily stared at Dan who was still in the process of tempering his Iron. "Kid, what''s wrong? Why are you taking so long in tempering such a small fragment of metal?" "Yeah, he really is taking too long, I think that he doesn''t even know Smithy in the first place!" "Wait, if that''s the case, he should be disqualified now! What a farce, we''re actually competing with an amateur!" His words evoked the emotions of the crowd and they started nagging at Caitlyn whose expression looked dark and indescribable. The latter glanced at the nonchalant Dan and said, "Contestant Dan, if you could, please hurry up, if you still cannot temper your Iron in the next ten minutes, it would be considered as your loss." Dan lifted his head and stared right into her eyes. Realizing her intentions, Dan shook his head and chuckled. Raising the hammer up in the air, his movements still looked slow when it descended but this time, when it smashed the Iron, it actually pressed it down that it looked like a pancake. The sharp eyes of the other men who knew quite a bit regarding smithy shone. The three men stared at Dan with a strange light within their eyes. They realized that even though his movements looked slow, his efficiency in diffusing the impurities within the metal surpassed them by several folds. But still, they remained their indifferent and cold expression, their eyes shone in a condescending light, after all. Even if he could temper the metal right, that doesn''t mean that he would succeed in melting and casting it. A purified metal would be easy to melt but hard to cast. And even if you managed to create a weapon out of it. Without the right techniques, it would most likely be fragile and wouldn''t withstand the test of time. But who was Dan? He had the Crafting Sub-System guiding him all this time! Maintaining his casual expression, Dan was exhilarated inside to the extent that he wanted to leap in joy. At first, he had doubts if he could use the Crafting Sub-System without anyone realizing it, but after he tried, he realized that it could set into guidance mode. Numerous floating semi-transparent screens decorated the air around him, some even labeled the metal that he melted, giving him information about its current temperature, viscosity, and potential to cast. With a help of an omniscient guidebook, what would he fear? Glancing at the bastards who continued staring at him as if he was a dead man. Dan shrugged and darted his gaze at Caitlyn who only nodded in return. The three men took their swords from the glass and several judges from the Gang whose knowledge regarding Forging surpassed or even comparable to the three received the weapons and judged it. "Hmm, this is good, out of a hundred, its durability is at least at ninety, sharpness at eighty-one and comfort at seventy. Definitely a good sword!" A middle-aged man whose left eye had an eye patch deduced, praising the sword''s quality. Handing it back at the three men, they kept their swords and stared at Dan who was in the process of melting his materials. "Kid," Monali attracted Dan''s attention at the latter turned towards him and said, "Is there any problem?" "Hmmph..." Monali snickered, "There''s no problem about us, but you..." "Me?" Dan lifted an eyebrow. "Yes, you." Monali crossed his arms, "You better prepare your luggage since you will definitely be exiled back where you came from..." He turned around and casually chatted with the other men, not minding his existence anymore. His arrogance and haughtiness could be considered as reasonable. After all, they spent several months toiling inside the Gang, hoping that they would acquire a Forger position but when they acquired it, they would suddenly be pushed away by a no-name brat whose figure looked more like an escort than a man. How could they not be indignant? Dan understood their feelings and he didn''t really want to cross them either. After all, he wouldn''t benefit much from expelling them. Much worse, his workload would increase upon their disappearance. But since they openly challenged his capabilities, he accepted it to give himself an opportunity in exerting his dominance so that in the future, no one would doubt his abilities. Completing the melting process, Dan dripped the melted metal inside a casting mold and water quenched it. His actions startled the men, if he water quenched his metal, its durability would surely lag behind the three men, yet why did he do it? They became puzzled, but their confusion turned into shock when they realized that Dan semi-melted the metals again and this time, he cooled it with sand. Several tens of minutes later, Dan took his weapon from the sand and when he picked it up. The weapon gave off a mysterious obsidian sheen, which sent palpitations down the heart of the three men as they had a premonition within their hearts. "What is this..." The judging eye patch man mumbled in shock, it was the first time that he saw such a domineering looking sword. Running his index finger lightly at the blade, he saw that his skin cracked with blood leaking from it. "How sharp!" He wasn''t even satisfied and he took his own precious sword and sliced the body of the newly made sword. Everyone''s eyes focused on the sword that Dan made and when they saw the eye patch man swinging his sword on it. They knew in their hearts that it would definitely shatter along with Dan''s dreams of becoming a forger within their Gang. Clang! The tip of a sword flew in the air. But contrary to everyone''s expectations, what flew wasn''t the sword that Dan made, but the treasured sword of the eye-patched man! It has to be known that his treasure sword accompanied him for several decades. It inexperienced numerous tempering from the blood of his enemies and the reinforcement of other Forgers, but no one expected that its life would end at the hands of a sword made by an amateur... Wait, what amateur. If that boy-toy is an amateur, then all of us Forgers would be commoners! They inwardly cursed and the three men who saw the spectacle happening right before their eyes couldn''t say anything as their figures endlessly trembled in shock. Only the dull thuds of their knees hitting the ground echoed across the silenced hall. This time, they had truly kicked an iron plate! 60 Eruption Daybreak arrived and the burst of sunlight illuminated the world. Inside the Empire of Eternal Faith. Within the deep recesses of the Paradyne Academy at the top of Fragrant Peak. Three figures clad in fiery robes could be seen standing before each other. One figure looked like an emaciated old man carrying a sword strapped to his waist while the other was a middle-aged man whose expression looked solemn and rugged. The remaining figure carried a young child in her arms as the old man turned and said, "Girl, are you sure about this? Although we do not have any chance, I can just search for him on my own. You can stay here, take care of your daughter and wait for my news." The young woman shook her head, "No, Senior Takemikazuchi, I have already decided, ever since he thought of me as his wife, I also thought of him as my husband. Since he disappeared, it is my job to find him, even if I die..." "Don''t say such grim words, young girl..." Mathias interjected at the side, he admired the courage and determination of this young woman. If not for her daughter that acted as her restraint, she would''ve dived inside the Great Wilderness of Torb to personally search for her husband. "Okay, fine, I won''t ask anymore. But what are you going to do with your daughter? Don''t tell me you''re going to have her accompany you on this journey?" Takemikazuchi asked, and Natalie shook her head, "No, the reason why I carried Juliet here is to temporarily leave her in the care of Senior Mathias. " Mathias stared at her with a light of comprehension, the land of the Great Wilderness contained dangers that could easily end a child''s life. It was certainly a good move for her leaving her child in his care. However, would Juliet, her child accept this arrangement? The nine-years-old Juliet somehow understood their discussion and she tightened her grip on her mother''s clothes. When Natalie tried separating her, she insisted and shook her head, "No, I want to be with mama, papa is already gone, I don''t want mama to be gone too!" Hearing her words, Natalie turned speechless and numerous emotions welled up in her heart. But in the end, she kissed her daughter''s forehead and explained, "Juliet, I will be going in an adventure to find your papa so can you stay with uncle Mathias until we return?" "No! No! I don''t want anyone, I only want papa and mama!" She clung and embraced her neck like a monkey, " Mathias who saw Juliet''s relentless actions and Natalie''s helpless expression sighed, how long has it been since he interacted with her daughter in such a way? And when he thought that he finally had a chance in reconciling with his daughter, fate toyed with him and she disappeared from his sight. Stretching his hand inside his robe, Mathias took a small ore that shone in a brilliant light. When Takemikazuchi saw this ore, he exclaimed, "That''s a Deep Sea Gold Essence! Mathias! Are you sure about this?!" His shock and surprise turned into an exclamation which came out of his throat. As a Legendary Forger, If Takemikazuchi claimed that he was the most knowledgeable one when it comes to forging materials in this continent. No one would dare to object. And the material before him, called the Deep Sea Gold Essence could only be found from Deep Sea Gold Chunks that were tempered for several millions of years under the pressure of the ocean. Only when it met a certain condition would it form and it could be considered as incredibly rare. Weapons forged using this Essence would have the potential to reach the Realm beyond the Heaven, possibly causing a strife between Empires and Countries or even Continents itself. "Senior, you must know that keeping this precious material with me won''t do me anything good since I can''t even do anything about it. However, if this is in Senior''s hands, it would truly shine..." Mathias handed over the small ore and Takemikazuchi hurriedly deposited it within his Spatial Storage Device, afraid that he may renege. Natalie who observed at the side threw the two a look of confusion but the two old monsters stared at each other in understanding, "I understand your wish, I will certainly do it since you sacrificed such a precious material..." Takemikazuchi smiled, and Mathias nodded his head in appreciation. The three then walked their own paths and Takemikazuchi, along with Natalie and her daughter disappeared into the distant horizon. Mathias who was left standing atop the mountain peak mumbled, "As the Leader of the Black Widow Gang, I am quite certain that you, Senior, will definitely find the two..." His voice dissipated in the air as his figure disappeared into nothingness. Meanwhile, at the Desert Wilderness Bazaar, a commotion in the form of two murders erupted in the entire area. The members of the Jollibee Gang frowned, what''s so special about a murder in this lawless City? They thought but when they heard the contents of the news, they hurriedly reported it to Caitlyn. "Miss Boss! It seems like Young Master George of the Black Widow Gang has been killed by someone! Every minion of the Gang has been searching relentlessly culprit, however, they only have a single lead." Caitlyn knitted her eyebrows, the person that killed a member of the Black Widow Gang inside their very own territory really was courting death. "The last person that the young master was seen with was a drop-dead beauty!" The man reported and Caitlyn almost spat her coffee, a drop-dead beauty? With the exception of me and that Charlotte girl, there seems to be no one that could be considered as a drop-dead beauty. As expected, investigators from the Black Widow Gang visited and asked some questions. But because her men backed her alibi, the investigators could do nothing and could only report their findings back to their superiors. Knocking on the doors where Dan''s Forging Room was, Caitlyn, entered and tightly closed the door, even going to the extent of setting up an early warning device. Dan raised his head and stared at him, "Dan, tell me honestly, are you the one that killed that Roger?" "Roger?" Dan absentmindedly mumbled, "Who is that?" He had a bad feeling that the young man that he killed yesterday was that Roger guy, but still he asked this question. "Don''t fool me anymore, the reason why she was poisoned by that drug yesterday should be because she was caught by that despicable Roger, right?" When she spoke these words, Dan could only resign and said, "Yes, he should be that Roger," He then returned to his forging. Witnessing his casual actions, Caitlyn said, "How could you be so casual? That guy is a member of the indisputable number one in this territory, you know? By doing that, you''re dragging us with you" She raised her trembling finger and pointed. At this time, Dan lifted his head once again and said, "Then, what''s wrong? Do they know that I am the culprit? Unless Miss Boss says anything, no one will know about my involvement about that matter, after all, as a newcomer, they would think that I would be too afraid of killing someone in this City..." He explained and Caitlyn reacted, "Yeah, that''s right, now that I think about it, how did you know the loophole within the System? Even I knew about it only after several months passed when I witnessed an Assassination in the streets..." She frowned and stared at Dan with a confused expression. "Well, although the declaration was domineering, when I entered this Bazaar, why is it that if murder is forbidden, why could I smell a heavy scent of blood? If murders are prohibited in here, there should be no smell of carnage or even killing intent..." Dan shrugged and Caitlyn crossed her arms, "So that''s the reason," She sighed before continuing, "However, even though you are safe, that doesn''t mean that your girlfriend is, according to the witness, the last person they saw with Roger was a Goddess-like beauty and with the exception of me, there should be no other woman that could be considered as a Goddess..." Dan rolled his eyes at her, "Why do you consider yourself as a Goddess?" Natalie lifted an eyebrow, "Is there something wrong?" "Nothing." "..." "Setting that aside, your girlfriend is doomed to stay in her transformation or else once someone finds out about her true identity, she would definitely be hunted until she dies," Caitlyn shivered when she remembered the ruthlessness of the Black Widow Gang, back then, someone dared to block their path and as a result, the man was hanged and quartered before being displayed at the entrance of the Bazaar as a warning to those that challenged their authority. "I understand, I understand, I think she has since learned her lesson after that affair anyways and she won''t dare return to her previous state for now, But Miss Boss, since I''m a man, can you help me with something regarding her?" Dan scratched his cheek in awkwardness and embarrassment, Caitlyn stared at him in amusement before saying, "What is it? Go on." Dan looked fidgety upon hearing her words and only until a moment passed did he say, "Well, when I woke up this morning, I found that there''s a pool of blood on her lower body and..." He didn''t explain anymore, but Caitlyn''s expression that turned crimson understood what he meant. Turning her head to the side, she said, "O-o-okay, I understand, I''ll head for her now..." She turned around and walked towards the exit. But before she could twist the doorknob. A fierce explosion racked the entire region where the Tyrannical Jollibee Gang stayed. The earth itself trembled and Charlotte who peacefully slept was shaken into consciousness. The tremor that Dan felt didn''t come from Qi, instead, it came from explosives. Knitting his eyebrows, he took the weapons that he completed with him and rushed towards Charlotte''s room as the screams of men erupted in the skies. "Intruders!" "Bastards of the Dog Gang! To think that you would initiate an attack against us in broad daylight!" 61 Respite Although the Desert Wilderness Bazaar didn''t have any organization to enforce the rules regarding Gang Wars, that doesn''t mean that they could just declare war against each other and wreak havoc on everything. Four first-tier Gangs, the Black Widow Gang, the Soaring Serpent Gang, the Poisonous Mamba Gang and the Diving Eagle Gang controls the balance and equilibrium of everything within the Bazaar. However, since greed breeds conflict, wars could never be avoided but since no one wants wanton destruction. The first-tier Gangs can only wage war against each other and their subordinates, those second-tier Gangs should only harm those from the other Gangs so that their power would be consolidated as one. The Tyrannical Jollibee Gang was a Gang affiliated with the Soaring Serpent Gang. Their enemies include the Poisonous Mamba Gang and the Black Widow Gang which controls the majority of power within the Bazaar. Currently, the attackers came from the Poisonous Mamba Gang''s affiliation of second-tier Gangs called the Fierce Bulls Gang. Ever since the two Gangs were established, they had always been at odds with each other. But even so, they kept a steady balance of small skirmishes that would never escalate into a war of such scale comparable to what they were doing right now. And they were very vicious and insidious. They actually attacked at the time where the Jollibee Gang was the weakest thanks to the recent expulsion of the three Forgers and their failed acquisition of proper weapons. Right now, everything turned into chaos and those unrelated scrammed from the area as the entire region went into a lockdown where both Gangs could relentlessly kill each other in a battle of supremacy. Atop a tower at the Northern part of the Bazaar, a shadowy figure of a man could be seen staring at the smoking Region of the Jollibee Gang. Turning his head behind, he stared at the three men who revealed smirks on their lips as he said, "Hmmm, Caitlyn is just too kind, if I were her, I would''ve killed you outright. After all, there are no merits in keeping you alive and the three of you would instead bring a calamity towards me in the form of information..." He spoke in a calm voice and a small smile lifted on his lips, "But well, that''s fine, since I am not her, and after you told me those crucial things, I would not be so unreasonable as to finish your life." The three men nodded their heads like chickens pecking rice. Their expressions showed their gratitude. Back when they were exiled; members of the Fierce Bulls Gang found them and after a moment of negotiation, both sides agreed that they would shelter the three in exchange for some information regarding their foes. When they found out that the Jollibee Gang has been running out of stocks when it comes to weapons. They immediately rallied their members and started a siege. After all, a Gang without sufficient weapons would never rise as a victor. With both sides having the same number of members. Them, who had the advantage in weaponry would have a higher chance of winning this war The thought of gaining everything that the Jollibee Gang possessed along with the gorgeous beauty, Caitlyn made the man shiver in excitement, his eyes shone in a light of lust before he beckoned with his hands. An unassuming wall beside him transformed into a door where a young woman whose expression looked blank and lifeless could be seen, slowly walking towards him. The young woman didn''t have any clothes to cover her body and so, all of her vital areas were seen and the three men who saw her stared intently at her crack and the mountainous peaks on her chest. Realizing that the three men were still there, He turned around and clapped his hands as three armed men entered the balcony of the tower. The men then grabbed the three traitors and soon, their miserable shrieks echoed across the entire tower. The man only shrugged, how could he spare and include those traitorous bastards into his ranks? Who knows when they would betray him for a bigger benefit? Holding the young woman on her waist, he made her bend over and soon, he forgot about the matter of the three men. Instead, he thrust powerfully with his mind filled with thoughts about Caitlyn. Meanwhile back at the location of the Jollibee Gang. Continuous booming sounds rattled the entire area and the earth itself, shivered in return. Dan arrived at his room and found Charlotte whose expression revealed her apprehension and fear towards the suddenness of the matter. "Transform into a man, again. We''ll be joining them..." When Dan approached, she quickly hid a pool of blood on the sheets and her expression looked crimson in embarrassment. However, Dan didn''t have any time for jokes and he urged him as the latter finally complied. Both of them then came out of the hall and arrived at the front lines where both Gangs were throwing some explosives at each other. Dan had to be careful with his movements since even though the explosives didn''t have that much power. The chemicals contained within it was so corrosive and had the same properties as Napalm which would be pretty disastrous if he got struck by it. Ducking their heads, Dan took his Desert Eagle and stared at Charlotte, "Listen, from now on, everyone that you see that didn''t come from the Jollibee Gang, should be killed..." His chilling words astonished the young maiden but she quickly regained her calm when she remembered his words yesterday. After all, even if his father didn''t specifically lecture her about the ruthlessness of the world, he still told her to be decisive when it comes to life and death battles. Clenching her fists, she stared at the other men who shouted numerous commands at each other, "Squad A, Squad B is restocking their explosives, cover them!" "Squad C, pressure fire the enemy and prevent them from focus-firing Squad B!" "Squad D, scout for flankers, while Squad E will reinforce our barriers and Squad F''s job is to finish the enemy, no one from the Mad Dogs should escape!" Caitlyn rapidly commanded and although no one replied, their actions displayed their consent as almost everyone moved according to their jobs with the exception of Dan and Charlotte who stared in shock at her finesse and leadership skills. After throwing a bottle of explosives, she noticed the gazes of the two and she moved towards them and said, "What are the two of you doing in here? This battle doesn''t concern you..." Her expression turned chilly, "Go back to your room and wait until this is over..." Her unyielding expression indicated that she didn''t want to include Dan and Charlotte in their internal battles. However, little did she knew that when she spoke these words towards Dan. The latter was moved and immediately decided, ''Since she didn''t ask as to join the battle, she clearly thinks that although our battle prowess when it comes to duels are good. Our strength would be suppressed in large-scale battles,'' Dan wore a small smile as he glanced at Caitlyn, ''Her thoughtfulness towards our well-being will definitely not go unrewarded...'' Tapping the System Menu, Dan took several Frag Grenades, infused it with his Qi and discreetly hurled it over at the enemies advancing barricade. Bang! Bang! Bang! Consecutive deafening roars erupted. First when the Frag Grenade exploded. It didn''t do any damage towards the enemy troops and like the explosives that the Jollibee Gang hurled over; it was stopped by the enemy''s barrier that encompassed them all. However, when the second Grenade exploded, the barrier cracked and a small hole the size of a plate could be seen above it. Fortunately, Dan''s throwing techniques along with the System''s calculation guaranteed accuracy as the Grenade entered in between the enemy lines and detonated, sending chunks of flesh along with gallons of blood drenching the ground, scarlet. [You have successfully Assassinated a member of the Fierce Bulls Gang! Obtained 3 ASP] Numerous system notifications floated in the air before being dismissed by Dan after a momentary glance. The enemy abruptly retreated after realizing that they lost at least fifty comrades in that single explosion. Due to the panic and fear of instantly dying filling their minds, their movements looked sluggish and they didn''t look as orderly as before. They retreated with big movements, but... How could Caitlyn, the leader of the Jollibee Gang let them go away without paying any compensation? "Everyone! They look disoriented from the attack just now! All Squad from A to C, commence the attack, now!" Caitlyn roared as she unsheathed her sword and personally pounced at the enemy front lines. With a swing of her sword, a head would fly towards the skies. Same goes at the men who looked as ferocious and as bloodthirsty as her. They were akin to wolves inside a flock of sheep. Completely unrestrained with their killing; the enemies were annihilated in a matter of minutes. Charlotte who observed the scene of absolute carnage couldn''t help but retch in disgust and pain. However, her pride as a member of the Paradyne Clan didn''t allow her to surrender. She stomached the scene of innards sprayed on the ground as she stood up and ran towards an escaping enemy. Dan who witnessed her sudden outburst stared at her in shock but didn''t prevent her following actions. Raising her palm towards the escaping man. A ball of flame manifested in the air along with a domineering might that enveloped her sturdy figure. Her expression looked solemn and with a flick of her wrist. The ball of flame transformed into a fire dragon that endlessly chased the man. However when he realized that the fire dragon couldn''t be avoided. He turned around and hoped for the best. But how could he survive under the finest Divine Arts of the Paradyne Clan? Upon contact, his body melted from her hands and in under two seconds. Only a pile of ashes were left that eventually dissipated in the air. Charlotte fell on the ground, her expression looked pale and Dan hurriedly moved and ruffled her hair as if saying, "Good girl, good girl, you can do it if you want after all..." The men who just finished their slaughter noticed the appearance of the fire dragon that dazzled their eyes. Darting their gaze at Charlotte who manifested it, their eyes shone in shock when they realized the identity of the dragon. Divine Arts! All of them hissed and when the attack engulfed the escaping man. Their figures turned silent. Along with Caitlyn whose mouth gaped in shock. The value of Divine Arts could not be measured by money alone. And it could only be obtained through a fortuitous encounter or some kind of an inheritance or heirloom passed through the entire family for generations. A cultivator could still cultivate without Divine Arts but their strength would never surpass those who had Divine Arts, even if they surpassed them by a stage. That''s how strong, Divine Arts were. They were basically a cheat that could enable anyone to jump ranks and fight their enemies without having any problems. The admiration of the men turned into joy when they saw that the one who unleashed that Divine Arts belong to their Gang. But just as they walked towards Charlotte''s direction. They found that Dan and Charlotte huddled together, with the former ruffling her hair in an affectionate manner while she was transformed into a man. ''Fuck, I forgot...'' ''Goddamned it, I forgot that both of them...'' ''Swings that way...'' Instantly, everyone turned their heads around and minded their own business. Some looted the enemy while some whistled in the air as they cleaned their blood-soaked weapons. However, Caitlyn could see that just from the excitement painted on their faces alone. They really wanted to approach Charlotte and throw her in the air while singing songs of victory. But still...I wonder what how would these hungry bastards react when they realize that Charlotte was actually a woman... Caitlyn inwardly thought as a smile lifted on her lips. Her expression looked, clearly interested towards that event. 62 Regrets When the leader of the Fierce Bulls Gang received the report of his subordinates about the capture of Tyrannical Jollibee Gang''s territory. His sexual drive disappeared and he harshly pushed the young woman underneath him as his expression turned crimson in anger. Where did I go wrong? How could they survive the attacks of my men? I even gave them a Mortal Grade Formation as protection, but they still died! Just what is going on in here? He cupped his chin with his right hand as he thought. As the leader of a Gang, he still possessed some brain cells that enabled him to see through the strangeness of his enemies'' victory. Could there be some kind of a unique factor in play? But I am sure that they do not have that many weapons anymore and they also don''t have any Formations or Artifact that could temporarily boost their power... In the end, he clicked his tongue in frustration and picked the young woman from the ground as he vented his vexation unto her. Back at the Tyrannical Jollibee Gang region, the members of the entire Gang gathered including Charlotte and Dan. Currently, Dan wore a solemn expression as he glanced at the other members of the Gang, all the while instructing the System in monitoring their vital signs. His eyes flashed in a critical light. When he found that the attack of the Fierce Bulls Gang should not commence this early, he started thinking about the reason why they launched this siege. Even though they didn''t have any idea about the true strength of each other. As a man who loved books in his previous life, especially the mystery ones. He liked solving these kinds of problems and his mind had a foundation of information where he could tap onto when he stumbles upon an obstacle. However, Dan didn''t take long in deducing the truth why the information about the Gang was leaked. Apart from the three men that Caitlyn described, there were still snakes that Dan needed to purge so that everything would function well as intended. "Ahem..." Caitlyn gathered the attention of everyone as she spoke, "Trevor, the technique that you used earlier, was it a Divine Art?" She asked the question that everyone wanted to know the most. Charlotte''s mighty figure shivered in embarrassment which invoked a chain of whole body cringes within the gang members. But they soon calmed themselves down, waiting for Charlotte''s answer. Clenching her fists, Charlotte momentarily glanced at Dan before saying, "Yes, Miss Boss, this Divine Arts of mine is a bloodline Divine Art that was handed over to me by my father..." Dan''s lips lifted a small smile, earlier, he instructed Charlotte to say such words so that he could achieve two goals in one fell swoop. One, to halt the greed of these men, and second, to snake out his prey. And indeed, when the men heard the words, Bloodline Divine Art. They shook their heads and discarded their previous designs towards the Divine Art that Charlotte had. After all, they would not be able to acquire such a technique much less use it since it runs through the blood and could only be inherited. Caitlyn stared at her with a calm expression but Charlotte remained unperturbed. Witnessing her visage, she could only sigh and say, "Trevor, can you please lend us your strength? We will soon be commencing an attack towards the Fierce Bulls Base so your strength as a Divine Arts user would tremendously help us..." Her words echoed loud and clear and the men perked up their concentration in listening. But before Charlotte could answer, Dan raised his hand and said, "Miss Boss, I can speak on behalf of her that she would definitely help. However, under one condition..." Dan''s word astonished the men, some of them stared angrily at him for being so petty, even when they''re at warring times. But since Dan possessed what they needed; they could only shut up and listen to his request. Caitlyn knitted her eyebrows. But she came to the same conclusion as her subordinate. Since it''s just a single request, why could we not grant it as long as it''s not too much? After all, once we succeed in capturing their region, we would gain more than we lose... "Okay, fine, what is that condition?" She continued and upon seeing that Caitlyn agreed, Dan lifted his lips in a smile as he said in a casual voice that sent chills running through their spines, "Let me kill someone here..." "Eh?" "What did he say?" "Didn''t he just say that he wants to kill someone among us?" The men fervently discussed and Caitlyn''s expression reddened in anger, "Absolutely, not! How dare you say something such as killing my comrades! I would never let you do such a thing and if you did, you will suffer the consequences..." She declared and when her subordinates heard her words They were incredibly moved and swore their unwavering loyalty towards her, deep within their hearts once again. But when it comes to Dan. Everyone who had some goodwill about him initially stared at him like venomous snakes. How could he casually request, killing someone from our Gang? They inwardly thought. Caitlyn finally calmed down and stared at Dan with complicated expressions, "Since your condition is something that I cannot meet, then negotiations are over and both of you are now expelled from the Gang..." She declared and Charlotte''s figure shivered. But Dan held her firmly in place as he dropped another bombshell, "What if the person that I want to kill is a mole that repeatedly reports everything that is happening to the Fierce Bulls Gang?" Caitlyn''s figure shook and so did the men who started racking their heads in thought. Ever since the Fierce Bulls Gang launched their offensive; she always found it strange as to why they were so decisive in attacking as if victory was certain, for them? But even though it would be certain since they lacked the weapons to fight them. They should not know about that information since only a handful of people including Dan should know about their status quota. But since they knew about it, it could only mean one thing. There definitely was a mole inside their Gang! At this moment of realization, every member stared at each other with wary expressions on their faces. Some secretly prepared their weapons while someone, who stood at the very back of the formation, took a jadeslip, the size of a pebble and prepared to crush it in his palm. Puchi! Before he could exert any strength in his arms, his eyes widened in shock when he realized that a dagger protruded on his forehead. Everyone turned at him in horror as his body, collapsed on the ground. "Dan, what did you do?! I haven''t even accepted your condition and we still haven''t even heard his side and you already killed him?! Are you challenging my authority?!" Caitlyn shouted in rage. Dan merely glanced at her as he coldly chuckled, "Miss Boss, If I didn''t kill him and waited for that so-called trial or questioning, he would''ve already sent everything that we discussed in here including the existence of the Divine Arts that Trevor possessed." His eyes momentarily flashed in a cold and murderous light, "As her lover, how could I have her suffer such risk?!" He loudly declared and Charlotte who was still in her transformation blushed like a young maiden. Glancing at the men that stared at him in anger, he said, "If all of you are unconvinced, open his right palm and see the evidence for yourself!" Dan turned her back towards the group and dragged Charlotte with him as Caitlyn and her men, inspected the dead body of their comrade. Their eyes widened in shock and anger when they realized that the man whom they treated closely like a brother, actually sold them out towards their nemesis, The Fierce Bulls Gang. The anger of the men surged and they even desecrated his body, spitting on it with some even going so far as to feeding his limbs towards the dogs. When Caitlyn turned around to look for Dan and Charlotte, she could not find any traces of them as her body, weakly fell on the ground. Without the help of a Divine Art and Dan''s Forgery skills. How could they succeed at their attack in the next few days? She could only blame herself for their departure as her expression, looked like she just aged for several decades as she stood up and went back to the hall. 63 Preemptive Attack When everyone heard the news of the duo''s departure, their expression darkened and all of them inwardly cursed Dan''s attitude. "How could they leave us when we''re struggling? They know that we need their power, yet they left us when we''re down..." The men murmured at each other, while Caitlyn shook her head and said, "It''s fine, It''s fine, people live for benefits and since there are no more benefits with him staying with us, it would be much better for him to leave..." "But Miss Boss..." The men groaned, but when they saw Caitlyn''s dark expression, they became silent as they inwardly swore that they would definitely make the two pay a price for running away while they''re down. "Calm down. Instead of hating them, we should be grateful since he took the effort in removing a mole right under our eyes..." Caitlyn said, and the anger of the men, slightly dissipated. "But Miss Boss, how should we proceed now since we lost the support of a Divine Arts User?" Someone commented and Caitlyn mused for a moment since the weapons that they obtained as spoils of war was enough to arm themselves for the upcoming offensive that they would launch, it could be said that they still stood a chance in defeating the Fierce Bulls Gang. But even so, if they could not defeat them, it''s fine as long as they could make them a heavy price. To prevent a war of attrition between Gangs, The three leaders of the first-tier Gangs decreed that if two second-tier Gangs engaged in a war with each other. It should be done in turns and surrender should be permissible. The war would first start with the challenging side as the attacker. The attacker''s objective was to kill the enemy commander or infiltrate and take their flag inside their Hall. If they succeeded, they could annihilate the enemy gang and take their territory for themselves, but if they failed, they would be forbidden from launching another attack. And they could only wait until their enemy launches their own assault. When Dan heard this piece of information in exchange for some silver coins that Dan received from Charlotte, his expression flickered, ''Those bastards really take these kinds of conflicts as a game. To think that they would devise such a policy...'' He inwardly thought. However, since the Gang members were human, that means that they have the tendency to provoke the rules or even ignore it. But thanks to the Formation that encompassed the entire Bazaar that acted as a God, one wouldn''t dare to challenge the rules even if they were given a Lion''s Gut. ''But still, the enemy''s flag, eh..." Dan cupped his chin with his left hand and Charlotte interrupted at the side, "Ermmm, Dan, can we rest for a moment?" Dan turned at her and found that her expression looked somewhat fidgety and nervous. "What''s wrong?" He asked, but when he saw her covering her backside with both of her hands, his expression flickered as he remembered the matter that he asked Caitlyn earlier in the day. With the help of silver coins, Dan managed to unearth all sorts of valuable information. He didn''t expect that an average drunkard knew more knowledge than an information broker. Because of this, in just a round of questioning, Dan gathered enough information to formulate his own plan. But for now, they strode towards a nearby Inn that looked quite luxurious. Approaching the Inn, a female attendant greeted them with a smile as Dan raised his hand. But before he could speak, Charlotte interrupted, "One room please, two beds." She spoke and when Dan glanced at her, he only shook his head and paid the attendant as the two of them entered their room despite the weird gazes of the spectators. The condition of the room that they acquired didn''t look shabby. Although it could not compare to the Inns at the Empire of Eternal Faith; it could still be considered as excellent considering the living condition within the Bazaar. There were two separate beds inside the room with soft mattresses on top of the beds. A single table could be seen at the center with two chairs at the side. But what made Dan speechless was the phallus-like apparatus displayed between the two beds. ''It seems like I entered a love hotel...'' Dan wryly smiled as he watched Charlotte enter the room''s bathroom. Soon, sounds of water streaming down the drain echoed and the faint fragrance of a maiden along with the smell of rust wafted in the air. Dan remembered the matter of a fabric and he called upon an attendant who stared at him with a peculiar gaze when she heard his request. Dan asked for an absorbent fabric and since she knew that both of them were men, the fabric would only serve one purpose. However, she still displayed her professionalism and didn''t bother about it anymore since a stranger''s sex life wasn''t something that she cared about. Handing over a fabric, she bowed and Dan walked towards the door of the bathroom. Knocking on it, he said, "Charlotte, I managed to get a free absorbent fabric from the Inn. Here, take it..." Charlotte''s figure steamed in embarrassment when she heard his words, but she still opened the doors of the bathroom, albeit slightly and took the fabric from his hands. She didn''t expect that her female days would come this early in the month, and she was completely caught off guard since the valuables that she had to counter this issue was lost when she fought that Necromancer. Fortunately, Dan was a man that understood her circumstances and when he handed over that piece of fabric, she earned her respect and admiration. Especially when he also had quite a combat prowess along with a constant air of security that enveloped his figure. Unbeknownst to her, a seed of deep admiration started blooming within her heart as she continued on her business. Meanwhile, Dan who laid on the bed started formulating a plan. According to the information that he gathered from those drunkards. Each Gang Region had a protective barrier that would defend them from the attacks of the opposing Gang. That was the reason why the defending team, the Tyrannical Jollibee Gang didn''t suffer that many injuries at that engagement. The reason why they used explosives since it was the only way that they could use to dissipate the barrier. But unfortunately for them, Dan had the power of Modern Weaponry that ancient explosives like what they used could never contend against. When the duo finished their bath, the two of them went to sleep. But before they could slip off to dreamland, another fierce explosion echoed out before being drowned out by the Sound Isolating Formation embedded on the walls of their room. But Dan didn''t return to sleep. Instead, the two of them sneaked away from their Inn and sped towards the area where the Tyrannical Jollibee Gang started their offensive. Jumping atop a roof, they could see the entire battlefield as Dan thought, ''Why did they start their attack this soon?'' He clicked his tongue, and gripped Charlotte''s wrist, "Charlotte, since Caitlyn has started her attack, we will also back them up. However, since your Divine Arts is a trump-card, it should not be revealed for now..." "Back them up? If I''m not going to use my Divine Arts, what should I do?" Charlotte stared at him in confusion and Dan patiently explained, "According to the rules of Gang Wars, as long as the other side managed to obtain the Flag of their enemy, it could be considered as their win since the Formation of their Region would disappear..." Charlotte thought about his words for a moment before staring at him with a light of comprehension within her eyes, "Could it be that..." "Yes..." Dan nodded, "So stay here and wait, I can''t have you reveal your might or else we would attract more trouble than benefits..." He stared at her and found that her expression looked reluctant and indignant. As a member of the Paradyne Clan, Charlotte possessed a competitive spirit and these kinds of battle hyped her out, the most. Being left out from the fun made her somber as Dan ruffled her hair and chuckled, "Don''t worry, since the enemy is so daring to declare war on us, that means that they also have their own trump card, and I assure you that their trump card is definitely another Divine Arts user..." When she heard his words, Charlotte sighed as her eyes burned with passion. Witnessing her ignited flair, Dan nodded his head in satisfaction, but before he could turn around, Charlotte pulled him as she said, "Take care...I will be waiting for you here..." "Yeah, I''ll be going now, " Dan snickered and his figure leaped on a roof after roof as he eventually reached the border of the protected region. The reason why he looked, so enthusiastic, was because of a system notification that floated in the air before him. [Quest Name: Fierce Bulls Extermination Line] [Quest Rank: S Rank] [Quest Objective: Annihilate the enemy and capture their flag] [Quest Rewards: Unknown] Dismissing the Quest Log, Dan took his weapons out and stared at the distant tower that indicated the center of the Fierce Bulls Territory. 64 Sudden Strike Dan stared at the semi-transparent barrier, instructing the System, a series of system notifications floated in the air. [Name: Pseudo-Heaven Grade Dome of Protection] [Effects: Protects everything inside from physical and Qi-based attacks. It could withstand an all-out attack from a Divine Soul Practitioner.] [Health: 7,231,266\9,000,000] ''Hmm, as expected, the erected barrier really is sturdy...'' Since the barrier encompassed everything inside the region, yet the war only occurred at the Southern side, there were no traces of enemy around him. The health bar of the barrier decreased at a good pace, but it would still take them six hours in dissipating the barrier. Staring at the fireworks at the southern side of the Region, Dan shrugged and tapped the barrier with his index finger. As expected, his figure flew away and his finger even became numb because of the impact. However, this didn''t falter his confidence as a smile lifted on his lips, "Since it doesn''t allow anything foreign to touch it, what would happen if I try this?" He mumbled and walked closer to the barrier as he activated Flicker before jumping inside. When the effects of Flicker dissipated, Dan found himself inside the enemy territory as a small excited smile lifted on his lips. Readying his weapons, the System constantly scanned the area around him as he entered Stealth and approached the vicinity of the Flag. Meanwhile, at the main battle area, Caitlyn along with the members of the Tyrannical Jollibee Gang fiercely battered the barrier that surrounded their enemies while desperately raising their shields up against their attacks. "Throw it at the same spot! As long as we can destroy their barrier, their lives are ours to take!" Caitlyn roared and everyone''s morale surged to the peak as both of their hands swiftly hurled explosives one after another. Atop the tower where the Flag of the Fierce Bulls Gang stood, a shadowy figure of a man stared at Caitlyn with desire burning within his eyes. Beside him, stood a man whose expression remained cold and indifferent. "Karthus, when the barrier disappears, your turn will come so I hope you don''t get that impatient..." The leader of the Fierce Bulls Gang, Fierce Blood said with a playful smile on his face. Karthus beside him merely shrugged as he stared at the scene of numerous fireworks exploding before them. At this time, the Fierce Bulls Gang has completed their set of traps that they placed before the path that their enemy would take before they could reach the tower. But what would they do if they reached the tower? Fierce Blood gave a vicious smile, ''With Karthus at my side, they will never be able to defeat us...'' He crossed his arms together and continued on coldly observing the battlefield. Little did he knew that someone had sneaked past the defenses that he placed and was now approaching the third line of defenses where people who carried Light Stones with them, stood. Light Stones was a common commodity used by everyone in this world. Their main purpose was to provide light under the veil of the night. However, when Dan scanned it with the System, he found that the Light Stones that they held, had a simple formation that would detect any movements in a cone before the stones. Hiding behind a wall, Dan gave a wry smile, ''It seems like I won''t be able to enter the tower without spilling blood...'' Opening the System''s Mini-map, Dan found that the red dots around him numbered at least fifteen people. Which means if he wanted to continue without being discovered, he needed to kill these fifteen people without leaving any traces and in the swiftest manner as possible. Crouching there, Dan purchased another Desert Eagle. But this time, he bought a handgun with a Silencer attachment. Holding it with his right hand, he activated Stealth and pulled the trigger. Puchi! The man targeted by Dan''s attack tumbled on the ground with a bloody hole in his forehead. Everyone around him quickly reacted, but before they could sound their whistles, Dan threw a Flash Grenade that exploded in the center, temporarily taking their eyesight and disorienting them in the process. Seeing the group of headless flies that desperately waved their weapons around them, Dan shook his head and pounced at them, performing a dance of death which reaped their lives. The whole ordeal only lasted for about thirty seconds and Dan quickly destroyed the booby traps that they placed under the soil. Re-entering Stealth, he moved towards the tower as a sense of imminent danger crept up his neck. "Shit!" He cursed and retreated backward, followed by a sharp pain in his neck, along with a thin line of blood that dripped down his chest. A cold sweat run through his back, ''That was close...'' Bending his knees, he calmed himself and stared at his enemy that suddenly appeared. The man before him looked like he was in his mid-twenties. His figure looked skeletal and his expression looked as pale as paper but his eyes shone in a constant eerie light of crimson which intimidated the former. Gritting his teeth, Dan knew that he was currently in the middle of a life and death battle. Any kind of distraction could possibly spell his death as he took a deep breath and entered a state of deep concentration. The expression of the man flickered when he realized that the air that surrounded the young man before him, changed. At first, the young man gave an impression of a courageous yet foolish youth that dared to challenge his authority. However, right now. He bitterly laughed when he found that the young man, now gave off a vibe of a dormant, ancient beast. A beast that should never be provoked lest you didn''t want your life anymore. But still, who was he? He was included in the Top 100s Demonic Rankings and the number of people that he killed in his entire lifetime could form a small mountain of corpses. Gripping his dagger, he regained his calm before saying, "To think that someone could actually infiltrate the barrier that is formed by the Guardian Formation, itself..." A playful smile lifted on his lips, he was deeply interested in the techniques that the young man used in entering such a secure place. ''To think that I was unable to detect him until he killed these guys...'' He shook his head and his fighting spirit, burned even fiercely than before. On the other side, Dan who entered a state of deep concentration couldn''t even bother about what his enemy said. Instead, his focus concentrated on his enemy''s muscle and joints so that he could react at the same time that his enemy would move. But this kind of technique placed a huge burden upon his mental strength and Dan knew that if he kept this up. He would only last thirty minutes before falling unconscious. Tightening his grip, Dan knew that if he didn''t do this, he would surely be taken out by his enemy that not only possessed higher cultivation and attributes than him but was also stronger when it comes to techniques. The only way to defeat overwhelming strength was to combine everything that you have in order to take the smallest advantage as possible and exploit it as long as you can. The two stared at each other in a standstill as a cold wind swept past their figures. The entire area turned colder and their minds disregarded the deafening commotion that occurred around them. They entered a state where only the two of them, existed. And both of them knew that once the other lagged in concentration. It would be their moment of death. "Hey, Karthus! What the hell are you doing there?" A voice of a man disrupted the equilibrium of the two. Karthus'' concentration dissipated for a moment, and when he realized it, Dan had already reappeared before him with his dagger raised up in the air as he mumbled, "Sudden Strike..." A pitch-black light enveloped his dagger as Karthus hurriedly took his own dagger and clashed against Dan''s attack. Clang! Sparks flew and Karthus'' figure flew backward while Dan only staggered for about two steps before he stabilized himself. However, even though Karthus looked defeated from their exchange. The numbing sensation that spread on Dan''s palm indicated that he clearly lost against his enemy as his expression, turned even more solemn than before. 65 Taking Aim In a battle between experts with equal attributes and strength, the one that possessed higher level techniques would usually come out as victorious. However, this time, his enemy was a Realm stronger than him and even with his physical attributes alone, he could completely crush Dan under his foot. Dan''s attributes were as follows. [Name: Dan Gabriel Longinus; Age: 16; Status: the Young Master of the Longinus Clan] [Stats: Str: 3, Int: 8, Dex: 9, Agi: 12, Sta: 2.75] [For Reference, one stat point equals an average human''s stat.] [Cultivation: Peak Stage of the Flesh Tempering Realm] [System Evaluation: Still weak.] In comparison, his enemy attributes were. [Name: Karthus; Age: 54; Status: Second-tier Assassin of the Black Wing Gang] [Stats: Str: 12, Int: 15, Dex, 21, Agi: 15, Sta: 13] [For Reference, one stat point equals an average human''s stat.] [Cultivation: Peak Stage of the Organ Tempering Realm] Dan inwardly cursed, to win this war, the Fierce Bulls Gang didn''t spare any resources in recruiting this Second-tier Assassin from the Black Wing Gang, and he admits that if this monster joined in the fighting at the main battle area. Only Charlotte or Caitlyn could possibly hold him off. ''It looks like I need to hold him off as long as possible...'' Dan clicked his tongue, his expression remained stoic in the face of a formidable enemy like Karthus. Taking a defensive stance, he aimed his Desert Eagle and shot. The bullet whistled through the air and Karthus'' expression frowned when he felt the sensation of the approaching danger. Narrowing his eyes, he deduced the trajectory of the attack and casually swiped at it, causing sparks as the bullet disintegrated. However, when he turned his focus at Dan. He found that the latter was gone and was currently running towards the Tower where the Flag of the Fierce Bulls Gang was located. "Tcch..." Inwardly cursing, his figure blurred and chased at Dan who ran madly towards the opposite direction. Against Karthus whose attributes and cultivation was higher than him, he could not afford a frontal collision against him. For now, he had to rely on the surrounding terrain and skillfully maneuver himself so that he could avoid Karthus'' needle attacks. Fortunately, their clash occurred near a residential area. And Dan only had to take advantage of this fact in avoiding his enemy. But of course, he had to keep the enemy onto him so that his buying time tactic would work as he aimed his muzzle at the back and repeatedly shot. Clang! Karthus raised his dagger in the air and blocked the approaching bullet. However, his eyes widened when he realized that his blade became dull upon contact as he frowned, ''Just what kind of a weapon is that? Not only it''s fast, its piercing power is strong and if not for me using my Qi in blocking, my dagger would''ve collapsed...'' He coldly thought, ''Could it be an Artifact from his homeland? If so...'' A light of avarice shone within his expression. One of the hobbies that Karthus had was weapon collection. He collected numerous weapons that he liked, such as swords, lance, and spears. Upon witnessing Dan''s strange weapon, his urge as a collector ignited and he chased Dan with even more vigor than before. ''He''s actually going faster than before?'' Dan''s expression darkened, the rate of his Qi consumption dramatically increased in each time he hastened his pace. If this chase continued, Dan knew that within the next five minutes. He would surely run out of juice and become a lamb for the slaughter. "There''s no other choice," Dan mumbled and forming a mudra with his hand, he activated his Divine Art, Blessing of the Lightning God.Lightning crackled around Dan and his eyes shone in an azure light. Karthus expression turned solemn as he didn''t expect that a lowly member of a second-tier Gang would possess a Divine Art. The zealous light within his eyes fiercely burned and his chasing speed increased once more. However, Dan''s Divine Art, Blessing of the Lightning God increased one''s speed and destructive power, with a deafening boom like a thunderclap, Dan''s movement surged and he zigzagged through the residential area. Even though his distance from his enemy, lengthened. The seriousness in Dan''s eyes didn''t diminish. The Blessing of the Lightning God devoured Qi like water and according to the System''s simulation, Dan''s Qi Reserves would only last for about five minutes. Without any other choice, he turned around, took several Frag Grenades from his Virtual Inventory and hurled it at Karthus. Karthus who saw the Grenades flying at him, frowned for he could not detect any traces of Qi within it. However, his experience told him that there should be some trick within those balls as he willed and manifested his own defense. BOOM! The earth quaked and the houses around him crumbled as the shockwave alone, staggered him backward. His expression distorted in shock and anger. He didn''t know that an explosive with such power existed. Scanning the area of ruins around him, his eyes narrowed when he realized that he couldn''t find his enemy anymore. When Dan threw the Grenades earlier, he didn''t hope that it would damage his enemy. Instead, he intended to make a distraction that would create an opening for him to activate Stealth. Sneaking past Karthus'' perception, he ran towards the Flag as beaded sweats formed on his forehead. Glancing at the countdown on his peripheral vision. His Stealth would only last for about two minutes before going on cooldown, and he had to decide and move fast. Else, his entire plan would fail, resulting in the annihilation of the Tyrannical Jollibee Gang. Karthus frantically searched the area, and when he didn''t find any traces of the young man, his expression distorted into humiliation and utmost anger. It was the first time that someone escaped his grasp. It was a stain on his perfect record. Clenching his fists, he calmed down and started thinking. Since the young man took the effort in entering the barrier stealthily, that only means that he had an objective that requires stealth to accomplish. And when someone extinguishes his presence and sneakily entered an area. That could only mean one thing. Either he would steal something or he had someone to assassinate. However, the young man''s low cultivation should not be enough to silently eliminate someone like him and obviously, he wouldn''t care about the cannon fodders down below, so that could only mean that his objective was to steal something, right under their eyes. Connecting the dots together, Karthus expression shone in excitement as his figure turned around and dashed towards the direction of the tower. Meanwhile, Dan, who marked his enemy''s location all this while realized that the latter was approaching his vicinity in high speed. Under the System''s calculations, Karthus would catch up to him in under thirty seconds. Sweat furiously dripped down his body and his expression looked pale. HIs Qi Reserve stood at only ten percent and his arsenal of weapons could obviously not defeat his enemy because of his low cultivation. Regret filled his expression when he thought about the times where he didn''t improve his cultivation and he inwardly swore that once he survived this ordeal, he would surely cultivate like a madman. Time trickled like a bomb as Dan promptly decided. Taking a sharp turn towards a dark alleyway, Dan recalled the faces of the men that he just killed as he mumbled under his breath, "Absolute Disguise." Using up half of his remaining Qi, Dan''s figure crackled as his height, shortened along with his figure that now looked completely different from before. Suffusing an indifferent expression, he took a nearby weapon on the ground and rushed to the main battle area. When he ran, Karthus'' figure swept past him as he heaved a sigh of relief. But soon, a vicious smile lifted on his lips as he entered a three-story residential area. There, he opened the System Menu and glanced at his remaining Assassination Points. [ASP: 1261] A holographic keyboard manifested in the air as Dan''s hands danced above it. [Karabiner98k; Price: 875] [Arctic Warfare Magnum; Price: 2075] [Barret M82; Price: 3750] Smiling to himself, Dan bought a Karabiner98k along with an 8x Scope and after all of this, he was left with 136 ASP that he used in buying Frag and Flash Grenades. Carrying the rifle on his shoulder, Dan took an angle where he could completely see the main battle area. Extinguishing his presence, Dan took a deep breath and scoped in. Finding his target, a small smile lifted on his face as his hand, moved and pulled the trigger. Bang! Dan''s scopes kept dancing around and in each time he pulled his trigger, the members of the Fierce Bulls Gang would tumble down on the ground with a bloody hole at the back of their heads. Dan continued his onslaught and he realized how foolish he was for sneaking up the enemy''s territory and aiming for their flag when he could just take cover and snipe them from a safe distance. He chuckled when he saw that the bastards didn''t even realize their comrades dying one after another as they kept throwing explosives at Caitlyn''s crew. As Dan continuously pulled the trigger, system notifications incessantly rang along with semi-transparent screens flickering on his peripheral vision. [You have successfully Assassinated a member of the Fierce Bulls Gang! Obtained, 3 ASP!] [You have successfully Assassinated a member of the Fierce Bulls Gang! Obtained, 3 ASP!] [You have successfully Assassinated a member of the Fierce Bulls Gang! Obtained, 3 ASP!] By the time that they noticed that there was something wrong. It was too late. For Dan''s rifle already reaped a hundred lives from their ranks. 66 Complete Slaughter Caitlyn''s expression looked dark. The barrier that encompassed the region of the Fierce Bulls Gang was stronger than she expected, and as time went by, her side suffered numerous severe injuries. Fortunately, these men gritted their teeth and continued her assault despite their injuries. With complicated expressions, she glanced at her beloved comrades and her expression hardened. No matter what, I will make them pay for what they did. She venomously stared at the distant tower. "Miss Boss! If we keep this up, the barrier will collapse in ten minutes!" A man whose body drenched in his own scarlet blood shouted, his hands didn''t even stop for a second as he fiercely hurled bottles after bottles of explosives at the barrier. Their concentrated attack on the barrier slowly consumed its energy, and once it breaks, their crew would finally be able to infiltrate but what happens next? Her comrades looked battered and bedraggled, yet those bastards in the barrier didn''t even have an ounce of injury because of its protection. Even if they could destroy their barrier, it doesn''t necessarily mean that they could take the flag. Especially with their current condition. "If we had a Divine Art..." She thought about Charlotte''s display of power, if she had such an overwhelming Divine Art, she could just storm her way in and take the flag in a straightforward way. The men around her also thought about this matter. But apart from endlessly cursing Dan and his gay lover''s cowardice, they could not do anything. After all, the two of them had the right to decide if they going to help or not. But still, their display of easily departing from the Gang made the men annoyed and angered at their actions. But at the same time, they bitterly chuckled. No matter how much they wanted to beat the two into a pulp. Once they lose this war, they would lose everything along with their lives. "All Squad, focus fire! As long as we break through this barrier, we can definitely win this!" Caitlyn shouted. Summoning the might of her cultivation base, she sent waves after waves of Qi towards the barrier which vibrated upon impact. At the Fierce Bulls Gang side. At the front lines. Commander Bloody Dog mockingly stared at the struggle that their enemy did. The matter of the barrier''s destruction didn''t dissipate him and his squad member''s morale. After all, they had the expert, Karthus at their side. Even if they managed to destroy the barrier, they would still be annihilated by Karthus or destroyed by the innumerable traps that they placed around the barrier''s perimeter. His men continued their counter-attacks, but their movements looked casual and sluggish compared to the Jollibee Gang''s attacks. Evidently, they didn''t think much about the measly ability of their enemies. Some even yawned and started leaning on the walls while some carried pillows and embraced it as they took a nap amidst the destruction and deafening sound around them. When the Jollibee Gang saw their actions. Their expressions twisted in anger and their attacks intensified. They didn''t want anything other than to pummel their enemy on the ground and annihilate them thoroughly. But their actions garnered the mocking of the Fierce Bulls Gang, some even moved closer at the barrier and flashed their butts towards the former. Caitlyn''s expression looked darker than a kettle''s bottom. Her figure incessantly trembled in indignance. Staring at her enemies her eyes flashed in a scarlet light akin to that of a carnivorous beast. Commander Bloody Dog merely shrugged before Caitlyn''s ferocious expression, "Witnessing such a fine woman displaying such vulgar face," He shook his head, "Well, it doesn''t matter, once this is all over, I''m sure Boss will grant you to me anyway and when that time comes," His eyes flickered in a light of utmost lust, "I hope you don''t disappoint me..." He leaned on the wall for a moment and suddenly. His comrades'' anguish cries filled with despair and fear, resonated in the area. Taking his spear, he realized that his troops started falling on the ground like coconuts falling from trees. "What the hell is going on?!" The strange phenomenon made him aghast and his hairs stood on its end. The despairing cries around him continued, and despite the fact that there was no one that attacked his comrades. They still crumbled, one after another. "What the actual fuck..." He violently cursed. Witnessing that his brothers'' fell on the ground without any indication of a nearby attack. His years of experience when it comes to battle told him that the enemy was attacking from a safe distance. However, realizing that he could not track this mysterious assailant''s position. His expression twisted into despair as he hid before a thick wall of wood as he furtively glanced at the area. "Just what kind of weapon is he using that he''s not even missing?!" He panicked. The enemy''s terrifying accuracy horrified him. However, when he remembered his position as the Commander of the Fierce Bulls Gang. He manifested his Qi and formed a barrier around his barrier as he shouted, "Everyone! Take cover behind walls and continue the att-guah!" He spat a mouthful of blood. Before he could finish his instructions, a sharp pain struck his chest and when he glanced at it. He found a bloody hole that pierced straight into his heart. Staring at the pale expressions of his fellow comrades. His vision tunneled and all the hopes and dreams that he envisioned after this war was over. Collapsed into smokes. With the defeat of their commander and under the attacks of this ghostly Assassin that they could never see nor track. The remaining members of the Fierce Bulls Gang frontlines madly ran towards the tower, all the while throwing their weapons behind. Caitlyn and her comrades that continued their fierce attack realized that her enemy stopped counter-attacking. Narrowing her eyes to look. She saw the haunting scene of their enemies'' dead bodies littered on the ground with a bloody hole in their head or chest. She knitted her eyebrows, Just who helped us? She inwardly thought but upon seeing the cracks that dotted the barrier, she continued her attack with even more fervor than before. "Just what is going on here?! Who is attacking us?!" The commander of the second line of defense, Fierce Carabao violently cursed. Since he was in the center of the formation. He could see the scene of carnage and the moments where his fellow brothers lifelessly collapsed on the ground. Knitting his eyebrows, he racked his brain in tracing the mysterious assailant''s whereabouts, but because of the numerous distractions around him such as the constant deafening roar that ripped through the air. The minute traces of the enemy disappeared like smoke. "Shit, the barrier is about to die...Brothers! Prepare yourself!" With his command, the men behind him prepared their weapons. Staring at the distance. The moment that the barrier collapsed, Fierce Carabo raised his weapon and opened his mouth to shout. Bang! Unfortunately, he was unable to voice out his command as a hole ripped through his heart. "Wh-what the..." He mumbled before his lifeless body, collapsed on the ground, drenching it in a scarlet color as the men behind him, turned pale. "T-t-the Commander is dead!" "Shit, what the hell is going on? Who is attacking us?!" With the death of their commander, the men became like headless flies as they madly ran towards the opposite direction. Because of their panicked states, Dan easily predicted their movements as his newly bought, Karabiner98k continuously reaped their lives like harvesting wheat. The smarter ones took cover inside houses while the other entered the narrow alleyways around them, preventing Dan from taking their lives. Removing his eye from the scope, Dan stared at the barrier as a sound of a shell, cracking reverberated in the area. Caitlyn''s expression shone in a relieved light as the cracks that dotted the barrier started spreading like a plague. Eventually, under their constant fierce attacks, the barrier collapsed as a ferocious battle cry, echoed from her mouth, "All Squad, Attack!" She raised her weapon towards the skies and everyone mustered their strength as they madly dashed towards the tower. Previously, because of the barrier''s existence, they looked hopeless and discouraged. But witnessing the destruction of the enemy''s bastion. Their morale exploded towards the skies to the extent that they even forgot about their injuries. Back at the house where Dan was located, a small smile lifted on his lips. Standing up, Dan knew that with this. His debt towards Caitlyn was over. Walking outside the house, he leaped on roofs after roofs as he dashed towards Charlotte''s location. 67 Turnabou Fierce Blood slammed his fists on the wall, "Goddamned it, just what is going on here? Who is attacking?" His eyes flashed in a cruel light. Little did he know that the ant that he disregarded earlier was the Asura who slaughtered his subordinates. Karthus'' stared at Fierce Blood and the gazes of the two met in mid-air as the latter snapped, "Since the barrier is broken already, what the fuck are you doing in here?! I paid you to do your work but you''re standing there like a goddamned pole!" Karthus'' expression flushed red in anger and humiliation. As a second-tier Assassin of the Black Wing Gang, almost everyone in this area respected him, but this bastard. Even though he paid for my service, I won''t let myself, suffer this humiliation anymore. Since he belonged to the Black Wing Gang. The unanimous strongest organization that governed the Desert Wilderness Bazaar, how could he let someone degrade him like this? Taking a cloth bag from his Spatial Storage Device, he hurled it at Fierce Blood and said, "Since you''re not even seeing me as having an equal position as yours, Let''s end this deal," He coldly spat and turned around. Fierce Blood''s expression changed, he turned around and his expression turned from anger into a fawning one as he said, "No, no, no, I apologize for what I said, Mister Karthus, I''m just disoriented because of the unpredictable events that happened earlier..." He explained but Karthus merely stared at him before snorting and jumping from the top of the tower, onto the ground. Witnessing the disappearance of his paid mercenary, Fierce Blood chuckled, his expression revealed his complicated emotions, "Good, good, good..." Staring at the distancing silhouette of Karthus, "Just a measly dog of the Black Wing Gang actually dares to cross me...We''ll see..." "And as for this bitch, Caitlyn..." He coldly stared at the commotion down below, "I promise you that you will not be able to capture this flag of mine..." He turned around and placed a Formation Disc beside the Flag. Infusing his Qi inside the Formation Disc, a heart-palpitating energy surged from the Disc as numerous resplendent runes materialized in the air. When the runes dissipated into the Flag, Fierce Blood revealed a vicious smile, "Let''s see how you capture this flag of mine, Caitlyn..." He mumbled before turning around and heading towards the third line of defense. Meanwhile, back in the main battle area. A scene of absolute slaughter greeted the incoming invaders. Caitlyn knitted her eyebrows and her subordinates stared at the scene in shock. After they penetrated the barrier, they stopped using their explosives so tranquility returned in the area. However, this intensified the eerie atmosphere that lingered in the air and paired with the sight of numerous corpses dying with regrets and despair, even the battle-hardened men couldn''t help but become sick. "Just what happened in here? Could it be that they became crazy and killed themselves?" One of the men spoke up, but Caitlyn shook her head and dismissed the idea, "There should be an expert that helped us kill our enemies. As to who he is, I have no idea why..." She regained her calm yet her expression still wrinkled due to the strong smell of rust that wafted in the air. "But there''s only one thing that''s for sure, and that is," Caitlyn glanced at her subordinates, "That expert is definitely not an enemy..." The men nodded their heads, they had guessed that far and Caitlyn''s words only confirmed the theory that they had in their minds. "Then what are we going to do now? Miss Boss?" One man spoke up and Caitlyn glanced at him before saying, "We''ll keep up our attacks but those injuries should stay here and collect the spoils of war," The severely injured men who stood wobbly revealed expressions of relief. One of them even sat on the ground and leaned on a wooden wall as he tended on his wounds. "Those who can still fight shall come with me and capture the enemy flag since we''ve come this far already, We will go through and earn glory for ourselves, We''ll make everyone know that the Tyrannical Jollibee Gang is not a push-over Gang..." Caitlyn''s eyes flashed in seriousness and so did the men whose fervor shot higher towards the skies. Carrying their weapons, they marched towards the third line of defense that encircled the tower. ... Dan leaped roof after roof and eventually arrived at the place where Charlotte waited for him. There, she saw the young maiden looking quite bored. "I''m sorry I took longer than I thought. However, everything''s fine now, I repaid my debt with Caitlyn already so we should probably go now..." Charlotte stared at him before saying, "So you repaid your debt with her, already?" Her tone contained several different meanings that only she, recognized. Dan nodded his head in response, "Yeah, I helped her defeat her enemies but she doesn''t know that I was the one who helped her. I don''t really want to attract unnecessary trouble..." When Dan remembered the time where he clashed against Karthus, he revealed a wry smile and thought. ''When there''s free time I will definitely cultivate...'' "So you repaid your debt, but how about me? I still haven''t thanked her for sheltering me these past days so I will be going there and thank her for what she did, " Her words dumbfounded Dan and Charlotte stared at his dumbfounded expression, "What''s wrong? Is there something wrong about what I said?" "Nope, there''s nothing wrong, but I hope that you don''t approach her, after all, we took the initiative in separating ourselves from them and it would be awkward to just pop out there and take the glory for ourselves..." Dan replied and Charlotte obediently nodded her head which made Dan wonder if she really was the real Charlotte or if he was speaking to a doppelganger. The two then dashed towards the distant tower, all the while taking advantage of the surrounding residential homes to prevent themselves from being noticed by Caitlyn''s subordinates. Soon, the two of them arrived at the roof of a two-floored building where they could completely see the battlefield. Sitting on the roof, the two sat beside each other and observed the fight. Charlotte realized this fact and as a young maiden, her expression turned somehow fidgety but Dan became as dense as the Earth and focused on recovering his Qi Reserves. But of course, he still instructed the System to constantly scan the area around them and inform him if there''s an approaching person whose power could threaten them. Back at the main battle area, Caitlyn activated a semi-transparent barrier which encompassed all of her one hundred remaining comrades. Staring at the distant tower, she found that there was about a hundred and fifty Fierce Bulls Gang member staring at her with vicious lights within their eyes. "Wait, Mortal Grade Artifact Armors?" Caitlyn reeled in shock. She didn''t expect that such a small Gang like the Fierce Bulls Gang would have the capital to buy those expensive Defensive Artifacts. A single set of those alone would cost, thousands of gold coins yet they managed to arm fifteen of their elite members. "Squad A, when we engage, Me and all of you shall focus those fifteen. The other squads should aim to cause the highest damage as possible... " Caitlyn''s squads were divided into two namely, Close-Combat and Ranged-Combat Squad. She placed those proficient in such field in the appropriate squad assignment so that they could display the highest possible performance that they could. Dishing out her instructions, all squad members nodded their heads as the battle cries of both Gangs surged through the air. The members of Squad A to C followed Caitlyn while the other squads maintained their distance and focused their artillery fire towards the enemy artilleries. Flanking the enemies, Caitlyn and her other subordinates displayed their utmost cooperation. In mere seconds, five of the elite Artifact equipped members of the Fierce Bulls Gang, crumbled upon their switching style assault. Using this kind of technique, they could minimize the individual damage that they would get while maximizing the amount of damage as possible. Fierce Blood started as his subordinates started dying, one after another. His expression looked solemn and pious yet his faintly trembling shoulders indicated the anger and shame that he felt. Clenching his fists, he leaped in the air, formed a mudra with his hands and mumbled, "Divine Art: Ghost Invades the Land!" A burst of black mist surged from his body and his figure transformed into a transparent apparition that could not be damaged by the chemical explosives nor touched by physical attacks. "Bastards! Since you already came this far, it would be a shame if..." Fierce Blood viciously glanced at the horrified men, "Someone destroyed all of your plans..." He continued in a cold voice as his figure reappeared like a ghost behind a man and instantly beheaded him, sending his head rolling towards the gutter. Caitlyn''s expression turned pale, "Retreat! Retreat! Everyone, go retreat now!" She shouted and her scream made all the bodies of his subordinates tremble in shock. The sudden reversal that happened shook everyone to their core as Fierce Blood continued his slaughter. In a blink of an eye, merely thirty men remained from the original fifty men as Caitlyn and her comrades desperately ran towards the opposite direction. Even though her cultivation and the leader of the Fierce Bulls Gang''s cultivation was the same, they could not be compared in the same breathe due to him having a Divine Art. A Divine Art could enable anyone to cross realms. How could it not defeat someone who has the same realm as him? Fierce Blood chuckled and the sight of his enemies retreating in despair satisfied his vanity. However, his murderous desires still raged as he madly chased. Because of his wraith form. The surrounding homes didn''t obstruct his figure as he could walk through walls. Because of this, even though he moved slower than the members of the Tyrannical Jollibee Gang. He could still catch up and reap their lives due to his cheat. Rotating her cultivation base to the utmost limit. Caitlyn shared her power towards her subordinate, temporarily raising their physical prowess along with their speed. But still, to her despair, she could still see the figure of Fierce Blood whose expression contorted into a lustful and murderous one. "You''re mine, you''re mine, you''re mine now, Caitlyn!!!" He screamed in a grating voice which evoked a sense of fear towards the listeners. Urging his cultivation base, his speed intensified and in a blink of an eye, he reappeared in the air above Caitlyn as the former stared at him with a light of terror and despair within her eyes. ''Is this really the end? Are we gonna die here?'' She thought as the time around her moved infinitely slower than before. Glancing at the distorted faces of her subordinates. She begrudgingly clenched her fists, ''No, I can''t die here, goddamned it, I still haven''t accomplished my revenge! How could I die here!'' ''If not for the existence of that Divine Art...'' ''If not for that...'' She violently cursed inside her mind and even pleaded the heavens to help her. But still, the outcome was the same as Fierce Blood''s attack neared her body. At this point in time, she slowly closed her eyes as a momentary burst of tranquility surged through her mind. ''So this is what it feels like to be in the brink of death,'' She bitterly chuckled inside and her body revoked all sorts of resistance from the incoming force. But just as she resigned to her fate, two familiar screams of men pulled her back to reality. "Blessing of the Lightning God: Manifestation!" "Soaring Phoenix Method: Phoenix Descent!" An explosion of azure and crimson light painted the night skies in an aurora of power which condensed together, forming the image of an Azure Dragon that coiled around with a Phoenix. The Dragon roared and the Phoenix shrieked as the earth itself, trembled from their might. 68 Receiving a Job "You..." Fierce Blood''s expression distorted into shock. The images of the Phoenix and Dragon roared at him, before crashing down at his figure in a form of a palm strike. Clenching his fists, his figure halted before punching at the two God Beasts. As the two fists collided, the resulting sound was akin to the heaven''s thunder striking out. The earth itself trembled and all the houses around them collapsed in the ensuing shockwave. Caitlyn took advantage of the shockwave and propelled herself backward in retreat. As the dust that flew in the air returned back to Earth. Visibility returned and a shadowy silhouette could be seen sprawled on the ground. Fierce Blood''s expression looked pale and his apparition like body became somehow tangible. Staring at the descending duo, he weakly said, "Just who the hell are you two..." Dan and Charlotte descended. Their expressions looked pale and exhausted. Their faintly trembling figures indicated the cost of using such a strong technique which directly defeated Fierce Blood. Staring at the sprawled man, Dan took his Desert Eagle, aimed it at his head and said, "A ghost doesn''t need to know the identity of those who killed him..." With a pull of his trigger, Fierce Blood''s body limped as life came out from his body. With the arrival of a system notification that signified his death, Dan collapsed on the ground along with Charlotte who also lost consciousness. The expenditure and the sacrifice that they made for that last burst of strength thoroughly exhausted them. But as they fell onto the ground, a smile filled with confidence and satisfaction lifted on their lips. An unknown amount of time passed and Dan''s consciousness finally returned to his body. Standing up, the System told him that the System Assisted Recovery completed its task, followed by a Quest Complete notification. [Quest Reward Can now be claimed, do you want to claim the reward? Y/N] "Of course, why would I decline," He chuckled and the system notification dissolved into nothingness. [Reward Obtained!] [Barret M82 1x] [Skill Coupon 2x] [ASP: 1000] Dan''s expression gaped upon witnessing the series of notifications that materialized before him. He couldn''t hold his excitement that he even leaped in joy inside the small room that he was in. Tapping in the air, he opened his Virtual Inventory and found his shiny, .50 caliber Barret M82. He didn''t expect that the System would give him such a bountiful reward. Taking the skill coupons out from his inventory, Dan activated them and he received two new skills in return. [Skill Name: Clone Technique] [Skill Effect: Summons a clone with half the user''s capabilities, the user can switch locations with the user at will.] [Skill Cost: 20% of the User''s Qi] [Skill Cooldown: 12 Hours] What greatly excited him was the passive skill that he obtained, [Skill Name: Assassin''s Focus] [Skill Effect: As an aspiring Assassin, you possess a bearing and an aura which can impose itself upon anyone. Upon the user''s will, the skill will suppress the target. The effect depends on the difference between the target''s Int Stat and the User''s Int stat. Increases Charisma towards the opposite sex.] [Skill Cost: 2% of the User''s Qi] Dan knew that not only he could use the Assassin''s Focus as a tool for flirting, he could also use it in negotiations and some matters that needed him to express his dominance. Calming himself down, he stood up and walked outside. There, the members of the Tyrannical Jollibee Gang stared at him with weird and ashamed expressions. When Dan left them, they had assumed that it was due to his cowardice and ungratefulness. But when he returned and assisted him in killing the Fierce Bulls Leader, they felt incomparably ashamed and embarrassed in staring at him. Dan nodded his head when he saw the men before proceeding towards Caitlyn''s room. Upon knocking on the door, Dan entered and found Charlotte staring at him with a slight smile on her face. At this moment, Charlotte clad in a pure white robe looked majestic and gorgeous. Paired with her purple hair and the sweet smile on her face, Dan''s figure froze for a moment. ''Was she really this beautiful?'' He mumbled, and Caitlyn lightly coughed, "What do you think? She looks pretty beautiful, right?" Caitlyn interjected and Dan''s mind regained its clarity. Charlotte startled for a moment before furiously blushing, glancing at Caitlyn in indignance. Darting her gaze at Charlotte, she spoke in an ambiguous tone, "Since I feel like I will become a third wheel if I stay here, I''ll be going out for a bit..." She lightly chuckled and Charlotte''s expression looked tragic as she stared at Caitlyn. Dan who saw her expression couldn''t help but inwardly smile upon witnessing her cuteness. Taking a wooden stool, he sat down but Caitlyn suddenly stuck her head from the door, "Be careful not to break the bed, it''s quite old after all." She then disappeared from their sight. Charlotte took a pillow and covered her expression with it while Dan heaved a sigh. Staring apologetically at Charlotte, he said, "Don''t think too much about Miss Boss'' teasing, it''s not real anyway and you will be the one that will suffer," Charlotte lifted her face away from the pillow, but a crimson hue still shone on her cheeks. "Ermm," Dan scratched his cheeks, looking somehow fidgety as he said, "Thank you for the help at that time," If not for Charlotte lending a hand, he wouldn''t be able to recover that fast. Because she gave half of her Qi Reserves to him, the two of them managed to activate their own Divine Arts and combine them together into one. When Charlotte heard his words, a complicated expression shone on her face. When she remembered the time where their power combined. She realized that her Divine Art was compatible with him and this realization caused her embarrassment. Dan also knows about that matter and even though the idea of cultivating with someone whose Divine Arts was compatible with you would be the same as dual cultivation. And it should only be done with your Dao Companion. "It''s fine, at least now, we finally repaid our debt with Caitlyn..." She said in a low tone and Dan replied with a wry smile, "About that since it looks like she helped us recover, it seems like we now owe her once again..." "Yeah, right," Charlotte chuckled and the room where they stayed in became filled with an ambiguous atmosphere as the two discussed to each other. Meanwhile, at the Wilderness Bazaar located at the extreme western side of the Great Wilderness of Torb, atop a mountain peak, there stood a luxurious mansion where the people that approached it would offer their respects towards the one that lived there. Inside that mansion, the figure of Natalie could be seen feeding her small daughter. Her parting with her husband changed her countenance. From the timid looking young woman, she transformed into a domineering and charismatic young woman with an air of nobility around her. Raising her spoon towards Juliet''s mouth, her movements looked graceful and if one looked closely, they would find that the energy waves that undulated her body belonged to a Middle Staged Organ Tempering Realm Practitioner. The power that she possessed was the results of her tireless cultivation and her consumption of the pill that Mathias gave. After eating that pill and enduring the scorching pain that enveloped her body. Her physique along with her talent, improved and her cultivation surged by leaps and bounds. "Are you done, Juliet?" She spoke in a small and enticing tone as Juliet lifted her head and sweetly smiled in response. Witnessing the smile of her daughter, her cold heart somehow thawed as she stood up and took the bowl towards the kitchen. Beside the kitchen was a hidden forging compartment where the figure of Takemikazuchi could be seen tirelessly pounding on the anvil. The material that he used shone in a brilliant light which illuminated the entire room as beaded sweats formed on his forehead. Despite his exhaustion, an excited smile constantly leaked on his lips along with his eyes that were filled with constant expectations about the result of his forging. Charlotte quietly entered the room and Takemikazuchi noticed her presence as he lifted his head and said, "Oh, It''s time for breakfast now? Time really flows fast..." He lightly chuckled and took the bowl of congee that Natalie handed. After Takemikazuchi finished his meal, he said, "Lil'' Blackie told me that there''s some kind of a strange activity going on at the Desert Wilderness Bazaar, he wants me to take a look at it but well as you can see, I''m quite busy..." A small smile lifted on his lips and Natalie stared at him with a premonition in her mind. Upon seeing her strange look, Takemikazuchi lightly chuckled before saying, "This old man will not deceive you anymore, here, take this," He threw a small Formation Plate at Natalie and when the latter received it, her hands collapsed on the ground just from the sheer weight of the Formation Plate. "Just what is this thing, Senior?" Sweat formed on her forehead as she struggled in carrying the Formation Plate, Takemikazuchi''s lips leaked a teasing smile before saying, "That''s a Heaven Grade Spatial Tunneling Formation..." "Spatial Tunneling Formation?" Natalie repeated his words in shock, "And it''s even a Heaven Grade, one?" "Yeah, Lil'' Blackie seems to be extremely concerned about the annihilation of the second-tier Gang that he manages, and after receiving news that two holders of powerful Divine Arts emerged in the Desert Wilderness Bazaar, he wants me to take a look and possibly eliminate those two..." Takemikazuchi chuckled, "But as a Divine Soul Practitioner, it would be an overkill to do that and I don''t really wanna become a notorious old man among the Senior Generation..." He bitterly chuckled and Natalie knitted her eyebrows, "Eliminate? What does he mean?" "What does he mean, you say? Of course, that would be killing..." Takemikazuchi casually said but his words shook Natalie to her core. Even though she pledged to herself that she would definitely do whatever it takes to see her husband again, she didn''t expect that the first assignment that she would have was an Assassination assignment. But still, she hardened her resolve and her expression turned frosty. Takemikazuch witnessed her change as he sighed in his heart. Staring at Natalie, he opened his mouth to speak but still shook his head in the end. As a member of the Senior Generation, he didn''t want his words to influence her actions, after all, one could only grow after experiencing mistakes... "Activate that Formation Plate and it will take you directly at the Black Wing Gang Branch inside the Desert Wilderness Bazaar, also take this Jade Token, Lil'' Blackie gave this to me as a sign of authority, just show this to them and they will submit," Takemikazuchi threw a Jade Token engraved with a black image of a hanging spider with a golden mark on its stomach. Natalie wordlessly nodded her head before saying, "I will accept this job but I hope that Senior will take care of my daughter while I''m gone..." "Of course, after all, I accepted Lil'' Mathias'' payment and I treat Juliet as my granddaughter already..."He gave a small laugh and reassured her as Natalie revealed a grateful smile disappeared from his sight. After putting her daughter to sleep, Natalie activated the Formation Plate as a jet-black hole manifested in the air. Inside the hole, a foreign scenery could be seen. Hardening her resolve, she stepped forward and disappeared from the room. 69 Gathering of Experts The victory of the Tyrannical Jollibee Gang shook the entire Desert Wilderness Bazaar into its core, those who previously mocked the former turned amiable and offered numerous gifts, along with those who remained neutral and of course. Their allies. Caitlyn gracefully accepted their gifts and her numerous people from all sorts of places applied for a position inside her Gang. Soon, the issue of having low members was addressed and the Tyrannical Jollibee Gang grew into a medium-size Gang with five hundred members. After their promotion into a first-tier Gang, Caitlyn became privy to all sorts of information pertaining towards the four Gangs that governed the Desert Wilderness Bazaar. However, when she knew about these, a wry smile leaked on her lips for she knew that the Black Wing Gang would certainly become their enemy in the near future. Taking out a letter, he summoned Dan and Charlotte as the three of them walked towards the direction of the Black Wing Gang Headquarters, where a meeting pertaining to the victory of the Tyrannical Jollibee Gang would be held, along with the other overlords that governed this Bazaar. Dan and Charlotte didn''t want to go at first but when he heard that the Black Wing Gang possessed what he needed to return back to the Empire of Eternal Faith. He immediately ran after her along with Charlotte who transformed into her disguise. Arriving at the Pavilion of the Black Wing Gang, the three entered and sat before a table, Dan curiously looked around and found that the luxuriousness of the place could compare with the Imperial Palace of the Empire of Dawn. Soon, after waiting for about the time it takes to burn incense, four middle-aged men entered the room. All of them clad in specific robes which indicated their Gang, with the Black Wing Gang leader wearing a jet-black robe, the Poisonous Mamba Gang leader wearing a purple robe, the Divine Eagle Gang leader wearing a silver robe, and the Soaring Serpent Gang leader wearing a brown robe. When they entered the room, all the leaders with the exception of the Divine Eagle and the Soaring Serpent Gang disregarded the presence of Caitlyn. They even thought that it was shameful to be with her as they crossed their arms together, looking somewhat bored. The leader of the Soaring Serpent Gang noticed this and he clapped his hands together before saying,"How about we start the discussion now? Since it looks like the two leaders have quite an important errand to do after this, " He glanced at the two leaders who looked unimpressed. "Are you saying that we don''t care about this discussion?" The jet-black robed middle-aged man raised his eyebrows and the former replied with an ambiguous smile, "Didn''t I specifically say anything about what you said? Leader Blackie?" His words carried a hint of provocation, but the jet-black robed man disregarded his intent and said, "Let''s just finish this up and start our discussion," He said and the leader of the Divine Eagle Gang chuckled, "I''ve heard that there''s some bigshot from the Empire of Eternal Faith that arrived at your place, yesterday, will Leader Blackie introduce us to that respected person?" Leader Blackie raised an eyebrow, "You need not concern yourself with the matters of my own Gang, and you, even me is not qualified to lift our heads before that person..." His solemn voice echoed in the area and everyone, including Dan and Charlotte, became serious. The latter glanced at Dan and the two stared at each other, but Dan shook his head, clearly knowing what Charlotte was thinking, he dismissed her idea. Even though the Paradyne Clan was a Clan second only to the Royal Family and had an influence that spanned across the entire Empire. They also had a fair share of enemies, enemies that wanted them dead. Charlotte obediently nodded her head, it''s not like they do not have a method of returning home other than asking that certain person some help. Returning their focus to the discussion, they listened in. When the five leaders heard the words of Leader Blackie, their eyes flashed in solemness, the people that hailed from the Empire that would make someone like him, obedient, should be someone that they could never afford to offend, and because of this, they kept the matter to themselves. However, when Leader Blackie noticed the existence of Dan and Charlotte, he glanced at them and said, "Caitlyn, even though you won the Gang Wars and you have the same position as us, that doesn''t mean that you could easily bring unauthorized people in such a discussion like this," An indiscernible pressure wafted from his body, pressing on the figures of Dan and Charlotte as the latter turned pale. Charlotte gripped Dan''s arm, anxiety visible on her face. The pressure from a battle-hardened Spirit Tempering Realm Cultivator like him made her nauseous. Caitlyn knitted her eyebrows, "Senior, I apologize for what I did but it should be inappropriate for you to do that to my subordinates, right?"She didn''t back down and Leader Blackie who saw her actions couldn''t help but coldly chuckle, "For a mere woman, you sure have the guts of a man..." His eyes scanned her body in a lascivious way as Caitlyn couldn''t help but shiver. How shameless! But still, she maintained her dignified figure as she spoke, "I am just trying to protect the rights of my subordinates, if Senior is offended by my actions, then I could only concede," The other leaders who stared in amusement at their antics couldn''t help but smile in surprise when they saw her reaction. Knowing when to retreat and advance, she really has the bearing of a leader, Dan mused to himself, on the other hand, this guy...Dan glanced at Leader Blackie whose expression remained as cold as a thousand years old iceberg. "I understand your sentiments," His gaze swept over Dan and Charlotte before saying, "Besides, I don''t really care about these two ants, since you insist on having them stay, let''s just do that then..." He momentarily closed his eyes and when it snapped open again, he crossed his arms together and said, "Several days ago, a Gang War erupted between the Tyrannical Jollibee Gang and the Fierce Bulls Gang resulting in the victory of the former. As a result, the Tyrannical Jollibee Gang obtained the position of a first-tier Gang within the Desert Wilderness Bazaar. However, according to my investigations, there were two people with Divine Arts that interrupted the battle and sided favorably with the Tyrannical Jollibee Gang..." He calmly stated these words before darting his gaze at Caitlyn. Caitlyn''s expression turned indignant, what he said was a blatant accusation. But since all of his words were fact, she couldn''t do anything. However, she knew that if she remained silent about the matter, her qualifications may be rescinded. An inner turmoil surged within her mind, but on the outside, she maintained her calm before saying, "We indeed won against the Fierce Bulls Gang, but I beg to differ about your last statement. We didn''t rely on the help of an outside party..." She declared and Leader Blackie chuckled, the Poisonous Mamba Gang leader''s eyes dangerously narrowed. "Then, how will you explain that surge of power that clearly came from a Divine Art that appeared in the airspace of the battle area? Do you really think that we''re that retarded?" His gaze focused on Caitlyn and the latter''s figure shook before revealing a small smile that stunned the four leaders. Leader Blackie and Leader Mamba narrowed their eyes, judging from her expression, she was pretty confident that she could explain the matters that happened several days ago. But still, as long as she could not prove herself or she revealed an opening. They would definitely take advantage of it. Taking two rings from her coin pouch, she presented it towards the four leaders and all of them took turns in inspecting the rings, "Earth Grade Artifacts?" Leader Eagle mumbled surprise flashed in his eyes. The price of Artifacts could make even their clan, bankrupt. But this young woman actually had two Artifacts, and at the Earth Grade at that! Leader Mamba and Leader Blackie''s expression flashed in doubt. The former placed the ring back on the table and interrogated, "Just where did you obtain these two rings?" The other leaders perked their ears. Caitlyn crossed her arms together with a small smile on her face as she said, "I don''t think that it''s not appropriate for you to ask me such questions, right? More importantly, does the aura that comes from the two rings, feel similar for the both of you?" Leader Mamba''s expression turned harsh, he raised his right hand and slammed a palm on the table, causing it to collapse and turn into dust, "How presumptuous!" He stared at Caitlyn with venomous eyes, but when he remembered a certain matter, his momentum deflated and he sat back on the table. Leader Serpent who didn''t speak until this time said, "Calm down, calm down, remember that as leaders recognized by the Formation, we should not hurt each other lest a calamity descends upon us..." His tone amiable as he explained, Dan''s expression flickered, he remembered something about the leaders that governed this Bazaar. As the overlords in this Bazaar, all of them should not engage in blatant conflict with each other so that they wouldn''t disturb the tranquility of the entire Bazaar. Else, if someone violated this rule, they would be struck by a powerful lightning that would definitely turn them into dust. Leader Mamba''s reddened expression dissipated. His glance swept over at Caitlyn and coldly chuckled, "Indeed, these two rings contains enough power to annihilate Fierce Blood," Caitlyn lightly chuckled in response, "If that''s the case, then I suppose, Senior Mamba is satisfied now, right?" Hearing her words, anger momentarily surfaced on his face, but in the end, he could only nod his head. Dan glanced at Caitlyn and noted that this innocent looking young woman really wasn''t so simple. With just a few words from her, she could shut up a prominent leader. But still, his eyebrows knitted, ''Just where did she acquire those rings?'' Inspecting the Ring with the System, Dan found that it once contained a vast amount of Lightning Qi while the other had traces of used up Fire Qi. The two Qi clearly matched the surge of Qi that occurred at that battle, several days ago. "Since this certain matter is cleared up, I think it''s now time for us to dissolve this meeting," Leader Blackie stood up, along with the four leaders but was interrupted by Caitlyn who said, "Before we finish this meeting, as a newly appointed leader of the Bazaar, I have a simple request that I ask towards Senior Blackie." The four leaders froze and Leader Blackie glanced at her before saying, "A simple request?" His eyebrows knitted, Indeed, according to the rules written under the Leader''s Code provided by the Formation towards the reigning leaders, each of them had the right to request something from the other. However, since the request could only be used for a single time, the four of them didn''t use their request and kept it for certain matters. But Caitlyn, the newly appointed leader didn''t hesitate to use her request charge. The four leaders shook their heads in disappointment, how hasty of her to do such thing... They inwardly thought. "Fine, as a leader of the Bazaar governed by the Formation, I, Leader Blackie of the Black Wing Gang will agree to any request of yours as long as it is not too outrageous and could be achieved without harming my subordinates," A stream of azure light suddenly descended from the heavens and enveloped the bodies of Caitlyn and Leader Blackie. Dan felt the strange coercive power and couldn''t help but shiver as a cold sweat ran through his back. Charlotte, on the other hand, became even more anxious while the four leaders'' expression turned respectful as they observed the oath of the two. "Now then, pray, tell. What is your request?" Leader Blackie spoke in an indifferent tone, Caitlyn clasped her hands together before saying, "My request is, I want to borrow, Senior Blackie''s Spatial Tunneling Formation Disc to transfer these two back to their homeland..." The four leaders'' expression turned weird upon hearing her words, This request of her, isn''t it so simple? Why did she have to use the Formation''s coercive power in asking Leader Blackie? They thought, but soon, they remembered that the enemy that her Gang faced against at the Gang Wars was a subordinate Gang of the Black Wing Gang. Nodding their heads in realization, they stared at the scene in amusement while Dan became solemn, Leader Blackie frowned, "No, your request is too outrageous, I won''t grant it." Caitlyn''s expression darkened, "How is it too outrageous, Senior? I will offer the resources needed to make the Formation run, just let me borrow it!" She stood tall and pressed on as Blackie coldly replied, "How dare you question my decision, since I told you that it is impossible, then it is impossible!" A majestic aura swept from his body towards Caitly and the two stared at each other in a standstill. Grounding her teeth, Caitlyn said, "Then, Senior, you should at least tell me why you refused my request..." Judging from the light that came from her eyes, she was unwilling to back down. Leader Blackie noticed her determination as an idea appeared in his mind, revealing a slight smile on his face, he said, "It''s not like it is completely impossible, you know, how about this, if you let me acquire a herb from the Thousand Deaths Valley, I''ll definitely grant your request." His words rang loud and clear and the four leaders including Caitlyn stared at him in shock. Clenching her fists, tight, she said, "Impossible! That''s a death zone that even an expert like you is unwilling to go into, how could you expect me to go there and even gather a herb?!" Leader Blackie maintained his cold smile, "If you''re unwilling to do what I asked you to do, then forget the matter of using my Spatial Tunneling Formation..." He stood up and turned towards the exit, "If you''re willing to do the job, go in there and find me a Noxius Mushroom..." He left these words as his figure disappeared from their sight. The other leaders sighed and started leaving the room, one by one after expressing their gestures. Now, left inside the room were the figures of Caitlyn, Dan, and Charlotte. "That bastard..." Caitlyn''s chest violently heaved as her breathing turned into ragging pants, Dan revealed a wry smile, "Miss Boss, you need to calm down," Turning towards him, she said, "How could I calm down? That bastard made me waste a precious request charge!" "Well, you didn''t really waste it though, since he offered a condition that would make him accept your request," "Are you stupid? That Thousand Deaths Valley is a place of certain death! One who goes inside will definitely be able to come back! Rumors said that there was a Divine Soul Practitioner that went inside and was unable to return!" "Okay, okay, I get it, I get it, just calm down already and let''s return home..." Dan pacified the raging hot potato that was Caitlyn as the group stood up and returned to the headquarters. Soon, the night arrived and Dan''s figure sneakily walked away from the residence clad in a jet-black robe. Since that bastard is not willing to let me borrow that Formation Disc, and I can''t just steal something as precious like that since it would definitely be protected by several layers of protection, It seems like I have no other choice but to enter that Thousand Deaths Valley. After asking for some information about the Thousand Deaths Valley, Dan found that the dangers within the Valley didn''t really come from some strange phenomenon. Instead, it came from the numerous strong territorial beasts that resided inside the Valley. With a confident smile on his face, Dan arrived near the Valley and arranged the information that he had about the Noxius Mushroom that could only be found in the center of the Valley. Activating Stealth, his figure disappeared and entered the Valley without anyone, human nor beast noticing his presence. Meanwhile, back at the pavilion of the Black Wing Gang, almost all of the members of the Gang gathered inside the pavilion, staring at a Spatial Distortion before them. Their expressions looked respectful and their domineering might retracted. Leader Blackie who was known as a terrifying and ruthless man stood there like an obedient child awaiting the arrival of his parents. Soon, the Spatial Distortion rippled and a slender and gorgeous figure emerged from the portal. The figure belonged to a jet-black haired young woman whose visual appearance took the breath of the men''s lungs including Leader Blackie. The young woman glanced around the area and all of them realized their disrespectful manner as they hung their heads low. Leader Blackie approached this young woman and clasped his hands together in a respectful manner before saying, "Mistress Longinus, welcome to my humble organization, I have already prepared your temporary residence, please follow me..." He spoke in a soft and amiable tone. The young woman merely nodded her head. Her expression remained cold and ethereal as she moved with light and graceful steps behind Leader Blackie. When she left, the presence that she subconsciously exerted on the men back at the place where she emerged, disappeared as all of them heaved a sigh of relief. They knew in their hearts that the young woman that looked like a Goddess possessed a background that they could never afford to offend lest they didn''t want their lives anymore. Shaking their heads, they calmly dispersed from the area and returned to their own duties. 70 Thousand Deaths Valley Dan entered the Valley, but as an insurance, he left his doppelganger outside and prepared his weapons. Fortunately, Stealth had the additional effect of completely erasing his footsteps or else, in this muddy terrain, he would''ve left some clearly audible noise everytime he stepped. The moonlight served as the illumination inside the Thousand Deaths Valley. All sorts of noises from different creatures constantly disturbed the tranquility of the Valley. However, the eerie air that enveloped it, along with the thick mist which reduced visibility to anyone that entered its vicinity, spelled doom for any average adventurer. Under the veil of the night, the valley''s creepiness surged into higher heights. But Dan was calm, he had his Stealth with him and the System, "System, activate the mini-map function and mark anything that could potentially threaten me, also, mark any Noxius Mushrooms that you could find," Dan instructed and a series of system notifications manifested along with a square box that floated on his peripheral vision. "What in the actual heavens is this?" Dan mumbled under his breath, his expression indicated his shock when he saw the innumerable red dots that dotted the minimap, smiling wryly, he thought, "So that''s the reason why this place is called the Thousand Deaths Valley." Glancing at the remaining time of his Stealth, he sped deeper inside the valley as more evidence regarding the danger within the Valley popped out around him. From a Winged Tiger to a Snake that could move in the speed of sound, Dan knew that once he was discovered, his poor life would surely be lost. Venturing deeper, Dan found a blue dot in the minimap that indicated the location of a Noxius Mushroom, moving towards it, Dan''s expression flickered when he realized that the Noxius Mushroom was being protected by a gigantic snake, instructing the System, information about the snake appeared in the air before him, [Name: Night Stalker Snake] [Cultivation: Peak of Organ Tempering Realm] [Description: A highly dangerous venomous snake, its senses are heightened in the night and it would pretend to be asleep to lure potential predators and attack them while they''re off guard.] Dan hissed under his breath, fortunately, he didn''t approach the vicinity of the snake or else he might''ve been caught by its web. Crouching down, while he was under Stealth, he took a small pebble from the ground and threw it at the snake. At first, the snake didn''t react but when the pebble was about to hit its body, its head whipped out and struck the pebble, turning it into dust. Its eyes flashed in a crimson light as it scanned around. Dan leaked a small smile when he found that the snake disregarded his presence. He approached with caution, his breath halted and his movements, slow to the extreme. Stretching his hands towards the flower, he carefully lifted it from the ground and turned around as he heaved a sigh of relief. In the presence of a powerful predatory beast, Dan didn''t dare to be complacent and immediately retreated. After five minutes of walking away, a shrill cry which shook his body emerged from the location of the snake. Scanning with the System, Dan found that the Night Stalker Snake became enraged when it realized that the flower that it protected, suddenly disappeared. Trees toppled and the earth itself trembled as Dan hastened its pace. Everything inside the valley experienced an upheaval under the snake''s anger. Numerous beasts suffered and endlessly cursed the one who caused such a ruckus. Suddenly, just as Dan retreated, the minimap projected on his peripheral vision had a golden question mark indicated inside a place where the reddest dots concentrated. Dan''s expression flickered his knowledge back at his previous life indicated that this golden question mark should contain something special. But witnessing the innumerable dots that encircled the golden question mark, Dan became hesitant. The time remaining on his Stealth was still about four minutes, enough for him to check the area out and retreat. Gritting his teeth, he walked towards the direction of the golden question mark and there, he found that the mark was inside a deep cave whose entrance incessantly spewed cold air which made him shiver in terror. But in the face of potential benefits, Dan knew that he had to risk or he wouldn''t obtain anything. Hardening his resolve, he entered the cave with his breathing, suppressed to the minimum. The cave looked like a normal cave. But Dan knew that within this cave, myriads of dangers, lurked, dangers that could surely reap his life. Even under his Stealth, he couldn''t suppress the wild beating of his heart as he approached the location. Suddenly, a gust of cold air swept through him followed by the voice of a young child that sang a song in a foreign language, "Magtanim ay di biro, maghapong naka yuko, di naman naka tayo, di naman nakaupo..." The innocent voice carried with it an attractive force which coerced Dan into heading deeper inside the cave. And when he realized what happened, he found himself standing before a barren land with a translucent young girl carefully planting some jet-black seeds. Dan''s instincts screamed for him to get away from this place, but no matter how much his mind wanted to run, his body wouldn''t obey his instructions. He found it hard to breathe and his face, dotted with beaded sweats which drenched his clothes. The young child noticed his presence as she turned around and stared, directly into his eyes. Her jet-black eyes shone in the light of the abyss itself and unbeknownst to him, tears started rolling down his eyes and so did the young child. "Eh? What''s going on? Why I am crying?" He didn''t know why but he found a sense of familiarity with the young child as if she was someone that was precious to him, and he didn''t want anything in the world other than to embrace her and cry her eyes out. The suppression on his body, suddenly disappeared but Dan didn''t understand why, but the fear inside his mind, disappeared, replaced with nothing but melancholy and sadness. Before he could open his mouth to speak, the young girl said, "This is not the right time, yet. Young master..." She mumbled in an ethereal and soft tone. Dan''s tears uncontrollably streamed from his eyes towards his cheeks. Wiping his face, a strange expression leaked on his visage after he found out that he wasn''t manipulated by the young girl. It turned out that he was voluntarily crying, out of sadness and sorrow. As for the reason why? He didn''t know, at least... Not for now... After she spoke those words, she disregarded his presence and continued her singing. Dan focused his gaze on her wanting to imprint her figure and every detail that she had inside his mind. But at this time, a timely system notification that greatly astonished him surfaced. [Main Quest Line Activated!] [Main Quest I: Finding out One''s Roots] [Quest Objective: Find information pertaining to your true origins.] [Quest Reward: ???] 71 Renege Staring at the series of system notifications, an epiphany struck his mind as streams of memories flooded inside. Indeed, when he first arrived in this world. The information that he acquired from the previous owner of this body about the Longinus Clan looked vague and fuzzy as if forcefully scattered. Now that he had the chance to know more about his true identity and the Clan where he was born, Dan lifted his head and stared at the faintly discernible young girl. The young girl hummed a tune while she repeated the lyrics that resonated across the entire cave. Strangely, the red dots that filled the minimap didn''t dare to approach his vicinity and the young girl. Looking around, there he found the dangerous beasts staring at him with fear, visible in their eyes. Darting his gaze back at the young girl, she said, "Ermm, little girl, do you know who I am?" His tone amiable and refreshing to the ears. But the young girl disregarded what he said, completely oblivious to his presence, she continued her planting and song. Beaded sweats formed on Dan''s forehead, back in his previous life. He was an otaku with a title known as the Conqueror. The reason was no matter how high the difficulty was, as long as it was a dating sim, Dan could conquer the hearts of those women and make them fall on his lap. But no matter how strong of a technique you have or how high your charisma was, if the woman didn''t even care about your presence, you won''t even be able to start your crusade, much less conquer her. Lightly coughing his embarrassment away, Dan scanned the surroundings and found that numerous shining minerals could be seen scattered around the area. Picking up a pebble that looked like an Opal in his previous life, Dan moved near the young girl and presented it before her. The young girl''s jet-black eyes flashed with innocence, staring at the resplendent pebbles, Dan sighed in relief when he realized that he caught her attention. "Do you want these rocks?" Her motions stopped and she lifted her head to stare at Dan with an adorable expression. However, Dan frowned for his experience in dealing with women told him that though she displayed such a sweet visage, a deep bitterness and regret hid deep within her eyes. Ever since he saw this young girl, Dan didn''t understand why he felt such a connection with her. As if they were fruits that belonged to the same tree. The young girl nodded her head and Dan said, "Then why don''t you take it?" The young girl shook her head, staring at her ghost-like figure, Dan slapped his forehead. The reason why she couldn''t take these rocks was that she was an intangible existence that could never influence the real world. Realizing this fact, Dan didn''t understand why he felt sad, and that he could somehow relate to her circumstances. He hung his head low, towards this matter, he was powerless. The young girl lifted her right hand, her expression revealed her worry towards him. Raising her hand, she tried to pat her head but failed when her hand went directly through his body. Dan felt a fuzzy feeling rising in his heart. Keeping the pebbles to himself, he said, "Little girl, since you refer to me as Big Brother, do you know who brother is?" The little girl froze, her adorable expression went cold and she distanced herself from Dan. Her sudden change astonished him but before he could explain, the little girl said, "This is not the right time, yet... Big Brother..." She repeated what she said and she once again disregarded his presence. This irritated Dan who couldn''t handle it anymore and inspected her with the System, mumbling under his breath, a series of system notification appeared in the air. [Name: ??? Age: ??? Status: Fragmented Spirit of the Demonic Race''s Princess] [Cultivation: ???] [Stats: ?????] [System Evaluation: ????] ''What in the hell? Did a bug happened in the System?'' Dan''s eyebrows knitted as he mused, but before he could think even further. His eyes widened when it landed on the piece of information that indicated her Status. Calming his nerves, Dan thought, ''She''s actually from the Demonic Race? Such an adorable girl like her is a demon?'' According to the information that he gathered from the libraries of both Empires. The ultimate enemy of humanity were the demons. For they devoured humanity and treat them as livestock. Several thousands of years ago, humanity managed to break free from their shackles and obtained independence, all the while hunting down the demonic race until the brink of extinction. Now in the present time, those who belonged from the Demonic Race still existed but they hid far away from the human''s reach. But this time, Dan actually met someone that belonged to that treacherous race. And what''s more ridiculous was, he felt a sense of familiarity towards her. ''Could it be that I am a Demon, myself?'' He thought but soon dispersed the idea. What a joke! Someone who revered the Gods, particularly the Lightning God and even obtained his blessings shouldn''t come from the Demonic Race. But still, just what is the source of this strange familiarity and spiritual connection? The little girl stopped her motions and stared at his direction. Dan didn''t know why but he felt that she must''ve realized his probing as an awkward smile lifted on her lips, "Since Big Brother insists, I shall give Big brother a clue, but it is up to you if you''re gonna believe what I say..." This time, her tone turned mature and indifferent, making him knit his eyebrows in surprise. Dan nodded his head, his eyes shining in a light of anticipation. The little girl crossed her arms together, walking near him, she stretched her hands out and cupped his chin before saying, "Big brother, do you really not remember everything that you did, several thousands of years ago?" "What do you mean several thousands of years ago? I''m just a sixteen years old human. How could I live that long?" Dan retorted but the little girl chuckled, "Well since you don''t remember anything, I cannot be presumptuous and tell you everything I know. Since when that time comes, I don''t want to be annihilated by you..." A teasing smile lifted on her lips, making her give a vibe of maturity despite her small body. Dan''s expression looked indescribable, "I promise that I won''t annihilate you when that time comes, so can you please just tell me everything that you know?" Seeing his pleading expression, the little girl chuckled, turned her body and mumbled, "You still don''t get it, yet since you don''t remember," She chuckled, and her figure started becoming blurry and faint, Dan realized that she was about to disappear and hurriedly shouted in protest. But all he heard was the little girl''s final chuckle as she whispered into the air, "Still, it''s pretty amusing, teasing someone like you, my beloved, Emperor..." Upon her disappearance, a sense of imminent danger shocked his body as Dan turned around and found that the beast who looked hesitant in approaching him earlier rushed at his back, baring their fangs, they aimed at his neck as Dan clicked his tongue and switched places with his doppelganger outside the Valley. The scenery around him distorted and he found himself outside the Valley as a system notification informed him about the death of his clone. Dan sucked a cold air, It didn''t even take two seconds for his clone to die under those beasts'' attack. And since his clone possessed half of his capabilities, Dan would at most last, four seconds under such siege. Heaving a sigh of relief, he thanked the author for the timely gift of the Clone Technique skill as he proceeded towards the direction of the Black Wing Gang''s pavilion. It was already morning and the Bazaar, particularly around the Black Wing Gang became bustling as ever. As the leader of its region, the Black Wing Gang established numerous entertainment establishments for the enjoyment of everyone, though they were mostly gambling. Entering the Black Wing Gang region, Dan requested Leader Blackie''s presence and told him that he had the Noxius Mushroom that he asked for. Leader Blackie stared at Dan in shock, due to the dangerous location where they could be found and their rarity, almost no one sold this kind of mushroom so he knew that Dan definitely took this by himself. Just how did he survive inside that certain death valley? He thought but his expression remained the same on the outside. Staring at Dan, he received the Noxius Mushroom and said, "Since you accomplished what I asked, come back here a year later and I''ll let you use the Spatial Tunneling Formation..." He waved his hand, indicating for him to leave, but Dan''s expression soured, "Just what do you mean by this, Leader Blackie? Didn''t you told me that you would let me use your Spatial Tunneling Formation once I completed the task that you required?" Leader Blackie chuckled upon witnessing his actions, "Of course I told you that, but did I tell you that I will let you use it now?" He raised an eyebrow and displeasure could be seen on his face. As a mere ant with the cultivation at the lowest realm, how dare he reply in such a way? He inwardly thought, Dan''s expression went cold, though he didn''t want any trouble, he wasn''t a pushover either and the two stared at each other in a standstill for a moment before Leader Blackie coldly snorted, "Didn''t I just dismiss you? Why are you still standing there like a goddamned pest?" Dan''s face flashed with numerous emotions, suppressing his anger, he lifted his head and stared directly into Leader Blackie''s eyes, "You will regret this..." He coldly spat before turning around and leaving. Leader Blackie''s expression went cold upon hearing his declaration. But he soon forgot about it, after all. How could ant like him deserve his attention? With a mere flick of his sleeve, he could literally destroy him so why should he bother? Little didLeader Blackie knew that when Dan came out from his room, he activated Absolute Disguise and walked towards the deeper parts of the pavilion using the former''s face. "Since you''re unwilling to let me borrow your precious artifact, don''t mind if I steal it..." He mumbled under his breath as he made his way towards the room that the System indicated. 72 Gambling Stealing the Formation Plate was something that he only considered in the worst outcome possible. However, since Leader Blackie burned the bridges that he used to cross, Dan couldn''t be bothered to be polite. Since he''s already hostile to him, what harm would happen if he provokes him more? Dan calmly walked through the area and everyone who noticed his presence respectfully bowed with their hands clasped together. Nodding their heads to them, Dan maintained a cold facade as he approached the sliding door where the mark placed in the minimap indicated. Glancing around, Dan found that there was no one and was about to remove his disguise when a familiar feminine voice struck his body as he froze. "Lil'' Blackie, do you have the information that I needed, yet?" Dan turned around and found a young woman with a jet-black hair clad in an azure robe when Dan last saw her, she looked more amiable and gentle, but now, with his disappearance and passage of time, she looked more dignified and icy. His expression softened for a moment as complicated emotions ran through his mind. With her bearing of a leader, Dan understood that she must be the precious guest that Leader Blackie mentioned back at the meeting. Natalie expressed her displeasure upon witnessing Dan''s reaction. Knitting her eyebrows, she said, "What''s wrong with you? Didn''t you hear what I said?" Dan regained his calm, realizing that he was still using Leader Blackie''s image, he said, "Don''t worry about it, I''ll get it ready soon..." "Make it fast since I still have some matters to handle back at the mainland," Natalie shrugged, the information that she wanted to know was about the two Divine Arts user that he asked her to kill. Ever since she arrived in this place, she already missed her small munchkin and didn''t want anything other than to go back and search for her husband. Now that the distraction was gone, Dan focused on the task at hand and scanned the room for any traps or protective formation. But as he reached his hand out, Natalie''s voice echoed behind him, "Lil'' Blackie, why are you going to enter that room?" Dan turned around, and stared at her with a respectful expression on his face, "You need not concern yourself about the matters of this lowly one," He even cupped his hands together but Natalie coldly replied, "Just answer my question, Lil'' Blackie, why are you going to enter that room," "Well, that''s of course, I want to check out the Formation Plate..." When Natalie heard his words, her expression became colder, "As the owner of the Formation Plate, you should know that the door before you could only be opened using a certain key, right?" ''A certain key? Why didn''t I hear of this?'' Dan inwardly cursed but still maintained his calm as he said, "Ah! So that''s the reason why I kept feeling that I forgot something! I''ll be going to get it now," Sensing that he failed, Dan promptly retreated all the while scratching his head in awkwardness. "I see, so Lil'' Blackie forgot the keys for such a room containing his most precious belonging..." Natalie mockingly said, and Dan felt a sense of imminent danger behind him as he swiftly activated Flicker and avoided the thunderbolt that struck his initial position. Entering Stealth, Dan stared at the confused Natalie as he inwardly sighed, though it was a good thing to have a smart wife like her. However, in this situation, it clearly became detrimental to him as Natalie inadvertantly disrupted his plans. Leaving the area, Dan didn''t reveal his identity since he had a more intricate plan when it comes to their reunion. Walking towards the direction of the gambling establishments that the Black Wing Gang organized, Dan assumed his original appearance and walked inside. The name of the establishment was Seven Glory, all sorts of entertainment from hookers to normal gambling could be seen inside. It looked bustling and full of activity with shouts of dealers and the complaints of customers along with their despairing cries as they lost. Dan walked towards a nearby formation plate before taking a single silver coin from his pocket. He exchanged it for a jade token that he could use for gambling. Most of the people who came here were old and broke, the most that they could use for gambling would be ten copper coins which was a tenth of a silver coin. So when Dan exchanged the silver coin some avarice filled gazes landed on his figure and followed him behind. The movements of their hands alone indicated their skill in picking pockets. However, Dan knew what they would do and everytime he moved, he angled his cloth bag in a place where it was risky to reach for, which made these poor bastards awkwardly scratched their head in each time they tried bumping their bodies on Dan. Activating the Formation Plate, a semi-transparent screen could be seen and Dan realized that the Formation Plate displayed a slot machine game. A small smile lifted on his face as he manifested his Qi and secretly tamper with the device using the help of the System''s weak point search function. Tapping on the start button, the slot machine rolled and when it stopped, a brilliant light exploded from the semi-transparent screen which garnered the attention of the surrounding crowd, everyone''s expressions changed when they realized that he won the jackpot. "What the fuck? That brat is so lucky, he actually managed to take the jackpot in a single try!" The crowd mumbled towards each other as the already rowdy hall became rowdier than before. Dan revealed a slight smile, this attention was included in his plans. He needed the crowd''s attention so that those bastards from the Black Wing Gang couldn''t do something suspicious towards him. One of the dealer who called for customers revealed a slight smile and said, "See? Our Game Formation Plates aren''t a scam. He even won the jackpot!" But inwardly, a cold sweat run through his back, Leader Blackie purposely manipulated the Formation Plates so that the chances of obtaining a jackpot would become abysmally low, yet someone actually acquired it. Amidst the anticipating gazes of the crowd, the semi-transparent screen displayed the words, "Congratulations! You won, ten thousand gold coins!" The crowd burst into cheers and Dan stared dumbfounded at the displayed message. He didn''t expect that he would actually won such a huge amount. Glancing around the area, he noticed more gambling machines and after taking his reward that was given by the Formation Plate, he walked towards another gambling machine and activated it. Obviously, everyone thought that it would impossible for someone to win two consecutive jackpots so they didn''t expect much. The dealer who spoke earlier lost interest and started hawking for customers, but before he could attract someone, a burst of golden light surged from Dan''s direction, stunning him silly. Turning towards the source of the light, there he found Dan smiling to himself, ''What in the actual fuck? Did he actually win two consecutive times?'' He knitted his eyebrows as he frowned, with this second win, Dan managed to pocket, twenty-thousand gold coins. The crowd cheered but some of the smart ones started frowning in doubt. How could someone win two jackpots in a row? Well, it wasn''t impossible if he''s in cahoots with the Black Wing Gang...They thought but they didn''t speak up, they just observed Dan''s antics in amusement. Dan knew about their doubts and he had predicted it beforehand. That''s the reason why he made himself so high profile so that he could attract the attention of the crowd. Glancing at another Formation Plate, he moved and the crowd followed him as they said, "Could it be that he''s going at it again? Just how many times is he going to win before he becomes satisfied?" "Nah, don''t be so optimistic, he may have used his entire lifetime''s luck just for those two jackpots," "Well, if I manage to win ten-thousand gold coins I won''t regret using up my entire lifetime''s luck..." "Yeah, right." The dealer focused his gaze at Dan and sent a probing Qi, scouring him for his tricks. But Dan merely shrugged, he had an overpowered System that could almost do anything as long as its possible. Why would he fear such a measly probing Qi. He activated the Formation Plate and a burst of golden light once again descended on the hall. This time, everyone closed their mouths and followed Dan with their eyes as he went on to win at least two-hundred thousand gold coins. Because of his sudden winnings, literally everyone in the higher echelons of the Black Wing Gang was attracted and entered the establishment. "Hey, isn''t that Leader Blackie? He actually came here with Senior Rocknose," The crowd pointed and hissed after realizing the identities of the two middle-aged man clad in a jet-black robe. Leader Blackie''s expression looked like his name. He approached Dan''s vicinity with heavy footsteps along with his subordinate as he said, "Brat, just what the hell are you doing?" Dan turned around and stared at him with an uninterested expression, "Me? Ah! So it is the most venerable Leader Blackie, please forgive this humble one''s presumptous visage..." After he realized his rudeness, he exaggeratedly bowed and clasped his hands together in respect. But seeing his gesture, Leader Blackie''s figure trembled as he suppressed his urge to slap the brat''s face. Rocknose, the middle-aged man whose features looked like his mother dropped him when he was a child, frowned in displeasure, "Brat, you actually dared play with us!" He raised a finger and pointed it at Dan, "Now return the money that you cheated from us!" The crowd''s expression flickered, ''So him and the Black Wing Gang weren''t related?'' They inwardly thought and contemplating about Rocknose''s accusation of cheating, they stared at Dan with a light of enlightenment, ''So that''s the reason why he won so many jackpots in a row...'' But still... They frowned, for they didn''t notice him cheating. And that only meant one thing, either his cheating techniques were too good or he didn''t cheat in the first place. But witnessing his performance earlier, the crowd leaned towards the former possibility. "Ah, so both seniors are accusing this humble me, as cheating?" Dan chuckled, "How about you observe this one''s gamble?" Dan activated the Formation Plate again and under Leader Blackie and Rocknose''s sneering gazes, the Formation Plate rolled, displaying numerous images of fruits. Leader Blackie along with Rocknose shrugged after they saw that Dan didn''t do anything suspicious towards the Formation Plate. However, the crowd suddenly exploded into cheers as a golden light surged from the Formation Plate. The two stared grimly at Dan, the latter has once again won another set of ten-thousand gold coins. Leader Blackie''s expression darkened when remembered the former''s words. Staring at him, He said, "You, come with me to the headquarters," Dan chuckled upon hearing his words, "This humble one wouldn''t dare to disobey," He bowed and followed the two. And just before they left, Leader Blackie said towards the dealer, "Shut the place down," His declaration stunned everyone in the area as they stared at Dan with a light of admiration and worship in their eyes. He actually won so much money that he forced Leader Blackie''s establishement into shutting down... Dan also realized this fact, but he merely shrugged, and followed the two as he entered the Black Wing Gang''s pavilion with a smile of anticipation lifted on his face. 73 Help! The commotion that happened inside the gambling establishment of the Black Wing Gang caused a sensation that reached the ears of the Tyrannical Jollibee Gang. Charlotte and Caitlyn who heard this news, especially the part where Dan was apprehended by the Black Wing Gang, the two ladies stood up and rushed towards the pavilion. "Damn, that idiot!" Caitlyn cursed and Charlotte revealed a wry smile, her understanding about Dan''s character was that although he knew when to retreat, he would never stop pursuing his goals. Rubbing her temples, both of them headed for the Black Wing Gang pavilion. Meanwhile, inside the Black Wing Gang pavilion, three figures could be seen sitting inside a private room, Rocknose and Leader Blackie''s expression looked indescribable while Dan maintained a small smile on his face as he said, "Ermm, Seniors, just what is your business with this humble me?" He awkwardly scratched his head in an effort to dissipate the murky atmosphere. The innocent smile on his face made him look like a young child who found himself in a pinch. Leader Blackie''s lips repeatedly twitched while Rocknose''s expression reddened in anger. If not for the fact that Dan had a connection with Caitlyn, he would''ve annihilated him with a punch. "What''s the meaning of this? Young man..." Leader Blackie spoke up, his eyes stared directly at Dan''s figure in an effort to intimidate him. Unfortunately for him, Dan experienced numerous battles before he came here already. How could he be intimidated with such a measly killing intent? "What do you mean, Senior?" Dan cupped his chin with his right hand and frowned, "Ah! Could it be that you''re asking about how I won several consecutive jackpots?!" Leader Blackie and Rocknose''s expression flickered. The question that they posed didn''t refer to that. But by the looks of it, it seems like the brat was about to spill the beans. Noticing the interested gazes of the two, Dan explained, "Well, actually," His tone suddenly serious and the focus of the two, perked up as they listened, "When I came out of the pavilion earlier in the day, I actually met an old man that gave me some tips in playing the Formation Plate Game, so I just tested his theory and that''s it! I won a hundred thousand gold coins!" He even gesticulated with his hands as the expressions of the two seniors, darkened. "Are you trying to pull a fast one on us? Just answer my question, why did you it?" Leader Blackie asked, his eyes shone in a light that pierced through Dan''s body as the latter scratched his cheeks, "Senior, I already told you the truth, if you''re not willing to listen to my answers, then this humble one shall retreat..." "Just where the hell are you going?" Rocknose''s harsh voice came from behind followed by a surge of pressure which imposed on Dan''s body. Turning around, he revealed a scared expression, "No, please, Senior, I wasn''t joking, please let me off!" Dan''s face looked pale and the slight trembling of his body indicated his fear. Rocknose sneered, "Brat, to think that I thought of you as a proper man," He raised his fist up and launched a punch on Dan''s abdomen. "Guah!" A pain filled cry resonated, but the person that flew away wasn''t Dan, instead, it was Rocknose who slammed on the walls of the pavilion. Leader Blackie''s expression went cold, turning towards the source of Qi, he found Charlotte in her disguise with her hand stretched out and Caitlyn whose expression turned frantic. They just assumed the position of a first-tiered Gang and their foundations were still shaky yet they already managed to offend the longest reigning overlord of the Desert Wilderness Bazaar. But still, since the damage was done, Caitlyn could only follow through, "I am sorry for my subordinates harsh actions, Leader Blackie but your subordinate''s actions were also inappropriate," Caitlyn spoke in a calm and indifferent tone as she threw a harsh glare at Dan who smiled at her in return. One of the reasons why Dan did this commotion was because he wanted Caitlyn to have the guts and courage to stand up against a strong enemy. He wanted her to learn that she should take care of her subordinates while not compromising the matters of her faction. As for the fall-out that would certainly happen between the two? Dan didn''t mind it, after all, he had a secret weapon. "A mere woman like you is talking about appropriateness with me?" Leader Blackie coldly spat and a frightening aura enveloped his body. In response, Caitlyn manifested her own powers and combined with Charlotte who possessed the same realm as her, they managed to fend off his aura. However, their expressions turned pale as Charlotte crumbled down on the ground as she voice transmitted, "Dan, why are you so arrogant? Do you really think that we can survive against Blackie''s revenge?" Dan''s figure trembled when he received her transmission, but he replied in a confident tone, "I have my own trump cards, if that bastard tries to do something against the two of you, then it shall be revealed." He didn''t even transmit his message and instead spoke it in a voice that rang loud and clear. His words astonished the three as the frightening aura that encompassed Leader Blackie''s body intensified, "Bastard?" Leader Blackie chuckled, "It''s been a long time since I killed someone," He cracked his neck and knuckles as the imposing might that surrounded his body bored itself on Dan''s figure, making him stagger backward in response. Dan maintained his calm disposition. A small smile even lifted on his face which made Leader Blackie hesitant on taking actions against him. But since he said those disrespectful words towards him. He could only teach him a vital lesson in life. The young man before him disregarded his presence, instead, his smile blossomed as his gaze went straight behind Leader Blackie''s body as he shouted in the most distressful voice that he could muster, "Help! Little wife! Your husband is about to be killed!" 74 This is just the Beginning Leader Blackie didn''t want to resort to violence. Although he was ruthless, he knew that once he engaged in such an act. The negotiations for an alliance with the Tyrannical Jollibee Gang in the future would surely collapse. However, he still had his own pride and considerations, especially when the establishment that closed down was one of his lifelines. Though he could resurrect it, he still suffered an enormous loss under the hands of this young man who popped out of nowhere. And since other than Caitlyn, the brat doesn''t seem to have that much of a background behind him, Leader Blackie didn''t hesitate to move. Even if Dan died under his hands, he could just offer some compensation towards Caitlyn and the matter would be over. Smiling, he formed a torrent of Qi between his palms and prepared to send it over to Dan. But the latter''s screams intervened, "Help! Little wife! Your husband is about to be killed!" His distressed shout echoed throughout the entire pavilion, piercing through the figure of Natalie who wondered about the commotion. Upon hearing the familiar voice. Her figure shivered and turned around to the source of the voice, only to find Leader Blackie''s figure that was about to attack her husband. Without any hesitation, lightning crackled around her followed by an explosion of thunder as her figure reappeared beside Blackie, sending a palm strike filled with the power of lightning towards his side. A deafening boom reverberated and shook the entire pavilion, Caitlyn and Charlotte managed to summon a barrier and protected themselves from the shockwaves, "Dan!" Charlotte shouted in concern, Dan was close to the epicenter of the attack, she hoped that he wasn''t injured. Caitlyn''s expression flickered, to send the Spirit Tempering Cultivator that was Leader Blackie, it could only mean that the young woman who intervened had a higher cultivation or stronger technique than the former. The dust settled and Leader Blackie could be seen sprawled on the walls like a dead dog. His eyes flashed in fear and comprehension when he saw Natalie''s cold and murderous eyes. Ever since Dan''s disappearance on that day, she had painstakingly searched for his figure and when she finally saw him. The first scene she saw was her husband, about to be assaulted by a mere lackey of Senior Takemikazuchi. Leader Blackie gritted his teeth and forced himself up and circulated his Qi in an effort to dissolve the numbing sensation that spread throughout his body. When he stabilized, Natalie said, "Just what the hell are you trying to do, earlier?" Her arms crossed together and her expression revealed that she wanted an explanation. Lifting his head, he looked pitiful like a dog that got its treats stolen as he said, "Mistress, I don''t know what relationship you have with that young man but he''s the one who crippled my livelihood first, I just invited him to ask for some explanations." Natalie lifted an eyebrow, "Explanation? Do you think I''m blind? I saw you using your power earlier in an attempt to attack him," She glanced at Dan whose expression looked timid and wronged. Her eyes softened and she cupped his chins with both of her hands, "Dear, sorry I am late..." From now on, since she now possessed a strength that could protect him. She would never let any harm to come his way. Dan revealed a small smile, "I''m fine, little wife. However, what he said was completely wrong." His expression suddenly turned righteous and he sent a glare towards Blackie''s figure which made him shiver in return. "What do you mean? Could it be that he did more things to you?" Natalie''s tone turned frosty, she glanced at Blackie and sent a death glare as Blackie helplessly thought, ''Goddamned it, If I knew that this young man had such a backing, even If God gives me a thousand balls, I would never offend this brat...'' He didn''t know whether to laugh or to cry, witnessing the strange play of the two. "Mistress, let me explain, " Blackie took a deep breath, as a Branch Leader, he still possessed quite a significant importance for the true leader of the Black Wing Gang so he knew that even though he would be punished, he would not be relieved from his position. "Go on," Natalie spat and Blackie summoned his courage to face this dragon-like Natalie and said, "That young man beside you entered a gambling establishment of ours and used an unscrupulous method to win consecutive jackpots which led to the temporary closure of that establishment," His eyes shone in a pleading light, and Natalie turned to Dan, "Dear, is what he is saying, true?" Dan''s expression flickered, his face reddened in anger and he raised his fingers, "How dare you call me unscrupulous! I used the method that the old man taught me in winning those jackpots! I won them fair and square and after I did that, you summoned me and threatened to wipe out nine generations of my bloodline as revenge and even wanted to steal my life along with my money!" His busted out these words like Eminem as the expression of the three women turned somber, Blackie''s expression looked aghast and he hurriedly gesticulated with his hand, "No, no, no! Please don''t do this to me, young man...You know that my intention in summoning you in here was just to ask for an explanation, and why would I threaten your clan''s extinction for such measly matters?!" Dan''s wronged expression intensified and he looked pitiful as his eyes moistened, taking a deep breath, he explained to Natalie, "Little wife, you saw what happened earlier, he clearly wanted to kill me so all of his explanations are void!" She nodded her head, following her vow of protecting Dan, when she witnessed Lil'' Blackie''s actions, her killing intent surged and her mind denied any explanation which made Blackie''s face look even more tragic than before. "Mistress, please listen! For the sake of Leader Takemikazuchi, please listen to my explanations..." Blackie deeply bowed his head and gesticulated with his hands in an effort to capture her attention. But for Natalie who only wanted revenge for her adorable and wronged husband. His words became empty talk as a terrifying might of thunder enveloped her body. Blackie hissed, regaining his calm, he mustered a barrier but in the face of Natalie''s cultivation and her Divine Arts, he knew that he wouldn''t even last a single exchange much less block her attacks. "Miss, please calm down," Caitlyn stepped between them and intervened, protecting Blackie with her body. Natalie glanced at Dan and the two of them shared a smile, the first phase of their plan, went through. Blackie''s expression softened when he saw Caitlyn''s frail figure protecting him from Natalie. His figure trembled when he thought about the moments where he despised her presence and even publicly mocked her at that meeting. Seeing Blackie''s indescribable expression filled with guilt. Dan''s lips lifted a small smile as he darted his gaze at his little wife, their familiarity towards each other was enough for them to communicate using their body language. And along with Natalie''s intelligence and intuition, she managed to get a hold of his intentions as she played along with her husband''s play. "And just who are you to intervene in the matters between me and the Black Wing Gang?" Her majestic pressure wafted out as beaded sweats formed on Caitlyn''s forehead, glancing at the Blackie who hung his head low, she didn''t expect that this young woman could make him that was dubbed as the Asura submit under her authority. Witnessing their fight earlier, Caitlyn understood the situation. It looks like Dan and this young woman had a deep relationship towards each other and after the latter saw Blackie''s actions earlier, she became enraged and wanted to kill him. However, if Blackie died, the Black Wing Gang in the Desert Wilderness Bazaar would become headless flies and without a leader, especially when the members were all ruffians, it would immediately collapse and a civil war may soon follow resulting in chaos and widespread damage. Caitlyn didn''t want that to happen. All she wanted to have was peace, she had enough of terror and chaos. "This one is the leader of the newly-appointed first-tier Gang, the Tyrannical Jollibee Gang," Caitlyn clasped her hands together in respect. Though she could just ask Dan for help, she didn''t do it, she wanted to showcase her sincerity towards him and this young woman. "Another measly first-tier Gang dares to intervene in the official matters between me and the Black Wing Gang? You sure have guts," Natalie coldly replied and Caitlyn hastily replied, "No I dare not intervene but I think that it would be better if young mistress doesn''t punish him, " Natalie lifted an eyebrow, "You saw him attacking my husband earlier, right?" Caitlyn nodded her head and Natalie continued, "Since you saw that he was the one who launched the offensive first, it should be right for me to punish his actions," Caitlyn turned somber, Natalie''s words were logical and sound as she forgot to refute. But at this moment, Blackie stepped up and held her shoulders, the visage of the terrifying middle-aged man was showcased as he removed his robe and kneeled on the ground, Blackie''s true appearance along with the dissipation of the cold air that constantly surrounded him made everyone in the vicinity, stare in shock. The reason was, Blackie looked very handsome, just his sharp eyebrows and his jet-black hair that faintly swayed in the air alone made Caitlyn, breathless. Paired with his sincere expression, he looked phenomenal and divine. Dan was astonished at his appearance and he discreetly observed Natalie''s expression. However, the latter noticed his probing and she sweetly smiled in return as if saying, "Don''t worry, no one will replace you, my cute little hubby," Dan frowned, "How did I become the little hubby?" He indignantly expressed using his eyes. Natalie merely smiled to herself and darted her gaze back at Blackie who said, "Young Mistress, it is indeed this one''s fault about everything that happened, and it is only appropriate for you to punish my actions." His tone, somber and despondent which contrasted his refreshing appearance. Natalie and Dan felt his sincerity as the two of them stared at each other for a moment before saying, "It''s fine, stand up, I forgive you," Blackie and Caitlyn along with Charlotte who stayed silent all this while stared at the two in shock. Natalie shrugged and explained, "There''s no merit in punishing Blackie, however, if he remained arrogant and unscrupulous in his ways, this Gang will eventually go into ruins," Her words made Blackie ashamed as he swore in his heart that he would never do such foolish and shameful antics. Caitlyn''s expression turned grateful and she stared at the pardoned Blackie with complicated emotions running through her heart. Charlotte revealed a slight smile that decorated her beautiful visage. The scene made Dan stare at her as a sharp pain surged around his waist. Glancing at the cold Natalie, he revealed a small smile and stretched his left hand out and wrapped her waist into his embrace. Their blatant display of affection indicated their true relationship. Charlotte''s smile became filled with numerous emotions, she felt happy, yet her heart ached upon seeing them together. Taking a deep breath, she calmed herself down. "Since that would definitely happen and I am not yet sure if Blackie would repent in his ways, how about we do this?" Natalie took a jade token from her robes and displayed it towards the three. Blackie''s expression flickered as he mumbled, "Black Wing Gang''s Grand Order Token?" "Indeed, this is the Grand Order Token and using my authority granted by this token, I hereby declare that the Black Wing Gang''s Desert Wilderness Branch will enter an alliance with the Tyrannical Jollibee Gang! Caitlyn will take the Vice-Leader''s position while Blackie will remain as the leader!" Her words astonished everyone in the vicinity as Blackie and Caitlyn''s expression looked indescribable, under the order of the Grand Order Token, everything shall be obeyed and Blackie had no other choice. Caitlyn, on the other hand, couldn''t help but shiver upon receiving the heavy responsibilities that landed on her shoulders. But since she was a competitive woman, she liked challenges and would always try and surmount her limits. Expressing her gratefulness to Natalie and Dan, she deeply bowed along with the pardoned Blackie. Witnessing their actions, Dan''s lips lifted a small smile and said, "With this, I can say that I helped you achieved your dreams, right?" Caitlyn turned her eyes at Dan as a sweet smile, which looked ethereal and divine, blossomed on her face, "Yes, thank you for everything, Dan." Dan nodded his head in satisfaction, he was assured that under Caitlyn''s administration, this Desert Wilderness Bazaar would surely flourish along with Takemikazuchi''s Black Wing Gang. The two pairs of husband and wife, turned around to leave as Charlotte followed them from behind. Blackie and Caitlyn who remained at the scene stared at each other, "I didn''t expect that someone like you that is dubbed as an Asura would actually look so handsome," Blackie''s cheeks reddened in embarrassment, witnessing his bashful reaction, Caitlyn took his arm and dragged him towards Blackie''s room wherein they could discuss the intricacies of their alliance. Meanwhile, the two couples who just met each other completely disregarded Charlotte''s presence as they shut themselves in the room that Natalie temporarily stayed. Charlotte looked embarrassed to say something as she stood before the locked door, not knowing what to do. She stood there, awaiting their emergence. However, several minutes later, strange inexplicable noises suddenly echoed from the room which made her retreat in shock and bashfulness. 75 Departure The storm raged on but as time passed by, it dissipated. Leaving a pinkish aftermath in its wake. Inside the room, the reunited pair of husband and wife laid beside each other, engaged in an embrace, Natalie mumbled, "Juliet missed you..." Dan turned around and ruffled her hair. The sensation of security and warmth made her narrow her eyes as Dan said, "I also missed her, is she eating well? How is she now, and where is she?" When she heard his question, complicated emotions surfaced on her glazed visage, her eyes shone in an uncertain light as she asked in a hushed voice, "Do you really accept, Juliet, you''re still young, I think that you would be better off without acknowledging her..." Dan''s expression reddened in anger, "Are you seriously saying that to me?" Natalie''s figure shivered, and she hung her head low as she continued, "I just think that you deserve better than me, apart from having a beautiful figure, I don''t think there''s anything good about me..." Hearing her soft voice that was laden with guilt and shame, Dan''s expression softened, patting her head, he said, "There''s this famous saying in our clan. It says that once you love someone, you should love her dog." Natalie narrowed her eyes, savoring the sensation. But when she heard what he said, she opened her eyes and frowned, "So you''re saying that Juliet is like a dog?" "Ermm," Dan scratched his head, he lifted a stone and dropped it on his own foot, "I don''t mean it like that, the saying says that if you love someone that has a kin, you should also love their kin." Dan explained and Natalie''s lips lifted a small smile in response, "Even though you''re saying that I bet once you see a woman that is beautiful than me, you will definitely pursue her." Dan wryly smiled, "Am I really that unreliable?" Natalie chuckled, "You''re still confused if you''re reliable or not when it comes to relationships? Remember your reputation at the Empire of Dawn, literally everyone talks behind your back about how devious and lustful you are..." Dan''s expression darkened, indeed, the previous owner of this body indulged in debauchery to the extent that his name was used by parents to scare their daughters from going out. Sighing in his heart, he assumed a pitiful expression and stared at Natalie. Natalie saw his expression and lightly chuckled, "I know, I know about what you are going to say, but it''s fine. If the time comes that you get tired of me, I just hope that you take care of Juliet..." Her expression turned somber, and a deep sigh came from her mouth. The coldness and sharpness that she acquired from her relentless cultivation, dissipated. Right now, she was just a frail young woman that needs her husband''s protection. Dan gave a bitter smile, stretching his hand out, he flicked her forehead, causing her to flinch in pain, "Get tired of you? That should be my line, look at you, acting cold and domineering, earlier. Your cultivation is even a stage higher than me!" Staring at her husband''s despondent expression, an ambiguous smile lifted on her lips as she said, "Well, that''s true, that''s why we need to work hard," Dan lifted an eyebrow, "Work hard in?" Natalie pulled him closer and mumbled these magical words in his ears which made him energetic in a matter of seconds, "Dual-Cultivation, of course." This time, she took the lead, and the cold and domineering facade of Natalie disappeared as her figure, violently twisted above him. Fortunately for Dan, before he was sucked dry. Daybreak arrived and Natalie begrudgingly separated from him. Walking outside, the two of them took a bath and invited Caitlyn along with Charlotte, for a breakfast inside the Black Wing Gang''s pavilion. The members of the Black Wing Gang stared at their leader with strange eyes. Just yesterday, their leader declared that he would be irreconcilable towards the Tyrannical Jollibee Gang and towards that young man, but now, his expression void of arrogance as he approached Caitlyn and her members, acting subservient like a host. Numerous dishes laid atop the table, the quality, comparable to the meals that Charlotte frequently ate back at the residence. This made the group, particularly Dan, who had the lowest cultivation, excited. The dishes served were spiritual meals that could aid in his cultivation. After feasting, he could even feel his power, boiling up to the peak. Turning towards Blackie, he said, "Since everything went well, I suppose that Senior Blackie would allow us to use the Spatial Tunneling Device, right?" Blackie choked in his own saliva, the matter about him refusing Dan made him ashamed of himself. Scratching his chin in awkwardness, He replied, "Of course, young master, you can use it whenever you want..." "Good," Dan nodded his head before continuing, "Prepare it now, since we''re going back home after this meal," His gaze darted at Charlotte, and upon hearing his words, her expression brightened up in excitement. She had enough of this place and the only thing that she wanted was to see her father, again. Glancing at Dan, her cheeks reddened and her eyes flashed in a melancholic light. The time that they spent together wasn''t so long, but it wasn''t so short either. In that short span of time, he made her learn a vital lesson in life and even made her more confident about herself. Her gaze swept over at the smiling Natalie who sat beside him. As a fellow woman, she knew that the gazes that Natalie used to look at Dan were different, and after she heard those strange panting noises coming out of their room, yesterday. She knew that their relationship was deeper than people would expect. The group completed their meal and it was time for their farewells, standing inside the Spatial Tunneling Formation, Dan held the Formation Disc and stared at Caitlyn with complicated emotions rising within his eyes. Charlotte looked the same, she felt reluctant about leaving this place. Witnessing their somber expressions, Caitlyn chuckled and said, "Don''t worry, I left some of my duties with Blackie so I can venture out and live my life," "Since we''ll be meeting soon, anyway, don''t miss me too much..." Caitlyn sweetly smiled and Dan nodded his head and activated the Formation Disc. Resplendent lights enveloped the three and with a flash of bright light. Their figures disappeared from the Black Wing Gang. Staring at the empty place where they once stood. Blackie stretched his hand out and ruffled Caitlyn''s head, "It''s okay, didn''t I say that I''ll help you manage this place first? You''re still young, I want you to experience the world before you come back and offer yourself to me..." Caitlyn lifted her head and stared at Blackie''s softened expression, raising her hands, she cupped his chin and said in a teasing tone, "After I leave, you better not flirt or do it with other girls, or else..." A chill ran through Blackie''s body and he furiously nodded his head like chicken pecking rice. His panicked expression made the young maiden chuckle in delight. 76 Reunion The familiar sensation of spatial transfer washed over the body of Dan, rocking his untempered organs, which made him dizzy as a result. Shaking his head, he regained his clarity and the scene that revealed itself before him made him leak a wide smile. "Finally, I am back..." Staring at the ceiling of the residence that he bought. Dan revealed a small smile. Charlotte turned around and scanned the area. Her figure froze when she saw a young girl that approached them with a wide smile. Juliet''s movements looked awkward, but her effort in walking towards them with great strides made Dan smile as he took her from the ground, "Daddy''s back, baby...Were you a good girl when I was gone?" Natalie''s expression softened and she also joined the fun, rubbing Juliet''s hair. Charlotte''s expression looked indescribable upon witnessing the bonding of the two families. Bowing her head, she interjected, "Ermm, Ma''am Natalie, I''ll be going now, thank you for everything," She didn''t know why, but in each time she saw Dan displaying his affection to Natalie, a painful pang would sting her heart, it was a sour and bitter sensation. Natalie''s gaze focused on Charlotte, as a fellow woman, she was sensitive towards a maiden''s emotions. And when she saw the disappointed and despondent light within her eyes, Natalie understood that despite the short time that they spent together. Charlotte became attached to Dan. She then turned towards the oblivious Dan and thought, ''If I want to get a sister, it seems like I need to do some pushing,'' She inwardly sighed before saying, "Sister Charlotte, you''re already going? Come, stay here for a moment, I''ve already told your father about everything and he is coming here along with Senior Takemikazuchi." Dan''s expression flickered, "That old man is coming as well?" Dan thought about the times where he acquired Takemikazuchi as a student. He felt shameful that as the master, he hasn''t even provided him with any study material. "What old man? Stop being so disrespectful to Senior, If not for him having some connections in the Great Wilderness of Torb, I doubt that you could even return here in such a short amount of time," "Yeah, right," Dan nodded his head and carried Juliet who refused to remove her embrace from his neck. The young girl wanted to be doted upon and Dan obliged, showering her with head pats. The two of them walked towards the kitchen. As a celebration, Dan prepared to showcase his cooking skills. Juliet insisted that she would assist, and how could Dan refuse such an adorable hardworking loli? Smiling to himself, he made Juliet fetch the ingredients as she observed from the sidelines. Back at the living room, Charlotte glanced at Natalie whose lips leaked a small smile. She had a premonition in her mind that she didn''t dare to confirm. However, Natalie''s next words astonished her, "What do you think about Dan?" A teasing smile lifted on Natalie''s lips as she asked. Charlotte''s expression blushed, calming herself down, she replied, "He''s a very reliable man, family oriented and a gentleman," After speaking these words, she hung her head low, hiding her expression from Natalie with her hair. Upon hearing her words filled with praise for Dan, Natalie inwardly snickered, ''It seems like he managed to fool this young girl,'' Her teasing smile intensified as she softly said. "Do you like him?" Natalie continued her offensive and Charlotte''s figure, froze. She lifted her head and stared at Natalie with complicated emotions running through her mind. ''Why is she asking me these questions? Aren''t they married? Just what kind of a wife asks other women if they like her husband?'' Natalie''s inquiry stumped her. Since Charlotte didn''t reply immediately, Natalie moved closer to her and explained how she and Dan met for the first time. Her story astonished Charlotte and the young woman started trembling. The light that shone on her face indicated that she admired Dan even more. Natalie noticed this and she glanced at the kitchen while inwardly thinking, ''I''ve already laid the foundations for you, Hubby. Now, I''ll leave everything to your care.'' Natalie calmed Charlotte down, rubbing her back like she did with Juliet. Charlotte felt the warm sensation that came from Natalie''s hand and she became more guilty about the feelings that started blooming in her heart. Although polygamy was a normal occurrence in this world, she still felt shameful about having designs for a married man, like Dan. Natalie sensed that the atmosphere was getting weird. Standing up, she left Charlotte behind and assisted the two at the kitchen. When Natalie left, Charlotte''s expression looked indescribable as she reminisced about everything that happened back at the Wilderness. All the suffering that she suffered, served as a great lesson for her. Now, she knew how cruel the outside world was and she was determined, determined to change herself for the better. Dan wrapped up the cooking and soon, a fragrant curry with rice was served atop the table. Mathias along with Takemikazuch finally arrived and when they entered, the enticing smell of the dish assaulted their nostrils. They even forgot to greet Dan and Natalie as they curiously glanced at the pot that sat above the table. Dan stared at their antics with a smug smile on his face. Seeing someone enjoying what he made gave him a priceless sense of satisfaction. The group proceeded on their meals and the two men couldn''t help but praise Natalie, "Goddamned it, how is this so good? Even my personal Chefs can''t cook this good!" "Yeah, right, the ingredients used were not even that precious compared to what you use back at the Academy...." Sensing their gazes full of praise, Natalie wryly smiled, she didn''t understand why she couldn''t beat her husband when it comes to cooking. "Senior, that wasn''t made by me..." Natalie spoke up and the two men lifted their heads, "What do you mean not made by you? Could it be that this is a takeaway?" Natalie shook her head, "No, that''s made by Dan." The men froze and their shocked expression made everyone chuckle around the dining table. Mathias glanced at his daughter and found that she would steal glances at Dan. Remembering the fact that Dan managed to subdue this old man beside him, a small smile crept on his face, "What do you think about the meal? Charlotte?" Charlotte''s figure shook upon being called. Turning to face her father, she said, "It''s good, it''s much better than what I eat at the Academy." "It''s good, right? Good enough that you want to eat it, every day?" Mathias continued with a smile, and Charlotte absentmindedly nodded her head. However, when she analyzed her father''s words laden with hidden intents, her expression reddened in embarrassment. Natalie glanced at Mathias and raised her thumb in approval. Meanwhile, Dan who understood Mathias'' intention couldn''t help but sigh in his heart, it was the first time that he encountered a Dan that willingly offered his daughter towards a man. But if you think about it, why would he not do that? Just from the fact that Takemikazuchi became submissive to him and the latter confirming his talent. At first, Mathias didn''t reall think much about that, but when he realized that his daughter had some feelings for Dan. He knew that everything was starting to become serious. They finally finished their meal and while they were resting and casually chatting with each other. Takemikazuchi who was silent the whole time finally spoke up. "Young master, come with me for a moment," He stood up and walked towards the front yard of the residence. Dan was puzzled but he followed suit. "I accepted you as my master but you still haven''t taught me anything, now I am becoming suspicious if you''re really that consistent as I thought," Takemikazuchi said with a frown. Dan bitterly smiled, he knew that he need something that would spark the Forger''s heart within this old man as he quickly decided. Taking his Desert Eagle from his pocket, he handed it over to the old man who frowned, "What is this piece of metal?" Dan chuckled, "Don''t underestimate that so-called piece of metal. With a single pull, it could kill." Takemikazuchi lifted an eyebrow, glancing at Dan, he didn''t seem to be bluffing but he still found it hard to believe that this piece of metal could kill somebody. Inspecting its body, he found an opening and said, "So this guy propels something out from this barrel, like a cannon?" Dan smiled, ''It seems like he''s not completely clueless, well, that''s expected, after all. He''s a Legendary Forger.'' "Here''s how to use it," Dan took the Desert Eagle out from his hands and pointed the barrel at Takemikazuchi. "Hey, why are you aiming that to me?" "Didn''t you say that you want to know if this guy could kill, right?" Dan gave a small smile, Takemikazuchi replied, "Yeah, but what should I do? Should I just stand here or do I defend myself?" Dan thought for a moment. Since Takemikazuchi was Divine Soul Cultivator, his physique''s sturdiness should be top-notch that he could defend against an unenchanted bullet. "Just stay still and brace for impact," Dan said and Takemikazuchi distanced himself from him. Seeing that the old man was ready, Dan aimed and pulled the trigger as a roar reverberated, disturbing the group of people taking inside the house. Takemikazuchi saw the bullet approaching his way, but he didn''t do anything to defend against it. As expected, when it collided with his body, the bullet disintegrated, but a sharp pain followed by a purple mark, wretched the point of impact as he hissed, "Goddamned it, it really could kill someone! Put that dangerous thing away!" Takemikazuchi rubbed his pained arm as Dan chuckled and threw the weapon towards his direction. Catching it in mid-air. Takemikazuchi stared at the retreating Dan who said, "Try and make something like that, old man. If you succeed and gain the ability to mass produce that thing, we can change the way empires do wars..." Takemikazuchi''s expression shone in utmost excitement, with such an excellent business opportunity in his hands, how could he slack? Without saying anything to Mathias, he disappeared from the front yard, flying towards the direction of the Great Wilderness. Dan shrugged and returned inside where he was greeted by the strange looks of the three, "What''s wrong?" He asked and Mathias replied, "What was that sound, earlier?" "Ah, that? That was me. The old man wanted to test my strength so I punched him," Dan explained and Mathias nodded his head, "Setting that aside, what''s going on here?" Dan casually sat beside Natalie and his little wife explained, "Senior Mathias is asking us if we want to enroll at the Paradyne Academy. He also says that we can take the position of an Honorary Disciple..." Mathias glanced at Dan with a small smile on his face, his proposal was tempting because an Honorary Disciple could enjoy the same benefits with the Core Disciples without even working for it. That''s how much he appreciated Dan''s talent. Dan thought for a moment, he reminisced about the times where his life became endangered due to his lacking strength. Inwardly sighing, Dan said, "Fine, we accept your request, but we want to take Juliet with us," Mathias nodded his head, "That''s also fine. I won''t ask you to do anything in reciprocation, but I hope that you stand together with the Academy if we''re in a crisis," He said these words for he knew that Dan''s destiny was much higher than this, and once he became a powerhouse, the Academy would also acquire a strong backing. Dan understood Mathias'' intention. Although he didn''t want to be shackled by Sects or Academies. Since he wanted to learn more about cultivation, he had no other choice but to enter the Academy and become a student. Mathias'' smile became more amiable and the group talked to each other for a moment before the pair of father and daughter, finally left. Inside the now empty living room, Dan clutched a jade bottle containing the pills that Mathias gave to him several weeks ago. Natalie''s expression turned worried. Since she also consumed that pill to increase her strength, she knew how much pain it could inflict and that kind of pain was something that not everyone could survive. Back then, she only managed to survive thanks to her determination to see her husband again. And now that Dan wanted to take these pills to reach the Organ Tempering Realm, it was natural for her to be worried. "Are you really sure about this, Dan?" Natalie asked and Dan turned to her with a small smile, "Yeah, I am sure, I want to gain strength for as soon as possible since I don''t wanna be mocked fo hiding behind a woman''s skirt," He joked and Natalie pinched his waist, Rubbing his aching waist, Dan kissed her forehead and ruffled her hair in reassurance, "Everything will be fine, really. Who do you think I am? I didn''t become your husband for nothing," Dan stretched his arms out and flexed, making Natalie chuckle as the serious atmosphere, slightly dissipated. Several minutes later, Dan sat cross-legged on the ground. His expression solemn along with Natalie who observed him from the sidelines. Swallowing the pill. It dissolved into a liquid that emanated a heatwave akin to a molten lava. Dan''s expression twisted in pain. Grounding his teeth, he forced himself to calm down and focused his mind on dissolving the medicinal pill''s efficacy. If he didn''t dissolve it, the pill turned liquid would wreak havoc in his body, potentially making him explode like a balloon. Natalie tightly clenched her fists, she knew that no matter how much she wanted to help her husband. Once the process of cultivation started, she could only watch in the sidelines. She prayed in her heart as the intensifity of the medicinal pills power surged followed by a miserable howl that reverberated across the residence. 77 Strange Occurrence When the molten lava of pain surged through his body, Dan suddenly remembered the hidden effects of the Tyrannical Strength Increasing Pill, gritting his teeth, he took another pill from the jade bottle and swallowed it amidst Natalie''s shocked and aghast gaze. Natalie shouted in concern but Dan has already swallowed the pill. Dissolving in his stomach, the medicinal efficacy scattered across his body and reinforced the spreading pain as his body turned red like the sunset. "AAAHHH!!!" Inhumane screams echoed from his throat, such pain wasn''t something that his current willpower could endure as he violently thrashed around destroying everything around him. Tears formed on Natalie''s eyes. No matter how much she wanted to help. All she could do was to prevent Juliet from hearing the commotion as she blocked the sounds from reaching her daughter''s room with her Qi. Veins bulged all over Dan''s body as his figure thrashed around like a wriggling snake. His screams of pain gradually turned into hoarse whimpering as he spat black mouthfuls of blood that emanated a pungent stench. Natalie''s eyes shone when she saw these black stinky blood. She knew that those were the impurities within Dan''s body. However, the effects of the Pill should only raise the eater''s cultivation, why are the impurities from her husband''s body, coming out? She wondered as Dan continuously rolled on the ground. His face purple from the pain and blood dripped from his pores along with a cracking sound that constantly echoed from his bones. His skin looked like a cooked shrimp and it would powerfully throb along with his muscles that were constantly being tempered under the Pill''s medicinal efficacy. The effects of the pills have just started, yet Dan''s consciousness started narrowing. His vision swam and everything around him turned into a scene like what you would see in a kaleidoscope. Clenching his fists, he mustered his strength and bit the tip of his tongue. The resulting sharp pain forced his awakened his consciousness as his perception of everything, including pain, intensified. Tears rolled from Natalie''s eyes, it was a painful experience for her, to see someone that she loved, thrashing about right under her eyes, in pain while she was powerless to help. The cracking sounds inside Dan''s body intensified and turned into a sound like frying vegetables. His vision narrowed once again, but this time, his eyes suddenly shone in a jet-black light as a black mist wafted out from his body. His painful thrashing came to a halt along with his screams as he stood up and stared blankly ahead. The sudden change astonished Natalie and when she inspected, fear ran through her spine when she saw his pitch-black eyes. "Dan...?" She mumbled amidst her fear. The pressure that Dan emanated right now, gave her a sense of despair and powerlessness/ [Due to the effects of incessant tempering, the System is purifying the host''s bloodline.] [The Host''s ?????? Bloodline has been purified!] A crown made of black mist floated in the air and landed atop his head. The black mist also transformed into a cloak which draped over his shoulders and back. Natalie''s expression shivered, her instincts repeatedly told her to run, yet she didn''t. She was afraid to run by her own. She was afraid that something irreversible may happen to her husband. The crackling sounds that constantly echoed from Dan''s body came to a halt. His boiling skin recovered its previous fairness and the sharp constant pain that wracked his body, disappeared as his consciousness, slipped out and his figure fell onto the ground. 78 Abandoning Dignity [System Assisted Recovery, Completed!] [Cost: 500 ASP] Dan''s consciousness awakened from slumber as several system notifications told him about his condition. It turns out that he suffered from extreme blood loss and collapsed. If not for Natalie''s help and the System''s intervention, it would have taken longer for him to recover. Urging his upper body, he observed the area and found Juliet along with Natalie sleeping on his thigh. His expression softened and he stretched his hand out, caressing the foreheads of the two as a warm smile spread on his lips. Memories came flooding in about his previous life and he remembered that he didn''t have the chance to experience such warmth. As a NEET, his parents abandoned him out of shame, and even his siblings despised him. He could only find such warmth in watching animes and embracing his beloved Kobayashi Kanna bodypillow. But now, now that he had his current life, Dan found his current situation as precious in his heart. And he will definitely do anything to protect his status quota. His incessant rubbing awakened Natalie and a gentle smile spread on her lips when she saw Dan. Standing up, she carried Juliet back to her room and silently prepared breakfast. Meanwhile, Dan closed his eyes and checked the condition of his body. Indeed, he broke through the Organ Tempering Realm. Opening his stats window, the following information was displayed. [Name: Dan Gabriel Longinus; Age: 16; Status: ??????????] [Stats: Str: 5, Int: 12, Dex: 13, Agi: 15, Sta: 5] [For Reference, one stat point equals an average human''s stat.] [Cultivation: Early Stage of the Organ Tempering Realm] [System Evaluation: Mediocre] In comparison, his little wife, Natalie''s stats were as follows. [Name: Natalie Longinus; Age: 23; Status: Member of the Longinus Clan] [Stats: Str: 13, Int: 22, Dex: 18, Agi: 19, Sta: 10] [Cultivation: Peak Stage of the Organ Tempering Realm] [For Reference, one stat point equals an average human''s stat.] [System Evaluation: Lmao, your wife is stronger than you...] Dan bitterly smiled upon reading the System''s Evaluation of Natalie, however, he became curious, just how did Natalie reach her current cultivation? Back when the incident of his disappearance still didn''t happen. Natalie''s cultivation was just at the mere Early Stage of the Flesh Tempering Realm, but in mere weeks, she crossed an entire Realm and a half... ''Could it be that she consumed, some kind of a secret medicine or maybe she used a secret art?'' Dan''s face paled, even by just hearing the name, ''secret'' one would understand that using such method will definitely result in serious repercussions. "Hubby, I prepared some breakfast, come, sit up and eat..." Natalie brought with her a tray where numerous light dishes stood. Since Dan just awakened from a deep slumber, she didn''t want to surprise his stomach so she opted for light meals. "What''s wrong?" Natalie asked she saw that Dan''s expression looked pale and worried. Dan didn''t even hear her inquiry. Instead, he focused on the series of system notifications that appeared in the air before him. [Results: Nothing found!] Dan knitted his eyebrows, he scanned Natalie''s body in an effort to find any hidden damages but the system returned nothing. It could only mean one thing, either Natalie broke through realms with her own efforts or she used a method that didn''t have any side effects. But how could Dan believe that such a miraculous method existed without any hidden effects? And judging by the fact that it evaded the System''s scrutiny, it could be said that the method she used was a high leveled one. Without any other choice, Dan could only ask her as he received the tray before saying, "Little wife, just how did you achieve the Peak Stage of the Organ Tempering Realm in just a few weeks?" Natalie''s expression flickered, her face turned uncomfortable. Darting her gaze around, her mind spun, looking for ways to change the topic, "Taste the dish that I made, I''ve been practicing ever since you disappeared..." She said and Dan obliged, placing the spoon filled with congee inside his mouth. A burst of flavor froze his mind as his eyes narrowed in pleasure. The spices contained within the dish created a symphony that could be compared to the dishes that he could make once he went full power. His hand became blurry, stuffing spoonfuls after spoonfuls of the congee inside his mouth. Without realizing it, the bowl became empty and his expression became tragic. Looking at his pitiful expression, Natalie chuckled. "Don''t worry, I prepared lots of this congee, for you..." She took the bowl from Dan''s hand and walked towards the kitchen. Dan stared at her disappearing back, "Am I forgetting something?" He mumbled, but soon shook the idea out of his head, "Oh, well, since I forgot about it, I don''t think it''s that important of a matter anyway..." Natalie entered the kitchen and a small satisfied smile lifted on her lips, ''I managed to change the topic, but I don''t think that he''ll forget about it...'' She inwardly thought she didn''t really want him to know about the matter of her cruel training. She was afraid that once Dan''s image of her as an adorable little wife was shattered. He may abandon her. No matter what, Dan abandoning her was something that she didn''t know if she could endure. Gripping the hems of her one-piece dress, she thought to herself, ''I''ll keep it a secret as long as possible...'' She sighed then refilled the bowl and returned back to Dan''s room. Dan received the bowl and voraciously ate once again. Once he was full, he became sleepy and laid on the bed lazily. He glanced at Natalie, hinting at something. The latter who received his intentions, blushed for a moment before sighed to herself and dove under the covers. The sudden suction force and the warm sensation that spread on his body, made him narrow his eyes as he intermittently rubbed her head. But just as he reached his climax. The door suddenly burst open, revealing Juliet whose expression looked like she was about to cry. "Juliet?!" Dan was startled, Juliet was usually asleep in the early stages of the morning and so, he didn''t expect that she would be awake. The little girl, completely oblivious to everything ran towards her father figure and embraced his neck, "Uwuuu...Papa...Juliet is so worried..." Juliet started her rant. Apparently, she saw him being carried by Natalie towards the bathroom, drenched with his own blood. Though Natalie explained to her what happened, as a young child, she didn''t really understand what her mother had said, and the only thing she knew was her father was laying on the ground with blood all over his body. "Okay, okay, I understand, but Juliet, father is going to sleep, for now, so you can go come back here later..." Dan''s lips repeatedly twitched in an effort to prevent his mouth from moaning. His eyes turned sharp and he stared at bulge around his lower body. ''This vixen...why is she not stopping...'' Despite the fact that their daughter was beside them, Natalie intensified her attacks and furiously bobbed her head in an effort to hasten his climax. "No, I don''t wanna! I wanna stay with Papa!" Juliet tightened her embrace and hung like a monkey from his neck, making him speechless. The intensifying suction force and the pleasure that surged from his lower body. Quickly became something that he couldn''t endure as he exploded. Natalie''s figure under the sheets trembled and his expression reddened along with his breathing that became ragged pants. Fortunately, Juliet was still oblivious to everything and only when Natalie stood up under the sheets did she notice her mother''s existence, "Mama, what are you doing there?" She asked, Natalie darted her gaze at Dan, and the latter stared at her face and found that her mouth was bulging. Wryly smiling, he explained, "Juliet, Mama, and Papa was playing hide and seek earlier, but since you came here, we can''t play anymore..." Juliet''s expression flickered, "Why can''t Mama and Papa play hide and seek with Juliet?" Her expression looked somber and Dan''s smile turned bitter, "That''s because it''s a hide and seek, meant for adults," "A hide and seek meant for adults?" Juliet innocently said, and Dan nodded his head in response, "Yes, you can call it, under the sheets hide and seek..." Dan joked and Natalie''s harsh glare landed on his figure. "Okay...Juliet will go back to her room so Papa and Mama can play under the sheets hide and seek, mkay?" Juliet caught something was amiss, yet she didn''t relate something about it. Dan nodded her head, "That would be good, Juliet should sleep for now since Papa will prepare a present when she wakes up..." The little girl became excited after hearing the prospects of a present. Walking outside of the room, the couple heaved a sigh of relief as Natalie coldly said, "Under the sheets hide and seek?" Dan awkwardly scratched his cheek, "Ermm, It''s just an excuse, you know? And she won''t really understand the meaning behind it," Natalie didn''t reply, it seems like she understood what Dan meant, but her cold expression that remained on her face indicated her sour mood. Moving closer, he embraced her from the back and murmured, "My little wife, you just committed an act of murdering countless innocent lives..." He joked when he saw that the bulge on her mouth had disappeared. "And whose fault is that?" Natalie snapped, but before Dan could respond, a knock came from the entrance followed by Juliet''s voice that said, "I''ll go answer it so Mama and Papa continue their game, okay?" Dan chuckled upon hearing what she said. Natalie turned speechless, she couldn''t comprehend the fact that Dan just taught their daughter some innuendos. Fortunately, she was still oblivious to those matters and would eventually forget about what Dan had taught her. At the entrance to their residence, the figures of Mathias and Charlotte could be seen waiting at the door. When the door opened with a creak, their expressions softened when they saw the figure of the adorable Juliet opening the doors for them. "What a cute little child, can we come in?" Mathias revealed an amiable smile while Charlotte turned conflicted upon seeing Dan''s daughter. Entering their residence, Mathias commented upon witnessing Juliet preparing them some bottled tea. "What a precocious child," Mathias glanced at his daughter and found that her expression looked indescribable, the former chuckled, "Why is my little daughter looks so tragic? It''s not like you don''t have a chance..." Mathias consoled but this made her expression even worse. The fact that she had feelings for someone who was married and even had kids made gave her a sensation of a family wrecker. Sighing in her heart, she sipped her own tea along with Mathias who asked, "Little girl, Juliet. Can we see your father for a bit?" Mathias and Charlotte continued in drinking their tea but as they were about to swallow it, Juliet dropped a bombshell. "Mama and Papa are playing under the sheets hide and seek, can uncle and sister, wait for a moment?" Two fountains of tea burst from their mouth as both father and daughter abandoned their dignity and drenched themselves with the tea. 79 Everyday Life and Foreshadow Mathias'' face looked indescribable while Charlotte''s expression turned as red as a tomato. The tea that they spat dripped from their lips, drenching their clothes. For a moment, the mighty Divine Soul Cultivator and the Princess of the Paradyne Clan forgot to maintain their dignity. Facing the innocent Juliet who stared at them with a confused expression. Mathias dryly coughed and awkwardly smiled before standing up, "Ermm, little girl, we''ll go back here at night," Charlotte also stood up and closed her senses off. Juliet''s expression flickered, "Why? Uncle can wait, I''ll go tell papa to stop their game..." She turned around and Mathias hurriedly stopped her, "It''s okay, It''s okay, Juliet, it seems like your father and mother is working hard, so don''t disturb them, okay?" Mathias glanced at her daughter and the latter looked thoroughly embarrassed and astonished. "Working hard?" Juliet knitted her eyebrows, she didn''t understand why playing would be related to working since according to her, they were separate matters. "Mama and Papa are playing, you know? I can make them stop," Hearing her words, Charlotte gripped her father''s wrist, wanting him to stop. But the old man revealed a sly smile, rubbing his palms together, he closed in and said, "How do you make them stop, Juliet?" Juliet''s expression brightened upon the fact that she was being relied on. Staring right into Mathias'' eyes, she said with a cheerful laughter, "Hehe, I can make them stop by turning on the lights..." "Pfft!" Mathias hurriedly turned his head to the side as he spat a drizzle of saliva in the air. Holding his guts, his shoulders visibly trembled as Charlotte literally dragged him outside. Nodding towards the little girl, they went off and never looked back, leaving the dumbfounded Juliet behind. Inside the couple''s room, electricity danced around along with crackling sounds that filled the area. The two stuck their bodies close to each other and assumed a position recorded inside the dual-cultivation method named, Fusion of the Lightning God. The dual-cultivation works by circulating double the amount of Lightning Qi within the bodies of the two compatible couple that cultivates the Blessing of the Lightning God Divine Arts. Thus, decreasing their cultivation time. The only disadvantage that this method has was that it needed a sincere and pure connection between the cultivators. Because of this, the method was only suitable for Dao Companions. Since this issue didn''t bother the two, they commenced their dual-cultivation and Dan''s mind fell into deep contemplation. With the help of Natalie''s comprehension, Dan''s mind began to understand the intricacies of the second stage of the Blessing of the Lightning God. Different from the first stage where lightning is only manifested. The second stage congeals the lightning instead of sending it out in a flurry. Which means the cultivator could control their lightning into different shapes, such as a sword, arrow, or a simple Lightning Ball. Not only that, since the cultivator''s understanding regarding Lightning was improved, the destructive capabilities of the attack would also be strengthened along with its speed, devastating his enemies to oblivion. With Natalie''s mountainous peaks pressed on his backs, Dan clicked his tongue, mustering the power of his virginity back at his past life to concentrate. Stretching both of his hands, he willed and the Lightning that surrounded them rolled towards the gap between his palms. The sensation of forcing the scattered lightning around the air into a tight space between his palms was akin to forcing two like poles of magnets into each other. A strange force constantly fought back against his will, making him infuriated and vexed. Exhaling a mouthful of air, his concentration lagged and the lightning, scattered. Beaded sweats filled his forehead, rubbing himself clean, he turned towards the stark naked Natalie and said, "Dress up, Juliet may have woken up already..." Dan glanced at the window and found that it was already night. Natalie nodded her head, but instead of dressing herself up, she dragged Dan towards the independent bathroom inside their room. Inside the bath, Natalie found that Dan''s expression looked despondent, rubbing his stiff shoulders, she said, "Don''t be too discouraged, I know that you''re a determined man, you can definitely do it..." Dan turned around and bitterly smiled, now that she mentioned it, Dan remembered that he forgot to ask her about how she reached her current cultivation. Opening his mouth, he was about to speak when Natalie leaped atop him and scrubbed his body clean. The offensive that Natalie launched made him forgot his question as the two of them playfully scrubbed each other''s body. Thirty minutes later, the couple freshened up and walked out of their room. There, they found Juliet in the living room, playing with her dolls. Dan approached her and rubbed her head, "Are you hungry, Juliet?" The little girl turned around and stared at Dan in delight, "Mhmm! Will Papa cook?" She asked, and Dan chuckled, gesturing with his right forearm, he flexed and said, "Of course, I will! You don''t want to taste Mama''s horrible cooking, right?" Dan''s expression looked bright as he asked. But when he finished his sentence. His figure froze as a cold wind swept past his body. Turning around, Natalie could be seen staring at him with a murderous glare as the man who annihilated a part of the Fierce Bulls Gang became timid and frightful like a turtle. "Hubby, did you say something?" "Say something? What do you mean? I''m just talking with Juliet''s friends..." He turned towards Juliet''s dolls and suffused a comical expression, making them leap around with his hands. Sighing in relief, he thought that he managed to evade the storm, but Juliet suddenly dropped a bombshell. "Papa said that he will cook because Mama''s cooking is terrible..." Her innocent voice sent a freezing wind down his soul. Juliet''s words became a death sentence as Natalie sentenced him to sleep outside of the room, destroying all of his chances to be intimate with her. Natalie coldly snorted and returned back to the kitchen while Dan''s expression looked tragic and aghast. Darting his gaze at the pure-natured Juliet, he could only console himself by ruffling her hair. As a result, Dan was unable to showcase the skills that he learned from Yukihira Soma. Around the dining table, his entire family sat down but instead of sitting next to him, Natalie sat beside Juliet and ignored Dan whose expression looked indescribable. Just as they were eating, a knock echoed on the door and when Natalie opened it. Mathias and Charlotte could be seen with weird expressions on their face. Entering the house, Dan turned to Mathias and said, "Come here, Senior, my wife cooked some delicate delicacies, it would be a shame if you cannot taste it..." His gaze momentarily glanced at Natalie who sent a fierce glare in return. Mathias rubbed his head, lightly coughing, he maintained his dignity and decorum while Charlotte looked redder than a tomato, "Home-cooked meals? It''s been a long time since I tasted one, I really thank you for the offer, Dan." "It''s nothing, It''s nothing, come seat..." Dan gestured and Charlotte nodded her head in courtesy while preparing to seat beside Natalie. But Dan was faster than her. Before she could seat beside Natalie, Dan''s figure had already disappeared and reappeared beside Natalie whose face became colder as time passed by. Charlotte dryly coughed and took the hint. Turning towards her father, she realized that her old man was winking at her in a well-hidden signal. She turned speechless towards her father''s conduct. But in the end, she took the seat beside Dan and took a plate. The atmosphere around the room was strange as the two families dined together. But still, they enjoyed the dishes that Natalie made and even Dan who found her meals, hard to swallow became delighted in the fact that she managed to improve this much in such a short amount of time "Now that I think about it, now that I think about improvement, I feel like I''m forgetting something," He mumbled under his breath, but his whispering didn''t escape Natalie''s perception. His eyes flickered in a light of epiphany as he prepared to question Natalie. But before he could speak up, Natalie suddenly said, "Now that I think about it, Senior, is there any matter that you want us to take a look?" Mathias'' eyes flashed in surprise, "Oh, so you already know about the matter of that so-called Phantom Mistress?" Dan''s attention perked up while Charlotte remained indifferent. It looks like she already knew about this matter. "Phantom Mistress?" Dan asked in a small voice, Mathias turned to him, "Yeah, ever since the two of you returned, someone is hunting down the low-ranking Assassins of the Night Ranger Association inside the Imperial City..." "Really?'' Dan asked, clearly astonished. Mathias nodded his head, "Though it doesn''t really concern us that much since she''s hunting those bastards from the Night Ranger Association, the only thing that I''m afraid of is about her safety..." Dan knitted his eyebrows, "If she''s hunting the members of the Night Ranger Association then she should have a decent cultivation, why is Senior worried about her safety when her enemies are just small fries?" "Her cultivation isn''t exactly that high, according to my investigations, she doesn''t possess a Divine Sense, yet so her cultivation is definitely lower than the Spirit Tempering Realm...Also, witnesses say that she would wear a silver mask that covers her entire face. " Mathias explained and a muffled cry of surprise came out of Dan''s mouth, "A silver mask? So that''s her trademark?" "Yes, it is," Mathias nodded his head and Dan pressed on, "Then, why is Senior telling us this information? I don''t think that it will do us any merit though..." "Hahaha," Mathias chuckled, "Well, there''s no harm in knowing more, you know? Maybe it could help you in the long run..." With Mathias saying these lines, Dan could only nod his head and the two families continued their dinner. In the end, Mathias gave the couple, two jade tokens of the Paradyne Academy which would serve as their recommendation letter. He said that they could enter the Academy, whenever they were ready. The veil of the night reached its peak and everyone inside the Imperial City were more or less, asleep. Inside the residence of the Longinus Family, the slender figure of Natalie slipped out from her room. Glancing around, she cautiously stepped outside and when she reached the exit. An azure lightning enveloped her body as her figure disappeared. Leaping on roofs after roofs, she took a compass and rushed towards the direction where it pointed. Inside a certain house in the Commoner Realm of the Empire of Eternal Faith. A young man whose figure looked remarkably average furiously scribbled on a piece of paper. His expression pale and his breathing disarrayed as the sweat that formed on his forehead drizzled down the paper. Behind him, the corpse of a high-ranking official of the Empire could be seen. His rank indicated by the badge affixed on his right chest. Finishing his letter, the young man took a token and pressed it on the paper, embedding the mark of the Night Ranger Association before throwing it near the corpse. A relieved smile lifted on his lips as he hurriedly went to escape. But before he could even reach the exit. A bolt of lightning passed by, along with the appearance of a slender and captivating figure of a young woman clad in a jet-black nightgown. Her clothes contrasted the silvery mask that she wore on her face. Her figure looked enticing enough, but when the young man witnessed her appearance. His face became filled with fear and terror. Staggering backward, he summoned a fleet of daggers and sent it towards the young woman. The young woman flicked her wrist in response, as lightning congealed and formed a wall which charred the dagger into useless scraps. The young man took advantage of this opening and ran towards a nearby wall. But unfortunately, the masked woman was even faster. A palm strike filled with the power of Lightning slammed on his chest, sending him towards the wall and effectively ending his life. The young woman then walked towards the corpse of the young man and tapped his forehead. The remnants of the young man''s Spiritual Qi surged and came out of his orifices as the young woman entrapped it within her palm and fused it within her dantian. Because of this, her strength permanently surged and the expenditure of Spiritual Qi that she used in killing the young man was recovered. She glanced at the dead bodies of the two and clapped her hands together, offering a prayer for their soul before leaving her mask and escaping from the scene. As her graceful figure fluttered above the roofs. Her name would once again resound across the entire Empire of Eternal Faith. 80 Demonic Path Days after Dan and Charlotte''s disappearance from the Empire of Eternal Faith. Takemikazuchi and Natalie just arrived at the Wilderness Branch of the Black Wing Gang. Emerging from the Spatial Tunneling Formation Portal, numerous figures clad in a jet-black robe with a reddish hue at the middle of their backs could be seen standing before them. Though the expressions of the figures could not be seen, the way that carried their bodies indicated their respect as all of them kneeled towards the direction of Takemikazuchi. Natalie glanced at Takemikazuchi and realized that the cheerful and vibrant old man, actually had such a deep secret behind him. Void of the shiny and warm expression that he would suffuse back at the Empire of Eternal Faith, Takemikazuchi nodded his head and turned towards the man who stood before this entourage. The man had his hands clasped together but he didn''t kneel. Lifting his head, he said, "Greetings to the Ancestor!"The men behind him also greeted and their thunderous voices formed a chorus which shook the entire hall. Natalie was taken aback and staggered backward while Takemikazuchi waved his hands and dismissed the other members of the Gang which dissipated into the darkness. Natalie''s expression changed, each and everyone that she saw in her possessed a power capable enough of thoroughly erasing her existence. And Takemikazuchi, that was their Ancestor, Just how powerful is he? She inwardly thought. "I have received the Ancestor''s orders," The man nodded and Takemikazuchi said, "We''ll talk about it later, first, give us a residence to stay in." Takemikazuchi turned to Natalie, "We''ll be staying here for a while, I''ll explain everything to you later so," He glanced at the sleeping Juliet in her arms, "Place her in bed first..." Takemikazuchi then turned to the side and walked away. Leaving her and the man inside the dimly lit hall. The man, known as the current Patriarch of the Black Wing Gang couldn''t help but feel somewhat apprehensive towards this young woman. With his senses, he noticed that Takemikazuchi''s eyes that stared at Natalie shone in a light of warmth and tenderness. Maintaining his calm, he suppressed his inner upheaval and respectfully approached Natalie before saying, "Mistress must be tired, please follow this humble one..." Natalie stared at the respectful man and nodded her head. With his lead, she soon arrived before a luxurious mansion whose lavishness was only lower than the Imperial Palace of the Empire of Dawn. Calming her nerves, she entered the mansion upon the man''s instructions and was greeted by a fleet of maids which tended to her needs. Instead of feeling happy, the care that she received made her apprehensive about the situation as she waited for Takemikazuchi''s arrival, looking somehow fidgety and nervous. With her cultivation at the lowest realm, even the maids in here could easily slap her to death. Later on, Takemikazuchi finally arrived, opening the sliding door, he entered the room and sat directly before Natalie and said, "Since you''re that brat''s wife, I don''t think that there''s any use in hiding things from you since I bet that you know about it anyways..." "Know?" Natalie knitted her eyebrows, "What do you mean, Senior? Is there some kind of a secret that I am supposed to know?" She asked and Takemikazuchi chuckled, "The more time you spend with that brat, the more you take on his attitude." He waved his hands in dismissal, "Stop playing with me, you know about it, right?" "The fact that I am a cultivator who walks on the demonic path..." A cold wind swept past, Natalie''s expression turned pale as the air around Takemikazuchi drastically changed. A black mist enveloped his body and Natalie''s figure shivered in terror. "Why do you look so pale? It''s not like it''s the first time that you saw someone who walks on the demonic path..." His aura retracted and Natalie mumbled, "What do you mean?" Takemikazuchi knitted his eyebrows, "Stop playing with me, aren''t you the wife of that brat? He walks on the same path as me, albeit his path is more treacherous..." "The same path as Senior? Impossible! My husband isn''t a demonic cultivator! That cannot be..." One of the greatest enemies of humans of all time was those Demons. Legends say that those who belong to the demonic path were cruel and merciless creatures who treated the life of humans back then as livestock. She shook her head, she wouldn''t believe that such a loving and gentle husband like Dan would be someone that walks on the demonic path. Takemikazuchi cupped his chin with his right hand, "It seems like you''re having a misunderstanding, here..." Natalie lifted her head, "Misunderstanding?" "Yeah," Takemikazuchi nodded his head and took a more comfortable posture before continuing, "The idea of demonic cultivators being extremely evil is embedded in your mind, in fact, that is not true." He sighed as a melancholic light filled his eyes, "Just because we walk on an unorthodox path, doesn''t mean that we''re completely evil. We only kill those who bar our path towards the peak, to live freely and unfettered, that''s the true mindset of a demonic cultivator..." Natalie''s figure shook as the words that Takemikazuchi said, shook her to the very core. To live freely and without shackles, how good of an idea was that? She inwardly thought. Ever since she was born, she was shackled by the duty of that so-called arranged marriage that she had to escape, and ever since then, she didn''t achieve the freedom that she wanted. She felt envious about the freedom that the demonic cultivators had. "It looks like we''re quite similar," Takemikazuchi stared into her eyes, "From the looks of it, you also suffered, eh..." His mind fell into contemplation before saying, "But why are you saying that you do not know anything about that brat walking on the demonic path? He didn''t tell you anything about it?" "The Cultivation Method that I and my husband cultivates is the Blessing of the Lightning God, he possesses the pure bloodline of the Lightning God while I, possessed a half-baked transplanted bloodline, how could someone who has the pure blood of the Gods, walk on the demonic path?" Natalie asked, confusion evident in her expression. "Hahaha," Takemikazuchi chuckled, "Do you really think that just because it is widely advertised that Gods are on the righteous side, doesn''t mean that they cannot also be demons?" "Wait, Senior...Could it be that..." Natalie''s expression flickered, she had a premonition in her mind that she didn''t dare to confirm. Takemikazuchi nodded his head in satisfaction, "Indeed, that''s what I mean! Because of the fact that the Blessing of the Lightning God is the greatest nemesis of all Yin affiliated enemies, like demons, Dan and you could potentially become one of the strongest demon-slayers in this world!" He praised and Natalie''s expression looked indescribable, hanging her head low, she said, "What senior said is really attractive. But I''m completely tired of everything, all I want to do is to live peacefully in this mundane world along with my daughter..."She said, but Takemikazuchi shook his head and retorted, "Idiot! If that''s what you wanted, then why did you bond with that brat! You knew that his fate will be riddled with dangers and blood, yet you still went close to him!" His roar shook the entire room. Fortunately, the walls were fitted with Sound Isolating Formation so only Natalie heard what he said. Calming her nerves, she lifted her head and stared at Takemikazuchi, "I know that, I know that very well, in fact, Ancestor Lightning God told me about that when I received my transplanted bloodline, that Dan would be someone that would eventually reach the apex." "I know that I am incompetent to be right by his side, but can''t I try? Can''t I try and do my best so that I can eventually stand with him at the peak?!" Her strong words echoed like a thunderbolt, at this moment. The timid Natalie expressed her concerns in a determined and courageous manner, right in front of a Divine Soul Practitioner that was Takemikazuchi. Despite the difference in strength, she still suffused a brave front, but Takemikazuchi could see her faintly trembling hands as he sighed. He lifted his head and gazed towards the skies, ''Emily, if I am as courageous as this young woman, perhaps, my fate would be right by your side...'' He inwardly thought but soon shook his head. The matters of the past should be buried in the past. Staring at Natalie who maintained her brave front, Takemikazuchi chuckled and said, "Since you''re that adamant in staying with him, I''ll help you unlock that transplanted demonic bloodline of the Lightning God," Natalie''s expression changed, "Really? But how will you do it, Senior?" She became glad but she still has her suspicions in her mind, after all, the difference in their strength suggested that if Takemikazuchi used his Qi, her body may not be able to handle it. "Let''s see," Takemikazuchi mumbled before taking a jade bottle filled with scarlet red pills, "Let''s improve your constitution and cultivation for a bit," He hurled it at Natalie and the latter caught it in mid-air. Staring at the crimson red pills, Natalie gulped a mouthful of saliva, the pills that she held was the pills given by Mathias to Dan, called the Tyrannical Strength Increasing Pills, according to Mathias, once consumed it would help improve the consumer''s physique and cultivation, but it would inflict extreme pain in the process. "Hmm...Scared?" Takemikazuchi chuckled and Natalie revealed a bitter smile, "If there are other choices, I won''t do it but since there''s no other way than this, then I just have to do it..." "That''s the spirit," The old man nodded his head and Natalie took a single pill from the jade bottle, "No, don''t take one, take two of it, since it would trigger the hidden effects," Takemikazuchi stopped her and Natalie''s expression became even more tragic as she took two pills and prepared to swallow it. "Don''t worry, I''ll block all sounds from escaping. But be careful, you must prepare yourself for the worst," Takemikazuchi''s words were gentle but it contained a sharp warning towards what may happen. Nodding her head, a flash of determination surged within her eyes as she swallowed both of the pills at the same time. Soon, the entire room became filled with ghastly screams of what sounded like a banshee. Returning back to the current time, at the Empire of Eternal Faith, a slender figure wearing a silvery mask landed before a residence. Her movements looked graceful and void of waste as she intruded without making any noises. Staring at the lump of jet-black Qi on her palms, she entered the room and found the figure of a sleeping man whose face looked peaceful and serene. The figure approached the man and pressed the jet-black Qi on his chest. Upon impact, the jet-black Qi dissipated inside the man''s body. Witnessing what happened, the figure sighed and glanced around before taking her mask off. Staring at her husband, Natalie''s expression looked indescribable, she felt guilty about keeping such a secret from him. Although according to Takemikazuchi, Dan walked on the same demonic path, she didn''t want him to hate her for walking on the same path of carnage as him. Everything that transpired, along with her path and Dan''s path should be a top-secret matter. Else, once everyone knows about it, they would be hunted and would never be peaceful once again. Diving beside her husband, she tightly embraced his figure and mumbled. "Ah..." She exhaled and continued, "The things I do for love..." Her eyes slowly closed and entered a deep slumber. 81 Arrival of a Gues The next morning, Dan and Natalie were summoned by Mathias, according to the latter, the Phantom Mistress has once again commenced her attack. At first, Mathias ignored this issue but when a high-ranking member of the Empire has died, he had no other choice but to summon his workforce and thoroughly investigate the matter. According to the clues found in the crime scene, the official died from a swift strike at his jugular. Which means, this could only be the work of a Night Ranger Assassin and shouldn''t be the work of the Phantom Mistress who electrocutes her enemy to death. After giving them a warning that they should be careful, Mathias dismissed the two and they returned back to their residence. Cooking up some lunch, the family resumed their routine and finishing their meal, Dan returned back to his room to cultivate, he was eager to break through the next realm, the Organ Tempering Realm. Every cultivator in this world has a dantian that has a natural affinity to a certain element. Because of Dan''s bloodline, he had an affinity to the Lightning Element. His dantian shone in an azure light and inside it, crackled numerous lightning sparks. Calling upon the power of those sparks, Dan circulated them inside his body according to the method taught to him by his father, it reached the five major organs and cleansed them of all impurities before hammering it with pure lightning. Dan gritted his teeth, though the power of lightning purified his body, it also gave him an intense sharp pain that intermittently pulsated. Beaded sweats formed on his forehead and several hours later, the power of lightning finally dissipated, leaving him powerless as he crumbled on the ground. His expression completely pale and looked like it didn''t have any blood in it but his eyes shone in a light of joyfulness and mirth. "I finally broke through the Organ Tempering Realm!" He mumbled and after waiting for the pain to recede, he sat upright and started gathering Qi within his dantian. His azure dantian greedily swallowed the Spiritual Qi that floated in the air, and under ten minutes, his dantian that had the same size as a water bucket became full. The rate of consumption made him suspicious, but he disregarded it, thinking that it should be one of the benefits of cultivating a Divine Art. Natalie, having a higher cultivation than him, sensed the fluctuations in the air and embraced him, greeting him for his success. Dan rubbed his head and smiled, "This calls for a celebration!" He mumbled and prepared to cook his and Juliet''s favorite dishes. Throughout the entire afternoon, the family happily cooked together and enjoyed each other''s company. The adorable Juliet even joined in the cooking, beating eggs after eggs as Dan chuckled at her stained countenance. Finishing their preparations, the dining table became filled with numerous colorful dishes as Dan sighed to himself, "Goddamned it, I just realized it but it seems like I''m running out of money..." His expression looked tragic as he glanced at his empty cloth bag. Natalie noticed his expression and clung on his arm, "Don''t worry, I can ask Senior Mathias for money, surely he wouldn''t be so stingy..." Dan''s gaze swept over her before saying, "Nah, that''s not necessary, I can just take some work, staying in here all the time suffocates me," Natalie chuckled, "Yeah, right," Lifting her head, she said, "But what job are you taking?" Hearing her words, Dan fell into deep contemplation, the knowledge that he had from the previous owner of this body, indicated that the most lucrative job within an Empire was Alchemy. "Wait, I have the Crafting System! Fuck!" He mumbled and cursed himself, how could he forget about the fact that second to Alchemists, Forgers earn quite a good amount of money! He facepalmed and Natalie threw him a confused look, "Papa, come here, let''s eat!" Juliet suddenly interjected and when the couple turned, they realized that Juliet was already eating, with her lips covered in curries. Dan chuckled, ruffled her head and said, "Look at you, what a glutton!" Juliet chortled, painstakingly raising her spoon, she pressed it at Dan''s mouth and the latter opened wide, swallowing the contents of the spoon in one gulp. Natalie revealed a sweet smile upon witnessing the interactions between the two. Her heart became filled with complicated emotions. She wished that this kind of scene would last forever. But she also knew, deep within her heart that her wish was just a pipe dream that would never come true. After she started walking on the path of demonic cultivation, there was no coming back. She lifted her head and stared at her husband, at least, she had a companion on this lonely path of cultivation. The family continued their dinner and when they were in the middle of it, someone suddenly knocked on the door and when Natalie opened it, someone who should not be here, greeted her, which made her dumbfounded as she stood there like a statue. Juliet turned around while Dan focused on his meal. When the former saw the figure near the entrance of the door, she shouted, "Grandpa!" The little girl jumped out of her seat and ran towards her grandpa as Zaramias said, "Oh, little girl, you''re this big, already!" He ruffled the hair of the young girl and Dan lifted his head, "Father? Why did you come here?" He asked, his eyebrows knitted, "Don''t be so cold, Dan, can''t I just visit my son whom I''ve been missing for several weeks?" Zaramias chuckled and sat on an empty chair, glancing at Natalie, his expression softened and said, "Young girl, it seems like you''ve grown stronger these past weeks, I do hope that you can accompany my son..." His words made Natalie embarrassed, but she still squeezed out a sweet smile and said, "Of course, that''s one of my duties, father." "How diligent," The former commented before turning to Dan, "My son, you also became stronger, to think that in the past weeks you were just a young man indulged in debauchery and the pleasures of life..." Hearing his words, Dan''s expression became awkward as he glanced at Natalie. After finding out that she didn''t look angry, he sighed in relief and said, "There''s this saying that says, thirty years ago, the river flows from east to west, and thirty years later, the river flows from west to east..." "Indeed, changes really do come fast..."Zaramias sighed, complicated emotions flashed on his face which didn''t escape Dan''s perception. The family continued their dinner and with Zaramias here, Juliet became more active and played with her grandpa, even spoonfeeding him which delighted the former. Natalie also joined the fun, but her target was Dan whom in each time she spoonfed him, would reluctantly suppress his embarrassment and open his mouth. The dining room became filled with laughter as the family completed their meals and proceeded to their own rooms. Dan gave Zaramias a guest room while Natalie brought her daughter with her into their own room. The little girl Juliet became elated by the fact that she could once again sleep with her parents while Dan''s expression looked bitter. Because she was here, the chances of him being intimate with Natalie was close to none. Throwing a fierce glare at Natalie, the latter chuckled before ignoring him and directly going to sleep. The veil of the intensified as midnight approached. Virtually everyone was asleep, with the exception of Dan who sneaked away from the bed and walked outside of the room. Taking out a dagger, he activated Stealth and entered the Guest Room by comboing Flicker''s invincibility attributes which resulted in him, entering without being detected nor opening the door. Reemerging from Stealth, Dan clicked his tongue, he couldn''t use his Modern Weapons since the walls of the Guest Room didn''t contain any Sound Isolating Formation. And such a loud explosion inside a silent environment would definitely awaken, not only Natalie and Juliet but also their neighbors. Approaching the man sleeping under the sheets, Dan raised his daggers before ruthlessly stabbing down. He felt some feedback, but his expression changed before turning around and staring at the ghastly figure of Zaramias who stared at him with an amused smile, "My son, just why are you trying to kill your father?" His tone was tragic and full of disappointment. 82 Unsealing "Father?" Dan sneered, ever since Zaramias arrived, with the help of the System, he knew that this man before him wasn''t his father. But unfortunately, he didn''t know his true identity. His figure flashed and fueled with his cultivation, he reappeared beside Zaramias before slicing with his daggers. The wind whistled and Zaramias ducked his head as Dan commenced his fierce attacks of stabbing, slicing, dicing and hacking. Dan''s attacks targeted the vital arteries of Zaramias'' body as the latter gave a bitter smile and avoided his attacks with a breeze. His expression looked casual and nonchalant as if he was strolling in his backyard. "Shit, why can''t I hit him?" Dan mumbled under his breath and Zaramias revealed a small smile, "Your attacks are precise and without any waste, yet your mindset is only focused on killing, not caring about the other factors in battles such as the subtle movements of your shoulders or the tensing of your muscles which gives away the direction of your attack..." The Zaramias easily deduced the intricacies within his attacks which made him stare at him in shock. Grounding his teeth, he continued his assault, yet the same result happened. He couldn''t touch Zaramias'' body. His enemy''s movements were slow, but it contained strange mysteries that he couldn''t wrap his hands around. In each time his dagger neared Zaramias'' body, it looked like it slipped from its previous trajectory and in return, his entire attack would miss. Wiping the beaded sweats that formed on his forehead, Dan''s mind spun, without any hesitation, he pulled his Desert Eagle and pointed it at Zaramias. However, these series of movements made a slight opening as Zaramias took advantage of that to sneak behind him and pat his head. "Boom, you''re dead," Sweat dripped from Dan''s chin into the ground as he felt the sensation of imminent danger washing through his body. He quickly retreated when he realized that his enemy didn''t attack. Instead, the so-called Zaramias revealed a small smile and said, "You''ve grown, young master..." Zaramis'' deep voice disappeared, turning into the familiar voice of someone that accompanied him for the last decade and a half. "George?!" Dan''s mind had a deep recollection of this gentle old man, in each time the previous owner of this body created something outrageous or caused an upheaval in the City, this old man would solve it behind the scenes. "Indeed, it is me, Young master," Zaramias'' figure dissipated into dust, revealing the stoic appearance of Mister George whose eyes shone in a satisfied light, "You''ve surely grown, young master, but it''s a pity that you still lack the training..." Dan wryly smiled, "I didn''t expect that an old butler like you, Mister George would possess such capabilities, also, why did you assume my father''s figure?" Mister George leaked a wide smile, revealing his pearly-whites before saying, "Master told me to come in here and help you unlock the true bloodline of the Longinus Clan once you reach the Organ Tempering Realm..." "True bloodline? What do you mean?" Dan asked with knitted eyebrows, it was the first time that he heard of such matters. Mister George didn''t reply, instead, he took two wooden chairs and sat before each other as he said, "Master and me, didn''t expect that your wife would be the first one to break through the shackles of her bloodline." Dan''s expression became confused, "George, can we stop going around and can you just explain to me everything about what''s going on? Does the fact that Natalie reached the Peak of the Organ Tempering Realm in such a short time related to that shackle that you said?" "Indeed it is related," George nodded his head as Dan said, "Okay then, explain everything to me..." Dan assumed a solemn expression and George''s expression flashed with satisfaction. He was happy that the brat whom he cared for the past decade finally became someone that could potentially create his own path. "I''ll start with the history of the Longinus Clan first, actually, your father, Zaramias Longinus is a high-ranking member of the Longinus Clan at the Continent of the Divine. However, after he suffered injuries after entering a mystic realm, the Clan took away all of his resources and in his indignance, he left the Continent of the Divine and arrived in this continent." "Upon arrival, he realized that the cultivation of the people here was too low, that even with his measly Divine Soul Cultivation, he became an overlord and caught the attention of the reigning Emperor and joined the Empire of Dawn as a General. He then established the Longinus Clan inside the Empire of Dawn on his own." George glanced at Dan and found that the latter''s expression became filled with astonishment, he didn''t expect that his father had such a history. Knitting his eyebrows, he remembered the matter about that strange girl from the Thousand Deaths Valley and how she called him an Emperor. "But that''s not everything, thought the Longinus Clan possessed an enormous number of Divine Ascendance Realm practitioner, they never established the clan to the public." Upon hearing his words, Dan''s expression flickered, why would such a powerful clan, hide from the eyes of the masses? "You must be thinking about the reason why such a powerful clan is actively hiding, right?" George''s expression turned somewhat bitter before he continued with a deep sigh, "That''s because every member of the Longinus Clan walks on the path of demonic cultivation. An art that is despised and condemned by everyone..." "What did you say?!" Dan couldn''t help but suck a mouthful of cold air when he heard George''s words. His mind spun and the memories that he had regarding that young girl back at the Thousand Deaths Valley, flashed in his mind. "Yeah, that is the truth, and there''s nothing that could be done about it," George stared at Dan while the latter digested the information that he just received. Calming his nerves, he said, "Mister George, are demonic cultivators, really as evil as they say?" When his words reached the ears of George. His expression darkened and he harshly stood up as he sent a palm strike towards the chair that he sat on, "Absolutely not! Just because demonic cultivators uses unorthodox methods in fighting against the heavens doesn''t mean that they''re evil! That''s an absolute fallacy!" "And even if we kill people, those we kill are only those who block our path to success! We do not kill the innocent!" George declared and Dan pressed on, "You''re saying that but there''s a huge percentage of demonic cultivators that kill the innocent," The former turned to the latter and said, "Indeed, you''re right, those bastards are the ones that are staining our names! How dare they use the title of a demonic cultivator to commit heinous deeds of mass killings and terrorism!" Dan also felt the same, as a cultivator, they should respect the lives of the mortals living in this mundane world and not involve them in anything that would endanger their lives. The mindset of those who walk on the demonic path was something that Dan couldn''t understand for now. After all, he wasn''t an omniscient man. He needed to learn everything from the scratch. George calmed his nerves and when Dan noticed it, he spoke up, "Then, George, tell me the method on how to unlock my true bloodline." The former lifted his head and said, "Are you sure about this, young master? Once I unlock your true bloodline, you will never be able to walk on the righteous path of cultivation..." "Yeah, I am sure about it, I don''t think that demonic cultivators are that evil than people think, they may just be a bunch of misunderstood people that desire the company of the others, and maybe, the reason why I came to this world should be for that..." Dan chuckled at the end of his sentence before shaking his head. George''s expression looked relieved, moving behind Dan, he said, "This may be somehow painful so I hope that young master can endure it," At first, Dan looked proud and quite confident of himself, but when he realized that the unsealing of his bloodline would make him feel, excruciating pain, his expression looked tragic and aghast as George consoled him, "Don''t worry about anything, young master, I know that you can do it, I will also set up some Sound Isolating Formation so that noises won''t leak to the outside..." Dan could only nod his head as George flicked his wrist, sending a Formation Disc towards the air as the Disc pulsated with a brilliant light that encompassed the entire room. With this, any sound from the inside won''t leak and Dan could shout as loud as he wanted to. George''s expression turned solemn, circulating his Qi, he formed a ball of lightning above his palm and smacked it on Dan''s back as a miserable shriek echoed from the latter''s mouth. Dan''s body crumbled on the ground, but a strange suction force from George prevented him from falling. As soon as the ball of lightning made contact with Dan''s back, it dissipated and created a strange pattern visible on his skin that looked like the constellations in the skies. An azure light traced these lines and where the line didn''t reach became shaded with pitch-black mist, making his back, look like a galaxy in the skies. The pulsating of the Lightning made him feel an intense sharp pain that gave him the sensation of having an itch on his back that he could never scratch. His muscles convulsed and a white foam formed on his mouth as his consciousness collapsed. However, the old man, George didn''t look anxious, instead, his expression turned excited as he could see the pattern on Dan''s back becoming even more visible as time passed by. Soon, the patterns turned into a jet-black smoke which floated in the air before arranging and forming the words, [EMPEROR] A suffocating imperial might manifested in the air, attacking George who dared to trespass its territory. George''s expression turned respectful, he didn''t resist as his knees struck the ground and he didn''t even dare to lift his head as the word EMPEROR in the air formed a crown which landed atop Dan''s head. Dan''s eyes snapped open, flashing with Lightning as George sucked a mouthful of cold air and sung his praises towards the generations of karmic luck that Dan gathered from his Ancestors, "To think that he possessed that bloodline," He fearfully stood up and stared at the Dan who collapsed on the ground. Carrying him, he probed and found that the latter broke through the Middle Stages of the Organ Tempering Realm. Smiling to himself, he prepared to report his findings to Zaramias as his figure, disappeared from the room. 83 Natalies True Prowess Morning arrived and the first burst of light from the sun descended. Dan''s consciousness awakened from slumber, his expression flickered when he realized that he slept inside the guestroom. Questions about yesterday''s matter surged within his mind, but he shook his head and ran towards his room where Natalie slept. He couldn''t help but shiver.by just imagining her fury when she finds out that he''s not beside him. Opening the doors of the master room. He heaved a sigh of relief when he realized that Natalie was still in deep slumber. Walking using the tips of his toes, he slipped beside her and awaited the dragon''s awakening. Several minutes later, the sleeping beauty finally woke.up and sweetly smiled when she saw his figure. However, she frowned when she realized that he looked pale and sweaty, "What''s wrong? Are you okay?" She raised her arms and cupped his chin with her palms. Dan felt her concern, however when he remembered about the matter that the old man George told him about Natalie''s true bloodline awakening. His eyebrows knitted as he said, "Natalie," He stared right into her eyes amidst her confusion, "Why did you walk on the path of dual cultivation?" His question struck her like a thunderbolt and she couldn''t answer for a moment. Inside her mind, she knew that the matter about her being a demonic cultivator was something that could possibly make him hate her. She became despondent, but as his wife, she had a duty of telling him everything that he deserved to know as she said, "Yes, I became a demonic cultivator," Her tone, bitter and full of concealed regrets. She hung her head low, not knowing what to say. But her slightly trembling figure gave way about the upheaval that she felt concerning her emotions. Dan felt somewhat saddened about her condition. The time they spent together as one made him attached to her. It was the first time that he felt such emotions, after all. No one had ever cared about him back at his previous life. Not even his parents. He stared right into her eyes and said, "So If I didn''t happen to know about this fact, were you planning on keeping it a secret?" His tone bitter and full of emotions that didn''t conceal his disappointment. Natalie fiercely shook her head, denying what he said as she replied, "No, I did not plan on doing that! It''s just... It''s just..." Dan revealed a small smile, his experience in dealing with women gave him an idea of what she felt. Although she was an assertive and quite domineering woman, she still possessed the innate fragility of a young woman. In a much understandable term. She didn''t want to be abandoned. "Were you afraid that I will abandon you in hopes of preserving my life?" Dan asked in a soft tone, and in response, Natalie''s figure fiercely shook, tears formed on the tips of her eyelids, it threatened to spill down her cheeks but Dan prevented it with a tight embrace. "Are you goddamned stupid?! Why would I do such a thing?!" He inadvertently yelled, forgetting the fact that Juliet slept just beside them. As expected, the little girl awakened and when she opened her murky eyes, the first thing she saw was her Mama and Papa fighting against each other. "Why is Mama and Papa, fighting?" She opened her cherry-like lips and spoke these gentle words. Natalie and Dan''s expression softened, they forgot what they were discussing and stared at the teary-eyed young girl who wished nothing but their reconcilement. "No, Juliet we aren''t fighting, we''re just talking about something," Natalie hurriedly carried her and placed her on her thigh, patting her head and placed her face onto her chest in an effort to hide her miserable visage. Dan sighed and said, "For the sake of Juliet, can we just make peace, and also, I told you already that I won''t abandon you, do you really think that I am that unreliable?" Dan said in a vexed tone, she didn''t quite understand the emotions of the women in this world. Could it be because of the culture difference between this world and his previous world? He inwardly thought but soon dismissed the idea and focused on the task at hand. Both of them talked for a moment. And with the help of Juliet who acted as a pacifier, the two smoothed their problems out and Natalie confessed that she was the Phantom Mistress, and the reason why she killed the members of the Night Rangers Association was first, she wanted to acquire strength for as soon as possible and second, she hated the Association due to the fact that they caused such widespread deaths. Later on, at high noon, George arrived and joined their lunch. The old man talked about how Natalie was the Phantom Mistress which astonished the latter as Dan revealed a wry smile. Finishing their meals and after placing Juliet into sleep, George gathered the two of them in the front yard and said, "Okay," He clapped his hands together and said, "From now on, according to the orders of the Master, I will facilitate both of your training." "Haaah?" Dan opened his mouth, looking somehow astonished, "Don''t be so shocked, young master, the first two stages of cultivation are the most vital stages that will determine, how far will a cultivator go on his path towards the peak. If your foundation is shaky, then you will be unable to build a tower that could pierce through the heavens..." Dan nodded his head, indeed. According to the information from the wuxia novels that he read, a cultivator''s foundation should be firm if he wanted to achieve the peak of cultivation. Else, it wouldn''t sustain the strain of the cultivator''s increasing power and would collapse. "Particularly you, Young Mistress! Although the First Stance of our True Divine Art can make you stronger, that doesn''t mean that it will solidify your foundation! From what I can see, your foundation is dotted with several cracks and if you kept on doing it without any intervention, you will surely become a cripple in the next several months!" George declared and this piece of news astonished Dan and Natalie. The latter''s expression turned pale as she asked, "Then, George...What should I do? I don''t want to be a cripple!" George revealed a small smile, "That''s simple since you''re already at that stage, the only thing that you can do is to suppress your next breakthrough and make sure to solidify your foundation for as long as you can..." He clapped his hands once again, "I''ll teach you the intricacies about it later, but first I want to get a close look about your technical abilities," He waved his hand as two bamboo swords fell on the ground. George picked a bamboo sword and handed the other to Natalie, "If you can manage to hit me, then you pass and we will go straight to solidifying your foundation..." Natalie revealed a small smile upon receiving the sword, she was a low-key competitive woman and having challenges like this, made her excited. Dan observed on the sidelines as the two of them walked, a certain distance between each other. Taking a stance, his expression flickered when he realized that the air that surrounded the two, changed. George suffused a solemn expression and Natalie also had the same visage. The air of battle intent surrounded them, making Dan feel like he wasn''t observing a practical training, but a true battle on the battlefield. Natalie bent her knees as her figure swept past George''s body and reappeared behind him, attacking with a thrust, George casually leaped and turned around in mid-air along with an upward swipe which disrupted the trajectory of Natalie''s attack. This created an opening which he could use to counter-attack, but he didn''t do so. Instead, he just kept his defensive stance and waited for Natalie''s next offensive. That single attack made Natalie understand that her enemy had a mechanical advantage. Smiling to herself, her determination ignited and she turned into a blur, flickering before George along with a fierce attack which tore the air itself. Dan''s eyes widened as he bitterly smiled, although he knew that his wife was stronger than him, he didn''t expect that the difference was this huge. He was ashamed and became despondent. But soon, he lifted his head and became captivated at the scene that unfolded itself before him. George leisurely avoided Natalie''s attacks, although he looked nonchalant, the fierce short burst of movements that he made indicated that he had quite a hard time in dodging Natalie''s attacks. In a battle of endurance, the young would always win and as a result, George''s movements revealed a slight opening which Natalie took advantage of to slam a horizontal strike at George''s torso. A slapping sound echoed along with the sound of a whistling wind, Dan''s visage revealed his admiration towards the feat that Natalie achieved. Clenching his fists, he thought to himself that he would never lose to his wife, no matter what. "It seems like the saying that the young would definitely replace the old is quite accurate, my skills have also become quite rusty, to think that a youngster and a woman at that would defeat me, an old man titled as a Deity Executioner, back then..." He mumbled and when he reached the end of his sentence, his expression turned somewhat melancholic. Natalie and Dan who heard his words were taken aback, to think that such a decrepit and subservient old man had such a fierce past! The latter thought, ''As expected, it seems like my family, really isn''t that ordinary, just from the fact that our true roots came from a Demonic Clan is something astounding alone, yet we also have an old man, titled as a Deity Executioner as a servant,'' Dan chuckled, his longing towards the truth became emphasized and he would definitely ask George about everything after all of this training was done. Natalie bowed her head and said, "This one, thanks Senior for his pointers," George glanced at her and nodded his head in satisfaction. His gaze swept over Dan and a vicious smile lifted on his lips. Witnessing the vicious smile that contrasted the old man''s normally gentle attitude, Dan had a premonition in his mind as George called for him. 84 Dans True Prowess Dan revealed a wry smile, he knew that he could not compete against the old man George but for the sake of training and gauging his own capabilities, he understood that he needed to train himself. Moving before George, Dan took a wooden dagger that the former gave and assumed an offensive stance. Same rules, Dan would attack while George would defend. If Dan manages to land an attack on George, it would be his win. Dan didn''t bother to look at George''s stats, instead, he searched his weak points and formed a battle simulation with the help of the System with the information that he gathered upon looking at his battle with Natalie, earlier. Within a fraction of a second, the System completed its simulation and a holographic image of George appeared on his peripheral vision whose body dotted with numerous red marks and suggestions on how to defeat George. Bending his knees, power surged on his feet as he flew dashed towards George and begun his fierce offensive. At first, George nonchalantly evaded it, but his expression knitted when he realized that Dan caught a hold of the pattern in his movements. A satisfied smile lifted on his lips if Dan thinks that his movements had a linear pattern, then he would be greatly mistaken. The confident smile on Dan''s lips collapsed, replaced with a solemn one when he realized that George''s movements, changed. The System did another simulation and once again, Dan caught a hold of the pattern in his movements. The wind around them formed a whirlpool, Dan followed the instructions of the System and concentrated a tinge of Qi on the tip of his wooden dagger so that it could easily break through wind resistance, increasing his attack speed in response. The wind whistled in each time he stabbed, but of course, George still evaded his flurry of attacks. Natalie stared at Dan with shock visible on her visage. She didn''t expect that Dan had such a prowess. A wry smile leaked on her lips, yet at the same time, she became happy. The sensation of being with someone that could protect you gave her an intense sense of security which reassured her heat. The stronger Dan became, the happier she became. Dan''s low stamina stats became his undoing. The current exchange of pointers haven''t even lasted for about a minute, yet he already became this exhausted. Grounding his teeth, he mustered his willpower in an effort to land a single hit on George''s body. This was the first time that Dan utilized the System''s full potential in a battle. But despite the System''s painstaking efforts in calculating George''s movements. In each time he caught a hold of his movement patterns, the old man would change it immediately, giving him a massive headache. Dan darted his gaze at his Stamina, Health, and Qi Bar Graphs. Clicking his tongue, he understood that he didn''t have enough time. He had to land an attack within the next ten exchanges or else he would collapse from exhaustion. Witnessing the gradually lagging movements of Dan, George snickered, "Is that the best that you can do, young master?" His tone, laced with mocking echoed out, but inwardly, a cold sweat ran through his back. If not for the fact that he trained himself to be prepared in all sorts of situation, Dan would''ve landed a hit on his body in the first twenty exchanges. Dan clicked his tongue as streams of sweat fell from his forehead down his cheeks. A cunning smile lifted on his lips as a vicious idea formed in his mind. In the face of an expert whose mechanical techniques and cultivation was higher than yours, there could only be one method in defeating him. Dan crouched on the ground, his knees bulged with power and his free left hand snatched a handful of dust from the ground as his figure dashed above George. His right hand stretched upward in a downward slash as George sneered, "Quite an obvious attack, young ma-" Before he could even finish his sentence, a mouthful of dust entered his seven orifices as he fiercely coughed. His vision temporarily blinded. But contrary to Dan''s expectations, George''s decades of experience enabled him to act like normal as he still evaded Dan''s slice. "That''s quite shameless of you, Young Master!" George berated, but in the next instant, his eyes widened in shock. Dan mysteriously disappeared before him and reappeared behind him. The sharp tip of his dagger pointed on his back. "Shameless? George, you do know that there''s no such thing as a dirty tactic in war, right?" Dan leaked a small smile, but inwardly, he heaved a sigh of relief, when the dust entered George''s orifices and took his vision out, he quickly activated Stealth and sneaked past behind him and stabbed his back. If not for the distraction that he made and George''s irritation about his move. Dan knew that he would definitely be unable to land a hit on his body. Now, he understood that if not for the System''s help, he was nothing. Wryly smiling, Dan inwardly swore that he would definitely train himself so that he wouldn''t rely on the System''s capabilities as often as he currently does. His gaze swept over at Natalie who greeted him with a sweet smile. Meanwhile, George who ate a mouthful of sand looked grim and solemn, the air around him thickened and a fiery sense of anger bubbled up from his heart. Just as Dan became apprehensive, the old man calmed himself down and sighed, "Well, it''s my fault for being careless anyways, okay it''s your win..." Dan raised his fist up in the air in a gesture of victory as Natalie retorted, "Stop being so smug, you used such a shameless method..." "What shameless are you talking about, there''s no shameless method when it comes to battle!" Dan proudly declared and Natalie rolled her eyes and ignored him as she turned at George and said, "Then, Senior, what do you think, did we do good or not?" "Hmm," George crossed his arms together before saying, "Young Mistress did fine, your movements were without waste and you could even slightly predict my next movements judging from the movements of my muscles, just who taught you those techniques?" He asked and Dan lifted his eyebrows, Indeed, just who instructed her that she became very powerful in a matter of weeks. A small smile lifted on her lips when she realized their curiosity, "It was the Legendary Forger, Takemikazuchi who instructed me..." Her words didn''t astonish George. But Dan who heard her words become somehow indignant as he inwardly cursed the old man, ''To think that I gave him that handgun! Why is he teaching my wife, instead of me?!'' Natalie glanced at Dan and witnessed his wry expression as she chuckled, "Senior Takemikazuchi said that it would be better for you to learn on your own," "Learn on your own, my ass! He''s just dodging it!" Dan retorted and Natalie chuckled once again as George said, "So it was that old geezer that taught you?" He lifted his eyebrows, "What a lucky encounter, that old man''s prowess back then was strong enough that he could contain against the Master, but what a pity that he became seriously injured," George shook his head and dispelled his thoughts. Dan''s expression flickered, the words that George said confirmed the story that the old man, Takemikazuchi said about his homeland. It seems like he really didn''t come from this continent... He inwardly thought. "Okay, let''s continue the judging..." George brought Dan back from his inner contemplation as he said, "Setting Young Mistress'' abilities aside, young master wasn''t half bad but he''s still lacking, especially in his stamina," His gaze swept over the couple and said in a stern tone, "Also, I already told Mathias about Natalie''s admission to the Sect, she will be enrolled as an Inner Disciple because of her cultivation." "Wait, wait, wait, wait, George! This is too hasty! Why are you doing this?" Dan retorted and George threw him a fierce glare, "Why I am doing this? This is for your own sake, young master!" "What own sake are you talking about?" Dan''s expression darkened, his eyebrows knitted, as George coldly chuckled with a cunning smile lifting on his lips. "I want you to temporarily separate with your wife so that you can focus on cultivating and training your body instead of having your essence, sucked dry, every day..." His words dumbfounded the two and Natalie''s expression became flushed as she furiously blushed, Dan gave a dry cough. Natalie threw him a death glare. Under the pressure of both gazes, Dan didn''t have other choices but to compromise, "Okay, okay, fine! I accept that arrangement..." "Good, that''s the spirit," Dan rolled his eyes while Natalie chuckled and embraced his arms, "Don''t worry too much about it, Dear. You can just find me once you''re also enrolled," She even rubbed her chest on his arms, arousing his libido as Dan clicked his tongue. George merely smiled at their antics, "Mathias has already arranged your residence, you will be with his daughter Charlotte, also, don''t worry about Juliet, you can also bring her with you..." Natalie bowed at George in appreciation. The latter nodded his head and waved his hand in the air as a Spatial Crack manifested and swallowed Natalie''s body without warning. Dan stared dumbfounded before turning towards the old man, George. The ability to manipulate space was the trademark of Divine Ascendance Realm Cultivators, could it be that this decrepit and emaciated old man actually had such a high cultivation? He inwardly asked as George chuckled, "Don''t mind it, your wife and daughter is already at the Paradyne Academy, now that they''re gone, we can finally focus..." He willed and another Spatial Crack materialized, engulfing him and George as the scenery around him wildly twisted before stabilizing into an unfamiliar forest. Dan knitted his eyebrows and scanned using the System. The results said that Dan and George were at the South Eastern direction, just outside the Empire of Eternal Faith. "I have a mission for you, young master, and if you succeed in this, the Master will enlighten you to every question that you have in your mind..." George told him with a mysterious smile on his face. Dan turned at the former and said, "What mission?" Indeed, he had numerous questions about the origins of his clan. Questions that even the memories of the previous owner of his body didn''t know. However, his experience in reading xianxia and wuxia told him that his clan would definitely be out of the ordinary. The only question was, just how strong was his clan? "I admire your enthusiasm, but don''t worry, this will just be a simple task, a task that will thoroughly solidify your position as a demonic cultivator..." A vicious wind sprung and enveloped George as he slowly declared, "I want you to erase, all traces of the Night Ranger''s Association Branch in this town in the next three months..." "Say what..." The abrupt turn of events dumbfounded him as he subconsciously mumbled. 85 The Town of Merchants, Kalur Several hours later, George mercilessly dumped Dan before the town''s entrance, leaving him with nothing but ten gold coins. Approaching the entrance to the town. Dan saw numerous entourage of caravans filled with various merchandises, almost everyone around him hawked their items around with some even starting their sales talk without any warning. Dan wryly smiled, in a town of bustling economy and prosperity, Dan knew that everything was not beautiful. After all, according to George, the branch headquarters of the Night Rangers Association. The only problem was, just how could he topple down such an enormous organization with his measly, Middle Stage of the Organ Tempering Realm cultivation? Dan entered the city as a strong smell of spices and food assaulted his nostrils. This small town bustled with life, with everyone wearing joyful smiles as they dined around the displayed stalls of merchants. However, since the night was nearing, Dan had to find a suitable inn before he could eat. Looking around, he found an Inn and entered the building. The insides of the building didn''t look shabby nor luxurious, just enough for him to sleep comfortably. Raising his gold coin, Dan walked towards the reception desk where a burly man stood, waiting for customers. He placed the gold coin on the table and said, "How many weeks can I stay using this gold coin?" A small smile lifted on his lips as the burly man who had an indifferent expression, darted his gaze at the gold coin for a moment before saying, "A single week, free breakfast, lunch, and dinner..." Dan knitted his eyebrows, "Look at me bro, I am too tired right now so can you just tell me about how many days could I really stay with this gold coin?" The burly man didn''t reply. He disregarded what Dan said and continued on waiting for customers, "Man, can you just tell me just how many weeks I can stay?" Dan pressed on and the burly man finally replied, "Didn''t I tell you that you can stay in here for a single week with that gold coin?" Dan heaved a sigh, his eyes became cold and a frigid, intangible air surrounded his body, "If you''re going to lie to me, make sure that you''re keeping your light of sight and your body cues in check..." When the burly man heard his words, instead of becoming angry, he lightly chuckled and said, "It looks like we''re of the same species, a fine con man..." "Oh, please..." Dan rolled his eyes and asked once again, "Just how many weeks can I stay with this gold coin?" The burly man replied, "You can stay for about four weeks, with that..." He took a key from the drawers underneath and threw it at Dan, "You''re at the Deluxe Room 404," Dan merely nodded his head and started walking towards his room. After securing his residence, since he was now all alone. It was time for Dan to secure some clothing and a source of income that could sustain him through this three months. With the help of the System, Dan easily analyzed the structure of the city and marked several suspicious areas where the concentration of people was the lowest. Walking outside, Dan enjoyed the noisiness of the crowd before he walked into a fabric store and after fiercely haggling with the owner. He now had a week''s worth of clothes that he placed inside his room before walking out once again. Clad in a jet-black robe that hid his expression, Dan walked towards the establishment where he could secure a foothold in this town, along with acquiring a good source of income. the Adventurer''s Guild. Apart from merchants, all sorts of mercenaries, rogue cultivators stayed inside this large-sized town of Kalur. And all of them only had a single goal in their mind. And that was to earn money using the Adventurer''s Guild as the basis. But before someone could become an Adventurer, their capabilities would be measured and only if they achieved the minimum requirement would they be signed and given jobs and missions. The ranking of Adventurers from the lowest to highest were as follows, Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Diamond Ranked Adventures. Those Diamond Ranked Adventurers supposedly had a cultivation of the Divine Soul Realm and should never be provoked. They could only be summoned when there''s an upcoming calamity or there''s a problem that needed their cooperation. The minimum requirement to become an Adventurer was to have the cultivation of an Organ Tempering Practitioner, along with knowing several mechanical skills such as Archery, Swordsmanship and all sorts of survival skills, useful in the Wilderness. Entering the establishment, a strong smell of alcohol assaulted his nose as he ignored the rowdy crowd and appeared before the application desk. Behind the desk was a young woman whose visual appearance looked like she was in her mid-twenties. She sweetly smiled upon seeing Dan''s figure as she took measurements of his power and bestowed upon him the title of a Bronze Ranked Adventurer. Since the Adventurer''s Guild was a guild unique only to the town of Kalur. His identity as an Adventure would only work in this town. But at least, he could gather all sorts of information that could help him trace the identity of his enemies and their base. As long as Dan found their base, he could just sneak inside and plant thousands of Frag Grenades and blow them all up. Thinking about this, a small smile of anticipation crept on his lips. Walking towards the mission board, Dan saw numerous parchment with requests, along with the minimum adventurer ranked requirement to take up this request. Dan took a parchment, the mission involved gathering some herbs for a famous medical practitioner in this City. Presenting it at the front desk, Dan placed his Soul Signature inside his Bronze Adventurer''s badge and engraved the information about his current mission. Without his badge, he wouldn''t be able to claim his rewards even if he completed his task. The badge also contained information about the holder''s identity so its existence was akin to an Identification Card back at his previous life. The herbs that he needed to gather could be found nearby and not even an hour passed and Dan already completed his task. Returning back to the Adventurer''s Guild, Dan proceeded towards the residence of that famous doctor and after the guards saw his identification, they granted him entrance and Dan walked inside, unimpeded. "Is this going to be your final decision, General?" "Yeah, I am certain. I know my body, I don''t think that I have that much time to live anymore, my friend..." "Sigh...If only I had more knowledge about the medical field..." "Don''t beat up yourself about it, my friend, let''s just say that everything that happened until today is fate..." Two voices belonging to men echoed out from a nearby room. Their voices filled with melancholy and sorrow as Dan turned his body and walked towards that room. Knocking on the entrance, Dan presented the herbs as a man, clad in a pure white robe, holding a needle used for acupuncture, thanked him and infused his signature inside his badge. Dan glanced at the emaciated old man and the latter gently smiled in response. The warmth of his smile shook Dan''s figure as he sighed. Judging from the old man''s sharp eyebrows and deep voice, along with the faint smell of blood that enveloped him. He was definitely someone who used to walk atop a pile of corpses. But with just a single ailment, he collapsed and was now a cripple on the verge of death. Turning around, he walked outside. But before he could open the door. It suddenly opened and slammed his head as he staggered backward. Dan held his nose in pain and stared at the blonde-haired young man that appeared before his vision. "Just who the hell is this brat?" He asked since the hood that covered Dan''s expression came loose after he got struck by the door. "Ricky, don''t be so disrespectful, he''s someone that I requested from the Adventurer''s Guild..." The old man lifted an eyebrow and said, the young man referred to as Ricky momentarily glanced at Dan before sneering, "So he''s just a poverty-stricken brute...'' He didn''t bother about Dan anymore as he said, "Father, are you still trying to heal your body? You do know that the poison inflicted on you is something that even the gods above the heavens couldn''t possibly heal..." The old man turned speechless, before quickly becoming despondent. Even his cherished son gave up on his treatment, just how could he continue in this hopeless mission? Dan who observed at the sidelines focused his gaze on the young man''s facial expressions and body language. There, he realized a grim fact. And that was instead of feeling sorrowful. The old man''s unfilial son was instead excited as if he couldn''t wait for his death. Dan shook his head, he wasn''t someone that would stick his head towards the matters of other people. Turning his figure away, the old man thanked him as he walked away from the room. Returning back to the Adventurer''s Guild. He reported his success and the Guild granted him ten copper coins as his reward which made him bitterly chuckle. Dan returned back to his temporary residence and slept his worries away. 86 Accused Awakened by the sound of bustling noises of the crowd, Dan rubbed his murky eyes before taking a shower and dressed up. Thinking back about the sudden events that happened yesterday, a wry smile lifted on his lips. The old man, George told him that the second stage of the Blessing of the Lightning God enabled Natalie to remove a part of her enemy''s Qi and absorb it for herself. Even though George taught him how to do it, he didn''t recommend that it should be used. After all, it destabilizes one''s foundation. After eating his meal, Dan set off and walked towards the Adventurer''s Guild. Arriving there, two soldiers that possessed a cultivation of the Spirit Tempering Realm greeted him and said, "Pardon us, sir, but can you join us for a moment?" Their voices gathered the attention of the surrounding crowd who started chatting amongst themselves, most of them gloating about the fact that the newbie actually offended someone from the higher echelons of this city. Dan knitted his eyebrows, he lived his life here in an upright manner. He couldn''t remember anyone that he potentially offended. Nodding his head, the two soldiers brought him towards the Underground Penitentiary Facility right below the Town''s Hall. When they arrived underground. The expressions of the two soldiers that accompanied him suddenly turned cold. Kicking him inside a filthy cell, Dan''s expression darkened as he asked, ''What''s the meaning of this? Didn''t you say that you''re just going to ask me some questions?" One of the two soldiers sneered, "Of course, we''re going to ask you some questions, but that is if you can survive in that cell..." Their expressions vicious as they turned around and left him for dead. The Underground Penitentiary Facility of the Merchant Town of Kalur contained the most vicious bandits, schemers, and mercenaries convicted by numerous heinous crimes. Most of them were serial killers and had eccentric personalities. They knew that once they left such a young man whose skin looked fair and tender like a woman. He would definitely be eaten alive by those maniacs. The rustling of clothes echoed inside the cell. Dan turned around as several crimson eyes, shone in the darkness. "Old One, it seems like they sent us, quite a tender one, this time..." The voice that said these words contained excitement and anticipation. "Indeed, this guy is quite a tender one, his fair skin alone could compare to a woman..." Another voice replied the androgynous voice contained a deep-seated lust which made Dan''s body, shiver in fear. He gulped a mouthful of saliva, and the sound of his throat moving, echoed loud and clear inside the dark cell. "He''s afraid, already..." The two voices chuckled, as the other said, "This time, I''ll take the back door, you take the front door, Old One." "Didn''t you forget about how that previous bastard bit me when I took the front door? No, I am going for the back," The voice of the so-called Old One, retorted. "Then, according to our deal, you must wait until I''m satisfied..." "Of course I will. Just make sure that you won''t break him..." The two discussed as if the matter of Dan''s life was already in their hands. Dan scanned the area and found that the cell contained at least twenty people, but apart from these two. The eighteen other guys just stared at him with a light of indifference and slight amusement, shining within their crimson eyes. Dan staggered backward as a pair of fudgy arms, made its way towards his body. With fear visible in his expression, he stammered as he begged, "No, please, don''t come near me! Don''t come near me!" Countless wicked laughter filled the dark and filthy cell as the one who approached him, gave a vicious chuckle, "Don''t worry about it, young man..." His crimson eyes landed on Dan''s rear end, "It will hurt at first but once you get used to it, it will definitely feel heavenly..." His fat and full of scars visage distorted into euphoria as a weird smell wafted from his lower body. His expression looked flushed as the earth itself trembled in each time he took his steps towards Dan''s direction. The gazes of the nineteen people behind him, concentrated at the scene, looking forward towards Dan''s miserable outcome. Dan''s expression went cold, towards the bastard who placed him inside this cell. He will definitely make him pay a price that was a hundred times greater than what he experienced today. Lifting his head, a cold smile lifted on his lips, followed by a numerous gunshot sounds which stopped the laughter inside the cell. Within a blink of an eye, Dan executed five prisoners. His accuracy, unbelievable even under the condition that he couldn''t see his enemy. The clueless bastards who didn''t understand what was happening, intensified their chuckle as they thought that the dull thuds that continuously echoed around them must''ve been the wretched and miserable body of the young man. But little did they know that in each time those explosions echoed. The closer they were nearing their deaths. Several seconds later, a concentrated smell of blood wafted in the air. Dan''s expression looked unsightly as he quickly activated Flicker and took advantage of the Invincibility attribute to sneak past the bars and after escaping from the cell, he disappeared from the area with Stealth. News of the heinous murders that happened inside the Underground Penitentiary Facility soon shook the entire Town of Kalur. Rough sketchings of Dan''s face were plastered around the entrance of the town and almost all the entrance of Inns had his face beside it. Unfortunately for the police, Dan had the Absolute Disguise under his sleeves as he sneaked past the guards after assuming the identity of an indigenous merchant that sold decorative wooden crafts. His current figure looked like an emaciated old man, on his back, a huge sack full of wooden crafts that he bought in bulk from a wandering merchant. Approaching a nearby guard, Dan said in a hoarse voice, "Young man, can you help me carry this to that alleyway for a moment? I''m gonna establish my stall..." The guard, whose visual appearance looked to be the same age as Dan gave an amiable smile and helped him with his merchandise. The refreshing smile on the young man''s face indicated his love for the Elders as he started talking about how he used to help his grandfather carry some heavy objects across the City so that they could set up their stalls. Dan nodded his head as he listened. If he knew that this young man had such an outlook on life. He could''ve avoided him. But since it was already too late. He could only continue his plan since his young looks and amiable face could easily earn him the trust of anyone. When they reached the alleyway. Dan slowly took his dagger stashed within his Virtual Inventory. Approaching the young man''s back. He steeled his heart, before slicing on his nape. Blood splattered on the walls and he hurriedly covered the scene with his big sack before cleaning it with the help of the System. All traces of the young man was devoured as Dan''s figure transformed into his figure. Walking away from the dark alleyway, complicated emotions flickered on his face. As a man who lived in a world where a murder was condemned. In a world where everything was peaceful and war could be considered as a rare occurrence, it could be said that killing this young man who had such an optimistic future ahead of him made him somehow sick of himself. But at the same time, he wondered why he didn''t feel any remorse upon killing those bastards that threatened his life. Sighing in his heart, he thought about the Assassins that he killed back at that forest when he was still at the City of Cloud. He didn''t think much about it but even though those bastards threatened his life and he killed them out of self-defense. They should have their own family and had their own outlook and ambitions in life, yet Dan easily reaped their lives. Shaking his head, he could only assure himself that he didn''t have any other choice back then. If he didn''t do such a deed. Then it would be him that would''ve died at that day. Walking away, he took the badge from the young man''s uniform that he currently wore and approached a fellow guard and said, "Bro, I saw something suspicious, I will go and report to the Leader about it..." The guard nodded his head and replaced his shift. Soon, Dan arrived at the Police Barracks and using his position as the Town Guard, he made a report about suspicious activity in a certain alleyway. The Commander of the Police became enraged, "Why are all of you guys so useless?! Can''t you just investigate such a small matter on your own?!" Dan revealed a small smile and politely exited the room. He knew that the Commander wouldn''t care about it as he walked away. However, the reason why he did such a useless report wasn''t for that. It was to successfully enter the Police Barracks and scan the entire facility using the System''s function. Soon, a three-dimensional holographic image of the entire Barracks could be seen floating on his peripheral vision. It was very detailed and numerous secret rooms such as torture chambers and execution grounds were marked, which made Dan question the integrity of the Police Force. He inwardly chuckled, "Really, no matter what kind of a world I am in, corruption is everywhere..." He entered Stealth and approached an area where the Commander entered on his own. Inside that room, only three people could be seen and judging from their paused movements in Dan''s minimap, he deduced that they must be discussing something. Commander Rickshaw wore a weary expression, staring at this blonde-haired young man. If not for the fact that he was the son of a retired General, he would''ve grabbed him by the collar and threw him at the wall already. His dignity and pride as a commander didn''t allow him to show his emotions on his face. Maintaining a calm facade, he said, "Young master Ricky, why must you do this to me? The person that you incarcerated earlier is definitely an expert! He single-handedly decimated the entire cell that was full of those serial killers! Now he will definitely come for you..." "Of course I know about that," Ricky''s fair expression frowned, the reason why he imprisoned Dan was to make him a scapegoat for his plans. After all, he''s the one who fetched those herbs from the outskirts of Kalur. He didn''t expect that a mere Bronze Ranked Adventurer would possess such strength. However, a confident smile still lingered on his lips. No matter what, even if Dan came for revenge. As a supporter of that certain Association, they will definitely take care of him and protect him from the sidelines. "Then what is your plan, young master? Apart from increasing your bodyguards, I cannot do anything blatant or else, those bastards at the opposition will definitely attack me from the sides!" Commander Rickshaw said, his helpless tone indicated the dire situation they were in. In the Merchant Town of Kalur, there were people that you could not afford to offend like the Town Mayor, the Commander of the Police Force and most importantly, those hidden dragons inside the town. If by any chance you managed to offend one of them. Then, congratulations, you just obtained a one-way ticket to hell. Ricky smirked, lifting his head, he said, "One of the best ways in luring a tiger is to create a bait. Since I believe that he would definitely come after me, why not just wait for his arrival?" He nonchalantly said and turned towards the jet-black robed man who stood at the side all this while. The man slightly moved his head in a gesture of confirmation as Commander Rickshaw''s expression flickered. When he entered this room along with Ricky, he felt that the man possessed a strength that he could not fathom. His stature gave a feeling of an unsheathed sword that once drawn, would definitely reap lives. "Oh, so you''re planning on waiting for me?" A casual voice suddenly echoed before them. Their expressions flickered as they darted their gaze towards the source of the sound and found a young man staring at them with a small smile on his lips. The jet-black robed man reached for his sword, "Wait!" Ricky stopped him before turning to Dan and said, "You did well to survive in that prison," A cold smile lifted on his lips as both gazes met in mid-air. Commander Rickshaw narrowed his eyes, his cultivation base rotated and sent a probing Qi in an effort to see through the enemy''s cultivation base. A shattering sound akin to a glass being destroyed echoed in his mind as he staggered backward. When his Qi entered the youngster''s body. It suddenly disintegrated as a backlash struck him. His face became purple and his eyes widened in shock. As a Spirit Tempering Realm Cultivator, the only explanation why he couldn''t probe the young man should be that he possessed an Artifact of at least at the Heaven Grade, or his cultivation was high enough that he wasn''t qualified to know about it. Both possibilities indicated one thing. It means that the background behind the young man should never be offended. His expression turned grim, his support in imprisoning the young man was already an effort of offending him. The jet-black robed man reached the same conclusion. But his expression remained cold and indifferent, as expected of a member of the Night Rangers Association. Commander Rickshaw mumbled. He darted his gaze at the young man, he wondered about what this young man could possibly do against that powerful organization. Shaking his head, he calmed himself down. The mortals below should not intrude upon the matters of the heavens above. "I see, so for the sake of creating a scapegoat that will take the punishment of your father''s death, you made sure that I won''t be able to exit the town nor disappear from your sight. If the guy who took that mission at that day wasn''t me, then your plan would''ve surely gone through...What a shame..." Dan shook his head and gave a light chuckle. Ricky''s visage went cold, "Are you saying that our plan wouldn''t go as planned because of you?" His eyes shone in a critical light that seemed to pierce through Dan''s body. The latter lightly chuckled, and took off his robe as he coldly mumbled, "Of course, that''s because all of us are gonna die here anyway..." Dan pulled a string and the dozens of grenades, strapped on his body simultaneously had their pins pulled as the activation sequence of the grenades, started. The two other men stared at Dan with confusion while the jet-black robed man, who was more sensitive to danger rushed towards Ricky''s side and used his clothing as a cover as an explosion manifested inside the room which decimated everything inside of it. A deafening roar ensued and the earth itself trembled, the entire Police Barracks trembled and the surrounding area became wretched with an earthquake that lasted for about three seconds. 87 Hun The explosion created a ball of fire which engulfed the entire Police Barracks in a sea of flames. Everyone inside scattered as they panicked and hurriedly exited the area, while those unfortunate were burned to ashes. A fierce heatwave prevented anyone from approaching as the fire raged on. "Shit, what''s going on here? Are we under attack?!" "Goddamned it, get out of the way!" "Look! The Town Mayor is here!" Up above in the skies, a bearded old man clad in a white robe floated in the air. His expression solemn as he waved his hands towards the flames. Immediately, a surge of Spiritual Qi manifested and curbed the flames, preventing it from raging on as it dissipated in mere seconds. The perpetrator of this explosion who observed from an establishment directly opposite from the Police Barracks stared at this scene with shock visible on his face. He focused his gaze and observed even further as the Town Mayor descended from the skies and fetched two bloodied figure. The figure belonged to Ricky and the other was Commander Rickshaw. The Town Mayor applied first aid and dragged them towards the City Hall after instructing the remaining soldiers in keeping order to this place. Dan stood up, his current appearance completely different from what he originally looked like. Now, his stature was shorter, and his visage, much younger and even indicated a hint of innocence and hot-bloodedness. His eyes gleamed with a sparkle of youth, and if everything was combined together. One could see that he looked like a youngster that was below the age of thirteen. After buying some clothes that suited his current appearance. Dan walked towards the Adventurer''s Guild and registered himself as a Bronze Ranked Adventurer with the name, Danilo. the Adventurer''s Guild looked packed, everyone scrambled around, taking up some missions pertaining towards that fire that occurred at the Police Barracks. Most of them were recovery missions for the sake of removing the bodies of the dead soldiers. Dan stared around and found three Bronze Ranked youngsters whose visual appearance looked the same as him. They were pointing towards the Mission Board, discussing something about each other. "We can''t take this mission. It says that a minimum of four people is needed..." A jet-black haired youngster amongst them spoke with a somber tone, "It''s okay, we can just ask some people here and they will definitely join us!" A feminine voice replied, her optimistic tone, paired with her smiling face, indicated her naivety and innocence. "Are you guys, stupid? We obviously cannot do that! What if those adults renege and take everything from us? We have a family to feed, you know?" A youngster whose stature looked more mature than them said with a hint of cautiousness in his tone. Dan approached them from behind and took a quick look at the mission board. Judging from the fact that Ricky survived and the jet-black robed man from the Night Ranger''s Association, disappeared, it could only mean that they had their own means to survive and hide from the scrutiny of the crowd. Since the gold coins that he had wouldn''t really last for that long. He had to secure a constant source of income, and since he also wanted to train his body by experiencing life and death battles, taking up hunting missions from the Adventurer''s Guild lined up with his goals. Dan''s gaze swept over these young children, each of their figures looked malnourished and skeletal. However, the determined light within their eyes indicated their desperation of securing some cash to feed their families. Judging from the conversation that they had earlier, Dan understood that these bunch of kids that didn''t even have a cultivation should''ve come from the Slums area of this Merchant Town. The mission before them said that they should hunt a Fire Panther, a common beast that didn''t have a cultivation base. However, it could spat out flames from its mouth, which could scorch anyone who dared to capture it. The three children obviously looked apprehensive in taking up this mission. But since the easier missions like the search missions and escort missions were taken up by the adults, they could only risk their lives for some measly change. Indeed, the reward for completing this life-threatening mission was just ten silver coins for each member of the team. That was one of the reasons why the other adventurers didn''t bother about it. "Can I join you guys?" Dan spoke up from behind and hearing the childish voice, the three turned around as the sole female member of their group, said, "Really? Are you gonna join us? Welcome!" A smile blossomed on her face since they finally met the minimum member requirement of the mission. The eldest member of the group scanned Dan with his eyes. After realizing that apart from the dagger on his waist. He looked thoroughly average, his gaze softened and his guard went low. "Welcome to the team, My name is Kasun and this is Sandra and Jacob. Where did you come from, my friend?" As expected, as the eldest of the group, he knew his way with words and spoke politely with Dan. The latter gave a small smile and said, "I came from the Extreme Northern District!" The slums area of the Merchant Town of Kalur had the Extreme word, affixed at the start of the location of the area. "I see," Kasun nodded his head and didn''t bother about him anymore as he took the mission notice and registered it at the front desk. Sandra walked forward and embraced Dan''s arm as she said, "So you also came from the Extreme Northern District? I also live there!" Jacob went forward and stood beside Dan as he said, "I am at the Extreme Southern District, but we meet each other every day for missions, and since you''re a member of us, you''re considered as our family!" He wrapped Dan''s waist with his arm as the latter chuckled. The three children engaged in a happy discussion towards each other. Meanwhile, back at the front desk, Kasun who registered the mission was approached by a middle-aged man whose stature looked like a bodybuilder. His bulging muscles gave off an aura of deterrence and anyone who approached him would nod their heads in a respectful gesture. Kasun''s expression flickered, clasping his hands together, he said, "Brother Fist, I didn''t notice that you were there..." Brother Fist scoffed, "With a how big I am, you didn''t notice me?" Kasun''s smile turned bitter, his expression became awkward, but the former didn''t push it. Instead, he lowered his head and said, "The Young Mistress is asking me to push through the plans, the reward will also be increased since this is an urgent matter, you will take a gold coin while I will take two, deal or not?" Kasun felt the domineering aura wafting out from Brother Fist''s body, his body shivered and he didn''t dare to refute as he said, "Of course, Brother Fist, I wouldn''t dare to disobey..." "That''s a good boy..." Brother Fist reached his hand out and ruffled his hair, before turning away and leaving, he left these words to him, "Remember not to harm that little girl, Sandra, okay? Young Mistress gave me the okay to taste her..." Kasun nodded his head like chicken pecking rice as he stared at the disappearing visage of Brother Fist. Returning back to his group members, the three children laughed as they talked about various topics and Dan thoroughly looked like he was a veteran member of the team instead of a newbie. "Newbie, what''s your expertise? Judging from that dagger on your waist, it seems like you''re a close combat fighter," Kasun said and the other two stared at Dan with curiosity in their eyes. "Close combat is my expertise, but I can''t wield anything other than daggers, I am also fast and quite good at scouting..." Kasun nodded his head in confirmation and he explained the roles that they would play in the upcoming hunt. Kasun would take the job in luring the Fire Panther while Jacob and Sandra would play the role of maintaining aggro while Dan would aggravate its anger by intermittently damaging its body so that it wouldn''t retreat. Dan inwardly praised, ''They''re quite skilled in hunting even though they''re children...'' The four of them prepared the necessary items in hunting such as first-aid kits, some ropes along with grappling hooks and backup weapons. When everything was done, the group headed towards the nearby Forest of Alexandrite, the three children focused their gazes on the ground, looking for traces of the Fire Panther while Dan activated the system''s minimap function and found a surprise. He not only found the Fire Panther, but he also found a group of adventurers approaching their area. The System judged them as hostile as Dan secretly gripped his dagger in preparation. ''It seems like this hunt won''t be that simple...'' 88 The Mantis Stalks the Cicada, But Its Aware of the Oriole Behind Brother Fist brought two of his close confidants in this mission. The Young Mistress of the Tetsui Clan employed him to capture any children that met her criteria. First, their age must be below fifteen, second, they mustn''t have a cultivation base and third, they must be good looking. A small smile lifted on his lips, although he didn''t understand about why the Young Mistress of the Tetsui clan would lower herself and capture mortal children for her own bidding. Why would he care about it in the first place? As long as there''s money, the people would move and everything in the world would become achievable. "Brother Fist, it seems like they located the Fire Panther, what should we do? Do we attack now?" A masculine voice echoed from behind and Brother Fist lifted a smile, his expression turned vicious as he said, "You''re really too green about this, Brother Arrow, since those kids are about to die under that noble''s hands anyway, let''s have them dispose of that Panther first and reap the benefits for ourselves..." The other member of his group licked his lips, "So we''re gonna play the fisherman?" He glanced at Brother Fist and said, "Remember what I said to you earlier, Brother Fist, I''ll take that juicy newcomer of their group, his supple, yet tan skins looks delicious..." Brother Fist and Brother Arrow''s figure shivered for a moment as they thought about their brother''s sexual orientation, they sighed in relief, after remembering that their brother didn''t hold any interest in them. But still, when they remembered the facts about the fates of the young men that their Brother Poison managed to capture, they couldn''t help but endlessly shiver in fear. Returning on the task at hand, the three men maintained a safe distance and extinguished their presence, though their enemies were just kids, they didn''t have the habit on holding back and would always use their full power even if their enemy was a rabbit. "Look, isn''t that the Panther?" Sandra pointed and the three followed her index finger. Indeed, atop a thick, tree branch, a Panther with reddish fur calmly sat, its eyes closed and its breathing regulated. "Don''t just carelessly approach it! The Fire Panther is a cautious beast, it would never leave itself open like that!" Dan warned and Kasun turned to him with shock before nodding his head. The four of them decided to circle around the beast, looking for any traces of traps. After discovering that there were no traps, The four of them nocked their arrows and aimed at the Fire Panther. "Looks like this will be an easy one," Jacob commented as all of them released their arrows. Their arrow whistled as it neared the beast under the anticipating gazes of the three. But Dan shook his head. In the next instance, a wall of fire engulfed the arrows and the Fire Panther''s eyes snapped open. It scanned the four as all of them shivered. Kasun clicked his tongue, "As expected, it really won''t go that well! Let''s go, First Formation!" The children nodded their heads and sped towards their respective location. Their movements were fluid and their expressions were calm throughout the ordeal, making Dan who was older than them by several years, astonished. ''The calmness of these children and their cooperation could beat the National Army of my country...'' Dan commented as Kasun neared the beast and shouted, "Come here, you retard! You''re hungry, right? Come, bite me!" The Fire Panther roared, it became angry when it saw these measly mortals that dared to trespass its territory. Its knees bent and Kasun mumbled, "It''s coming, Danilo!" Dan nodded his head and at the same time as the Fire Panther leaped. He pounced and unsheathed his dagger, slicing horizontally at its tendons. A dull thud rang out along with the sound of crashing as dust flew towards the skies, the Fire Panther growled, Dan retreated backward and the group found that the right hind leg of the Fire Panther looked bloody and mangled. Kasun''s expression flickered, he glanced at Dan with an astonished expression. When he called out to him earlier, he didn''t really expect much, but to think that he would manage to injure the Fire Panther. "That''s a good hit, Danilo!" "Uwaaa, you''re strong!" Jacob and Sandra cheered and they walked towards the Fire Panther as Dan''s expression suddenly changed, his figure flickered and reappeared between them and the Fire Panther as he pushed the two on the ground followed by a burst of a heatwave which scorched their initial location. "Goddamned it, it can still move! Everyone, go and retreat for a moment, maintain a safe distance and kite it down!" Kasun moved forward and used his shield in defense, but staring at his shaky figure, it could be said that he wouldn''t last that long. In support, Jacob and Sandra took their bows out and sent a flurry of arrows towards the Fire Panther''s direction. But before it could hit its target, the arrows were turned to ashes by the high temperature that surrounded the Fire Panther. "Damn it, so long range attacks won''t work?" Kasun clicked his tongue and Sandra''s expression went pale, it was the first time that they tried hunting such a beast, and since the adults denied them some information about it, they were forced to hunt it without prior knowledge. "It''s backside is a blind spot! attack it on its butt and it won''t be able to block the arrows with flames!" Dan dished out orders as he sped towards the side of the Fire Panther and attacked in hopes of reducing the pressure on Kasun. Though with his cultivation base, he could instantly annihilate this beast. He didn''t unveil his power, lest those bastards observing at the side would be scared off. Jacob and Sandra regained their calm and repositioned themselves as another flurry of arrows flew towards the direction of the Fire Panther. As expected, it didn''t notice the arrows as a miserable shriek echoed from its throat. Its asshole looked bloody and mangled, and the intense pain that it felt made it berserk as it spewed flames around the area. The green grass around them turned into dust as Kasun instructed, "Retreat for now! It''s berserk and its close combat power is doubled!" The berserk state of the Fire Panther would increase its firepower, but it will also lose its reasoning. It trampled the area around and even forgot about Kasun''s group. Dan, along with the two children stood beside Kasun, observing the fiery inferno that the Fire Panther created. The sound of rustling leaves echoed behind them as a malevolent voice echoed from behind followed by the appearance of three burly men whose expression distorted into vicious ones, "Game time is over, kids, the adults will take over, now..." Brother Fist licked his lips and his gaze swept over at Sandra''s figure, Jacob knitted his eyebrows, "Who are you?" He asked he stretched his hand towards his weapon, but before he could do so, a sharp pain struck his nape as his consciousness darkened. "Kasun, you..." He mumbled, his eyes widened in shock and despair as he crumbled on the ground. Brother Fist stared at Kasun''s display of betrayal in amusement, clapping his hands together, he said, "Good one, Kasun, now come over this side and receive your reward..." Kasun''s expression flickered in glee, his figure couldn''t help but tremble in excitement as he approached Brother Fist''s side. Staring at Kasun, Dan inwardly thought, ''And here I thought that he''s smart and respectable, it seems like he''s just a fool that blindly worships money...'' He stared at Brother Fist''s vicious expression and shook his head, Kasun will never be able to take his reward. "Guah!" Kasun''s figure froze, a blood arrow spat from his mouth which drenched the ground in a crimson color. Lifting his head, he stared at Brother Fist and said, "B-b-brother, you said that you will give me..." His eyes widened as his body stopped its struggle. Just like this, a young life was lost. "No! This is..." Sandra''s expression went pale, despair suffused on her pale visage as she staggered backward, staring at the depraved expressions of the three adults before her and the cruel actions of them, killing her comrade, she couldn''t help but tremble and fear as she snuck behind Dan''s back. Brother Fist licked his lips, his gaze landed at Dan before saying, "Hoooh? What do we have here? A wannabe hero?" His comment made the two other men chuckle in disdain. "A wannabe hero?" Dan lifted a smile, "I didn''t intend to be like that," He shook his head, lifting his head, he stared right into Brother Fist''s eyes as he said, "But since you decided to include me in your hunting list, you should expect to be hunted in return, right?" Consecutive gunshots echoed throughout the entire forest, followed by several deep thuds as a blood river formed on his feet. Dan didn''t even hesitate to pull his trigger and reaped the lives of these three men. Sandra fell on her backside, her eyes widened in terror as she saw Dan lifting his weapon and pointing it at the berserk Fire Panther, "Bang!" Another gunshot echoed, the berserk Fire Panther crumbled on the ground with a bloody hole in its forehead. Turning around, he kneeled and stared right into Sandra''s eyes, "Let''s have a discussion as to how we shall explain this to the Adventurer''s Guild, shall we?" 89 Potential The rules of the Adventurer''s indicated numerous requirements in becoming an Adventurer. However, if a mortal paid a certain amount of fee, they could enter through the back door and become an Adventurer, though it was bypassing the system. It was a method that wasn''t frowned upon. After all, not everyone could cultivation in this world, but everyone had to earn money to eat. Because of this, they were considered as informal Adventurers, though they could receive missions, they were not recognized formally by the Adventurer''s Guild and if a strife happened between formal and informal members of the Guild, they would definitely be biased towards the formal members. From the time that he saw these children, Dan knew that they must''ve taken the route of becoming an Adventurer from behind. Though he couldn''t see any problems with it for as long as they''re earning their money in a righteous way. They would definitely be disadvantaged when the Adventurer''s Guild noticed the deaths of these three men who were formal members of the Guild. And if they managed to trace the clues back to them, they would definitely be persecuted. Even though it was illogical to think that a bunch of mortal children could kill cultivators, to appease the crowd of formal members, the guild would have no other choice but to put all the blame onto this children and as a result, they may die or forever be imprisoned. Dan inwardly sighed, Sandra and Jacob weren''t really that bad. Compared to those young masters of prestigious clans that had the support of enormous resources by the time that they were born. Sandra and Jacob''s stats didn''t differ much from them. [Name: Sandra, Age: 12 Status: Informal Member, Bronze Ranked Adventurer] [Stats: Str: 3, Int: 9, Dex: 5, Agi: 6, Sta: 5] [For Reference, one stat point equals an average human''s stat.] [Cultivation: None] [System Evaluation: Mere ant] [Name: Jacob, Age: 11 Status: Informal Member, Bronze Ranked Adventurer] [Stats: Str: 4, Int: 5, Dex: 5, Agi: 9, Sta: 7] [For Reference, one stat point equals an average human''s stat.] [Cultivation: None] [System Evaluation: Mere ant] In comparison to the sixteen years old stats of Dan several months ago. [Name: Dan Gabriel Longinus; Age: 16; Status: the Young Master of the Longinus Clan] [Stats; Str: 0.50, Int: 3; Dex: 0.23, Agi: 0.90; Sta: 2] [For Reference, one stat point equals an average human''s stat.] [Cultivation: Middle Stage of the Flesh Tempering Realm] [System Evaluation: Weak aff] The difference was too huge. Desperation squeezes out the potential of humans and in this case, it boosted the stats of the two children to the extent that Dan, a member of a prestigious clan, couldn''t even compare, several months ago. Now, Dan''s stats after his true bloodline''s awakening were as follows. [Name: Dan Gabriel Longinus; Age: 16; Status: ??????????] [Stats: Str: 13, Int: 27, Dex: 30, Agi: 32, Sta: 9] [For Reference, one stat point equals an average human''s stat.] [Cultivation: Middle Stages of the Organ Tempering Realm] [System Evaluation: Still weak] Dan shook his head and returned to the task at hand, he stared at Sandra and found that the young girl looked pale and terrified, the sight of his friend, Kasun''s demise was still fresh in her mind. "No, don''t come near me! Don''t come near me!" She staggered backward and only stopped when she reached a tree. Dan knitted his eyebrows, he knew that he needed to find a method that would erase her innate naivety as he said, "Don''t come near you? Then what are you going to do? Carry Jacob back to the Guild and report what happened here?" His words reverberated throughout the area as Sandra''s eyes regained some clarity, though she didn''t have much experience when it comes to life and death battles. The fact that she survived under the harsh environment of the slums area despite her beauty indicated her cunningness and intelligence, she calmed herself down and closed her eyes as her chest violently heaved in an effort to catch her breath. When her eyes snapped open, it shone in a light of determination as she suppressed the trembling of her knees and stood up, the concentrated smell of blood that lingered in the air made her nauseous, but she still moved towards Jacob and checked his body. "I''m gonna return with Jacob and report everything to the Guild," She said in a low voice as she prepared to carry Jacob''s body. Hearing her words, Dan scoffed, "Report what happened here? Do you really think that these bastards cared about you guys for their personal satisfaction?" Sandra lifted her head, "I saw that guy staring at me with a lecherous gaze, apart from having designs on my body, what else would be the reason why they went after me?" Her eyebrows knitted as Dan coldly chuckled, "Indeed, they were after your body, but if that''s only what they wanted, then they wouldn''t bother on holding back when they attacked Jacob, earlier..." He crossed his arms together as he stared right into Sandra''s eyes. "Since they took the extra effort in placing him in an unconscious state, it could only mean that someone tasked them from behind the scenes to kidnap you, Jacob and me..." His words shook Sandra''s soul, but she still didn''t believe Dan''s theory as she asked. "Why would they bother about you? You''re just a newbie, and I don''t think that there''s merit in including you as their target..." Hearing her words, a small smile lifted on Dan''s lips, "Well, I don''t know much about that, but one thing''s for sure." His expression went cold, "Their goal should be to kidnap us, and possibly make us some kind of a blood slave..." His eyes swept over at Sandra, "And as for you? You will definitely become a sex slave, you will be pumped full every day until the day that their employer bestows upon you the freedom of death..." Sandra''s expression turned paler than before becoming the plaything of a noble was a more tragic outcome than dying. She lost the strength on her legs as she placed Jacob back on the ground and sat, lifelessly beside him. She lost all of her determination and will to live. She knew that even though they won''t easily be traced by the Adventurer''s Guild as the killer of these three men. The employer behind them would definitely take action. Dan lightly chuckled and approached the young girl that embraced both of her knees in despair. Stretching his hand out, he said, "From now on, you and Jacob should just follow me, I will make sure that no harm would come your way..." A gentle smile lifted on his lips, Sandra lifted her head, her expression indescribable when she saw the amiable smile on Dan''s lips. She didn''t understand why, but her heart and her mind urged her to accept his offer as if they were telling her that her fate would change once she accepted his proposal. Dan was sincere when he made this offer, just the raw stats of the two children alone made it worth it for him to recruit them. But of course, their determination and resolve wouldn''t let them easily accept a stranger''s offer. But with the coercion of despair and the dire straits that they were in, the chances of the children accepting his proposal could be considered as a hundred percent. After all, no matter how intelligent they were, children were children, and could easily be manipulated. Sandra stretched her hand out and placed it atop Dan''s opened palm. Dan maintained a calm disposition, but he inwardly, he was screaming in delight. "I will follow you, but I hope that you won''t make us do something that we do not want to do, and I also hope that you will support our families..." Sandra mumbled, with her intelligence and intuition, along with the skills that Dan displayed in the earlier battler. She understood that this young boy wasn''t so simple and following him would definitely be advantageous for her. "Of course, I don''t mistreat my subordinates, but of course, if you dare to betray me..." Dan''s refreshing expression went cold in an instant, "I''ll personally cut you down..." A chill ran through Sandra''s spine, a bitter smile leaked on her bedraggled visage as she said, "Of course, I won''t dare to do that, master..." Dan cringed when he heard the word, master. "Don''t call me master, just treat me as you would treat your best friend, after all, what I want is a close confidant, not a blindly loyal subordinate that doesn''t have his or her own opinion..." Dan declared, he valued her intelligence and intuition, and so, he doesn''t want her to become a blind devotee of his capabilities. After all, he wasn''t omniscient. Sandra''s figure shook, a small smile leaked on her lips. The despair within her eyes, dissipated, for she found a bastion that would help her block her enemies. "Yes, Danilo..." She said with a low voice, Dan nodded his head in satisfaction and said, "Since these bastards have an employer behind them, I predict that the perverted bastard behind this should be keeping tabs on the location of these bastards..." A cold smile suffused on his face as he said. Sandra''s eyes widened, "Could it be that you''re planning on..." "Indeed," Dan''s eyes twinkled in anticipation, "Other than that, I don''t have any other way in luring that fierce tiger from the mountain..." Sandra nodded her head and begun her preparations, Dan couldn''t help but endlessly grin when he saw Sandra''s deft movements and actions. Soon, the three of them along with the unconscious Jacob, hid under the ground, covered with the vegetation as they observed the location where the three bastard''s dead bodies laid. They held their breaths and extinguished their presence, by staying in here, they were intent on luring out the tiger from its mountain and know the identity of their enemy! 90 Tetsui Clan The forces that governed the Merchant Town of Kalur belonged to the Town Mayor, his two confidants and the Leader of the Police Force. Apart from the Town Mayor''s Clan and the Clan of the Police Force''s Leader, his two confidants also had their own share of the region. One of them was the Tetsui Clan that governed the Northern Region of the Merchant Town of Kalur. The Tetsui Clan could be considered as a righteous clan by the masses due to the fact that they exert lower taxes on their people than the other region of the town. They also have health care for the poor and because of this, the people loved them and their way of governance. But little did everyone knew that the Tetsui Clan had their own little secret that they desperately tried to hide. And that was the fact that they cultivated on the Demonic Path. Particularly on the path of Lifeforce Devouring where they devoured a mortal or a cultivator''s soul in order to intensify their life force and effectively increasing their lifespan. The Young Mistress of the Tetsui Clan known as Leona Tetsui indulged on that path. The three held their breaths as two incoming figures appeared in the line of sight. Dan frowned, one of the approaching figures belonged to a young woman whose visual appearance looked to be the same age as him. The young woman''s visage looked refreshing to the eyes and amiable beyond extent. The dimples on her cheeks gave her a sensation of innocence and her eyes that sparkled with the light of spring painted an expression which indicated her righteousness. However, the more Dan looked at her, the more suspicious he became. How could someone look so innocent as her? He mumbled, Well, with the exception of my little girl, Juliet... Dan lifted a small smile, he felt refreshed thinking about Natalie and Juliet. Shaking his head, he calmed his nerves and focused on the task at hand. Dan''s doubt intensified when he realized that the young woman''s cultivation was at the Spirit Tempering Realm. Even Charlotte Paradyne who had the support of her entire Clan behind her didn''t achieve the realm that the young woman had. ''Just what kind of secrets is she hiding?'' Dan inwardly thought, his gaze swept over at Jacob and Sandra and realized that their expressions looked pale and exhausted, he whispered towards them, "I''ll take their attention so that when they scan around us, they won''t notice our existence..." "But, you..." Sandra shook her head and refused, while Jacob also stared at Dan with worry suffused on his visage. "It''s fine, I have a few tricks up my sleeves, just stay here and leave after they leave..." He reassured them with a smile and walked away from their hiding spot. "Are you sure that they are here, Mike?" Leona knitted her eyebrows. When she received the news about the commencement of Brother Fist''s plan, she and her loyal confidant, Mike immediately set off to do their usual affair. However, when they arrived at the location, what they saw was a Fire Panther laid on the ground with signs of struggle and battle around it. Her nose twitched, turning her head towards the side, she saw the bodies of Brother Fist and his comrade as she gestured for Mike. "Damn it, they''re dead! Just who did this?!" Mike violently cursed, he paid a huge amount of money towards Brother Fist and the latter guaranteed the success of his plan, yet now, not only the goods escaped his grasp, he was also killed by a mysterious assailant. "If you''re looking for the one who killed these guys, then you came in the right place..." A cold voice echoed behind them and the two simultaneously turned their heads, there, they saw a middle-aged man as a flash of lightning surged before their eyes. Mike leaped backward and rotated his cultivation base, sending a barrier towards Leona and his body. "That''s not enough..." The same voice echoed at another direction and Mike adjusted his barrier. Leona clicked her tongue and unsheathed her sword. A cold wind surged around her body as her Divine Art of Lifeforce Devouring Rotated, it locked on Dan''s figure like a homing missile and followed his tracks. Mike also did the same and now, the two of them could keep up on Dan''s movements, "Such treacherous techniques, it seems like the two of you are really demonic cultivators, aren''t you afraid that those righteous sects will come after you?" Dan said while evading the furious attacks of the two. Leona''s expression flushed in anger, the reason why she was so agitated was that of the fact that Dan disrupted their plans. She was about to break through the Middle Stages of the Spirit Tempering Realm, but now that her sacrifice was gone, her efforts became futile. Mike knitted his eyebrows, even though he locked on Dan''s figure with his Lifeforce Devouring Technique, he still couldn''t predict his movements, despite the fact that he could see him moving. Leona was the same, and this realization made her irritated as her breathing became disarrayed and her expression disheveled. Void of the cuteness and the innocence that she had when she first appeared. Leona looked like a fierce lioness that threatened to stomp everything under her. Dan saw all of these and he clicked his tongue as he mumbled under his breath, "It seems like I need to stop playing," He suddenly stopped and formed a mudra with his hands, "Blessing of the Lightning God: Manifestation!" He pointed at Leona and a bolt of lightning flashed by, striking her squarely in the chest as her figure flew towards a tree, turning it into smithereens upon impact. Mike turned around and ran towards Leona who was currently coughing blood. His expression turned solemn and incomparably cold. Waving his hand in the air, a sword appeared out of nowhere as he turned around and dashed towards Dan''s direction. The latter coldly smirked, withdrawing his Desert Eagle, consecutive gunshots rang out as Dan pulled the trigger as he retreated. When Mike saw the peculiar object pointed at him, he disregarded its existence since he didn''t feel any sense of danger from it. But when a deafening roar echoed from the opening of that object followed by the ejection of a projectile which grazed past his face, he became cautious and manifested a barrier formed by his entire cultivation base. Dan sneered, a barrier like that which thoroughly covers the user could definitely protect them from all directions. However, it was thin and could easily crumble under concentrated attacks. Dan took advantage of this weakness and repeatedly shot on a single spot. "Do you really think that your efforts are enough to kill me?" Mike gave a cold chuckle and rushed towards Dan''s direction. His barrier disappeared and Dan''s eyes widened in shock, "Does he have a death wish?" He mumbled but still pulled his trigger. A clear gunshot resonated as Dan''s eyes widened upon the realization that his bullet didn''t connect. Instead, it struck a precisely manifested barrier the size of a man''s palm. "Goddamned it, his control over his Qi is strong!" Dan whispered his curse as he took his dagger and battle Mike in close quarters. Their figures repeatedly blurred. An azure lightning covered Dan''s body while Mike''s expression looked pale and ashen as a murky mist enshrouded his figure. Both fighters engaged in a fierce close combat battle with none of them giving up. However, judging from the beaded sweats that formed on Dan''s forehead, he understood that he couldn''t beat Mike in a battle of attrition. Withdrawing several Frag Grenades, Dan strapped it on his body, pulled the string and leaped towards Mike''s body and tightly embraced him. "What are you..." Mike''s figure froze, he didn''t expect that his enemy would suddenly embrace him in the middle of battle. However, his expression turned fierce and cold as he raised his sword in the air and prepared to stab down. Dan disregarded him and stared at the distance before secretly activating a skill. Moving his head towards his enemy''s ear, he mumbled as a thunderous boom along with an explosion which decimated everything around them resonated. "No homo, though..." 91 So-called Filial Piety The explosion destroyed everything in the area, the shockwave of the explosion tore the earth and even reached the Merchant Town of Kalur as the Town Mayor himself ran sped towards the direction of the commotion. The perpetrator of this disturbance was long gone. Inside a certain restaurant meant for nobles, Dan along with Jacob and Sandra ate their meals. The two children didn''t look as disheveled and bedraggled as before. Instead, they wore luxurious clothing and their demeanor looked the same as the children of nobles. However, if one looked closer, one could see the excitement inside the children''s eyes as they inspected their clothes. Just the fabric alone could feed them for several weeks without worrying about money, yet Dan could easily fork it without feeling any pain. Dan gave a small smile as he stared at the furiously eating children. Fortunately, he rented a private box or else once those people from the outside saw the eating manners of these children, they would definitely become suspicious. "Ermm, Master, can I take this home? I bet father and mother will like it," Jacob asked while scratching his cheeks in embarrassment, Sandra glanced at her food before darting her gaze at Dan. Her expression indicated her intentions. Dan gave a light chuckle, "Of course we''re bringing with us the leftovers, I spent two gold coins for these meals, you know? Just remembering it alone makes my heart ache in pain..." The two children chuckled. The heavy mood from the events that happened earlier, especially Kasun''s betrayal slightly dissipated. But Dan could see the deep-seated sorrow within their eyes. Dan''s current appearance looked different from before. Now, he looked like a middle-aged man with a blonde-hair and a stoic stature. Paired with his clothing laden with gold and silk, his body looked like a shining beacon in the dark. This attracted the attention of thieves, especially when they entered the Extreme area of the Northen Region. The people of the slums stuck their heads out of their dilapidated window when they saw the approaching figures. Shock visible on their faces when they realized that a noble was visiting their area. "Hey, come here and look! It seems like a noble is visiting us!" "Stop joking with me! Why would a noble lower himself and visit this shithole?" "I''m not lying, really!" "Hey, isn''t that Jacob and Sandra?" "Yeah, that really is them, but why are they walking behind that noble?" "Could it be that," "Yeah, definitely, other than that reason, there is no way that those kids could attract a noble..." The people around them didn''t even lower their voices as they discussed, Sandra''s expression turned crimson in embarrassment while Jacob''s visage looked bitter. Soon, the three arrived near a dilapidated house. Knocking on the door, a feminine voice filled with the vicissitudes of life echoed behind the door. "Who''s there?" Wariness could be felt from the tone of the speaker. Sandra went forward and said, "Mother it is me, I brought some food with me so can you please open the door?" "So it''s just you, why didn''t you make a sound when you''re knocking," The feminine voice turned indifferent as Dan knitted his eyebrows, as a mother, one would always have a gentle and warm tone when talking to their child, but in this case, Dan felt nothing at all. ''Could it be that there''s some kind of a reason behind it?'' He glanced at Sandra as the door creaked and opened. Revealing the figure of a woman that looked to be in her thirties. Her expression locked in a frown but when she saw Sandra''s clothes and noticed Dan''s existence, her expression flickered as a smile blossomed on his face. "Oh, Sandra, you didn''t tell me that we would have such a venerable guest. Come inside, I hope that sir wouldn''t be offended about my house''s condition." The woman''s tone turned gentle like a spring breeze but Dan''s frown intensified even further. His gaze momentarily landed at Sandra who looked somber as he replied, "Thank you for having me here..." "Sir can just call me Vanessa," She smiled and Dan nodded his head, "Sorry about coming in here in such a short notice," "No, that''s fine, you don''t need to bother about it that much..." She gesticulated as Dan entered the room along with Jacob. "My husband''s still working in the factory, and he won''t be coming until night," Vanessa said and her gaze momentarily landed on Sandra, her eyes flashed in a critical light before saying, "I wonder what is Sir''s business towards this humble me?" "Business? Ah! It''s just a simple matter," Dan''s lips leaked a small smile, his eyes shone in a light of lecherousness as he scanned Sandra''s body, "I''ll be buying her, how does three gold coins, sound?" He laid three, sparkling gold coins atop the wooden table as Vanessa''s figure shook. Her eyes focused on the gold coins and quickly determined that it was real. ''I didn''t expect that this noble would be so generous, actually buying someone with gold coins, and even three at that...'' She inwardly thought. Usually, when nobles buy people from the slum, they would be at fifty silver coins at most. It was the first time that she saw someone offering gold coins for mere trashes that couldn''t even cultivate like Sandra. Sandra and Jacob remained still and didn''t say a word. But the faint trembling of their bodies indicated the upheaval that they were currently experiencing. They still remembered the time where they had a beautiful elder sister as a playmate. However, when their elder sister turned twelve, she suddenly disappeared without any explanations. Facing this scenario, they now understand the reason for her disappearance. And this sudden epiphany made a cold shiver run through their bodies. Human trafficking was frowned upon in this world, but that doesn''t mean that they didn''t exist. Dan''s eyes flashed in a light of cunningness, ''It seems like she really thinks that I am buying these children for those things...'' He maintained his calm disposition as Vanessa lifted her hand and tested the waters. Pushing the gold coins back at Dan, she said, "I don''t think that I can do that, mister. Sandra has been a crucial part of my life and I don''t want her to disappear..." Her tone sounded miserable and tragic and it carried a charm which enticed people to pity upon her circumstances. Dan gave a small smile, ''if that''s what you wanna do, then let''s do it this way...'' He gave a deep sigh and said, "I see, I understand your sentiments, Madam, but I really want them with me," Dan stretched his right hand towards Sandra''s back and the latter took the cue. Sandra''s expression turned fidgety and crimson, Jacob''s lips lifted a slight smile as he stared at Vanessa, the latter noticed his actions and she inwardly sneered, ''He acts like a gentleman but he''s just a lecherous bastard, fucking nobles, if you want to take that girl with you, I''ll have you pay a huge price...'' Dan lifted a free finger from his left hand and said, "How about I borrow her for today? I will be quick and as a member of the nobility, you can''t expect me to renege in such a simple promise, right?" The lecherous smile on his lips intensified as Sandra''s figure intensely trembled. "I see...I understand..." Vanessa''s expression revealed her inner struggle. Clenching her fists together, her eyes turned teary as she said, "I still can''t let her go with you mister, but I can have you borrow her for a day..." She then turned to Sandra and said, "Child, I''m sorry, but mother has to do this...You do know about how we''re struggling just to feed ourselves every day, right?" Tears spilled down her cheeks and if Dan didn''t know anything, he would definitely be swayed by her Oscar-worthy acting. Lightly coughing, he interrupted, "Twenty Silver Coins for a day, how''s that sound?" Dan placed twenty silver coins above the table and Vanessa''s figure shook for a moment, ''Twenty Silver Coins? Though that''s good enough, why is he holding back from spending? Well, that''s also fine since his pride as a noble won''t let him renege on his promise anyways...'' Vanessa accepted the deal and as a precaution, she asked for Dan''s noble surname so that she could have an insurance if Dan reneged on his promise of returning Sandra. "My noble surname? Ah, I see what you mean, it''s fine since I will definitely be returning her after I''m done with the deed," He viciously chuckled before turning around with Sandra and leaving these words, "My noble surname is Ligma." He turned around and disappeared towards the direction of Jacob''s household. However, the same thing occurred, Jacob''s family was even greedier than Sandra''s and Dan was forced to fork out Fifty Silver Coins just to borrow him for a day. When all said was done, Dan rented an Inn and took their dinner together inside their rented room. Unveiling the leftovers that they set aside for their families earlier, tears streamed down their cheeks as the two finally acted like children for once and wailed to their heart''s content. 92 Goddess Paradyne Academy, Inner Disciple Region. The cheers of the crowd resonated in the area, creating a deafening chorus which trembled even the earth itself. Surrounded by the crowd were two figures of a man and a woman, holding their respective choice of weapon. All sorts of cheers and supporting words flew towards them, as the Judge who was an Elder of the Academy, announced. "This battle has been requested by the Challenger, Vincent Lancea by the grounds of objecting towards Natalie Longinus'' promotion for the position of an Honorary Disciple." His voice rang loud and clear as the crowd around them lowered their voices. Inside a balcony where you could see everything below. The figures of Mathias and Charlotte along with several high-ranking Elders could be seen staring at the commotion with amusement, visible on their faces. "Just where did you find such a genius, Clan Chief? Though her skeletal age is higher than what I would like, her talent alone is astounding and she will definitely soar greater heights as long as she''s nourished," An Elder commented with a smile, he stared at Natalie and secretly thought that he will make sure that she falls under his tutelage. "Just make sure that you don''t steal her under me, Elder Barok," A feminine voice echoed from the side and Elder Barok turned around before saying with a bitter smile, "Give me a break, Elder Josephine, you already have that genius with you, give this old bones a chance, will you?" The other Elders chuckled, "It''s not like we''re belittling you, Elder Barok, but a lecherous Elder like you wants to have such a gorgeous and innocent girl as your apprentice? Not happening," Another Elder said and Elder Barok turned towards him and glared. Mathias glanced at these bunch of old men before shaking his head and said, "You need not worry about that Elder Barok, I have someone that has the same talent or even higher than Natalie..." The expressions of the other Elders, flickered, Elder Barok revealed an exhilarated visage as he said, "Really? Where is he? and who is he?" "He''ll come here soon, maybe, three months later..." Mathias left these words and turned to stare at the ongoing battle, ignoring the old men behind him that started their fervent discussion. Atop the platform, Natalie held a soft sword, swinging it around. It looked like a whip which tore through the air itself. Lifting her head, she assumed a stance and said towards her enemy, "I do hope that Senior doesn''t become indignant about his defeat, and I hope that you honor your promise..." Vincent''s expression turned for the worse, "Why would I renege on my promise? As long as you defeat me, I won''t bother about you anymore and all of my complaints shall cease...However," His eyes flashed in a solemn light, withdrawing his lance, he mumbled, "If you can defeat me, that is!" Several days ago, just when he was about to be crowned as an Honorary Disciple, and just as the enormous amount of resources from the Academy would be bestowed upon him. Natalie suddenly arrived and stole that spotlight. Filled with indignance, he complained but when the Elders of the Academy realized Natalie''s talent in the martial path, they disregarded his presence and instead, they rewarded him with a position inside the Core Disciple''s Region. The difference between an Honorary Disciple and a Core Disciple wasn''t that huge, but the former had more freedom than the latter! That means that if he acquired the Honorary Disciple position, he could come and leave from the Academy as he wanted! Wielding his lance, his figure disappeared and reappeared beside Natalie. The tip of his lance sliced at Natalie''s torso. When it comes to frontal battle, because of the lance''s reach and its innate sturdiness, it would most likely win an exchange with a sword. However, why would Natalie clash with him in the first place? Leaping backward, she evaded Vincent''s attack and counterattacked with a thrust. Vincent merely smiled and dodged it without any problems. "What''s wrong? Is that the best that you can do? If that''s all that you can do, then it would be better for you to admit defeat! Remember, I advocate gender equality!" He sneered and Natalie''s expression went cold. At first, she wanted to go easy with Vincent due to the fact that she felt guilty about Mathias'' arrangement. But hearing his words, she coldly chuckled and said. "Is that so? Then I will go serious on you..." Natalie''s cultivation base rotated, a tempest manifested in the area as her momentum, brewed. The fierce wind rattled the audience as the Judge summoned a barrier which prevented the tempest from injuring the crowd. Vincent clicked his tongue, "No matter how much momentum you gather, I will pierce it with my Lance!" A confident smile lifted on his lips, "Martial Technique: Sun Flare!" He mumbled and a brilliant light surged on the tip of his lance. The brilliant light gave off a fierce heatwave which dissipated the surrounding tempest. Mathias who stared at them from above mumbled, "So they''re planning on ending this in a single attack?" A small smile lifted on his lips as he observed. Juliet who sat beside him stared at her mother with a worried expression on his face. Charlotte crossed her arms together. Her expression indicated her trust for Natalie. After sparring with her several times under her father''s instructions, she had a solid grasp of Natalie''s strength. Vincent who couldn''t even last ten exchanges under her attacks shouldn''t even dare of defeating Natalie whom she could hardly beat. The Tempest and the Golden Sun concentrated. Natalie raised her soft sword towards the skies as she mumbled, "Blessing of the Lightning God: Manifestation!" The first stance of the Longinus Clan''s Divine Arts rotated as a lightning bolt from the heavens struck the tip of her soft sword. Lightning crackled around her and paired with her fiery red robe which enunciated her gorgeous figure. Everyone became dumbstruck and even the old men that observed them from above, couldn''t help but become entranced. Natalie''s beauty couldn''t be compared to Charlotte''s innocent visage, but the latter couldn''t compare to the former''s charisma. Natalie''s sharp eyebrows, along with her cold expression painted a picturesque scene which could never be forgotten by everyone that saw her today. As of now, she wasn''t a disciple of the Paradyne Academy. She was a Goddess that descended from the heavens to punish her impudent enemy! Vincent gave a bitter chuckle. Natalie''s momentum pressured, not only his body but also his soul. However, his pride and ambitions that he wanted to achieve, didn''t let him give up. Instead, he raised his lance and hardened his resolve. Pointing his lance towards Natalie, his expression said that if a Buddha arrives, he would slay. If a Devil arrives, he would annihilate, and even if the heavens itself descended to obstruct his path, he would personally seal for eternity! Wielding his lance along with his formidable path of the Martial Arts. He roared and leaped towards the center of the tempest! BAAANGGG! A deafening boom resonated. The Golden Sun clashed directly with the tornado of Lightning and their exchange, destroyed even the reinforced platform itself. Dust madly flew and everyone could not see what exactly happened in their exchange. Several seconds later, visibility returned and the crowd was astounded to find that the person laying on the ground was Natalie and not Vincent! "Eh? What happened?! How did Sister lose?!" Charlotte stuck her head out of the balcony and Juliet''s expression looked teary upon seeing her mother''s bedraggled figure. She started crying and squirming, asking for her mother''s presence. Vincent''s expression revealed his shock. His figure trembled like a leaf as he spoke in a hoarse voice, "You...Why did you..." Natalie gave a light chuckle, staring at the sun, she mumbled, "Your determination and the hard work that you placed to reach your current position is enough for you to deserve that title..." Her eyes rolled and her consciousness, darkened. Her words reverberated inside Vincent''s mind like a thunderbolt. The crowd stared with widened eyes at Vincent, they didn''t expect that the latter would win. After all, Natalie''s momentum alone gave her a higher chance of winning. The Judge dissipated the barrier and stared at Vincent. Raising his hand, his mouth opened. But before he could speak, Vincent''s wobbled and fell on the ground like a kite that lost its strings. This battle between the two geniuses, despite Natalie''s effort of giving him the win. Ended in a draw! ... The first burst of light descended from the skies and Dan along with the two children, awakened from their slumber. After taking their breakfast, Dan ordered the two to secure some dried rations that could last them for months. Although the two looked doubtful, they obeyed and when they returned, Dan along with the two children discussed with each other. "Since both of you struggled for money in this City, I suppose that you guys know about what kind of job earns the most money, right?" Dan asked with a slight smile on his face as Sandra turned at him and said, "Could it be that Master is running out of money?" "Ermm, not exactly running out of money, It''s just a temporary shortage..." Dan lightly coughed and Jacob commented, "Having a shortage is the same as running out..." When he said these words, the two children became somber and despondent once again. The reason was they felt guilty about the fact that they let themselves indulged in such expensive meals and they even bought luxurious clothes for themselves. Dan noticed their feelings and said, "You need not worry about such things since both of you are following me now, I can''t be so harsh with my subordinates, right?" Jacob and Sandra nodded their heads. The guilt within their hearts and their eyes slightly diminished. Jacob turned to Dan and said, "Master, my years of experience in this Merchant Town tells me that the best way of earning money is trading..." Dan gave a wry smile, "You don''t say?" Sandra smacked the back of Jacob''s head as she scolded, "Master isn''t obviously asking for that, how can we trade items when we don''t have a capital?" Jacob rubbed his aching head and turned to Dan with a pitiful expression. Dan chuckled and said, "She''s right, Jacob, what I want to know is what''s the best possible way of earning money without having a capital, like, you know, gambling and stuff..." "Gambling? Master wants to gamble?" Jacob''s eyes twinkled, and Sandra turned to Dan with an uncertain expression. Though Gambling could potentially rake enormous amount of money, that doesn''t mean that it doesn''t have its risk. And if you''re a greenhorn when it comes to it. You will definitely be ripped off. "If possible, I don''t wanna do that since it''s a pain, is there any other way than gambling that could earn me money without spending much effort?" Dan said and Sandra and Jacob fell into deep contemplation, "Ah! I remember the Soy Sauce and salt uncle talking about the Merchant Town''s Medicinal Hall! He said that rich merchants are coming in droves to have their illness healed!" Dan lifted an eyebrow, "Interesting, let''s take a look at the Medicinal Hall..." He said and the group set off towards the direction of the Medicinal Hall. The Medicinal Hall stood beside the City Hall. In term of luxuriousness and height, it was only second to the latter. However, when it comes to crowd concentration, the people around the City Hall couldn''t compare to the number of people that enters or comes out from Medicinal Hall. Several lavishly-decorated carriages could be seen parked outside the Medicinal Hall with numerous bodyguards clad in armors standing around the area. Because of this commotion, the common populace was shoved aside in favor of the VIP that came to have himself checked up. Dan knitted his eyebrows and walked towards the gates. The people noticed his arrival and when they saw his clothes, they glared at him as the guards respectfully let him in without even asking for his identity. What a joke! The clothes that Dan and the two children wore alone was about several gold coins in money. How could someone masquerade as a noble and wasting such vast amount of money? The backing behind the Medicinal Hall was the Town Mayor itself. Not only that, he''s also the Chief Physician which treats people with severe injuries or health issues. According to the gossips that Dan learned from the surrounding people, the person from the carriage was the previous general of the Empire of Eternal Faith. After being severely injured in a battle. He returned back to his hometown, the Merchant Town of Kalur and peacefully lived along with his two sons, Ricky and Charles. However, his condition gradually worsened to the extent that he could not even move without the assistance of his best friend, Ronald. Now, his last chance for life lies on the Town Mayor. If the latter who held a Grandmaster qualification when it comes to the medical field, still couldn''t heal his illness. Then, that only means that his fate was only sealed and he could only resign to it. Dan knitted his eyebrows, instructing Jacob and Sandra, he said with a small smile on his face, "I found our money, stay here and I''ll get it for us..." He turned around and walked towards the direction of the most protective room inside the Medicinal Hall. Ever since he arrived. His habit made him scan the entire Hall along with simulating a holographic map of the area. Because of this, Dan easily found the room where that VIP went and secretly tailed him using Stealth. Inside the room, a bearded old man placed his right index finger on his patient''s wrist. Inspecting his pulse. But soon, he shook his head and said, "The damage has destroyed most of your meridians along with your nerves. Now, it spread towards your vital organs and it should only be a matter of time until you leave this world..." He heaved a deep and regretful sigh. "I am regretful to say that only the Gods from the heavens itself could heal your ailment..." His expression looked sorrowful and downcast. The fact that he had to say these words towards a patient as a Grandmaster Physician made him disheartened. The old man on the chair gave a small amiable smile, "Thank you for the efforts, Town Mayor, But It''s fine, I have already come to terms and I know my body well than anyone..." He turned towards his best friend and said, "Let''s go, we don''t want to disturb the Town Mayor that much..." His best friend nodded his head and both of them stood up as the former assisted the latter. But before they could walk away, the door suddenly opened. Revealing the figure of Dan who said, "Old man," The confused gazes of the three, focused on him. "If I could heal you, are you willing to let me loan some money?" His announcement rang loud and clear inside the silenced room. 93 Deep Schemes The moment his words echoed out, the gazes of the four, focused on him. The injured General'' best friend, moved forward but was stopped by his friend who said, "Young man, I know my own condition and also, even the Town Mayor, a Grandmaster Physician couldn''t heal me, what makes you think that you can do it on your own?" His words were logical and sensible. Dan stared right into the old man''s eyes and found that his earlier words contrasted his true feelings. He said almost to everyone who knows him that he has come to terms about his death and was ready to die. However, the fire burning within his eyes along with the hot-bloodedness that he felt from his figure, indicated that this old man. This retired General wasn''t ready to kick the bucket. Dan gave a small smile, he darted his gaze towards the old man''s best friend before nodding his head and said, "I understand, I won''t treat you, but I shall prescribe you something," Dan''s cultivation base rotated. He compressed a thread of his Qi and sent his message flying right beside the old man''s ears. The old man''s figure shook when he heard the young man''s words. His smile turned amiable and an indescribable light filled his eyes. Along with his best friend, the two of them walked away as Dan and the Town Mayor stared at each other in a standstill. "How did you get inside without being detected by my formations?" The Town Mayor frowned, the formations he placed around this room could hinder even a Divine Soul Cultivator but this young man whose cultivation was just at the Organ Tempering Realm easily surpassed it. "Ah, those formations? I realized that they really don''t detect human presence. Instead, what they detect are the fluctuations of Qi in the surrounding area and when it notices a bunch of Spiritual Qi, lumped together, it would trigger." He gave a light chuckle and casually sat down. The Town Mayor''s expression flickered, indeed. The formation he placed could only detect Spiritual Qi, which means anyone that doesn''t have a Spiritual Qi or a mortal could easily enter the area. But how did he know about this? The formation I placed looks similar to any other detection type formation. Unless his knowledge about Formations is comparable to mine, it should be impossible for him to know about it. He inwardly thought. He became interested in the young man who suddenly appeared before him. "Young man, judging from what you said earlier, it seems like you''re also privy about what''s going on with my comrade, right?" A critical light flashed in the old man''s eyes. If Dan agreed with what he said, he may be forced to make drastic actions else he disrupts their plan. "Relax, I''m also planning on luring those bastards out..." Dan reassured the old man and the latter''s expression changed, "Really?" Dan turned towards him and nodded his head. With his gesture, a fierce wind kicked up and the old man suddenly reappeared before him. Holding a dagger towards his neck, the old man said, "Do you really think that I would be so naive as to believe everything that you''re saying?" The two gazed at each other''s eyes as Dan lightly chuckled, "Of course I don''t think that you would easily believe what I''m saying, but what if I can tell you that I can erase them from this place in three months? Would you believe me?" The old man scoffed and stepped backward. Sheathing his dagger, he said, "Erase those bastards in three months? Even I, with my resources and manpower, couldn''t find them in these past years much less you, whose cultivation couldn''t even compare to a normal member of that Association..." He turned around and disregarded his presence, "We''re done talking, the door is behind you. Please leave." He returned back to his desk and sat behind it. "Of course, I do not hope to destroy them by myself, but If I have you as my ally, then there''s hope, right?" Dan snickered and crossed his right leg towards his left leg, his hands crossed with each other. The old man''s eyes focused on Dan and found that his heartbeat was calm, without any signs of deceit. With his experience, he understood that no matter how good of a conman, someone was. They could never completely hide all traces of their lying. It would definitely show in the form of subtle hints. But when he probed the young man before him. He realized that the latter didn''t look like he was lying. A small smile lifted on his lips as he coldly said, "Young man, I don''t think that it''s appropriate for you to ask me to be your sword, right?" "Why wouldn''t it be appropriate? You''re much stronger than me so it should be you that is going to protect me..." Dan''s expression turned weird, "Don''t tell me that such a strong man like you is going to hide behind a youngster''s back, whose realm is at least two realms lower than you..." "Hahaha," The old man chuckled, "Interesting, Interesting, however, power is necessary when negotiating young man, and if you do not have the power to negotiate. You should at least show your sincerity. Show me what you can do and I can consider helping you in your matter. "I can show you what I can do, but let me reveal what I know first so that you''ll understand my sincerity, okay?" Dan stared at the old man and the latter understood that if Dan knew too much about their plans. Other than silencing him, they could only become allies. Which means that Dan would secure a much higher chance of acquiring this alliance. The old man spoke up, but Dan hurriedly interrupted him as he said, "First, the fire that happened at the Police Barracks should have something in relation to that Association, right?" The old man''s figure shook as Dan continued his speech, "Also, when I first came here, I actually met with that General as an Adventurer that gathered his required herbs for him." "When I arrived at that time, I realized that his son, Ricky, seems to discourage him to take any medical treatment. His son is blatantly saying that he wants his father to die. But for what reason? Other than acquiring his inheritance, I don''t think there''s more reason behind his actions..." "A son that is so evil that he actually wants his father to die only means one thing! And that is his mind was definitely corrupted or his resentment towards his father is so deep that he wanted him to die as soon as possible!" The old man heaved a sigh, "That young man, Ricky is actually a sweet and caring person which greatly dotes upon his father. However, when his lover died under strange circumstances. He suddenly changed into a villain and took control of most of his father''s stores and establishments." "His father noticed this but didn''t pay any heed to it. After all, he was about to die." The old man lifted his head, "However, one day, that old geezer used his strength for the last time so that he could stalk his son. And what did he find? He found that his son has been keeping close contact with that Association and their goal was to slowly take control of this Town using Ricky''s influence after obtaining his inheritance!" The old man''s words sent a thunderbolt reverberating inside Dan''s mind, "So they''re going to turn Ricky into a puppet leader?" The old man nodded his head, "Yeah, after that old geezer confessed to me everything I intensified my efforts in tracking down their base so that I could end them prematurely. How could I let those bastards who walk on the demonic path, govern this Town of mine?" Dan gave a wry smile, ''And you''re cooperating with a so-called demonic cultivator, you know?'' He contemplated what would happen to this old man if he ever found out that he cooperated with a demonic cultivator. "Since you told me about these already, I suppose our cooperation has started?" Dan''s lips lifted a smile, with the help of such an influence. He could just send some information and have them search the area. Dan didn''t believe that they wouldn''t discover those bastards'' base with his help. The old man sighed, moved towards him and said, "Yeah it has started but before I could let you leave, I want you to swear an oath with your cultivation as the stake that you won''t tell anyone that happened in her and that you won''t utilize a loophole of this oath so that you could tell anyone about our conversation earlier, understand?" "Also, take this Jade Token, this may help you in your investigation," The old man handed over an Authority Token, the one who holds that token would achieve a level of authority that was only below to him. Meaning, Dan could do whatever he wants to do inside the Merchant Town of Kalur without thinking about the ramifications. Dan lightly chuckled towards the old man''s cautiousness. But he knew that the latter''s cautiousness made him the leader of this vibrant, yet dangerous Town of Kalur. After swearing his oath, Dan borrowed a thousand gold coins and promised to him an information in the fastest time possible. Jacob and Sandra saw his come out of the room and asked about the gold coins. They became elate when they knew that Dan managed to obtain some money as the group returned back to their Inn. Dan wrote some training regiment that he remembered from his previous life but he never utilized because of his lazy ass and gave it to the two. After guiding them for a while, the two excitedly worked out inside the Inn with sweat building on their bodies. With this, Dan was assured that their foundation would be as firm as concrete. "I''ll give them a cultivation method when I return back to the Empire..." He thought to himself as he walked out of the Inn and headed for the direction of the General''s Residence. The residence of the General was heavily protected with numerous armed guards patrolling around the area. But under Stealth''s effects, it could be considered as nothing as Dan sneaked past their defenses and entered the room where the old man stayed. Inside that room, the old man could be seen with his best friend, talking to each other with sly smiles on their faces, "We don''t have much time left, brother, the hands of those bastards are closing in..." "Yeah, I also know about that, the Tetsui Clan and the Triass Clan are starting to become restless. The Town Mayor has also noticed these movements..." "Tell the Town Mayor that I''ll commence the plan, today." The Old General said and his best friend nodded his head before disappearing towards the exit. Inside the room, the old man took a dagger from his Spatial Device Storage and sliced his wrist. Blood dripped on the bed, staining the sheets in a crimson color. Dan knitted his eyebrows, what is the old man''s plans? He contemplated. The Old General laid on the bed, before taking a bottle full of a pepper-like ingredient. Dan''s expression widened when he realized the identity of that pepper-like powder. Storming outside of the room, he hurriedly departed from the General''s Residence as a deafening roar resonated and decimated the entire room of the Old General. Inside the Town Mayor''s residence. The Town Mayor''s expression looked somewhat somber as he stared at his comrade, "So he wants to commence the plan, today? It seems like the movements of the clans of these two confidants of mine are starting to become more rigorous, as if they do not consider my existence..." A terrifying aura enveloped the Town Mayor. Black gashes appeared in the air and his expression turned fierce. The Black gashes that materialized in the air indicated that his aura alone could tear the space and even destroy it under his will. Which means, he reached the realm of Space Manipulation. Signifying that his cultivation was at the Divine Ascendance Realm. The Leader of the Night Ranger Association''s Branch in this Empire had a cultivation of a peak Divine Soul Realm according to Mathias and Takemikazuchi''s findings. Which means if the old man managed to find the location of their headquarters. He could just teleport there and annihilate them all. Unfortunately, even with the old man''s spatial ability. He couldn''t find any traces of those bastards and had to tirelessly work without any fruits for several years until the General of the Empire returned back to his homeland. From there on, the two worked together as one and finally found some pieces of clues. The Tetsui Clan and the Triass Clan were involved in that Association. However, since he still doesn''t have any concrete evidence he couldn''t make a move. Now, with the commencement of their plan. He would take a good look towards the two clan''s movements and observe them from afar. Like how a mantis stalks the cicada. News of the General''s death rapidly spread in the entire Merchant Town of Kalur. Everyone who liked the General, especially his way of governance and fierceness in the battlefield turned somber and grieved along with his remaining family members, Charles and Ricky. The three clans including the Tetsui, Triass and the Town Mayor''s Clan offered their condolence and consoled the living members of the old man''s family. Ricky accepted all the gifts with an indescribable smile on his face as he darted his gaze towards his brother, "Father favored you at first because of how talented you are in the path of Martial Arts. But in the end, he still bestowed upon me most of his inheritance. That goes to show how much of a trash, you became. Brother..." The blonde-haired young man whose appearance looked older than Ricky only gave a small smile in response before turning around to leave. After his father''s so-called death. How could he bear to stay inside a residence full of snakes? Charles shook his head in regret, "This foolish and greedy brother of mine. You really went too far this time..." He walked towards a certain residence and never looked back. After this, Ricky announced that the Triass and the Tetsui Clan has formed an alliance, wherein they would merge their territories into one. Their declaration made it so that they would achieve a much better control of the entire Town than the Town Mayor who only controls a fourth of the City. "So they have already made their move?" The Town Mayor gave a small smile, "Yeah, it seems like this son of mine remained adamant of his decision," The Old General who was supposed to be dead was calmly drinking some wine with the Town Mayor. His expression looked pale with his eyebrows knitted together in a frown. "Are you sure about continuing this? Your son will definitely die here, you know?" The Town Mayor warned and the Old General said, "From the time that he sided with those bastards, I stopped treating him as my own son, his life and death doesn''t matter to me anymore..." He shook his head and the pair of friends continued their banter. Meanwhile, back at Dan''s rented Inn, the three prepared themselves as they walked out of the Inn and headed for the direction of the Tetsui Clan. Dan had predicted that the parents of these two children would definitely ask the Tetsui Clan for assistance. After all, they governed the Northern Region of Kalur, including the Extreme Northern Side. Arriving at the Northern Region of the Merchant Town of Kalur, Dan walked before the Tetsui Residence and found Vanessa whose expression looked wretched. Her eyes swollen, apparently from crying as she said, "Sir, you must help me find justice! Someone with a noble surname of Ligma has kidnapped my daughter!" Another family also spoke from the side, "Sir, please help us! That noble also kidnapped my son, Jacob!" The Elder of the Tetsui Clan who usually handled these matters coughed, "Both families need not worry about this matter. Since you''re under the governance of our Clan, we will definitely find justice." His expression amiable and tender as he glanced at the two families and said, "But first, we shall ask the City Hall for the copy of the City''s Registrar so we could track down the origin of this noble surname, Ligma." "We''re grateful for your grace, Sir!" The two families bowed down in deep respect and gratefulness. Vanessa inwardly sneered, "Since that bastard of a noble actually dared to renege on his promise, I can only sue him so that I can exhort more from him..." She couldn''t help but shiver at the thought of a noble begging her to retract her complaint. Dan''s expression looked frosty, he disregarded the presence of the guards around him and walked inside the residence before shouting, "I''m the one that they are looking for! You need not worry about going towards the City Hall!" His words reverberated across the area as the members of the two families, along with the Elder darted their gaze towards Dan whose lips, lifted into a sly smile. 94 Undercurrents Amidst the commotion before the Tetsui Residence. A cold voice suddenly shouted, it strangely stood out among the crowd of voices that enveloped the area. "I am the one that they are looking for, you need not worry about going towards the City Hall!" His voice pierced through the figures of the two families as they turned around and fiercely glared at Dan. Sandra and Jacob gripped Dan''s clothing from behind. Hiding their faces from their families. "So you''re the kidnapper who took those poor children away from their families?" Galleon Tetsui, the Clan Chief of the Tetsui Clan lifted an eyebrow. His calm, yet terrifying composure made those who observed from the sides endlessly praise him in admiration, "Woah, Master Galleon really is a good man, to think that a cultivator like him would still bother about us mortals!" "Yeah, that''s the reason why I came to this district, not only are the taxes lower, we''re also governed by such a kind clan..." All sorts of praises flew towards Galleon as Dan mumbled, "As an old man, you''re still that pretentious?" He crossed his arms together, the aura of arrogance wafted out from her body. Since his disguise was a young master of a noble clan, he had to keep his appearance and attitude in check. "What the hell did this young man just said?" "Brat, say that again and we''re gonna make you regret!" Galleon waved his hand and the commotion from his supporters dissipated. A cold light flashed within his eyes, "Pretentious? Is it my fault that they love me?" Hearing his words, Dan couldn''t help but chuckle, "Not only you''re pretentious, you''re also narcissistic?" The two families who obviously supported the Clan Chief couldn''t help it anymore but speak up, "Enough of this, young man! You better hand over my daughter or else I will report everything to the Town Mayor!" They clamored around with the intent of reporting Dan''s actions to the Town Mayor. Inside the Merchant Town of Kalur. The sole powerhouse, the Town Mayor held most of the authority and his words were the laws. Galleon thought that as a noble, the young man would definitely be intimidated. However, when he lifted his head to stare at his countenance, all he could see was plain indifferent and disinterest. As if he didn''t put the Town Mayor in his eyes. Those who had such eyes only means that either his backing enables him to disregard the Town Mayor''s presence. Or he was just plain stupid that he dared to challenge the Town Mayor''s authority. "Young man, I do not know where your Clan is located inside this Empire but I suggest that you do not provoke the Town Mayor''s authority. He''s someone that the Emperor himself, designated and should not be challenged." "I don''t fucking care, let''s go towards the Town Mayor''s residence to settle this!" Dan shouted in a domineering manner.Swaying his clothes in the air. He looked like a proud and arrogant manner as both families, along with the Tetsui Clan marched towards the vicinity of the City Hall. Their entourage gathered the curiosity of the crowd. The two families glanced at Jacob and Sandra, a vicious smile lifted on their faces as they realized that the children looked oppressed and scared, their figures were even trembling. Witnessing the emotions of the children, they would definitely win the case and could possibly obtain a huge sum of money as reparations from this stupid noble. Jacob and Sandra lifted their heads, Dan instructed them earlier to act like trembling leaves. Though they didn''t understand his intentions. They still obeyed and with the help of the acting skills that they obtained by surviving through the merciless slums region. The two families and the Tetsui Clan thoroughly believed that the children were forced by Dan. The commotion attracted the attention of the guards which called upon the attention of the Town Mayor. Because the Clan Chief of the Tetsui Clan also joined the entourage. The Town Mayor couldn''t be absent and soon, a white-bearded old man descended from the skies. "Just what is going on here, Galleon Tetsui?" His presence terrifying and the aura that surrounded him almost suffocated everyone present. Galleon Tetsui went forward and clasped his hands together, "I am in here before your presence to present a case of both families whose two children were kidnapped by this young man with the noble surname, Ligma." Galleon''s voice echoed throughout the area. His righteous tone struck a chord with the crowd and almost everyone around him glared at Dan who still remained as nonchalant as ever. the Town Mayor glanced at Dan and said, "What is your defense?" "My defense?" Dan chuckled, "This is my defense!" His figure flashed and suddenly reappeared before the two families, unsheathing his dagger. He moved like a ghost and stabbed everyone in that family to death, amidst the Town Mayor and the Tetsui Clan''s presence. It didn''t even take the young man two seconds until all five members present from the two families died on the spot. The crowd hissed in shock and retreated. Their expressions pale in terror while the Tetsui Clan Chief''s visage looked as dark as rain clouds. "You actually dare to do such a thing in the presence of the Town Mayor and Me?!" Galleon''s cultivation base wildly rotated, but Dan''s figure was nowhere to be seen. Instead, his figure flew towards the skies and disappeared towards the horizon, "I''ll make sure to repay this debt, Galleon!" He announced and Galleon''s face looked unsightly and green. Not only he failed in protecting his people, he also failed in capturing the perpetrator of this event. the Town Mayor stared at Dan''s disappearing figure with a dumbfounded expression. But soon, he heaved a sigh and said, "Hear my orders! A detailed sketch of that young man should be posted in all gates of this Town! Put up a bounty of a thousand gold coins! Let''s see where that bastard could hide!" The cold air that surrounded the Town Mayor indicated his anger as literally everyone in the City Hall got to work. The Tetsui Clan Chief offered his thanks towards the Clan Chief and was about to bring the terrified children under his custody when the Town Mayor said, "Leave those children to me, I still need to take their accounts about that presumptuous young man..." The Clan Chief nodded his head in response and he could only return empty-handed and humiliated. Inside a certain room in the City Hall. The Town Mayor glanced at Jacob and Sandra who looked pale and fidgety as he said, "What is your master''s plan?" Their expressions flickered, before they said, "I don''t quite understand, Senior''s question..." Sandra replied in a hushed tone, The Town Mayor chuckled, "It''s fine, you need not hide his identity from me. I felt the aura of the Authority Token that I bestowed upon him on his body so I am sure that he''s the one that I collaborated with..." His words lowered the guards of the children as the three of them started their conversation. Somewhere inside the Merchant Town of Kalur. Dan''s figure changed into a youngster whose skin looked fair and supple. His eyes as deep as the abyss and his eyebrows looked sharp like swords. Walking towards the direction of the Tetsui Clan, he casually bought some street foods and munched on it as he walked around and observed the area. Inside the Tetsui Clan Residence, Leona Tetsui could be seen with a dark expression on her face. The incident that happened several days ago made a mark in her mind. After all, her close confidant Mike lost his life. Ever since then, she swore to find that bastard and even created an enormous sum of bounty, worth several thousands of gold coins just to find his traces. But unfortunately, nothing was found about him. Even the Adventurer''s Guild couldn''t trace back his origins. These findings made her indignant and annoyed as she madly trained inside her residence. Now, since it was noon. It was time for her to eat some lunch as she went outside and brought with her Claire, her loyal maidservant. Claire possessed vast knowledge when it comes to the good food inside this Merchant Town. Leona craved for some street food so the former brought her towards the nearby stalls as they joyfully ate their breakfast. If one didn''t know anything about Leona. They would find it hard to believe that such a sweet looking young woman was a demonic cultivator. The smile on Leona''s face became the spring breeze which soothed everyone''s exhaustion. She was in the midst of a congee when she saw a young man whose appearance indicated his noble attitude. Right now, that young man was haggling with a stall owner in an effort to reduce the price of his item. "Boss, can I just take this fan for about ten copper coins?" "No, we can''t do that young man, I paid fourteen copper coins for that, My last price is twenty copper coins, at least give me some profits..." The stall owner realized from the young man''s confused and bewildered expression as he toured the area that he was definitely a tourist and knew nothing about the prices in this Town. Claire noticed Leona''s line of sight as she said in a teasing tone, "Young Mistress, could it be that you took a fancy with that noble? His looks are top notch, but since we don''t know much about him, I can''t really judge," She pouted when she realized that Leona wasn''t even listening to her. Instead, the latter stood up and said, "Boss, the market price for that bamboo pan is just fifteen copper coins, don''t take advantage of him just because he''s a tourist," She said and the stall owner glanced at Dan with an awkward expression before saying, "Since the Young Mistress has revealed my modus, just take that for fifteen copper coins," He gave a dry chuckle as Dan clasped his hands together in respect and paid the fifteen copper coins. Now, with the fan, he thoroughly looked like a cool and ethereal young master that descended from the heavens. His pure-white robe decorated with gold trimmings gave him a vibe of royalty which fluttered the young heart of Leona. "Miss, it looks like you''re quite knowledgeable in this area, mind if you guide this humble one, around?" Dan said and inwardly sneered, ''It seems like my skills as the hundred waifu conqueror is still applicable in this world,'' Leona shyly nodded her head and the two toured around the area. Since Claire felt like she may become a third-wheel, she made some excuses and escaped, Leona, stomped her foot on the ground in embarrassment. The cold and ruthless demonic cultivator known as Leona became like a young woman in the presence of Dan''s coercion and manipulating words. "So, Miss'' family is one of the owners of this region? It seems like I''m quite lucky to meet you amidst my tour," Dan chuckled, his laugh, paired with his innate cold countenance created a rare picturesque scene which rocked the young woman''s heart into full throttle. At first, she felt quite suspicious about his origins, but after Dan flashed the token of the Paradyne Academy in the mainland, she thoroughly believed that Dan was a Disciple of that Academy that was on vacation in this small Merchant Town. With the Paradyne Academy on his back, Leona wouldn''t dare to do anything towards him and the two could talk towards each other in an equal stance. Soon, the veil of the night arrived. Leona and Dan sat beside each other on a wooden bench near a famous establishment that sold delicious pastries. The former wanted to pay first, but after Dan said that he couldn''t bear to have someone as beautiful as her pay what he was going to eat. The former obliged and the latter displayed his financial prowess, buying the most expensive and sophisticated dish for the two of them. Leona''s mood rocketed towards the ceiling. And her favorability towards Dan soared towards the skies. The so-called Rainbow Bread before her was something that she desperately wanted to eat. But because it was priced at five hundred gold coins per piece. She could only stare at it in desire. But now, with Dan''s help, she could take a bite and savor the flavors hidden within the Rainbow Bread. This fact alone made the young man beside her, closer in her heart. She was a young woman that valued strength, along with wealth greater than attitude or character. As long as she could live without worrying for food or being looked down by someone. She was happy and she would do whatever she could so that she could attain such prowess. And with the young man beside her that not only possessed strength, but also wealth and status. Why would she let her go? She emphasized her sex appeal and started to unbutton her clothes in an excuse that it was getting warm. Dan looked fidgety and turned his gaze away. Her display of embarrassment made Leona confident as she clung to his arms. The two walked away from the crowd amidst the envious gazes of everyone in the scene. Before the gates of the Tetsui Residence, Leona reluctantly glanced at Dan. "Even though we just met today, I don''t know why but I felt a sense of connection between us, Miss..." Dan raised both of his arms and mumbled in a small voice, "If possible, can I still meet you tomorrow?" Leona''s expression shook. Dan''s hands on her shoulders transformed into a hot iron which melted her heart and her mind. Her expression turned somewhat glazed as she said, "We can do that, but my father is also here tomorrow, is that okay for you?" Dan lightly chuckled and lovingly ruffled her hair, "It''s fine, do you really think that I would be afraid of your father? Why would I be afraid of him when I have you to protect me?" Leona pinched his waist, "You jest," She gave a light laugh and before she said her temporary farewell, she pecked his cheeks and said, "You better come back tomorrow, okay?" "I will, I will," Dan nodded his head and when he let go of her shoulders, his reluctant and disappointed expression made a sweet impression in Leona''s heart. Entering her residence, the maiden made a final wave in the air as Dan also turned around and walked towards the Inn that he rented, "Really, It seems like the knowledge and wisdom that I gathered from playing those dating simulations still works in this world," He shook his head and a cold smile lifted on his lips, "With this, the second phase of my plan is considered as complete..." 95 Entrapmen Almost every entrance and exit of the Merchant Town of Kalur had Dan''s disguise visage along with his noble surname Ligma posted on the walls. Despite the huge bounty that the Town Mayor and the Tetsui Clan placed for information about his whereabouts. Ligma was nowhere to be found. Inside the Tetsui Clan residence, the perpetrator of this commotion casually drunk tea with one of the most beautiful women in the Merchant Town of Kalur. Leona''s expression looked tired and exhausted, witnessing her visage, Dan said, "Do you have some kind of a problem, Miss?" He spoke up and Leona rubbed her aching temples. Ever since that day, she didn''t dare to go out of their Region and stayed inside. In hopes that the bastard who killed Mike would be scared off her authority. However, she knew that she would eventually have to come out and knowing that there was someone out there that wants to murder her made her apprehensive and anxious about her future. "Indeed, there''s someone out there that wants to kill me," Her distressed voice echoed out and Dan suffused a concerned expression. When Leona saw his blatant concern towards her safety, she inwardly smiled and thought that it would be a matter of time until she latches on this tasty piece of meat called Dan. Because Dan used the Token of the Paradyne Academy as proof of his identity. He could not hide his name. Because he knew that her father will definitely research his background. Ever since he arrived in this world and realized that it looked similar to the wuxia, xianxia and xuanhuan novels that he read. Dan understood that cautiousness and having a distrusting heart would enhance your chance of survival other than the latter. "Someone actually dares to threaten the safety of the Tetsui Clan''s Princess? How bold..." Dan commented and shook his head, his words clearly emphasized his praise towards the Tetsui Clan''s power. After Dan stroked Leona''s vanity, the latter''s mood improved and they started talking to each other in a closer manner. Leona started to call him Big Brother while Dan called her Elder Sister. The two called each other in an affectionate manner and Leona started her advances, moving closer to his body. She said, "Big bro, is it possible for me to borrow that Token of yours?" Dan revealed a small smile, "The Token of the Paradyne Academy? It''s fine I''ll have you borrow it for a moment," He flicked his wrist and a jade token with the insignia of the Paradyne Academy manifested in the air. Dan placed it on Leona''s palm and the maiden shyly retreated towards her father''s room. Inside the room. Galleon Tetsui could be seen eating his breakfast. The door burst open, revealing the figure of his daughter which quickly presented the Jade token that came from Dan. Galleon knitted his eyebrows and rotated his cultivation base. Sending a stream of probing Qi inside the jade token. His expression changed into astonishment when he realized that his Qi became like a stone that fell into the ocean. Completely disappearing without any traces. "It''s real..." He mumbled. His eyes flashing with excitement along with his daughter who almost couldn''t contain her excitement. "Leona, you did a good thing this time! You brought us a fortune!" He praised and his daughter sweetly smiled. If Leona managed to snatch that young man, he could possibly migrate towards the mainland and establish his clan there. With the backing of that young man, why would he stay inside this small town? He would rise up like a fish transforming into a dragon! "Wait, before you go there, don''t be too pushy. I heard that the young men from the mainland like to chase women. So you go there and act like you don''t want him so that his instincts will kick in..." Galleon instructed her daughter and the latter nodded her head before returning back towards the dining room with a small smile on her face. Placing the jade token on the table, she said, "Here''s your token, Big Brother," Dan nodded his head and inserted the jade token back inside his Spatial Storage Device. Turning towards Leona, he said, "No matter how much I look at you, you really astonish me with your capabilities, Elder Sis..." Leona smiled in return, "You''re saying that as if you''re also not as talented as me, Big Brother. We basically have the same cultivation, but as for age, I wonder, just how old are you, Big Brother?" She stared at him in curiosity as Dan lightly chuckled and said, "I''m just a sixteen-year-old young man." Leona was astonished about this revelation but she wasn''t that shocked. After all, Dan came from the mainland and was even a member of such a prestigious academy. However, when she asked about the reason why Dan was still at the Organ Tempering Realm, Dan replied that he was strengthening his foundation. Unlike Leona who sought short-term gratification. She understood that Dan forcefully suppressed his cultivation so that he could lay out a firmer foundation than he already has. The stronger the foundation of a cultivator was. The higher their chances of arriving at the next realm. With Dan''s foundation alone, Leona understood that he could jump realms to battle her and she would have a hard time defeating him. That''s the reason why she didn''t look down on him and instead, even felt admiration. "Now that I think about it, Elder Sis, why are you here instead of entering the Paradyne Academy? With your talent alone, I''m sure that you will definitely transform into a phoenix..." Dan asked and Leona gave a rueful smile, "It''s not like I didn''t want to enter the Academy, it''s just that we cannot obtain an Entrance Slot..." She shook her head in disappointment. Dan nodded his head, "If that''s the case, I could find you a spare Entrance Slot. It would be a waste to have someone as talented as you staying in here with nothing to do, right?" His eyes flashed in a zealous light, and Leona took this cue as him having desires towards her as she said, "Really?" She embraced his arms and pushed it closer to her chest. "Will you really do that for me, Big Brother?" She lifted her head and assumed her most gentle state as she spoke in a tender tone. Dan inwardly sighed, ''If it was someone else whom she latches on, that guy will definitely be unable to let go...'' Just her mountainous peaks alone could send any guy into the heavens with one touch. Dan''s blank expression made it look like he was stunned by her appeal. A confident smile lifted on her lips as she continued her advances. Stretching her hand forward, she touched his thigh as Dan coughed and mumbled, "I can do that, but I need to show your talent to my clan, is it okay for me to borrow you away for about, a month?" When Dan spoke these words, traces of reluctance became visible on Leona''s face. Her figure froze and she fell into deep contemplation. Seconds later, her eyes flashed with a resolute light as she said, "I''ll go ask for father''s opinion for a moment," She stood up and walked towards her father''s residence. Leaving Dan who was sneering in his heart. The fastest possible way of manipulating someone was to have them take an interest in you beforehand. Meaning if they wanted something from you. You could easily make them dance above your palm. Because he received the mission of finding concrete evidence towards the Tetsui Clan''s relation towards the Night Ranger Association. Dan had no other choice but to do this kind of trick. And as for the reason why he chose the Tetsui Clan? That was because they looked too clean and pristine. For a clan to soar this high in society. It was impossible to be completely free of dirt. And for them to be completely righteous? Not in a billion chance! In this world, the merciful you are, the more ruthless your enemy becomes. Though it doesn''t really mean that everyone in this world was an asshole that should be avoided. It would be the best choice to avoid someone''s company whom you think as not worthy of trust. Dan sighed in his heart, the world he previously lived in and the world he currently lived in the present had some similarities. Though murders were condemned back at his previous world. The number of vipers that donned the skin called human were innumerable and lurked everywhere. The allure of having someone with a substantial background standing as their ally proved fatal as Galleon consented towards his daughter''s request. At first, he was doubtful at first but when he made inquiries towards the Paradyne Academy using his channel of connections, he found that the young man named Dan really did exist. And he was an Honorary Disciple at that! When Leona returned, a sweet smile blossomed on her face as she talked towards Dan in a gentle and tender manner. Dan kept up his gesture as he followed through the conversation. Dan understood that when he spoke his true name and even flashed his Academy Token, Galleon Tetsui would''ve surely made some actions and confirmed his identity. If he didn''t do that. It would be impossible for him to send her precious daughter towards his lap like a sacrificial lamb. Understanding this fact, a wry smile couldn''t help but leak on his lips as he shook his head, the temptation of the so-called status and wealth was too great that fathers could even abandon their daughters. Dan''s masterfully weaved words enabled him to lure Leona out of the woods. There, the Young Mistress of the Tetsui Clan became somewhat fidgety as Dan scanned the area around him. After confirming with the System that there was no one around them in a two-mile radius, Dan turned to Leona and said, "Elder Sis must be confused about the reason why I dragged her here, right?" A small smile lifted on his lips as he said, Leona''s expression turned as red as a tomato. But she tried her best in maintaining her calm as she replied, "Indeed, is Big Brother gonna do something that needs us to be alone?" She took the initiative and pre-emptively attacked. "Yeah, I have a confession to make towards Elder Sister. I do hope that Elder Sister doesn''t reveal what she saw towards anyone..." He mysteriously spoke and Leona turned serious. A secret that even someone who was an honorary disciple of the Paradyne Academy that flustered, just what kind of a secret is that, and why is he revealing it to me? Does he trust me that much? She inwardly thought. Leona noticed that she didn''t reply to his inquiry as she hurriedly nodded her head like chicken pecking rice. The instant she consented, a cold air swept past their figures as a black mist manifested around Dan''s body. At this moment, his calm and refreshing visage looked cold and controlling. His gaze stared at her as if he was looking at an inferior species. This drastic change made Leona afraid of what was going to happen. But before she could speculate, Dan mumbled, "Elder Sister is also a demonic cultivator, right? I am also the same, I cultivate in the path of Slaughter..." These words made a chill run through her spine as her mind madly spun. Adrenaline coursed through her body as she assumed a defensive stance with her cultivation, rotated in full throttle. Witnessing her response, Dan bitterly chuckled in disappointment. His cold expression melted and revealed a rare weakness that didn''t suit someone like him. His pained expression made Leona''s figure freeze. Calming her nerves, she turned to look at him with a dumbfounded expression that asked for explanations. Dan saw the light of tenderness in her eyes and it reminded him of Natalie as he inwardly shook his head and cleansed his mind of indecent thoughts. Lifting his head, a teardrop dripped from his eyes down on his cheeks as he mumbled, "When I traveled towards this small town in hopes of understanding more of my path, I didn''t expect that I would meet someone as beautiful and as kind as you, Elder Sister..." His tone contained his admiration and a hint of desire which shook the young maiden''s heart to the core. Dan didn''t let her speak as he continued, "When we talked towards each other I realized that the every second of that moment became ethereal and divine. And deep within my heart, the desire to replay those moments and savor the seconds that we spent together, blossomed and became a deep-seated desire that I could never fulfill." "I was elated that you invited me to your residence and became happier when your father invited me for some drinks and even accommodated me like I was a member of your family." His figure trembled like a leaf as he continued. "The truth is ever since my mind processed everything in this world. I was an orphan. Someone that never got a taste of what familial love is. However, when I thought about the times that we spent together with you, and your father. I finally felt and somewhat understood what kind of love that was..." He stretched his arms out and beckoned for her to come closer as Leona dropped her guard and moved before him. He pulled her closer in his arms as he said, "Do you love me, Leona Tetsui?" He spoke in the most gentle tone that he could muster. His voice which transmitted inside her ear became like the whispers of the gods itself as tears streamed down Leona''s eyes. The notion of controlling Dan to achieve her goal disappeared and was replaced with the desire of staying beside him and rising towards the peak of Martial Arts with him beside her. Burying herself deep within his chest, she nodded her head as Dan replied, "Then, can you tell me if you''re a demonic cultivator or if father-in-law is also a demonic cultivator?" Leona didn''t even process his words as she hurriedly nodded her head and said, "Only father and I are the demonic cultivators of the clan. But trust me, since you''re the same as us, you must know about how hard it is to cultivate using the method of the unorthodox path..." Dan ruffled her hair, "Silly girl, of course, I understand your sentiment, and I am not that shallow to think that you''re a despicable person just because you cultivate a path different from what is morally acceptable. After all, we''re all fighting against the heavens, why think of such trivial things when there are only two results. Either death or reaching the peak itself..." Leona lifted her head and stared at Dan with an affectionate light in her eyes. Staring right into his eyes, she said in a hushed voice, "Can you give me a kiss?" Her words made the former chuckle as he lightly pecked on her forehead and said, "Just be satisfied with this for now. At the night of our wedding, I''ll give you even more than that..." Leona dropped her head in an embarrassed manner and pinched his waist as the latter rubbed his aching side with a wronged expression on his face. Little did Leona knew that when both of them returned towards their residence. Dan casually returned a Profound Imagery Stone from his left palm back inside his Virtual Inventory. A small smile lifted on Dan''s face as he inwardly thought, "WIth this, the third phase is perhaps, completed..." 96 Inheritance Bestowal Galleon Tetsui stared at the returning two with an ambiguous smile on his face. Especially when he saw their intertwined hands. Leona''s sweet expression and Dan''s indifferent yet amused countenance. "Oh, you two just returned in time! I asked the servants to prepare a feast tonight! Come, come, come here, Dan! I won''t let you go until you''re full!" Galleon greeted them from the entrance and dragged Dan towards the hall. Galleon secretly raised his thumbs in a gesture of approval towards Leona. The young maiden furiously blushed before turning around and ignoring her father. She ran towards Dan''s direction and dragged him around. Making him taste all sorts of delicacies available only at the Merchant Town of Kalur. The cheerful smiles of the two, along with the sweet atmosphere that they gave off as they walked around the hall, made everyone who saw them, quite envious of their relationship. Some who didn''t know Dan''s backing coldly snorted in disdain while those who understood Dan''s background only revealed a wry smile on their faces. At the end of the feast, Galleon and Leona convinced Dan to stay in their residence and the latter obliged. The next day, Dan bade his farewells towards the Tetsui Clan and after making sure that there was no one tailing him. He went straight towards the direction of the City Hall. As always, people come in droves and their combined noises formed a chorus which composed the liveliness and the vibrancy of the area. The Town Mayor seemed to have predicted his arrival as any staff member who saw him would bow their heads down in a respectful gesture and guide him towards the direction of the Town Mayor''s Office. Knocking on the door, Dan opened it and there, he found Jacob along with Sandra and the Town Mayor, happily sharing their lunch with the Town Mayor. "Oh, you''re finally here?" The Town Mayor lifted his head and stared at Dan. Jacob and Sandra stood up and ran towards him as the two children started talking about their experience living inside the City Hall. They yapped about how luxurious everything was and how they were treated like Gods by the employees. "Old man, take this and be the judge," Dan took a Profound Imagery Stone from his Spatial Storage Device and hurled it towards the Town Mayor. The latter caught it in mid-air and deposited it inside his Spatial Ring as the two discussed for a moment. Jacob and Sandra looked unwilling to let go of Dan, but after reassuring them that he will definitely return. The two begrudgingly nodded their heads as Dan returned back towards the Tetsui Clan Residence. Upon his arrival, he found Leona waiting for him at the entrance as he said, "What are you doing in here? You''ll catch a cold like that..." He frowned and dragged her inside the residence. Leona''s expression flickered, she let herself be dragged since she heard the pure concern laden in his tone. Inside the residence, specifically at Dan''s room. Galleon Tetsui could be seen seated cross-legged before a small table. Atop the tables were liquor and some side-dishes. "Come here for a moment, Dan." He said and Dan, along with Leona sat beside each other and stared at Galleon in anticipation. Galleon lifted his head and stared at Dan. Since the information that he gathered from his informants told him that Dan was a bonafide student of that prestigious academy. He had since accepted his relationship with her daughter. However, though the Tetsui Clan was named as a Clan walking on the righteous path. That was not entirely the case. Especially him and his daughter who walked on the path of Lifeforce Devouring. He needed to know if Dan would accept these circumstances as he asked, "What do you think about my daughter, Dan?" His eyes flashed in a complicated light. If Dan answered that he liked his daughter. Then, he would press on and tell him his and her daughter''s secrets. However, once Dan knew their affiliation towards the demonic path and he didn''t accept their situation. Galleon would''ve no other choice but to kill the former so that all evidence would be wiped out. Leona glanced at Dan, a hint of uncertainty visible in her expression. Dan turned to look at Leona and noticed her apprehension as the latter ruffled her jet-black hair and pecked on her forehead before turning to look at Galleon as if saying, "Is this answer, enough?" Galleon lightly chuckled, it was the first time that he saw his daughter acting like an embarrassed young maiden. Witnessing his act of affection for Leona. Dan''s favorability in Galleon''s heart increased as he mirthfully chugged several shots of liquor. The couple stuck together and fed each other as they happily chatted with their father. Soon, the latter became somewhat intoxicated and said, "The truth is, aside from the other members of the Clan. I and Leona are actually cultivators who walk on the unorthodox path of demonic cultivation..." He stared right into Dan''s eyes. Probing for any violent reactions from him. "Fufu~" Leona covered her mouth with her left palm and lightly chuckled, "Father, he already knows about that, and not only that, he''s also the same as us!" Her words reverberated like thunder inside Galleon''s head as his intoxicated appearance disappeared, "Really?" He asked with shining eyes. Towards this display of immatureness and excitement, Dan gave a light chuckle before saying, "Yes, that''s indeed the case, father-in-law. I walk on the path of Soul Devouring. By devouring the soul of a fellow cultivator or a mortal, I could permanently enhance my cultivation..." His words dumbfounded the two, "A Heaven Grade Demonic Cultivation Method?" Galleon mumbled and Dan replied, "Indeed, it is a Heaven Grade Method...As for father-in-law?" He inquired and Galleon immediately replied amidst his excitement, "We walk on the path of Lifeforce Devouring, using that, we could extend our lifespan. However, it is only an Earth Grade Cultivation Method, unlike yours that is a tier higher, our methods couldn''t even be compared to each other..." "Father-in-law, may I ask something?" Dan''s eyes flashed in a complicated light. "What is it? Feel free to ask, we''re considered as family anyways..." Galleon patted his shoulders in an affectionate manner. Dan revealed a small smile and said, "Just what is father-in-law and Elder Sister''s current lifespan and how many people did it needed to attain that current lifespan?" Galleon froze for a moment along with Leona who became somewhat awkward. Holding his arm closer to her chest, Leona said, "We prefer absorbing the life forces of children because they''re void of impurities and gives the best boost in our lifespan..." She explained and thought for a moment, "I absorbed about two hundred children these past years while father absorbed three hundred..." "Since the ratio of absorption to lifespan is ten to one, which means I have an additional twenty years of lifespan while my father has thirty years..." She stared right into Dan''s eyes amidst her explanation. But contrary to her expectations, Dan remained indifferent. As if the matter about those mortals dying, didn''t enter his eyes. Because of this, Galleon became joyful about the fact that he found a suitable husband for her daughter, while Leona brimmed with happiness due to the fact that Dan didn''t judge her by her deeds. After all, everyone wanted to live for as long as they could. And that includes her and her father. Unbeknownst to the two, a fiery inferno of rage seethed inside Dan''s heart. Gulping down a mouthful of liquor. He suppressed his feelings as Galleon said, "Since the three of us are a family now, I''ll teach you the lifeforce devouring method that we cultivate..." Dan lifted his head and stared at Galleon in astonishment, "Really? Will father-in-law teach me?" "Since you''re already calling me as your father-in-law. Why should I hide secrets from you? I''ll teach you this method but in return, you must teach us your method..." An imperceptible flash of light that didn''t escape Dan''s perception surged inside Galleon''s eyes. Dan froze for a moment and his expression turned awkward. Galleon noticed this and followed up, "You do not need to teach us today, I know that Heaven Grade Cultivation Methods are heavily regulated and it should also be that case in your family." He nodded his head in understanding, "So only after I officially go and meet your mother and father will I ask for the cultivation method..." Dan''s expression flashed in enlightenment. The reason why Galleon wanted to teach him their demonic cultivation method was that he wanted to express his sincerity towards this matter. According to Galleon. If Dan''s parents or master realized the fact that Galleon willingly bestowed his cultivation to Dan, they would be moved and do the same to him and his daughter. After all, they were in the same family. Galleon didn''t waste any more time and sent a stream of information about the entirety of their Lifeforce Devouring Cultivation Method. [Foreign Information Stream Detected, do you want to receive? Y/N] ''Well, this is a freebie so don''t mind if I do...'' A slight smile lifted on his face as he inwardly replied, "Yes, and after receiving, sort out all the information and disregard those redundant and unnecessary before placing it in a folder that would be named as Demonic Method." [System Function Initiating: 30%] Dan dismissed the system notification as Galleon heaved a sigh and turned to look at his figure. Dan noticed that the light within Galleon''s eyes looked more affectionate and tender. Turning his back towards them. He walked towards the exit and opened the sliding door. "I placed numerous Sound Isolating Formation inside this room along with a Mortal Grade Perception Blocker Formation," Dan stared at him in confusion while Leona''s expression looked reddened like a ripe tomato. "Since you just received my inheritance and we''re now considered as a single family. I want you to work hard starting today and produce some grandchildren for me..." A cunning smile lifted on Galleon''s lips as he snickered and sealed the entire area with his cultivation base. Dan''s mouth widened in shock while Leona hung her head low, not daring to look into his eyes. Before long, the pair of couple stared right into each other eyes and moved closer. Sounds that would even make the heavens embarrassed reverberated inside the completely silenced room. Unbeknownst to Leona, another Dan, whose figure looked thoroughly similar towards the one who was pressing her on the bed was staring at them with a wry smile on his face, ''I do hope that this doesn''t count as cheating...'' He mumbled before entering Stealth and disappearing into thin air. NOTE: A prologue has been written, featuring some bits about Dan''s past life, it can be found at the table of contents, at the auxiliary volume 97 For Demonic Cultivators, Mortals are just Livestocks Now that Dan secured his position at the Tetsui Clan. It was time for him to commence the fourth phase of his plan. Morning arrived as Leona''s consciousness awakened from slumber. A sweet smile blossomed on her face when she found Dan beside her. Dan noticed her awakening as the same smile crept on his lips, "Are you feeling sore? We can rest for the entire afternoon..." Dan stretched his right hand and affectionately rubbed her hair. Leona narrowed her eyes, holding his hand, the former turned kissed him on his lips. "It''s fine, I can handle this much, but can you be more gentle next time?" Dan rubbed his nose in awkwardness before saying, "It''s not like I don''t wanna be gentle, you''re just too sexy that I can''t help it..." He snickered as Leona raised her right hand and flicked at his forehead, "You jest...Let''s go, let''s eat some breakfast, though I want to stay here for the entire day, I have some matters that needed to be done as soon as possible..." She stood up and the sheets that draped over her body slid down. Revealing her naked glory before Dan''s scrutiny. The latter was taken aback. Because of the dimness of the night. He didn''t see that much of her body. But now that it was morning, he couldn''t help but appreciate it. Her slender, yet plump body created a curve which could be considered as phenomenal and divine. Her peaks that looked small, yet ample along with the pinkish tips that decorated its center, composed a picturesque scene which enticed his desires. A tent formed on his lower body as he hurriedly moved and covered it with the sheets. Leona turned to look at him and dragged him towards the bathroom. After taking their bath together. The couple walked towards the dining room. Galleon noticed their arrival. His eyes focused on his daughter''s lower body and an imperceptible flash of light surged within his eyes that soon turned into joy and excitement. Since Dan has taken his daughter''s chastity. Then the matter of hooking him in his family was considered as complete. The old man looked overjoyed while Natalie and Dan looked somewhat speechless as they continued their meal. His enjoyment overshadowed his thoughts to the extent that he inadvertently revealed some bits regarding their connection with the Night Ranger Association. "Sir Beethros is asking for our presence later in the afternoon, it seems like he has finally formulated a plan about that..." Galleon said while munching on some meat. Leona lifted her head before saying, "Can I bring Dan with me at that meeting?" Galleon''s hands stopped and he darted his gaze at Dan as he said, "It''s fine, just make sure that you explain everything to him lest he misunderstands everything..." "I understand," Leona replied and the three continued their meal with Dan wondering about that meeting and the so-called intricacies of everything. Later on, at lunch, Leona called for Dan inside her room and there, she talked about their connection with the Night Ranger Association and as for the reason why they were planning such things. According to Leona, the Town Mayor has long been overdue in his position. And with the help of the Tetsui Clan and the Night Ranger Association, they would overthrow his governance so that the Merchant Town of Kalur wouldn''t stay as his monopoly. Everyone under the heavens has their own ambition and that includes the two overlords of the Merchant Town. However, Dan knew with his experience in reading various novels that things weren''t as simple as it was. the high and mighty Night Ranger Association wouldn''t lower itelf to ally with such a small clan without further benefits. Dan asked, "Is that everything that they wanted? I don''t believe that they''re aiming for a fair share..." He expressed his opinion as Leona''s knitted her eyebrows, "I also don''t think so, they''re clearly more powerful than us and they could demand further benefits but it''s strange that they are not doing so..." Dan''s figure shook, "Could it be that there''s some kind of a secret that they are not willing to disclose even with their confidants?" He mumbled and Leona''s expression flickered. The two stared at each other before nodding their heads. Later on, in the afternoon, somewhere outside the Merchant Town of Kalur. Two figures could be seen walking towards a nearby cliff face. Leona stood before that cliff and crushed a crystal. The crystal turned into dust and flew towards the cliff face as a distortion occurred and revealed the true visage of the cliff. It transformed into a cave opening of which Leona and Dan entered. Leona looked calm and indifferent as Dan carefully activated the System''s function and simulated a three-dimensional map of the entire area. Glancing at his minimap, he discovered that the headquarters of the Night Ranger''s Association branch in the Merchant Town of Kalur, stood three kilometers away from the Northen Gate. "Oh, you''re finally here..." A coarse voice echoed before them followed by the appearance of a ghastly figure that looked like an apparition of a ghost. His intangible figure changed into a tangilbe one as he leaked a creepy smile on his face, "As I thought, Young Mistress Leona really looks as beautiful as ever..."Leona shrugged and the figure glanced at Dan. "May I know who is this gentleman beside you?" He said and Leona replied, "That''s my husband," "Your husband? I see..." He mumbled for a moment before his figure dashed beside Dan and stabbed with a concealed dagger. The sound of metal clashing against metal reverberated. Fortunately, Dan had perceived his killing intent before hand and was able to defend. Leona''s expression changed, opening her mouth, she fiercely shouted, "How dare you attack my husband!" She flicked her wrist as a jade sword manifested in the air before holding it and slashing towards the direction of the figure. However, though her attacks struck him. it only went through his body. "Tcch," Leona clicked her tongue in annoyance as the figure crackled a laugh, "It''s useless, no matter how many times you attack me," He viciously glanced at Dan for a moment as the latter''s eyes shone in a critical light. The System had already told him that the man before him could temporarily transformed into a ghost for a brief moment, giving him invincibility towards physical attacks. But Dan''s Divine Arts, the Blessing of the Lightning God was considered as the nemesis of all Yin affliated creatures. That includes ghosts such as his transformation. Coldly smiling in his heart, Dan finally understood why the Night Ranger Association could easily escape numerous manhunts. The reason was their Divine Arts enabled them to blend with the environment. And not only that, it could also block all physical attacks making them quite a headache to deal with. Calming his nerves, Leona gripped his arm as she said, "Are you okay? Did he injure you?" Dan shook his head and ruffled her hair, "No, I am fine," Despite his reasurrance, Leona stuck close to him and vigilantly looked around. Even though they were allies, it was only temporary and they could still attack each other. But doing that would mean that they would fall out and that was something that the two clans didn''t want to see. After all, they needed the Night Ranger Association''s help in overthrowing the Town Mayor''s regime. They soon arrived inside a vast hall where two figures could be seen seated before a round table. Aside from the bastard that attacked him earlier. Dan noticed another old man and when the latter lifted his head, he found that it was the Triass Clan Chief. "Uhmm? Who is that youngster beside you, Leona?" the Triass Clan Chief said with frowned eyebrows. Leona cupped her hands together in a gesture of respect for the seniors before saying, "Both Seniors need not to be on guard, this young man beside me is my husband, I am sorry that we didn''t announce it in advance..." "That young brat that looks like a boy-toy is your husband?" The Triass Clan Chief sneered, "I didn''t expect that the mighty Tetsui Clan would be so cheap that they would settle for random boy-toys in the street..." Leona''s expression flickered, and she didn''t cower as she said, "At the least, we do not have a cripple in our family..." As soon as she said these words, the Triass Clan Chief raised his right hand in the air before slamming it down on the stone table, crushing it into smitheerens. "Just what did you say? Do you really expect that I will be afraid to punish you for your impudence?" His expression flushed in anger. The matter of his son becoming an eunuch always made him sorrowful and Leona reminding him of that fact made him unable to control his nerves. Dan coldly glanced at the Clan Chief and thought that he was somewhat retarded. "Since you launched the first attack, you should expect to be counter-attacked and should take it like a man..." He shook his head in disapproval as the Triass Clan Chief stood up, bringing with him a tempest of Qi in an effort to pressure the two of them down on the ground. The ghastly figure that observed at the side, realized that the matter would quickly escalate. Frowning, he opened his mouth and led out a shrill scream, "Impudence!" His voice directly attacked the ears of the three as all of them became disoriented and dizzy for a moment. Several seconds later, all of them recovered their clarity. Dan''s expression flickered in shock. If not for the system''s help, his recovery would take much longer. He glanced at the woobly Leona and supported her side. "Are you guys done with your fight? If not, I will send you guys off..." He said and the three nodded their heads. Taking a seat, the ghastly apparition repaired the stone table as they started their discussion. "The Town Mayor is starting to notice our invasion, the boss has decided that we would attack the Hamlet of Plaridel, the objective this time is to massacre everyone and take the food in their granaries." The fact that he said these terrifying words in a calm manner made the three somewhat apprehensive. Especially Dan whose eyes flickered in a light of burning rage. "What? Unwilling?" The ghastly apparition replied, his tone indicated that he didn''t want any objections. "We wouldn''t dare, we wouldn''t dare," The Triass Clan Chief pacified and the former coldly snorted before saying, "It''s not like you guys wouldn''t have any benefits at all. The Tetsui Clan''s Lifeforce Devouring and the Triass Clan''s Bone Consuming Method needs mortals, right? Then what are you guys hesitating for?" Leona lifted an eyebrow, "But Senior, such large scale murder will easily attract the attention of the Town Mayor..." When the ghastly apparition heard Leona''s words. It viciously chuckled before throwing a Formation Disc at Leona''s direction. Leona caught it in mid-air and Dan secretly analyzed it at the side, [Name: Earth Grade Dream Domain Formation] [Effects: Places everyone inside the vicinity of the formation in a deep sleep which eventually robs them of their breath. The Formation covers at least three kilometes of radius.] "That is an Earth Grade Dream Domain Formation, to prevent them from immediately noticing your attacks, the two of you should place that formation at the center of the Hamlet of Plaridel and activate it. After that, several minutes later, you will have all the mortals for the reaping..." The appariton cracked a vicious laugh and after receiving every information that they needed, the Triass Clan Chief along with Leona and Dan dashed towards the Hamlet of Plaridel. "Are we really gonna massacre everyone in that Hamlet and absorb them with our Divine Arts?" Dan suddenly asked and Leona, along with the Triass Clan Chief stopped. The latter glanced at Dan before laughing out loud, "Of course we will, the boss is giving us some free absorption material, why wouldn''t we take advantage of it?" "For us demonic cultivators, mortals are just livestocks, why think too much about their deaths?" She lifted an eyebrow, as a demonic cultivator, as a demonic cultivator, why would you feel sympathy and pity towards their deaths? She found the matter as strange. Dan sighed, no matter how much he wanted to dispose of these feelings of sympathy. He was recently a mortal and the murder of his kind made him feel sick and disturbed. "Just from your fair skin and naive countenance alone, I could tell that you''re quite a sheltered brat. Let me guess, you came from a demonic clan, right?" The Triass Clan Chief said as Leona''s expression flickered, "I don''t think that your line of questioning is quite appropriate, Senior," In this world, it was taboo to ask for a demonic cultivators past. After all, most of them endured grueling experiences and asking for it was tantamount to opening their hidden wounds. It was part of the reason why Leona prevented this line of questioning. The second part was she didn''t want anyone to know about Dan''s true identity. Apart from her and her father, she would dispose anyone who knows about his identity in this small town of Kalur. The Triass Clan Chief didn''t mind her words too much as he went ahead and continued their journey. Leona glanced at her husband and noticed that his expression looked quite conflicted. She stretched her hands out and mumbled. "Don''t think too much about it, Dan. It''s not like there''s no joy in killing those mortals..." Dan lifted his head as his eyes widened when he realized that Leona''s visage looked terrifying. Void of the gentless that he was familiar with. Instead, her eyes shone in a scarlet light and her lips widened in a smile that almost reached her ear. Leona saw his terrified expression and hurriedly retracted her smile before lightly coughing. Turning towards Dan, she said, "Forget about what you saw just now, let''s go, we can''t have Senior wait for us..." She dragged the pale Dan and ran towards the distance. Arriving before the hamlet of Plaridel, the three cultivator easily sneaked past the defenses of the mortal guards. Carrying the Dream Domain Formation Plate, Leona fixed it at the center of the hamlet while the Triass Clan Chief looked for the warehouses where the food for the Merchant Town of Kalur was stored in. Dan accompanied Leona and when the Formation activated. An invisible shockwave spread from the Formation Plate as literally every mortal that walked in the area started tumbling on the ground. At this point of time, Leona unsheathed her sword and under Dan''s horrified gaze, she started stabbing everyone around her. Blood pooled on the ground and Leona''s expression revealed her utmost excitement. Lifting her arms, she raised it towards the skies and activated her Lifeforce Devouring Method. The blood on the ground evaporated before condensing into a huge ball of bloodmist which dissipated inside her body. "Ah, this is it, this sensation..." She mumbled in euphoria as her sword flew, repeatedly decapitating all the mortals that laid on the ground around her. The thick smell of iron that wafted in the air, made Dan who observed all this while at the side, nauseous. She was too deep in the sensation of killing that she temporarily forgot about the existence of Dan who stood behind her. Fortunately, the mortals were in deep sleep or else they would be experiencing such a display of despair and terror. Clenching his fists, Dan knew that all of them would never awaken once again. Dan turned towards the side where he could hear the ragged pants of someone familiar. Walking towards the direction of that sound, he noticed that the place where that sound originated came from the huge house where the Hamlet Captain stayed. Arriving at the entrance, Dan saw the Hamlet Captain leisurely sleeping on his rocking chair. His olden face calm and tranquil but the room behind him was rowdy. Frowning, he walked towards the door of the Hamlet Captain''s house and the scene that revealed itself before him, thoroughly disturbed his mind. The Triass Clan Chief could be seen thrusting his manhood inside a naked young woman. The latter looked calm and undisturbed while the former''s expression looked flushed and reddened in utmost excitement. However, just this scene alone didn''t disturb Dan that much, but the scene of dozens of young maidens with their legs spread apart and their peals bleeding after penetration was the scene which shook his soul. The Triass Clan Chief didn''t even notice his entrance as his figure endlessly shivered in pleasure. After he climaxed, he finally noticed Dan''s existence and said, "Woah, didn''t notice you there, why are you in here? Could it be that you also heard about how beautiful the women in this hamlet are?" Dan noticed that the Triass Clan Chief''s body faintly shone in a pinkish light. That indication was enough for Dan to deduce that his cultivation method had something to do with coitus. Dan remembered the time where Leona insulted him by having a cripple inside his family. Indeed. Since his cultivation method absorbed the Vital Yin of women, someone who was a cripple would be unable to cultivate their Divine Arts and as a result, would also be unable to pass their inheritance. Dan shook his head, clarity returning in his mind. He looked around and found that almost every women had their cherries popped and their Vital Yin absorbed away from their bodies. Calming his killing intent, he turned towards the Triass Clan Chief and asked, "So Senior''s cultivation method involves using mortal women as furnaces?" The Triass Clan Chief laughed, "Yeah, but of course it would be much better to use female cultivators as furnaces, but you do know about the rarity of cultivators, so even though cultivation is much slower and tedious, we have no other choice but to use these mortals..." He adjusted his lance, positioning it at the entrance of another woman before thrusting. The contact made him roll his eyes in pleasure, "This one has quite the exquisite texture, such a pity that under the influence of the Formation, I can''t bring her at home..." He shook his head in disappointment before starting his piston. The continuous slapping sounds and the strange smell that wafted in the air made Dan sick as he pardoned himself and exited the area. Closing the door behind him, a dark and icy expression replaced his amiable visage as he casually returned a Profound Imagery Stone towards his Virtual Inventory, "Fourth Phase completed..." He mumbled before walking towards Leona''s direction. 98 Prelude to the Storm When Dan returned, he saw Leona cleaning herself of the blood that she absorbed from the mortals. Approaching her, the latter noticed his presence as she lifted her head and said, "Did you find that old geezer? We have a time limit of thirty minutes and it is almost up..." She calmly walked atop the pile of corpses and embraced Dan''s arm as the latter mumbled, "He''s inside the Hamlet Captain''s house, cultivating..." Leona lifted his head and found that he looked pale and exhausted. Leona understood that the shock of witnessing such deaths may have rattled his nerves. In an effort to calm him down, Leona pressed her ample chest on his body. But Dan couldn''t savor the sensation, for he still felt disturbed by everything that happened in here. There was only one thing that he wanted to do, and that was to return back and rest. When the couple arrived before the Hamlet Captain''s residence, the Triass Clan Chief was standing there, greeting them with a smile. His expression looked gentle and amiable as if what happened earlier, didn''t occur. "Oh? Why is this brat not cultivating?" the Triass Clan Chief frowned when he noticed that there were no Spiritual Qi fluctuations on Dan''s body. Leona also stared at him in doubt. Crossing his arms together, he said in a tone full of disdain, "Are you telling me to absorb the measly essences of these mortals?'' His expression made the Triass Clan Chief chuckle, "You''re quite stubborn, aren''t cha? Maybe that''s the reason why your wife has a higher cultivation than yours..." Dan returned a frown but didn''t say anything as Leona reassured her by sticking even more closely on his body. The group walked towards the center of the Hamlet and found numerous ghastly apparitions carrying numerous sacks of food. They placed these sacks of food in a clean area at the center before transporting it away using Spatial Tunneling. Witnessing this scene, the Trias Clan Chief said, "Our task could be considered as done. Since this Hamlet supplies at least half of the Merchant Town''s food supplies, people will definitely panic in the next several days..." Dan turned to the former and said, "Several days, you say?" "Yeah, it would take at least several days since the Town Mayor has his own stocks of food which he could use as a temporary stopper. But once his supply runs out too, the prices of everything will skyrocket and those poor livestock living at the Extreme Region would definitely cause a ruckus..." "So the current plan is to create a massive civil war? Wouldn''t that attract the attention of the Emperor himself?" His line of questions made the Triass Clan Chief stare at him in annoyance. "This much of an upheaval wouldn''t warrant his care. After all, scenes like these happen often and with how huge the Empire of Eternal Faith''s territory. They wouldn''t bother about such a small town." Dan nodded his head, so that''s the reason why the members of the Night Ranger Association were becoming more proactive as time passed by. But little did they know that the Emperor was already alerted and had sent some of his trusted confidants such as Mathias and Takemikazuchi in investigating their traces. Since the plan of the Night Ranger Association was about to come into fruition in the next several days, Dan understood that he had to make use of the confusion so that he could commence the last phase of his plan. Glancing at Leona, he knew that the young woman really did fell for him. Unfortunately, they were bound to be enemies and he had to eliminate her if he wanted to erase all traces of his existence in this Merchant Town of Kalur. Hardening his resolve, Dan reaffirmed his beliefs. Since the roots of his entire clan belonged to the demonic path. Dan understood that he had to be merciless and cold. He knew that he needed to sacrifice, even everything so that he could increase his cultivation. No matter how much he wanted to be righteous. His roots wouldn''t let him and he would eventually fall on the demonic path. Calming himself down, he returned back to the Merchant Town of Kalur along with Leona who once again invited him inside her room. Entering Stealth, he had his clone satisfy her desire. Though he could just disregard everything and do it with her. Dan disliked the idea since he wouldn''t really obtain that much other than sensual pleasures. Her Divine Art was incompatible with him and wouldn''t increase their cultivation no matter how much dual-cultivation they did. Sneaking out of the house, he informed the Town Mayor about everything that happened as his expression changed in utmost fury and anger. Raising his hand, he pummeled the table before him as it dissipated into dust. Dan staggered backward. The might of a Divine Soul Practitioner was something that he still couldn''t endure even with the help of the System. "I understand, I understand now...So that''s the reason why they''re trying to overthrow me from my position? Fat chance!" He violently cursed and turned towards Dan''s direction. His expression looked complicated. Using his connections, he found that Dan was a student of the prestigious Paradyne Academy. He understood how protective the Academy was about their student''s wellbeing. There was even an instance where a student was wrongfully killed by an arrogant young master and as a result. The Academy summoned a fleet of Divine Soul Elders and annihilated the entire clan of that young master. The annihilation shook the entire continent to its core and from there on. Everyone would try their best to curry some favors with a Paradyne Academy student and if they couldn''t be friends with them. They would avoid them like a plague. "Senior, just what is the reason why they are so adamant in taking your position? It''s not like they would acquire anything substantial other than the lives of the mortals inside this Town..." He knitted his eyebrow in thought. The Town Mayor turned to look at him and said, "It''s because of this," Since Dan and he were allies, he didn''t hesitate to reveal the reason why the members of the Night Ranger Association targeted his position. Atop his opened palm, a small metal ring could be seen. The ring looked average and if one placed it amidst garbages, they wouldn''t think much about it. However, when Dan scanned the ring. The information that the System revealed to him made him stare at it in shock. [Name: Shadow God''s Inheritance Key] [Effects: Use this to trace the Shadow God''s Inheritance] The Town Mayor noticed his confusion and he explained, "This is the key for the Shadow God''s Inheritance Trial. I managed to trace its location but I was restricted because of my skeletal age. As for now, I am planning on giving it to my son which currently studies at the Maximus Academy..." "System, search for information about the Shadow God..." He mumbled under his breath as a series of system notification manifested in the air. [Shadow God - A figure which according to the rumors, achieved the realm beyond the Divine Emperor and attained Immortality. He has long since ascended but before he did. He left his complete inheritance in his homeland, in hopes that someone suitable could acquire it.] Dismissing the system notification, Dan''s eyes flashed in a light of understanding. Lifting his head, he said, "Since this item is quite important, why is Senior wearing it like a normal accessory?" The Town Mayor chuckled before saying, "What''s the best way to hide a tree?" He said and his words made the latter frown in confusion. Before Dan could answer, he continued with a small smile on his face, "The best way to hide a tree is hiding it inside a forest..." When his cryptic words reached the ears of Dan. The latter''s eyes flashed in enlightenment, "So the reason why Senior is blatantly displaying such an important item is to hide it from the scrutiny of your enemies?" "Indeed," The Town Mayor nodded in satisfaction when Dan caught a hold of his point. "Those bastards are trying to get this key from my possession, but little did they know that the Shadow God only permits the entrance of those below the age of twenty and with the cultivation of a Spirit Tempering Realm..." A playful smile lifted on his lips as he thought about the tragic expression of those bastards if they ever succeed. Crossing his arms together, he turned to look at Dan and said, "You''re from the Paradyne Academy, right?" Dan returned a look of his own and inwardly thought, ''As expected of the Town Mayor''s connections, he easily unveiled my identity in just a few days...'' "Yes, I am from that Academy..." "Umu...I have sent those two brats towards the Paradyne Academy with my letter so that at the least, they could avoid this incoming ruckus..." He explained and Dan cupped his hands together in a gesture of appreciation. "I thank Senior''s thoughtfulness for this matter..." "Don''t worry about it," The Town Mayor replied, "Setting that aside, the storm that they orchestrated is starting to brew..." His eyes flashed in a light of anticipation and killing intent. He had been chasing the Night Ranger Association for several decades and now that they were willing to reveal themselves before him. Why would he chase them away? The next morning arrived and a commotion exploded in the marketplace. The supply of wheat and all sorts of staple food fell sharply and with the two clans fanning the flames by spreading some rumors about the Town Mayor''s monopoly towards these resources created a rally before the City Hall. Soon, the rumors about the Town Mayor''s dirty deeds spread across the entire Merchant Town of Kalur. The indignance of the common populace along with the fanning of the two clans composed a chaos which crippled the entire Merchant Town in just a single day. The so-called perpetrator of this chaos was inside the City Hall. Casually sipping his morning tea. Facing the window, he opened the curtains and saw a sea of people trying to force their way inside the City Hall. "As expected, those bastards really do work fast..." He closed his eyes for a moment and when it snapped open. A cruel and merciless light flashed within his eyes. "As long as that lad finishes the job that I asked him to, I will never let any one of you go..." 99 ANNOUNCEMEN We finally broke through a hundred chapters! I still remember the events that happened half a month ago where I restarted the story. If I didn''t do that, we could''ve obtained at least a hundred and sixty chapters by now... But oh well, since everything''s all done and well, I just wanna say thank to the readers who reached this milestone with me, and now I have somewhat of a crucial announcement to make. This concerns the future of the novel. First, ever since I reached the ninetieth chapter, I have considered changing my writing style. But what do you think, is the writing style good? Is it too rigid, or is it too verbose? Boring? Exciting? Second, I have received some complaints that the Main Character isn''t relying on that much with the System, so what do you guys think? Should he rely more on the System or should he do everything using his intellect and strength? Third, Quite sad that I can''t get top 30 :''( 100 The One that Pulls the Strings Those who lived at the Extreme Sides of the Regions were mostly those people that couldn''t afford any luxury in life. Not only that, they also had to live by biting the blade and taking dangerous missions posted at the Adventurer''s Guild. One of the reasons why they were doing that was because they do not possess the necessary skillset to attain a much better life. As a result, they would normally become mercenaries or adventurers. But they didn''t really mind the dangers for as long as they could feed their families. This was one of the reasons why they were currently rioting before the City Hall. People were complaining about how their purchasing power suddenly reduced. Those who were caught unprepared were astonished to find that they could not afford the food that they were able to afford yesterday. This caused massive panic and even though the members of the City Hall tried their best in pacifying this problem by using the stocks that they collected for the past several years. For some reason, someone has been buying it in bulks and as a result, the stocks meant for the common populace didn''t really reach them. Outside the doors of the Town Mayor''s quarters. His high ranking officials and the staffs of the City Hall itself could be seen pacing back and forth with beaded sweats dotted on their foreheads. The Police Barracks helped in deterring the people that wanted to force themselves in. But as more people piled up, it became evident that the Police Force would soon crumble. "Why is it so noisy, outside?" A dignified, yet full of laziness voice echoed behind the doors. The faces of the staff members brightened and they hurriedly fixed their clothes in preparation for greeting the respectful Town Mayor. With a creaking sound, the door opened. Revealing the expression of the Town Mayor who looked as calm and as tranquil as ever. However, those who served him before he became the Town Mayor felt a chill running down their spines. Especially the Town Mayor''s Personal Secretary, Gilmesh, whose face looked pale and ashen. "Why do you look like you''ve seen a ghost in broad daylight, Gil?" A young staff member asked Gilmesh turned towards him before calming his nerves with a gulp. Walking inside, he brought with him his entourage of staff members before saying, "Gilmesh reporting to the Town Mayor!" He made a formal salute before continuing, "The City Hall''s emergency stock has run dry and the urgent orders that we sent towards the other hamlet granaries fell into deaf ears..." Lifting his head, his eyes flashed in a complicated light, "With this pace, we will completely run out of supplies and a civil war may soon unfold..." His solemn words reverberated in the area. Shaking everyone''s core. The staff members who thought that they didn''t have that much role immediately went out and contacted their families. Soon, only Gilmesh and the Town Mayor remained inside the room. The latter turned towards the former before saying, "Do you still remember the times where we forcefully suppressed our competitors with brute force?" A cold smile lifted on his lips. Gilmesh had a terrifying premonition in his mind that he didn''t dare to voice out. As someone who stayed beside the Town Mayor ever since he achieved his position. He understood how an amiable-looking old man like him could transform into a terrifying Asura. It could be said that he stepped atop mountains of corpses before he was able to solidify his foundation. And now that there were people that dared to maneuver against him. He would never let them go. The Town Mayor was an easy-going person but that doesn''t mean that he was a push-over. When the Town Mayor stood up, Gilmesh felt a horrifying pressure emanating from the former''s body. His figure couldn''t help but endlessly tremble upon the suppression of cultivation strength. Only until he rotated his own cultivation base did he managed to endure. The Town Mayor wordlessly walked out of the City Hall with the pale and frightened Gilmesh behind him. Upon arriving at the entrance of the City Hall. The moment the Town Mayor''s figure revealed itself to the world. All sorts of insults flew towards his figure. "You bastard! How dare you monopolize all the resources that are meant for us! Return us the food! Stop being so greedy!" "That''s right, that''s right! Step down! Step down!" No one knew who started it but the people before the gates of the City Hall suddenly shouted. Their voices formed a chorus which shook the entire area. Gilmesh''s expression looked indescribable as he glanced at the Town Mayor''s indifferent expression. He knew that the more the Town Mayor looked calm. The horrendous the storm that he would unfold once he erupted. Without any hope of suppressing the brewing storm. Gilmesh could only wish that the incoming disaster wouldn''t do that much damage as he stood behind the Town Mayor with clenched fists. The members of the Police Force who held the fort couldn''t help but shiver as they craned their necks and turned their heads towards the direction of the Town Mayor. The chanting crowd stopped, and everything descended into complete silence. Only the approaching footsteps of the Town Mayor could be heard as he lifted his right hand towards their direction before saying, "Everyone, listen!" A surge of Spiritual Qi manifested, bringing with it a strange power which charmed everyone into complete silence. Gilmesh who expected a bloodbath lifted his head as he stared at the Town Mayor, ''He''s not killing everyone?'' He inwardly thought before sighing in relief. Little did the gathered crowd knew that they managed to avoid a calamity in a hair''s breadth. "From now on, to temporarily alleviate the problem of food supplies, those independent merchants inside the Town should open their stocks for public usage. The price will be the same as before! Pass this order town and initiate a lockdown of all gates! Prevent those greedy bastards from escaping!" the Town Mayor dished out his orders as the staff members of the City Hall complied. Soon, the entire Merchant Town of Kalur became enveloped in a state of lockdown. Those who wanted to escape found it hard to do so because of the Spirit Tempering Realm Cultivators from the Police Force that barred them entrance nor exit. The rioting people before the City Hall became elated and started dispersing. The commotion across the entire Town disintegrated, but those who perpetrated these events in the first place wore a small smirk on their faces. Such as the Leader of the Tetsui Clan, Galleon Tetsui. "Does he really think that the plan that we started doing for the past several years could easily be destroyed with a flick of his wrist?" He sipped a cup of tea as a stream of information struck his ears. Hearing the words contained within the sound transmission, his expression twisted into a vicious one. Meanwhile, inside the cave where the Tetsui Clan, the Triass Clan, and the Night Ranger Association held their meeting. Dan could be seen entering the area with silenced footsteps. Despite the fact that he was in Stealth. He still minimized his movements. Since all sorts of mysteries existed under the heavens, who knows if there''s someone that could spot him through the darkness. "What happened with the order that I gave to you, Junior One?" A coarse voice echoed and Dan perked his senses. "I successfully completed it, boss! Now, I bet the two clans would definitely rush to this place. After all, they need their rewards..." The voice replied with a chuckle. "Stop saying nonsense, make sure that everything goes right..." "I understand, don''t be so serious, boss..." "Scram!" "Okay, okay!" Dan who hid deep in the shadows fell into deep contemplation, just now. He activated the Authority Token that he got from the Town Mayor and sent him the coordinates of this location. However, he didn''t expect that he would walk in and see such a scene. "Damn these bastards really are as vicious as the rumors said, they''re not even gonna spare their comrades..." Judging from the killing intent that the voices emanated. Dan understood that they should be planning on eliminating the leaders of the two clans. "However, this also works to my advantage. The only mission that I received from Senior George is to erase all traces of the Night Ranger Association''s Branch in this Merchant Town...Since the Town Mayor and the Association has an irreconcilable conflict, I could use him to destroy the Association..." He cupped his chin in contemplation and long enough, a vicious smile lifted on his lips. "People stake their lives for benefits and relationships only lasts as long as benefits exist. This world is vastly different from Earth and I should definitely change my mindset. Only by being vicious could I achieve the most benefits that will help me acquire greater strength..." Opening the System Menu, Dan used at least a third of his ASP in buying Frag Grenades. With the help of the System''s Simulation, Dan planted those Grenades beside the walls, under the soil and even around the stalactites before simultaneously infusing them with his Qi. Now, with his will, he could easily ignite the Grenade''s activation sequence. "Now that everything is completed, it is now time to wait..." Back at the Merchant Town of Kalur, a bearded figure could be seen sitting before a desk. Atop the desk were numerous stockpiled documents. Suddenly, the figure''s expression flickered as a stream of information struck his ears. "Good, good, good lad! He actually found the elusive base of the Night Ranger Association in such a short time!" A wide grin filled with utmost killing intent and raging fury surfaced on his face. Standing up, he walked towards a cabinet and took a rusted sword. The rusted sword looked average and if one placed it among scraps. No one would take any particular notice about it. But when the figure''s hands gripped the sword. A faint humming could be heard as the air itself trembled. "It''s been a long time since I unsheathed this baby of mine... " Placing it on his waist, the Town Mayor''s figure blurred before shortly reappearing above the Merchant Town of Kalur. Scanning the location where the signal from Dan came from. He descended on the ground and assumed the identity of a Bronze-Ranked Adventurer as he rapidly closed in towards that cave. Inside the cave, the two leaders, Galleon and the Triass Clan Chief, Ivan Triass arrived. Galleon brought with him his daughter Leona, while Ivan brought with him his sole heir, Edward Triass. Dan also stood beside Leona with his left arm around the latter. "I suppose that boss already has our rewards prepared, right?" Galleon cupped his fists together, an indiscernible light flashed within his eyes. The ghastly apparition who talked with them earlier gave a crackle as he said, "Of course I already have it prepared beforehand, after all, I have to complete the deal on my end..." He walked towards the two clan leaders and offered two Spatial Rings. After scanning the Spatial Rings, the two leaders nodded their heads and promptly retreated. But before they could exit the cave. A wave of Spiritual Qi that came from a Formation surrounded them. [Warning: The host''s surroundings has been placed in a Spatial Lockdown, Escape through Spatial means is currently unavailable] A system notification that told him about what just happened flickered before the eyes of Dan as his expression turned solemn. Peeking behind a slab of rock, Dan secretly reinforced the rock so that it wouldn''t crumble in the upcoming clash. "What''s the meaning of this?" Galleon turned around. His expression frosty and icy. Ivan also looked the same and there was even an air of killing intent surrounding his body. "What do you mean? Didn''t I just give you the rewards that you deserved?" The ghastly apparition spoke in a sarcastic tone, "Since I gave you the rewards, I completed the end of my deal, but that doesn''t mean that I cannot steal it back!" The apparition roared as numerous shadowy figures surrounded the two leaders. Ivan turned towards Galleon and said, "There are too many of them, we have no choice but to join hands if we want to defeat him..." The latter grimly nodded his head as the two leaders rotated their cultivation base. "Leona, Dan! Both of you take care of these bastards around us, we''ll take care of their leader!" Galleon shouted as his figure sped towards the ghastly apparition along with Ivan who wielded a greatsword. Leona turned towards Dan and along with Edward, they rotated their cultivation bases and started their fierce battle with the members of the Night Ranger Association. Constant sounds of metal clashing against metal could be heard inside the cave as it intensely trembled upon the might of the three leaders. Leona clicked her tongue, the members of the Night Ranger Association possessed numerous means which enabled them to escape certain death. Their movements were erratic and each of their attacks was fatal. Giving her no chance to rest as wounds started appearing on her body. Ivan and Dan looked the same. At first, they held the upper hand because of their brute strength but when these bastards started showcasing their cooperation. The inexperienced two crumbled before the decades of experience that these bastards accumulated. Galleon and Ivan looked at each other before saying, "Galleon! I''ll go and forcefully destroy the Spatial Lock, hold him down for ten breaths!" Ivan roared and dashed towards the invisible wall that floated in the air. Galleon gritted his teeth, though he didn''t want to comply, he didn''t have any other choice or all of them will die inside this cave. Viciously staring at the ghastly apparition, he bit the tip of his tongue as his body started glowing in a crimson light. The Lifeforce Devouring Method contained numerous secret arts which allowed the user to burn their existing lifespan in exchange for temporary power. In just a few breaths, Galleon reached the peak of the Divine Soul Realm. His body that shone like a crimson sun illuminated the entire cave and when he attacked, the rocks around them would crumble. "This is the end!" He howled as his figure blurred and launched a flurry of attacks. Their exchanges created numerous sonic booms which destroyed the eardrums of everyone including Dan who became disoriented. Leona turned towards Dan and found that the latter looked wobbly and beside him, a member of the Night Ranger Association could be seen raising his sword in a downward slash! "No!" Leona screamed and activated the might of her entire cultivation base despite the suppression that she felt from her father''s cultivation base. She barely managed to push Dan away from the assailant as an attack grazed her hair. Strands of her hair fell on the ground as she forcefully twisted her body in mid-air and launched a horizontal slash towards that attacker. Instantly killing him as his head rolled on the ground. "Dan! Are you okay?" Leona''s expression looked tragic and teary as Dan stared at her with a wry expression before ruffling her hair with his hand. His smile looked somewhat melancholic and it pierced the young woman''s heart. Peng! A flash of bright light formed a line in the air and struck the lying Dan right in his heart. A blood arrow surged from that Dan''s mouth. Drenching Leona''s visage who twisted in anguish and terror. "Nooo!!!" She screamed, her expression looked murderous and her eyes shone in a crimson light of killing intent and the desire to destroy everything around her. Biting the tip of her tongue, she utilized the lifespan that she recently collected in an effort to activate the strongest Secret Art that she could use. Blood continuously dripped from her mouth. Her blood formed a crimson ball which eventually formed a tangible asura which pounced towards her enemies and continuously reaped their lives. Under the effects of the Secret Art and because of the fact that the members of the Night Ranger Association didn''t have the skillsets suitable for close quarter combats. They succumbed under the attacks of the asura. Tears mixed with blood continuously streamed from her eyes down her cheeks. She disregarded everything around her and focused her efforts on resuscitating Dan to no avail. "No, it can''t be, not like this, not like this, Dan!" She overlapped her mouth with his mouth and tried sending air. But her efforts would never bore fruit. After all, the mysterious attack completely disintegrated the latter''s heart. "Leona, what are you doing there?! Assist us here!" Edward whose expression looked pale from exhaustion fiercely cursed at Leona. His words fell on deaf ears as Leona continued her efforts. Galleon''s expression looked heartbroken and sour, his attacks became even more frenzied as the ghastly apparition viciously laughed. "Edward! Come here, fly out with me!" Ivan who finally cracked the Spatial Lockdown screamed towards his son as the former sped towards the opposite direction with all of his might, leaving Galleon and Leona behind. Galleon realized what Ivan was about to do and fiercely cursed, "You bastard! What the hell are you doing?!" Ivan''s expression turned frosty and condescending as he said, "Thank you for stalling some time for us, my brother Galleon. Don''t worry, I will light some incense for you and your daughter every year..." At the end of his sentence, he laughed out loud as his figure disappeared. With his disappearance, the Spatial Lockdown Formation repaired itself, trapping Galleon along with his daughter Leona inside this den of tigers. "Hahaha," The ghastly apparition retreated with a laugh, "To think that I would witness such a show of betrayal between two close comrades, both of you really didn''t disappoint me..." Galleon''s expression turned somber, filled with hopelessness and despair. His enemy possessed a cultivation of the Peak Divine Soul Realm without any augmentation. Compared to him who had to rely on a Secret Art to match his enemy''s cultivation, the difference was staggering. However, he was a demonic cultivator, and his heart wouldn''t let him go down without a fight! Tightly clenching his fists, he lifted his head and stared at his enemy''s figure with a blazing light within his eyes. Taking a jadeslip from his Spatial Ring, he crushed it and sent the powders towards his daughter''s body. The unique fluctuation of Spatial Transfer surrounded his daughter and Leona who realized what happened stared at her father in shock. "Father, what are you doing?! Stop this! Stop this!" She protested and tried to stand up. But the strong fluctuation of the Spatial Transfer intensified. The technique that Galleon used to transfer his daughter involved a strand of a Divine Ascendance Realm Elder''s Qi. Only a Divine Ascendance Realm Cultivator could possibly pierce through the effects of a Spatial Lockdown. Back then, he paid a heavy price for that life-saving jadeslip. And now that he thought about it, he was thankful that he paid that price. "As long as you can survive, everything will be fine...If I die today, take revenge for me and your husband, my dear daughter, Leona!" Galleon left his wishes as Leona''s expression turned even more tragic. The fluctuations of Spatial Transfer intensified before swallowing Leona, along with Dan''s corpse and transferring them somewhere far away from this place. "I didn''t expect that such a measly cultivator like you would actually have some connections with a Divine Ascendance Realm cultivator..." The ghastly apparition shook his head and spoke in praise. "Though your daughter has escaped, she''s just a mere ant, she couldn''t possibly rise against us..." Unsheathing a sword filled with the darkness of the abyss, the ghastly apparition said, "Thank you for the efforts until now, Galleon Tetsui..." He lifted his sword and stabbed. Galleon didn''t even resist. Why would he struggle when escape is futile anyways... Puchi! The sound feedback of his sword piercing deep within Galleon''s flesh echoed throughout the silenced cave. The ghastly apparition chuckled in excitement as a burst of white light suddenly exploded behind Galleon. Disintegrating the latter''s body along with the apparition who screamed in pain. "It''s been several decades since I started my search..." A familiar voice echoed throughout the entire cave followed by a cracking sound as the light from the outside world descended towards the cave, revealing the corpses that littered the ground and the blood that decorated the walls. "I thought that the Emperor itself arrived, it looks like it''s just you, our true target..." The ghastly apparition gave a small chuckle, as the Town Mayor, whose expression looked indifferent and frosty walked inside. His two hands held the lifeless bodies of Edward and Ivan. Throwing them on the ground, he said, "So these are the people who were foolish enough to trust you?" He spat, "Pathetic," "Hey, hey, don''t be like that, old man...Even though they betrayed you, they''re still your comrades, you know? Don''t disrespect them and spit on their corpses..." The ghastly apparition commented and the Town Mayor replied, "Ever since they had the notion of betraying me. They have long since disappeared from my list of comrades..." The ghastly apparition snickered upon hearing his words, "Really, you''re so cold...So this is the true attitude of someone that once held the title of the Executioner?" the apparition''s words laced with mocking and sarcasm pierced through the ears of the Town Mayor who gave a cold smile. "There''s no need to think deeply about it. After all, you''re gonna die anyways..." He unsheathed the rusted sword and miraculously, the rust that enveloped the sword transformed into blood, which constantly enveloped its blade. The ghastly apparition gave a small sigh before mumbling, "You had the talent and the ruthlessness that we''re looking for. Why are you so stubborn as to repeatedly refuse our invitation..." the apparition''s expression became filled with regret, "We could''ve been friends..." "You have your own path and I have my own. I prefer freedom than being shackled, let''s stop the nonsense and get over this as soon as possible..." The Town Mayor replied before dashing towards the apparition. The latter saw his approach as a smile of excitement and glee lifted on its lips. "If that''s the case, then let me witness the might of the renowned Executioner!" With the clash of their weapons, a deafening roar ensued inside the cave, blasting everything around them as the walls of the cave threatened to crumble. 101 Taking Food from the Tigers Mouth Palm strikes, jabs, kicks and all sorts of sword slicing techniques. The ghastly apparition and the Town Mayor, Demi fought head-on, exchanging moves after moves. The figures of the two blurred and each time they struck each other''s bodies. The shockwave would destroy everything around them. Demi''s expression remained indifferent but the light inside his eyes didn''t conceal his shock, "Not only he''s an expert at close combat battle, all of his attacks also contains the frigid Yin element..." He inwardly thought and glanced at his numbing fists. The ghastly apparition noticed that the numbing effect of his attacks was effective; taking the initiative. He continued his assault as Demi activated his Divine Art. A brilliant light that resembled the sun manifested at the center of his body. A fierce heatwave scattered as the ghastly apparition retreated back in the darkness. "Tccch! He cultivates a Yang Element Affiliated Divine Art!" The bane of all creatures that lurked in the dark was the Yang Element that bestowed light upon the planet. However, that doesn''t mean that the darkness couldn''t consume the light. Taking a step forward, the apparition braved the incoming heatwave and resisted with his own Divine Art. The Divine Art that the apparition cultivated in was called the Shadow Stalker Divine Arts. Using the veil of the darkness, he could move undetected and could utilize the devouring effects of the dark to extinguish his enemy''s attacks. A phantom of a puppet rose behind the ghastly apparition. The puppet stretched its two limbs and forcefully stopped the incoming heatwave. Dispersing its strength and eventually dissipating it into nothingness. Their exchange merely lasted for about two minutes but the destruction that they cause could thoroughly be described as horrendous. The entire cave''s ceiling was nowhere to be seen and the corpses that were strewn on the ground earlier were torn into pieces of flesh. Dan watched the battle quietly behind a slab of rock with his Stealth reactivated. He didn''t even dare to breathe loudly. However, the curiosity of witnessing a fight between two Divine Soul Cultivators made him gutsy as he secretly asked the System to analyze their movements along with their Qi Circulation Pathways. If the System succeeded, Dan could use the findings as the foundation of his future cultivation route. [Analyzing: 12%, Remaining Time: 15mins 12secs] The process of analyzation had a requirement of looking at the battle with his very own eyes. This risked detection for Dan, but since he was in Stealth and the two old monsters were engaged in a fierce battle. The chance of him being discovered was low "The devouring power of the Night Ranger Association''s Divine Arts really is domineering. To think that it could even devour the light from the heavens itself," Demi honestly praised, he was clear about his Divine Art''s true power, but it was easily devoured by his enemy''s Divine Art which was a great feat in itself. Demi''s Divine Art was called the Burning Sun Art. It utilized the might of the sun to scorch one''s enemies, while the ghastly apparition''s Divine Art the Shadow Stalker Art, makes use of the darkness'' strength in an effort to encompass, weaken and eventually devour one''s enemies. "Of course, only the dark can devour the light..." The apparition revealed in a sarcastic tone. Demi lifted an eyebrow, "Is that so?" Assuming a stance, he said, "Then let''s see what''s powerful, the light or the darkness?!" A deafening boom echoed and his figure reappeared before the ghastly apparition as the two started their fierce exchange of techniques once again. The surrounding beasts panicked before hurriedly retreating towards the deeper parts of the forest. Even those beast kings cowered when they felt the fluctuations that came from the cave. Meanwhile, Dan, who observed the entire fight all this while, stuck his head out and found that the two monsters were flying in the air. Darting his gaze on the ground, his eyes shone in an excited light when he saw numerous shining rings littered on the ground. They were Spatial Rings! Since the owners of these rings were dead, one could just pick it up and infuse their blood essence to claim ownership and obtain everything inside it. Crawling on the ground, Dan stretched his hand as far as he could. Sweat filled his forehead, he knew that he must not activate his Spiritual Qi or he will definitely be detected by those two monsters. With a quick sweep of his right hand, all three Spatial Rings were captured! Dan inwardly screamed in excitement before hurriedly retreating behind the slab of rock. Since the System''s analyzation was still ongoing. He needed to observe the fight with his own eyes. The mid-air battle that ensued above the forest continued. By this time, both fighters suffered numerous injuries, Demi''s expression looked pale and his left eye had a vertical gash that stretched from his eyebrow down to his cheek, while the apparition''s body looked fainter than before. In a battle between high-level experts, it would usually only take about a hundred exchanges before victory would be decided. However, the tenacity of these two enabled them to last longer than the average as they sent crazed attacks one after another. "What''s wrong? What''s wrong? Is that the best that you can do? And to think that I wasted two decades of my life chasing after your trail!" Demi lifted his head and roared, his killing intent surged towards the heavens. The ghastly apparition took advantage of this slight opening to take a breather. The apparition''s expression could not be accurately discerned under his hood but judging from the faint trembling of his body, one could say that he felt shaken. Earlier, the apparition activated the First Stance of the Shadow Stalker Art, but could only deal superficial damage towards Demi, while when the latter activated his first stance, the apparition looked fainter and its light, dimmer. Staring at his enemy, the apparition could vaguely feel something strange. According to the information that he had, the Town Mayor Demi was a cultivator of the righteous path and when one thought about it, the reason why he was chasing after the Night Ranger Association wasn''t something strange. After all, everyone on the righteous path despised everyone on the opposite path. However, now that he took a closer look at Demi, he could feel the aura of the demonic path on the latter''s body! A killing intent that could pierce the heavens itself, a crazed will which disregarded even his own body, an arrogance that looked down on everything and a ruthlessness which could make even the gods above, scared. A cold shiver ran through the spine of the ghastly apparition. Just what kind of a monster did we provoke?! No matter how much he regretted everything, he had a mission to complete and everything was already too late for regrets. Calming his nerves, he activated the Second Stance of the Shadow Stalker Art, the Puppet Manifestation! Behind him, a three-meter puppet clad in the veil of darkness rose into being. The puppet glared at Demi as the latter snickered and mumbled, "This is more like it..." Assuming a stance, he shouted, "Come!" The two fiercely collided. The collision generated a shockwave, blowing away everything. Demi flew backward like an arrow while the ghastly apparition remained undisturbed. Dan''s expression revealed his bewilderment. Just what is going on? The Town Mayor clearly had the upper hand earlier but now why does he look like he''s the underdog?! Knitting his eyebrows, Dan focused his gaze on the puppet and found the answer. Although the puppet looked the same as earlier. The power that it held was more condensed and stronger. The ghastly apparition pounced towards the flying Demi. Bang! A fierce sound reverberated, the ghastly apparition''s expression widened in shock when he realized that Demi looked unharmed and not only that, he even counter-attacked! "Do you really think that you''re the only one that has his own cards?" Demi sneered, the apparition could see a faintly shining finger on his ring. Clearly, the Town Mayor used a defensive artifact in withstanding the former''s attack. "Since you''re done with yours, then it''s time for mine..." the ghastly apparition''s limbs along with the puppet repeatedly blurred as the two of them hurled consecutive attacks at Demi''s direction. The latter avoided it like a boss. And those that he didn''t manage to avoid only struck the barrier before dissipating into nothingness. "Second Stance of the Burning Sun Art..." The same brilliant light surged. But this time, it converged into the tip of his sword. "The light doesn''t only bring warmth, it is also renown for its speed, and the darkness? You need not ask..." Demi shook his head, his eyes revealed the pure confidence that he had with his techniques... The sun and the cloud of darkness met in mid-air. Generating a huge explosion which decimated everything around them including the beasts, the trees, and even the river evaporated in an instant under their attacks. Dan felt dizzy, his eyes narrowed and he found that his seven orifices were bleeding. Clicking his tongue, he knew that he couldn''t stay here any longer. His measly cultivation base couldn''t withstand the shockwaves of their attacks and if he insisted in staying here, he would definitely suffer severe injuries. Using Flicker and Stealth in a combo, Dan swiftly retreated and only until the System told him that he''s within a safe viewing distance did he stop. Standing atop a tree branch, a vicious smile lifted on his lips as he took his Barret M82 and scoped in, staring at their battle with his index finger on the trigger. "Go on, fight for me, fight for me, fight for me more...Keep on dancing on my palm..." Dan mumbled, his eyes flashed in a light of killing intent. He was so absorbed in their figures that he didn''t notice a system notification briefly flashing at his peripheral vision. [The host is in an abnormal state...] [Cause: Excessive Absorption of Negative Energies] 102 Fisherman Tactics Inside the Town Mayor''s Quarters at the City Hall. Gilmesh could be seen standing before the Town Mayor, Demi. His knitted eyebrows and the worry inside his eyes flared up as he said, "Brother Demi, are you really sure that you''re going towards that place? In the first place, is this informant of yours even trustworthy?" Demi lifted his head, his arms crossed towards each other as he said, "Don''t even think that my informant is lying, he''s someone that belongs to that prestigious academy, and there''s also no motive for him to lie towards me, right?" "But still..." "Gilmesh..." Demi stared right into his brother''s eyes and said, "You do know the reason why I''ve been following the trails of those bastards, right?" Gilmesh'' figure shook, indeed, the reason why they were relentlessly chasing after the Night Ranger Association was because of the grudge that spanned for several decades. Now that Demi had the chance of obtaining his revenge, Gilmesh understood that he wouldn''t be able to stop his brother. Clenching his fists, Gilmesh said, "I understand, I won''t stop you anymore, but at the least, I want you to bring this with you..." Gilmesh rotated his cultivation base and summoned a bubble of Spiritual Qi. The fluctuations that surrounded the golden bubble made the former, freeze. "Are you serious?" Demi''s eyes shone in a critical light. The golden bubble was the entirety of Gilmesh''s cultivation base. Meaning right now, he was temporarily weakened. Since Gilmesh also cultivated a Yang Affiliated Divine Art, their Spiritual Qi was compatible with each other. "Yeah, I won''t let you go if you don''t take that with you..." Gilmesh gave a wry smile and Demi lightly chuckled. Standing up, he received the golden bubble and patted Gilmesh shoulders. This comrade of his that stood beside him for the past several decades. Demi knew that words weren''t enough between them. After sharing a fist bump. Demi walked out of the City Hall and flew towards the distant horizon. Leaving Gilmesh to manage everything in the City Hall. The fight between the peak experts at the forest near the Merchant Town of Kalur made everyone around them scurry in fear. Demi''s body looked bedraggled and riddled with injuries while the ghastly apparition''s figure looked more transparent than before. The erratic fluctuations of energy around them indicated their weakened state. However, the light burning within their eyes and the murderous desires inside their minds fueled their bodies as they sent fierce attacks, one after another. A kilometer wide area flattened and turned into a crater. Above the crater were their two blurred figures in a battle of attrition. The first one who succumbs to the other would definitely be defeated in an instant. This massive pressure made them go all-out from the start, not withholding anything, their attacks were as fierce at the dragon''s roar and as encompassing as the ocean, leaving each other without any opening to even breathe. Peng! With a sound of metal clashing against metal, Demi and the ghastly apparition flew backward, rolling on the ground as dust flew towards the skies. Stabilizing their bodies, Demi revealed a small smile, "What''s going on? Why do I feel like you''re gradually losing out, Superior Leader of the Night Rangers?" His sarcastic expression made the latter scoff. "Don''t pretend that you''re tough, you have the same condition as me..." The ghastly apparition replied, and the sword of darkness in his hands, doubled as he mumbled, "The third Stance of the Shadow Stalker Art: Dual-Wield!" "So you''re finally taking me seriously?" Demi commented, his expression turned solemn. The ghastly apparition could at most use three stances of his Divine Art according to the information that he gathered. Which means, his enemy was now using his entire strength. Shaking his head, he lifted his sword and whispered, "The third Stance of the Burning Sun Art: Gentle Sun" An explosion of brilliant lights manifested in the air before him. The light transformed into a stream of energy which condensed onto his sword. The cold blade of his sword shone in a golden light and it would only take a single look and one could deduce the concentrated power that it contained. The ghastly apparition prepared his resolve, he knew that he didn''t have any chance of contending against his enemy due to the fact that it was currently morning. If it was night, where the Yin was everywhere in the air. He was confident that he could defeat his enemy. "Prepare yourself..." Demi whispered into the air before disappearing beside the ghastly apparition, sending a horizontal slice on its body. The apparition replied by raising both of his swords in a defensive stance. Clang! A fierce sound reverberated, followed by a miserable shriek that came from his mouth. His figure flew backward before striking a boulder, crashing it into dust. Standing up, his expression turned cold. His enemy''s Divine Art infused the might of the sun in his weapon. Each of his strikes carried the Extreme Yang Essence of the Sun. Damaging his Yin Elemental Body. "You know, I have been waiting too long for this moment..." Demi spoke in a somber, yer reveling tone. Approaching his enemy who still knelt on the ground, he stopped within thirty steps before the latter as he continued, "Do you still remember the atrocities, your organization committed three decades ago, at the Pure Jasmine Village?" The ghastly apparition''s figure shook and his eyes widened in astonishment and shock. He had committed too many crimes that he didn''t bother about remembering everything. However, he clearly remembered that three decades ago, he ordered a massacre at that Pure Jasmine Village, but that was not the reason why the events on that day, deeply engraved in his mind. It was because on that eventful day. He spared two young boys that endlessly cursed him for revenge. And now that he looked at it, Demi''s visage looked similar to that young boy as realization struck his mind. "C-c-could it be that..." "You''re that young boy at that time?!" The ghastly apparition lifted his head and stared right into Demi''s cold and indifferent eyes. The latter merely lifted a smile before kicking the former backward. "Yes, indeed, that was me..." He replied as the ghastly apparition struck a tree trunk as a pain filled groan came out of his mouth. Strangely, Demi didn''t pursue him and instead stared at his figure before saying, "Stand up, fight a good fight with me and do not disappoint me..." His eyes flashed in a critical light, "I waited too long for this moment..." "How selfish, is that how someone from the righteous path should act? Since you already decimated most of my branch subordinates here, how about we let go of everything and let bygones be bygones?" the apparition stood up and dusted his jet-black robe. Demi gave a weird chuckle before suddenly appearing beside him and said, "Nope, not happening." A cold flash of light formed a trail in the air as the two figures started their clash once again. Sparks flew and each collision generated a shockwave which intensified the destruction of everything around them. Slice, hack, dice, thrust, and even kicks could be seen as the two fighters utilized all sorts of techniques that they could to acquire the upper-hand and defeat their enemy. Their battle of attrition could continue but it could be seen that Demi had the upper-hand. Because it was morning, his attacks were amplified and on the other hand, his enemy, someone who had a Yin Elemental Body found it hard to endure the scorching rays of the sun. With a downward slice, a deep gash appeared on the apparition''s left shoulder as the latter retreated backward. Clicking his tongue, a light of resolve flashed within his eyes as Demi closed in, "The fourth stance of the Shadow Stalker Divine Art: Absolute Night Time!" He stretched his hands towards the skies as a ball of darkness exploded above his palms. Engulfing the two of them under the veil of the night. The world around Demi, darkened and the effects of his Yang Affiliated Divine Art, diminished. But the ferocity on his face surged as his attacks became even more crazed than before. The ghastly apparition sneered, Shadow Stalkers were the masters of the night. Under the effects of Absolute Night Time, not only were his attacks, amplified. He could also infinitely absorb his enemy''s Spiritual Qi, weakening them in the process. "It''s too late for regrets, Demi, you''re gonna hand over that Inheritance Key along with your life!" The apparition laid his desires bare as his dual swords dance. Blood continuously dripped from the wounds that dotted Demi''s body. No matter how much he kept on defending. The sheer speed of two swords along with the innate suppression that bored on his body made him unable to keep on as he kneeled on the ground. Witnessing his enemy kneeling on the ground, the apparition frowned, "He told me earlier that he was waiting for this moment for several decades, he should definitely have some trump cards on him. Unfortunately, I also have my own..." Remembering the Heaven Grade Defensive Artifact that he had on his fingers, the apparition''s confidence returned. Raising his right hand towards the skies, he sliced at Demi''s neck as the latter''s figure suddenly surged in strength, a foreign ball of energy floated up in the air. The terrifying fluctuations that wafted out from the ball of energy made the apparition stagger backward in fear. Not only did the ball of energy contained the strength of the sun, it also had the Essence of Extreme Yang. Making it very harmful for the apparition. "Absolute Night Time was it? The Fourth Stance of the Shadow Stalker Art?" Demi slowly stood up, his eyes flashed in a light of complicated emotions. "That technique, Absolute Night Time encompasses the user and the target within a sphere of darkness. Though it is powerful, it also has its disadvantage. And that is," A vicious smile surfaced on his lips, "Only when the Absolute Night Time''s duration ends could it be opened!" The ghastly apparition''s expression flickered, he had a premonition about what the Town Mayor was about to do as he hurriedly said, "No, don''t be so hasty there my friend, not every problem can be solved using violence so please stay your hand!" "Let''s go out with a bang, this nemesis of mine..." Demi mumbled before injecting his the strength of his entire cultivation base into the ball of energy, causing it to violently fluctuate. Overloaded with energy, the ball of light exploded under the horrified gaze of the apparition. His fourth stance, the Absolute Night Time was disintegrated as the remaining energy from the ball of light wreaked havoc in the entire forest. A ten-kilometer wide area of trees was flattened and a three-kilometer crater was formed at the epicenter of the destruction. Everything looked horrendous. The ground was scorched black and everything was silenced. Not a speck of movement could be seen and nothing could be heard aside from the whistling of the wind. At the center of the crater, aside from the almost indestructible Spatial Ring and the Inheritance Key along with the rusted sword on Demi''s presence, the figure of the apparition could be seen slightly trembling in excitement and disdain. The light of a defensive artifact flickered before eventually disappearing. "Hahaha," the apparition viciously laughed before mocking. "What a shame, what a shame. what a shame..." "In the end, all the efforts that you placed these past decades amount to nothing..." He calmed his nerves and moved towards his spoils of war. Picking the three items, his expression flickered as he wildly laughed when he noticed the small metal ring on his palm. "Finally, I have finally completed my mission..." He whispered into the air, looking at the scene of destruction around him, he shrugged, " Since my mission is completed, there''s no use in maintaining this branch anymore, let it be destroyed..." He shook his head and prepared to fly towards the skies. Bang! A deafening roar reverberated along with a flash of light which formed a line in the air. Puchi! His figure froze and his eyes widened in shock when he felt the sharp burning pain in his throat along with his crimson blood that dripped like a fountain on his neck. "W-w-who...?" He opened his mouth to speak. Bang! Bang! Bang! Three consecutive shots struck his heart, head, and his spleen, instantly killing him while he was in his weakened state. Tumbling on the ground, life eventually left his body as the peak expert, the branch leader of the Night Ranger Association, lost his life under the attacks of a mysterious assailant. At the distance, after making sure that the ghastly apparition was dead. Dan approached with a small smile on his face. Casually picking up his spoils of war, the bastard immediately erased all traces of his presence and disappeared from the scene. 103 Success and Rewards Several weeks later, the news of the Town Mayor''s death resonated like a thunderclap, sending everyone into a tremendous shock. Those who despised the Town Mayor gloated while those who supported him grieved. But since the Merchant Town of Kalur was a town of progress and was constantly busy. After the town went into a single day of lockdown as a symbol of mourning everything returned back to normal and everyone''s daily lives continued. Inside a luxurious inn located at the center of the Merchant Town, Dan''s figure could be seen sitting cross-legged on his bed. He shook his head in regret when he remembered what happened several weeks ago. After taking all the benefits for himself, Dan acquired two hundred thousand gold coins, numerous defensive and offensive talismans, fifteen Mortal Grade Artifacts, three Earth Grade Artifacts, and a Heaven Grade Defensive Artifact. Unfortunately, a Heaven Grade Artifact could only be fueled by Divine Essence. Something that only Divine Soul Cultivators possessed, else Dan would be invincible. But no matter how big his gains was, it could not topple the Shadow God''s Inheritance Key that he obtained from the Town Mayor. Dan tried analyzing it with the System, but to his dismay, apart from the basic information about it, Dan couldn''t unveil the row of question marks that appeared. [Name: Shadow God''s Inheritance Key] [Effects: Use this to trace the Shadow God''s Inheritance] [Description: As one of the demi-gods, the Shadow God was only below to the True Gods. Using his might and unparalleled comprehension of the Darkness Element, he walked through his way from being a mortal into one of the demi-gods that governed their own worlds. At the end of his life, Maverick, the Shadow God placed his inheritance inside his home planet and sent six of these keys away towards those who had fate towards it. Anyone who obtains the Key shall have the chance of acquiring his Inheritance.] [??????] Just below the Shadow God''s Inheritance Key. The comprehension that he acquired with the help of the System gave him enough information to understand the process of breaking through the Spirit Tempering Realm. After tirelessly cultivating for the past weeks, Dan achieved the Peak of the Organ Tempering Realm and after consulting with the System, Dan found that it was time for him to break through the Spirit Tempering Realm. Shaking his head, he focused on the task at hand as he recalled the knowledge that he acquired from the battle between the two experts, several weeks ago. The movements of the two experts replayed itself Dan''s mind as the latter knitted his eyebrows. Although the movements of the Town Mayor and the apparition looked completely normal. After he processed it with the System, Dan noticed several intricacies within their actions. The Town Mayor''s punches looked average, but when it moved, the wind itself crumbled and when it made contact with his enemy''s body or fist, a resonating sonic boom would echo and destroy everything around him in the ensuing shockwave. "Why is it that their movements look like it is not completely blind? As if in each time they punched, the trajectory of their attack would follow each second of their enemy''s movements, as if it''s a homing attack..." Dan recalled the scene where Demi countered the apparition''s downward slash. At that time, Demi looked wretched and was severely injured, but his sudden burst of strength gave him enough power to parry his enemy''s attack and even counter-attack with an elbow strike. "How did he make such sharp and precise movements despite the fact that he''s that injured?" Dan mumbled under his breath, holding his head, he gave an irritated scream and rolled on the bed. "Why is it that no matter how much I think about it, I still can''t understand the meaning of the Spirit!" Dan shouted in agony, his voice reverberated across the entire room. Fortunately, the walls of his room were reinforced with Sound Isolating Formations so there was no risk of anyone hearing anything that was going on here. Suddenly, Dan''s figure froze. "Spirit?" "Wait, could it be that the reason why their movements looked like they were following their enemy''s movements is that there''s a spirit attached to it?" Dan''s expression brightened and he immediately sat cross-legged. Circulating his cultivation base, Dan summoned a ball of Spiritual Qi and enveloped his hands as he made a movement as if he was swimming. "Make it fluid, without waste. Make it fluid, without waste..." Dan chanted in his mind and the circulation of his Spiritual Qi along with the movements of his body gradually started to become more relaxed and free. Sensing the changes, Dan increased the amount of Spiritual Qi that he placed on his hands. He was so engrossed in cultivation that he forgot about the movements of the time. Only his perception towards his transforming Dantian and his increasing comprehension towards the concept of Spirit and Spiritual Qi remained. Eventually, his Spiritual Qi became transparent like the crystal clear water of a pristine river. At this moment, a confident smile lifted on Dan''s lips as he manipulated the transparent water of Spiritual Qi inside his Dantian and made it forcefully expand. Increasing the pressure on the walls of his Dantian while widening it in the process. Breaking through the Initial Stage of the Spirit Tempering Realm involved the transforming of a cultivator''s stained Qi into the pristine and colorless Spiritual Qi before using it in expanding one''s Dantian. The first process didn''t look dangerous since it only relies on the cultivator''s comprehension towards the concept of Spirit but when it comes to Dantian expansion. That''s where the pain would happen. "Guah!" A blood arrow shot from Dan''s throat towards the bedsheets, staining it in a crimson hue. The intense pain that transmitted from his Dantian towards his body created a backlash which made him spat a mouthful of blood. Forcefully suppressing his desire to scream and quit. Dan gritted his bloodied teeth and continued the process of breaking through by constantly attacking the walls of his Dantian. Puchi! The pores of his skin burst open, dripping with blood. At this moment, Dan looked like a bloodied mummy and the intense pain which literally covered his entire body made him scream in a soundless agony. Dan knew that if he canceled the process, he would experience a stronger backlash which could possibly send him back at the middle stages of the Organ Tempering Realm and not only that, he would also be temporarily weakened. Clenching his fists, he thought, "I have to endure, I have to endure!!!" When daybreak arrived, Dan managed to expand his Dantian by seventy percent, and now, his Dantian that was the size of a water bucket now had the size of a water drum. Though he could stop now and settle for a sixty-percent increase in accumulated Spiritual Qi, Dan didn''t stop. Instead, he pressed on and aimed for a hundred percent. A perfect Spirit Tempering Realm breakthrough. It has to be known that a perfect Spirit Tempering Realm breakthrough was an extremely dangerous process that not everyone was willing to stake. Though the rewards were appealing, the pain experienced in the process and the prerequisite that the cultivator had to maintain complete concentration while breaking through was something that couldn''t easily be achieved. Blood still dripped from his orifices, but it looked much weaker as Dan''s expression looked paler as time passed by. Clicking his tongue, he knew that he had to finish the entire process in an hour or else he would collapse from blood loss. "Fucking hell, let''s do this shit!" Dan resolved himself, but as an insurance, he saved his current progress in the System so that if he failed, he could just tap on the load button and return back in time. The higher the risk, the higher the benefits! If I want to be someone extraordinary, I should not cower in the face of death nor pain! Reaffirming his resolve, Dan rotated his entire cultivation base and rammed it on the walls of his Dantian. The attack made him bend forward in pain as a mouthful of blood exploded from his mouth. His vision swam, but his sheer determination to achieve perfection made him withstand all the pain as his Dantian that previously looked like a water drum now looked like a water tank! With a joyful smile on his face, Dan''s perception disappeared from his Dantian as he finally collapsed on the bed from exhaustion. However, as he slept, the small smirk plastered on his face indicated the success that he achieved. As of this moment, Dan completed a milestone. He managed to achieve something extraordinary! He achieved a perfect Spirit Tempering Realm breakthrough! 104 Encounter in the Streets Inside a fairly extravagant restaurant, Dan could be seen inside a private box that he rented. Right now, as a celebration for his success, he planned on indulging in food and fine booze. The restaurant that he dined at was the most expensive restaurant in the Merchant Town of Kalur. Only those who had deep pockets or backgrounds could enter this area. After paying an initial deposit of a thousand gold coins, Dan was granted entrance and rented a private box where he could silently eat and contemplate about everything that happened to him this past month. Indeed, he accomplished the job that the Servant George bestowed upon him in just one month. But the problem was, how was he supposed to contact the elusive Elder? He inwardly thought before placing a huge grape inside his mouth. After experiencing the life in this world for these past months, Dan understood that the differences between cuisines in this world and Earth, vastly varied. Not only were the ingredients here were more nutritious and delicious. They also have several varieties and there were even ingredients that only existed in this world, such as this huge grape that he was eating. With these delicious dishes before him, Dan ate them all in one fell swoop. After that gruesome and painful cultivation session. He was confident that he could eat even an Elephant. Staring at his right hand, a small smile lifted on his lips as he felt the immeasurable power coursing through his body. He was confident that now, though he couldn''t defeat his wife when it comes to comprehension, he could defeat her in a battle of brute force. After all, men were innately stronger than women. Thinking about his wife, he became somewhat excited. A sense of anticipation surged through his mind as he thought about her reaction when she saw the progress that he made in just a single month. "I bet she would endlessly interrogate me about it," He chuckled and shook his head before his mind flashed over at Juliet, "I wonder if she''s okay...I really miss them now..." He lifted his head and stared, towards the skies, thinking about his family, a sense of longing and melancholy surfaced in his heart. "Now that I think about it, how did I become so opportunistic?" His mind wandered about what happened several weeks ago, at that time, he didn''t even think twice about reaping all the benefits like a fisherman. "Could it be that my current circumstances and the understanding that I knew about how this world works, pushed me to do such things?" Ever since he arrived in this world and knew about the existence of Spiritual Qi. Dan understood that this world only respects the strong. If he didn''t possess sufficient strength, it would be impossible for him to protect those he loved. Shaking his head, he cleared all of his thoughts and focused about returning back at the Capital City. Standing up, he walked outside and explored the town. When he first arrived here, he didn''t have that much time to enjoy the sights that the Merchant Town, offered. Walking down the streets, Dan could see numerous hawkers along with their stalls. The commotion brought about by the bargaining buyers and the yells of the merchants in hopes of attracting customers, constantly echoed around him, giving him a strange sensation of tranquility. Suddenly, an arm grabbed his arm as he turned around with a tensed expression. Staring at the person who caught his right arm, his eyebrows knitted when he found that it was a young girl whose expression looked teary and had a collar around her neck. As someone who came from Earth, Dan didn''t approve the notion of slave trades. Though he had to accept this world''s rules and laws, he still couldn''t accept how someone was easily deprived of their basic human rights and captured as a merchandise. "Hey, she''s here!" A masculine voice pierced through the crowd. Darting his gaze at the source of the voice, Dan could see a plump middle-aged man approaching his vicinity. When the crowd saw the fatty''s figure, they respectfully smiled as the former shouted at Dan, "I am sorry that my merchandise here has soiled the young master''s clothes," He scratched his head before bowing in apology. When the fatty saw the luxurious clothes on Dan''s body, he didn''t dare to disrespect him for fear of the background behind the young man. As a precaution, he opted in acting respectfully and even bowed towards him. "It''s fine, It''s fine, don''t mind it," Dan waved his hand and stared right into the young woman''s eyes that shone in a light of silent pleading and begging. She betted on the possibility that Dan may fancy her and using his background, she may be spared from the horrendous fate that will surely fall upon her. Dan weighed the advantage and disadvantages if he was to fight for her from the fatty''s hands, what would he get as a benefit? He thought and judged her using the System. [Name: Grace Vermillion; Age: 17; Status: Slave] [Stats: Str: 1, Int: 5, Dex: 1.3, Agi: 1.7, Sta: 2] [For Reference, one stat point equals an average human''s stat.] [Cultivation: Mortal] [System Evaluation: Not even worthy of a glance] He frowned, apart from her having a beautiful visage and a gorgeous figure, what advantage could she possibly bring towards him? Shaking his head, his eyes flashed in disappointment as he stared right into the young woman''s eyes before saying, "So this one is your merchandise? Come and take her from me, don''t bother about the compensation for my stained clothes..." The fatty''s expression brightened, it was the first time that he met such a reasonable young master. Nodding his head in satisfaction, he walked forward as the young woman, Grace cowered in fear and tightened her grasp around Dan''s arm. Dan''s countenance displayed his dissatisfaction. Though he didn''t approve of the slave marker, that doesn''t mean that he would go around like a good samaritan, saving slaves after slaves from their impending fate. Who knows how long that would take and those he saved would definitely be caught again, especially if they were mere mortals like Grace Turning his body around, he easily escaped from Grace''s clutch before pushing her towards the fatty. Grace''s expression paled. With Dan''s physique and cultivation, how could she object? The fatty caught her and Grace''s expression paled even further as she pleaded, "Sir, please help me, take me away and save me!" She stretched her hand out and Dan cupped his chin, "I do want to save you, but I do not need someone that could not possibly of use to me..." His tone icy and cold as he outrightly rejected her pleading. Gritting her teeth, her eyes flashed in a light of resolve, with her looks and figure, how could any young master endure? She was confident that with her next offer, this pretentious young master would definitely crumble. "If you''ll save me If you''ll save me..." Her expression turned miserable as tears formed on her eyelids. Closing her eyes, she declared, "I will be your personal sex slave, ready to serve you day and night as your bedwarmer! I will do everything that you want me to do as long as you save me..." She offered everything that she could but contrary to her expectations, Dan''s visage turned even colder as he said, "Offering your body? That is indeed a tempting offer but I have to say no, I do not lack anyone who''ll serve me and I don''t think that you''re even qualified for me..." Dan didn''t bother about him anymore as he turned around and walked towards the opposite direction. Grace''s expression turned complicated when she first saw Dan walking among the crowd. Her eyes as a merchant told her that Dan had something special about him and she instinctively caught his arm. Little did she knew that the lecherous young master that she expected him to be was someone that would remain unfazed despite the temptations before him. However, instead of feeling depressed and sorrowful. The light within her eyes ignited even further as she shouted her final offer, "I can help you acquire wealth! A tremendous wealth that will make you the most powerful man in this world!" Her scream made everyone around turn their heads towards her. Those who saw her desperate actions including the fatty could not help but mock her for her persistence, "Stop bluffing, I''d hate to tell you this but that young master is rich enough that he wouldn''t even care about money in the first place..." The fatty shrugged and using his cultivation, he restrained and dragged her back at his establishment. Dan''s figure momentarily froze, though he didn''t find that young woman''s final offer as tempting because of the wealth that he currently possessed, he became interested in how she could exactly make him the most powerful man in this world. With a light chuckle, he turned around and said, "Fine, since you''re that desperate to be taken in, I do hope that you won''t disappoint me..." 105 The Greed of Humans, Knows no Bounds "I wonder what young master means by his words?" the fatty clasped his hands together in respect before saying, "This one''s name is Eagie, pleased to make young master''s acquaintance." Dan nodded his head before saying, "It means that I will buy her," His nonchalant tone made a light burn inside the fatty''s eyes as he looked around and replied, "This place seems to be inappropriate for someone of your standing, let''s find a suitable location to continue this discussion, shall we?" As someone who dabbled in this kind of trade for the past several decades, he had quite the understanding about how everything works behind the scenes. And seeing that the young master who wanted his merchandise looked smart, yet a hint of burning desire could be seen shining within his eyes, he instantly knew that this young master was a fat piece of meat. Inside an establishment that looked somewhat average, Dan and Eagie could be seen sitting before a table with Grace beside them. Eagie''s fatty face looked amiable and gentle while Dan maintained his indifferent countenance. "Since young master has taken quite a liking with my slave here, I couldn''t possibly offend young master''s desire but since this girl is quite a special one, I do hope that we can agree with a satisfactory price..." "Special?" Dan lifted an eyebrow, the System couldn''t find anything special about this young woman yet why is this bastard saying that she''s someone special? Is he trying to fool me into increasing my initial offer? Dan inwardly thought. "Yes, this girl is quite special," Sipping his tea, Eagie continued, "Her last offer about making you the wealthiest man in this world could possibly come true with her help..." "What do you mean? My time is limited, go straight to the point!" Dan hurried the former as Eagie gave a light chuckle and said, "The reason why she became a slave, it was because of her repeated estafa offenses, before she was caught, she managed to embezzle at least ten thousand gold coins and even bankrupted two companies where she worked for before..." Dan''s eyes shone in a strange light, "So you''re saying that she''s a professional swindler? And she could transform me into a wealthy man with the help of her knowledge towards that field?" Dan glanced at Grace, her face paired with her silver hair and her perfect figure made him unable to think that she could be such a masterful swindler. "That''s indeed the case, young master, the truth is I just arrived at this town and was planning on auctioning her since her knowledge about mind games and business could prove helpful towards those struggling merchants. Dan lifted an eyebrow, "Auctioning her? Don''t tell me that you told someone else about her situation and identity, did you?" If Eagie did such things, if Dan took her from his hands, trouble may come knocking his way. Eagie''s expression flashed in a discreet light, ''I didn''t think that he would be such a cautious young man,'' He thought to himself before replying, "Young master doesn''t need to worry, didn''t I tell you that I just arrived at this Town, how could I possibly have the leeway of contacting anyone..." He shrugged and after witnessing him relax, his eyes flashed in a light of cunningness. Meanwhile, Dan coldly snorted in his heart, ''With such a good merchandise, it would be impossible for such a shrewd merchant like this fatty to not take advantage of those struggling merchants.'' The two of them maintained an amiable smile but were secretly plotting with each other. If a third party came here and saw their appearance, they would think that they were just a pair of friends that just met each other after a long time. "Okay, I''m convinced, as for the initial offer, how about a thousand gold coins?" Grace''s expression flickered, she didn''t expect that Dan would drop such an exorbitant price as an initial offer. The prices of average mortal slaves were ten gold coins, while those who had a cultivation were priced higher at a hundred gold coins, but Dan directly offered a thousand gold coins, ten times higher than a cultivator slave. Eagie inwardly smiled, as he expected, the young master before him really was a fat piece of flesh! Calming his nerves, he gave a small awkward smile before saying, "Young master, it seems like your offer is quite low..." Dan lifted an eyebrow since it was the first time that he would buy a slave, he didn''t have an understanding of the market and how much were the prices of each slave so he tried probing by offering a thousand gold coins. Grace revealed a wry smile as much as she wanted to scream and say that his offer was too much, under the compelling force of the collar on her neck, she couldn''t do anything other than to watch him fall under Eagie''s feet. Dan mused for a moment, witnessing the wronged and awkward expression on the fatty''s face. He couldn''t help but chuckle inside his mind, ''This bastard really is good, if not for the fact that I am suspicious in him at the start, I could''ve fallen in his trap...'' Clearing his thoughts, his visage displayed a struggle before saying, "How about two thousand gold coins?" Eagie''s expression still looked awkward as he squeezed out a smile, "I don''t think that the price that the young master offered is quite appropriate, she should be at least ten thousand gold coins..." Eagie shook his head and Dan clicked his tongue, "How annoying, I just arrived at this place from the distant Imperial Capital, I don''t have any time for this if her price is ten thousand gold coins, then fine!" Dan grunted before taking a cloth bag and placing it on the table. Eagie''s expression flickered, his awkward smile turned amiable before saying, "Young master really is a benevolent and decisive man, with someone as smart as her at your side, you will definitely lose out..." Eagie took the cloth bag and placed it deep in his pockets, "Now it is time to check the product, young master, please check and see if there''s any damage or defects, if you found even a speck of damage or defect, I can give you a discount..." He flicked his wrist as a gust of wind destroyed Grace''s clothes, revealing her stark-naked figure at the two. Grace''s expression became somewhat rosy as she felt the gazes of the two landing on her figure. Dan fiercely glared at Eagie, "I don''t think that it''s quite right for you to be ogling a product that I just bought, right?" "Hahaha," Eagie chuckled and scratched his head, "What a blunder, I''m ashamed, I''m ashamed, I just hope that young master forgives me," He turned his head to the side, before whispering, "Though I swear under my name that she''s definitely a virgin, young master can check if she truly is and if not, I can refund you half of what you paid..." The blush on Grace''s cheeks intensified, while Dan shook his head and said, "It''s fine, I don''t care about that anyways..." Turning towards Eagie, he said, "Give me some decent clothes for her to wear, I''ll retire with her for now..." As a bonus, Eagie gave him several sets of modest clothes that she could wear before handing over a Formation Disc where Dan could infuse his Qi and order her to do something that she could not reject. After completing their transaction, Dan walked away from the vicinity along with Grace who remained silent all this time. Since it was noon, Dan brought her towards the restaurant where he ate his breakfast earlier. Afterward, he also brought her with him to buy some clothes, his gesture of buying clothes for her made the young maiden suspicious of his actions. ''Could it be that he''s trying to get me in good terms?'' She inwardly thought before shaking her head, "Nah, that couldn''t be, if he wanted to take me, he could just say it and I would be unable to refuse under the influence of this collar..." She dispelled the idea and the two retired to the luxurious Inn where Dan currently stayed. Inside the most expensive room available, Dan faced Grace on the bed before he said, "What do you think about my actions of buying you, earlier?" His eyes had a glint of expectations that didn''t escape Grace''s perception. Grace shrugged and bluntly replied, "Honestly, though I can''t really complain because you saved me from that terrible fate, the price that you offered for a mortal like me is stupid..." "Hoooh? Why do you say so?" Dan cupped his chin in amusement, as Grace continued, "Mortal slaves were priced at ten gold coins at most, while those who had a cultivation were priced at around a hundred gold coins to five hundred, but never at a thousand! Young master''s way of handling his funds really is wasteful!" She shook her head in a gesture of disappointment, as someone that had to swindle money out of people to live, she felt pained witnessing someone throwing away money like nothing. Dan lightly chuckled, "You''re right, you''re right, that action of mine really was stupid, but don''t worry, the money that I used to buy you will soon return back to me..." A mysterious smile lifted onto his lips as Grace''s expression flickered, "What do you mean?" She asked with a frown. "Just wait," His eyes flashed in a complicated light, "I''ll have you witness how the greed of humans, knows no bounds..." He disregarded her presence and stared at the door in anticipation. 106 An Eye for An Eye Grace''s frown deepened, when he bought him from the hands of Eagie, he revealed his entire wealth and it would definitely attract the eyes of those wolves hiding in the dark. Though he was a noble, his title would only work inside the Imperial Capital, not in this distant Merchant Town. Dan noticed Grace''s thought, but he didn''t say anything and maintained his calm smile. His eyes shone in a light which felt like he had everything under control. But this further increased the questions inside Grace''s heart, if someone told her that such a young man that looked like a boy-toy had a calculating and manipulative mind, she would find it hard to believe. The reason was he found Dan''s actions of revealing his wealth and origin and because of it, those bastards will definitely come after him. Wait... Could it be that... Grace''s expression flickered as she glanced at Dan, the previously naive and simple young man became like a mystery in her eyes. Thinking back about what he said that he would regain back what he paid, Grace formed a premonition in her heart. After about ten minutes of waiting, a male attendant knocked on the door, saying that someone wanted to meet him downstairs. Bringing Grace with him, Dan walked towards the ground floor and there, he found three middle-aged men dressed in a clothing which indicated their heightened status. They noticed Dan''s presence but their eyes only glanced at him before landing at Grace who looked elegant due to the clothes that the former bought for her. It was an aquamarine one-piece dress which emphasized the contour of her body. Her youthful looks paired with her gorgeous body painted a picturesque scene which enthralled the three men. Three gulping sounds echoed and Dan leaked a slight smile on his face before taking the two available seats for their own. Sitting before these renowned entrepreneurs, Dan''s expression remained indifferent with a hint of aloofness and disdain. His current bearing and posture gave him an air of arrogance which confirmed with his current identity as an arrogant and prodigal young master. Grace bowed and with her status as a slave, she didn''t sit before them. Noticing her actions, Dan frowned and said, "Why don''t you take a seat, come here beside me..." Grace leaked an awkward smile, "It''s fine, I don''t dare to invade young master''s personal space..." She bowed and since she remained insistent, Dan didn''t push the matter any further and crossed his arms together before saying, "May I know about what the three of you wants from me?" The three entrepreneurs trembled for a moment before the most rugged looking one of them went forward and said, "Since we can see her beside you, young master," He glanced at Grace for a moment before continuing, "I suppose that young master knows about Eagie, the Slave Trader, right?" Dan nodded his head, "Indeed, that fatty was quite a good person to transact with, he really lives up to his words..." The other two entrepreneurs inwardly sneered when they heard his words. The reason why they came here in the first place was due to that same fatty. "Since I bet that young master still has some work to do, I won''t sugarcoat my words. We fancy that woman beside you, may I know if the young master is willing to sell her to us? We''re going to pay double the amount that you paid for her.." Dan coldly chuckled, "This is what I like the most. Meeting straightforward people like you three," His gaze swept over them before saying, "I am sorry but this woman is not for sale..." The other two entrepreneurs frowned, they were the first ones who reserved the young woman from the fatty''s hands, but because of the bastard''s greed after meeting such a fat piece of meat like Dan, the bastard actually sold the product that they reserved. When they found out what he did, the fatty only told them about the person who purchased the young woman and even tipped them that they could buy her back in a lower price than what they offered. At first, they were apprehensive about Dan''s background, but after realizing that his noble name only existed at the Imperial Palace, they became confident. After all, the Imperial Palace was far away from this place and as long as they cover their tracks, they could easily get away with it. "Is young master also a businessman?" The first entrepreneur who talked earlier inquired. Dan turned towards him before shaking his head, "No I am not," Regaining his confidence, the first entrepreneur said, "Then, the young master must know about how valuable she could be for us, merchants. Since you''re not a businessman, I don''t think that she could be of use to young master, especially when she''s just a mortal." Dan''s expression went frigid and his tone turned cold, "I don''t think that there''s a need for me to inform you about what I am going to do with her, right? I am the one who bought her so what I will do with her is none of your business..." Standing up, he spat, "What a useless discussion, let''s go back, Grace!" Grace deeply bowed towards the three entrepreneurs before turning around and leaving with Dan towards their room. But before they could do so, the three of them stood up and blocked his way up the stairs. Dan said, "What''s the meaning of this?" The man who blocked his way revealed a wry smile, "We didn''t want to do this at first, but since the young master is quite persistent about not selling her to us, you can''t blame us for taking action, right?" Dan swept his gaze around the area and found that the other two entrepreneurs had started approaching Grace. Turning towards the distant manager who looked anxious, Dan said, "Don''t you know that fighting in his Inn would warrant a fine?" The man chuckled, "Of course I know about that, young master, the price was about five thousand gold coins, right?" He took a bag from his Spatial Ring and threw it at the manager. The manager caught it in mid-air and his apprehension disappeared. His expression even revealed a hint of anticipation towards the battle that would ensue. Dan knitted his eyebrows. But he soon chuckled as he said, "I see since you can''t do anything in a battle of words, you''re resorting to a physical battle and coercion?" The man didn''t reply. He glanced at his two comrades and after simultaneously nodding. His cultivation base fiercely rotated before sending a palm strike at Dan''s chest. Even with the short distance between the two, Dan managed to evade his enemy''s attack, frowning, he glanced at Grace and realized that the two men started taking liberties with her, groping her body under his watch. "Assassin''s Focus," Dan mumbled under his breath and the three entrepreneurs suddenly stopped their movements. They became like frozen statues with their eyes widened in shock and fear. Turning their heads towards Dan''s direction, they kneeled on the ground with sweat, riddled on their foreheads. "Eh?" The sudden reversal baffled Grace as a queer cry came from her throat. The manager also stared at the scene with astonishment as Dan walked before the three and said, "Offer everything you have before me and you can leave..." He said and the three entrepreneurs hurriedly took their Spatial Storage Device and placed it before Dan''s feet. "P-p-please don''t kill us, I have a family to feed..." "Please, kind sir, please don''t do anything to us, I''ll do anything as long as you let us go..." The proud entrepreneurs turned into obedient children which repeatedly begged Dan for forgiveness. The latter turned towards Grace before smiling as if saying, "Didn''t I tell you that I would earn more than what I lost?" Sweeping his gaze over the three entrepreneurs, he coldly spat, "Scram before my eyes!" "Yes, sir I will gladly scram!" The three men literally rolled away from the area, leaving the shocked and confused spectators behind. "Just what did you do to them?" Grace mumbled, but Dan didn''t reply. Instead, he took a glance at a window before saying, "Go upstairs on your own for now, I still have some unfinished business..." He walked towards the exit and disappeared into the darkness. "Ermm, Young mistress, do you mind If I offer you some tea?" The Inn Manager respectfully said from the side, breaking Grace''s mind from her astonishment. Outside the luxurious Inn, inside a dark alleyway, the figure of Eagie could be seen staring at the retreating three men. His expression looked perplexed and when he turned his line of sight back inside the Inn. He mumbled under his breath, "Wait, just where did that young man, go?" Before he could move and inspect even further, a cold voice followed by a sharp sensation on his back, echoed behind him, "Don''t move, if you do, you''re dead..." The familiar voice sparked the fear hidden within Eagie''s mind as his body stiffened, "Ermm, young master, just what is the meaning of this?'' His voice sounded awkward and uncertain. "What''s the meaning of this? Aren''t you the one who schemed behind my back so I would suffer under the hands of those three bastards?" "What suffering are you talking about? That''s preposterous, why would I dare to offend you, young master?" Eagie shook his head and denied all accusations. But this caused Dan to give a light chuckle before saying, "So you''re not going to repent until you see your own coffin, I see..." Dan struck a crucial meridian at the fatty''s back and in an instant, the nerves in his body crumbled, instantly paralyzing him from the waist down. The fatty fell on the ground, his expression twisted into horror and fear as he hurriedly pleaded, "Young master! Just what did I do to offend you? I swear on my life that I didn''t do anything against you!" Stepping on Eagie''s back, Dan replied, "If you didn''t really maneuver against me from the shadows, then tell me, what the hell are you doing here?" "Ermm," Eagie hesitated for a moment before saying, "I came here to eat, of course! Only that Inn has the finest cuisine that deserves to be eaten by me..." "You''re still strong headed about that? How about I just reveal to you all the details about this grand scheme of yours? It would be much better, right?" Dan''s lips leaked an amiable smile, but Eagie who noticed it couldn''t help but feel a shiver down his spine. "Your scheme started when you saw me throwing a thousand gold coins as an initial offer for a mortal slave, right? At that time, you must''ve realized that I didn''t have any knowledge about how the slave market works, making me an easy target for fleecing." Dan thought for a moment before continuing, "You probed me by changing the price and after seeing that I remained unperturbed despite your ridiculous offers, you must''ve thought that I was just a prodigal young master, right?" Dan easily unfolded all of his thoughts at that time. Hearing his words, Eagie couldn''t help but reveal a wry smile upon realizing that he was just dancing atop Dan''s palm all this while. Sighing in his heart, he opened his mouth but was interrupted by Dan. "Since Grace had the smarts and scheming mind which makes her a valuable asset for those merchants, I don''t believe that you didn''t contact anyone before your arrival in here, but since you just recently arrived, that means that someone reserved Grace from your hands. After that, you just tracked me and told those merchants that Grace was in my hand," "If this little plan of yours succeeded, my ten thousand gold coins would''ve been spent for nothing and you would''ve earned at least double of that money that I gave you, right?" His eyes flashed in a ray of critical light. "As proof, did those bastards cancel their reservation or not?" Dan applied force and Eagie gasped for air before saying, "That''s right, young master is perfectly right! They also didn''t cancel their reservation so according to the contract, once they acquired the product, they would still have to give me another ten thousand gold coins, doubling my earnings." Eagie''s expression looked pale and his breathing became ragged pants. His eyes dilated in fear and sweat continuously dripped from his forehead to the ground, drenching it with his filth. He didn''t understand why, but under Dan''s suppression, he couldn''t rotate his cultivation base and escape. Dan heaved a sigh, "If you weren''t so greedy, then this outcome may have not arrived. Sadly, you met me on your journey and stumbled down." Dan shook his head, and Eagie who felt a sense of imminent danger started struggling and pleading for his life. Dan took his foot away from Eagie''s body and slashed down with his dagger, ultimately ending his life. Eagie wasn''t even able to scream as Dan reaped his life in the most effective way possible. With the tyrannical absorption powers of the Life Force Devouring Method of the Tetsui Clan combined with the Soul Devouring Method of his clan, Eagie''s body turned into dust. Leaving no trace behind. Walking away from the dark alleyway. Dan returned to the Inn and went inside his room, sleeping his worries away. 107 Test of Resolve The first rays of sunlight arrived and struck the slumbering Dan who slowly awakened from his slumber. The commotion brought by the morning market could be heard behind the window as Dan slowly stood up. Staring at the surroundings, he could see Grace asleep beside him. The young woman looked gentle and graceful when she was sleeping, void of the shrewdness and sharpness that she possessed when she was awake. Dan stared at her cheeks that looked rosy and plump to the touch. Suppressing his surging desires, Dan lifted his right hand and stretched his index finger out before poking her left cheek. Dan could hear an imaginary bouncy sound reverberating inside his mind. As someone who appreciated the aesthetic value of thick women, Dan couldn''t help but repeatedly poke her until she woke up. The first scene she saw when she awakened from her slumber was Dan with his index finger touching her cheeks. Dan''s expression looked somewhat sweaty and he turned pale when he realized that her eyes had snapped open. "Eh?" A queer cry came from Grace''s mouth as Dan moved his hands in a speed that could be considered as fast as lightning. Turning around, he gave a dry cough and said, "So you finally woke up? I''ll go downstairs first, you also come with me after you fix yourself..." Dan retreated in a hurry. Grace who was left behind at the room could help but cup her chin with both of her hands. Her expression looked somewhat glazed with a hint of confusion. On the first floor of the Inn, breakfast was served, buffet style. Carrying a plate with him, Dan took numerous dishes that looked unfamiliar to him such as Pan Fried Slimes and some exotic foods that a normal Earthling would find it hard to eat. Taking a seat near a window, Dan ate as he collected information from the surroundings. "Damn, the new Town Mayor, Gilmesh is as awesome as the previous Mayor when it comes to governance, to think that he solved most of our domestic problems with just a few orders." "Yeah, it seems like the waters run deep within the City Hall. They easily solved the matter of supply deficiency with just a wave of their hands. Towards this new leader of ours, I don''t really have any complaints..." Dan revealed a small smile when he saw the Town Mayor''s death, he felt quite certain that an upheaval will definitely happen in this small Merchant Town. After all, a group without a leader was like a fly without a head. It could wander endlessly but its end will definitely be certain. Shaking his head, he gave a light chuckle. From being someone that didn''t have anything on him other than ten golds, Dan now possessed a tremendous wealth and even acquired three subordinates that he would train in the future. After all, one of his dream goals in this world was to establish his own Sect. A Sect without a pillar of trustworthiness and power would crumble. So to establish a firm foundation for his own organization. One of his current goals was to gather friends and comrades that would aid him in his quest. "Oh, come here, let''s eat for a moment..." Dan waved his hand and Grace turned towards him. Carrying a huge platter of food, she sat before him. "I didn''t expect it from your figure, but you really could eat..." Dan leaked a small smile, the food that Grace brought could feed an entire family of three. Grace became somewhat embarrassed upon hearing his words. But when she stared at the line-up of gourmet dishes before her, a thin thread that glistened under light leaked from her lips. "Hey, just eat it already, don''t be embarrassed! Look, you''re drooling..." Dan pointed it out and Grace hurriedly wiped her lips before nodding her head. Without even taking a utensil, she stuffed it in her mouth, painting a scene which vastly contrasted her graceful appearance. Dan couldn''t help but inwardly cringe upon witnessing her vulgar table manner. Facing his palm on his forehead, Dan shook his head and disregarded the gazes of the spectators around them. Taking a fork and a spoon, he proceeded on his meal. In the late afternoon after Dan returned his Bronze Badge towards the Adventurer''s Guild. He brought a carriage and hired a coachman towards his journey to return back at the Imperial City. Standing at the western gate of the Merchant Town, Dan couldn''t help but feel somewhat saddened upon his departure, he became used to the way of living in this small town. Turning his figure away, Grace approached him from behind. "Young master, it is time for our departure, we''ll be going at the Plains of Azer at night so that we can reach the Great Forest of Manzur at dawn..." Dan nodded his head and glanced at his coachman. The latter looked amiable and gentle looking, he also had a cultivation at the Organ Tempering Realm and could double as a fighter in case of a battle. The coachman named as Jordan nodded his head as Dan and Grace entered the carriage. The carriage that Dan ordered look lavish and luxurious. It even had furniture and a bed where the two of them could sleep. And when it moved, it also didn''t shake too much so everything was comfortable and Grace couldn''t complain. However, her eyebrows knitted when she stared at Dan, just what is he planning? She thought. "Buying such an eye-catchy carriage, with wheels even painted in deep sea gold, just what is he thinking?" Dan saw her stealing glances at his figure and couldn''t help but give a small chuckle, staring towards the roof, he calmly crossed his hands below his head and relaxed. Walking with deep sea gold amidst the dark was like carrying a beacon of light that attracted bandits. Grace looked tense as ever, ruffling the curtains, she would glance around in a furtive manner. "What''s wrong with you? Can you just relax and enjoy the ride? It''s not every day that we can board such a comfortable carriage..." Dan said as he stretched his body. Of course, most of the carriage in this world was uncomfortable and shaky. If not for the fact that he ordered this customized version, it would''ve been a shaky ride. Grace turned speechless, seeing his relaxed expression and his calm bearing, she couldn''t help but think that Dan didn''t know about the dangers of what he just did which in turn, intensified her apprehension. Meanwhile, at the front side of the carriage, the coachman, Jordan could be seen with a small smile on his face. Clenching within his palm was a small crystal that shone in an eerie light of crimson. Crushing it into dust, he sprinkled it in the air as his smile turned vicious. "It seems like I would get quite a harvest this time..." He mumbled as his eyes shone in a light of anticipation. The veil of the night covered the entire planet of Azure Sky. On the Plains of Azer where the night reigned as the absolute sovereign. A speck of brilliant light could be seen moving across it. One of the characteristics of deep-sea gold was its eternal brilliance. Wherever it was, it would always shine in a brilliant golden light which depicted the height of beauty and was fancied upon by nobles. Inside the carriage, Dan could be seen casually eating some fruits atop a plate. Before him, was Grace who looked nervous and anxious. Dan understood the origin of her apprehension, but he feigned ignorance as he said, "Come here and eat, don''t worry about anything, we have quite a powerful bodyguard, you know?" His voice rang loud and clear, reaching Jordan whose lips lifted into an ambiguous smile. "Really, I can''t understand why you''re so calm." Grace shook her head before taking a bunch of grapes and stuffing it into her mouth. Outside the carriage, a cold wind swept past the carriage, bringing with it a faint smell of blood. Numerous crimson red eyes shone in the dark and Dan who casually ate some fruits inside the carriage suddenly shook as a satisfied smile lifted on his lips. "It looks like our guest has arrived..." He stood up and at the same time, Jordan''s nervous voice echoed at the front. "Young master! People are blocking our way, claiming that they want to meet you!" Dan nodded his head and Grace gripped his arm, "What''s going on here?" Turning towards Grace, he said, "What do you mean what''s going on? Of course, we''re being robbed by these bandits..." Dan rolled his eyes, how could a swindler like her became so stupid that she was unable to determine their current situation. Grace looked vexed, Of course, I know what''s going on! What I want to know is your plan! She inwardly screamed as Dan handed her a dagger that glistened in a cold light. "Hide this in your dress and follow me outside," He said as he opened the doors of the carriage and exited along with Grace who looked pale and terrified. The leader of the bandit group Night Wolves, Sammuel could be seen with his arms crossed together and his lips lifted in a confident smile. Paired with his huge physique, he depicted a terrifying sight of dominance which shook Grace''s body and soul. Witnessing the young woman''s panic, Sammuel licked his lips, ''It seems like this will be easy...'' He had lived his life robbing people''s possessions, particularly those nobles whom he despised. Knitting his eyebrows, he went forward and said, "Surrender everything that you have and we will consider sparing your life..." His words echoed out loud and his comrades sneered. Grace hid behind Dan and glanced at Jordan whose expression knitted into a frown. "Jordan! Get them for us, protect us!" She said and Jordan swept his gaze over the two. One looked terrified while the other looked anxious. It could be said that his job was over and there was no need to hide his identity anymore. Taking a dagger from his wrist, Jordan rotated his cultivation base and leaped at Grace''s figure. His dagger aimed at her knee in an effort to cut her tendons! "You..." Grace exclaimed in shock. The suddenness of the attack left her with no way to dodge his assault. But at the critical moment, a pair of hands shoved her to the ground as Jordan''s attack struck nothing but air. "It seems like you''re finally willing to reveal yourself." Dan crossed his arms together, his expression looked sarcastic with a hint of mocking on it. Jordan gave a small smile in derision, "You can''t really blame me with this, young master, people live and die because of wealth and benefits, you can just consider yourself as unlucky for meeting me on your journey..." Dan lightly chuckled, "Do you really think that I didn''t see through your plan from the start? When we recruited you, you''re the only one who offered the lowest price among the Organ Tempering Realm Cultivators, and also your clothes, do you really think that just because you wore long-sleeves, you could hide your weapons from my sight?" He shook his head in disdain and Jordan was taken aback. Wasn''t he supposed to be an arrogant and prodigal young master? How could he see through my plans? He inwardly panicked but when he saw that they completely surrounded him and Grace, he calmed himself down and replied, "Yeah, so what? Do you really think that you can escape our grasp now that we''ve completely surrounded, you?" Jordan sneered, regaining his confidence. Lifting his hand, he shouted, "Men, kill the bastard, but spare the woman!" Upon his signal, the twenty or so bandits that surrounded them started running towards their direction. Dan took a dagger from his Virtual Inventory and glanced at Grace before saying, "Kill or be killed, what is your choice?" He left these words before his figure blurred, dancing across the battlefield with his dagger reaping lives after lives. Miserable shrieks echoed out and Grace''s figure trembled. Her expression didn''t have the hint of dominance and gracefulness that she previously had, for now. She was just a frail, mortal woman. The bandit group, Night Wolves only had Jordan and their leader as cultivators and most of them were mortals that didn''t have any other choice but to steal to live. Because of this, Dan didn''t find it hard to kill them and he didn''t even break a sweat as at least twelve corpses decorated the ground around him. Jordan clicked his tongue, rotating his cultivation base, he glanced at his leader and the two of them simultaneously nodded their heads. They understood that if they want to acquire victory. They had to get rid of this threat. Jordan closed in while Sammuel took his bow and started shooting from a distance. Infused with his Spiritual Qi, all of his arrows had a sharpness that could pierce through heavy armor. Lifting his dagger in the air, Jordan and Dan clashed in mid-air as sparks flew, illuminating the darkness. Both figures danced while Sammuel supported Jordan from afar. The two fighters showcased their techniques because of the lack of experience, Dan looked overwhelmed and Jordan became increasingly confident. His movements turned fluid while Dan''s defenses turned brittle. Sammuel who stood at the distance sneered, "How could a youngster like you, contend against someone who was named as the Wind Ranger?" He mumbled as arrows after arrows flew from his bow, repeatedly disrupting Dan''s rhythm. Dan knitted his eyebrows, in each time he adjusted his rhythm, the bastard from the distance would interrupt him and in each time he assumed his defenses, Jordan would deny him. With no other choice, Dan leaped backward and couldn''t help but praise them out loud, "With an excellent fighter at close-combat and a precise archer at the distance, is this the reason why your group remained undefeated?" Jordan stopped for a moment, a small smile decorated his lips when he saw Dan''s disarrayed breathing pattern and the slight shivering of his body due to exhaustion. "We normally don''t speak anything about this, but since you''re going to die anyway, I''ll enlighten you so that you won''t become an indignant ghost..." Jordan shook his head before continuing, "Indeed, this is the reason why we remained undefeated..." Dan nodded his head in satisfaction, "Hmmm," He fell into deep contemplation before mumbling, "I wonder if Natalie is willing to support me from the backlines since we both have the same Divine Art it could be said that we''re pretty compatible when it comes to battle..." "What the hell are you mumbling about?!" Sammuel shouted from the back, his expression looked dark when he noticed that his prey wasn''t even paying attention to them. Jordan also looked the same, his eyebrows locked and his eyes started shining in a light of killing intent. "Oh?" Dan retreated away from his soliloquy. Lifting his head, he swept his gaze over the two before saying, "Yeah, I am sorry, I completely forgot that the two of you were there..." Clapping his hands together, he walked towards them and said, "I''m starting to get tired already, how about we end this now?" Jordan stared at him in disdain, "Are you surrendering?" Dan shook his head, "Why would I surrender? What I mean is I am going to end this now since the two of you are quite boring..." "What did you say?" Sammuel''s visage darkened while Jordan''s face reddened in anger. Wielding his dagger, he leaped towards Dan''s direction as the latter took a strange weapon from his pocket and pointed it at his forehead. "What are you?" Jordan subconsciously mumbled as a deafening roar shook the entire battlefield. Jordan''s figure stiffened, his forehead was pierced through with his blood decorating the ground along with brain matter. With a dull thud, his lifeless body fell to the ground. Sammuel''s figure froze and his expression turned pale as he hurriedly took his bow and aimed. But when he realized it, Dan was already behind him as sharp pain struck his throat. Slice! A deep gash destroyed a crucial artery on his neck. He couldn''t even cry out for help as the life inside his body, rapidly disappeared into nothingness. "Wheew~" Dan cleaned his dagger and stretched his body, turning his head towards Grace''s direction, he found that the young maiden was surrounded by three men. But he didn''t help. Instead, he stared at her with a light of anticipation within his eyes. "Don''t come near me!" Grace lifted her dagger and waved it around, threatening the three men who were oblivious to the fact that their comrades were already annihilated by Dan. The three men were completely engulfed by their lust and had even stripped themselves of their clothes. "It''s fine, It''s fine, don''t be so anxious, we will make you ascend to heaven, soon..." The eldest of the three, whose figure looked like a mountain of flesh approached Grace whose expression looked pale and terrified. She glanced at the distant battlefield and found that Dan only stared at her with a small smile on his face. Biting her lips until they bled, she tightened the grip of her dagger and thought about the words that Dan told her, earlier. "Kill or be killed, what is your choice?" She didn''t mind his words earlier because of her fright but now that she looked into it, she found his words as completely logical. Staring at the three lascivious men before her. She gritted her teeth and fueled her body with strength. Puchi! Her dagger pierced the abdomen of the fatty bandit. The hot blood that splashed from the wound drenched her wet as the bandit''s eyes widened in shock and fear. His two brothers stared at Grace in shock. They didn''t expect that such a gentle-looking woman that looked like a terrified rabbit, earlier actually had the guts to kill someone, right before their eyes. Bam! With a resonating boom, their Eldest Brother fell on the ground as Grace staggered backward as she withdrew her dagger from the fatty''s abdomen. At this moment, her gentle-looking figure drenched in blood looked horrifying. Paired with the bloodied dagger that she lifted towards the air, the two men gritted their teeth and simultaneously attacked. Though they do not want to kill her because of her body. After witnessing their brother''s death, they had no other choice but to kill her as revenge. Bang! Bang! Two gunshots resonated and the two men fell on the ground before they could even swing their daggers towards Grace''s figure. Upon realizing that her enemies were dead. The strong smell of blood and the scene of carnage before her made her sick as her consciousness, dissipated from her body. "It seems like this young woman really lived all this while by swindling people of their money, to think that she would collapse by the sight of blood and gore..." Dan heaved a sigh. Carrying her back to the carriage, he inwardly thought, "Now, I just hope that she wouldn''t have a grudge against me...After all, this is all for her own good..." He mumbled as he continued his walk amidst the strewn corpses and the scene of utter destruction. 108 Demonic Dragon Group In the Empire of Eternal Faith, numerous sects and powers existed in harmony. Creating a vast network of manpower and strength. They protected humanity from the threat of beasts and demons. One of those so-called powerhouse Sects was the Paradyne Academy, governed by the Paradyne Clan from the Continent of the Divine. At the outskirts of the Great Forest of Manzur, a group of young men and women could be seen walking in a cautious manner. Their expressions knitted in solemnness and their movements inhibited along with their breathing. The fiery-red robes with the insignia of a floating book paired with a staircase indicated their affiliation with the Paradyne Academy. "Are you sure that they''re here, Senior Brother?" A male disciple said in a hushed tone, his eyes stared at the distant cave. "Yeah, they''re definitely here...Elder Daquan''s information couldn''t possibly be false..." A male disciple referred to as the former as Senior Brother nodded his head before turning around and signaling with his hands. Seeing his signal, the other members of his group tensed up. They gripped their weapons and defensive talismans. Their mission this time was to annihilate a bandit group called the Demonic Dragon Group. The group was considered as a huge tumor that repeatedly terrorizes passing caravans and those living near the borders of the Forest. One of their targets, Captain Demonic Dragon was a Peak Spirit Tempering Realm practitioner. Most of the disciple''s cultivation was only at the Organ Tempering Realm with a handful at the Spirit Tempering Realm. However, this time, they have their Senior Brother Kwydin. Senior Brother Kwydin was someone that could jump realms to defeat his enemy. He could even defeat normal Divine Soul Cultivators at the initial stage so defeating someone with the same cultivation could be considered as an easy job. It was currently at the peak of midnight and visibility was reduced for both parties. Cold winds constantly swept past their bodies as the most of them held their breaths. Senior Brother Kwydin unsheathed his jade sword, slicing at the direction of a sentry, blood splashed on the ground as another disciple leaped from the side. Preventing the corpse of the sentry from making any noise. Tranquility returned and the group of disciples moved in an orderly fashion. Without making any waste and noise, they silently approached the entrance of the cave after dealing with the five sentries posted near the entrance. Senior Brother Kwydin found that the cave had numerous pathways inside and was like a labyrinth. "We won''t be going in! Those bastards actually tunneled several pathways that intersect each other, some even lead to a dead end and some are full of traps! We''ll just wait for them here..." Kwydin dished out his orders and the surrounding disciples spread out, forming a half-circle formation which covered all possible exits. Senior Brother Kwydin gripped defensive talisman on his hands. His expression looked somewhat grim as an ominous premonition appeared in his mind. Ever since they arrived near the base of these bandits, he found that everything that they did, successfully went through without any hitch. Did they become careless just because there''s no one that could deal with them? He thought to himself but soon dismissed the idea. One of the reasons why such a bandit group could survive through waves of attacks from different sects was due to the fact that they had a shrewd and powerful leader. It was impossible for them to make such an amateur mistake. The conflicting thoughts inside his mind made him knit his eyebrows in a frown. Suddenly, a burst of resplendent lights exploded in the skies. Voices of panic among the disciples echoed out as Senior Brother Kwydin''s expression flickered, "Shit, we got caught in their trap!" He viciously cursed as all of them activated their defensive talisman. The resplendent light that exploded in the skies didn''t descend upon their figures. Instead, it floated in the air and formed a dome that enclosed all of them inside. "A Trap-type formation?" Kwydin mumbled before saying, "It''s not an offensive type formation, withdraw all your barriers, we can''t carelessly use our Spiritual Qi!" With his orders, the disciple stopped their barriers and glanced around them. Shadowy figures of the bandits appeared before their line of sight. However, most of them only had the cultivation of the Flesh Tempering Realm which relieved the apprehensive disciples. "To think that they just sent a bunch of garbages towards us, these bastards really are mocking us..." A male disciple commented, but Senior Brother Kwydin''s expression turned solemn. Judging from the light of anticipation on the faces of the bandits and their unperturbed appearance. He could deduce that they felt quite confident about their plan. "Hmmm, just look at these bunch of youngsters, it seems like they came from that despicable Academy...What should we do, boss?" One of the bandits glanced at a tall and bulky figure. His expression revealed his respect and admiration towards the person before him. "A tattoo of a jet-black horned dragon, could it be that you''re that Captain Demonic Dragon?" A female disciple cried out and her voice echoed loud and clear. The man referred to as Boss by his subordinates revealed a small smile on his face, lifting his head, he stared at the female disciple who just spoke, his eyes shone in a light of lecherousness and desire, causing her to stiffen up and stagger backward in fear. ''It seems like this one''s reputation has been heard across the entire Empire of Eternal Faith..." He chuckled, "Since all of you brats knows about my reputation, you do know about the fates of those who offended me, right?" The group of disciples glared at him as he chuckled, "Don''t be so tense, in exchange for your freedom, I''ll take five women from your group, some of my men didn''t have the chance to taste a woman and I want them to graduate, can you help me with this problem?" His gaze swept over at Kwydin as the latter knitted his eyebrows. "Do you really think that I would agree to your terms?" He coldly chuckled and Captain Demonic Dragon shook his head, "Remember that we are not negotiating, I have the higher ground so you go and learn your place..." His eyes flashed in a terrifying light. Kwydin clenched his fists. Judging from the fluctuations of energy from the barrier around them, it could trap Divine Soul Cultivators and someone like him who was just at the threshold of a Divine, he didn''t have a chance of breaking it. He discreetly took a jadeslip from his pocket and crushed it to dust. Informing the Academy of their current plight. "How naive!" Captain Demonic Dragon noticed the stream of information that flew towards the skies, pointing his finger, a jet-black light chased after that stream of information and destroyed it. Kwydin clicked his tongue and stopped his shenanigans. Staring at the distant Captain Demonic Dragon. He cupped his hands and said, "I cannot agree to Senior''s first offer but I can offer you our Artifacts and Talismans as compensation as long as you take this barrier, off..." Captain Demonic Dragon chuckled, "Nevermind, I already lost my interest..." He turned around and walked away with his subordinates. Leaving the trapped disciple behind. "My second offer is ten women and all of your artifacts, if you can offer that much, I will let you go..." His vicious chuckle echoed throughout the entire Forest as most of the trapped disciples clenched their fists in hatred and anger. "How dare he, how dare he do this to us? Does he really think that we can''t destroy this measly barrier?" A male disciple scoffed before rotating his cultivation base. Kwydin noticed his actions and said, "Don''t even bother, that thing cannot be destroyed even if there are ten thousand of us..." He shook his head in dismay. The mission that was supposed to go as planned quickly turned into a horrifying situation. "Then, what should we do here? Senior Brother?" The disciples spoke their concerns and Kwydin shrugged, only when he breaks through the realm of the Divine Soul Realm could he have a chance of breaking this transparent barrier. If not, they would definitely be captured and would have a fate worse than death. "I can only try and make a breakthrough, only when I reach the realm of the Divine Soul could I have a chance of breaking that barrier..." He gave a small sigh. The barrier was a Heaven Grade Isolation Barrier, meaning one could only enter, but not exit. The expression of the other disciples went grim. Breaking through the realm of the Divine Soul not only requires a huge Spiritual Qi reservoir, but also a certain level of understanding towards the laws of nature. Dealing with the first condition was already a challenge by itself, much less the second. "It''s okay, you can do that breakthrough, Senior Brother, we have all the time in the world anyway..." A male disciple chuckled at the side. Kwydin turned towards him and solemnly said, "Though I don''t want to burst your bubble, with our food and water rations, we only have a week''s time at most, or else we''re all gonna starve to death..." His declaration froze everyone as all of them started scavenging their bags for food. After calculating, they realized that they only had a week''s worth of ration. They must escape or else they would face, certain death. Sounds of supports echoed from the disciples and they tried their best in brightening up the mood. However, the despondent light within their eyes and their shivering movements indicated that they were very scared about the worst possible outcome. Carrying the burden of his fellow disciple''s lives. Kwydin calmed himself down and transformed into a cultivation demon, in the next seven days, he must make a breakthrough or else, all of them will die. At the Demonic Dragon Group''s side. A bandit glanced at Captain Demonic Dragon and said, "Was it really okay for us to let them relax? It would''ve been better if we tormented them from the outside..." Demonic Dragon leaked a small smile, "We''re already tormenting them, even at this moment..." He said and that bandit leaked a smile of enlightenment, "I see, so Boss Dragon ordered some of us to go back there and torture them?" Demonic Dragon shook his head, "No, but what they are facing right now is something that is worse than death..." A vicious light shone within his eyes. His lips lifted in a cruel smile as he inwardly thought, ''Just how long can all of you endure inside such a small cage..." 109 Tactical Retrea Inside the Merchant Town of Kalur. The three businessmen that were previously trashed by Dan stood at the gates with an irritated expression on their faces. As people who stood at the peak of everything inside this Town, they couldn''t stomach the humiliation that they suffered, but when they returned for payback. They found that the bastard was gone. Holding a piece of paper in their hands, the two glanced at each other before sighing. The information said that they departed for the Great Forest of Manzur. What a joke! That place was something that shouldn''t be treated lightly. Shaking their heads, they could only forget about the matter that happened that day. Atop the Plains of Azer, a carriage that looked out place could be seen treading through the muddy terrain of the area. The carriage looked lavish yet there were only two passengers inside, one belonged to a young man whose visual appearance looked to be at his upper teenage years while the other was a young woman that looked ethereal and divine. At this moment, the young man was at the coachman''s seat while his comrade, Grace sat behind him. Staring at the distant horizon of daybreak, several feelings surged within his heart. It has been about a month and a half ever since he departed from the Imperial City of the Empire of Eternal Faith. He successfully completed the mission that George handed over to him and it was time to claim his rewards. Excited by the prospects of learning more about his true roots, Dan journeyed through the Plains in a carefree manner. Tonight, they would arrive at the Great Forest of Manzur, a place where all sorts of beasts and bandits lurked. Turning his head towards Grace, he found that the latter looked somber. Scratching his head, he understood the reason why she looked so despondent and irritated. "Are you still mad about what happened that day?" Dan said. Grace turned towards him and heaved a sigh. She had mixed feelings about the events that happened several days ago. Grace understood the reasons for his actions. But she still couldn''t shake off the idea that Dan was someone that couldn''t be relied upon. Sensing the upheaval of emotions within the young maiden''s heart. Dan shook his head and said, "Grace, what do you think about what I did? Can you still blame me for what I did?" Grace shook her in and denied, "No, I don''t blame you for what you did, I know that it''s something that is necessary so that I won''t be shaken by these events, but still, for me. Killing is not something that I can easily accept..." Grace didn''t have a peaceful childhood. Ever since her parents died when she was just young. She had to live by biting the knife, stealing there, and deceiving there, she had to do such things so that she could survive. Because of these, she knew that naivety was something that should not be cultivated in this kind of world. However, the values ingrained within her by her parents about how precious life was, made her freeze up when the time for reckoning arrived. "Will you believe me If I say that a world where murder is condemned and everyone is living peaceful lives, existed?" Dan lifted a small smile on his lips. Grace stared at him with an indescribable expression before shaking her head and saying, "No, I don''t believe you..." "Why?" "That''s because that kind of a dreamlike world is impossible, especially when the greed of humanity runs deep. No matter what we have, us humans will never be satisfied." Grace explained and Dan clapped his hands in admiration. Even though Grace still has her innate naivety within her heart. Het outlook in life was vastly different from the other inhabitants of this world. Smiling to himself, since he accepted her as his subordinate, she will definitely know about his affiliation on the demonic path and so, he decided. "What do you think about demonic cultivators?" Grace knitted her eyebrows. First, they talked about such a peaceful world and now he''s asking for her opinion about the demonic path? Just what are his intentions? She inwardly mumbled. She stared at him for a moment before answering, "Just what exactly are demonic cultivators?" His question echoed like a thunderbolt inside Dan''s mind and he became dumbstruck. Now that he thought about it for a moment, just what are demonic cultivators? Though he understood that not every one of them was actually evil just because their actions only benefit themselves. In the end, just what are they? He blanked out for a moment before he replied, "In this world''s standard, demonic cultivators are aloof, prideful and as what their title says, they are demonic in nature. Meaning they will do anything as long as they can achieve their goals, no matter how atrocious their way is..." Grace cupped her chin and thought for a moment before replying, "Do they blindly hurt anyone around them, are they like those arrogant young masters back at the Town?" Dan''s expression flickered, mumbling to himself, he replied, "No, they don''t just harm anyone around them, only those that stand in their way towards their goals will be affected." "So what do you think about them, should they really be despised by the masses as repugnant tumors of society?" A small smile lifted on Dan''s lips in anticipation towards her answer. Grace gave a light chuckle, "No, I don''t think that they should be treated like that in the first place. No matter who they were, it would be impossible to say that they didn''t commit any bad deeds in their entire lifetime. Just because their journey towards their goal is vastly different from the normal, they should not be shunned just because of that..." "Hahaha," Dan boisterously laughed, his sudden change of attitude startled the young maiden, "What''s going on with you? Is there something, funny?" "Nothing, I just remembered a certain someone that you will definitely get along with..." He said with a mysterious smile on his face. His fair countenance paired with his jet-black eyes that could be compared with the abyss itself made the young maiden''s heart, flutter. "How about you, young master? Can you tell me more about yourself?" Grace mustered her courage to say these words. Her expression somewhat reddened in embarrassment. Dan smiled before starting his tale. Normally, the journey from the Merchant Town of Kalur towards the Imperial City of the Empire of Eternal Faith would be teeming with dangers. Just because they managed to annihilate the first bandit group that they encountered doesn''t mean that no one would challenge them again. In the next several days on their journey at the Plains of Azer, numerous bandit groups challenged their carriage, and Dan who felt excited about having more whetstone for Grace couldn''t help but exclaim in joy amidst the latter''s speechless expression. Unfortunately, this phase of training didn''t last long for when they realized it, they finally arrived at the border of the Great Forest of Manzur. The history of the Great Forest of Manzur spanned at least a hundred thousand years and the dangers some territories inside the Forest could be considered as a Forbidden Zone where innumerable lucky chances could be found along with dangers may it be in the form of humans or beasts. Dan stopped the carriage in front of a huge tree whose height reached at least sixty meters. He unlinked the carriage from the horse before setting them free. Even though the terrain of the Forest enabled travel using horses. It would be much slower than running and since Dan didn''t want anything other than to return and play with his little daughter and wife. He didn''t hesitate in abandoning such a luxurious carriage. Grace looked tragic towards the ordeal. Carrying a backpack with her, she stripped off some of the valuable items inside the carriage such as the jade table and the plates made with deep sea gold. "What the hell are you doing? Why are you taking everything off? You''re not even sparing the plates!" Dan knitted his eyebrows in a frown as Grace darted her gaze at him before saying, "I''m sorry about this young master, but I can''t bear to see you throwing away such valuable items that can be resold at the Imperial City, even if you''re rich, you shouldn''t maintain such a habit..." As someone who grew up in the slums, Grace was also a scavenger. Back then, her heart would ache every time she saw valuable objects being thrown by their owners as if they could never be sold again. But at the same time, she felt happy that wasteful people existed and as a result, she could eat. But now that she had a backer like Dan, she would try her best in destroying the notion of wasting money like water inside Dan''s mind so that the latter wouldn''t eventually arrive into bankruptcy. Dan''s expression softened before laughing out loud, the previously cold impression that he had of her had disappeared. Replaced by the idea of how a cool looking young maiden like her actually had such a thrifty side to her. Several minutes later, Grace and Dan could be seen walking beside each other. Grace glanced at the latter''s fingers and said, "That Spatial Ring thing really is convenient..." A metal ring that sparkled in a cold light could be seen on Dan''s right, ring finger. Dan gave a small smile, "It''s interesting, right? Don''t worry I''ll give you one when we arrive..." "No, you don''t have to...Such a convenient and discreet device, that definitely is expensive..." Grace fumbled with her fingers in an expression of denial, the former chuckled, "I actually have three spare Spatial Rings with me but since I still need to unload the contents, I can''t give it to you right now..." "It''s okay, you don''t have to, really..." Grace shook her head and Dan lifted his right hand before flicking at her forehead. Grace flinched in pain before raising her head with her face, expressing her indignance. "What are you doing?" She asked and Dan lightly chuckled, "Don''t be so distant, though your status in the eyes of the people around us is a slave, that doesn''t mean that I''ll treat you like that..." Grace''s figure shook, her expression turned indescribable before she hung her head low and mumbled some words that she didn''t dare to voice out inside her heart. After this small affair, the two continued their journey. Fortunately, Grace prepared for all sorts of scenarios and she bought enough supplies that could last them for weeks. "Stop..." Dan stretched his hand out and Grace stiffened. Glancing at the former, she found that his expression turned solemn and his eyes shone in a critical light. [Warning: Hostile Lifeforces has been detected around the host!] [Threat Level: Average] "Just an average threat level?" Dan scoffed in his heart before shouting towards a distant shrub. "There''s no use hiding before my eyes, come out or I''ll force you out!" Dan declared, his voice echoed throughout the forest, destroying its tranquility. Grace followed his line of sight and the two stared at the shrub that gently swayed in the air. The bush looked normal and if one placed it inside a forest, no one would think that it had something special. Grace had her eyebrows in a frown, but since Dan still maintained his vigilant expression, she also maintained hers. "To think that I have grown so rusty that even brats could notice me..." A harsh voice echoed from the bush, followed by the appearance of numerous figures atop tree branches. "Boss, it looks like we struck a jackpot this time! To think that we can intercept a noble in the middle of a tryst..." "Hehehe, we''ll make sure to give you the first taste of the woman, boss..." The figures completely surrounded them and Grace instinctively gripped Dan''s arm. Dan glanced at the young maiden and found that she still looked terrified despite the fact that they endured several days of fighting with these bandits, together. Shaking his head, Dan couldn''t really force her to change. After all, a change was a gradual phenomenon and not something that could happen in a span of weeks. Scouring the area around him, the System told him that his enemies numbered at least fifty and eighty percent of them had a Flesh Tempering Realm Cultivation with the remaining twenty percent at the Organ Tempering Realm. A bandit group with such a manpower was definitely a tyrant of the place. And judging from the energy waves of their leader that stood before Dan, he was sure that this bandit group was the most powerful group inside this Forest of Manzur. Their leader had a cultivation at the Peak of Spirit Tempering Realm. His cultivation was the highest among Dan''s enemies and this fact made the latter excited beyond belief. However, Dan also had to think of Grace''s safety and he couldn''t just abandon a mortal maiden like her to complete his desire in battling against an enemy of a higher realm. "System, Calculate the chances of winning against all of my enemies while protecting Grace in the process!" [System Function Initiating; 50%] [Completed!] [Chances of Winning: 40% Host will sustain severe injuries in the process, taking such actions is highly discouraged.] Dan dismissed the system notification before quickly deciding in his heart. Though it pained him to do such a thing. Since Grace was with him. He had no other choice but to retreat. Embracing the young maiden who froze because of his sudden actions, Dan ignited his Divine Art before condensing Lightning Qi on the soles of his feet. Bang! With a reverberating sound of thunder, Dan soared towards the skies and disappeared towards the distant horizon. 110 All Sorts of People Exists under the Heavens Inside the Fragrant Peak Pavilion Training Grounds of the Inner Disciple Region. Natalie and Charlotte could be seen standing before each other with a wooden sword in their hands. The energy waves that surrounded their bodies indicated their current cultivation. Both parties were at the Middle Stages of the Spirit Tempering Realm. The average cultivations of Inner were at the Spirit Tempering Realm. So it could be said that these two had the qualifications of an Inner Disciple. However, their Divine Arts which greatly enhanced their capabilities enabled them to jump realms and fight an average cultivator at the Initial Stage of the Divine Soul Realm. In short, just because their cultivation was average at best among the Inner Disciples. Their combat prowess shouldn''t be underestimated. Clang! Clang! Clang! Consecutive dull thuds echoed along with the labored breathing of the two. "Charlotte! You''re too rigid and violent! Remember that although being rigid is good when it comes to increasing your firepower and defenses, it would make you brittle! Try and alternate between softness and hardness!" Mathias'' dignified voice echoed across the training grounds, Charlotte puffed her cheeks and coldly snorted. Natalie revealed a wry smile, darting her gaze at Mathias who remained as stoic as ever. She said, "Senior, we''re gonna take a break for a moment..." Mathias nodded his head, "I''ll leave these snacks here, I''ll be back in half an hour or so..." He placed a small basket filled with fruits and a gourd before leaving. "I really hate father, he''s so strict and it''s not like I''m not working hard to meet his demands..." Charlotte pouted and witnessing this adorable side of such a cold-looking young woman, Natalie couldn''t help but endlessly smile as she said, "Umu, don''t worry about it, Char~ Your father is only doing that for your sake..." "I know, but he''s too strict as if our relationship as a father and daughter disappears when we''re training..." Charlotte replied before taking an apple and biting into it. Natalie took a grape and munched on it before saying, "Yeah, I can see, you''re definitely improving day by day, although you''re a late bloomer..." Natalie''s tone turned strange when she reached the end of her sentence. Charlotte stiffened up before retorting, "I''m sorry for being a late bloomer, I''m not like you that is a cultivation freak!" Natalie''s laughter echoed out as she tried to console the pouting Charlotte. Rubbing her head, the young woman''s eyes slightly narrowed upon feeling the sensation of the former''s hand on her hair. "Now that I think about it, Elder Sis, when will Dan come back?" Charlotte lifted her head and a faint blush suffused on her rosy cheeks. Whenever she thought of Dan''s figure, she would feel embarrassed and dizzy. Natalie''s expression flickered, as a woman. She was sensitive towards the feelings of other women and ever since Dan rescued her. Natalie understood that this young woman had developed feelings for her husband. Even though she wanted to keep Dan for himself. In this world, men who were capable always had numerous wives. And if Dan wanted to take concubines, who could stop him from doing so? Sighing in her heart. She replied, "Senior George told me that he will definitely be back in the next three months, and since it''s already a month since he''s gone, he should be back in the next two months..." Natalie''s expression turned melancholic, though she didn''t show it in her expression, she thoroughly missed her husband. Enough that she wanted to escape from the Academy and fly towards his location. But when she remembered what George told her about Dan''s mission. She knew that she could only sit and wait until Dan''s success. Lifting her head, she stared at the ceiling and thought, "I hope he arrives soon, Juliet''s birthday is coming in several weeks..." Natalie sent her thoughts towards the skies as the two young women stood up and started their sparring once more. Meanwhile, at the Great Forest of Manzur, Dan could be seen flying towards the opposite direction. His expression tensed up and Grace that he wrapped in his arms stared at him in concern. "It''s okay, you can put me down, I can fight them..." She knew that Dan wouldn''t be able to continue his current speed for long. "Fight them? Are you retarded? They''re cultivators, you know? Not like those bastards at the Plains of Azer!" Dan scolded, and Grace tightly gripped her fists. She felt remorse about how much of a baggage she was. Dan noticed her gesture and couldn''t help but inwardly smile. In encouraging someone in doing things that they didn''t want to do. One should give them a powerful enough motive. In this case, after Dan found that Grace didn''t have any interest in cultivation. He had no other choice but to have her know about how weak she was by making her feel guilty about her powerlessness. Witnessing her small action, Dan understood that the idea of gaining strength to become useful has started digging into her heart. Smiling to himself, Dan momentarily glanced at his persistent predators before mumbling, "Grace, can you endure for five seconds? I''m going to finish them up..." Grace''s expression flickered, "Five seconds? There are three people chasing after us, you know?" "It''s okay, I''ll be fine, just trust me..." Dan reassured her before landing on the ground. The three men who chased after them also did the same as their expressions twisted in delight. "You really caused us too much trouble, making us run in circles, like that..." One of them whose stature looked double than Dan went forward. Cracking his neck and his knuckles, a coercive and terrifying aura wafted out of his body. "Elder Bro, from our arrangement last time, I''ll take the first taste of the woman first..." Another man with a thin-stature replied with an excited voice. "It''s fine, Boss told us that if captured them, we can do whatever we want with them first..." The gigantic man replied before glancing at his comrade whose physique looked the same as him, "How about you, Brother Third?" "I''ll take the man..." Brother Third replied with a chilling voice which sent shivers down Dan''s spine. The latter''s expression darkened and his eyes shone in a light of killing intent. The cultivation of these three men was at the Peak of Organ Tempering Realm. Clicking his tongue, he decided on not wasting any time towards them as he directly summoned his Desert Eagle and Gerber Mark 2 Dagger that he recently bought. "How about the three of you shut up, for all eternity?" Dan''s cold voice suddenly echoed behind them. The expressions of the three flickered before simultaneously sending a kick towards the source of the voice. Dust flew towards the skies and when visibility returned. They found Dan staring at them with a vicious smile on his face. "How did we not hit him? We attacked at the same time that his voice echoed out..." The Brother First, the Eldest of them mumbled. This mystery also struck the two brothers and the three of them fell into deep contemplation. Seeing his enemy thinking so deep right before his eyes irritated Dan as the latter pounced towards their direction. Sending a flurry of malicious stabs directly at their vital areas, intent on ending their lives in an instant. "Harummph!" Brother Fist stood tall like a mountain as a silhouette of an Elephant manifested in the air around him. Brother Second took a stance and spread his legs apart while Brother Third, formed two claws with his arms. Three silhouettes of an Elephant, an Eagle, and a Snake superimposed upon each other. Forming an impregnable barrier that surrounded the two. Dan retreated for a moment, staring at the fortified energy waves that came from the brownish layer of transparent barrier that covered them. Dan knew that even with his strongest attack. It would be impossible for him to breakthrough. However, little did these bastards knew that Dan had a powerful cheat which could make even the Gods at the Heavens itself, envious. And that was the cheat of having a system. [System Simulation Completed!] A holographic image of the three men could be seen floating before Dan''s vision. A blaring red dot could be seen on the Eldest man''s foot as Dan''s eyes flashed in a critical light. Taking up his dagger, he approached the vicinity of the barrier. "Idiot!" Brother First coldly sneered and when Dan neared within twenty steps of distance between him and the barrier. The silhouette of a snake materialized and attacked him. Forcing him back for several steps. "Fool! No matter how fast you are and how swift your attacks are, as long as you can''t penetrate our barrier that''s no use!" "That''s right! That''s right! Brother First really is smart!" "Tremble before our might, you brat! Quickly surrender that woman and we will consider sparing your life!" The three men clamored and witnessing their stiff movements under their stance. Dan facepalmed, "I thought that I finally found some strong and smart enemies but it seems like the three of you has muscles for brains..." "Just what the hell did you say?! Repeat that again!" "How dare this brat is so presumptuous before us? Does he not know about who we are?" "So this brat is someone that won''t cry until he sees his coffin..." Hearing their words, even Grace who looked terrified earlier couldn''t help but become speechless. When she saw their peculiar stance and how stiff their bodies while doing such stance, she already knew the reason why Dan called them stupid. Because they were indeed, too stupid! That may be the reason why they had to resort to banditry instead of looking for jobs. Dan stashed his dagger back and turned around, completely ignoring the three. "This brat, how dare he ignores us!" "Hey come back here! Only when you leave that woman could you leave!" "Fuck, let''s get out of this formation, Brother First!" "What, get out? This formation lasts for thirty minutes, you know?" "Wait, what? why did we use this in the first place?!" "That''s because Brother Third said that it''s the most effective way in capturing our prey..." "Are you retarded? That only works when we''re in an enclosed area and we''re not chasing our enemy! Now, look! They''re escaping!" "Shit, do you have any idea on how we can end this quicker?" "I don''t! I''m not the one who made this formation in the first place..." Dan shook his head and left the clamoring three. He didn''t even have the drive to kill them as he left with Grace who started laughing while holding her stomach and pointing in their direction. These actions of hers made the three, increasingly indignant as they threw fierce glares at their direction. Soon, the stupid three finally disappeared from their line of sight, but before Dan and Grace could continue his journey, his jade token from the Paradyne Academy suddenly ignited in a fiery light. [Emergency! Emergency! Requesting for back up in this coordinates!] Resplendent lights flew from the token and formed these words. Dan cupped his chin for a moment as the jade token suddenly transformed into a compass which pointed at the direction where the emergency distress signal originated from. 111 System Mission At the entrance of the cave where the disciples of the Paradyne Academy were trapped. The figures of the disciples could be seen sitting across the wide area. Their expressions pale and their cultivation bases inhibited due to exhaustion. Since cultivators consumed more food than mortals. The rations that they predicted to last at least several weeks dwindled. Left with little water and food along with the urgings of his fellow disciples. Senior Brother Kwydin concentrated all of his focus on cultivation. These past days, cultivation should be done in a serene and tranquil environment. Seldom could cultivators make their breakthroughs in a stress-filled environment. Without proper preparations, Senior Brother Kwydin couldn''t even take a glimpse of the Divine Way. "It''s okay, we''ll be fine, a Heaven Grade Formation needs a constant source of energy, it will definitely run out of energy soon!" "Yeah, yeah, don''t be so anxious, if it doesn''t run out of energy, Senior Brother will make his breakthrough and release us all from this hell." "When that time comes, I''ll definitely treat you guys in a drink..." "Don''t forget about what you said today when we return or else I''ll smack you down..." "Of course, of course..." The casual conversations of the disciples made it feel like they were on a picnic. Their expressions looked calm with a hint of teasing as they dished out their proposals when they come out of this barrier. "I can''t let them down..." Senior Brother Kwydin mumbled under his breath. Clenching his fists, complicated emotions roused from his heart. Though he had the highest cultivation among this batch of disciples. He felt guilty that he couldn''t even liberate them. Closing his eyes, he calmed his nerves and adjusted his breathing. His cultivation base slowly rotated, pulling the laws from the heavens for him to perceive. A heatwave manifested in the air around him, distorting space itself as a terrifying energy fluctuation encompassed his body. "It''s coming from Senior Brother Kwydin!" "Come here and take a look! Senior Brother is attempting a breakthrough in his Fire Laws!" Inside Kwydin''s sea of memories, huge fountains of fire could be seen in the scenery before him. The land was scorched and everything was searing hot. Strangely, he could freely move within this strange space and could feel a faint connection in his heart when he stared at this scenery. Looking up, the sun inside the fire world looked like a blazing hot ball of fire, it faintly shone in a bluish light and around the edges of the sunlight, the air itself twisted from the heat, making it seem like the sun was a huge illusionary image. Darting his gaze to the ground. The soil was littered with numerous potholes and what seemed like a fiery mud, intermittently sprouted from these holes. Kwydin''s expression turned solemn, the scene before him, was the condensation of his understandings about the Laws of Fire and right now, he had to solidify everything that he could learn in this strange scene so that he could break through the next realm. Sitting cross-legged on the fiery soil of this blazing world. Kwydin closed off his senses and started his inner ramblings about the concept of Fire. On the outside world, Captain Demonic Dragon stared at Kwydin with a small amused smile on his face. The subordinate that stood beside him looked concerned, "Boss, are we gonna let that brat make a breakthrough under our watch?" Captain Demonic Dragon shook his head, "Do you really think that breaking through the Divine Soul Realm is something that could easily be done whenever you want it?" As a Peak Spirit Tempering Realm Cultivator, Captain Demonic Dragon had his fair share of experience about the threshold of the Divine Way. He understood the sufferings that one needed to suffer and knew that it wasn''t that easy to break through. And if the brat managed to break through by luck? A vicious smile lifted on his lips. A cultivation breakthrough meant that a cultivator''s body and soul were undergoing a qualitative reconstruction and the process shouldn''t be interrupted. That''s the reason why most cultivators would find a cave or an abode where their enemies couldn''t possibly interrupt them in a critical juncture. But in this case, under the pressure of his peers and the sense of imminent death. Senior Brother Kwydin didn''t have any chance but to attempt a breakthrough under his enemies'' watch. Captain Demonic Dragon crossed his arms together. Staring at the scene with amusement on his face. Meanwhile at another location near the place where the Demonic Dragon Group camped. The figures of Dan and Natalie could be seen approaching the vicinity. "Stop, crouch down!" Dan instructed and Grace hurriedly ducked along with Dan whose expression turned solemn. Grace lifted her head and frowned, "That''s the same group of people that chased after us earlier..." "Yeah, they are, and not only that, they''re quite strong..." Dan shook his head in a wry gesture. Staring at the compass above his palm that constantly flickered in resplendent lights. Dan instructed the system. "System, create a three-dimensional map of the area around us and mark those hostile with a red dot! Convert all of your findings into a mini-map and place it in my peripheral vision." [System Function Initiating: 50%] [System Function Completed!] Dismissing the system notifications, Dan glanced at the mini-map and saw numerous green dots at the direction where the compass pointed. Lifting his head, Dan mumbled, "So that''s the place where the distress signal originated? Judging from the formation of these red dots, it seems like they''re surrounding the greens..." Dan darted his gaze at Grace, and the latter''s expression flickered, as a mortal, she could easily become a casualty if she stood around a fight between cultivators. Dan thought for a moment, witnessing her complicated expression, he lightly chuckled before withdrawing all of the defensive and offensive talismans that he acquired from the Merchant Town of Kalur. He even gave her the Heaven Grade Defensive Artifact from the ghastly apparition so that he could ensure his safety. He infused the Artifact with his Spiritual Qi before instructing her about the talisman''s activation sequence. Carrying the bunch of yellow papers in her arms, her expression turned tender when she saw the concern on his face, "No, don''t give me everything, a dozen is enough..." She spoke up forcefully shoved dozens of talismans back at Dan. The latter lightly chuckled, "I have my own methods, just receive this for now and take care of yourself, I''ll go help these guys..." He waved his hand and before Grace could object, his figure disappeared from her line of sight. At the distance, Dan sat atop a tree branch, observing everything down below. Holding his dagger in his right hand, his expression turned serious with a hint of excitement when he saw the system notification that floated in the air before him. [Quest Name: Flawless Assassination] [Quest Difficulty: S+ Rank] [Quest Description: Destroy the Demonic Dragon Group by assassinating their core members!] [Quest Reward: Activation of the Assassin Skill Tree] [Note: The host shouldn''t be detected! Stealth is recommended in this mission.] [Do you want to accept? Y/N] 112 Graces Resolve Grace sped away towards the direction where they placed their stables in hopes that passing caravans may help them in their plight. Glancing behind her, she slowed her breathing and silenced her footsteps by running using her toes. Though the pain of using such a running technique seared through her entire feet. She gritted her teeth and continued on. Little did she know that inside the vegetations behind her, numerous figures clad in ragged clothes could be seen with their weapons unveiled. No matter how much Grace heightened her senses, it would be impossible for a mortal like her to perceive those cultivators that wanted to hide from her sight. With a false sense of relief in her heart, she went on and ran. "Boss, our scouts found that she''s heading for the only road in this forest, should we hasten our pursuit?" A bandit mumbled towards another bandit whose figure clad in a jet-black robe. The robe enveloped his entire body, revealing only his eyes and an ominous air constantly swirled around him. This bandit was the strongest fighter when it comes to Stealth attacks. His sharp senses and his precise attacks made him a nightmare for archers. "No need to worry about that, just let her run and leave her to me..." "Leave her to you? But Boss, Captain told us that we should capture her together..." The man who spoke first revealed an awkward expression, scratching his head, he mumbled in a wronged voice. The man in black robes lifted his head, his eyes flashed in a crimson light before saying, "Are you telling me that I am incapable of capturing that mortal woman on my own?" He coldly snorted and departed away, heading for the direction of Grace. The men who were left behind wryly smiled at each other before shaking their heads. Though they felt indignant, they didn''t dare to raise their voices of objections as they turned around and returned to their squad. The luxurious carriage still stood at the place where the two left it behind. Unfortunately, there was no horse so Grace couldn''t escape on her own and ask for help. Walking into the carriage, she hid there as the veil of the night enveloped everything. Cold winds swept past her body and only chirpings of birds could be heard in the area. Huddling in a corner, Grace held a yellow-blue paper in her hands, her face pale and the slight trembling of her body indicated her fears. Nevertheless, she gritted her teeth and endured. What was fear? Compared to the horrors that she experienced inside the Slum Area of Kalur, this kind of suffering wasn''t much. However, the reason why she looked so pale was that of her worries about Dan''s well-being. Holding the yellow-blue paper in her hands, she stared at the starry skies and said, "Come back soon, Dan..." She mumbled before placing her head in between her knees. The Great Forest of Manzur possessed numerous lucky chances along with dangers. However, due to human intervention, the dangers at the outer border of the Forest, greatly lessened. But still, the Forest in its entirety was still dangerous. Grace knew about these dangers and she didn''t dare to move. But suddenly, a banging sound echoed in front of the carriage. Bang! Grace''s expression flickered and her figure shivered in surprise. Holding her breath, she tightly gripped the yellow-blue paper and chanted in her mind, "Please don''t find me, please don''t find me, please don''t find me..." She murmured inside her heart. Outside the carriage, a jet-black robed man could be seen observing the carriage. With his senses, he knew that there was someone inside it and most likely, it was his target. In each time he hunted his target, he would never kill them until they felt the utmost sensation of despair. Only when his targets crumbled down in fear and hopelessness could he absorb their negative energies and increase his cultivation. In other words, his Divine Art feeds on the negative energies of his enemies. At first, he wasn''t such a murderous psychopath. But ever since he discovered the pleasure of cornering his enemies and watching them beg for their lives. He relished on that sensation and never looked back. His decades of experience when it comes to mental torture enabled him to quickly simulate the best method in subduing Grace''s mind. Staring at the carriage, he licked his lips and utilized his plan. Inside the carriage, Grace lifted her head and stared around her. Because she ripped all the decorations inside, the walls looked dry and dull, paired with the fact that the two windows didn''t give her any visual information about the outside world. She quickly became apprehensive towards the unknown. Trickle~ Trickle~ Trickle~ Dripping sounds of water striking the wooden floor of the carriage was the only sound that Grace could hear inside the carriage. Biting her lips, she endured the sense of fear and imminent danger and held on. Unbeknownst to her, a black mist swirled and enveloped her body. Suddenly, deep footsteps reverberated in the area. Bang! Bang! Bang! The footsteps were strong enough that it rocked the entire carriage, forcing Grace to clench the yellow-blue paper even tighter in preparation for activating it. However, contrary to her expectations, the footsteps vanished when it neared the doors of the carriage as if it never existed in the first place. This bizarre phenomenon made her even more anxious about what''s going on in the outside world. Her countenance looked paler and her breathing disarrayed along with her furiously trembling body. Whissshhh~ A faint sound of rustling clothes echoed out, followed by the appearance of a blackish apparition that floated in the air. Grace lifted her head and her eyes widened in shock and terror when she saw the appearance of the apparition. It was the owner of the company that she embezzled and bankrupted. "Grace...I will take revenge, I will take revenge..." The man''s facial appearance was riddled with blisters and pimples. Paired with his rotting nose and lips and his emptied eye sockets, Grace''s fear and agitation skyrocketed. "No, don''t come near me, don''t come near me!" She lifted her body and struggled in the corner. The apparition lifted his arms and stretched it towards the helpless Grace''s neck. "Stop, don''t touch me...Don''t touch me!" The cold sensation on her neck made her shiver and squirm. But no matter how much she struggled, she found herself unable to move and froze in fear. "Grace..." "Grace..." "Grace..." "How dare you do this to us...You''re the one who killed us all..." These tormenting words rang out along with the appearance of four other apparitions that slowly floated towards Grace''s figure. The young maiden felt so terrified that her grip of the defensive talisman, loosened. Grace''s pleading and sobbing cries fell into deaf ears and she soon floated in the air, held by the apparition whose expression distorted into an excited one. Grace slowly closed her eyes in resignation and regret, she felt regret that she was unable to overcome her fears. Staring at the dark ceiling of the carriage, she remembered the image of the smiling young man who painstakingly trained her resolve and body. The familiar sensation of the collar on her neck made her smile give a small smile as she mumbled, "That''s right, young master rescued me from that place and my life belongs to her. I cannot die without his permission..." A light smile decorated her lips as she took a small orb from the Spatial Ring that Dan bestowed upon her. The small orb looked unassuming, but judging from Dan''s solemn expression and serious tone when explaining the power of this small orb, Grace was reassured. Gripping the small orb in her palms, she sent her wishes as a resplendent light exploded inside the carriage. The burst of pure white light destroyed the carriage along with the apparitions that miserably shrieked as they turned into dust. A warm breeze enveloped Grace''s body, protecting her from the cold. Surrounded by numerous wisps of light that protected her from all sides, Grace looked like a Goddess that descended from the skies. The robed man that hid in the darkness was revealed and his expression revealed his shock, "That''s impossible! How could you escape my Divine Domain?!" His eyes darted at the small orb that floated before the young maiden''s figure. His shock deepened even further when he realized the identity of the small orb. "A Heaven Grade Defensive Artifact?! Fucking hell!" He stomped his foot and dashed towards the opposite direction. Though he had the strongest piercing power in his squad, as an Assassin, he was at his weakest when he was revealed. His quick mind made him retreat, dashing towards the Forest, he made use of the trees as cover. Grace knitted her eyebrows, her gaze landed on the jet-black robed man. Staring at his retreating figure, she was convinced that the man was part of the group that hunted her earlier. Lifting her arms, a volley of offensive talismans floated in the air before being ignited by her. In a flash, bright lights illuminated the dark forest and the man who continued his retreat realized his plight. Looking behind him, his mind told him that the attack couldn''t be evaded and he could only try and minimize the damage. Facing the array of talismans heading for his way. He took a brace position with his arms crossed before him and his knees, slightly bent. Infusing Spiritual Qi on the soles of his feet, a deafening bang followed by the force of impact battered his figure. A blood arrow sprouted from his mouth, and he struck down dozens of trees before he could stop his body. "Impossible..." Lifting his head, his eyes shone in a light of disbelief before his body crumbled on the ground, losing all signs of life. 113 The Prologue of a Nightmare Grace stared at the dead body of the Assassin and her expression, relaxed. The light from the Heaven Grade Artifact faded away and darkness captured everything around her once again. A cold wind swept past and Grace''s body shivered in response. Taking clothes from the Spatial Storage Device, she returned back at the ruins of the once luxurious carriage and sat at the corner. The only source of light that she had was the moonlight, and despite the fact that dangers lurked everywhere around her, she felt quite secure when she thought about the fact that she just overcame her fears. Lifting her right hand, she opened her palm and stared at it before whispering in the air, "Young master, the teachings that you imparted upon me wasn''t wasted..." A small smile lifted on her lips whenever she thought of that certain silhouette. Even though they just met, she didn''t understand why she felt secure and cozy around him. As if they were compatible and made for each other. "Stupid, stupid, stupid Grace! What are you thinking! Dan is your master, you know?" She slapped her head and her cheeks burned as she denied the ideas that started forming in her heart. Calming her mind, she sharply exhaled before lifting her head and staring at the skies, "Young master, please come back already..." She wished in her heart. Atop a tree branch that overlooked everything including the disciples inside the barrier and the Demonic Dragon Group, Dan calmly sat with his arms crossed. His eyebrows locked as he stared at the surrounding terrain. Surrounded by towering trees, Dan could make use of these as cover. However, a bandit group that survived this far wasn''t so simple. They not only have the strength, but also the brains. The camp of these guys was reinforced by numerous sentries that stood several steps between each other. Which means, Dan couldn''t do the same tactic that he used at the Battle of Azure Hamlet. Kneading his temples, the difficulty of the generated mission was too high, but likewise, the rewards were also bountiful. Knowing that he had to risk to acquire success, Dan clicked his tongue and continued his research, including several factors necessary for his success. Opening the Quest Tab, the quest objective this time was to successfully assassinate the core members of the Demonic Dragon Group. But how was he supposed to assassinate those guys when their camp alone was so reinforced? He racked his brains and almost wanted to cry. The dilemma he was facing this time was too high of a hurdle. "Not only I have to consecutively kill people, but I must also do so without being detected...No matter how strong my skills are, there''s also a limit..." Dan shook his head, "Sigh, let''s just calm ourselves down and think about it," He calmed his nerves and returned to his deep contemplation. Just where is the tent of those core members? A wry smile leaked on his face, how could he kill them if he can''t find them? Staring at the direction of the campsite, Dan could see numerous people eating together with smiles on their faces. Sitting before a bonfire, one would think that they were just a bunch of men in a camping. Dan lightly chuckled upon witnessing their nonchalant figures. But at the next moment, he frowned once again. He couldn''t find anything that could help him locate those core members. At this moment, his figure shivered followed by the appearance of a system notification. [Core Members 9/10] "Eh? Core members? Since the maximum is ten and it reduced by one, could it be that a core member was killed?" He frowned, who was it that killed a core member of this bandit group? Could it be that there''s a third party that I wasn''t able to detect? He thought to himself. Lifting his head, his eyes seemed to pierce through the darkness, "Grace, I believe in you, and once we return, I won''t let you go until you can''t walk..." He gave a small chuckle when he thought about the future. Shaking his head, he returned to the task at hand. Holding his grumbling stomach, Dan revealed a wry smile. When he handed over those stacks of talismans to Grace, he forgot to take some food rations for his own. Now, he felt incomparably hungry. "Goddamned it, ever since I became a cultivator, I looked forward about not feeling hungry but to think that I can still feel this mortal sensation..." His face looked tragic and his smile turned bitter. Lifting his head, he found that the commotion within the Demonic Group Campsite bustled even more than before. "Fucking hell, these guys are actually eating and here I am feeling even more hungry while staring at them..." He mumbled into the air and stared at the commotion with a creased expression. "They even have high-quality Spiritual Meat! It looks like it''s time for me to become a bandit..." Dan noticed two men carrying huge trays with plates filled with high-quality meat. Dan wiped the corner of his lips and followed the two men with his eyes. He kept staring at the plate of food like it was his wife. When the two men walked past the other bandits. They would greet the former with respectful smiles on their faces and soon, both of them arrived at the edge of the campsite where an average looking tent could be seen. The two of them saluted, announced their names before bowing their heads and entering the tent. At this point in time, Dan realized something and a wide smile broke out on his face. "So this is how I can find those bastards?!" He inwardly exclaimed and closely observed. Afterward, the two men went out once again and brought another plate towards another unassuming tent. They kept doing this for about eight times until they returned back at the center and enjoyed their meals along with their comrades. When everything was over, Dan''s expression looked jubilant, his previously exhausted countenance turned lively as he loudly laughed in a vicious manner. Opening his System Menu, Dan bought another Barret M82, but this time, with full attachments including a Silencer. Proning atop the tree branch, Dan infused the rifle with his Spiritual Qi, scoped in and stared at the Demonic Dragon Campsite with a light of anticipation in his eyes, "This is really an interesting night," He mumbled as his finger, pulled on the trigger. Bang! 114 The Start of a Nightmare [You have successfully assassinated a Core Member of the Demonic Dragon Group! Obtained: 250ASP!] In each time he pulled the trigger, system notifications would echo out inside his mind, and the number of quest objectives that he had to deal with, lessened as a result. The campsite remained oblivious that all of their Core Members were getting killed. The air of celebration lingered in the air along with the boisterous shouts of the men whose expressions looked reddened. In less than a minute, Dan dispatched the poor nine Core Members that died in regrets, not knowing who killed them and why they died. Dan earned 2250 ASP and combined with his previous ASP, Dan had enough to purchase a rocket-propelled grenade. Since this kind of firearm that possessed an unlimited ammunition feature, Dan bought ten explosive warheads and loaded one of it in the muzzle. Using the optical sight, Dan targeted the center of the celebration and as soon as he pulled the trigger, he quickly activated Stealth. Inside the Formation, the disciples who looked pale and exhausted due to malnutrition and lack of fluids stared at the banquet with shining lights inside their eyes. They felt bitter about their current situation, but what could they do? Apart from awaiting their Senior Brother Kwydin''s breakthrough, they could only stare and drool. Suddenly. A deafening explosion occurred along with the appearance of a fiery mushroom cloud. The explosion shook everything and even the disciples who were protected by the formation could feel the earth trembling on their feet. Staring at the distance, aside from Senior Brother Kwydin. All disciples had their mouths opened in shock. Inside the campsite, chaos ensued. Numerous body parts along with pieces of brain matter and scorched bodies decorated the area. Captain Demonic Dragon stared at this scene with anger as he activated his Spirit and scoured the area around them, "Shit, who dares to attack us?! Could it be that these bastards had managed to inform the Paradyne Academy and reinforcements are already here? That''s impossible! How could they escape my perception?!" Clicking his tongue, he scanned the area as the previous jubilant atmosphere became a scene of horror and gore. Captain Demonic Dragon raised his alert levels into the peak and ordered, "Those who can still walk, bring your brothers to the Eastern Side of the Campsite! Our attackers are coming from the West, protect them for as long as you can!" His fiery shout and swift decision-making capabilities raised the morale of his subordinates as they moved and dragged their injured comrades away. Alone at the center of the scorched earth surrounded by blazing tents. Captain Demonic Dragon warily glanced at the west, his cultivation base silently rotated in preparation for an attack. "Hey, what the hell is that?" "What in the actual heavens?" Mumbles echoed behind Captain Demonic Dragon and when he turned around, he found a streaking light that looked like a meteor approaching his subordinates. His instincts instantly told him that the light was dangerous as he warned, "Fools! Get down!" It was too late. The dumbfounded bandits could only stare as the streak of light collided with the ground, followed by an explosion which literally tore their bodies into pieces. Infused with his Spiritual Qi, Dan boosted the area of explosion which completely annihilated them. At the same time that the battered the area, Captain Demonic Dragon dashed towards the source of the meteor, only to find nothing even with his superior perception. "just what in the actual hell is going on?! They just attacked us and I can''t find them anymore?" He tightly clenched his fists, veins bulged on his temples as he returned at the center of the campsite and observed everything. All he could see and hear was the anguish cries of his subordinates as their bodies melted and formed a pool on the ground. "Where in the hell are Master Blader and the others? They should''ve awakened when the first explosion erupted..." Captain Demonic Dragon sped towards a tent that wasn''t affected by the explosions. But when he arrived there, he realized that the tent had a hole the size of a human''s fist as an eerie premonition filled his mind. "Could it be that..." His expression paled and when he flipped the entrance of the tent, he saw a middle-aged man with a bloody hole in his forehead. The middle-aged man''s eyes were wide open in shock and disbelief as if he couldn''t believe that he died just like that. "Bastards! Stop hiding and show yourselves to me!" Terrifying energy fluctuations surrounded his body as a scarlet-black energy enveloped his figure. His eyes turned crimson and his figure looked a head taller than before. At this moment, he looked like an angered Asura that would trample everything on his path. [Result: Chance of defeating the enemy without external help is about forty percent!] [System Evaluation: The bigger the risk, the higher the rewards! Don''t be afraid, young man!] "Don''t be afraid my ass! As long as my chance of winning isn''t at least sixty percent, I won''t go there and risk my life! I don''t know if I will still transmigrate if I die after all..." He inwardly cursed and stared at the campsite where Captain Demonic Dragon stood tall, observing everything around him. With the bastard''s enhanced perception, Dan knew that if he moved at least once without Stealth, the former would definitely discover him. "It seems like this guy is using some kind of a Secret Art, and according to the novels that I have read these past decades. A secret art will never last long and once it expires, a period of weakness will ensue." Dan lifted a wicked smile on his lips, Assassins never fought their enemy head-on, and since he was an aspiring one, why would he engage his enemy in close combat? "Hmmph, I don''t care if this seems dirty, I''ve been a miserable loner in my past life, now that I have a sweet wife and a daughter with me, I should care for my life!" "That''s right!" "Only when you are alive can you taste the riches that you have!" Dan declared in his heart and calmed his heart down, "System, calculate the remaining duration of his Secret Art." [System Function Initiating; 50%] [System Calculations, Completed!] [Results: The Demonic Asura transformation has a duration of fifteen minutes. Remaining Duration: 12:21] Dan dismissed the system notifications but made the timer float in his peripheral vision. Taking his Barret M82, he infused at least half of his remaining Qi. Powering his next attack. Darting his gaze at his Qi Graphical Bar, Dan wryly smiled when he saw that he only have thirteen percent Spiritual Qi left in his Dantian. If he failed, he could only run. Time passed by and when the Secret Art''s period of weakness came, Dan scoped in but before he could pull the trigger, Dan''s body shivered as Captain Demonic Dragon''s voice suddenly echoed behind him. "Brat, so it''s you who caused this?!" 115 New-Found Resolve A cold light flashed, and dust erupted towards the skies. Captain Demonic Dragon frowned and he scanned his gaze around him. An attack using his entire strength was something that couldn''t possibly be avoided in such a short range. But at the time of impact, he didn''t feel any feedback of hitting flesh. "Brat, just how did you do that?" Captain Demonic Dragon mumbled in the air. But he received nothing in response. "There''s no use in hiding. Once you surface from your hiding spot, I can easily track you down..." He sneered and taunted Dan who hid behind a tattered tent. Dan''s visage looked flushed and his eyes shone in a mixture of emotions such as fear, excitement, and ballsiness. Staring at the huge dot in his mini-map. Dan mumbled, "His Secret Art should''ve also ended by now judging from his reduced size. But it looks like he consumed a stimulant pill so his strength is still increased by at least thirty percent..." Glancing at the direction of the Formation Barrier, Dan clicked his tongue and whispered, "System, calculate my chances of winning against that monster..." [System Function Initiating; 50%] [System Function Completed!] [Results: The host has a fifty percent chance of victory!] [Suggestion: Don''t be such a wuss, just risk it and if you succeed, you can have some bragging rights.] Dan chuckled upon seeing the end of the system notification sentence. Lifting his head towards the skies. Dan thought, "I wonder what went in the heads of those novel protagonists when faced with such a dilemma?" Shaking his head, he chortled, "Well, they have tons of plot armor and I don''t have one. Why should I compare myself to them?" "Though I said that, this world is quite similar with those worlds. And according to my knowledge, only those who are more ruthless than their enemies get to live and see the daybreak..." Resolve flashed in his mind and he hardened his heart. His remaining Spiritual Qi was at mere five percent and when he compared his stats with Captain Demonic Dragon, his laugh turned bitter. [Name: Dan Gabriel Longinus; Age: 16; Status: ??????????] [Stats: Str: 18, Int: 33, Dex: 35, Agi: 37, Sta: 14] [For Reference, one stat point equals an average human''s stat.] [Cultivation: Middle Stage of the Spirit Tempering Realm] [System Evaluation: Mamahuhu.] In comparison, Captain Demonic Dragon''s stats were. [Name: Rodney Wintone; Age: 48; Status: Leader of the Demonic Dragon Group] [Stats: Str: 33, Int: 25, Dex: 42, Agi: 32, Sta: 22] [For Reference, one stat point equals an average human''s stat.] [Cultivation: Peak Stage of the Spirit Tempering Realm] [System Evaluation: Quite dangerous, but still winnable if you''re not a wuss.] "Is this what the system meant by a fifty percent chance of winning? Though he is weakened just his raw strength alone is enough to crush me into pieces..." Dan bitterly chuckled, but since he has decided, he couldn''t go back and so, he went through his actions. Dan didn''t even use his Modern Weaponry since without infusing his Spiritual Qi, he didn''t think that it could even penetrate the skin of cultivators. Taking two Gerber Mark II dagger with him. Dan observed his opponent. "His aura is extremely dense and brutal in nature. Obviously, close combat quarters is his specialty, and in this fight, it is inevitable..." Battles between experts were mostly decided by who possessed stronger techniques that the other. With Captain Demonic Dragon''s experience in life and his pillaging lifestyle, he obviously had the advantage over Dan. But unfortunately, Dan had the cheat called a System. But of course, Dan loved his life and he still didn''t want to die. Opening the System Menu. He used up a Save Slot. [Save: 8; Load: 10] Moving away from the tent, Captain Demonic Dragon''s ears twitched and a vicious smile broke on his face when he saw the former''s figure at the distance. With a stomp of his foot, he dashed and raised his fist in a downward punch. The air itself whistled and warning alarms inside Dan''s mind echoed out, giving him warnings about the imminent danger. Captain Demonic Dragon saw that the former looked calm and didn''t have the intention to dodge. But what is the reason? His cultivation is a stage lower than mine and the fluctuations of his Spiritual Qi indicates that he''s a dying candle, is he looking to die? When he thought of this. His punch arrived, but to his surprise. He didn''t feel any substantial feedback from his attack. "He dodged?" Captain Demonic Dragon mumbled under his breath. But as soon as he finished, a sharp pain surged on his arms and when he realized it, a three inches gash could be seen on his forearm. "When did you?" His expression twisted into utmost anger as he questioned. About thirty meters away, a young figure could be seen with beaded sweats riddled on his forehead. One of his daggers was bloodsoaked and he couldn''t help but shiver when he thought about the danger that he just encountered. At the critical moment, the System gave him precise instructions including movement, the angle of attack and appropriate footwork that he could utilize against his enemy''s attack. Though the instructions were hard. Under extreme pressure, Dan managed to accomplish the task with precision and not only he evaded, but he also did a counter-attack. "Bastard!" Captain Demonic Dragon rushed towards his direction and a fierce close combat battle ensued. Sparks flew as fists and daggers collided in mid-air. In each collision, both parties would suffer insignificant injuries. "This can''t go on!" Dan knew that if this battle continued, his enemy will eventually outlast him. Crossing both of his daggers, Dan received a punch and took advantage of the force to retreat backward. But Captain Demonic Dragon predicted this and leaped towards the place where Dan would land. "Damn it!" Dan was still in mid-air and it was impossible for him to dodge his enemy''s attack. His mind madly spun, formulating his next course of actions against his enemy''s attack that would definitely prove fatal if it struck him. "If this doesn''t work then I''m fucking screwed..." Dan gritted his teeth before activating a skill, Assassin''s Focus and sent it towards Captain Demonic Dragon''s figure. An ominous jet-black energy assaulted the latter and temporarily restrained his movements. But unfortunately, it only lasted for about one second and when the suppression ended, Dan was still in mid-air and couldn''t do anything as Captain Demonic Dragon''s fist neared his figure. The scenery itself distorted and a strange phenomenon occurred. Everything from leaves, dust and the scattered rocks returned to their previous state as Dan found himself standing behind a bedraggled tent with a system notification before him. [Save: 8; Load: 9;] Gulping a mouthful of saliva. His pale expression and hastened heartbeat was the evidence of the horror that he just experienced. To escape from that certain death situation, Dan had no other choice but to burn a load slot. However, just because he lost earlier doesn''t mean that he didn''t earn anything in their exchange. Just before Dan went out to battle. He ordered the System to record everything that it could about Captain Demonic Dragon, especially his habits in combat. With this advantage in mind, Dan''s chances of defeating his enemy increased. Of which he confirmed with the System. [Results: The host has a sixty percent chance of victory!] [Suggestion: Don''t be such a wuss, just risk it and if you succeed, you can have some bragging rights.] Dismissing the system notifications that almost filled his vision. Dan exposed himself and when Captain Demonic Dragon saw the former''s figure. The two immediately clashed against each other. Five moves! Ten moves! Fifteen moves! A hundred moves! Captain Demonic Dragon''s expression darkened when he realized that he couldn''t get the upper hand. At first, Dan''s movements looked amateurish as if he was adjusting to something. But when their battle arrived at the fiftieth moves. Dan''s actions suddenly matched his rhythm and the bastard even managed to deflect most of his lethal and sneaky attacks. It was as if Dan had extreme familiarity with his way of combat. Captain Demonic Dragon stabbed with his sword and Dan casually turned his head to the side. But as soon as the latter did that. The former scoffed, "What a fool, does he not know about soft swords?" The tip of the former''s sword bent like a snake and pounced at Dan''s nape. Since the attack was on Dan''s blindspot. It would be impossible for him to dodge and it would certainly kill him. Peng! Dan lifted his right hand and blocked the sneak attack using his dagger. Crouching down, he rolled on the ground before flicking his left dagger towards Captain Demonic Dragon''s direction. "Hmmph!" The latter snorted and easily deflected the incoming dagger as Dan retrieved his weapons and retreated. Far at the distance, Dan revealed a wry smile. The data that he had about Captain Demonic Dragon only included his habits in fist-fighting. That was the reason why he had a hard time defending against the former''s attacks at the early stages of the battle. But now, with sufficient data. Dan could contend against him and even deal some damage. "It''s not enough..." Dan shook his head, though his knowledge about his enemy was huge. That doesn''t mean that he could easily use it towards his advantage. After all, his enemy wasn''t stupid and could possibly detect that he was taking advantage of his habits in dealing with him. If Captain Demonic Dragon changed his pattern of movements in mid-battle. It would spell tragedy for Dan who heavily relied on the System''s Simulation capabilities. "Kid, you''ve been pretty annoying and I already have my share of fun. Now it is time for you to pay for what you did towards my subordinates..." Captain Demonic Dragon lifted a vicious smile. His figure suddenly disappeared from Dan''s sight. "This movement technique again!?" Dan''s alert levels skyrocketed, and his eyes widened in shock when he saw the former reappearing behind his body with his fist, flying for the back of his head. "Am I going to fail once again?" Time itself slowed down and Dan couldn''t help but bitterly chuckle. Without the support of Modern Weaponry infused with his Spiritual Qi. Dan realized that he was nothing. He didn''t know much when it comes to Fighting Techniques and the sole advantage that he only had was the System. If he didn''t have the System? He was just nothing but mere ant... "The System Evaluations about me is starting to feel sensible..." His eyes flashed in a cold light of hardened resolve. Dismissing all system interface. Dan turned off the System''s Supportive Functions and decided to clash against his enemy with his own capabilities. Utilizing three percent of his remaining Spiritual Qi, Dan stomped on the ground and sped towards the distance, barely evading the punch in a hair''s breadth. Captain Demonic Dragon became stunned. The bastard''s reaction speed was actually higher than himself. Lifting his head, he stared at Dan''s figure and found that the latter''s eyes looked infinitely cold, with a trace of ruthlessness and killing intent, he stared right into Captain Demonic Dragon''s eyes. A coldness that could freeze everything under the heavens seeped out from Dan''s body. Captain Demonic Dragon''s figure couldn''t help but tremble in fear and astonishment. "You bastard! What are you acting like that for? Are you trying to scare someone like me?!" He sent a wave of Spiritual Qi. His attack struck Dan''s figure, creating a wound the size of a palm on his abdomen. Captain Demonic Dragon''s confusion intensified. He didn''t expect that Dan wouldn''t evade his attacks. From their earlier exchanges, he knew how cautious and afraid of death the youngster was and his sudden change in attitude and the eerie air around him made the former, stagger backward for fear of the unknown. Nevertheless, he continued his barrage of attacks, sending waves after waves of Spiritual Qi, Since Dan couldn''t evade such attacks with his current condition, Dan accepted them all as his figure transformed into a blood-soaked Asura that didn''t want anything other than to kill. At this moment, Dan''s figure didn''t look like a naive and innocent youngster. Wielding both of his daggers, he slowly closed into his enemy. Bringing with him the air of certain death. 116 Mysterious Bloodline Eruption [Host has fallen in an abnormal state.] [Sufficient information has been collected.] [Probable cause: The host''s unknown bloodline inheritance.] [Bloodline Name couldn''t be traced!] [Reason: Insufficient Database Information!] [The host is now in a state of utmost rage.] Dan''s change made his enemy knit his eyebrows in a frown. The ominous jet-black aura that enveloped the former transformed into dark lightning snakes which coiled around his body. His eyes remained cold and void of the light of life. His sudden change startled Captain Demonic Dragon. But his experience in dealing with all sorts of situations enabled him to regain his clarity. Observing his enemy. He kept his attacks but didn''t dare to approach. Weng~ Weng~ Weng~ Crimson flashed of light surged at Dan''s figure. His blood-soaked figure trembled but his footsteps didn''t lag. He approached Captain Demonic Dragon with an indifferent expression on his face. "This kid...Is he not afraid of dying from blood loss?" Sweat formed on his forehead. Even experts such as he were afraid of dying. Yet, this young man. He kept approaching despite the injuries that riddled his body. Running towards the opposite direction. He bombarded Dan with his Spiritual Qi. "What?!" His eyes widened in shock when he saw that the eerie mist and lightning around Dan''s body, increased and absorbed most of his attacks. "He''s absorbing my attacks to strengthen himself? Could it be that this power is..." A premonition formed in his mind before nodding his head as he confirmed his theories. Pointing at his heart with his right index finger. A burst of primal power surged around his body. Cold winds battered everything as a tempest surged in the area where the campsite was located. The raging fire that threatened to spread on the nearby trees were suppressed. Captain Demonic Dragon''s figure turned furry. Both of his hands grew claws and his eyes shone in a bestial light, with his pupils forming a slit. In his mouth, two canines protruded. ~Roaaar~ The entire forest shook and the disciples behind the barrier who observed all this while trembled upon hearing the voice. Senior Brother Kwydin spat a mouthful of blood. The roar disturbed his cultivation and as a result. He suffered a backlash. "Senior Brother!" The nearby disciples hurriedly helped him up. Lifting his head to stare at the distance. His eyes flashed in a grim and bitter light, "That seems like a Pseudo Bloodline Inheritance..." "A Pseudo Bloodline Inheritance?" The surrounding disciples stared at him in shock. It has to be known that everyone in this world belonged to one different ancestor according to their races. The humans and beasts alike in this world had a trace of that ancient bloodline. However, most of them were too faint to create any effect while those who managed to preserve the purity of their bloodline were rare. A Pseudo Bloodline Inheritance as the name says, wasn''t a complete inheritance. And to achieve such effect. Those humans whose traces of ancient bloodline thoroughly dissipated from their veins could capture beasts and absorb their blood essence along with their innate beast bloodline. Using such a method, one could have a Pseudo Bloodline Inheritance. Increasing their strength by roughly thirty percent. Senior Brother Kwydin shook his head and bitterly laughed. He was a genius yet he couldn''t even manage to have a Pseudo Bloodline Inheritance. After all, beasts whose blood had traces of the ancients weren''t like cabbage on the streets. Dan who remained emotionless and detached all this while finally reacted when the waves of primal energy reached his body. His lips lifted in a smile of ridicule and his eyes flashed with dark lightning for a moment before his figure blurred and reappeared behind Captain Demonic Dragon. "He''s fast...And he just..." Captain Demonic Dragon barely caught Dan''s figure as a sharp and pulsating pain struck his left armpit. Purple blood dripped from the wound and drenched the ground. His momentum and fierceness diminished. "Damn it, kid..." Kneeling on one knee, Captain Demonic Dragon cursed while wiping the blood on his lips. Punching the ground, he flew towards the skies and Dan followed suit. Peng! Peng! Peng! Brief flashes of their figures could be seen in mid-air. In their earlier exchange, the two were equal but now. Captain Demonic Dragon could barely contend for a hundred exchanges before he was slapped down towards the ground. The disciples at the distance held their breaths as they stared at the ongoing clash. They could not see their figures but they believed that they could acquire some insights just from watching a fight between experts. Senior Brother Kwydin followed their line of sight with complex emotions in his eyes. Having a peak Spirit Tempering Realm cultivation. He had Spiritual Sense and could clearly see the blurry figures.Seeing that one of them was a young man whose visual appearance looked similar to him. He couldn''t help but gape. "Such an ominous aura, he''s definitely a cultivator of the demonic path. I am sure of it, that bandit geezer must''ve offended that young man and now he''s taking his revenge..." His eyes flashed in a light of understanding. "My fellow disciples, I have something to announce. Everyone, please listen..." He stood up and everyone who heard his voice obeyed his commands. Senior Brother Kwydin gulped a mouthful of saliva when he perceived the hopeful and burning gazes of his fellow disciples. Calming his nerves, he said in a regretful manner. "First, I want to say that I failed my breakthrough for the Divine Soul Realm..." The disciples'' expression flickered for a moment before they gave a small gentle smile. "Why are you saying that in such a tone, Senior Brother? We''re both members of the same academy so we should support each other..." A male disciple with a fair countenance spoke up from behind. "Yeah, that''s right, that''s right. Everyone in here knows about the difficulty of breaking through the Divine Soul Realm, you do not need to feel sad about that, Senior Brother..." Some female disciples at his side even chimed into the discussion as Senior Brother Kwydin''s eyes turned somewhat teary. With a trembling figure, he turned around and didn''t say anything. His half-step Divine Soul Realm cultivation base rotated, as a tempest manifested and battered the barrier. The disciples who stood inside the tempest nodded at each other before activating their own cultivation bases and sending their entire Spiritual Qi reserves towards Kwydin. Temporarily boosting his cultivation towards the Early Stages of the Divine Soul Realm. Unsheathing his sword. His fiery robed figure looked like a lone hero, his insights towards the Laws of Fire condensed on the tip of his sword along with the tempest of Spiritual Qi. Everything inside the Formation turned silent. But as soon as Kwydin decisively stabbed his sword into the formation, a burst of light followed by a cracking sound reverberated across the area. Captain Demonic Dragon darted his gaze at the cave entrance and saw Kwydin staring at him with solemn eyes. "You..." He blurted out and at the same time, a dull bang echoed out. Dan landed a palm strike infused with dark lightning on his body. Guah! A blood arrow flew from his mouth and Dan followed up with a bicycle kick, sending him towards the forest. He destroyed several towering trees before he could stop himself. Dan momentarily glanced at Kwydin and the latter''s throat moved as a distinct gulping sound echoed. Dan''s cold eyes and the hazy symbol on his forehead along with his menacing aura intimidated him. Dan scanned him for a moment and Kwydin felt like he was naked under his gaze. Turning his head towards Captain Demonic Dragon''s direction. Dan lost his interest at Kwydin and flew towards Captain Demonic Dragon''s direction. "Fuck off! Why do you keep on following me?!" Captain Demonic Dragon hysterically screamed. His countenance looked pale and his eyes were black and purple. For the past several hours, Dan kept chasing him and despite his second usage of his Secret Art. The former was persistent in killing him. Dan maintained his silence but the small smile of derision on his lips indicated his response which infuriated the latter. Bottling up his grievances he glanced behind and viciously smiled. After half an hour of chasing. The terrain of the forest suddenly changed into a rocky one as Captain Demonic Dragon made a sharp turn for the skies and murmured, "Activate! Murmurs of the Great Earth!" His voice awakened the rocks on the surroundings and they all flew towards Dan''s direction. If a third party was present, they would see innumerable rocks the size of an adult''s palm attacking a lone figure. Even with the power of Dan''s mysterious bloodline. His body and current cultivation couldn''t possibly support it. Spreading his arms wide, a web of dark lightning formed and enveloped his body as a system notification echoed out. Ding! [The host has suffered considerable injuries, please retreat!] [A mysterious bloodline power is converting damage into healing power...] The rocks grazed past the web of dark lightning and struck Dan''s figure. But the injuries that he suffered didn''t last long before they were covered by a strange dark energy that originated from the symbol on his forehead. [The host#%!#5!#| [#%@#J!$%!@] Unbeknownst to Dan, the system''s mechanical voice turned into static and it completely disappeared. Everything happened under two breaths and when the hail of rocks disappeared. Dan started his counter-attack. With both of his daggers, he caused devastating damage to Captain Demonic Dragon as the latter violently cursed. As someone who stole from anyone may they be great or not. He had accumulated quite the treasures and had his fair share of escape items. But whenever he used them. Dan would interrupt the channeling process. The fuming Captain Demonic Dragon crushed a crimson jadeslip and the same glow encompassed his body. Delight spread on the middle-aged man''s face as the unique power of Spatial Transfer surrounded him and engulfed his figure. Dan who was left with no target stood there like a puppet while Captain Demonic Dragon inside a Spatial Tunnel laughed in celebration for his successful retreat. But when he stared at his almost naked and bloodied figure, his laughter turned bitter and the light within his eyes dimmed. "No matter how much I think about it, there''s no one like him that I have offended for the past several decades...Could he be an avenging family member of one of those villages that we destroyed?" He fell into deep contemplation. The aura that came from Dan''s body clearly belonged to the Demonic Path. And as a fellow member of the demonic path, Captain Demonic Dragon knew that his actions should have something intense fueling it behind. And it should be related to him. Guah~! A sharp pain struck his chest and directly ripped his heart. A mouthful of blood exploded from his mouth and he looked down on his chest with great difficulty, only to find a familiar hand holding his still breathing heart. "You...How can you see through a spatial transfer..." Regrets filled his mind and his eyes shone in a light of indignance and unwillingness. His struggle weakened and his body flopped on the ground. A peak Spirit Tempering Realm Expert has died from the hands of a youngster that possessed an unknown power. ''Dan'' held the heart in his right palm and stared at it for a moment as the symbol on his forehead absorbed all the blood essence that it could. The heart soon withered and transformed into dust and Dan''s body also fell on the ground, followed by a system notification that said. [Due to unforeseen circumstances, the host''s development in terms of bloodline and mentality has increased.] [The System will now undergo a System Upgrade.] [System Induced Coma will begin in ten seconds and will last for a period of fourteen days.] [Congratulations for letting me confirm your bloodline, Inheritor...] [Greetings from the System Creator...] [#$!@ Paradyne] [Hey, stop talking like you''re looking down on people!] [You...Don''t grab it away like that! the microphone will break!] These system notifications repeatedly echoed inside Dan''s mind. And astonishingly, the voice didn''t sound mechanical at all. At first, it was the voice of a dignified young man but at the end, sounds of quarrels between him and a woman could be heard in the background as another system notification said. [Sheesh, damn it, that green worm of a woman!] [Who are you calling, a green worm?] [Nothing, nothing...] Click! The sound transmission ended. 117 Returning to the Imperial City [System Upgrade Completed!] [Now awakening from System Induced Comatose!] [Welcome Host!] A burst of resplendent lights cascaded upon Dan''s consciousness. Lifting up his body, he glanced at the area around him and found that he was inside an unfamiliar room. No- It wasn''t a room. Judging from the intense shaking and the reverberating echoes of hooves, Dan understood that he was inside a moving carriage. "A carriage? I remember that I am fighting against that old monster, just how did I arrive here? Did I manage to defeat him in the end?" Dan rubbed his pulsating temples and tried to remember whatever he could. But alas, nothing surfaced in his mind. "Fuuu~~" Constant soft breathing echoed behind him along with a familiar wisp of aura. Dan turned around and the figure he saw wasn''t someone that he expected. In the corner of the carriage, a young woman clad in ragged clothes could be seen huddled over, hugging her knees. Her peaceful breathing and countenance contrasted her hideous appearance. Dan knitted his eyebrows. On the young woman''s face were scorched earthworms that decorated both of her cheeks. Apart from her jet-black eyes that shone in a light of profoundness, she didn''t have any other redeeming qualities that could deem her as a beauty. If Dan didn''t saw the scarf on her neck and the slight gleam of metal along with the faint fluctuations of Spiritual Qi, Dan wouldn''t know that it was Grace. Realizing the horrible situation that Grace underwent. Dan''s expression distorted into anger, and the fierce aura that leaked out from him cracked the wooden floor below him. Grace''s consciousness awakened when she felt the faint thread of connection that she had with her master. Opening her eyes, she was startled and quickly took a sealing talisman and slapped it on Dan''s shoulders. An invisible shockwave swept past the entire carriage and Dan''s Spiritual Qi became inhibited. His knees collapsed and with a dull thud, he fell on the ground as Grace caught him with an embrace. "Young master, are you okay?" Grace spoke and she positioned her hands in places where she could fully support his spine and head. Dan lifted his head and felt guilty when he saw her mutilated countenance. Because he left a mortal like Grace on her own, she suffered injuries and had to fend off her own and even carry his useless comatose body. Now, he was well-off and living, but how about Grace? With her facial appearance, no one would dare to take her as their wife and she would forever live her life, alone. With his experience, Dan understood the significance of visual appearance for women. But now, Grace''s previously goddess-like figure that could entice an entire City was gone and it was obviously his fault for being such a busy-body. In the end, what did he achieve? Did he manage to help those disciples at the Paradyne Academy, or did he even manage to defeat Captain Demonic Dragon? According to him, No. Every punishment that he received, in the end, was shouldered by Grace''s slender frame and the result was her permanent disfiguration. Dan''s chest violently heaved from the upheaval that was happening inside his mind. Lifting his head, he stared at Grace''s worried figure and mumbled, "I''m sorry, this is young master''s fault that I ruined your beauty..." His hands subconsciously trembled as if he was staring at his daughter on his deathbed. "Young master?" Grace saw her young master''s pained and grieving expression. ''Just what is going on? Did I do something that made him overreact like this?'' She blanked out for a moment and when she realized it, both of Dan''s palms were cupping her chin and the sensation of his thin, yet rough hands made her blush, but she didn''t push him away. She wasn''t the type of woman that pretended to like something that she didn''t like. But she still dispelled the misunderstanding, "Erm, actually. Young master..." She moved her head closer to his ears, all the while her face looked apple red. Several minutes later, Dan revealed a small smile of relief and reached both of his hands and pinched her cheeks, pulling them apart like making hand-pulled noodles. "Young master, stop! It hurts..." Grace flailed her arms as she moaned her complaints. Dan laughed at her teary-eyed and snotty expression as she rubbed her reddened cheeks. "You really tricked me, huh? You''re happy about that now?" Dan launched his offensive once again and the joyful laughter of the two dissipated the somber and despondent atmosphere of the carriage. It was the first time that Grace had someone that she could let herself go with and she started unleashing the skills that she learned when she took care of some babies in the slums. With Dan above Grace, the former attacked her waist and she wildly twisted in return. "What''s wrong, what''s wrong? You''re already giving up?" Dan laughed in victory and pride, but at the next instance, heaven itself underwent a change as his figure suddenly fell on the ground. Grace''s slender frame enabled her to slip away from Dan''s grasp and her flexibility gave her the chance to intertwine Dan''s joints and forcefully turn him over. This was one of the techniques that she used against gropers back at her previous home. "What in the..." Dan mumbled in astonishment and he couldn''t even think any further as a burst of sensation struck his waist and neck like lightning. Sizzling like freshly-fried octopus tails, Dan squirmed around and caused quite a racket. "Hey, you two ugly bastards, stop moving around! City Inspection is here!" A fierce knock destroyed their joyous atmosphere and both of them immediately stopped their actions. After several minutes, the carriage started once again and when it finally stopped once more, a knock echoed on the wooden door beside them as it opened. "Get up and get off you two..." A middle-aged man who shivered upon the sight of the two viciously ordered. Grace went first as she lowered her head and crawled towards the exit. "So slow, are you a turtle?" The middle-aged man complained, staring at the mortal Grace. His expression twisted into a vicious one before sending a kick to her butt. "Ughh..." A cold aura struck his spine and he staggered backward as someone pushed him aside. Inside the carriage, Dan could be seen with his eyes shining a critical light, giving him a vital warning for his life. Clicking his tongue, he couldn''t accept that he was being looked down by this ugly bastard. But witnessing that the recipient of the merchandises that they carried was here. He suffused a formal attitude and said, "Boss, as we agreed last month, we have brought over the herbs that you requested, "Here," A middle-aged man clad in a fiery robe of flicked his wrist. A coin pouch landed on the merchant''s palm as he carefully counted the money, "I have confirmed and certify that the amount paid was the exact amount..." "Of course, why would I care to swindle you..." The middle-aged man waved his hand and several barrels worth of medicinal herbs disappeared into thin air. "And who are these filthy brats?" The Elder of the Paradyne Academy revealed a disgusted expression and Dan along with Grace couldn''t help but wryly smile, their plan was to remove their disguise first. But now that the merchant caravan brought them directly inside the Paradyne Academy grounds, they had no other choice but to follow up. Seeing that this Elder didn''t have a good attitude, Dan decided to hide the truth and test the waters. "Senior, this one has been traveling with my wife from the Great Wilderness of Torb and scoured the lands so that we could earn enough resources to pay for our tuition fee, we ask Elder to give us entrance to the Academy..." The Elder coldly snorted, "Hmmph! Look at your appearance! Even pigs won''t look at both of you and you''re expecting me to admit you in such a prestigious academy of ours? Scram!" He even rotated his cultivation base as Dan protected Grace and protected her from falling. The Elder glanced at them for a moment before leaving after he lost interest. "Didn''t I told you guys that they won''t accept, ugly bastards, like you?" The middle-aged man gloated before riding his carriage and hurriedly sped away. Afraid that Dan and Grace may catch up to them. The two eventually left the scene and rented an Inn where they removed their disguise. Since it was currently three months before the year ends. The season had changed and everything was cold. Dan bought Grace a comfortable robe where she could fit in. Paired with her silver-hair, jet-black eyes and her slender-frame that looked somewhat plump because of the aquamarine robe that she wore, Grace transformed from an ugly monster into a perfect ten, young woman. Dan, on the other hand, possessed most of his mother''s traits, signified by his fair skin and slim frame. However, his pitch-black eyes and sharp eyebrows gave him a dignified sensation. The two walked side by side and approached the gates of the Paradyne Academy. Because the Paradyne Academy held the title of the most prestigious Academy in the entire empire that didn''t discriminate against commoners, it became a place where most youngsters wanted to study in. And today, those who lined up for the position of an Outer Sect Disciple had a cultivation of the Flesh Tempering Realm. Noticing Dan and Grace''s arrival and seeing their glamorous entrance, they clicked their tongues, "Damn, these nobles are here again to show off. I bet they''re going to take a ''shortcut'' once again..." They shook their heads towards the unfair events that would happen before their eyes. But what can they do? Without money, they were nothing in this society. The Recruitment Elder that had a name tag of Elvis Paradyne knitted his eyebrows when he saw the approaching two. "Both of you, the end of the line is over there, what are you approaching here for..." Grace was taken aback, the situation was something that she didn''t expect judging from what Dan told her earlier. Glancing at the latter, Dan maintained his small smile as he used a sleight of hand trick to momentarily flash the authority token right under the old man''s eyes. "A-a-uthority token?" Elvis Paradyne mumbled in a soft voice, "Let me see it for a moment," Dan nodded his head and handed over the token at Elvis who whispered in an astonished voice, "This is one of the highest possible tokens of authority in our Academy, and it grants you the position of an Honorary Disciple?" Using a secret technique, Elvis Paradyne easily unraveled if the Token was genuine or not, and when it resonated with Dan''s Spiritual Signature, he was convinced that it was his own token. Dan didn''t reply, as Elvis Paradyne stood up and summoned a bunch of Outer Sect Disciples to replace him in the recruitment process before leading Dan, and after vouching for Grace''s identity, she also went along with the two. Elvis Paradyne started her ramblings about the history of the Paradyne Academy and walked with a slow pace. Enough that Dan and Grace felt like they grew calluses in their ears just hearing him say the entire history of the Academy. Stopping before the gates of the Fragrant Peak Pavilion of the Paradyne Academy. Elvis Paradyne left the two and disappeared, leaving Dan and Grace heaving a sigh of relief. The Authority token that he held in his hands was something that Mathias, the Headmaster of the Academy handed over to him for saving his daughter, Charlotte. Lifting his head, he walked inside the deserted pavilion. But as soon as he stepped a single foot on the pavilion. The formation and mechanisms of the pavilion rotated and trapped the two as Dan violently cursed, "That old bastard, Elvis, did he bring us into the wrong place?!" The commotion that the action sequences of the mechanisms caused were only limited to the Fragrant Peak Pavilion and so, there were no experts that rushed towards their direction. But before the two of them could sigh in their hearts. A cold laughter echoed in the air, "Someone actually dared to intrude upon the resting place of us, Honorary Disciples?" A masculine voice echoed out followed by a lance which streaked through the air and flew towards their direction. Dan''s eyes widened in shock, the movements of the lance looked erratic and it also shone in a brilliant light which prevented him from calculating its trajectory. Summoning his Divine Art, he formed a web of lightning and protected himself along with Grace. Peng! The lance flew backward and the blonde-haired youth that threw the spear atop the pavilion''s roof looked stunned before a blazing light of battle intent surged within his eyes, "Interesting...Intruder, it seems like you''re quite powerful..." Dan and Grace lifted their heads and found him jumping from the roof and landing on the opposite end of his lance. Kicking the lance towards the skies, the blonde-haired young man caught it in mid-air before dashing towards the direction of Dan. "Take this!" A brilliant light condensed on the tip of his lance and his momentum intensified in each step that he took towards Dan''s direction. Grace felt suffocated but Dan took the whole brunt of the pressure and stood before her figure. With knitted eyebrows, his mind madly spun and formulated his plan on blocking the youth''s fully charged lance that could compare to a Divine Soul Realm Cultivator''s full powered strike. "Mama, Papa is there!" A familiar adorable voice echoed throughout the entire pavilion and the blonde-haired youth''s figure suddenly froze. His cultivation base stopped rotating as Dan and he, simultaneously turned around to face a young woman who both made a mark in their hearts. "Dear~!" Natalie sweetly smiled and ran towards Dan''s direction along with Juliet who didn''t let her mother take all the advantage for herself. "Come here, come here, come here, Juliet..." Dan beckoned towards his little daughter with his right hand as Natalie thoroughly imprisoned his left arm in her embrace. Juliet''s little figure jumped, but since Dan was a tall young man. She couldn''t get a proper grip which made the latter laugh in delight. Carrying his little daughter that snuggled on his neck in his right arm, Dan glanced at Natalie who also did the same. The ticklish sensation gave him a delight which made him genuinely believe that he was truly at home now. Grace stared at this scene with a blushed and awkward expression. Vincent Lancea, the young Lance wielder stared at this scene with a similar expression to Grace. Scratching his cheek in awkwardness, he gave a dry laugh and left them alone. Dan''s eyes narrowed and enjoyed the sensation of his two beloved snuggling up to him. However, Natalie finally noticed Grace''s existence and curiously stared at her for a moment. Her gaze scanned Grace''s body before asking in a neutral tone, "Dear~Can you tell me who she is?" Dan''s expression turned weird and Grace staggered backward for a moment. Dan was afraid that Natalie may transform into a raging ball of fury while Grace was scared of her young master''s wife may dislike her and she would be discarded. Her teary expression made Natalie chuckle as she pulled Grace over and said, "Don''t be so scared, since Dan brought you here, I am quite sure that we''ll become sisters, soon..." She ambiguously winked and as a fellow woman, Grace obviously understood what she meant as she hung her head low and followed Natalie inside. "Juliet..." "Papa?" "Do you know the reason why Mama is not angry of Papa?" Juliet shook her head, but afterward, she thought for a moment and her great memory capabilities enabled her to remember a quote that she heard from her mother when they discussed something together with Charlotte. "I remember Mama saying to Elder Sis Char that Papa may bring more Sisters and create a harem..." The serious message on her sentence contrasted her cute and innocent tone. Dan almost spat a mouthful of blood as he walked with swift footsteps towards the pavilion as he thought. "Who''s the one that is building the harem for me?!" He wanted to scream but could only say this inside his mind. NOTE: Help me reach top 30 this week or your author will get roasted in the writer''s discord server... :''(>.< 118 A Strange Gathering Natalie invited over Mathias and Charlotte, and the two disregarded their remaining schedule for the day and sped towards the direction of the Fragrant Peak Pavilion. Even though Mathias was busy because of the ongoing Selection Process for freshmen. How could he ignore the presence of Takemikazuchi''s disciple? Bearing gifts with him, he arrived at the Fragrant Peak Pavilion with Charlotte. Upon entering the dining room, Mathias could see that it looked different from normal. Instead of separating the kitchen from the dining room, Natalie combined it together so those waiting at the table could see how and what the chef was cooking. "Oh, Senior Mathias and Charlotte, both of you are finally here, come and sit down..." Natalie beckoned. Both father and daughter were momentarily dumbfounded upon witnessing her gorgeous appearance. With a pure-white apron on her waist, and paired with her hair that was bundled up like a bun. She looked like a virtuous housewife. "Don''t just stand there, you two. Go and take a seat..." Dan held a huge wok with his right hand while his left repeatedly stirred the contents. The fragrant smell of meat, spices, and vegetables wafted in the air. Mathias and Charlotte couldn''t help but gulp a mouthful of saliva and their eyes shone in expectations. Moving towards the dining table, they found an unfamiliar young woman who sat beside Juliet. The two talked with each other, smiles decorating their faces. "A visitor?" Charlotte blurted out and the two talking figures turned around to face them. "Elder Sis Char!" Juliet said with a wide grin as Charlotte''s expression melted and immediately walked towards Juliet and gave her a tight hug. Mathias, on the other hand, felt embarrassed and took the opposite seat. "Then, Juliet, Can you introduce me to this new Sister?" Charlotte asked the little girl and the latter happily obliged. Pointing at Grace who was taken aback, she said, "Elder Sister''s name is Sister Grace, Mama said that she is very close with Papa and that she is also a member of the family!" She opened her arms wide while laughing. Charlotte suffused a wronged expression while saying, "Then how about me, Juliet? Is Sister Char not a member of the family?" Her eyes looked teary and Juliet puffed her cheeks, "No! Elder Sis Char is also family! But Mama said that only Papa can decide if Elder Sis can be family..." She hung her head low, looking somber while Charlotte blushed. Mathias even choked on his own saliva and glanced at Dan with sharp eyes. Dan felt a shiver down his spine as Natalie turned towards him and said, "What''s wrong? Did you catch a cold?" The former shook his head and said, "No, in the first place, it''s impossible for us cultivators to catch a cold..." "Yeah, right..." Natalie chuckled as she chopped some vegetables with god-like speed. With Juliet''s adorable introduction that she made for Grace. The two women quickly knew each other and started talking about certain topics to which they laughed together. Mathias as a man obviously remained silent and only stared at their joyful figures, feeling satisfied in his heart. The smell of fresh ingredients constantly wafted in the air. Since the dining table was behind the kitchen. All of them could see the coordination that the husband and wife possessed. Natalie could even predict the moment where Dan needed a certain seasoning while Dan would hand her a certain ingredient at the perfect time. Their simple textbook movements emanated an aesthetic sensation which entranced all who watched them cook. Even Mathias couldn''t take his eye away from the two that by the time they noticed what happened, Dan and Natalie had completed the dishes. Atop the jade table, numerous dishes ranging from meat, vegetables, and fish could be seen neatly lined up categorized according to what kind of a dish they were. "I can''t believe that the two of you are this good in cooking..." Mathias mumbled while chewing on a piece of fish which literally melted inside his mouth. Charlotte endlessly fawned over Natalie for the recipes while the little girl Juliet moved beside her father and ate on her own. Grace maintained proper decorum and ate slowly as she could. But when the piece of meat landed on her tongue. Her eyes flashed in a crimson light and her figure intensely trembled. "What''s wrong, Grace?" Charlotte knitted her eyebrows and Juliet''s movements froze, she stared at Grace in concern. Mathias glanced at Grace, while Natalie''s eyebrows locked. Grace''s breathing turned into ragged pants, Dan lifted his head before saying, "You can''t hold it anymore?" His eyes flashed in a solemn light and the atmosphere turned tense. All eyes focused on Grace as Dan asked this question. Grace lifted her head to stare at Dan with desire visible in her eyes. Though she didn''t answer his question, the light within her eyes indicated her answer. She cannot hold it anymore... Dan''s gaze swept over the group as Dan rapidly ordered, "Everyone, quickly take your own portion of food!" When he reached the end of his sentence, Dan''s hands blurred and took at least six plates and leaned over the table to cover them. The group stared at Dan with strange expressions. Though confused, Charlotte, Natalie and Mathias obliged. Staring at the reddened expression of Grace. Dan sharply inhaled and said, "It''s okay! Release it!" "Yes! Young master!" Grace shouted like a soldier and at the same moment, an aura of utmost greed manifested and turned into a tornado which swept the remaining dishes on the table. Juliet who was in the middle of eating her favorite dessert found that it was missing and when she turned around. She saw Grace munching on it. "Elder Sis, you bully..." Juliet turned teary and Dan swiftly handed a fresh plate of dessert which pacified the former. Mathias stared at Grace with widened eyes. "It''s almost unbelievable that someone with such a slender frame like you could eat like an elephant..." The satisfied Grace flinched, and Charlotte chuckled, "To think that I would witness such a miraculous feat, Grace, you really surprised me there..." "Sister Charlotte, please don''t tease me..." Grace mumbled under her breath. The group eventually finished their meals and it was time for the father and daughter''s return. Standing up, they said their farewells and walked towards the sliding door. But before Charlotte could open the door. Mathias suddenly stopped to look at Natalie. The latter stared at the former before saying, "Can you tell the instructor that I will be absent for three days, Senior?" Mathias'' eyebrows locked. But he nodded his head before flicking over a cloth bag towards Dan''s direction before promptly leaving with Charlotte. "See you in three days, Elder Sis! Goodbye, Sister Grace!" "Uhmm! I''ll see you in three days, Char~!" Natalie and Grace waved the two off. Taking the cloth bag, Dan opened it with a curious expression and found a jade bottle filled with pinkish pills. Dan angled the jade bottle near the light and subconsciously read the label out loud. "Never Gonna Go Down Pills?" 119 Understanding which Changed Everything "Eh?" Simultaneous queer cries interrupted the silenced atmosphere. Juliet turned towards his father and said. "Never Gonna Go Down Pills? What is that, Papa?" Looking at the pills that looked like colorful candies, Juliet''s curiosity awakened and she inched closer as Natalie quickly snatched it away from Dan''s hands and hid inside her Spatial Ring. Dan looked awkward while Grace turned speechless and furiously blushed. "Ahem, since we''re done eating, I think it''s time for us to explore..." Natalie lightly coughed and interrupted the damaging silence. Dan shook his head and said, "No, we''re not gonna do that," Glancing at Grace and Natalie, he couldn''t help but sigh in his heart. Lamenting about how popular he became these past months. Just months ago, he was just an otaku living somewhere in the Philippines and doomed to be forever alone. But now, he had a wife, a little daughter and was surrounded by beauties left and right. "Why? There''s so much to know about the Academy, you know?" Natalie lifted an eyebrow and asked for the reason. It was incomprehensible to her that Dan denied his request. After all, it should be his first time inside the Academy and normally, one would be curious. "Why, you ask? Just look at yourself and Grace, and you''ll know the answer..." Dan rolled his eyes and didn''t bother to explain. Natalie understood the meaning of his words and couldn''t help but lift a smile on her lips. "Well, you''re right. If you really did walk towards the crowd with me and Grace beside you, you''ll definitely become the public enemy number one of most males in this Academy..." Her cheeky smile irritated the latter as Dan fiercely replied, "Why are you saying that as if you''re so confident that it would really happen..." Dan''s eyes slightly narrowed and Natalie chuckled in response, "That''s because when you were gone, I actually won a public battle and acquired quite the fame to the extent that everyone recognizes me..." Dan stared at Natalie''s cheeky and teasing expression. If one didn''t know anything and just stared at her visage. One would think that the latter was making fun of the former. But as her husband, Dan knew that it was different as he stretched his hand out and patted her head. "Okay, okay, enough bragging, you just want to be praised, right? Good girl, good girl, you did well..." "What are you..." Natalie blushed and protested for a moment because they were under Grace''s watchful eyes. But when the sensation of Dan''s thick hand brushing through her hair, struck her mind. She narrowed her eyes and enjoyed the sensation while slightly lifting her head. Staring at Natalie''s tender countenance, Dan couldn''t help but chuckle in his heart. Every time he ruffled her hair, it would always be accompanied with back rubs and Dan felt like he was domesticating a cat instead of pampering a human. "Papa, how about Juliet, Juliet has been a good girl, too!" Seeing her mother having a good time under her father''s magical hands. Juliet frowned and intervened at the side. Her pouting expression and desperation to get closer made Dan who witnessed her actions all this while, chuckled in response. "Of course I know that sweetheart, come here," Tapping on his thigh, he said, "How could I forget my little loli?" Juliet transformed into a joyful ball and leaped towards Dan''s thigh, sitting there and laying her head on his chest. "This is bliss~" "Fuah..." Natalie mumbled while Juliet yawned as she felt sleepy. Dan could understand Juliet''s exhaustion since she was just a child and nodded his head in understanding. Stopping his series of head pats and back rubs. The two lifted their heads in a frown as Dan explained. "I can''t let the two of you sleep! We''re still gonna have fun this afternoon..." Dan declared and glanced at Natalie, "Dear, show me your progress when I was gone..." Natalie leaked a small smile, "Of course I will, but do you want to see how strong our Juliet has become, first?" "Juliet?" Dan''s expression flickered, "You trained her?" "Yep," Natalie nodded her head and when Dan asked for the reason. She replied, "Well, you do know that the position of women in this world is lower than men, right? And because of that, women are more vulnerable to abuse and as someone who experienced such things, I don''t really want my daughter to experience what I have experienced..." "At the least, I want her to protect herself..." Dan''s countenance softened and he nodded his head in understanding. Staring at the little girl that looked like she was about to fall to sleep in no time, Dan asked, "Juliet, can you show Papa about how much you learned in your training with Mama?" "Training?" The little girl raised her head and replied in confusion. "Yes, Papa wants to know if Juliet is strong enough to protect herself..." Dan leaked a small smile of encouragement and Juliet finally caught a hold of his meaning as she furiously nodded her head, excitement decorating her visage. "Yes! I can show Papa what I know!" Juliet agreed and the four of them walked towards the Training Grounds of the Fragrant Peak Pavilion. Above a training podium, Dan and Juliet could be seen standing before each other. Juliet changed into a training attire while Dan didn''t bother to change. Darting his gaze at his wife, he asked, "Dear, how far should I suppress my cultivation?" Natalie turned towards him and said, "You should suppress it to the Middle Stage of Flesh Tempering Realm since that''s the best that Juliet can handle. Be careful though, the techniques that Headmaster Mathias trained her in are all gruesome killing techniques..." Her eyes momentarily landed on Dan''s crotch before darting away. Dan clenched his fists when she heard that Mathias taught her daughter some killing kung-fu techniques, ''Damn it how dare that old bag of bones taught my daughter such barbaric techniques! I''ll definitely scold him when we see each other...'' He wryly smiled and shook his head, dispelling his thoughts. Popping sounds rumbled in his body as his cultivation shrunk back at the Middle Stages of the Flesh Tempering Realm. But even though he was weakened. He could still easily kill dozens of mortals with a sweep of his kick. "Mama, should I use everything against Papa?" Juliet turned towards her mother and asked with a wide smile on her face, excited about the prospects of unveiling her newly-gained skills towards her father. "Yep, don''t worry about it, Juliet, I''m sure your Papa can handle pain, just fine..." Natalie''s eyes dangerously narrowed as she glanced at the indifferent Dan. "Dear, if you think that cultivation is everything in a fight, then you''re greatly mistaken. This should teach you a lesson about that..." She mumbled under her breath before shaking her head and staring with anticipation towards the fight. Dan stared at her little daughter and Juliet took a stance. Dan could see something in her stance for a moment but he decided to disregard it. After all, Juliet was just a young child. Even if she really learned something in the past weeks, she still couldn''t possibly defeat someone like him who repeatedly experienced life and death battles. "I''ll just approach her then send a palm strike at her right arm..." Dan made the first move. Opening his palm, he sent it towards Juliet''s right arm in a speed that could only be considered as average. Natalie''s lips leaked a small smile and Dan''s eyes widened in shock when he realized that Juliet suddenly caught his wrist in mid-air using her right hand. Though his movements were slow, it should still be imperceptible for children. How did Juliet catch my wrist in one fell swoop and with such godly accuracy? Dan screamed in his mind as Juliet turned right at a 180-degree angle, struck his center of gravity and made use of the force to push him forward, sending him crashing towards the ground. Bam! Dust flew towards the skies and when it cleared up, Dan still laid there staring at the skies. His mind was still processing everything that happened and apparently. He couldn''t believe what just happened. The four motions that Juliet did that sent him crashing on the ground was done in a vivid and fluid manner as if it wasn''t a child that executed such maneuvers. Clicking his tongue, a small smile lifted on his face as he said, "So you taught Natalie some self-defense techniques? Did you teach her what to do in all sorts of situations?" Dan turned towards Natalie with a wry smile on his face. "Yes, Senior and I taught her everything that we could, and that is the result..." Natalie stuck her chest out and nodded her head. A smug smile decorated her lips. "Hmmph, So that''s the reason why..." Dan snorted. With the help of an expert like Mathias. It wouldn''t be strange if Juliet could defeat cultivators at the Flesh Tempering Realm as a mortal. However, according to Natalie. Not even a month has passed since Juliet learned these techniques. There should be something that Juliet was vulnerable of and Dan needed to find and correct it. Standing before Juliet once again, Dan formulated a plan inside his mind. With the next several seconds, Dan pounced at his daughter, sending a palm strike at her right area once again. Juliet''s figure shook and her arms moved to catch his palm in mid-air. But before Juliet could do so, Dan retracted his palm and sent his left hand in an attack at her left side instead. Though it looked shameless using such a feint towards a child. Dan was there to test Juliet''s battle prowess. Juliet became stunned but soon regained her state of mind as she slapped Dan''s away with the back of her right hand before closing in with her right foot and with her elbows bent. Sent a fierce strike at Dan''s abdomen. Guah! "How fast..." Dan sharply inhaled, his eyes could only process Juliet''s movements but his body was unable to stop it. By the time that it clicked to him. Juliet''s elbows have inflicted its damage. Kneeling on the ground in pain, Dan didn''t know whether to laugh or to cry. But he still stood up and despite Juliet''s urgings, continued on the challenge. Guah! Fail. Guah! Fail! Guah! Fail. After the fifth try, Dan finally gave up and sprawled on the ground. Juliet leaked a proud smile on her face while Natalie rubbed salt on his wounds, "Juliet, your Papa is hurting, go and console him!" Juliet''s expression flickered, she became confused as to why her father would be hurt instead of feeling happy and proud. But still, when she saw her father''s heartbroken and tragic expression, she moved forward and patted his head as if saying that everything was okay and he was a good boy. "Fuck me..." Dan cursed himself for being so powerless that he was beaten up by his daughter. Natalie stood before him but didn''t say anything. Dan stared at her for a moment as memories of the recent fight surfaced in his mind. Earlier, no matter how many tricks Dan did towards his daughter such as feints, and sudden strength increase, it never worked and he was still smashed on the ground. Thinking about it now, Dan finally understood why he lost to his daughter. It was the difference between techniques. From the memories of the previous owner of this body. Dan had numerous techniques, but didn''t really use it to train, believing that as long as you got the higher cultivation, you will definitely prevail. But now that his daughter knocked him down a peg. Dan wryly smiled, lifted his head and stared at his wife before saying, "So this is the reason why you wanted me to fight against Juliet? I understand," Natalie leaked a small smile on her lips. Her eyes shone in a light of satisfaction. "I understand everything now so..." Reaching the end of his sentence, Dan suddenly turned red and looked reluctant to continue. "So?" Natalie lifted an eyebrow. "So..." Dan looked away from her gaze. "So? just say it already..." Natalie urged him and Dan took a deep breath before announcing. "Can you help me train my battle techniques?" Dan hung her head low, ashamed that he was asking someone that should rely upon him, for help. "Help you train your battle techniques?" Natalie turned her head towards the opposite direction, "I sure could, but I am quite strict, you know? Will you be fine with that?" "Of course I will be, I can do anything as long as I improve and acquire the strength that I desire..." Dan lifted a smile on his lips and Natalie''s figure shook for a moment before she stretched her hand out and said. "I accept your proposal, but prepare yourself, the training that I acquired from Headmaster Mathias that is tailored for you is harsher than Juliet''s." 120 The Five Grand Daos "There''s no need for that, Mistress Natalie..." A somber voice echoed behind them and they shivered in shock. Turning around, they found the Servant of the Longinus Clan, George Longinus staring at Natalie with a darkened expression on his face. "Aside from you that only possessed a Pseudo Bloodline Inheritance of our Longinus Clan. Young master, a direct descendant doesn''t need such teachings..." George harshly glared at Natalie and the pressure of a Divine Ascendance Realm bored on her, staggering her backward. Dan''s expression flickered and he stood up and supported her from behind. Dan stared at George in incomprehension, why did this old man become so unreasonable and unpredictable? He thought in his mind. "He can only excel using the techniques of the Longinus Clan, we don''t need the teachings of those pagans..." Old George snorted and clapped his hand as the scenery around him and Dan distorted. Within a blink of an eye, Dan found himself standing above a waterfall with Old George beside him. "Ermm, Mister George...I just arrived, can I take some time to rest and maybe get back to my family..." Dan awkwardly scratched his head, he didn''t dare to stare right into his eyes. After all, George was a fabled Divine Ascendance Realm cultivator and someone that could easily turn everything upside down inside this Empire. Dan didn''t understand how a normally subservient servant like him would take everything in his own palms. But no matter how much he wanted to object. He could not do so out of fear. "Let me explain to young master about his defeat in his fight against his daughter..." Old George gave a light cough and two rocks protruded. Taking a seat, he gestured and Dan did the same. "The Physical Technique that little Juliet trained in is called the Traversing Seas technique. It is quite a profound technique which contains traces of the Water Laws and subtle traces of the Great Dao of Life. Does the young master knows about the Daos?" Dan''s expression knitted for a moment. As an avid reader of xianxia and wuxia novels, Dan knew about Daos but he wasn''t sure if there was any difference between it in this world. Thinking for a moment, he shook his head and denied. "Of course, the Daos are something that couldn''t easily be perceived by anyone if they are not pointed towards it. It would be strange if the young master knows about it..." George leaked a small smile on his face and Dan gave a small smile, albeit wry. "Okay, let me tell you the tale of the Great Five Daos." Clearing his throat, a clear expression lifted on the old man''s face as he continued, "The Great Five Daos are composed of the following Grand Daos. Space, Time, Life, Death, and Intent." "These five Great Daos are elusive and it is considered impossible for someone to completely comprehend their mysteries. However, some parts could definitely be comprehended and once a cultivator did so. Their battle prowess would exceed those of the same rank and they would basically be a carp that leaped through the dragon''s gate..." "However, the occurrences of such miracles are scarce and most cultivators only settled for the Upper Daos, such as the Dao of Light, Darkness, Lightning and more..." "The number of Daos in the world couldn''t be counted by anyone and the Dao exists everywhere. It is only a matter of belief whether a Dao could form or not. Heck, there''s even the Dao of Brick that the Great Human Emperor created in ancient times..." "Meaning, as long as a cultivator has enough determination and beliefs. They could pave their own path instead of relying on others. That''s how a cultivator should be..." "Free, without any restraints and worries. That''s the ultimate life that everyone strives for..." George''s eyes flashed in a light of brilliance. But when he glanced at Dan, it slightly dimmed as he sighed, "But you, young master..." Dan knitted his eyebrows, his body couldn''t help but tremble and his breathing, hastened along with it. Perhaps, Did I do something wrong to irk this old man? Dan shook his head after he went over his memories. "You actually let yourself be shackled with mortal affairs and even got a daughter!" George expressed his disappointment over Dan''s life choices. At first, Dan was a free man. But now that he had Juliet and Natalie, Dan had to move in accordance with their safety and they could also be his weakness in crucial times. Dan lifted his head and stared right into George''s eyes, "Mister George, why are you scolding me for that? Have you ever experienced falling in love?" "Ugh..." George almost spat a mouthful of saliva as he sharply exhaled. As someone who cultivated on the path of demonic cultivation. George always had a chilly air surrounding his body and paired with his introvert attitude, interested women could never approach him and he never even cared in the first place. Back at those times, George only focused on cultivation and his world almost collapsed when he realized that hard work wasn''t enough on the path of martial cultivation. One also needed destiny, else one will never succeed. Now that he was an old bag of bones, who would still accept him? Even the silhouette that he was familiar at that day and whom he mercilessly denied will never accept him once more... His eyes turned slightly melancholic and Dan could feel the cold sensation that wafted out from George''s body. It was obvious that George was undergoing an intense emotional upheaval. And Dan was the one to blame for that. "Haaah..." George sighed before saying, "Forget what I said, Let''s just continue on our discussion about the Dao..." George started talking and explained the logic and reasoning behind the Dao that governed everything under the heavens. Though he looked enthusiastic, the tone that he used couldn''t compare to before. "In summarization, the young master shouldn''t underestimate himself in the first place. Remember, you possess a Noble Bloodline Inheritance, a solid cultivation foundation, a Divine Art, a Heaven Grade Defensive Artifact and countless offensive artifact!" "What the young master lacks is the technique necessary to efficiently utilize all of these advantages for the young master''s own!" George proudly declared and a gleam of excitement shone in Dan''s eyes as his breathing turned into ragged pants. "Then..." "Mister George, you..." "You''re going to teach me?" Dan abruptly stood up like an excited student that met a prodigy. With shining lights within his eyes, George lightly chuckled and said, "Look at you, looking all excited and stuff, I still haven''t told you what I am going to do with you..." "Okay, then tell me now, what should I do?" Dan urged him as Dan continuously shook like a trembling leaf. George pointed on the thin stream of water where they stood. Dan followed his finger and moved closer to the edge and suddenly sucked a breath of fresh air. The stream of water looked thin but when they pooled together at the edge, they looked enormous and the water that they deposited down could surely crush anyone under it. "Wait, this kind of development...Could it be that..." Dan had a premonition inside his mind. However, he anticipated such development, after all, that kind of training wasn''t as exhausting and a hassle such as running towards a mountain peak. "Indeed, that''s right! I will have you stay under that waterfall and you should endure at least ten minutes, under it!" George clapped his hands with a smile on his face. Dan''s expression brightened, ''Just ten minutes? It looks like I can pass this without any hitch...'' He thought in his mind. "So, how about it, young master? Shall we start now?" George wore a strange expression and an ambiguous smile decorated his face. The excited Dan that didn''t know anything about the old man''s schemes hurriedly followed him like an obedient pupil. In the next instant, Dan stripped his clothes off and he found himself standing above a boulder and per George''s instructions. Sat cross-legged above it. "Endure it for ten minutes, okay?" George cheered at him from a distance as a confident smile lifted on Dan''s face. Feeling the sensation of the waterfall striking his back and the coldness of the water. Dan gauged that he could easily withstand ten minutes under it. Heck, he could even withstand an hour if he wanted to. At the distance, George stared at Dan''s smiling figure and couldn''t help but shake his head as his small smile turned vicious. Pointing up in the air, he shouted. "Blessing of the Lightning God: God''s Thunderous Punishment!" BOOM! A bolt of dark lightning descended from the skies and struck the waterfall. Followed by a miserable shriek which disturbed even those gods at the high heavens itself. 121 Anger of the Lightning God An inhumane howl reverberated across the entire forest. The surrounding beasts hurriedly dispersed when they felt the surging uncontestable might of a Divine Ascendance Realm Elder. If one looked from a bird''s eye view. One could see that only this part of the forest had a jet-black patch of clouds hovering over it. From the clouds cascaded a constant supply of dark lightning which electrified the poor bastard who started squirming like a worm and howling like a pig. His skin tore off and his eyes bulged as George clapped his hands and dissipated the dark clouds above them. Dan''s body looked like a charred piece of steak as he laid flat above the boulder like an exhausted animal awaiting his death. In a moment''s notice, George appeared before him and said, "Didn''t young master say that he can last ten minutes? Why is it that you collapsed under ten breaths?" George shook his head in an exaggerated manner as Dan grind his teeth and tightly clenched his fists in indignance. "You didn''t say that you will electrocute me..." Dan groaned amidst his pain as George lightly chuckled, "Stop joking with me, young master...How I am supposed to temper your body without cooking it from the inside?" He even tapped Dan''s shoulders and his amiable expression paired with the light within his eyes shook Dan''s body to his core. "Well, forgive me if it was too painful, but without doing this, you won''t even be able to use any of the techniques that I will teach you since they are all double-edged swords..." George shook his head regretfully and stared at Dan for indications of him giving up. Dan lifted his head and stared at him before saying, "Double-edged swords? Wait, could it be that those techniques are mutual destruction techniques?" "Exactly!" George clapped his hands and Dan roared, "Fucking hell! Then that would require me to possess a physique stronger than my enemy or else I will just be courting my own death!" "Yeah, exactly! That''s the reason why I am tempering you here..." George rolled his eyes, how else would you defeat your enemy if your body is weaker than his? That was common sense. "At least show me how the technique looks like..." Dan moaned but didn''t argue anymore, after all, though the techniques were dual-edged swords, at the least, it could help him improve his strength. "Fine, since you''re curious about it, I''ll satisfy you for once..." George stood up and cracked his knuckles and neck upon stretching his body. His old figure floated before the waterfall and looked down at the reservoir below it. "Young master, I''ll show you the evidence that cultivators could really dry out the seas and sunder the skies..." George mysteriously smiled and lifted his right arm and opened a palm. "I will wrap a string of reinforced deep sea gold frequently used in cultivator bows so that you can see how much damage is done to my body after executing the technique..." Using his left hand, George wrapped a substantial amount of golden threads around his right forearm before raising it towards the skies once again. "Anger of the Lightning God: Capsizing the Seas!" With a bestial howl from his throat, a domineering pressure enveloped his right arm. The air around him collapsed and almost all creatures in the surrounding three hundred kilometers felt a pressure boring down their very own souls. As George''s palm strike moved down, a faint silhouette of his own figure could be seen with his arms crossed. Staring towards the creatures below with a condescending look. The palm strike itself looked simple. But the blaring warning notifications from the system and the palpitating sense of danger that screamed inside his mind told him that if he met that palm strike head-on. There would be no chance of survival. Only certain death was awaiting him. BOOM! A massive explosion ensued. Dan''s eardrums exploded and all the sound in the world disappeared along with a splash of water which surged towards the skies, reaching up to two hundred meters. Regaining his balance, Dan looked below and found that the water reservoir below looked empty with all the waters evaporated. Even the flow of water from the waterfall had temporarily stopped under George''s presence. With him floating above it, the waterfall didn''t dare to spew any water. Afraid that George may annihilate it from existence. Dan''s vision swam and the distinct pressure that emanated from George''s body made him dizzy. But at the same time, the light within his eyes burned as fiercely as ever as he thought, "What would happen if I could execute the same technique as George could? I would be an uncontested powerhouse in this entire Empire!" He screamed in his mind. "What do you think? Cool, right?" George gave a small smile and the pressure that constantly surrounded his body disappeared. BOOM! Another deafening explosion reverberated as Dan and George found themselves soaked by the freshwater that descended from the skies. The water reservoir received its waters back and the waterfall once again started its supply. George descended from the skies and said, "So if you want to have that kind of power, I will need to temper your body, then train you in the techniques of the Lightning God namely, Blessing of the Lightning God, Anger of the Lightning God, and the Clouds of the Lightning God." "These three techniques if mastered will make you an all-around fighter of the Longinus Clan. And training in these techniques will also give you the chance to enlighten yourself with the Upper Dao of Lightning." George said to him and Dan''s expression flickered, urging George, he took the initiative and leaped towards the bottom of the waterfall from the top. George shook his head, "I am beginning to think that young master is just doing this for the sake of young mistress..." Remembering the deeds of debauchery that Dan did at the City of Cloud. George knew more than anyone about his young master''s pervertedness. Shaking his head, he followed him and pointed towards the skies when he saw that he was ready. "I''ll be attacking the water now, young master..." George signaled and Dan prepared his body as the former shouted. "Blessing of the Lightning God: God''s Thunderous Punishment!" BANG! A bolt of dark lightning descended from a jet-black cloud and electrocuted Dan who howled miserably in pain. His body shivered and his countenance repeatedly changed in colors such as green, red and black. George moved his hand down. The dark lightning stopped. "Young master, you need to stop shouting and focus on circulating all of those precious Lightning essences throughout your body so that it could temper it...There''s not much use if you''re just using it as a bath..." George reprimanded and Dan stared at him indignance, "Fucking hell, I also need to absorb it and circulate it inside my body?! Just imagining it gives me the pain..." Dan''s face looked tragic, but for the sake of acquiring the ultimate move that he just saw and returning back to his wife as soon as possible. Dan sat cross-legged as George smiled and. Bang! "AAAAAAAHHHHHH!" Dan instantly went into super-Saiyan and shouted like mad-man. Clenching his fists until his nails bored into his palm. Dan managed to suppress his howling, but he still couldn''t concentrate enough and visualize his body. At the thirtieth time, George stared at Dan in concern but the latter said, "GEOOORRRGGGEEE! Continue!!! I''ll show you the power of someone that wants to get laid!" He shouted his battle cry and George continued his attacks. This process continued for dozens of times. And it only stopped when George gave him some advice. But even so, it took Dan, five hundred and sixty-nine tries until he could concentrate enough and another three hundred and twenty-one tries to circulate the lightning inside his body. "Good boy, good boy, you''re a genius, it didn''t even take you a day to finish the task that I required you to do..." George nodded his head in approval while Dan looked like he wanted to die. "Yeah...It didn''t take a day, but the number of times that you electrocuted me should''ve surpassed at least half a thousand..." Dan didn''t know whether to laugh or to cry when he thought about the moments where the lightning almost made him a eunuch when it circulated near his lance. Who knows what would Natalie''s reaction be when it happened. George stared at Dan with a wry smile on his face, "the Young master is even more of a monster than what I expected. But since he had that bloodline, It should be as expected instead of it being unexpected..." He thought in his mind. "Okay, since we have tempered your body quite enough for your cultivation base. Tempering it more will just crack your already solid foundation so let''s hold that off until you breakthrough the next realm." George clapped his hands together and Dan heaved a great sigh of relief. Finally, I am relieved of that hell... Dan didn''t even want to stand up, but the prospects of having the technique which evaporated the water reservoir earlier made him energized as he listened like an obedient child. "Listen here, young master, the Anger of the Lightning God makes use of Lightning stored within our muscles to increase the speed and destructive capabilities of our attacks. Which means, if you master it, you will be undefeatable in close combat quarters at least against those of the same ranks..." George explained and Dan became even more hyped. "Okay let''s not waste any more time, follow my movements and memorize it..." George took a stance and stretched his right arm forward before moving his left and placing it in parallel with the right. With a swift movement of his right foot. He stepped forward and backward with the left as a thunderous sound echoed from his right arm. The swift movements alone generated a thunderous sound. It goes to show how strong George''s boundary and understanding of the technique was. Dan smirked, he had recorded George''s movements inside the system and had no problems using it. George''s expression looked weird and indescribable when he saw Dan following his movements without any waste nor mistakes, just how is he doing it? He thought in his mind. But in the end, the only explanation that he created and he could accept was that Dan''s genius when it comes to techniques and cultivation raised his comprehension so high that he could remember a set of movements as long as he saw it once. This hastened the training the process and within just two days, Dan finally mastered the first boundary of the Anger of the Lightning God. The Roaring Thunder in Flesh. Standing before George. Dan took a deep breath and swiftly executed a set of moves that he vigorously trained for the past several hours. Bang~! A roar of thunder resonated inside his fist and when it struck George''s chest. A fierce shockwave battered everything around them. Though Dan couldn''t possibly do any damage to George''s body. He knew that if George was the Captain Demonic Dragon bastard. The latter would have no possible chance for survival. Staring at his still smoking and aching fist. Dan lifted his head and gazed towards the skies, before roaring in excitement and satisfaction! I did it! I finally did it! I successfully trained the first boundary of the Anger of the Lightning God! Dan was finally one step closer to his goal of being stronger than his wife. 122 Cloud of the Lightning God George maintained an indifferent expression throughout the entire ordeal. Despite Dan''s oozing excitement, his visage looked poised and unyielding. Hiding all the astonishment that he felt inside his heart. "I really didn''t expect that the considered scum of a young master of the City of Cloud would actually possess such talent and comprehension pertaining to cultivation." Just several months ago, Dan was someone that could never be considered as someone special and unique. And so many citizens despised him because of his habit of kidnapping girls and deflowering them. Fortunately, Dan from the Modern Day Earth transmigrated in this body and thus, the change. "Since young master is at the realm of the Roaring Thunder in Flesh, we don''t have much time to consolidate your realm at the Anger of the Lightning God Boundary. So I''ll just teach you how the sole movement technique of the Lightning God Divine Art, works." Staring at Dan''s visage, George knew that the reason why he comprehended everything so quickly was that of his desire to return back to the Paradyne Academy and become intimate with his wife. Though it made him speechless, having a motivation for working wasn''t necessarily bad. Taking a deep breath, George flew from the top of the waterfall towards the skies. His body didn''t emanate any traces of Spiritual Qi but when he reached the area before the waterfall. He mumbled under his breath, "Cloud of the Lightning God!" The name of the movement technique was Cloud of the Lightning God, but what came out from George''s body wasn''t a cloud but an azure dragon that coiled around his body and brought him inside the waterfall. The azure dragon protected him from the cascading waters. Forming a cavity where he safely floated inside. With a will in his part, he returned back to the top of the waterfall with the azure dragon in tow. Dan stared at George with shock visible on his face. Witnessing someone suddenly arrive before him above an azure dragon was a scene that could compare with those wuxia novels that he read back in his previous life. Excitement bubbled inside his heart, just how awesome would it be if I can fly my own dragon and soar through the universe? His body shivered in anticipation towards the movement technique. George obviously saw the excitement inside Dan''s heart as a small smile lifted on his lips. "Before I start teaching you the circulation method of this technique, let me first teach you the idea behind this technique." George clapped his hand and sat on a stone chair that manifested before him. "Young master, what do Gods, do?" Dan knitted his eyebrows, the question that George asked him was a simple one, yet it contained numerous possible answers and if he answered carelessly, George may scold and berate him. Thinking for a moment, he decided to go for the most common answer. "Create. Gods create." Dan nodded his head and answered. The small smile on George''s lips intensified as he continued, "Indeed! Gods create! With a flick of their wrist, they could create anything under the heavens, but likewise, with the flick of their wrist, they could annihilate everything under their eyes." "The Cloud of the Lightning God technique relies on the user''s power of imagination, as well as understanding towards the creature, item, or anything that he imagined coming into being." "In other words, the Cloud of the Lightning God movement technique can create all sorts of vehicles that could be appropriately used by the user. It is one of the most versatile movement technique under the heavens. It could even transform the user''s body into something as small as an ant. But of course, that''s when the boundary reached is high enough..." George rattled on and explained the Cloud of the Lightning God technique. Dan''s excitement intensified even further, "The Cloud of the Lightning God enables me to create anything and use it as a transportation device using just my imagination? That''s neat..." Though it sounded ridiculous, the advantages of the Cloud of the Lightning God was there. But Dan needed time to confirm it as he hurriedly urged George and started his comprehension process of the technique. Long enough, arcs of lightning coiled around his body and repeatedly jumped around. Eventually, they looked dense enough and formed an abstract figure of something that George couldn''t understand. Dan''s forehead became filled with dotted sweats and his eyebrows locked in a frown. His faintly trembling body indicated the difficulty of the process. Buzz~! The arc of lightning dissipated along with the abstract figure as Dan sprawled on the ground and sighed towards the skies. He could vividly imagine the image of the figure that he wanted to create. But when it comes to creating the smaller parts of the complete part, he struggled and had a hard time replicating it. Stretching his body, a small smile lifted on his lips. At the least, he reached the first boundary of the Cloud of the Lightning God in just thirty-six hours of constant contemplation and trial and error. Stretching his body, he walked near the edge of the waterfall and leaped down as arcs of lightning formed around his body. "Cloud of the Lightning God: Bubble Submarine!" This was the first creation that Dan made when he officially reached the first boundary of the Cloud of the Lightning God technique. Striking the waters below. A sizzling sound reverberated in his ears and his eyes widened in surprise and excitement when he realized that the waters couldn''t enter the area around him. Dan could see what everything looked like underwater. The numerous freshwater fishes floating by and the beautiful rock formations around him. He was entranced by the scene that he saw. After strolling underwater for about thirty minutes, Dan realized that the bubble submarine that he made started to flicker and he reluctantly resurfaced, flying towards the top of the waterfall where George awaited his arrival. "Congratulations, young master, you have finally reached the first boundary of the Cloud of the Lightning God, as well as the Anger of the Lightning God techniques." George clapped his hands. Though it felt and looked lonely, the amiable smile on his face and the slight wrinkles that leaked along with it, gave Dan a deep sense of warmth and familiarity. "Thank you, George. I never expected that I would comprehend everything so fast...'' Dan expressed his thanks and cupped his hands together. Scratching his head, he said, "If not for the fact that I became a pious reader of the books and has buried myself for several months in our Library, I would be so clueless when it comes to the Laws of the World." The two started talking to each other. Their faces relaxed and it looked like they didn''t come here for training but for a picnic instead. George even plucked some birds that flew past their heads and roasted them along with some fruits and two gourds of fine wine. "With this, the young master will definitely become an all-rounder fighter and should be undefeatable against those with the same cultivation. But of course, I do hope that this doesn''t make you conceited, after all, we''re not undefeatable..." "I see," Dan sipped a mouthful of fine wine, "Then, George, can you tell me the weakness of our Divine Art?" George lifted a small smile on his face and said, "We have a supreme movement technique, and our offensive technique could be said to be as the strongest, but our defenses are abysmal. Almost all fighters of the Longinus Clan doesn''t face their enemies head-on. After all, we have fragile bodies." A light shone in Dan''s eyes, "Not fighting head-on? What a coincidence, that''s my specialty!" He exclaimed in his heart, as someone that possessed such a cheat called the Assassination System that could easily unravel the weakness of his enemies and even guide him to it, Dan was someone that had the potential to become the strongest Assassin. "Now that I think about it, George, why did you summon me so abruptly? You could''ve just gave me several days to enjoy with my family..." Dan still felt wronged about George''s abrupt nature when it comes to dealing with things. Just a month ago, he also did the same and sent him to the Merchant Town of Kalur. "Well, those actions of mine are not without reason. Last time, it was to make sure that you can acquire the Inheritance key of the Shadow God Inheritance Trial, and now, it''s because I don''t have much time left before the Master orders me to come back..." "Come back?" Dan lifted an eyebrow towards these words. George nodded his head and downed his cup of fine wine before continuing, "Indeed, I will be coming back with the Master towards the Continent of the Divine, that''s the reason why I am rushing your development," "Wait, what? This is new to me, why are the two of you suddenly going back?" Dan asked with anxiousness, he heard about the Continent of the Divine but never knew where it was located and how someone could arrive there. George realized Dan''s apprehension but shook his head and said, "Young master, I know that you have so many questions in your heart, but please understand that you are still too weak. You''re still unqualified to learn about the matters of the Divine Realm." "Then, when could I be considered as qualified to learn about it..." Dan asked with knitted eyebrows. George stared at him for a moment as a satisfied smile leaked on his lips and said, "You are welcome to ask any questions once you reach the Realm of the Divine Ascendance." "Welcome to ask any questions? Will both of you come back in the near future when I achieve that realm?" Dan asked with expectations, but George shook his head and said, "No, we won''t be coming back," Taking a sealed letter from his chest pocket, he handed it over at Dan and said, "When the time of your breakthrough comes, open that letter and you will understand everything." The letter looked average, but Dan couldn''t open, nor pierce it with his perception no matter what he did. [Failed! Reason: Unknown Interference] "I understand, I won''t ask anything anymore. But now that everything is over, can you bring me back to the Academy? I feel quite tired and I miss them already..." Dan yawned and stretched his body, staring at the waterfall and the scene around him, a small smile lifted on his lips when he thought about the several days that he spent training his body. "Not yet, young master, I still have to assess how much you learned these past days and your overall attitude when it comes to killing and especially, your morality," George interjected at the side and his eyes pierced through the air as a bestial roar disturbed everything around them. "It looks like the two groups are finally here," The earth itself trembled and George flew towards the skies, darting his gaze back at Dan, he said, "I will be observing everything, young master, so I do hope that you''re gonna show me something that is worthy of a demonic cultivator..." His figure vanished in thin air. Leaving the confused and astounded Dan staring at the horizon with a blank expression on his face. 123 Thousand Swords Sec In the Continent of Dawn, in the world of Azure Sky. Numerous powers, such as clans, sects and groups governed all sorts of regions and created a society where humans could live in peace without any fear for beasts and the dangers that nature bestows upon its residents. The Greed of humans knows no bounds and as a power stretches its regions out. Conflicts were inevitable along with rivalries that spanned numerous thousands of years. One of them was the rivalry between the Paradyne Academy and the Thousand Swords Sect. Legend says that the First Patriarch of the Thousand Swords Sect and the First Headmaster of the Paradyne Academy were brothers that swore loyalty to each other, but something happened in the middle which made them oppose and hate each other to the extent that they became irreconcilable. Of course, the descendants of the two powers never meet each other eye to eye and would try to kill each other whenever they meet. That was how deep the enmity that they had and it was something that couldn''t be solved with just a simple treaty or meeting. Somewhere inside the Great Forest of Manzur, a group of azure-robed disciples could be seen surrounding a group of fiery-robed disciples of the Paradyne Academy. The leader of these azure-robed disciples was a young man in his late teens. The disciples of the Paradyne Academy looked exhausted and bedraggled. They threw all ideas of resisting in hopes of preserving their energies for a chance of escape. Glancing at their Senior Brother Kwydin whose body was riddled with numerous wounds of different sizes. Their expressions hardened and they hid their resentment deep inside their hearts. "Damn, the women of that dog shit Academy really are beautiful..." A male disciple of the Thousand Swords Sect blatantly stretched his hand out and started groping a female disciple of the Academy that madly struggled under his hold. "You bastard! Get your hands off her!" A male disciple of the Academy shouted, anger visible on his face and his fists tightly clenched until it bled. Staring at his sister disciple being molested right before his eyes. He felt bitter and useless. "Your tongue is so vicious, how about we remove that for you..." The male disciple of the Thousand Swords Sect unsheathed his sword and the female disciple''s eyes widened in shock as she shouted, "No, don''t come near him! You can touch me so please don''t go and hurt him!" The two disciples of the Paradyne Academy stared at each other and the male one said, "Don''t say that Christine, a man may be defeated but will never be humiliated! I will protect my woman on my own!" He screamed and bit down on the tip of his tongue. A mouthful of blood essence flew from his mouth and infused his body as a tempest of Spiritual Qi materialized around him. "Hahaha," The male disciple of the Thousand Swords Sect laughed out loud, his fellow disciples stared at the commotion and when they saw that it was him that was going to handle it. They lost interest and returned to their task. "How foolish, with Senior Brother One Strike handling them all, there''s literally no chance for them to escape, so why struggle?" They shook their heads as they thought in their minds. "So both of you are lovers? How interesting, how amusing! How amusing it is to see you struggle under my grasp..." The male disciple clad in azure-robes returned his sword back in his scabbard before drawing it once again. But this time, everyone''s eyes widened in shock. For they saw a sharp and cold glint that swept past the neck of their fellow disciple of the Academy as the latter who sacrificed his blood essence held his throat with widened eyes of despair. The molested disciple cried out in anguish. "No! Jonathan! Jonathan!" She leaped at his direction and pushed her hands on his neck, intent on keeping his head from falling down his shoulders. However, her hands instead generated a force which sent the head of Jonathan flying backward and rolling on the ground. His body followed suit and fell to the ground with a deep thud. "Why..." The molested disciple fell on her knees with her eyes looking lifeless and blank. "Why do you have to kill him?" She asked, and the azure-robed disciple, One Strike, replied. "Why, you say? Do I even need a reason to dispose of our hostages? You guys are now our possessions, remember your place..." He coldly spat before moving towards her direction. Her fellow disciples looked tragic and their eyes reddened in utmost anger and rage. However, remembering the single strike that the young man utilized against their fellow disciple, Jonathan. The force that they accumulated, dissipated and they could only sit and watch him drag their sister disciple towards the woods. Anguish moans and ragged pantings soon emanated out from the woods and everyone from the Paradyne Academy shivered in complete rage and anger. If not for the fact that their dantians were tightly sealed. They would''ve pounced like crazy beasts towards their enemies, already. Senior Brother Kwydin''s eyes shone in a crimson light and a blood red tear fell from his eye down to his chin. His expression looked indifferent, yet the cold and desolate aura that enveloped his body indicated his rage. The fellow disciples of Senior Brother One Strike snickered, "Damn it, Senior Brother just went on and had some fun on his own! I told you that we can just snatch some of them and vent our own stress!" They scanned their gazes on them, particularly the women whose expression turned terrified. The male disciples crawled and stood before the females with venomous expressions on their faces. "Hey, bastard! You''re not the one that I am looking at, step aside!" A brash disciple unsheathed his sword and sliced across the face of the male disciple as the latter howled and fell on the ground while holding his left hand to his eye. The shock from the attack, the stress, and the pain, combined made him lose his consciousness. "Trash!" The attacker spat a mouthful of saliva and rubbed it on the fainted disciple''s face before moving towards a female disciple and dragging her towards the woods. Wooom~! The earth suddenly trembled and a huge commotion surged throughout the entire forest. The birds that calmly stood atop tree branches scattered, forming a dense web of panicked birds that hurriedly left the area. "What''s going on? Is some kind of a beast king, coming?" The disciples vigilantly glanced around the area with their hands holding the swords on their waists. "We''re in luck! We''re in luck!" Senior Brother One Strike''s voice echoed and his robe still looked bedraggled when he returned. When the disciples of the Paradyne Academy saw his return and noticed his appearance and the bloodstained sword that they held. They felt like their hearts were being crushed. The female disciple, Christine which kept their morale high while they journeyed together in this vast land, was now dead. Along with her lover whom she swore eternity with. Both of them could never fulfill their wishes anymore. "You bastard! What did you with Junior Sister, Christine?!" A male disciple howled in anguish, his expression pained and his eyes looked misty and reddened. "Christine? Ah, that woman? Damn, she really was a good one. She kept denying me at first, but when I placed it in, her moans were phenomenal. But it''s such a shame that she started thrashing about when I reached my climax and my hands accidentally killed her." Senior Brother One Strike''s expression turned lecherous as he savored the memories that he had with Christine. Sob~ Sob~ The remaining five or so women of the Paradyne Academy started sobbing, forming a chorus which irritated him. "If all of you keeps on crying like there''s no end, I will personally put an end to your cries..." Instantly, every one of them calmed down as they buried their heads within each other''s shoulders. The slight trembling of their bodies indicated that they were still crying. Nevertheless, they tried their best and muffled their cries. "Senior Brother One Strike, just what it is that you saw in the woods that you became so excited?" An azure-robed disciple clasped his hands together and said, Senior Brother One Strike''s expression, brightened, "Yeah, that''s right! Everyone! I saw a nearby Ape Vampire and not only that, but it also has a cultivation of the Divine Soul Realm so almost all of its parts can be sold at a high price!" The world of Azure Sky had innumerable mysterious creatures that roamed the lands. Most of them could be hunted and sold for Spirit Stones, and one of them was the Ape Vampire whose species was notorious for possessing a Flame Elemental Core that could be used for bottlenecks. "However, Senior Brother, you do know that an Ape Vampire is a smart creature and had surely placed numerous traps around its territory..." The same disciple asked with concern. Senior Brother One Strike''s lifted his head and revealed a vicious smile. "The Ape Vampire is a species of an Ape that liked the blood of the humans, the most. Particularly, the blood of women. So, if we want to lure them, we need women that we could use as sacrificial lambs..." His voice wasn''t suppressed and everyone could hear it including those disciples of the Paradyne Academy. Instantly, the female disciples of the Paradyne Academy madly crawled towards the direction of their Senior Brother Kwydin with tears streaming down their eyes. "No, please, don''t sacrifice us! We don''t wanna die, we don''t wanna die..." These women of the Paradyne Academy never experienced such hardships and could hardly contain their emotions. Kwrydin swept over his gaze at the five or so women and protected them behind him. "Bastard, just dare to do that and I swear that I will annihilate you and your entire clan, someday..." Senior Brother Kwydin viciously cursed. Senior Brother One Strike lightly chuckled before unsheathing his sword, "Really? Annihilate me and my entire clan? Are you sure that you can do that in your current state?" He moved closer and only when he and Kwydin were centimeters before each other did he stopped and stared right into his cold and raging eyes. "Don''t make me laugh." Senior Brother One Strike coldly spat before his lackeys swiftly captured the female disciples under Kwydin''s helpless eyes. Witnessing their wretched expressions of despair and their pleading cries. Kwydin felt heartbroken and thought about how everything has come into this. Back then, they were finding their way out of the forest before they fell into a trap placed by these despicable bastards of the Thousand Swords Sect. Since he was sealed, he could only watch as One Strike brought the hysterical and struggling women towards the direction of the Ape Vampire''s territory. Staring on One Strike''s back, Kwydin made an oath, an oath which will ultimately cause the destruction of the Thousand Swords Sect under the Sword Sovereign Kwydin''s hands. 124 One Strikes Hear When the disciples from the Thousand Swords Sect entered the territory of the Ape Vampire. The air that surrounded them, changed. The vibrant light of the sun dimmed and the gentle breeze of the wind turned cold. The liveliness of the forest also disappeared, replaced by an eerie air of loneliness and sadness. Everything looked bleak, even the normally luscious fruits that hung on tree branches looked animated and unreal. The disciples felt that the circulation of their Spiritual Qi was suppressed and Senior Brother One Strike clicked his tongue. A monster that could suppress its enemy by its aura alone was something that could only be subdued by Elder Level Cultivators. But if they backed down now and reported it back to the Sect. The rewards that they would acquire for the information would pale in comparison to what they would obtain if they personally slay the beast. His fellow disciples also looked uneasy, while those female disciples from the Paradyne Academy, continuously trembled in fear for what was about to happen to them. Smiling viciously, Senior Brother One Strike''s gaze swept over the bodies of the young maiden and an idea for tormenting them surfaced in his heart. "Fellow brothers, how long has it been since you tasted a woman?" His voice rang loud and clear and the faces of his fellow disciples flickered. Lights of lust ignited within their eyes but remembering the situation they were in. They calmed themselves down. "It should be at least several months now, right? I did promise that I will bring you guys with me to the Clear Jasmine Establishment. However, since we have some women with us now, how about I give them for you guys to enjoy..." His handsome expression turned vicious along with his fellow male disciples that started inching towards their targets. The female disciples from the Paradyne Academy trembled. And they all snuggled up to each other, seeking for protection. Each of these female disciples was someone that could be considered a drop-dead beauty. Witnessing their teary and indignant expression, the male disciples that had special fetishes couldn''t help but tremble in delight. They glanced at each other and at Senior Brother One Strike before nodding their heads in mutual understanding. The female disciples didn''t even argue anymore as they kept glancing around, looking for an opening that they could exploit and run. Senior Brother One Strike stepped forward, clad in azure-robes. The small smile on his lips and the way that his eyes sparkled in wisdom and knowledge along with his hair that gently swayed in the wind, created a scene which could subdue any woman under the heavens. However, when the female disciples remembered how vicious this handsome young man was. They couldn''t even laugh as their bodies started shivering in intensity. "Everyone, please don''t be so scared, I am not so despicable to do anything against you, lone flowers above the hill." His eloquent words didn''t pair with the confident smile on his face didn''t do anything to diminish the fear that the young women felt. Witnessing that his coaxing failed, he clicked his tongue and said, "Okay, I won''t go around it anymore, let''s get straight to the point." Glancing at his fellow disciples, his smile turned lustful and vicious as he said, "You see, my fellow brothers behind me haven''t tasted any woman for the past several months, and seeing that they are so pent-up with desires, as their Senior Brother, how could I let them suffer?" "But since forcing women leaves a bad taste in my mouth, I offer you guys a solution. Though the Ape Vampire really needs women to be lured out of its cave, that doesn''t mean that it''s the only solution to this problem. As long as you satisfy my brothers and me, we will let you guys go, we swear on our cultivation base..." A strange aura descended from the heavens and enveloped Senior Brother One Strike''s body. Once we broke his oath, the heavens will destroy his cultivation. Senior Brother One Strike snickered in his heart, "Hmmph! Under the effects of the Heavenly Oath, I will let you guys go, but that doesn''t mean that you can escape..." His fellow disciples also did the same and the female disciples from the Paradyne Academy who felt, utmost fear and vigilance toward them all this while became somewhat relaxed when they heard their oaths. However, their eyes still shone in fear and indignance when they remembered the requirement that they had to do before One Strike and his comrades could let them go. And that was, To satisfy him and his brothers. The five or so female disciples glanced at each other for a moment. One of the most beautiful of them all, Annie Thompson looked cold and icy. As a daughter of a high-ranking Elder of the Academy, how could she accept such terms and have herself taken by such dirty men? "Elder Sis, we don''t have any other choice, once we refuse, they will definitely make us their baits! I''d rather be humiliated than become the food of that beast!" A female disciple whose heart was weaker than the others exclaimed. Her tone persuaded the other hesitant disciples and they simultaneously glanced at Annie, asking for her consent. "You guys..." "Can you really accept this?" Annie''s expression looked despondent and somber. She wanted to persuade them on denying, but since the matter was pertaining to their life and death. She knew that she couldn''t interfere with their decisions. "Elder Sis, we all don''t want to die...What''s wrong with a moment of humiliation for as long as we can live?" The disciple who gave up first persuaded Annie. The male disciples stared at their discussion in amusement. Anticipation and excitement visible on their faces. "Elder Sis, you understand it, right? No matter how much of a status we possess back at the academy, once we die, we won''t be able to experience the fruits of our labor..." One of them chimed in and even hinted at something. "Yes, that''s right, Elder Sis, if you can''t resist, then why not enjoy? They already swore with their cultivation bases, I doubt that they would do something to break their oaths..." "Elder Sis, Remember that no one apart from them and us will know what happened here. So our humiliation will never reach anyone''s ears..." Annie''s expression darkened, she respected their decisions, but when they started to persuade her and even said that it would be better to enjoy the ride than to resist. She coldly stood up and spat these cold words, "You sluts!" she faced the opposite direction and slowly walked deeper inside the territory of the Ape Vampire. The faces of the remaining four disciples turned venomous as they started cursing the leader that they once had. Shaking their heads, they returned back to where the male disciples of the Thousand Swords Sect stood. Senior Brother One Strike''s gaze swept over the bodies of the four disciples, "Have you guys, decided?" Seven of his fellow disciples behind him licked their lips and a tent formed on their lower bodies in anticipation about what''s going to happen. The four female disciples bit their upper lips and a light of resolve and determination shone within their eyes. Since they had already decided and burned their bridges. There was only one way left. And that was to move forward. Undoing the sashes of their robes, their clothes fell on the ground and their stark naked bodies seemed to reflect sunlight as it revealed itself into the world. Their skins looked as shiny as porcelain, and their flesh looked supple and soft to touch. Senior Brother One Strike''s true nature revealed itself as his handsome appearance disappeared, replaced with a burning lust which could raze everything under the heavens. Ever since he started his path of cultivation, One Strike had a lifelong goal in his heart. And that was to rule everything under his sword, and his crotch! His fellow disciples started taking their clothes off and walked forwards towards their chosen woman. The women who completely accepted their fates stared at the approaching men with complicated emotions in their eyes. Noticing that they had to satisfy at least two men each, they could only hang their heads low as the hungry men stretched their hands and groped their bodies. Senior Brother One Strike''s eyes narrowed as he savored the warm sensation and the strange suction force that enacted upon his lance. Kneeling before him was a proud disciple of the Paradyne Academy, she was considered as someone that could only be watched from afar, but now, she was kneeling before One Strike''s figure, greedily licking him up with her tongue. The sensation of seeing someone as proud as these women becoming his mere plaything gave him the pleasure that befitted his attitude of being the conqueror. Staring at the distant forest, his eyes flashed in a light of viciousness and excitement. Once he and his fellow disciples took the virginity of these young women. The strong concentration of Virginal Yin would definitely trigger the sharp nose of the Ape Vampire. When that time comes, they will leave these women as food for the Ape Vampire. The Ape Vampire always fall into a state of weakness after it ate something as nutritious like these newly-deflowered women. The influx of Yin that surged inside their bodies would create the ultimate panacea of food for the Ape Vampire and was a temptation that it could never resist. Once the Ape Vampire falls into a state of weakness, it would be their time to reap all the rewards. For Senior Brother One Strike and his companions, not only they managed to soil the bodies of these heavenly-sent geniuses of the Paradyne Academy, but they could also acquire heavenly materials that they could sell for a huge sum of Spiritual Stones. It was a win-win situation for them. With this in thought, the male disciples of the Thousand Swords Sect that garnered their courage in following their Senior Brother One Strike turned relaxed as they enjoyed the early rewards that they attained. At the same time, they gloated for the fates of their remaining fellow male disciples that volunteered to be left out to guard the hostages back at their main camp. If they weren''t so cowardly, they could''ve tasted these women. Sadly, only destined ones could acquire the treasures, and it was clear that they were the destined ones. This part of the forest became filled with ragged pantings of men and the pain and pleasure filled moans of women which created a chorus that battered everything around them. The strong smell of rust soon wafted out in the air and the atmosphere turned several times eerier than before. The soiled female disciples of the Paradyne Academy laid on the grass. Their expressions looked glazed and their eyes shone in an enticing light. Taking their fiery-robes that fell on the ground, they wiped their dirtied bodies and slowly stood up with their figures, shaking like a leaf. "We will be going now, I do hope that no one else will know about what happened here..." A female disciple said and she, along with her fellow disciples walked towards the opposite direction. Senior Brother One Strike nodded his head and the male disciples also did the same. Now that they were satisfied, their minds were clearer and they could understand their Senior Brother''s plan. The stupidest of them all, commented at the side, "Senior Brother, are we just going to let them go? I think that they have more value if we capture them and personally tie them up in our bedrooms to use..." Senior Brother One Strike chuckled, "If you want to get struck by lightning from the heavens, then go and stop them..." The former''s expression flickered and he scratched his head in embarrassment as his fellow brothers insulted him from the side. "But don''t worry, they won''t be able to go that far..." Senior Brother mumbled with a cold smile decorating his face as he stared at the gradually disappearing backs of the women. 125 Ape Stampede Annie Thompson looked lonely and filled with disappointment. Her expression looked like a mixture of emotions, but her eyes shone in a light of fear and uncertainty. Someone like her that grew up as a treasured disciple of the Paradyne Academy. It was the first time that she experienced such hardships. But since she was still considered as a proud disciple of the Paradyne Academy. She maintained her tough facade and walked even deeper inside the forest with an indifferent expression on her face. ~Rustle~ "Who''s there?!" Annie acted like a cat whose tail got stepped on as she hurriedly unsheathed her sword. Despite the fact that her cultivation base was sealed. She was confident that she could still defend herself from beasts. "ROAAAR!" A bestial roar echoed throughout the entire forest as the earth itself trembled and everything was thrown into chaos. The low-leveled beasts that hid behind tree branches immediately retreated like their rear ends were on fire. "W-w-what''s going on?" The strange occurrence around her destroyed her facade as she unsheathed her sword and assumed a defensive stance despite the intense trembling of her knees. "Anger of the Lightning God!" A scream of a young man followed by a miserable shriek of a wild beast pierced through the skies. At the same time, Annie could see two silhouettes at the distance. The bigger silhouette fell on the ground, creating a massive wave of dust which reduced visibility. While the other silhouette landed with a somersault. Staring at their distant figures, Annie''s expression, brightened and she carefully approached the area. "Please don''t be from the Thousand Swords Sect, please don''t be from the Thousand Swords Sect!" She silently prayed in her heart as she neared with silenced footsteps. The distance between the Paradyne Academy and the Great Forest of Manzur was clearly so far, and she knew that the expert that was fighting with such an enemy could become her only hope in getting out of this place. Clouds rumbled and the world darkened as a bolt of lightning descended from the skies and struck the bigger silhouette. Annie''s eyes widened in shock when she heard the young man saying, "Damn, so the power of an Ape Vampire is just this much?" When the blinding light from the lightning dissipated, Annie could see a clear look of the young man that defeated the Ape Vampire. Clad in simple robes, his expression looked indifferent and his eyes had a certain charm within it. Annie couldn''t help but gasp and her heart as a young maiden hastened. However, when she realized that the young man''s aura and robes didn''t seem to be affiliated with any sect, she sighed in her heart and departed. After all, all sorts of people existed under the heavens. What if that young man was someone that had an even more vicious heart than those at the Thousand Swords Sect? Then, would she be attracting her doom? She walked away in the same manner as she arrived. But Dan had long noticed her arrival and probed her intentions. Witnessing her face changing into several colors throughout his entire observation. Dan understood that she definitely needed his help. Her actions of retreating were logical under Dan''s eyes and he couldn''t help but have his interest, piqued. According to the System''s simulations, it seems like Dan was in the territory of Ape Vampires. A creature which fed on the blood of the living as a fuel source for their bodies and cultivation. Knitting his eyebrows, Dan found that it was strange that a young woman such as her would enter the territory of the Ape Vampires, wandering endlessly like a headless fly. Without further ado, Dan decided in his heart and followed her from behind. Annie Thompson saw that everything beyond the next five hundred meters looked like a murky and dark swamp. She couldn''t see through the end of it and the eerie mist that reduced visibility around her, scared her off as she started her retreat. Dan kept on his System Simulations and his expression turned grave. Reappearing above her, he snatched her off from the ground and flew towards the top of the tree branches. Annie''s expression flickered and her eyes widened in shock when she realized that she was captured by the same young man that she saw, earlier. "Let go of me!" She fiercely struggled and Dan revealed a small smirk on his face, "Do you really want me to let go?" He loosened his hold and Annie realized that she was about to fall. "No, don''t let go of me! I''ll kill you if you let go of me!" She clung to his neck and Dan couldn''t help but chuckle, "Sorry if I scared you, just look below you and you will understand..." Rumbling sound reverberated in the area and the tree where they stood on seemed to shake in rhythm with the deep footsteps that approached their vicinity. Annie''s expression flickered and her eyes widened in shock when she saw an army of hairy figures running towards the direction of the Thousand Swords Sect, campsite. "An Ape Stampede?" "No, that direction! I must stop them!" She uttered and Dan held her wrist, "What are you doing?! Let go of me! I need to save them!" Dan shook his head and stared at her in contempt. The robes that she wore indicated her high position at the Paradyne Academy, but it seems like she only had brawn and had no brain. "Save them? What are you going to do against such an army and with your cultivation base, sealed?" Annie''s visage turned pale and she seemed to understand Dan''s point. However, she still shook his head and said, "Even so, even so, I''m going to save them!" Dan clicked his tongue, "Stop being so retarded! Do you really think that your friends would want to see you sacrifice yourself for nothing?" He fiercely retorted and Annie turned silent. "Then, how can I save them?" She lifted her head and asked this question. Dan shrugged, "I can see that you have quite the solid foundation, maybe as long as you are unsealed..." Dan thought for a moment, but still shook his head, "Nope, it still won''t work, with the traces of energy around you, it seems like you don''t have that much strength even when you are still unsealed..." Annie hung her head low, of course, she knew about it! But right now, she didn''t have any other choice but to gamble so that she could save her beloved fellow disciples. "But wait, we can actually save them..." Dan mumbled under his breath and when his words reached the ears of Annie. Her eyes ignited in hope as she turned towards him and said, "Then, how can we save them? Please tell me and I''ll do anything..." Her expression looked begging and her eyes looked teary. If Dan was an average young man, he would''ve taken an oath and obeyed all of her orders, already. Annie also found Dan''s attitude as strange. Though she looked bedraggled and stained with dirt. No matter what, her curvaceous figure could still prove fatal against men. But seeing that Dan looked as casual as ever without any hints of being affected by her beauty. She started to question Dan''s sexuality. "Could it be that he''s a homo? No, that could be! If that is true then my image of him would thoroughly be broken! It''s impossible for such a valiant and brave-looking young man to be swinging that way..." She shook her head and denied the strange ideas in her mind. Dan resurfaced from his deep contemplation and deeply stared at her for a moment before saying, "If I go up there and face these guys, we can definitely save them." His words intensified the hope that the young maiden had inside her heart as she swiftly followed, "Then, can you help me save my friends? We were captured by those vile bastards from the Thousand Swords Sect, and only you can liberate us..." Annie assumed a pitiful expression which will definitely tug on the heartstrings of anyone who saw it. However, Dan remained indifferent and only glanced at her for a moment, "Sure, I will help you, but of course, a price is necessary..." Dan shrugged and turned away from Annie''s indignant and stunned gaze. How could he abandon such a poor young woman like me? He should at least express his interest in helping me! Am I really that unattractive, or is it a problem of his sexuality? Dan inwardly thought, "A wise man once said, Never do something you''re good at, for free, even if they are your relatives, make them pay for your service..." A small smile lifted on Dan''s lips. If she wanted him to help, she should first pay the price! He glanced at her for a moment before thinking about what he should ask her in return for his help. 126 Ugliness of Humanity Somewhere inside the Great Forest of Manzur. Four bedraggled figures of female disciples clad in a fiery robe could be seen walking in a strange manner. Their expressions revealed their pain and beaded sweats continuously formed on their foreheads. A strange mixture of smell constantly wafted from their bodies and they couldn''t help but gag in disgust when they remembered the time when those disgusting bastards from the Thousand Swords Sect, sprayed and soiled their bodies with their foul liquids. "I wonder where Senior Sister went..." One of them mumbled and the other three threw her a gaze which silenced her down. Bitter smiles surfaced on their faces. Because of their desire to live, they discarded the friendship that they nourished with Annie and they felt horrible about it. Nevertheless, a small sprout of happiness and schadenfreude lifted in their hearts. At the least, they could live and that Senior Sister of theirs would definitely be captured by that Ape Vampire and possibly, eaten alive. Dragging their aching bodies, they continued their journey. ~Roaaar!~ A fierce bestial roar shook the earth, and almost everyone staggered and fell on the ground with pale faces. They had sacrificed something extremely important for them and their nightmare was still not over? They felt indignant in their hearts. But they still gritted their teeth and stood up. "Hey, Elder Sis...What is that?" A female disciple listlessly pointed at the distance and their eyes widened in shock when they saw the approaching silhouette that fueled the nightmares inside their hearts. It was the nine-meter silhouette of an Ape Vampire. Riddled with a brownish fur, its body stood tall and its eyes shone in a light of desire and excitement when it saw its prey. The female disciples felt their impending doom and their knees couldn''t stop shivering. "No...That''s impossible, Senior Brother One Strike should be keeping them at bay..." A female disciple mumbled, but realization struck her mind as her face paled as she whispered, "Could it be that they purposely let it go so that it could capture and eat us..." At this moment of life and death, her mind finally worked as all of the girls stood up and scurried for safety. One of them even smashed a rock on her Junior Sister''s leg in hopes that the Ape Vampire would consume her first. "Ah! Senior Sister, you..." The junior disciple pointed at the assailant as the latter hysterically laughed and said, "You go stall it for us, Junior Sis, we will remember your sacrifice..." The words that she said felt touching, but when it reached the ears of the former. Her expression froze and she bitterly laughed. Staring at the gigantic figure of the Ape Vampire that stood before her. Tears streamed down her eyes as the Ape Vampire thoroughly crushed her inside its palm. This time, a younger disciple purposely tripped her Elder Sister as she stared at the latter who broke her ankles. Her eyes radiated a cold indifference which pierced through the soul of the latter. "No, Junior Sis, don''t leave me here...Don''t go! Save me!" She shouted as the Ape Vampire noticed her presence and plucked her off from the ground. The men from the Thousand Swords Sect who observed all this while couldn''t help but reveal ugly faces when they witnessed the betrayals that unfolded right before their eyes. They almost couldn''t believe that they fucked such crazy women and couldn''t help but shiver when they thought about it. Senior Brother One Strike stared at their despairing figures with an amused, yet indifferent expression on his face. No matter how saintly someone was when faced with the threat of death. Their true natures would always unfold. Even someone who looked like he couldn''t kill a fly would decisively slice off the heads of his family for a chance of survival. Remembering his ugly past, Senior Brother One Strike''s expression turned colder. He completely lost interest in other people aside from killing them or venting his lust. Especially, women, whom he considered as the vilest of them all. Just moments ago, they were comrades, but now, they easily abandoned those they considered as their lifelong comrades. All for the sake of their own survival. Unlike men that would never abandon the battlefield. That''s how selfish, women were for him. "Everyone of you, remember that you can only truly know a person on the battlefield. Because only in that place where they''ll true natures will show..." Senior Brother One Strike commented and his fellow disciples nodded their heads in agreement. At first, they wouldn''t believe his claims, but after witnessing the actions of the women, they were convinced. "The Ape Stampede has started, however, these small fries aren''t our goal..." Senior Brother One Strike explained, and his fellow disciples stared at him in curiosity. "Our target this time is the Ape Vampire Count, a peak Spirit Tempering Realm beast." A small smile of anticipation lifted on his lips as he declared his goal. Everyone sucked cold breaths, but they knew that with Senior Brother One Strike in their side, they will definitely accomplish their goal. The commotion caused by the Ape Vampire Stampede shook the entire Great Forest of Manzur. Almost every low-leveled beast disappeared from the outer region of the Forest and snuck deep inside the inner parts. The earth continuously trembled as they passed by and inside the temporary campsite of the Thousand Swords Sect, Senior Brother Kwydin had a premonition inside his mind. "This tense air...Just what is going on inside the forest, is everyone safe?" He thought in his mind. Tightly clenching his fists, he couldn''t help but blame himself for being so powerless. If he could just remove his seal, he would definitely avenge the deaths of his comrades. Glancing at the center of the campsite, Kwydin could see a jet-black orb calmly floating in the air. He judged with his sharp intuition that the floating orb should be the key for the seal on their dantians. Once that orb was broken, then they would regain their strength. Slowly inching closer at the orb, Kwydin clicked his tongue and his heart almost leaped out of his throat as a voice echoed throughout the entire campsite. "Every disciple of the Thousand Swords Sect! Prepare yourself! An Ape Stampede is incoming!" Senior Brother One Strike instructed and everyone went into full alert, including the disciples of the Paradyne Academy. "Bastard! Where did you bring Annie and the others?!" A male disciple noticed that the people who returned only belonged to the Thousand Swords Sect. The women were missing. Senior Brother One Strike glanced at them as if he was looking at a bunch of retards before saying, "Huh? You''re still asking for them? As if you don''t know in your hearts about their fates..." He shook his head, "Stop being in denial and accept the reality..." He turned his back and walked away from them camp. "You..." The eyes of the disciples from the Paradyne Academy shone in a deep crimson light. Especially, the male disciple who couldn''t stop the trembling of his body. Senior Brother Kwydin engraved Senior Brother One Strike''s back inside his heart and swore that he will definitely kill him and the entire Thousand Swords Sect, one day. There were only three female disciples remaining and they snuggled against each other as they silently cried their hearts out. Senior Brother Kwydin averted his gaze. If not for his powerlessness, he could''ve saved them from this plight. Senior Brother One Strike stood above a podium and glanced at a distance. His expression along with his fellow disciples turned solemn as he saw the approaching visage of a fifteen meters tall Ape Vampire. Unlike the normal Ape Vampires, not only was this Vampire taller, but it also possessed bulkier muscles and the aura that constantly enveloped its body gave off the fluctuations of a peak Spirit Tempering Realm Cultivator. Without a shadow of doubt, this newly-arrived Ape Vampire was definitely the Ape Vampire Count! 127 Apologies I apologize, I actually went and forgot to give my adorable little readers some reward for their power stones. I do hope that this is enough, https://goo.gl/rkQMVZ Enjoy! ( ?¡ã ?? ?¡ã) 128 Striking a Deal Above the vast expanse of clouds. The familiar figure of an old man clad in pure white robes could be seen staring at the commotion below him. Despite the distance of several miles. The old man''s eyes seemed to pierce through the firmament and see through everything as a smile lifted on his lips. "Never do anything you''re good at for free, eh?" A light chuckle escaped from his lips and with a will from his part, the clouds formed tangible fixtures where he could sit and relax as he observed the commotion down below. The disciples from the Thousand Swords Sect showcased their cooperation and trust with each other, forming groups, one part dealt with the incoming Ape Stampede while the others conserved their strength for the arrival of the Ape Vampire Count. "Fucking hell, what are you guys doing there, huddling like there''s no tomorrow?! Stand up and help us here!" A male disciple from the Thousand Swords Sect noticed that the disciples from the Paradyne Academy huddled together in a corner of the campsite. The disciples from the Paradyne Academy harshly glared at his direction, "Are you retarded? How can we fight back when our cultivation bases are sealed?" The disciple from the Thousand Swords Sect revealed a vicious smile, "Fight? Who said that we''re gonna let you fight? You''ll just be there and stall them for a bit..." He lunged and grabbed the disciple who retorted before throwing him towards the direction of a nearby Ape Vampire who caught the disciple and tore him into pieces amidst his despairing cries. Everything happened too fast, everyone''s eyes widened in shock and Senior Brother Kwydin''s expression darkened and reddened in anger. Witnessing the indignance of the disciples from the Paradyne Academy. The disciple who threw the man earlier, snickered, "Look at your eyes...What''chu gonna do? Hmmph?! Fight me? Fight against me?!" A cold light flashed by, and the wind whistled as it tore. Blood splashed on the ground, staining it in a crimson color. "You...How did you..." The disciple from the Thousand Swords Sect stared at Kwydin with widened eyes. Holding his throat, blood endlessly dripped as his body soon lost its power and fell on the ground with a thud. The stunned gazes of his fellow disciples focused on Senior Brother Kwydin. But he swiftly scolded them, "What are you doing standing there? Quick! Throw him towards those Ape!" His fellow disciples regained their state of minds and hurled the body of the dead disciple towards a nearby Ape Vampire who tore it into pieces as a response. Retreating, they stared at Senior Brother Kwydin in amazement, "Senior Brother, how did you do that, earlier? You''re still sealed, right?" A male disciple couldn''t keep his excitement and asked. Senior Brother Kwydin nodded his head and said, "I''m still sealed, however, I can use a part of my understanding when it comes to the Sword. I''ll use it to attack that sealing formation at the center. Help me distract them..." He unveiled his plan and the expressions of his fellow disciples brightened. However, they knew the difficulty of treading through troubled waters. Not only do they need to keep themselves safe from the disciples of the Thousand Swords Sect. They also had to make sure that no Ape Vampire could attack them from behind. The remaining disciples of the Paradyne Academy, scattered and did their own work in their own way. Senior Brother One Strike noticed their actions, but he couldn''t be bothered with them. Once they failed to kill the Ape Vampire, all of them would be dead anyway... Several hundreds of meters away from the Thousand Swords Sect campsite, atop a tree branch. Dan could be seen carrying Annie in his arms. Staring at the campsite''s direction, his expression turned strange, "This sudden Ape Stampede should be the work of that old geezer. However, just what does he mean by showing him something that is desirable for a Demonic Cultivator? Does he want me to massacre everyone here?" Dan knitted his eyebrows and glanced at Annie''s fair complexion. The robes that she wore indicated her affiliation with the Paradyne Academy. However, personally. She was a stranger. Though Dan wouldn''t mind killing her, his nature doesn''t let him accept senseless killings and thus, the dilemma. Annie Thompson noticed Dan''s peculiar gaze and she struggled under his embrace. With steaming hot cheeks, she shook her head and regained her clarity. Staring at the distant commotion, she knitted her eyebrows and revealed a solemn expression. Turning towards Dan, she said, "Senior, earlier you said that you can easily solve that stampede once you intervened, right?" Her eyes shone in a complicated sheen and Dan stared at her with an indifferent expression. Annie Thompson was a young woman whose beauty could compare with his wife and Charlotte. But right now, she looked bedraggled and pitiful with mud stains desecrating her robes along with her fair skin. Nevertheless, this didn''t make her look less desirable. Instead, she could awaken the heroic hearts of men and she could manipulate them into protecting her. Dan instantly went on guard and assumed an indifferent expression. Annie''s eyes went dim in disappointment, she thought that revealing a moment of weakness could make him fall into her trap and have him do her bidding. Realizing that Dan wasn''t just an average young man, Annie threw all ideas of trapping her and decided to strike an honest deal. "Senior, I believe your claim that you''re that powerful, so please, I ask you from the bottom of my heart. Help me save my fellow disciples..." Annie''s expression went red, it was the first time that she asked someone so sincerely and she even bowed her head. Dan witnessed her actions and couldn''t help but be moved. Ever since he saw her. Dan knew that Annie was a young woman that had a different upbringing. With her pride that stuck deep inside her bones, she was someone that couldn''t easily be subdued. But right now, she decided to throw away her dignity and pride and begged for him to intervene. Dan opened his mouth to speak, but his figure froze when he felt a pair of eyes staring at him from above. Annie kept her head low but opened her eyes and glanced at Dan''s figure. Witnessing his indifferent expression, her heart couldn''t help but tremble in the thought of him refusing her request. She felt confident and reached this far, but she didn''t have any idea what she should do in the case that she failed. "Hahaha," A cold chuckle disrupted the silence. Dan crossed his arms together and stretched his hand out, lifting her head. He stared right into her eyes and said, "Little Miss, didn''t I say earlier that I won''t do anything for free? If you want me to make my move, you should offer an equal amount of compensation..." Annie''s expression trembled, but the hope inside her eyes, intensified. At the least, Dan didn''t deny her request and instead asked for remuneration. But still, the eyes that she used to look at Dan changed into disappointment. With her beauty, she felt disappointment that Dan wouldn''t do anything that he could in helping her and instead asked for his rewards. It could be said that Dan was a despicable bastard that would only move in the face of money. Unbeknownst to her, Annie''s figure looked cold as she said, "That''s fine, I swear in my name and my cultivation base that I will definitely pay you back your deserved rewards..." The peculiar sensation of Heaven and Earth enveloped her body as Dan nodded his head in satisfaction, "I''m gonna go and save them now, are you going to stay here or you''ll come with me?" Dan glanced at Annie and the latter snorted, "Of course I will go with you," Dan lifted an eyebrow, "Are you sure? Those bastards can easily kill you with a slap in your current state," Annie stared at him for a moment before giving a light and cold chuckle, "It''s fine, Senior will protect me there, right? Since Senior won''t get any rewards once I''m killed..." Dan shrugged and carried her in his arms once again as they sped towards the direction of the Thousand Swords Sect Campsite. 129 Betrayal! Constant ringing sounds of metal clashing against metal echoed throughout the entire area. The disciples of the Thousand Swords Sect looked bloody and injured, but numerous Ape Vampires could also be seen sprawled on the ground, forming a mountain of corpses which protected them from the intensifying light of the sun. The disciples of the Thousand Swords Sect stared at a distant handsome figure that kept on dancing on the battlefield. His strikes were precise and each of them would execute an Ape Vampire. Clad in the remarkable azure-robe of the Thousand Swords Sect and with his jet-black hair placed on a bun, Senior Brother One Strike looked like a lone general. Senior Brother One Strike was one of the geniuses of the Thousand Swords Sect. If placed within the Core Disciples he was nothing, but the achievements that he achieved without using any Divine Art gave him quite the reputation throughout the entire Thousand Swords Sect. Despite not having any Divine Art in his arsenal, Senior Brother One Strike could fight toe to toe with any Core Disciple using only his understanding of the Sword Laws. He was a genius that could be compared with Charlotte. But despite his handsome and upright appearance. Senior Brother One Strike was a despicable young man that placed his benefits above any. Since he possessed average talent when it comes to cultivation, Senior Brother One Strike frequently deflowered women and used their Virginal Yin Essence in boosting his cultivation base. These actions of his could be considered as demonic. Fortunately, the Thousand Swords Sect didn''t discriminate and only used strength as a basis of respect. You''re a cultivator of the righteous path? Okay, but you''re weak, so scram! You''re a cultivator of the Demonic Path? That''s despicable, but since you''re strong, you''re welcome anyway... Senior Brother One Strike stood tall amidst the mountain of corpses, his expression indifferent, but the smile of anticipation and excitement that lifted on his lips as he stared at the distance gave him the sensation of a lone Emperor looking down on the world. ~Roaaarrr!~ A bestial scream reverberated across the entire forest, everyone''s blood went cold and the rampaging Ape Vampires around the campsite temporarily stopped and stared at the distance with respectful lights within their eyes. Senior Brother One Strike stood still, beside him were the seven disciples whom he temporarily called as Brother One until Seven. Their expressions looked tranquil, but the hand that they used to hold their swords, slightly trembled. A surge of Spiritual Qi battered their bodies and their expressions went solemn. The Ape Vampire Count had a cultivation of a Peak Spirit Tempering Realm cultivator. However, beasts could normally jump realms and fight against humans with higher cultivation base than them, so the net power of this Ape Vampire Count should be higher than him. But still, Senior Brother One Strike and his companions didn''t come unprepared. They brought an Earth Grade Formation, Seven Stars Slaughtering Asura with them. ~Roaaar~ The Ape Vampire count that looked bigger than an average Ape and had a constant crimson mist surrounding its body immediately ran towards Senior Brother One Strike''s direction. The latter calmly dished out his orders, "Brother One, take the Northern Position, Two, you go and get the opposite side while three until Seven shall rotate their cultivation bases in the same order!" The eight disciples of the Thousand Swords Sect displayed their brilliance when it comes to team play. Without wasting any movements nor words. Everyone positioned themselves accordingly and clashed against the Ape Vampire! The colossal wind generated upon collision sent everyone flying as those who stayed inside the campsite ducked their heads and lowered their bodies on the ground. Senior Brother Kwydin clicked his tongue as blood dripped down from the edges of his lips. Glancing at his fellow disciples that tried their best in keeping themselves alive. His determination surged and he crawled his way towards the center of the campsite. "Senior Brother Kwydin, please go and destroy that seal, you''re our only hope..." His fellow disciples left these words as they faced the Ape Vampires behind. Using their understanding of the laws, they could temporarily hold the Ape''s back. Senior Brother Kwydin couldn''t help but feel somewhat emotional. Gritting his teeth, he mumbled under his breath, "I swear with my cultivation as the stake that I will definitely avenge those who died, I will definitely avenge them!" He declared in his heart and continued his painstaking journey towards the center. Several hundreds of meters, above a certain tree branch, Dan and Annie could be seen staring at the battlefield with curious lights within their eyes. Annie''s expression indicated her worry and she focused her gaze at the campsite where she found Kwydin''s figure crawling towards the floating ball at the center. "That''s it! That should be the formation that sealed our cultivation! Senior, please break that then help us kill everyone from the Thousand Swords Sect!" Annie pleaded, but Dan remained as stiff as a rock as he heard a certain message that directly entered his mind, "Young master, they are fighting against an Ape Vampire Count! The Beast Core inside that Ape Vampire Count is one of the rarest ingredients needed in concocting the Divine Flash Pill! A necessary Pill in breaking through the Divine Soul Realm!" George''s excited voice echoed inside Dan''s mind. At first, Dan didn''t want to do anything other than taking some benefits for himself and save his fellow disciples in return. However, George just gave him the motive to do the opposite. Darting his gaze at Annie, his expression glimmered with resolve as he said, "I''ll be going down, stay here if you want to live..." Annie''s visage brightened in hope as Dan disappeared from her sight. "Senior, that''s the wrong direction, where are you going?" Annie mumbled as she kept her line of sight on Dan''s body. Her eyes widened in shock when she saw that Dan flew towards the direction of the Thousand Swords Sect. "Senior, you..." Senior Brother One Strike noticed the sudden arrival of an expert and he couldn''t help but feel cautious. A flash of lightning descended and an arc of lightning struck the Ape Vampire Count as it flew backward with a miserable shriek. Senior Brother One Strike and his fellow disciples looked bloody and bedraggled. Their breathing in disarray and the flow of their Spiritual Qi was in chaos. However, the light of vigilance in their eyes didn''t diminish in the slightest. "Who are you?" Senior Brother One Strike shouted and Dan swept his gaze over the group. "System, what are the chances of me winning against the Ape Vampire Count in a solo-battle?" [System Simulation Initiating: 50%] [System Simulation Completed! Results: The host will have a forty-percent chance of winning!] Dan clicked his tongue, he expected that his chances of winning would be low, but not this low. He expected to have at least fifty percent chance of winning in a solo-battle. Sweeping his gaze over the ground, Dan instructed the system. [System Simulation Completed! Results: Seventy-Percent chance of winning!] "You guys seem to be in trouble fighting against this Ape Vampire Count, how about we team up and defeat this guy, together?" Dan dished out his proposal and Senior Brother One Strike along with his brothers, frowned. Who the fuck is this guy? He just suddenly appeared then proposed that we work together... "With your current state, you guys can definitely defeat that Ape Vampire Count. However, casualties will definitely not be avoided..." Dan lifted a mysterious smile and struck directly in the heart of their situation. Senior Brother One Strike''s figure trembled and his fellow disciples beside him mumbled towards each other. They knew more than anyone about their bodies. And they judged that there''s a huge chance of them dying under the attacks of the Ape Vampire Count. Remembering the scene where Dan repelled the Ape Vampire Count with a single strike, Senior Brother One Strike''s mind madly spun, ''He doesn''t look like he''s from the Thousand Sword Sect or the Paradyne Academy...Could he be a rogue cultivator?'' His eyes flashed in a critical light, "This one''s titled name is One Strike! I hail from the Thousand Swords Sect, may I know your esteemed one''s title?" Senior Brother One Strike acted politely in an act of probing. However, when he noticed that Dan didn''t seem to have any reactions when he heard his name and affiliation, his expression turned somber. "I don''t care about which Sect you came from, what I want to ask is do you want to cooperate with me and defeat that Ape, or not?" Dan lifted an eyebrow, his expression looked incensed because of the incessant questions. Senior Brother One Strike''s fellow disciples lifted an eyebrow, but the former waved his hands before they could cause any further commotion. "Senior''s knowledge really is deep and profound, since Senior already knows about our plight and has offered his help. It would be impolite for us to refuse. However, since Senior and we are strangers, can we swear using our cultivation bases that we won''t betray each other after everything is done?" Dan nodded his head, "I understand, however, in the matter about loot distribution, I won''t interfere much but I should have the right to choose one loot, no matter what it is..." A small smile lifted on his lips and One Strike''s fellow disciples couldn''t help but chime in, "Impossible! How could we let you do that?! That''s just bullying!" Dan''s eyebrows locked and One Strike took this as his gesture of displeasure as he immediately said, "Shut up! If you don''t want us to waste everything that we worked for earlier, we need to work with him!" One Strike felt somewhat scared, especially when he felt the energy wave fluctuations from Dan''s body. His instincts told him that the former could end his life in a strike. That was one of the reasons why One Strike proposed taking an oath under the heaven''s name. So that when everything was done and well. Dan couldn''t kill them and take everything for himself. His fellow disciples closed their mouths as the eight of them swore their oaths with their cultivation bases as the stake. Moving a step forward, Dan lifted his right hand. It was his time to swear his oath. A small ambiguous smile lifted on his lips as he secretly activated three skills at the same moment. Under the gazes of the eight, Dan swore an oath under the heaven''s name as the strange fluctuations from the skies enveloped his body. A system notification floated before his eyes. [A foreign unknown interference is covering the host''s soul! Do you want to expel? Y/N] "As expected," Dan mumbled under his breath, his previous plan was void since the system could dissipate the heaven''s oath on its own. After taking up the oath, the eight disciples from the Thousand Swords Sect became like brothers to him. They even gave Dan some snacks and some tips regarding the Ape Vampire Count''s weaknesses. Dan swept his gaze over these men and thought in his heart about how comical their actions were. if Dan didn''t take an oath, he bet that they would definitely act the opposite. "These guys are thinking that I''m still under the effects of Heaven''s Oath...This is a good chance for me to kill someone with a borrowed knife and leap like a fisherman in the end..." A vicious thought sprung inside his heart and he started formulating his plans. Annie Thompson who noticed the sudden change of attitude between the two parties kneeled on the ground with both knees. Her expression looked tragic and pale. She didn''t expect that Dan would instantly jump ships in the face of benefits! "What should I do...How can I save them now..." She racked her head, finding any solution that she could find for this dilemma. 130 Unveiled The disciples of the Thousand Swords Sect that assisted Dan and Senior Brother One Strike in their battle against the Ape Vampire Count mostly had cultivations at the Spirit Tempering Realm. Their understanding of the law of the heavens increased their latent battle prowess. However, without a Divine Art and only having the support of superficial Spiritual Techniques. Their prowess couldn''t compare to Dan who dealt most of the damage. Debris flew everywhere and in each collision of lightning arcs in mid-air generated a shockwave which threw everything around them in disarray. Dan stood like a God of Lightning, his attacks were fierce and the Ape Vampire Count would miserably shriek in each exchange. However, Dan knitted his eyebrows when he realized that the Ape Vampire Count would regain its vitality. Its attacks possessed the unique power of life-stealing and Dan had to dodge its attacks to prevent it from healing. Nevertheless, it considerably recovered its battle prowess since it managed to damage the small fries from the Thousand Swords Sect. Dan clicked his tongue and glanced behind him. One Strike''s group kept their tight offensive, but their defenses weren''t as strong as their attacks. "Shit, this isn''t working, One to Seven, go back for now! The bastard is recovering each time it lands an attack..." Senior Brother One Strike commanded and though it pained him, he dissipated the Seven Stars Slaughtering Asura formation. His offense lessened in strength, but the Ape Vampire Count''s recovery power also reduced. With the disappearance of the small fries that kept feeding the Ape Vampire Count. The injuries that it suffered, healed slower and Dan could see that it couldn''t keep up its recovery anymore. "Blessing of the Lightning God: Manifestation!" Dan shouted and the air itself screamed as numerous arcs of lightning materialized in the air around him. Senior Brother One Strike''s expression changed when he felt the peculiar sensation of dread coming from Dan''s body. The Manifestation Stance of the Blessing of the Lightning God boosted one''s stats by fifty-percent and reduces damage suffered by thirty-percent. Not only that, each of his attacks would contain the corroding Lightning Qi. His attacks charred the wounds of the Ape Vampire Count, preventing its recovery while Senior Brother One Strike''s attacks targeted its previous wounds, bestowing upon it, pain that it found hard to handle. The two worked in tandem, giving the Ape Vampire Count a hard time to retaliate. It tried manipulating its minions, but with the help of the small fries behind. None of them could approach the main battle area and disrupt Dan and One Strike''s rhythm. The remaining disciples of the Thousand Swords Sect kept their alert levels at the highest as they kept on repelling incoming hordes of Ape Vampires. Fortunately, Ape Vampires didn''t possess that much intelligence and could easily be manipulated. "Falling Silk Blade!" One Strike''s jade sword blurred and numerous beams of sword lights flew towards the Ape Vampire Count''s direction, battering its body as the intangible sword lights burned its flesh. [Remaining HP: 31/100] Dan darted his gaze at his peripheral vision and saw the Ape Vampire Count''s remaining health points. With this pace, the latter would go down in several minutes at most. However, Dan wasn''t concerned by this, he was concerned about how he could reap every benefit for himself. Scanning his gaze around the area, Dan saw a scene which made him smile to himself. After simulating some theories inside his mind, Dan understood that he only had to buy some time as he launched his offensive once again. Further at the distance, back at the desolate campsite of the Thousand Swords Sect. When the fight broke out earlier, the Thousand Swords Sect disciples left the sealed disciples of the Paradyne Academy for death. They didn''t even protect them from rogue Ape Vampires. Instead, they purposely let some Apes enter, which made a hard time for Kwydin and his companions. Hiding behind tattered tents, the injures members of the Paradyne Academy huddled together with shivering bodies. The injuries that they suffered from fighting made them unworthy for further battles. Kwydin gave a wry smile. The distance between the tent and the center of the campsite where the center of the formation, floated was merely just tens of meters away. But at this moment, such small distance became an impassable chasm. "We''re so close, yet so far..." A male disciple mourned, sticking his head out, he could see numerous Ape Vampires surrounding the floating orb. His expression went pale. He knew that once they neared the formation core, those Ape Vampires would definitely chase them down. "Hey, who is that? There''s someone approaching the Formation Core!"Someone pointed out and everyone stuck their heads out and saw the petite and bedraggled figure of Annie walking as stealthily as she could towards the Formation Core. "That idiot, what is she doing here?! Is she throwing away her life?!" A male disciple scolded, and everyone''s expression went solemn. A cultivator with sealed cultivation could only compare to a mortal. And one could imagine a mortal''s end if they met an Ape Vampire. Annie Thompson stared at the group of Ape Vampires as she bit her lower lip. Her knees endlessly trembled like a leaf, but she still continued her journey and trodded with slow and heavy footsteps towards the Ape Vampires. She knew that she didn''t stand any chance in fighting against these Ape Vampires. However, if she didn''t make use of the current commotion and take the opportunity to unseal themselves. She knew that those disciples from the Thousand Swords Sect will never let them go. And their fate would be worse than being torn apart by these beasts. Taking a pebble on the ground, Annie threw it at the opposite direction and when it landed, the Ape Vampires turned their heads toward the source of the sound. Giving Annie the opening that she needed to move closer and hide behind a tattered tent. Sweat continuously dripped from her forehead and her wildly beating heart could almost burst from her chest. Senior Brother Kwydin and his companions that observed from afar, felt as tense as her. As if they were the ones doing the deed and approaching certain death. "Damn, what is she trying to do? Distract them using pebbles? That won''t work! Ape Vampires won''t bother with such minute sounds..." One of the disciples shook their heads and Kwydin didn''t retort his claims. However, when he ruminated over the words that he just heard. His expression flickered as he said, "Won''t bother with minute sounds? How about we support her and create a huge sound, together?" Everyone turned towards him and stared at him for a moment before shaking their heads, "Senior Brother, that''s too dangerous, if we manage to do that, we should make sure that Annie won''t fail, or else we''ll all die together..." A disciple chimed in with sweat riddled on his forehead. "Indeed, it is extremely dangerous but other than that method, what can we use? Look, Annie is trying her best to distract them even for a moment just for the sake of an opening that she could exploit! We shouldn''t be so cowardly!" Senior Brother Kwydin explained and everyone around him turned silent. Glancing at Annie who kept on throwing pebbles towards the Ape Vampire''s direction. They felt somber in their hearts. "Okay, let''s do this, even if I die, I''d rather die while trying than die without doing anything for my survival..." A male disciple nodded his head and a light of determination surged inside his eyes. His display of courage affected his fellow disciples and soon. Everyone agreed of their distraction plan as Kwydin took the lead and revealed himself to those Ape Vampires. The remaining disciples scattered in different directions as the Ape Vampires roared towards the skies and also scattered. Annie''s changed, sweeping over her gaze on her fellow disciples that risked their lives to give her that precious opening. She gritted her teeth and ran towards the center of the campsite. Unfortunately, for her, a single Ape Vampire still remained and it pounced at her direction. Time itself slowed down as Annie''s mind went into overdrive. Entering a state of utmost concentration. She condensed everything that she learned in her entire life and made the greatest rolling evasion that she ever did in her life. ~Whoosh~ Her clothes fluttered in the air as she bent her body and leaped toward the ground. Her head barely dodged the Ape Vampire''s sweeping attack by a hair''s breadth as her hand stretched out and captured the floating Formation Core! But before she could crush the floating orb in her palms. Senior Brother One Strike''s voice echoed behind her, followed by the reverberating explosion of thunder and a bright flash of lightning which temporarily robbed her sense of vision. Bang! A fierce explosion occurred and Senior Brother One Strike''s body flew into the air like a ragdoll. With a venomous expression on his face, he stared at Dan''s direction with hatred and anger, "You bastard, how dare you attacked me while under the heaven''s oath!" His hatred turned into gloating upon this realization. "Heaven''s Oath?" Dan sneered in his heart and stared right into his eyes, "There''s no such thing such as Heaven''s Oath that can bind me in its grasp..." Senior Brother One Strike sneered in his heart as he stared at Dan''s figure, ''What a retarded man, does he really think that an oath made under the heaven''s name can be taken so lightly?'' An oath made under the heaven''s name would warrant the heaven''s punishment if violated. One Strike could only imagine Dan''s miserable end after violating the oath of not attacking each other until the Ape Vampire Count, died. Several breaths later, nothing happened. This made him frown his eyebrows, ''Nothing is happening? Why? The oath should be in effect, why is he not being punished?'' His fellow disciples who observed the sudden commotion stopped their sneering, "Hey, what''s going on here? Why are the heavens not punishing him for his violation of the oath? Could it be that the oath didn''t take effect?" Disciple Seven, one of the most impulsive young man in their group couldn''t help himself and pounce at Dan''s direction with his sword raised towards the skies. A cold sheen enveloped his sword, but before it could descend, thunder reverberated in the skies and heaven''s punishment struck the poor disciple, instantly turning him into dust for violating the terms of his oath. Witnessing what just happened before their eyes. Everyone turned silent, only the whistling of the wind and the faint rustling of trees could be heard as everyone stared at the previous location of the disciple that just died. "Just what did happen?" 131 Sacrifice! Annie and her companion stared blankly as Dan fiercely glared at her, "What are you doing? Hurry up and crush that ball!" He commanded and Annie''s mind returned to reality as her hands pinched the Formation Core. Senior Brother One Strike clicked his tongue, the sudden death of his comrade didn''t bother him. What bothered him was that Heaven''s Oath didn''t affect Dan, but it still affected them. In short, Dan could freely attack them but they cannot retaliate or else they would face punishment. His fellow disciples noticed this and they felt indignance in their hearts. Annie took advantage of this momentary confusion and destroyed the Formation Core inside her palms as numerous cultivation bases along with her own, rotated into life. Cultivation bases surged and the earth itself trembled as the raging fury of the disciples from the Paradyne Academy soared into life. Wielding their swords, their expressions turned venomous as they viciously laughed, "Finally, finally, we can finally take our revenge!" Fueled with the pent-up indignance and hatred that they accumulated for the past several days. The attacks of the disciples were vicious and fierce. Even one of the remaining female disciple who was considered as a gentle goddess back at the Paradyne Academy unleashed a torrent of insults and madly attacked in a flurry. Annie Thompson soared towards the skies along with Senior Brother Kwydin. One Strike lifted his head and glanced at the two before clicking his tongue. The reversal was too sudden and everyone was caught off guard. Senior Brother One Strike possessed the same cultivation as Senior Brother Kwydin. However, the exhaustion that he had with the previous battle against the Ape Vampire Count made him unfit for a battle between peak experts. Gnashing his teeth, he fiercely glared at Dan before dishing out his instructions. "Calling for the remaining disciples of the Thousand Swords Sect! Focus all of your attacks on the Ape Vampire Count! We''ll hold off these bastards!" As expected of an expert like One Strike. Despite the immense pressure that he faced, he could still calmly hold his ground and instruct his fellow disciples as a proper leader. In this kind of a situation, target priority could spell their success or doom. One Strike quickly decided, even if they had casualties, as long as they can reap the Ape Vampire Count''s body and acquire the materials from it, every sacrifice would be worth it. However, how could the Ape Vampire Count stand still and let them attack its body? A fierce wind surged and everyone who dared to approach its vicinity was flung aside as they miserably screamed. The winds alone tore their clothes along with their skin. One Strike clicked his tongue, aside from Dan. He was the only one that could safely approach the Ape Vampire Count and attack it. Darting his gaze at Dan, he found that the latter remained indifferent and calm as if everything was under his control. This made him feel inferior and weak compared to the latter. Gnashing his teeth, he disregarded everything and focused on attacking the Ape Vampire Count. Intent on taking it down as soon as possible. Sword beams filled the skies along with lightning arcs which constantly battered the Ape Vampire Count''s body. Judging from the health bar in his peripheral vision. Dan could predict that the Ape Vampire Count would go down in five minutes if they continued this pace. One Strike''s fellow disciples tried their best in deflecting the attacks of the disciples of the Paradyne Academy. But still, they couldn''t completely negate their crazed attacks as blood spurted from their mouths. Their bodies were riddled with numerous injuries of different sizes. "Senior Brother! Please end it as soon as possible, we may not make it!" A male disciple from One Strike''s side, pleaded as he bit the tip of his tongue and ignited his blood essence. His eyes flashed in the understanding that as long as they succeeded, his sacrifice would be worth it. Crimson lights decorated the heavens as everyone disregarded their injuries in an effort to take their enemies down as soon as possible. Even Annie who worked hard on maintaining his pristine image acted like a wild dog, sending waves after waves of crazed attacks. The battlefield was a mess with severed limbs flying through the air and blood decorating the ground crimson as a strong smell of rust wafted out and invoked nausea to those who caught a whiff of it. Even Dan who experienced a fair share of brutality and gore couldn''t help but feel disturbed. Taking a deep breath, he continued his attacks along with One Strike whose eyes started shining in a scarlet light of greed and craziness. "Fucking hell, everyone''s gone nuts!" Dan screamed inside his mind and momentarily glanced at Annie. Witnessing her disheveled appearance and the light within her eyes that wanted nothing but to kill. Dan felt a shiver down his spine. Both sides turned crazy and attacked each other without regard for their injuries. The negative energies that wafted out from their bodies entered Dan''s body without his knowledge. Unleashing a barrage of fists clad in lightning, Dan understood that once this Ape Vampire Count has died, everyone would definitely return to normal. Lightning crazily surged along with sword beams that decorated the heavens itself. The Ape Vampire Count miserably shrieked and entered a state of fury as a crimson mist exploded from its body. Dan took advantage of this opening and sent a precise attack on its crucial acupoint. "Kweaaah!" The Ape Vampire Count miserably shrieked and despite its struggle, its lifeforce drained from its body and it soon lost all signs of life. Everyone in the battlefield temporarily stopped and stared at the gigantic figure of the Ape that fell face down on the ground. "Y-Y-you did it, Senior Brother One Strike!" A disciple from the Thousand Swords Sect cheered. One Strike''s expression looked complicated and his face indicated his exhaustion. He couldn''t even keep his arms from trembling as he stood there with unstable feet. In contrast, Dan looked carefree and as calm as ever as if he didn''t engage in battle and observed everything from the sidelines instead. Staring right into his eyes, the previous jubilant atmosphere turned tense. With the death of the Ape Vampire Count, the temporary truce made with Heaven''s Oath was dissipated, but the question was, could they handle Dan in their current state? A disciple from the Thousand Swords Sect took notice of this as he wryly smiled and said, "Ermm, how about we do this like this since both sides sacrificed something to kill this Ape, we should obtain the materials in a fair share, how about that?" Hearing his words, Dan couldn''t help but chuckle, "Fair share? Bastards like you who are even worse than bandits are asking me for fair distribution? How laughable..." The disciple who spoke up earlier choked in his own saliva as he lifted his hand and pointed at Dan, "You..." Dan shook his head in response, "If you want to negotiate, you should first make sure that you''re qualified to do so in the first place..." One Strike''s expression flickered, but he maintained his composed and cool look as if everything happening before him didn''t matter to him. "I could''ve shared everything with you guys in a fair manner, but since you captured my fellow disciples and made their lives harder and even raped some of my fellow disciples, you cannot just expect me to follow the end of my deal, right?" Dan lifted a mysterious smile before taking the authorization token that he possessed and displayed it to the crowd. Everyone''s expression changed, particularly those from the Thousand Swords Sect who thought, "Provoking this demonic god, we''re definitely screwed this time..." Those from the Paradyne Academy stared at the authorization token in shock, but when they felt the unique energy fluctuations from the token. They were convinced that it was authentic. However, there was someone that couldn''t accept everything. It was Annie Thomspon who lifted her finger and pointed at Dan in indignance. "You...How dare you claim that you''re a member of our Academy when you abandoned us earlier!" Remembering the time where Dan took the Thousand Swords Sect''s side. Her face flushed in anger. "Abandon? If I didn''t send that bolt of lightning at the right time, earlier. Then you would''ve been dead! Ungrateful swine!" Dan violently cursed and Annie could only keep her indignance in her heart as she engraved Dan''s name in her mind. "Hahaha," One Strike suddenly laughed, his laughter froze everything around and made him the focal point of everyone. Dan stared at the former with knitted eyebrows and thought, "Is he planning something? With his current state, there should be no way that he could fight back against me and the unsealed disciples of the Academy..." "Just because you trashes have regained your cultivation bases and you have this so-called strong bastard in your side, doesn''t mean that you have already won the war..." Senior Brother One Strike unsheathed his sword and Dan''s expression turned solemn. Assuming a stance, he would attack once One Strike moved. "Innumerable strange techniques exists under the heavens and you cannot say that you won until you saw your enemy''s corpse! Even if I am battered, right now, I can still rise up and decimate you all!" He boldly declared before biting the tip of his tongue and vomiting a mouthful of his blood essence. His eyes flashed in ruthlessness as the negative energies around his body reached the peak. Dan''s expression changed, he had an idea about what One Strike was about to do as he shouted, "Shit, everyone get the hell out of here!" One Strike lifted the ball of blood essence and mumbled, "Too late, no one shall be able to escape..." "Yin Elemental Art: Blood and Soul Sacrifice!" The ball of blood essence exploded and latched on the bodies of his fellow disciples who madly shrieked in pain and fear. Dan along with Kwydin and the remaining members of the Paradyne Academy froze in their footsteps when they realized that One Strike only targeted his fellow disciples. Their faces twisted into utmost anger when they saw One Strike''s fellow disciples melting into a pool of blood all the while screaming for mercy and cursing One Strike in their hearts. "One Strike! I will never let you go even if I''m a ghost!" "Curse you, curse you and your eighteen generations of ancestors!" "You will have an ugly death, One Strike!" One Strike merely glanced at the dying disciples before suffusing a cold and indifferent expression. At this moment, Dan felt a chill in his heart as he realized what a true demonic cultivator was. Disregarding relationships and feelings. They could discard everything just for the sake of power. Someone like that, someone like One Strike who sacrificed the lives of his fellow disciples could be considered as a true demonic cultivator! Thinking back at the words that George said to him earlier, a torrent of negative energies surged inside his mind as he felt the urge to slaughter taking over his rationality. "Such is a true demonic cultivator, eh..." Dan kept the negative energies in his mind at bay as he tightly clenched his fists and manifested the first stance of his Divine Art. Standing before the crazed One Strike, his eyes flashed without fear and his figure looked stoic amidst the tempest! A true battle between two demonic cultivators was about to start! 132 Union One side looked calm and composed while the other was a mess of negative energies and emotions. Fueled by the blood essence and soul power of his sacrificed disciples, rationality was long since lost from One Strike''s mind. He only had a single thought, and that was to kill everyone around him and reap all the benefits that he could. Unveiling his blade, his figure flashed and reappeared behind Dan as a cold gleam swept past the latter''s body. Peng! Sparks flew and both fighters turned into a blur each clad in the aura of their techniques. One looked like the God of Lightning while the other looked like an Asura from ancient times. Nevertheless, those who remained never dared to approach their vicinity and retreated will all of their might, instead. Annie''s expression looked indescribable when she thought about the rollercoaster of emotions that she just felt. In just a span of an hour, she never liked, hated, liked, then hated someone before. When she found that Dan belonged to their side, her indignance and anger from his earlier actions flared up. Staring at his blurry figure, she bit her lower lip and inwardly swore that she will definitely make him pay once they return back to the Paradyne Academy. Senior Brother Kwydin''s gaze focused on the battlefield, especially at One Strike as he knitted his eyebrows in deep contemplation. It was strange since Kwydin wasn''t even that bothered about the fact that One Strike just sacrificed his fellow disciples, but now, he was focused on his figure as if wanting to engrave his image in his mind. "This strange flow of energies and harmony with the Spiritual Qi of Heaven and Earth...He gives off the same sensation as Sword Master BlackInk..." Kwydin compared One Strike''s movements with the strongest sword wielder of the Paradyne Academy, BlackInk and found that it looked quite similar. Dan''s eyebrows locked, his perception sensed the strangeness with his enemy''s attack, but he couldn''t comprehend it with his current knowledge. In each exchange that they spent, Dan found it harder to fend off his enemy''s attack and after about a hundred exchanges, a reversal occurred. One Strike forcefully broke through his defenses of lightning arcs and pierced through his left arm, leaving a gaping hole the size of a man''s fist. Hua~ Gnashing his teeth, Dan made his retreat and One Strike madly chased after him. Glancing at his enemy, Dan activated the System''s Simulation Function as he mumbled under his breath, "System, Simulate a three-dimensional holographic image of my enemy''s weak points, label everything accordingly..." [System Simulations Initiating; 50%] [System Simulation Completed!] A holographic image of his enemy''s figure manifested in the air before he flicked it at his peripheral vision and kept his retreat. "Just what is going on here? Why do his attacks feel slippery and hard to dodge?" Dan thought in his mind and stopped his retreat. With eyes flashing in resolve, he engaged in an effort to uncover more knowledge about this peculiarity. "Wait, why is he engaging once again? Does he not know that his enemy possessed Sword Intent?" Kwydin murmured in the air, engaging in a frontal battle against someone who comprehended Sword Intent was a foolish endeavor. Dan disregarded everything and entered a state of utmost concentration. With both of his daggers, he stared at the point of contact and observed every minute changes that occurred. As sparks flew from the clash of their weapons. Dan saw that One Strike''s sword made a minute vibration which dissolved most of the force from his attacks. The vibration was so insignificant that if Dan didn''t enter a state of complete concentration, he wouldn''t notice it. Peng! With a sharp cry of metal, Dan flew backward with complicated emotions decorating his visage. Now, he finally understood why most of his attacks couldn''t even scratch his enemy. That''s because his enemy comprehended one of the Grand Five Daos, the Dao of Intent, or more specifically, the Sword Intent! Those who managed in comprehending a Grand Dao would be undefeated within the same realm. In other words, Dan had to adjust his mindset and think that his enemy wasn''t a human, but a beast instead! Sacrificing his fellow disciples for the sake of his own benefits, other than a beast, there were no fitting words to describe him. A person with such an unscrupulous character like him would definitely use all sorts of diabolical means to advance. Dan decided that he won''t let such a person live. Or else, it would be akin to planting future problems for himself. Adjusting his mindset, Dan condensed everything that he had learned so far and engaged with his enemy once more as both fighters suffered injuries upon collision. "Anger of the Lightning God!" Dan screamed and his muscles bulged in an inhumane manner. Clenching both of his fists, one could faintly hear thunder reverberating inside the former''s flesh as his strike descended on One Strike''s body. Using his brute force, Dan was met with resistance from the sword beams that surrounded One Strike. Both of Dan''s arms were torn apart, revealing ghastly white bones and the pain almost made him collapse on the ground. However, his several days of body tempering gave him enough resistance to grit his teeth and endure. Both of his arms were now wasted but his enemy didn''t go scot-free. One Strike''s chest caved in and despite the recovery power that his Demonic Art bestowed upon him, the wounds didn''t heal and it looked even worse. The nemesis of all Demonic Arts under the heavens was lightning. And a collision with Dan''s lightning Qi while using such an Art was something that could easily be imagined. Both parties suffered severe injuries and the battle reached the point where the one who had the stronger mind would win. Holding their breaths, the two looked pale and bedraggled. Controlling his lightning, Dan activated the first stance of his Divine Art and manipulated the Lightning around his body, sending it towards One Strike''s direction as the latter frantically defended with swings. One Strike''s eyes flashed in graveness, he understood that he could never kill his enemy with his current state. And if he cannot kill his enemy? What would he do? Of course, he would flee! Darting his gaze around, his eyes flashed with a critical light as he pounced directly at Dan''s direction. The latter expected the former''s movements and had already prepared a ball of lightning. Sending it towards One Strike''s direction, the air itself whizzed as a deafening roar enveloped the entire area. When One Strike collided with the ball of lightning, he purposely infused a part of his Spiritual Qi so that the shockwaves of the attack would affect everyone who observed their fight. The resulting bright light temporarily dazzled everyone and One Strike took advantage of this opening as he ran towards the Ape Vampire Count''s carcass and deposited it inside his Spatial Ring before turning around to flee! However, how could Dan whose mind was in the highest alert levels only rely on his sense of sight? With the help of his sense of hearing, Dan tracked the direction where One Strike retreated and sent waves after waves of Lightning bolts towards his figure. "Hmmph! As if that would hit me!" One Strike sneered in his heart and waved his wrist behind. A strange energy fluctuation washed over everyone''s body as their weapons came to life and floated towards the skies. Even Kwydin''s treasured sword flew in excitement as Dan''s eyes stared in shock before the unique phenomenon that unfolded before him. "He summoned all of our weapons to do his bidding? He''s already that proficient in Sword Intent?!" Kwydin mumbled in his mind, as someone who sought the sword''s peak, he was familiar with Sword Intent and knew about the Realm of Sword Calling. With a flick of one''s wrist, one could summon a fleet of swords to defend or attack with him! Clearly, One Strike attained such a realm! "Wait, shit, he surrounded us!" Kwydin violently cursed when he noticed that the swords covered everything around them. If they dared to make a single movement, these swords would slash them apart. With indignance in their hearts, they could only watch as One Strike''s figure gradually disappeared from their sight. Dan stared at the latter''s back with complicated emotions on his face. Wryly smiling, Dan''s Qi Reservoir wasn''t enough to chase after him. However, he had vowed in his heart that he would never let him go. Gritting his teeth, Dan understood that if he wanted to subdue his enemy, he had to be more ruthless than him! Preparing his mind, Dan leaped towards One Strike''s direction as the swords that surrounded him screeched and slashed on his figure, injuring him in the process. "What the hell is he doing? Is he trying to throw away his life?" Kwydin lifted an eyebrow as he stared at Dan''s bloodied figure, the blood that he lost every second made him weaker as time passed by. Kwydin knew that Dan would collapse before he could even reach One Strike''s body. The question was, was it worth it to stake his life just for the sake of some materials? Clearly, it wasn''t. Dan momentarily glanced at the figures behind him and thought that it was a good moment for him to clear his name. Stretching his neck behind, Dan said, "All of you fellow disciples must be asking why I am doing such a thing, right?" His voice contained an attractive force which garnered their attention. Annie stared at Dan''s bloodied and bedraggled figure with complicated emotions in her heart. "As someone who belonged to the same Academy as you, I cannot bear to see someone who caused such damages to us, run free and without paying any price. He must suffer his due punishment, even if I am injured in the process." Dan''s expression hardened and his eyes gleamed in a light that looked like he was reminiscing about his fellow disciples that miserably died under One Strike''s hands. The calmed down figures of his fellow disciples ignited in fury once again as they remembered the time when they suffered under One Strike and the disciples of the Thousand Swords Sect''s hands. Gnashing their teeth, they lifted their heads and Dan could see the burning fury in their eyes. "Let me ask you this question, are you willing to let that guy run free without suffering any punishment from us?" His critical voice echoed in the air and everyone shook their heads and shouted in unison, "No, we will never let him go!" "That''s right, that''s the spirit, that''s the reason why I am willing to suffer these injuries, I am willing to suffer for as long as I can capture that bastard and tear his body apart before feeding him to the dogs!" Dan screamed and his heroic voiced pierced through the hearts of the remaining disciples who also shouted with fervor in return. Staring at his excited fellow disciples, Dan''s eyes shone in a peculiar gleam, "Now, most of my bad reputation should be replaced by now..." Shaking his head, he turned towards One Strike''s direction before lifting his lips in a smile. Even if One Strike escaped to the ends of the world. With the help of the System, Dan could still find him, wherever he was and whenever he wants! "Men and women, fellow disciples of the Paradyne Academy! Summon your might and follow me, your Senior Brother for the quest of that bastard''s head!" Dan pierced his dagger towards the skies before running through the swords that One Strike left along with his fellow disciples who suffered the same injuries as him. Somewhere in the distance, inside a hollowed tree covered in vegetation. One Strike laid down in a fetal position. His eyes shone in a light of excitement because of his success and his lips lifted in disdain when he thought about those ants from the Paradyne Academy. Before he arrived inside this tree. One Strike placed the carcass of the Ape Vampire Count at the opposite direction so that he could mislead Dan''s search. Holding the warm beast core inside his palms, One Strike couldn''t help but smirk when he thought about his imminent breakthrough. "Hmmph! Once I reached the realm of the Divine Soul, even if the Sect finds out about what I did, they will never think too much about it and when that time comes, I will infiltrate the Paradyne Academy and kill those bastards myself!" One Strike formulated his goals and embraced the Beast Core tightly in his arms. Bang~ Bang~ Bang~ The earth itself trembled and One Strike knitted his eyebrows, just what is going on here? Why is it so noisy? I even purposely chose the territory of a Divine Soul beast so that no stray beast would come to my place and bother me! He thought in his mind. Sticking his head out in curiosity, One Strike''s eyes widened in shock when he saw a group of bloodied disciples staring at his direction with bloodshot eyes. Dan sneered at the sight of him as he mumbled, "Oh, there he is...Everyone, drag him out, we shall not let him die without experiencing the peak of torture..." One Strike''s body went cold. 133 Harder to Die than to Live Dan''s unbelievable calmness when he said these words made the blood inside One Strike''s veins run cold. His fellow disciples that heard his words lifted a vicious smile on his lips. Their expressions indicated that they could not wait to vent their frustrations on him. Dragging One Strike, out. The former couldn''t even fight back under the suppression of multiple Spirit Tempering Realm cultivators. The disciples who held his figure suppressed their urges to kill him right there and now. Grinding their teeth, they knew that they had to make One Strike experience a life worse than death before they should kill him. Binding him with ropes, Dan carried One Strike who remained silent all this while at the center of the group and the disciples of the Paradyne Academy, with Dan as the leader started their discussion regarding torture methods. One suggested drowning the latter, while the others suggested generic torture methods such as flaying and scalping, but Dan denied all of these suggestions, saying that it was too average and there should be one torture method out there that would suit someone as despicable and perverted like One Strike. "Then, Senior, what should we do? We can''t think of any other torture methods such as these..." A male disciple scratched his head in awkwardness. One Strike''s expression looked tragic and indescribable, earlier he had just imagined himself standing at the apex and looking down at everything from the heavens itself, but now, he was at his lowest point with these people even discussing how they would torture him. Dan thought for a moment and his memories regarding his past life''s torture methods and capital punishment surfaced in his mind. "Now, that I think about it, this bastard also raped some of our female disciples, right?" A vicious smile lifted on Dan''s lips along with a vile idea as his gaze swept across his fellow disciples. Upon hearing Dan''s words, the disciples'' mood sunk to the bottom as they remembered Christine, the female disciple that One Strike blatantly raped. Not only that, but One Strike also killed Christine''s lover. Such despicable crimes cannot ever be forgiven nor forgotten. "Yes, Senior, that bastard did such things...We can never forgive him..." A male disciple interjected with reddened eyes. Veins bulged on his temples as a result of constantly fighting the urge to unleash his wrath. "I see since I have confirmed everything, I finally found a befitting end for such a pervert like him..." Dan tapped on One Strike''s forehead, sealing his sense of hearing before moving closer and indulging his fellow disciples about his torture method for One Strike. When the disciples heard Dan''s words, every one of them shivered in fear and terror. The men and women alike couldn''t help but feel a shiver down their rear ends as the eyes that they used to look at One Strike changed into sympathy and pity. One Strike''s figure couldn''t help but shiver when he saw the light within their eyes. Combined with the fact that Dan purposely revealed a vicious smile on his lips, fear sprouted inside One Strike''s heart. For the first time, someone as vicious as him felt fear. One Strike prided himself as a ruthless and merciless man that would stand stoically no matter how strong his enemies were. However, facing the unknown torture method that Dan fervently discussed with his fellow disciples with shining eyes, One Strike felt a premonition in his heart. Several minutes later, the male disciples whom Dan instructed earlier, finally returned and brought with them two male wild horses. One Strike knitted his eyebrows, what are they going to do with those wild horses? He didn''t understand why they did such an effort, after all, these horses didn''t possess any cultivation and couldn''t possibly injure his tempered body. The female disciples who observed the horses couldn''t help but feel fidgety as they averted their gazes. Dan controlled the horses and brought them closer to One Strike as he borrowed three pinkish pills from a male disciple. When the pinkish pills came out, the air became filled with a strange, enticing scent. The disciples that surrounded Dan couldn''t help but distance themselves, particularly the female disciples whose countenance flushed red. Evidently, the three pills in Dan''s palms were strong aphrodisiacs and staring at Dan''s vicious smiles and his gaze that darted across the horses and his ass. One Strike''s premonition was confirmed and he loudly wailed, "No please let me go, don''t do this to me please, Senior, I''m begging you, don''t do this to me..." His expression looked tragic and tears streamed down his face. Dan coldly chuckled, "So you finally noticed our intentions? Too late, now it is time for you to experience how it feels like to be violated, don''t worry, I heard that it feels quite good for the women so it won''t be that bad..." Dan mercilessly shoved two of the pills down the throats of the horses while he shoved the last one down One Strike''s throat. Pinning him down on the ground, he stripped One Strike''s clothes and made him bend over as the horses who swallowed the aphrodisiacs turned uneasy. The horses'' eyes flashed in a crimson light and the lance on their bodies stood tall like a fortress. One Strike kept on struggling under Dan and his companions pressure and when the horses went near his rear end, his cries became even more miserable as he pleaded for his life. Unfortunately, for him, there was no time for a reprieve. As one of the horse positioned itself before powerfully thrusting. ~Kuuuh~ One Strike''s eyes rolled and one could faintly hear a tearing sound reverberating across the forest amidst One Strike''s anguished cries. Slapping sounds of skin clashing against something dull repeatedly echoed out and the female disciples who heard such cries couldn''t help but shiver. Even Dan and the male disciples who thought that they were quite vicious couldn''t help but avert their gazes. One Strike''s suffering continued for several hours until the first horse exploded right inside his body. By this time, One Strike''s consciousness barely hung on his body because of the severe injuries that he suffered. However, how could Dan let him die just like that? Forcefully feeding One Strike with recovery pills, the latter''s body recovered from its previous state before he was violated and when the second horse''s turn came, the heart-wrenching tearing sound of his rear end being destroyed resonated once again. "Pwease...No more, let me gooo...I''ll give you everything...I''ll become your slave, your spy, please just let me go..." With the effects of the aphrodisiac inside his system, One Strike''s body felt quite strange in each time the horse thrust its lance inside his body. With drool seeping out of his lips, One Strike pleaded for his life. "Hahaha," Dan coldly laughed, "One Strike, you''re really a strong man, to think that you would still have the face to plead for your life after being violated by such an animal..." Dan sneered and One Strike''s pleading stopped. His expression shone in a light of understanding and his countenance turned into a tranquil acceptance. "Yes, that''s right, after having experienced this much, why should I live? I even killed my fellow disciples so even if I returned back to the Sect, they would also kill me..." One Strike suddenly laughed out loud like a broken machine. His wretched appearance, creepy laughter and paired with the fact that the horse continued its pounding on his rear-end. One Strike was thoroughly broken in heart and soul. Right now, his desire to achieve the peak of cultivation has disappeared. Replaced by his overwhelming desire for the sweet release of death. It was only until the horses violated him for thirty more times did One Strike received the permission to die. 134 Calculating the Rewards Dan and his companions stayed true to their words. One Strike''s body was torn apart and was fed to the exhausted horses. After everything was well and done, Dan retrieved One Strike''s Spatial Ring and gathered everyone at the campsite. With a flick of his wrist, everything was cleaned up and before an empty ground. Dan took the Spatial Ring and displayed everything inside. Constant clanging sounds reverberated as numerous artifacts, talismans and gold coins filled the empty space before them. Aside from the gigantic corpse of the Ape Vampire Count. The pile of gold coins formed a mountain and Dan''s eyes wrinkled when he saw it as he thought inside his mind, "Damn, just this mountain of gold coins alone is enough to feed my entire clan for three generations..." He glanced around and frowned when he realized that his fellow disciples looked uninterested. "What''s wrong with these guys, are they so rich that they do not care about a mountain of gold coins, anymore?" The actions of his fellow disciples were strange for his eyes. Annie''s gaze swept over his figure as she said, "Hmmm? Why are you so concerned about such a currency that only mortals, uses? Could it be that senior doesn''t know anything about Spirit Stones?" Annie''s question pinpointed Dan''s weakness as the latter glared at her, "Hmmph! Do you really think that someone like me won''t know anything about Spirit Stones? I just want to pack these gold coins so that I can have something to donate for the Impoverished mortals! Do not misunderstand." Dan crossed his arms and made a gesture of irritation, Annie covered her mouth and exaggeratedly said, "Ah, so that''s the case! I offer my apologies for being so blind! I was actually unable to see through Senior''s magnanimity..." Their sarcastic remarks between each other didn''t go unnoticed under Kwydin''s eyes as the latter lightly coughed and said, "Senior, what do you think should be the distribution of these items?" His tone indicated his submission under Dan''s might. Dan fell into contemplation for a moment before he took the crucial Beast Core and left the remaining materials for his fellow disciples. After all, they made their own sacrifices and it would be too domineering to collect everything. "Bastards, let me teach you how a clean-up should be done! There, take that part of the tent, that can still be sold for a high price! What are you guys doing, standing there, are you looking down on those small parts?! Those are made with deep sea gold! Imagine melting those and reselling it again, it would rake you tens of thousands of gold coins, you know! Stop being so wasteful!" Dan transformed into the incarnation of a hoarder, remembering the way that Grace disassembled the carriage that they used until the border of the Great Forest of Manzur. Dan''s concise instructions bore fruit and now, they had several hundreds of kilograms of deep-sea gold for melting. Annie and Kwydin along with his companions stared at Dan with strange expressions. Dan didn''t even spare the robes of the dead disciples, saying that they could be recycled. "See this? Don''t even think of letting these fabrics rot in here! It has the property of being hot in winter and cold in summer! It shouldn''t be wasted! Gather them, gather them!" Dan lifted his index finger and pointed on the corpses. His fellow disciples looked disgusted but remembering Dan''s previous display of his might, they could only swallow their indignance and do his bidding. In the end, several tragic looking disciples carried the robes of the deceased as they continued their journey and return back to the Paradyne Academy. Fortunately, George arrived on the second day. Clad in fiery robes, the former descended from the skies and acted as an Elder and brought every one of them into safety. Annie Thompson and Senior Brother Kwydin along with his group were Inner Disciples, and their region was located several dozens of kilometers away from the region where Dan stayed in. Though Kwydin and his fellow disciples wanted to celebrate together with the latter. The restrictions regarding regions were something that they didn''t want to violate and they could only retire and promise each other that they would drink when they meet once again. George and Dan stayed inside a luxurious Inn meant for Inner Disciples inside the Inner Disciple Region. The reason why both of them didn''t immediately return was to calculate everything that Dan acquired from his endeavor. Withdrawing everything above the bed, the most iconic item that Dan obtained was the Ape Vampire Count''s beast core, a primary ingredient needed to concoct the Divine Connection Pill, a pill compatible with his physique for his breakthrough. "Since we already have the primary ingredient for concoction, we only have to find the six remaining supporting ingredients. Though they are just supporting ingredients, they are also rare and cannot be bought with gold coins alone." George shook his head and Dan nodded his head in understanding before keeping the beast core inside his Virtual Inventory. The higher the demand for the item was, the harder it would be to find and secure. "Young master, since you have already mastered the physical techniques that the master tasked me to teach you. It is time for me to retire," George lifted a small smile on his face and stared at Dan''s figure with shining eyes. The time he spent together with this young master of his wasn''t long, but it was meaningful. Dan stared at him with the same aura around him. He would miss spending his time together with this old man. "George, are you really going to return, now? You can stay here you know, and I''m sure that once the Headmaster recognizes your presence, he would be more than willing to let you stay..." Dan commented. If Mathias knew about George''s existence, he would definitely be ecstatic. After all, having a Divine Ascendance Realm Cultivator around you would make everything more secure. George lightly chuckled, "Of course, I do want to stay but I still have my own tasks to do. I''m actually overdrawing my stay and my return should''ve been three days ago..." He shook his head and glanced at Dan for a moment before saying, "Young master, I will be looking forward to your success, I do hope that you can reach the Divine Ascendance Realm as soon as possible and acquire the qualifications to know about everything..." His voice turned faint as he reached the end of his sentence before it disappeared completely along with his figure. Dan stared at the open window with complicated emotions on his face. Before long, he deeply sighed and laid on the bed. These past days, he suffered inhumane tortures but have acquired greater rewards in return. "Rewards? Now that I think about it, how did I forget about the Quest Rewards and the System Upgrade that happened several days ago?" Dan murmured before swiping open the System Menu and tapping on the Quest Icon. A burst of resplendent lights decorated his vision along with numerous system notifications that said, [Quest Completed!] [Rewards Acquired!] [Assassin Skill Tree, fully activated!] [Skill: Weapon Mastery Acquired!] [Skill: Mental Mastery Acquired!] [Skill: Physique Mastery Acquired!] [Skill: Stab Acquired!] [System Upgrade Completed!] [Patch Notes: Rage Gauge percentage acquisition has been decreased by 30%] [Added Daily Quest, Weekly Quest, and Monthly Quest] [The Damage of the Sudden Strike Skill has been lowered from a 150% to 110%] [Item Shop has been restricted! The host can now only buy a maximum of ten items per month!] These series of system notifications astounded Dan, his eyes shone in excitement when he saw the list of skills that he acquired from completing quests. However, when his gaze landed on the patch notes section. His excitement dimmed, as he thought about his restricted Item Shop and his nerfed Rage Gauge. The former didn''t bother him that much since he could use the primitive weapons of this world in ease, but the Rage Gauge was his final trump card. Having it nerfed greatly impacted him. Shaking his head, he calmed his nerves and decided on inspecting his newly-acquired skills. [Skill Name: Weapon Mastery] [Skill Effect: As an aspiring Assassin, everything under the heavens can turn deadly in your hands. With exceptional handling and coordination of your body, your mastery of weapons exceeds the peak.] [Skill Cost and Duration: None, Passive] "Weapon Mastery? Wait, does this mean that with this passive skill, I only have to train myself in half the time to achieve double the results?! What a goddamned cheat!" Dan exclaimed in his heart and suppressed his excitement before tapping on another skill icon. [Skill Name: Mental Mastery] [Skill Effect: As an aspiring Assassin, one''s mind should be clear of all distractions, with Mental Mastery, one''s worries would disappear while in the battlefield, Can be combined with Assassin''s Focus to achieve one''s peak in battle prowess.] [Skill Cost and Duration: None, Passive.] "Mental Mastery? Though mental strength can be trained over time, it''s still quite neat to have such a supporting skill. I can''t really complain," Dan mumbled in his heart before tapping on another icon. [Skill Name: Physique Mastery] [Skill Effect: As an aspiring Assassin, one''s body should be as hard as steel and as impenetrable as a fortress, with Physique Mastery, one''s physique would be enhanced, bringing with it a multitude of benefits such as poison immunity.] [Skill Cost and Duration: None, Passive] "Now this is what I call as overpowered! Goddamned it, with such a skill, I won''t need to worry about being assaulted with poisons nor sneak attacked from behind!" Dan rubbed his palms in excitement, he couldn''t help but desire to test his body''s resilience. But since he still has one remaining skill for inspection. He calmed himself down and tapped. [Skill Name: Stab] [Skill Effect: A swift stab.] [Skill Cost and Duration: 2% of Host''s Spiritual Qi, Instant] Dan knitted his eyebrows, the Skill Effect notification didn''t divulge any helpful information regarding the skill. However, he could just use it for himself and so, he shrugged and dismissed all system notifications. Taking a soft sword from the pile of loots that he acquired, Dan swung it around. ~Whoosh~ ~Whooosh~ The soft sword gleamed in a cold light as it tore through the air itself. "Good sword!" Dan exclaimed in his heart and kept swinging it. His eyes were half-closed and his mind focused on the sensation of swinging the soft sword. Ding! [Soft Sword Mastery Acquired!] "Eh?" Dan''s movements froze and he stared at the system notification that floated in the air, "It''s that simple to acquire weapon mastery?" His eyebrows locked and he swung the soft sword once again. But this time, when he used it to slice the air before him. Hummm~ The soft sword gave off a soft humming sound that felt pleasant to the ears. Dan''s expression changed and he realized that the soft sword looked like it was enjoying itself. "Understanding the emotions and intent of the sword, could it be that I just comprehended, Sword Intent?!" Dan''s jaws slammed the floor and his movements froze. Staring at the soft sword in his palms, he thought about the Weapon Mastery Passive Skill that he just acquired and couldn''t help but mumble, "I knew that it was an overpowered skill, but I didn''t expect that it would be that overpowered..." 135 A True Comrade [Soft Sword Mastery Acquired!] [Throwing Weapons Mastery Acquired!] [Great Sword Mastery Acquired!] [Bow and Arrow Mastery Acquired!] In a certain room inside a luxurious establishment inside the Inner Disciples Region of the Paradyne Academy. The figure of a young man could be seen intermittently smiling while waving numerous weapons on both hands. At first, his movements looked amateurish and inexperienced, but as time passed by, his moves became fluid and without waste. If a master of the sword path was present and saw Dan''s improvements, his jaw would definitely fall for several stories and even pierce through the core of the planet. However, despite Dan''s familiarity with the weapons, he knew that he shouldn''t be complacent. After all, mastery of weapons wasn''t everything on the battlefield. "The Weapon Mastery skills instantly adjust my mind and my body with the weapon. However, it doesn''t mean that I''ll instantly become a master, just because I''m familiar with the weapon doesn''t mean that I''m a master..." Dan shook his head and stopped his inflating ego. All sorts of miracles and mysteries existed under the heavens. Dan knew the becoming overly arrogant would become his downfall. Nevertheless, he didn''t suppress his excitement and shouted for as long and as high as he could. Fortunately, the walls of his room were reinforced with Sound Isolating Formations or else his neighbors would think that he was being murdered. "Now I suddenly regret letting George go. If he stayed, I could have someone spar with me so I can gauge my current battle prowess..." Dan mumbled to himself before shaking his head, stretching his body, he walked out of the Inn and explored the Inner Disciples Region. The Inner Disciples Region was located in the heart of the Paradyne Clan Region. If one knew nothing, they would find it hard to believe that such a vast expanse of land was the entire Academy Grounds. Life inside the Paradyne Academy could be compared to city life. All sorts of mortals could be seen walking everywhere, and all sorts of stalls with great food could be seen dotting the alleyways and Dan could feel a deep sense of familiarity with the area. Nevertheless, despite the fact that the population of mortals was higher compared to the number of disciples, present. The mortals didn''t act like they owned the place and would become deeply respectful in the face of a true disciple of the Academy. Dan was inside the entertainment region and could see numerous establishments for gambling, food, bars and even brothels where one could experience the sensual pleasures in life. "Hello there, young master. You look like you''re a new face here, is it your first time here? Don''t worry, come with us and we will make you comfortable as soon as possible..." A female attendant approached him from the side and tried to coax Dan in availing their massage services. Lifting an eyebrow, Dan understood that what would happen wasn''t limited to just massages. After all, cultivators faced the threat of being smitten by the heavens and they liked venting their stress in all sorts of ways. Shaking his head, Dan got rid of the female attendant with great effort and could finally roam free without anyone offering him anything. "Hmmm?" Dan''s eyebrows locked, he saw a figure clad in jet-black robes standing near a dark alleyway. The figure talked with an inner disciple of the Academy and the expressions of the two were distorted into a lecherous one. Dan''s curiosity peaked and he approached their vicinity in a calm and discreet manner. "Are you sure about that, bro? Are those articles that you talked to me about, brand new?" "Indeed, they are brand new items, fam. You do know that we have numerous sources of articles, right? It should be brand new and genuine!" The jet-black robe figure spoke in an excited voice. His tone garnered the excitement of the other party as the two entered the dark alleyway. Dan activated Stealth and followed suit, though he shouldn''t really concern himself about such suspicious things since it would happen every day in this district. Dan''s intuition told him that he should follow them from behind. The two figures arrived near a dilapidated door and slid inside. Dan found himself inside a room filled with filth. A strong smell of liquor constantly wafted in the air. Scouring the area, Dan realized that only him and the two figures were present. "Okay, now that we''re here, what do you want to do? Do you want to try our strength and acquire these for free, or do you want to pay up front?" The jet-black robe figure chimed and the disciple revealed a wry smile on his face, "If I didn''t hear the rumors of you having cultivated your right arm to the peak of strength, I would''ve challenged you." He shook his head, "But I am not so foolish to do such a thing when I know your strength..." His words made the jet-black robe figure nod his head in satisfaction before raising his hand, displaying three fingers, "Three Standard Spirit Stones..." "Ughhh, as usual, it''s quite expensive..." The male disciple moaned in pain, but still handed over three murky Spirit Stones the size of a roadside pebble. "I have confirmed and received the payment," The jet-black robed figure handed over three jadeslips and the disciple hurriedly stashed it inside. "It is time for me to leave, I still need to buy some incense for these articles..." His eyes flashed in a light of reverence before leaving the room. Dan stared at the side all this while with a blank expression on his face. No matter how many simulations he did inside his mind. He never understood what unfolded before him. Kneading his aching temples, he stood up and walked towards the door. "It would be better for you to reveal yourself, comrade." A calm voice echoed behind Dan as the latter froze. "When did he noticed me?" Dan thought inside his mind before undoing his Stealth. His figure appeared inside the establishment like a ghost, but the jet-black robed figure merely shrugged and said, "Comrade, you could''ve come here using the normal procedures and I would welcome you with warm arms..." Taking a bottle of murky liquor, he poured it into a wooden cup before drinking everything down. Slamming the wooden cup on the table, he gestured for Dan and the latter sat before the former. Dan lifted his head and stared at the other party. His eyebrows locked when he noticed that the former didn''t have any trace of ill intent. "Is he not mad that I infiltrated his establishment and eavesdropped in his transaction?" Dan inwardly thought. "Since you came here without following the normal procedure. I am afraid that I have to test if you''re a genuine comrade..." The man''s eyes flashed in a critical light and Dan mumbled, "A genuine comrade, what''s that?" The jet-black robed man, chuckled, "Only those who remained untainted with the temptations of life and haven''t listened with the whispers of the demons can become our true comrade, a pure mind without intent for sensual pleasures, we only accept that kind of people as our comrade..." The man''s eyes shone in a melancholic light and Dan couldn''t help but think back about their conversation with a fellow disciple. "You may have heard about it earlier, but what the comrade said earlier was true, my right arm is stronger than my left." Placing his right arm that looked average above the table, he softly mumbled, "I have cultivated my right arm''s strength for about two decades, enduring the lonely days with my right arm, I have achieved the peak of arm strength, and creatures such as girlfriends do not matter to me anymore..." Dan stared blankly at him like a petrified wooden chicken. "Come, place your arm, display your purity to me and showcase the arm strength that you have cultivated by not having a Dao Companion!" The man''s voice pierced through Dan''s heart and the latter remembered the days that he spent in solitude back in his previous life. Back then, Dan was a lonely soul and without having a significant partner, his arm strength had reached the peak and he could even break a world record if not for the fact that he was an awkward and introvert man. Remembering those days, a small smile lifted on his face and his facial expression revealed the same excitement and anticipation that the man before him had. Dan felt excited, excited about the prospects of meeting a true comrade! 136 Shameless and Despicable Inside a dilapidated room in a dark alleyway. Two figures could be seen staring at each other with solemn lights in their eyes. One of the figures lifted his right arm and placed it near the other. Time slowed down and everything around them became insignificant compared to the event that would happen in the next several seconds. "Uhmm..." Both hands tightly held each other as both arms bulged. In a single breath, both competitors rotated their pent-up strength as veins popped on their forearms. Dan and the man''s expression reddened under the intense exertion. On both of their temples, bulged numerous veins that looked like worms. Their eyes dilated and the wooden table where their arms rested creaked in protest. "Don''t underestimate me...Don''t underestimate the power of someone that remained a virgin for the past two decades!" The man shouted with vigor and he pulled a thread of power somewhere inside his body as Dan''s face contorted in pain and exhaustion. "Just two decades? You dare to strut before my eyes with just two decades of accumulated power?! Take a taste of the strength that I gathered from my past life!" Dan roared and his eyes looked like it would fall from its sockets at any moment. Both of their arms looked purple from the exertion and the lack of oxygen. "Guuuu..." The two gritted their teeth, and the wooden table below their arms collapsed under the immense stress that they exerted. With both arms hanging in the air, the one that has the stronger endurance would win! "Not yet...Not yet!" The man clad in jet-black robes mumbled amidst his hurried breathing. Dan''s expression twisted in delight and he exclaimed, "What''s wrong, what''s wrong?! Is that it? Is that the best that you can do with your accumulated power?!" Dan''s tauntings awakened the beast inside the man''s heart as a huge force that could be compared to a mountain crashing on Dan''s arm manifested and almost made him fall on the ground. If not for the fact that Dan tempered his body beforehand, such strength would''ve subdued him already. "Shit, so that wasn''t the extent of your powers?" Dan hissed, however, when he lifted his head, he saw that the man''s face looked purple and was clearly at the end of his ropes. Witnessing the determination within the man''s eyes, Dan sighed in his heart and slowly released his strength. "You bastard, what are you doing? Are you looking down on me?!" The man noticed Dan''s actions and he fiercely cursed in return. Dan''s expression turned hesitant, and the man once again shouted, "Continue! Even if I fall right here and now, it is not your fault! It just means that my strength is lacking and that your accumulated purity and strength is stronger than mine!" After hearing such words, Dan didn''t hesitate any longer and summon the strongest power that he possessed as a crushing sound along with a miserable shriek pierced through the entire room. Several minutes later, Dan wrapped the jet-black robed man''s right hand with bandages and secured it, making sure that it wouldn''t move. "Thank you, brother," The jet-black robed man mumbled, and Dan shook his head, "You shouldn''t concern yourself with such a small matter, brother. However, may I know what merchandise are you selling here? Are they that dangerous that you''re hiding from the general public?" His words made the atmosphere turn tense. Nevertheless, the jet-black robed man nodded his head and removed his robe. Revealing the figure of a young man whose visual appearance looked to be the same age as Dan. The latter''s figure looked slender and his eyes emanated a light of shrewdness hidden within a merchant. His expression reminded Dan of Grace when they first met. "Brother, let me first introduce myself. This one''s name is Michael Degollacion, I''m the Chief Leader of the Goddess Appreciation Club," He stretched his hand out and revealed a small smile on his face. Dan stared blankly for a moment, "Goddess Appreciation Club?" He frowned as he asked and Michael''s smile turned sly. Taking a jadeslip from his robe, he placed it above the table and infused his Spiritual Qi as the jadeslip shattered and formed the familiar figure of Natalie removing her robes and changing her clothes. "Pffft!" Dan spat a mouthful of liquor that he was drinking and Michael took his reaction as someone stunned silly about his precious discovery. "Astounding, right? I knew that you would definitely be shocked, as you can see, this woman is the Honorary Disciple of the Academy, it took me quite a bit of an effort to take this high definition image, I was almost caught by the formations around the Fragrant Peak Pavilion..." Michael looked incomparably proud while Dan''s expression turned strange and indescribable. "Could it be that you''re a voyeur?!" Dan exclaimed and Michael knitted his eyebrows, "A voyeur? Far from it! You should not call me using such a perverted term! What I do is appreciate these Goddesses in their purest form as possible! And how can one see a person''s purest form? That is to see them without their knowledge! That''s the time where their facades are gone and they are in their truest and purest form possible!" "These Goddesses would definitely be pretentious in the presence of strangers. They would only become themselves when they are alone or they are with their loved ones. That''s the reason why I am going all around the entire Academy, capturing their image in the purest form possible for that''s the only way that we can truly appreciate their beauty!" Michael spouted such a speech which earned Dan''s admiration and respect, but still, he felt uncertain before asking, "Purest form possible, eh? But why are you taking pictures while they are changing their clothes, should taking their images while they''re doing chores, enough to see their purest form?" Michael''s figure froze as an ambiguous smile lifted on his lips, "Of course, what you said is true, however, we''re all men and you do know about what men likes, right? To earn some money from my endeavor, I have to, of course, go through the extra mile and take such pictures..." Stretching his hand, he tapped Dan''s shoulders and said, "Don''t misunderstand, just think of it as extra appreciation for all of these Goddesses..." Dan revealed an indescribable expression while Michael coaxed him from the side. The two talked to each other for a moment, but suddenly. A voice filled with disdain and righteousness echoed throughout the entire room. "So this is your current place of operation, Chief Leader of the Perverts Club..." The door exploded into splinters and the figure of a reddish-haired figure of a young man appeared right before their eyes. Michael fiercely glared at Dan, "You bastard! Could it be that you''re the one who leaked information for them?!" Dan locked his eyebrows in thought before saying, "Why would I do such things, brother? You have already tested my fate and you should know that I''m a true comrade, right?" Michael turned his gaze away from Dan and stared at the reddish-haired figure that just arrived, "Laxus, why must you stand on my path? Could it be that you''re not a man?" He lifted a small smile and mocked the latter. "Not a man? Hmmph! A true man is someone who respects women! Not like you who only thinks of them as fuels for your perverted desires!" Laxus lifted a finger and pointed at Michael, Dan''s expression turned weird and he distanced himself away from the imminent battle. "A true man is someone who respects women? Are you saying that just because I admire women in their purest form that I do not respect them as a human? What a farce, what a farce, Laxus!" Michael retorted in return and Laxus assumed an offensive stance, "There''s no reason for talking anymore, let''s just fight it out, Michael!" "You took the words out of my mouth!" Michael shouted in response and the two engaged in a fierce close combat battle. When it comes to battle prowess, cultivation, and experience, Laxus was higher than Michael. However, when it comes to being shameless and despicable, Michael had the higher ground. Laxus kicked and Michael dodged, "Is that the only thing that you can do? Dodge all of my attacks?!" Laxus taunted and chased after Michael. Witnessing that the latter was cornered, his smile turned vicious as his punch soared through the air, heading for Michael''s head. But before his punch could reach the latter''s head, a fierce gale struck his face and his facial orifices instantly reddened in irritation. "Achu!" Laxus sneezed, his eyes burned and tears streamed down in an effort to fight the irritation caused by Michael''s counter-attack. Tasting the powder that landed on his face, Laxus screamed, "Despicable bastard! You actually used black pepper powder against me!" Laxus figure repeatedly retreated like a scared off rabbit and Dan stared at the scene with a weird expression on his face. As a bystander, he saw everything that happened and knew that it was when Laxus threw his fist did Michael snatched a bottle of black pepper powder, emptied the contents before throwing it at Laxus'' face. The perfect timing of his counter-attack disrupted Laxus'' movements and the latter had no other choice but to resentfully retreat, giving Michael a breather. "Fucking hell, this guy is even more shameless and despicable than me..." Dan commented at the side as he felt pity about Laxus'' condition. The poor guy''s eyes looked swollen and he would intermittently sneeze which would disrupt the natural flow of his movements. Michael who saw his miserable condition, sneered, "Are you retarded? Remember that on a battlefield, no tricks are dirty!" He quickly ran at the disoriented Laxus with his fist tightly clenched in a punch. Laxus'' experience in battle enabled him to regain his strength, however, it was at the moment where Michael''s fist neared his face. Ducking his head, he barely evaded Michael''s punch and counter-attacked with an elbow strike right at Michael''s sternum! Crack~ A painful cracking sound along with Laxus'' miserable shriek reverberated across the entire room. Michael viciously smiled, before he attacked the former, he stuffed an iron plate with nails on his chest. Now the injury that Laxus would suffer if he noticed what Michael did would be minimal. However, in his attack, he used all the strength that he could muster amidst his rage and the result was, he completely fractured his elbow, from the system''s simulation, it would take at least three months for it to heal. "Bastaaarrrddd!!!" Laxus scrunched on the ground like a dying shrimp before his eyes rolled out and losing consciousness due to the pain. Dan shook his head and darted his gaze at Michael. The latter huffed and puffed before turning towards him and raising his thumb in a gesture of victory. "Damn, this bastard really is strong, to think that he dented such a huge piece of reinforced black iron, if this was my chest then I would''ve died!" Michael commented as he stared at the dented piece of metal plate, his expression pale as he imagined his outcome if he didn''t do such quick actions. Dan merely stood at the side with his arms crossed, cursing Michael''s shameless and despicable attitude. Staring at Laxus who went into shock, Dan could only shake his head and carry him towards a nearby medicine pavilion. The despicable bastard also went along and after placing Laxus inside the emergency room. He even stripped him of all of his Spirit Stones, leaving Laxus with nothing to pay for his stay in the emergency room. Because no one vouched for Laxus'' identity and paid for his medical fees. The people from the medicine pavilion could only kick him out and place his unconscious body near a sidewalk beside the beggars. 137 Exclusive Rights "Damn you''re a savage man," Dan said with a wry smile on his face. Michael who casually sat before him revealed a small smile of his own before saying, "What else should I do at that time? Should I just let him go without paying for anything?" Dan stared at Michael and found that the latter looked nonchalant as if nothing happened. He even ordered numerous expensive dishes and when they arrived, Dan remembered a certain matter and turned pensive. "Comrade, how many jadeslips do you have about that young woman that you displayed to me earlier..." Dan clasped his hands together and an air of a businessman enveloped his body. Michael''s figure shook for a moment before crossing his arms together and proudly announcing, "I still have at least a hundred jadeslips of the Lightning Empress, Natalie Longinus." With a flick of his wrist, an ensemble of jadeslip manifested above the table. Michael moved his body closer and whispered, "You have some fine tastes, Comrade, according to my informants, the Lightning Empress, Natalie Longinus actually has a child, so she''s a mother and quite a fine one at that..." Dan saw Michael''s lecherous smirk and suppressed the urge to smack him down on the ground. Darting his gaze on the jadeslips, Dan''s hands blurred and safely recovered everything. "Are you sure that this is everything? There should be some top-secret jadeslips, right?" Michael''s expression flickered for a moment before he lifted both of his arms in defeat, "Why do you look like you''ve been doing this for a while, Comrade? To think that you actually knew about the existence of the top-secret jadeslips." He inserted his hand inside his robe and revealed three jadeslips that looked ordinary and average. If not for the faint trace of deep-sea gold on its body, one would find it hard to differentiate from the average jadeslips. "Are you sure that you''re gonna take these top-secret jadeslips? They''re quite expensive, you know?" Michael revealed a sly smile, his eyes flashed in resplendent lights as he stared at Dan as if staring at a fat piece of lamb. Michael allowed him to scan a jadeslip as a preview of its contents and when Dan infused his Spiritual Qi inside the jadeslip. A high-definition image of Natalie sleeping clad with nothing but her nightgown carved itself inside Dan''s mind. Dan''s expression changed, if the preview image actually had such a juicy picture, what about the contents of the entire jadeslip? And what''s more, there existed three of them! Dan sharply exhaled and offered his price, at this moment, a fierce battle of haggling between a merchant and a buyer has commenced! "You''re a tough nut to crack, aren''t you?" Dan sipped his tea and stared at Michael who scratched his head in awkwardness, "Comrade, as a diehard fan of the Lightning Empress, you should know about the difficulty of entering the Fragrant Peak Pavilion, the price that I offered you is the lowest that I can go..." Dan clicked his tongue and returned his cup of tea on the saucer, "Fine, however, let me reserve all the images that you have for the Lightning Empress, everything, all images from the past and the future should be given to me!" Dan declared and Michael stared at Dan with admiration inside his eyes. It was the first time that he saw such a fan that was willing to sacrifice a part of his wealth just to acquire exclusive rights for the images of their idols. Dan''s position inside Michael''s heart soared towards the peak. Such a man, he''s definitely worth befriending. Michael thought in his mind. On the other hand, Dan maintained his calm and thought to himself, "Hmmph! How could I let anyone ogle my wife''s body?" He simulated a plan on how he could reinforce the defenses around the Fragrant Peak Pavilion. The transaction went through and both sides reached an agreement. Dan paid the price of two hundred offensive talismans and a hundred defensive talismans along with ten thousand gold coins. As for the exclusive rights for Natalie''s images, he bought it for fifty thousand gold coins. It was the first time that Michael had such a prodigal customer like Dan. His courtesy soared through the skies and he acted as if Dan was his grandfather. His face revealed a constant refreshing smile. However, when Dan saw his actions, he suppressed the urge to smack him down on the ground, thinking to himself that Michael could become his bridge when it comes to building his own influence in the Academy. The two ate together and spoke cordially with each other, after finishing their meals. Michael promised Dan that he would deliver more images at the end of the month and retired back to his home. Little did Michael knew that after this transaction, he wouldn''t be able to infiltrate the Fragrant Peak Pavilion anymore. Walking down the street, Dan walked at a constant pace and he reached the Fragrant Peak Pavilion after several hours of walking. Behind the gates, Dan could see Natalie, Grace and his daughter, Juliet training with each other with sweat dotted on their foreheads. Grace''s expression looked refreshed and didn''t have the nervousness and tenseness that he had when she first arrived in the pavilion. Her quick adjustments with the environment indicated Natalie''s skills in reception. Dan''s expression softened when he saw how hard working his daughter was. In this world, people normally cultivated at the age of ten and Juliet started her journey while she was just nine years old. One could see her advantage because of her early start. Dan took his authority token and a creaking sound resonated. The sound garnered the attention of the three figures and when they noticed Dan''s figure. The first one who leaped in his arms was Juliet who tightly latched on his neck, "Welcome back, Papa!" The little girl didn''t seem to notice that she was rubbing her sweaty body on Dan''s robe. The latter didn''t mind it and rubbed her back. Natalie also approached him from the side, "Dear, how was the training with Senior George, did everything went well?" She expressed her concern with her tone and Dan lifted his lips in a smile. "Yep, I''ll tell you more about it later," Dan''s nose twitched, "How about the three of you take a shower first?" He suggested and Grace''s expression flushed red before dashing back inside the Pavilion. Natalie puffed her cheeks and took Juliet from his neck as she said, "Okay, we''re gonna take a shower, it''ll be quick..." Dan couldn''t help but chuckle upon witnessing Natalie''s embarrassed and retreating figure. Dan didn''t want to criticize them for smelling bad. He forced them to take a shower so that he could surprise them when they return. Entering the Pavilion, Dan found Natalie''s residence and entered the kitchen. Staring at the familiar utensils, a small smile lifted on Dan''s lips as he loosened his robe and entered into cooking mode. Fetching numerous ingredients, Dan only took three breaths and sliced them cleanly. Soon, the fragrant smell of meat and the wholesome aroma of vegetables wafted out in the air. Back in his previous life, Dan was a lonely man who lived by himself. To save some money, he taught himself some recipes that he never expected that it would become this handy once he had his own family. Thinking about how a failure he was in his previous life, Dan couldn''t help but shake his head, "The past is past, why should I keep dwelling on it instead of moving on. Now that I have my family here and I am living well, I should cherish such moments and spend more time with them, together..." He couldn''t help but become somewhat teary when he felt the love and warmth that the two women in his life bestowed upon him. Wrapping up everything in the kitchen, Dan lined the dishes above the jade table and when Natalie, Grace, and Juliet returned from their bath. The scene of witnessing numerous glamorous and delicious looking dishes astounded them. "Dear, you prepared all of these in such a short amount of time?" Natalie commented amidst her widened eyes. Dan chuckled and said, "Yep, these dishes are original recipes of mine that I frequently used when the time is tight, especially when there are in-game events that I don''t want to miss..." "In-game events?" Natalie mumbled in confusion and Dan shook his head with a chuckle, "Forget about it, just take a seat and let''s just eat," Grace bowed her head in respect before taking her seat and Juliet ran towards her father and leaped on his lap. "Juliet, don''t sit there, you''re disturbing your Papa..." Natalie said with a frown and Dan rubbed Juliet''s back as he said, "It''s fine, it''s fine, it''s not like I can do this every day, you know? I''ll just indulge her just this time..." His words silenced her and the three figures started their meal, smiling to each other, the three finally entered a comfortable mood as Dan kept on bragging about his endurance and willpower when he faced George''s terrifying training. "Ah! Now that I think about it!" Natalie clapped her hands together before taking a jadeslip, "Natalie Longinus is requesting a three day leave for familial reasons..." Dan saw her actions and asked, "A three day leave? Why would you do such a thing?" Natalie turned speechless before mumbling amidst her reddened countenance, "I''m taking a three day leave because I don''t think that you will let me go for at least three days..." Hearing this, Dan almost choked in his tea and Grace who understood the underlying meaning couldn''t help but blush in return. Only Juliet remained joyful and kept on stuffing her mouth with the dishes that her beloved Papa, made. 138 Night of Passion Dan suffused a wronged expression as he interrupted everything and started his tale. "Dear, you have no idea how harsh Senior George''s training was, I even had to endure sitting below a waterfall, and not only that, Senior George also infused the waters with Lightning so it constantly electrocuted my body. Afterward, I also have to endure having thunder and lightning inside my flesh so that I could cultivate the Physical Techniques that he wants to give to me." Dan looked like he didn''t know whether to laugh or to cry and his tone contained his suppressed emotions. The two young women who heard his pleading voice couldn''t help but lift their heads as their expression, softened. The maternal instinct that they had surged to life and Natalie moved closer and rubbed his head like the little baby that he was. "Papa, don''t cry! Mama says that boys don''t cry so papa won''t cry, okay?" Juliet noticed Dan''s tragic expression and took it as a sign that he would cry. Lifting her small arm, the little girl did the same and patted the latter''s head as Dan stared at her and said, "Since Little Juliet is consoling me, how could I fall down and cry?" Dan slapped his chest and tilted his head towards the skies, Natalie chuckled and chimed in, "So only when Juliet consoles you would you calm down?" Her eyes flashed in a critical light and Dan scratched his head and said, "Of course, my little wife is the same with little Juliet..." His comical expression provoked waves of laughter from Juliet and Natalie. The atmosphere inside the room turned incomparably warm. Grace hung her head low, she didn''t understand why but she felt somewhat somber when he saw Natalie and Dan''s joyful expressions. She came up with some excuses and walked outside. She felt like a third-wheel if she stayed. Returning back to her room, her face flashed with complicated emotions. Dan stared at Grace''s back and thought that he somewhat neglected her well-being. Natalie noticed the peculiar light within Dan''s eyes as she said, "First it was me, then Charlotte, then Grace..." Wryly smiling, she continued, "Just how many girls are you planning on luring before you''re satisfied..." She placed her arms in akimbo. Dan''s eyebrows locked, "What do you mean by luring, aren''t you the one who acted close with them so that they won''t feel unfamiliar in our house?" Natalie shrugged, "Well that''s true, but just because I did that doesn''t mean that I have ulterior motives behind my actions, and also! When they came here, I can see that they already have some feelings for you, it would just be a matter of spending some time together with them before they fall..." Dan choked in his words and couldn''t reply, "Little wife, please don''t misunderstand, they may have feelings for me but I don''t have feelings for them, and I bet that they will definitely find someone else that''s miles better than me..." Natalie turned speechless and stared at him for a moment before saying, "You do have a point there, but remember that Grace is technically your slave and would never leave your side while Charlotte though she isn''t that attached with you, remember that you made a mark in her heart and her mind back when both of you were gone..." Dan nodded his head in understanding, "Little wife, don''t you feel uncomfortable talking about my supposed to be future wives?" Back in his previous world, women absolutely disliked seeing their men having affairs, yet Natalie''s mindset was the opposite. She was gung-ho about it and would even nurture her feelings with Dan''s potential wife candidate. "Dear, I have always believed in the saying that only a harmonious household will last under the jaws of time. Since they are potential wife candidates for you, why should I sow the seeds of hatred in their hearts? It would be much better for me to get to know them better so that I can adjust according to their personalities..." Natalie explained her thoughts regarding this matter and Dan couldn''t help but feel astonished. "Why are you staring like me as if you''re looking at a ghost in broad daylight..." Natalie lightly chuckled and nudged his shoulders. Dan shook his head and leaked a strange smile. "I just feel shocked. Imagine having a wife planning for your harem..." Dan expressed his thoughts and Natalie jubilantly laughed. Witnessing her mother laugh after such a long time, Juliet''s mood soared through the skies and she turned into a jolly kid whose energy levels never dropped. Several hours later, the veil of the night descended and both husband and wife tried their best in coaxing their child into deep sleep. Fortunately, Juliet''s exhaustion from the training and playing with her parents kicked off and she went into a peaceful sleeping mode in thirty minutes of coaxing. Carrying Juliet in an adjacent room, Dan made sure that the little girl won''t wake up until daybreak before he returned back to his room. Upon his arrival, Natalie''s figure laid on the futon. Under the slight illumination of moonlight, her curvaceous figure, clad in pure-white robes looked ethereal and enticing. Gulp~ Dan''s throat moved and his body that abstained from sensual relations soared into life. Attached on his lower body stood a mighty fortress whose height could pierce through the skies. Natalie''s expression turned glazed and she bit her lower lip before taking a jade bottle filled with the Never Gonna Go Down Pills. Natalie said no words before taking off the lid of the jade bottle and pouring two pinkish pills. For fear of reduced medicinal efficacy, Natalie swiftly swallowed a pill and sent the other towards Dan''s mouth. Dan instantly consumed the pills and as soon as it reached his stomach. An unquenchable fire ignited within his body and his eyes reddened in lust and desire. Natalie noticed these changes and her expression turned softer and inviting than before. Dan''s willpower collapsed and he transformed into an ancient beast which destroyed everything that hindered his line of sight from Natalie''s body. However, before he could do as he pleased, Natalie stopped him and took his robes apart, revealing his stark naked body under her shining eyes. "Ughhh..." A guttural moan escaped from Dan''s lips as a warmth sensation along with a powerful suction force enveloped his lance. His body scrunched forward and both of his hands pushed Natalie''s head, deeper into his shaft. As his wife, Natalie knew Dan''s weakness like the back of her hand. Under her constant offensive and swift and nimble movements of her tongue, Dan''s defenses collapsed and he vented everything that he could inside her oral orifice. Fortunately, Natalie didn''t possess a gag reflex and was able to accept everything that Dan bestowed upon her. Removing her head from his body, a thin thread of milky-white liquid indicated her connection with his body. Licking her fingers, her expression brightened when she saw that Dan''s fortress looked as stoic and unyielding as ever. Dan who witnessed her excited and bewitching expression lost his reasoning as he harshly pushed him on the bed. When her body struck the futon, she led out a subconscious cry of pain and Dan''s eyes turned sober and shone in concern. Gnashing his teeth, he suppressed his surging urges and thought that since Natalie got him off, it was his time to repay her gesture in kind. Pulling her legs apart, Natalie took a pillow and embraced it as Dan dove into the ocean and scanned for pearls. His familiarity with her wife''s body combined with the techniques that he learned back in his previous life along with his high dexterity stats formed a composition that Natalie couldn''t resist. Before long, her pleasure filled moans reverberated throughout the entire room and her body endlessly trembled under Dan''s constant assault. Dan''s precise movements brought her into submission and in just under a minute, Natalie succumbed to her wounds and gave a cry which shook the entire room. Natalie''s moans were excessively loud, but how could the two of them care about that? Lifting his lower body, Dan stood before the gates of the castle with a battle cry, pierced through the gates. Natalie''s body tightened up and Dan could sense that she was on the brink of exhaustion and if he kept his intense pace, she would definitely lose her consciousness. Staring at her reddened countenance and ragged breathing, Dan slowed his pace and thoroughly massaged her insides. Natalie''s expression softened when she noticed that Dan adjusted his movements along with her breathing. Embracing his neck, she felt guilty that she couldn''t keep up with Dan''s intense pace, but at the same time, she felt incomparably happy that his man cared for her under such circumstances. The sweetness inside her heart intensified as she felt the sensation of fullness in her lower abdomen. The waves of pleasure which assaulted her spine transformed into a unique sensation which brought her closer to Dan, not only physically, but mentally and spiritually. "It''s okay, you can move faster..." She urged him and Dan shook his head, "It''s fine, I like this pace even more than before..." Dan commented with a smile on his face and nudged her nose with his nose. Natalie replied with a smile on her face, "I know that you''re not used with this pace so don''t strain yourself. It is my job to help you vent your stress, so you can do whatever you want..." Dan shook his head once more, "I would prefer it if I''m not the only one enjoying if both of us can enjoy it, why should I enjoy it alone?" Dan denied her request and he continued his slow yet steady pace. Natalie didn''t protest anymore and continued on embracing his chest as he indulged herself in the sensation of pleasure that continuously attacked her body. Soon, the two reached their limits and climaxed. However, under the effects of the Never Gonna Go Down Pills, Natalie and Dan couldn''t rest even if they wanted to as the passionate exercises that they executed in their room continued until the first light of daybreak descended from the skies. However, unbeknownst to the two, someone that lived among them wasn''t able to sleep throughout the entire night. Covered under the sheets, her figure looked flushed and if one stared closely, one could see a patch of wetness on her lower body. Realizing that the noises from the adjacent room had calmed down. The figure hung her head low. Her expression became filled with guilt and she couldn''t help but embrace her trembling body. She trembled with desire, but unfortunately, there was no one present that could sate her longing. 139 Gentle Morning In a room illuminated by the hazy light of daybreak. Two figures laid beside each other, one of them had a curvaceous figure and her expression looked tender and gentle. Her lips curved in a satisfied smile and her cheeks looked rosy and plump. Her eyes emanated a brilliant light of vigor, but beside her, the figure of a young man could be seen with widened eyes and dark bags under his eyes. His visage looked pale and his body intermittently trembled in exhaustion. Natalie saw all of these and she became guilty. It was her fault that Dan was so exhausted. If she wasn''t so selfish and fed him a Never Gonna Go Down Pill. He may not be as tired as he was now. Natalie lifted her head and said with a kind tone, "Dear, I''m sorry about what happened last night, if I didn''t feed you that pill, you wouldn''t be as worn out as you are now..." Dan heard her words and his exhausted expression flashed with tenderness. Lifting his arm, he patted her head and said, "It''s fine, as long as you''re satisfied, and it''s not like I didn''t want it in the first place..." He smirked and Natalie buried her head inside his chest. If the disciples of the Paradyne Academy saw her feminine actions, their jaws would fall to the ground. Particularly, those who worshipped Natalie as their Goddess. Dan wondered about their reactions when they find that their Goddess actually has a husband. "Little wife, I seem to have remembered something, do you have any idea about this?" Dan took a jadeslips that he bought from Michael and presented it before Natalie''s eyes. Natalie lifted her head and stared in confusion at the jadeslip. "Judging from how you look, it seems like you don''t have any idea about this, right?" Natalie nodded her head in response and Dan smirked, "Let me just show you what''s inside this jadeslip..." Dan crushed the jadeslips and resplendent lights materialized in the air, forming the image of Natalie clad in thin robes drenched in water. The moisture from the water formed an adhesive which made the robes stick on her curvaceous figure. Natalie''s expression changed, "Dear, where did you get these pictures?" Her eyebrows locked in thought, after all, she didn''t think that Dan would do such things since he could just request it and Natalie would strip for him. "I acquired this from an organization in this Academy called the Goddess Appreciation Club..." Dan''s visage turned indescribable and Natalie cried out, "Goddess Appreciation Club? I heard of them before and my fellow sisters are hunting them down. Unfortunately, they''re too slippery and reclusive..." "I see, however, I didn''t just acquire a single jadeslip, you know? I have at least a hundred of them..." Dan nonchalantly spoke before waving his hands as numerous jadeslips, the size of his thumb fell on his chest. Natalie stared at these slips with widened eyes before her expression flashed in anger. As Dan''s wife, she had to take care of her own body and make sure that only Dan could see her body''s full glory. However, little did she knew that the Goddess Appreciation Club has infiltrated the Fragrant Peak Pavilion and secretly took some pictures of her in her private time. This made her irritated and vexed, but Dan pacified her by saying, "Don''t worry about it anymore, I just entered a deal with their leader and acquired Exclusive Rights for your images, no matter when they were taken, they would send all of your images to me..." Dan revealed a prideful expression and Natalie looked uncertain, "Exclusive Rights? What does that mean?" "It means that I can be the only one that shall hold your pictures, Hmmph! How can I just let anyone ogle my wife?" Dan coldly snorted and Natalie''s expression flickered for a moment before she lifted a sweet smile and said, "Exclusive Rights, eh? But you don''t really need to do that, you know? Since I''m yours, you can just ask and I''ll show you everything..." She spoke with a lascivious tone which made Dan gulp a mouthful of saliva as he suppressed his bubbling desires. However, he couldn''t suppress his body''s natural reaction as a tent formed on his lower body. Natalie noticed his reaction but disregarded it for the moment. "Then, how much did you pay for the sake of that Exclusive Rights?" Natalie asked in curiosity, and Dan stared at her for a moment before saying in a casual tone, "It''s just a small portion, you don''t really need to know, but since you''re that curious, let''s just say that I paid fifty thousand gold coins for the Exclusive Rights for your pictures..." "Eh? Fifty thousand gold coins?" A queer cry came from Natalie''s mouth, as someone that recently experienced hell inside the slums community, Natalie valued money more than her peers. And after hearing that Dan sacrificed fifty thousand gold coins for mere pictures of her body, she became angry at those despicable voyeurs from the Goddess Appreciation Club. "How dare they extort fifty thousand gold coins from you...Dear, you must tell me their headquarters and I''ll demolish them with my own hands..." A cold air enveloped Natalie''s body and a hint of killing intent wafted out from her body. Dan''s figure shivered, he didn''t expect that Natalie could display such ferocity. "You do not need to do that really. Since they''re not doing anything other than take some pictures, let''s just let them go..." Dan shook his head and expressed his thoughts, Natalie stared blankly at him for a moment before replying, "Sure, if that''s what you like, however, if I ever find out that my pictures are still circulating in the market, I''ll definitely track them down..." Natalie said these words casually but Dan could feel a shiver down his spine. ''Goddamned it, I''m sorry Comrade, but you should never come to this place ever again or else if my wife discovered your presence, you will definitely die...'' Dan thought to himself and decided that he would warn Michael about his impending doom if he ever infiltrated the Fragrant Peak Pavilion again. Since their discussion has concluded, Natalie relaxed and took the jadeslips for safekeeping. Dan wryly smiled but didn''t protest, after all, he had his fill of her body, why should he care about some pictures? Smiling to himself, he pulled Natalie closer and embraced her in his chest. Natalie didn''t protest, but she felt a hard and dull object hitting her abdomen. Realizing its identity, Natalie turned speechless while Dan suffused a pleading expression and urged her. "This will be the last, okay? It''s about time that Juliet wakes up..." Dan nodded his head and Natalie lifted both of her arms and arranged her head in a bun before diving under the sheets. A guttural moan escaped from Dan''s throat, but he soon adjusted to the pleasure and placed both of his arms under his head. "This is bliss..." Dan murmured and enjoyed the pleasure that assaulted his body. Several minutes later, a sweaty Natalie emerged under the sheets. Her expression looked flushed and Dan hurriedly took a spare fabric from the side and wiped the edges of her lips. Witnessing her actions, Dan shook his head and said, "Little wife, you just committed a great crime of mass genocide..." Dan suffused a disappointed expression and Natalie fiercely glared at him and silenced him down. Dan awkwardly scratched his head and the two lifted their bodies. Dan took Natalie''s robe and dressed her up despite the latter''s protest. In return, Natalie dressed him up and the two finally exited their room after an intense and passionate session that forfeited their sleep. The two separated with Natalie moving towards Juliet''s room while Dan went towards the kitchen to prepare their breakfast. But as soon as he stepped inside the kitchen. A volley of fragrances struck his nose and Dan couldn''t help but exclaim, "Who is cooking these fantastic dishes? The smell alone is comparable to the dishes that I can make when I''m serious..." "Oh, young master, you''re already awake?" Grace''s familiar voice echoed amidst the crackling noises of oil. Dan stepped inside the kitchen and witnessed Grace''s prowess in cooking as he curiously asked, "Grace, just when did you learn how to cook?" Dan could see that Grace''s movements looked fluid and without waste. Such skill in cooking could only be achieved with years of practice and Grace was someone that didn''t look like she had the time nor money to practice her culinary skills. "When did I learn how to cook? Well, that''s because the prices of ready to eat foods are too high back there at Kalur, so to save money, I had no other choice but to cook for myself..." Grace lightly laughed as she explained, her slender arms continuously flipped the fried rice inside the wok and in each swing that she made, the rice would perfectly mix with the eggs and other dry and wet ingredients inside. Before Dan could even catch his breath, Grace completed her work and plated everything beautifully that Dan couldn''t believe what he just witnessed. "Surprised?" Grace lifted a cheeky smile. "You..." Dan stretched his arm and stretched her cheeks, "Why did you hide the fact that you know how to cook from me?" Dan mumbled in indignance, if Grace told him that she knew how to cook, then Dan wouldn''t spend so much time in cooking and just let her do the chore. Grace''s laughter echoed throughout the entire dining room as she retaliated and pinched Dan''s cheeks on her own. The two of them enjoyed each other''s company with Dan telling her some stories that he remembered back in his previous life. "The two of you are really enjoying yourselves..." Natalie''s voice suddenly interrupted them from the side and an epiphany struck Grace''s mind as she leaped back like a frightened rabbit. With a flushed expression, she calmed herself down and sat in the opposite direction of Dan. Juliet stood beside Natalie and she went towards Grace''s side and said, "Elder Sis, your face looks red, are you sick?" Her innocent and adorable voice disrupted the silence and Grace hurriedly waved her hands off and denied Juliet''s claim. "Hey, Juliet, you should not disturb Elder Sis, sit there and calm down..." Natalie felt Grace''s apprehension and she immediately warded Juliet whose excitement, deflated upon hearing her mother''s scolding. Nevertheless, she obliged and sat on her chair like an obedient child. Glancing at her beloved Papa, a smile lifted on her lips. Dan noticed Juliet''s actions and couldn''t help but revel in her cuteness. Right now, she could feel that Juliet was attempting to attract his attention and earn some praise from him for being an obedient girl. Natalie also noticed this and nudged Dan''s arm as the latter smiled and said, "Little Juliet is becoming a really obedient girl as time passes by, Papa will give you a reward if you continue that so remember to listen to your Mama, okay?" "Uhmm! Juliet will be obedient!" Juliet sweetly smiled and furiously nodded her head. Meanwhile, Grace looked fidgety and didn''t dare to stare at Dan and Natalie''s figures. Dan knitted his eyebrows, "Did I do something wrong to earn her ire? Why does she look uncomfortable around us?" Natalie stared blankly at Grace for a moment before a knowing smile lifted on her lips. Moving closer to Dan''s ears, she whispered. "Dear, when we came out of the room earlier, I realized that the Sound Isolating Formation of our room was disabled and since Grace''s room is right beside us, she may have heard everything that happened last night..." "Nandato?!" Dan transformed into a weab and exclaimed in his seat. Natalie revealed a wry smile and sent her signals of apologies towards Grace''s direction. However, the latter didn''t even receive it as she kept her eyes away from Dan and Natalie''s line of sight. In mere several breaths of time, the atmosphere inside the dining room turned awkward. 140 Mirthful Fairies Association The previously tranquil breakfast time of the three turned strange even Juliet who was normally hyper when eating sensed the strange atmosphere and kept her silence. Dan couldn''t savor the sensation of the marvelous dishes before him. Amidst the awkwardness, Grace suddenly slapped both of her cheeks and declared, "Young master, Sister Natalie, may I talk with both of you after this meal?" Her sudden outburst of courage stunned the two but they nodded their heads in confirmation and smiled towards each other. Dan gazed at Grace with complicated emotions visible on his visage. Back when he first met Grace, her eyes were clouded with despair and helplessness. In comparison, today. Grace looked valiant and had a positive outlook towards the future. Dan saved Grace for the sake of establishing his own merchant empire, after all, Grace possessed the wit and experience needed to stand above others. But now, Dan only had a single wish. And that was she would become happy in whatever endeavor she''s doing. Finishing their breakfast, Natalie cleaned the table and the three started their discussion with Juliet listening on them at the side. Clenching both of her fists, Grace gathered her courage and said, "Young master, Elder Sister Natalie, I wish to stop relying on you two and work on my own..." Her expression looked awkward and Dan along with Natalie who heard her words couldn''t help but chuckle, "Grace, what are you saying? You made us feel like you''re gonna be gone for long when you''re just going to work..." Dan rolled his eyes and scolded while Natalie supported him, "That''s right, Grace, you shouldn''t do that to us, our hearts are weak so don''t give us that kind of suspense..." Grace lifted her head in confusion, "Young master, but this is work that I''m saying, you know? If I''m gonna start a job, it means that I won''t be able to stay here as frequently as I wanted to..." Dan locked his eyebrows, "Yep, so what''s wrong with it? As long as you won''t go and work in another Empire''s territory, the two of us won''t really bother you with that..." Grace glanced at Natalie and the latter nodded his head in approval. "Indeed, we won''t bother you regarding that matter, but at least let us see where you''re going to work in..." Dan commented and Natalie clapped her hands together, "That''s a good idea! We can explore Grace''s workplace and we can also have some quality time with Juliet!" Juliet who heard the words quality time swiftly lifted her head and scanned her eyes on her beloved Papa and Mama. Her bright expression and her excited eyes evoked chuckles among the three as Grace nodded and said, "Okay, young master, I''ll show you my working place, however, please don''t be weirded out by it, since it may look quite strange..." Dan waved his hands, "It''s fine, it''s fine, I''ve seen weirder things that you could imagine..." He chuckled and Grace said no more as Natalie dragged her towards the dressing room. Behind them, Juliet tagged along as Dan exclaimed from behind, "Grace, can you make sure that Natalie won''t attract as much attention as she would when we go out, later?" Grace movements stopped and she turned around to see him smirking before nodding her head in understanding. Natalie who didn''t understand their actions couldn''t help but stare at them in conclusion as Grace explained, "Young master wants me to apply some makeup and reduce Elder Sis''s beauty..." "And why does he want me to look ugly?" Natalie asked and Grace revealed a small smile on her face, "It should be because the Young master doesn''t want anyone to ogle his Companion''s body other than him..." "Hmmm," Natalie pondered and swept her gaze over at Dan before sweetly smiling and following Grace into the dressing room. Dan stared at the scenery beside him. His countenance revealed his melancholy and his eyes flashed with the countless vicissitudes of life. Lifting his hand, he traced his silhouette that engraved on the table as he shouted in indignance. "Just how long until you guys finished dressing yourselves up?!" Women really were women and it took them at least two hours of scavenging the drawers before they could find clothes that they felt satisfied with. By the time that they walked out of the dressing room. Dan looked like he aged for several decades. "Dear, what''s wrong? Did you wait that long?" Natalie asked in concern while Dan turned speechless, "Nope, I just waited here for several hours without anything to do other than sit here and await my execution..." Natalie wryly smiled and Grace stared at Dan in awkwardness. They spent so much time looking for suitable clothes only to find that it would contrast their appearance. At this moment, Natalie''s countenance greatly changed. Her sharp eyebrows which intimidated anyone that looked at it turned gentle and her supple cheeks that looked soft to touch looked flatter and plain. Grace maintained her current appearance, but Natalie suppressed her own, transforming into a plain and average young woman that won''t stand out in the crowd. The three clad in simple fiery robes of the Academy stepped out and for the first time, Dan observed the entire Paradyne Academy in all of its glory. All pathways were made with reinforced white marble, intersecting each other and leading to different directions. Riddled between the grassland and trees, fake mountains along with rivers and fountains spurting fresh spring waters. There were numerous statues of different people honored by the academy. The fresh vegetation in the area cleansed the air and breathing the air made one feel relaxed. The Paradyne Academy covered a large area of at least fifteen thousand acres and separated between different regions such as the Outer Disciples Region, Inner, Core and Elders Region. The most bustling areas of them all was the center Region also known as the Inner Disciples Region where the Fragrant Peak Pavilion stood. Numerous disciples were all around the area doing their tasks and a general sense of cooperation and harmony could be felt when staring at their movements. Dan''s group eventually arrived at the Entertainment Block of the Inner Disciples Region. The Entertainment Block looked like a marketplace with numerous hawkers advertising their merchandise. After fending off these persistent merchants, Dan''s group finally arrived in a deserted alleyway where a dilapidated hall stood with a titled plaque that said, "Mirthful Fairies Association." Grace''s expression turned indescribable and Dan chimed in at the side, "Mirthful Fairies Association, what a feminine name, it really suits you, Grace." Grace revealed a strange smile and Natalie remained silent while holding Juliet''s hands. Grace stepped forward and knocked on the doors, "Ermm, hello, this is the new trainee, Grace Vermillion reporting for duty..." Her voice rang loud and clear but there was no response behind the door. Just as Dan became impatient, the door suddenly burst open as Natalie swiftly erected a Spiritual Qi barrier which protected them from the wooden splinters. Dan''s expression flickered and he subconsciously activated his Divine Art as lightning crackled around his body. Staring at the hall''s direction, the dust settled down and visibility returned. However, the scene that Dan saw struck him silly along with Natalie whose mouth widened in shock. Before their eyes, a reverse harem of bulky men could be seen staring at their direction with shining lights within their eyes. "M-mirthful Fairies Association...?" Dan murmured in the air. 141 Forceful Submission Grace''s lips repeatedly twitched as she stared at the welcoming committee that stood before her. Dan and Natalie wore weird looks and only Juliet remained indifferent. One of the men who saw the newly-arrived people walked forward. Clad in a pinkish robe which exposed his tight pecs. His stature looked domineering, yet he gave off a strange sensation which sent a chill down Dan''s spine. "Ermm, hello there..." Dan awkwardly greeted and the bulky man glanced at him for a moment before darting his gaze at Grace. "So you''re the newbie? Welcome to the Mirthful Fairies Association, as for your companions, I''m gonna ask them to leave..." His expression turned cold and Grace suffused an apologetic expression towards Dan''s direction. "Since we''re not welcome here, we can''t just force ourselves inside, can we?" Dan shrugged and respected the man''s decisions and after Natalie said her farewells and wishes for her sister, she went with Dan and Juliet in a quest to enjoy her remaining two days on vacation. The bulky man''s expression softened upon witnessing that Dan and Natalie''s visage were nowhere to be seen. His gaze swept over at Grace''s direction before saying, "I am sorry about that, newbie, but our current situation right now is so perilous that we cannot allow entrance for strangers..." Grace waved her hand off and apologized in return. The bulky man who noticed her respectful and gentle manner couldn''t help but become moved as he introduced himself. His name was Kevin Alvarez, though he looked imposing earlier, his position inside the Mirthful Fairies Association was merely an employee. The Mirthful Fairies Association mainly dealt with medicinal ingredients necessary for alchemy, so they looked for people that had a natural affinity with plants and preferably gentle looking ones. After instructing her with the basics, he left Grace alone by herself to tend with the plants. However, Kevin didn''t go away. Instead, he observed Grace from afar, most newbies that entered their vast garden of medicinal plants quickly surrendered after understanding the true situation of the garden. His eyes flashed in anticipation, anticipation towards Grace course of actions once she realized it. "Hey, Kevin why did you hire a woman as a new recruit? Don''t tell me that you forgot that most of our plants here are Yang Affiliated and aren''t suitable to be tended by women?" A coarse voice chimed behind Kevin and when he turned around, he saw the figure of another bulky man whom he was familiar with. The man''s name was Conner Winston, a fellow veteran that stayed in the garden for the past ten years. It could be considered that he knew everything about the garden like the back of his hand, and witnessing Grace''s amateur actions towards the plants, he shook his head in disapproval. "I don''t really care if you''re going to hire women, but at least hire those that have any idea about what they are doing..." Kevin didn''t respond to his comment, he maintained a mysterious smile and continued staring at Grace''s figure with interest. Most of the plants inside this vast garden contained overwhelming properties of the Yang and as one would expect, Yang reigned as the king. However, this great elemental imbalance created a problem regarding the plant''s spirituality. Yang possessed aggressiveness while Yin possessed gentleness. Overwhelming Yang breeds violence while overwhelming Yin forms cowardice. Without proper equilibrium between these two elements, the plants quickly developed rebellious and aggressive spiritual intelligence which frequently injures the employees that took care of them. This was the reason why most of the newly-hired employees swiftly stopped working, creating a massive loss in manpower and huge loss of profit for the Association. "Ugly bitch! Get the hell out of here or I will murder your entire family!" "Get out of here or we''ll toss a lego inside you bedsheets so you will suffer unimaginable pain!" "We do not need you here, back off or you''ll regret it!" A mixture of voices from women and men formed a chorus which directly imposed itself on Grace''s soul. Kevin and Conner''s expression turned solemn and they prepared to rescue Grace if something goes wrong. After all, Grace was a mere mortal that didn''t possess any protection against the plants. Grace''s figure froze upon hearing the insults that the highly-intelligent plants directed on her. The sound waves generated struck Grace''s soul, but at the same time, a faint milky-white light surged from a small orb inside her Spatial Ring and the attacks of the plants were nullified. Regaining her calm, Grace''s expression distorted into utmost anger and she violently cursed, "Bastard, just what did you say? You''re going to place a lego inside my bedsheets? Try and do that, and I''ll roast you alive all the while watching your plant descendants burn before my eyes!" Grace''s eyes flashed with ferocity and she lifted her finger before pointing at a swaying plant, "You! You''re the one that said that you do not need me, right? Okay, fine, starting today I will place you in a section where sunlight won''t reach and instead of giving you spring water, I will give you stagnant water from the sewer pipes!" "Also you! You''re the one that said that I''m an ugly bitch? Look at yourself in the mirror, you twat! Just from the thorns on your body alone is enough to disgust the lowest of beasts and you''re insulting me as an ugly bitch?! How brilliant! The pot calling the kettle black!" Grace swept her gaze on the plants around her and the chorus of irritable voices, simmered down. With eyes flashing in a ferocious light, Grace exclaimed, "All of you shut the fuck up or else you will experience how it feels like wanting to die but cannot die!" Her curse was deemed effective as literally every Spiritual Plant prostrated themselves towards Grace''s direction. Witnessing the plants submission, Grace crossed her arms together and lifted her head in a prideful look. Kevin and Conner stared at the scene with their jaws dangling from their chin. "J-j-just what did happen?" 142 Garden of Eden Since the Paradyne Academy possessed such vast lands under its belt. Numerous organizations, associations, and companies invested their assets and formed their own monopoly inside the Academy. One of them was the medicine pavilion owned by one of the high-ranking elders of the Academy. In order to keep everything in order, the medicine pavilion hoarded medicinal ingredients along with plants so that they could be the sole source of medicinal pills. However, such forceful methods garnered the attention of several associations that stood against their iron fists. One of them was the Mirthful Fairies Association, an association full of men with eccentric traits and hobbies. Because of this, they became the medicine pavilion''s first target and in the end, they had to rely on the medicine pavilion''s help in pacifying their aggressive plants. The first remedy that the leader of the Mirthful Fairies Association did was to discard all the plants and as a result, they acquired great losses. However, to their leader''s horror, they found that the soil itself became Yang Affiliated. Having no other choice, the Mirthful Fairies Association paid a great price to recruit the elders of the medicine pavilion in pacifying their plants. Today, an Elder from the medicine pavilion arrived near the gates of the Mirthful Fairies Association. Staring at the rotten and dilapidated wooden entrance, the elder couldn''t keep his disdain from leaking. As someone of power, those who recruited him had proper facilities and even held great receptions for his arrival. In comparison, the Mirthful Fairies Association looked and felt like shit. "Hey, just how long are you going to make me wait in here? You should at least offer some beverages for me to enjoy..." He rubbed his aching temples and mumbled in indignance, the bulky man behind the receptionist desk rolled his eyes and replied in a feminine voice, "I''m sorry for the inconvenience sir, but I am only following my leader''s orders. If you want to relax, please head for the lounge, I''m sure someone would receive you there and offer you massages..." The Elder''s countenance paled and his body shivered from the thought of being massaged by men whose body looked as thick as tree trunks. Shaking his head, he fiercely glared at the receptionist before retreating at the side. "What an old fool, does he really think that just because he''s from the medicine pavilion that I would serve him like he''s the Emperor? Hmmph! He''s not even a handsome one, just a plain old bag of bones..." The receptionist mumbled under his breath, but on the outside, he maintained his professionalism and continued smiling towards the Elder despite the fact that he was being treated like trash. Such was the life of someone like him who worked in customer service. Surrounded by highly-intelligent plants that submitted themselves before her. Grace stood in the spotlight and at this moment, she looked like the Empress of Plants! Kevin and Conner stared blankly at this scene before their faces flashed in excitement, "Kevin, you actually found a goddamned diamond amidst the pebbles!" "Shit, we must inform everyone of this news! Finally, we can finally be free from those bastards at the medicinal pavilion!" The two men held each other''s hands and joyfully walked towards the front-desk of the pavilion, upon arrival, Kevin''s visage turned ugly when he noticed the usual old bag of bones staring at him with a dark expression on his face. "Oh, isn''t this the Elder from the Medicine Pavilion? Sister, why didn''t you tell me that he''s here?" Conner chimed at the side and glared at the receptionist. The receptionist stared blankly at Conner, but when he received the signal, he assumed a fearful expression and said, "No, this one wouldn''t dare...I just followed the protocol in receiving customers for the Garden of Eden..." Conner deeply sighed, "It''s fine, you don''t need to beat yourself for it," His gaze swept over at the Elder from the Medicine Pavilion before saying, "This humble one offers his apologies for the lack of convenience for the Elder, I do hope that Senior will act kindly and forgive this humble one..." Kevin and Conner gave a slight bow, but when their gazes met in mid-air. The two meaningfully smiled as the Elder from the Medicine Pavilion said, "It''s fine, it''s fine, you don''t need to think about the reception, as if you can afford to have such things..." He sarcastically said and veins bulged on Kevin''s forehead as Conner hurriedly pacified his anger. "Just lead me to the Garden of Eden. My time is precious and there may be people that need my help while we''re needlessly talking..." The Elder flicked his sleeves and Kevin along with Conner led him towards the Garden of Eden. Upon arrival, the Elder saw Grace and was stunned by her beauty. Lightly coughing, he approached her and said, "Ermm, Little Miss, are you also interested in flowers and plants?" Grace stared at the Elder''s wretched appearance and saw the meaningful light within his eyes. She felt disgusted about it and said, "Are you retarded? I wouldn''t be here if I''m not interested in flowers and medicinal plants..." "Retarded..." The Elder''s expression darkened, he didn''t expect even in his wildest imagination that such a pure-looking beauty like Grace would actually use such vile language. Lightly coughing, he engraved her image inside his mind before retreating. "This one from the Medicine Pavilion shall now start in pacifying the aggressive flowers and plants, everyone, please stay back." His words rang loud and clear and he glanced at Grace, looking for signs of intimidation within her indifferent expression. To his dismay, Grace merely glanced at him for a moment before retreating with Kevin and Conner. The Elder''s expression darkened even further, clenching his fists, he swore in his heart that he would definitely make Grace regret being so disrespectful with someone like him. Shaking his head, he calmed his nerves and cleared his mind. In pacifying aggressive plants and flowers with Spiritual Intelligence, one needed to be as gentle as possible, whispering sweet nothings towards the plant''s body, one should slowly inject their Spiritual Qi inside the plants so that they would recognize you as a friendly person. In return, once they became familiar with your Spiritual Aura, they would listen to your orders and would calm down around your presence. Kneeling on the ground, he approached a medicinal plant that looked like a whip. Making sure that his body would touch the plant, the Elder started his whispers, "Oh, baby, the suffering that I suffered before I was able to arrive in your side is something unimaginable even with the greatest of minds..." "If you ever wished for it, I would stretch my hands and pluck the moon and stars from the skies then offer it to you just so I could get a glimpse of your beauty..." "I would walk through the three great continents and swim through the seven great oceans, have my skin flayed, then drag my balls on broken glass all while being sprinkled with salt, just so I could listen to your fart from a voice transmission jadeslip..." Kevin, Conner and Grace who observed at the side couldn''t help but shiver upon hearing the Elder''s whispers. The bastard even took the effort into changing his voice into the most mellow and enticing one just so he could earn the plant''s recognition. "Excuse me, what the fuck did you just say, you old bag of stinky bones?!" The carnivorous plant that the Elder was embracing suddenly trembled and bit his arms as the latter miserably shrieked. The plants in his vicinity who heard his words rebelled and counter-attacked with insults. "Fucking hell, how dare you whispered to us such vile words?!" "Get the hell out of here, stinky bones! If you dare to stay here any longer I will uproot myself and sacrifice my Plant Essence so I can smack your ass away!" "Disgusting old bones, someone come and take him away or else I will stop producing fruits!" The medicinal plants and flowers rebelled. Those who possessed stronger Plant Essence even uprooted themselves and pounced at the frightened Elder''s figure. "Everyone, calm the fuck down!" Grace''s fierce voice reverberated across the entire area and as if a spell. All the rebelling plants and flowers turned silent and their cries also disappeared. Their figures deflated and those who uprooted themselves abruptly returned back in the soil. "I-I-Impossible! How can you calm them down by insulting them?! Could it be that these plants are masochists?!" The Elder cried out and upon hearing his words, the plants trembled and Grace glared at the Elder. "Old bag, can you just shut up and get the hell out of this place? In each second you spend in here, the more agitated they become..." Grace interrupted the trembling plants and the Elder''s expression turned ugly. Glaring at Grace, he said "Young miss, your words are too vicious compared to your beauty. Do you even know who I am?" The Elder maintained his etiquette and lifted his head in a prideful gesture. As a member of the Medicine Pavilion, he had the right to brag. "Why would care about the identity of an Elder that looks like he should be in a retirement home somewhere in the slums?" Grace sneered, towards someone as lecherous as this Elder, one needed to be aggressive or else they would pester you in every moment that they could. It was the same as handling bullies. If you want them to stop bothering you. One should fight back and they would disappear before your eyes and never bully you again. The Elder choked in his own saliva and the two men who observed at the side held their stomachs as they turned around and tried their best in suppressing their laughter. However, the faint trembling of their shoulders indicated their failure. "Good, good, good...Congratulations, you have successfully offended an Elder of the Medicine Pavilion. Make sure that you don''t become sick, okay?" The Elder turned his back and scurried away, leaving the dumbfounded Grace behind. "He was an elder of the Medicine Pavilion?" She asked in a blank tone. Kevin and Conner nodded their heads, "Wow, we didn''t expect that this new sister of ours would be so vicious and domineering, to think that you would fight back against a high-ranking Elder of the Academy..." They honestly praised Grace''s actions, but when the latter heard their words. Her expression paled as she thought. "D-d-did I inadvertently bring trouble for the young master?" 143 Conspiracy and Admission "Just what did you say?!" Pavilion Chef Maxwell slammed his hand on his table. The table disintegrated into smithereens and the Elder who reported his course of actions staggered backward, frightened. "Ermm, Pavilion Chef, as what I said earlier, those bastards humiliated me and that bitch even said that she doesn''t care about our Medicine Pavilion, this is a blatant challenge of our authority. Pavilion Chef, we must not let them go or else we''ll lose all our face!" The Elder spoke out, his visage glimmered in a righteous light and a persuasive air surrounded him. Pavilion Chef Maxwell turned speechless upon witnessing his subordinate''s display. Lifting his hand, he facepalmed, "What do you think about that young woman? Because she disdains our Medicine Pavilion what do you think about her background?" The subordinate Elder paused for a moment, now that he regained his calm, when he thought about it, the young woman''s actions were strange. Literally, everyone in the Empire of Eternal Faith knows about the Medicine Pavilion, its influence, and its might. So that young woman''s actions were incomprehensible. "Everyone should know about our Medicine Pavilion''s strength so seeing someone acting in disdain to our Medicine Pavilion only means one thing. Either, she has a background that is higher than our Medicine Pavilion or she''s a stupid bitch that doesn''t know the immensity of Heaven and Earth..." Pavilion Chef Maxwell''s expression brightened, ''It looks like this subordinate of mine isn''t completely stupid or else how could he rise through the ranks and endure through the merciless competition for an Elder position? Though he''s becoming somewhat senile and drunk in power...'' Clapping his hands together, Pavilion Chef Maxwell nodded his head in approval, "That''s right, other than those two choices, there''s no other logical explanation and since we can''t just let anyone that dares to challenge our authority get away, scot-free. I order you with my authority as the Pavilion Chef to find out the backing of that young woman..." The Elder''s expression flickered, "What if she doesn''t have any substantial backing?" His eyes flashed in a critical light while Pavilion Chef Maxwell paused for a moment before viciously smiling, "Let her understand the consequences of challenging the Medicine Pavilion. Make sure that you thoroughly trample her and make her beg for her death..." The Elder lifted a cold smile, his eyes flashed in excitement and he thought about the exotic beauty that Grace possessed, especially her silver hair that flowed like mercury under the blazing sun. "I understand, Pavilion Chef, you will not be disappointed..." He made his salute and exited the room, leaving Pavilion Chef Maxwell inside in deep contemplation, "A silver-haired young woman that doesn''t know about the existence of our Medicine Pavilion? If she''s confident about her backing, then why don''t I know about her?" Back at the Mirthful Fairies Association, dozens of bulky men could be seen standing inside a vast room. Their eyebrows furrowed and an air of masculine dominance surrounded their bodies. In contrast, the pink robes that they wore formed a scenery which confused everyone about the men''s sexuality. "Why did the Pavilion Empress called us here? We''re quite busy crushing plants for powders, we don''t have the time to be here..." "Where is that old bag of bones from the Medicine Pavilion? Is he not coming here? How can we harvest those plants if there''s no one to pacify them?" The ''men'' started their discussions, their soft and enticing voices that contrasted their masculine figures sent shivers down the spines of those who heard it. "Everyone, silence!" A charming androgynous voice reverberated in the area. The murmurs of the ''men'' on the hall stopped and they craned their heads towards the source of the voice. Standing above a podium, Kevin, Conner along with Grace stared at the commotion down below. "Sisters, I announce with glee that we finally have someone that can pacify those plants other than the old bones from the Medicine Pavilion!" Kevin spread his arms and announced with the same charming voice. Everyone''s eyes flickered and they simultaneously focused on Grace whom as a woman, stood out like a sore thumb amidst the sea of ''men''. "Empress, could it be that she''s the pacifier? A woman? Indeed, a woman with her Vital Yin intact would work well in pacifying those plants, but don''t tell us that you forgot about what would happen to women that enters an area dominated by Yang?" A subordinate dressed in fancy clothes of resplendent colors spoke out. His fellow sisters started their furious discussion and Grace turned towards Kevin with a confused expression on her face. Kevin turned somber and stared right into her eyes. "Pure women work best in subduing those plants but as a consequence of entering a place overwhelmed with Yang Essence, the woman''s Vital Yin would deplete and she could possibly become infertile," Conner answered her inquiry and Grace''s visage dimmed. The reason why she wanted to work was that she didn''t want to rely solely on Dan and Natalie. She wanted to become independent and have her own life. Now that she found a work, she became happy but she didn''t expect that her work actually had such dangers behind it. "That''s what we found when we hired female disciples from the Academy. Though the symptoms were not obvious, a prominent symptom is having a delayed or no monthly period at all. Meaning, the woman''s reproductive capabilities were suppressed or has ceased working." "Grace, we obviously want you to work with us but of course, we do not want you to sacrifice your happiness just for the sake of strangers like us." Kevin chimed at the side, his expression looked despondent. After what happened earlier, the relationship between the Medicine Pavilion and the Mirthful Fairies Association could be considered as void. Without the backing of the Medicine Pavilion. If Grace, their one and only pacifier disappeared. It was a matter of time until their Association goes under. The atmosphere of the entire hall became melancholic. "Damn it, since she knows about the consequences, she will definitely disappear, and once that happens, I''m afraid that us sisters will soon part ways..." "No, we cannot disappear, we still haven''t fulfilled our promise of finding our white knight! Until I can get married we shall not disband!" Kevin turned around and wiped something around his eyes. Conner revealed a bitter smile and Grace paused for a moment before wryly smiling, "So that''s the reason why they didn''t tell me about the identity of that Elder from the Medicine Pavilion until I offended him. Now, that we have a common enemy, it would be common sense that I side with them, such schemes, why am I used to it?" Sighing in her heart, Grace turned towards Kevin and said, "As Empress can see, I''m just a mere mortal and since I''m not a cultivator, my Vital Yin shouldn''t be that concentrated. Which means, the worst case scenario should be unlikely to happen." Grace explained and Kevin pondered for a moment. "Indeed, when we hired female disciples, those with higher cultivation suffered the most severe of damages, and since you''re a mortal, maybe you won''t be affected by the Yang environment, after all, your meridians won''t instinctively absorb the Spiritual Qi around you..." Grace nodded her head and Conner''s expression brightened, "Then does this mean that, Grace. You''re not going to abandon us?" Conner''s sculpted visage revealed a hopeful look and Grace lifted a small smile on her face since these men didn''t have any ill intent towards her and since one shouldn''t punch a smiling face. Grace deeply bowed and said, "Trainee Grace is once again reporting for duty!" Her voice rang loud and clear and all the men who looked sorrowful down below exploded into cheers. Kevin and Conner embraced each other and Grace felt like everyone was faking their distressed expressions, earlier. "But oh well, since I already admitted myself here, I should just see through the end of it and make this Association prosper for the young master''s sake..." Grace''s eyes flashed and her mind formulated a plan which would transform the dilapidated Mirthful Fairies Association into a towering giant that could stand toe to toe with the Medicine Pavilion. 144 Duel Somewhere in a high-end restaurant, Dan and Natalie along with Juliet could be seen in a private room where one could see the scenic view of the mountains along the Paradyne Academy. It was late afternoon. The descending sun decreased illumination and a scarlet-orange color filled the skies along with red clouds that signaled the arrival of night. Cold winds swept past their bodies relaxing the three. Juliet laid on Dan''s thigh while Natalie leaned on his shoulders. The tranquil and sublime atmosphere that enveloped their bodies made Dan who was reluctant about it several months ago feel happy that he transmigrated in this world. Stretching his arm, he embraced Natalie and the latter lifted her head and sweetly smiled. "Now that I think about it, there''s only a day until your vacation is over, right?" Dan remembered that Natalie mentioned something about taking a three-day vacation. Natalie nodded her head and said, "The Paradyne Academy is still an academy. It values attendance and technical achievements than academic..." Dan rubbed her head and nodded his head in understanding, Natalie narrowed her eyes as she savored the sensation of his hand rubbing her head. Smiling to himself, Dan said, "Since I have an Honorary Disciple Token, then I should be able to catch up with you soon, now tell me this, just what are they teaching in the Academy?" Natalie adjusted her body so that Dan could embrace her more easily before replying, "They mostly teach theories regarding the Daos that exists under the heavens, and in each quarter, one is graded according to their improvements in their certain Dao." "Theories regarding the Dao that exists under the heavens? Is it really necessary to teach those things when one should not rely on the Dao of the others and should create his or her own path?" Dan knitted his eyebrows, Natalie revealed a small smile and said, "Dear, not everyone is as smart as you or has their own established path because of their bloodlines, they need a guide or else they won''t be able to rise..." Dan''s eyes twinkled in understanding, "Indeed, not everyone in this world can cultivate and even if they could, that doesn''t mean that they would instantly soar through the skies like a dragon. One needs talent, resources, and comprehension to amount to anything on the path of cultivation." His eyes flashed in sympathy, "We really have it easy, don''t we? We have a noble bloodline so our path is established for us while they still need to carve their own path..." Natalie shook her head, "That''s wrong, Dear, you''re the only one that has a noble bloodline, remember what George said? I only possess a Pseudo-Bloodline and doesn''t deserve to learn the Longinus Clan''s techniques." Dan indeed remembered that George mentioned this issue. Staring right into Natalie''s eyes, he said, "Do you feel indignant about it?" Natalie shook her head, "Of course, not, just being with you like this is a blessing itself that I could die at any moment and still be peaceful..." Dan locked his eyebrows and flicked at her forehead, Natalie painfully moaned and rubbed her reddened forehead while glaring at him, "Why did you do that?" Dan coldly snorted, "Don''t be so casual in mentioning death, do you really think that I and Juliet will be happy to see you gone?" Witnessing his outburst, Natalie''s expression went tender and she lifted both of her arms and embraced his neck. "Well, since you don''t want to see me die, you better protect me, okay?" Dan revealed a bitter smile upon hearing her words, "Protect you? You''re at the peak of Spirit Tempering Realm, has comprehended the second Stance of the Blessing of the Lightning God Divine Arts and is personally trained by Senior Mathias. You''re the one that should protect me..." Natalie lightly chuckled when she saw him sulking, it looked to her that Dan''s pride was hurt and she lifted her upper body before saying, "How about we do a little spar? Since Juliet is asleep, we can leave her here for a moment..." Dan''s figure trembled and her expression turned pale, "A spar? What do you mean? If you mean ''that'' thing then I won''t do it here, we should at least wait until we''re back in our house..." Natalie almost coughed a mouthful of blood as she turned speechless and glared at him, "Why must you be so perverted, what I want to do is a proper spar, not those things!" Dan chuckled when he saw her outburst, "Not those things? Little wife, what do you mean by those things? Can you elaborate?" Natalie ignored him while scurrying away while stomping her foot on the ground. Dan followed suit with a wide smile decorating his face as the husband and wife arrived before a wide and reinforced room courtesy of the restaurant. "I rented this room for one Standard Spirit Stone for an hour, it is fitted with numerous anti-surveillance formations so there should be no risk of anyone spoofing our techniques..." Natalie stood at the distance before assuming an offensive stance, "Dear, you can go all out against me, don''t worry about any injuries..." The cunning smile that lifted on her lips ignited the fighting spirit within Dan''s body as the latter fiercely nodded his head and said, "I see," Shaking his head, he assumed an offensive stance, "I do hope that you won''t regret this, little wife..." Unveiling both of his Gerber Mark II daggers, cold lights flashed around him and Dan''s eyes turned sharp. The air around him turned murky and if a third party observed him from the side, they would feel suffocated from Dan''s fierce intent. His Weapon Mastery kicked in and Dan felt like his daggers became an extension of his arms. With a simple will in his end, he could control the daggers in whatever way he wanted. His Physique Mastery reinforced his body and his Mental Mastery enabled him to reach a terrifying calmness amidst pressure. Combined, Dan transformed into an imposing battle general which made Natalie''s expression change in delight and excitement. Flicking her wrist, a jade-colored soft sword manifested in the air and when she grabbed the sword, the air around Natalie changed. From her previous tenderness and gentleness, her sharp eyebrows gave her a domineering vibe and her shining eyes indicated her fierce battle intent. At this moment, both husband and wife faced each other in a battle where they utilized everything that they had, all for the sake of proving their abilities to each other. Dan focused all of his concentration into predicting Natalie''s movements. But when he blinked his eyes and opened them again, a flash of lightning remained at Natalie''s initial location as the latter reappeared behind him and sent a downward slice on his back. If he was the Dan several months ago, he would panic and would be instantly defeated. However, the current Dan has experienced numerous life and death battles, along with George''s tempering and the support from Mental Mastery, even without the help of the System, Dan calculated Natalie''s attack trajectory, twisted his body and parried her slash while counter-attacking with a stab. Stab! The skill instantly activated and Natalie could only see the afterimage of Dan''s daggers as it reappeared right before her right chest. Furrowing her eyebrows, Natalie maintained her calm, manipulated her Spiritual Qi and formed a palm-sized barrier on her right chest which blocked Dan''s stab. Crack! Her palm-sized barrier shattered and the remaining impact of Dan''s attacks sent her flying as the latter pursued her flying figure. Natalie turned speechless at Dan''s ferocity, but at the same time, she smirked before congealing a wall of lightning which slammed directly on Dan''s body. "Shit!" The wall of lightning''s appearance was instant and Dan didn''t have the time to dodge. Lightning sizzled on his skin and Dan forcefully kicked his foot off the ground and retreated backward. His clothes were torn and charcoal-like burn marks riddled his torso. Dan wanted to scream from the pain but the effects of the Mental Mastery Skill and Physique Mastery greatly reduced his pain in an instant to the extent that he could only feel a faint tingling on his skin. Darting his gaze back at Natalie, he dashed while keeping his body low so that he could react in time. Natalie stared at Dan''s approaching and didn''t retreat. With a will from her side, her soft sword became coated with lightning arcs and a barrier of lightning enveloped her body. Witnessing this scene, Dan clicked his tongue, even if he could land his attacks, he would also be injured in return. "Hmmph! Do you really think that I would care about hurting myself?!" Dan exclaimed and continued his high-speed approach while preparing his daggers. Natalie clicked her tongue and when she saw the determination within Dan''s eyes. She was convinced that Dan wouldn''t mind suffering in mutual destruction. Lifting her soft sword, she prepared to meet Dan''s attacks as the two parties clashed, sending lightning arcs dancing all around the room. "Anger of the Lightning God!" Dan trigged his Physical Technique, Anger of the Lightning God as his muscles intensely trembled. If one listened closely, they could hear the faint roar of a beast from Dan''s muscles. With his strength amplified, Dan was confident that he could defeat Natalie with this strike. The intense power contained within Dan''s fist intimidated Natalie and she felt stifled. However, she lifted her lips in a smile and instead of retreating, she flicked her soft sword. Dan''s attack was linear and her predictions told her that her barrier would soften Dan''s attack to the extent that she could endure it. Dan''s eyes flashed in a strange brilliance, he didn''t expect that instead of retreating, Natalie would commence a counter-attack. Glancing at her soft sword, Dan calculated in his mind that it wouldn''t hit his body as a sly smirk lifted on his lips. Bang! A fierce collision occurred, the impact caused a huge crater on the reinforced wooden floor of the room and Natalie''s lightning barrier which exploded from the collision turned most of the walls into charcoal. A figure flew past this destruction and struck the walls. As the dust cleared up, one could see that the figure that flew across the room and struck the wall was Natalie and the one that remained standing was Dan! Natalie''s figure looked wretched and bedraggled, the dark dust that stuck on her torn robes stained her gorgeous body and made her look miserable. However, despite all of this, a smile still decorated her lips as she stared at Dan''s figure. "Guah!" Dan''s body intensely trembled, when his fist struck Natalie, Natalie''s soft sword suddenly twisted its trajectory and went straight for his meridians, causing the blood in his body to abruptly change in directions. Kneeling on the ground with a dull thud, Dan knew that though his body didn''t have as many external injuries as Natalie had. He suffered far more internal injuries than her. Wryly smiling, Dan forcefully uprooted the soft sword that stuck on his right torso. His Mental Mastery and Physique Mastery circulated, while the Assassination System automatically repaired his body. "I didn''t expect that you would be that daring. You actually gambled on your barrier and received my attack just so you could injure me in the process..." Dan lifted his head and stared at Natalie''s direction. The latter wiped the blood on the edge of her lips as she said, "I wasn''t planning on doing that at first but when I saw that you''re completely focused on bringing me down, I knew that other than matching your ferocity and boldness, there''s no way that I could defeat you..." Dan sighed before revealing a small smile, "That''s also true, but since both of us are injured, what should we do now, shall we declare this a draw, or should it be my win?" Natalie rolled her eyes, "Your victory? Your injuries are worse than me, how can you say that you''re the one that won?" Dan locked his eyebrows and stared right into her eyes, "How can you do me like this, Little wife, If I didn''t suppress my attack in the last minute then you could''ve possibly died!" "Suppress my ass!" Natalie crossed her arms, "Didn''t I told you earlier that you shouldn''t be afraid of going all out? Since you didn''t heed my advice then it''s completely your fault, not mine..." Dan''s expression looked vexed and irritated but witnessing her puffed cheeks and adorable wronged expression. His visage softened and a small smile lifted on his lips, "Fine, it''s your win, alright? Are you happy now?" Hearing his words, Natalie lightly chuckled, "That''s more like it," She repeatedly nodded her head as Dan stood up despite his injuries and approached her. "Hey, stop, you''re more injured than me, so you should stay there and lie down!" Despite her protest, Dan carried her in his arms as the two of them exited the room that now looked like a meteor impact epicenter. Darting his gaze at his protesting wife, Dan mumbled, "Though you won today, you still cannot defeat me when it comes to those battles..." "Those battles?" Natalie curiously mumbled when she saw Dan''s ambiguous smile. Dan stopped his movements and he deeply stared at her eyes before whispering into her ears. "Those battles on the bed..." Dan''s ghastly and miserable shriek reverberated across the entire restaurant. 145 Declaration of War The sun shone ever so brightly above the skies, the roosters crowed and the busy mornings of everyone on the continent have begun once again. Inside a certain luxurious restaurant at the center of the Entertainment Block of the Paradyne Academy, the three members of the Longinus Family peacefully dined, munching on special delicacies unique to the Empire of Eternal Faith. Juliet looked joyful throughout the entire breakfast and the couple continued their breakfast without any interruptions. When the bill came in, Dan knitted his eyebrows when he realized that the restaurant didn''t accept gold coins for payments. What they asked for payment was Spirit Stones. Spirit Stones were made from condensed and crystallized Spiritual Qi from Heaven and Earth. A cultivator could absorb a Spirit Stone and acquire the concentrated Spiritual Qi inside, boosting his cultivation for a short moment. That was the reason why cultivators mainly transacted using Spirit Stones, for if they didn''t spend it, they could absorb it and increase their cultivation. However, because of this certain perk, Spirit Stones were rare and the ratio of gold coins to Spirit Stones was 9:1. Natalie stepped forward and handed over five standard Spirit Stones as payment. Dan glanced at her and said, "Little wife, where can you get those Spirit Stones, it seems like it''s a necessary currency for transactions in this place..." "I don''t really know, but as for my Spirit Stones, I have an allowance of twenty standard Spirit Stones a month, so I got them for free..." Natalie replied and Dan''s frown deepened, "Only twenty standard Spirit Stones? Why is Senior Mathias being so cheap?" Natalie stared at Dan for a moment before lifting her lips in a smile, "Dear, could it be that you do not know anything about Spirit Stones?" Dan choked in his own saliva, his expression turned green and Natalie who noticed his reaction lightly chuckled, "Don''t worry about it, everyone starts as ignorant, it''s not really a matter that you should be embarrassed with..." Natalie proceeded on explaining the concept of Spirit Stones to Dan and in the end, Dan understood that the ranks of Spirit Stones were divided into substandard, standard, middle and high. Cultivators normally use substandard Spirit Stones, and a single standard Spirit Stone had a value of about a hundred substandard Spirit Stones. A single middle-tiered Spirit Stone had a value of about a hundred standard Spirit Stone and so on. By the time that Natalie finished her explanation, the family had arrived before the gates of the Fragrant Peak Pavilion. Dan placed Juliet on the ground and the latter realized that there was no one else inside their house. Juliet''s expression flashed with uncertainty before she spoke out in a hushed voice, "Papa, where is Elder Sis Grace? Why is she not at home, did she leave us?" Her small voice echoed like thunder inside the ears of the couple and Natalie''s visage turned tender. Carrying Juliet in her arms, Natalie turned towards Dan and the latter nodded his head, "Since it''s still quite early, it should be fine if we visit her," The family went out of the Fragrant Peak Pavilion and started their journey towards the Mirthful Fairies Association. While they were on their way, Natalie asked, "Dear, can you tell me more about Grace? It seems like whenever I want to talk with her about her past, she always avoids my questions..." Natalie''s expression shone in genuine concern, Dan glanced at her for a moment and shook his head, "I don''t have the right to tell you that, if you want to know about her past, then it should come from her mouth..." Natalie puffed her cheeks, Juliet did the same as the former said, "I see, you''re really a good master to your slave, Dan Longinus..." Natalie''s sudden call of his full name sent shivers down Dan''s spine as the latter bitterly smiled, "So you already knew that Grace is my slave? I''m sorry that I didn''t tell you beforehand I''m not really quite sure about how you will react..." Natalie stared at him for a moment before saying, "Dan, what do you think about Grace? Personally, I find her as quite remarkable, once we went into the Establishment Block to buy Juliet some clothes and when we were about to be ripped off by a greedy merchant, Grace skillfully handled it and even fetched us a discount..." Natalie''s visage turned uncertain, "From what I saw back then, and since I don''t really think that you would enslave her without proper reasons, there should be a motive about why you took her as your own slave..." Natalie cupped her chin with her free hand and suddenly, her face gleamed with understanding. "Since we were separated for about a month, could it be that the reason why you made her your slave is that of sexual reasons?!" Natalie lightly exclaimed and Dan''s expression flushed, "Why did you think of that!? Do you really think that I''m that perverted to take advantage of a hopeless woman like her?!" "See? You called her a woman! Since you didn''t refer to her as a girl, it should be because you made her a woman!" Dan facepalmed and inwardly mumbled, ''What kind of a deduction is that...'' Dan suffused a wronged expression and threw Natalie a cold shoulder. Natalie realized that she went too far and started consoling Dan using Juliet as her pacifier. Under Juliet''s absolute cuteness and her angel-like pleading voice that asked for them to make up. How could Dan resist such temptation? Within several breaths, Dan violently cursed Natalie in his mind as he carried Juliet in his arms. Natalie turned her head away and pretended that nothing happened. After this small affair, the family finally arrived before the Mirthful Fairies Association''s dilapidated room. Dan and Natalie expected a cold treatment like what happened before but when the doors opened, numerous bulky ''men'' dressed in pink robes welcomed them with a deep bow. "Excuse me, what the hell?" A queer cry came from Dan''s mouth and Natalie looked equally astonished. A familiar bulky man that had fair skin moved forward and said, "We- no, I apologize for what happened at that day, I do hope that both esteemed guests won''t bear any grudges to the humble me. As an apology, please enjoy a complete VIP treatment in our facility... " He handed over a glamorously decorated card that Natalie received as Dan asked, "Thank you for this treatment but we won''t stay long, we only want to see Grace and talk with her for a bit..." "Ah, so you came here to see our Princess? Please wait a bit in our lounge, we will inform her of your arrival..." The ''man'' respectfully gestured towards the side as several ''men'' guided the three towards the lounge. The man who spoke earlier hurriedly informed Grace about Dan and Natalie''s arrival as the latter swiftly threw everything away and sped towards the lounge. "Ermm, esteemed guest, do you want a massage? I''m quite familiar with the male body and I''m sure that I can have you ascend to the heavens..." A bulky man approached Dan from behind and spoke with a charming voice which chilled Dan''s heart to the core. Dan glanced at Natalie and sent signals for help, but Natalie merely observed, gloating at Dan''s situation along with Juliet who even stuck her tongue out, teasing her father. "Damn, this pair of mother and daughter..." Dan vehemently refused the man''s offer and after painstaking effort, the man finally gave up and retreated. Natalie held her stomach as she tried her best in suppressing her laughter. Dan glared at her and inwardly thought, ''If I don''t make you scream later at night then I won''t be a man.'' He swore in his heart. Several minutes later, Grace finally appeared and her appearance greatly shocked Dan and Natalie. Grace''s countenance looked pale and under her eyes protruded two prominent dark bags. Her footsteps looked unstable and her figure endlessly trembled like a leaf. Dan moved forward, supported her body and made her sit on the couch before saying, "Just what in the actual heavens happened in here, Grace? I allowed you to work but I didn''t allow you to overwork yourself like this..." Grace lifted her head with great efforts and when she saw Natalie, Juliet and Dan''s look of concern. Her expression softened and she bitterly chuckled, "I didn''t expect that cultivators worked such crazy hours and paired with the pressure of finding a merchant that would buy our herbs, it''s even a miracle that I could still open my eyes until now..." Dan knitted his eyebrows upon hearing what she said, "Finding a merchant to buy your herbs? Isn''t that the job of the Medicine Pavilion? Why did they stop buying herbs from you guys when you''re one of the suppliers with the best quality in the entire Academy..." Grace''s gaze swept over at Dan before sighing, "Well, that''s because we offended a high-ranking Elder from the Medicine Pavilion. As a response, they completely stopped purchasing herbs from us and if we don''t make any profits soon, then the expenditure of maintaining this vast garden alone will bankrupt us in a matter of days..." "How about selling to other merchants? Surely, the Medicine Pavilion shouldn''t be the only establishment that buys these herbs..." Natalie chimed in and Grace shook her head, "We tried doing that already but those shameless bastards from the Medicine Pavilion actually threatened our interested buyers..." Her expression turned for the worse and her eyes rolled as she struggled to keep her consciousness. Dan paused for a moment, "How vicious, how vicious of them to do that! Those bastards from the Medicine Pavilion, just what are their backgrounds that they actually dared to do such a shameless thing!" Natalie''s eyes dimmed, "With my identity as an Honorary Disciple I could complain, but with the connections of the Medicine Pavilion with the Academy, I can''t really do much..." Dan gazed at Natalie and Grace before falling into deep contemplation, ''"Grace, the Medicine Pavilion is the only source of Pills and Medicines in the Academy, right?" Grace nodded her head, "Yes, that''s the reason why we''ve been struggling to sell our herbs, though we can sell it outside, those mortals cannot possibly buy it using Spirit Stones, and the difference between gold coins and Spirit Stones is too huge to make up for it..." "So they''re the only monopoly that controls most of the supplies regarding medicines and pills in the Academy, right? I wonder what would happen if another influence supported by two Honorary Disciples pops out and opposes them?" Dan revealed a vicious light and Natalie''s countenance changed, "Dear, could it be that..." Honorary Disciples possessed influence that encompasses the influence of mere elders. After all, disciples were the backbones of Sects and Academies so it was common sense that they would be favored. Though Dan didn''t expect that his plan would go seamlessly as he wants, he was prepared to fight any opposition. "Indeed, since they already went too far, it should not be a problem if we made our counter-attack. If war is what they wish, then we will give them what they want! Dan boldly declared, The two young women froze, and the atmosphere inside the lounge became frosty. 146 Course of Actions Pavilion Chef Maxwell and Elder Rudolph dined together inside the Pavilion Chef''s Quarters. Sipping his tea, Pavilion Chef Maxwell''s gaze swept over Elder Rudolph before saying, "What''s the result of the mission that I gave to you, yesterday? Did you find something about that young woman''s backing?" Since yesterday after receiving his subordinates report, Pavilion Chef Maxwell racked his brains out, thinking about the young woman''s identity and when did he offend her. But in the end, he found that he couldn''t recognize her features. Among the clans that he offended, none of them possessed such unique features as Grace. Elder Rudolph thought the same, and he invested his wealth in information gathering. But despite hopping over numerous information brokers, apart from the fact that Grace arrived in here with a caravan of medicines, other information about here didn''t exist. This mystery creeped him out; what is the origin of this young woman, and why is she so mysterious? In the end, Rudolph safely concluded that the young woman didn''t have any significant background behind her. Or else, why would she join such a shabby Association instead of establishing her own? "Pavilion Chef, I don''t think that she has a background behind her, she should be a calf that doesn''t fear the tiger..." Elder Rudolph reported his findings and Pavilion Chef Maxwell mostly agreed with it. Now that they found that Grace''s background was non-existent. It was time for them to display their might and dominance. With a series of orders, Maxwell and Rudolph instantly crippled the Mirthful Fairies Association''s only source of income. Without a buyer, how could the Association possibly survive? Though their supply of raw ingredients diminished, the Mirthful Fairies Association wasn''t the only supplier available. Why would they support those who dared and offended them? Staring right into each other''s eyes, Maxwell and Rudolph shared a mutual smile and continued their meal. Back inside the lounge of the Mirthful Fairies Association; Grace stared at Dan with a solemn expression on her face, Dan''s plan was too daring, yet it was plausible and could possibly damage the Medicine Pavilion to its core. However, establishing an influence that could compare to the Medicine Pavilion wasn''t something that could easily be done. One needed reputation, wealth and manpower to accomplish such things. And in this list, reputation was checked, but regarding wealth and manpower, Grace had the manpower, but the three of them lacked wealth. The Mirthful Fairies Association''s measly fund used in maintaining the vast Garden of Eden couldn''t possibly support such endeavor. Dan understood this problem, however, why would he declare such things if he didn''t have a plan in following through it, lifting his head, he stared at Grace and said, "Consider the problem about Wealth as solved. However, we do not have enough manpower, and to stand against the Medicine Pavilion, we cannot possibly fight against them in head-on battle..." Natalie nodded her head in comprehension. Grace looked like she had more questions to ask but Dan cut her off, "Grace, you go sleep, for now. We''ll discuss the intricacies of this plan after you''re well-rested." Grace wanted to oppose him but witnessing his pensive look, she nodded her head and obediently retreated into her residence. Walking back to the Fragrant Peak Pavilion, Natalie nudged Dan''s shoulders asking about his course of actions, but Dan merely smiled and said, "It''s a surprise, just wait for the good news and focus on your studies for now..." Natalie puffed her cheeks in indignance. But she chose to trust her husband and awaited his good news. After coaxing Juliet to sleep, Dan snuck out of the Pavilion in the middle of the night and headed for the direction of the Medicine Pavilion. One should know one''s enemy if they wanted a chance for victory. Activating Stealth and using Flicker in bypassing Formations, Dan arrived at the vast hall of the Medicine Pavilion where numerous jade bottles were displayed in shelves. Inside the jade bottles were pills, medicinal pastes, and powders. Dan lifted a vicious smile, in a competition between two influences, the one that offers the best value price along with high efficacy will definitely win. And since Dan wanted this problem to be over as soon as possible, he resorted in doing something that could be considered as shameless and despicable. Scanning his gazes over these jade bottles, his vicious smile intensified and the first phase of Dan''s plan was completed. Several hours later, morning arrived along with the symphony of noises which drowned everything inside the Entertainment Block of the Paradyne Academy. In the Garden of Eden of the Mirthful Fairies Association, the figure of a young man along with Grace could be seen kneeling on the mud while closely inspecting the plants before them. Grace looked confused throughout the whole ordeal, she didn''t understand why her young master would personally come and inspect the quality of the Spiritual Plants inside the Garden of Eden. Dan didn''t answer her questions and kept on inspecting the plants through touch. [Information Sorted; Total Unique Information: 1625] Dan heaved a sigh of relief. After several hours of inspection, he finally completed his task of collecting information regarding the plants'' effects and attributes, armed with this knowledge, Dan turned towards Grace and received the clean towel from her hands. Wiping his clothes and body clean, Dan asked with a smile, "You must be pretty confused about what I was doing, right?" Grace revealed a wry smile, indeed, no matter how much she thought about it, she didn''t understand Dan''s actions and waited until he explained it to her. "Grace, since you came from the slums community, what were your other problems there apart from food?" Grace''s confusion deepened, she knitted her eyebrows but she still answered, "Young master, security is definitely one of them apart from food, I would even hold a knife while I''m sleeping just so I could protect myself, but young master, why are you asking me these questions?" Dan revealed a small smile, "Apart from security, what else was your problem that can make you sick if not addressed swiftly..." Grace thought for a moment, "Hygiene..." She mumbled this word amidst her stunned state. "Indeed, that is hygiene! Now let me ask this question when you didn''t have money, what did you do to clean your wounds to prevent it from worsening?" Dan continued and Grace leaked a small smile. "The treatment that is popular within the slums though you may find it strange and disgusting is using moldy bread. We took those moldy parts then rub it on our wounds..." "Do you understand why rubbing moldy bread is so effective in keeping your injuries from worsening?" At this point in time, a small smile spread on Dan''s lips as he asked this question to Grace. "No, I don''t have any idea, but as long as it works, I didn''t really care..." Grace shrugged and Dan clapped his hands together, "After inspecting these plants, I found that some of them possessed unique properties compared to the mold found in bread, which means using those plants, we can create cheap antibiotics that can help cleanse wounds..." Grace''s expression brightened, but soon after, she frowned, "But young master, what''s the use of cleansing wounds when we can just use water? And also, I doubt that it will become popular with the cultivators and if we want to defeat the Medicine Pavilion, we should hook them in using our service..." Dan clicked his tongue and shook his head in disappointment, "Grace, do you really think that we need the cultivators'' attention and have them as our customer just so we could compare to the Medicine Pavilion? Let me ask you this, inside this Academy, who has the highest population, the mortals or the cultivators?" The second Grace heard his words, her expression froze and her figure visibly trembled, Indeed! In this world, not everyone can cultivate and although cultivators were powerful, they couldn''t possibly compare to the population of mortals living in this world. And even though the mortals couldn''t possibly pay them using Spirit Stones, they could pay using gold coins and Dan could convert those coins into Spirit Stones. Despite the fact that the ratio of gold coins to Spirit Stones differed too much, the ratio of mortals to cultivators inside the Academy also had the same numbers. As long as Dan could entice most mortals in the Academy to buy their products, the Mirthful Fairies Association could possibly stand toe to toe with the Medicine Pavilion! "Young master, your plan is definitely possible, it is definitely possible!" Grace praised, her eyes shining in admiration. Dan maintained a cool look and ordered Grace to gather the plants needed in his plan. Grace happily obliged and soon, at least ten thousand orange colored grasses were placed before Dan. 147 Convincing The mass scale harvesting of the orange grass attracted the attention of Kevin and Conner who rushed towards the Garden of Eden. Seeing the pile of orange grass, their expressions changed, "Princess! Why did you harvest those grasses?! Don''t you know that once harvested, these Spiritual Plants will lose their efficacy over time and it''s not the time for harvest!" Kevin looked pale and anxious, the funds of the Mirthful Fairies Association was critically low that suffering a loss of even a single variety of plant would send them to the bottom. "Kevin, don''t be so anxious, it''s the young master that ordered me to do so," Grace maintained her calm and Kevin fiercely glared at Dan, "Young master? This boy-toy? Why are you obeying him, Princess? Is he your lover?" Dan knitted his eyebrows and unleashed a hint of his killing intent staggering Kevin and Conner backward as the two of them became pale. Grace heaved a sigh and removed the scarf on her neck, revealing the cold and shiny iron collar that clamped on her snowy skin. Kevin and Conner''s expression changed, a mortal that had such a collar meant that she was a slave to someone, and remembering the interactions between the two and how Grace was so obedient to Dan. They finally understood everything. But this realization made their moods sink. Though the current Mirthful Fairies Association couldn''t compare to the Medicine Pavilion. They still held considerable influence and their Princess being a slave to someone was something that they didn''t want to see. Sizing Dan''s figure, they became stunned when they noticed something peculiar about him. Each of Dan''s movements carried a grace and charm which proved fatal towards the hearts of the two young ''maiden''. Kevin held his breath and Conner''s figure became fidgety. Witnessing the actions of the two ''men''. A cold shiver ran through Dan''s spine and his Mental Mastery rotated to keep him calm. Grace didn''t notice her subordinate''s actions and focused herself on Dan. The latter merely smiled before taking a stalk of the orange grass and a knife from his Spatial Ring. He pressed his knife on the stem of the grass and started chopping it like green onions. Kevin and Conner''s expression gaped and their eyeballs almost popped out of their sockets. Dan''s casual movements and his leisure appearance made him look like he wasn''t chopping a Spiritual Plant but a cooking ingredient instead. Grace also knitted her eyebrows but she didn''t interrupt Dan''s actions and made him finish. The two ''men'' beside her angrily interrupted, "What in the hell are you doing?! That''s a Spiritual Plant, you know? Why are you chopping and grinding it like that?!" "Conner, why are you staying silent? Don''t you see how atrocious this brat''s actions is?!" Kevin turned towards Conner and found that the latter was deep in concentration. Knitting his eyebrows, his gaze swept over at Dan and focused on his actions. In a single glance, Dan''s movements looked amateurish and haphazard. However, when they focused their concentration. Their eyes widened when they realized that Dan''s movements precisely sliced on the place where the plant''s medicinal efficacy wouldn''t be affected. "He located the flaws of the Medicinal Plant by using his naked eye? Just who is this young man?" Conner sucked a mouthful of cold air, locating the flaws of a Medicinal Plant using one''s naked eye wasn''t impossible but it would take years, if not, decades of training and it would be impossible to be as accurate as Dan. Grace''s confidence towards her young master''s plan skyrocketed when she noticed the dumbfounded expression of Kevin and Conner. Though both of them looked like a joke on the first impression, they possessed skills that made them survive through the harsh competition of rising through the ranks. Several breaths later, Dan heaved a sigh of relief as he stared at the turmeric-like powder on his table. His movements looked simple, yet it cut through the weakness of the plant. Such expertise wouldn''t be possible without the help of the System''s simulation. Although the System helped him by marking the plant''s weak points, most of the work was done by him and if not for his strong concentration and the help of Mental Mastery, he would''ve failed and destroyed the plant. Grace took a towel and wiped Dan''s forehead, Dan slightly smiled and thanked her before turning towards Kevin and Conner and saying, "Since the two of you look like the leader of this Association, can the two of you do what I just did?" Kevin and Conner stared at each other for a moment before nodding their heads, slicing medicinal plants apart were one of their expertise and though they couldn''t be as accurate as Dan. They were faster than him. Taking their own orange grass, the two demonstrated their skills and Dan nodded his head in approval. Though the two damaged some parts of the grass, they dodged the crucial parts of the plant and managed to keep most of the medicinal efficacy. "Young master, can you tell us now about what''s the usage of these powdered Tangerine Grass?" Grace asked in curiosity and the attention of Kevin and Conner focused on Dan. The latter crossed his arms together and said, "Bring me someone that has a persistent wound that didn''t heal..." "Bring you a patient that has a wound? Could it be that this Tangerine Grass possess healing properties? That''s impossible! The knowledge combined by our predecessors is never mistaken! And according to it, Tangerine Grass didn''t possess such property! Its main usage is a supporting ingredient for pill concoction!" Conner interjected at the side, his expression looked frantic. "So that''s the reason why Tangerine Grass is so cheap?" Dan shook his head and stared at Conner in disappointment, "If you predecessors knew about this property of the Tangerine Grass, then this Association wouldn''t sink so low..." Conner angrily retorted, "What do you know about our predecessors, you brat?! Do you really think that their fruits of labor that lasted for several decades didn''t enable them to see through the hidden properties of each plant that we cultivated?!" Dan sighed, "Calm down, will you? If you keep on being so denial about new found knowledge then this Association will never regain its previous glory. Just because something wasn''t recorded by your predecessors doesn''t mean that it doesn''t exist! Remember, that the world is vast and mysteries are everywhere!" Conner choked in his words and Kevin looked convince, with a trembling figure, Conner calmed himself down, "Young man, can you tell us about yourself? Someone that could discover something crucial that our predecessor didn''t uncover should be someone that is famous and known throughout the land, yet you, why can''t I recognize you among those dragons?" Dan lifted a small smile, "Judging from what you said, could it be that you believed what I said?" Conner glanced at Kevin and at Grace before saying, "Since Grace is your slave and you permitted her to join our Association, you shouldn''t have a motive that would be detrimental to us..." Dan clapped his hands in approval, asking them to move closer to him, Dan discussed the intricacies of plan and throughout the entire discussion, Kevin and Conner along with Grace endlessly trembled and by the time that Dan finished his revelation, the three of them looked serious and immediately summoned all manpower that they could in harvesting these two plants. Turmeric Grass and Spring Yang Bamboo. The mortals living in the slums community often suffered from bacterial infection and malnutrition. Dan''s plan involved tackling these two problems and if he succeeded, he could easily win over the hearts of those mortals and become the sole monopoly of two ingredients that would soon become the core of medical and culinary arts. 148 The Hearts of Men are Fickle With the summons of the three, every member of the Mirthful Fairies Association soon gathered inside the vast Garden of Eden. Their expressions looked uncertain and doubtful with some of them even frowning. "Why did the Pavilion Empress summon us? We''re in the middle of service and abruptly calling for us like this is interrupting our job!" "Calm down, there should be a reason why they called us here, or else, if they summoned us for some nonsense again, I will immediately resign, I''m very tired working for this Association whose pay is even lower than the minimum..." Grace along with Kevin and Conner appeared causing a commotion amidst the workers. Kevin suffused an expression of dominance and when he lifted his arm, silence descended. "I think that everyone in here knows about the suppression that the Medicine Pavilion is doing to us right now, right?" His words reverberated throughout the entire garden and no one refuted his words. Instead, they looked somber and despondent. Against a behemoth like the Medicine Pavilion, how could they possibly win? At this pace, the Association where they worked in for several years would have no other choice but to close down and declare bankruptcy. They didn''t want to see such a sight, but what can they do to change their fates? "Ever since the establishment of the Association, the Medicine Pavilion has been an enemy of ours that we couldn''t defeat nor hope to do so. However, this ends now, for we have formulated a plan that would surely crumble them if it succeeded..." His words ignited a commotion down below. "Wait, what? Did the Pavilion Empress just say that she has a plan on defeating those old bones from the Medicine Pavilion?" "Indeed, if my memory serves me right, she just said those words..." "That''s impossible! The roots of the Medicine Pavilion is deeper than our Association, we can''t possibly defeat them by mere schemes!" "Silence!" Conner''s booming voice rang out and the commotion simmered down. Nevertheless, the faces of the men indicated their apprehension and doubt towards their plan. "Everyone, please don''t be afraid, because of the graveness of this plan, we can''t divulge it to everyone as of now, but please trust me and your Pavilion Empresses, we will definitely stand up against them!" Grace stepped forward and pleaded. "Shut up! Just what do you know about our Association, you brat! Do you really think that just because you have the Princess position that you can become so bossy and practically order us to die? If this Association wants to be annihilated by the Medicine Pavilion then count me out! I have my own family to think of, why should I risk my life for such an uncertain plan?" One of the employees below angrily retorted and turned his back, Conner''s expression changed, but before he could step forward, Kevin stopped him and shook his head. With their Association in such a critical state, it was inevitable that some would lose their faith and eventually collapse under the pressure and anxiousness of the unknown future. And furthermore, Kevin didn''t want to have those people that only stood with them amidst their prosperity. "I know that the success rate of this plan is uncertain, so those that want to resign can now do so, we won''t stop you..." Conner said in a saddened tone, his expression looked despondent. The employees who previously hesitated on resigning now had convinced looks on their faces. Turning towards Conner and Kevin, they shamefully hung their heads and said their farewells before walking away from the Mirthful Fairies Association. "I''m sorry Pavilion Empress, but I have my own family to feed, I''m sorry but they are my priority..." "I won''t forget the times that we spent together, Pavilion Empress, but we have our own priorities, please forgive us and I do hope that you will be successful on your endeavor..." Kevin didn''t react, but he marked the faces and the names of those people that left them while they were sinking. Once they soar towards the skies once again, he will prevent them from returning. Some employees that left were representatives of other Merchants and their disappearance destroyed the Mirthful Fairies Association. Right now, the Mirthful Fairies Association couldn''t even be called an Association with a measly member count of twenty. Witnessing hundreds of his trusted employees leaving his side. Kevin and Conner wore strange expressions on their faces. Grace couldn''t help but sigh along with Dan as the two of them thought that the hearts of men were really as fickle as they expected. But at the same time, Dan felt happy that he didn''t have to personally weed out those unfaithful and once he reorganized the Mirthful Fairies, the chances of having a traitor on their side would be significantly lower. Kevin and Conner instructed the remaining employees while Dan and Grace retreated back to the Garden of Eden and continued their experimentation. Inside the Garden, Dan held a multi-colored bamboo in his hand. The bamboo looked as tall as a ruler and a horizontal mark could be seen on its body. The region enclosed by the horizontal mark had distinct colors such as red, green and blue. According to the books of the Mirthful Fairies Association. The Spring Yang Bamboo was a cheap Spiritual Plant that was often used as a container for cooking. However, Dan felt that such a usage was a waste, for if one carefully took the Spiritual Plant apart, they would discover salt crystals that Dan needed for his plan''s succession. In the end, Dan collected two pinches of red, green and blue salt crystals. Grace curiously stared at these salt crystals and found that they mysteriously shone under the light. The hazy light that they emanated, mesmerized the young maiden. "How beautiful, they look like aurora lights from the north..." She turned towards Dan and asked, "Young master, what are we going to use them for?" "If you want to know the answer to that question, try and take a taste of them..." Dan lifted an enigmatic smile and Grace said in confusion, "Taste them? Are they edible, young master?" "Of course," Dan nodded his head, "If you''re in doubt, let me taste them first and you follow..." Dan dipped his index finger on the red salt crystals and placed it on his tongue as a burst of umami encompassed his tongue. Dan''s eyes couldn''t help but narrow in pleasure due to the burst of flavors. "What the hell is this, young master?! It tastes like fish!" Grace exclaimed in shock, abandoning her etiquette, she repeatedly dripped her saliva covered finger on the salt crystals as if they were the most delicious food that she tasted in her entire life. "Yep, those salt crystals, red, blue and green tastes like meat, fish and vegetables, not only that, once a person uses a pinch of those salt crystals, they would feel full and don''t even ask me about the nutritional value of those salt crystals. Remember, the Spring Yang Bamboo is a Spiritual Plant and could be considered as more nutritious than aged liquor." Dan nodded his head in confirmation, the smile that spread on his face stunned Grace for a moment and when she regained composure, she thought and frowned, "How did the predecessors of the Mirthful Fairies Association miss such a vital discovery? If we sell these salt crystals to the slums community then no one could possibly die of starvation!" Grace felt the sensation of satisfaction in her stomach that she felt just by ingesting two dips of those salt crystals. Her expression turned complicated, if this item was discovered at that time, then her sister wouldn''t possibly do such a thing. But alas, everything was over and done, and the past couldn''t be changed anymore. Lifting her head, Grace found that Dan was becoming thoroughly mysterious than before. Previously, in the Great Forest of Manzur, Dan casually handed her a Heaven Grade Defensive Artifact and now, he easily discovered something that the predecessors several decades ago had missed. Shaking the strange ideas forming in her head, her expression turned strange, "Young master, how about the turmeric grass, what''s the use of that powder that you made from it?" "Ah, that?" Dan''s countenance, brightened, "That can be used as an antibiotic so that the chances of dying from infections would considerably decrease..." "Antibiotic?" Grace mumbled in confusion towards this new term. Dan glanced at her and explained, "I can''t really explain the intricacies behind an antibiotic, but it is something that will prevent injuries from worsening, think of it as a miracle drug that prevents people from dying of small injuries that became worse..." Grace''s expression flickered, "So then these are the two trump cards that the young master prepared in dealing against the Medicine Pavilion, however, young master, with our current manpower, how could we possibly mass-produce these two?" "As for the turmeric grass, mass producing it is simple since everyone knows how to properly take apart a medicinal plant but for the Spring Yang Bamboo which is more intricate, how can we possibly do it at the shortest time possible?" Dan crossed his arms and fell into deep contemplation, Grace had her point and it was a problem that he thought about ever since he formulated his plan. But since he was already riding the tiger, he had no other choice but to press on. "I''ll map the crucial points of the Spring Yang Bamboo that should be sliced off if we want to collect those precious salt crystals, after that, we''ll hire carpenters that can help us make the machinery necessary to complete the job, cooperate with those men of yours and tell them about what I said to you just now, I think they may have an idea that is better than mine..." Dan sent off his orders and Grace obliged, walking away, she went towards the Garden of Eden. However, before she could walk further inside, Kevin''s voice reverberated from the Garden, "Princess, our employees are rebelling! They want to know who is backing our operations!" Dan''s figure froze, and a small smile lifted on his lips, "So the spies from the Medicine Pavilion is already starting to move? Those old geezers really are useless, utilizing such resources just for a mere Association that shouldn''t even enter their eyes..." He shrugged and walked towards the direction of the Garden. 149 Longinus Pharmaceutical Company Pavilion Chief Maxwell and Elder Rudolph stood before each other, excitement visible on their faces as they read the stream of information contained within the jadeslip that a spy that they sent towards the Mirthful Fairies Association. "And so it begins, the Association of that silver-haired woman is crumbling, it''s really laughable thinking that they completely opposed us just a few days ago and now, look at what''s happening to their Association..." Rudolph couldn''t suppress the smirk on his face and Pavilion Chief Maxwell had the same relief on his face. "Now that they are crumbling, it''s time for us to step in and offer them a hand while they''re drowning," Pavilion Chief Maxwell said with a smile, Elder Rudolph turned towards him in confusion, "Why would we do that, Pavilion Chief? Isn''t our goal is to see their destruction?" Maxwell''s disappointment towards his subordinate surfaced. Regaining his composure, he patiently explained, "I want to see them destroyed but if we can keep them as our loyal subordinate, that would be much better, after all, they have the Garden of Eden and once we knew how a Garden of Eden is made, we can just throw them away..." "I see, Pavilion Chief''s knowledge and wisdom really is boundless as the ocean! To think that the Pavilion Chief could think of such a measure, this Elder''s eyes have opened..." Elder Rudolph humbled himself down and praised, Pavilion Chief Maxwell rolled his eyes, "Enough with the pleasantries, let''s observe them for now and when we see that they''re on the brink of despair, we''ll hand them a stick to hold on..." Elder Rudolph nodded his head and the two Elders continued their discussion. Meanwhile, back at the Garden of Eden, the employees that pledged their loyalty towards the Mirthful Fairies Association could be seen with knitted eyebrows. After realizing that they would stand against the gigantic influence known as the Medicine Pavilion, they became uncertain about their future and asked for their backing. The loyalty of these men was stable, but a single spark of fire fueled by the fear of the unknown could easily raze it to the ground. The spy that the Medicine Pavilion sent to work for the Mirthful Fairies Association several years ago could finally do his job. The spy''s name was Altobar, his gentle countenance and the pure light within his eyes along with his timid attitude made him a likable person that quickly became trusted among the ranks of the employees. When Kevin and Conner tasked them to harvest these low-leveled Spiritual Plants that couldn''t even be used in pill concoction, he frowned in confusion but still reported these events to his superiors. Afterward, he ignited the doubts within his fellow employees'' heart and sparked an outrage that would clarify everything regarding the backing of the Association. Altobar thought that he was quite wise but little did he knew that this was what Dan wanted to happen all along. Arriving with Grace, Kevin and Conner revealed relieved expressions on their faces as they hurriedly silenced the crowd. Amidst the doubtful gazes of the employees, Dan walked above the podium and Grace bowed her head in a respectful gesture. "To clear the doubts within your hearts, I shall announce my true identity so that the fear and uncertainty within your hearts will be cleared. I do hope that we can have a pleasant cooperation, together..." Dan stepped forward before taking an unassuming token from his Spatial Ring. Inserting his Spiritual Qi inside the token, it shone as brightly as the sun and illuminated the entire Garden as a strong surge of oppressive aura descended upon the bodies of the employees. The aura from the token flew towards the skies and formed two words that reeked of dominance. "Honorary Disciple..." Everyone''s eyes widened and focused on those two words. Particularly, Altobar whose knees couldn''t help but tremble in fear and apprehension towards his future if his status as a spy was found out. Honorary Disciples possessed absolute authority within the Paradyne Academy. And indeed, with the backing of such a disciple, they had the hope of standing against the Medicine Pavilion. Under the beacon of hope known as Dan, the doubts within the employees'' hearts were cleared and they worked in fervor and anticipation towards their future. Dan''s eyes narrowed and with the help of the System and his strong perception, he sharpened his senses and found an employee that injected a stream of information into a jadeslip. However, he didn''t reveal that spy''s identity to the public, instead, he told Grace about it and the latter appropriately handled the case by delegating unimportant tasks towards the spy. Dan needed the spy''s existence to struck fear towards the Medicine Pavilion''s hearts regarding their plans. If those bastards became increasingly anxious and attacked them directly. Dan would have an excuse in demolishing them down. After reassuring the hearts of the employees, Dan discussed the issue regarding mass producing the salt crystals within the Spring Yang Bamboo and Kevin along with Conner swiftly addressed the issue using the knowledge that they gathered from medicinal essence extraction. Dan felt relieved that the two possessed such knowledge and now that the issue about mass producing those items was completed, it was the time to wait for the Medicine Pavilion''s response. "By the way, Grace, Since this Association is using my identity as a backing, I should have a share of the overall profits..." Dan interjected and the two ''men'' turned towards his direction. Their expressions were calm but one could see the apprehension within their eyes. They knew that they had to appease Dan''s appetite or else, once they lost his backing, everything will fail and their dreams would crumble. It was something that they didn''t want to witness no matter what. "Ermm, we don''t have an issue about that sir, but can you please give us more time to procure your share?" Kevin''s countenance looked pale under the immense pressure and Dan chuckled in response, "You do not need to be that anxious, trust me that I won''t go away, after all, my companion is working here and I can''t just abandon her, can I?" Hearing his words, Kevin heaved a sigh of relief and the color on his face returned. "Though I said that I wanted a share, I''ll just take thirty percent of the share along with a single condition..." Dan''s lips lifted a mysterious smile and Kevin mumbled, "A single condition? As long as we are capable, we will do our best in satisfying your condition..." Dan nodded his head in approval before saying, "It''s just a simple condition, I want you to change the name of this Association and rename it as the Longinus Pharmaceutical Company..." "A change name, is it? Then that''s completely fine, we don''t really care that much regarding names, we will do as you say and offer you thirty percent of the net profits after we''re done selling the first wave of the products that you invented..." Kevin''s expression brightened, such a simple condition could easily be accomplished. "Young master, since you''re the one that discovered those two items, can you give us your logo so that we can place them on the jade bottles containing those items?" Conner interjected at the side and Dan thought for a moment before taking a pen and paper and drawing the logo that he wished for. Witnessing Dan''s finesse in sketching his personal logo, Grace couldn''t help but smile. Conner took the sketch of the logo from Dan''s hands while Kevin made a decree, effective starting today. "In this day, the fifth day of the tenth month of the year, the Mirthful Fairies Association shall change its company name into the Longinus Pharmaceutical Company..." 150 Logo Logo for Dan''s company, be grateful, I spent quite the effort in making it. https://imgur.com/gallery/RaiZTpx Will be deleted upon publishing of next chap 151 First Market Entry "Longinus Pharmaceutical Company?" Pavilion Chief Maxwell blurted out, his expression underwent a change when he saw the first word of the renamed Mirthful Fairies Association. "Longinus? They''re backed by the Lightning Empress, Natalie Longinus?!" Pavilion Chief Maxwell''s expression turned green and he angrily turned towards his subordinate, "What''s the meaning of this Elder Rudolph? Didn''t you say that the Mirthful Fairies Association didn''t have any substantial backing behind them?!" Elder Rudolph staggered backward as he tried his best in resisting the pressure that wafted out from Maxwell''s body. Gnashing his teeth, his face turned green in regret and he hoped that he could turn back time and fix his mistakes. An Honorary Disciple inside the Academy could command wind and rain. One could imagine that consequences of crossing someone that held such status. "But Pavilion Chief, why are you so afraid of a mere Honorary Disciple? I believe that the Academy would be biased towards our side since we generate a significant amount of income for them!" Maxwell lifted a wry smile towards his subordinates words and actions, If this bastard didn''t lax on his investigation, then everything wouldn''t become irreconcilable. Now, that they indirectly abandoned the Mirthful Fairies Association and the backing behind them suddenly stepped forward and openly supported them, Maxwell could do nothing but observe. As a Pavilion Chief of the Medicine Pavilion, his words held great weight, but his most of his actions were monitored. Especially, if the high-ranking elders of the Academy caught wind of this conflict, they would definitely track his movements and prevent him from personally taking action. But of course, that was different for his subordinate. Clicking his tongue, Maxwell realized that apart from destroying them internally using fear and violence. There was no way that he could counter-attack and suppress the rising dragon known as the Longinus Pharmaceutical Company. "Elder Rudolph, hold yourself back for a few days, though they have a huge backing behind them, that doesn''t mean that they would be successful in penetrating the market. If they cannot even do such a thing, then they would become a joke throughout the entire Academy..." Maxwell''s eyes flashed in an ambiguous light, Rudolph received the signal and his figure trembled for a moment before saying, "Does the Pavilion Chief mean..." "Of course, that''s what I mean, and since this is your blunder, you better clean it up yourself or else I will be the one that will clean you up..." Maxwell''s chilling words pierced through Rudolph''s soul. As someone who struggled through the ranks, he was familiar with the ruthlessness of the Pavilion and he knew that once he failed his task, the Pavilion would definitely sacrifice him for the sake of their safety. Elder Rudolph gulped a mouthful of saliva and could only nod his head. The newly-founded Longinus Pharmaceutical Company sacrificed half of its assets to hasten the production of the first batch of the two revolutionary products and have it enter the market as soon as possible. At the end of the day, the company finished thirty jade bottles of Three-Flavored Salt Crystals and fifty jade bottles of the antibiotic powder that Dan called as Turmeracillin. Since the Longinus Pharmaceutical Company''s trading channel was basically non-existent due to the withdrawal of the merchants who supported them. They swept out the remaining shop that they had at the center of the Establishment Block and placed their products there. Dan smirked when he realized that the location of the shop was merely several blocks away from the Medicine Pavilion. Grace advertised the medicine as suitable for mortals and since the price tag was cheap and medicine specifically for mortals was scarce inside this Academy tailored for cultivators, mortals soon rushed towards their Establishment and checked the medicine out. "Excuse me, what in the actual heavens is this?! The red one tastes like smoky meat, the blue one tastes like fish from the boundless ocean while the green one tastes like freshly-cooked vegetables?!" "Shit, you''re right! Now I don''t have to worry about not having a viand! Just sprinkling this above a cup of rice should make it taste good that I would never have to waste my money on buying those disgusting beef jerkys anymore!" "Elder Sis! Give me five bottles!" "Hey, bastard! Stop pushing! I''m the first one who arrived here so I should get one first!" Upon finding out the effects of the two products, the mortals scurried over bringing their entire savings with them in an effort to outbid each other just to buy a single bottle of any of the two products. Observing the commotion on the second floor of the stoor, Grace, and Dan stood side by side, a small smile decorating their faces. Grace glanced at Dan and found that her young master looked even more charming than before. Darting her gaze on his arm, Grace''s instincts told her that Dan wouldn''t mind it if she just leaped forward and embraced his arm. ''Grace, what are you thinking?! He has a wife, you know? Why would I dare and intrude myself upon their perfect relationship!'' Grace lightly slapped her cheeks in an effort to calm herself down. "Oh, so they have finally made their move..." Dan mumbled, his eyes pierced through the windows and stared at the cultivators that suddenly arrived before their establishment. When the mortals saw the blood-red uniformed cultivators, their expressions changed and they swiftly ran towards the opposite direction. "I call for the representative of this establishment. I have received complaints that you are selling suspicious products that are harmful to the health of the general public..." One of them that looked like their leader stepped forward and announced in a voice which reverberated across the entire region. Grace''s expression turned ugly and her cheeks burned in fury. Dan merely shrugged and in an instant, he vanished and reappeared before the figure of the blood-red uniformed cultivator. His sudden appearance stunned them as Dan stepped forward and said, "So the lackeys ordered by the Medicine Pavilion has come? How dare they send these small fries before me..." The cultivator''s countenance changed, "How dare you question the authority of the Enforcement Team of the Academy. Men, capture him for me!" His shout awakened the figures behind him and all of them pounced towards Dan''s direction. Grace''s visage flashed with worry and Kevin who stood behind the counter turned pale. The sudden change in the situation astonished him. Earlier, they were rising towards the skies, but now they were falling even faster than before. "Mere lackeys of the Enforcement Team dares to capture me? An Honorary Disciple of the Academy?!" Dan proudly exclaimed, his voice echoed out like thunder as he flicked his wrist, sending an unassuming token flying towards the air. Right before the spectators'' eyes, the token exploded into resplendent lights as two domineering words that froze the hearts of the cultivators from the Enforcement Team materialized before them. "Honorary Disciple!" The leader of the Enforcement Team trembled and within the next instant, he fell on his knees with a thud as he respectfully greeted, "Zaarki from the Enforcement Team, greets Senior Brother!" 152 Accusation and Outburs "Zaarki from the Enforcement Team greets Senior Brother!" Zaarki''s respectful voice silenced the sneers and the jeers of the crowd. The chins of those who gloated on Kevin''s misfortune simultaneously fell on the ground. Those who scurried off and ran earlier froze and they turned towards the scene with gaping eyes. "Just what did happen? An Honorary Disciple?! The Mirthful Fairies Association is backed up by an Honorary Disciple?! Why didn''t you tell me this earlier?! We wouldn''t have cut off our partnership with them!" The merchants who destroyed their connection with the Mirthful Fairies Association revealed wry expressions. Some of the wiser ones even approached Kevin at the side and asked if they could still continue their cooperation only to be met with Kevin''s fierce glare and a single word, "Scram!" Though indignant, the merchants tucked their tails and ran away, hoping that the Medicine Pavilion could suppress the rising dragon. Dan turned speechless towards the sudden display of respectfulness. A sigh came out of his lips, it seems like no matter what world I am living in, status and fame can really form a deterrence. If I didn''t have the status of an Honorary Disciple, then I would surely be inside a dungeon somewhere and being tortured around the clock. Dan shook his head and assumed a posture befitting to those of high standing. "Zaarki, so that''s your name? Judging from your cultivation, it seems like you''re an Outer Sect Disciple, though your talent points out that you can be better than that in the future, bottlenecks are quite hard to break through, especially without the help of resources..." Zaarki''s expression dimmed, indeed, when he first entered the Academy, he uncovered his true potential and found that his destiny belonged as a lord of his own region. Unfortunately, Outer Sect Disciples didn''t receive much care from the Academy and only after several years of hard work did he manage to acquire his current position In this ruthless world, one couldn''t survive without strength nor status. And everyone strived for greatness where they could roam the universe freely and unfettered. However, regardless of how grand one''s dream was. Without sufficient support in their early years, most geniuses or those with potential crumbled and became the stepping stone of someone else. Though Zaarki came from a humble origin. He strived hard and refused to stay mediocre in his entire life. Bringing his dreams with him, he departed from his village but when he arrived at the Academy, reality ruthlessly slapped his face. A genius without backing couldn''t possibly acquire the necessary resources for his cultivation. And even though his potential his high, what use was potential when you couldn''t even achieve your peak? Dan noticed the fluctuations within Zaarki''s heart and he patted his shoulders, "Junior Brother, I know that you''re destined for greatness and that you''re unwilling to stay average in your entire life. How about this, if you help me protect my establishment and establish order among the mortals who came here to buy our merchandise and prevent those with ill-intentions in coming near, I will reward you greatly and make sure that you can break through for at least, a single stage..." Dan''s small smile and his gentle voice paired with the physical contact made Zaarki feel like he wasn''t staring at a Senior but a brother with equal standing instead. Hearing the prospects about his reward, Zaarki''s countenance brightened and he glanced at his comrades behind him. His comrades wore complicated expressions, but all of them signaled that they would follow Zaarki''s actions. "I understand, Senior Brother. With your status in the Academy, you could indeed employ us from the Enforcement Team to help protect your establishment..." Zaarki clasped his hands together. Dan nodded his head in approval, "The Employment Term is two weeks and since you have accepted my offer, can you tell me something about the person who reported about us, selling suspicious and harmful products?" Dan''s eyes twinkled in a dangerous light, the murderous air that momentarily leaked from his body stumbled Zaarki as the latter took a deep breath before saying. "S-s-Senior Brother, I''m sorry to disappoint you, but the report that we received came from an anonymous concerned citizen." Zaarki explained and since the source of the report was unknown, Dan could only give up, "I see, if that''s the case, then forget about it, I do hope that Junior Brother Zaarki helps protect the order of my shop..." "Of course, I would do my best, Senior Brother, with your status alone, you can even ask the Enforcement Elder himself, but since you asked for us and even offered great rewards, we are eternally grateful towards you, Senior Brother..." Zaarki solemnly declared, his comrades behind him bowed respectfully and with Zaarki''s orders, the blood-red uniformed cultivators scattered and commanded the mortals that wanted to purchase Dan''s products. With the status of an Honorary Disciple as a towering backing, the previously apprehensive and doubtful mortals turned frenzied. Their eyes shone in a light of greed. Fortunately, Zaarki and his comrades were present so the mortals kept their calm and awaited their turn. "Damn it, I was too late! If I jumped in line earlier then I could''ve acquired a single bottle for my restaurant!" "I have decided, I won''t go home until I get a bottle of the Three-Flavored Salt Crystals, with just a single bottle, I bet I could prevent myself from starving, and it''s even so cheap! To think that it only costs ten copper coins per pinch!" Some mortals even carried tents and propped it before the establishment, significantly clogging the pathway, preventing carriages from exiting the area. The Enforcement Team swiftly acted and those mortals were chased away. But to satisfy them, Kevin handed over a numbered slip so that their turn would be kept when they return. Since Kevin declared that the shop was currently out of stock, the mortals that wandered around eventually left for their homes. Standing before the doors of the building, Dan glanced at the distance. Grace turned towards him in confusion, Why is the young master smiling so ominously? She thought in her mind. At the distance, Dan could see two approaching figures of old men clad in pure white robes. One of them was someone that Grace and Kevin could definitely recognize while the other old man had an air of superiority and dominance around him. Pavilion Chief Maxwell and Elder Rudolph arrived before the Longinus Pharmaceutical Company''s establishment with darkened expressions. Their mood was sour and the crimson light within their eyes hinted at their anger. In contrast, Dan casually faced them with his arms crossed. With Grace standing beside him, Dan looked unfettered and free. Lifting a small smile on his face, Dan clasped his hands together and said, "This Junior greets the Elders. May I know the two Elders'' business for this humble one?" Elder Rudolph scoffed, "Our business with you? Don''t play dumb, you know why we''re here..." Elder Rudolph rotated his cultivation base and sent a wave of pressurized Spiritual Qi towards Dan''s direction. Anger flashed on Dan''s countenance and he swiftly moved before Grace. Blocking the pressurized Spiritual Qi so that it wouldn''t touch and injure her. "What''s the meaning of this, old man?" Dan''s carefree visage disappeared. Replaced with fury and anger towards Rudolph''s actions. Rudolph kept his composure, lifting his index finger, he pointed at Dan and said, "Impudent Junior! How dare you resist arrest and even fight back against us?! With my authority as an Elder of this Academy, we sentence you as guilty of impersonation a person of authority! Follow us calmly or else this wouldn''t end so nicely..." Dan''s expression flickered and Grace''s countenance paled. She stretched her hand out and gripped Dan''s sleeves. Her reddened expression hinted at her pent-up anger and distress. Dan noticed this and mumbled with a smile, "What''s wrong, Grace? Are you indignant? Don''t worry about it and release everything that you feel. Even if the sky falls down, I will make sure that you''re unharmed..." The wind that swept past Dan''s body and ruffled his clothes, along with his jet-black hair that swayed amidst the tempest and the composed smile on his face formed a picturesque scene which engraved itself directly in Grace''s heart. Taking a deep breath, Grace angrily shouted, "FUCKING OLD BAG OF BONES! HOW DARE YOU STRUT BEFORE US AND CLAIM THAT WE''RE GUILTY OF DOING SOMETHING THAT WE DIDN''T EVEN DO!" Zaarki who was about to step forward froze, even Dan who maintained his casual smile couldn''t help but tremble as his lips endlessly twitched. Rudolph who suffused a righteous figure trembled and Pavilion Chief Maxwell''s eyes widened in shock. Everything in the area froze, the movements of the mortals, the swaying of the gentle breeze and even the chirping of the birds stopped. Everyone''s eyes focused on Grace as she continued her assault, "First of all, it was you, yes, you! Old Stinky Bones that first offended our Association when we were struggling at the bottom! You acted like you owned the place and even charged us with astronomical charges just so you can half-assedly pacify the plants inside our Garden!" "Now that the Pavilion Empress kicked you away and you are left without a source of income, you went and reported everything towards your Pavilion Chief and even said that we disdained the Medicine Pavilion. Of course, we disdain the Medicine Pavilion! Not only we disdain them we feel completely disgusted by their so-called righteous actions!" "I just arrived here two months ago, but in that short span of time, I saw how ruthless your Medicine Pavilion could be when it comes to treating mortals with illnesses! At that time, I even saw an old woman bringing along her grandchild infected with a high fever for treatment but you bastards! You bastards denied them of their treatment and in the end, the child died!" "With the child''s death, the old woman''s sorrow quickly became malady and she soon lost her life amidst your ruthlessness! Can you bastards even call yourselves as human?! Did you even treat, did you even treat us mortals as humans?!" Grace''s outburst summoned the deep-seated hatred and fury within the mortals'' hearts as they raised their pitchforks and faced off against the two Elders from the Medicine Pavilion. Even the innocent children that bore witness against the Medicine Pavilion''s inhumane actions took pebbles off the ground and started throwing them at the direction of the two elder''s whose expressions looked like a mixture of colors. From red to green and vice-versa, Dan felt like he was looking at a disco ball as he turned towards Grace and handed over a bottle of water. Maxwell and Rudolph quickly found themselves surrounded by the raging mortals. With a frosty expression, Maxwell glared at Dan and Natalie as he declared, "From now on, the Medicine Pavilion and the Mirthful Fairies Association is irreconcilable..." Bringing Rudolph with him, the two scurried away and Rudolph was even struck on the face with a rotten egg, the smell made him retch as Grace chuckled at their misfortune. Staring at their gradually disappearing figures, Dan remembered something as he shouted, "Stinky Bones! It''s not Mirthful Fairies Association but the Longinus Pharmaceutical Company! I do hope that you remember that from now on!" 153 Grace, Let me Sleep with You, Tonigh Inside a dimly-lit room, the figures of Rudolph and Maxwell could be seen standing before each other. "Pavilion Chief, are you willing to let them go like that?" Rudolph knitted his eyebrows, his expression darkened when he remembered the shame and humiliation that he suffered under the hands of that silver-haired woman. Maxwell''s expression looked the same albeit darker. A terrifying atmosphere surrounded his body and one could feel the suppressed hatred and fury within his body by just looking at his locked eyebrows. "Of course, I am not willing to let them go! But with our statuses we can''t possibly deal with them personally, right? Or else if those bastards heard about my actions, then what would happen to my face?" Maxwell replied in irritation, Rudolph''s indignance seeped out and he replied with a venomous tone, "If Elder isn''t willing to deal with them personally, then let this subordinate of yours deal with that brat and that bitch..." His eyes flashed in a murderous light and Maxwell who stood before him couldn''t help but lift a vicious smile. Of course, as an absolute territory in this region, Maxwell could personally deal with Dan and Grace. However, he wasn''t stupid. Someone like those two who daringly opposed them should''ve numerous trump cards hidden under their sleeves. Maxwell was afraid of those trump cards but using this stupid subordinate of his, he could test out the waters and if his subordinate died under the hands of Dan, then he also succeeded in getting rid of a stupid and senile old man like Rudolph. In other words, Rudolph''s suggestion was a win-win situation. How could Maxwell refuse the former''s proposal? After giving Rudolph some offensive and defensive talismans, the former set off towards the distant establishment of the Longinus Pharmaceutical Company. ===================== With the retreat of the two Elders from the Medicine Pavilion. The mortals who raised their pitchforks and vented out their frustration roared towards the skies in cheers. Thanking Grace with all of their hearts, the mortals soon dispersed in fear that the members of the Medicine Pavilion may catch up to them. Dan handed over a bottle of water to Grace and the latter received it with thanks. But as soon as she chugged it down, her eyes widened in realization and she almost choked as her cheeks reddened in embarrassment. To think that I made such a display before the young master! Dan turned towards her in confusion and panic flashed through Grace''s eyes as she staggered backward and kept her distance from him. Dan revealed a wry smile, as someone who conquered hundreds of waifus back in his previous life, how could he not feel Grace''s affection for him? Shaking his head, Dan cleared his thoughts and said, "Grace, I didn''t expect that such an exotic beauty like you could erupt like that when angered..." Hearing his words, Grace''s countenance thoroughly flushed and she looked like an apple. Dan chuckled towards such a sight and after saying his thanks towards the Enforcement Team. He dragged Grace with him and left Kevin alone in managing the closure of the establishment. As the prized treasure of the Mirthful Fairies Association, Grace''s treatment was top-notch and she had her own residence inside the vast pavilion of the Association. Dan found Grace''s room as completely fitting for her, with minimalistic decorations apart from several ornaments that she collected amidst her adventure inside the Academy. Her room looked pure and without a speck of dust. Dan could see that she thoroughly cared for every belonging that she had and this attitude of hers made him smile. Grace possessed terrifying composure and state of mind, proven by the fact that she could fiercely retaliate against those Elders from the Medicine Pavilion. Nevertheless, she was still a young woman and an inexperienced one at that. Dan''s sudden intrusion inside her room made her feel anxious, yet blissful. Taking a deep breath to calm her surging nerves, Grace''s eyes flashed with a critical light, her young master was visiting her, it was just right that she served him in a way that he deserved. Taking her apron, Grace strapped it on her slender-waist before taking a bunch of cooking ingredients from another cabinet. Dan felt the temperature of the room rising and he turned towards Grace''s direction. There, she found the silver-haired beauty looking somewhat anxious as she stared at the pan before her. Dan could smell a burning sensation wafting in the air and his expression changed. "Grace, what the hell are you doing, the meat is burning! Turn down the fire, turn down the fire!" Dan shouted at the side and Grace hurriedly followed Dan''s instructions. But alas, in the end, their dinners turned into charcoal as Dan stared at it with a weird smile on his face. Grace covered her face with both of her palms and her shoulders trembled as she uttered, "Young master, I''m sorry that I burned our dinner..." Dan''s appearance made her feel confident about herself, and this cockiness resulted in her failure. Dan lightly chuckled, taking a piece of charcoal that had the shape of a meat, Dan tasted it and exclaimed in an exaggerated manner, "Wow! Grace, I didn''t expect that you know how to cook exotic delicacies from Kalur. This tastes quite smokey and delectable..." Grace''s lips repeatedly twitched and with a pain-filled expression, she ate the charcoal along with Dan whose expression looked like he didn''t know whether to laugh or to cry. Several minutes later, only the sound of running water existed in the completely silenced room. Before the sink stood Grace whose forehead riddled with beaded sweat. Glancing at Dan behind her, strange ideas formed in her mind. "Could it be that the reason why the young master intruded in my room is that he wants to take me once and for all? No, that couldn''t be! Young master is an upright man and it is unlikely that he would do such an immoral thing!" "Wait, wait, wait, Grace, if that''s not his aim, then why did he come here in the first place when he has his own home with Elder Sis Natalie at the Fragrant Peak Pavilion?" "Well, if that''s his reason for coming here...I can''t really say that...I don''t like it...But..." Grace raised both of her arms and touched her cheeks. She could feel the burning sensation that surfaced on her face as she shook her head and disposed of those strange ideas. Nevertheless, she still couldn''t prevent herself from imagining what would possibly happen if Dan really did stay in her home and didn''t return to his residence. Previously living in a community where violence and all sorts of heinous crimes were common. Grace wasn''t completely ignorant regarding the relations between man and a woman, thus she felt high-strung about Dan''s motive and what was to come. Sitting before the table was Dan whose eyebrows, knitted in deep contemplation. Judging from the shameless personalities of the two elder''s who arrived earlier and the words that they said about arresting him, Dan picked some clues and realized that the two elder was thinking that he was a fake Honorary Disciple. What happened went completely off Dan''s plan and now he was in deep thought in regards to his next course of actions. Nevertheless, Dan was certain that something will definitely happen to Grace if he didn''t accompany him tonight. As for the reason? First, Grace was a mere mortal. A mere mortal challenging the authority of the Medicine Pavilion, how could they let her go unscathed now that they thought that the backing behind her was just a false facade. Second, if they got rid of Grace, the Longinus Pharmaceutical Company would lose a prized pacifier and would have to ask for external help, and under the deterrence of the Medicine Pavilion''s influence, no one would dare to help the Longinus Company due to the fact that both are on the opposing side. Third, once Grace disappeared out of the picture, they believed that they could easily subdue the remnants of the Mirthful Fairies Association. Letting out a smirk, Dan couldn''t help but smile. Grace who kept on glancing at him noticed the slight smile on her face and she took it as a smile of anticipation towards what would happen tonight. Grace''s knees trembled and almost gave out. Calming her ragged breathing, she squirmed and became even more embarrassed when she felt the moisture between her thighs. "Ermm, young master, it''s quite late already, when are you going home?" Grace mumbled in a hesitant tone. A part of her heart wanted Dan to stay, but the other part made her guilty about her indecent thoughts and desire. Dan lifted his head, his fluid motions and his hair which naturally followed his movements and the slight gleam of anticipation within his eyes pierced through Grace''s heart. Dan opened his mouth and whispered a sentence that transformed into a spell that shook her core. "Grace, Let me sleep with you, tonight..." 154 Midnight Assassination Dan''s words echoed like a thunderbolt inside Grace''s mind. The young maiden''s figure violently shook and she swiftly turned around in an effort to hide the upheaval in her emotions. Dan knitted her eyebrows, ''Why is she reacting like that when I''m just asking if I can stay here for the night, maybe she''s concerned about Natalie''s anger if she finds out about this, though I don''t really think that Natalie would mind it...'' Staring at her back, Dan continued, "It''s fine if you don''t want me to stay, after all, despite our relationship we still need to draw the line since we''re both members of the opposite sex." Grace''s shoulders trembled, she turned around and mumbled amidst her embarrassment and expectations. "It''s fine if the young master stays, but can you please don''t tell Elder Sis that you stayed in my house?" Grace established her condition, The time that she spent together with Natalie made both of them grow closer with each other, and after knowing Dan and Natalie''s relationship. She felt guilty about her own feelings and afraid that Natalie may hate her because of Dan. Dan knew about Grace''s worries and he reassured her, "Don''t worry about it, Natalie''s not short-minded, she will understand the circumstances..." Grace looked convinced but the light within her eyes expressed her lingering worries. Dan could only shake his head and wait until Grace regained her composure. Meanwhile, at the Fragrant Peak Pavilion, Natalie carried Juliet in her arms and spoonfed the little girl. Despite the fact that Juliet could eat on her own, she still liked being doted upon and as her mother, how could Natalie refuse her daughter''s adorable request? "Mama, will Papa celebrate my birthday with us?" Juliet asked in a hushed voice, the fact that Dan disappeared for a month made her anxious if it would happen again. Natalie felt her daughter''s worries and she revealed a smile of reassurance. "Don''t worry, Papa isn''t so busy anymore so he will definitely attend Juliet''s tenth birthday..." Natalie rubbed her head and the little girl stared at her mother and said, "Really? Papa will attend my birthday?" Natalie nodded her head and Juliet continued, "Then, Mama, can you give Juliet money?" Natalie''s expression flickered, why did Juliet suddenly ask for money? She stared at her daughter in confusion for a moment before giving her a coin pouch full of coins. Juliet tucked it inside her small robes and Natalie asked her, "What are you going to do with that money, Juliet?" Juliet lifted her arm and placed her index finger before her lips, "Mama, It''s a secret! I will surprise Papa with a present on my birthday..." Natalie lightly chuckled upon witnessing her daughter''s display. Juliet didn''t know that it was her that should receive presents and not the other way around. But of course, since she looked so excited about it, Natalie didn''t become a killjoy and just nodded her head in approval. Her mother''s approval thrilled the little girl and she asked in a curious manner, "Mama, where is Papa, is he not coming home?" Natalie thought for a moment and a light of epiphany flashed in her eyes, "Papa is staying at Sister Grace''s house, Since Sis needs some help from Papa, Papa will stay there for tonight..." Juliet nodded her head and didn''t continue her line of questioning. When the dawn of the night arrived, Natalie placed Juliet into sleep before sneaking away and heading towards the direction of the Entertainment Block. She wasn''t stupid, with the commotion that Grace and Dan did against the Medicine Pavilion, something sinister was bound to happen. Grace and Dan laid together atop a king-sized bed. The former''s expression looked as red and as hot as molten lava while the other looked indifferent, seemingly in deep thought. Since it was the peak of the night, noises from the Entertainment Block considerably decreased and Dan could even feel his heartbeat. Injecting a portion of his Spiritual Qi inside Grace''s body without her knowledge, Dan heaved a sigh of relief and said, "I''ll be going to the toilet for a moment, don''t come out no matter what, Grace..." He warned her with a solemn voice and expression. Grace knitted her eyebrows for a moment before realization struck her mind. So that''s the reason why the young master insisted on staying in my residence! She took several pillows, covered it with a quilt so that it would look like a human figure before hiding under the bed. She didn''t even dare to breathe as she tried her best in extinguishing her presence. Inside the vast hall of the Mirthful Fairies Association, darkness reigned and an average person couldn''t possibly see anything amidst this abyss. Silence also reigned and only Dan''s footsteps broke the tranquility of the dark hall. Dan lifted a cold smile and glanced around the area before mumbling under his breath, "Five Intruders, two at the main entrance and two at the back door while one at the Garden? As for their cultivation, four of them is at the Spirit Tempering Realm while the one at the Garden is at the Divine Ascendance Realm?" Dan gave a bitter chuckle, even with his full strength, a Divine Ascendance Realm Expert could easily pulverize him with a single attack. His expression went solemn, he didn''t expect that the bastards from the Medicine Pavilion would be so shameless and desperate that they sent a high-ranking Elder to assassinate them. Clicking his tongue, Dan wielded both of his daggers and his figure suddenly disappeared amidst the darkness. The intruders who kept track regarding his position stared at his compass in confusion. The red dot that marked Dan''s position suddenly disappeared, just what did happen? "This is Number One, Sir, one of our main target has disappeared, waiting for further instructions..." A transparent figure that stood amidst the darkness softly mumbled under his breath. He, along with Number Two and Three was tasked to keep guard of the main entrance and track the positions of the targets. "Number One, what happened?" A coarse voice echoed behind him and he turned around towards his comrade''s direction, "It seems like one of our targets has disappeared, his last known position is seventy-meters twelve o''clock." "Disappeared? That''s strange, the tracking compass that we have can be compared to an Earth Grade Artifact, it couldn''t possibly malfunction especially when we just finished our maintenance to it..." Another unfamiliar voice echoed at the side, "Kekeke, that''s fine, no matter what the two of them does, they will never escape our entrapment, after all, we have that Elder in our side..." His two comrades nodded their heads but suddenly, a spark of lightning momentarily flashed and before they knew it, a sharp pain struck their necks and fresh blood continuously streamed from the injury that they suffered. "What the..." "Just what did..." The three Assassins held their necks and their eyes widened in despair and shock. As fine Assassins whose experience could be counted for several decades, their perception and senses weren''t easily fooled but their assailant managed to land a fatal attack without them realizing what happened. With a dull thud, their knees gave out and the light within their eyes ceased. As their corpses struck the wooden floor, a stream of ominous energy seeped out of their bodies and floated towards a slender-figure whose lips lifted in a satisfied smile. The slender-figure wore a fiery-robe drenched in fresh blood. Her jet-black hair that swayed amidst the cold breeze and the murderous light within her eyes painted a terrifying scene that could send shivers down the spine of anyone. Natalie spread her Divine Sense and immediately discovered the presence of a Divine Ascendance Realm Expert. Sucking a mouthful of cold air, she slowed her breathing and approached Grace''s room with caution. On the other hand, near the entrance of the Garden, Dan''s lips revealed a small smile when he realized the arrival of Natalie and the disappearance of the three red dots marked in his minimap. "Damn, my little wife is becoming more ruthless as time passes by, could it be that it''s the effect of receiving my clan''s Demonic Cultivation Method?" Dan shook his head and prepared himself for a confrontation against a Divine Ascendance Realm Expert. Lifting his head, he stared at the direction of Grace''s room and hope that Natalie realized everything and help her escape. "I didn''t expect that our job this time would be this easy..." A voice echoed out of the darkness and a shadowy figure of a man manifested along with another figure that stood beside him. "Indeed, this may be the easiest job that I received in my entire career..." The man beside the first person who spoke grimly chuckled. "Number Five, is it really not possible to keep this girl alive? From the information that we received, it seems like she''s quite an exotic beauty particularly, that silver-hair of hers..." "Don''t be stupid, our job is to kill her and make it look like an accident, we should not leave any clues that would make the authorities trace it back to us nor to our client..." "Tcch, so upright, what are you, my mother?" "Let''s just finish this as soon as possible and I''ll definitely treat you at the Hundred Fairies Palace..." "Really? Remember your words, man..." Both Assassins conversed for a moment before one of them took a needle that shone in a greenish light. To make an assassination look like an accident. Poison was every Assassin''s best friend. The Assassin flicked his wrist and the needle struck the bedsheets. As soon as the needle landed, a smile lifted on their faces but the other Assassin exclaimed, "No, that''s not right! It''s a dummy!" He uncovered the sheets and found stacks of pillows with his target out of sight. "Damn it, did they notice our arrival beforehand? That should be impossible since that Elder said that there are no detecting formations around this establishment!" "What should we do now, Number Four? Should we retreat or keep our pursuit?" "We''re going to keep our pursuit, you do know about the sum that the Elder offered, right? With that much money, we can keep ourselves happy for our entire life!" Both Assassins nodded their heads and they started their search. "One and two, so there are only two intruders in this room? How boring..." A cold feminine voice reverberated behind them and the instincts of the two Assassins made them hurl their throwing weapons at the door. Bang! The door collapsed under the force of the attack and the same feminine voice complained, "Is that how you treat women? How uncouth!" The two Assassins stared at each other for a moment before nodding their heads. Moving in a predetermined distance away from each other, they ensured maximum efficiency when it comes to their cooperation. Staring at the door, they tensed up and prepared their weapons. Bzzzz A buzzing sound rang out and the two Assassin''s knitted their eyebrows. Floating amidst the darkness was a spark of lightning that looked charming to the eyes. The two of them lost their focus for a moment and when the most experienced of the two exclaimed in warning, a bright flash of lightning swerved through their necks followed by a sharp pain that brought them despair. Natalie reappeared behind them with two daggers on both of her hands. The blade of the daggers was drenched with fresh blood along with her face. Feeling the sticky sensation on her skin, Natalie lifted a cold smile and started absorbing the cultivation of both men for her own. Grace who witnessed Natalie''s ruthlessness and terrifying composure as she killed was scared silly and couldn''t move under the bed. She could only hope that Natalie wouldn''t notice her existence. Before the entrance to the Garden of Eden. Dan purchased numerous Flash Grenades and scanned through the Modern World Item Shop looking for a fully-automatic firearm that worked well in close range. After a moment of deliberation, Dan decided and bought an Atchisson Assault Shotgun. Holding a dagger on his left hand and the shotgun on his right, Dan steeled his resolve and blasted the entrance of the Garden with a Frag Grenade. A deafening roar reverberated inside the vast hall and the earth itself trembled. Dan felt a prickling sensation on his skin and a massive wave of pressuring aura encompassed his body. Eyes flashing in a critical light, Dan swiftly dodged to the side as an explosion of Spiritual Qi destroyed his initial location. "I wondered who it was that dared to sneak attack me from behind but it looks like it''s just that snotty brat from earlier..." A cold voice filled with disdain broke the silence and Dan''s expression turned solemn. "Since you came here looking to die, how could I refuse your wish?" Elder Rudolph stood stoically amidst the rubbles and when he spotted Dan''s figure, his cultivation base rotated before sending a burst of Spiritual Qi which struck Dan''s figure as another explosion reverberated throughout the entire hall. 155 Trump Cards, Unleashed The surge of Spiritual Qi tore Dan''s body in half and his limbs flew in all directions. Dan didn''t even manage to utter his cry of despair as the Spiritual Qi thoroughly buried his body. Witnessing the ghastly sight of his enemy dying in despair, Elder Rudolph''s shoulders trembled as he viciously snickered. "I didn''t expect that it would be this easy. I thought that the fake bastard had something more to offer but to think that this is all that he can do..." He sighed in disappointment and his eyes flashed towards the direction of Grace''s room. All sorts of desires flared up within him as his breathing turned ragged and his expression reddened. "Such an exotic beauty like her, it would be a shame if I killed her outright since the Pavilion Chief doesn''t mind it, I should keep her alive as my stress reliever..." Elder Rudolph''s cultivation base surged. When someone of the Divine Ascendance Realm utilizes their cultivation base, Heavenly Phenomenon such as thunder and lightning along with a tempest of winds should occur around the area and since there were no signs of such phenomenon it could be said that Rudolph was suppressing his power. Staring at Grace''s room, a zealous light flashed in his eyes as the wooden floor on his feet exploded. His figure disappeared and in a blink of an eye, he reappeared before the broken door. "Get the hell out of here, old man!" Dan''s fierce voice reverberated like thunder and wind howled as thunder echoed out. Sparks flew and Dan sent a kick towards Rudolph''s torso. Rudolph smirked upon seeing the attack, as someone of his cultivation, their bodies were harder than steel and someone with lower cultivation like Dan attacking his fleshly body would only result attract his destruction. Anger of the Lightning God! Roaring Thunder in Flesh! Lightning rumbled inside Dan''s muscles, his Physique Mastery reinforced his body while his Mental Mastery steeled his mind. Gritting his teeth, his kick landed on Rudolph''s torso as a surge of wind blasted everything around them across the entire hall. The force of the collision tore the air itself and both fighters flew backward. Rudolph''s body landed near the entrance of the Garden while Dan landed inside Grace''s room. There, he found Natalie reassuring Grace as Dan shouted, "What are you two doing in here?! He''s a Divine Ascendance Realm Elder! I''ll buy you enough time so Natalie, bring her with you!" Dan wiped the sweat forming on his forehead, from the time that he transmigrated until now, Rudolph was the strongest enemy that he ever encountered. Natalie turned towards him and shouted, "But how about you? I can''t just leave you here!" Dan clicked his tongue and fiercely glared at her, "I told you to fucking run so fucking run! Stop yapping!" Natalie''s figure shook and she revealed a wry smile, taking Grace with her, she stood up and said, "Juliet''s birthday is in three days, please return safely and celebrate it with us..." With that, lightning arcs formed on her feet and she ran towards the exit of the pavilion. Witnessing Natalie''s escape, Rudolph lifted a vicious smile and said, "It''s futile, the space around this pavilion is personally sealed by me, until you defeat me, there''s no way that you could escape..." Natalie''s figure struck an invisible wall and she fell on the ground with a pain-filled moan. Dan darted his gaze at Natalie, but as soon as he turned his attention away. Rudolph took advantage of this opening and dashed towards Dan''s figure, sending a knee strike on his abdomen. "Shit!" Dan violently cursed as Rudolph''s knee neared his body. His instincts activated and he quickly triggered Flicker. When Rudolph''s knee reached about three inches before his abdomen. His figure suddenly became blurry and Rudolph''s attack struck thin air. Rudolph''s expression went solemn, Dan''s techniques were so mysterious and he didn''t understand what he did in dodging his attack in such a close range. Inside the independent space of Flicker, Dan took his shotgun and repositioned himself behind Rudolph. Reappearing behind him, Dan pulled the trigger and a blast of hot bullets battered Rudolph''s body. Despite the reinforcement of his physique made by his cultivation, Rudolph suffered quite the pain and damage as he retreated backward and observed the strange weapon in Dan''s hands. "What is that?" His eyes squinted and he probed Dan''s weapon. Dan revealed a wry smile, every pellet of the bullet struck Rudolph''s body but the latter calmly took it like nothing. Rudolph''s health bar merely went down by about two percent. "Brat, if you hand that weapon over to me along with that woman then I can consider letting you go..." Rudolph smugly smiled and said in a vicious tone, Dan''s strange weapon piqued his interest. If not for the fact that his survival instincts kicked in at the last minute, Dan would''ve blasted a hole on his side. "Old geezer, do you really think that just because you trapped us in here that you already won? Even if you defeat us right now, you can merely win the battle but not the war..." Dan glanced at Natalie and found that the latter was condensing her Spiritual Qi in an effort to blast through the Dimensional Lock established by Rudolph. Such a huge concentration of Spiritual Qi wouldn''t go unnoticed by someone of Rudolph''s caliber. However, the old man was currently in a state of frenzy and overloaded with murderous intent and lust. "Why is a fake like you saying that even if I can win the battle I won''t win the war? Do you really think of yourself as mighty just because you are holding an Authority Token of an Honorary Disciple? Let me tell you this, only two official Honorary Disciples exists in the Academy and even if you managed to acquire such a thing using your connections, that doesn''t mean that you''re officially recognized!" Rudolph started laughing. "As someone who''s wielding a fake Authority Token. The Academy may even reward me for disposing of you..." Rudolph''s muscles bugled with infinite power and the air around him popped like cooked popcorns. Despite the fact that he didn''t have any Divine Art, his Physical Techniques were top-notch. Dan didn''t dare to delay anymore and activated the first stance of the Blessing of the Lightning God. Lightning enveloped his body, his hair shone in an azure light along with his eyes that mysteriously gleamed in the same color. "Hooh? A Divine Art?" Rudolph curiously stared at Dan''s figure, "If we had the same cultivation then you could probably kill me, but what a shame that you''re merely at the Spirit Tempering Realm..." Rudolph clenched his fist and the air inside his palms exploded. The heat from Rudolph''s body alone made him faint, and at this moment, Dan realized that he couldn''t afford to engage his enemy in a close combat battle. Or else once a single hit landed on his body. Dan knew that he would be utterly destroyed. "What''s wrong? Are you not coming to me?" Rudolph taunted and Dan stared at him before performing some simulations with the System''s help. Dan shook his head, evidently. The result of the simulation that he made, disappointed him. "Even with the help of ''that'' I still need to bring his health points down to the thirty percent range or else there''s not even a chance of damaging him..." Gnashing his teeth, Dan knew that other than poking his enemy until exhaustion, there''s no other way that he could defeat him. But the problem was, will his Spiritual Qi Reserves even sustain such an endeavor? If Dan lost the support of his Spiritual Qi in a critical moment, then that would become his death. [Save: 7; Load: 8] For insurance, Dan saved his current instance and hope that he could activate it in time before he''s killed. "Dan, spare me a just a hundred breaths of time! I swear that I will definitely break this down, and when that happens, I will immediately summon Senior Mathias to deal with this old geezer..." Dan received Natalie''s voice transmission and his expression went even more solemn than before. A hundred breaths of time wasn''t long but it wasn''t short either, in a battle between experts, hundreds of exchange could occur in such a short amount of time. And unfortunately, Dan wasn''t so sure that he could survive against Rudolph in such a high-speed battle. What should I do? What can I use against him? Blind him using Flash Grenades then try and poke him from afar? Will that really work against a Divine Ascendance Realm Expert? Goddamned it, if I ever knew that such a thing would happen then I would''ve already summoned Senior Mathis with me! Dan cursed himself for being so complacent. Before everything happened, Dan thought that he could handle everything by himself, but unfortunately, a true expert like Rudolph arrived and now he was helpless. His arrogance became his undoing. Damn it! I have my family with me, I have Natalie, Grace, Juliet, Sandra, and Jacob! I can''t die here, I can''t let them down! Maybe, maybe I could ask the system for help and ask it to control my body like what it did at that time with the battle against the Necromancer. Wait, speaking of the System, the System is called the Assassination System, right? Then, it should be possible for it to instruct me about what should I do against this old geezer! Dan''s eyes twinkled in a light of anticipation as he commanded, "System, assist me in my battle against this old geezer." [System Function Initiating: 50%] [System Offensive Assist Activated by Voice Command!] [The System will provide precise instructions in real time.] [Good luck and have fun!] [PS: Don''t be a wuss and just fight him already, don''t worry about dying, you have me as your plot armor] The series of system notifications that appeared right before his eyes excited Dan. Taking his dagger and his fully-automatic shotgun. Dan bent his knees and dashed towards Rudolph''s figure. "Brat, are you that excited to die?!" Rudolph exclaimed upon witnessing Dan''s aberrant actions. Dan disregarded his enemy''s shout and he focused on the changes that were happening before him. Parts of Rudolph''s body was marked with the System and a mechanical voice echoed inside his mind. [The enemy will most likely send a punch on the host''s torso.] A blue dot appeared on his body and a trajectory line that connected with Rudolph''s fist could be seen before him. Twisting his body amidst his attack, Rudolph''s punch arrived and Dan barely dodged it in a hair''s breadth. [Dodging Success!] [The host can inflict a damage of 3% if he attacks this weak point.] A bigger red dot manifested on Rudolph''s back and Dan activated Stab. Stab! His left hand blurred and spurred with a mysterious force. Dan''s dagger plunged on Rudolph''s back as the latter howled in anguish and shock. He didn''t expect that Dan''s attack would land on one of the weak spots of his Spiritual Qi Barrier. The feedback that Dan felt made him excited as Rudolph turned around and stomped on his torso. [The enemy''s attack will most likely land on the host''s left torso, send a wave of Spiritual Qi on the ground to propel the host''s body backward.] Dan did as instructed and Rudolph''s attack struck nothing. The wooden floor collapsed and dust flew towards the skies, reducing visibility. [Visibility is reduced.] [The host''s attack will hit if he sends an attack at eleven o''clock in the next three seconds.] Dan hurriedly lifted his fully-automatic shotgun and blasted a hole through the mist of dust. Rudolph who was still recovering from the pain didn''t expect that sudden attack as cracks appeared on his Spiritual Qi Barrier. Staring at Dan''s direction with eyes full of anger, the Elder formed a ball of Spiritual Qi and sent it flying towards his direction. [Ball of Spiritual Qi, the host can choose to evade or block the attack.] [To block the attack, the host will need to expend ten percent of his Spiritual Qi.] Ten percent of my Spiritual Qi? Why should I block it? Dan shrugged and leaped on the ground. The ball of Spiritual Qi swept past his head and seeing Dan''s actions. Rudolph smirked, "What a fool," The ball of Spiritual Qi missed Dan but it would definitely hit Natalie and Grace behind him. "Shit!" Dan cursed upon this realization, but Grace coldly snorted and summoned the might of her Heaven Grade Defensive Artifact. The small orb in her hand shone in a milky-white light that destroyed the ball of Spiritual Qi. The milky-white light of the orb considerably dimmed and Dan predicted that it could at most, block two more attacks from Rudolph. A Heaven Grade Defensive Artifact? Rudolph''s eyes turned redder in greed. He specialized in offense and was lacking in defense. But if he could acquire Grace''s Defensive Artifact, then he could even possibly deal with the arrogant Pavilion Chief. Lifting his upper body, Dan dashed towards Rudolph''s direction and the two engaged in a fierce close quarter combat. Their battle looked intense and bloody, but Rudolph couldn''t even land a single attack on Dan''s body while the latter''s attack struck directly at his weak spots. Dan lifted a small smile, with the System''s help, even if he closed his eyes, he was confident that he could completely dodge Rudolph''s assault and even counter-attack with his own strike. [Take two steps away and turn torso to the right.] Rudolph''s fist swept past Dan''s left torso. [Send a feint at this direction while shoot at this weak point.] Bang! Rudolph''s miserable shriek echoed out, Dan landed a point-blank attack from his shotgun. At this point in time, Rudolph looked wretched and bedraggled while Dan merely sustained scratches from the torn wind that struck his skin. "Brat, you''ve truly angered me..." Rudolph retreated backward, with his eyes flashing in utmost hatred, he screamed and the earth itself trembled, swift winds that could compare to a typhoon battered the area around them and the entire pavilion collapsed, revealing an empty space as a result of Rudolph''s Dimensional Lock. Inside this Dimensional Lock, anything that was inside could be affected but everything that was outside wouldn''t be affected nor damaged. Rudolph unleashed the entire might of his cultivation base as Dan''s body kneeled on the ground. [The enemy''s source of power is increasing every second.] [Suggestion: Get the fuck out of that place or you''ll definitely die.] Natalie who was in the middle of concentrating her power froze. Feeling the sensation of imminent danger behind her. She knew that it was useless to try and break through the Dimensional Lock. For before that happens, she was sure that they were already dead. Dan lifted his head and stared grimly at Rudolph''s display of power. Instead of feeling the sensation of despair, he couldn''t help but smirk when he saw Rudolph''s remaining health points. [HP: 27/100] [Qi: 63/100] [Note: Numbers are in percentage] Taking a certain item from his Virtual Inventory that he never dared to use unless there was no other choice. Dan slowly unveiled the golden parchment as Natalie''s eyes widened in shock and excitement. As soon as Dan opened the golden parchment, a surge of Imperial Might descended from the skies and the Dimensional Lock itself distorted. Rudolph''s expression changed and a sensation of dread filled his heart. "W-w-what is that..." Rudolph uttered amidst his hopelessness, the Imperial Aura that came from the golden parchment pressured his soul itself and there was no way to negate such direct suppression. Opening the Imperial Decree that he personally received from his father, Dan uttered a wish, "Imperial Decree, annihilate my enemy..." As soon as his sentence was completed, the golden parchment exploded into resplendent lights which formed the faint silhouette of an Emperor. The Emperor looked as tall as the mountains and when it lifted its golden hand, space itself distorted as Rudolph cried out in horror, "No, please don''t, please don''t do this to me, I will do everything that you want me to do from now on, I will become your dog if you wished as long as you don''t kill me!" He immediately discarded his pride and shame in an effort to plead for his life. But unfortunately, the Emperor''s decree was absolute and his death was certain. 156 Discussion between Readers and the Author! Hello everyone, this is TheAdventurer. Before I knew it I struck a hundred and fifty chapters, I know that I should''ve done this earlier, but as you all know, apart from writing, I''m also a working student so my schedule is quite full. Now that I have free time and I didn''t forget to make this thread, let''s talk about the novel. Is there anything that you find lacking about the novel? If there is, what are they? Is there something that you hate about the novel or even the author? If there is, what are they? What do you think about the journey so far? Thighs or Ass? 157 Fury of the Headmaster With the appearance of the Imperial Decree, Rudolph''s death was sealed. Staring at the mess of flesh that looked like a pancake, Natalie dragged Dan and both of them hurriedly absorbed Rudolph''s cultivation base remnant. The wounds that Dan suffered and his Spiritual Qi Reserve filled up once again. At the back, Grace stared at the scene of destruction with complicated emotions on her face. Darting her gaze at Natalie, she didn''t know about how she should face her. When she first arrived at the Paradyne Academy and was given shelter by Natalie. The attitudes that Natalie displayed to her were kindness, tenderness, and thoughtfulness. She didn''t expect that such a young woman whom she thought of as an Elder Sister figure actually possessed such a terrifying side. After absorbing a part of Rudolph''s cultivation base, Dan''s dantian felt full and gave off a sensation that it was about to burst. Staring at what remained of Rudolph and the scene of annihilation before him. Dan heaved a sigh of relief. If he didn''t discover that secret function of the System and didn''t use his strongest trump card and risk his life. Dan was certain that he would be the one that was now on his way to the yellow springs. Natalie glanced at Dan, the moisture in her eyelids indicated her worries for his well-being. However, she knew that Dan''s ruthlessness towards himself and his enemy was a vital trait that he should nurture if he wanted to survive in this world. Sighing in her heart, she said no more and darted her gaze at Grace. Grace who felt Natalie''s gaze trembled for a moment. Her pale expression expressed that she was in shock about Natalie''s drastic change in attitude in the battlefield. Revealing a wry smile, Natalie approached her and said. "Sister Grace, after seeing what I did earlier, do you hate me?" Grace''s figure trembled, the truth was, she didn''t hate Natalie, but after witnessing so much violence throughout her entire life. She felt subconsciously afraid of Natalie because of her display. Shaking her head, she calmed her mind and resolved herself. "No, I won''t hate Elder Sister just because of that, I''m sorry but I still can''t believe that someone as lovely as Elder Sis could become so terrifying when angered..." Grace spoke her heart out and Natalie''s lips lifted into a smile. "The only reason why I became like that was to protect the people that I love, and that includes you, Grace..." Natalie moved closer to Grace and held both of her hands. Feeling the warmth from Natalie''s hands, Grace felt a surreal sensation rising through her chest. It was as if she finally found the missing piece of her heart and solved the puzzle. Before she knew it, tears streamed down her cheek and she buried herself into Natalie''s chest. Though Grace suffused a brave and unyielding front, the truth was she was still a young maiden whose heart wasn''t as sturdy as those ancient cultivators that lived for several thousands of years. Unlike them, Grace was someone whose heart wasn''t completely stained by the world''s filth. Dan removed his gaze from the two before taking his Authority Token out and infusing it with his Spiritual Qi. Inside a luxurious room above the peak of a towering mountain. Mathias'' could be seen covered with a quilt, his expression looked relaxed and his deep snoring and the occasional smile that flashed on his face expressed that he was in the middle of a good dream. Suddenly. Mathias'' eyes snapped open and his expression turned solemn. A stream of information struck his mind and forcefully awakened him. However, that wasn''t the reason why his face looked so cold. It was because of the contents of the information that he received from Dan. "It seems like these several decades of me letting them run wild in their own territories made those bastards from the Medicine Pavilion complacent that I won''t interfere with their operations." Mathias flicked his wrist and his clothes changed into a fitting and domineering one. From the previous pajamas made from silk, he was now clad in a fiery purple robe. His knitted, sharp eyebrows made him look imposing and the terrifying air of anger that surrounded his body increased the temperature of the room itself. "I was planning on purging these organizations inside the Academy but it looks like there''s a need to purge them as soon as possible or else rebels may spawn within them..." Mathias'' figure blurred before reappearing above the skies. Staring at the direction of the Inner Disciples Region. A deafening roar rang out and within a blink of an eye, Mathias disappeared above the mountain peak. Pavilion Chief Maxwell of the Medicine Pavilion calmly sat before a jade table. Above the jade table was a cup of the finest tea available in the entire Empire. With a tranquil expression on his face, he took a sip and savored the exotic flavor that wrapped his tongue. Bang! A hole suddenly appeared on his roof, bringing with it a fierce wave of Spiritual Qi which sent him tumbling backward as a mouthful of blood spurted out of his mouth. Before he could even digest what the hell just happened, another wave of Spiritual Qi battered his body and he was forced to circulate his own cultivation base to fight back against the domineering pressure that continuously pressed him down. But as soon as he lifted his head and stared at the person that dared to attack the Pavilion Chief of the Medicine Pavilion. His expression underwent a huge change. From the previous expression of complete rage and anger. His visage transformed into fear and despair when he saw the figure of the man that attacked him. It was the one and only headmaster of the Paradyne Academy. Mathias Paradyne. "Headmaster? Why are you doing this to me? Did I do something to offend you or perhaps did my subordinate do something uncouth towards your presence?" Maxwell suffused a fawning expression despite the injuries that he suffered under Mathias'' hands. Mathias merely stared at his figure and didn''t reply. Rotating his entire cultivation base. The skies itself changed colors and the earth faintly trembled under Mathias'' display of his might. Maxwell''s expression turned ugly and no matter how much he racked his brain out, he couldn''t understand why the Headmaster suddenly went and troubled him. Unfortunately, the Headmaster never enlightened him as the former gripped his head and forcefully uprooted it from his shoulders. With widened eyes in regret and unwillingness, Maxwell died and became an indignant ghost that would forever wander the yellow springs in confusion. Mathias threw the head towards the ground and stomped on it, destroying Maxwell''s corpse and burning the remnants into dust. Mathias'' ruthlessness in dealing against his subordinates was one of the reasons why he managed to survive and rise through the ranks amidst the bloody competition for fame and wealth. Taking a fiery parchment from his Spatial Ring, he wrote several sentences before flying towards the direction of the Longinus Pharmaceutical Company. Upon his arrival, Mathias expressed his apologies towards what happened and said that he already solved the root of the problem. Handing over a fiery parchment to Dan, he retreated and roamed the entire Academy. Cleansing the corrupt members of the organization that took root in his Academy. Throughout the entire dawn, blood formed rivers and skulls formed mountains. Under Mathias'' fury, those who had the thought of creating an upheaval for their own benefit hurriedly tucked their tails inside their asses, while the enemies of the Paradyne Academy that had designs in infiltrating the Academy temporarily retreated. Afraid that they may be caught under Mathias'' wrath. But before the day even started, Mathias made another earth-shattering announcement. He declared Dan Gabriel Longinus as an Honorary Disciple while handing over everything of the Medicine Pavilion toward the Longinus Pharmaceutical Company. In short, the influence known as the Medicine Pavilion has officially disappeared, replaced by the Longinus Pharmaceutical Company which completely dominated the market because of their two inventions that greatly suited mortals and low cultivation cultivators alike. Everything happened in under an hour and the entire population of the Paradyne Academy once again witnessed how domineering and forceful their Headmaster could be. Under his orders and laws, no one dared to cause trouble and Dan''s name quickly gathered fame, with this, one of Dan''s goal was completed and now, it was time for him to celebrate Juliet''s birthday along with his family and friends. 158 Prelude to Juliets Birthday Under Mathias'' decree and the suppression of his towering backing. The influences that eyed the Longinus Pharmaceutical Company simmered down and could only watch as the latter soared towards the skies in indignance. With the acquisition of the monopoly of medicines in the entire Inner Disciples Region. Money was literally pouring like a river down Dan''s pockets. The amount that he could earn in a day rivaled what the Longinus Clan could earn back at the City of Cloud in a year. The disparity made him bitterly chuckle as he profusely thanks Mathias with all of his might. "I heard from Natalie that you''re celebrating Juliet''s birthday at night, I''ll bring Charlotte with me, I bet that she would be happy to attend," Mathias revealed an amiable smile, Dan returned his gesture by clasping his hands together, "If that''s the case then I surely have to prepare the most luxurious banquet that fits with Senior''s status..." Mathias lightly chuckled but didn''t reply before disappearing towards the horizon with a bang. Returning back at the Fragrant Pavilion Peak, Natalie and Grace waited for his arrival. "What are you two doing there? Where is Juliet?" Dan asked in confusion and Natalie lifted her index finger before her lips, "Shhh, she''s sleeping right now so let''s sneak out and buy her some presents..." Grace chimed in, "Young master, let''s be careful not to wake little Juliet up or else she will definitely come with us..." Dan nodded his head in approval and the three of them sneaked away from the Fragrant Peak Pavilion. Since they departed in such a short notice, Natalie and Grace didn''t have the time to completely change their appearance and though Natalie managed to change some parts of her face, her beauty still existed and when she stood beside Grace, the two of them looked like twin goddesses that descended from the heavens. "Ermm, young master, it seems like most of them are looking at us..." Grace''s figure looked fidgety and uncomfortable due to the sudden attention, Natalie also looked the same but when she heard the voices of the crowd, her shoulders faintly trembled as she suppressed her laughter. "Hey, look! Goddamned it, two exotic beauties in one place, am I using up my entire life''s luck at this moment?" "Damn it, you''re right! Especially that silver-haired one, look at her curves, damn and those perky cheeks on her rear, I can''t get enough fam..." "But sadly, it looks like they''re taken, there''s a guy in between them..." "Do you mean that guy? Look at his appearance, he looks as delicate as a young woman, I bet that he''s being used by the two women as their plaything..." "Definitely, definitely, there''s no way in heavens that he''s with those two beauties..." Veins bulged on Dan''s temples and cold air seeped from his body, his expression looked dark while Natalie held her stomach with both of her palms. Her shoulders slightly trembling. Even Grace who normally hid her emotions couldn''t help but turn away and cover her mouth using her palm. Glaring at the spectators, Dan leaked a bit of his killing intent and the murmurs around them, ceased. Darting his gaze back at the two women, Dan said, "Didn''t I told you guys that it would be better to change your appearances before we came here?" Natalie puffed her cheeks and embraced Grace''s arm as the latter blushed in embarrassment, "What are you saying, Dear, don''t you know the saying that a rich man that doesn''t flaunt his riches is as useless as an impotent husband?" "Pfft!" Dan spat a mouthful of saliva and he almost lost his breathing. Natalie''s vulgar sentence got him and Grace also looked visibly shaken. ''This woman...'' Dan thought in his mind and formulated his revenge. Soon, the three of them arrived before a fashion establishment, the two women excitedly picked elegant clothes for themselves and Dan complained at the side, "Both of you, aren''t we supposed to be shopping for Juliet''s presents? When did we start shopping for clothes?" His complaints fell into deaf ears and after witnessing the lights on their faces, Dan didn''t complain anymore and just stared at them with a smile on his face. "Grace," Natalie gestured for Grace and the latter approached her while asking. "What''s wrong, Elder Sis? Do you want me to help you choose clothes?" "No, it''s not that, help me choose some underwear..." Natalie suffused a rare blush and she glanced around the area. When she realized that Dan wasn''t looking at her direction, she whispered into Grace''s ears. "I heard that men like it when their women are wearing raunchy underwears, can you help me pick some that will suit me?" Natalie pleaded and upon hearing her words. Grace''s cheeks exploded into a blush and she backed off in embarrassment, "No, I couldn''t possibly help Elder Sis in that case, I''m also inexperienced..." Natalie held both of her shoulders and winked before whispering, "I know about your feelings for my husband, if you help me choose my underwear and I found the type of underwear that he likes the most, I''ll tell you more about it so you can plan your seduction for him..." Grace''s expression flashed with hesitation, but in the end, she nodded her head as a flash of resolve surged within her eyes. Half an hour later, Natalie and Grace finally emerged from the establishment with an ambiguous smile on their faces. Dan stared at them in confusion, Did something good happen? Why are they smiling? He thought to himself but soon dismissed the ideas forming in his mind. Today, it was Juliet''s birthday so he was going to concentrate all of his attention towards the little girl. Arriving before an establishment that sells toys and defensive artifacts suitable for children. Dan bought dozens of defensive talismans and a doll that functioned with the help of Spiritual Qi. Satisfied with their purchase, the three returned to the Fragrant Peak Pavilion and upon arrival. The two ladies pushed Dan away from Natalie''s room and Dan could only shake his head as he prepared himself for the celebration at night. Wrapping himself up with his apron, Dan once again displayed his culinary might. Meanwhile, inside Natalie''s room, both ladies could be seen stark naked while standing before each other. Natalie''s body didn''t look as slender as Grace, but her curvaceous figure formed by the passage of time instantly defeated Grace at that department. However, when it comes to innocence, Natalie couldn''t possibly defeat the young maiden. Not only that, Grace was a white-tiger and was completely bald down there. If compared against each other, Natalie could be considered as a veteran predator while Grace was a fledgling adventurer. Both possessed their own charms and spices. Natalie and Grace changed their clothes. Natalie wore a one-piece which stuck on her body, emphasizing her figure and features and Grace wore the same outfit, albeit her clothes were much shorter and it ended above her thighs. Grace held the hem of her one-piece with a tragic expression on her face. "Elder Sis, I can''t possibly wear this outside, it''s too short and I could feel a breeze down there..." Grace complained and Natalie shook her head in disapproval. "That''s the appeal that we''re looking for, Grace. In reality, men aren''t that attracted in seeing naked features of women, however, the sensation of being in the edge of seeing it while not seeing it is the true appeal of women! And that goes for my husband!" Natalie declared, her complicated words stumbled Grace. "In simpler terms, making him anticipate something while depriving him of his desire is what makes his desire burn even further! That''s the appeal of ecchi!" Natalie proudly declared and Grace asked in confusion, "Ecchi?" Natalie smiled at her, "I don''t exactly know the meaning of that term but my husband told me that when we were talking to each other, he says that if a woman truly wants to attract a man, they should do so by manipulating their desires, at that time, he said to me that such techniques should be effective against any man and if not, he''s definitely swinging at the other way!" Grace gulped a mouthful of saliva and she struggled to remove her hands from the hem of her clothes. Nevertheless, she managed to let go of it but the strange sensation of air, brushing past her underwear made her feel fidgety. "That''s it, Grace!" Natalie raised her thumb and acted like a supportive mother-in-law which made Grace wryly smile in return. When the two ladies exited Natalie''s room, the smell of spices and delectable dishes assaulted their noses. Approaching the kitchen, Dan turned towards him and received a shock when he saw their outfits. Clad in a jet-black one-piece, Natalie looked like a fierce seductress while Grace beside her whose figure clad in a pure white one-piece with the same design as Natalie looked like a lone flower atop a mountain peak. The outfit of the two didn''t look any different from each other apart from the color, but when the person in question actually wore it in person, the difference became visible. Natalie''s mature features gave everyone a wholesome sensation while looking at her while Grace''s undeveloped features made anyone feel a heroic urge to protect her for all of their lives or if not, they would feel the desire to ravage such a desirable flower. Particularly, Grace whose white one-piece looked somewhat transparent under the illumination of the sun and paired with the fact that her clothes ended above her thighs, Dan''s body reacted and he almost couldn''t resist his urges. Glancing at Natalie, he found that the latter winked at his direction and Dan could only wonder about what''s going on inside that brain of hers. Normally, a wife despised seeing their husband with other women but Natalie was different, she encouraged such acts and even showed signs of helping Dan build his own harem which was something that he currently disliked. But of course, if the feelings were mutual then he wouldn''t mind taking a second wife. Darting his gaze at Grace, Dan was still unsure whether he liked her or not. After all, as someone who lived for decades back in his previous life, he felt weirded out taking a sixteen years old young woman as his wife. Shaking his head, he dismissed the lecherous thoughts in his mind and focused on the task at hand. And that was to celebrate Juliet''s birthday in the most extravagant and remarkable way possible! 159 Graces Pas Dan went all out in preparing Juliet''s birthday, uncovering all the recipes that he learned from those grueling Home Economics subject when he was still studying, Dan unleashed his repertoire and cooked numerous meals that could only be found in the Modern World where he previously lived. Sweeping his gaze on the sparkling dishes above the table, Dan sighed in relief and satisfaction. His several hours of effort paid off and now he had a banquet that would suit the Headmaster''s status. Natalie brought over vats of liquors while Grace prepared the utensils at the table side. Since Juliet was still sleeping, Dan stretched his body and laid on the floor. Staring at the ceiling, a smile couldn''t help but break out on his face. Several months ago, Dan was merely a lonely bastard that no one would care if he died. But now, he had his own family and was even celebrating his little daughter''s birthday along with his wife. Such bliss made him immensely thankful that he died and transmigrated. "You''re tired, here, drink some cold water..." Grace''s voice echoed behind him and since he was lying on the floor, when he craned his neck and stared at her figure, his eyes inadvertently landed on her skirt. The enticing and barely visible vital area of a woman ignited Dan''s lecherous intents and he subconsciously gulped a mouthful of saliva. Dan could normally suppress his desires, but unfortunately, ever since Natalie started maneuvering them together, his mind couldn''t help but think of her as a member of the opposite sex despite the fact that she was mentally younger than him by several decades. Clicking his tongue, Dan thought that he should ask Natalie to take care of his desires before it could fully erupt. Receiving the cup of water from Grace''s hand. The young maiden steeled her heart and sat beside Dan, A small smile decorated her face. Dan raised his upper body, drank the water and placed the cup above the table. Glancing at Grace, he realized that the latter''s eyes shone in a complicated light of numerous conflicting emotions. His lecherous designs suddenly dissipated and he lifted his hand and rubbed his head. Grace spent her entire childhood and most of her teenage years in such a dangerous environment and it was only until a month ago did she felt the freedom that she desired the most. Scars would definitely remain in her mind. Grace''s figure trembled for a moment, but she didn''t push his hand away and savored the sensation of his gentle touch ruffling her hair. With her eyes slightly narrowing, Dan chuckled and said, "Really, Natalie and you are somewhat alike when it comes to this matter..." Grace glanced at him and said, "This matter?" Her expression revealed her confusion. Dan chuckled once again and explained, "What I mean is both of you really wants to be doted upon, especially head rubs, I don''t know why but she and Natalie likes to be rubbed in the head..." Grace went silent and thought, "It should be because we can feel such a deep sense of security when you this kind of thing, young master..." Dan turned towards him and said, "Sense of security?" Panic flashed across Grace''s visage, "Wait, did I say it out loud?" Dan nodded his head, "Yep, you said that you can feel a sense of security when your hair is rubbed? Really, women are strange beings..." Dan shook his head with a smile and Grace buried her face between her knees in embarrassment. The sensation of Grace''s silky-smooth hair rubbing across his palms felt as addictive as Natalie''s hair and Dan was unwilling to let go. Little did he knew that Natalie was behind them with an ambiguous smile on her lips and with her right-hand thumb lifted towards the skies. She cheered, "Good luck, Junior Sis!" Humming a tune and in anticipation of having a future sister beside her, Natalie went towards Juliet''s room and gave the two some time alone. Dan kept his motion and Grace became drowsy, smiling to himself, he asked her a question, "Grace, will you mind if you tell me more about yourself? Apart from knowing that you lived in the slums, I seemed to have remembered you mentioning something about having an Elder Sister..." Grace''s expression went bitter, her eyes flashed with melancholy and she sighed as she explained, "Yes, I indeed have an Elder Sister, though I am saying that she''s my Elder Sister, she''s only older than me by a second..." Dan became confused, "Older than you by a second, could it be that she''s your twin sister?" Grace nodded her head in confirmation, "She''s indeed my twin sister, but ever since that fateful day, I haven''t seen her again..." Grace lifted a bitter and melancholic smile, her eyes turned wet as she reminisced about the time that she spent with her sister. "That fateful day?" Dan mumbled in a solemn tone, Grace calmed herself down but she still couldn''t suppress the trembling of her shoulders as she said in a somber and despondent voice, "Ten years ago, I and my sister was a visited by a man, that man was the head of a slave caravan." "Their slave caravan in finding those with potential and he had both of us tested." Grace paused for a moment, she looked reluctant to continue but Dan reassured her with a smile. Her hesitation dispersed and she continued. "They found that my sister possessed an unparalleled talent for cultivation, but on the other hand I possessed none of the potential that she had..." Her tone sounded complicated and Dan''s figure froze, "Being twins with her, most of your features should be identical to her and that includes cultivation talent, it''s impossible that she''s the only one that has such a talent!" Dan''s words were sound and logical, and this brought Grace doubt and confusion towards what exactly happened at that fateful day. Staring at Dan with widened eyes, she said, "Now that I think about it, my sister and that man seemed to have conversed with each other before the man tested my potential..." "That''s it! I''m certain that your certain made a deal with him so that he won''t bring you with him and suffer the same fate as your sister as a slave..." Dan pressed on and Grace''s shoulders trembled, "Wait...If that''s the case, then sister sacrificed herself so that I won''t suffer the same fate as her?" Her figure violently swayed, and the scene before her became blurry. Her brain felt like it was going to explode from the violent rushes of blood assaulting her head. Dan hurriedly embraced her body, preventing her from falling on the ground. Grace stared at Dan''s figure and tears streamed down her cheeks. As someone who witnessed numerous atrocities throughout her entire life, she was clear about the fate of slaves, especially a female slave who possessed unique traits like her twin sister. Burying herself into Dan''s chest, Grace ignored her embarrassment and poured all of her indignance and grievances into his chest. Dan lifted a complicated smile, rubbing her back, Dan knew that pouring his own ideas and opinions towards someone that was venting out her stress was detrimental. "It''s fine, Grace, you can cry everything out, everything isn''t your fault, but if you give up now, then everything will become your fault. Only when one has an unyielding heart could he change his fate for the better..." Dan affectionately whispered into her ears, rubbing her head and back with soothing motions, Grace lifted her head and witnessing her tears and snot covered face, Dan almost busted a gut. Since it was inappropriate to laugh at this moment, Dan suppressed his laughter and kept his head away from his sight. Grace didn''t took offense to this and mumbled. "Change one''s fate, that''s a sweet thing to hear, but could I really do that? Can a mere mortal like me even change my fate?" Dan lightly chuckled, "Of course it is impossible for mortals to change their own fates, however, Grace, do you really believe that your potential is just of a mortal? Since your twin sister possessed such a monstrous talent in cultivation, why can''t you have it too?" Grace replied to him, "Young master, are you saying that my sister faked the results with the head of the slave merchant? For what reason, I thought that the reason why she negotiated with him was to prevent him from bringing me along." Dan shook his head, "Of course, that''s the main reason but that''s not the true reason why she hid your potential, remember that you''re a woman, and if your potential was uncovered along with your sister then both of you may become the cultivation furnace of a certain demonic cultivator, and that''s a scene that she didn''t want to witness..." "Cultivation furnace?" Grace''s eyes widened in shock and her figure visibly trembled once again, as someone that frequently grips the knife to live, Grace had an inkling about what a cultivation furnace was, and upon realizing this fact, she raised her palm and blocked her mouth as tears streamed down her cheeks once again. "Could it be that..." "Could it be that my sister became a cultivation furnace?" She mumbled these words in a grim and disbelieving voice. Dan swiftly moved closer to her and tightly embraced her body, expressing that right now, she wasn''t alone and that she had Natalie, Juliet and him as her family. Nevertheless, Grace still felt sorrowful throughout the entire ordeal and Dan regretted delving into her past, after all, today''s occasion was supposedly a joyful one but Grace wore a sore and despondent expression along with her forced smiles. Finally, the veil of the night descended and the Longinus Household exploded into cheers as a jubilant and merriful atmosphere enveloped the entire room. Mathias and Charlotte joined in the cheers as all of them exclaimed. "Happy Birthday, Juliet!" 160 Juliets Birthday Celebration The little girl Juliet was all smiles as she stared at everyone that greeted her earnestly. Mathias jubilantly laughed before dunking down a glass of liquor, this blonde-haired man abandoned his image and started drinking like there''s no tomorrow. Dan lightly laughed and drank with him while Natalie glared at the former, "Dear, we''re still starting our celebrations, don''t get so excited about drinking..." Though she said that, she took a cup of her own and instantly drank it down. "Look at you berating me when you''re also drinking..." Dan rolled his eyes and Natalie fiercely retorted. Witnessing their quarrel, Juliet intervened, "Mama and Papa no fighting, okay? Only smiles!" The interactions between the family caused laughter among everyone. The festivities went on smoothly and Mathias couldn''t suppress his admiration towards Dan''s culinary skills in each time he placed a mouthful of food in his mouth. "Damn, why are you so good in such a feminine chore, Dan?" Mathias curiously asked, in this world that favored men, trivial chores such as cooking and laundry were meant for women and it baffled the former that Dan could cook in such proficiency. "Well, of course, my wife is stronger than me when it comes to cultivation base so there should at least be a single category where I could press her down aside from the bed..." Dan joked and Mathias lifted his eyebrows and suffused a lecherous expression. "Aghhh!" Dan felt a sharp pain striking his waist and when he turned around, he saw that it was Natalie pinching his waist with her expression completely reddened in embarrassment and anger. Mathias lightly chuckled and Charlotte chimed in, "Dan, can you not be so perverted in such an occasion?" She rolled her eyes and Dan glared at her, "That''s where you''re wrong, Charlotte, occasions are the best time where we men should unleash our pervertedness!" Dan''s expression looked drunk and his body lightly wobbled in the air. Mathias lifted an eyebrow and noticed that Natalie and Grace interacted with each other using their eyes. Leaking a small smile on his face, he thought to himself, "Damn, how envious is this bastard''s life? Not only he has a gorgeous wife, but that wife in question is also arranging his harem for him..." Mathias dismissed the jealousy in his heart. Dan who was staring at Charlotte scanned her body using his gaze, his eyes looked glazed with desire as if remembering the time where Charlotte was completely naked back at the Great Wilderness of Torb. Charlotte''s figure froze, her heart chilled, but at the same time, she felt quite happy that her figure could attract the attention of Dan who had two beautiful women at his side. Mathias revealed a wry smile when he noticed his daughter''s expression and the meaningful look in her eyes. Darting his gaze at Dan, he thought to himself, "Goddamned it, this brat isn''t even letting my daughter go, he already has two women by his side but he''s still targeting my innocent daughter?!" His eyes flashed in a critical light and he swore in his heart that he would definitely make life harder for Dan if he dared to pursue Charlotte. Natalie moved closer to Grace while carrying Juliet in her arm, "Sis, me and Juliet will be sleeping in your room, you will replace us in our room so do your best, okay! I''ll prepare you a cold bath tomorrow to ease your sores, my husband is quite rough, after all..." Grace exploded into a furious blush while Juliet revealed an unwilling expression, "Mama we won''t be sleeping with Papa? I want to sleep with him!" Juliet protested and Natalie pecked on her forehead, "Be patient, sweetie, Papa is in the process of taking another Mama for you..." Natalie''s words confused the little girl, Juliet didn''t have any idea about the relationship between a man and a woman so she became momentarily confused until Natalie explained, "If Mama succeeds, Grace will also become your Mama, so now you have two Mamas to love and two Mamas that will love you!" This simple explanation brightened the expression of the young girl and she nodded her head in approval. Dan''s focus was completely on Charlotte and only Mathias heard their conversation lifting a weird smile on his face, he glanced at Dan and interrupted him. "Now, that I think about it, Dan, did you get defeated by your daughter?" Mathias casually said but his words sobered the latter up. Scratching his head awkwardly, he nodded his head and the former laughed, "Well, that''s expected, I gave little Juliet an Earth Grade Offensive Artifact infused with my Divine Qi." "Wait, what?" Dan exclaimed in shock, it was the first time that he heard of this matter. Mathias jubilantly laughed, "So you got bamboozled by your wife? As far as I remember it was her that requested for that Artifact in exchange of her rewards from her duel with Vincent..." "Wait, what? Natalie, why did you do such a thing?" Dan turned towards Natalie and asked in confusion. Natalie darted her gaze at Mathias and didn''t reply to his question. "It was because Natalie thought that after completing the mission that you got from Senior George, she thought that you''re bound to become proud and arrogant, so to knock you down a peg, she made it look like you were defeated by your daughter..." Mathias clapped his hands in approval and Charlotte chimed in. "Then, what happened after the fight? Don''t tell me that you sulked inside your room for a week and never came out?" She asked in an intrigued tone and Natalie answered her question, "Dear went with George and learned some techniques that are necessary for his cultivation so that he could become even stronger..." "So that''s the reason why," Mathias mumbled while drinking a cup of liquor, "However, Dan, you need to work harder than your current pace. Your wife''s comprehension of the laws of Lightning and Sword is higher than I expected, if you don''t work hard enough she may leave you for another man!" In this world where only strength was respected, women preferred being together with strong men, and a man whose strength was lower than his wife was bound to be mocked. Dan puffed his cheeks and pouted, Natalie witnessed his rare display of indignance and embraced his head, "Don''t be so worried, Dear. Even if the Son of the Heavenly Emperor himself descended down and asked for my hand in marriage, I would still prefer you!" Natalie declared and Dan lifted his head, staring right into Natalie''s eyes, he softly murmured, "Really?" "Of course, you don''t trust me?" Natalie frowned and when she did so, Dan hurriedly returned his embrace as Charlotte interrupted them with a cough, "Remember that we''re still in the middle of the celebration, please don''t display such affections before the dining table..." Natalie turned towards Charlotte and cheekily laughed, "Hmmm? Why do I feel like little Sister here is jealous?" Her words pierced through Charlotte''s heart and despite her cold facade, she still exploded into a furious blush as Natalie moved her head closer to Dan''s ears and whispered, "Dear, what do you think about Charlotte as your third wife? I approve of her since she''s quite different from me and Grace..." "What the hell are you saying about a third wife? I still don''t have a second wife why are you mentioning that to me?" Dan rolled his eyes and complained. Natalie did the same and replied, "Grace becoming your second wife is already set in stone, I''ll be the one that will deal with you if you dared to hurt her..." Natalie leaked a hint of her killing intent and Dan felt a shiver down his spine. He could only nod his head before glancing at Grace''s direction, only to find the latter looking thoroughly reddened from her forehead down to her neck. Dan could only nod his head and obey Natalie''s words as the banquet continued. Throughout the entire celebration, everyone maintained a jubilant mood and Juliet happily gave Dan a lucky charm as her gift while Dan gave Juliet winter clothes so that she could keep warm wherever she was. The celebration ended at midnight and Dan was dead-drunk when he returned to his room. The dimly-lit hallway became a maze for the drunk Dan and when he finally reached his room, he directly leaped on the bed and embraced the beauty beside him. Cultivators could use their Spiritual Qi and cleanse the alcohol from their system but Dan didn''t do so since it was the time for celebration, letting himself become as drunk as he could, little did he realize that Natalie mixed a certain pill inside his cup. The certain pill ignited the deep-seated desires within his body and when he fell on his bed, he quickly stripped himself and the ''Natalie'' beside him. Grace tightly shut her eyes, she prepared her heart and followed through Natalie''s plans but she didn''t expect that Dan would make his move as soon as he reached the bed. Clenching both of her fists, she felt Dan''s lance taking position near her entrance and her heart tightened. "Hehehe, Little wife, as I thought, you''re also looking forward to this, you''re already wet before I could even start..." Dan suffused a cheeky smile and intertwined both of his arms around the ''Natalie'' before him. ''Natalie'' was facing the opposite direction so Dan couldn''t see her face. Throwing all caution to the winds, Dan cheekily smiled before thrusting as a pain-filled moan broke the silence. When Dan heard the unfamiliar moan, his heart froze and it was at this moment that he knew, he fucked up. 161 Aftermath Daybreak arrived and the first light from the sun descended and illuminated the room where two figures laid beside each other. One of the figures had a visual appearance of a young man in his late teenage years while the other was a woman whose youthful appearance looked to be the same age as him. The young man had a jet-black hair while the woman beside her had a remarkable silver-hair which flowed down and covered her naked body like a sheet of aluminum. Her hair strangely glistened under the light of the sun and the temperature inside the room sharply decreased. The decrease in temperature induced shivers and Dan''s consciousness gradually awakened from slumber. Rubbing his murky eyes and his throbbing head, Dan moaned, "Little wife, can you pass me the sheets? It''s too cold..." Realizing that no one replied about his complaints, Dan opened his eyes and as soon as he saw the scene before him, his eyes widened in shock and panic. "What''s going on here? Why are there so many snow crystals..." Dan mumbled and inspected the room. The luxurious room that he stayed in became completely filled with cold air. Floating in the air were innumerable snow crystals which glistened under the light of the sun. "System, help me analyze what the hell is going on in my room..." The strange phenomenon prompted him to ask the system but the system replied with. [Result: Insufficient Database Information to understand the current phenomenon.] [Possibilites: Bloodline Fusion between two Noble Bloodline Holders.] "Bloodline Fusion?" Dan murmured in confusion, knitting his eyebrows, he turned his gaze to the side and there, he saw a stark naked Grace peacefully lying down beside him. As soon as the image of the naked Grace struck her eyes, his mind madly spun and he soon recovered fragmented memories about the atrocity that he did last night towards the innocent Grace. Judging from the amount of blood that stained the sheets, Grace should''ve suffered throughout the entire ordeal, but under the influence of the Never Gonna Go Down Pills and his deep-seated desires, he neglected her and thoroughly ravaged the beauty. "Fucking hell, Natalie..." Dan sucked a mouthful of cold air, now that he took Grace''s innocence, Dan knew that he had to assume responsibility and take Grace as her second wife. Kneading his aching temples, he observed the sleeping Grace and found that a barely visible image of a snow crystal could be seen on her forehead. Dan felt intrigued and touched the mark, but as soon as he did, the mark fizzled out of existence and the room where he stayed in returned to normal. "Just what the hell just happened? Bloodline Fusion, did Grace possess some kind of special bloodline which provoked this phenomenon?" Dan fell into deep contemplation but soon shook himself out of it. There were far more vital matters that needed his attention. Sighing in his heart, Dan stood up and walked towards the kitchen. With his barbaric actions last night, Grace was bound to be sore and he had to prepare a bowl of medicinal soup for her to consume when she wakes up. "Oh, Dear, you''re awake? Come, take this bowl of chicken congee and medicinal soup and bring it to Sister Grace..." Natalie''s voice echoed before him and Dan saw that the former was cooking some breakfast, the fragrant smell of spices wafted out in the air before Dan wryly smiled. "Natalie, don''t lie to me, are you the one that set up everything last night?" His eyes flashed in seriousness and the atmosphere turned tense. Natalie stopped what she was doing, turned towards him and said, "Yep, I was the one who set everything up, is there any problem about it, Dear?" Dan''s expression turned worse and he replied, "Why would you do such a thing? Why are you so desperate to have me take on a second wife?" His words reverberated throughout the entire kitchen. Fortunately, Juliet was still sleeping or else that little girl would''ve definitely jumped in and stopped them from arguing. "Dear, it''s not like I am desperate but I just want Grace to enjoy her youthful days so that she won''t have any lingering regrets in the future, and also, with your sexual drive, the time that I may not be able to handle you alone may come so having a second wife is a win-win situation for you, so why are you complaining? And it''s not like Grace didn''t have any feelings for you..." Natalie''s words were sound and logical but Dan still felt conflicted and irritated by her actions. If I wanted to take a second wife then I should be the one that should take the initiative in doing so! Why are you interfering in my matters? Dan wanted to say this out loud, but shaking his head, he merely sighed before taking the tray from Natalie''s hands and returning back to his room. Placing the tray at the table side, Dan adjusted the sheets that covered Grace so that it encompassed her entire body, and not letting her naked body be exposed to the elements. But as soon as Dan adjusted the sheets, Grace''s eyes slowly opened and memories about the last night''s affair surged in her mind, making tears stream down her cheeks. Witnessing a frail mortal girl like Grace weeping before his eyes. Dan''s expression went tender and he embraced her as he reassured, "Grace, I''m sorry about what happened last night, but you can rest assured that I will definitely take responsibility of my actions and in the future, the two of us are family along with Natalie, Juliet and you..." His words were incomparably tender and pierced through Grace''s soul as the young maiden, now woman kept on shivering under his embrace. "Here, Natalie prepared some breakfast, it''s supposed to soothe your sore body and help you heal..." Since Grace was a mortal, how could she possibly endure Dan''s fierceness on the bed? Dan swore in his mind that he would definitely not touch her again until she started her cultivation. Grace slowly removed her face from Dan''s chest and her snot and tear covered countenance made the latter chuckle as he took a patch of fabric from a nearby cabinet and gently wiped her face clean. His smooth and gentle actions made a warm sensation rise through the young woman''s heart. After finishing her breakfast, Dan carried Grace towards the bathroom along with Natalie who insisted, saying that she knew more about a woman''s body than him. Inside the bathroom where steam reduced the visibility of the paradise before him. Dan was completely naked with Grace and Natalie. Since the Fragrant Peak Pavilion was at the peak of the Fragrant Peak Mountain, water was abundant and there existed a huge bath that could fit at least thirty people inside. The three of them stood beside each other and Natalie took great care of Grace''s sore body. Scrubbing her clean of the remaining body fluids from the intense battle that occurred last night, Natalie glared at Dan and said, "I shouldn''t have given you that aphrodisiac, look at what happened, she''s completely sore and can''t even walk properly..." Taking a jade bottle from her Spatial Ring, Natalie gave Grace a healing panacea while Dan stared at them with a bitter smile on his face. Dan walked behind Grace and scrubbed her back clean despite her protest. Natalie took care of the front and Grace felt like she was an Empress being taken care of her subjects. Lifting a small smile of satisfaction on her lips, Grace felt a protruding rod striking her back and Dan awkwardly turned around. Natalie noticed this commotion and said, "You''re still not satisfied with what happened, last night? Don''t even try to do it with Grace!" Natalie warned with a fierce glare and Grace trembled for a moment before saying, "No, it''s fine, I''m someone without cultivation unlike the young master that will definitely soar towards the skies in the future, I''m just a useless baggage that can never cultivate..." "Apart from offering him the satisfaction of his carnal desires, I can''t help him with anything...My cooking is bad, I don''t know how to handle kids and apart from swindling people I don''t have any idea on how I could help the young master in the future..." Natalie''s expression went dim and she stared at Grace''s figure with complicated emotions flashing in her eyes. Grace''s insecurities about the future, surfaced and Dan knitted his eyebrows in a frown, "A useless baggage that could never cultivate? You''re underestimating yourself, Grace! Don''t even think for a moment that you do not possess the qualifications to stand by my side in the future!" Thinking back about the unique phenomenon that happened earlier and the system''s evaluation of the fusion of Bloodline, Dan was certain that Grace had potential and even possessed a Noble Bloodline. It would be a waste if she didn''t cultivate. "If you''re still in doubt, then come with me along with Juliet! Since Juliet is already ten, she is qualified to take the Potential Assessment done by the Academy for prospective Outer Sect Disciples, you will come with us and have your potential tested!" Dan fiercely declared, leaving no room for Grace to decline. Natalie lifted a small smile on her face. Approaching Grace, she said, "Since both of us are husband''s wives now, we should act so distant with each other, if you have any problems or worries, just tell me and we can tackle them together!" Natalie held both of Grace''s hands and at this moment, for the first time in her life. A sweet and fulfilling smile blossomed on Grace''s face as a sense of satisfaction and happiness rouse within her soul. Nodding her head, she embraced Natalie and the two sisters shared each other''s warmth. Dan clicked his tongue, observing the suggestive scene of two naked women embracing each other before his eyes made him even more excited and despite holding his breath so that it would shrink, the bastard stood even taller than before. Removing herself from Grace''s embrace, Natalie glanced at Dan with a bitter smile on her face. "I''ll take care of that for you, but please finish fast, Juliet will soon wake up..." She went towards Dan''s side and bent over despite the fact that Grace was still standing beside them. Panic flashed through Grace''s expression and she hurriedly turned around. But despite all of this, Natalie''s seductive moans and Dan''s ragged breathing still struck her ears as she kept herself from running away in embarrassment. 162 Potential Assessmen Half an hour later, the three went out of the bathroom, Dan and Natalie looked refreshed while Grace looked somewhat pale and uncomfortable. The scene that she just saw was too wild for the current Grace. "Elder Sis, I didn''t expect that you would be that wild when it comes to that thing..." Grace''s line of sight kept dancing around the area and she didn''t dare to directly stare at the two. Natalie lightly chuckled but she didn''t reply to Grace''s sentence but instead glared at Dan. "Dear, you better not touch Grace for a while..." Natalie warned and Dan nodded his head without any protest, he still felt guilty about what he did to Grace. Even before the affair that happened last night, Grace was a curious woman and had explored her own body, after Dan popped her and felt the sensations of carnal pleasures, Grace secretly craved for more but she suppressed her desires, her body still felt sore, any more intercourse may break her. As expected when they arrived at the dining room, Juliet was already awake and stared at them with flashing lights in her eyes. Dan looked confused for a moment as Juliet ran towards them and embraced Grace''s waist before saying. "Mama said that Elder Sis is no longer my sister..." Grace froze for a moment but when Juliet continued her sentence, her face broke into a sweet smile. "Because she said that Elder Sis is also my Mama now!" Juliet exclaimed and stared at Grace in anticipation, "Elder Sis, can I call you Mama Grace from now on?" The irresistibly adorable expression of the little girl activated the maternal instincts within Grace''s heart and though she felt weird about it, she still nodded her head and embraced her daughter. Natalie embraced Dan''s arms and laid her head on his shoulders, a sweet smile of satisfaction and bliss blossomed on her face. Dan covered her waist with his arm and the two shared the same smile together. Eating their breakfast, it was the first time after such a long time did the household Longinus ate together and conversed in such a relaxed manner. Back then it was only the three of them, but with the addition of Grace, everything became merrier and Juliet couldn''t suppress her excitement as she leaped on Grace''s thighs and asked to be spoonfed. "Juliet, you''re already a big girl so you shouldn''t ask such things..." Natalie reminded at the side and Juliet puffed her cheeks out and pouted. Grace rubbed her head and said, "It''s fine, It''s fine, no matter what, Little Juliet is still Little Juliet, she will forever be a baby in my eyes..." "Sis, if you dote her too much then she will forever nag you for that!" Natalie replied and Dan interjected at the side, "Ermm, can I also be spoonfed?" Natalie and Grace glared at him, how dare he ask to be fed like a child when he''s that wild? Dan almost choked in his own saliva and he didn''t dare to speak anymore and just observed the antics of the three. After finishing their meals, Juliet offered to wash the dishes saying that it was her responsibility since she was already big. Sitting at the front porch of the pavilion, Dan was between Natalie and Grace. The three of them didn''t speak anything for fear of breaking the equilibrium of the relaxed atmosphere that revolved around them. As Dan''s new wife, Grace sat stiff, she still didn''t understand how to act like a wife. Dan noticed her apprehension and as he hooked her waist with his arms and pulled her closer into his chest. Grace shivered for a moment but she didn''t protest. Eyes narrowing, she enjoyed the sensation of Dan''s hand ruffling through her hair. "Let me in too..." Natalie pouted at the side and Dan lightly chuckled before bringing her closer into his chest. With both heavenly beauties at his side, Dan felt like he would be happy even if he died. "Papa, Mama, and Mama Grace, I finished washing the dishes!" Juliet''s voice echoed behind them and when she noticed what the three was doing, she leaped on Dan''s thigh and took her own share. Surrounded by three girls whom he truly loved, Dan felt satisfied. "Now that I think about it, isn''t today the time for the Outer Sect Disciples Potential Assessment?" Natalie blurted out and as if a trigger pulled inside Dan''s mind, he exclaimed and said, "That''s it! So that''s the reason why I felt that there was something missing, today is the Potential Assessment, let''s get our asses there and have Grace''s potential checked!" Natalie darted her gaze at Grace, as someone that spent at least a month with Grace, she knew her insecurities and one of them was definitely the lack of talent on the path of cultivation. Several months ago, Natalie was merely just a mortal like her and she didn''t think, even in her wildest dreams that she would be walking on the treacherous path of fighting against the heavens. Lifting her lips into a smile, she glanced at Dan and said, "So Grace''s future will be quite similar to mine? But if not for husband''s intervention who knows what would happen to the three of us..." Natalie thought in her mind. As one of the most prestigious Academy inside the Empire of Eternal Faith, thousands of prospective disciples would arrive annually in the academy for the Potential Assessment. As the name says, one''s potential was tested and if deemed as qualified, they would be accepted as an Outer Sect Disciple. The earlier one started on their cultivation path, the longer one could tap on their youthful potential. That was the reason why most of the prospective disciples that entered the Academy was at the age of ten. The age of ten was the recommended age to start one''s cultivation since, at that age, one''s bones wouldn''t be as frail as a child while it also wouldn''t be as strong as an adult, with flesh and bones easily tempered, one could soar through the two preliminary realms and arrive at the Spirit Tempering Realm wherein they would become Inner Disciples. At the base of the Fragrant Peak Pavilion, Outer Sect Disciples Region, there were people everywhere that one would find it hard to walk without bumping to someone else. Despite the vast land that the Paradyne Academy possessed, they still couldn''t fit hundreds of thousands of people at once. All sorts of people from commoners to nobles gathered in one place, bringing in their own child and hoping that they possessed the qualifications to enter the Paradyne Academy. Juliet''s eyes widened in excitement when she saw the bobbing heads of people before him. Dan clicked his tongue, as an introvert, he felt uncomfortable entering such crowds. Natalie revealed a wry smile and Grace had the same expression as Dan. Clicking his tongue, Dan thought to himself, "Senior Mathias bestowed me the highest status possible of a disciple and I could easily command wind and rain inside the Academy, as long as I don''t step on people''s dignity, Senior Mathias wouldn''t mind me doing this, right?" Flicking his wrist, Dan threw his authority token towards the skies as it exploded into a burst of resplendent colors, the light from the sun was drowned out by the domineering words that suddenly materialized in the skies. [Honorary Disciple!] These two domineering froze the hearts of everyone before they excitedly looked around. Natalie shook her head and distanced herself from Dan, bringing Grace and Juliet with her. "Hey, where are you going? Wait for me, we''ll go together..." Dan crossed his arms and tilted his head towards the skies, his arrogant display and the coercive air that surrounded him along with the fiery thread which indicated his ownership towards the token made everyone around him scream. "Wait, that''s him! He''s the one that has the authority token!" It was unknown who started it but everyone started flooding towards Dan''s figure asking him for help about their son or daughter''s admission. Some nobles even offered substantial bribe money while the commoners offered their daughters and if not, their keepsake just so Dan could let them in. The introvert Dan felt suffocated surrounded by so many people and he tracked Natalie''s aura and stared at her direction for help. Natalie merely snickered and Juliet stuck her tongue out in a teasing manner while Grace turned her head away. What a joke, jumping into such a crowd as women, they could easily be taken advantage of. Natalie effortlessly weaved through the crowd and reached an instructor. Upon realizing Natalie''s status, the instructor hurriedly accommodated the three of them. The Potential Assessment ranked one''s potential by Grades, from Bronze with the highest one, Adamantite where no one from the past thousands of years managed to ignite. The crowd felt indignant at first, but after Natalie expressed her apologies in a sincere manner and started some bullshit that she learned from Dan. The crowd willingly let her go first as Juliet stood before a crystal ball and placed her hand on it. Shuaaa~ The crystal ball flashed with resplendent lights before erupting into a golden light! Juliet possessed a Golden Ranked Potential, enough to qualify for a position as an Outer Sect Disciple. The instructor nodded his head in approval but when Grace stepped forward, his expression went weird. Most of the participants in this Potential Assessment were ten years old kids. It was strange to see someone as old as Grace testing out her potential. Nevertheless, since Natalie ordered him so, and with her standing in the Academy, he could only obey and let Grace place her hand on the crystal ball. Shuaaa~ "Wha..." The crystal ball suddenly flared with a blinding flash of light, from bronze, silver, gold, platinum, diamond to adamantite, all colors flashed in the crystal ball and amidst the crowd''s astonished gazes, the crystal ball exploded into fragments. "Just what did happen? The Crystal Ball for the assessment exploded?" Everyone mumbled in shock. Panic flashed through the instructor''s expression, it was the first time that he encountered such a case and he didn''t know how to evaluate Grace''s potential. Grace stared in shock at the fragmented remains of the crystal ball, darting her gaze at the instructor, the latter squeezed out amidst his confusion, "Unknown Potential, Qualified..." Grace heaved a sigh of relief before the three of them retreated to the back. Amidst all of this confusion, unbeknownst to everyone attending the Potential Assessment, far above the skies, several old men could be seen sitting on a cloud. Their expressions intermittently changed into excitement, disappointment and vice-versa. "it seems like we have some good seedlings this year, look at that boy, his Potential is Golden Ranked and the fierce look on his face makes him suitable to train in our Sword Pavilion''s Sword Arts..." "Definitely, look, there''s even a child whose potential is at the Platinum Rank, it seems like I didn''t waste my time in coming here, I must definitely get that child. Headmaster, since you already have Natalie Longinus and your daughter, you must not fight with me regarding this child..." The Elder stared at the blonde-haired man before him as the latter lightly laughed, "Of course, I won''t, the reason why we came here in the first place is to scout for excellent seedlings amidst the crowd, and if you found one and that seedling desired to be with you, why should I prevent you?" The Elder nodded his head in approval and they continued watching the commotion down below. "Wow, that''s a rare find, your Natalie is actually here and is assisting an exotic beauty for her Potential Assessment. This may be interesting..." The Elders watched Juliet and Grace''s figure with anticipation flashing in their eyes. "Not bad, that little girl has a Golden Ranked Potential, though it doesn''t fit my criteria, it''s better than the average..." "It''s the silver-haired girl''s turn now, let''s see how she does..." Everyone kept their silence and their eyes focused on Grace''s actions. As soon as she placed her hand on the Crystal Ball, it flashed with lights from all ranks before exploding into fragments. "Excuse me, what in the heavens just happened? A Crystal Ball for the assessment, exploded? That''s impossible, those crystal balls were made with our combined efforts, even a Divine Ascendance Realm Expert would find it hard-pressed to destroy those balls..." "What''s wrong, Headmaster, it seems like you have an idea about what''s going on judging from your expression..." An Elder chimed in and everyone''s focus gathered on Mathias. Mathias kept a blooming smile on his face as he thought to himself, "Several thousand years ago, a genius appeared in the Paradyne Academy, igniting the legendary light of Adamantite. However, that''s not actually the true legend, the true legend was that man who ignited all colors and went on to become the Shadow God! Reaching the realm beyond the Divine Emperor!" He licked his lips and eyed Grace''s figure like a predator observing his prey. No matter what, he shall definitely take Grace as his one and only direct disciple! 163 Establishing Dominance With the conclusion of the Potential Assessment, thousands of disciples qualified for the Outer Sect Disciples and those who did were placed by the Elders of the Academy on a huge plain that spanned several kilometers wide. Free of any obstacles, the thousands of disciples could see each other and they stared in confusion. Those from noble families complained due to the humidity and exhaustion, "What''s going on here? Is this how the Paradyne Academy treats their disciples? Why is there no houses for us to stay?" The noble''s complain fell into deaf ears as everyone gradually descended into panic. Amidst all of these confusions, Grace and Juliet stood beside each other, Juliet looked like a budding flower atop a hill while Grace looked graceful and divine, paired with the silver-hair that flowed smoothly down her waist like mercury and her attractive and symmetrical features, the eyes of the precocious boys focused on her. "Woah, it''s the first time that I saw a someone that has a silver hair, I wonder where she came from..." "Yer, goddamned right man, look at those curves, I wonder if she''ll marry me if I propose to her..." Their mumbles didn''t escape Dan''s perception and he leaked some of his killing intent, sending all of the brats away. Dan''s display of jealousy made Natalie chuckle at the side as she said, "Dear, could it be that you''re jealous of some brats? Don''t worry, I guarantee you that Grace will never leave you..." Dan glared at her which made her chuckle again. "Silence!" A fierce voice resonated above the skies and everyone turned their heads towards the origin of the voice. Floating in mid-air, a white-bearded old man clad in the robes of the Paradyne Academy calmly observed the commotion below. His expression indifferent and he lightly coughed before continuing, "As you may all have noticed, this is the Outer Sect Disciple''s Region. But as you can see, there''s nothing here, right?" Everyone nodded their heads towards his question and he continued, "Well since there''s nothing on this plain and you do need your own residence to live, there''s only one thing that you can do, and that is to build your own residence from scratch..." "It doesn''t matter what method you use as long as you''re successful in the end and no one dies because of your actions, however, if someone did die because of excessive violence or blatant targeting, then you will also suffer the same fate." He warned and the disciples mostly aged at ten years old or so mumbled with each other, apprehension visible on their faces. Dan clicked his tongue, the Elder''s proposal about building one''s house by scratch would definitely attract trouble, after all, there were thousands of disciples and the land merely spanned for several kilometers, it couldn''t possibly house everyone, particularly, these kids that were used to living inside a huge space. "As for finding the necessary items in building your houses, you can take a look at your right and see a huge forest where you can build your house, but proceed with caution, that forest is infested with beasts that could easily kill all of you..." His words horrified the innocent children among the commoners, but those from noble families merely sneered, with their arsenal of talismans and artifacts, why would they be afraid of mere beasts? "And also, the use of talisman and artifacts is forbidden, this is a competition to sort out the diamonds among the pebbles, and if you failed to do so, you will forever be branded as a failure..." The Elder lifted a small smile on his face before disappearing into thin air. Juliet rolled her sleeves and along with Grace, they dashed towards the forest bringing with them the tools that the Academy provided. Holding Natalie on her waist, Dan sent the two off with a smile and best wishes in his heart. "Listen, all of you commoners! This outer part of the Forest is now under my jurisdiction! My name is Zack and my noble surname is Duterte! I will consider it as treason if you dare to trespass my territory!" A neatly dressed boy exclaimed above a tree branch, beside him were other youths from noble families and they all sneered at the commoners down below. "Shut the fuck up! We''re gonna get the wood that we need here!" A commoner youth exploded in anger, walking towards a nearby tree, he lifted his ax and hacked at the tree trunk but before his ax could land, the same youth that exclaimed earlier arrived from his side and kicked at his torso. The poor boy coughed a mouthful of blood and immediately lost his consciousness. Such display of arrogance and ruthlessness scared the commoners, but they also didn''t dare to head deeper into the forest, after all, the Elder said that the forest was infested with numerous bloodthirsty beasts. Juliet was amidst this commotion and she puffed her cheeks out, standing tall along with Grace, she pointed at the jet-black haired young man and scolded, "You cannot be so greedy, brother!" She pointed at him with her finger and paired with her puffed cheeks, Juliet looked adorable and harmless. Her voice rang loud and clear and everyone descended into silence. The commoners stared at Juliet and Grace in pity, noble families frequently oppressed the commoners and they knew the fates of those that dared to oppose their authority. The jet-black haired young man crossed his arms together and stared at Juliet in amusement, as someone born with a silver spoon in his mouth, he never experienced scoldings and experiencing one and from an adorable young girl at that made him feel amused. Staring at Juliet''s slender frame and her smooth skin that looked as tender as an infant, the members of the noble families knew that she could never compare to their young master whose muscles alone could crush an elephant. "I cannot be so greedy, you say? I''m not being greedy, I''m just taking what belongs to me..." He arrogantly declared but no one expressed their objections. Grace knitted her eyebrows, but as a mortal, she cannot possibly defeat the young man. Juliet wore the same expression and she exclaimed, "Mama told me that someone as arrogant as you should be knocked down a notch and taught the immensity of heaven and earth!" Her severe words sounded like a harmless warning when paired with the gentle tone that she inherited from Natalie. However, Grace who had an inkling about how terrifying Natalie could become in a battle became nervous if Juliet would be the same. Staring at the young man with a bitter smile on her face, Grace could only hope that everything won''t escalate too quickly. "Knock me down a notch?" The young man laughed out loud along with his subordinates as if they heard the joke of the century. Juliet knitted her eyebrows, "Brother, why are you laughing? Do you think that Mama''s words are a joke?" The young man stopped his laughter and with his eyes shining in amusement he turned to Juliet and said, "Oh, so you''re saying that you''re not joking? Come on, look at your skinny frame, I bet that you can''t even kill a fly..." He mocked, but as soon as he finished his words, Juliet''s figure suddenly disappeared, causing everyone to stare in confusion. "I''ll follow Mama''s words and knock you down a notch!" Juliet''s fierce voice echoed and the world before him violently rotated followed by a sharp pain that assaulted his waist. He screamed like a pig being butchered and the spectators stared at Juliet in horror, especially those from the noble families. Juliet stared at them in anger and no matter how much they begged for mercy. Juliet still knocked them down on the ground, leaving them unconscious before skipping and hopping towards Grace''s direction. "Mama Grace, did Juliet do good?" Juliet''s expression beamed and Grace gulped a mouthful of saliva before rubbing her head and saying, "J-Juliet did good, it''s a good thing that you did that so that they won''t be so arrogant anymore..." Juliet nodded her head in approval and the oppressed commoners stared at the two with widened eyes and mouth. The terrifying little girl which instantly defeated those bastards from the noble families could actually act so sweet and adorable? What''s going on? At this moment, none of the Outer Sect Disciples dared to offend Grace and Juliet, and after profusely thanking the two, they went on and collected their materials for their house. The poor boys from the noble families laid on the ground with gritted teeth and holding their pain. The indignant children from the commoner household even spat at them as the members of the noble families venomously stared at Juliet''s direction in hatred and anger. Nevertheless, Juliet and Grace established their dominance, annihilated their opposition and even acquired the hearts of the public. When Juliet returned to her beloved Mama Natalie and Papa Dan. The two were shocked to see her holding so many beautifully wrapped gifts and when Grace told them about what happened inside the forest, the two froze for a moment. 164 Inheritance Bestowal Inside a dilapidated room somewhere inside the Merchant Town of Kalur, two figures of siblings could be seen huddled in a corner, a filthy scent wafted throughout the entire room and sunlight couldn''t even reach the insides of it. The ceiling looked like it would collapse and kill the two siblings living in such conditions. Nevertheless, despite not having any light to reflect, the silver hair that the two possessed strangely gleamed in a pure and ethereal light which reassured them that they were still living. The two had the same features but one of them strangely looked more mature than the other. A knock suddenly echoed on their decrepit door and the figures of the two trembled, the sister of the mature-looking girl held her sleeve and said, "Don''t go, don''t go there, Sis..." The girl froze and she returned a gentle smile to her sibling, "It''s fine, Grace, let Elder Sis do her job, okay? In the future, I will still do the same so that Grace can live a carefree life without worries..." The girl''s tender voice pierced through the heart of the little Grace, staring at her Elder Sister''s figure approaching the door, her mouth opened to speak but in the end, she couldn''t do so. Her Elder Sister opened the door, revealing the figure of a boorish middle-aged man carrying a liquor in his hand. When he entered the broken-down room, his footsteps punched a hole on the wooden floor and when he sat down on the chair, it squeaked in anguish and looked like it was on the brink of destruction. "Lily, have you made up your mind yet? Just when are you going to offer yourself up to me? Is it because you''re worried about your sister? Don''t worry, once you''re mine I will also take care of your sister..." An ambiguous smile lifted on his lips and he emphasized the words take care of your sister which made Lily shiver in return. After the two of them were abandoned by their irresponsible parents because of poverty, the two sisters struggled to live and Lily sacrificed herself, offering her body in exchange for money so that she could feed her sister and herself. But of course, since Lily was still seven years old or so, her immature body was unfit for intercourse and the men were afraid that they may break such a unique flower, like her. Tightly clenching her fists, Lily said in a hushed tone, "Sir, I promised you that as long as you kept on feeding me and my sister, I will definitely become yours, but please, please wait until my menarche and I will become yours at that time..." Lily declared, her menarche should arrive in a few years meaning she could buy sufficient time to send her sister away from this shithole. The man thought for a moment before saying, "I see, then it''s fine, but you do know why I came here, right? It''s time for that service..." The man licked his lips and Lily''s frail figure trembled, but in the end, she took her clothes off and the perverted bastard ogled her body while pleasuring himself. Lily tightly shut her eyes off and Grace could see Lily''s agony in enduring the piercing gaze of the perverted bastard. However, she tucked herself under the sheets, hiding from Lily and the man''s sight out of fear. This was the fate of young girls without any parents to take care of them in the slums community. This was the harsh reality that the two of them could never avoid. "Wheew, that felt good, I''ll be back here later at night..." The man flicked three bronze coins towards Lily''s direction and the latter caught it in mid-air. Her expression looked bitter and her eyes became filled with pent-up tears. Approaching Grace who still hid her body under the sheets, she said with a smile that looked more like she was crying, "Look, Grace, the customer gave me three copper coins, we can finally buy a bag of flour and oil! That can sustain us for the week!" Grace stuck her head out of the sheets and she stared at Lily, she knew that the bag of flour and oil that she would buy will definitely not last a week or even a few days. That''s because thieves were rampant in their neighborhood and they frequently targeted the two girls that didn''t have anyone to rely on. Everyone in this neighborhood only cared for themselves and their families, towards those unrelated, they would even gloat seeing them die. "Elder Sis, when are you going to stop receiving customers?" Grace asked in a hushed tone, staring right into Lily''s teary eyes, her sentence pierced through Lily''s heart. Lily opened her mouth to speak but no words came out of her throat and the two sisters embraced each other, venting all of their stress into the bedraggled sheets. The nightmare continued for several years but when Lily''s menarche arrived, Grace saw her sister soaked in her own blood and covered with snow crystals which made him look like a snow fairy. The innocent Grace also had her menarche at that time and the combined snow crystals which came out of their bodies filled the entire room. Several days later, the leader of a slave merchant bought Lily for several gold coins and since Grace was found that she didn''t possess the same potential as her sister had, Grace was spared of Lily''s fate and ever since that time, she wasn''t able to see her sister anymore. Crack~ Sounds of glass being shattered echoed throughout the abyss and the illusion before Grace''s eyes, shattered. Everything around her disappeared and replaced with reality as a lingering voice whispered into her ears. "The Bloodline Inheritor of such a despicable Race actually dares to try and inherit my legacy? Dream on..." The voice contained infinite mocking and Grace didn''t understand why but it deeply hurt her heart when she heard of those words. "Grace, Grace, what happened? Did the Bloodline Inheritance Bestowal succeed? Did you see a cheeky young man in your dreams?" Dan''s voice filled with anticipation and excitement echoed at the side. However, Grace was still caught in the nightmare that she experienced ten years ago. She didn''t respond to Dan''s inquiry, remembering the lone visage of her Elder Sister, Grace spat a mouthful of blood before falling on the ground, unconscious. 165 Special Chapter Here''s a special chapter detailing the events that happened at the night of Chapter 161. Please don''t read this in public and remember to read it in caution since it contains sexually explicit scenes. For Phone users I will place the link in the comments. https://goo.gl/6puQhw Enjoy ( ?¡ã ?? ?¡ã) 166 Graces Mysterious Bloodline Inside Dan''s room around the bed were the figures of Natalie, Dan, Juliet and George staring at the figure lying on the bed. Grace''s figure looked pale, her skin strangely glistened in an ethereal milky-white light. George knitted his eyebrows in a frown, as Dan''s wife, it was necessary that she inherits the Divine Arts of the Longinus Clan to prevent the dilution of their bloodline. At first, everything went successfully, but Grace was suddenly ejected from the Inheritance Trial for unknown reasons and suffered injuries with her body losing consciousness from shock. George''s knowledge and wisdom were boundless and after a moment of deep thought, he concluded, "She possesses some kind of a domineering bloodline that is comparable or even stronger than that of the Lightning God!" His eyes flashed with a murderous light for a moment before dissipating. Dan knitted his eyebrows but didn''t refute his words, at the day that he took Grace''s innocence, a strange phenomenon manifested by numerous snow crystals along with the drop of the room''s temperature appeared. And when the System informed him about the possibilities, Dan had an idea about what was going on. "George, how can you be so sure about that, is that really the case?" Dan asked and George glared at him, "Young master, I have lived far longer than you and have read numerous secret scriptures, if my memory serves me right, then it should be the case..." "More importantly, look at her forehead, as you can see there''s a fuzzy word that no one among us can read, but I bet that once she started her cultivation, that word will gradually become visible..." George''s expression looked bright and he looked like he couldn''t keep his excitement. "Start her cultivation? Do you have any other cultivation methods that are suitable for her?" Dan asked in curiosity but George merely lifted a mysterious smile, "I''ll be taking her for a while, young master, I''ll make sure that when she comes back, she''ll be a cultivator..." George clapped his hands and the two of them disappeared into thin air along with the bed. "Dear..." Natalie moved closer to Dan and the latter looked irritated about George''s arbitrary actions, but of course, since he''s gonna help Grace, how could he truly be angry? In this world, all sorts of mysterious places existed, a river of lava, rain of rocks and even an underwater palace of fire could be found amidst all the wonders. Atop the highest peak known to all in the Continent of Dawn, George could be seen carrying Grace on his shoulders with a zealous light within his eyes. His will manifested in the form of invisible hands which built a makeshift altar of a fierce beast that couldn''t be identified because of the creator''s lack of comprehension or understanding towards that creature. Nevertheless, the statue of the creature faintly gave off an ominous vibe and upon completion, George placed Grace atop the altar and chanted. "Unod bukog unod bukog, gi alirongan sa mga matam-is ug maidlot nga bolbol, sa langob nga gipuy-an mga luso giludhan, alobido andama ang bandehada sa atong pagsuyob sa otot nga gibugwak sa demonyo!" Lightning flashed from the depths of the nine heavens and the skies dimmed, humidity decreased and snow descended from the skies. Grace''s forehead shone in the same milky-white light. George kept staring towards the skies and as soon as he saw a flash of jet-black lightning, his expression contorted into utmost excitement and his figure shivered in ardent fanaticism. In terms of extreme offense and the capabilities to break through all sorts of defenses and pierce through the heavens itself, no one would object that the Longinus Clan ranked first. However, in terms of extreme defense, one clan from the righteous path, the ultimate nemesis of the Longinus Clan, the descendants of the Water God, Masalanta existed. And if George''s deduction was right, then most likely Grace was a member of that prestigious clan. When he first realized this fact, he wanted to end Grace''s life, but unfortunately, she was the young master''s wife and killing her would certainly bring him a great deal of heartbreak which would damage his fledgling dao heart. "Since it seems like I cannot kill you, there''s no other way but to corrupt your pure bloodline and mixed it with the bloodline of the Lightning God...I wonder, if those bastards from the Continent of the Divine knew what I did to someone that possessed such a pure and untainted bloodline of their clan, I wonder how would they react..." George viciously laughed, lifting his right hand, he pointed towards the skies and the clouds above him formed a vortex. Within the vortex were concentrated Dark Lightning. The Lightning God''s main cultivation method was the Blessing of the Lightning God. However, Gods didn''t only give blessings, but also curses, curses that would forever haunt their next generations. If his procedure succeeded, Grace wouldn''t have any other choice but to become a cultivator of the demonic path. And as someone from that path, George desired to stain someone that has such a pure bloodline of the righteous path within her veins. "Kanaog!" He roared in a foreign language and as soon as his word echoed out, the Lightning descended and struck her forehead. The milky-white light fiercely struggled and the ensuing battle between two different bloodlines caused an intense pain to Grace. "Take over!" George manifested his Divine Soul and possessed Grace''s body. Possessing her body at this moment meant suffering the pain in her stead. George didn''t mind suffering such flimsy pain for as long as he succeeded in his corruption. After all, she was still the young master''s woman and he had to treat her right. George''s figure stood like a frozen statue while Grace''s spasmed stopped. Screeeccchhh~ A long cry echoed from the milky-white light, the cry was filled with sorrow. The milky-white light withstood waves after waves of attacks from the Dark Lightning, but since Grace didn''t possess any cultivation to tap its power from, it soon lost its might and succumbed under the attacks of the Dark Lightning. George heaved a sigh of relief, it was good that Grace didn''t have any cultivation or else subduing her Divine Mark would become troublesome. "Hahaha..." Staring at Grace''s figure which emanated a chilling and destructive aura at the same time, George laughed in utmost excitement and anticipation towards Grace''s future. Possessing the destructive capabilities of the Lightning God while at the same time having the impenetrable defenses of the Water God, one could imagine Grace''s future if she didn''t die. Carrying her on his shoulders, George couldn''t help but hum a tune as his figure disappeared and returned at the Fragrant Peak Pavilion. Somewhere in the Continent of the Divine, a majestic palace made from ice could be seen. Inside that palace were countless experts on the righteous path that lived their peaceful lives in seclusion. "Guah!" A middle-aged woman clad in pure white suddenly spat a mouthful of blood. Her expression turned venomous as she stared at the distant Continent of Dawn with hatred visible in her eyes. "Bastards from the Longinus Clan, how dare they corrupt a bloodline inheritor of our God! From now on, I will make sure to hunt you bastards down, one by one..." She immediately wrote a decree which sent everyone inside the Ice Palace into a commotion of killing intent and fury. 167 Way of Cultivation "Thank goodness, so Grace can now finally cultivate without any problems? But what cultivation method is she going to use?" Dan asked in curiosity and Natalie stared at George with the same light in her eyes. One could only undergo the Inheritance Bestowal once in their lifetime and since Grace failed her Inheritance Trial, she didn''t possess the bloodline to cultivate in the same Divine Art as Dan and Natalie. "You need not worry about that young master, everything is solved..." George lifted a vicious smile before continuing, "However, she cannot cultivate using the conventional means..." Dan and Natalie frowned at the same time, hearing that her cultivation wouldn''t follow the norm made it seem like Grace''s path was far more dangerous and stranger than them. "If the young mistress wanted to increase her cultivation and break through realms, she not only needs to absorb triple the necessary Spiritual Qi, but she also needs a spark that would ignite the potential tucked within her soul..." George stood stoic, yet his expression that was full of anticipation and excitement contrasted his figure. Dan and Natalie stared at each other for a moment. Both of them had a premonition in their hearts. Sweeping their gaze over to George, they asked together, "A spark that would ignite her potential? What spark is that?" "It''s really simple, young master, she just needs to kill anyone whose body possessed enough negative energies to fuel the demonic cultivation method of our Clan insider her body..." George casually said these words but when the two heard it, their figures froze and they became speechless for a while. Dan frowned and scanned Grace''s body using the system. [Results: Longinus Clan Noble Bloodline; Purity: 55%] [Vermillion Clan Noble Bloodline; Purity: 41%] [Least Common Ancestor; Purity: 3%] [Pure Elves; Purity: 1%] [The Target has a high amount of concentrated negative energies inside her body, increasing the strength of her physique, mind, and soul to a considerable degree. However, these effects will only become visible once the target, cultivated.] "George, can I ask you a question? Why is her bloodline of the Longinus Clan purer than her maiden bloodline?" Dan asked with confusion evident on her face, unlike Natalie that didn''t possess any Noble Bloodline before she accepted the Longinus Clan''s Inheritance. Grace had her own Noble Bloodline and it should be purer than the transplanted one. "Well, since she''s your wife, it is right for me to say everything about her condition. Actually, I changed Grace''s physique so that she could forcefully cultivate the Lightning God''s cultivation method. However, even though I succeeded, in doing that, the result was she cannot make a breakthrough without consuming enough negative energies from her surroundings." George clearly explained and Dan locked his eyebrows in deep thought. "George, I don''t seem to remember anything about having to consume negative energies before breaking through within the Blessing of the Lightning God''s scriptures, why is it that she needs to do such a sinister thing, don''t tell me that you''re just saying this for the sake of converting her to the dark side?" Dan''s words made Natalie apprehensive as she stared warily at George. This old man acted so mysterious and possessed an unfathomable power that she could never hope to defeat. Fortunately, the three of them were families if not, Natalie was willing to bet that George would''ve annihilated them already. "Of course I am not lying to you, young master! All that I''ve been doing are for the sake of the Longinus Clan''s prosperity. I had to do this to your wife so that I could secure her loyalty towards you..." "Loyalty, towards me? What do you mean? Are you saying that if you didn''t do this to her, you cannot guarantee her loyalty towards me? Can you elaborate that for me?" Crimson lights flashed within Dan''s eyes and Natalie held the sleeve of his robe. Her countenance revealed anxiousness and worry but Dan patted her head and reassured her that everything was fine. He just wanted to clarify everything. After all, his wife was involved. "Grace is a Bloodline Inheritor of one of the Longinus Clan''s greatest nemesis of all time, the Vermillion Clan. So I made it that once she knew her relations with those bastards and tried changing sides. The Curse of the Lightning God will swallow her entire soul, preventing her from reincarnating." "The Curse of the Lightning God? What is that?" Natalie blurted out and the two stared at George, seeking enlightenment about this matter. George revealed a small smile and patiently explained, "Gods provide not only blessings but also curse. Grace acquired the curse version, but there''s not much difference between the two. The only disparity that they had was those who had the curse version of the cultivation method would forever become loyal to the Longinus Clan..." Dan''s expression went dim, he didn''t like the idea of someone coercing others into doing something that they didn''t desire and George''s actions struck that nerve inside his mind. Calming his rage, he could only think that everything was for Grace''s own good and accept the reality before him. Nevertheless, he still has his questions such as. "If Grace possessed such a pure bloodline. Then, that Vermillion something clan should''ve definitely taken care of her better than their apparent heir. Why is it that Grace was abandoned in such a distant continent and experienced hardships that even I cannot imagine?" Dan didn''t understand why they would send such a good seedling towards this distant continent, for a clan to thrive, they needed strong successors and with Grace''s bloodline, she could definitely become an expert at the Divine Emperor Realm or even beyond. The Vermillion Clan''s actions were counter-intuitive. But unfortunately, George cannot give him the answer since he was also wondering about it by himself. By the time that everything was done and over, Dan resolved his mind and prepared to tell Grace about everything that happened as he and Natalie stood together and gently cared for the sleeping Grace. 168 Graces Awakening and Sweet Moments An unknown amount of time passed and Grace''s consciousness gradually awakened. The first scene that she saw when she woke up while holding her aching head was Juliet sweetly smiling while calling out to her parents. Dan and Natalie arrived as fast as lightning and the worried expressions on their faces softened Grace''s frosty countenance. Taking a bowl of congee from a nearby tray, the young girl Juliet quarreled with her father about the rights on spoonfeeding Grace and it ended with Juliet''s victory. Juliet stuck her tongue out and teased Dan while the two girls chuckled at their antics. Juliet blew on a spoonful of congee before stretching her body out and lifting it before Grace''s lips. The little girl''s sweetness and cuteness dissipated all of Grace''s exhaustion before she could even rejuvenate herself with meals. "Here, Mama Grace, say aaahhh..." Suffusing a sweet smile, Grace chomped down on the congee and Juliet lightly laughed before taking another spoonful and doing the same motions as she did before placing it before Grace''s lips. Natalie lifted her head momentarily stared at Dan before darting her gaze away, seemingly afraid that Dan may misunderstand something. Licking his lips, Dan tightly embraced her waist and pecked on her forehead. Natalie acting so ambiguous like this meant that she wanted to be doted on. She also returned Dan''s gesture with a peck, but Dan could see that she was clearly holding back her desires for the sake of looking after Grace. Rubbing her head and ruffling her hair, Dan whispered words into her ears which made her explode into a furious blush, "Be satisfied with this, okay? Once everything is over and done, we can have more time together..." Natalie laid her head on his chest and Grace along with Juliet who witnessed every action that they made stared at them with stern glares. Grace felt neglected and Juliet puffed her cheeks. "Papa, don''t just focus on Mama, give some to Mama Grace, too!" She placed both of her arms in akimbo and Natalie lightly laughed, "It looks like my daughter is favoring her second mother..." Juliet turned towards her and said, "I''m not favoring anyone, but since Mama Grace is sick, I think that she deserves more from Papa..." "Okay, okay, that''s enough arguing. Juliet, go and take more bowls of congee from the kitchen, we''re gonna eat here together..." Dan sent the little girl off leaving the three alone inside the room. Dan stared at Grace for a moment before tightly embracing her body. Grace''s figure froze but she didn''t push him away and savored the sensation of his body pushing on her own. "I''m sorry that you have to suffer through that..." Dan apologized with all his heart. Because he insisted that Grace should take the Inheritance Trial as soon as possible, she became injured and even fell into a coma. Grace gently pushed him away before smiling, "What are you saying, young master, ever since I became yours I was already prepared to do everything that you want me to do so. Ever since you saved me from that horrendous fate, I was completely yours..." Dan''s movements froze, it was the second time that she heard such an unwavering loyalty and devotion for him coming from a young woman. First, it was Natalie and second it was Grace. Tightly clenching his fists and suppressing the tears that threatened to fall from his eyes, Dan embraced her again and said, ''Grace, there are several things that you definitely need to know, and once you know about everything, I won''t blame you about your decision..." Grace nodded her head without hesitation. Ever since she woke up and noticing the deep-seated guilt within his eyes, she knew that Dan had an idea about what happened to her earlier. Several minutes later, Grace wore an expression of utter disbelief regarding what Dan had exposed to her. She couldn''t believe everything that she said in such a short amount of time. Though the evidence was there, in the form of a strange mark that she could easily manifest with her will. Second only to the fact that she belonged in such a prestigious clan that was the Longinus Clan''s greatest nemesis, what shook her soul the most was the fact that she needed to slay people to achieve an increase in cultivation. Although Grace didn''t mind slaying those that attacked her, she wasn''t inclined into killing someone that didn''t do her any harm. Witnessing her complicated reaction, Dan didn''t force her into doing anything and continued displaying his affection for her. He even took his own spoon and personally fed her some congee. And of course, Natalie also jumped in the fun and Dan had to spoonfeed four mouths including himself and Juliet. "Hey, as long as they''re happy, I''m completely fine..." Dan shrugged, taking all the dishes away, Dan transformed into a wolf before leaping towards the flock of sheep in the figure of Natalie, Grace, and Juliet. With Dan''s fierce and relentless tickling, the laughter of the three women continuously echoed throughout like bells throughout the entire pavilion. But of course, when the darkness of the night descended, a different kind of noise which could make anyone shy away from the source, reverberated throughout the entire pavilion. 169 Joselito Rizaldo Morning arrived and George awakened them with a mental energy jolt, Dan and Natalie carried their exhausted body towards the living room where they found the three sitting before the dining table. George threw them an ambiguous look when he saw how exhausted they were while Grace hung her head low in embarrassment. Juliet remained as clueless as ever before raising her hand in a wave. "Good morning!" "Good morning, Juliet..." The two sweetly smiled and rubbed her head in succession before Dan sat on an empty chair between Grace and Natalie. Juliet threw Dan a stern look at he lightly laughed before giving Grace her morning kiss. Grace shyly returned his gesture with a kiss of her own and Dan continued his laughter. George turned speechless, their actions made it look like they forgot his existence. Lightly coughing, the family turned towards George with a small smile on their faces, George shook his head and said, "Young master, why do I feel like you forgot the years that we spent together? As soon as you got a wife, you gave them all of your attention instead of this poor old man..." The pouting George almost made Dan choke in his own saliva, "Why should I dote on you, old man!" The others burst into laughter and the atmosphere of the room turned homey. Dan stood up and took the container of rice before serving everyone their part. Natalie assisted him and the family started eating together with everyone''s focus on Juliet as they endlessly praised the young girl for her achievements. Today was her first day in the Academy and participation was mandatory. Dan excitedly said that he would accompany the two and Natalie who heard it became jealous, insisting that she should also join them. Since the entire family desired to join the orientation and the class about the history of the world. Particularly, Dan who knew nothing about the world since the books of the Longinus Clan mostly focused on war strategies and the art of war. George shook his head but a small smile soon lifted on his face. As someone who spent most of his life on the battlefield, sweet moments like this made him feel alive and treasured. Finishing their meal, Juliet and Grace wore their Outer Sect Disciple robes and presented themselves to Dan. When the two stood before the others, Dan fell into deep contemplation as his gaze scoured over Grace and Juliet. Juliet''s height was three heads shorter than Dan and her robe emphasized her budding beauty. Her fair countenance exuded an innocent charm, yet her sharp eyebrows that she inherited from Natalie gave one a feeling of dominance. Dan knew that once Juliet grew up, she would become a dominant beauty on the battlefield. The one that should marry her should be someone that could subdue her fire and make her obedient. Grace, on the other hand, with her silver hair and the fiery robes clad on her body which greatly accentuated her curves enticed anyone that looked at her. Particularly, her jet-black eyes which shone in a light of profound experience and her snowy-white countenance that looked as precious as jade and as fair as snow. Seeing him frown like that, Grace asked in confusion, "What''s wrong? Do I look bad?" Natalie also turned towards him in curiosity. Dan shook his head, "No, I''m just worried that the number of my rivals will rise..." Grace''s figure shook and she hid her expression from him. Natalie puffed her cheeks out and said, "When you saw her wearing that robe, you complimented her but you didn''t do that to me..." Dan turned frantic upon hearing her words, and he hurriedly consoled her with sweet words but combined with Juliet''s teasing and Natalie''s cold shoulder, Dan despaired and deflated like a balloon before leaping towards Grace''s side. But Grace supported Natalie''s actions and dodged his embrace before moving towards the side of her sisters and step-daughter. Witnessing Dan''s tragic expression, George almost exploded into a laughter but managed to suppress it at the last minute. Nevertheless, his slightly trembling shoulders blew his cover away and Dan walked out of the residence with indignance. Seeing his young master that was a famous bully at the City of Cloud being bullied by these three women, George felt incomparably satisfied and warmed up to the three before all of them walked towards the direction of the Outer Sect Disciple''s Region. Upon their arrival, Juliet immediately attracted gazes from boys of her age along with Grace. However, when they saw the faint killing intent from Dan''s bodies that warned them from ogling the two, they backed away and felt fear from his gaze. Nevertheless, they burned the image of Grace and Juliet into their retinas before taking their seats and waiting for the instructor''s arrival. The vast hall didn''t have any roof and looked like the Colosseum from Dan''s previous life. Sitting between the three women, Dan embraced their bodies as if saying, "They''re mine, keep your eyes away!" Natalie lightly chuckled and Grace lifted a satisfied smile. Juliet complained that she feels uncomfortable and distanced herself away towards George''s direction. Towards this uncle of hers, Juliet felt curious and intrigued. The old man George that didn''t have any family became incomparably happy when he saw the little girl moving towards his side. He carried her and placed her on his thigh as the little girl asked him questions that he happily answered. The instructor was a white-bearded old man wearing pure white robes. The air of dominance from his body made anyone subconsciously back away. In contrast, his small smile made everyone feel at home and he lightly coughed. "Everyone, silence..." His voice reverberated like thunder and the commotion caused by numerous murmurs dissipated. Replaced with complete silence, the old man nodded his head and said, "My name is Benjamin, I''m the current instructor for this day''s history class. Today, we will feature one of humanity''s heroes, Joselito Rizaldo and his fight against the Demons." "The Great War of Demons and Humanity occurred roughly a hundred thousand years ago. Though there are no complete recordings about the battle that ensued at that time, the next generations managed to preserve a two-minute video transmission about what happened at that time..." "We will be watching Joselito Rizaldo in action, I do hope that everyone can see how cruel demons could be and how valiant and brave humanity could be in times of emergency and disasters..." The old man flicked his wrist, sending a jadeslip flying into the air which shattered into innumerable light crystals that gradually formed into a television-like screen. Dan''s expression flickered and he concentrated on the video transmission. Activating the System''s function, Dan thought that he may acquire some comprehensions by observing this video transmission and so, he asked the System to activate its recording function. Depicted inside the screen was a scorched land whose conditions couldn''t possibly sustain life. Standing on that scorched land was a young man with sharp eyebrows clad in complete black. The sun was eerily scarlet. The young man knitted his eyebrows, he could feel that something was coming as he immediately unsheathed his sword and assumed a defensive stance. Boom! An explosion occurred, debris flew in all directions while dust reduced visibility, but the young man looked as composed and as calm as ever. With his sword in hand, his expression depicted that he was never afraid of anything. The youths observing his actions felt admiration towards the youth, How good would it be if they became the hero of humanity? They all thought in their minds. When the dust simmered down, what appeared before the young man''s eyes was a gigantic monster that spanned a hundred meter. Its height dimmed everything around him and he looked so frail and insignificant before it. The monster had numerous tentacles and its face looked like a bunch of unidentified monsters bunched together. It had multiple eyes like a pineapple and when its tentacles moved, the air itself was torn. The youths who saw the monster went pale, How could someone so frail looking possibly defeat that monster?! But instead of retreating, the young man assumed an offensive stance with his sword and dashed towards the monster like a brave warrior speeding up to meet his enemy. But to the youths'' eyes, the actions of the young man were foolish and it looked like he was throwing his life away. Shuaaa~ The monster swung a tentacle but its movements were too slow that it couldn''t even hit the young man''s robes. Maneuvering his body in the air, the young man stood on the tentacle and sliced. Shring~ The tentacle fell on the ground and the monster miserably shrieked. Its eyes turned red in anger and hatred as it furiously attacked the young man. It slow movements disappeared and it became as fast as sound. The spectators were shocked, they didn''t expect that such a gigantic monster could move that fast. They felt worried about the young man but soon realized that their worries were useless. For the monster''s attacks never struck the young man. With a composed smile on his face, the young man weaved through the attacks and reached the monster''s weakness. Whispering something into the air, he stabbed and the monster inflated like a balloon before exploding into a miserable shriek. The scene was so impactful that everyone''s mouth was agape including Dan, Natalie, and Grace. Juliet even stopped doting on her uncle and stared at the scene with shining lights inside her eyes. If she could become as strong as that young man, she wondered if she could protect her Mama and Papa, forever. Arriving on the ground, the young man''s face revealed a small smile before his back walked towards the north and gradually disappeared into the distance. With his disappearance, the video transmission disappeared and everyone finally awakened from their trance. "Since you saw everything, I do think that there''s no need to explain, what happened right? Now, what do you think? What do you think about one of humanity''s heroes? Joselito Rizaldo?" 170 The Great War of Demons and Humanity [Recording Failed: Forcefield Inteference] Dan dismissed the system notification before him, though it was a shame that he could not observe the fight earlier and uncover secrets using the System. He didn''t really think too much into it, after all, it was all in the past and the techniques may already be obsolete. Staring at the instructors, some enthusiastic disciples answered his questions and after this round of questioning, the instructor continued on and explained the Great War of Demons and Humanity. Despite the great distractions in the form of Natalie and Grace leaning on his shoulders, Dan focused on the instructor''s words. "The Great War of Demons and Humanity started a hundred thousand years ago when a Spatial Crack from the Demonic Realm suddenly appeared above the skies of humanity. What appeared were demonic beasts that created chaos and destruction." "Since everyone was living through a peaceful era at that time, weapons were rusty and warriors were inexperienced, combined with the trauma due to the sudden attack, humanity was soon pushed to the brink of extinction." "However, pressure creates heroes and soon, brave warriors of humanity stepped forward and slowly reclaimed the land that was once theirs. However, what accompanied their success was a mountain of bones made from humans and demons alike, humanity''s global population became its lowest and the demon''s reclaimed the land once again." ''Despite all of this, humanity''s creativity enabled them to understand the laws of the Heaven and Earth and the thousands of Daos that existed under the heavens. Soon, someone established the path of righteous cultivation and outlined numerous laws and daos that humanity could cultivate." "Because of the abundant untapped Spiritual Qi of the world, Humanity entered the Golden Age of Cultivation and it wasn''t strange to see a child walking down the street with a Spirit Tempering Realm Cultivation..." Dan''s figure froze, "A child with a Spirit Tempering Realm Cultivation? It takes an average of seven years to break through a single realm but at that time, a child could even become a Spirit Tempering Realm cultivator? What kind of a concept was that?" Natalie and Grace also looked visibly shaken before directing their focus on the instructor once again. "Several years later, the heroes of humanity achieved the realm of Divine Emperors and using their might and comprehension about the laws of Heaven and Earth. They managed to reclaim at least half of humanity''s land. They thought that if they continued this pace, they will soon reclaim everything and even push the demons back to their realm but they were greatly mistaken." "The Emperor of the Demons himself arrived and counter-attacked, sending the humans into the brink of extinction once again to the extent that they had to hide underground." "History repeated itself and humanity founded the existence of formations, alchemy, talismans, and arrays. Using these tool, humanity created a Grand Formation that could bind all demons in existence. However, a huge obstacle presented itself before them." "To make it so that the formation could track every human in existence on the continent, they had to extract the blood essence of the Demon Emperor because he''s the lowest common ancestor of all demons." "However, why would anyone do such a dangerous thing that almost guarantees death? For several years, everyone debated about who should challenge the Demon Emperor until finally, someone stepped forward. That man''s name was Maximus Maximillian." "Maximus challenged the authority of the Demon Emperor and a fierce fight ensued, chaos reigned everywhere with casualties on both sides. In the end, Maximus extracted three drops of the Demon Emperor''s blood essence by piercing his heart with his sword, but the Demon Emperor also managed to land a fatal strike on his sea of memories, rendering him brain-dead..." The instructor sighed and everyone around him felt gloomy. Lifting his head, he continued his discussion. "Nevertheless, his sacrifice wasn''t for naught and humanity managed to activate their Grand Spatial Formation by sacrificing at least one-third of humanity''s cultivation base. A huge vortex made of Spatial Qi manifested above the Spatial Crack and consumed it along with the demons that thrived on Earth." "The weakened Demon Emperor was powerless to stop the Formation but he managed to land a single strike on the land, rendering it completely hostile to life and also shattering the continent into three different masses of land. Now, we live in the Continent of Dawn but three other continents as big as ours also existed out there in the vast ocean." "The cursed land that the Demon Emperor made was forever sealed in an independent space and is now called as the Mystic Realm of the Undead where the souls of the Demons and valiant Generals of that time rested..." A huge sigh came out of his mouth and he lifted his head to stare at the audiences, "That concludes our discussion for today, I do hope that everyone learned something about what I said and please remember not to tell anyone about what you heard in this discussion nor write it into a paper." With eyes flashing in a critical light, he warned, "If found guilty, the Academy will personally annihilate your entire bloodline..." Everyone felt a chill in their hearts as they furiously nodded their heads and exited the hall in order. While still digesting the information that he received from the instructor in his mind, Mathias suddenly appeared before them and said. "I heard everything from Senior George there, I have a proposal that''s a win and win situation for the two of us..." Mathias said with a small smile on his lips, the look on his face expressed his confidence. George lightly chuckled and said, "Go on, young master, obey his instructors, I guarantee you that you will definitely like his offer..." The three felt intrigued and Dan decided to nod his head, asking George to take care of Juliet. The three followed Mathias from behind as they walked towards a distant pavilion. 171 Cleansing of the Paradyne Academy The location of the pavilion was remote and the path they took felt like a maze before they could even arrive at the pavilion. The three of them stared at Mathias in confusion, just what is he going to talk with us that he brought us in such a remote location? The group soon arrived before a dilapidated pavilion that looked like a haunted house with cobwebs all around it. With a wave of Mathias'' hand, the dust and the cobwebs dissipated into thin air and the pavilion looked cleaner, though Dan felt like it would collapse if he steps his foot on it. "I''m sorry that it looks quite shabby, but don''t worry, it won''t collapse so just come inside..." Mathias awkwardly scratched his head and gestured for them inside. Upon entering the pavilion, the scene before the group matched with Dan''s expectations, everything looked dusty and unkempt. Aside from the room that Mathias opened. Entering inside the room, Dan''s expression flickered when he saw four steaming tea cups and a tea kettle on a table. "It''s something that my assistant prepared, I''m sorry that I had to bring you to such a remote place..." Mathias slightly smiled and sipped his own tea. Natalie turned towards him and said, "The reason why Headmaster brought us here is that the thing that you want to talk to us about is something that other people shouldn''t hear?" "Exactly..." Mathias nodded his head in confirmation and Dan along with Grace knitted their eyebrows, Something that he doesn''t want others to listen in? Just what is it? Their looks became pensive and after placing the tea back on the table, Mathias lightly chuckled, "Are you not going to drink your tea?" Dan shook his head, "It''s fine, setting that aside, we want to hear what Senior has for us..." Mathias gaze swept over the three and landed on Grace before he explained, "I heard everything from Senior George, it seems like your cultivation is set for the demonic path?" His eyes flashed in a critical light and Dan immediately became wary. The Paradyne Academy was an academy advocating the righteous path, and according to Dan''s knowledge, those on the righteous path were extremely hateful towards those on the demonic path. Staring at Mathias, beaded sweat formed on his forehead and the humid air of the room turned cold. Mathias was a powerhouse at the peak of the Divine Soul Realm, as someone at the Spirit Tempering Realm. The former could easily turn him into dust with a wave of his hands. Tightly gripping Natalie''s hand, Natalie did the same as Mathias chuckled, "Now, don''t be so tense, though this Academy advocates the righteous path that''s just the surface do you really think that those on the righteous path are less evil than those on the demonic path? Heck, they''re even more self-righteous, selfish and arrogant than the latter!" "At the least, those on the demonic path follow their principles and sticks to it unlike some shameless people on the so-called righteous path! Peh!" Mathias made an expression of irritation and the group felt weird hearing about these things from the Headmaster of the Paradyne Academy himself. "Then? What''s the point of telling us that you know about Grace''s situation? is there something that Senior can do to help her cultivate?" Natalie chimed in and Mathias turned towards him before saying, "Of course! Didn''t I tell you earlier that everything will be a win-win situation for both of us? That''s the reason why I called you here!" "But why bring us to such a remote place, Headmaster? We could''ve made this talk in the Fragrant Peak Pavilion..." Grace asked in curiosity but Dan answered her inquiry, "It should be because what we''re gonna talk about concerns the higher-ups of the Academy and is considered as a top-secret, am I right, Headmaster?" Mathias clapped his hands together, "Yep, that''s right, what we''re gonna talk about concerns the entire Academy itself. It''s a trouble that I found hard to erase because of my status and since I don''t have other people that I could completely trust like my daughter, those bastards became a thriving tumor in the vast lands of my Academy..." "So, Senior is saying that he trusts us? We''re honored..." Grace revealed a humble smile and Dan turned towards Mathias with a frown, "Okay, we understand it now, so let''s get things started..." "I like that enthusiastic attitude of yours the most, Dan..." Mathias commented and he took another sip of his tea before intertwining both of his hands and crossing his foot on the other. "My Paradyne Academy is vast along with our lands and population. Wherever people go business also follows, which means, the Academy itself has a thriving economy with numerous business there and everywhere. However, while this is good for merchants, this is also a good place for criminals to blend in and establish their own influence." "My influence covers the entire Academy but my perception does not. If I tried inspecting all establishments in my Academy, everything would go into chaos and a civil war may ensue. That''s the reason why I kept holding myself from annihilating those bastards throughout these years..." Anger briefly flashed on his face before disappearing without a trace. "Those bastards? What do you mean, Headmaster?" Dan knitted his eyebrows, Natalie and Grace became pensive and they all focused on Mathias. "Yin and Yang, balance under the heavens, as long as light exists, darkness also exists, in my Academy, honest and good merchants do exist but of course, those opportunistic and evil bastards posing as good also exists. The reason why I summoned you here is to ask you to assassinate those bastards..." Mathias went straight to the point and the three were taken aback, Assassinate? "Yes, assassinate. Didn''t Senior George say that as long as Grace assassinated someone with an intense concentration of negative energies in their soul, she could cultivate? Well, that''s it, I''m giving you three, targets to assassinate and if you succeeded, I will offer you a reward, so great that you will never regret accepting my request..." Mathias revealed a confident smile. His expression looked like Dan would definitely not refuse his request as long as he hears about the reward. "Reward? What kind of a reward is it, Senior? As long as it satisfies me and my wives, then we will take that job..." Dan lifted a small smile on his lips, as someone who walked on the demonic path and even possessed the Assassination System, Dan knew that he eventually have to walk on a path made of bones, what''s the use of being hesitant? "I won''t say anything first, but to get you all hyped up, I''ll summarise my reward in two words," Mathias lifted two fingers and mumbled, "Lucky chances..." "Lucky chances?" Dan mumbled, Natalie and Grace turned towards him in confusion and they started discussing, "Dear, I think it should be related to some kind of a chance encounter, maybe a treasure chest..." Grace also chimed in, "I think it has something to do with a lucky chance that comes once in a thousand years or maybe century..." Their words were sensible, but those lucky chances always accompanied danger, so why is Mathias so confident that Dan could actually obtain that lucky chance? Locking his eyebrows in a frown, Dan gambled on and accepted his offer. "I agree since Senior is not willing to divulge more information about that so-called lucky chance, I''ll just complete the mission and see for it myself..." Dan''s lips lifted into a smile and Mathias handed over a bunch of documents. "That''s the information that I gathered about those bastards throughout these years. It''s up to you whether you want to skim through it or not..." Dan received the papers and Mathias amiably smiled towards them, "The two of you, your husband accepted my deal, but what about your opinion? Especially, Grace, since she''s the one that needs to land that fatal attack, are you ready to kill a man?" Mathias words echoed so coldly in the end that Grace''s figure shivered for a moment. Frowning, Dan glanced at Mathias along with Natalie whose expression went cold. Memories about what happened at the Great Forest of Manzur flashed within Grace''s mind, remembering the moment where he killed that man with a talisman attack, Grace gulped a mouthful of saliva and decided in her heart, "It''s fine, Headmaster. Ever since I became Dan''s wife, I already knew that I would have to follow him on this path of carnage and slaughter. The time for me to kill would soon come closer so why should I hesitate now?" She revealed a sweet smile on her face that stunned the three into silence. It took a while for Mathias to recover and as soon as he did, he said into Dan''s ears, "You have great wives, here''s a preliminary reward for accepting my job..." He flicked three jade bottles into Grace, Natalie and Dan''s direction before saying, "I will be teleporting you back into the Fragrant Peak Pavilion..." When his words ended, the scenery before the three distorted and before they realized it, they found themselves standing on the front gate of the Fragrant Peak Pavilion. The three revealed curious lights within their eyes towards Mathias'' reward and simultaneously read the label on the jade bottle. "Never Gonna Go Down Pills?" "Fertility Enhancer?" "Certain Pregnancy Pills?" The expressions of the three went awkward and Dan glanced at Natalie and Grace who held the two fertility enhancing pills. His figure blurred and reappeared before them. His hand stretched out in an effort to snatch those bottles but the two of them were even quicker. With a sleight of their hands, the two jade bottles vanished from their palms before the two of them laughed and ran towards the direction of their residence. Dan''s lips repeatedly twitched and his expression looked tragic. He could only hope that the two women wouldn''t drink those pills before their intense sessions or else he would definitely face trouble. 172 Extreme Tempering The three members of the family cooked together in the kitchen, Natalie and Grace both have their share of experience and grasped more of the fundamentals than Dan whose experience merely stemmed from his desperation to save money. With the help of the two girls, Dan''s cooking became smoother and it took him half the time needed to complete his entire dinner course. After setting everything up and waiting for Juliet''s arrival, Dan glanced at the two girls and said, "Both of you, can you hand over those jade bottles to me?" Natalie and Grace glanced at each other with Natalie speaking up first, "Dear, you do know that a child is one of the cornerstones of a family, we''ve been trying so hard but I still wasn''t able to conceive, maybe this can help me get pregnant." Dan darted his gaze over at Grace and found that the latter looked determined and resolved. Shaking his head, he said, "Putting Natalie aside, I don''t think that Grace should become pregnant as soon as possible, she''s still too young and pregnancy burdens the body..." Natalie and Grace''s expression brightened, they could feel the concern that Dan held towards Grace and the latter felt satisfied and gratified about his words. Nevertheless, Grace remained adamant and never returned the jade bottle, saying that she''ll decide whether she wanted to be pregnant or not. This spelled bad news for Dan for being intimate with them would become a massive Russian roulette but instead of gambling your life, Dan''s freedom was the gambling stake. "I understand, I understand your thoughts, but I don''t really want a child right now. Remember that I''m bound to have enemies and having a child would increase the number of my weaknesses, at least wait until I feel comfortable that I could protect the two of you and my future children..."Dan expressed his honest thoughts for he understood that honesty was one of the best policies when it comes to relationships. The two girls stared at each other, clearly stunned. Wryly smiling, they hand over the two jade bottles and Dan received them with a smile. Natalie glanced at Grace for a moment before saying, "I''ll be handing you over to Sister Grace, tonight, though she''s still recovering, I didn''t expect that she has quite the appetite that she even pleaded me to help her...Dan, you must satisfy her but remember that her body is still recovering so hold back a little and let her control the pace..." Her words shocked the two and Grace exploded into a furious blush as she immediately went forward and voiced her complaints, "Sis! How could you say that to him!" Natalie merely shrugged, "Seeing him being so honest about his thought, us wives should also clearly express our desire, after all, people cannot read minds and Dan is the same..." With this, she distanced herself from Grace and assumed a sly smile. Dan bitterly smiled when he thought about Natalie''s strange personality when it comes to that matters, he feels like she''s too outgoing and carefree regarding that thing between men and women. Clicking his tongue, he embraced them together amidst their stunned cries and said. "Natalie, I know that you want it too so each of you gets five minutes each..." Stretching both of his arms out, he tore the robes of the two girls, bent the two over the table and simultaneously satisfied them with his mystical techniques. When Juliet returned home, the three were still engaged in their session. Dan instructed the System beforehand to check for any approaching life signatures and when Juliet stepped a foot on the front yard, Dan immediately detected it and warned the girls. Grace begrudgingly detached herself from him before walking away with Natalie in a hurry. Receiving Juliet from the entrance, the little girl embraced her father and Dan went on father mode and showered her with kisses and head pats. Juliet entered the dining room and found all of her favorite dishes. The delighted Juliet looked enticed and as soon as Dan gave her the approval to eat, the little girl wolfed down everything before her as she started talking about what happened on her first day of school. Since Juliet was also a cultivator, Dan didn''t mind seeing her eating too much food for her age. Cultivators needed more energy than mortals so such occurrence was normal. "Papa, I saw made two friends today and I also got praises from the teacher!" Juliet bragged with innocent pride and Dan praised her with a smile. Several minutes later, Juliet started wondering about where both of her mothers went and Dan awkwardly smiled and made some excuses that she miraculously accepted. Roughly ten minutes later, the two women returned, Grace''s flushed countenance looked refreshed, but Natalie''s visage looked crimson than before. Her ragged breathing indicated arousal but why was it that Grace looked satisfied? Dan raised an eyebrow and turned towards Natalie. Natalie replied under her breath with a smile, "I used the techniques that you frequently used against me, I just didn''t expect that it would be that effective..." Dan''s figure froze, techniques that I frequently used against her? Could it be that she''s referring about the hand-techniques that I patiently cultivated for a decade, back in my previous life? No wonder Grace looks so blissful and satisfied. Dan felt regret that he didn''t witness the action between his two wives. But oh well, he could just ask them to do it when they''re together. Dan shrugged and the arrival of the two, the family was completed and they started discussing among each other with Juliet''s first day of school as the focus. At night, the unsatisfied Natalie crawled on his bed, intent on satisfying herself. Clicking his tongue, Dan knew that he wouldn''t be able to get any sleep tonight. But since that was his responsibility as her husband, he had to comply and thoroughly battered her. Only when daybreak arrived did Natalie fell asleep on his bare chest, looking serene and satisfied. Morning arrived and the first scene that the family saw was George bringing with him a huge tub filled with boiling hot, yet strangely cold medicinal concoction. The medicinal bath bubbled and emanated a fierce heat, but it would intermittently change into a freezing cavern. Staring at George with confused expressions, the former explained, "I especially concocted this for the sake of the Young Mistress Grace. I heard everything from Mathias, and I doubt that you would''ve declined his offer so I made the pre-emptive decision of concocting this medicinal bath..." George lightly smiled and Grace inquired. "For me? What would happen if I dip myself into that bath..." Grace looked hesitant, in reality, how could anyone just easily accept taking a bath in such strange waters. Resplendent colors filled the bath and the fierce heatwave that it gave off prickled the skin of the four. Juliet threw Grace a concerned look and the other two also did the same. They could only hope that she could endure the pain that she was about to undergo. "This medicinal bath serves to temper the Young Mistress'' body because she still couldn''t cultivate, her body is that of a mortal and is extremely frail. So that she could survive the attacks of her enemies, she needs a tempered body that is stronger than steel..." George patiently explained and Natalie chimed in. "What would happen to her once she enters that bath, will she feel intense pain?" George replied using the softest tone possible: "Of course, she would. Tempering one''s body needs one to endure a series of intense pain that would qualitatively change one''s body if they managed to endure it, not only that utmost concentration is required because the Young Mistress'' needs to circulate the medicinal fluid inside her body." "The feeling is akin to having molten iron running through one''s veins and most people that underwent such trial killed themselves in a matter of seconds..." George''s eyes flashed with a vicious light, "That''s how vicious it is..." Grace and Natalie''s expression went pale. Juliet tightly embraced Dan''s neck while the latter gulped a mouthful of saliva. From George''s description, he made it look like once Grace entered that bath, she would definitely not survive. "Grace, you don''t have to follow George''s suggestion, we can always find other ways to temper your body, you don''t need to experience such pains just to increase your constitution..." Dan chimed in concern. A cold light flashed through George''s eyes and he scolded, "Young master, I know that you''re concerned about your wife but if she cannot endure such a simple trial, then what qualifications does she have to follow by your side? Just because she''s beautiful? What a joke! Everyone looks the same when they''re dead! In the end, we''re just a bunch of skeletons!" Dan was taken aback by George''s sudden outburst. Opening his mouth to speak, he tightly clenched his fists and didn''t continue his rebuttal. George''s words were sound and logical. On the path towards the peak, innumerable life and death battles, trials and hardships were normal for a cultivator with such an ambition. If Grace couldn''t even survive in her first trial, what use would she have in the future? Grace bit her lower lip, she realized this fact herself and she knew that she had to make her own decision. Lifting her head, she stared into George''s eyes and with a resolved shout, she said, "I''ll be taking the medicinal bath, I hope that Senior can guide me..." George was stunned, he expected that Grace would reject his proposal. Lifting his lips, he remembered Grace''s childhood and what she experienced a small smile lifted on his face, "Interesting... since you''re that determined, It would be disrespectful if I denied your request..." "Come forward and take all of your clothes," George commanded and Grace trembled for a moment before undoing her robes. The robes draped on her body fell on the ground, revealing her snowy-white skin and her curvaceous curves. George remained indifferent despite having a stark-naked beauty before him. Instructing her to walk forward, Dan, Natalie, and Juliet stared at her in concern. Grace turned towards them and reassured them with a smile as she placed her foot inside the bath. Upon contact, the skin of her toes sizzled and an intense pain surged from her foot towards her brain, stunning her for a moment. Holding her cries of agony, Grace gnashed her teeth and directly jumped on the bath. Splash! The medicinal liquid splashed around and in that instant, Grace felt an incomparably hot liquid invading her body through her pores digging into her veins and mixing with her blood. The heatwave that it brought along pervaded every pore of her body as it surged through her limbs, organs, and even her brain...Every cell of her body felt the same intense pain, prompting a scream that could be regarded as ghastly. "AAAHHH!!!" Grace''s scream tore her vocal cords and she went hoarse. Natalie and Juliet buried themselves within Dan''s chest while Dan stared at Grace''s figure with worry visible on his face along with a fervent wish that she could survive this trial. Grace''s fair skin slowly reddened, a crackling sound akin to frying vegetables surged inside her muscles as every part of her body were continuously subjected to an inhumane tempering. Her reddened skin turned crimson before revealing numerous cracks. At this moment, Grace fell into a state of trance, memories surged inside her mind, all contained all the hardships that she endured to reach the happiness that she currently felt. Staring at the lone figure of her sister who gradually disappeared into smoke, Grace''s heart felt a pain that was even stronger than the pain that her fleshly body felt. "When my sister disappeared...I felt extreme pain in my heart and soul, such physical pain such as this couldn''t possibly compare to that!" Grace''s forehead shone in a light of dark and ice intertwined. The medicinal liquid formed a vortex around her as Grace wildly absorbed everything that she could in an effort to temper her body in the fastest way possible. The crimson color of her skin turned into cracks that spread throughout her body before shattering, revealing snowy-white skin that looked as tender as a baby. Pa, pa, pa! Snapping sounds echoed within Grace''s body. It was the sound of her bones repeatedly crushed and reformed! The inhumane pain was something that the two girls on Dan''s chest couldn''t imagine. With tears streaming down their cheeks, they tightly embraced Dan''s body. Rubbing their heads, Dan revealed the same light in his eyes as he stared at Grace. At this moment, Grace''s face looked purple, however this time, she didn''t even scream. Her countenance revealed terrifying composure and determination. With eyes widened in shock, Dan wondered in his mind. Just how much willpower did she require to prevent herself from screaming in pain?! George raised his head with eyes filled with shock, at first, he underestimated Grace and had thoughts of rescuing her from the medicinal bath once everything went awry. However, he didn''t expect that she would be able to endure a round of tempering and even hold back her scream! Seeing her skin being completely burnt black with cracking sounds continuously echoing out from her body, paired with her expression that remained tranquil and serene. George wildly laughed and said, "Good...Good...Good!" The medicinal bath she was in slowly dissipated and within several breaths, the water was nowhere to be seen with Grace encased in a cocoon made from her blood itself. "Grace, she..." Natalie whimpered and Juliet started crying out loud, "Release Mama! Uncle, help Mama!" She cried out towards George but the latter maintained his line of sight at the cocoon. Crack... A loud cracking sound echoed from the cocoon and under the four''s stunned gazes, the cocoon shattered; revealing the figure of Grace whose skin looked fairer and tender than before. Lifting her eyelids, her eyes flashed with a vicious light of darkness and ice. Her eyebrows became sharp and the aura that surrounded her was of noble arrogance, an arrogance that mere mortals couldn''t possibly surpass. Gazing at Dan and Natalie''s direction, the Goddess from the Nine Heavens herself cried out in a scream of relief. "Dan, Sister Natalie, I did it!" She stood up while stark-naked and ran towards the two, tightly embracing them and crying her eyes out, venting all of the pain, frustrations and the immense pressure that she felt on their chests. George deposited the bathtub inside his independent space and stared at Grace, Natalie, and Dan with a satisfied, yet weird smile on his face. "The husband is a monster, but the two wives are even greater of a monster than the husband! With these three, it''s impossible for the clan to stagnate..." "This is the first time that I feel anticipation about the future..." George shook his head and lightly laughed, retreating from the Fragrant Peak Pavilion, his gradually turned transparent before vanishing into nothingness. 173 Depths of the Mercenary Pavilion Commerce Block of the Outer Sect Disciples Region. Numerous sects, organizations, pavilions and even clans had set up their own influence inside the Paradyne Academy in hopes of tapping on the might of the flourishing economy of the Academy. The attraction caused by these influences and the Academy itself attracted countless cultivators from all sorts of places, in hopes of possibly joining these sects and soar through the skies like a dragon. Everyone inside the Commerce Block of the Outer Sect Disciples Region looked full of vitality around the clock, everyone held kind smiles on their faces and all sorts of exchanges and trades were done there and here. However, not everything looked as good as it seems, such a place of gathering and trade was bound to have criminals. Despite the security that the Paradyne Academy ensured the residents of this place, they couldn''t possibly cover everything. Of course, these criminal organizations didn''t dare to operate in broad daylight nor in blatant sight. Working under the facade of honest work, these criminal organizations lure their prey and reap them in one fell swoop. Most of the Academy''s supplies of fresh medicinal herbs and all sorts of equipment and merchandises enters and exits from the Commerce Block. The Commerce Block had four gates that connect with the Empire Proper, Outer Border of the Wilderness of Torb, Great Forest of Manzur and the Inner Region of the Academy. Caravans, travelers, and tourist frequently use the second and first gate and along with Caravans were escort services such as the Mercenary Pavilion. Established several decades ago, the Mercenary Pavilion guarantees eighty percent chance of safe arrival in your destination. They earned quite a reputation and became a force to be reckoned inside the Academy. Among the merchants with caravans, one of them was a family of three, the oldest of the family was the father of the other two women that could be considered as a beauty if placed amidst the crowd. "Father, can we really trust the Mercenary Pavilion in getting to that place?" A young woman, whose visual appearance looked to be at sixteen years of age spoke with worries evident on her tone. Her fair countenance knitted in a frown as her jet-black hair calmly swayed on her back. An amiable looking old man whose face riddled with wrinkles slightly smiled, "I don''t really know about that but they boast an eighty percent chance of success, to get to there, they''re the only choice that we have..." "It''s fine, It''s fine, Sis, don''t worry too much about that. Since they''re pretty popular here, there''s a good chance that we can arrive there without any losses, and look, they''re also quite cheap..." A voice laden with innocence echoed out. The young woman puffed her cheeks and turned around to look at her sister. "I''m just saying that we should not trust strangers too much..." The eldest looked hesitant to speak and her figure slightly trembled upon facing her younger sister. "Look at you looking so afraid, if you keep that timid attitude of yours, you will never get a good husband!" The younger sister whose visual appearance looked to be at the fourteen years of age scolded with her arms akimbo. "Don''t be too harsh with her, Zea...Look, the mercenaries that we hired is already here..." The old man commented before staring at the distance where three approaching figures could be seen. The three men dressed in decent clothing approached the group and introduced themselves. And after buying necessary supplies for their travel, the group immediately set off towards the Great Wilderness of Torb, inside the main carriage of the caravan, the three slender looking men could be seen seated with the two girls. Their father was currently on the coachman''s seat and was guiding the horses so the two girls were left with the three men. "Malachi, you look so buff, I guess that you''re quite powerful in close combat quarters, right?" The younger sister of the two, named Zea spoke out and touched Malachi''s bicep. Malachi revealed an awkward smile that looked quite attractive for the younger one. Malachi''s eyes flashed with a strange light, with a sleight of hand, he attached a two inches needle inside Zea''s body without being detected by the latter. Zea''s figure shook before she said in a small voice, "Malachi, will you mind telling me more about yourself?" She pulled him towards another room inside the huge carriage before closing it down. The remaining two men inside the carriage revealed a small smile while the Elder Sister looked concerned, "What''s going on with that girl? Why did she drag Malachi inside the storage room?" She mumbled in confusion. "What''s wrong, Zarya? Are you worried about your sister?" One of the men, Stanley wrapped his arm around Zarya''s shoulders and discreetly implanted a needle in her body. Zarya''s figure shook and she hung her head low in embarrassment. Finley sneered, stood up and sent a sneak attack on the old man sitting at the coachman''s seat as blood exploded from the latter''s shoulders. His head fell off the ground and rolled away, never to be seen again while his body remained sitting on the coachman''s seat. "FATHER!!!" Zarya exclaimed in terror and horror upon witnessing her father''s death. Staggering backward, she ran towards the direction of the Storage Room, but as soon as she opened the door, she was greeted by the scene of her sister having intercourse with Malachi. "Ah, Elder Sis? Why did you come here? Could it be that you also want a piece of him?" Zea''s expression twisted in euphoria and delight while Malachi lifted a vicious smile on his face and flicked his wrist towards Zarya''s direction. The needle attached on her body dissolved into a pinkish light. Her eyes went blank and within a few moments, she started stripping and approached Stanley''s direction while stretching her hand out towards his crotch. "I need it...I need it...Please give it to me..." Zarya pleaded and Stanley along with his comrade Finley shrugged, "How generous of you, you didn''t mind us killing your father and offered yourself up to us instead along with your sister?" The two men approached the delirious Zarya and soon, moans of pleasure along with ragged panting echoed out from the stopped carriage. Thirty minutes later, the three men came out of the carriage looking refreshed with all the merchandises of the sisters inside their Spatial Storage Device. "Damn, Malachi, the bewitching needle that you got from the Charming Lotus Academy really is effective, literally all the job that we did was a success..." "Well, it wouldn''t be that successful if we weren''t able to approach our targets in the first place, if not for that stupid little girl that willingly invited us inside their carriage, then this job would''ve taken longer." "Damn, speaking of that little girl, I can''t really get enough of how tight that girl was, what a pity that we needed to kill her to dispose of all witnesses. If not I may have brought her with me and kept her inside my basement as my stress reliever..." The three of them laughed as they walked towards the direction of the Paradyne Academy. Behind them, a massive ball of figure slowly engulfed the remains of the caravan as everything that could trace back to them, turned into dust. 174 Start of Investigation "Grace, are you okay?" Dan took a towel with him and wrapped Grace''s naked body. Grace stared at the distance with a blank expression on her face. Natalie saw her blank look and concern erupted in her eyes. "What happened to her? Why is she in a trance? Did her soul got damaged by the intense pain that she suffered through?" Natalie panicked and hurriedly took numerous healing pills inside her Spatial Storage Device. Dan knitted his eyebrows and inspected her condition using the System. [Results: The Target is in a state of shock. Duration: 30 secs] "It''s fine, Natalie, It''s fine! She''s just in a state of shock there''s not any reason to worry about..." Dan calmly carried her towards their room and Natalie followed suit, seeing her worried expression, Dan lightly chuckled, "The eunuch is even more panicked than the Emperor himself..." Natalie''s ears twitched and her expression flashed with a grim light, stretching two fingers and lifting it into the air, she jabbed at Dan''s waist and the latter painfully howled and struggled to keep his balance while carrying Grace in his arms. "Natalie, what are you doing?!" Dan glared at her and the mother and daughter stuck their tongues out as they followed behind him. Dan could only helplessly smile before placing Grace on the bed. Running towards the kitchen, he swiftly prepared chicken congee and some medicinal beverage. His movements were so swift and fluid that it took him merely three breaths to prepare the beverage and carry it to Grace. When he arrived, Grace finally awakened from her trance and slightly smiled. She could feel the immense power bubbling inside her body as she took a dagger from her Spatial Ring. "Sis, you..." "Mama!" The two exclaimed in concern as Grace stabbed the dagger on her abdomen. Peng! Sparks flew and a sound of metal clashing against metal echoed out. Natalie and Juliet stared with widened eyes at Grace''s abdomen and saw that it merely penetrated her towel and left a small white mark where the dagger struck. "You..." Natalie mumbled amidst her shock and Grace returned the dagger inside her Spatial Ring. Staring at the door, she could see Dan gazing at her abdomen with an incredulous look on his face. "Senior George''s tempering really is effective, to think that it could transform my skin into something that is stronger than steel..." Grace lightly laughed and noticed the cup in his hands. "Is that for me?" She gestured for the cup and Dan handed it over to her with a trembling hand. "What''s wrong, Dear? Why do you look like you''ve seen a ghost in broad daylight?" Grace asked in confusion and Dan bitterly chuckled inside, "How could he not be shocked when Grace''s status suddenly shot up like a meteor even though she''s still a mortal!" Grace''s previous stats were as follows. [Name: Grace Vermillion; Age: 17; Status: Slave] [Stats: Str: 1, Int: 5, Dex: 1.3, Agi: 1.7, Sta: 2] [For Reference, one stat point equals an average human''s stat.] [Cultivation: Mortal] [System Evaluation: Not even worthy of a glance] But now, her stats were. [Name: Grace Vermillion; Age: 17; Status: Slave] [Stats: Str: 16, Int: 21, Dex: 14, Agi: 12, Sta: 22] [For Reference, one stat point equals an average human''s stat.] [Cultivation: Mortal] [System Evaluation: How did a NEET like you obtain such a decent wife?] Since one stat point equals an average human''s stats. Grace stats were incomprehensible and overpowered for a mortal, Dan wondered, what would happen if she started her cultivation? Will she become more powerful than me?! Grace noticed the upheaval in his emotions and she gently smiled and reached for his neck and pecked him on his forehead. Natalie lifted a small smile, "Dear, why do you care so much about who''s stronger or who''s weaker? Even if one of us becomes stronger than you, what''s wrong with that? We''re all family here and our strength is dedicated to each other..." Grace glanced at Natalie and nodded her head, "That''s right, Dear. I''m yours so my strength is yours, that''s what Sister is talking about..." Juliet also smiled at her Papa and said, "Me too, Papa! I will become stronger than you and protect you and Mama when you become older!" Juliet''s words and the warmth that the two women gave lifted a gratified smile on Dan''s face. Holding back his emotions, he stretched his hand out and embraced his family. "Now that I think about it, Dear, where are the documents that Senior handed over? Can you give them to me?" Grace changed the topic. Dan stared at her for a moment before saying, "No, don''t bother too much about it. I''ll read it later so right now, you go and rest! I bet you''re exhausted from all the screaming that you did earlier..." Grace furiously blushed and Natalie patted her on the shoulders, "That''s right, that''s right, Sis! You go and rest, me and Dan will take care of the business for you..." With their insistence, Grace gave up and slept while Natalie took the documents and digested it on her own. Skimming through the pages, Natalie revealed a cold smile on her face as she said, "Dear, when we start our hunt for these guys, can I personally kill one of them?" Dan felt a shiver down his spine and his figure shivered. Lifting his head, he saw the terrifying and murderous look on Natalie''s face. He could even see sparks of lightning flashing in her eyes. "Okay, I permit you to do that but remember to prioritize your safety..." Dan didn''t refuse her proposal, after all, the current Natalie was comparable or even stronger than him. Natalie nodded her head before taking a jet-black robe and covering herself with it, Dan stared at her back but didn''t stop her actions. Natalie wasn''t stupid, Dan knew that she had her own plan and her own way of dealing with things. Natalie walked amidst the crowd and lifted her head to stare at the scarlet-red sun. Unbeknownst to anyone around her, the look in her eyes transformed into that of utmost rage and killing intent. "So our targets this time is from the Mercenary Pavilion? With the number of atrocities that they committed according to the documents from Senior, it looks like I may get my fill and even break through the Divine Soul Realm..." Licking her lips, everyone felt a shiver down their spine as Natalie''s figure disappeared, leaving merely a spark of lightning in her wake. 175 Probing It was a cold night, inside a certain room somewhere in the Commerce Block of the Outer Sect Disciples Region. Malachi''s figure calmly laid on his bed. His laid-back expression indicated that he seemed to be exhausted, his snores filled the air and the balanced bobbing of his chest and the minimal movements of his organs along with his rapid eye movement indicated that he''s in deep sleep. It was at this moment that a noiseless spark of lightning arrived before the doors of his room. Transforming into a slender-figure clad in black robes. The figure flicked its wrist, sending a cloud of colorless smoke that couldn''t be seen by the naked eye towards the sleeping Malachi. Malachi still slept as soundly as ever, without any hint of waking up. Crash~ A sound of a dull object striking the wooden floor echoed out. Malachi was still heavily sleeping, without any reaction whatsoever. The figure gave a slight push on the door, Malachi was in his own residence and was carefree so the door was merely closed, not locked and it opened with one push. Staring at the sleeping Malachi, the figure unveiled a dagger that gleamed in a cold light of green. Under the light of the moon that slightly illuminated the room. The figure''s dagger looked ominous and dangerous. Holding back her killing intent, the figure narrowed her eyes and observed the sleeping Malachi. His breathing was steady and his organs were in deep hibernation, all of his senses showed no signs of reactions and upon noticing all of these, the figure heaved a sigh of relief and the cautiousness in her eyes changed into tranquility. Moving with silenced footsteps, she raised her dagger and aimed at his crucial artery. At the moment that her dagger descended on his neck, Malachi''s hand suddenly shot out like a meteor and grabbed her wrist, and his eyes that were closed throughout the entire day snapped open with a light of killing intent. Malachi''s Divine Soul Realm Cultivation base came into life, but before he realized it, Natalie''s figure slipped away from his grasp before transforming into a bolt of lightning that escaped through the ceiling and fled towards the distant horizon. Malachi wanted to give chase, but as soon as he lifted his head, his eyes widened in shock when he saw the speed that Natalie utilized in escaping. From the moment of her attack until her escape, only three breaths passed and in another short moment, she was now several hundreds of meters away from him. Clicking his tongue, footsteps echoed outside of his door and the concerned figures of Stanley and Finley appeared, still wearing their nightwear. "Cover your noses! Don''t inhale the air in here!" Malachi warned and the two hurriedly raised the collar of their shirts and covered their noses and mouths. "What happened in here, Malachi? Did an Assassin came in and tried to kill you?" Stanley asked in concern, staring at the hole on the ceiling and the traces of Spiritual Qi usage, he accurately deduced what happened. "Yeah, an Assassin came here and tried to kill me. Fortunately, I''m not so retarded as you guys and kept a Defensive Artifact on my body at all times to detect for killing intent and poison..." Malachi glared at the two, if the Assassin targeted them, then there''s no way that he could save them. "Who actually dares to offend the three of us, core members of the Mercenary Pavilion?" Finley knitted his eyebrows in thought while Malachi replied, "It should be those bastards from the so-called righteous path..." "Righteous path, my ass! How dare they act so clean when they''re even filthier than us!" Stanley violently cursed and the three brothers stared at the distant skies with hatred visible in their eyes. Natalie soared through the skies. She still felt shaken about what happened earlier. Malachi''s body looked so deep in sleep, but why was it possible that he reacted that fast? Clicking her tongue, she redirected her direction and landed on the gates of the Fragrant Peak Pavilion. Though her pre-emptive attack failed, her efforts weren''t futile. At the least, she acquired valuable information that she could use against those three. When she finally arrived, she was greeted by the sight of Dan standing on the doors of their room. "Natalie, I also read the documents, could it be that you went there and tried assassinating them yourself?" His voice indicated his concern and Natalie hung her head low, "I did and failed, but don''t worry, I gathered some valuable information that could help us in eliminating them..." Dan shook his head and didn''t argue anymore, dragging her inside the room, he carried her on the bed and placed her on the left side. With him in between, Dan said, "Let''s go sleep, for now. Tomorrow is the time where we plan everything and we need sufficient energy to do that..." Natalie who expected some activities before sleeping became slightly disappointed. Because of what happened earlier, her body was still tense and couldn''t relax. Squirming under the sheets, Dan''s eyes snapped open and wryly smiled. Stretching his hand in her robes, Natalie suppressed her moans as Dan manifested his skills and satisfied her desires. 176 Luring the Tiger Out of the Mountain After sending Juliet off towards the Outer Sect Disciples Region. Natalie, Grace, and Dan gathered together inside an inn. The two women carried numerous supplies and some powders as Dan asked in confusion. "What are you gonna do with those powders?" The powders looked colorful under lights but under the system''s inspections. They didn''t possess any remarkable properties and were treated as beautification products. Their mission this time was to kill, not to entice enemies with their beauty. Grace patiently explained, "Well, you see. Sister Natalie is an honorary disciple and such title gave her a reputation that even mortals may recognize her if she casually walks on the street, so to prevent that from happening and spoiling our plans, I''ll change some features of her face..." Grace took a white powder and a brown powder before mixing them with water in separate bowls. Twirling them with her fingers, she added the mixture on Natalie''s face. "How about you, Grace? Though you can change your features, that silver-hair of yours stands out more than your face..." Dan commented and indeed, such feature was rare or even nearly extinct among the mortals. "It''s fine, I have this powder to help me..." Grace shrugged and presented to him a pouch filled with a jet-black powder that thickened like flour when mixed with a small amount of water. Taking a bunch of cotton balls from another pouch, Grace drenched them on the brownish mixture and diluted the color using water so that it would resemble skin. Applying it on Natalie''s face, she managed to change her jawline and now Natalie looked completely different from before. Though she''s still a beauty, it couldn''t compare to what she was previously. Glancing at Grace, Dan couldn''t help but praise her in his heart. "Grace, when did you learn such techniques?" Dan asked in curiosity, such finesse and expertise couldn''t possibly be learned in a matter of several years. Grace may have known this technique ever since she was five. "Well, I learned this technique to prevent myself from getting abducted by slave hunters, they frequently targeted beautiful women so I had to change my face into an ugly one and dye my hair black using this charcoal mixture..." Grace casually said these words, but it made Dan wryly smile, it was pretty disheartening to think about the suffering that she suffered throughout her childhood days. Changing topics, Dan said, "So, Natalie, mind telling me more about this little plan of yours?" Natalie turned towards him while changing her features as her mouth opened and explained the intricacies of their plans. Several hours later, three figures walked out of the inn and headed for the direction of the Mercenary Pavilion. One of the figures who looked like a gentle old man holding a walking stick walked towards a nearby stable and fetched horses prepared beforehand along with a carriage embroidered with numerous expensive decorations. Dragging it towards the Mercenary Pavilion, the old man leaked a small smile as he slapped the horses before him and rode towards his destination. Back at the Mercenary Pavilion, The appearance of the two beauties caused quite a ruckus among the mercenaries, seeing that they were about to enter the pavilion and saw the coin pouches that they carried. The mercenaries understood that the two women were here for the escort service. Arriving at the receptionist desk, one of the women said, "Can I employ three of your strongest and most efficient employees?" Her voice sounded mellow and pleasing to the ears. The female attendant revealed a polite smile and replied, "Sure, just fill up this form so that we can assess how much will the escort fee cost..." She handed over a bunch of papers to Natalie and the two of them filled it up before handing it back. "I have received the necessary documents and upon review, it looks like the escort fee would amount to about five thousand gold coins, we only accept gold coins so if you only have Spirit Stones, please convert it beforehand..." "It''s fine, we have gold coins..." Natalie handed three bags of heavy-looking pouches that clanged upon striking the wooden desk of the reception. The female attendant received the money and checked it. "I have received the right amount, no less or more, as for your escort request. Unfortunately, our Mercenary Pavilion doesn''t measure strength based by cultivation base or techniques but by the success rate. Currently, we have these three men with the highest success rate, will they suffice?" The female attendant shattered a Profound Imagery Stone, revealing the images of three men which raised the corners of Natalie''s lips. "They will suffice..." She replied with a smiling face and all formalities were finished as the two of them exited the Pavilion. Now, it was time to wait for the arrival of the three that would escort them to the Desert Wilderness Bazaar. Inside a luxurious suite, the three brothers, Stanley, Finley, and Malachi could be seen seated with women on their laps. Their labored breathing and rhythmical movements indicated something weird. "The three of you! Someone is requesting an urgent job! They already paid so hurry up and come out!" A middle-aged man''s deep voice echoed behind the door of the suite. Stanley clicked his tongue, he hated being interrupted the most. "Boss! Can you at least delay that for half an hour? You do know that we don''t like being interrupted..." Finley complained and the middle-aged man behind the doors retorted. "Are you sure that the three of you want to postpone this job? I feel pity about the two beauties and since their job is urgent, they may find other mercenaries to work with..." "What did you say?!" Malachi who remained silent all this while shot out like an arrow and stood stiff like struck by lightning, with eyes flashing in a solemn light. His two brothers nodded their heads and they shoved the women on their lap to the side and wore the most decent clothes that they could find. Their boss'' taste when it comes to women were topnotch and hearing him say something about beauties meant that the women struck a chord within the former''s heart. Such fine women, how could they resist? "Hey, look! Isn''t that the Infernal Brothers?" The idling mercenaries noticed the arrival of newcomers from the inner regions of the Pavilion, with shining lights of admiration in their eyes, they endlessly praised the three which remained indifferent. "Damn, even with this shower of praises bestowed upon them, the fact that they could remain so calm means that their self-control is out of this world..." "If I could ever hook up with one of them I would be so glad I could die..." "Shut up, old hag, as if they would even glance at you..." The mercenaries fervently discussed the three brothers and traced them with their eyes. As soon as the three stepped out of the pavilion, the mercenaries saw the two women and an old man standing near a carriage staring at the three. "So the women employed those three? What a good choice, with those three escorting them, there''s no way that they''d fail to reach their destination..." "If I could replace the three I would gladly do so, who doesn''t want to hook up with those two gorgeous beauties..." The mercenaries exploded into a clamor and Malachi revealed a confident smile upon hearing their words, approaching the luxurious carriage where the two beauties stood, Malachi, scoured them with his eyes and approved them in his heart. "Goddamned it, they''re topnotch beauties, bro...What should we do? Are we going to do the usual?" Stanley''s eyes shone in a light of restrained lust, Finley walked near the carriage and inspected the contents. "They''re carrying deep-sea gold and sunken silver with them along with several ancient antiques! We definitely have to do the usual, bro! If we succeeded, we can stop being mercenaries and live our lives as we please!" Malachi''s breathing hastened, the value of sunken silver and deep-sea gold was enough to tempt him. But if you pair it with beauties, how could he possibly resist such temptations? Clicking his tongue, Malachi assumed his best attitude and said. "The three of us will be your mercenaries escort for this job, My name is Malachi and I''m the team leader of the Infernal Brothers..." Malachi stretched his hand out towards Natalie''s direction. Natalie blossomed with a smile which captivated the three brothers before stretching her jade-like hand and shaking it with him. "My name is Natalie Jagmond, I have my sister and grandfather with me, we will be going to the Desert Wilderness Bazaar to sell some of our valuables, and since we heard of your group''s reputation we played it safe and hired the three of you so we could safely arrive in our destination..." "That''s not a problem, Miss, with us Infernal Brothers, there''s no bandit group that would possibly offend your caravan," Malachi reassured with a smile and Natalie clapped her hands together in delight. Her fluid and graceful movements captured the attention of the three as Grace chimed in. "Brothers, I''m curious, why is it that the three of you are called Infernal Brothers?" Her voice that contained an innocent charm made their heads turn as Stanley swiftly arrived before her and explained. "Well, it''s because of the fact that we''re the strongest when it comes to the Laws of Fire. Our comprehension is balanced so we can combine our power together and even overwhelm a Peak Divine Soul Cultivator!" Stanley opened his palm and a bouquet made of fire manifested inside his hands. Grace received it with a sweet smile, her eyes hinted something that Stanley received. The burning lust inside his body surged and he couldn''t help but throw his two brothers a glance saying, "I already have this woman in my hands, both of you go and seduce the other." Malachi and Finley nodded their heads. "Young man, why is it that the moment that you arrived, you instantly ignored my presence and went for my granddaughters?" Dan''s cold voice echoed at the side and the three brothers turned around and revealed awkward expressions on their faces. "Oh, Grandpa, I''m sorry about tha-" "Don''t call me Grandpa! I don''t have such a lecherous grandson like you!" Dan fiercely retorted before coldly snorting and heading for the coachman''s seat. "We''re in a rush so we''ll be going now, Grace! Natalie! Come inside!" Dan shouted and the two women trembled before sighing. The three brothers sent a discreet glare at Dan''s direction before their gazes swept over the two women. "Big brothers, we will be going with grandpa now, you see, he''s quite old and is crass-tempered, I hope that you can understand him..." Grace bowed her head in apologies and Stanley waved his hands, "No, that''s not a problem! As employed mercenaries, it is our job to understand the attitude of our customers..." Hearing his words, the two women stared at them for a moment with hesitation in their eyes before turning around and heading inside the carriage where Dan was located. "Finley, Stanley, what do you think should we do?" Malachi consulted the two and they thought for a moment before replying, "We should definitely usual thing that we do, compared to riches, women are everywhere and with money, I could easily buy a harem for myself..." "I see, then we will do the usual, but remember, that woman, Natalie is mine, though I don''t really mind it as long as I''m the first to enter her..." Malachi shrugged and Finley who didn''t have his own target revealed gratified look. Amidst the admiring gazes of the crowd, the caravan set off for the Great Wilderness of Torb. 177 Vicious Plan "Dear, don''t be so mad, we''re only doing it for the sake of the plan..." Natalie and Grace looked somber and despondent as the former pleaded. A terrifying aura of coldness and murderous intent surrounded Dan''s body in his disguise, he felt angry seeing both of his wives flirting with strangers, though it was for the sake of the plan, the innumerable doujinshis about netorare that he heard made him paranoid. Shaking his head, Dan suppressed his killing intent and the cold air around him dissipated, turning towards the girls, his eyes flashed in a critical light as he asked, "Then, what''s your next course of action? Seeing that the three of them are attracted to the two of you, it should be easy to assassinate them now..." Natalie shook his head, "The fact that they got this far, working as mercenaries means that their capabilities shouldn''t be underestimated, and as you heard earlier, they can combine their power and fight against a peak Divine Soul Cultivator..." Grace who remained silent all this while out of embarrassment broke out of it and chimed in, "How about we discuss on how we could weaken their strength? Since we''re going inside a beast infested forest, we could make use of those beasts..." "Ah! That''s right!" Dan clapped his hands together and threw Grace a look of approval and admiration. At the same time, he heaved a sigh of relief that Grace was at his side if not, he would have a hard time fighting against such a tactician like her. Patting her head, the young girl narrowed her eyes and Dan couldn''t keep his lips from smiling upon witnessing such an adorable display. Natalie puffed her cheeks out. "Here, here..." Stretching his free hand, he rubbed Natalie''s head and showed her with praises, "My little wife really is a good actor, you really deserve an Oscar for such an act..." "Oscar?" Natalie asked in curiosity upon hearing this unfamiliar term. "No, it''s nothing, forget about it..." Dan shrugged and continued domesticating them with head pats as they discussed on how they could use the beasts in the forest in their advantage. "Since it''s decided that we''re going to use beasts, how can we lure them to us?" Natalie presented a problem that existed ever since they decided on their next course of actions. Grace shook her head saying that she didn''t have any ideas while Dan consulted the system. [Results: Beasts are curious creatures so an extreme concentration of a certain element may attract them into thinking that there''s a treasure at that certain location, beasts love treasures and once they detect one, territory establishment would be their next course of actions.] [Source: Lifestyle of Beasts for Dummies!] "Leave the plan of luring them to me, for now, Grace, I need you to take your clothes off and hand the Heaven Grade Defensive Artifact to me..." Dan instructed and Grace who heard his words furiously blushed, Natalie''s eyes dangerously narrowed, "Dear, we''re in the middle of a job, I don''t think that it''s inappropriate to do such things at this moment..." Dan''s expression flickered when he saw Natalie''s look and Grace''s embarrassed expression. Scratching his head, he awkwardly smiled and said, "You''ll know what I mean soon so just take your clothes off and hand them to me..." Since Dan was this insistent, Grace slowly undid her robes, revealing her stark-naked body as her hands covered her vital parts. Natalie snickered, "Sis, you don''t need to do that, as if we haven''t seen those places..." Natalie''s eyes flashed in a perverted light and she licked her lips in an exaggerated manner, Dan chuckled at the side, "Natalie, you look like a perverted old man..." Grace puffed her cheeks and glared at Natalie, "Stop staring at me, Sis!" "Alright, alright, I won''t tease a little kid anymore..." Natalie shrugged and ignored her retort as Grace complained saying that she wasn''t a child. Taking the robe from Grace''s hands, Dan took dozens of defensive talismans and slapped it on the insides of her robe. Natalie and Grace stared at his actions in confusion, why was he using such an exaggerated amount of defensive talismans even though Grace has a Heaven Grade Defensive Artifact on her side? Dan realized their confusion and he patiently explained, "My plan on luring those beasts involves the use of the Defensive Artifact so, in its place, Grace will be using talismans to protect herself..." The two girls nodded their heads in enlightenment. "But still, why are you using so many defensive talismans, with such an amount, I bet she could withstand the attack of a Divine Ascendance Realm Expert..." Natalie continued her line of questioning while Grace curiously stared at him. Dan''s eyes turned soft and she fondled Grace''s cheek as he said, "Grace doesn''t have any cultivation and the collateral damage could possibly kill her, what''s more when she''s doing the killing herself. If she failed and her enemy counter-attacked and she died? How could I possibly live my life with such regrets?" Grace''s expression changed and her eyes turned teary, Natalie wore the same expression and the two girls were touched by his words. Dan continued his actions and did the same to Natalie''s robes. After checking that the two girls were completely protected and no talismans were malfunctioning. He took the Defensive Artifact and sent it at the distance. "Once those beasts detected the powerful fluctuations of the Defensive Artifact, they will surely arrive and wreak havoc on our caravan. And when that happens, those bastards would be forced to counter-attack the horde of beasts. After they''re weak and battered, that would be the time where we will strike..." Dan''s eyes flashed in venomous light, Natalie licked her lips in anticipation while in contrast, Grace looked anxious. "Remember, if your first attack failed, retreat immediately, Assassins should never be caught in the open..." Natalie reminded Grace and Dan nodded his head in approval, her reminder made it feel like Natalie was more suitable as an Assassin than him. Sighing in his heart, the hearts of the three stretched taut as an earth-shattering roar reverberated at the distance. The earth itself trembled from the innumerable footsteps. At this moment, the invasion of beasts has started! 178 Infernal Brothers Inside the other carriage, the three brothers remained oblivious about Dan and the two women''s plan. Humming a tune and tapping their toes with the rhythm, they looked cheerful and confident, and their eyes glistened in anticipation. Roaaar~! A fierce chorus of roars filled the air and the three brothers'' expression changed. The horses that pulled the carriages froze in shock as screams of surprise echoed out. Grace and Natalie dashed out of the luxurious carriage along with Dan who looked pale and trembling in fear. The two women dashed towards Stanley and Malachi and tearfully pleaded. "Big brother, please help us! Beasts are coming our way!" "Please protect us and grandpa!" Malachi and Stanley felt the women''s reliance on them and their confidence instantly shot up. The former embraced Natalie''s waist while the latter also did the same. Little did they know that such actions were comparable to signing their own death warrant. "You need not worry about that, Missus, since us Infernal Brothers are here, there''s no way that these bastards could possibly hurt you..." Malachi reassured Natalie and she sweetly smiled in return. Invigorated by the two women''s support, the three brothers dashed to the front of the carriages and rotated their cultivation bases. The wind howled and dust flew in the air as the temperature around the area increased. As if a spark thrown on a pile of a haystack, the bodies of the three exploded into a fiery blaze as they simultaneously charged at the angry beasts. Each of them taking a general direction, their swift movements were efficient and aimed to end their enemy in the fastest way as possible and without leaving any trace. Dan''s eyes flashed with an amused light and his lips lifted into a vicious smile. Floating in the air were numerous system windows that constantly monitored the three''s conditions and once Dan concluded that they''re exhausted, the three of them would strike. Right now, Natalie and Grace embraced each other whilst trembling and Dan stood still, froze in fear. Malachi snickered in his heart upon witnessing their display of cowardice. "The women are frail and the only man is a coward, it seems like our job this time will be quite easy...Back then, I made a mistake of killing her, but now, I have learned from the past and I''ll definitely keep her alive this time..." Malachi''s eyes flashed with a cold light as the beast before him, exploded into a pile of ashes. Under the three brother''s might, the beasts soon realized that they couldn''t possibly finish their enemies. However, the temptations of a Heaven Grade Artifact wasn''t something that beasts of low intelligence like them could endure. With a howl towards the skies, they summoned their strongest comrade, a Thunder Winged Tiger. As the name says, the Thunder Winged Tiger could attack on the ground and in the skies, possessing extreme affinity and comprehension for the Lightning Laws, its attacks were swift and decisive. "Big bro! It''s a Thunder Winged Tiger! These bastards actually have such a powerful beast as their leader!" Stanley''s expression went pale, a mature Thunder Winged Tiger could battle against a Peak Divine Soul Cultivator. Cultivators with the same cultivation as beasts couldn''t possibly defeat them. In this case, the three of them needed to combine their strength together and defeat the Thunder Winged Tiger. "If they didn''t have such a powerful leader behind them, then everything would be too bland!" Fighting intent surged within Malachi''s eyes and he wildly laughed as fire blazed on both of his arms. Rushing towards the Thunder Winged Tiger, both man and beast roared as a fierce collision disturbed the battlefield. Bang! Finley and Stanley turned towards the source of the explosion as the former shouted, "Big Bro! Don''t attack it, yet! Don''t leave the formation!" The latter clicked his tongue, "Damn, Big Bro is too hot-headed, did he forget that we still need to protect those three?" Summoning a fire familiar, Stanley sent it towards the direction of Dan''s carriage and ordered it to protect the carriage with its life. The Thunder Winged Tiger''s eyes dangerously narrowed when it saw that a mere human whose cultivation was two stages lower than it actually dared to challenge its authority. With thunder flashing around its body, a tempest surged and attacked Malachi. "Come on, come on, come on! It wouldn''t be fun if it''s not like this!" Malachi howled and summoned a fire tornado before hurling it over the Thunder Winged Tiger. The shockwaves generated from the collision of their attacks instantly charred every beast around them. "Shit, the beasts are in a state of frenzy, there are only two reasons as to why they are so adamant on kicking us out from their territory..." Stanley''s eyes flashed in a critical light, "Usually, beasts would back down when they notice that their enemy was a tough nut to crack. However, this time..." Stretching both his hands, several beasts burned into dust as Stanley continued his monologue, "Either they are protecting something or someone is manipulating them from the shadows..." Taking a glance at Dan''s carriage, his eyes flashed in a venomous light but soon dismissed the idea. "That''s impossible, I even triple-checked it but found that the three of them didn''t contain any traces of Spiritual Qi, they are mere mortals, though the possibility is still there, why would they do such a thing that would definitely cause their death?" Stanley shook his head and continued his assault. The battle between Malachi and The Thunder Winged Tiger reached a crescendo with both parties suffering a considerable amount of damage. Malachi''s robes were torn and he looked bedraggled with numerous gashes on his torso, while the Thunder Winged Tiger''s wings were charred and the light within its eyes, dimmed. "Brothers! Accompany me here, let us combine our strength together!" Malachi roared and the two brothers abandoned Dan''s carriage and ran towards Malachi''s side, rotating their cultivation bases, the three brothers combined all their strength and summoned a fiery Asura that burned everything into ashes except the carriage that they were protecting. Back inside the carriage, Dan lightly laughed, "It seems like this guys actually have such a kind heart inside, to think that they didn''t forget to protect us even in such dire straits..." Observing the conditions of the three, Dan''s eyes flashed with a dangerous light. Natalie and Grace shrugged, they distanced themselves from the three brothers, after all, they were about to die, why care about the dead? "Ladies, get ready, our time will soon arrive..." Dan mumbled under his breath, "Let them experience the taste of victory first before sending them deep into the depths of despair..." His cold words sent a chill down the ladies'' spines as both of them shivered. 179 Unleashed The comprehension and cultivation bases of the three brothers were similar so combining their strength together didn''t pose any problems. Designating Malachi as the controller of the Asura, the other two continuously supplied their Spiritual Qi as the Asura and the Thunder Winged Tiger attacked each other. Clenching its fist made of fire, the air itself distorted from a heatwave as every tree around the area burned into charcoal. Roaaar~! With a defiant roar, lightning surged and encompassed its body, attacking with a downward slash using its paw, both attacks collided, sending lightning and fire throughout the entire forest as both parties flew backward. Guah~! The three brothers spat a mouthful of blood as they stood up and wiped the blood on the edge of their lips. Their attack just now struck a crucial weak point of the Thunder Winged Tiger and judging from the feedback, they should''ve dealt considerable damage to it. "Damage on its left wing and its two front paws, mobility is reduced, but its attack is increased due to anger, a classic nature of Yang affiliated beast like this bastard..." Malachi assessed the situation while attacking, his display of finesse and composure while in the battlefield astonished the group that observed them at the side. Finley and Stanley nodded their heads and adjusted their attacks to focus on those weak points that Malachi noted, their precise repeated attacks on those spots worsened the Thunder Winged Tiger''s injuries, but at the same time, the injuries that they suffered from the Tiger''s crazed attacks also increased. Natalie and Dan''s expression turned solemn when they saw the degree of cooperation and trust that they displayed to each other, clicking their tongues, they understood that killing these three wouldn''t be so simple. However, Dan''s confidence didn''t diminish for he had a trump card on his side. Grace''s battle experience was close to nothing, but she had a discerning and deceptive mind. As someone that lived her entire childhood in a slums community, she was an expert when it comes to manipulations and schemes. "What do you think, Grace? Should we attack now?" Dan tested out the waters and turned to face her with a solemn expression. Grace paused for a moment and squinted her eyes, staring at the battlefield, she recorded information regarding the two parties and made her conclusion, "I don''t know much about beasts, but judging from the surging battle intent of the two parties despite the fact that their injuries look worse, they definitely still have their trump cards and are waiting for the one who''s gonna make the first move..." "It''s also a crucial moment but if we interrupt their battle now, we will face both of their wrath which is something detrimental given that I''m a baggage that can easily be killed by a mere shockwave from their attacks..." Grace''s eyes dimmed when she reached the end of her sentence and Dan flicked her forehead. With a pained cry, Grace rubbed her aching forehead and glared at Dan as the latter lightly chuckled, "Baggage? A mere baggage couldn''t possibly know this much just by observing the battlefield!" He honestly praised, Grace''s words were supported by the findings of the System. Despite the low health bars of the two parties, their Qi Reserves were still at fifty-percent and beyond. Meaning, they were holding back their attacks for the opportunity to kill their enemy in one fell swoop. "Stanley! You attack the left side! Finley, take the right and I''ll take the front! Suppress it with fire!" Malachi howled and within the next instant, the three scattered and unleashed their arsenal of attacks on the Thunder Winged Tiger. Lightning arcs congealed in the air and formed a barrier which enveloped the Thunder Winged Tiger, all attacks of the three brothers disappeared like a stone thrown into the ocean as they clicked their tongues and retreated. Staring at a distance of several meters away from the Thunder Winged Tiger. They saw that the Tiger sat on the ground with closed eyes. The Spiritual Qi of Heaven and Earth formed a vortex around its body and each strand absorbed, healed its wounds. "Damn, the bastard is healing itself using destruction! The Dao of Lightning stems from the Dao of Life, it can summon the primal laws of Lightning and heal itself!" Malachi''s extensive knowledge enabled him to find the answer in such a short time. Stanley and Finley''s expression drastically changed, if the Thunder Winged Tiger managed to recover, then the three of them would be eliminated. "What did you say?! The bastard is recovering?! Then, what should we do? Is there any way that we can stop it?!" Finley interrupted with a pale expression on his face, Malachi thought for a moment and said. "Since this bastard isn''t attacking us, it only means that either it cannot move or it needs to concentrate all of its focus on healing itself..." Malachi dished out his conclusion and the epiphany struck the two brothers, "So, Big Bro is saying that as long as we interrupt its healing process, it may suffer a backlash that would result to its end? What are we waiting for? Let''s go and attack, now!" Stanley rotated his cultivation base and summoned a sword of fire before attacking with a downward slash on the Thunder Winged Tiger''s head. The immobile Tiger didn''t even open its eyelids as the fire sword clashed with the barrier of lightning that surrounded it. As soon as the attack struck the barrier, the flames extinguished and the contained Spiritual Qi was quenched. "I-I-It ate my attack?" Stanley staggered backward, that single attack used up several percents of his Qi Reserves and due to insufficient Spiritual Qi, he couldn''t even rotate his Spiritual Qi anymore. Finley gnashed his teeth while Malachi looked pensive in contemplation. "Everything is not too late, yet. If we use that thing, we can definitely break through this bastard''s barrier..." Malachi proposed and the faces of his two brothers'' went pale. "Using that?" "Are you sure about that, Big Bro, that Forbidden Technique is affiliated with the demonic path, once someone from the Paradyne Academy knew that we had such technique, we will definitely be annihilated along with our families..." Stanley spat with a solemn tone and Finley stood at the side with the same expression. Malachi glanced at Dan''s carriage and said, "There should be no problem, those people in the carriage are mere mortals that we can easily kill, I feel pity for the women but once we use that technique, we should definitely kill them once we''re done with them..." Stanley and Finley nodded their heads, though it was a pity that they couldn''t keep the women for themselves, it was better than being hunted by the entire Paradyne Academy and suffering a fate that was worse than death. Biting the tip of their tongues, the three brothers spat a mouthful of blood essence of which they combined together to form a figure of a bloody and fiery Asura. Cold winds howled and the Fiery Asura whose figure spanned at least several tens of meters stood tall amidst the forest. Staring at the recovering Tiger in disdain, the three brothers collapsed exhausted on the ground as smiles of victory lifted on their faces. With the summoned Asura on their side, victory was certain. "Let''s go!" However, inside a certain carriage, a decisive shout suddenly pierced through the air as two auras of the Spirit Tempering Realm surged. The sense of imminent danger and despair filled the minds of the three brothers as the murderous aura of the two foreign cultivators neared them. Turning to look at the intruders, Malachi''s expression went venomous when he saw Natalie''s figure approaching him with a murderous look on her face. "As I thought, you bastards are spies from the Paradyne Academy!" Malachi forcefully twisted the direction of the Asura''s strike. The bloody Asura''s downward palm strike that aimed at the Tiger turned to aim at Dan''s head as Natalie''s expression went incomparably pale! 180 Like a Pes As soon as the fiery sword of the Asura made contact with Dan''s head, it sliced him into two and smoothly dissected his body like cutting through butter. Witnessing Dan''s horrifying death, Malachi''s expression distorted into joy and gloating. However, when his gaze swept over Natalie''s figure. He saw a mocking smile lifted on her lips and her eyes radiated a light as if saying, "You are already dead..." "W-what?" Malachi uttered a queer cry as a sense of imminent danger assaulted his back. The recovering Thunder Winged Tiger awakened from slumber and sent a ray of lightning towards his direction. Stanley and Finley turned pale, rotating their cultivation bases, a wall of fire manifested between them and the lightning bolt as a fierce explosion ensued. BOOM! The explosion sent dust particles flying towards the skies. Malachi and the others hurriedly covered their noses and mouths, afraid that the clearly artificial smoke was made of poisonous ingredients. But when they saw that it didn''t do anything other than reducing visibility. The three brothers clicked their tongues. "Natalie, retreat! Hurry up!" Dan''s voice echoed at the southern side as lightning flashed before their eyes. Malachi lifted a venomous smile on his face, Stanley''s expression distorted when he saw that they were covered in a cloud of flour. Turning towards Malachi, he hurriedly shouted in warning. "Shit! Big Bro! Don''t use your flame!" His shout echoed out at the same moment as Malachi ignited his flame. In that instant, the flame from his palms accelerated through the cloud of flour, creating a lethal shockwave and a fierce explosion which blasted everything away, including the Asura avatar and the Thunder Winged Tiger. The explosion hurled tonnes of dust into the air as a miserable shriek echoed out from the Tiger''s throat, smiling to himself, Dan calmly retreated towards the carriage. If there was something proper that he learned from the previous owner of this body apart from techniques on pleasing women, it would be the existence of dust explosions. As one of the clans that controlled a part of the City of Cloud, the Longinus Family possessed numerous factories and flour mills. Many of their flour mills were destroyed, this way and his father often lectured him about it when he understood that the previous Dan didn''t have any interest regarding cultivation. Of course, he mixed some combustible ingredients with the flour to increase its potency. Such knowledge about the mundane world actually became useful at this crucial moment, Dan couldn''t help but lift a small smile as he turned towards the astonished Natalie. The shockwave generated by the attack wasn''t strong, but the sheer speed of its generation completely mystified her. Though she could do the same, she wasn''t confident that she could do it at that speed as she shot Dan a strange look as the latter lifted a cheeky smile. Staring ahead, though he couldn''t visually confirm his enemies'' status, the system gave him necessary information as he said, "I''ll go and weaken them further, only when I say the signal will you guys come out and do your thing..." Dan took his two daggers and assumed an offensive stance, Natalie hesitated for a moment before replying, "I will go with you too!" "No, you stay here and protect Grace from any attack, it''s fine, just trust me..." Dan turned his back towards her and dashed towards the direction of the three brothers. All three of them had health points below the thirty-percent range and their Qi Reserves also looked identical at the twenty-percent range. Smiling to himself, Dan kept his body low and set his eyes on the most dangerous target, Malachi. [Move three paces to the right and roll forward] The system instructed and Dan hurriedly converted the instructions into actions. A fierce explosion resonated and a patch of charred earth could be seen at his initial location. Directing his gaze forward, he saw that the attack originated from the Thunder Winged Tiger. Clicking his tongue, Dan crouched and kept his pursuit. "Careful!" Malachi warned. The sharpened senses of the three brothers were one of the reasons why they could last this far in such a line of job, and all of them trusted their intuition as they threw a ball of fire towards Dan''s direction. The heatwave struck Dan''s face and with a mere sidestep, he dodged the attack. [Incoming attack at ten o''clock and two o''clock, dodge by leaping towards the skies.] Dan clicked his tongue before bending his knees and propelling himself in the air. However, when he did such actions, he inadvertently broke out from the smoke that encompassed the area, effectively revealing his position. "So that''s where you are, fucking brat!" Malachi venomously spat as an arrow made of fire flew towards Dan''s figure. Stanley and Finley sneered, while in mid-air, one couldn''t possibly dodge such a high-speed attack. Puchi~ The sound of penetrated flesh echoed throughout the battlefield and Dan''s body lifelessly fell on the ground. The three brothers revealed sneering smiles, but Malachi''s expression changed, "He''s not dead, yet! He''s somewhere around us!" Stanley and Finley immediately turned wary and Dan who stood before them while in Stealth clicked his tongue, "Damn, these bastards are smarter than I thought..." "We can''t detect him, Big Bro!" "Don''t worry about that, since he''s somewhere around us, we could just burn everything around us and smoke him out!" "That''s a good idea, Finley!" The three brothers nodded their heads and simultaneously sent a volley of flames in the area around them, turning the greeneries into a fiery hell. "Idiots, are they really thinking that I''m their only enemy?" Dan sneered in his heart as an enraged roar pierced through the air, the Thunder Winged Tiger''s eyes flashed in a dangerous light as it madly ran towards the three brother''s direction. Though it could understand the reason why the three brother''s wanted to fight it, it couldn''t comprehend why the three would go so far as to burn its territory down. Fueled by rage and hatred, the Tiger abandoned all defenses and went for extreme offense. "Shit, the Tiger is coming after us, Big Bro!" "Goddamned it, don''t focus that kid for now! Prepare for the Tiger''s attack!" The Thunder Winged Tiger''s threat surpassed Dan''s threat as the three brothers accordingly changed their focus, turning towards the Thunder Winged Tiger, the three brothers madly rotated their cultivation bases in an effort to form the Fiery Asura once again. However, at the critical moment of their summoning, Dan would precisely interrupt their channeling process, causing them to spat mouthfuls of blood as a backlash. The Thunder Winged Tiger recognized Dan''s presence as an ally and even assisted him by creating an opening that Dan could exploit. Both beast and man worked together and caused severe damages to the three brothers. Malachi''s expression twisted, his bedraggled appearance looked miserable as he shouted, "YOU FUCKING BASTARD, IF YOU''RE A MAN, THEN STOP HIDING AND FACE US IN A FAIR BATTLE!" Covered with Stealth, Dan shrugged and replied under his breath, "Fair battle? Why should I do that, I''m an Assassin..." He shook his head and continued his seamless teamwork with the Thunder Winged Tiger as the three brothers continuously spat mouthfuls of blood in indignance and hatred, their injuries worsening every minute and soon, it was time for the two ladies to take their spotlights. 181 Inconceivable Even "Big bro, you better help me with these guys, I promise that I won''t hurt you when everything is done and well..." Dan sent a voice transmission towards the Thunder Winged Tiger and the two of them stared at each other for a moment. It would normally be unreasonable for a beast to cooperate with humans but when it saw the earnest and determined eyes of the young man, the Thunder Winged Tiger nodded its head and supported Dan by creating openings that he could exploit. Dan''s comprehension regarding the Lightning Laws was higher than the Tiger so he easily absorbed its energy and recover his own injuries, taking a glance at the condition of the three brothers, Dan signaled and Natalie stepped forward from the carriage. Activating the Second Stance of the Blessing of the Lightning God, Natalie''s hair turned azure and her eyes shone in the same light, encompassed by Lightning, Natalie''s speed and destructive capabilities surged, but as soon as she entered the milky-white fog, her presence disappeared like a bubble. Malachi and his two comrades were horrified, one moment, her presence was surging, but in the next instance, all traces of her disappeared. Gnashing their teeth, the three of them endured the raging attacks of Dan and the Tiger along with preparing themselves for Natalie''s assault. Lightning and Fire scattered throughout the entire forest, turning it into a hellish purgatory of scorched earth. The three brothers lumped together inside the mist, taking a jade bottle containing several ominous looking pills, they nodded their heads in resolve before chugging them down. "Health bar and Qi Reserves are increasing? What the hell is going on?" Dan covered in Stealth mumbled under his breath, the sudden recovery of the three astonished him as he sent a voice transmission towards Natalie''s direction. "Natalie, go back! Don''t come in here!" Natalie stiffened upon hearing his panicked voice, taking a step backward, she turned around and dashed towards the direction of the forest as a Fiery Asura manifested and destroyed the milky-white mist that enveloped them, revealing their current condition. Two of the three brothers stood at the Asura''s shoulders while the other stood above its head. The fires from the Asura looked thicker and redder than before and the heatwave that it emanated caused burns on Dan''s skin as he painfully shrieked and retreated in a hurry. The Thunder Winged Tiger moved its gigantic body away and observed the Fiery Asura with solemn eyes. Energy fluctuations from the Fiery Asura indicated that it had a cultivation of the Peak Divine Soul Realm. [Results: Consumption of Cultivation and Strength Increasing Pills.] [Suggestion: It''s okay, fam. I gotcha, just don''t be a wuss and we can definitely defeat that guy.] [Generating three-dimensional image and labeling weak points.] With a quick scan from the System, a three-dimensional holographic image of the Fiery Asura floated on Dan''s peripheral vision. However, these weaknesses were at a great height of about five meters, and couldn''t be reached without jumping and exposing himself. "Brats from the Paradyne Academy whose lips are still wet from your mother''s milk. Do you really think that you could easily defeat us just because you have this cat as your comrade?" Malachi laughed wildly, "Once we took care of this little cat, your death will soon arrive, forget about struggling, I bet that you can''t even move near our current body..." Dan ignored Malachi''s threat and checked the conditions of his two brothers. Seeing their tranquil expression and closed eyes, Dan understood that it required complete participation from the two with Malachi as the Chief Controller of the Asura. The Asura raised its arm and a fiery sword manifested in its palms, before sending a downward slash at the direction of the weakened Thunder Winged Tiger. Roaaar! The Thunder Winged Tiger gave a defiant howl and summoned everything that it had in an effort to defend against the downward slash. Lightning clashed with fire and the Tiger''s body flew backward, striking several gigantic trees before it stopped and moved no more. "Damn it..." Dan clicked his tongue when he saw the draining life force of the Tiger, directing his gaze at Natalie, the two simultaneously nodded their heads. Although their enemy had greater strength than them, that power was temporary and once it dissipated, a period of weakness would follow. For now, their goal was to protect Grace and wait for the backlash of the pills that they consumed. Natalie ignited the second stance of her Divine Art and Dan activated the first stance of his Divine Art. Lightning consumed their bodies and the two of them stood together with their weapons in tow. Natalie''s soft sword gently swayed in the air like a whip while Dan wielded both of his daggers, his eyes shining in a fierce light of battle intent. Bang! Thunder rumbled and the earth collapsed under Dan and Natalie''s feet as they simultaneously sent a volley of lightning bolts at the Fiery Asura''s torso. Unfortunately, when the bolt of lightning struck the Asura, it merely collapsed into nothingness without doing any damage. "It''s useless, it''s useless unless your comprehension of the Fire Laws is higher than us, there''s no way that you could find our weaknesses and even possibly damage us in this state!" Malachi shook his head and laughed out loud, the struggles of the two amused him and seeing them try and try again to no avail, delighted him. Indeed, without high enough comprehension, it should be impossible to find the Asura''s weakness. Natalie glanced at Dan and saw his determined and serious look. Nodding her head, she chose to follow her husband''s decision and attacked at the spot where he''s attacking. Wielding both of his daggers, Dan entered a strange state where only he and his enemy existed. All sound disappeared and he felt incomparably peaceful while dancing across the battlefield. With each swing of his arms, a part of the Asura would crumble down. "This brat..." Malachi''s eyes widened in shock, Dan''s movements looked amateurish and mediocre, yet his attacks were accurate and always aimed at a crucial spot. Not only that, his degree of mastery with his daggers was at the level where he could wield it like it was his arms. Malachi''s eyes flashed in a venomous light as the Asura waved its arm, a five-meter-wide column of fire shot downwards and flew towards Dan''s direction. As it neared the ground, the earth melted like hot chocolate. Dan didn''t feel afraid of the fire from the column, but the Spiritual Energy contained within the attack was at the Peak Divine Soul Realm and something that he couldn''t possibly endure. Stopping his movements, Dan predicted the arrival of the column and instantly activated Flicker just before it could hit him. The beam of fire went through his initial location and bore a hole on the earth. Several seconds later, Dan reappeared behind the Asura as cold lights flashed from his dagger. Chunks of fire-like flesh crumbled from the Asura as Dan hurriedly screamed. "Switch!" With his command, Natalie arrived by his side as fast as lightning and sent a palm strike and horizontal slice at the Asura''s weak points. Malachi''s expression distorted into anger and humiliation. As the controller of the Asura, he was clearer than anyone about its current condition. The sheer size of the fifteen-meters tall Asura restricted its mobility and Malachi couldn''t counter-attack even if he wanted to, sending waves after waves of fire beams that hit nothing but thin-air, Malachi became increasingly crazed. Dan and Natalie knew that once a single attack landed on them, they would definitely be severely injured or even die. Making sure that they were out of reach by the Asura''s hands, they skillfully maneuvered around its body and sent devastating attacks on its weak points. With both husband and wife that thoroughly understood each other, words were useless and with mere eye signals, the two communicated and planned their approach and attacks. This caused an enormous headache for Malachi as his eyes reddened in rage and his figure slightly quivered in shame. Lifting his head, a vicious idea suddenly entered his mind. "If I cannot kill you, then I will make sure to bring one of you down to hell with me!" Malachi fired a concentrated beam of fire towards Grace''s direction. His plan was to stop their movements by distracting them so that they would reveal an opening. However, seeing that they merely shrugged and continued on their onslaught, his expression changed. "Hey, what the hell are you doing...Do you not care about that mortal girl in the carriage?" Malachi uttered in disbelief, Dan and Natalie stared at each other for a moment before saying, "That girl is more reinforced than us, I bet that even if the five of us worked together, we can''t even pierce her defenses in a single attack..." This astonished Malachi, someone that had such a strength could easily crush them, yet why didn''t she stepped forward and attacked them by herself? "What do you mean...Are you saying that she''s more powerful than all of us combined?" Malachi mumbled while sending a column of fire at Natalie''s direction. Natalie merely side-stepped and dodged his attack before saying with a small smile, "It''s because she''s protected by that overly-protective man right there that stuffed her robes full of defensive talismans and a Heaven Grade Artifact..." As her words fell, the beam of fire struck the carriage, burning everything into ashes. As the dust settled down, a coughing Grace could be seen amidst the destruction. Her figure and clothes remained pristine but her expression distorted into anger. "You''re forcing my hand!" Covered in the dozens of resplendent lights from the triggered defensive talismans and the milky-white light from the Heaven Grade Artifact, Grace ran towards the battlefield and amidst the three''s shocked gazes, she rammed herself on the Asura''s foot, sending it falling on the ground as cracking sounds echoed out from her defensive talismans. "Hmmph! Defense is the strongest offense!" She declared with her arms crossed together. 182 Fragile Life "Grace, what in the actual heavens are you doing?!" Dan cried out in disbelief with his face completely pale. Grace was merely a mortal that he could easily turn into dust with a wave of his hands, a simple shockwave could kill her, yet she invaded their battlefield and even toppled the Asura down on its butt. "Sister! Why did you come rushing in here?" Natalie swiftly ran at her side and reached out her hand to drag her to a safe place. But before her hands could reach her, a repulsive force sent her staggering backward. "Ah, Sis, you cannot touch me yet, the talismans and artifacts are still in effect..." Grace lightly smiled and turned her gaze at Dan''s direction, "Dear, don''t be too worried, you do know that I''m not so stupid to do such things without any logical reason, right?" Dan shook his head, but still believed what she said. He didn''t believe that someone like her that could easily deceive veteran merchants would do something so stupid as to rushing in the battlefield without any plans. "As for the reason why I am here, the defensive talismans and the Heaven Grade Artifacts combined created a barrier that could easily defend against the attacks of a Peak Divine Soul Realm. However, I wonder what would happen if I ram such a sturdy barrier on a Peak Divine Soul Cultivator?" Grace words made the two fall into deep contemplation. But of course, Malachi who finally recovered from his dazed state stared at the nonchalant three in anger and sent numerous fire beams towards their direction. Dan and Natalie dodged them like nothing while Grace stood still and endured the attacks with her barrier. Malachi''s crazed attacks with his fire beam continued, Natalie and Dan''s actions of dodging the hail of fire while deeply in thought astonished Malachi and Grace. "Brats...I''m going to tear you bastards into ten thousand pieces!!!" Malachi had lived for over fifty years, his combat experience was incomparably rich, so he was definitely not one of those who was arrogant and condescending. And in the battlefield, he could maintain his composure and sweep through his enemies. However, Dan and Natalie''s nonchalant actions and casual ignoring of his presence crossed his bottom line. Throwing all caution to the wind, Malachi forcefully maneuvered the Asura as crimson lights flashed in the air. But before he could initiate his attack, Dan continued his assault and sent the Asura into a stunned state, interrupting its movements. Natalie emerged from her contemplation and as Dan''s instructions for switching came out, her lightning clad body appeared behind the Asura and sent a palm strike at its weak points. Both attacks staggered the Asura, Malachi spat a mouthful of blood from the backlash as his hatred and fury for the two intensified even further. Stretching an arm out to Dan''s chest, he poured his berserking Spiritual Energy and aimed to tear Dan''s heart into pieces despite Natalie''s continuous attack on his back, why should he care about that when the mastermind of everything was standing before him? "Die!!!" Puchi! Malachi''s palm strike struck nothing, as two identical Dans appeared before him at the same time. His experience in battles steadied his mind as his palm strike turned into a palm sweep that swooped the two Dans in the air. Malachi swept behind him with his other hand and struck Natalie''s figure as the latter flew away and rolled on the ground. At the same time, his hands that captured the two Dans clenched, crushing Dan in his palms. But before he could feel any delight from killing Dan, a surging Spiritual Energy manifested behind him as Dan sent a punch directly on a weak point at his back. Dan cleanly struck his target as the Asura''s upper body bent forward. A bloody flower carved on its back as Malachi struggled on stabilizing the Asura''s condition. Summoning a vortex of Spiritual Qi, Malachi aimed to recover from Dan''s attack, but before he could even start his recovery process, Natalie''s palm strike assaulted his side as the Asura flew in the air and rolled like a ball on the ground. "Damn, you''re fucking sturdy..." Dan couldn''t help but curse when he saw that the Asura still had thirty-percent of health points left despite his relentless attacks. The Asura struggled to stand up, Dan''s eyes flashed and a boom echoed out from his feet as he and Natalie dashed at the Asura''s arms and sliced a huge chunk of its tendons, preventing it from standing back up. Leaping towards the skies, Dan and Natalie summoned a ball of lightning, infusing everything that they could infuse on the lightning ball, both husband and wife held each other''s hands as the ball of lightning seamlessly fused with each other, creating an even stronger power that threatened to annihilate the Asura. Malachi''s eyes looked dull and his mouth slightly opened to speak. However, the frothing blood on his mouth prevented him from doing so as despair filled his mind. "Am I going to die here? All those riches that I accumulated from my line of work, will I forever be unable to enjoy them?" Malachi thought in melancholy, staring at his unconscious brothers, a wish surged from his heart. "If there''s a second life, I hope that we can still be brothers again..." He mumbled and closed his eyes as the ball of lightning neared the Asura''s body and consumed everything on its path. The two were even sent backward from the shockwave alone while Grace struggled to keep herself steady. The explosion generated by the Lightning Ball briefly illuminated the entire Wilderness. When the dust and light simmered down, the Asura completely disappeared and what remained on the crater was the bodies of the three brothers, laying together in their last breath. The three approached Malachi and his solemn, yet melancholic and regretful expression transformed the atmosphere into a somber one. Natalie and Grace maintained an indifferent expression along with Dan whose eyes shone in a cold light. Seeing their looks, Malachi chuckled. "I know that I have committed so many deeds in this life that even sacrificing my soul wouldn''t be enough to atone for it..." "I have annihilated so many families and humiliated so many maidens, I could be considered as more evil than those so-called demons." "Brothers, If there''s a next life, I do hope that we can still be brothers and at that time, we shall stay away from this one-way path..." Malachi slightly smiled, coughing an enormous amount of blood, he stared at the three and said. "End my suffering..." His words didn''t affect Dan and Natalie but it shook Grace''s heart and mind as her figure started trembling. Dan turned towards her and said, "Grace, end his suffering..." Dan handed over his dagger and Grace received it as her hand endlessly trembled. "I-If I killed him, will he be able to reincarnate once again?" Grace turned towards Dan but the latter merely closed his eyes and refused to answer her question. Natalie also turned to the side as Grace approached Malachi''s figure and raised her trembling hand that held the dagger in the air. "I hope that you won''t have the heart to do what you did in this life in your next life..." Grace whispered to him as her dagger stabbed down and pierced his heart. Coughing his last mouthful of blood, Malachi revealed a relieved smile as all traces of his life force disappeared. From his body surged a jet-black ray of light which entered Grace''s body. Grace staggered for a moment before regaining her composure. Turning her head towards Dan''s direction, Dan received the signal and answered. "There''s no way that he could reincarnate once his soul is consumed..." "I see, so that''s how it is..." Grace uttered and turned around to leave for the direction of the annihilated carriages. Natalie and Dan stared at each other before stabbing down on the hearts of Stanley and Finley. After absorbing their cultivation bases, Dan and Natalie felt like they could break through the Divine Soul Realm whenever they wanted to. Disposing of the bodies of the three fallen mercenaries, the group walked out of the Wilderness and returned to the Academy. Throughout the entire journey, Grace remained despondent, only answering Dan and Natalie''s inquiries with simple answers. Even though Grace resolved herself that she would walk on the same path as Dan, she still felt shaken about the fact that he denied someone''s second chance of changing himself. What if the man that he killed earlier actually had the destiny to save humanity in his next life? Or what if he had the fate of a hero in his next life? Grace thought in her heart. Arriving before the gates of the Fragrant Peak Pavilion, Natalie left Grace and Dan alone on the front yard as she attended to the excited Juliet. Dan''s heart ached when he saw Grace''s depressed expression, embracing her into his chest, he lovingly rubbed her head and said, "Grace, I know that you''re pretty shaken about what happened earlier, but think about this, if we didn''t take matters into our hands and ended his life, I am pretty sure that he would continue his work of annihilating families and humiliating maidens." "What if one of those people that he killed had the destiny of a great cultivator that would save humanity from the clutches of the demons?" "What if one of them had the potential to become the next Emperor that would lead humanity into greatness? So many potentials have been wasted because of his wanton killings. His life alone wouldn''t be enough to atone for it..." "So don''t think too much about it, Grace. Or if you ever feel pity about them, just think of the fates of their previous and future victims. Think about what would happen if you didn''t kill those bastards, Grace..." Grace stood stiff, enjoying Dan''s warmth and listening to his reassuring words, Grace sheepishly nodded her head and said, "I''m sorry, that I became so indecisive, from now on, I will never become like this, ever again. I promise you that..." The light of resolve within her eyes amused Dan as he said with a light chuckle, "Come on, don''t be so serious, it''s fine if you get hurt, and if that happens, remember that I am right by your side and ready to shower you with head pats..." "What head pats? Who likes head pats?" Grace furiously blushed and refused to meet his gaze, Dan who was still caressing her head cheekily smiled and said, "I see, so little Grace right here doesn''t want to be showered with head pats? It seems like I''ll just give Natalie her share of head pats and head rubs..." Dan took his hands away from her head, but Grace caught his wrist and sheepishly said, "Don''t go to Sister, for now, stay here and don''t remove your hand, continue rubbing it..." Dan laughed out loud upon witnessing her display and he continued domesticating her with head pats and head rubs. Burying herself deeper into his chest, Grace felt blissful as Natalie and Juliet stood at the entrance of the residence with smiles on their faces. "Juliet, it seems like your Mama is being greedy, she actually wants to take your Papa for herself..." Natalie commented and Juliet turned towards Natalie and said, "Mama, you''ve been doted by Papa for several months already, let Papa dote on Mama Grace more..." She ignored Natalie and turned around to leave and surprise her Papa. Natalie wryly smiled, Juliet''s words mere sound and logical but the fact that Juliet took Grace''s side made her somewhat jealous and amused. 183 Rewards The family dined together with Dan displaying his skills in cuisine once again. Natalie assisted him while Juliet and Grace arranged the utensils on the table. Dan and Natalie''s tacit understanding regarding the next steps on the recipe enabled them to work without talking. This created an outstanding show for Grace and Juliet as Dan and Natalie casually handed each other some utensils and ingredients to prep on. Juliet stared in awestruck while Grace looked somewhat envious, her cooking couldn''t be considered mediocre but it wasn''t enough for her to stand together with Dan''s skills that he refined for the past decade. Soon, the fragrant and alluring scent of meat and vegetables wafted out in the air. Excitement and anticipation could be seen on Grace and Juliet''s expression as the two of them stared with shining eyes on the pans that Dan and Natalie worked on. Serving time soon arrived and Dan presented the dishes to the judges with incomparable calmness and elegance. His fluid movements when carrying the tray captivated the two as Natalie slightly smiled at the side. Dan''s pretentious side made him amusing to the eyes. "Mademoiselle, here''s your Filet Mignon, Beef Wellington, and Fish Fillet de El Ni?o..." Dan placed the steaming hot plates on the table and lifted a smile on his face. Natalie''s hand came smacking down his nape as he turned around and said, "What''s wrong with you, Natalie! That was nearly perfect and you came here and interrupted me!" Natalie shook her head and lightly chuckled, "We''re not in a luxurious restaurant and you''re not a waiter either, stop being so pretentious..." Natalie scolded and Dan clicked his tongue, "And here I thought that you would accept this chuuni side of me..." "Chuuni?" Natalie mumbled, Dan hurriedly shook his head and waved his hands off. The family soon sat together and peacefully dined with Juliet exploding in compliments as always. Grace kept her composure but her lips couldn''t help but faintly smile when tasting the dishes that Dan and Natalie made. "The time will come that I will definitely be able to make good food like this..." Grace thought to herself as she resolved her mind that after everything was done and over, the first thing that she would definitely do was to hone her culinary skills. "Today is quite lively, isn''t it?" A familiar voice suddenly interrupted and everyone stared stupified by Mathias'' arrival. Dan wryly smiled, staring at the utensils in his hands, it looked like he knew that they were cooking and brought some plates for himself. Mathias casually sat on a chair beside Juliet and took his own share of food as Dan complained, "Headmaster, I didn''t expect that you would suddenly barge in while we''re in the middle of a family dinner. Aren''t you afraid that I''ll accuse you of breach of privacy?" "Hahaha, don''t joke like that, young man, don''t we treat each other as family?" Mathias took a huge portion of meat and chugged it down his mouth without any care for his image. Natalie and Grace bitterly smiled while Juliet pointed out Mathias'' lack of manners, "That''s bad manners! Mama said to not bite more than you can chew!" Mathias lightly chuckled and tapped Juliet''s head with a nod. After the family finished their dinner, Dan served some wine for Mathias and asked, "Isn''t it time that you inform us of your business, Headmaster?" "You sure are in a hurry, Dan." Taking the glass of wine before him, Mathias sipped some of it and continued, "Are you that anxious to get intimate with your wives?" Dan knitted his eyebrows in a frown while Natalie and Grace suffused a furious blush. "Old man, could it be that your business for us is something related about your request?" Dan chimed in and Mathias turned towards him with a nod, "I already knew about your success regarding that matter, I am here to tell you that everything is done and over, I will now hand over your rewards..." The notion of rewards ignited the eyes of the two women while Dan maintained his frown, "Everything is over and done? We only killed three people and I don''t think that the Academy would be cleansed with just that amount..." Mathias took another sip of his cup, his calm expression looked like he fell into deep contemplation as he replied, "Since you already took care of the core members, there''s not really any reason to continue pursuing the matters about the Mercenary Pavilion, especially when I already exerted my influence and have those bastards of the demonic path executed..." The expression of the three stiffened. From the time that they finished off the three brothers until they arrived in the Academy to bring the news, merely twelve hours had passed, yet Mathias already finished his decisive move. Mathias'' display of ferociousness and decisiveness astonished the three and once again, they were reminded that the lazy-looking man before them was the Headmaster of one of the prestigious academy in the Empire of Eternal Faith, the Paradyne Academy. "So for now, the situation has stabilized, but if something else comes up, I''ll inform you and make sure to give you another mission again." Mathias placed the cup back on the table and flicked his wrist, sending two cold tokens flying towards Dan''s direction. "As the Headmaster of the Academy, I could still exert my own authority to influence things, after sacrificing something on my part, I managed to secure two Honorary Disciple tokens, from now on, Juliet Longinus and Grace Longinus are now Honorary Disciples." This thunderbolt of a news struck the heads of the three as their eyes widened in shock, Dan recovered from his stupor and asked, "I understand the reason why you made Grace an Honorary Disciple, but why did you include Juliet as well?" Mathias stared at him for a moment as a small smile lifted on his lips, "What are you complaining about? Don''t you want that to happen? Honorary Disciples receive far more resources than Outer Disciples, in other words, being an Honorary Disciple meant that the Academy would spoonfeed you everything, making your life easier than the Emperor himself, why is it that you''re opposing this proposal of mine?" Natalie and Grace also turned to look at Dan in confusion, having Juliet become an Honorary Disciple meant that she could enjoy all the benefits of an Honorary Disciple, why was Dan complaining about such an arrangement? Dan lifted his head and stared right into Mathias'' eyes. "That arrangement is indeed for the better in terms of cultivation resources and the quality of instructors. However, do you really want me to spoil Juliet everything? It would be better to have her struggle from the bottom rungs of the rankings and have her work her way to the top than to give her everything that she may take for granted." "I don''t want Juliet to become an arrogant, spoiled brat that would cry out for help without breaking through it by herself, a person like that would inevitably become a parasite and something that wouldn''t amount to anything on the road to the peak." Mathias stood dumbstruck while Natalie and Grace stared at him with astonished eyes. Natalie''s expression looked indescribable while Grace wore a complicated one. Mathias lifted a small smile on his face, "Young man, I hope that you don''t regret doing this for your daughter. Remember, the struggle as an Outer Sect Disciple is fierce and one couldn''t blame anyone for injuries, can you really bear to see her suffering?" Dan shook his head, "Of course not, I love Juliet, and seeing her suffer makes my heart ache. However, if I didn''t do this decision today and she grew up as a spoiled delinquent that only knows how to bully those weaker than her than challenge those higher than her, It would hurt me far more than seeing her being injured in a competition." Mathias laughed out loud, his eyes flashed with jubilant lights as he said in a solemn voice, "Damn, kid, I didn''t expect that you''re not only a monstrous talent that has that geezer, Takemikazuchi as your master, you''re also a good father..." "You praise me too much, Senior, a good father is the one that could raise such a fine beauty like Charlotte..." Dan joked, but as soon as he finished his words, Mathias suddenly turned serious while Natalie and Grace warily stared at his figure. "W-w-what''s wrong with you guys?" Dan uttered in confusion and Natalie gave her the answer. "Dear, don''t tell me that you''re also targeting Sister Charlotte for your harem?" Natalie''s eyes flashed in a strange light, Dan could feel the pulsating coldness from Mathias as he hurriedly denied, "No, no, no, of course not! Why would I do such things? I already have two wives with me, why would I find another? Do you really think that I''m such an insatiable bastard?" Natalie and Grace simultaneously nodded their heads as Mathias exploded into laughter, "Even your wives are thinking that you''re an insatiable bastard, how could you even possibly defend yourself with such solid evidence from them." Dan glared at Natalie and Grace but the two merely turned their heads at the side and ignored his complaints. "I accept your proposal about taking away Juliet''s Honorary Disciple position, however, since it would leave a bad taste in my mouth if I just took away your remaining reward, how about this, give me your wish and if it''s something that I can satisfy, I will definitely do it as long as my ability permits." Mathias changed the topic and offered his proposal regarding Dan''s reward. Dan thought for a moment as memories about these past months surged in his mind, particularly about Natalie''s past and his previous family. Taking a glance at her for a moment, Dan''s eyes flashed with a fierce light as he decided in his heart. "Senior, since you''re one of the overlords in this Empire, it should be simple for you to annihilate a clan, right?" Mathias who expected to be asked for Heaven Grade Artifacts or even the hands of her daughter stiffened. Grace''s eyes widened in shock while Natalie stared at Dan in astonishment as an epiphany struck her mind. "Indeed, it is simple for us to annihilate a clan, but since we''re a righteous clan, we cannot just annihilate any clan out there without solid motive and complete evidence. So sadly, your wish is something that I cannot fulfill..." Mathias shook his head. Dan nodded his head in agreement since the Paradyne Academy was affiliated with the righteous path, they couldn''t just go out there and annihilate any clan in just a whim. Doing that would make them public enemy number one and the subject of scorn for everyone. "How about this, Senior, is it possible for you to help me make them pay a huge price?" Dan proposed, if Dan couldn''t erase them for now, then he would make sure that they''ll pay a huge enough price that would cripple them for at least several years. Mathias thought for a moment before nodding his head, "It should be possible, however, the key word here is a solid reason. As long as you have a valid reason for doing such things, I will help you from the side and make sure that they won''t dare to fight back against you..." "Here, take this personal token of mine, as long as you infuse your Spiritual Qi in it, I will immediately arrive by your side in three breaths." Mathias flicked his wrist and sent a fiery token towards Dan''s direction. Dan caught it in mid-air as a venomous smile lifted on his lips. "I thank Senior for his generosity..." Dan clasped his hands together in respect and Mathias stared at him for a moment before turning around to leave. Keeping the jade token in his Virtual Inventory, Dan turned towards the two and stared at Natalie before whispering. "Those bastards have enjoyed enough prosperity, it is time for us to knock them down a notch..." Dan lifted a venomous smile on his lips while Natalie embraced his arm in anxiousness. Rubbing her head, he said, "Don''t be afraid, with Senior Mathias on our side, those bastards will definitely cower down." 184 Luzon Clan The Emperor held absolute power over the affairs of the entire Empire. However, innumerable influences and powers existed in the Empire, creating a complex network governed by these influences known as clans. One of these power clans was the Luzon Clan. Having been existing since the past century, they secured themselves deep within the Empire and with the power that they accumulated. Even the Emperor himself feared the Luzon Clan. But of course, there were influences that didn''t fear the Luzon Clan such as the Duterte Royal Clan and the Paradyne Academy. Both influences could easily annihilate the Luzon Clan whenever it wanted to. Knowing this fact, the members of the Luzon Clan continuously spread their good deeds throughout the entire Empire and the hearts of the common populace grew closer to them, making them harder to erase nor fight against. However, the reality of having such a righteous clan merely existed as a facade. For the Luzon Clan continuously engaged in slave trafficking, building their own influence, underground. This information didn''t escape the Emperor''s eyes, but when he noticed all of this, everything was too late for the Luzon Clan had deeply embedded itself in the Empire and ever since that day, both sides stood with a tacit agreement of not letting anything cross down their bottom line. In other words, as long as the Luzon Clan didn''t do anything that directly harmed the royal family or blatant attack against the common populace. They could do whatever they wanted deep in the shadows. The Patriarch of the Luzon Clan realized that they could never stretch out their influence and conquer the royal family from the inside. And so, they turned their focus on the Paradyne Academy where literally everyone could enter and started on building their faction there. Inside a dimly-lit room somewhere within the Luzon Clan Estate, a shadowy figure of a man sat calmly on a chair. His countenance looked solemn as he read through the documents in his hands. "it seems like Jamie has failed to acquire the position of an Honorary Disciple despite offering Vincent a huge and tempting price..." He whispered and his breath formed a whirlpool of Spiritual Qi which remained stagnant in the air for a moment. "As for the other Honorary Disciple, Natalie Longinus? Why does this name sound familiar, have I heard about this name before?" Cupping his chin on his palm, he mused for a moment before shaking his head, though cultivators normally possessed almost perfect memories, to prevent information overload, their brain would still discard unnecessary information such as the sizes, shapes, and smell of trees around them and the faces of mortals passing by as they walk. "Patriarch! Patriarch!" Hurried footsteps echoed outside of the door along with consecutive knocks as the Patriarch of the Luzon Clan unlocked the door and with a creak, his subordinate came rushing in bringing with him numerous documents. "Seeing that you look so panicked, the news that you''re bringing should be something that is detrimental for the Clan, right?" The Patriarch spoke in a solemn voice with his eyes flashing in a dangerous light. The subordinate gulped a mouthful of saliva. The pressure from the Patriarch''s figure made him out of breath, but he still summoned his courage, stepped forward and announced. "I have completed the task of intelligence gathering regarding the second Honorary Disciple of the Paradyne Academy. According to the information that I gathered, Natalie Longinus came from the distant Empire of Dawn, specifically in the City of Cloud where she spent most of her days in the slums community with her daughter." "After the young master of the Longinus Clan took fancy of her, her status shot up and she soon became a cultivator which was something incomprehensible since she long since went past the prime age of cultivation..." The Patriarch lifted his hand and the subordinate stopped his narration. "Empire of Dawn? The City of Cloud? And she also has the same name as her?" The Patriarch shook his head, "No, no, no, that shouldn''t be the case, no one should possibly have the idea of marrying a tainted flower like her, and that Natalie should merely have the same name as that Natalie, they shouldn''t be the same." The Patriarch denied the ideas forming in his mind and his subordinates continued his talk. Meanwhile, back at the Paradyne Academy, Dan used his authority and exited the Academy through the gates before heading towards the direction of the Luzon Clan. Despite Natalie''s reluctance of letting him go and deal with the Luzon Clan on his own. Dan sneaked away from the Pavilion and took matters in his own hands. Since Mathias Paradyne, the Headmaster of the Paradyne Academy himself was there to cover his back and wipe his ass, why would he feel afraid of anything? Arriving before the gates of the Luzon Clan, Dan flashed his authority token as an Honorary Disciple and the guards who saw the domineering splendor went pale and immediately ran to report what happened back to the Patriarch. The Patriarch of the Luzon Clan''s expression changed and he swiftly wore the most luxurious clothes that he had and immediately summoned a dozen virgin members of the Luzon Clan and called for a banquet. Dan revealed a small smile on his face when he saw the fanfare that welcomed his entrance to the Luzon Clan. ''The status of an Honorary Disciple really is useful, to think that I would easily be able to enter their residence without exerting much effort and with my target welcoming me with a wide smile on his face.'' Though the Patriarch of the Luzon Clan was mighty with decades of experience under his sleeves, he could merely be considered as a junior under Mathias in terms of influence and overall strength. Having an Honorary Disciple of the Paradyne Academy visit his residence was an honorable occasion which improved his mood and made him jubilant. However, never did the Patriarch of the Luzon Clan that the moment that he invited Dan inside his residence was the start of his nightmare that he would forever regret, even in his dreams. 185 Small Banter Surrounded by dozens of beauties from the Luzon Clan, Dan sat before a table filled with dishes that the chefs of the Luzon Clan made within the last half an hour. Staring at the line up of dishes made from fresh ingredients that contained Spiritual Qi, Dan thought in his mind. "The Luzon Clan definitely deserves its spot as one of the strongest and most influential clans in the Empire, to think that they could easily serve such fresh Spiritual Ingredients..." Spiritual Ingredients contained traces of Spiritual Qi that cultivators and mortals could absorb and improve their physique. For mortals, it increased their lifespan while for cultivators, it merely added texture and a pleasant aftertaste. Contrary to Dan''s thought, the Luzon Clan normally don''t use such ingredients in greeting a guest. However, since he presented with an authorization token in his hands, the Patriarch knew that he had to go all out in pleasing this esteemed guest. "Let''s get with the introductions, shall we?" Dan proposed and he pushed the maidens away before crossing his leg over the other and saying with a conceited voice, "My name is Dan Gabriel Longinus, the third Honorary Disciple of the Paradyne Academy." Dan''s words confirmed the suspicions within the Patriarch''s heart. When he first arrived at the scene and saw the Honorary Disciple mark floating in the air, doubts filled his heart as to why and how did a third Honorary Disciple popped out without his knowledge. However, since the authorization token was real and Dan''s actions and movements lined up with what he expected from Honorary Disciples that stood at the peak of everything in the Academy. His doubts dissipated and he assumed an even more respectful expression before him. "Dan Gabriel Longinus? I have heard of that name, the Longinus Clan if my memory serves me right, originated from the faraway Empire of Dawn, specifically at the City of Cloud, right?" "As expected, the spectrum of the Patriarch''s knowledge has really spread far and wide, to think that you would know about this one''s noble name from a faraway place..." Dan nodded his head in approval, but he was sneering inside. ''So these bastards actually have a clue that the Natalie that they wronged and abandoned is with me and has tried investigating me in the past? This makes things easier...'' The Patriarch realized that he still hasn''t introduced himself as he hurriedly clasped his hands together and said, "What a blunder, to think that I would forget to introduce myself..." Dan merely smiled and waved his hands, "It''s fine, It''s fine, introductions are mere words that we use to call ourselves it''s not really necessary for us cultivators. But for the sake of proper decorum, let us continue our introductions." "Disciples from the Paradyne Academy really are sensible young men..." The Patriarch laughed out loud and introduced himself, "This one''s name is Warren Keith Luzon, I am the twentieth Patriarch of the Luzon Clan, it''s a pleasure to meet such a talented young man like you..." Warren stretched his hand out and the two exchanged a handshake before dismissing all the young maidens per Dan''s request. With only the two of them left in the room, Dan''s expression turned solemn and immediately went into business. "I came here to find myself some slaves, is it possible for the Patriarch to lead me by himself so that I could take a closer look of the merchandises?" Dan casually said while sipping his tea. Upon hearing his words, Warren''s expression reddened in anger and he angrily stood up while saying, "What do you mean by slaves?! Are you accusing us of slave trafficking? How could we do such atrocious things under the territory of the Emperor Duterte himself?!" With Warren''s cultivation, he could easily see through deceit by observing the person''s heartbeat, eye movement, and body gestures. However, when Dan spoke those words to him earlier, he exuded complete confidence and he didn''t even bat an eyelid. This astonished Warren, ''We should''ve erased all traces that would link us to the slave trade, but why is it that even though he knew about this, he didn''t report us to the Headmaster and even came here looking for slaves, is he thinking of increasing his sphere of influence by cooperating with us? If that is true then everything will definitely end well for me.'' "Calm down, Calm down, Patriarch Warren, I merely came here to propose a cooperation that would benefit that two of us. Using my influence as an Honorary Disciple, I could easily create loopholes that you and your members could exploit and on the other hand, you must provide me with the finest cultivation furnaces, how''s that as our deal?" Warren stood stiffly for a moment, focusing his gaze on Dan. His eyes seemed to pierce through all lies and deceit before he heaved a deep sigh and said, "If you''re that willing, you should show me how sincere you are..." Dan lifted a small smile on his face. Warren''s words hinted on something and he quickly bit the tip of his tongue and sent a strand of blood essence flying towards Warren''s way. Warren stared at the drop of blood essence with an astonished look on his face. He didn''t expect that Dan would decisively sacrifice a drop of his blood essence just so he could prove his sincerity. Taking the drop of blood into his hands, Warren formed a blood contract that the two of them signed. Under the effects of the contract, Dan would help Warren in his endeavor in the Academy while Warren would supply him with the finest cultivation furnace available and as soon as the Dan signed the contract, a venomous smile lifted on his lips, though engaging in slave trafficking was enough to warrant heavy punishment from the Empire, it wasn''t enough to warrant clan annihilation. Dan knew that for the Luzon Clan to soar this high in mere decades, they should''ve engaged in far more sinister endeavors than slave trafficking. Right now, it was his job to find more solid evidence and completely erase the Luzon Clan from existence. Of course, Dan wouldn''t normally be unable to do this since he was bound by the Blood Contract. Unfortunately, for Warren, Dan had the assistance of the system which instantly dissolved the effects of the contract on his part. Returning at the Fragrant Peak Pavilion, Dan devised his next course of actions. 186 Announcemen @@ Your author managed to make some images of Natalie, Grace, and Charlotte, using a Black Desert Online''s Game Engine! I know that I should''ve commissioned an artist for this but beggars can''t be choosers... Natalie = https://imgur.com/a/IEJVoHE Charlotte = https://imgur.com/pSMPZi2 Grace = https://imgur.com/r1i5e7e and https://imgur.com/PDjVluS Enjoy!@@ 187 Sinister Attacks The next morning, Dan received a letter from the Luzon Clan, inviting him for lunch. After sending Juliet, Natalie, and Grace to their morning classes, Dan went to the Luzon Clan Residence. Upon his arrival, a warm reception welcomed him inside with numerous beauties embracing his arm on each side. Dan maintained his lecherous facade and embraced these beauties as members of the Luzon Clan stared curiously at the fanfare. One of them was Gerald Luzon, one of the shining youngsters of the Luzon Clan. His cultivation was at the Peak Spirit Tempering Realm at the age of seventeen, making him one of the geniuses of the Empire. Unfortunately, he failed the Paradyne Academy''s entrance test and had since waited for the next entrance exam. He held a curved sword in his hands and when Daw turned towards him. The latter stared curiously at the curved sword, before turning his head back on his path. Gerald clicked his tongue, the lascivious lights within Dan''s eyes annoyed him and the fact that the Patriarch himself was receiving such a delinquent made him curious and indignant. What qualifications did he have that the Patriarch himself would be so respectful in facing him? Following the fanfare, Gerald soon arrived before the Patriarch''s Residence. Using his authority, Gerald went past the security and arrived at the dining table where Patriarch Warren and Dan sat before each other, enjoying a sumptuous lunch. "Gerald? Why did you come here? Didn''t the guards told you that we have an esteemed guest, today?" Warren knitted his eyebrows upon seeing Gerald''s intrusion. Dan turned towards Gerald before saying to the Patriarch, "It''s fine, we don''t need to be so stiff, he''s still a member of your clan so you need to be more kind to them than me..." His words made the Patriarch scratch his head in awkwardness, in an effort to dissolve the strange atmosphere, Warren turned to Gerald and said, "Why did you come here? Is there anything that you need from me?" Even though Gerald couldn''t compare to Jamie, a Core Disciple of the Paradyne Academy. Gerald has his own charms. Particularly, his relentless attitude in battle and his stubbornness to win that sometimes created miracles for him. "I don''t have anything in particular for you, Patriarch. I just came here because I am curious about this esteemed guest of ours..." Gerald clasped his hands together before bowing down as a strange light flashed within his eyes. "Curious about me? Could it be that you''re doubting my status as an Honorary Disciple of the Paradyne Academy?" Dan saw the jealousy within Gerald''s eyes and said words that would provoke him to ask for an exchange of pointers. Gerald''s figure stiffened for a moment before he raised his upper body and stood stoically amidst Warren''s solemn gaze. Focusing his gaze on Dan, he said, "Indeed, I just cannot believe that someone that looks as young as you could possibly acquire the position that even my Big Brother Jamie couldn''t achieve..." Dan lifted a provoking smile and Warren rubbed his aching temples. Setting aside Dan''s cunningness, he was still a youngster and young men like him were hot-blooded creatures. "So you''re saying that you want to challenge me in an exchange of pointers?" Dan went straight to the point, leaving Gerald with no path for retreat. As a proud member of the Luzon Clan, Gerald had the duty of upholding their dignity so how could he refuse Dan''s offer to battle? Patriarch Warren stared at Dan and fell into deep contemplation. Ever since Gerald arrived, the former unknowingly fell into Dan''s tempo and the latter manipulated his words so that Gerald would undoubtedly take the bait. Like now, if Gerald refused it would be tantamount to slapping Luzon''s dignity to the ground. Patriarch Warren couldn''t help but feel an ominous premonition in his heart. Shaking his head, Warren lifted a small smile and said, "How about this, we will use one of our disciple training grounds as your battlegrounds, there we can have sufficient space and both of you could use everything that you have without restraint." Both nodded their heads and soon, a huge crowd gathered on the Clan Disciples Training Ground of the Luzon Clan. Those that gathered were mostly disciples and some Elders that wanted to see the extent of an Honorary Disciple''s power. The disciples felt reluctant in coming here, but when they heard that an Honorary Disciple from the Paradyne Academy has arrived and would gladly offer pointers to anyone, they immediately rushed to the Training Grounds and as a result, all hundred seats were filled with some even standing just so they could see the battle without hindrance. Gerald clad in the pure white robes of the Luzon Clan stood still like a shining knight in armor while Dan clad in the fiery robes of the Paradyne Academy looked dignified and cool. Patriarch Warren stepped forward and declared, "This is just a mere exchange of pointers, attacks that would cause fatal injuries are strictly forbidden, other than that, all methods to win are permitted with the exception of poisons!" "The condition to win is to render your enemy incapable of further battle and to send them into unconsciousness, that''s all! Since everyone in here is already looking forward to the battle, I won''t delay any longer!" Patriarch Warren lifted his right arm and as soon as it descended down. Bang! A fierce sound resonated at Gerald''s side, and his figure reappeared before Dan with his curved sword raised in the air for a downward slice. His attack was fast but it was too predictable as Dan merely backstepped and avoided the slice within a hair''s breadth and counter-attacked with a palm strike. Gerald knew that his attack wouldn''t connect. However, instead of retracting his downward slice, he went all the way through as the blade of his sword struck the ground with a clanging sound. Dan frowned at Gerald''s actions but when the blade struck the ground, it miraculously shot up like a meteor, heading for his chest in neck-breaking speeds! "What in the actual..." Dan cursed in his mind and turned his torso to the right, evading Gerald''s attack while counter-attacking with another palm strike that Gerald dissipated with a block. These took longer to describe but only several breaths passed in reality. The disciples who saw their display of skill stared dumbstruck while those Elders revealed amused smiles on their faces. Dan stared at Gerald''s curved sword in an effort to unlock the secret as to how it changed trajectory in mid-air and went for his body. Knitting his eyebrows, Dan decided not to use the System''s capabilities and unlock the mysteries by himself. In his heart, Dan knew that the System will become obsolete in the future when his cultivation and experience were high enough that he could fight against experts on his own. So to prepare for that, Dan decided not to rely too much on the System. Gerald''s curved sword didn''t look much different from a scimitar, aside from the tip that looked wider than the body of the blade itself, nothing really stood out that Dan could pick out as suspicious. "Since I can''t find any clues just by observing, let''s just try and find it out by attacking!" Dan sped towards Gerald''s figure and coated both his arms in Spiritual Qi so that they wouldn''t suffer injuries when defending against Gerald''s attacks. Sparks flew everywhere with their figures looking like a blurry image for those spectators of lower cultivation. In each time Dan blocked an attack, his eyes focused on the tip of Gerald''s blade and found that upon impact, it would vigorously vibrate and turned bouncy like rubber. "So the tip of your sword is the reason why you could easily change the trajectory of your attack," Dan exclaimed in his heart and with this knowledge, he avoided Gerald''s complicated attacks without any problems even without the System''s assistance. The pleasure of seamlessly evading your enemy''s attack surged within Dan''s heart and he soon found the battle as enjoyable. Dan admired Gerald''s hot-bloodedness and fierceness in battle and thought that if they weren''t enemies, they could become close friends. Unfortunately, Dan and the Luzon Clan were fated enemies and to weaken the foundation of the Luzon Clan itself, Dan resolved in his mind and sent a discreet yet invasive attack on Gerald''s soul using the techniques that he learned from George and Leona. A wisp of jet-black light struck Gerald''s wrist and fused with his body without his knowledge. Seeing this, Dan decided to end the battle as his figure disappeared and reappeared behind Gerald''s figure and sent a kick on his back while at the same time, disarming him of his weapon. "Victory, Dan Longinus!" Patriarch Warren announced the victor and Gerald retreated with a smile on his face. Though he was defeated, he didn''t feel indignant at all. After all, his enemy was an Honorary Disciple of the Paradyne Academy. "Patriarch, since the disciples of your clan gathered in here, it would be much better to have them experience the true power of an Honorary Disciple from the Paradyne Academy. How about this, anyone that wants to exchange moves with me can come here and fight me for five moves." His words sent cheers echoing throughout the entire Training Grounds. Patriarch Warren approved of his idea and Dan battled with every disciple of the Luzon Clan. However, little did Patriarch Warren knew that Dan was setting them up for their downfall. 188 Prelude to the Curtain Call The exchange of pointers between the disciples of the Luzon Clan and Dan went smoothly without any problems. Cheers of gratitude and admiration welled out from the hearts of the disciples when Dan even pointed out the flaws within their techniques. Patriarch Warren wore the widest smile that he ever wore ever since his marriage and Gerald who stood beside him felt that his loss was justified. After dismissing the clamoring disciples, Patriarch Warren brought Dan inside his residence and the two arrived before a door to a bedroom. Dan stared at Warren in confusion and the latter explained, "I have found the finest cultivation furnace for you, young master. She''s currently inside, and don''t worry, no one can possibly see nor hear what''s going on in there." Hearing his words, Dan rubbed his hands together and even took a jade bottle filled with pinkish pills from his Spatial Ring. Both men lecherously smirked and Patriarch Warren excused himself, "I will be going now, young master. I wish you success in your cultivation." Pushing the door open, Dan saw a king-size bed embroidered with expensive decorations such as deep-sea gold and crimson blood ruby. The room was dimly lit and the smell of alluring incense wafted out in the air. The veil that covered the figure strapped on the bed formed illusions of an enticing temptress that any men couldn''t possibly resist. Taking a step forward, the slender figure on the bed quivered, intensifying as Dan neared the bed. Scanning the room, Dan sneered in his heart, the Patriarch of the Luzon Clan really deserves his reputation as an opportunistic and cunning man. Despite the fact that numerous Sound and Light Isolating Formations were fitted on the room, a small gap between these complex formations was present that the Patriarch could tap so that he could see everything inside the room. Dan stretched his arm and harshly pushed the curtains away, revealing the figure of a jet-black haired young woman that laid stark-naked on the bed. Strapped with numerous wires, her wide open legs revealed her inviting pearls as Dan gulped a mouthful of saliva. [Outside Interference detected within the indicated scope.] A system notification informed him of the Patriarch''s snooping as he sneered. Undoing the straps around the young woman''s body. Dan realized that she looked lifeless as if she was dead. Nevertheless, her vigorous Vital Yin indicated that she was alive, though her mind was placed in a state of trance due to despair. Dan slowly took his clothes off and the young woman''s fair countenance shivered, she forcefully closed her legs and covered her chest area with her hand while hiding her face with the other. "I paid a heavy price to acquire you, yet here you are acting like a pure maiden?" Dan licked his lips, both of his hands landed on her legs and with a force, he pried her open as the young woman started choking in tears. Patriarch Warren stared at the scene with a small smile on his face. Seeing the devious look on Dan''s face and the despair on the young woman''s expression reassured him that Dan was here to cooperate with him. Since it was rude to continue watching even without the other party''s knowledge. Warren closed off the transmission. [Outside Interference within the indicated scope has vanished.] Dismissing the system notification, Dan heaved a sigh of relief and removed himself from the young woman''s legs. The young woman who readied her mind and braced for the pain stared dumbstruck at him. She didn''t expect that Dan would withdraw at the critical moment and she felt somewhat strange. "Why did you..." She mumbled in a soft voice. Dan turned to look at her but didn''t reply as memories about the Patriarch''s order surged within the young woman''s mind. Patriarch Warren told her that she would be freed and returned back to her village as long as she could satisfy her very first and last customer. Left without any other choice, she accepted and thought that as long as she could return safely to her family, she would sacrifice anything that she could. However, never did she thought that the young man that was supposed to humiliate and shame her, actually stopped at a critical moment and this made her feel at lost. Patriarch Warren''s condition was to satisfy that young man before her but since he didn''t proceed on taking her, the condition couldn''t possibly be met. "Take me...Please, take me..." She gulped a mouthful of saliva and whispered into his figure. She wanted to end this nightmare as fast as possible. Dan shook his head and said, "As I thought, that bastard is forcing you to do this, right?" Dan took a patch of fabric and covered her body with it. "Why...are...you...doing...this...?" She spoke in a hesitant voice, afraid that she may anger the young man. "I don''t expect you to know anything about the Luzon Clan. And since it''s not necessary for me to include you in my plan, and there''s nothing that I could achieve if I took you, why should I do that?" Dan shrugged and said, "However, though I won''t penetrate you, that doesn''t mean that I won''t take your Vital Yin, it''s a very good nourishment for me." Dan raised his upper body and pressed her on the bed. The young woman flinched in fear for a moment before relaxing and closing her eyes in tranquility. She even opened her legs and bit her lower lips to soften the incoming pain. Dan lightly smiled, before placing his palm over her Dantian and absorbing her Vital Yin. Dan''s method of absorption was meticulous and miraculously didn''t involve any form of pain with the exception of fatigue and weakness that the young woman instantly felt. As soon as Dan finished his absorption, the young woman''s figure turned soft and she fell into a deep sleep. He temporarily sealed her Vital Yin deep within his soul before dressing himself up, "With this, that old bastard shouldn''t feel any suspicions about what happened in here..." Several hours later, Dan received a jadeslip from Patriarch Warren about their trade routes and Dan sent all of this information to Senior Mathias so that they could safely and discreetly intercept the slave caravans. Of course, Dan asked Mathias to delay the interception of the caravans so that he could acquire more information before Warren noticed something strange. After acquiring all these evidence, it was time for the curtain call. 189 Despair of the Luzon Clan Today, the Luzon Clan celebrated the return of their strongest genius from the Paradyne Academy. Every disciple and Elders prepared small gifts, while the guards enjoyed double the salary as a jubilant atmosphere continuously revolved around the Luzon Clan. Natalie stared at this familiar place where she lived a part of her childhood. Complex emotions surfaced on her face and Dan hooked her arms around her body. She trembled for a moment but when she saw his devious expression, she played along and revealed a seductive one of her own. "Dan Gabriel Longinus and Natalie Longinus from the Longinus Clan has arrived!" The guard hollered and when the words Natalie Longinus echoed out, literally every disciple from the Paradyne Academy that came here to observe the fanfare craned their necks. However, their expressions turned sour when they saw someone embracing the Lightning Empress. "Who the hell is that bastard? He''s actually embracing the Lightning Empress? Who does he think he is?!" Disciples whispered to each other, forming a commotion that drowned all sound in the residence. "Young master, Young Mistress! Welcome, welcome, come here and seat with me on the high seats!" Patriarch Warren personally received them with an amiable expression on his face. And Natalie who engraved his face in her heart and her mind felt strange when she saw how gentle he was to them. ''I guess, I was too insignificant at that time that I didn''t deserve to be remembered...'' She thought in her mind and returned his gesture in kind while suppressing the bubbling rage in her heart. The reason for all of this celebration was apparently, Jamie Luzon acquired a slot for the Mystic Realm of the Undead, one of the mystic realms that the Paradyne Academy governed for the sake of its disciples. Inside that Mystic Realm existed so many dangers, yet the number of lucky chances and the possibility of transforming into a carp leaping through the Dragon''s Gate enticed every disciple of the Academy. "To our Luzon Clan''s prosperity and our future success, Cheers!" A deafening chorus formed and each and everyone present in the area chugged down the liquor in their hands. Patriarch Warren stared lovingly at Jamie with an incessant smile on his face. "I thank Patriarch Warren of this warm reception since it is the first time that we met, it should be proper for a junior like me to introduce myself, right?" Dan stood up, clasped his hands together and continued, "This one''s name is Dan Gabriel Longinus, beside me is my wife, Natalie Longinus, it''s a pleasure meeting someone of Senior''s..." "Senior? What''s wrong?" Dan''s worried voice echoed out when he saw that Patriarch Warren''s figure stood still like a statue. When he saw the innocence on Dan''s face when he introduced himself again, an ominous premonition formed in his mind, "The first time that we met? How is that possible? The man that I conversed with in the past two days should be him! Why is he acting like he doesn''t know me?!" "Could it be that..." Patriarch Warren shook his head and denied the ideas forming in his mind, it was not the right time to feel pessimistic. Since for now, it was the time for them to celebrate Jamie''s success. Standing on a podium was a blonde-haired young man, the young man''s features looked younger than what you would expect as a Core Disciple. Despite his age, his cultivation was at the Middle Divine Soul Realm and has even formed his own Sword Heart. Crushing a jade stone, a small voice amplifying formation floated up in the air before his lips. Clearing his throat, he said, "First, let me thank the esteemed Honorary Disciples from the same Academy as myself for setting some time and coming in here to congratulate this humble me." "Especially, the Lightning Empress, Natalie Longinus. Ever since you defeated me that day, I started a strict training regimen and after recently completing it, I can''t help but anticipate the day where we can stand together as sparring partners once again..." His words sent clamor echoing throughout the area and those who previously looked down at Natalie disappeared like smoke and turned into hardcore fans. Someone that had the ability to turn someone as stubborn as Jamie was someone of high capability. "I thank everyone from all sorts of influences for coming in here and celebrate this occasion with me, and as thanks, the Luzon Clan has prepared a modest banquet that I hope that you would find pleasurable..." "Since I bet that everyone is thinking right now about how talkative I am, I will now finish this speech of mine..." Jamie lightly chuckled as he finished his sentence, his words provoked laughter from the audience and the admiring gazes of everyone followed him as he descended from the podium and sat beside the Patriarch with Natalie and Dan at the other side. The festivities started and almost every table was filled with laughter. Patriarch Warren stared lovingly at Jamie, he was his only hope of breaking through this mundane empire and rising through the skies as a phoenix. "Ah!" A high-pitched cry of panic suddenly rang out. Thud, thud, thud... Continuous dull thuds echoed throughout the entire residence and when Warren opened his eyes to look. He saw every disciple from his clan, fallen on the ground while incessantly convulsing with foam coming out of their mouths. "What the hell is going on here?!" Dan shot up from his chair and Natalie stared warily in the area. With the sudden collapse of the disciples, panic ensued among the other participants and the previously jubilant atmosphere of the residence turned into chaos and despair. "JUNIOR...JUST WHAT DID YOU DO!" Patriarch Warren appeared before Dan''s figure and clutched his neck. Dan''s body lifted in the air and he struggled to speak under Warren''s hold. If there was someone else that was capable of doing this, it would none other than Dan. "Old Geezer, stay your hand!" Lightning flashed and Patriarch Warren felt his hands going numb and his grip loosened. Violently coughing, Dan knitted his eyebrows as he fiercely shouted, "What the hell is wrong with you, Patriarch of the Luzon Clan?! Don''t you realize that attacking a disciple from the Paradyne Academy is a severe crime and challenge of authority?!" Patriarch Warren''s expression looked indescribable, the hate and anger that he felt made him lose his reasoning as he pounced at Dan''s figure. Rotating his cultivation base, Natalie who defended Dan flew backward and struck a pillar before stopping. "I would stop right there if I were you, Old Geezer..." A calm and dignified voice echoed in the skies and everyone''s eyes widened in shock when they realized that the person that suddenly appeared was the one and only Headmaster of the Paradyne Academy, Mathias Paradyne himself. 190 Danilo Duterte Mathias coldly looked down from below, his dignified figure and the faint aura of dominance that wafted out from his body intimidated those that stared at him. The disciples from the Paradyne Academy stared dumbstruck at Mathias'' figure before simultaneously exclaiming in surprise and shock. "Headmaster Paradyne?! What is he doing here?!" "I find it inconceivable that he would appear here without any reason, could it be that he''s here to congratulate the Luzon Clan?" "Idiot, if he''s here to congratulate them, then why is he flying there, looking all arrogant and domineering?" Elders from the Luzon Clan that tended on the fallen geniuses flew beside the Patriarch and stared warily at Mathias. "What''s wrong? Is there something that you should feel afraid from that you''re looking at me like that?" Mathias revealed a small smile. Beaded sweats dripped down Warren''s cheeks but he didn''t even wipe them away as he said with a trembling voice. "May I know what business does the Headmaster of the prestigious Paradyne Academy has for me?" In front of Mathias, the Patriarch of the Luzon Clan was merely a junior and before the powerful Paradyne Academy, his clan could only be considered as a small hamlet. All six Elders of the Luzon Clan looked pale and exhausted, even without utilizing his cultivation base, Mathias'' figure alone pressured their minds. But paired with the fact that he was currently emanating an air of dominance, they struggled to keep their balance and not fall on the ground. "Business?" Mathias shrugged, "There''s no need to hide anything from me, Warren. I have heard of your participation regarding slave trafficking. Of course, you do know that such a thing is forbidden based on the Federation''s Index of Righteousness, right?" Everyone, from guests to the Elders and disciples of the Luzon Clan and even the Patriarch himself stared at Mathias with widened eyes. Warren''s figure intensely trembled and his expression reddened from anger and shame. It was fine if Mathias accused him, but that was under the circumstances that no one other than the two of them was present. However, right now, almost all influences in the Empire were gathered in his residence. Such accusation would surely spread like wildfire. "Senior Mathias'' knowledge and wisdom are as boundless as the ocean. However, this time you have failed, for your accusation against me is false and without truth!" Patriarch Warren''s experience enabled him to reclaim his composure as he replied. The Elders emerged from their stupor and shouted, "That''s right, that''s right! Even if you''re the strongest person in the Empire, don''t ever think that you can easily accuse us like this! This is blatant bullying! Don''t you have any shame?!" One of the boldest Elders even shouted that Mathias was a shameless man. As expected, fury surfaced on Mathias'' face as he gave a vicious laughter. "I see, I see, so you bastards wouldn''t give up and cry until you can see your own coffin, right?" Mathias venomous words echoed out like thunder, Warren had a premonition in his heart and glanced at Dan. ''No, that''s impossible! Under the effects of the Blood Contract, if he reported me to the Headmaster, there should be no way that he''s standing here!'' Since time immemorial, the effects of the Blood Contract was absolute, those that tried challenging its power all failed and died a miserable death. Mathias opened his palm, revealing a small gemstone that looked resplendent under the sunlight. Those that saw it exclaimed with varying emotions. But the most shaken of them all was the Patriarch of the Luzon Clan whose body started trembling like a sieve. In his fear and terror, his cultivation base subconsciously rotated sending those around him into retreat, including Dan and Natalie. "What''s wrong? Patriarch Warren of the Luzon Clan? Why do you look so flustered?" Mathias sarcastically remarked. Patriarch Warren ignored Mathias'' words and stared hatefully at Dan. No matter how much he wracked his brain, he couldn''t find any answer to his question as to how Dan evaded the punishment of the Blood Contract. In the end, he could only stare venomously at him with eyes full of hatred and anger. Dan stared right back at him in confusion. Natalie knitted her eyebrows in a frown, ''Why is he looking at my husband like that?'' Patriarch Warren swept his gaze over at Mathias and said with a green expression that looked like he just ate shit. "Senior Mathias, I don''t know anything about the contents of that Profound Imagery Stone. But there''s no way that your accusation is right!" "I stand by my clansmen and plead innocent about this matter!" Patriarch Warren assumed a sturdy stance and raised the morale of his people. Those that supported the Luzon Clan beforehand raised their pitchforks and started their warcry. "That''s right, that''s right! The Luzon Clan has been kind to us mortals, how could you someone that hasn''t even lent a hand to us, accuse them of such vicious crimes?!" "A baseless accusation is useless, if you have any proof then show them now or else give us a proper explanation about what you''re doing!" Mathias crossed his arms together and stared at the commotion as if he was watching a show. Mathias'' confidence and the sarcastic smile on his face shook the hearts of everyone from the Luzon Clan. Slave Trafficking was a heinous crime that every influence condemned, once found guilty, the Luzon Clan will instantly lose everything that they have and would be erased from existence. Not only that, the remaining members of the Clan would forever be branded as a disgrace. "Why are you guys so worked up like that? We''re talking about a grave matter, you know? Something that concerns the life and death of your clan..." Mathias shrugged, "Since you guys are looking so anxious, it should be right for me to respond to your wishes. Behold, the concrete evidence of the Luzon Clan''s crimes!" Mathias'' body shone in a crimson light that looked like fire as he infused his Spiritual Qi inside the Profound Imagery Stone. The stone ignited with resplendent lights and a mist that gradually formed images floated up in the air. But before it could even form, a mighty and dignified voice shook the space itself as the Profound Imagery Stone shattered into fragments. "Insolence!" Mathias'' eyes narrowed in a dangerous light. Everyone''s eyes darted at the source of the voice and there, they found a middle-aged man clad in purple robes embroidered with intertwined dragons soaring towards the skies. The man was the one and only Emperor of the Empire of Eternal Faith. Danilo Duterte himself! 191 ANNOUNCEMEN @@ Hello, this is TheAdventurer speaking. From the first week of august until the current week of October, I have written 300 thousand plus words foe this novel. From the start of inkstone until now, I have written at least 800 thousand words, I think it''s time for me to take a well deserved break lest I break. So for now, I am sorry to announce but Assassination System will be taking a break until the end of the month; please understand that I need to take care of my own health and I hope to see you guys when I return... Thank you for the understanding.@@ 192 Showdown and Dissolution The Emperor reigns supreme over his subjects This was an indisputable fact, that everyone simultaneously agrees upon. Danilo Duterte''s appearance sparked commotions down below. Mathias narrowed his eyes, vicious lights flashed within it. Dan stared at both experts and scanned their attributes. [Name: Danilo Duterte; Age: 145; Status: Emperor of the Empire of Eternal Faith] [Stats: Str: 93, Int: 124, Dex: 116, Agi: 125, Sta: 201] [Cultivation: Peak Stage of the Divine Ascendance Realm] In comparison, Mathias'' stats were as follows. [Name: Mathias Paradyne; Age: 123; Status: Headmaster of the Paradyne Academy] [Stats: Str: 103, Int: 156, Dex: 132, Agi: 166, Sta: 202] [Cultivation: Peak Stage of the Divine Ascendance Realm] Hssst! Dan sucked a mouthful of cold air when he saw the disparity of his stats to them. Darting his gaze at the blaring red warning signs displayed by the system. He fully understood why the authority of such cultivators shouldn''t be challenged. For they could literally turn Dan into meat paste with a single thought on their end. "Oh? So it''s the glorious Emperor of the Empire? Why hast thou come here?" Mathias'' sarcastic tone echoed out and the Emperor''s expression darkened. "It''s been several decades since we saw each other, but it seems like your tongue is still as venomous as ever that snakes will feel ashamed staying by your side..." Danilo venomously spat, and Mathias coldly laughed. "Is that so?" Mathias'' cultivation base rotated and everyone on the ground retreated for fear of getting injured from the shockwaves of their impending battle. Dan dragged Natalie towards a safe location and stared at the two experts from afar. "Hoooh? It seems like you''re getting ready to fight against me, do you really think that just because I retreated at that time means that I was defeated?" Danilo cracked his knuckles and his neck as his cultivation base rotated. The auras of the two fighters clashed against each other and space itself rippled upon impact. "Gaaah!" Cries of pain rang out as blood dripped down the ears of everyone including Dan and Natalie. Everyone hurriedly took cover and so did Dan and Natalie. In a battle between experts at Mathias'' level, even the shockwaves could possibly annihilate them. Huge faces that resembled the two manifested in the air. The faces stared at each other with a venomous glare before letting out a scream that decimated at least half of the Luzon Clan Residence. Space itself went haywire and those with lower cultivation could only scream in misery before they were torn to shreds. Natalie''s expression looked pale and Dan gulped a mouthful of saliva. He didn''t expect that a single full-powered exchange of the two powerhouses could evoke such destruction. Waving his hand, a screen of Lightning protected them from the debris as they observed Mathias and the Emperor''s battle. Such an opportunity couldn''t easily be stumbled upon. How could Dan miss such a battle? Natalie also stared at the skies with glowing eyes. Some courageous cultivators also did the same and observed the battle above. Thinking that they may acquire enlightenment after watching the battle between two peak experts. Resplendent colors materialized in the skies as the two experts engaged in a fierce close combat battle. Dan and Natalie squinted their eyes to see, but the two moved so fast that one could only see their afterimages. "System, analyze their battle for me!" Dan commanded the System and a mechanical voice replied. [Task Failed: Cannot anaylze battle from the user''s point of view!] Dan clicked his tongue, since he cannot see the exact movements of the two experts due to their speed. The System failed its task and Dan could only shake his head in disappointment. His idea of acquiring enlightenment from their battle and infusing it with his own techniques became far-fetched. A blood arrow exploded from the mouths of the two and they abruptly separated. Mathias wiped the edge of his lips, his robes looked bedraggled and wretched with numerous bloodied cuts. The Emperor, Danilo also didn''t fare well. "Old geezer, are you really that intent on destroying the Luzon Clan?" Danilo mumbled in an indignant voice, the Luzon Clan was one of his people, and more importantly, they''re one of the top taxpayers. Losing such a Clan would place the Empire in setback. "I''m not really interested in destroying such a clan, but I promised a promising junior that I would do so. As a member of the Senior Generation, I am obligated to follow through my promise, aren''t I?" Mathias lightly laughed and exposed his true motives for exposing the Luzon Clan''s true face. Danilo Duterte glanced at Patriarch Warren and sighed in his heart. I already did everything that I can, I can only do this much...His bitter expression made Patriarch Warren pale as he pleaded. "Your Highness! Please reconsider! Ever since the Luzon Clan was established, we have earnestly followed Your Highness as your loyal subjects! At times like this, please back us up!" Despite his trembling figure, Patriarch Warren managed to maintain a polite tone. Danilo shook his head, the Luzon Clan was indeed one of his most loyal subjects and he would try everything that he could to protect them. However, since the Paradyne Academy was intent on destroying them and even had iron-clad evidence about their crimes. How could he still back them up without losing the Empire''s prestige? Patriarch Warren''s lips repeatedly twitched as his knees gave up. He fell on the ground and contemplated about how everything became like this. His clan members also collapsed with trembling bodies. They all resigned to their fates. Mathias swept his gaze over these clan members before taking a sidelong glance at Dan. Lifting a small smile, he said. "Though the destruction of the Luzon Clan is inevitable, I cannot deny the Luzon Clan''s contribution towards the Empire. How about this, we will still dissolve the Luzon Clan but we won''t kill anybody. Apart from crippling those with cultivation higher than the Divine Soul Realm, we will preserve the lives of the younger generation." Patriarch Warren and Danilo''s expression flickered. One looked joyful while the other looked doubtful. Particularly, Danilo who thoroughly knew Mathias'' ruthless character. "Just what are you planning, Mathias?" Danilo mumbled in a solemn voice. Mathias shrugged and said, "Planning? Don''t make it sound so vicious, Old geezer. I''m just here to make a compromise, a compromise~ It would be too unreasonable for me to kick them while their down, right?" Patriarch Warren stared at the skies, his countenance glowing with relief and bitterness. "We will follow the Headmaster''s arrangement." Sweeping his gaze over the Elders of his clan, all of them crippled their own cultivations and despondently carried their wealth with them as they presented themselves over to Mathias. "Since the arrangement has been decided, you can take everything that you have with you as you leave the Empire. From now on, the Luzon Clan is exiled and shall never appear in the Empire of Eternal Faith." Bitterness and struggle surfaced on the faces of everyone from the Luzon Clan. Unfortunately, they were too weak, a single thought from a peak expert such as Mathias easily decided the outcome of their Clan. Endlessly sighing, they turned around and walked away, towards the distant wilderness with their destination, unknown. Natalie''s expression looked complicated, Dan clicked his tongue and glanced at Mathias. What he wanted was complete destruction of the despicable Luzon Clan that claimed far too many lives. Mathias noticed Dan''s gaze and signaled with his eyes. "I have done my part, once the Luzon Clan arrives at the Great Wilderness of Torb. You can do whatever you want." Mathias'' figure transformed into a streak of light that flew towards the distant Paradyne Academy. Danilo harshly glared at Mathias before returning back to the Imperial Palace. Natalie and Dan stared at each other with indescribable emotions on their faces. Everything happened too fast, the dissolution of the Luzon Clan felt surreal. At the same time, the two once again bore witness about what would happen if one had power. As long as you had power, a single thoughr can destroy an Empire. Clenching Natalie''s palms, Dan said. "Are you fine with this conclusion?" His words felt strange and Natalie turned towards him and said. "I don''t know, I don''t understand why but even though they''re destroyed and had lost their foundation. I don''t know why but i don''t feel satisfied withotu seeing them dead." Cold air blew around the two and Natalie''s Blessing of the Lightning God subconsciously rotated, bringing with it a surge of killing intent and negative energies. Dan''s lips lifted a vicious smile. Taking both of his daggers, he stared at the distant wilderness and said. "How about we hunt those fleeing sheeps? This time, we are the wolves." 193 Natalies Arrangements "Patriarch,, is this really the end of the Luzon Clan?" Jamie whispered, his voice bleak and his expression indescribable. The Luzon Clan reigned for several generations, their foundations were reinforced and they stood tall among everyone else. However, it took only one man to bring them down. With a single command from Mathias, their clan vanished in mere hours and they even have to abandon the establishments, connections and resources that they established in their reign. It was understandable that each and everyone of them were indignant, yet remembering the space-shattering might that Mathias displayed, they threw away all thoughts of rebellion. The most affected of them a was the Patriarch, Warren Luzon. Currently, his expression looked dark and pale. Destroying his own cultivation injured his mortal body and if not for the support of Heavenly materials that sustained his old life, he would''ve probably turned into a pile of bones. The Elders around him looked the same, they never expected even in their wildest dreams that something like what happened today would occur. From the top, they completely fell into the bottom and with no possible way of rising back again. Patriarch Warren turned to the supposed to be star of the day and said. "Jamie, my boy. You do know about how much we contributed to the Empire. The Emperor won''t abandon us like this..." "What do you mean, Patriarch?" Jamie asked in confusion and slight expectation. "Even though Mathias'' pardoned us from being annihilated to give the Emperor some face, that doesn''t mean that he would let us go." "Right now, the people of that bastard must pursuing us..." His words sent the five hundred or so clan members of the Luzon Clan in a panic, with such a large entourage, tracking them down was easy. "Calm down, calm down. Remember what I said earlier about the Emperor? Yes, that''s right. I''m sure his Majesty also sent experts to protect us." His words silenced the crowd and everyone heaves sighs of relief including Jamie. "Also, don''t forget that we have dozens of Heaven Grade Artifacts that the juniors can use." Every Elder of the clan had their cultivation crippled so it was impossible for them to produce any Spiritual Qi. But it was different for Jamie and the other three hundred or so youngsters of the clan. Jamie''s expression brightened as he thought. "With the support of such powerful Artifacts, let''s see who dares to provoke us!" Dan and Natalie stood at a distance of several kilometers away from the Luzon Clan entourage. Their expressions solemn as they sat beside each other on a tree branch. "Natalie, how do you think should we approach them?" Dan asked in a curious voice. If he chose between Grace and Natalie when it comes to mind games. He would choose Grace without doubt. But that doesn''t mean that Natalie couldn''t think on some brilliant strategies on her own, and Dan knew that when it comes to battle, she''s more cunning than him. Dan was the reckless, yet cautious type, while Natalie preferred methods that were straightforward, but infallible. "Let''s see, from Senior and the Emperor''s conversation earlier, it seems like the two of them are bitter to each other." "And since the Mathias destroyed one of the Emperor''s loyal subjects and exiled them to a faraway land, the Emperor is sure to be indignant." "Unfortunately, the most that he can do is to cover the Luzon Clan''s retreat since I don''t think that the Emperor would be so naive to think that Mathias won''t send pursuers after them." "Putting this into mind, we should be careful on approaching the Luzon Clan, since the experts that the Emperor sent should be lurking to protect them." Natalie turned to look at Dan and the latter nodded his head in joy and praise. "Mhmm! Mhmm! You''re indeed my wife..." Dan affectionately rubbed her head and domesticated her with his patting techniques. After a round of headpats, Dan looked at her with a cheeky smile and said. "What else do you think should we be careful of when pursuing them?" Dan knew the answers to his question, but he opted to ask Natalie for her opinion. Natalie felt overjoyed that her husband wanted to listen for her opinion. Arranging her ruffled hair, she said with a slight smile. "Let''s see, the Luzon Clan is quite strong and they possess numerous despicable means to protect themselves. They are ruthless, yet at the same time they are cowards." Her expression became filled with frosty disdain. "I bet that those bastards have dozens of Earth or even Heaven Grade Artifacts for fear of their death." Dan was taken aback, it was the first time that he heard his wife cursing, and her words weren''t light, either. Lips twitching, Dan asked: "Then, dear. How do you think should we approach them? With experts from the Empire protecting them from behind and dozens of Heaven Grade Artifacts in their stash. What do you think should we do." His words made a slight smile leak on Natalie''s lips. Cold air swept past their bodies and Dan could feel the surging killing intent from the former''s eyes. The image of a gentle and thoughtful wife disappeared. Replaced by a viciousness that resembled beasts. Negative energies surged around Natalie as she spoke: "About that dear, I have the best course of actions that we can do..." Her bewitching and excited voice sent shivers down Dan''s spine, he didn''t expect that Natalie had such a side or perhaps, she''s under the influence of something sinister? Dan thought in his mind and scanned her body using the System. 194 Fickle Hearts Several hundred meters away from the Luzon Clan entourage, three black-clothed men could be seen on tree branches.Their bodies looked like mist and they melded with the shadows of the leaves above them.The only trace of their existence was their crimson eyes that eerily floated in the air that stared at the Luzon Clan."Shadow, what do you think, should we commence the plan now?" The man at the left side mumbled, his tone filled with impatience."He''s right, Shadow. The Emperor ordered us to retreat as fast as possible after completing this mission, if we let them go too far, it would take us longer to return." The man at the right supported his comrade''s claims. His voice leaked a hint of killing intent.Shadow, who stood at the center glanced at the two and said, "Mist, Darkness, both of you. Don''t be so impatient.""Do you really think that Mathias, the Headmaster of the Paradyne Academy would let such a fat piece of lamb go?"The man at the left, referred to as Mist replied in a confused tone, "And why would he do that, Shadow? Didn''t he say that he would let them go? Why would he break his promise and hurt his pride?"Darkness at the right nodded his head in support and Shadow rubbed his aching temples.''Despite being so intelligent and knowledgeable in battle, these guys are too dull when it comes to mind games.''"Do you really think that something like a verbal promise cannot be broken? That''s just naive thinking! Anyone is willing to risk their life for wealth much less, dignity."He shook his head and the two finally understood what he meant. Realizing this, the two of them turned towards Shadow and said, "Shadow, could it be that the Emperor sent us here for...""Yes, that''s right..." Shadow nodded his head,"A fall of the clan wasn''t something that can easily recover from, the Emperor would rather pillage their resources for himself than to gamble on the Luzon Clan''s comeback."Mist intervened, "But I don''t understand, the Luzon Clan is one of the most loyal clans to the Emperor, why would he do such a shameful thing?"Shadow bitterly chuckled, "In this world, resources and wealth are the most important things that even relatives are willing to kill each other for it..."His words seemed to have awakened something deep within his comrades'' heart as the three of them went silent.The Luzon Clan continued on their journey towards the faraway Desert Wilderness Bazaar, where they could temporarily stay and recover.Even though most members of the clan were injured, with the help of Heavenly Materials and medicinal pills, they went on unimpeded.Jamie held a parchment on his palm that shone in a faint golden light. Unfolding the parchment, three faint dots could be seen on it."Patriarch, it seems like there are three people following us from behind. Judging from the light of the dots, their cultivation is at the Peak Divine Soul Realm."Jamie whispered towards the Patriarch and the latter nodded his head, "Since they''re not doing anything to us and are keeping a safe distance, they should be the protectors that the Emperor sent for us."A smile broke out of his lips, "With this, our journey will become somewhat easy, since we don''t have to worry about the pursuers from the Paradyne Academy."Jamie stared at the zealous light of loyalty shining through the Patriarch''s eyes. A sense of premonition surged in his mind.He understood well about how ruthless the Emperor could become for the sake of his Empire.What if the Emperor sent those experts to kill us before the Paradyne Academy could?Sweat dripped down his forehead, even with his Divine Soul Cultivation, he wasn''t confident that he could beat experts with higher experience than him.He turned towards the Patriarch, but after seeing his shining eyes. He shook his head and decided to keep his thoughts to himself.A kilometer away from the Luzon Clan, Dan and Natalie carefully pursued. Their movements looked carefree, but under the veil of the tree branches and the dim light from the sinking sun, their figures looked hazy.Manipulating negative energies and around their bodies, they merged with the darkness and inhibited their aura and breathing.Natalie wielded her soft sword that looked like a flexible snake, while Dan observed her expression.[The target is under the influence of Negative Energy.][Effects: Heightened Senses, Excitement and Arousal. Duration: Unknown.]Her expression looked glazed and her breathing, laboured. Chilling winds enveloped her body that could sent shivers down the spines of anyone."Dear, do you feel anything strange? Are you okay?" Dan asked with concern.Natalie turned towards him and said, "Of course, I am doing fine, what are you saying suddenly?"Dan shook his head: "Your cheeks looks as bright as an apple and your breathing is ragged, your hand that''s holding your weapon is trembling..."Natalie was taken aback for a moment before regaining her ccomposure. Suppressing the murderous desires within her body, she said."The truth is, I''m not really fine. Ever since, I absorbed someone else''s cultivation, strange thoughts kept on appearing in my mind.""I can normally suppress them but whenever i think about revenge or killing, they simultaneously appear and fill me up...""I''m afraid that I may become something or someone that you''ll hate and feel ashamed of."Natalie hung her head low and deflated like a balloon. Her expression revealed hints of fear and worry.Dan lightly smiled, Natalie''s honesty astonished him and he stretched his hand out and pinched her puffed cheeks."What are you saying? We''re family, you know? Even if you became a killing machine or a Slaughtered, you would still be the Natalie that I adore..."His words stunned Natalie and she moved her head into his chest, asking for a gentle embrace and a round of headpats that Dan gladly bestowed.Afterwards, the two separated and continued their pursuit.At the distance, Natalie spotted the hidden figures of three experts standing on tree branches."They''re at the Peak Divine Soul Realm, most likely the Emperor''s men. As long as we can surprise them, there''s a chance that we can defeat them.""Dear, I''ll take care of the one on the left and you go and suppress the other two for fifteen breaths.""After I''m done, we''ll swiftly retreat, and if our sneak attack fails. We''ll also retreat. Fifteen breaths is enough." Natalie mumbled in a confident voice."Fifteen breaths? Are you sure about that, Dear? We can just attack them together."Dan expressed his concern, fifteen breaths wasn''t a short time but it wasn''t long either.And the two of them were merely at the Peak of the Spirit Tempering Realm, can they really jump a whole realm and Assassinate these three experts at the Peak of the Divine Soul?Natalie saw through his worries and sweetly smiled, "Don''t be so worried, Dear. It''s impossible for me to kill them, but severely injuring them is possible..."Dan''s countenance brightened, nodding his head, the two of them dashed at the three. figures with their weapons drawn and killing intent soaring towards the skies! 195 Reckless Actions Their plan involved seriously injuring an expert at the Peak Divine Soul Realm and involved too many risks. A single mistake could turn fatal and there were no chances of reprieve. In the face of these experts, the immense pressure injected adrenaline through Dan''s heart as he rubbed his sweaty forehead. With their auras inhibited, the two dashed towards the two and Natalie''s soft sword stabbed at her target''s heart. Cold wind whistled and Natalie''s killing intent manifested, alerting the three experts to their presence. Dan clicked his tongue and hurled a flashbang at the other two. Summoning his cultivation base, he suppressed their aura of dominance and pressed on with a downward slice at his target. "Mere brats at the Spirit Tempering Realm actually dares to provoke us?! Your courting death!" Darkness howled in anger and blood burst from Natalie''s ears. His voice alone ruptured her eardrums. Dan saw Natalie''s plight, but remembering her words, he gnashed his teeth and continued his downward slice at the man at the center. His scans revealed that the three of them possessed the same cultivation. Unfortunately, Dan didn''t expect that the man at the middle was the strongest of the three. "Such a straightforward attack, I don''t think that this can even be called as a sneak attack." He mumbled in disdain before pressing his palm outward, sending a palm strike at Dan''s chest. The other man didn''t even budge. He just stared at Dan as if looking at a fool. The man''s palm strike ripped through the air as a sonic boom resonated with a push of his shoulders. Dan felt a strong sense of imminent danger. Under the disdaining gazes of the two, Dan leaked a smile and didn''t abandon his attack. Since the man didn''t evade, Dan''s attack would strike his target but that would also mean his death. What a suicidal brat. They thought in their minds. However, when the man''s palm strike neared its target. Dan''s body transformed into an intangible apparition and his attack went through amidst his shock. At the same time, Dan''s downward slice descended. Embued with everything he had, Dan''s dagger deeply carved his target''s chest as he mumbled. "Sudden Strike!" The man''s wounds intensified, as blood madly scattered on the ground. His comrade beside him recovered from his disbelief and sent a raging kick at Dan''s torso. But how could Dan who succeeded on his attack and stalling for time risk his life once again? With lightning covering his body, Dan kicked off the ground and flew towards the distant horizon. Natalie''s seven orifices bled, yet her ferocity didn''t diminish. Instead, she became more crazed in her desperation to see blood drip from her enemy''s body. Mist locked his eyebrows as he stared at Natalie. His pride as someone of higher cultivation reigned over his mind and he became complacent. Blocking Natalie''s crazed attacks with a wave of his hands. Turning his head to the side, a flash of Lightning flared along with a booming sound as Dan flew towards the horizon. "D-d-Darkness?!" He uttered in surprise and his figure stiffened. He didn''t expect that someone from the younger generation could injure someone of Darkness''s caliber. "Fool! Focus on defending! Don''t be complacent!" Darkness scolded and Mist awakened from his stupor. But it was already too late as a horizontal slash from Natalie connected on his chest along with a fierce electric current that paralyzed his organs as he collapsed on the ground, incapacitated. Shadow, who was left standing of the three, glared at Natalie and rotated his entire cultivation base, unleashing an attack which decimated at everything around him. Natalie stared at him in amusement, her eyes twinkled in interest, but she seemed to have recovered her mind as she wrapped her body in Lightning and flew towards the distance. Shadow wanted to give chase but seeing the bleeding Darkness and Mist. He gnashed his teeth and suppressed his anger as he treated his brothers. At the distance, Natalie and Dan regrouped. Dan''s figure didn''t look much different from before but the beaded sweats on his forehead indicated the pressure that he endured. Natalie, on the other hand, looked bloody, with some parts of her robe, torn asunder. Her expression looked hazy and her figure started wobbling. Nevertheless, her lips leaked a victorious and proud smile as Dan carried her towards a nearby riverstream. There, he cleaned Natalie''s body while keeping track of possible pursuits from their enemies. "Dear, why did we have to do such a risky move..." Dan voiced his complaints, he didn''t want to see her suffer, so it greatly pained him seeing her like this. The cold water helped Natalie regain her composure as she lifted her head and said: "I heard from Senior that breaking through the Divine Soul Realm is the most important bottleneck that a cultivator could experience. The more resources that we use on building our foundation on the Divine Soul Realm, the better are our chances in breaking through higher realms." Her explanations were sound and logical, and since there was nothing to argue about it, Dan changed the topic, "Then, what do you think should we do next? We just severely injured the protectors of the Luzon Clan, should we go and hunt for them now?" Natalie cupped his chin with both of her hands and said, "That''s indeed our next plan but we can''t do it as easily as we did when severely injuring their protectors. The Luzon Clan certainly has dozens of Heaven Grade Artifacts, as just what I said to you earlier, so we cannot do the same approach to them." Dan nodded his head in acknowledgement, "In that case, what should we do?" Natalie''s smile deepened, she felt happy that her husband relied on her so she felt obliged to answer: "The Blessing of the Lightning God feeds on negative energies to increase our cultivation, through Soul Absorption, we can plunder a part of a cultivator''s cultivation and make it as our own." "Not only that, we can increase our lifespan using the Lifeforce Absorption Technique that you taught me, so the best thing that we can do so that we can efficiently harvest their Lifeforce and Soul is to spread chaos among them." Natalie''s tone was light, but Dan couldn''t help but feel a shiver down his spine when she heard her message. Her words were too ruthless, but if he thought about it, it was the best and most efficient way of harvesting the ripe fruit known as the Luzon Clan. Natalie saw the worry lingering within Dan''s eyes and she lightly chuckled and affectionately pinched his cheeks, "This time, the risk is minimal but the reward is high." She embraced his neck and whispered his plan into his ears. "Are you really sure about that? That is indeed an excellent plan but that wouldn''t work without sufficient knowledge about the terrain, habitat of beasts, and danger zones inside the Great Wilderness..." Dan expressed his concern and Natalie flicked his forehead. "Do you remember the time where Sister Charlotte and you disappeared into the Great Wilderness? That time, I thoroughly researched everything that I can about the Great Wilderness just so I could narrow down your location. As a result, I believe that I am more knowledgeable than you in this land. Perhaps, if we battle it out, you may not even be able to defeat me..." Natalie cheekily smiled at the end, but Dan''s reaction wasn''t what she expected. Dan lifted a cunning smile on his face, the two of them were still in the riverstream so Natalie didn''t notice Dan''s nimble hands approaching her thighs. "Battle it out? Interesting, do you really think that you can defeat me?" Dan smirked and displayed one of his strongest hand movement, causing a queer cry from Natalie as her figure shivered. Her cheeks reddened and she suffused a wronged expression as she glared at Dan in indignance. "This much isn''t enough to bring me down..." Natalie assumed a tough facade and squeezed out these words amidst her moans. Unfortunately, her seductive voice and glazed expression as she said these words merely served to awaken the sadistic beast hidden within Dan''s heart, as the calm riverstream violently shook amidst the disturbance. 196 Night of Cold Slaughter The Luzon Clan continued their journey deeper inside the Great Wilderness. They didn''t lack necessities, but being suddenly subjected in such harsh environments weakened the hearts of the younger generation. Particularly, those dandy young men and women. "That shithole Paradyne Academy...I swear that once I acquire some achievements, I will definitely return and wreck their place!" "It''s hot, it''s muddy and there are insects everywhere! Can we just return to the Empire or stay at a nearby city?!" Complaints echoed out, and the Elders of the Clan tried their best in pacifying the indignance of the youngsters who weren''t used to these hardships. The Luzon Clan didn''t have strict restrictions regarding their bloodlines so some members of the Luzon Clan weren''t related to their clan at all. "I''m tired of this! I''ll be going back to the Empire! From now on, I am not a member of the Luzon Clan anymore!" A young man finally gave up and shouted. He took his Luzon Clan token and slammed it on the ground. His words rang loud and clear and everyone turned their heads towards his direction. The young man was taken aback after sensing the heavy gazes directed at him. One of his Senior stared at him like he was a dead man and the young man retaliated. "What are you guys staring at me like that?! Don''t you feel the same right?! The Luzon Clan has committed far too many crimes, and the hammer of justice has already descended! Recovery back to the peak is just a pipe dream! I''d rather return to the Empire than join you guys!" He turned and ran towards the opposite direction. Puchi~! Before he could even disappear from their line of sight. A sword flew towards the young man''s body, piercing him as blood drenched the ground amidst the panicked screams. "Traitorous bastards, Is this how you''re going to repay the Luzon Clan?! From now on, those that dares to rebel will be personally executed by me..." Jamie''s solemn figure appeared from the crowd and everyone parted. He dislodged his sword and burned the young man''s body as the smell of burnt flesh nauseated everyone who smelled it. Killing the chicken to warn the monkeys. A simple but effective strategy in temporarily suppressing all ideas of rebellion. The youngsters of the clan were pacified, but Jamie knew that his actions merely served as a stopgap measure. "We need to hasten our pace or else the apprehension from the uncertainty of the future will cause us to collapse internally..." Jamie''s eyes shone in a serious light as he walked towards the front of the entourage where the Elders congregated. Dan and Natalie observed the commotion while hidden within the shadows. The darkness of the night reached the peak and the Luzon Clan soon established their camp. Withdrawing their food, the youngsters regained the vigor as they chomped on Spiritual Meat and Vegetables. "Damn, these bastards really are rich, to think that even when their clan was decimated, they could still afford such luxuries..." Dan bitterly smiled and glanced at Natalie who smiled menacingly. "That''s good, it would be a disappointment if we killed them and found that they didn''t possess any valuables..." "Yeah, after witnessing the ruthlessness that displayed towards their own clansmen, I feel like what you said to me about the reality of the Luzon Clan was far accurate than what I thought..." The two lightly laughed, and discussed the annihilation of the Luzon Clan as if it was a bedtime story. If a third party was here and heard their words, they would run towards the opposite direction in fear. After a moment of discussion, Dan entered Stealth and sneaked among the youngsters of the Luzon Clan. These young men and women possessed cultivations at the Organ Tempering Realm with the highest at the Peak of Spirit Tempering Realm. They cheered as they ate and some even opened wine bottles and toasted with their fellow brothers and sisters. Jamie''s right hand man, Zazie also sat among the gathered youngsters and ate with them. Everyone loved Zazie because despite his high cultivation, he was humble and frequently conversed with his juniors. Their cheers soon reached the peak and some of them returned to their respective tents in couples with lascivious smiles on their faces. Zazie hooked his arms around a younger sister and the two of them walked towards Zazie''s tent with blazing lust within their eyes. Taking his clothes off, he pushed the young woman on the bed and pounced at her. Meanwhile, some adventurous youngsters stayed out of their tents and decided to vent their stress out in the open. The adrenaline pumping through their veins along with their bubbling desires inhibited their senses that they didn''t notice Dan approaching them from behind. Before they could even commence their session, cold wind swept past their necks as blood silently dripped on th ground. They didn''t even have the time to scream as Dan reaped their lives with a mere flick of his wrist. Absorbing their cultivation and lifeforce, Dan felt his dantian throbbing with power as excitement surged within his eyes. Entering Stealth, he dashed towards a tent at the edge of the campsite and easily reaped the lives of the disciples that slept there. Dan didn''t spare anyone, those that met him fell on Dan''s mercy as the former silently reaped their lives and absorbed their power. Within several minutes, Dan assassinated thirty Luzon Clan members. He wanted to continue but a system notification stopped him. [The host has absorbed a vast amount of negative energies at a short time frame. Absorbing without assimilation can lead to energy overload. Unless you want to go out with a bang, I suggest stopping what you''re doing right now.] Dan clicked his tongue and gestured for Natalie, saying that he had already cleared the disciples at the edge of the campsite and it was time for them to invade deeper. Natalie nodded her head, her eyes glistened in a crimson light as she dashed towards Dan''s direction. Natalie covered her skin with black charcoal cream and attached some leaves on her robes effectively mixing with the environment. If she inhibited her aura, there was no way that someone of lower cultivation could discover her presence. Arriving at a nearby tent where strange noises repeatedly echoed out, Natalie knitted her eyebrows and Dan lightly chuckled, "You''ll go for the woman, I''ll go for the man." His words sounded ambiguous without context, and Natalie frowned. "No, leave the man to me," Her expression turned icy and her eyes shone in reminiscence about the horror that he experienced when she was still ten or so years old. She took her soft sword out and lashed it towards the young man''s phallus and sliced it into pieces. The young man felt a sharp stabbing pain on his lower body. His eyes widened in terror when he realized what happened. Unfortunately, Natalie didn''t give him the time to scream as the latter sliced at his throat, silencing him forever. The young woman underneath him became drenched with the blood that splashed from his throat. She opened her murky eyes and saw the scene of horror. "Wha..." Just before she could shout, Dan''s daggers stabbed on her heart and throat, instantly killing her before she could alert anyone in the vicinity. "Dear, are you okay?" Dan whispered towards Natalie as he wiped his body clean, Natalie wiped the bloodstains off her body and merely nodded her head towards Dan''s inquiry. As her husband, Dan understood that Natalie was currently in the middle of trip down her memory lane. He didn''t ask any questions anymore as the two of them continued their silent killing spree. To make it look like the youngsters disappeared without any notice, Dan even used the system and cleaned all traces of evidence such as blood and footprints along with neatly arranging the belongings of the deceased. This process took several hours to complete. Fortunately, the two of them struck at the dead of the night or else someone would''ve already caught them in the act. After several hours of cold slaughter, the two retreated and as soon as daybreak arrived. The Luzon Clan entourage exploded into a huge commotion. 197 Mysterious Disappearances "Senior Brother! Crams and the Junior Sisters, vanished!" "Zazie also vanished! Just what the hell happened?! Did someone attack us when we''re sleeping?!" Panicked voices echoed throughout the entire campsite. Jamie exited his tent and inspected the situation for himself along with the Patriarch and a drove of Elders. "What the hell happened last night?" An Elder mumbled in confusion and astonishment. A young disciple interjected, "A battle must''ve happened last night, Elder! We must''ve not noticed it because we''re too drunk and sleeping!" Patriarch Warren glared at the disciple, "Calm down, will you? If a battle really did happen last night, traces of struggle should remain. And in the first place, it is impossible that none of us detected such a large-scale fight!" The disciple regained his composure, the Patriarch was right, if a battle happened last night, and in such a scale, they should''ve noticed it and reacted to the situation. However, they did not and only noticed their fellow disciples'' disappearance by morning. This realization terrified everyone out of their minds. Those at the brink of paranoia completely collapsed in terror and fear. Thinking about the atrocities that they committed back at the Empire, they thought that today was their retribution. Jamie locked his eyebrows and searched every tent of the vanished disciples to no avail. He also ordered some disciples to search the surrounding area, but they all reported the same thing. No traces of anything, not even footprints were present in the area. It was as if those sixty or so disciples vanished into thin-air. "It must be the work of demons! That''s right, demons! We''ve done so many evil that they''re coming after us for revenge!" A female disciple went hysterical and started shouting in desperation, one of the disciples that disappeared was her younger sister. "Done so many evil?" Jamie coldly glanced at the female disciple and her fellow brothers and sisters stepped forwards and covered her mouth. Her muffled cries dampened everyone''s mood, further lowering their morale. "I don''t know what evil you''re talking about but if you''re gonna ask me, the bastard that did this is the evil one! Don''t ever accuse us, your fellow disciples again, or else..." A sinister light crept out of Jamie''s eyes and the female disciple shivered in fear while she was brought by her friends back into her tent. "But, Senior Brother, what do you think happened to those that disappeared?" A close confidant of Jamie voiced out his concerns, Jamie shook his head and said, "Those that disappeared numbered at least fifty, and since they still haven''t returned until now. All of them should''ve been killed by those bastards..." His close confidant showed a pained expression and said, "Those bastards? What do you mean, Senior?" Jamie glanced at him and said, "It''s impossible for a single person to kill that amount of disciples in such a short amount of time, there should be at least dozens of people that attacked and kidnapped our fellow disciples." "Kidnap? If they didn''t immediately kill them, they should be able to ask for help, yet why didn''t that happen?" His close confidant muttered in confusion and Jamie turned towards him and sighed, "Yes, they didn''t kill them outright, if they did, traces of blood and struggle should be present. But since there''s nothing, they should''ve kidnapped them while they''re in deep sleep and killed them after they escaped." Patriarch Warren nodded his head and said, "That''s indeed the case. Unfortunately, we don''t have the time to investigate what happened. The most that we can do is light some incense for the deceased before we''ll continue our journey towards the Desert Wilderness Bazaar." "What do you mean, Patriarch? Are you saying that we''re going to forget about those that died?!" A male disciple who heard his words forgot his decorum amidst his sorrow and shouted at the Patriarch. Jamie and the Elders raised their eyebrows and warned the male disciple with their gazes. Patriarch Warren turned towards the male disciple and said, "I didn''t say that we''ll forget about them, trust me. Once we established ourselves at the Desert Wilderness Bazaar and regained some of our strength, I''ll do my best in capturing those bastards that did this. I swear on the name of the Luzon Clan." His words were solemn as he vowed. The disciples who still had some grievances could only retreat for now as they silently cried back at their tents. Jamie clenched his fists and swore that he would definitely get to the bottom of this case. Meanwhile, the culprits of the attack could be seen sitting on a tree branch while casually munching on some apples. Dan stared at the campsite and saw that the negative energies twirling around each individual had thickened. "Still not enough for the picking." Dan shook his head, and handed over an apple to Natalie, "Want another?" Natalie nodded her head and accepted the apple. "Dear, we should invite Sister Grace to come with us at the last phase of our plan, if we do that, she''ll advance faster in her cultivation..." Natalie proposed an idea and hearing her words, Dan smiled and said, "That''s a good idea, but we shouldn''t let her fight with us since even those disciples are stupid, they''re still quite strong..." Even with Grace''s Noble Bloodline, gaps between cultivation realms couldn''t easily be surpassed and it was possible that she could die if she fought beside them. "I don''t think that Sister Grace would accept what you''re saying right now, Dear." Natalie knitted her eyebrows and said in a low voice. Dan turned towards her and said with a smile, "You''re right about that, as far as I know, Grace is an awkward, yet stubborn girl that will never give up for the sake of achieving her girls. That''s the reason why she survived such a harsh childhood." Natalie wryly smiled, "Since you already knew about it, what are you going to do? If we invite her, she would surely do the opposite of your orders and join us in the fight." Dan shook his head and said, "Natalie, though Grace is now my wife, did you forget that I am her master? Using our connection as a master and slave, there''s no way that she could refuse my commands." "Are you sure about doing that? If you did that, Sister Grace will definitely hate you..." Dan lightly laughed, "It''s fine if she hates me after doing that, at the least i could ensure her safety while increasing her strength at the same time." Natalie stared at Dan with a gentle expression. That''s right, her man was someone like this. Despite the increased difficulty of bringing someone of lower cultivation with him, he would still undertake such risks just so he could secure the safety of his family, all the while obtaining the benefits that everyone required. Natalie embraced Dan''s arm and lovingly rubbed her cheeks on his shoulders. Dan was taken aback for a moment, Natalie normally didn''t act so lovely and affectionate, did she ate something bad? "What''s wrong with you? Why are you staring at me like you''ve seen a ghost in broad daylight?" Natalie lightly chuckled. Dan scratched his head in awkwardness, "Nothing, I just thought that it''s quite rare of you to act like this. Normally, something like this only happens when you''re drunk or craving for it..." Natalie frowned, "Craving for what?" Dan cheekily smiled, "You know, craving for that..." A smack came down on his head, "Stop thinking of such things, and also, we''re outside, you know..." "A wise man once said that to prolong one''s life, seeking adventures and pleasures should be the priority in life. So, what''s wrong with doing it outside, it''s not like it''s going to happen everyday..." Dan shrugged and stretched his hands around Natalie''s waist. A queer cry came out of Natalie''s mouth as she said in a helpless tone, "Not doing it everyday? Why do I feel like that''s not going to happen judging by your lecherous attitude..." She pushed him back and said, "No means no! What if someone passes by and sees us?" "Well if that happens, I''ll just have to beat that memory out of his head..." Dan nonchalantly replied and Natalie sighed, though she adamantly refused, it was all for the sake of maintaining her proper image. The truth was she''s also quite adventurous and was tempted to partake on such an activity. Of course, Dan knew that Natalie was merely faking her refusal. Otherwise, he wouldn''t be so overbearing in convincing her about it. With just a few strokes of his hand enhanced by his double-digits dexterity. Natalie''s facade fell along with their clothes. 198 Second Assaul Natalie laid her head on Dan''s shoulders as the two observed the current situation of the Luzon Clan. In the campsite, hundreds of disciples banded together along with Elders wielding Heaven Grade Artifacts infused with Spiritual Energy. Though, they were crippled, activating an Artifact only takes a single thought. The disciples felt relived seeing the cold lights of the ferocious Artifacts. Nevertheless, they still felt afraid and grouped themselves together, with some females latching on their stronger senior brothers. "There''s power in unity, this is quite troublesome, I didn''t expect that they would act so fast." Dan lightly chuckled and Natalie stared at him and said, "If the two of us attacked them, we will definitely be caught, after all, my Stealth techniques aren''t so sophisticated and overpowered like yours..." Dan laughed once again, Indeed, his Stealth skill bestowed by the system could even bypass the Fragrant Peak Pavilion''s formation systems, much less these disciples whose cultivations weren''t even worth mentioning. "For today, I''ll be the one that''ll do the dirty job, you go and fetch Grace." Dan laid out his plans and Natalie nodded in understanding. Arranging her clothes, she froze for a moment before saying. "It seems like those three experts that we attacked yesterday has recovered. Will you be fine doing everything alone?" Natalie expressed her worries and Dan chuckled, "Who do you think I am, I''ll be fine, just go and fetch Grace, also. Give this to that little lass," Dan hurled an apple at Natalie and the latter received it with a smile. "I understand, I won''t worry about you anymore..." She secretly flicked a talisman at Dan''s back before dashing towards the distance. Dan turned and stared at her gradually disappearing back before saying, "What a worrywart..." He took the talisman that was stuck on his back and saw the blood-red markings on the paper. "Fortress Bastion. A one time use defensive talisman that can block a lethal strike." A warm smile lifted on his lips and Dan returned it on his back and stared at the campsite. "How long are we going to keep this up, Senior Brother?" A disciple meekly asked Jamie as he squeezed himself deeper within the encirclement that they created. Advancing slowly towards the Desert Wilderness Bazaar, the Luzon Clan decided that to keep their casualties to the minimum, everyone should stick together along with the Elders. If one looked at the Luzon Clan from above, they would feel like they were looking at an ant mound as the females stuck with each other while the males protected them at the front. A circle formation with the females and Elders at the center and the able-bodied male disciples at the border of the formation. It was a simple yet effective formation. However, it had its merits, and that was those at the center needed to keep up with the movements of the males at the borders or they would crash against each other. "We''re gonna keep this up until we reach the Desert! After we''re out of this goddamned forest, let''s see how those bastards can sneak attack us!" Jamie shouted in a dignified voice and his fellow disciples didn''t have any choice but to continue. However, when night arrived, the exhausted disciples fell on the ground one after another and Patriarch Warren was forced to stop the moving formation. Commanding the disciples to set up their tents in groups, the Luzon Clan displayed seamless cooperation and teamwork to the extent that Dan had to praise them. "Setting up their tents close to each other in another circle formation while placing booby traps around the tents. It''s quite an intelligent plan. Unforunately, my Flicker albeit it only lasts for three seconds. It disregards all obstacles, including those traps and formations..." Dan crept near the campsite like a ghost. Both of Dan''s hands held strange knives that looked like a spiral. Glancing at these two knives, a sinister smile emerged on Dan''s face. "The Jagdkommando is as costly as an Assault Rifle but it''s the best close combat weapon that I can use within my knowledge of weapons. If my memory serves me right, this weapon was banned for use in wars due to the fact that this monster will stick to the skin upon entry and twist the flesh upon exit, leaving a gaping hole where the enemy would bleed to death, ensuring a certain kill..." Dan mumbled under his breath and held the knives in a reverse grip before activating Stealth and Flicker in a combo. Within the next instance, he arrived inside a female disciple''s tent. Inside the tent were three female disciples talking to each other with pale expressions on their faces. Their eyes gleamed in the lights of apprehension and fear along with their limbs that intermittently trembled. Scanning his gaze over the three, Dan shook his head, as someone that manipulates negative energies, Dan could see all sorts of resentment and hatred gathered on a person who killed a substantial amount of people in their lives. Despite the fact that these three looked innocent and frail, the concentration of negative energies surrounding their bodies were thicker and deeper than those of the other disciples. With a smile on his face, Dan knew that he caught big fishes and with a quick movement and a spark of lightning, his knives stabbed on the hearts of the three. "Guaaah..." The three female disciples spat a mouthful of blood as a sharp pain assaulted their chests. "Who..." They mumbled and lifted their drowsy eyelids, there. Standing within the darkness was the faint silhouette of a young man that stared at them with a gentle smile on his face. That was the last scene that they saw before their bodies withered and turned into dust. Dan even absorbed their souls, making sure that these evil souls would never reincarnate ever again. Sheathing his knives, Dan exited the tent and started his slaughter once again. This time, he killed at least thirty disciples before retreating. His dantian became so full that he was on the brink of energy deviation. Suppressing the desire for a breakthrough, Dan absorbed some of the negative energies while inhibiting the others, planning on giving them to Grace and Natalie. "S-s-s-Senior Brother!!!" A high-pitched cry reverberated throughout the entire campsite and the resplendent lights of Artifacts illuminated the darkness. Jamie hurried over at the source of the shout with a drove of Elders and upon arrival, their eyes widened in shock... Fifteen male and female disciples disappeared without a trace. Even the battle-hardened Patriarch Warren felt disturbed about this discovery as Jamie tightly clenched his fists in hatred. "Just how in the heavens did they attack us?! There''s dozens of Heaven Grade Formations around the campsite but we still failed to detect them!" Jamie''s nails dug deep within his palms until they bled. Patriarch Warren''s expression look dark as an Elder beside him spoke with uncertainty. "Perhaps, the people that attacks us achieved the absolute realm of Stealth, Perfect Invisibility and Perfect Inhibition?" Jamie lifted an eyebrow and Patriarch Warren glared at him and retorted, "Impossible! There''s no way that someone can achieve the Realm of Perfect Invisibility and Inhibition! At the least, not in this Continent!" Jamie reeled in shock upon seeing that the level-headed Patriarch lost his composure, "Patriarch, what do you mean by the Realm of Perfect Invisibility and Inhibition? Is that what I think it is?" Patriarch Warren nodded his head, "That''s right! When one''s comprehension towards their movement techniques reaches the peak, they would acquire the power to move freely under the nine heavens. That of course, includes the Realm of Perfect Stealth and Inhibition." "In that state, one is virtually undetectable to the extent that not even Divine Emperors could see through their Stealth." Jamie''s eyes widened in shock, "That''s impossible! Even Divine Emperors can''t see through their Stealth?! There''s no way that someone like that would even bother to attack a small clan like us!" Patriarch Warren and the Elders nodded their heads in understanding. Jamie''s words were sound and logical. Someone who could evade the probing of Divine Emperors normally wouldn''t bother about the mundane world. The Elders and Jamie disposed of the ridiculous idea and proposed that no one should return to their tents for now. Gathering all the disciples, Jamie established a huge bonfire where all of them could dine and talk together. A figure clad in the robes of the Luzon Clan disciples stood near the bonfire with a small smile on his face. Dan heard the words of the Elders and the Patriarch and thought that his Stealth was actually so overpowered. Suppressing his excitement, Dan swept his gaze over the disciples and sought for someone whose state of mind was the most unstable. "Found you..." A gleam of cold light flashed through Dan''s eyes as he stared at a female disciple sitting alone near her tent. Her negative energy was the thickest of the gathered disciples, proved by the fact that everyone who glanced at her had disdaining lights within their eyes. Dan approached the young woman and handed over a cup of fine wine, "What are you doing here, alone?" She lifted her head and stared right into Dan''s jet-black eyes. A beam of jet-black light flew from Dan''s eyes into her mind. Her eyes became lifeless and Dan calmly retreated from the scene and disappeared into the darkness. Observing the Luzon Clan from the distance, his lips lifted an amused smile, looking forward to the show that would soon begin. 199 Chrissy Jamie and the others celebrated with the Elders, but everyone could see the panic and anxiety within each other''s eyes. When the first round of disappearance occurred, it was the same circumstances where they all indulged themselves. Right now, no one had the desire to be playful. Instead, most of them held stacks of talismans on their bodies while the others who were more well-off hid Defensive Artifacts inside their robes. Patriarch Warren sighed and swept his gaze warily over the boundless darkness outside the borders of their campsite. Despite losing his cultivation, Patriarch Warren''s instincts still existed and it gave him a foreboding feeling, as if there was something out there that observed them from the darkness. "What''s wrong, Patriarch? Can you feel something?" Jamie asked with an uncertain tone and Patriarch Warren glanced at him and said with a hushed voice, "I can sense that people are watching us from the left hand direction, though I can''t discern how many they are, the faint killing intent that they''re giving off is so thick, as if they''re creatures that ascended from the depths of hell..." Patriarch Warren struggled to maintain his calm and wiped the beaded sweats that formed on his forehead. Jamie''s expression flickered, he knew that weight of the Patriarch''s instincts despite the fact that he lost his cultivation base. "I''ll secretly send some of the core disciples to scout at that direction." Jamie said and Patriarch Warren nodded his head, "Alright, also make them bring some Heaven Grade Artifacts for their protection..." Within the next few minutes, several core disciples seamlessly broke away from their groups and headed for the direction that Jamie indicated. Their movements were stealthed and the surrounding disciples couldn''t even sense their presence. However, Dan who had the cheat of the system saw all of their actions on the mini-map and snickered, "They act really fast, to think that they would instantly send some of their most powerful disciples towards my bait..." With Dan''s level of Stealth and the inhibition from the System, no one can discover him if he didn''t want to be discovered. Earlier, Dan revealed some of his killing intent and staked on the fact that Patriarch Warren still possessed his heightened senses born from his experience. Seeing the movements at the campsite, Dan understood that his guess was right as a small smile lifted on his lips. His wife, Grace mumbled with a wry smile on her face, "What would you do if your guess failed and you''re unable to temporarily separate the main forces of the Luzon Clan from the gathered disciples?" Dan turned towards Grace and said, "As expected of someone that brought down a merchant firm by her own, to think that you already saw through my plans in just a short amount of time...I''m starting to doubt if I''m the protagonist here or you..." Grace lightly smiled towards his praise before saying, "Yep, with your level of stealth, even that crippled Patriarch couldn''t possibly discover you without your will, and as for the reason why you went out of your way and baited them out, it should be to increase the amount of damage that you can do without being interrupted by their strongest disciples, right?" Dan clapped his hands and moved his hand towards his head, rubbing it with his deft hands in praise, "That''s right, that''s right, if I didn''t bait their strongest disciples out, the seed that I planted at the campsite would be instantly neutralized, seeing that happen would make everything less interesting..." He kissed her forehead as the latter asked. "Seed?" "Yes, seed. As someone who cultivates using a demonic cultivation method, I can freely manipulate the negative energies that surrounds a person, with just a single tap on their body, I could amplify the deep-seated desires deep within their hearts and turn them towards their allies...What do you think? It''s quite a ruthless and despicable technique, right?" Grace''s figure froze for a moment before she hung her head low and said, "Calling something like that is indeed ruthless and despicable but that would also mean that I''m insulting myself as one of those so-called demonic cultivators..." She sighed and continued, "As long as you''re not harming the innocent, I don''t really care about what happens next..." Dan stared at her with surprise, "You''re thinking that everyone from the Luzon Clan isn''t innocent?" His words awakened the napping Natalie and she snapped her eyes open to stare at the two. "Well, if anyone other than me that knows the truth saw what you were doing, they would judge you as the demon that should be annihilated. However, when I saw the list of heinous crimes that the Luzon Clan committed in the past three decades, It should be time for their reckoning." Grace''s eyes flashed with complicated emotions. Dan''s lips leaked a small smile as he handed over Jagdkommando knife that she received with confusion. "That knife can be considered as the most ruthless knife in existence. As long as you can stab it on your enemy, they would shortly die from blood loss." Dan explained, but this further deepened Grace''s confusion, "So? Why did you give this to me?" Her words made Dan reveal a cold gleam within his eyes along with a smile that sent a blast of cold air over Grace''s body as she shivered in subconscious fear. "It''s time for us to slaughter, we''re not gonna let anyone of them alive. Those that dared to hurt one of my family members shall suffer my retribution..." He turned around and didn''t bother about Grace anymore as he kept observing the Luzon Clan. His sentence froze Grace as she stood there intermittently trembling. Despite the fact that she also wanted to see the Luzon Clan annihilated, the intense killing intent that radiated from Dan''s eyes was something that she hasn''t witnessed until now. And seeing that from the eyes of her wonderful and caring husband shook her world as she replayed the words that Dan said to her earlier, "Those that dared to hurt my family members shall suffer my retribution..." She made a sidelong glance at Dan before turning towards Natalie, intent on clearing up her confusion about Dan''s motives. Natalie saw the disturbed light within Grace''s eyes and she approached him while deeply sighing as she explained her gruesome past to Grace. Back at the campsite, a group of three female and two male disciples walked together towards the direction of a certain tent where someone whom they considered as an outcast, lived. Tearing the entrance of the tent, there they saw the frail figure of a young woman sitting by herself in complete silence. "Oh, so you''re there? Why didn''t you go to the gathering? Are you sure that you''re gonna be fine once the Elders finds out that a disciple dared to ignore their orders?" A female disciple sneered at her and mocked. "You know that silent figure of yours really pisses us off, the fact that we can''t see through you thoughts makes us feel like you''re plotting something behind our backs..." The female disciple beside her smirked and chimed in, while the remaining female disciple exclaimed. "Ah! Could it be that you''re a spy from those bastards that attacked us several days ago?!" She revealed a horrified look while the two male disciples at the side revealed mocking expressions, "Ah! So that''s the reason why they easily intruded through our defenses! If someone was helping them from the inside, even a pig can sneak in!" Despite their accusations, Chrissy still hung her head low and refused to speak anything. His buddy beside him became irritated due to Chrissy''s unresponsiveness before pointing at her, saying: "Why are you not saying anything?! As expected of someone guilty, you can''t even say anything in retort much more express your defense..." The first female disciple who spoke revealed a lascivious smile, "Calm down, calm down, since we''re all members of the same clan, it wouldn''t be right if we don''t give her the chance to repent, right?" "That''s right, that''s right, Chrissy! Don''t worry! As long as you obey our orders for tonight, we will make sure that no one will ever get a whiff of the crimes that you did!" One of the male disciple stepped forward and disrobed before saying. "Chrissy~You do know that these days, ever since our clan got abolished, I have never once touched a woman and I feel quite pent-up. How about you satisfy both of us for the starters?" His buddy also stripped his robes and the two of them stood beside Chrissy as the three female disciples each prepared a Profound Imagery Stone for documenting about what''s going to happen. "Sigh..." Chrissy heaved a deep sigh, the sigh that she made gave the others the idea that she finally gave up as the two male disciples neared their naked bodies on Chrissy''s figure. ~Slash~ Puchi! Before they could even approach her, a cold light flashed and tore through the air. Chrissy, wielding her soft sword easily beheaded the two males as the three female disciples staggered backward and froze in fear. "Chrissy...You...How dare you kill a fellow disciple!" A female disciple exclaimed, but due to the fact that Chrissy''s tent was far from the center of the gathering. No one managed to hear her crimes as Chrissy expressionlessly ended her life. Walking out of her tent drenched with the blood of her bullies. Chrissy calmly walked towards the direction of the gathered disciples. Beneath her jet-black hair was an overwhelming killing intent and concentration of negative energies that took over her mind. With Dan''s manipulation, Chrissy''s hatred, indignance and anger towards her fellow disciples that bullied her went free and created an emotionless killing machine whose goals were to cause chaos and kill. 200 Mayhem Chrissy''s blood-soaked appearance terrified her fellow disciples. But before any of them could run, flashes of cold lights weaved through their bodies and before they realized it, they all fell on the ground, lifeless. Most disciples gathered at the center of the formation, but some who didn''t have any companions and were fellow loners like Chrissy didn''t bother to join the festivities. Unfortunately, for them, they became Chrissy''s first target as she paved her path of slaughter towards the center. Her eyes that seethed with rage and killing intent along with the blood that stuck on her body, created a scene which resembled the depths of hell. Anyone who saw her couldn''t even scream before they died. Under the influence of Dan''s strengthening and manipulation. Her strength temporarily became stronger than Outer Clan Disciples and no one managed to stop her advance. By this time, Patriarch Warren and Jamie regained their composure and slightly relaxed. After all, with the scouting of the core disciples and the help of the Heaven Grade Parchment which could see through anyone''s stealth. There''s no way that someone could evade their eyes. Regrettably, the two didn''t even think that an intruder wasn''t limited to their enemies, and no one even noticed Chrissy''s killing spree as she approached the gathered disciples with her suppressed killing intent. "What the..." "Who is that?!" "Someone is holding a sword and approaching us..." "Those robes..." "A fellow disciple?!" A commotion exploded amidst the gathered disciples as someone at the farthest seat noticed Chrissy''s presence. Everyone''s eyes turned at Chrissy, including the Patriarch whose eyes widened in shock when it landed on Chrissy''s figure. "Shit! Everyone stand behind the Elders!" Patriarch Warren fiercely shouted, his words were crisp and solemn which brought everyone back from their trance. "But Patriarch..." "We can''t..." "We can''t...move..." The sheer fear that they felt upon seeing the simmering anger within Chrissy''s eyes froze the figures of these young men and women as they shivered intermittently on their seats. Jamie unsheathed his sword and dashed at Chrissy''s direction with a downward slash, aiming to decapitate her in an instant. "You demon! How dare you slaughter your fellow disciples! Face your judgement!" Jamie shouted and sliced with his sword. However, how could Dan, who controlled Jamie from afar let her die so easily without achieving his goals? Manifesting a barrier of negative energies, Chrissy deflected Jamie''s attacks before leaping towards a nearby disciple. "Shit!" Jamie violently cursed and forcefully twisted his body. But by this time, Chrissy''s attacks already landed and sliced her target cleanly from the torso as Jamie crazily howled, "Bastard! How dare you ignore my presence!" A brilliant light flashed through his sword and numerous shallow wounds opened on Jamie''s body as she was blasted towards the distance. Even so, she still managed to kill three disciples before landing on a wooden fence. "Restrain her! We must not kill her right away! She should be one of those bastards that kidnapped and killed our fellow disciples!" Jamie instructed and the disciples who saw the gruesome deaths of their fellow brothers and sisters snapped out of their trance as they all shouted in hatred at Chrissy''s direction. Chrissy coldly laughed, "What a good display of righteousness, are you really that desperate in keeping your face? Senior Brother Jamie?" She struggled to stand up, as the stubborn light and killing intent within her eyes stunned everyone to a halt. "You..." Jamie gnashed his teeth and pointed at her, "Display of righteousness? Isn''t it right to display one''s righteousnes when slaying someone as evil as you?!" His words evoked laughter from Chrissy. "Someone as evil as me? What a joke! Ever since I arrived in here, no one even treated me as a human, All of you...All of you treated me as a servant just because of the issue of my birth! Everyday, I had to suffer through tortures and becoming a plaything for you pigs, all for the sake of acquiring the support of the clan to treat my sick mother..." "Someone like me doesn''t have any future anymore. And it''s the fault of this despicable Luzon Clan...If I am to die today, then I will drag you to hell with me!" She crazily howled and the negative energies that surrounded her body erupted, invading the minds of the terrified disciples as they all started to kill each other. "Stan! You fucking stole the stash that I hid under my bed! I''ll fucking kill you!" "Jonathan! Since you still haven''t returned the fifty silver coins that you owe me ten years ago. Your head shall be the repayment!" "Bastard, Kir! I heard that you fucking slept with my girlfriend two years ago! Come here and face your death!" Chrissy dashed at Jamie amidst this mayhem and the two of them engaged in a fierce close quarter combat as the resplendent lights of Heaven Grade Artifacts illuminated the darkness. The disciples assigned to wield these powerful Artifacts also turned crazy as the desires and hatred within their hearts erupted. Dan observed this scene of carnage from afar, beside him was Grace and Natalie whose eyes widened in shock, "So this is the true power of negative energies? To think that it could turn close brothers and even relatives against each other..." Grace mumbled in a soft voice and Dan lightly laughed, "Yes, however, this scene exceeded my predictions. To think that the Luzon Clan culminated so many hearts filled with hatred that a single push from me easily overwhelmed them..." ''What do you mean, Dear?" Natalie asked in confusion and Dan patiently explained, "Every human living in this world all has desires within their hearts. However, when this desire doesn''t get fulfilled, hatred will replace it. I just gave these bastards a slight push towards the abyss." Natalie''s frown lingered, "Dear, I''m still confused, what I want to ask is just how did you make them fall into such a mental state where they couldn''t even recognize allies from enemies..." Dan stretched his head and rubbed the heads of his wives before explaining, "Each and everyone of these disciples in her did at least a single heinous crime such as slaughter, **** or torturing other people to death. The resentment of those people that wrongfully died under their hands became the wood while the hatred that they had for each other became the fire that ignited the forest that is their soul..." "Right now, these poor bastards has descended into insanity, there''s no other way to stop them but to kill them..." Dan''s lips lifted a vicious smile and Grace chimed at the side, "What would happen if the Elders from the Luzon Clan killed their own disciples..." Natalie also stared at Dan in curiosity as the vicious smile on Dan''s face intensified. "Well, the hatred and resentment that the disciples gathered would simply transfer to their killers, creating a loop that would only end until each and every member of the Luzon Clan is dead..." Natalie sucked a mouthful of cold air as she said, "What a merciless and overpowered technique..." Grace also thought the same and nodded her head. Little did the two realize that a drop of blood seeped from Dan''s lips as he suppressed the urge to vomit a mouthful of blood. Manipulating such vast amounts of negative energies for the first time took quite the toll on his body. Lifting his head, he stared at the distance with a pensive light within his eyes. At the distance, the three figures of Shadow, Darkness and Mist stared at the mayhem unfolding before their eyes. Shadow glanced at Darkness and said, "Darkness, why are we not going down now? If we keep on standing here, more Heaven Grade Artifacts may shatter in the hands of those bastards..." Mist also stared at Darkness, looking for answers. Darkness sighed and said, "Both of you should really read some books about stratagems. If the three of us descends down right now, those brats that attacked us earlier may notice our arrival and avoid us." "If we want to take our revenge, we must not scare them and wait until they claim their loot from those poor Luzon Clan members..." Darkness shrugged and didn''t say anything anymore, letting his subordinate analyze his words. "Ah! So you''re saying that we should wait until those brats arrive and take the treasures from the dead bodies of these Luzon Clan members so that we can take our revenge?" Mist excitedly followed up and Shadow nodded his head in agreement, "I think I read some words in a book that resembles our current situation. But I forgot what it was and what it means..." Darkness lightly laughed, "It''s called, the mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind." Mist and Shadow simultaneously nodded their heads and said, "That''s it! But I wonder what it means...Darkness, can you explain it to us?" "Nah, it''s too bothersome, think about the meaning of it for yourselves..." He shook his head and merged with the darkness. Mist and Shadow scratched their heads in confusion before hiding their bodies from plain sight. Dan who saw their disappearance sneered in his heart, "So those three are playing the fisherman? How interesting..." He mumbled under his breath before indulging on the soft bodies of his wives beside him. 201 Decisiveness Beaded sweats filled Jamie''s forehead as he fought with Chrissy. He could see every disciple around him, dying one after another but he couldn''t do anything to help them. Jamie had the feeling that once he turned lax, Chrissy would immediately disect him into two. "Elders! Help me out here! Kill this bitch!" Jamie violently cursed and the Elders behind him who protected the other disciples from the collateral damage of Jamie and Chrissy''s battle, turned towards him and pointed their palms. "Star Breaking Pulse!" "Air Combustion!" "Sword of Astaroth!" Numerous Heaven Grade Artifacts displayed their brilliance as Jamie ducked his body, evading the trajectory of the attacks while revealing Chrissy''s figure in return. Bang! A deafening boom reverberated, a blood arrow exploded from Chrissy''s mouth as she flew towards the distance and stuck a fence. Jamie regained his balance and stared at her unmoving figure for a moment before turning towards the other crazed disciples in resentment. "Senior Brother, here! Help us!" "Senior Brother, there''s three of us here! Come quick! They''re breaching our defenses!" Pleading voices echoed out and Jamie rushed towards the source of these voices, repelling the crazed disciples, he shouted, "Go behind the Elders! Take an Artifact from them and defend yourself!" The disciples solemnly followed his instructions while Jamie paved the way for them. Jamie didn''t kill those crazed disciples, he deflected their bodies away so that the sane disciples could pass through and reach the protected area behind the Elders. Sweeping his gaze over the battlefield, Jamie clenched his fists when he saw the destruction. Scorched earth, destroyed tents and corpses of the slaughered disciples littered the ground. With reddened eyes, Patriarch Warren stared at Jamie before saying, "Those disciples are no longer human. I don''t know how those bastards dd it but they managed to infect their mind with devilish energy." HIs voice was bleak and his countenance seemed to age for decades. "There''s only one way for you to set them free..." Patriarch''s Warren''s voice was filled with a foreboding sensation that sent shivers down Jamie''s soul. Clenching his fists until his nails dug deep in his palms, he turned at him and said, "Tell me, Patriarch. What should I do to set them free?" A ruthless light flashed through Patriarch Warren''s eyes, "Finish them off, kill them all without mercy..." His cold words struck Jamie as the latter held his hesitation and strengthened his resolve. Darting his gaze at a nearby disciple, his sword flashed and beheaded the former. His movements didn''t stop there, in each step he took, a corpse of his fellow disciple fell as everyone who saw his actions paled in fright and terror. "No, why is Senior Brother killing them?!" "Isn''t he supposed to save our fellow disciples?!" "No, Senior Brother, I''m begging you, please! Please don''t kill my companion!" Whether it may be men, women or children, Jamie''s sword decisively cut down those infected with the devilish energy that manipulated their minds. His fellow disciples behind him howled in sorrow as they saw Jamie cutting down their beloved ones right in front of their eyes. Three figures observed this scene with clear disgust shining within their eyes. Natalie told them that the reason why the Luzon Clan sacrificed her was related to the Luzon Clan''s core cultivation method. It was similar to the Blessing of the Lightning God, albeit more restricted. While the three of them could absorb the essence and cultivation of everyone. The Luzon Clan could only absorb those that possessed the same bloodline as them. Though it sounded inefficient, once the Luzon Clan acquired a vast number of female slaves which they could impregnate, their cultivation bases exponentially surged, since they could absorb the essence of the unborn children within the slaves wombs that possessed the same bloodline as them. Natalie was a member of the Luzon Clan but due to her low potential, her status eventually degraded into a slave and was repeatedly violated before Juliet was born. Fortunately, Juliet''s father valued Natalie''s origins and he let them be free, promising that he would return and absorb Juliet once everything was settled in the clan. This was one of the reasons why Natalie absolutely abhorred the Luzon Clan and wanted nothing than to see their annihilation. Suppressing the killing intent in her heart. Natalie glanced at Dan and Grace before strengthening her resolve and face her true origins. Veins bulged throughout Jamie''s body as he absorbed the essence of his fellow disciples, temporarily increasing his cultivation base. Unbeknownst to everyone, Jamie not only absorbed their cultivation, but also the devilish energy whom they thought to have disappeared after the infected disciples death. "Jamie! That''s enough! Come back here!" Patriarch Warren howled and the light of a Defensive Artifact shone and covered Jamie''s body. Preventing him from taking a single step further. "What''s going on with Senior Brother, why is he acting strange..." A female disciple mumbled in anxiety. The Elders'' eyes widened in shock when they realized that jet-black energy intermittently flickered around him. "Shit! He''s also infected, quick! Suppress and purifiy him with the light of the Artifacts!" Patriarch Warren crazily howled as each and every disciple activated their Artifacts. May it be, Mortal, Earth or even Heaven Grade. All Artifacts descended and forced Jamie onto the ground. "Kuuu~" A queer cry came out of Jamie''s throat as he struggled under the absolute suppression of Heaven Grade Artifacts. "It''s working! The devilish energy is decreasing!" An Elder exclaimed while increasing the output of the Artifact in his hands. The negative energies that surrounded Jamie''s body diminished in each time the light from the Artifacts, struck him. However, before it could fully disappear, a cold voice rang out behind them followed by the sound of penetrated flesh. "As if I would let you do that..." Natalie''s voice pierced through the hearts of everyone along with her dagger that mercilessly stabbed on the heart of a nearby Elder. Turning around, she made a horizontal slash in the air before her, slitting the throats of four disciples in one attack. Dan didn''t slack either, his quick movements and certain kill strikes beheaded the heads of those that met his blade, while Grace stared at them from a distance. "W-w-who are you guys?! Why are you..." A disciple emerged from his stupor and cried out. Before he could even trigger his Defensive Artifact, Dan''s Jagdkommando stabbed right into his heart, silencing him for eternity. "What''s going on there in the back?! Is someone attacking us?!" Patriarch Warren momentarily stopped his suppression at Jamie and darted his gaze at the backlines of the Luzon Clan. There, he saw the figures of Dan and Natalie enacting a massacre on his beloved disciples. "So it was you...It was you bastards that did this to us!" Patriarch Warren screamed in hatred and anger, "Fiver Elders and core disciples, keep on purifying Jamie while those that are free shall come with me and kill these two!" He dished out his orders, despite the immense pressure that he was under, Patriarch Warren still managed to keep his calm. With several elders and most of the remaining Inner Disciples behind him, Patriarch Warren approached Dan''s location with the light of Defensive and Offensive Artifacts enveloping their bodies. Natalie stopped her massacre and stood beside Dan with a defensive stance. Dan stared at the approaching entourage with a calm and composed smile on his face, "So we''re finally nearing the climax?" He turned towards Natalie and said. "Dear, you go and target the Elders, I''ll take care of these greenhorn disciples by myself, remember don''t kill the Patriarch who made you suffer several years ago...I will personally make him taste how it feels like to die while living..." HIs ominous words targeted Natalie and the latter nodded her head with a solemn expression on her face. Unsheathing their weapons, both sides faced each other as the light of Artifacts dispelled the darkness. 202 Fishermen Daggers clashed with mystical techniques and the entire battefield thoroughly transformed into an inferno of fire and flesh. Blood littered the ground along with rolling heads that depicted anguish and regrets before their death. Dan''s movements were merciless, with each swipe of his hand, a head would roll on the ground. and a headless body would fall with a dull thud. Natalie was even more ruthless, most of her attacks while wielding her soft sword like a whip, bisected the bodies of her enemies, eviscerating their insides, revealing a gory and nauseating scene. Her beauty that contrasted her detached and brutal fighting instincts instilled fear into the hearts of everyone as they all transformed into sitting ducks before Natalie''s eyes. "NOOOO!!! Patriarch! Help us!" The disciples madly screamed, with each limb that they lost, the negative energies that surrounded their bodies, thickened to the point that it looke tangible in the eyes in the form of nightmarish tendrils. "Kill them! Kill them! Don''t ever let them join us! Don''t let the infected join us!" Patriarch Warren''s expression twisted in madness, his merciless order aroused the hearts of the hesitant Elders and disciples. Facing their suffering comrades, they chose to do what the Patriarch ordered and decisively killed their junior brothers and sisters, all for the sake of their own survival. Dan and Natalie paved a path littered with corpses and blood towards the Elders. Their blood-soaked figures made them look like an Asura that ascended from the depths of hell. "As expected of the despicable Clan that sacrifices their own disciples for the sake of their own benefit. Even Tigers hesitate to eat their own cubs, but you guys decisively sliced off the heads of your fellow disciples..." Dan mocked and stared at their intensely trembling figure. "Someone like you that dared to spread the energy of the devils to infect their own kind doesn''t have the right to tell us what is right or wrong!" A bloodied Core Disciple retorted with a fierce expression. Dan and Natalie stared at them with mocking smiles on their faces. Despite the fact that these disciples possessed higher cultivation than the two of them, if they couldn''t properly condense their Spiritual Energy due to mental strain, their attacks would inevitably weaken and lose their accuracy. That was one of the reasons why Dan was confident that they could annihilate them while only sustaining minimal damage. and despite the constant attacks of their Heaven Grade Artifacts, it was no use if their attacks couldn''t hit their targets. And with Dan''s movement techniques paired with the slow projectile speed of their attacks, dodging it wasn''t an issue. The entire Luzon Clan was enveloped in a barrier that protected them from any outside attacks, while permitting any attacks from the inside. It was a barrier condensed with the remaining power of their Heaven Grade Artifacts, all for the sake of stalling time. Patriarch Warren stared at a small hourglass from his robes. The small hourglass shone in a strange light depicting the insignia of the Empire. When the chaos started earlier, Patriarch Warren already summoned the help of the Emperor, and the hourglass signified the time it would take for the arrival of the Emperor''s trusted subordinates. "Just hold on, please just hold on..." Patriarch Warren swept his gaze at his huddled and cowering disciples before staring at the direction of Dan and Natalie who started their assault on their barrier. Lightning crazily howled and resplendent colors filled the skies as Natalie and Dan''s Pseudo Divine Soul Realm cultivation rotated into power. But despite the Blessing of the Lightning God''s extreme offense capabilities, the barrier still proved difficult to destroy. Natalie stopped his assault as she stared at the anxious figure of the Patriarch, moving around the barrier, she faced him and said, "Patriarch Warren Luzon, can you still remember someone that goes by the name of Natalie Luzon?" Her words reverberated like thunder and Patriarch Warren''s eyes widened in realization, when he thought about the hardships that they suffered these several days ago, he also wondered about the motives of the attackers and Natalie''s words completed the puzzle in his mind. However, this realization terrified him as the dignified and composed Patriarch of the Luzon Clan lost his composure one again, "You...You''re the daughter of that bastard son and that female slave!" His words rang loud and clear, the cowering disciples turned at Natalie as the latter restricted her Longinus Clan Bloodline and revealed the Luzon Clan Bloodline within her veins. "Ah!" "Bloodline Resonation?! You''re a member of the Luzon Clan?! Why are you doing this?! Why are you killing your family members?!" An Elder that didn''t know anything pointed at her with his trembling fingers. Natalie disregarded his presence. Instead, she stared at Patriarch Warren and gave a hollow laugh. "As expected, the mighty and dignified Patriarch of the Luzon Clan wouldn''t even bother to remember the wrongdoings that he committed in his entire lifetime. For you, the name of my mother wasn''t even worth remembering, right?" "Back then, you abandoned me for having low cultivation potential and turned me into a breeding slave that everyone violated day and night. You never expected that this day would come, right?" Natalie''s indifferent voice shook the hearts of everyone from the Luzon Clan. They knew about the existence of the breeding slaves. The reason for their shock was they never expected that the Patriarch would abandon such a good seedling, mistaking her for someone with low potential. Of course, Natalie had low cultivation potential. Fortunately, the Lightning God where her Pseudo Bloodline originated from bestowed upon her a blessing which boosted her potential and along with her efforts, she managed to achieve her current state of power. Regrets filled the hearts of those from the Luzon Clan while Patriarch Warren''s expression looked complicated. He didn''t dare to lift his head and stare at Natalie''s figure. Thinking for a moment, he decisively said. "What happened in the past could never be changed, there''s no medicines for regrets in this world. However, since I''m the only one that you hate, can you I ask you to let your fellow disciples go? They didn''t have anything to do with everything that happened in the past..." Patriarch Warren''s countenance looked older and withered as he pleaded with all of his might: "As long as the younger generation from the Luzon Clan can be saved, It''s a fair deal if I were to die..." He continued and the disciples and Elders behind him exploded into tears. "No! You can''t do this Patriarch! You can''t just do that..." "I won''t allow this Patriarch! Without you, the Luzon Clan will never be complete! I''m already this old so it should be time for me to kick the bucket..." "Count me in, warriors can die in the battlefield but they shall never be humiliated!" The Core Disciples wiped their tears and glared at Natalie''s direction. But the Elders stopped them saying. "You disciples are the hope of the Luzon Clan, leave everything to us and live..." The Elders lifted small smiles on their faces. But to the disciples, their smiles looked heavy and with the resolve to die. Natalie stared at them with an amused expression on her face and even Dan stopped his assault to stare at their farce. In their eyes, the Luzon Clan acted like clowns. Suddenly, Natalie''s laughter echoed out, her strange laughter filled with amusement froze the figures of everyone around her including Dan. "How laughable, to think that you bunch of despicable bastards could display such valiancy in the face of your deaths. Do you really think that just because you managed to make such a moving scene that I would let everyone in here go?" Natalie''s eyes flashed with killing intent and the negative energies that she accumulated from the resentment of those that she killed formed a tangible aura that pressured those that dared to stare at her figure. Patriarch Warren whose willpower was stronger than the disciples stood at the front and endured Natalie''s assault. "Stop this! We have already surrendered! Why must you annihilate us all? These disciples didn''t do anything wrong! Let them go and I''ll do anything that you want. If you tell me to die then I will die, I will do everything, just let them go..." Patriarch Warren declared and Natalie lips lifted into a slight smile. Retracting her killing intent, she moved closer at the barrier and said, "I''m sorry but that''s gonna happen. And since you guys have closed yourselves in that small turtle shell of yours, how about we do this?" She manifested a ball of negative energies and hurled in a form of a beam towards a nearby disciple. The disciple stood frozen as the negative energy entered his body and filled his mind. In an instant, he transformed into a bloodthirsty beast that pounced on a nearby disciple. "Wha..." "What the hell did you do?!" Patriarch Warren''s eyes widened in shock and the disciples howled in fear and teror. All of them thought that the barrier would keep them safe from the assault of these two demons. Unfortunately, they were gravely mistaken. Negative Energy existed as an intangible aura that could penetrate any defenses. The only way that one could stop its onslaught was overwhelm it with willpower, something that these naive and prodigal disciples didn''t possess. In mere seconds, the barrier transformed into a death trap, though attacks could escape the barrier, their bodies couldn''t escape as every disciple, one after another succumbed to their desires and fell into depravity. Elders slaugtered disciples, and disciples slaughtered their fellow disciples, all for the sake of survival. Patriarch Warren observed the cruel reality of this world as his knees gave out, falling on the ground with a dull thud. Outside the barrier, Natalie and Dan observed their deaths with indifferent expressions on their faces. Suddenly, Dan''s expression changed, he glanced at the side and whispered in his heart. "So the Emperor''s Fishermen has arrived?" 203 Reaping the Rewards Three flashes of bright light intruded in the battlefield as Mist, Shadow, and Darkness appeared amidst the confusion. Patriarch Warren felt their arrival and stared at them with a pleading look in his eyes and saying. "Mist, Shadow and Darkness?! The three Imperial Protectors...Did you come here to help me?!" Darkness swept his gaze over the slaughterfest occurring inside the barriers. As a Divine Soul Cultivator, he possessed Divine Sense which could see through deceit. "Their minds are affected by devilish energy. How strange...The devilish energy isn''t so aggressive yet it turned them into these mindless monsters..." Darkness mumbled and he glanced at Shadow and Mist who both nodded their heads. Unsheathing their weapons, Mist and Shadow transformed into intangible apparitions that seamlessly entered the barrier and started their slaughter. Miserable shrieks reverberated and heads rolled fell from shoulders, Patriarch Warren stared wide-eyed at their actions. His throat throbbed, but no words came out. Eventually, he hung his head low in despondence and sorrow. Thoroughly accepting his destiny and the fate of his clan. He wasn''t a fool, seeing that Mist and Shadow slaughtered his clan members. He understood that these three didn''t come here to help him as a bitter laugh came out of his mouth. Ever since the establishment of his clan, they followed the Emperor like a loyal dog, doing anything that they could do to please him and pave his way towards his throne. But when his clan declined, the Emperor forgot what the Luzon Clan did for him and decisively burned the bridge after using it. Such indignance couldn''t be described by words alone. Lifting his head to stare towards the skies, tears streamed down his cheeks as Warren made a sidelong glance at Natalie before saying. "Ancestors, forgive me for my mistake. The legacy of the Luzon Clan ended in the hands of the foolish me..." He bit his tongue and destroyed his heart veins, effectively ending his life as his body slumped on the ground. In a mere span of several days, one of the strongest expert of the Empire of Eternal Faith, turned into a cripple and eventually died under his own hands. Darkness, the one that the Emperor tasked on pursuing the Luzon Clan didn''t even glance at his corpse. Instead, his shining eyes swept over the Artifacts that littered the ground. These Artifacts drenched with blood all gave off cold sheens that expressed their might. The Luzon Clan lasted for decades and when the Emperor dissolved their clan in the Empire, They brought with them their accumulated wealth including all of their treasures. In other words, the Luzon Clan was a fat sheep that anyone wanted a piece from. Dan and Natalie shrugged from their stupor and observed the actions of the three with narrowed eyes. These three were so arrogant that they didn''t even bother to glance at the two. "The three of you, intruding is quite inappropriate but to think that you would even collect the spoils of war that should rightfully be ours..." Dan said in a cold voice. Darkness finally glanced at him and replied. "Anything that the Luzon Clan possessed came from the Empire. Thus, they should all return to the Empire..." He explained and Natalie knitted her eyebrows, "Came from the Empire? So what? They bought those items using their money, it is their rightful possession and once they die, those items should be without an owner." "Why are the Imperial Protectors collecting them?" Dan supported her statement and Darkness lightly laughed, "That''s right, these items doesn''t have an owner. That''s the reason why we''re collecting them..." Natalie''s killing intent surged and Darkness lifted an eyebrow, using his Divine Sense to pressure her soul, "Young miss, just because you succeeded on injuring us last time with a sneak attack doesn''t mean that we''re people that you can casually offend..." He touched his chest and said with a solemn voice, "The injuries that the two of you inflicted is still throbbing, making me remember the humiliation that I suffered...If not for the fact that the two of you are related to that old geezer, Mathias from the Paradyne Academy, I would''ve slapped you two to death..." His Divine Sense swept past Dan and Natalie''s body and both of their knees gave out. The difference of their realms became evident, even with the System''s help. Dan couldn''t manage to break free from their suppression. Natalie went pale and her eyes turned sober. The negative energies that overwhelmed her mind with killing intent, receeded due to the intense pain that she felt from Darkness''s direct suppression. Dan saw the blood that dripped from Natalie''s seven orifices and realized that she was in the brink of an energy overdraft. Using his left hand, he signalled for Grace to retreat before forcing his body to stand in front of Natalie, enduring the brunt of Darkness''s pressure by his own. "Old man...You may have won today, but remember that this is merely a tactical retreat...Someday, I will return the humiliation that we suffered by a hundred times...Mark my words..." Dan''s eyes flashed with an icy light as he decisively declared. Darkness increased the pressure that he exuded as retaliation. "Ughhh..." Dan''s bones cracked under the immense pressure. Taking a small jadeslip from his Virtual Inventory, Dan crushed it as the power of Spatial Transfer enveloped his body and Natalie. Darkness merely stared at them with an amused expression: "You''re quite an interesting brat, last time, the two of you managed to severely injure me in a sneak attack. That wouldn''t happen again and if both of you dared to try. That would be your deaths..." Dan and Natalie''s figure disappeared from the battlefield as another fluctuations of Spatial Transfer reverberated at the distance. Darkness merely glanced at Grace''s location before joining the slaughterfest inside the barrier. Arriving inside Natalie''s residence at the Fragrant Peak Pavilion were three figures covered in blood. If a third party was present and saw the gruesome appearance of these two, they would run and cower in fear. Grace immediately dragged them towards the bathroom and washed the blood that drenched their bodies. After giving them several medicinal pills. Natalie and Dan regained their consciousness but the former remained in a stupor. "Sis..." Grace mumbled in concern and Dan glanced at her and shook his head. Even though Natalie''s past in the hands of the Luzon Clan was tragic, she still had their bloodline and seeing her fellow clan members disappear from the face of the earth made her feel complicated. Dragging Grace outside of the room, the former asked with a horrified and worried expression, "Dan, who were the three experts earlier, to think that they easily subdued the two of you without even moving..." Dan revealed a bitter expression, even if he used everything that he had and fought with those three, there''s no way that he could win, for he knew that the difference between realms were absolute and was close to impossible to surpass. "Those three were at the peak of the Divine Soul Realm. Divine Soul Cultivators can condense soul attacks that directly assaults their enemies mind, causing them to lose all of their power and will. Earlier, the reason why we weren''t able to stand up before that bastard was also because of that..." He explained and Grace nodded her head in confirmation. "Right now, Natalie is in a complicated state, the three of us should be with her and hope that she can recover from the backlash of absorbing too much negative energies and the complicated emotions from her completed wish..." Grace nodded their head once again, and Dan swept his gaze over her body and said, "You also absorbed quite a substantial amount of negative energies, you go ahead and absorb them first. I''ll go and take care of Natalie..." Grace begrudgingly followed and suppressed the worries that she had for Natalie before moving towards her room and consolidating the energies that she managed to absorb. Dan walked towards the kitchen and prepared a congee for Natalie. Entering Natalie''s room, Dan saw that the former was still in a lifeless stupor. Nevertheless, the alluring scent of vegetables, meat and spices that Dan combined together in a single dish awakened her hunger. Dan lifted a small smile and carried the tray at the tableside before sitting beside Natalie and saying, "Dear, everything that happened is in the past, your revenge is successful and the Luzon Clan is no more..." Natalie stared at him and said, "Dear, tell me. Tell me, what am I supposed to feel? Why do I feel so empty? I should be filled with joy since the clan that I despised the most is already history..." Dan shook his head and replied in a gentle voice, "I understand what you feel, Dear. But think about how Juliet would react seeing you being so depressed, she would undoubtedly ask for explanations and how else should we explain the situation to her? Telling her that her mother annihilated her entire family for revenge?" Natalie''s figure trembled and clarity appeared in her eyes. No matter what, he didn''t want Juliet to know the truth. Nodding her head, she revealed a small smile, took the bowl from the tray and ate with gusto. Her instant recovery astonished Dan as the latter revealed a small smile. Sighing in his heart, he remembered the figures of Shadow, Darkness and Mist as a foreboding feeling that they would soon meet each other again appeared in his mind. 204 Entering Secluded Meditation The disappearance of the Luzon Clan changed the mindset of the clans that followed the former''s way of ruling. As a result, the quality of living within the Empire. Especially, for commoners. Dan nodded his head in comprehension as Mathias finished his explanation: "As for those so-called three Imperial Protectors, they''re indeed quite strong and their origins are unknown. Since you sowed hatred with them, you must be careful whenever you exit the Academy..." He warned with an amiable smile and Natalie interjected at the side. "How about those girls that the Luzon Clan imprisoned, what would happen to them?" Natalie''s voice was heavy. Mathias froze for a moment before saying: "Since there''s no organization that could shelter them, I gave them a substantial amount of money enough to spend for the rest of their lives and returned them to their villages, However..." Mathias heaved a deep sigh and so did Dan who continued, "The injuries and trauma that they sustained would forever be a scar that would haunt them even in their sleep..." Natalie gave a bitter smile before dispelling her thoughts. Turning to stare at Mathias, she asked: "Senior, mind telling us your business? I don''t think that you came here just to inform us about these things..." "Indeed, I noticed that the Academy is becoming quite hectic, every disciples are gradually becoming busy and I feel like something is brewing..." Dan interjected at the side and Mathias lightly laughed. "That''s right, even though the three of you cooped yourselves in this small room, huge changes in the environment is still noticeable..." Mathias thought for a moment and continued, "Three months later, the entrance to a mysterious Mystic Realm will open, that Mystic Realm is an excellent environment for cultivation, especially to the three of you..." "Excellent environment for cultivation? As far as I know, Mystic Realms doesn''t have the same Spiritual Energy concentration with the outside world, how is that a good environment for us?" Dan asked with knitted eyebrows. "As members of the Longinus Clan, the three of you requires an environment that is particularly filled with negative energies to improve, right?" Mathias asked and Dan nodded his head without hesitation. "I won''t say anything lest I spoil too much. I''ll just give you the name of the Mystic Realm. It is called, the Mystic Realm of the Undead...'' "Mystic Realm of the Undead?" Dan''s eyes widened in realization and so did Natalie and Grace who sat beside him. The name of the Mystic Realm alone confirmed that the Mystic Realm was an excellent place for cultivation to the three of them. "However, spots for the Mystic Realm is limited, the Paradyne Academy only has ten slots along with the Charming Lotus Academy which is our ally, as for the Empire, it''s not worth mentioning since they wouldn''t dare to object before the power of our two academies..." Mathias shrugged and continued, "At least a battle prowess at the Divine Soul Realm is necessary. Fortunately, all three of you are Honorary Disciples so your spots are secured." A cunning light flashed through Mathias eyes which gave the three a foreboding feeling. Dan nodded his head and the three of them went into secluded meditation, all for the sake of attaining the realm of the Divine Soul in the course of three months. Natalie and Dan''s cultivation was already at the highest peak of Spirit Tempering Realm so breaking through for them was only a matter of inspiration. However, Grace was different, because she possessed two Noble Bloodlines, her cultivation was harder than the average cultivator. Thunder rumbled, Lightning flashed and an icy storm materialized inside Natalie''s residence as the three of them transformed the room into a suitable cultivation cave. Fortunately, the reinforcement that Mathias himself applied held out and the three of them safely continued on their cultivation. Somewhere in the Outer Disciples Region, Juliet stared outside the window with a melancholic and longing expression on her face. It was still several days since Juliet lived on the house that she built with the help of her friends but she already missed her home back at the Fragrant Peak Pavilion The Paradyne Academy had a rule that Outer Disciples must take residence within the Outer Clan Region so that they would get used to being separated with their parents. After all, most of the Outer Disciples were pampered kids and must be tempered for them to shine. "Do you still miss them, Juliet?" A feminine voice along with two footsteps echoed behind Juliet as she puffed her cheeks. Turning around with her arms in akimbo, she said with a scolding voice, "Both of you, don''t treat me like a child!" Sandra and Jacob appeared with smiles on their faces. The two of them looked pristine and healthy, void of the gloomy aura that constantly surrounded them back at the Merchant Town of Kalur. Their figures also became bulkier with Sandra becoming more feminine and Jacob becoming more masculine. Despite everything that they experienced, the innocence of a child could still be seen within her eyes as the two of them smirked at Juliet. "Winter is coming soon, we have to stock up our supplies or else we won''t last through the winter..." Jacob commented and Sandra glared at him, "If not for a certain cultivation maniac, we would have enough food now..." Juliet lightly laughed, "Sandra, give him a break, we both know that it would take a miracle to stop Jacob''s training..." "Both of you..." Jacob flushed in embarrassment and indignance. Under the assault of the two, Jacob succumbed and compromised, saying that he would fetch the necessary items that they required from the Commerce Block. "Still, why does the Academy prohibit the entrance of carriages? Walking from here towards the Commerce Block takes at least two weeks, not only that, it''s also winter!" He moaned in complaints and continued, "If those bastards from the Duterte General Merchandise only lowered their prices, we wouldn''t have to force ourselves..." Juliet ruefully smiled, everytime she went home, she always told her parents that everything was okay and she was living fine. Unfortunately, it was the complete opposite, if not for the fact that Juliet was used to hardships, she would''ve gave up cultivation and let herself be spoiled with her loving father. "Juliet...How about you go and ask Senior to bring us some food? I''m sure that with his authority, we can easily get a warehouse full of food until the end of winter..." Jacob suggested but his words were met with a glare from Juliet. "That''s a no! I can''t possibly rely on them! I must be a strong person like Mama!" Juliet declared and Jacob stared at her with astonishment in his eyes. Sandra also stopped her exercise due to Juliet''s shout. "Then, what should we do to survive this winter? It''s our first winter and I heard from the other disciples that stayed her for several years that the winter here is harsh and all sorts of monsters rushes out from the forest making travel difficult..." "And with our current financial situation, it''s impossible for us to buy high-grade Spiritual Ingredients for cooking at the most, we can buy low-grade Spiritual Ingredients but their help for our cultivation is minimal and it still wouldn''t last through the winter..." Jacob shook his head in disappointment. The monthly stipends that they got from the Academy combined with Juliet''s personal money wasn''t enough. They had to secure funds fast or they wouldn''t be able to last through the harsh winter. Jacob and Sandra worked at the Longinus Pharmaceutical Company''s branch at the Outer Disciples Region, but their salary still cannot cover the necessary funds that would help them survive for the next three months. "If we cannot secure anymore funds, we''ll just settle with buying mortal ingredients since those are cheaper and is more delicious than the potent and hard to season Spiritual Ingredients..." Juliet concluded their problem with a single phrase but Sandra and Jacob interjected. "Are you sure about that? If we use mortal ingredients, we may lose most of our customers especially those nobles. Unless we have something that could disguise the taste of mortal ingredients as Spiritual Ingredients, there''s no way that we can use those ingredients in our products..." Sandra said and Jacob nodded his head in support. Juliet clicked her tongue, her clear eyes flashed with struggle and her eyebrows knitted in deep thought. Her mind madly spun thinking of all the possible solutions that she could discover as she said with an indignant voice, "Just do what I say, when Jacob arrives from the Commerce Block, I''m sure that I have found a solution regarding that problem..." Jacob sighed and Sandra also resigned. Juliet was their leader and as subordinates, their job was to follow, not to intervene in their leader''s decision making. Nevertheless, they still thought that reducing the quality of their product all for the sake of quantity was a bad move as disappointment filled their hearts. Before the completion of Juliet''s residence, the three of them had already established a small-scale restaurant that could house twenty customers at once, that restaurant was named as Juliet''s Dreamy House. Despite the small size, it gradually gained traction due to the food quality and the fact that most of the foods were street foods that the busy disciples could eat on the go. It quickly became a medium-scale restaurant that could house a hundred customers at once. Unfortunately, the establishment of the Duterte General Merchandise hindered their growth since most of their customers were nobles that supported those surnamed Duterte. Lifting her head to stare at the distant Duterte General Merchandise, a unique expression appeared on Juliet''s face, if Dan was here, he would notice that Juliet was wearing the same expression as her mother when she was excited or in anticipation. 205 Provocation Juliet stood at the front desk of the restaurant, daybreak just arrived and customers would soon arrive for breakfast. It was customary for Juliet to be at morning and personally greet the customers. Customer Service was something that she learned from Natalie when they were still at the Empire of Dawn. Customers are always right and they are the gods of any business, without them, business won''t thrive and the economy will grind to a halt. Juliet thought in her mind as she suffused the best smile that she could. Juliet inherited most of her mother''s traits so even when she''s still a child, one could already anticipate the future beauty that she would become in the next several years. Due to that, Juliet sometimes suffered harassment from the noble customers, but after suffering a round of beatings and scoldings from the fierce Juliet, the nobles didn''t dare to return. "Oh, Juliet? You''re early as always..." A masculine voice echoed and Juliet excitedly turned towards the source of the voice, where she found a young man whose appearance looked to be at his late teenage years. "Zieve? Why are you always coming in late when you''re the Head Chef. Without you, how else could we prepare our meals..." Juliet puffed her cheeks and scolded. Being scolded by a young girl made the young man scratch his head in awkwardness. Despite the fact that their age was several years apart, he still has the same disciple position as the young girl, Juliet. Zieve was previously someone that spent his days selling street foods at the streets of the Outer Disciples Region. However, the Duterte General Merchandises that didn''t want any other competitors decisively crushed his livelihood. When Juliet recruited him at first, he felt quite doubtful thinking that the young girl may be a schemer that only recruited him for the sake of his grievances to the Duterte General Merchandises. But when he saw the innocent lights within the young girl''s eyes, he laughed to himself and accepted her offer. Zieve lacked talent and passion for cultivation but his cooking skills were top-notch. If not for the fact that he frequently showed up late, he would''ve been a perfect employee. "Didn''t I teach you the recipe of our meals? You still haven''t perfected it?" Zieve teased and Juliet glared at him, "Shut up! Let''s just start prepping..." She turned around and ignored him amidst the former''s laughter. "Here, your treasured knife." Juliet handed over the knife that Zieve personally received from his father when he cooked his first meal, due to his care, the knife still looked as pristine as that time. "Thanks..." Upon receiving the knife, Zieve''s expression went solemn and his eyes darted around for ingredients. Taking a dry ingredient, Zieve placed it on the chopping board and with swift movements that looked like a mirage, sliced them in perfect symmetrical shapes in two breaths. "Amazing...You''re really the best man to choose for prepping..." Juliet smiled and did the same movements, albeit slower. The time difference was merely six breaths. The two of them worked in harmony. Despite the short time that they spent together, they found that they were each other''s kindred spirits when it comes to cooking. Soon, numerous colorful ingredients surrounded the table as Zieve wiped his sweat with a towel that he received from Juliet. Passing her a bottle of water, Zieve suddenly remembered something, but it was too late. Juliet was already chugging the water bottle where he just drank from. A crimson sheen flashed through his cheeks, "Ermm, don''t you realize that I just drank from that water bottle..." Juliet casually turned towards him and said, "Yep, what''s wrong? Are you bothered that i used your personal water bottle? Sorry about that, I forgot mine and since you handed it to me..." Zieve waved his hands in a panic, "N-no, It''s nothing, forget about it..." Juliet stared at him with narrowed eyes, "Why are you acting so weird? Prepare yourself, customers will be coming in soon." Juliet walked towards the entrance of the restaurant and stood still like an obedient waitress. The first time Zieve saw her actions, he warned her saying that the job of waitresses was something that an owner shouldn''t do since waitresses frequently suffer from harassment. However, the young girl insisted that she should greet the customers with warm smiles so that they would walk out with smiles and return joyful. Zieve could only scratch his head regarding her logic. In any case, once someone dared to harass her, Lightning would rumble and that poor bastard would be left lying on the ground. Several minutes later, the dozens or so employees of Juliet arrived in droves and greeted her with smiles. Changing into their pinkish uniform that reeked with innocence and a logo of her surname at the center. These beautiful young women exuded the refreshing charm of spring which attracted customers. "Boss, we''re all green and ready to go!" A young woman whose age looked to be at her early teenage years gestured at Juliet. The latter smiled in return and personally greeted her employees with a wide smile. "Uggghhh..." A female employee couldn''t take it and succumbed to Juliet''s cuteness as she turned around and replayed the scene where Juliet personally shook hands with her. The entire crew was lively and having a young girl as the boss completed the recipe for this weird set-up as everyone of them took their post and prepared to receive customers. One hour. Two hours. Several hours went by but no customers arrived. Every crew frowned in confusion and Juliet''s expression looked dark, opening the entrance of the restaurant, cold winter air blasted her body as she saw that most of their frequent customers were at the Duterte General Merchandises, lining up for their meal. "Juliet, what''s going on? I''ve been waiting for several hours already but no orders are co-" Zieve''s figure froze when he saw the darkened expressions of the employees. Following their line of sight, Zieve saw the same scene that they witnessed as his expression turned as dark as a kettle''s bottom. "Damn it so those bastards are finally moving? After crushing most of their competitors, their finally moving against us?" Zieve mumbled in dismay as Juliet closed the door with an indifferent expression on her face. Seeing her indifference, Zieve said, "Juliet, are you not bothered by this? Those bastards are blatantly stealing customers from us!" "Shh!" Juliet gestured and Zieve along with the other employees turned silent as three of their frequent customers walked past their restaurant. "Man, I kinda wanna eat at the Juliet''s Dreamy House, the food is cheap and delicious, not only that but the crew greets us with polite smiles. It makes me feel like I''m the Emperor or something..." "Are you retarded? Though their price is low, we''re cultivators, staining ourselves with the food of mortals will stagnate our cultivation..." The young man beside him scolded and he replied with a wry smile and a sidelong glance at Juliet''s Dreamy House. "Really, they deceived us good, to think that they''re making us pay with Spirit Stones for foods that are meant for mortals. If not for the fact that their owner, Juliet''s identity is so mysterious, I bet they would''ve been crushed by now..." The three friends shook their heads and lined up before the entrance of the Duterte General Merchandises amidst the coldness of winter. "Here''s a complementary tea from us while you''re waiting sir..." Waitresses from the Duterte General Merchandises even offered hot drinks as if to spite the crew of Juliet''s Dreamy House, blatantly displaying that they''re so-called customer service wouldn''t lose out to them. Zieve shook his head and approached Juliet with a somber smile on his face, "As I thought, it''s really impossible for us to beat the members of the Imperial Clan. Maybe, it would be better for us to change our type of business or else those bastards may go overboard and cause direct trouble for us..." The employeers behind him looked sorrowful and indignant, it was quite hard to find a job that you thoroughly liked, and now that you found it, anyone would be unwilling to see themselves lose their dream jobs. Stretching his hand on Juliet''s shoulders, Zieve was about to say something when he saw a defiant smile on the young girl''s face. A smile that defied even the will of the Emperor himself. "So they''re trying to fight with us using the scheme of rumors? Such methods are too basic, Mama and I encountered those kinds of things dozens of times and all of our competitors lost their jobs..." Juliet proudly declare and each and everyone of her employees were dumbfounded as Zieve weakly said. "Don''t tell me..." "You''re planning on going against the imperial Clan?!" 206 Conundrum Zieve''s words caused a commotion among the employees. It has to be known that the Imperial Clan could be said as the strongest clan in the Empire, their influence was far and wide and if they ever got a whiff of a rebellion, rivers of blood and mountains of corpses would form. Even the employees that became loyal to Juliet may face the other way if push comes to shove. Zieve didn''t knew if Juliet understood that the hearts of men were fickle. Glancing at her employees, he could see the uncertainty within their eyes as he continued. "That would be a foolish move! Are you trying to kill yourself?!" He fiercely scolded and Juliet''s figure froze, her expression hardened as she retorted. "Then, what do you want to happen? Are you gonna let us be crushed by them?! I will be fine if that happens but what about you guys? What about all of you?!" Juliet''s fierce retort shook everyone''s hearts. That''s right, every employee in this room were failures of the Academy. Those that didn''t manage to reach the ranks of Inner Disciples before the age of twelve was considered as failures, they would either stay on the Academy as servants, return to their families or become a wandering vagrant. Juliet''s words served to remind them that they didn''t have any other choice but to fight against the Imperial Clan lest they lost their remaining bastion. "Also, we''re in the territory of the Paradyne Academy, there''s no way that they would act so overbearing within its borders..." Zieve''s expression brightened when he heard Juliet''s words. That''s right, they may not be able to openly oppose the Imperial Clan in any other places in the Empire, but inside the Paradyne Academy. They could be defiant. The other employees also realized this fact as each and everyone of them burned with determination. Under the fierce suppression of the Imperial Clan, these young men and women weren''t willing to act like dogs for the Empire. If they''re gonna die. They''re gonna die with dignity! "I understand, everyone of us will back you up even if hell awaits us..." Zieve and Juliet''s employees expressions went solemn. They glanced at each other and nodded their heads, strengthening their resolve that no matter what, they would never leave Juliet alone. A young girl like her already possessed such strong will and a defiant mindset, as someone older than her, they would lose face if they backed down. "Leave the rumor dispersal to me..." "I''ll be the head of Public Relations." "Leave the advertisements to me, we will surely get our customers back from their hands..." They all declared with solemn expressions as Juliet swept her gaze over them with a smile on her face. "Seeing you all being like this makes me feel like we''re gonna fail..." Zieve shook his head and teased while Juliet puffed her cheeks and scolded, "Don''t jinx it, Zieve!" Laughter erupted and the tense atmosphere of the restaurant dissipated. Soon, customers who were loyal to Juliet''s restaurant arrived later in the morning and told Juliet that some nasty rumors about them using mortal ingredients instead of Spiritual Ingredients circulated out of nowhere and caused quite a commotion among her frequent customers. Not only that, the Duterte General Merchandises suddenly offered cheap breakfast meals that used Spiritual Ingredients, something that wasn''t cost effective given that Spiritual Ingredients were expensive and hard to cultivate. "So that''s what they''re doing behind the scenes. The Imperial Clan sure is formidable, to think that they could circulate such malicious rumors so fast in such a short amount of time..." Zieve nodded in understanding and Juliet sighed. Fights among establishements frequently happened and it was something that Juliet witnessed almost every month back at their small restaurant at the Empire of Dawn. Her mother fought valiantly with the schemers but Juliet who was still a young child at that time didn''t really bother about it. Sweat rolled down Juliet''s fair countenance, it was the first time that she encountered such a conundrum on her own and the factors involved made her dizzy. Sweeping her gaze over her concerned employees, Juliet calmed her mind and thought, "If I give up and fall down, what would happen to them, they would surely be kicked out of the Academy and would live a life worse than death in the hands of the Imperial Clan." Zieve saw Juliet''s darkened expression and sighed in his heart. No matter how bold Juliet could be, she still lacked experience. Wisdom born from experience cannot be bestowed by words. "Juliet," Zieve placed his hand on Juliet''s head and said with a smile, "We''re all members of the Dreamy House family so if you''re having trouble with something, you should consult us instead of brainstorming it on your own..." Juliet''s figure froze and she emerged from her contemplation. Turning her head at Zieve, her figure trembled when she saw the supporting smiles of her crew. "That''s right, Juliet. You supported us when we''re down, I think it''s time for us to do the same..." "Indeed, this one will never let this restaurant disappear." "No one shall dare to bully this place under my presence..." Zieve lightly laughed, "See? You need to rely more on your friends rather than do everything on your own..." Juliet nodded her head, her lips widened into a sweet smile which almost melted everyone''s heart out of adoration for her cuteness. Trodding over her crew members, the entire team of Juliet''s Dreamy House started brainstorming on their next course of actions. "Since the Imperial Clan deliberately spread these malicious rumors, that only means that they''re now actively trying to get us off the picture. But the question is, why didn''t they do that from the start before we could establish our presence?" A male crew member asked with uncertainty, and Zieve answered his inquiry. "They should be worried about the backing behind Juliet. After all, it is quite far-fetched that a young girl like her could establish such an influence on her own without receiving the support of her family members..." His answer made the others nod including Juliet who said, "But since they''re proactively attacking us right now, something should''ve happened that made them this confident..." She thought with a frown, thinking for the possible reasons why the Imperial Clan attacked them directly. "Since they were worried about Juliet''s backing so they didn''t attack at first. Now that they''re attacking, it should be because they discovered something about Juliet that erased their worries towards her." A female crew member said with a solemn expression and Zieve nodded. "That''s right, either they''re thinking that Juliet''s backing is nothing special or they''re holding some kind of a solid evidence against Juliet that they confidently assaulted them at the front..." "That''s impossible! We''re always using the freshest Spiritual Ingredient that we can find at the market, where did they get the basis for their accusations?!" A male crew member retorted and Zieve shrugged. "I don''t know, I''m just a head chef, anything regarding management is the job of the higher-ups, not me." He made a sidelong glance at Juliet. Juliet stared speechlessly at him for a moment before saying, "It should be about the incoming delivery supplies that I tasked Jacob with, using some kind of a method, they managed to get some intelligence about our actions regarding the incoming winter..." Juliet''s expression went solemn, she stood up and stared at the Duterte General Merchandises, "If a fight is want they want, we would be cowards if we didn''t give them what they want." "Since the cat is already out of the bag, we must try to find some ways to minimize the damage that they''re doing towards our reputation while at the sametime, keeping track of the income so that we could at least break even." Zieve stared at the dignified young girl with a smile on his face. Yes, this side of hers that she inherited from her mother was one of the reasons why Zieve decided to follow such a young girl on his own accord. Suppressing his excitement towards the next several days, Zieve and the crew members stared seriously at Juliet. "Then, Juliet, what is that way that you''re talking about, how can we possibly use expensive ingredients, keep our prices low while also breaking even?" A female crew member asked with shining eyes and it was at that moment that everything slowed down as Juliet turned around and said with a sweet smile on her face. "I don''t know..." 207 Visi "You don''t know, you say..." Everyone turned speechless at Juliet''s display of innocence, wry smiles lifted on their faces. Zieve awkwardly scratched his cheek and said, "Well, let''s forget about that for now, shall we? Didn''t we say that we''ll brainstorm some ideas with you? Let''s continue doing that and hopefully we can procure some methods to counter them." "That''s right, as long as we''re willing we can definitely find a way..." Juliet''s crew encourage her to pressed on and a smile spread on the young girl''s cheeks. Turning towards them, she said. "Actually, the rumors spreading about us mortal ingredients isn''t true but it will soon come true..." Juliet sighed and her employees'' eyes widened in shock, Zieve made the same expression as epiphany struck him. "Could it be that you''re planning on using mortal ingredients in the next batch of supplies? Why would you do that, that''s equivalent to destroying our reputation and credibility..." Zieve''s tone was full of disappointment and the employees wore complicated expressions on their faces. "Calm down, Zieve, I don''t think that Juliet will do such a thing without proper considerations..." A male crew member whose demeanor looked cool and composed interjected, diffusing the tense atmosphere as everyone turned to look at Juliet with hopeful expressions. Juliet clapped her hands together, her sweet smile intensified and she declared, "About that, I hope that everyone can help me find some ideas on how we can make do with mortal ingredients..." "Wait a minute..." Zieve facepalmed while his hand gestured for Juliet to stop, "Are you saying that you also don''t have an idea on how we could make do with mortal ingredients? Then, why did you order those for our next batch of supplies?!" His expression turned dark and Juliet puffed her cheeks in indignance, "Why are you shouting? I''m just here in front of you, can''t you keep your composure?" "Keep your composure, my ass! You made such an arbitrary decision and you don''t have any idea on how we''ll proceed using it. How can I be calm!" Zieve retorted and Juliet''s puffed cheeks turned red. Her dignified expression disappeared and tears seeped out of her eyelids. "Zieve...You made her cry..." "Zieve, you bastard...You better console her or else..." The crew members behind Zieve cracked their knuckles and stretched their necks in a domineering fashion. Zieve''s countenance turned pale and he staggered backward as he faced the brunt assault of Juliet''s crew members. Waving his hands in innocence, he said, "You guys should be the one to calm down! Violence has no part in a civilized discussion!" Zieve ran towards the exit, but a crew member blocked his way with a vicious expression on his face. Seeing such sights, Juliet''s teary expression changed into laughter as she said, "Zieve, that should tell you that you shouldn''t blatantly bully me in front of my friends..." She stuck her tongue out and Zieve felt shivers down his spine. Juliet already knew how to use her innocence to her advantage and gain the support of the crowd. Possessing such a cunning mind, Zieve wondered about Juliet''s family as a bitter smile spread on his face. "The members and the little owner of the Juliet''s Dreamy House sure is lively. Are you guys really that confident that you can stand back up before our presence?" A composed voice echoed from behind the door. Everyone''s figure trembled and they slowly stared at the door. Traces of Spiritual Energy brewed and Zieve acted quick. Manifesting a barrier of defense, a beam of light pierced through the door and struck the barrier as each and every furniture inside the Dreamy House were blasted into smithereens. "Who''s there?!" Zieve fiercely howled in anger and Spiritual Energy filled the Dreamy House. Juliet''s crew members seethed in fury. "Oops, I''m sorry about that, It''s just the door was blocking my way so I had to destroy it..." The same voice of a young man echoed out and that young man appeared before everyone''s eyes. When they saw the young man''s appearance. Everyone reeled in shock and inhibited their Spiritual Energies. "The Third Prince of the Duterte Imperial Clan, Rodger Duterte?" Zieve whispered under his breath and Juliet who heard his words frowned in displeasure. Crossing her arms, she stared at Rodger and said. "To think that the Third Prince of the Imperial Clan would be so rude as to destroy the doors of their fellow disciples. Are you not afraid of the consequences for doing such an arbitrary decision?" Juliet''s lifted eyebrows and the fierce lights within her eyes astonished the Third Prince as he thought over her words. If he didn''t give any proper explanations for his actions, that would mean that he''s challenging the authority of the Paradyne Academy which would serve as Juliet''s counter-attack. "Interesting, I only did it to probe but to think that this little owner of this Juliet''s Dreamy House would actually have such a precocious mind." He shook his head, "What a pity, in the end, there''s no way that a small child like her could possibly stand up against the influence of the Imperial Clan." Keeping his disdaining facade, Rodger lightly smiled and said, "Why would I dare to challenge the Academy''s authority? And also, these destruction should be fine if I paid for it, right?" He flicked his sleeve, sending a bag at Zieve''s direction that the latter received in reflex. The bag contained a vast amount of Spirit Stones that each and everyone of them never saw in their entire life until now. Normally, they would be delighted, but seeing that it came from their enemy. Their expressions turned sour and Zieve said with a foreboding voice. "Are you spiting us?" Rodger shook his head and nonchalantly said, "Of course not, it''s just right that I pay for the damages that I did, right? Who knows when you guys could afford those furnitures again..." His words sent clamor throughout the entire crew and Spiritual Energy filled the air once again. Juliet knitted her eyebrows, "Glorious Third Prince, mind if you tell us your business? I don''t think that you only came here to show off your wealth. If that''s the case, we won''t entertain you any longer, since we''re quite busy unlike you..." Rodger''s expression brightened in amusement, "Busy?" He swept his gaze over the empty restaurant, "I can''t really see what''s making you busy here..." Zieve couldn''t finally take it anymore and exploded with anger, his sword flashed in the air but before he could attack, Juliet blocked his way with her palm. "Stop it, Zieve. If you attacked him, he would take that as a declaration of war. Once that happens, he will become more proactive in attacking us, given that he has acquired a so-called reason for his actions..." Juliet warned and Zieve''s figure trembled in realization. His Spiritual Energy dissipated along with the crew members upon hearing Juliet''s words. "Hahaha," Rodger laughed, taking a nearby chair, he sat down and said, "For a young girl, you have quite the active imagination, right there. Don''t worry, I''m not looking for a fight; I just came here to negotiatie some matters." He placed both of his hands on the table and continued: "Each and everyone of your members possessed qualities that every establishment requires for their employees. Given that they''re so talented, It would be a waste if they stayed and rot in here..." His words were sharp and contrasted his calm tone. Juliet''s expression darkened and Zieve along with the crew members behind him seethed in anger. A warrior may die but never humiliated. "So the Third Prince came here to poach my crew members?" Juliet asked in a cold and indifferent tone, something that contrasted her small and adorable appearance. Right now, Juliet was in her business mode, mimicking her mother''s actions according to her memories. "Poach? There''s no need to use such words. It should be called as an invitation..." Rodger turned to look at Juliet''s crew members. "Salary is five times more than what Juliet''s Dreamy House is offering, free lodging and food, and as long as you do well, you can be promoted and become a branch manager. Potentially earning five digits of Spirit Stones in a single day...How about it?" Zieve and the crew members expression flickered. It would be a lie if they said that the Third Prince''s offers didn''t tempt them. Making a sidelong glance at Juliet, a male crew member bitterly smiled and stepped towards the Third Prince''s side. "I will remember all of my debts towards the Dreamy House. However, I hope that everyone can respect my decision. I''m just someone insignificant with no hopes of ascending on the road of martial arts. In my life, I only desire to live comfortably and unfettered..." Rodger revealed a small smile on his face as he tapped the shoulder of the crew member who changed sides. "You made the right decision, and I will make sure that your life will be comfortable from now on..." He glanced at the other crew members and said, "Who''s next? Don''t hesitate, it''s your future that we''re talking about. Are you really sure that such a young girl like her could provide your needs in the long term?" His words froze Juliet''s crew members and they realized that their dream of standing on the top of all establishments in the Empire would only be a pipe dream if they keep on following Juliet whose experience of the world couldn''t possibly compare to the Third Prince. Expressing their apologies, Juliet''s crew members changed sides one after another, until only Zieve, the head chef was left. "You guys..." Zieve clenched his fists in indignance as he swept his gaze over the crew members whom he shared stories and laughters with. He didn''t expect that they would be so fickle as to directly change sides in front of Juliet without thinking about the debts that they owe her. "I''m sorry, Zieve. But I just don''t think that such a little girl like Juliet could possibly handle managing the Dreamy House. Even now, she can''t even think on her own and take responsibility for her actions like a proper owner should do..." Rodger sneered, he glanced at the cold and indifferent Juliet before extending an offer to Zieve with his hand stretched towards him. "How about you? The Head Chef of Juliet''s Dreamy House. Your talent will be wasted if you stayed in this joke of a restaurant. I believe that us, the Duterte General Merchandise can make your talent bloom and make your name resound throughout the entire Empire." Juliet who remained silent all this while finally moved her eyes and made a sidelong lance at Zieve. Even though her crew members left her one after another, she still maintained her business facade and never let her emotions overwhelm her actions. Zieve felt Juliet''s gaze and glanced at her. He saw her cold expression, and also. The slight trembling of her knees. Gnashing his teeth, Zieve fiercely glared at Rodger and the former crew members of the Dreamy House. His cultivation base rotated and everyone, including Rodger was taken aback as they flew outside, landing roughly on the snow with astonished expressions on their faces. "Remember my words, we may have fallen today but we will surely rise again. That would be the moment when you realized how foolish your decisions were..." Zieve proudly declared before dragging Juliet at her residence, just behind the Dreamy House. Rodger wiped the snow off her clothes, his indifferent expression soon changed into a venomous one as he engraved Zieve''s words in his mind. Turning around to leave with his newly-acquired crew members, he mumbled under his breath. "Zieve, I gave you the path to heaven but you chose to walk on the path to hell...Don''t blame me if something happens to you, or to that little owner of yours..." 208 Struggle and Epiphany Juliet stood in her room with sorrow surging within her heart. She kept her strong facade earlier but when the friends whom she spent time together with disappeared. An indescribable bitterness filled her heart. Her first taste of betrayal came from her subordinates that swore loyalty towards her. Slowly, tears descended from eyes, drenching her cheeks. Her figure intermittently trembled, as muffled sobs came out of her throat. Ever since the day that her mother told her to be strong. It was the first time that Juliet cried. She cried for herself, thinking about how foolish and naive she was. The human heart is fickle, and in the face of benefits, even close relatives could betray each other. Despite this realization, Juliet couldn''t suppress the bitterness in her heart and Zieve who saw her delicate, trembling figure felt pained in his heart. Juliet wasn''t only his benefactor but also his family. Seeing her like this made him sorrowful and somber. But Zieve knew that at the wake of this event, Juliet learned a valuable lesson in life. Something that would last her for her entire life. Stretching her hand, she rubbed the young girl''s head and wiped her face clean of her tears. "Juliet, don''t be so sad. You still have me, the strongest Head Chef of the Empire!" Zieve said with gusto and made an exaggerated pose by flexing his biceps. Juliet''s expression brightened and she lightly laughed. "You''re not fooling anyone, Zieve. The strongest Head Chef, you say?" Juliet teased and Zieve puffed his cheeks in indignance. "I''m the strongest! At the least in this area..." "Didn''t you say that you''re the strongest in the Empire?" "Shut up!" The two teased each other as the tense and sorrowful atmosphere that surrounded the room disappeared. Zieve was someone that had a story to tell. Their voices and laughter didn''t cease until late afternoon. Tomorrow, Juliet opened the store and a bitter smile spread on her face when she saw the empty restaurant hall. She was used to seeing smiles and witnessing the emptiness made a sense of loss surge in her heart. Still, she opened her shop, doing the same routine that she always did. She cleaned the front, the back and the kitchen. The work that her crew was supposed to do transferred unto her. But Juliet didn''t feel any indignance. In fact, she was silent and tranquil. Suddenly, familiar footsteps echoed outside of the door. Juliet turned to stare at the entrance and there, Zieve appeared with a small smile on his face while awkwardly scratching his head like he used to do everyday. "Sorry, I''m late..." From the crew members that Juliet recruited. Only Zieve remained loyal and unperturbed. Walking towards the kitchen, he prepped fresh ingredients once again while maintaining his silence. Juliet stared at her for a moment before continuing her work. "Bro, isn''t that the restaurant where we ate last time?" "Indeed, that''s the restaurant, Juliet''s Dreamy House..." "I see, I still remember the unique flavors that I tasted when I ate there, how about we take our breakfast there?" "Sounds good, man. Let''s go." Voices of two men rang from the outside and Juliet hurriedly dispatched of the broom on her hand and tidied her clothes. Preparing to greet the incoming customers with her same cheerful smile. With a creak, the door opened and the two Outer Disciples frowned in disappointment when they saw the somber appearance of the restaurant. At the left of the front desk, numerous chunks of broken wood were placed and judging from the dust that floated in the air, the restaurant was still in the process of being cleaned. "Are we disturbing? It seems like you''re still not open..." One of the young man said and Juliet shook her head while replying, "No, Sir. We''re open now and ready to serve. Here''s our menu." She handed a wooden tab at the young man that the latter promptly received. Upon seeing the value of each dish, his eyebrows knitted but he still made his order when he remembered the delectable flavors that he tasted the last time he came here. Juliet''s smile was more cheerful than yesterday as she hopped and skipped towards the kitchen where Zieve was awaiting for orders. Giving him the ticket, Zieve went into cooking mode and carefully assembled the dishes from scratch. Fragrant smell of spices, meat and vegetables filled the air and soon, the dishes came out one after another as Juliet carried it over towards her customers. The young men''s eyes shone in excitement when they saw how delicate-looking each piece of the meat was. Wolfing it down within a matter of minutes, the young men drunk their beverages in satisfaction. "The meal was quite awesome but it would be better if it''s more affordable so we could eat it everyday..." "Indeed, with the monthly stipends that we''re receiving from the Academy and our salary from our job, three Spirit Stones for a dish is too much, they''re sucking us off like that General Merchandise of the Imperial Clan..." "Well, it''s good food anyways. I can''t really complain but it would be much better if it''s somewhat affordable..." The two of them sighed before leaving the restaurant. Juliet who was secretly listening to their conversation made a small smile on her face. At the end of service, Zieve and Juliet closed the store and approached Zieve before saying. "Zieve, I think I can finally see something that can make us beat the Imperial Clan..." Zieve slightly smiled. In his heart, he didn''t anticipate for anything. He was just there to listen to Juliet''s words. "Something that can beat them? What is it?" He replied and Juliet smiled. "Remember the only customers that we got today? They gave me the idea of beating the Imperial Clan, not in their own competition but sales. Since winter is close approaching, people wouldn''t frequently go out and would stock for dry food in their home, right?" Zieve nodded his head: "That''s indeed the case, since the Commerce Block is quite far and the road there is treacherous when it''s winter..." Juliet''s smile intensified, "In that case, what if there''s something that is more affordable, delicious and can be eaten while moving?" "Eaten by moving? Are you talking about street foods?" Zieve''s expression flickered and his interest grew regarding the subject that Juliet was saying. Street foods were staple foods for those who were busy and doesn''t have the time to cook for their own. "Yes, I''m cooking about street foods. How about we transform the Dreamy House into something more portable and affordable? In that way, not only we can reduce price of our dishes, we can also reduce the amount of Spiritual lngredients that we''re going to use since street foods are supposed to be eaten quick so they are bite-sized." The more Zieve listened to Juliet the more his astonishment increased. In the end, his expression reddened in excitement and his breathing turned into ragged pants. He could definitely see a future regarding Juliet''s plans. "Juliet! Your plan is definitely perfect but it requires tremendous manpower. Since we''re using speed as our capital, we should have different teams for each tasks such as cooking, prepping ingredients, procuring raw ingredients and serving. That''s impossible to do if there''s only the two of us..." Zieve pointed out a critical problem on Juliet''s plan and the latter''s figure froze. Her excitement deflated and Zieve awkwardly scratched his cheek. "Juliet, don''t be so down, making such an intricate plan was something that I couldn''t possibly do in such a short amount of time. Seeing you did something impossible for me is quite an amazing feat so in the end, you''re already amazing..." Zieve consoled the young girl and Juliet nodded with a smile. "Juliet, will you mind telling me about where you learned these things? I can''t just grasp my head around the concept of seeing someone as little as you having the capability in managing a business and I also don''t understand why you would do this instead of playing with those of your age..." Zieve asked with a smile and Juliet explained. "When I was young, Mama and me had to rely on each other. She thought me that each penny and dime are valuable and should be saved up. Mama taught me to value money, she would scold me whenever I wasted a penny and I took that as a valuable lesson." "Mama also taught me how to make a business, manage finances and profits along with customer service and the phrase that the customer is always right and should always be respected." "Even now, I still cannot understand some of the words that she said back then. But I feel like I''ll be able to comprehend them soon, as long as I don''t give up..." Juliet''s words astonished Zieve. He didn''t expect that someone as fragile-looking girl like her had such a harsh past that she had to learn all of these things in desperation to live with her mother. Sighing in his heart, Zieve thought in his heart. "A young girl like her has such a strong determination, while here I am, standing here with hesitation lingering in my heart..." Zieve slapped his cheek amidst Juliet''s confusion and shock. As soon as his eyes opened, newfound resolve flashed through his eyes as the two. One little girl and a young man, walked towards the horizon. 209 Eruption Morning arrived the next day and Juliet along with Zieve went along with the same routine as usual. Juliet cleaned the snowy porch and wiped the dust of the new furnitures. Though they never had any customer for the entire day. Juliet never complained and so did Zieve as the two of them talked to each other while laughing. Suddenly, amidst their conversation. The door swung open and the startled Juliet hurriedly fixed her figure to greet the incoming customers but her figure froze when she saw that the so-called customers were the previous crew members of the Juliet''s Dreamy House. All of them wore luxurious clothes and thick robes that protected them from the coldness of the upcoming winter. On their faces were mocking smiles that looked down on Juliet and Zieve. "What''s with that condescending look? Have you all forgotten that Juliet was the one who picked you up from the streets and treated you as humans instead of garbages?!" Zieve lashed out upon seeing their smiles and Juliet stopped him with her small palm. "Zieve, look at you still wearing that dusty chef''s uniform. If not for the fact that you weren''t so foolish as to actually choose this little girl over your future, we would''ve been comrades. Are you someone that likes little girls, perhaps?" One of the male crew members that disliked Zieve mocked and the latter''s expression darkened as he retorted with a chilling voice: "At the least, I am someone that remembers their debts, unlike you bastards that are worse than dogs! In the first place, why did you even come here? To kick us while we''re down?" Zieve went straight to the point and Juliet''s expression became indescribable, numerous emotions flashed through her eyes such as bitterness and sadness. "Kick you while you''re down? How can I kick you down when you''re already on the ground?" Another male crew member mocked and the first crew member that talked followed up. "We''re not here to mock you, or even our benefactor, juliet." His voice became indifferent and Zieve revealed a condescending expression, "Our benefactor? So you bastards still remember that Juliet is your benefactor." "Shut it, Zieve! Who are you to interfere in our decisions! You''re just a little girl''s dog that''s earning less than a commoner!" "That''s enough!" Juliet finally erupted in anger and everyone held their voices in astonishment. It was the first time that they saw such an adorable little girl like her erupt into anger. With cheeks reddened and overwhelmed with emotions. Juliet swept her gaze over her previous crew and said. "Get out." Everyone''s figure trembled when they heard her freezing tone. It was as if Juliet transformed into another person that was vastly different from her normal and business mode. Her teary eyes looked piercing and her slightly trembling frame looked dignified. "S-s-sure..." No one knew who went first but each and everyone of the crew walked out of the restaurant with complex emotions on their faces. A foreboding sensation filled their hearts that they didn''t dare to confirm as they shook their heads in unwillingness and denial. "That''s impossible, there''s no way that a little girl like her could possibly stand up against the Imperial Clan." They surmised in their hearts as they retreated away from the Dreamy House. Left inside the room were Zieve and Juliet. The former wore a surprised expression. He never thought that Juliet could transform into such a terrifying monster when provoked. Gulping a mouthful of saliva, he calmed himself down and approached her with caution. "I''m sorry about that Zieve, I just wasn''t able to hold my emotions..." Juliet apologized with a wry smile on her face and Zieve hurriedly waved his hands in the air, "O-Of course, it''s fine! It''s those ungrateful bastards'' fault anyways! You have the right to do that earlier..." "Wasn''t it unbecoming of me? I tried so hard in maintaining my bossy image so I would be devastated if I became a monster in your eyes..." Juliet hung her head low and her mood sunk to the bottom. "Of course not! Such a thing wouldn''t happen! J-J-Juliet is the perfect angel in my eyes so there''s no way that I''ll consider you as a monster!" Zieve declared in a panic and Juliet swayed her body to face him with a sweet smile on her face. "That''s a promise, okay?" She said and the panicked Zieve choked in his words. His eyes focused on Juliet''s smiling visage as his mind madly spun, engraving the scene into the deepest archive in his mind. Zieve nodded his head like a wooden chicken evoking Juliet''s laughter as she tasked him to prepare the best meal that he could so that they would have the energy to face the storm that would arrive tomorrow. Jacob''s arrival from the Commerce Block was tomorrow and they had to preserve most of their energy for the battlefield that would surely arrive. Zieve didn''t hold back on anything, may it be ingredients or seasonings as he unleashed the extent of his capabilities. Juliet acted like a waitress. She arranged the table and placed the dishes above it. Soon, dishes that could feed five people arrived on the table and Juliet beautifully arranged them in a square. "Juliet, why did we prepare so many food? With just the two of us, it''s impossible to finish this much without having a stomachache..." Zieve asked in curiosity and Juliet sat down on the seat just beside Zieve. "That''s because, Mama and Papa will come here to join us. They should be arriving soon so we finished our preparations in the nick of time." Juliet nonchalantly declared. Little did she knew that her words caused a clamor in Zieve''s heart as the usually composed Zieve sweated bullets on his forehead. "Damn, Juliet''s parents will join us today? Shit, what should I do, what if they''re gonna think of me weirdly for accompanying a small girl like her? Damn it, what should I do, seeing Juliet''s attitude earlier, her parents should be worse and what would happen if I managed to provoke them because of how retarded i am..." He rapidly mumbled under his breath and Juliet lightly laughed when she saw how panicked he was. Stretching her hand, she wiped her forehead clean with a handkerchief and gave an innocent smile of delight. "Now your forehead is shiny~" She jokingly said and Zieve could only reveal a crooked smile on his face. On the other side, at the Fragrant Peak Pavilion. Dan, Natalie and Grace who received Juliet''s invitations solemnly stared at the letter that Juliet sent. "Mama, Papa. Me and Zieve will be making dinner. I hope that Mama and Papa can join us so we can talk and have fun together. Signed, Juliet~" Dan''s expression was dark while Natalie and Grace revealed small smiles on their faces. "Zieve? That''s a strange name for a girl..." Dan muttered and Natalie nudged his shoulders, "A girl? What are you saying, Zieve is certainly a boy''s name." Grace lightly laughed in the face of Dan''s in denial actions. "A boy?! That''s impossible! How could my little girl Juliet invite a boy to a family dinner?! Could it be that she''s with him and she''s trying to introduce us to him?! That''s unacceptable!" Dan erupted in anger and Natalie smacked the back of his head, making him stop his farce. "Don''t get too worked up. You may scare the man that our little girl invited..." Natalie chortled and Grace''s figure intermittently trembled at the side as she tried her best in suppressing her laughter. "Okay, i understand but I must bring with me my trusted daggers and a semi-automatic rifles." Dan''s face looked menacing as he casually armed himself with sharp knives and modern weapons. Exiting the pavilion with Natalie and Grace in tow, the three of them flew towards the direction of the Outer Disciple Region. Inside the Juliet''s Dreamy House. Two figures with contrasting emotions could be seen sitting beside each other. One beamed with excitement while the other seethed with anxiety and heaviness as if he was awaiting his execution. Soon, footsteps echoed behind the restaurant''s door and Juliet beamed with excitement upon hearing these familiar footsteps. Zieve''s anxiety reached the limit as he tightly closed his eyes and clenched his fists. With a creak, the door opened and a figure armed with two sharp knives and a semi-automatic rifle on his back came rushing in with a solemn expression on his face. "Where the hell is the man that Juliet invited?!" Zieve''s face paled and he froze in his seat. 210 Expectations Two smacks descended on Dan''s head and his figure cut through the air towards the side of the restaurant. Natalie and Grace stared at Juliet before sweeping their gazes at Zieve as a small smile spread on their lips. Juliet descended from her chair, ran towards her mother and deeply embraced her. She also greeted her second mother, Grace with hugs and kisses before walking over to her father. Dan pushed himself off the ground, sheathed his daggers and lifted the little girl off the ground. "Papa, I missed you..." Juliet beamed with excitement as Dan nudged his chin on her neck, evoking laughter from Juliet. Placing her on the ground, Dan cleared his throat with a cough and approached his seat. Sitting in between Natalie and Grace, he was the only one that had a frown on his face as he stared at the anxious Zieve. "So, you''re Juliet''s lov-" A smack descended on Dan''s head before he could even finish his words. Glaring at Grace, the latter replied with her own glare. "Have some decency!" She said and Dan begrudgingly deposited his weapons inside his Virtual Inventory under Natalie''s pressuring gaze. Zieve scratched his head and force himself to calm down. Arranging his clothes, he suffused a dignified expression and introduced himself, "H-hello! I''m Zieve and I am the Head Chef of Juliet''s Dreamy House! Nice to meet you!" He stretched his stiff hands in a handshake gesture. Dan didn''t want to shake hands with him at first but when he felt Grace and Natalie''s foot aligning on his own. A sense of imminent danger swept through his heart as he cleared his throat and shook hands with Zieve. "I''m Dan Gabriel Longinus, Juliet''s father." "I''m Natalie Longinus, Juliet''s mother, you can call me auntie..." "I''m Grace Longinus, Juliet''s second mother. Since we''re at the same age I would prefer it if you call me Grace." The two women properly introduced themselves unlike Dan who said his words with an indifferent tone. The dinner proceeded peacefully with Juliet retelling her experience in the past days including the betrayal of her crew members. Towards this matter, Dan seethed with anger and threatened to stake his Honorary Disciple position all for the sake of destroying the Duterte General Merchandises. Of course, His wives held him back. Zieve''s shock intensified when he realized that Juliet''s parents held towering positions in the Academy, with the two of them being Honorary Disciples. Suppressing his excitement, Zieve knew that with the backing of Juliet''s parents, they could easily make a comeback if they wanted. That was unless Juliet didn''t say something along these lines. "Mama, Papa. I appreciate your thought of wanting to help me but I want to settle this issue by myself..." Juliet declared amidst Zieve''s astonishment. Dan, Natalie and Grace wore the same expression as Dan mumbled in confusion. "Why would you choose to do that, Juliet? Unless you have a substantial backing behind you. It''s almost impossible to demolish the Imperial Clan''s business." Juliet smiled at him, "Papa, you said it''s almost impossible so it''s not completely impossible, right?" Her words stunned Dan for a moment before he boisterously laughed, "Indeed, indeed it''s not an impossible matter but are you sure that you''re not gonna ask for our help? It would be easier to take them down with our help..." "That''s right, Juliet. It would be easier and faster to ask for our help since with a single order from your uncle Mathias can take down their entire branch..." Grace casually commented but her words thoroughly dumbfounded the Zieve who became completely out of place in their discussion. "Dear, it should be fine, our little girl is growing and it''s not like we can assist her everytime she stumbles upon an obstacle. A bird should set free so that it could soar through the skies and experience the world for itself. Isn''t it right?" Natalie turned to look at the apprehensive Dan and the latter sighed: "You''re right about that but I''m still nervous, what if those bastards goes overboard and directly attacked my little girl?" This time, it was Grace who said to him: "Dan, you''re being too overprotective to Juliet. I can understand that you''re worried about her but what if she becomes a spoiled child that cannot live without us? That would be too sad..." The words of his wives awakened Dan from his stupor and he finally nodded his head in consent regarding Juliet''s decisions. But of course, he still gave her a Heaven Grade Defensive Artifact just in case that the Artifact that Mathias gave to her failed. "Young man, we''ll trust that you will protect Juliet from harm, okay?" Natalie turned to look at the frozen Zieve and the latter emerged from his trance as he furiously nodded his head. Grace gave him a grateful look before the three of them said their farewells and returned to the Fragrant Peak Pavilion to continue their secluded meditation. Zieve who remained silent all this while sent a sorrowful look at Juliet as he said with a tone that felt like he was pleading for his life. "Juliet, why didn''t you tell me that you have such powerful parents. If you said so I would''ve prepared myself more than what I did today..." Zieve felt that Juliet''s parents had a bad impression of him since he acted so pathetically when they first met. Juliet craned her neck and shot him a look of innocence. "That''s because you didn''t ask about it, Zieve." Zieve could only wish for a hole to hide himself in. The next morning, Jacob arrived carrying the supplies that Juliet requested along with Sandra. Knocking on the doors of the restaurant clad in the robes of the Longinus Pharmaceutical Company. The two attracted eyes from the crowd. "The two of them, aren''t they from the Pharmaceutical Company? Why are they going to that restaurant?" "Indeed, they''re from the Pharmaceutical Company. Perhaps they''re going to inspect if the rumors regarding Juliet''s Dreamy House are true and possibly forbid their operations if found guilty..." "What a shame, I quite liked the original recipes that the owner has for us. If not for the fact that they''re shamelessly charging us with Spirit Stones while using mortal ingredients. I would''ve kept eating there..." Sighs of regrets reverberated in the air. People actually liked the way that the Dreamy House operated. Particularly, due to the fact that the owner was a charming little girl that captivated everyone with her smile. Unfortunately, they decided to go against the Imperial Clan, and no matter where they were in the Empire. The Imperial Clan was a clan that shouldn''t be provoked lest you attract danger for yourself and your family. Shaking their heads, they went out of their ways and continued their jobs. At the shop directly the opposite of the Dreamy House. Rodger stared at the two employees of the Pharmaceutical Company. The Longinus Pharmaceutical Company was tasked by the Headmaster in keeping cleanliness and quality control for all beverage and food businesses inside the Academy. After the collapse of the Medicine Hall, they quickly gained influence and became an unparalleled influence within the Academy. "The Longinus Pharmaceutical Company really works fast, after receiving bits of those malicious rumors, they instantly hopped into the scene for inspection." He sipped his favorite wine and turned to look at his butler. "Vanadis, did you complete the job that I gave you last night?" The butler looked to be at his middle-aged years. His expression mechanical and his eyes were lifeless. Nevertheless, one could feel the vibrant energies of life within his body that could easily sweep through the entire Outer Disciples Region. "Of course, Young master. The job that you gave to me was completed perfectly..." The butler nodded his head and replied with an indifferent voice. Rodger turned around to look at the Dreamy House with a smile of anticipation on his face. "Order some of the finest dishes from our Head Chef along with wine and women. Today, we shall take a look at the show that will unfold at the Dreamy House..." He ordered and the butler complied, leaving Rodger alone in the room whose eyes kept on staring at Juliet''s Dreamy House. "Zieve and that abominable child. Both of them will understand the consequences of provoking the Imperial Clan..." 211 Inspection Zieve suffused a heavy expression when he opened the doors of the restaurant. He understood why people from the Pharmaceutical Company''s Quality and Cleanliness Control went knocking on their doors. It should be because of the rumors spreading about their restaurant regarding their so-called false advertisement. "We''re from the Longinus Pharmaceutical Company. May I ask if the owner is here?" Jacob said with a smile, even though he knew that Juliet was here, he needed to maintain formalities for the eyes of the public. Zieve clothed in his uniform clasped his hands in a greeting. "The owner is here. I''m the Headchef of Juliet''s Dreamy House, please come in." Zieve prepared cookies and a kettle of tea for the guests as he invited Juliet from her room. Pouring tea for the guests was decorum and Zieve acted like a proper host. Engaging Jacob with a smile on his face. At the sametime, he couldn''t help but admire Jacob. Despite the fact that they looked similar to Juliet in age, they held towering positions and responsibilities. These several minutes of waiting felt like hell for Zieve as sweat continuously poured down his forehead. It was as if the young boy, Jacob was an archaic beast that could decide their life and death in an instant. Footsteps echoed from the backdoor and Juliet''s figure finally arrived. ZIeve felt like he was relieved of a heavy burden and his expression brightened. Clasping his hands together, he was about to introduce Juliet to Jacob but his figure froze when he saw Juliet pouncing at Jacob. "Jacooobbb~" "Julieeettt~" The two of them engaged in a tight embrace amidst Zieve''s dumbfounded expression. Jacob and Juliet wore sweet smiles on their faces and rubbed at each other''s cheeks. "J-Juliet, you know him?" Zieve asked with a strange voice and Juliet nodded her head, "Yes, Jacob is a close friend of mine. He''s working at the Longinus Pharmaceutical Company, under my Papa''s company..." Her words sounded simple but when it reached Zieve''s ears. It felt like a thunder from the nine heavens descended and struck him right where he was standing as an epiphany startled his mind. "That''s right...Both your father and mother had Longinus for their surname...Could it be that..." Zieve lifted his trembling finger and pointed at Juliet. "You''re the Pharmaceutical Company''s Little Princess?!" His eyes almost bulged from its sockets from shock and Juliet turned to look at him with a weird expression on her face. "Why do you look so surprised? Is it that surprising?" "Of course it''s surprising, you twat! First you have such wisdom and knowledge that it ashames me. Second, you have two Honorary Disciples as parents and third, you''re the little princess of the Longinus Pharmaceutical Company! For god''s sake, Juliet! There''s a limit to shocks! At this point, I may as well die in a heart attack!" Zieve erupted, his demeanor as the kind host of the Dreamy House disappeared as spittle flew everywhere from his mouth. Jacob and Juliet frowned and they proceeded to ignore his complaints and chatted to each other about their experiences in the recent days. "Juliet, I broght the supplies that you asked. But i''m still wondering why you ordered for garlics instead of those mortal vegetables and spices." "You ordered a bunch of garlics instead of buying the ingredients that we need for our menu?" Jacob reported and Zieve knitted his eyebrows when he discovered that Juliet ordered several sacks of garlic. He didn''t understand why Juliet would do such a thing until she explained. "That''s because winter is fast approaching. I remember the time where Mama taught me that garlic is a good ingredient to use for soups in winter. It''s practical, delicious and quite easy to make. It''s a staple for commoners, but if we add a little bit of Spiritual Ingredients, we could further amplify the flavors and popularize it here." Zieve and Jacob nodded their heads. They could relate to Juliet''s words since garlic soup was one of their staple meals for winter. Particularly, due to its warming properties. "However, how can you make it popular here? Wouldn''t those nobles despise drinking something such as a garlic soup since it''s commonly associated wdith commoners and poverty?" Zieve interjected with a frown and Jacob nodded his head. He was curious as to how Juliet will commence her plan. "Everyone likes food and when it comes to that, commoners and nobles all share the same common thought. And that is delicious foods are meant to be eaten!" Juliet pointed at the two with a valiant expression on her face. The slight smirk on her lips and the faint swaying of her robes painted a dignified scene. Zieve and Jacob nodded in approval. Of course, delicious foods are meant to be eaten. But how is that related to our problem? Just as they fell into deep thought, Juliet intervened. "We just have to make sure that our food is delicious! Delicious enough that those nobles that disliked commoner foods would be interested in trying it out!" Juliet beamed with a smile and Zieve sighed. Business prospers with proper planning and several market tests. Without proper evidence that such a method would work, a business owner wouldn''t risk executing such plans. However, Juliet was just a carefree young girl that wanted to experience the world for herself. When it comes to this matter, she was still inexperienced. "Oh, well. Let''s just have her learn from her mistakes." He shrugged and followed Juliet''s instructions. For the next several hours, the Juliet''s Dreamy House underwent a complete renovation. It transformed into an open stall restaurant with a huge storeboard above them. Behind the front desk were five cauldrons huge enough that even five people couldn''t cover it with while linking their arms. The smell of garlic and concentrated chicken broth filled the air, attracting the noses of the tired disciples that just happened to walk past in curiosity. Seeing the storeboard above the front desk, their expression flickered. "A bowl of take-away garlic soup for a Spirit Stone? It''s not a bad deal only if they''re using Spiritual Ingredients." "Hey, look! They''re saying that they''re using Spiritual Ingredients in their soup! And It''s only a Spirit Stone for a bowl! What the hell?!" The disciples attention turned towards the other signboard. [Guarantees to give you a warming feeling that enhances your physique and clears your mind. Take one bowl now for a Spirit Stone each!] "A soup that enhances one''s physique and clears one''s mind. And it''s only for a Spirit Stone each. That sounds too good to be true..." A smarter disciple commented and the disciple around him nodded their heads. "Wait, I remember that someone from the Pharmaceutical Company visited this restaurant for an inspection earlier. Seeing that they''re still continuing their operations. It seems like they were cleared off charges..." "What? So Juliet''s Dreamy House was clear of accusations all this while?! Boss, give me a bowl of Garlic Soup!" "Me too! Give me one, no two bowls!" The disciples finally realized why Juliet could continue operating her restaurant and this realization hyped them up. Particularly, when she was selling such bargain items for a cheap price. Juliet''s new strategy worked wonders and Zieve couldn''t close his smiling mouth throughout the entire morning. Everything went smoothly and the two closed their store with excited smiles on their faces. At the Duterte General Merchandises, Juliet''s crew member and Rodger stared at Juliet and Zieve with venomous expressions on their faces. Rodger didn''t understand why the Pharmaceutical Company didn''t close the Dreamy House and instead bestowed upon them a permit to continue their operations. "These two really are bold, to think that they would blatantly steal customers from me and right in front of my store..." Rodger''s darkened expression startled his crew members, sweeping his gazes over at his frightened crew. He dismissed them with a cold tone and invited his butler over. "Vanadis. I can''t take it anymore. Deal with those two personally and make sure that no one can trace it back to us..." He declared and the butler deeply bowed his head before disappearing into the darkness. 212 Covert Assaul The activity within the Outer Disciples Region didn''t diminish even when most disciples either slept or cultivated. Most that strolled under the darkness were commoners or disciples that were on their way to satisfty their carnal cravings. Behind the Juliet''s Dreamy House was Juliet, Sandra and Jacob''s residence combined into a huge mansion. No fences surrounded the mansion but numerous formations that prevented entrance were present. Nevertheless, a sneaky figure mixed within the darkness entered without any obstructions. With two daggers laced with a slimy-green substance, he hopped into Juliet''s residence and seamlessly arrived before her doors. Placing his palm on the doors, it mysteriously opened due to an unknown force and there. Juliet''s figure could be seen on the bed, calmly sleeping. Her stable breathing and hibernated organs indicated that she was in deep sleep and had no chances of waking up. Realizing this, the figure revealed a venomous and victorious smile. Approaching Juliet, he raised his dagger up in the sky and stabbed down. Clang~ "Wha..." Instead of the feedback of metal piercing flesh. A mettalic sound reverberated and to his shock, he found that Juliet''s figure was protected by a hazy, yet sturdy barrier. Stabbing down once again, his arms formed a mirage as it furiously attacked the barrier to no avail. "This barrier..." "A Heaven Grade Defensive Artifact? Just what kind of a person is this young girl? To think that she has such a precious Artifact on her person..." The assailant sucked a mouthful of cold air and silently retreated in defeat. Morning arrived and Juliet along with Zieve had to prepare everything as fast as they could. From five cauldrons of garlic soup, they had to prepare twenty cauldrons and it was only Zieve that managed everything. Making sure that not a single ingredient was overcooked. This created an enormous pressure for Zieve and sweat continuously poured down his forehead like rain. Juliet also had the same pressure as she had to manage the increasingly agitated attitude of the guests. She didn''t expect that the attention that her product acquired yesterday would create such a sensation that almost half of the Outer Disciples came for her garlic soup. Half of Outer Sect Disciples meant that at least several hundreds of hungry disciples formed a line before her stall. To pacify their hunger and irritation, Juliet gave them some cookies and coupons. Nevertheless, impatient disciples still scurried away in indignance and irritation. "We''ve been waiting here since daybreak and we still haven''t eaten anything for three hours! Garlic Soup is just a simple dish but you can''t even cook it fast! I''m outta here!" "Me too! What a bargain they say. Who knows if it''s real or a scam!" "Fucking hell, let''s just go to the Imperial Clan''s store at the least we can have some high-quality tea while we wait for our meals..." Worry flashed through Juliet''s expression when she saw that some of her lined-up customers were disappearing. Despite her efforts, at least a third of her customers still disappeared and went to the Duterte General Merchandises. At the end of the day, Juliet cashed in an amount equal to five thousand disciples buying a bowl of Garlic Soup while the Duterte General Merchandises cashed in more than that. Collapsing on the ground, Zieve held his breath and stared towards the skies. His cultivation base rotated and turned the fire burning under the cauldron as the sun vanished and the veil of the night descended. "Damn it, we''re still too far behind if we want to defeat the Imperial Clan..." Zieve mumbled in exhaustion and Juliet nodded her head. Although her product was vastly popular, if she couldn''t sell enough, she couldn''t possibly defeat the Imperial Clan. "We need more manpower and resources, the Duterte General Merchandises has far too many branches, especially at the Commerce Block." Juliet said and Zieve turned to look at her, "So you''re planning on investing your product at the Commerce Block, too? That seems to be a good place since mortals and cultivators mingle together there." "With the support of your parents, we can easily acquire the support of any influence and establish our own..." Zieve regained some of his energy when he thought of their future with the help of Juliet''s parents. "Papa and Mama''s support, eh..." Juliet mumbled under her breath, "Zieve, what is the most influential organization in the Commerce Block?" "The most influential organization in the Commerce Block?" Zieve pondered for a moment, all sorts of influence existed at the Commerce Block and although the Longinus Pharmaceutical Company had quite a huge influence at that place, they still cannot defeat the Merchant Association. "It should be the Merchant Association, not only do they exist in the Academy and the Empire. They''re literally across the entire Continent, even the Headmaster, Mathias Paradyne himself shouldn''t even think of offending the Merchant Association..." Zieve solemnly replied and Juliet thought for a moment before smiling: "I see, Merchant Association, eh..." Her expression flashed with numerous expression and Zieve had a foreboding feeling that he didn''t dare to confirm. ''Could it be that this little girl is thinking of going to the branch headquarters of the Merchant Association alone, right?'' He shook his head, ''Nah, that couldn''t be, I''m just overthinking things...'' After this short banter, Zieve and Juliet returned to their own residences and slept their worries away. When daybreak arrived, Zieve went to fetch Juliet from her house but as soon as he opened the door to her bedroom, a scene that he never expected, even in his wildest imagination was unveiled before him. Juliet laid on her bed with a tranquil expression on her face. Clad in her pajamas, she looked so peaceful. However, on her bedsheets was enough blood that it drenched everything around her, it was exaggerated enough that Zieve froze where he stood, unable to move nor speak. "J-J-Juliet!" Zieve screamed in anguish and ran towards the sleeping maiden. His expression reddened in anger and fury, thinking that Juliet must''ve been assaulted by the Imperial Clan''s henchmen when she was asleep. Shaking her shoulders, Juliet slowly opened her murky eyes amidst Zieve''s astonishment. The look in her eyes changed, however when she laid her eyes on the sheets that covered her body. "B-B-Blood?!" She screamed and pushed herself off the bed, she embraced her trembling knees and Zieve snatched a jadeslip from Juliet''s wrist and crushed it into dust. "Grace, Ma''am Natalie, Sir Dan! Juliet was attacked by the bastards from the Imperial Clan! Please come here as fast as you can!" His words flew towards the horizon and the instant that it arrived at the Imperial Clan, a deafening boom reverberated and three demonic presences manifested, enough that it awakened Mathias from his meditation. 213 Ambiguity The Inner Disciples Region went silent as a terrifying energy coursed through the area. Within the highest peak of the Paradyne Academy, Mathias''s eyes snapped open. His eyes reflected the void and could see through anything. "Dan, Natalie and Grace? What''s going on with them? Why are they releasing their demonic energies?" Mathias flicked his wrist and forcefully sealed the cultivation bases of the three before returning to his meditation. At the Fragrant Peak Pavilion, everything was a mess, the room where the three cultivated was utterly destroyed and their expressions twisted into utmost anger. Their eyes looked crimson like an Asura that ascended from the depths of hell, filled with murderous intent. But in that instant, an intangible hand slapped these energies back to their bodies and the three figures simultaneously staggered with ragged breathing. Realizing their mistake, they clasped their hands in respect and gestured at the highest peak. After a moment of silence, Natalie, Grace and Dan flew towards the horizon with solemn expressions on their faces. How dare those bastards from the Imperial Clan hurt my daughter... Even if they''re Buddhas or Gods, I will slay them as long as they lay their fingers on my family... Dan resolved in his heart, his speed became so terrifying that it left visible marks on the sky along with a deafeaning boom in its wake. Descending at his destination, Natalie and Grace unsheathed their weapons while Dan carried his dignified figure towards Juliet''s room. Their expressions became even more solemn when they saw Zieve standing before the doors of Juliet''s room with an anxious look on his face. Disregarding the bastard that couldn''t even protect his daughter. Dan shoved him aside and the scene that they saw when he entered the room froze his heart and mind. Juliet sat shivering on her bed with blood decorating her bedsheets. Activating the system''s capabilities, numerous system notifications that astonished him, manifested. [Abnormalities not detected.] "Abnormalities not detected? But Juliet is clearly bleeding, it''s like an artery of hers is cut..." Dan mumbled under his breath and it was at this moment that Natalie awkwardly stepped in and walked towards her daughter. Grace also stepped forward with an indescribable expression on her face. "Wait, what''s going on? Why are you blocking me?" Dan said with confusion towards the Grace that blocked his way. Zieve also turned his attention at Grace as the latter said with an awkward smile on her face. "It seems like Juliet is just having her menarche..." Complicated emotions flashed through her face and Dan along with Zieve stiffened at where they stood. "Oh..." Dan scratched his head in awkwardness as Grace pushed him away: "We''ll take care of her so the two of you go to the living room first, we''ll catch up with you after we explain everything to Juliet..." With a bang, the door shut close and Dan cracked his knuckles. Zieve who heard the cracking sounds shivered in fear as the former turned towards him with a cold glare. "How dare you overreact like that, are you trying to kill me with a heart attack?!" A miserable shriek reverberated across Juliet''s mansion and later on at the living room, Zieve sat before the table with a countenance that looked like a panda. Two purple bags decorated his eyes as Juliet along with Grace and Natalie arrived with a small smile on their faces. "We''re done with everything, Dear." Natalie explained as she carried a tray filled with bowls of clear soups and red rice. "Red Rice? So this tradition also exists in this world?" Dan lightly smiled and helped Natalie on setting up the table while Grace prepared the side dishes. Juliet saw Zieve''s miserable expression as she frowned and asked, "Zieve, what happened to you, who did that to you?" Zieve furtively glanced at Dan and Juliet recognized his signal. Puffing her cheeks, she glared at Dan and said, "Papa, why did you beat Zieve up? He''s my only partner, how is he supposed to work when he''s like that?" Her critical gaze astonished Dan who never saw her looking at him like that. Her little angel actually scolded him and protected a man in the process. Dan felt a bitter sensation in his heart, but on the outside, he maintained his facade and crossed his arms together. "Hmmph! Juliet, this bastard actually overreacted when he reported to me what happened! He said that the Imperial Clan assassinated you in your sleep but it was actually a different issue!" He defended and Zieve retorted. "With all due respect, Senior, It is indeed my fault that i overreacted but it shouldn''t warrant a-" "Don''t call me Senior! I''m not that old! What shouldn''t warrant a beating? I almost died of a heart attack when you gave me those terrifying news!" Dan coldly retorted and Zieve scratched his head. "I''m sorry about that, Senior. It really is my fault, the issue lies because of ignorance regarding the female body..." Zieve admitted his mistake, yet Dan still glared at him coldly. However, if one stared closely, they would see that his terrifying gaze turned mellower than before. "Dear, you don''t have to act so tough, I know that you''re thinking better of Zieve, if you''re thankful about him, you should thank him. Don''t act like a child..." Natalie lightly laughed and interjected at the side. Grace also stared at Dan with a small smile on her face as Dan glared at the two young women. "Who is acting like a child?! I''m just angry that he had to react like that..." Dan turned his head to the side and didn''t bother about them anymore. Grace walked beside Zieve and applied a medicinal paste on his wounds. Grace''s figure after she started her cultivation became even more gorgeous and beautiful. Accompanied by the smell of spring and cleanliness of ice that signified her physique. Zieve felt bashful and nervously glanced at Dan, afraid that he may become jealous. "Don''t worry about my husband, he won''t bother being jealous with such a small thing..." Grace chuckled and Zieve''s embarrassment deepened. Juliet''s parents were too mysterious. Particularly, the fact that they could seem to predict his actions and thoughts. Keeping this thought to himself, he turned to look at Dan as the latter said. "Why are you looking at me like that? You picking a fight?" Dan raised an eyebrow and Natalie smacked the back of his head, making him ache in pain. Juliet also glared at Dan while Grace bitterly smiled. They all knew that Dan was thankful of Zieve, but since he''s suspicious that Zieve maybe pursuing Juliet, he kept his cold facade as her father. "Now that Juliet''s issue has been resolved and since we''re already here, how about we discuss Juliet''s Dreamy House''s next course of actions?" Grace took the wheel, when it comes to business, she was the connoisseur. The others nodded their heads and Grace said, "If my predictions are right, Juliet should be considering on selling franchises or rights to distribute towards the merchants at the Commerce Block, right?" Juliet and Zieve''s expression flickered, they never told any third party about their plans but Grace easily predicted their thoughts. "It''s simple," Grace smiled in amusement upon witnessing their astonishment. "Right now, there''s only the two of you managing the business, and judging by the explosino of popularity that the Dreamy House is enjoying, customers should be continuously pouring in but they''re also constantly disappointed due to the lack of supply, right?" Zieve nodded his head, "Yes, that''s right. That''s one of the reasons why we considered selling franchise licenses towards interested businesses at the Commerce Block..." Juliet also nodded her head in confirmation. Grace smirked and stared at them in amusement, "That''s indeed a good plan, but the two of you didn''t think enough..." She shook her head and continued, "Selling franchise licenses would indeed work, but not at the Commerce Block. Remember that there''s a constant stream of people from the Empire and at the Commerce Block, the people of the Imperial Clan are most likely concentrated at that place..." Zieve''s eyes widened in shock, "Wait, wait, wait, so are you saying that even if we did our best on advertising our franchise licenses at the Commerce Block, the chances of acquiring an interested merchant is abysmally low?" Grace nodded her head in approval, "Yes, that''s why this plan is guaranteed to fail. Those bastards from the Imperial Clan should be observing each and every move of the Dreamy House and once they get a whiff of your plans, they would try their best to disrupt it..." Juliet''s expression flickered as she finally understood Grace''s words, "In that case, what do you think should we do, Mama?" Her expression looked pitiful but Grace shook her head in disapproval. "I can only suggest you a place, but when it comes to the intricacies, I won''t help you. Didn''t you promise that you''ll gonna solve everything by yourself? It would be violating that promise if I told you more..." Her nonchalant tone was discouraging but Juliet didn''t mind it at all as she energetically nodded her head, "That would be enough, Mama. I''ll handle everything by myself after your advice, since i''m an adult now..." After hearing the truth about the blood that stained her sheets earlier. Juliet''s looked renewed and refreshed. The air of innocence and childishness that surrounded her transformed into that of a blossoming bud and valiancy. Even Zieve who only looked at Grace as his little sister couldn''t help but be moved upon witnessing her figure. "In that case, the best action that you can do is advertise your franchising license at the Entertainment Block..." Grace made an ambiguous smile while Dan and Natalie shook their heads with smiles on their faces. Standing up, the three of them walked towards the exit to leave as Juliet stopped them with a shout. "Mama, why did you suggest that we sell our franchising licenses at the Entertainment Block?" Juliet didn''t understand Grace since most people that went to the Entertainment Block only looked for carnal pleasures and lucky chances for quick money. If a disciple or a commoner wanted to eat, they would go to the Commerce Block since most of the famous restaurants existed there and no one really liked to eat before indulging on their desires since that would make them unable to exert their entire capabilities due to fullness. Zieve knitted his eyebrows in thought, "Why did Madame Grace suggested that we advertise our franchising licenses at the Entertainment Block when most food stalls and restaurants are located at the Commerce Block? It doesn''t make sense..." Grace lightly chuckled, "My one and final clue to the both of you is that you should think more about the effects of your product on how you can amplify it so that it can be suitable for marketing at the Entertainment Block..." Dan and Natalie waved their farewells as the three of them flew towards the distant horizon. Juliet and Zieve froze at the living room with dumbfounded expressions. "Effects of the Garlic Soup? Why would a Garlic Soup be marketable at the Entertainment Block when it''s not even fulfilling or considered as a meal..." The two thought in their minds before shaking their minds away from any distractions. Before they could consider selling franchising licenses, they had to create a trademark for their product. It was time for them to brainstorm for a suitable logo. 214 Creation and Investigation Juliet stared at the ceiling, indulged in her deep thoughts. Zieve sat beside her with the same expression. The frowns on their foreheads and the sweat that drenched their clothes indicated the exertion that their thoughts did to them. On Zieve''s right hand was a feather quill pen with the tip dipped in ink. A table stood before the two. On the table was a canvas paper that mysteriously shone in the darkness. "How about we keep it simple? I think that simplicity is the best when making a logo." Zieve mumbled and Juliet turned towards him and said, "If we did that, we would be accused as being lazy and slacking. Our logo should be unique, stylish yet simple at the sametime..." Zieve mulled over Juliet''s words before lifting his right hand and drawing on the canvas paper in a breakneck speed. Despite his swift movements, his drawing on the canvas looked delicate and quality remained constant. "How about this?" Zieve completed the logo and Juliet stared at it with a frown. "The house signifies the restaurant and the vines that surrounds it indicates how strong our foundation is and paired with the opened book at the top which means boundless knowledge, it''s a good and all-around logo that covers all bases..." Zieve explained but Juliet''s frown didn''t disappear. "It definitely looks stylish, simple and practical but it doesn''t look unique enough. Anyone can think of this logo if they had a brain..." Juliet replied and Zieve almost choked as his expression reddened in shame. The logo that he thought of using all of his brain power was judged by Juliet as something that anyone could easily make as long as they had the brain. Though it damaged his pride, Zieve knew that his logo definitely lacked something. And that was normal since not everyone in this world can create something that could become a masterpiece in a whim. Art required enlightenment, inspiration and determination. And he lacked the first two. Kneading his aching temples, Zieve crushed the canvas paper into a ball and flicked it off the table. On the ground laid dozens of crumpled canvas paper as he sighed in his heart and stared at Juliet. "Now we''re back on square one..." Zieve rolled another canvas paper and the two thought once again. Several minutes later, Juliet took the feather quill on the table and dripped it with ink as she stood before the canvas paper. Lifting it above the paper, Juliet started her drawing. Her movements looked amateurish and slow yet the lines that she defined on the canvas paper looked refined and pleasing to the eyes. Zieve gulped a mouthful of saliva. Ever since Juliet transformed from a little girl to a young woman. She underwent a qualitative change. Her demeanor that reeked of innocence now blossomed with hot-bloodedness and determination. As an inexperienced young man, Zieve''s body couldn''t help but react as he shyly turned his head to the side, ''Zieve, what the fuck? Juliet is your little sister, you know?! Look at how old she is!'' He internally scolded himself. Juliet continued her movements and despite the fact that she knew nothing about calligraphy and drawings. Her supreme hand and eye coordination enabled her to create the ideal logo that she had in her mind. And the magnificience of that logo displayed itself before their eyes as Zieve''s expression turned from embarrassment into complete shock at Juliet''s accomplishments. "Juliet..." "Yeah..." The two smiled at each other albeit the other felt somewhat bitter that a ten-years old young woman could defeat him regarding designs. However, when he remembered Juliet''s monstrous parents, his indignance faded as he thought. "Being defeated by a monster like her... I can''t even feel shame..." Zieve shook his head and cleared his thoughts. His countenance brightened when he laid his eyes on the masterpiece of an art that unfolded before him. "This is definitely it! There''s nothing more suitable as our logo than this!" Zieve praised and carried the canvas paper as slowly as he could to dry out the ink. Tomorrow, they would imprint this logo on their ceramic cups and bowls as their official trademark. The next morning, the duo were hard at work again. Zieve hired some disciples that had nothing to do to manage the flow of customers while he observed the dozens of cauldrons and the customers. "Wait a minute, there''s something going on here, why do we keep having couples as customers? Is this something related with what Grace said to me yesterday?" Zieve saw that the lined up customers were in pairs of male and female, their expressions were glazed and he could see the desire that twinkled within their eyes. "Those eyes, they''re clearly expecting some action but shouldn''t they go to the Entertainment Block instead of eating some plain old Garlic Soup? There''s nothing in the soup apart from garlic and some Spiritual Vegetable garnishes..." Zieve knitted his eyebrows and swept his gaze over the simmering cauldrons. Leaving his post, he walked towards the lined-up customers and intervened at their conversations. "Excuse me, fellow disciple. Seeing that the two of you are a couple. May I know the reason why you came here instead of the Entertainment Block?" He randomly approached a couple and asked. His question embarrassed the two and the female disciple hid behind her partner. The male disciple, on the other hand revealed a smirk on his face and said with a lecherous expression. "Brother, don''t you know that ever since the Dreamy House sold these Garlic Soups it became a sensation among couples due to the fact that it could enhance our performance in you know..." The disciple winked at the inexperienced Zieve mulled over his words. "Performance in what?" The disciple''s words were too ambiguous for someone like Zieve as he thought of numerous factors that included performing something in top-notch condition. "Brother, I didn''t expect that you would be inexperienced when it comes to those when you look quite fine..." The disciple lightly laughed and whispered words into Zieve''s ears that made him tremble in shock and embarrassment. Returning back to his post, Juliet asked in concern, "Zieve, what happened to you? Your face looks red all over..." Zieve darted his gaze at her and hurriedly shook his hands in denial, "N-n-nothing..." He disappeared towards his post as Juliet stared at his disappearing back with a frown on her face. Back at his post, Zieve took every ingredient that was part of the Garlic Soup''s recipe and stared at it with shining lights within his eyes. The disciples that he hired stared with curiosity at his strange actions. "What the hell did happen to Boss Zieve?" A fat disciple asked, his expression uncertain. "I don''t know, but he''s looking at the vegetables as if he''s looking at a lover..." Another disciple replied and the fat disciple interjected, "Wait, what do you mean as a lover? Are you saying that Zieve is into vegetables instead of humans?!" The second disciple froze and thought about Zieve''s attitude. Zieve was someone that prioritized his job higher than relationships and they never saw him with a member of the opposite sex. Though they were convinced that he didn''t swing at the other side, they weren''t completely sure about his orientation. "That could be a possibility..." They stared at Zieve once again and the scene that they saw horrified them. Zieve''s eyes looked terrifying as he slowly took a rainbow cucumber and digged at it horizontally. Lifting the cucumber, he stared at the hole that he made with an ambiguous expression on his face. "What the actual fuck..." The two disciples swore and fiercely darted their eyes away. "We saw nothing, we heard nothing and we felt nothing... Let''s forget everything, okay?" The two nodded their heads and continued their work. Zieve observed the insides of the cucumber and found nothing that could increase someone''s performance when it comes to those things. Frowning, he placed it back on the table and walked towards the disciples with a slight smirk on his face. The two disciples that discussed with each other earlier felt terrified upon witnessing the approach of the aberrant called Zieve. Placing their ladles on the table, they stood shivering and faced Zieve with a crooked smile on their faces. Afraid that Zieve may have noticed their probing earlier. "What''s wrong with you two? Both of you looks like you saw a ghost in broad daylight..." Zieve''s smirk turned into a cheerful smile as he handed over a flask filled with liquor towards the two. "Drink that and be energized, we''re working hard here so we deserve something like that at the least, right?" The disciples caught the flask and stared at each other before nodding their heads. Taking turns on drinking, their expressions reddened and their eyes gleamed with energy. Bringing them closer to him, Zieve whispered in their ears. "Can the two of you tell me more about the hidden effects of the garnishings that we add on our Garlic Soup?" Zieve looked awkward as he asked. It was shameful to ask a layman about ingredients when he was supposed to be the most knowledgeable when it comes to it as a Head Chef. Unfortunately, Zieve never considered the effects of the ingredients and as long as they tasted good and complemented each other well. He would add it to the dishes and weave them together like how a spider weaved their webs. "Though I could do that, there''s a wide range of effects that our garnishes and ingredients has for the body. Take the Garlic for example, according to the Longinus Pharmaceutical Company, it possesses qualities that could prevent sickness and warms the body up... What specific effect are you looking for anyway?" The disciple with a slender frame asked and Zieve lightly smiled for a moment before saying. "Something that could improve one''s carnal performance..." "Pffft!" The fat disciple that was in the middle of drinking from the flask, splashed everything out of his mouth as the two of them stared at Zieve in horror. Remembering the lascivious eyes that he had when staring at the cucumber made them shiver in fear once again. "S-s-Senior...We don''t know anything about that!" The fat disciple leaped in the air and made a magnificient kowtow, he even knocked his forehead on the ground, afraid that Zieve may find any faults in his pleading. "S-s-Senior... We can give you all the cucumber that you need so please let us go!" The slender-framed disciple trembled like a leaf and his countenance looked pale, rolling on the ground, he made the same gesture as the fat man as the two of them pleaded for their lives and their backdoor. Zieve stood still like a statue as he observed them with a confused expression on his face. "What the hell is going on?" 215 Experiments "Just how in the hell did the two of you thought that I fancied vegetables?!" Zieve angrily shouted and the two disciples hung their heads low. When Zieve asked them to confess, they honestly expressed their thoughts which made the former erupt into madness. "S-s-Sorry, Senior... Everything that happened was a misunderstanding..." The fat disciple apologized and the disciple beside him, deeply bowed his head. Sighing, Zieve replied. "Okay, let''s just forget everything so that the two of you can properly answer my question since we''re running out of time. The cauldrons are about to boil and service time is coming up. Now, tell me, are there any garnishes that could provide such a boost?" Zieve asked with a frown and the two disciples stared at each other. They felt suspicious that a Head Chef like Zieve didn''t knew about the properties of the ingredients that he adds on the Garlic Soup. ''Could it be that he''s only adding something just because it tastes delicious?'' They thought before answering. "Yes, an ingredient when mixed with something Yang and warming could provide the boost that you mentioned. It''s a well-known ingredient but due to the fact that it tastes extremely bitter and unpalatable, no one is willing to consume it directly or even add it to their meals..." "In fact, everyone was astonished that you were able to reduce its bitterness to an endurable level without diminishing its aphrodisiac effects..." The two disciples said and Zieve''s eyes widened in shock. He remembered adding a garnish that tasted extremely bitter when eaten directly and in huge amounts. "Phoenix Spring Tail?!" Zieve exclaimed and the two disciples nodded their heads, "Yes, that''s right, it''s the Phoenix Spring Tail that Senior sprinkes on top of the Soup." "I only thought that it''s bitterness complemented the richness of the Garlic Soup and added it in since it''s also cheap and easily accessible along with a virtually inexhaustable supply behind it... I never thought that it had such an effect..." Zieve replied to them and the two disciples bitterly smiled. They confirmed that Zieve never really studied the effects of the ingredients and just tried his best mixing those that tasted well together without thinking about how it could affect the body. With shining eyes, Zieve finally understood the key for negotations that they could use when advertising their franchising licenses at the Entertainment Block. With his boosted morale, business went even smoother than normal and Juliet saw that Zieve had a wide smile on his face, enough that he would dance if not for the fact that he was in the middle of service. "Zieve? What''s going on? Why are you smiling so wide today? Did something happen? Or maybe..." Juliet smirked and she teased Zieve, "Could it be that you find a suitable Dao Companion?" When Juliet''s menarche arrived. Natalie explained to her all sorts of things particularly the relationship between a man and a woman so the current Juliet more or less wasn''t as innocent as she was. Zieve almost stumbled in his movements as he lifted his head to stare at the cheekily smiling Juliet. When the latter mentioned "Dao Companion" His eyes subconsciously landed on Juliet and the thought of it made him feel shameful as his cheeks reddened. He didn''t dare to meet Juliet''s gaze. Unfortunately, his actions of avoiding Juliet''s eyes made the latter even more doubtful as she lifted her finger and poked him on the cheeks, "Come on, come on, tell me more... Did you really find a Dao Companion?" Zieve shoved her hand aside and glared, "Kid, what do you even know about Romance?" He turned his head away and continued their journey amidst Juliet''s muffled laughter. Back in his independent room, Zieve stood before a boiling cauldron of Garlic Soup. The soup looked creamy and the aroma that it emanated induced a boiling sensation within one''s heart. On his left hand was a tray where a bundle of Phoenix Spring Tail could be seen. Taking the Phoenix Spring Tail. His right arm turned into a blur and accurately sliced at the points where the essence of the Phoenix Spring Tail concentrated. Placing the slices into the boiling cauldron. The enticing aroma intensified and Zieve''s expression turned solemn. Directly adding the Phoenix Spring Tail into the Garlic Soup was a gamble. Though both were compatible since they were affliated with Yang, slight differences were significant in such concentrations that if the mixture combination failed, the dish would also fail. A pungent smell of concentrated Garlic burst from the cauldron in the form of toxic fumes which evoked sneezing and coughing from Zieve. Flicking his wrist, the window beside him snapped open and the toxic fumes were dissipated. "Damn it, the ratio is off! If I want to enhance the capabilites of the Phoenix Spring Tail, not only must I calculate the amount of Garlic, I must also keep in mind the other garnishes so that their differences wouldn''t create a conflict!" Beaded sweats formed on his forehead as Zieve gnashed his teeth. Taking another cauldron, he restarted the process and in just several minutes, another batch of Garlic Soup exploded into toxic fumes. Recording the process using his notebook, Zieve''s countenance looked pale and his eyes were red from the fumes that came from the cauldrons. Despite all of this, his determination didn''t disappear and the zealous lights within his eyes remained stable. Carrying dinner with her, Juliet hummed a tune and approached Zieve''s room with a smile on her face. The dishes that she prepared was Zieve''s favorite Red Braised Pork Belly. As rewards for Zieve''s hard work, she tried her best in recreating her mother''s recipe and after several hours of work in the kitchen, Juliet completed her dish. Knocking on the door, Juliet shouted: "Zieve, it''s about time that you go out and eat your dinner! I brought it for you so open this door!" Her shouts were met with silence and Juliet knitted her eyebrows in a frown. Manipulating some Spiritual Energy, she pushed the door open and the scene that she saw froze her like a statue. Zieve was standing there staring at the bubbling cauldron of Garlic Soup with a zealous light in his eyes. His expression looked sinister and the air that surrounded him was dark. Paired with the pungent smell of concentrated Garlic and Phoenix Spring Tail, Juliet''s turned pale and slowly closed the door as she placed the tray on the ground before running towards the opposite direction in fear. Zieve in his state of concentration didn''t even notice Juliet''s arrival as he scribbled on his notebook with his quill. Right now, Zieve was akin to a mad scientist that only longed for success, nothing was more valuable than him than seeing the success of his experiment. 216 To Each their Own Zieve''s experimentation came to an end when his stomach protested. Emerging from his trance, Zieve''s figure shook as hunger overwhelmed his mind. His several hours of experimentation took a toll on his mind and body. Regaining clarity, Zieve stared at the plethora of garbages that laid on his room as a painful expression suffused on his face. His several hours worth of experiment burned several hundreds of Spirit Stones. An amount that an average disciple could only hope to acquire from years of hard labor. Kneading his aching temples, he cleaned his room and walked out of the room. Before he could even take a single step outside, he noticed the existence of the tray below him and when his eyes landed on the contents of the tray. His expression turned jubilant. "Red Braised Pork Belly?!" Zieve exclaimed and his slow and exhausted body transformed into a blur that took the tray from the ground. "Damn it''s already cold! Juliet must''ve made this for me..." Lifting a small smile on his lips, Zieve carried the tray back in his room and pondered, "If she arrived before the entrance of my room, why didn''t she knock on the door? Or she could''ve at least went inside and carry the tray..." Zieve shrugged and a hummed a tune. Carrying his Red Braised Pork Belly into a clean cauldron. He reheated his dinner and afterwards, continued on his experiments. Back in her room, Juliet laid on her bed with a worried expression on her face. Rememberng the crazed look on Zieve''s face earlier made her feel incomparably worried. Zieve was her partner in crime. If something bad happened to him, Juliet didn''t know what would happen to her. Thinking back about the scene that she saw in Zieve''s room, Juliet took every factor into account such as the bubbling cauldron, the punget smell of Garlic, the scattered remnants of vegetables and garnishes, and the crazed Zieve that madly scribbled on his notebook. These clues fused into each other as Juliet concluded: "Zieve must be doing some kind of an experiment back in his room. As for his motives, it should be about what Mama Grace said regarding the Entertainment Block..." Juliet''s drew her conclusion and thought about the Entertainment Block. Located between the border of the Inner and Outer Disciples Region, it was an active place that has its own thriving economy. Migrating to that place from the faraway Outer Disciples Region was gamble that they had to take if they wanted to suppress the Imperial Clan''s influence. "The Imperial Clan, eh..." "Apart from their blatant provocations, I don''t remember seeing them do something that directly affected me, yet why do I feel so angry at them?" Juliet cleared her thoughts and stood up. A renewed expression emerged on her face as she took a feather quill and examined the profits that they had for the day. Since Zieve was working hard, she also had to do her part as his boss. The night eventually turned as dark as charcoal as all activity inside the academy reached its all time low. At midnight, Rodger and his crew members that he poached from the Dreamy House along with his trusted butler stood inside a dimly-lit room. Rodger looked violent and fierce as he fiercely shouted: "What''s going on here? How did that abominable girl recover? The Dreamy House is supposed to be over! She doesn''t even have her crew anymore!" His words rang loud and clear and Juliet''s previous crew members flinched, not daring to speak. "Young master, it should be because of the booming popularity of their Garlic Soups..." The butler spoke from the darkness and Rodger''s expression turned fiercer as he retorted, "Of course I know that you useless bag of bones! You can''t even kill a little girl yet you actually dare to correct me?!" The butler''s countenance hardened for a moment before retreating into the darkness. Juliet''s previous crew members on the other hand looked frozen and terrified from fear after hearing his plan of assassinating Juliet from the shadows. Beaded sweats formed on their foreheads and they instantly regretted the fact that they abandoned Juliet. Though Juliet''s wages were worse compared to the Duterte General Merchandises. At the least, they felt safe and at home. Unlike this place where they had to endure the harsh scoldings of their new employer. "Vanadis, don''t you think that it''s about time that you fix the mistakes that you did? Are you really just going to stand there and let the dignity of the Imperial Clan suffer the tramplings of a little child and that beggar?" Rodger lifted an eyebrow and the butler who disappeared earlier appeared like a ghost. "Affirmative, mistakes won''t be made again. Young master..." Vanadis solemnly bowed, a cold gleam flashed within his eyes and a slight tinge of murderous intent leaked, terrifying those that stood before the two. Regret filled the hearts of everyone that were once a part of the Dreamy House. Clenching their fists, they understood that no matter what they did, they could never return and the past could never be changed. There was no medicine for regrets in this world, and they had no other choice but to continue on their treacherous path. Stepping forward, a young woman whom Juliet affectionately called as Elder Sister back at the Dreamy House moved forward with struggle visible on her face. Appearing before Rodger, her expression hardened as she declared amidst her comrades astonishment. "If young master is planning on assassinating Juliet. I can help you create the most effective plan which guarantees a high chance of success. In exchange, I want the young master to listen to my request..." Rodger lifted an amused smile on his face as Vanadis who heard her words from the shadows manifested before them. His slight smile indicated his interest. "Interesting...How about we hear that plan of yours, first?" 217 Lurking in the Shadows Later on at the morning, the Dreamy House proceeded on their operations as usual. As expected, most customers were couples with the remaining percentile coming from the disciples that worked on the medicinal fields of the Academy. Every morning or after a day of hard work, they indulged on a bowl of Garlic Soup to resist the cold temperatures of winter. Zieve looked haggard and bedraggled, enough that Juliet constantly nagged him to rest along with the hired disciples that expressed concern for their head chef. Nevertheless, Zieve continued on his work and his movements never lagged nor he committed any mistakes. Jacob and Sandra did their jobs behind the scenes, as members of the Pharmaceutical Company. They couldn''t blatantly support Juliet or else those that held grudges against them may file complaints. The former secured quality ingredients while Sandra ensured efficient and fast paperworks completion. With the support of the reliable duo, Juliet could focus on managing the Dreamy House. "Here''s your Garlic Soup! The cup is also yours but you will get a discount if you use our cups when you come back, so don''t throw it. Okay?" Juliet beamed with a smile and served her customers that cup engraved with their trademark at the side. The couple happily received their bowl of Garlic Soup and business remained as bountiful as usual. Amidst her serving. Juliet''s figure suddenly paled and shivered. Fiercely turning around with her cultivation base silently rotating in preparation, Juliet''s expression looked solemn. "Was it my imagination?" Juliet thought. She felt an incomparably cold aura boring down her body. It was intimidating enough that she forgot her service. Snapping back to reality. Juliet faced her customers and placed this strange phenomenon at the back of her head. On the roof of an unremarkable residence. A shadowy figure could be seen standing with a feminine figure. The feminine figure looked nervous and in contrast, the shadowy figure looked steadfast and calm. "Their business usually ends at sunset and their residence has numerous spell formations for defenses. I think, Juliet herself has an Artifact that could protect her from attacks..." The feminine figure voiced out and the shadow figure clicked his tongue. He expected that the young woman had vital information that he didn''t know since she stood beside Juliet for an extended period of time. It turned out that all she knew were the basics and weren''t exactly helpful. Coldly staring at her, he said: "I''m not retarded, your information is something that even the most novice of Assassins would know. Go back to your comrades, you''re hindering my work..." The feminine figure shivered and deeply bowed her head. She didn''t dare to retort before scrambling towards her residence for safety. The shadowy figure clenched his daggers as he stared at the fleeing woman. He had the habit of killing all informants since they could potentially serve as an eyewitness. Unfortunately, he was under Rodger''s rule so he had to follow the latter''s instructions. Snorting coldly. His expression remained as indifferent as ever as he casually stared at the Dreamy House, marking his targets and engraving their faces in his mind. "Tonight, since I have my personal Artifacts with me, none of the targets can possibly escape..." He mumbled and his figure merged with the shadows. Disappearing from sight. Back at the Dreamy House, Juliet wiped the sweat on her forehead and smiled at the exhausted Zieve. "Today''s also a good day... If we keep this up, we can finally have the necessary capital to sell our franchising licenses..." Zieve stared at Juliet''s ethereal and mature, yet adorable countenance and felt that his exhaustion seemed to disappear with the appearance of the latter''s blooming smile. Smiling, he said. "Yeah, we should be able to acquire the necessary funds by tomorrow if we keep this up..." Zieve passed Juliet a gourd of water and the latter drunk it with gusto, evoking laughter from him. "Seeing you drink like that, you must be so exhausted. After all, there''s only the three of you managing the customers...." Zieve lightly chuckled, in the course of their business, Zieve recruited three part-time workers for Juliet''s sake yet despite all of these, the large volume of customers proved difficult to manage. But this was also the reason why Juliet was so incredible. Her innate charisma and leadership skills rallied the indignant and hungry customers as she gave them complimentary treats and warm smiles. If their position was reversed, the socially-awkward Zieve would''ve collapsed under pressure. "I could say the same to you. When I delivered you that dinner yesterday, I saw you scribbling on your notebook like a madman with two boiling cauldrons of Garlic Soups in front of you. Just what were you doing last night?" Juliet asked in curiosity and Zieve awkwardly scratched his head. "i was just testing some findings. Apparently, a certain ingredient compliments the warming properties of the Garlic and the Garlic also amplifies that certain ingredient''s effects which made our meal so popular among the couples..." Zieve whispered but his expression quickly change when he realized what he said. However, when he turned to look at Juliet. All he saw was the shining light of curiosity within her eyes as she said with an excited tone, "Really? You found the reason why and how we became so popular even when we''re mainly using Mortal Ingredients?" Zieve wanted to use subterfuge but when he saw Juliet''s excited expression. He bitterly smiled and said. "Yeah. A certain ingredient had some intense aphrodisiac properties when orally consumed and it also improves blood circulation. In other words, it''s a staple for young couples..." Zieve slowly said while looking away. Juliet''s figure froze, her mother taught her all sorts of things so it wasn''t strange that she understood what Zieve meant. Nevertheless, Juliet was still an inexperienced maiden and encountering this sort of thing proved difficult for her. Furiously blushing, Juliet turned around and retreated with erratic footsteps. Her thoughts, unknown. 218 Midnight Attemp Amidst the roaring laughter of the two, a shadowy figure snickered within the shadows of the buildings. "A certain ingredient that has an aphrodisiac effect when mixed with a Mortal Ingredient like Garlic? Interesting, so that''s the reason why they easily recovered from their setback? Mortal Ingredients were cheap and even if you use Spiritual Ingredients as supporting ingredients, the cost would still be low unlike the average restaurants here..." Vanadis mumbled within the shadows and made his conclusion. "Interesting... I wonder what would happen if the young master knows about this..." A small smile lifted on his lips as his cultivation base silently rotated. Leaping on dark alleyways and the shades of towering trees and houses. He constantly followed the two, intent on seeking out more information from them. With his cultivation base at the Divine Soul Realm, there was no way that the two could detect him if he wanted to remain hidden. His targets were on sight but Vanadis didn''t attack. He knew his place and understood the consequences of assassinating a disciple of the Paradyne Academy in broad daylight. One of the reasons why people preferred the Paradyne Academy was because of the fact that they treated their disciples like their relatives. If someone wronged them, they would counter-attack with all of their strength. There was an instance where the heir apparent of the previous Emperor that knew nothing but indulging on debauchery kidnapped a young woman from the Paradyne Academy. All hell broke loose and Mathias himself raised the warring flags. Boosted with the thought of rescuing their junior sister. The disciples of the Paradyne Academy wreaked havoc on the Imperial Capital and in the end, the previous Emperor surrendered his son and the latter was publicly executed, right before the eyes of everyone as an example. From there on, none dared to challenge the Paradyne Academy''s indisputable authority within the Empire of Eternal Faith. Their influence and strength were boundless enough that they could abdicate the Emperor''s throne if they wanted. But of course, even though the Paradyne Academy loved their disciples. That doesn''t mean that they would tolerate them if they were the suspects. In that case, the Paradyne Academy crippled the cultivation bases of the convicted disciples and threw them to the Wilderness. Vanadis desires and his logical mind clashed with each other. A part of him wanted to pounce at the two right here and now, but the logical part of him told him that it would be better to wait for the night. A hint of killing intent leaked from his body and flew towards Juliet''s direction as the latter froze in shock. Fiercely turning around, she glared at the dark alleyway and warily prepared herself for danger. As someone that once lived in the slums area. Juliet developed an instincts for danger and her instincts rarely failed. "What''s going on? Why are you staring at that dark corner like a cat that had its tail stepped on?" Zieve teased with a chuckle but when he saw the incomparably solemn expression on Juliet''s face. His mind told him that something fishy was going on. Rotating his cultivation base, he prepared to protect Juliet. "Who''s there?!" Juliet shouted, her dignified shout rang loud and clear that Vanadis expressed shock and doubt. "Did she notice me? Impossible! My Stealth is impeccable!" Vanadis thought in his mind and replayed the scene of him suppressing his killing intent. "Damn it so it must be at that time. I never expected that this little girl would be that sensitive to killing intent..." Vanadis stared with pity at Juliet. Those that were sensitive to these murderous intents lived messed up lives and Vanadis was certain that Juliet had her fair share of violence. Zieve frowned, approaching the dark alleyway with his nerves stretched taut. His expression remained solemn and his cultivation base silently rotated to maximum. Spiritual Energy formed a vortex around him and Zieve fiercely leaped at the dark corner, only to find nothing but garbages. Sighing in relief. He said, "Calm down, Juliet... There''s nothing in here but trash..." Seeing Zieve''s reassuring expression. Juliet slightly relaxed, but the frown on her face didn''t diminish. It was the first time that her instincts failed her. ''Could it be that it''s just my imagination?'' She thought before continuing their journey towards home. Nevertheless, the two of them remained alert and neither had the mood for discussion. They had a foreboding feeling that something was lurking from the shadows. Observing them like sheeps for slaughter. After dinner, Juliet invited Zieve into her room and made him wear some clothes slapped with innumerable defensive talismans. Zieve frowned upon seeing the talismans pasted on the insides of his robes. But witnessing Juliet''s worried expression, he accepted it with a wry smile and wore it as he slept. Juliet did the same, she even placed a talisman on her underwear and barrier talismans around her bed. Despite the fact that a single talisman normally costs dozens of Spirit Stones, Juliet didn''t care. For her safety, she held no bars. Little did they knew that the shadowy figure that constantly followed them from the darkness was sulking with a rare indignant expression on his face. As a top-notch expert in his field, Vanadis rarely required two strikes on killing his targets but seeing the several dozens of talismans attached on Juliet and Zieve''s body. He bitterly smiled as he thought. "Damn it! Let alone a two strikes, these Earth Grade Talismans wouldn''t possibly collapse in a thousand strikes... Young master, forgive me. I never expected that my targets these time would be this paranoid. Not even the current Crown Prince had the same protection as them! Damn it all!" Vanadis violently cursed in his mind and retreated. He had to gather more information about his targets. Someone that could casually use dozens of Earth Grade Talismans without batting an eyelid wasn''t someone without a background. 219 Entertainment Block, Red Light Distric The Entertainment Block of the Paradyne Academy looked full of activity and as bustling as ever. As the center of entertainment for the exhausted commoners, disciples and even Elders alike. it was a place that never slept. If one wanted to engage in debauchery, one should visit the Entertainment Block where they could fulfill the desires of their hearts. Putting commoners aside, cultivators rarely get sick so problems like sexually-transmitted diseases were never a problem for them. Of course, as the Headmaster that oversaw the operations of the highly-profitable Entertainment Block. Mathias implemented laws that benefited both the workers and the customers so the women that worked here of their own will never felt violated. Paired with the fact that cultivators thought of gold coins as nothing but mere worldly possessions. The Entertainment Block was the ideal workplace for women that had no other choice but to sell their bodies. Inside a Pavilion surrounded by a constant pinkish mist that emanated a fatal allure to men. Rodger and Vanadis stood with a respectful expression on their faces. As the one of the Imperial Prince, Rodger held a towering status and those that could make him this subservient could only be counted in a single hand. Before Rodger and Vanadis stood a young woman clad in a completely pink robes. Her expression glazed and she looked seductive. Inciting the desires of the men that dared to look at his countenance. If not for the fact that a short veil enveloped her eyes, the two would''ve melted under her gaze. Vanadis recovered from his trance and he sent a wisp of his Spiritual Energy towards his young master, snapping him off from his stupor. Witnessing his actions, the young woman lifted a sneering smile on her face. But of course, on the outside, she maintained her polite demeanor. After all, Rodger was still an Imperial Prince, the son of the current Emperor. "This one is the current Pavilion Chieftess of the Charming Pavilion, Adevhine Crystal..." She deeply bowed and her robes that obeyed gravity revealed the valley on her chest as Rodger and Vanadis fought the urge to stare. "Damn it, the sister of the Charming Academy''s Headmistress really is formidable. To think that we''re at the same realm but she can still charm me like this..." Vanadis mumbled a chant and his mind cleared up. His expression hardened and his eyes looked sharp. Rodger also recovered from his stupor and formally introduced himself, "This one''s name is Rodger Duterte. I guess, the Chieftess must know about my status, right?" He stretched his hand forward, asking for a handshake. Adevhine merely nodded her head in confirmation. Ignoring his gesture, she proceeded. "May I know about the Imperial Prince''s business?" Adevhine made a sidelong glance at Vanadis and the latter felt that his secrets were unveiled. This uncomfortable sensation irritated him as he clenched his fists and thought. "If I fought with this woman, the chances of winning wouldn''t even be at thirty-percent..." Sighing in his heart, Vanadis knew when to retreat. It''s not like they came here to ask for a fight so there was no reason to react against Adevhine''s blatant provocation. Rodger clasped his hands together and answered his inquiry. "I came here to ask for a cooperation with the Charming Pavilion. The Duterte General Merchandises is willing to offer twenty-percent of the Paradyne Academy Branch''s stocks as long as the Charming Pavilion lends us a hand on eliminating a minor threat..." Adevhine lifted her eyebrows. Making the Imperial Prince feel threatened enough that someone as proud as him actually asked the help of a third party. His enemy shouldn''t be so simple. "Interesting... Tell me the details first and I will decide..." Adevhine lightly smiled and Rodger wiped the beaded sweats on his forehead. Vanadis''s report about Juliet''s casual actions of equipping her body with several dozens of Earth Grade Talismans threatened him. His instincts, honed from deception and subterfuge told him that if left alone. Juliet would certainly become a threat to not only his business but his position as the Imperial Prince. Even if he lost twenty-percent of his Duterte General Merchandises stocks, he was willing to gamble as long as the Dreamy House was removed. "The threat that we''re facing this time should''ve been a minor problem if not for the fact that her background is unclear. No matter how much we researched her and her origins, we wouldn''t find anything substantial. As if someone was forcefully suppressing any information about her..." His words shocked Adevhine. The Imperial Clan''s influence almost covered the entire Empire yet even with their connections. They still couldn''t acquire solid information against their enemy? This was strange... Rodger saw Adevhine''s knitted eyebrows and she fell into contemplation. "Judging from your description, this enemy of yours shouldn''t originate from the Empire or at the least, you enemy has her own methods on suppressing her identity, enough that it is impeccable even with the Imperial Clan''s connections." "That is indeed the case..." Rodger nodded his head and Adevhine followed up. "In that case, why bother asking me for help when even one of the most influential Imperial Clan couldn''t find any traces of her even when using their connections? Do you really think that my connections can top the Imperial Clan?" Rodger wryly smiled, "That''s indeed the case, if not for the fact that we''re sure that you''re the only one that can help us discover her true identity, then we wouldn''t come here in the first place..." Adevhine''s expression turned indescribable and she said, "Why do you say so?" Rodger continued: "Our research tells us that all information about our enemy, aside from the fact that she appeared in the Academy several months ago were missing. This only means one thing. The Paradyne Academy is the one that''s protecting her from the shadows..." His words astonished Adevhine and she wasn''t able to say anything for a long time... Later on, she replied... 220 Acquiescence "In that case, why are you recruiting me? Are you trying to cause trouble between me and the Academy?" Adevhine''s countenance turned cold and the two could feel their hearts shiver in coldness. Hardening his resolve, Rodger said: "Chieftess, don''t even think that I do not know about what happened with you and the Paradyne Academy, several decades ago..." "As punishment for massacring ten squads of Inner Disciples from the Paradyne Academy, your sister. The current Headmistress of the Charming Academy abandoned you, all for the sake of self-preservation. Thankfully, Mathias pitied you and gave you a lofty position or else, with your beauty, who knows how many men would sell their inheritance just to take a piece of your flesh..." Rodger revealed a small smile on his face, revealing his nefarious intentions. "H-H-How dare you talk to me like that!" Adevhine propped from her seat and exploded with fury. Her cultivation base rotated to its fullest and Vanadis had to protect Rodger from the onslaugh of Spiritual Energy as both colors, sparkling white and abysmal black noiselessly clashed in mid-air. Cracks riddled the jaded wooden floor as Rodger hid behind a screen of light evoked by his defensive talisman. A victorious smile lifted on his lips. Seeing the ethereal beauty like Adevhine looking so angry and menacing in contrast to her usual demeanor amused him. "What''s wrong, Chieftess? I was merely stating the facts. You don''t have to be so angry..." Rodger said and Adevhine snapped from her fury, regaining her composure as the terrifying air that surrounded her body, slowly dissipated into nothingness. She regained her calm so fast that one could feel that her previous fury never happened. Adevhine''s erratic attitude irked Vanadis as he warily stared at Adevhine. Who knows when this vixen would erupt and attack his young master? Staring at the two that hailed from the Imperial Clan. Adevhine viciously cursed them in her mind, "Damn it, people from the Imperial Clan really are hateful! They''re too insidious and would stoop to nothing just to achieve their plans!" Taking deep breaths, she suppressed her seething emotions and said, "Tell me the name and surname of that so-called enemy of yours. I''ll definitely take her down and make sure that she cannot ever establish herself on the soils of the Academy..." Adevhine understood that moving against someone protected by the Academy meant paying a huge price. Nevertheless, she still expressed her acquiescence, afraid that Rodger may reveal the scandal that happened on that fateful day. Vanadis''s expression flickered and his guard loosened up when he heard her words. Still, his eyes seethed with wariness and his hand stayed on the hilt of his dagger. After all, he never expected that a vixen like her would easily become subservient to Rodger. "That''s good. The name is Juliet. Surname is unknown..." Rodger nodded his head and presented a contract that Adevhine reluctantly signed. Returning the parchment of paper inside his Spatial Ring. Rodger dusted his shoulders and bade his farewells, leaving the indignant Adevhine behind with a dark expression on her face. Keeping her part of the contract, Adevhine summoned all of her trustworthy subordinates in the quest for gathering information about this mysterious young woman that the Imperial Prince himself feared. Back at the Duterte General Merchandises. Vanadis and Rodger stood before each other with a smile lifted on the latter''s lips. Evidently, his plan worked well and with the support of the Entertainment Block''s most influential person. The people behind Juliet should abandon her for self-preservation. In their heads, it was only a matter of time until Juliet collapses. They wouldn''t even have to make a move. Under Adevhine''s pressure, none apart from the Grand Elder and the Headmaster himself could possibly survive. At the peak of the highest mountain where the Headmaster of the Paradyne Academy resided, Mathias could be seen sitting cross-legged with his daughter. In preparation for the opening of the Mystic Realm of the Undead. Charlotte rarely went out and focused her heart on cultivation. As her father, Mathias wanted nothing but the best for Charlotte and seeing her act so diligent satisfied his heart. Stretching his body. Mathias stood up and headed for the living room. It was time for his lunch. Despite the fact that cultivators at his level never needed any source of energy apart from the Spiritual Energy of Heaven and Earth. Mathias''s appetite for food never wavered and he particularly liked exotic dishes from isolated regions. Sitting cross-legged on the wooden floor. Mathias calmly ate his lunch with a tranquil smile on his face. His meal consisted of farm-freshed Caviar and numerous expensive side dishes that suited his status in the Academy. A wisp of voice transmission struck his mind and his expression underwent a change. Transforming into a solemn one as he mumbled, "Someone actually dared to dig up Juliet''s past? Why would they bother to do that? Juliet is just an innocent little girl that knew nothing about the world..." Mathias frowned in thought, but his experience in life quickly gave him an answer. "Could it be that they''re targeting Dan and his wives originally but since they''re on a secluded meditation. They decided to target his daughter instead?" Mathias mind madly spun and he shook his head in the end. "Nah, that''s not the case. I made sure that all information about Juliet''s identity are suppressed and there should be no leakage unless the seller of the information came from the Empire of Dawn where which I don''t have any jurisdiction..." Flipping over possibilites after possibilities. Mathias chose the most viable answer as a smile of amusement lifted on his lips. "It isn''t strange that the spoiled Juliet eventually offended someone. After all, she''s just a little girl. What''s strange is the fact that her enemies actually paid a huge price just to uncover the backing before her..." "This is quite intriguing..." Mathias lightly chuckled, but his eyes glimmered with cold lights, "To think that someone actually dared to move a hand against those that has my protection. Do they really think that my position as the Headmaster is a joke?" Mathias stood up and stretched his body. Staring at the base of the mountain, Mathias''s eyes pierced through the void and saw through the numerous activities within a certain pavilion. There, he found a seductive figure which made him smile in even more amusement. "Adevhine Crystal..." He whispered before disappearing into the void. 221 Traceless Julie Faced with a mountain of documents on her table. Adevhine racked her brains over Rodger''s request. Using her connections that spanned throughout the entire Academy. She was astonished to find that she couldn''t discover any relevant information about the so-called Juliet from the Outer Disciples Region. Apart from the fact that she arrived here several months ago and overwhelmed all of her competitors in residence building. Juliet was enveloped with a strange barrier of smoke and mirrors that she couldn''t ever penetrate. "Just what the hell is going on?" Adevhine couldn''t help but curse. Her connections were so wide that she could influence anything in the Outer Disciples Region, yet even with her strength. She still couldn''t trace Juliet''s origins. "Could it be that the Grand Elder or even the Headmaster himself is protecting this little girl?" Adevhine made a terrifying conclusion that she didn''t even image before she accepted Rodger''s request. If that''s the case, then forcefully uncovering the truth about Juliet was a dangerous and reckless matter. "Damn it, that fucking Imperial Prince!" Adevhine who took care of her demeanor and image forgot her facade and violently cursed. Slamming her hand on the table, her might turned it into splinters as the mountain of documents scattered on the ground. Adevhine wasn''t stupid. She understood the consequences of provoking someone under the Headmaster or the Grand Elder''s protection. Calming herself down, she thanked her lucky stars that she didn''t thoroughly became senile and unknowingly caused trouble to someone like Juliet''s status. Taking a parchment of paper from her Spatial Ring. Adevhine burned it into nothingness. Who cares if she reneged on their contract and Rodger spread rumors about everything that happened at that day? Her reputation may disappear, but at the least, she wouldn''t be expelled from the Academy and lose everything that she had. Standing up and staring at the Outer Disciples Region. Adevhine marked Rodger and Vanadis in her mind and swore that she would get back at them for screwing her like this. [SS Redeem Code: YWAABPPBLLYIKAKL ] Back at the Outer Disciples Region, Juliet and Zieve prepared themselves for their visit at the Entertainment Block. Closing their shop early, it was about time for the arrival of the night. Using a Spatial Tunneling Artifact that requires several hundreds of Spirit Stones to use, Zieve and Juliet aimed to arrive at the Entertainment Block as soon as possible. Night peaked and the Entertainment Block entered a state of high activity. The smell of strong incense filled the air and the provocative gestures along with the revealing clothes of women enticed Zieve. Discreetly glancing at these women, his expression relaxed and Juliet stared at him with a frown. "Are they really that attractive?" Juliet said with an indifferent voice and ZIeve unknowingly nodded his head, "Of course they are! Look at those pair of melons, they look so bouncy and they''re definitely succulent and soft to the touch!" A sharp pain surged on ZIeve''s foot and he almost stumbled to the ground. Just as he was about to complain, Juliet increased her walking pace and dashed away towards their destination, the Charming Pavilion. Zieve scratched his head and followed suit as he ignored the amorous gazes that targeted him. Several minutes later, Zieve and Juliet arrived at the Charming Pavilion and the male and female attendants quickly did their jobs. The females snatched Zieve''s arms while the male attendants arranged their fancy clothes and respectfully stood in front of Juliet like dignified gentlemen. Though they were curious why such a young girl went for this place, they didn''t really care. After all, all sorts of people existed beneath the heavens. It wasn''t strange that a precocious girl like her existed. Juliet swept her cold gaze at these attendants and all of them felt a shiver down their spines. They never expected that such an adorable girl like her could hold such a terrifying gaze. The male attendants awkwardly scratched their heads and stared at each other in comprehension. It turned out that Juliet and Zieve weren''t so simple as they silently retreated lest they attracted their ire. Heading deeper within the Charming Pavilion. Juliet couldn''t suppress the blush that spread on her cheeks when she saw the scenes that unfolded within the pavilion. Numerous men and women mingled together naked with constant muffled moans and ragged pantings seeping out of the atmosphere. Such a raunchy sight disturbed even the closet pervert, Zieve. "Is this how everything works in this area? They''re really open-minded when it comes to this..." Zieve commented and the blushing Juliet tried her best in regaining her composure. At the front desk of the Pavilion, a young woman clad in a pink robe greeted them with a smile, she had an eye for customers and seeing the arrival of the two made her smile. Particularly, when she saw that they didn''t have an attendant standing beside them. Usually, customers who came in had attendants beside them. Seeing that Zieve and Juliet didn''t have one, they must''ve came here for another purpose. "May I know esteemed customers business for our pavilion?" She politely greeted and lifted a smile that temporarily entranced Zieve. Juliet knitted her eyebrows and said. "Can you take me to the Pavilion Chieftess? I have a business deal for her..." The receptionist didn''t expect that Juliet would outrightly demand for their Pavilion Chieftess''s presence. Adevhine, the Pavilion Chieftess possessed a status, high enough that not just anyone could summon her out of their whim. Frowning, the receptionist said, "I''m sorry about that esteemed guests, but will you show me your appointment badge? Only those that has an appointment with the Pavilion Chieftess can meet her." Juliet and Zieve stiffened, before deciding that they would come here. They knew that they required an appointment badge, but due to their lack of knowledge regarding that area and the fact that they needed Stealth so the bastards from the Imperial Clan wouldn''t hinder their actions. Zieve and Juliet didn''t set an appointment beforehand. Witnessing their stiffened figures. The receptionist sneered. Thinking that Juliet and Zieve were mere disciples that wanted to bite more than they could chew. "I''m sorry but if you don''t present your appointment badges, the Pavilion Chieftess wouldn''t entertain any guests..." Still, she politely denied their entrance and the two stared at each other in disappointment. "Zieve, didn''t I tell you that this wouldn''t work? We should''ve took an appointment with the Chieftess..." Juliet scolded Zieve and the latter wryly smiled, "I thought that they would let us in with the valuable business deal that we have in our hands..." Juliet scolded once again after hearing what he said, "That''s just naive thinking! Come, let''s go. We''ll go back after we''ve made an appointment..." The receptionist who heard their banter inwardly sneered as she intervened in a polite voice, "In that case, both estememed guests can make their appointment through me. Payment for an appointment is five thousand Spirit Stones." "Pffft! Five Thousand Spirit Stones?! Why don''t you just go and rob a bank or something?!" Zieve almost stumbled to the ground when he heard the receptionist''s words. J uliet also knitted her eyebrows, though they served several hundreds of customers a day and they had quite the disposable income, five thousand Spirit Stones was still an exorbitant amount. The receptionist revealed displeasure as she crossed her arms and said, "Esteemed Guests, I don''t think that there''s a need for me to say how venerable the Chieftess is. Meeting her with five thousand Spirit Stones is actually a discount, if not for the fact that you have a so-called business deal, the price would''ve doubled." Despite the enormous sum. Juliet and Zieve paid the price as they walked out of the Pavilion with darkened expressions on their faces. After the receptionist received the money. She gave them two appointment badges that doubles as a voice transmission device where the receptionist could inform them that they could meet the Pavilion Chieftess. For the sake of their futures, Juliet paid the price and despite all of this, it was still unclear whether the Pavilion Chieftess would accept their business deal. Back at the Pavilion, the receptionist wore a wide smile on her face while she carried a huge sack of Spirit Stones in her arms. Her face brightened each time she imagined the percentage that she would get from the transaction that she just made. Entering Adevhine''s Residence, her expression turned respectful as she walked in front of Adevhine and presented the sack of Spirit Stones. "Chieftess, two outer disciples came here earlier and requested your presence in exchange of five thousand Spirit Stones..." She said and Adevhine''s expression flickered for a moment before frowning. Five thousand Spirit Stones was an amount that could take several years of saving up. Evidently, it was an impossible amount for an average disciple. "To think that they could easily fork out Five thousand Spirit Stones... Did they come from the Imperial Clan, perhaps?" Adevhine said and the receptionist shook her head, "No, they said that they''re just average disciples that had a business deal for the Chieftess." "A business deal for me?" Adevhine fell into deep thought and her mind scanned her memories regarding the influences that existed within the Academy. Knitting her eyebrows, she asked. "What attitude did you take against them?" The receptionist lightly smiled and said, "At first, I thought that they were just a bunch of toads wanting to eat swan meat, but when they forked out Five thousand Spirit Stones, I treated them appropriately. Chieftess could say that I handled the matter well." The receptionist proudly declared and Adevhine said. "I see, by the way. What were their names and the influence where they came from?" The receptionist thought for a moment before saying, "Their names were Juliet and Zieve. Both came from a so-called unknown Juliet''s Dreamy House at the Outer Disciples Region..." Her words made Adevhine''s eyes widen in shock as she fiercely stood from her chair. With a pale expression on her face, she shouted at the receptionist, "Just what did you say?! They came from Juliet''s Dreamy House at the Outer Disciples Region?!" The receptionist staggered backward in fear. It was the first time that she saw the venerable Chieftess lose her composure. She was always calm and handled everything well, so seeing her like this made her feel fearful. "Y-y-yes... The two of them came from the Outer Disciples Region..." "Where are they now?!" Adevhine followed up and the receptionist answered. "T-T-They should be going at the Travel Pavilion..." "Then what are you waiting for?! Get them back here you idiot!" Adevhine madly cursed and the receptionist scurried away like her life was on the line. 222 Franchising Licenses The receptionist rushed out of the Charming Pavilion in the fastest speed that she could humanly do. The normally gentle receptionist that won an award as the best employee for hospitality and kindness revealed a wretched and desperate expression as she shoved those around him. "Hey, be careful!" "Watch where you''re going!" Patrons that stood amidst her way were violently pushed away. "What the hell?" "Who dares the cause trouble in the Charming Pavilion?!" Guards arrived in droves but when they saw the appearance of the one that''s causing trouble, their expressions flashed with confusion and shock. "What? Isn''t that Fei''er? Why is she wildly running in the hallway and pushing customers away?" Customers who were about to explode in anger held their horses upon witnessing that it was the receptionist that caused the commotion. Scratching their heads awkwardly, they just turned their eyes away, afraid that Fei''er may notice their staring. Judging from the latter''s countenance, she looked quite irritated and desperate. It would be a disaster if they managed to provoke her while she''s in that state. Without someone blocking her way. Fei''er speed through the hallway and arrived at the exit. Her breathing turned into ragged pants and the robes clad on her body became wrinkled along with her hair that looked disarrayed. She didn''t look as dignified and as proper as she normally would, all because of the Chieftess''s solemn orders. If she didn''t manage to bring those two back to the pavilion. Then she knew that her career was over. Juliet and Zieve smiled at each other, carrying their own luggages, the air around them felt so vibrant as if they didn''t encounter any injustice earlier. "Juliet, are you really sure about this? We made such a huge investment that it will take us at least half a year to recover it our investment fails..." Zieve said his worries and Juliet lightly smiled. "Don''t worry about it, Zieve. The Dreamy House wouldn''t collapse and the Charming Pavilion will surely cooperate with us, fair and square." Zieve was worried that the Charming Pavilion''s representatives may not be willing to see them. If that happens, then they wasted their money for nothing. "How are you so sure about that? Juliet? If the Imperial Clan made a counter offer that''s higher than what we offered, the Charming Pavilion would normally prioritize them, won''t they?" Zieve said with a frown and Juliet merely smiled in a mysterious manner. Walking through the streets of the Entertainment Block. Juliet smiled as she familiarized herself with the area that would soon become the headquarters of her Dreamy House. Though most scene that she saw looked raunchy, Juliet could see in an entrepreneur''s perspective that the Entertainment Block could tap the potential of her products. "Hey, what the hell are you doing running here for?!" "Isn''t that Fei''er from the Charming Pavilion? Why is she running like someone is after her life?" "Fei''er?!" Voices of astonishment rang loud and clear and wind swept past Juliet and Zieve''s figures. Turning around, they saw the receptionist of the Charming Pavilion staring at them with a desperate expression as she shouted. "Esteemed Guests, please stop!" Fei''er huffed and puffed as she tried catching her breath. Grinding to a halt, she lifted her face and revealed a flushed expression of exhaustion mixed with embarrassment. Having so many people witness her run like a madman made her lose her face but compared to losing her job, maintaining her face was nothing. "The receptionist of the Charming Pavilion? What are you doing here?" Zieve knitted his eyebrows and asked. His tone was impolite since he still felt wronged about the fact that she ripped them off. "Esteemed...Guests..." Fei''er mumbled amidst her ragged pantings. She ran so fast that sweat formed on her pinkish robes, emphasizing her curves. Juliet raised an eyebrow, looking all imposing and Fei''er bit her lower lip. She understood that Juliet and Zieve knew that she ripped them off. But how could she help it when it''s the only way where she could earn money in the fastest way possible without selling her body? Guilt, displeasure, despair and exhaustion overwhelmed her body and she wasn''t able to speak. Her mouth opened yet no words came out of her mouth. Juliet and Zieve frowned as the former said. "She wants us to go back to the Charming Pavilion." Juliet deduced and Zieve turned towards her and nodded, "Indeed, that''s the only reason why she would frantically run after us. Could it be that the Chieftess is available now and is willing to meet us?" Zieve combined the details and saw through Fei''er''s intentions. Nodding her head, Fei''er said. "Yes, that''s right, Esteemed Guests, the Chieftess is asking for you presence...Please follow me back to the Pavilion." She arranged her clothes and respectfully escorted them back to the Pavilion. Juliet and Zieve locked their eyebrows. It was strange that the wicked swindler, Fei''er would suddenly treat them in such a respectful manner. Keeping their thoughts to themselves, the two followed her from behind and simulated numerous scenarios which would make Fei''er like this to no avail. "Thank you for accompanying me, Esteemed Guests. But I can only go this far. Beyond this door is the Chieftess of the Charming Pavilion, Adevhine Crystal." Fei''er deeply bowed and turned around, sighing in relief that she was able to catch up to the two and keep her job. Juliet and Zieve nodded at each other and opened the door. There, the figure of a woman clad in pinkish robes appeared right before their eyes. Setting aside Juliet, Zieve felt like a thunderbolt struck his mind, Adevhine''s curvaceous figure, her plump and supple cheeks, her cherry-like lips that lifted into a smile, all combined together and formed a fatal temptation to an inexperienced man like Zieve. "Ah!" A small foot fiercefully stomped on his foot amidst his trance. A queer cry came out of his mouth and he turned to see Juliet puffing her cheeks in indignance. "We came here for an exchange of words not an exchange of stares! Get your mind out of the gutter, Zieve!" Juliet scolded and Zieve awkwardly scratched his head in embarrassment. If a young woman like her could maintain her composure, then why couldn''t he? Arranging his clothes, Zieve lightly coughed and cleared his throat before moving forward with Juliet in tow. Arriving before the Chieftess of the Charming Pavilion, the two didn''t dare to stare directly into her eyes for fear of offending her. Witnessing how timid they became after seeing her presence, Adevhine inwardly frowned and thought, ''This young girl is the one backed by the Headmaster himself? Why would he protect such a frail and timid young girl...'' She couldn''t see why the Headmaster would bother making a move for Juliet. Juliet could feel how fathomable the Chieftess of the Charming Pavilion was and she felt threatened. It wasn''t the kind of boundlessness that the Headmaster possessed, but something more shrewd and ruthless. Juliet could feel that Adevhine was a decisive person that wouldn''t hesitate to slice her arm for the sake of business benefits. ''So this is what it takes to be one of the most influential giants in the Empire?'' Juliet thought in her mind and deeply breathed. Approaching Adevhine, she bowed and said. "As per our request of meeting the honorable Chieftess of the Charming Pavilion, we hereby introduce ourselves..." She clasped her hands together and continued, "This one''s name is Juliet while my friend''s name is Zieve. We came from the Juliet''s Dreamy House back at the Outer Disciples Region all for the sake of advertising our business to the Charming Pavilion for the sake of a cooperation of mutual benefit." Juliet seamlessly announced without stuttering. Adevhine''s eyes shone with an interested light as she said, "A cooperation of mutual benefit? Mind if you elaborate?" "Yes, the cooperation of mutual benefit that we meant is to have the Charming Pavilion as the main supplier of our product here in the Entertainment Block." Juliet replied with a small smile and Zieve handed over a parchment containing some ingredients of the Garlic Soup. Adevhine scanned through the documents and she couldn''t help but feel somewhat excited. Juliet''s course of actions were so intricate that it even contained numerous plans about what they would do if they product failed to resonate with the market. "This is quite the interesting plan that you gave to me but are you sure that you''re just gonna franchise this to us? How about this. In exchange to being the sole supplier of this product throughout the entire Academy, I''ll give you fifty-thousand Spirit Stones. How does that sound?" Adevhine casually declared and Zieve almost coughed a mouthful of spit. Five-thousand Spirit Stones alone made them suffer such a huge setback yet Adevhine easily offered ten times more than that amount. Juliet''s heartbeat disarrayed and her expression slightly twitched. Despite trying her best in maintaining her composure. It was a lie to say that she didn''t feel tempted. However, Juliet shook her head. She didn''t believe that her Garlic Soup''s was only worth Fifty-thousand. Juliet believed that as long as they acquired the appropriate channels and started production. Her Dreamy House would expand and eventually become a company that could rival the Charming Pavilion and the Pharmaceutical Company. Adevhine''s actions of offering such an amount in exchange of monopoly meant that they wanted to eventually swallow the Dreamy House. Accepting her offer meant suicide. Shaking her head, Juliet said, "I apologize but we only came here to offer the Charming Pavilion the rights to sell. We don''t have any plans on making the Charming Pavilion the sole supplier of Garlic Soup throughout the entire Academy." Adevhine lightly smiled upon hearing her words. If Juliet was an average disciple, hearing that amount would''ve muddled their heads making them agree on impulse. Her denial meant that she had a functional mind that wouldn''t fall for temptations. Working with her should be worthwhile. Now the only problem was the Imperial Clan. Since he made such a contract with Rodger, she couldn''t make hasty decisions as she announced that she would think over it and temporarily dismissed Juliet. Sitting alone in her office, Adevhine weighed the pros and cons and racked her brains for an appropriate solution that would benefit the Charming Pavilion the most. It was at that moment that an ethereal figure manifested directly inside her room. "Who''s there?!" Adevhine exploded with power and turned around, only to find out that it was the Headmaster himself that appeared in her room. "H-H-Headmaster?! Why did you come here?!" Adevhine''s countenance went pale, if the Headmaster that protected Juliet knew that she planned on bringing the Juliet''s downfall, what he would do to her was something that could easily be imagined. "There''s no need to be that panicked, I have known what you were doing from the start. But you don''t need to worry about that, In fact, I''m encouraging your actions." Mathias lightly smiled and explained. Adevhine looked confused and astonished, why would the Headmaster encourage the suppression of someone that he protected? Wasn''t that contradictory? Mathias saw through her thoughts and said, "It is indeed contradictory but remember that pressure creates diamonds. Only under immense pressure can one evoke their true potential. Just continue with the Imperial Clan''s plans. I believe that the little lass Juliet can survive with her capabilities..." He declared and amiably smiled. Adevhine couldn''t even say anything before Mathias disappeared. Leaving her alone inside her office with an indescribable expression on her face. Adevhine Crystal, the sibling of the Charming Academy''s Headmistress never expected that the day where she would be treated as someone else''s stepping stone would arrive. "In other words, you want me to be her whetstone?" Adevhine mumbled and a vicious smile of excitement and determination lifted on her lips. "In that case, I won''t be lenient. I hope that you won''t regret this decision of yours, Headmaster..." Adevhine''s eyes flashed with wickedness and her mind madly spun, simulating the perfect plan that would become Juliet''s biggest obstacle to date. 223 Imperial Clans Schemes With the assistance of the Charming Pavilion. Juliet''s Dreamy House''s influence gradually spread throughout the entire Entertainment Block. Not only her products didn''t contain any side effects. It also lasts for a long time so it quickly became popular. Before a huge pavilion at the Entertainment Block, dozens of people lined up patiently. Their expressions revealed delight and excitement as they received the so-called Lance Hardening Pills that Zieve synthesized from the concentrated broth of Garlic Soups. Overlooking everything from above the highest point of the pavilion was Juliet and Zieve standing together with Adevhine. The three held smiles on their faces as they observed the commotion down below. Though cultivators possessed strong physiques and they were rarely sick. Anyone wanted increased performance even if it was slight and Juliet''s intrusion to the market, bringing with her an effective solution to that problem increased her popularity and influence. "We really worked hard these past weeks...To think that we still managed to recover from that setback..." Zieve looked emotional, his eyes misty and the smile on his face, sweet beyond doubt. Juliet nodded her head and replied with a light chuckle, "Everything wouldn''t go so smoothly if not for your research, Zieve." She honestly praised. After Zieve found the right ratio, he started making ways on how he could make the Garlic Soup more accessible and convenient. This led to him developing a pill that had the same benefits as their Garlic Soup. Those that worked on the fields chose the Garlic Soup since not only it bestowed benefits for the body. It also provided sustenance and staved off hunger. Those that frequented the Entertainment Block were rich people that didn''t fancy the Garlic Soup. Instead, they favored the pill and bought it in bulk, creating a surge of profits and disposable income for the Dreamy House. Using the gathered funds, they slowly increased the number of Dreamy Houses throughout the entire Academy and after several weeks of struggle. They cemented their position within the Entertainment Block and stood alongside the Charming Pavilion with the Duterte General Merchandises behind them. "Yeah, we both worked hard, but there''s something strange going on..." Zieve said in a wary voice and Juliet turned towards him and said, "Yeah, that''s right. I can''t think of any reason why the Imperial Clan has been so quiet, why did they let us succeed and go this far?" In these past weeks, the Imperial Clan remained in hibernation and never bothered the operations of the Dreamy House. This made the two suspicious since members of the Imperial Clan were known to keep grudges and never rested until they completed their retaliation. Adevhine lightly smiled, she stood silently beside them. Keeping her silence throughout their conversation. Her eyes gleamed with expectations as it pierced through the air and landed on the certain pavilion where the Duterte General Merchandise''s branch at the Entertainment Block stood. Inside the Duterte General Merchandise''s Pavilion, Rodger, Vanadis and the other employees of the Pavilion stood inside a dimly-lit room while staring at a burning cauldron. Their expressions taut and their eyebrows locked together. Unlike their tense expressions, Vanadis and Rodger maintained smiles on their faces as the Elder standing near the cauldron flicked his wrist and rotated his cultivation base. Swisssh~ The sound of moving water echoed out and the boiling concoction inside the cauldron floated into the air and slowly condensed into a ball. Increasing his Spiritual Energy output, those around him staggered backward, unable to fight back against his aura of dominance. Shiiing~ At the sametime, the ball of water decreased in size until it became as small as ball and then as small as a medicinal pill. Gesturing with his finger, the Elder directed the medicinal pill inside a jade bottle and when it landed perfectly without breaking. Rodger and Vanadis revealed wide smiles on their faces. "Great job! Great job! I applaud you for that great job!" Vanadis clapped and Rodger did the same. Seeing their boss clapping with smiles, the other employees did the same and the room was soon filled with the thunderous noise of clapping. "It''s my honor, Young Master..." The white-bearded Elder deeply bowed and slightly smiled. His eyes flashed with impeccable pride and jubilance. "After acquiring that recipe from a secret channel, we finally managed to create our own Lance Hardening Pills!" Rodger boisterously laughed. Seeing his nemesis, the Dreamy House soar so high under his watch made him feel so humiliated and angered. Fortunately, they managed to be in cahoots with the Charming Pavilion and acquired their assistance. Rodger swept his gaze at Juliet''s former employees. "Are you sure about the effectiveness of this pill?" He said in an indifferent voice, though the Elder was older than him. When it comes to status, he was higher. The white-bearded Elder lifted a smile on his face, clasped his hands together and said. "Of course, I''m positive about the quality of that pill, Young master. If you''d like, you can even test it right here and now..." His words sounded weird and he glanced at the female employees that Rodger brought with him. The female employees that noticed his gaze shrunk back and huddled with each other. Their eyes reflected fear and sorrow for they knew how terrifying Rodger could become. If they could turn back time, they would never betray Juliet even if Rodger gave them a million Spirit Stones. "Indeed, we could test the effectiveness of this pill," Rodger glanced at Vanadis and the two nodded their heads in mutual understanding. Disappearing into the darkness, Vanadis reappeared at the exit of the room as Rodger popped the pill inside his mouth. It melted into his stomach and transformed into a fiery lava that seeped into his pores. His meridians widened and his muscles bulged. His eyes went crimson and the blood within his body boiled with desires. A pinkish mist filled with pheromones surrounded his body and the white-bearded old man nodded his head with a gleam on excitement on his face. "It''s working! It''s indeed working! That''s right, I amplified the effects of the recipe and added in my twist. There should be enough ingredients there that it could last for an hour more than the Lance Hardening Pills of the Dreamy House!" He mumbled to himself. Rodger lfited his head and felt the power coursing through his body and the desires that overwhelmed his mind. Cackling, he turned his head towards the female employees and approached them with a vicious smile on his face. On his lower body, a mighty tent stood as the female employees embraced each other. They wanted to fight but Vanadis''s aura pressured their dantian. Unable to exert any strength, screams of anguish soon reverberated in the room. "Please, sire. I have a husband and my family is waiting for me, sir! Please spare m-" A female employee kowtowed and banged her forehead until it bled. Nevertheless, Rodger gripped her collar and pushed her on the ground. Spreading her legs open, he ripped her robe and thrust, followed by a pain-filled moan. Consecutive sounds of flesh striking flesh reverberated and the remaining women huddled together at the corner with tears and snot decorating their fair countenance. Their knees continuously trembled and they asked for forgiveness. Particularly to the little girl that they betrayed for their own sake. "Ahhh, I feel so refreshed. So this is the reason why those commoners are so addicted to this drug?" Rodger pushed the woman underneath him away and latter rolled on the ground like a lifeless doll. Standing up, he glanced at the other women and whispered. "Hopefully this lot can satisfy me..." He said and this particular room inside the Duterte General Merchandise never went silent until daybreak. 224 Imperial Clans Intervention Though the Imperial Clan''s influence spread far and wide throughout the Empire and the Academy. They started relatively unknown and chose an inconspicious name so that they could silently take root within the Academy. Their plan succeeded and within the next several decades, the Imperial Clan''s influence scattered enough that you could find a spy of the Imperial Clan inside a building or houses. Even the disciples of the Academy had at least five spies out of ten students. Despite all of this, the Imperial Clan remained in hibernation and never dared to attack in rebellion against the Paradyne Academy. But of course, their forces were active and with a single command, the Imperial Clan could engulf the entire Academy into a harsh civil war. Zieve and Juliet stood beside each other, clad in luxurious clothing that befitted nobles. The two stood stoic and indifferent. Deep inside, Zieve couldn''t suppress his emotions. the Dreamy House''s success benefited him the most and now, he had no problems in doing whatever he wanted. Before them were at least a hundred outer disciples that Juliet hired to assist them in their work. Sweeping her gaze over her subjects, Juliet moved and acted like a higher authority. "For the past months, each and everyone of us tried our hardest and finally triumphed over our rivals, the Duterte General Merchandises. I thank everyone for their efforts and rest assured that you will be rewarded." She announced in a solemn voice and the employees who heard her words bowed their heads in gratefulness and appreciation. These disciples worked on the Academy''s medicinal fields back at the Outer Disciples Region. Compared to what their earning and Juliet''s treatment to them, the difference was the same as Heaven and Earth. Repeatedly expressing their gratitude, Juliet sweetly smiled and almost everyone melted under her cuteness. Zieve nodded his head and his eyes gleamed with honest emotions towards the events that happened in these several weeks. From being criticized as a deceitful restaurant. Under Juliet''s peerless management and Zieve''s research efforts, the Dreamy House grew into such a scale that their products were present everywhere. Their Garlic Pills and Soup became a staple for commoners and cultivators alike. The money generated from such an endeavor almost gave Zieve a heart attack when he first audited everything. "Sigh..." Zieve sighed and suppressed his emotions. Calming himself, a commotion broke within the ranks of their employees and Juliet darted her gaze towards the disciple that arrived. The disciple had sweat dotted on his forehead, his expression was pale and his breathing, ragged. Deeply bowing his head, he reported. "Madaam! Something is going on with the suppliers! They''re suddenly withdrawing and violating the contract! All incoming orders of fresh ingredients are being cancelled right now as we speak!" Zieve and Juliet''s expression changed into horror. Their products required vast amounts of resources to maintain, the retreat of their supplies would undoubtedly cause massive loss of income and time. Glaring at the messenger, Juliet disregarded her image and approached him with a venomous expression. "Just what did you say? They actually dared to renege on the contract that they signed to us?! Are they not afraid of the consequences?!" Juliet said in a harsh tone, Zieve approached her from behind and his expression looked dark. Only Adevhine maintained her majestic countenance, staring at Juliet and Zieve. Her lips lifted into a smile and she contemplated for a moment before shaking her head in denial. "What reason did they give for their resignment?" Zieve took a calmer approach and asked the terrified disciple with a stoic expression on his face. Juliet took a deep breath and took a step backward. Freed from Juliet''s terrifying gaze, the disciple regained his calm as he announced. "They didn''t give me any concrete reason, Sir. However, they were pretty frantic on destroying the contract that they even offered triple the compensation so long as they''re freed from its binding effect." The disciple took a heavy pouch from his Spatial Storage and handed it over to Juliet. Staring at the pouch on the disciple''s palm. Juliet''s expression turned frosty and cold. Her eyes gleamed with the depths of the abyss and even Zieve who had a higher cultivation than her fetl a vague suppression in his mind. Sweeping her palm at the side of the pouch, it flew towards the skies and crumbled into dust, scattering the Spirit Stones inside the pouch into the air as it fell to the ground in a hail of Spirit Stones. Normally, these disciples would jump in joy and hurriedly move to collect these Spirit Stones that literally fell from heaven. But right now, none of them dared to move. For they could see that Juliet was truly angered this time. "J-J-Juliet, can you calm down for a moment? You''re scaring the disciple that brought the report..." Adevhine intervened with a small smile on her face that resembled that of a spring breeze. The disciples who witnessed her bright smile stared dumbly at her in a trance while Zieve who was prepared beforehand lifted a twitching smile on his face. The Academy where Adevhine came from a place called the Charming Lotus Academy. It was an Academy that only accepted females as disciples and everyone of them practiced the Charming Lotus Cultivation Method. Under their amorous gazes, none under the heavens could possibly resist. At the strongest peak of their Cultivation Manual, one could charm, Dragons, Wyverns and Demons, and even the Heavenly Dao could be charmed and called upon as support for the cultivator. Juliet who heard Adevhine''s words, shivered for a moment. The Charming Lotus Cultivation Method didn''t discriminate genders but just before she could influence Juliet''s mind, a faint milky-white life from the beads on Juliet''s wrist swept past her body and cleared her mind. "Eh? A Heaven Grade Soul Defensive Artifact? Just how much did the headmaster invested into this young girl. I could see in her temperament that she could possibly become someone big, but not enough that she deserved the headmaster''s attention and doting..." Adevhine mumbled under her breath and stared at Juliet''s back, seemingly in deep thought. Juliet calmed herself down and swept her gaze on her subjects. Taking a deep breath, she announced, "Members of the Production Team, keep up the speed of the production but decrease the amount of products that we''re releasing everyday to our franchisees, this will make sure that we have a stockpile!" "Internal Audit Team, calculate the amount of resources that we currently have and send the reports to me!" Juliet darted her gaze at the side where disciples who looked scholarly and smart stood together like birds with the same feather. Receiving Juliet''s command, they stood stoic and replied, "Yes Maam!" Before scurrying away in a hurry as sweat riddled down their forehead. Though Juliet''s command merely required simple calculation, the amount of business establishment that they supplied with their products directly impacted the resources that they currently had. Adevhine and Zieve were stunned, they didn''t expect that Juliet could do such swift decisions within such a short amount of time. Little did the two knew that Juliet had tones of experience when it comes to resources shortages. Back then when people tried to harass their little shop, her mother, Natalie taught her that one should make use of their wits to overcome any challenges. In this case, so long as they had a stockpile, they could survive until the next wave of Ingredients from the Empire arrived which would be in three days. "This isn''t enough!" Juliet stomped her foot angrily on the ground and turned to look at Zieve. "Zieve, follow me, we''ll go to our largest supplier of ingredients that dared to renege on our contract!" She said before dragging him towards the distance. Both Juliet and Zieve knew that Juliet''s actions of suppressing the supply to create a stockpile was merely a temporary expedient. It didn''t tackle the main problem that they had. And that was, where they could access direct supply of ingredients from the Empire without the help of their largest supplier. Arriving at the pavilion of their largest supplier of ingredients, the Waga Pavilion. Juliet and Zieve''s appearance caused a commotion at the front door for they recognized both of them as core members of the Dreamy House that sparked the popularity of Garlic Soups and the Garlic Pill that enhanced carnal performance. Instead of polite greetings, the people at the entrance turned to look at them with wary expressions. Their eyes reflected insecurity for their own safety. Zieve and Juliet felt like they were public enemy number one as the two of them barged deeper inside the pavilion without any care. Arriving at a giant dual-entry door, Juliet and Zieve pushed it open together as the fierce shout of a middle-aged man reverberated behind the door. "Who''s there? Didn''t I tell you that I''m in a middle of an important business meeting?! Who dared to interrupt this one''s business?" The figures inside the large hall turned to look at Juliet and Zieve and their expressions turned weird. Particularly, the middle-aged man clad in luxurious clothing that shouted. "Ohhh, aren''t the two of you from the Dreamy House? Welcome! You should''ve informed me that the two of you are coming here for a visit! I would''ve prepared a fitting entrance for the two of you..." The middle-aged man spoke in a voice that resembled the warmth of sunlight in spring. His tone familiar and close enough that you could sense how he cared for you, just from his voice. "Will you stop the farce, already, Leonard Waga?" Juliet said in a disdaining voice and Leonard lifted his head to stare at Juliet, "Little girl, didn''t your parents told you to respect your Elders? You''re the one that forcefully barged into my territory so you should at least learn some decorum..." Leonard replied in a cold voice, his eyes gleamed with threat. Zieve swept his gaze throughout the wide hall and found the presence of two other men whom he was familiar with. Those two were Vanadis and Rodger from the Imperial Clan. Within Rodger''s hands was a rolled parchment and beside them were two pen quills freshly dripping with ink. Just from the sight alone, one could deduce what had transpired within this huge hall. And that fact darkened Juliet''s fair countenance even more as she erupted into a round of curses that contrasted her innocent appearance. "Bastard! Didn''t you sign the contract and told us that you won''t ever renege on the contract?! What have you done!" Juliet pointed at Leonard, her figure slightly trembled from anger and her cheeks flushed red. Leonard crossed his arms together and didn''t bother about Julliet as he turned to look at Zieve and said, "Young man, what have you been teaching this little sister of yours? To think that for her age, she already has such a sharp tongue! What a bad upbringing!" Leonard repeatedly clicked his tongue and shook his head in a provoking gesture. In his heart, he believed that Juliet was nothing. It was Zieve that controlled everything from behind the scenes. In his mind, Juliet was merely a placeholder for a position that meant nothing to the operations of the entire Dreamy House. If he wanted, he could trample them under his foot. Rodger and Vanadis who stared at the commotion with amusement finally spoke, "That''s right, Juliet, Zieve, shouldn''t the two of you apply for an appointment at the proper channels instead of barging in and demanding something selfish as what you just said? It was his free will to sign the contract and it is also his right to renege on it!" Rodger''s expression shined with righteousness and he looked valiant. But the two who knew his true face, felt disgusted about his pretentious actions. Juliet lifted a cold smile on her face, clenching her fists, she replied... 225 Battle of Words "Rodger Duterte from the Imperial Clan, aren''t you a little bit selfish poaching someone under our watch?" Juliet mumbled in a venomous tone and Rodger turned to look at her in amusement. His eyes shone with confidence and it was as if he didn''t even look at Juliet as someone who held the same status as him. "Poaching? How dare you use that word in front of me. I simply offered him terms that were far better than what you offered. It was his decision to renege, not me." Rodger replied with an uncaring expression, looking relaxed. A smile of derison lifted on his lips. "If offering to pay the termination fee for the contract that they signed with us doesn''t mean poaching then black should be called white and white should be called black..." Juliet sarcastically said and Rodger''s expression turned red in shame. Juliet easily deduced that they offered such terms within the contract that they offered so that the merchants would willingly dissolve their cooperation with Juliet, striking a deep, fatal strike at the core of the Dreamy House, possibly crippling their operations. Leonard Waga couldn''t stand witnessing his guest being insulted inside his pavilion so he intervened with a solemn countenance, "My dear, Juliet, can you not cause such a scandalous affair inside my abode? We can settle the matter of compensation at a later time, just please don''t cause trouble within my pavilion..." "Shut the fuck up, old geezer, I will cause trouble whenever and wherever I want, daring to disrupt the normal operations of my business, you''re courting death!" Juliet erupted in series of cursings that she picked up from her mother. Leonard almost choked in his own saliva as the words that he wanted to say got lodged within his throat. Reddened in anger, he glared at Juliet but never spoke once again. He knew that engaging this little devil in a battle of words only meant his demise. Zieve stared at Juliet with a bitter smile on his face, though he told Juliet that she should act like a cultured young lady whenever she can, the attitude that she picked up from her time at the slums still surfaced whenever times of conflict or stress, arrives. Looking at the three, he didn''t intervene, he wanted to see them baptized under Juliet''s wrath, roasted to perfection under her domineering assembly of words. Rodger lifted an eyebrow and stared at Juliet in displeasure. He hated Juliet to the core and hearing her series of curses served to aggravate the memories of indignance within his mind, glaring at her, he said. "Isn''t it quite inappropriate for you to start cursing the master of the house? Juliet? Did your parents even teach you about manners or do they even exist? I bet that little Zieve behind you merely picked you up from a slave merchant and pitied unto you because of his strange fetish of liking little girls..." Rodger replied, striking at the hearts of the two in one fell swoop. Zieve flushed in anger and humiliation yet Juliet maintained her calm and cold temperament. Darting her gaze at Rodger, she replied. "And who said that you''re allowed to call my name or Zieve''s name? Are you feeling close to us? Che! We don''t have such a retarded friend or relative like you so don''t casually call us with our names like we knew each other for a long time! Do you want us to be battered with malicious rumors for associating ourselves with a crazy bastard like you?!" Rodger tried maintaining his composure yet the slight circulation of his disturbed Spiritual Energy and the light swaying of his body indicated the intense emotional upheaval that he was undergoing. If not for the fact that they knew nothing about the background behind Juliet, he and Vanadis would''ve struck and slashed her throat already so she would stop spouting nonsense! "Young Juliet, Rodger Duterte from the Imperial Clan is one of the esteemed guests of my Waga Pavilion. Since he''s inside my territory, he''s under the Waga Clan''s protection so if you insist on being scandalous here, we will have to ask you to leave or else, we will throw you out!" Leonard warned, his expression looked cold and callous, void of the warmth and familiarity that he had when he first greeted Juliet and Zieve. One could say that he was truly angered this time. "Aren''t I also an esteemed guest of the Waga Pavilion?" Juliet smirked, flicking her wrist, a jade card appeared within her hand and she glared at Leonard. "Isn''t this the VIP card of the Waga Pavilion? Those that have this should be treated as an esteemed guest of the Waga Pavilion. Or are you trying to say that I am not even with this?" Leonard''s countenance turned red in anger and shame. If he insisted on throwing her out, even when she had the VIP Card of his Waga Pavilion, that would mean throwing his face away. Rodger''s eyes gleamed with amusement as he stared at Juliet as if looking at a circus show. Lifting a smile on his lips, he turned towards her and Zieve before saying to Leonard. "Pavilion Chief Leonard, just let them stay here. It''s not like they''ll be able to do harm against us..." His voice full of disdain as he casually swept his gaze across Zieve and Juliet. Leonard nodded his head towards Rodger''s proposal, "Young master Rodger is indeed wise! To think that you would be able to see the bigger picture than me. I''m really going senile." He turned towards Juliet and said with indifference laced within his tone, "Since the Young master has said so and you also have the VIP Card of our Waga Pavilion, then you may stay here and do whatever you want." His voice hinted that if not for Rodger''s kindness, they wouldn''t be able to stay inside. Juliet and Zieve lifted an eyebrow to his actions and Rodger kept a carefree attitude, it was as if he was the Emperor observing the commotion occurring between his subjects. No matter what happens, he would remain unperturbed. Juliet and Zieve crossed her arms together and walked in front of Leonard. On the jade table, she placed a golden parchment that emanated the deep smell of Earth and the fluctuations of life. Just from the energy waves alone, one could tell that the contract written within this golden parchment could compare to an Imperial Decree. Leonard and Rodger stared at Juliet with a pensive expression on their faces. Rodger''s frosty facade turned colder and an air of urgency surrounded Leonard. If by some chance, a clause that he wasn''t able to detect was present and Juliet used it against him, then he wouldn''t have any other choice but to follow her whims lest a Heavenly Tribulation strikes him from above. "What''s wrong, Sir Leonard? You look awfully pale for someone that is considerably healthy. Are you eating fine?" Juliet smirked, her tone mocking. Leonard almost choked in his own saliva as he regained his calm and arranged his clothes, clearing his throat. He replied, "What are you saying? Awfully pale? It''s just hot in here, that''s why..." "I don''t really care if it''s hot in here or not, what I wanna show you is this..." Juliet shrugged, unrolling the parchment, a burst of brilliant light exploded, forming distinct array of words that floated into the air. Leonared saw the appearance of the brilliant light and his expression turned solemn. When he signed that contract with Juliet back then, the benefits blinded him and he didn''t carefully look through the contract and just signed it. ''I just hope that she didn''t place any venomous loopholes in that contract...'' Leonard was someone that valued money and status. Because of his innate nature, he was an untrustworthy man that would jump ships whenever greater benefits were available. Witnessing the Dreamy House''s success, Leonard thought that he could rise the Dreamy House''s coattails and rise through the apex amidst all influences within the Academy. Never did he expect that Rodger Duterte from the Imperial Clan would offer him a contract with far higher benefits than what Juliet offered. His innate nature made him jump ships without thinking of the consequences and as a result, he felt nervous if Juliet really added some venomous clauses. But in the end, he could only hope that Juliet was innocent enough that she wouldn''t do such a despicable thing. Juliet started scrolling through the thirty-pages contract and at the beginning Rodger and Leonard remained indifferent, the contents of the contract looked normal and void of abnormalities. But the further they progressed, Rodger and Leonared knitted their eyebrows and at the end of the contract, the two of them looked dark and gloomy. "Eh? What''s going on with you two? Why do you guys look like you''ve just eaten a fly?" Juliet lightly chuckled, her warm smile and bell-like laughter contrasted the darkness that surrounded the two before her. Playfully smiling, she swept her gaze at Leonard and said, "Particularly, you. Venerable Chief of the Waga Pavilion, why are you sweating so much? Did you perhaps ate something spicy as breakfast and trying to your stomachache back?" Rodger clicked his tongue, his expression looked somber as he said, "What''s the meaning of this, Juliet? How could you include such a despicable clause within that contract? You''re still this young yet you''re already such a schemer." His voice were filled with righteousness, a righteousness that made Juliet laugh at him as she said, "You''re accusing me of being a schemer? Who was it that tried to poach my subordinate under my watch so that he could deal considerable damage to the normal operations of my company?" Her reply was logical and sound. Rodger stumbled upon his words and wasn''t able to reply as Leonard turned to look at Juliet with a pleading expression on his face. He carefully looked over Rodger''s contract earlier and it included a similar clause within. The only difference was the amount of compensation. Rodger merely asked for three times the invested amount, yet Juliet actually asked for ten times the invested amount! His expression became so pale as he lamented on how naive and stupid he was! He should''ve carefully checked that contract instead of looking for the clauses that indicated his benefits. "Y-Y-Young Mistress, I know that everything is my fault, this subordinate of yours has been blinded with greed and became unable to do the right thing, I am willing to accept any punishment just spare the pavilion that I carefully established for several decades..." Leonard pleaded on his knees. Violating the contract meant he had to give ten times the invested amount as compensation towards the Dreamy House. Even if he had to sell the entire Waga Pavilion and his entire assets. It would be impossible for him to amass such an amount for Juliet. The sudden reversal astonished Zieve and he turned to look at Juliet with a shocked expression on his face. He was the one that made the draft of the contract. He didn''t expect that Juliet would add something so despicable. Juliet heard Leonard''s pleading yet she never even looked at him. Instead, she stared at Rodger and said, "A subordinate of mine has said that the Imperial Clan is willing to pay the termination fee, right?" Her words shook Rodger''s figure while Leonared recovered some hope. Rodger momentarily closed his eyes and when it snapped open, he took a deep breath and glared at Leonard before replying, "O-O-Of course, the Imperial Clan would be willing to pay for the termination fee..." Despite trying to maintain his calm facade, Rodger''s heart still bled when he said such words to her. "Oh?" Juliet made an ''O'' shape with her mouth and applauded with her hands. Stretching her palm forward, she gestured, "In that case, may I ask the so-called member of the Imperial Clan to hand over the fees for poaching a subordinate of mine?" Her actions looked playful as Rodger ordered Vanadis to give the necessary amount for the termination fee. Leonard stared at Rodger with twinkling eyes, as Rodger placed the pouch of Spirit Stones above Juliet''s palms with trembling hands. "The Imperial Clan really is generous, to think that they could easily amass a hundred thousand Spirit Stones with just a single word..." Juliet lightly laughed and hurled the pouch at Zieve who was still in a trance. "Thank you for everything, Rodger Duterte from the Imperial Clan and of course, you too. Uncle Leonard, you made me earn so much money in such a short time. I express my gratitude." Juliet even clasped her hands together in respects before disappearing from their sight. Left alone inside the room, Rodger stared with cold eyes at Leonard as he kicked him towards the side. "Useless greedy pig! To think that you would fall into such a scheme! vanadis! Take someone from the Imperial Clan and make him assume the identity of this bastard!" Rodger ordered and Vanadis swiftly ran at Leonard with his daggers in hand. A miserable shriek echoed out as Rodger stared at the door where Juliet disappeared into. His eyes flashed with a crimson light of desperation and anger. "If I cannot defeat this fucking bitch in a fair and square manner. There''s only one thing that I can do..." He said as he tightly clenched his fists, strengthening his resolve. 226 Stabilizing Juliet casually strolled away from the Waga Pavilion, her countenance and movements looked relaxed and fluid. It was as if an upheaval never happened inside the Waga Pavilion. Zieve turned towards Juliet, his expression remained indifferent yet his mind and heart were disturbed about the changes happening within Juliet. When he first met the latter, she was just a naive young girl that only wanted the company of someone other than her parents, yet after her menarche, she suddenly became so fierce and as thorny as flowers. However, Zieve couldn''t deny her leadership capabilities. The fact that she could become so composed and terrifying yet sweet and adorable at the sametime made Zieve heave a sigh of relief, ''Fortunately we''re at the same side. Or else, I can''t even imagine going against someone like her...'' He mumbled as a shiver went down his spine. Arriving at the Dreamy House Headquarters, Juliet gathered the Internal Audit Team and Production Management Team, handing out pouches of Spirit Stones to their hands, she said. "Send a subordinate of yours in each team, make them personally buy out the Mortal Ingredients that we need such as the Garlic. Convert these Spirit Stones into gold coins and try to bargain if necessary. The more that you can buy, the better." "Internal Audit Team, all of you manage the incoming orders, prioritize the merchants within the inner regions of the Entertainment Block, as for outside the Entertainment Block, reduce their supply for now so we can keep our stockpile." Zieve felt incredibly useless as Juliet''s business partner, within under a minute. Juliet dished out numerous vital commands that would keep their shortages at bay. After the disciples disappeared from her sight. Juliet''s body wobbled as Zieve hurriedly supported her from behind. "You did well, Juliet..." Zieve honestly praised, a small smile of appreciation leaked on his lips. In such a petite body contained wisdom and guts that he could never hope to overtake. "Thank you, Zieve. But we''re just starting. Until we manage to crush the Imperial Clan''s influence within the Academy, we shall not completely rest..." Juliet replied with a smile and stabilized her body. "Juliet, can you tell me why you''re that hell-bent on destroying the Imperial Clan''s influence within the Academy? I know that they''re a despicable bunch of bastards but I don''t think that your motive is completely because of that..." Zieve asked and Juliet stared at him for a moment before saying. "Zieve, I am someone that remembers grudges and gratitude. Since he dared to poach the members of the Dreamy House so blatantly right before our eyes and even mocked you, saying that you''re a waste. Why should we forgive them? That''s something that Mama told me about, I never understood it at first but when Rodger came. I finally realized." Juliet shook her head and smiled bitterly, "In this world, unless one establishes his or her strength, they could easily be bullied by someone above them in status or power. If you don''t wanna get bullied, one should man up and tough everything out. Only an ironclad hand could banish all obstacles." Zieve didn''t know what to say. Juliet''s words made him realize something. And that was he lived in this world with a naive mindset. He thought that as long as he went with the flow, everything would eventually solve itself. Juliet''s mindset of going against the flow and standing by herself unlocked something within Zieve''s mind. With his body trembling, Zieve lifted his head and stared at Juliet with a renewned light within his eyes. "Thank you for everything, Juliet. You made me realize something. I will go into secluded meditation now..." He clasped his hands together in respect as if she was his teacher. Bowing deeply and amidst Juliet''s astonished eyes, Zieve turned around and walked towards his room with a newfound resolve burning within his heart. Left alone inside the vast hall. Juliet swept her gaze throughout the entire pavilion. Her eyes gleamed with unknown emotions, she wanted to achieve independency and acquire enough money that she and her mother wouldn''t starve like what happened back at the Empire of Dawn for dozens of generations. Now that she acquired her goal, it was at that moment that she realized that behind success was a trove of enemies. Both Jealousy and Greed of humanity made her a target of those influences lurking within the Academy. If she didn''t consolidate her position soon, her Dreamy House may crumble and everything along with her beloved subordinates would be devoured by the wolves within the Academy. Flicking her wrist, a jade table and chair appeared as Juliet prepared some snacks for hersel. Sipping her tea, a moan of pleasure and delight echoed out of her throat as she munched on snacks with puffed cheeks. Bread and cookie crumbs fell off her mouth and stained her robe yet she didn''t mind, since she was the only one inside the hall. Why would she try her best to keep her image? Lifting her knees, she huddled her small frame on her chair. Her left hand lifted her tea cup while her right held her cookies as a blissful expression emerged on her face. "Aaaah, I really missed the tea parties that I had with Papa and Mama..." Whenever Juliet thought of Dan and her mother, Natalie and Grace, a delightful smile always spread on her face as she longed for the carefree days that she enjoyed when she was still a child. Amidst Juliet''s enjoyment and daydreaming, the dual entry door of the hall burst open as the former hurriedly arranged her robes and deposited the snacks and tea inside her Spatial Ring. Staring ahead in displeasure, she said in a somber voice. "Who dares to blatantly barge inside the Dreamy House''s Pavilion?!" Her cultivation base rotated and coldness swept across the pavilion. "M-M-Madaam Juliet..." A weak feminine voice echoed ahead of Juliet and her eyes widened in shock when she saw dozens of women clad in ragged clothing approaching her with relief and excitement visible on their faces. Purple and red bruises riddled their bodies and the dust that covered their bodies hid their countenance. They looked so dirty that if not for the fact that they had the Dreamy House''s badges on their left chest, the guard wouldn''t even permit them to enter the Dreamy House Pavilion''s premises. "Y-Y-You guys... Daisy! What happened to you guys?!" Juliet rushed in panic as she flicked her wrist, sending dozens of medicinal pills into the mouths of the distraught girls. Upon receiving the medicinal pill, they all collapsed in exhaustion as Juliet walked towards the eldest of the group and questioned. "Daisy, what happened to you guys? Weren''t you with the Imperial Clan''s General Merchandises?!" Witnessing the genuine concern and franticness drawn over Juliet''s visage. Daisy and her fellow sisters couldn''t help but choke up and cry. Their cries were heartbreaking and Juliet''s eyes turned watery. Daisy gulped a mouthful of saliva and suppressed the surging emotions in her heart as she replied with a trembling voice. "I-I-It''s Sir Rodger... H-H-He violated us!" Daisy''s reply intensified their sorrowful cries as Juliet''s eyes widened in shock, complex emotions flared on her expression, along with wrath, hatred and sorrow. "M-M-Madaam?" Daisy realized that the air around the pavilion turned cold and that Juliet''s body became surrounded with the fluctuations of Spiritual Energy. Normally, a cultivator could easily suppress their own cultivation but under extreme stress, anger or sorrow, that limiter may come off, manifesting as an aberrant energy that could injure the cultivator. Juliet emerged from her trance and the Spiritual Energy that surrounded her body dissipated into nothingness. Taking a deep breath, her expression went cold and Daisy along with her fellow sisters became nervous. ''Juliet wouldn''t throw us away, right?'' They thought in their hearts. But after the previous betrayal that they did for the sake of their own benefits, it wouldn''t be strange that Juliet wouldn''t shelter them. This realization intensified their cries as their shoulders trembled. Daisy hung her head low, she knew that she didn''t have the right to demand any sort of respite from Juliet, yet she still staked on the sliver of chance that Juliet may pity them in her heart. "What are you guys thinking? I am not so heartless to kick you guys when you''re down. After all, we spent quite a long time together and I still have a heart..." Juliet beamed with a kind smile. Daisy and her fellow sister stared at her brilliant smile and they felt bitter within their hearts. If they never betrayed Juliet and stayed at her side, they would inevitably share her success. Betraying someone whose heart could be as kind as an old auntie and as ruthless as a conqueror, they regretted all of their actions as Daisy crumbled on her knees and sobbed as loudly as she can. After they calmed down Juliet took some clothes from her Spatial Ring and ordered the maidservants to clean their bodies as her previous subordinates hung their heads low in embarrassment. Walking away from the hall, they furtively glanced at Juliet with gratitude shining in their eyes. Once alone inside the vast hall, Juliet tightly clenched her fists and the hall became filled with cold air along with a dense black mist that emerged from her body. Her Blessing of the Lightning God subconsciously circulated, bringing with it a gloomy air that gradually filled the entire hall. The Blessing of the Lightning God was a demonic cultivation method and those cultivating were bound to be influenced by the negative energies within the mantras of the cultivation method. Juliet could normally suppress these desires, but Rodger''s cruelty and the sorrowful fate of her previous subordinate awakened the anger and bloodlust that resided deep within her heart. Crackle! Lightning crackled and sparks of dark lightning surrounded Juliet''s figure as the air turned incomparably dense due to the black mist. Screams of agony and the anguish cries of damned souls reverberated from the black mist which constantly assaulted Juliet''s mind. A bracelet made of beads constantly sent waves after waves of milky-white light that purified the approaching black mist as Juliet spoke with pure anger and suppressed fury. "I-I-Imperial Clan... I never bothered about you guys in the first place but you constantly provoked and made troubles for me... From now on, we''re irreconcilable!" She spat these venomous words and the Blessing of the Lightning God reversed, swallowing the black mist back into her body, the pavilion''s temperature went down and it felt like nothing even happened in the first place. Yet, if one looked clearly within Juliet''s eyes. They could see desires that looked almost like an obsession. It was the desire to annihilate the Imperial Clan! 227 Enlightenmen Back in her room, Juliet sat cross-legged above her bed. Ocassional crackles of Lightning surrounded her body along with faint whispers of damned souls. Her eyebrows knitted, Juliet mumbled, "Papa''s cultivation method is gradually becoming harder to control as time passes by..." The Blessing of the Lightning God was a cultivation method that suited anyone with the Longinus Clan Bloodline. However, it also required constant soul and blood sacrifices to appease the anguished souls hidden within the mantras and hymns inside the cultivation method. Juliet sensed the bloodlust within her soul and it made her blood boil in lust. Her eyes flashed with a crimson light that desired for nothing but destruction and death. Taking a deep breath, Juliet blinked and the previous scene disappeared. It was as if nothing even happened in the first place. Standing up, Juliet swept her gaze across her room, and stared at the fittings on the wall. Positioned into an X, two ominous-looking daggers could be seen plastered on the wall. Biting her lower lip, Juliet suppressed her trembling body. Juliet struck a bottleneck in her cultivation and upon months of trial and error. She realized that she needed a sacrifice. That''s right, a blood and soul sacrifice. In other words, she needed to kill a human being to destroy her bottleneck and break through the next realm. As someone of young age, Juliet liked the idea of life and how everything thrives in this world in a cycle. When she heard of her father''s stories about how life can be so amazing. She became reluctant to kill or severely injure. But when she remembered the pitiful scene of her previous subordinates and Rodger''s confident smile, her blood would boil and her eyes would redden in anger and hatred. Walking towards the dual dagger fixed on the wall. Juliet removed the daggers and observed it with her own eyes, tracing the delicate yet sharp blade of the dagger with her finger, feeling the roughness and flexibility of the body and the coarseness of the hilt. Juliet felt sense of admiration in her heart when she looked at the daggers. It was as if a sense of resonance and deep seated connection linked her and these daggers. Holding both of them in her hands, she swung both daggers in a horizontal strike as a sharp sound of wind being sliced apart rang out. Rotating her small figure, Juliet danced around with both daggers in hand, carving slices in the air and entering into a state of trance where only she and the daggers existed. She kept dancing, prancing and rotating her body as beaded sweats formed on her forehead. Her figure started trembling from exhaustion yet her eyes glimmered in a lifeless light. It was as if her body entered a state of trance. Unbeknownst to her, her cultivation base subconsciously rotated as a tempest of Spiritual Energy surrounded her body. In each time she swung her daggers, the tempest would strengthen and after an incense stick of time, her room looked wretched as if devastated by a typhoon. Despite all of these destruction, Juliet remained in a trance and danced around with her daggers in hand. Although her knees were trembling like a sieve. Her movements looked fluid and unimpeded. Her figure swayed gracefully and her stone-faced, serious expression depicted a certain aesthetic style. She kept going and going until the tempest that surrounded her body transformed into a tangible cyclone that destroyed her room as panicked maidservants ran around for help. Staring at the direction of Juliet''s room. Their faces paled when they saw tornado that hovered above her room. Some guards braced themselves and tried jumping into the tornado. But before they could even jump, the tornado would lash out at them in an invisible attack that rendered them unconscious. Zieve who meditated inside his room knitted his eyebrows when he felt the commotion from the outside. ''Just what is going on? What''s wrong with this earthquake, this has been going for so long already!'' He thought inside his mind and walked out of his secluded meditation in curiosity. Lifting his head to stare at the source of commotion. His eyes widened in shock when he saw the tornado that formed above Juliet''s room. "Juliet?! Did someone from the Imperial Clan attacked her? What gall!" Zieve unsheathed his sword and dashed at the tornado with his sword raised towards the skies. His cultivation base rotated to its maximum. "Uggghhh..." Zieve grunted in pain, the winds of the tornado prickled his skin like needles. His robe was torn apart and his arms looked like a bloody sausage. Retreating away, he squinted his eyes and sighed in relief when he realized that it was just Juliet in the middle of comprehension. However, it was too strange. Normally, comprehending a Law or Art didn''t look so flashy and earthshaking, yet Juliet''s act of comprehending something was the opposite. Bandaging his wounds, Zieve hurriedly encircled the Dreamy House Pavilion in a concealing formation so that no one could take advantage of her enlightenment and attack her. A cultivator in the midst of enlightenment or break through was at their most vulnerable state. A single lapse of concentration or distraction could spell energy deviation and the end of their cultivation path. "Not everyone shall go within five hundred meters from that tornado..." Zieve swept his gaze towards the employees of the Dreamy House. Sheathing his sword, he glared at them and continued, "Those that dares to violate this order shall be given the death sentence!" Zieve was someone that usually greeted anyone with a wide smile on his face. He often joked around and talked with his subordinates in an amiable way so seeing him act so aggravated and solemn made them scurry away in fear. Staring at the tornado, numerous thoughts ran through Zieve''s mind. ''Just what is she comprehending that it could cause something so earth shattering changes? That intent is as sharp as the sword intent yet it lacks the domineering style of the sword...'' Zieve ruminated over and observed the changes within Juliet''s body, the knowledge inside his mind that he got from reading books out of boredom finally bore fruit. "Comprehending the sword path usually creates a phenomenon that one would feel their eyes being prickled by sharp needles just by looking at it. The fact that I could casually stare at her like this without having my eyes bleed means that she''s comprehending something else..." Zieve mumbled under his breath. "The energy output is comparable to the Sword Intent yet its burst power transcends that of the sword. Could it be that she''s comprehending the art of the bow?" Zieve stared at Juliet once again, but apart from seeing her hold something that he couldn''t make through the opacity of the tornado, he couldn''t understand anything from the information given. "Wait, wait wait. That posture, since both of her hands are clenched together around something. That only means that she''s holding something one-handed. Apart from knives, what other weapons are there..." Zieve whispered into the air and at the end of his sentence. His eyes widened in shock and realization. "Dagger Intent?!" Zieve couldn''t help but shout his answer out. His facade wasn''t able to suppress his delight and excitement, the Dagger Intent was one of the hardest Intent to acquire along with the Sword Intent at the hardest. It was at the third place with the Bow Intent at the second. Dagger Intent contained the strongest burst power, yet it lacked the dominance of the Sword. As for the Bow, it had the strongest piercing power and falls short of the Dagger''s burst power and the Sword''s flexibility in battle. "B-But... Just how did she comprehend something like that... As for what I know, only those trained as Assassins from childhood or those having intense hatred and fury within their hearts could possibly understand such a ruthless Intent." Zieve commented with bated breath. The eyes that he used to look at Juliet, changed. Before, he looked at her like a prodigy but now he looked at her like a monster. A multi-talented monster. Someone like her was an existence that garnered the envy of the Heavens... Calming himself down, Zieve observed Juliet''s comprehension of the Dagger Intent with expectations and excitement burning within his eyes. At the highest mountain peak inside the Paradyne Academy. Mathias along with his daughter stared at the tornado forming inside the Entertainment Block with an amused expression on his face. Charlotte who stood beside him couldn''t suppress the surprise and shock from showing on her face. Several months of constant training transformed Charlotte from a naive young woman into a fine woman. Her figure looked even more gorgeous and beautiful. But this wasn''t the factor that stood out the most. It was the change of temperament. Back at the Great Wilderness of Torb. Charlotte still oozed with naivety and innocence, but after being personally trained by her father. Her sharp eyebrows now depicted a story of experience and solemnity. Her eyes looked sharp, as if she could cut through anyone''s soul with a glare. "How did she manage to comprehend something like the Dagger Intent? Even her Father still didn''t manage to understand such a concept!" Charlotte honestly praised and Mathias lightly laughed. "It''s the difference of experience. Dan lived a life of debauchery back at the Empire of Dawn and never experienced the threat of starvation back in his earlier days, unlike Juliet who had such a harrowing experience..." His words made Charlotte tremble as she hurriedly regained her composure. "But don''t think that Juliet''s experience was a tragedy. If not for what she went through when she was still a child, someone so monstrously talented like her couldn''t possibly exist." Mathias glanced at Charlotte and the latter nodded her head in understanding. "Her management and leadership skills along with the charisma oozing from her small frame were fruits of her past experiences. That''s why you shouldn''t take pity on her. Instead, you must admire her for the tenacity that she has. I bet, even her mother wasn''t that strong when she was at the same age as Juliet..." Mathias praised and Charlotte was astonished. Her father rarely praised anyone and even she only managed to have her father praise her a single time within the past several months of her training. Clenching her fists, a bitter sensation surged in her heart as complicated emotions such as jealousy and envy momentarily appeared on her face. "Don''t look so indignant, remember that a flower that could never bloom is useless. Dead geniuses are useless. We must hope that Juliet could survive the incoming the disaster that would arrive at her later..." Mathias smiled, his eyes seemed to pierce through the void as Charlotte''s visage turned pale. "What do you mean, Father? A disaster is about to strike Juliet? Why are we still standing here and not helping her?" Charlotte looked frantic and hurriedly readied herself to fly towards Juliet''s direction as her father lifted a hand to stop her. "Charlotte! Don''t do anything rash! Remember that true geniuses are made from a baptism of blood from life and death battles. If Juliet never experiences true danger and desperation. There''s no way that she could blossom into something that she deserves with her talent!" Charlotte''s movements lurched into a stop. Her father was right and she couldn''t find anything to retort his words. Hanging her head low, she clenched her fists and stared at Juliet''s Pavilion with teary eyes. Mathias stared at her for a moment before shaking his head in disappointment, "She gained experience and overcame a baptism from life and death battles yet her temperament remains the same. It seems like I need to intensity my training program for her..." He thought in his mind. The tornado within the Dreamy House Pavilion intensified as Juliet neared the road of no return in her comprehension! 228 Juliet and Natalie Juliet fell into a state of being and nothingness. Apart from the daggers that she had in her palms. She couldn''t feel, speak, nor do anything. She could feel her body trembling from exhaustion yet the thought of merging with the daggers as one kept her going. Eventually, her perception of everything disappeared and the sensation of weightlessness filled her body, mind and soul. She didn''t even feel exhausted anymore. She felt unfettered and free. Like a bird, she spread her wings and soared towards the skies! A deafening boom reverberated within the Dreamy House''s Pavilion as a beam of concentrated Dagger Intent filled the skies and sundered the heavens above. Fortunately, Zieve''s formations held on and such a domineering heavenly phenomenon went unnoticed by the commoners and weaker cultivators. But for Vanadis, the concentrated Dagger Intent bore down into his soul as he staggered backward. Clenching his chest in pain, he stared at the distance with his eyes seemingly piercing through the void. "D-D-Dagger Intent! Someone actually comprehended Dagger Intent at the Outer Disciples Region? Wait, that place... It''s someone from the Dreamy House''s Pavilion?" Vanadis took a deep breath and reeled in his shock. Calming himself down, he dashed towards Rodger''s room and directly opened the door. Rodger huddled over the bed with a young woman bent over in front of him. Vanadis''s interruption surprised the two as Rodger harshly glared at Vanadis. "What are you doing here? Didn''t you know that someone interrupting me in the middle of business is what I hate the most?" He lifted an eyebrow, his hips kept on moving despite speaking to his subordinate. The amorous moans of the young woman never stopped either yet Vanadis didn''t have the time to process the awkwardness of the situation. "Y-Y-Young Master... Someone from the Dreamy House''s Pavilion actually managed to comprehend the Dagger Intent!" Vanadis spoke with anxiety laced within his tone. Rodger stopped his hips and pushed the young woman in front of him to the side. With an astonished expression on his face, he turned to look at Vanadis and said. "What did you say? Someone from the Dreamy House understood the Dagger Intent?!" Rodger couldn''t suppress his emotions and blurted out loud. All sorts of Intents existed under the heavens and the most powerful of them all was the Sword followed by the Bow and the Dagger. A practitioner that cultivated these profound intents possessed the strongest prowess and were unparalleled against those of the same cultivation. What''s more terrifying was the fact that they could summon a Domain filled the might of their Intent. That Domain could manifest in the form of a thousand arrows, sword or illusory daggers that directly assaulted the enemy''s soul. Once a Domain was deployed, those inside the domain were subject to the Domain Creator''s ruling. In other words, the Domain Creator was a god within his domain. Fighting in close quarters combat against someone like that was deemed impossible unless you have an absolute advantage when it comes to cultivation. After all, a Domain wasn''t invincible. Once it was suppressed by someone stronger than the Domain Creator then it could crumble and dissipate, sending a backlash to the Creator. "Is that person still in the middle of comprehension or has she already completed her enlightenment?!" Rodger asked, frenzy and panic filled his voice. Someone from his enemy''s side comprehending such a strong Intent meant that Roger would find it more difficult to suppress the Dreamy House. Intents were rare and valuable, once someone that has an Intent was found, all sorts of influences would rush towards that person and offer everything that they could just to poach that person away. But in this case, since the person in subject was from his enemy''s side. Poaching wasn''t an option. Rodger knew that so he asked this question to Vanadis. "No, that person is sitll in the middle of comprehension.... Ah! Young master, are you saying that..." Vanadis said in a anxious tone but when he reached the end of his sentence. He suddenly shouted and stared at Rodger with shocked eyes. "Yeah, if possible we must interrupt the enlightenment of that person ahd have him suffer the backlash of failing in the middle of comprehension about such a overbearing Intent!" Rodger declared and Vanadis sucked a mouthful of cold air. Intent Users were as valuable as black diamonds so having someone like that within your territory and as an ally was a blessing itself. Interrupting that person''s enlightenment meant opposing the Paradyne Academy. Once Mathias knew what they were about to do, Death was the easy way out, if not. They would undoubtedly suffer a thousand years of torture. "What are you hesitating for, Vanadis? I thought you were a loyal vassal of mine!" Rodger frowned and said in displeasure. Vanadis straightened his back and stared back at Rodger with melancholy shining within his eyes. Ever since Rodger saved him from that nightmare back at that time and gave him the hope to live once again, he became his most loyal follower, doing all the dirty job and schemes behind the scenes for as long as he can repay his kindness to him. Vanadis nodded his head and kneeled on the ground. His right hand placed on his left chest as he renewed his vow and solemnly swore, "The Young master has once saved my life from that nightmare, and ever since that day, I swore that my life solely belongs to yours. Even if it''s a mountain of daggers or a river of lava, I''d never cower as long as you commands!" Rodger nodded his head in approval and patted vanadis''s shoulders as a sign of acknowledgement for his resolve. Standing up, the two men clothed themselves in dark as they set out towards the Dreamy House''s Pavilion. Back at the Dreamy House Pavilion, Juliet stood amidst the destruction as Zieve stared at her and constantly observed her current condition. Judging from the fluctuations of Spiritual Energy around her body, she was about to reach the point of no return. Withdrawing Spirit Stones from his Spatial Ring. Zieve dissolved it into pure Spiritual Energ and fueled the operations of the formations that concealed everything from the outside world. Clenching his fists, Zieve felt apprehensive and nervous. According to the books that he read, Juliet should be in the middle of a comprehensive willpower test enacted by her own Dagger Intent. If she failed the willpower check, a backlash would strike at her soul and severely injure her, possibly even damaging her potential and talent. Inside Juliet''s dreamland appeared a scene that looked all familiar in her life. Dilapidated ceiling and a rundown door made from rattan straws and the pungent smell of sewer along with dirt wafted in the air. She found herself sitting on a stone bed that felt too cold to the touch. "This... " Juliet mumbled and she stood up, splashing sounds rang from her feet as she made contact with the mud on the ground. The sticky sensation stuck on her ankles enabled her to understand that she was back in her room where the people of the Luzon Clan kept her and her mother. Bang! A crashing sound echoed out and a slightly skeletal petite figure crashed on the door. Juliet heard the figure''s moans and she found it extremely familiar. Tears wellled up in her eyelids and when she lifted her head to stare at the figure, her tears went down like a river. Puffed eyes, reddened nose, ragged breathing and sunken cheeks. This was how the previous Natalie looked like back when she was still in the hands of the Luzon Clan. Natalie saw the crying Juliet and she went forward to embrace her. Her embrace was so tight that it almost choked Juliet. Nevertheless, the latter never complained and returned a tight hug on her own. Caressing her mother''s back as gently as she could and tracing the outline of her skeletal figure. "Aaaah..." Juliet mumbled as memories flashed inside her mind. This was the moment where her bastard of a father chased them away. Fortunately, Natalie''s uncle took pity on her and sent her away with a pouch of gold coins that she used to rent a place at the faraway Empire of Dawn. "Juliet, don''t cry... We will make out of this alive, I promise you... Uncle gave me this so we''ll get away as far as we can..." Natalie caressed her daughter''s delicate chin and solemnly vowed, moving her robe aside. Juliet could see a medium-sized pouch placed between her breasts. Juliet sniffed and stared right back at Natalie''s eyes. Back then, she was merely just a helpless child that couldn''t do anything against those that bullied them. But now that she became a cultivator and trained at Martial Arts, she swore in her heart that she would never let those bastards go. Especially that father of hers. "Don''t worry, Mama. Juliet is already big, so she will..." She stumbled before she could even complete her sentence. A cracking sound akin to glass breaking echoed in her mind and it felt like she lost something valuable. "Juliet will..." "Juliet will..." She repeated these words and tried to finish her sentence but found that she forgot what she was about to say. Including the previous anger and hatred that she felt. Blinking, her eyes shone with an innocent light, a light that only came from those young children that never experienced the harshness of the world. "Mama!" Juliet exploded into tears and buried herself deep into her mother''s chest as Natalie consoled her. "Don''t worry about everything, dear. Mama will protect you so don''t cry, okay? Little Juliet has been so strong so you need to keep being strong, okay? Everything is for our sake..." Natalie cleaned her daughter''s stained countenance and wiped the snot off her nose. Standing up, she walked towards a kitchen that looked more like a toilet and tried her best to ignite a fire from rocks that became wet from humidity. She tried inciting a spark until her arms felt heavy and tired, she tried her best until sweat riddled her forehead and in the end, it was as if the rock answered her plea. A small spark flew off the rock and struck the hay, igniting a small fire that eventually became big enough to cook some dishes. Smiling, Natalie wiped the sweat off her forehead and started making a porridge. Juliet stared blankly at her mother''s busy figure as she knitted her eyebrows. She felt like something so valuable was missing her mind. She tried her best recalling that information but before she could reach her answer, a sharp pain assaulted the center of her eyebrows and she would flinch in pain. Shaking her head, her nose twitched upon sensing the delicate and enticing aroma of the spices and herbs. Her mouth slightly opened in desire and little did she knew that a small string of silvery-liquid fell from her lips down to her clothes. "Look at you drooling, were you really that hungry?" Natalie joked with a small smile on her face as she carried the pot away from the fire and placed it on the table. Taking two ceramic plates, she filled it with porridge and gave the other plate to Juliet. "Mama, why do I have more than Mama''s?" Juliet asked in curiosity and Natalie replied with a sweet smile. "That''s because Mama is already an adult. Little Juliet is still a little girl so you need to eat more to grow up!" Juliet seemed to be delighted by her answer and she furiously nodded her head like chicken pecking rice. The Rice Porridge that they ate almost looked as clear as water and it didn''t even contain any meat. Just a handful of vegetables were in there and it didn''t even have any salt which made it taste bland. Despite all of these, Juliet ate with gusto and Natalie stared at Juliet with complicated emotions in her eyes. Today, was the day that they would escape this nightmarish place. Afterwards, she will definitely spoil her little girl with all the sweets and snacks that she could. "Don''t be too worried about the portions, just eat until you''re full! We still have lots of Porridge..." Natalie lightly chuckled and Juliet happily laughed, eating with gusto, she never realized that the pot was already empty and that Natalie never even touched her own plate. "Mama, I want seconds so I can grow big!" Juliet exclaimed and waved her spoon around in a playful manner. She even carried her plate with one hand and gestured for another serving. Natalie suppressed her bubbling emotions and stood up. Carrying the pot and her plate, she turned around so that Juliet wouldn''t see her and poured her own serving back into the pot. Turning around, she placed the pot back on the table and scooped up another serving of Porridge for Juliet. Witnessing the Porridge, Juliet ate once more and when her serving was done, she felt full and collapsed on her stone bed with a satisfied expression on her face. Rubbing her protruding belly, Juliet smiled in bliss as Natalie took the dishes towards the kitchen and suppressed her grumbling stomach. After placing the dishes, she turned to look at Juliet and said. "You ate good today, Juliet. Tomorrow, we will have lots to eat too so you need to rest early, okay?" Natalie affectionately rubbed Juliet''s head and the little girl nodded her head in affirmation. Slowly, her eyelids closed and she eventually fell into sleep. Staring at her daughter''s peaceful expression. Natalie never felt so happy in her entire life. Caressing her delicate chin and kissing her forehead, she stood up and walked towards the door. But before she could even stretch her hands to open the broken-down door. It exploded into pieces, sending splinters and her body back as she spat a mouthful of blood. "You fucking bitch! You actually planned to escape! I heard everything from Elder Maros!" A dignified voice echoed beyond the door and Natalie clutched her chest in pain as she weakly lifted her head. "G-G-Grand Elder..." She mumbled amidst her staggered consciousness. 229 Juliets Counterattack A dignified middle-aged man appeared beyond the dilapidated door. His expression furious as his chest furiously bobbed up and down in fury. When he heard of Natalie''s plans of escaping away through his subordinate Elder, he immediately rushed to this place and took the initiative to stop their next course of actions. "G-Grand Elder..." Natalie''s face lost its colors as her figure started trembling in fear, she fell on her knees and hurriedly kowtowed to apologize, "G-G-Grand Elder, it was never my intention to escape from this place... I-I-It''s just that I wanted to secure a bright future for Juliet..." Her voice sounded hoarse as tears spilled out from her eyelids like a dam. She glanced at Juliet and signaled for her to keep quiet as the Grand Elder went inside the room and forcefully lifted her up by the collar. "You bitch, how dare you fucking lie at my face! Do you really think that I''ll believe you than my trusted subordinates?!" He angrily roared and hurled Natalie at the rundown wall which collapsed into smithereens upon contact with Natalie''s frail and delicate body. "Mama!" Juliet cried out loud and rushed towards her mother as the Grand Elder cracked his knuckles and neck. The Patriarch was about to choose his successor and judging from the fact that his potential was dried up and he wasn''t at his prime age anymore, it was highly unlikely that the Patriarch would choose him as his successor. "What a coincidence, the cultivation method that I cultivate in can siphon the innate potential of humans to boost my own. Although your talent is garbage, you still have some potential left in you, particularly when you''re so young..." The Grand Elder cupped his chin and observed Natalie''s features. His eyes shone in a strange and perverted light which made Natalie felt like she was stripped off everything and her secrets, revealed. Despite Natalie''s mindset and strong willpower, she still wasn''t a proper woman. Ever since she became able to bear a child, she was violated day after day and finally became pregnant to Juliet. Nevertheless, though she hated the days that she spent inside that nightmare, she never regretted giving birth to her precious daughter. And she would do everything to protect her. The Grand Elder stretched his hand out and caressed Natalie''s chin, running his fingers across her neck, he lifted her hair and sniffed. "Aaaah, despite the dirt and the filth that stuck to your body I can still feel the distinct and delicate aroma of a woman! What a fascinating creature you are, Natalie! I applaud your determination and resolve to protect your child!" The Grand Elder clapped his hands together and honestly praised. Glancing at Juliet, he said. "Since you''re that desparate for a safe sanctuary. How about I protect you and your little girl here? As long as you come with me, there''s no way that the bastard son of that Patriarch can lay his hands on you!" He offered, his visage shone with delight and anticipation. His stridor rang loud and clear that it intimidated Juliet who ran towards her mother. Natalie blinked and revealed a hesitant expression. Witnessing her actions, the Grand Elder rubbed her palms together and was about to persuade her. But before he could do so, Natalie suddenly replied with disgust laced in her tone. "No matter what happens, I''ll never follow you nor anyone from this despicable clan! You disgusting pig!" Natalie spat a mouthful of saliva which flew in a silver beam and landed on the Grand Elder''s face. the Grand Elder turned indifferent and touched the wetness that landed on his face. Licking his fingers, Natalie cringed in disgust as the former boisterously laughed. "So this is the path that you chose, ah! So this is how you want everything to play out..." He continuously licked his fingers and savored Natalie''s saliva as he unbuckled his robes, revealing an unsightly scene. Natalie hurriedly covered Juliet''s eyes as she forced her into an embrace, burying the little girl''s face into her chest, making sure that she won''t see such a traumatizing scene. Natalie used her free hand to move backward in a frantic manner. The Grand Elder stared at her playfully and didn''t immediately capture her, enjoying the thrill of the hunt as he closed into his prey. Kneeling down, he stretched out his hand and cupped Natalie''s chin as the latter tried her best to resist the Grand Elder''s strength. But how could a mortal like her possibly withstand the force of a cultivator like him? Not even a minute passed and Natalie lost her strength. Forming a sword with her fingers, she poked at Juliet''s back making her lose consciousness so that she wouldn''t witness the scene of her mother being violated by such a pig. "This goddamned kid is really annoying, clinging to your mother and blocking my view like that!" the Grand Elder picked the limp Juliet off Natalie and threw her directly at the stone bed. "Juliet!" Natalie screamed in horror. But fortunately, Juliet landed smoothly and didn''t suffer any injuries to her body. Glaring at the Grand Elder, she said with tears welling up in her eyelids. "You fucking pig! No matter what happens, I''ll never give up! I''ll definitely escape this place and annihilate this entire clan someday!" Natalie violently cursed and continuously spat on the Grand Elder''s face. However, she didn''t expect that the Grand Elder was more perverted than she thought. Instead of feeling disgusted by what she did, the Grand Elder even opened his mouth and received all of her spit into his mouth. "Hahaha, annihilate the entire Luzon Clan? That''s the best joke that I heard in my entire life!" the Grand Elder laughed in a mocking manner and stared at her once again, "Are you done struggling? If not, you can keep your struggles, show me how defiant you can be. Only when that happens will everything feel rewarding when I finally claimed your body as mine..." the Grand Elder exerted his weight on Natalie''s frame causing her bones to crack as a sharp pain assaulted her nerves. Suppressing her pain filled scream, Natalie bit her lower lip until it bled. But soon, her struggles weakened along with her body. Eventually, she became quiet and sobbed in a voice that only she could hear. Juliet heard her mother''s cries and the perverted Grand Elder''s light chuckles as consciousness returned to her body. Lifting her head, she stared ahead and saw her mother being pressed to the ground with a figure that looked as humongous as a mountain. Seeing her mother''s gradually weakening struggles and voice, she tried opening her mouth but found that no voice came out of her throat. She tried moving her body but found that she couldn''t draw any strength from her body. "I-I-I have to help Mama..." Juliet thought in her mind, with her willpower, she managed to open her mouth and bit her lower lip. She knew nothing about what the Grand Elder was about to do with her mother but she knew that it was something horrifying and would forever scar her mother''s heart if it happened. Rolling her eyeballs, she looked around the area but found nothing that she could use to help her mother. Only a splinter the size of her forearms from her table was present that she could use against that perverted bastard. Forcing her body off the stone bed, sweat filled her forehead as her heart madly circulated blood throughout her entire body in an effort to support her exertion. Unfortunately for Juliet, she found that the bed acted like a magnet and paired with her body that felt heavier than normal, her arms eventually gave out and she lost all of her strength. "Nooo, arms, hands, body... Please move... I want to help Mama..." She wished in her heart and it became a burning desire that reigned over her soul and body. Summoning strength out of nowhere, she tapped on her body''s potential as she finally gained control over her body and rolled towards the side of the bed. Taking the wooden splinter off the ground, Juliet felt a domineering presence overwhelm her body as she madly ran towards the Grand Elder and subconsciously struck at his nape. "Release Mamaaa!!!" She crazily screamed, lifting her small arms, she used all the force from her body to strike at the Grand Elder who stared at her in amusement. As someone at his cultivation, a mortal''s strike couldn''t possibly do any damage on his body, much more when it''s a strike from such a young girl like her. Natalie''s eyes widened in shock, but not with delight and excitement. instead, her eyes shone with despair, hopelessness and worry as to what would happen to her daughter once the Grand Elder became enraged. Clenching her fists, she resolved to sacrifice even her body for as long as she managed to live. The wooden splinter within Juliet''s hands shone in a strange silvery light that looked breathtaking to behold. A whizzing sound reverberated as the air itself was split and just as the sense of imminent danger filled the Grand Elder''s heart, Juliet''s attack already landed on his nape and cleanly separated his head from his shoulders. "A-a-a-aaahhh!!!" Juliet screamed in horror as blood madly spurted out from the place where the Grand Elder''s head was supposed to be. Juliet''s figure trembled and she fell on her butt. Blood streamed and mixed with mud as a rusty smell wafted in the air. Natalie acted fast and kicked the Grand Elder''s decapitated body to the side, pouncing at her trembling daughter. She hurriedly wiped the blood on her face and consoled her with a tight embrace. Though she didn''t understand what happened and what that light from the wooden splinter earlier was. All she knew was that the nightmare was over. Holding her child into her bosom, Juliet eventually fall into sleep as Natalie decisively carried her away from her home. The escape plan that was supposed to happen in several hours prematurely started as she desperately ran away towards the opposite direction. Heading for her uncle''s home. The plan involved smuggling herself amidst the Luzon Clan''s garbage carts with the help of her uncle so that she could safely escape the Luzon Clan''s Residence. With the help of the gold coins that her uncle gave to her, she should be able to reach the distant Empire of Dawn without problems. Hiding within the shadows of buildings. Natalie eventually arrived at a luxurious residence as she scaled the fence and landed on the ground. Peeking inside, she saw her uncle sitting cross-legged on a meditation mat as she called out with an anxious voice. "Uncle! it''s me! Natalie!" She whispered and the heightened senses of a cultivator captured her words as her uncle that looked to be at the same age as the Grand Elder stood up and stared at Natalie''s figure with worry and anger visible on her face. After Natalie told him everything about what happened, her uncle snorted. "That bastard deserves it! To die so miserably and under the hands of such a little girl, that''s a small price to pay compared to the hatred and resentments that he gathered when he was still living!" Uncle Loj violently cursed. Directing his gaze at Juliet, he was about to speak when the presence of a six cultivators simultaneously appeared within his residence via Spatial Tunneling. "Positive, the bitch Natalie is here..." One of the cultivators said and they all turned to look at Natalie as Uncle Loj hurriedly moved in front of them and said. "You go to the back and escape, I''ll try my best to hold these bastards off..." Uncle Loj unsheathed his sword and Natalie tearfully carried Juliet into the backdoor. Little did she knew that shining behind her back was a Soul Mark that constantly tracked her location. 230 Approaching Danger Zieve kept watch on Juliet''s figure with his nerves stretched taut, not allowing for even a second of relaxation despite the fact that the formation could detect any intruders. The process of enlightenment was crucial for a cultivator''s future so Juliet must not be interrupted at all cost. Burning more Spirit Stones as fuel, Zieve burned away months worth of hard work as fuel for the formations'' operations. As long as he can ensure Juliet''s safety until she succeeded in her comprehension. His heart continuously bled as more Spirit Stones were absorbed by the formations. Placing his left hand on the hilt of his sword at his waist. Zieve remained attentive and observed for any changes. His observation continued on for several days and Zieve finally couldn''t keep up his state of alertness as drowsiness and exhaustion washed over his body. Although cultivators possessed endurance stronger than mortals to the point that sleeping became an option, with his cultivation, sleeping was still essential and these several days of staying alert all around the clock affected his senses and state of mind. "Damn it, I must hold on for Juliet''s sake..." Zieve bit the tip of his tongue and the sharp pain awakened his senses. The method of boosting his body and mind didn''t came without a cost as Zieve spat a glob of blood from his mouth. In a dark alleyway just outside the Dreamy House''s Pavilion. Rodger and Vanadis stood beside each other with solemn expressions on their faces. Staring at the pavilion, nothing looked out of place for mortals but in the eyes of the two, they could see a faint translucent barrier formed by formations that bestowed protection to the pavilion. Back when the two of them first arrived here, they opted not to barge their way in since it meant that they couldn''t do any sneak attacks against the Juliet who had numerous Heaven Grade Artifacts on her person. So Rodger decided that they should wait until the Dreamy House couldn''t maintain the formations stability and operations anymore. After all, maintaining such a high-leveled Pavilion Protecting Formation meant burning several thousands of Spirit Stones per hour. Even his Duterte General Merchandises couldn''t wantonly throw away such a huge amount. But to their dismay, even until waiting for several days. The formation remained strong and even looked reinforced than before which made Rodger grit his teeth in indignance and hatred. If the Dreamy House didn''t stand on their way and stole their customers away, then they could''ve been as prodigal as they wanted! "Young master, what should we do? Are we going to continue waiting in here or should we barge inside and deal with the bastards that Juliet hired?" Vanadis asked and Rodger turned to look at him and said. "You told me earlier that Juliet possessed numerous Heaven Grade Artifacts right? That only means that her background isn''t something average! Her clan should''ve sent powerful guards to protect her throughout her secluded meditation so we must tread with caution!" Vanadis nodded his head in understanding, Rodger''s words were logical and sound. If Juliet''s background was that formidable like what they expected then her clan should''ve sent powerful bodyguards protecting her amidst her enlightenment. Carelessly barging in may mean their death! "In that case, we shall wait here, Young master. I refuse to believe that they could sustain those formations for as long as they wanted!" Vanadis cursed and leaned on the wall. The two of them kept their quiet and entered a state of semi-meditation to conserve their energy. Natalie and Juliet dashed into dark alleyways one after another, clad in dark robes, she carried Juliet within her bosom and eventually arrived before a wide plain that contained dozens of garbage carts. The Luzon Clan''s Garbage Disposal disciples disposed of these garbage at constant intervals. Judging from the moonlight that struck her body. Natalie deduced that it should be about time to act on her plans. Sweeping her gaze around, she moved with slow footsteps towards one of the carts and directly leaped inside. The smell of rotten vegetables, urine and feces surrounded her body yet Natalie maintained her composure and never panicked. As someone who lived through an incomparable nightmare, such a suffering wouldn''t even bother her nerves. She was more concerned about her daughter that slept close to her chest. Taking a small dagger from the pouch in her chest, she uncovered the blade and carved a small hole on the cart''s body so that air could circulate and the two of them could breathe. The peak of the night eventually arrived and the coldness that seeped from the outside mixed with the hot, festering garbage beside Natalie and Juliet made them feel suffocated. Fortunately, disciples of the Luzon Clan finally arrived and started moving the carts. "Damn this job is really annoying. If not for the fact that I missed the sale of one of those Enhancer Pills, I could''ve broke through already!" A disciple complained to his comrade and laughter erupted amidst them. "Yeah, right. You''re not the only one that feels that this job sucks, but what else can we do? Apart from obeying them, there''s nothing that we can really do since our talent is basically rock bottom..." A disciple replied with self-mocking, evoking laughter from his fellow disciples as they all hummed a tune and escorted the carts out of the Luzon Clan. "After this, I must really compensate by eating as much as I can at the banquet. After all, tonight''s the night that the Patriarch chooses his successors, we must display that we''re absolutely loyal to him or else we will be decimated by the competition..." A disciple voiced out his concerns and another disciple replied. "Definitely, everyone''s gonna drunk today! No one''s gonna get home without being wasted, ah!" The disciples laughed one after another as they escorted the carts towards their destination. Natalie laid at the corner of the cart and used her robes to prevent the trashes from caving in and burying them. With both of her feet pushing outwards, she had to constantly exert force so that the trashes wouldn''t collapse and overwhelm them underneath. Paired with the bumpy road that the carts wheeled on, Natalie knew that she couldn''t permit even a second of relaxation as she bit her lower lip, exerting all the force that she can in keeping those garbage above her from collapsing. Holding her daughter tight, she drew strength from her existence and kept on pushing outward until she couldn''t even feel her legs anymore. After several minutes of moving through bumpy roads, the carts finally stopped as the disciples dumped the contents directly at the landfill. Natalie and Juliet fell at the base of the mountain of garbage as the former hurriedly covered for the latter, making sure that she''s won''t be injured. Crawling, Natalie heaved a sigh of relief when she saw that the disciples were far away enough to detect her. Lifting a smile on her face, Natalie carried Juliet in her arms as she discarded her and Juliet''s filthy clothes. Stealing some clothes that were left to dry by their owners. Natalie ran towards the east, heading for the direction of the Empire of Dawn. Using the gold coins that her uncle gave to her, Natalie managed to join a last minute caravan heading for the direction of the Empire of Dawn. The members of the caravan stared suspiciously at her first since those that frantically boarded the caravans away from the Empire were mostly criminals. After seeing her bedraggled and exhausted figure and the sleeping child in her arms, the members of the caravan understood what happened as they thought in their minds that Natalie should be someone that escaped her husband, and judging from the bruises around her collarbone and neck, she must''ve frequently suffered domestic violence. Natalie saw their sympathy as an opportunity to acquire their trust, weaving some stories. Natalie easily moved their hearts and paired with the fact that Natalie also cared for her fellow caravan members by cooking some meals for them, she quickly became the focal point of protection in the caravan. At the last day of their journey, the members of the caravan rejoiced that no bandits attacked them in their journey, the camouflage that they wrapped around their caravans to disguise themselves as commoner caravans worked pretty well since those bandits didn''t fancy attacking commoner caravans that were only used for transportation. They celebrated, the men drank together while some of the women sang, danced and told each other stories about their life. Natalie and Juliet sat together with Juliet sitting on Natalie''s lap. The smile on the little girl''s face relieved the exhaustion of their fellow caravan members as her laughter raised their morale and mood. "I still can''t believe that someone out there had the heart to hurt someone as beautiful as you, Miss Natalie..." A young caravan member said with despise visible on his face. His fellow comrades turned towards him and supported his claims. "Yeah, I wonder just what kind of a bastard wasted such a precious beauty that can only be found once in a hundred years? How about you come with me, Miss Natalie?" A bolder caravan member instantly proposed, putting Natalie into an awkward situation as the girls around them scolded. "Hey, don''t bother her too much! You go away and stay there with your friends, also. You reek of alcohol!" A female caravan member that Natalie quickly became close with called Ruth scolded the males as they all scattered away in fear. Ruth sat beside the two and pinched Juliet''s cheeks, a sweet smile lifted on her lips as she enjoyed the sensation of Juliet''s ample and elastic cheeks. Turning towards Natalie, she said. "Sis, what are you going to do after you arrive at the Empire of Dawn? Do you have any relatives there that you can rely on?" Ruth''s tone was filled with curiosity but her question dampened Natalie''s mood as she hung her head low and said. "I don''t have any relatives there, but my uncle gave me some money so maybe I can establish a little business there so I can feed Juliet and make her have the life that I wished for..." Natalie said the desires that she had in her heart and it made Ruth teary as the two of them huddled together, embracing each other''s warmth. Natalie knew that his plan wouldn''t possibly go as smoothly as she thinks. The Empire of Dawn was a place where criminals from the Empire of Eternal Faith exiled themselves. In other words, it''s a bandit''s lair and in that place, she couldn''t trust anyone. Nevertheless, it was a thousand times better than the nightmare of a place where she previously lived. Caressing her daughter''s chin, Natalie lightly kissed Juliet''s forehead as their journey continued amidst the darkness. With only the moonlight and the eastern star as their guide, the caravan proceeded quietly on the plains. The male members'' nerves were stretched taut for any ambushes as the female caravan members slept soundly inside the carriages. Amidst the darkness, six men clothed in dark robes rushed directly at the caravan where Natalie stayed. Within their hands were hidden weapons and daggers as they swiftly assassinated the sentries at the backline of the caravan. Heads rolled and blood spurted out, the sentries didn''t even have the time to scream out as the men reaped their lives. Cleaning their daggers, the men flicked their wrist towards the carriages and their hidden weapons dug deep into the wooden walls as their Spiritual Energy rotated, sending a ball of fire towards the carriages which formed a chain reaction of explosions that consumed all carriages at the back. BANG! A deafening roar reverberated across the plain, awakening everyone within the caravan as they all stared in horror at the ball of flame that consumed all carriages behind them. "Enemy attack!" A roar came from the front of the caravan as the cultivators that the caravan leader recruited came out one after another and faced their enemies. "Where are they?! And how many bandits are attacking?" A buff middle-aged man whose energy fluctuations where the strongest summoned his entire cultivation base in preparation as he roared, asking for information from the scouts. "Five... No- Six! There are six of them! They''re at the back line and approaching us in a straightforward manner, their weapons are daggers and need-" Before the man could finish his sentence. A needle pierced through his throat and sent him tumbling on the ground. "Shit, just how strong are these guys?" The buff middle-aged man asked with a frown visible on his face. His expression darkened when he realized that he couldn''t even probe for his enemies'' cultivation base which only meant one thing. Either they hid their cultivation base using some Artifact or their cultivation was at least two realms higher than him. "Damn it, why are we being targeted by these people? Just what is going on here?!" He mumbled in a panic and swiftly shouted at the approaching enemies. "Pleased to meet you, Seniors!" He clasped his hands together and respectfully bowed, "I think we both have a misunderstanding here, Senior. We have nothing that can possibly pique your interest. Did Senior perhaps misrecognize us for Seniors'' enemies?" He asked in the most humble tone possible. The atmosphere turned solemn as the remainder of the caravan members turned nervously at the six men that stalled in their movements. Gulping a mouthful of saliva, they knew that unless the six men wanted them to live, they would definitely die tonight. The six men clad in black never replied with his inquiry. Instead, they flicked their wrists forwards, sending a volley of needles flying towards the cultivator members of the caravan before their figures disappeared and started their slaughter. Heads rolled one after another along with anguished screams of the damned, children, women and even livestock were not spared as the muddy plain turned scarlet from the blood that drained down the heads of the dead. Ruth, Juliet and Natalie huddled around each other. Their faces pale, particularly Natalie who started shivering furiously like a sieve as she tightened her embrace around her daughter, making sure that she couldn''t hear nor see what was going on outside the carriage. Ruth chanted her prayers, her furious mumbles added fuel to the fire that raged within Natalie''s heart as she became even more anxious to the point that she eventually hyperventilated from fear. Soon, the outside world became quiet and the miserable shrieks couldn''t be heard anymore as footsteps gradually neared their vicinity. With their hearts and nerves stretched taut, it became closer, closer until the door of the carriage exploded into pieces along with the consciousness of the two young women who fainted from shock. Entering the carriage, a man clad in black saw them and said with a smile, "Finally found you, Natalie..." 231 Acknowledgement 2in1 "Oh? You fainted? Damn, what a downer. I thought that you still have some tricks up your sleeves..." The man that approached took off his black robes, revealing the Luzon Clan robes underneath and his young figure that looked to be at his mid-twenties. "Captain, we''ve decimated all witnesses in the area, apart from that young woman beside that bitch, there are no other witnesses." A young man''s voice echoed from the outside and the man inside the carriage nodded his head. "Who among our brothers are about to breakthrough? I found a fine cultivation furnace here. Much more, her vital yin is still intact..." The man inside the carriage said and the five disciples outside hurriedly rushed to his side and stared at the young woman beside Natalie inside the carriage. "Captain, I''m about to break through the Divine Soul Realm so a fine cultivation furnace is necessary for me..." A disciple that looked to be the youngest asked in a sheepish manner, void of the ruthlessness and coldness that he had when reaping the lives of those mortals earlier. "In that case, you can take that woman with you, after you''re done absorbing her vital yin, you can lend her to your fellow brothers to vent out some stress. Afterwards, you can send her to the clan as spoils of war, even with her wilted vital yin, she could still do well as a medicine apprentice..." The man casually said. His sentence rang loud and clear and contained the verdict that she had for Ruth''s future. It was as if he held her life and death, like a sovereign of the heavens. He decided her future within a blink of an eye. "I thank Captain for his kindness," The young man clasped his hands together. Joy visible on his face as he entered the carriage and walked straight towards Ruth. By the time that he reached within three steps away from her unconscious body. His face looked reddened from excitement and the thought of violating such a flower. "Don''t touch her!" A sharp voice filled with innocence and determination stopped his movements. Lifting his head, he saw a petite little girl who looked to be at the age of less than ten. Frowning, he glared at the little girl, wanting to scare her but she remained stoic before glaring back at him. "Don''t touch sister!" Juliet said with her right hand stretched before Ruth''s unconscious figure. The man called the Captain and his brother stared at Juliet in amusement. The youngest of the squad who approached Ruth earlier, boisterously laughed, "Hahaha, look at this guys! A little girl actually dared to block my way, how funny is that!" His fellow brothers smirked in amusement and stared at Juliet as if they were looking at an adorable animal. Lifting his hand, the young man rotated his cultivation base and used his finger as a sword. Slicing through the air, the scene turned silent for a moment before everything around Juliet collapsed. The bright beam of moonlight illuminated the carriage as the young man easily destroyed the roof with a wave of his hands. "How about now, little girl? Can I touch your sister now?" The young man said with a teasing smile on his face, he licked his lips and moved closer until their faces were only about several inches apart. Breathing onto Juliet''s face. He said, "I''m sorry little girl but we need to take that woman and your mother away... And there''s nothing that you can do to prevent us from doing that..." His voice sounded menacing, looking to intimidate Juliet but in contrast to her expectations, reality was different. Juliet remained stoic and indifferent to his teasings. In fact, the light of determination within her eyes burned even more fiercely than before. "What''s wrong with this little girl?" The young man stood up and walked backwards in confusion. His Captain and his fellow brothers also looked in curiosity at the little girl and just the look from her eyes alone told them that she wasn''t just a little girl that required protection from her mother. The young man''s display of power should be enough to scare this little girl into peeing her pants yet she just stood there like nothing happened and what''s more, she''s even glaring fiercely at them. "Did she bash her head on the wall or something?" Someone joked around, if that really was the case then it could explain why this young girl was so fierce in front of her impending death The Captain saw that the young man who approached earlier looked intimidated by this strange occurrence so he said. "She''s indeed very strange, but don''t get intimidated, she''s nothing but a mortal and even a young girl at that, being intimidated by someone like her means that you shouldn''t even be working with the Bloodied Hands Squad..." "Ah!" The young man awakened from his trance and turned to look at his fellow brothers. Clasping his hands together, he said, "I wasn''t intimidated, I was just shocked by her strange and eccentric attitude despite the fact that she''s about to die." His frantic explanation garnered the laughter of his squadmates as they all urged him, "Okay, okay. We get it, okay? Just end her already so we can return by dawn..." "Come on brother, I know that you have more than what you''re showing right now..." "Don''t tell me that you''re feeling sympathy and compassionate for her? Hah, what a joke!" Peer pressure made the young man clench his fists as he angrily turned at Juliet and glared. If not for her glare and strangeness, he wouldn''t even feel intimidated in the first place! Rotating his cultivation base, a tempest formed inside the carriage which destroyed everything including the dilapidated walls around them. Revealing a bloody plain filled with withered corpses and skeletons. Such commotion awakened Natalie and Ruth who went into shock, and the first scene that they saw terrified them out of their wits as Natalie lunged forward and embraced Juliet towards her bosom. "You guys... You''re from the Luzon Clan!" She shouted and Ruth who huddled with her knees in front of her turned to look at Natalie with an astonished expression on her face. "Sis... You know them?" Ruth asked with uncertainty along with frenzy laced within her voice. "Yeah... These bastards are from that despicable clan! I escaped from that place and hid myself well, just how did they find me so easily?!" Natalie explained, her frosty and ethereal countenance disappeared. Replaced with craziness and hopelessness towards their current situation. They knew that even if she begged for her life, these bunch of cold-blooded bastards would never let them go. Tightening her embrace to Juliet, she sorrowfully sobbed. Success was already within their arm''s length but just as she fulfilled her dreams and ambitions, these bastards appeared and ruined everything for her. Now that they were here, there''s no way that she could still deceive her way out of this situation. For a mortal could never fight against a cultivator in a head-on battle, her demise was imminent and her hopes were dashed. "So you know them, huh?" Ruth suddenly mumbled at the side. Her expression indescribable, yet the faint trembling of her shoulders indicated the upheaval within her heart. "So you know that they''re gonna catch up with you yet you still came with us and brought with you this disaster?!" Ruth exploded, her screams were filled with resentment, anger and deep-seated fury. Standing up, she lunged at Natalie''s figure and clutched her head. "You fucking bitch! Father, mother, sister and even brother gave you their trust but what did you do? You lured such a disaster to us! You ruined my future and everything that I had!" Ruth started choking tears. Natalie didn''t do anything other than suffer under her fury as strands of hairs from her scalp were torn off. The sharp pain that assaulted her nerves consoled her, it felt like the pain was whispering into her soul. Saying that she did good for experiencing such pain and repenting for all the sins that she committed in this life and her past. "Why... Why did you even come after us... What did I do against you... We treated you right, we gave you everything that you needed, but what did you do? Uwuwuwu..." Ruth sobbed as hard as she could, venting out everything that she kept inside her heart, so that she could live unfettered in her next life. "Ruth... I''m sorry... I never meant to do any harm to you... I just wanna... I just wanna escape that nightmare and live with my daughter..." Natalie started crying too and the two young woman huddled over each other with their heads on the shoulders of the other. Juliet swept her gaze at the sorrowful two and hardened her resolve. Taking a deep breath, she walked in front of them, took a wooden splinter of the ground and raised it in front of her in a stance that she felt weirdly familiar with. If Dan was here, he would recognize this as the first stance that he thought to his daughter, the All-Encompassing Stance. Possessing minimal openings and sufficient time to react against an enemies attack. It was an all around stance that practitioners fancied to practice. The disciples of the Luzon Clan''s Bloodied Hands stared with amusement at Juliet''s futile struggles as the young man who was rotating his cultivation base felt like he was just slapped across the face. Staring with a mocking gaze at Juliet, he said. "I don''t know whether to praise you for your determination or mock you for your stupidity but at your age, I really can''t blame you... At the least, I''ll leave you with an intact corpse that can be buried along with your mother!" He roared and his cultivation base formed a tempest around his body. Natalie and Ruth were blown away while Juliet bent her knees to keep herself from flying away from the young man''s sheer pressure alone. "Juuullliiieeettt!!!" Natalie helplessly screamed, anguish filled her tone as the young man slowly raised his hand and formed a sword with his index finger. At this moment, the world seemed to come to a halt as Juliet found herself being filled with a mysterious power that stemmed from her determination to protect her mother. Taking a deep breath and exhaling loudly. Juliet''s eyes flashed with a cold light as her countenance turned frosty. As soon as the young man''s finger sword descended. Juliet dashed sideways and received his sword, using the edges of the wooden splinter, she redirected his attack to the ground before leaping towards his throat and swiping at his neck. Boom! It took longer to describe but everything happened within the time it takes a spark to fly from a flint. The young man''s attack summoned a cloud of dust and mud flying towards the skies along with blood. Which made Natalie desperately run towards her daughter''s side with a pale expression on her face. When everything settled down. Everyone was stunned to find a head rolling on the ground with headless body still standing firm, frozen within its previous actions as if a statue. What astonished them even further was that head belonged to none other than the youngest member of the Luzon Clan''s Bloodied Hands Squad! "Wha..." "Just what the hell happened..." The other members of the Bloodied Hands stared in shock at the bloodied Juliet and the head of their fellow brother that rolled on the grassy plain. "Damn it! Brothers! Prepare for battle!" The Captain frantically leaped backward and so did his fellow comrades, withdrawing their weapons, they all dashed at Juliet again as the little girl lifted his head and stared coldly at their direction. Her eyes that sparkled with infinite coldness didn''t contain any traces of the innocence and warmth that she previously radiated. What''s within those jet-black eyes of her was a seething anger that could freeze everything under the heavens. Sparks flew across the bloodied plain as Juliet danced around with the wooden splinter in tow. Her movements looked immature and amateurish yet it never failed to hit their marks as she deflected the needles that they hurled at her direction. "Attack her mother and that young woman first! I refuse to believe that we won''t be able to pry open an opening!" The Captain commanded and the four of his comrades split up in all directions. Simultaneously throwing their hidden weapons at Ruth and Natalie, the two women crouched to the ground in fear. "How despicable!" Juliet roared, mustering all the strength that she could, she arrived before her mother and deflected everything that she could before shuffling to another direction. In the end, she managed to deflect all of their attacks but she was left utterly exhausted with her bones and joints creaking in pain. "Captain! We''re out of hidden weapons!" Someone reported and the man called Captain nodded his head and said, "We''ll simultaneously attack her, remember not to show any mercy against someone that dared to kill our fellow brother..." He declared in a hoarse tone, his eyes reddened in utmost fury and rage. Only killing Juliet and the two young woman could possibly appease his anger and the soul of his brother. Noddind their heads at each other, they roared towards the skies and rushed at Juliet with everything that they could. Booming sounds reverberated in the area as Juliet struggled to protect her mother and her friends against the all-out assault of five cultivators. The strength that she mysteriously took out of nowhere eventually left her and in the end, Juliet was left leaning on her knee on the ground with innumerable cuts riddled across her body. The most shocking injury that she suffered was on her right chest. The wound was so deep there that one could see her whitish bones sticking out. "Juliet..." Natalie murmured in hopelessness, her heart broke when she saw her daughter''s miserable figure. Ruth who also saw Juliet''s injuries reeled in horror, she wondered about how Juliet fought these bastards and how could she remain conscious with such injuries on her body. "Mother..." Witnessing her mother''s tearful expression. Juliet bit her lower lip and struggled to stand up. "Strength... I need strength... I need strength to protect my mother... I need strength to protect everything that I have and take revenge against these bullies..." Juliet mumbled into the air as she tried her best to stand up despite the sharp pain that constantly assaulted her nerves. "Brothers, she already spent everything that she has. It''s time to end everything. We must bring her head and that bitch''s head too along with that young woman and display it on this great plain so that those that would hear our names will tremble in fear!" The Captain declared and the expressions of the two young women paled. Juliet couldn''t even hear what they were saying as she was too busy suppressing the immense pain throughout her body and keeping herself from falling into unconsciousness. Clenching her fists, she bit her lip until it bled when a gentle yet ambitious voice echoed in her head. "Do you wish for strength?" It asked and Juliet nodded her head. Strength was what she needed to kill these bastards and save her mother. "In that case, take that weapon of yours and move your body... I recognize your determination, kindness and temperament, you are worthy to possess my Intent..." The voice had a strange empowering voice that soothed Juliet''s wounds as she stood up and took a stance with her wooden splinter. "Another futile struggle?" The man asked and his four brothers stared in amusement and resentment at Juliet''s final struggles. Their hands couldn''t stop trembling and all that they wanted to do was to kill her and violate her body even in her death. Juliet slowly lifted her head, the fierce light that burned inside her eyes transformed into a domineering and overwhelming intent that stemmed from her soul. The silhouette of a lone dagger momentarily appeared above her head as the world came to a halt. The members of the Luzon Clan''s Bloodied Hands could do nothing but stare at her approach as she seamlessly moved across the battlefield and reaped their heads one by one. When the last member''s head fell to the ground, the world returned to its previous colors as Natalie and Ruth stared blankly at the sight of six heads rolling beside each other with their headless bodies still standing firm like a statue. "Just what did happen?" Before their questions were answered. Juliet fell into the ground, her condition unknown. 232 Return and Revenge 3in1 Morning arrived and Juliet found herself staring towards an unfamiliar ceiling. Opening her murky eyes, she saw her mother, Natalie staring at her with visible worry on her countenance. She looked haggard and the bags under her eyes indicated her exhaustion. When Juliet collapsed back then, Natalie carried Juliet on her back and walked the last thirty kilometers to the Empire of Dawn. She wanted to bring Ruth with her first but she found that the latter became crazed and unresponsive. Offering her sincere apologies, she kowtowed and left with her daughter. "Juliet, are you okay? Are you hurting somewhere?!" Natalie took a wet towel and wiped Juliet''s face and body, the warmth of the towel awakened Juliet''s mind as the memories of the events at that eventful night appeared in her mind. "I''m doing fine, Mama... Where are we? Are we in the Empire of Dawn, now?" Juliet''s visual appearance looked to be at five or six years old yet the way that she formulated her words and the sparkle of wisdom within her eyes made her seem strange. Despite all of these, Natalie didn''t find it weird as she replied, "We''re at the Empire of Dawn now. Thanks to you, Juliet. We managed to escape the pursuit of those bastards..." She sighed in relief and took a tray filled with steaming bowls of food, placing it on the bedside table, she urged for Juliet to eat as the two of them silently dined. "So the reason why Mama doesn''t feel suspicious about my capabilities is because this world itself is a dreamland that the Dagger Intent formulated from my memories..." Juliet concluded upon building the clues that she had. If this wasn''t a dreamland, Natalie would''ve endlessly nagged her about what happened to her and why did she suddenly become so strong. The Natalie in the dreamland acted indifferent towards her strength. She only had a single concern in her mind. And that was to find a safe living space for her daughter and herself. At the end of the meal, Natalie affectionately rubbed Juliet''s head and said, "Mama will be leaving for now, okay? Mama''s gonna search for a good house to live so you stay here and be a good girl, okay?" She sweetly smiled and kissed Juliet''s forehead. Natalie looked completely different from what she previously looked like at the Empire of Eternal Faith. With the help of the money that her uncle gave to her, she underwent a complete makeover. Now, she thoroughly looked like a gorgeous teenager that could crane necks whenever she walked past. Compared to her mother, Juliet was small and petite, delicate and tiny, and her body was slender and her legs thin and straight. Her hips were narrow and she thoroughly looked like a beautiful little girl. Apart from her eyes that sparkled with coldness and indifference to life which only thawed into warmth upon laying her eyes on her mother, nothing seemed out of place with the current Juliet. Nodding her head, Juliet revealed an obedient smile as Natalie waved her goodbyes and said her farewells. Seeing her mother disappear from her window at the inn where they stayed in. Juliet hopped out of her bed and wore a white one piece dress that accentuated her small figure, making her look more adorable and amiable. Walking out of the inn, Juliet garnered the eyes of everyone. The aunties who saw her sweetly smiled upon witnessing her cuteness while the perverted bastards licked their lips upon seeing such a white lotus. Criminals frequently gathered at the Empire of Dawn so it wasn''t strange that someone with strange fetishes were present. But before they could even whistle or catcall at her figure. Juliet swept her cold gaze at them and they felt their souls freeze as the words lodged in their throat. They couldn''t even do anything other than watch her gradually disappear into a nearby alleyway. "Bro... Did you see that earlier..." "Yeah... I felt like I was staring at a beast instead of a beautiful little girl... That was dangerous..." The men mumbled at each other and they all decided to forget about this strange incident, after all. It was too strange and they couldn''t bother to expand their energy for something that didn''t bother nor disturb them. Continuing her journey, Juliet walked in a leisurely pace. Absorbing the scenery of the Empire of Dawn, every sounds, every smell, and every scenes of people chatting, bargaining and children laughing. Juliet absorbed everything and swore that she would treasure every second that she spent in this dreamland. Staring at a plaque with an insignia of a hammer and anvil carved on it. Juliet walked inside and the smell of Iron along with the change of temperature struck her face. "Welcome~" A stout middle-aged man turned around and greeted the customer. His figure stiffened when he saw an adorable little girl curiously looking around the surroundings. "Ermmm, hey you... Did you perhaps got lost with your mother?" He asked with a curious and mellow voice, afraid that the little girl may get intimidated by his appearance. "Are you the shop manager here?" Juliet turned to look at him and asked with a cold voice which froze the middle-aged man as he awkwardly scratched his head and replied. "Yes, I am the Shop Manager of the Berlin Blacksmithy... May I help you with something..." Juliet nodded her head and said, "Can you fetch me those two daggers?" She took a coin pouch inside her dress and threw it directly at the Shop Manager. Sensing the heaviness of the pouch, the Shop Manager turned pensive and he hurriedly took the two daggers while making a sidelong glance at Juliet. "She can easily take out dozens of gold coins without even batting an eyelid? Just who is she?" The Shop Manager knew that he has no business digging into the identity of his customers. Wrapping the two daggers up, he gave it towards the little girl as Juliet received it with a smile. If this was the real world, as someone who lived a miserable childhood. Juliet valued money more than anyone else so spending so much money in one transaction would make her heart bleed. But since this was a dreamland, she knew that she could do everything that she wanted, that also includes spending like a prodigal young master. Walking out of the Berlin Blacksmithy, Juliet strapped the two daggers on her upper thigh and walked towards the west. Arriving at the western gate, Juliet used all of her remaining gold coins to join a high-speed caravan going to the Empire of Eternal Faith. Those that saw her prodigal spending shook their heads in disappointment but since it was her money, why would they care about it so needlessly? The caravan continued on for several days and since the caravan was protected by at least three squads of mercenaries. No bandit group dared to attack them and their journey went better than they expected. After arriving at the Empire of Eternal Faith. Juliet walked straight towards the Luzon Clan Residence and when she arrived at its towering gates, a small smile lifted on her face. Sweeping her line of sight throughout the entire area, she captured everything that she could around her before taking a deep breath. Summoning the Dagger Intent, an intangible, oppressive power enshrouded Juliet''s body as she transformed right there and now into an Empress that controlled everything under the heavens. Black clouds manifested in the skies and lightning rumbled. The alarming and bizarre appearance of this suffocating might and the ominous clouds that rolled over the skies attracted the attention of everyone within the Empire of Eternal Faith. Staring at the skies, they could see that the clouds encompassed the entire Empire. But the skies were clear beyond its borders. Only the Empire of Eternal Faith was subjected to such an overpowering and overwhelming force that made them lose their souls. "Are these Tribulation Clouds signifying the ascension to the Realm of Divine Emperors? Impossible, these clouds are clearly stronger than that!" A deep voice reverberated inside the Luzon Clan, his voice transformed into waves that fought against the suffocating, all-encompassing aura. "Guah!" The sound of blood splattering echoed within the depths of a towering pavilion, those who heard his cry of pain turned frantic as they hurriedly supported that figure who was none other than the newly-ascended Patriarch of the Luzon Clan. Walking of the pavilion, they all stared at the skies and realized that the black clouds started rolling inwards, from ten thousand miles wide, it became five thousand miles wide until it became the right size for the Luzon Clan. The world inside the Luzon Clan Residence was gloomy and dark yet sunlight still shone just beyond the borders of their gates. "Just what is going on? Is a Divine Emperor attacking us?!" The man clad in purple robes known as Mario Luzon roared, he didn''t understand why such a strong personage actually took the effort to attack their small clan. The black storm clouds that hung in the skies contracted to a thousand miles from its previous size of ten thousand miles. Nevertheless, the oppressive aura that it emanated still consistently ruled over the lands of the Luzon Clan as literally all disciples prostrated to the ground and asked for forgiveness. Under the might of such an expert, struggle was useless. With a single thought, their lives could be extinguished so why would they still struggle? Throwing everything that they had away, even the Elders and guards kowtowed and solemnly asked for forgiveness in hopes that their lives would be spared. Juliet unsheathed the two daggers strapped on each of her thighs and walked before the towering dual-entry gate of the Luzon Clan. Lifting her right hand, she swiped right at the gate and it crumbled into dust amidst a deafening boom. Those who heard the explosion all turned their heads at the crumbled gates and there, amidst the dust was a petite figure clad in a pure white one piece. Her footsteps were slow and light, yet those who saw her moving seamlessly amidst this all-encompassing pressure made them realize that she was the source of this pressure. "Y-Y-You... You''re that bitch, Natalie''s daughter!" An Elder recognized Juliet''s visage as he blurted out loud. When his voice traveled into Juliet''s ears. She made a sidelong glance at him and swiped with her dagger. Without any suspense and under the disbelieving gazes of anyone, the Elder who spoke such blasphemous words found himself flying into the air as blood madly spurted out of his body. His vision swam and madly rotated and when he landed on the ground, he saw his headless body still standing firm and frozen like a statue. "AAAAHHH!" No one knew who started it but Juliet''s actions of instantly killing an Elder figure of the Luzon Clan made the disciples cry out loud in panic, anguish, despair and hopelessness. The ten thousand disciples of the Luzon Clan ran like madmen towards the outside world. But just as they stretched their hand out and moved outside the Luzon Clan Residence, they found that a translucent barrier blocked their way and no matter what they did, they were unable to move away from the residence. Some who still had courage in their hearts summoned their entire cultivation bases and simultaneously attacked the barrier to no avail. Those with weaker hearts slammed their hands on the barrier until they were mangled and bloodied, while those with low cultivation and weaker hearts could do nothing but cry on the ground. Juliet continued walking towards the highest and towering pavilion of the Luzon Clan without an ounce of emotions on her face. She remained indifferent, her eyes merely depicted coldness that could freeze the hearts of anyone that dared to look at her directly. Arriving half-way at the Patriarch''s Pavilion, Juliet lifted her head and saw a bunch of Elders with their cultivation bases rotated to the maximum. Nevertheless, under the suppression of the Dagger Intent, they couldn''t bring out their true power, and with a single swipe from Juliet''s dagger, each and everyone of them uneventfully died with their heads rolling down the stairs. Only the Patriarch of the Luzon Clan was left, even his newly-appointed Grand Elder was killed as Juliet stared right into his eyes and said, "You will live and witness how I''ll slaughter your clansmen..." She whispered into the air before turning around and within a blink of an eye, reappeared above the skies were the disciples gathered. Murderous intent flashing through her eyes, she landed and started her slaughter. Miserable shrieks after miserable shrieks along with furious begging and the dull thuds of banged foreheads reverberated throughout the entire Luzon Clan Residence. women, children and not even livestock were spared from Juliet''s slaughter. "I''ve come to save you, brother!" A dignified voice echoed from the outside world along with the appearance of a middle-aged man that forcefully broke the Dagger Intent''s barrier. Startled, Juliet saw that it was the current Emperor of the Empire of Eternal Faith! Clad in the golden and red robes along with an insignia of a soaring dragon. Danilo Duterte, the Emperor of the Empire of Eternal Faith arrived and took Mario Luzon''s side. However, staring at Juliet''s figure, he said. "Someone as young as you shouldn''t possibly be a Divine Emperor, If me and my advisers were right, you must''ve used a grand formation to form this restrictive and isolating space, right?" Danilo Duterte misunderstood the source of Juliet''s strength, since it was really too unbelievable that someone with the skeletal age as her could have such power. "It''s up to you whether what you want to believe, I just came here for the Luzon Clan''s annihilation and the completion of my revenge. If you, the Emperor would stand on my way, then I would have no other choice but to dispose of you first..." Juliet prepared her daggers and Danilo Duterte summoned his golden sword that accompanied him throughout his entire life. It was the [Sword of Absolute Extinction] The strongest and prized Artifact of the Empire of Eternal Faith. Unsheathing it at this moment meant that he respected Juliet''s capabilities. "I will be using the Sword of Absolute Extinction after such a long time, just for you... Little Girl, be honored..." He said with a conceited smirk before dashing towards Juliet with his sword lifted towards the skies and shining in an undeniable brilliance. Juliet coldly smiled, inside this dreamland, she was the absolute sovereign so there was no way that the Emperor who was dozens of times stronger than the real Juliet could withstand a single exchange against her. Lifting her dagger above her head, sparks flew as she seamlessly received Danilo''s attack to the latter''s surprise and shock. Turning pale with horror, he realized that no matter how much force he used, he couldn''t seem to budge Juliet''s dagger. But just as the idea of retreating came to his mind, Juliet suddenly disappeared before him as a sharp pain assaulted his waist. "Ah..." Danilo Duterte''s eyes bulged outwards, He had never thought that his power that he cultivated for several hundreds of years was actually so insignificant and inadequate in front of this little girl, who was younger than him by dozens of decades. In that moment, he felt his cultivation leaving his body along with his vitality as his figure started drying out from the inside. "Just who are you..." Danilo muttered these words with much difficulty and at this time, he looked like a wasted skeleton, as his Spiritual Energy constantly leaked out into the air. For Juliet, someone as despicable as Danilo should never be spared, she may not be able to do this in reality but in this dreamland, she could simulate his suffering and end, tempering her Dagger Intent in return. Witnessing his comrade in arms dying so miserably under Juliet''s hands. Mario Luzon understood that escape was futile. Taking a deep breath, he gnashed his teeth and said with bitterness surging within his heart. "I understand. With your strength, there''s no way that I could escape, but at the least, before you end my life. Can you at least tell me why you annihilated my clan?" Juliet who was about to end Mario Luzon''s life stopped. Staring right into his eyes, Juliet''s cold eyes sparkled with relief as she said with a whisper. "It''s revenge for what this clan did to my mother... Even if this space is just a simulation, at the least, I managed to avenge her with my own hands..." Her indifferent face finally showed some emotions and it was a smile that deeply engraved itself into Mario Luzon''s soul as Juliet swiped with her daggers, separating his head from his shoulders. A dull thud resonated as Mario Luzon''s headless body tumbled on the ground. The black clouds that rolled above the skies turned clear as the Dagger Intent''s voice whispered into Juliet''s mind. "Are you satisfied? Now that you finally avenged your mother with your own hands and showed me how ruthless yet kind you could become, I''m even more convinced that you truly deserved my Intent..." It honestly praised and Juliet nodded her head. "Yeah, I am satisfied now. Zieve, Papa and Mama should be really worried about me now. Daggy, return me to my body..." Juliet lightly smiled in satisfaction and the Dagger Intent couldn''t help but feel quite awkward to Juliet''s way of addressing it. "Ermmm, Can you now call me Daggy? It sounds quite weird and childish..." It requested and Juliet chuckled. "Copy, Daggy... Just send me back already..." Juliet replied and one could hear the Dagger Intent''s sighs as the scene around Juliet rapidly distorted. 233 Rodger, Vanadis vs Zieve Several days had passed yet the formation that surrounded the Dreamy House Pavilion never faltered nor dissipated. Sitting impatiently in a dark alleyway were Rodger and Vanadis whose expressions murky and somber. They had meditated inside this dark place filled with filth and garbage and they had enough. "Forget about what I said to you several days ago, Vanadis. Let''s forcefully break through the formation..." Rodger said, taking a Heaven Grade Offensive Artifact from his Spatial Ring. He stared decisively at the barrier. The more time they spent outside and without attacking, the closer Juliet would be at the completion of her meditation. It was something that they didn''t want to see. "I understand, Young master but we should at least hide our identity so that they wouldn''t be able to implicate the Imperial Clan if we failed..." Vanadis suggested and Rodger nodded his head. "In that case, you go and create a clone of myself and yours. Make those clone standby inside our Pavilion so that the spies of the Dreamy House wouldn''t feel suspicious about the incoming attack that we''re about to launch at their pavilion..." Rodger instructed and Vanadis complied. Stretching his hand forward, he mumbled a certain incantation and a clone made out of darkness eventually formed right before their eyes. Taking a bunch of Spirit Stones from his Spatial Ring, he dissolved them using his Spiritual Energy and infused it within his clones. With his will, the clones deeply bowed and rushed towards the instructed area like a shadow which gradually disappeared into the darkness. It was currently night so the activity at the Entertainment Block was at its highest. Nevertheless, no one thought of anything weird about the Dreamy House Pavilion. Thanks to the formations that ZIeve used, nothing looked abnormal from the outside. But of course, no one could visit the Dreamy House Pavilion since Zieve ordered a complete lockdown in the guise of a renovation. Rodger and Vanadis stared at each other for a moment before igniting the Artifacts on their person. Their bones crackled and muscles expanded, their figures continuously emanated crunchy crackling sounds as they transformed into completely different people that no one could possibly associate them as Vanadis and Rodger. They transformed into two average middle-aged men that only sought destruction and void. Covering themselves with black, Rodger wore the glove like Heaven Grade Offensive Artifact and activated it with his Spiritual Energy. The glove shone in a brilliant light that Rodger quickly inhibited as he concentrated its strength in a point at the center of his knuckles. The glove that he wore was called the [Volcanic Melting Glove] Using a Volcano''s heart as the core of the Artifact it could melt anything under the heavens if provided with enough energy. Punching at the translucent barrier, it cracked under the immense force and strength. Eventually, a hole big enough to fit an adult could be seen. Nodding at Vanadis, the two of them moved inside the barrier and by the time that they entered, the gaping hole behind them had recovered, indicating how firm and constant was the energy provided for the barrier. Zieve who was in the state of high alert for the past several days felt like someone pinched him at the waist when a part of the barrier that he was managing got broken. It was impossible for a formation to crumble on its own so someone definitely intruded without any invitation. Placing his right hand on his sword at his waist, Zieve swept his gaze across the dimly-lit Pavilion, his eyes narrowed and his knees along with his body were stretched taut like an arrow about to leave the bowstring. "Who''s there? To actually dare to invade a restricted area of the Dreamy House Pavilion, are you really that desperate to court death?" Zieve warned with a shout yet the only reply that he got was the whistling wind and the cold breeze that swept past his body. Rodger and Vanadis heard Zieve''s shout and they proceeded towards the direction of his shout. Crouching, Vanadis prepared his daggers and hidden weapons while Rodger placed his hand on his left waist, in preparation for a quick draw against ambushes. "East, clear. West, clear, and south is also clear... Young master, it seems like we''ve been overthinking these several days, I''m at the Divine Soul Realm so only those at the Divine Ascendance or Divine Emperor Realm could possibly escape my perception. Someone like that is an Elder figure that wouldn''t possibly include himself to the issues of the mortal world..." Vanadis said and Rodger nodded his head in confirmation, after walking so deep inside the pavilion if experts such as what they thought were really present, then they would''ve already been detected. Sighing in relief, Rodger calmed himself as his guard went down. Still holding his sword with his right hand, the two of them proceeded in an even more leisurely pace than before. Walking deeper into the depths of the dark hallway, the two of them continued their journey towards the center of the pavilion. Zieve who protected Juliet from any ambushes stared at a white stone on his palm. The identity of the unassuming stone was a Heaven Grade Illusion Artifact that unknowingly places at least a hundred people into an illusion that they could never escape unless they detected its existence. "I hope this could buy me some time..." Zieve thought in his mind and sat cross-legged on the ground. Now that the intruders has arrived, he didn''t need to be on high-alert level anymore as he worked to recover the best state of mind that he could possibly recover in the shortest amount of time. Rodger and Vanadis maintained the disguise that they had. But it was clearly evident on their expressions that they didn''t look that much cautious than before. After all, they couldn''t detect anyone around them nor any traps that impeded their movements. The darkness of the hallway was all-encompassing and apart from their heightened senses that told them of any obstacles ahead and around of them, nothing gave them information about where they were going and as time passed by, the two of them knitted their eyebrows in astonishment and confusion. "Young master, we''ve been walking for at least fifteen minutes already but we''re still inside this dark hallway..." Vanadis whispered towards Rodger and the latter nodded his head. Although pavilions were huge and spacious, fifteen minutes of walking in a constant pace without reaching the center was too exaggerated. "Vanadis, what''s going on? Did we perhaps enter an independent space separate to the outside world?" Rodger said with a frown, independent spaces were present everywhere but entering it wasn''t so simple. Nevertheless, accidents do happen and if someone entered an independent space, they could get stuck indefinitely. Vanadis locked his eyebrows in thought. Rotating his cultivation base, Spiritual Energy surged and swept across the surroundings. His frown deepened when he realized that nothing seems to be off. The only difference was they felt like they weren''t moving despite the several minutes of walking. "No this is too strange, young master... It feels like something is actively preventing us from getting at the center of the Pavilion..." Vanadis concluded, "Young master, can you lend me your Heaven Grade Artifact for a second? I''m gonna try to forcefully break through the formations around us..." Rodger handed over the [Volcanic Melting Glove] he didn''t feel concerned if Vanadis stole it from him since the latter was his trusted vassal. Donning the gloves, Spiritual Energy surged and a brilliant light along with a searing heat soared towards the skies along with Vanadis''s shrill cry. Punching at the space before him, a cracking sound akin to glass breaking reverberated and the scene around them distorted. From complete darkness, the surroundings transformed into a dimly-lit hallway as Rodger and Vanadis lifted a small smile on their faces. "Damn, they really did us right there, to think that we fell into one of their traps without even noticing it..." Vanadis clenched his fists as anger and humiliation surfaced within his heart. He was a mighty Divine Soul Realm cultivator, someone that stepped a foot towards the peak, yet he was easily led by the nose by someone younger than him. "It''s fine, let''s just tread more carefully than we did, look out for traps from every nook and cranny, make sure that we won''t get implicated by anything until we arrive at the center. The more time we spend inside traps, the more time Juliet has in completing her enlightenment..." Rodger clicked his tongue when he noticed that the seemingly ten minutes of walking was about an hour spent inside that trap compared to the outside world. "I understand, Young master..." Vanadis nodded his head and a solemn expression surfaced on his darkened face. Moving with Rodger in tow, his eyes were as sharp as eagles as he continuously spotted traps one after another. Continuing their pace, they finally arrived at the center of the pavilion after half an hour of cautiously walking. "Both of you are finally here?" Zieve faced them with an indifferent expression on his face. His right hand held his sword at his waist as he swept his gaze at the intruders. Wearing a comical smile, he continued. "You guys don''t really need to wear those disguises since apart from the Imperial Clan, there''s no way that we have enemies that would go so far as to forcefully intrude inside our Pavilion... " Glaring at the petite-framed man, Zieve smirked, "Right? Rodger Duterte of the Imperial Clan?" The small-framed man shook for a moment before decisively discarding his disguise. Vanadis followed suit after a moment of contemplation. After all, since Zieve already knew their identity, why would they still keep their disguise? Rodger unsheathed his sword and Vanadis prepared his jet-black daggers. Both weapons and the armors strapped on the bodies of the two were top-notch Artifacts and Items that only those belonging to an influential background like them could possibly possess. In contrast to their dashing and valiant appearance. Zieve looked miserable and bedraggled, not even mentioning his sword that''s dulled and chipped due to frequent use, just his exhausted and spent countenance alone boosted Vanadis and Rodger''s confidence in defeating him. Behind Zieve, Juliet remained in a trance with two daggers tightly clenched within her palms. Rodger and Vanadis nodded at each other as a surge of Spiritual Energy enveloped the entire hall. "Young master, there are no traces of other people apart from us four, which means, there''s no one protecting Juliet aside from this little bastard..." Vanadis reported and Rodger smirked in conceit and confidence. "In that case, I''ll let you handle that little bastard, I''ll personally handle that bitch over there, I''m gonna make sure that she''s crippled so that there''s no possible way that she can stand up once again..." Rodger declared and the two of them dashed forwards. Vanadis arrived before Zieve while Rodger attacked the formations that protected Juliet. "Hello, little brat, your grandfather, Vanadis is here to cut you up!" Vanadis crazily howled and Zieve assumed a stance. Sparks flew and continuous clanging sounds of metal clashing against metal continuously reverberated in the area. Zieve''s cultivation was two realms lower than Vanadis so if Vanadis used his entire strength. He could easily destroy him in a single move. However, Vanadis didn''t do such a thing. Instead, he played with Zieve, making him dance around his palm like an obedient little puppet. Sweat filled Zieve''s forehead, Vanadis''s expertise and strange movement techniques overwhelmed him even when Vanadis still hasn''t used his entire cultivation base. Gnashing his teeth, Zieve suddenly turned his body mid-attack and stretched his palm outward. Stuck on his opened palm was a piece of yellowish paper which quickly burned upon his command. "Talisman of Raging Fire!" Zieve roared and a ball of fire caught Vanadis off-guard as a miserable shriek reverberated from his throat. Staggering, Vanadis shook his body and disposed of the fire as he glared hatefully at Zieve and said, "You fucking brat! How dare you injure me!" His two daggers formed a whirlpool of air and with a single step, he arrived behind Zieve and stabbed at his vital points. Sensing the imminent danger behind him, Zieve tried to twist his body as fast as he could, but Vanadis''s daggers were just too fast that before he could even start his movements, sharp pains assaulted his back and his body flew forwards like a kite that lost its strings. Bang! Smashing into the wall, dust flew to the air as Zieve repeateadly coughed out dust that intruded his lungs. Glancing at his upper body, he could see faint lights of translucent barriers which protected him from Vanadis''s fatal strike. Vanadis licked his lips, he felt the crisp feedback from the tip of his dagger upon contact with Zieve''s fragile body. Walking towards Zieve with a leisurely face and a confident smile. He said, "What a waste, I hoped that you could''ve entertained me before your death. But it seems like I was just wishfully thinking... See ya in the underworld, Zieve..." "Hmmph, what underworld are you saying? You''re the one that''s gonna go there later!" Zieve stood up like an undead and dashed at Vanadis''s figure. Clad in the light of Artifacts and Talismans, Vanadis hurriedly defended against his attack and an intense close combat battle ensued. Blood trickled out of their wounds and Zieve used the power of Artifacts and Spirit Stones to forcefully skip realms and battle with a Divine Soul expert like Vanadis. WIth each passing second, Vanadis realized that even when he landed fatal strikes at Zieve''s body, the latter didn''t seem to care and he couldn''t seem to deal any substantial damage to Zieve. "Just what the hell is going on? I can feel my attacks hitting him but why can''t I deal any fatal damage to him?!" Vanadis used his arm and wiped the sweat off his forehead. Observing his enemy, his eyes caught a glimpse of dimly-lit yellowish papers tucked underneath Zieve''s robe as he said with widened eyes amidst his realization. "Y-Y-You shameless bastard! You actually have several dozens of Earth Grade Defensive Talismans underneath your robes!" Vanadis couldn''t help but violently curse. Even with his superior cultivation base. The power of dozens of Talismans combined together wasn''t something that he could casually ignore. Zieve lifted a smile on his face, Juliet who was a worrywart always made him wear robes riddled with several dozens of Earth Grade Defensive Talismans. He first thought that Juliet was being wasteful, but in his current situation, he couldn''t thank her enough. "Old man, the winner takes it all and there''s no such thing as being shameless in war!" Zieve pointed his sword outward and burned some Spirit Stones with his other hand. Absorbing the Spiritual Energy, he instantly replenished his Spiritual Energy Reserves in the middle of the battle. "Come, let''s fight!" Zieve''s voice boomed like muffled thunder, shaking Vanadis''s figure as the latter glared hatefully at him before equipping his two daggers. Dashing out, the two struck at each other once again as another round of close combat battle ensued. 234 Steep Battle With both of his daggers in tow, Vanadis''s movements looked strange and unique, ethereal yet tangible and fluid like water, his movements confused Zieve who couldn''t grasp any opening. This wasn''t because Zieve''s cultivation was lower than Vanadis. This was because of the difference between their experiences and techniques. However, Zieve was someone that constantly fought against pressure, using his knowledge and memorization capabilities, Zieve was evolving throughout the battle. Vandis noticed this too but a small disdaining smile lifted on his lips. "I wonder how long can he keep up such a self-sacrificial technique of replenishing his Spiritual Energy." He mused as his arms moved as fast as lightning and constantly pressured Zieve into a retreat. Leaping backwards, Zieve breathed roughly as his left hand crushed another batch of Spirit Stones. Replenishing one''s Spiritual Energy amidst a battle using Spirit Stones wasn''t foreign to any cultivator. However, this kind of absorption was dangerous since the cultivator didn''t spend enough time in cleansing the impurities laden within the Spirit Stones. Normal cultivation required peace and quiet, replenishing one''s Spiritual Energy while in the middle of a battle placed a huge burden on his meridians and dantian. Eventually, the cultivator would collapse from exhaustion or much worse, energy overdraft. "Reddened eyes, ragged breathing and subconscious trembling of the fingers and extremities... Little Zieve, aren''t you afraid of absorbing too much impurities and exploding from the inside?" Vanadis mocked and Zieve trembled for a moment before clenching his fists. Vanadis''s words struck at the center of his problems, but he couldn''t just back-out now and let them do as they please to his benefactor, right? "Shut the fuck up, old man..." Zieve tightly clenched his sword and tried his best to stop his tremors. "Hahaha, such vile words, don''t be so angry at me, Little Zieve, I was just looking after your health, giving you sound advises, you know?" Vanadis chuckled and a sarcastic smile lifted on his lips. Judging from Zieve''s condition, he wouldn''t even last half an hour so why battle against a spent soldier? He could just enjoy mocking him from afar and watch him suffer the consequences of his brash actions. "I said shut the fuck up, old man!" Zieve crazily howled, his voice boomed like deafening thunder. The stress that built up within his mind from cautiously watching after Juliet and looking out for sudden ambushes almost made him crazy. Unsheathing his word, he hacked haphazardly at Vanadis who didn''t even take the effort to block his attacks as he just stood there and casually swayed his body around, evading Zieve''s slashes and dices within a hair''s breadth. "What''s wrong? Are you okay? Your eyes look so red like cherries!" Vanadis said with sarcastic concern on his face, he even stretched his hand towards Zieve''s face but swiftly retracted it when Zieve tried cutting his hand off. "What are you doing? I''m just being concerned, you know? After all, we''ve been good friends ever since you guys made those Garlic Soups, ah right. Thanks to you, rattling your recipe off in public, the Young master and me managed to create our own original concoction based on your recipe!" Vanadis gratefully smiled and slightly bowed his head in appreciation as Zieve''s sword swept past his head''s initial position. Hearing what he said, Zieve stopped for a moment and mumbled. "What did you say? What do you mean rattling off my recipe in public?" Zieve''s expression darkened, ever since he discovered the secret of his Garlic Soup, he had once never spoke his recipe out loud for fear of any spies hearing what he said. "Hooo? So you forgot about it? Didn''t you say the intricacies back then when you were bragging at Juliet when she asked you if you go a Dao Companion?" Vanadis dropped another bombshell and Zieve''s figure stiffened in realization. "Aaaahhh..." Moaning in pain, he clutched his head and kneeled on the ground, "So it was my fault, it was my fault that the Imperial Clan''s Merchandises managed to launch a counter-attack against us on our own field... It was because of my talkativeness and arrogance!" Vanadis merely smirked, he really enjoyed these situations. Seeing his prey, crumble in despair and hopelessness amidst their resentment and hatred right before his eyes provided him with an euphoric bliss that he wanted. Twirling his daggers around his hand, he observed the changes on Zieve''s expression and engraved it into his heart. "Vanadis, what are you doing there? Are you still not gonna kill that brat?!" Rodger who howled amidst his attacks at the formations that protected Juliet. Sparks flew everywhere as beaded sweats filled Rodger''s forehead. "Damn just how many layers of formations did these bastards employed, to think that I''ve been hacking at it for at least half an hour but it''s still not budging!" Rodger gnashed his teeth and continued his all-out assault. "Sigh... Sorry, Little Zieve. The time for playing is over, don''t you worry, okay? Your everything is engraved within my heart and I''ll remember you even after your death..." Vanadis wielded his daggers in a backhand stroke, stomping forwards, he leaped at Zieve and sliced at his throat, aiming to decapitate. "AAAHHH!" Zieve howled towards the skies, his anger and fury boiled his blood as his sword rapidly disappeared from its sheath. Sword lights and shadows flashed. Zieve''s cultivation base madly rotated in an effort to keep up to his Spiritual Energy usage as the two of them engaged in a close combat battle. "What the hell is going on with this kid, why is he becoming fiercer as time passes by? Shouldn''t he be feeling the strain of his wanton absorption of impure Spiritual Energy?!" Vanadis thought in his mind, his arm flashed like mirages continuously deflecting and parrying Zieve''s attack as well as counter-attacking with stabs. Blood spurted out of Zieve''s wounds and it made him look like someone that literally came out of a bloodbath. Despite all the injuries that he suffered and the blood loss, the crazed and determined light within his eyes never wavered and his movements were still as fierce as the wind and as destructive as lightning. "I won''t let you bastards harm even Juliet''s hair as long as I live!" Zieve roared, his footsteps turned complex and his attacks turned into a tempest. Vanadis was gradually becoming unable to defend against his attack as he clicked his tongue and retreated away with a backward step. "You''re still not done with that trash, Vanadis? Hurry up and dispose of that brat!" Rodger commanded, though he kept up his attacks for the last half an hour, not even a crack could be seen on the translucent barrier that surrounded Juliet''s surroundings. Vanadis clicked his tongue in annoyance when he heard Rodger''s words. Staring hatefully at Zieve, he wielded both of his daggers and leaped into the air. Dance of the Night! Vanadis''s merged within the darkness and disappeared. Zieve who lost his target stalled in his movements before quickly turning around and attacking at the empty space before him. Clang! A fierce sound of metal clashing against metal reverberated and Vanadis who failed his assassination attempt stared at Zieve in shock. As someone at the Divine Soul Realm, those with lower cultivation than him shouldn''t possibly detect him whilst he''s in his stealth, yet Zieve easily predicted his movements and caught him off guard. "Bastard... I''m done playing with you!" Vanadis took a deep breath and his entire cultivation base surged forth, forming a tempest around his body which flung Zieve towards the skies, slamming him into the ceiling. A blood arrow exploded from ZIeve''s mouth. His consciousness almost collapsed. Biting the tip of his tongue, the sharp pain awakened his senses and as he fell from the ceiling. He rotated in mid-air and burned more Spirit Stones, replenishing his Spiritual Energy reserves. "You''re still continuing that? Let''s see how long your body can handle such a burden!" Vanadis dashed once again, his short daggers enabled him quick strikes that dealt small wounds on Zieve''s body, while easily evading the latter''s counter-attacks. "What''s wrong? What''s wrong, Little Zieve? Are you feeling sleepy? Why are you slowing down? Here, come here, hit me in the face, hit me in the fucking face!" Vanadis taunted while wildly laughing. "Shut the fuck up!" Zieve made a downward slash that struck nothing. Vanadis''s taunting aggravated his anger as he wielded his sword and dashed at his enemy once again. Realizing that Zieve''s tenacity was greater than he thought, Vanadis shook his head and ignited his cultivation base once more, "Prepare yourself, Little Zieve. Imma let out some steam so I hope that you won''t die..." Vanadis wickedly smiled before his figure disappeared into thin air. Reappearing beside Zieve, Vanadis stabbed at his chest and as Zieve reacted with a horizontal strike, he disappeared once again and reappeared at another location and attacked. Vanadis''s movements boosted with his Divine Soul cultivation proved too fast for Zieve to handle as Vanadis repeatedly stabbed on his body, aggravating his wounds. "I can''t... Not yet... Juliet..." Despite his ironclad willpower, Zieve lost far too much blood as his body finally gave up from the strain and burden that he felt. Crashing on the ground with a dull thud, Vanadis lifted his head and was about to behead Zieve when Rodger''s voice rang. "You''re finally done with that brat? Come here! I feel like we can break this if we do it together!" Vanadis movements stalled and he glanced at Zieve for a moment before rushing towards Rodger. The matter of interrupting Juliet''s enlightenment was higher in priority than killing Zieve. He knew what he ought to do first. Staring at the translucent barrier, Vanadis and Zieve fused their Spiritual Energy together as their energy soared towards the skies. Earth rumbled and booming sounds of the tempest that formed inside the hall eventually converged into a point that Vanadis slammed unto the barrier. Crack... A cracking voice rang out and one could see a palm-size crack spreading out from Vanadis''s palm. Under the all-out attack of a Divine Soul cultivator, not even a Heaven Grade Artifact could withstand his fierce attacks, much less a formation that lost its energy source. Eventually, the crack spread like a spider''s web and covered the entirety of the translucent barrier. With a final palm strike from Vanadis, it collapsed with a defeaning and grating sound as Juliet''s figure was revealed right before their excited eyes. Right after they took a step forward, Juliet''s eyes suddenly snapped open followed by an all-encompassing might and sharpness that enveloped their hearts 235 Juliets Raging Vengeance A suffocating and sharp sensation enveloped the heavens. Vanadis and Rodger staggered in their movements, their eyes widened in shock when they realized that Juliet was already awake. Her eyes that shone in infinite coldness pierced through their hearts. Even Vanadis who was at the Divine Soul Realm felt his heart shake in dread. ''What''s with this little girl, why do I feel so much fear against her...'' He thought and suppressed his trembling body. Rodger had it worse, not only he kept on shivering like a sieve, he couldn''t even get a good grip around his sword as the audible sound of his teeth chattering reverberated amidst the silence. "Is this really that small and naive girl, Juliet?" Vanadis thought in his mind, hardening his resolve, he lifted his head to stare at the space above Juliet where a faint silhouette of a lone dagger silently floated. "AAAHHH!" The moment his gaze landed on that silhouette, his expression changed and he howled in pain while holding his eyes. Staring closely at his palms that held his eyelids, one could see blood dripping out from the gaps of his fingers. "I-I-Is that the Law of the Dagger Intent?" Innumerable Heavenly Laws existed under the heavens and all of them possessed might that mere mortals couldn''t possibly understand. Under the suppression of the Dagger Intent that loomed above Juliet''s head, the two could do nothing as Juliet swept her gaze across the darkened hall. Seeing the fallen Zieve crumbled on the ground with his condition unknown. Juliet''s petite figure started trembling like a leaf. Gulping a mouthful of saliva, Vanadis and Rodget felt fearful of Juliet''s reaction as dread gripped their hearts. Holding on their weapons, the two prepared themselves for Juliet''s attack. "Zieve?" Juliet said, her tone bleak and melancholic as she stepped forward under Vanadis and Rodger''s nervous gazes. Arriving in front of Zieve. Juliet saw his miserable appearance, his robes were torn and his body, riddled with injuries. Particularly, his right arm that was twisted in a weird angle. "What happened, Zieve?" Juliet mumbled in a blank tone, she caressed Zieve''s body and checked for his vital signs. Detecting his shallow breathing. She heaved a sigh of relief before taking several medicinal pills from her Spatial Storage and feeding it to him. Witnessing the light of earth that surrounded ZIeve''s body. Juliet nodded her head and in that moment, she turned away and stared at the figures of Vanadis and Rodger. The two tensed up like cats spotted in the middle of stealing food. Gripping the hilts of their weapons, Vanadis and Rodger bent their knees in preparation for Juliet''s attack as the latter said. "Rodger and that old butler servant... I take it that the two of you are from the Imperial Clan, then?" Juliet''s eyes flashed with sharp lights. Vanadis and Rodger shivered when they felt the look from Juliet''s eyes. It was as if a small little girl wasn''t looking at them but a primordial beast from ancient times. The sense of dread that they felt from the Dagger Intent intensified due to Juliet''s gaze. An audible gulping sound echoed from Rodger''s mouth. His knees subconsciously trembled. Trying his best to suppress his fear. He said, "Y-y-yes, we are indeed from the Imperial Clan..." "The Imperial Clan, I have never once actively offended nor bothered you guys, but you always came after me and even poached my subordinates, along with doing that despicable thing to them..." Juliet''s tone became filled with heaviness that bore down the hearts of the two. "Y-Y-Young master! Quickly, escape! Under the support of the Dagger Intent, there''s no way that we can survive this! At least you... At least you should live!" Vanadis darted at Rodger and warned amidst his gritted teeth. His hands tightened around his daggers and his cultivation base painstakingly rotated under the Dagger Intent''s suppression. Glancing at the faint silhouette above Juliet''s head, he didn''t dare to look too much at it as he concluded that it was indeed one of the Heavenly Law''s avatars. Usually, when a cultivator comprehended one of the Heavenly Laws, that particular Heavenly Law would protect the cultivator against his or her enemies for a short period of time. This happened because back then, so many geniuses perished under the hands of their enemies that took advantage of their enlightenment and killed them. In other words, for as long as they managed to escape today, when the Heavenly Law protecting Juliet dissipated, they could come back and assassinate her once again. But that''s under the condition that they could escape. With Vanadis''s estimation, there''s no way that they could escape unless he sacrificed himself and stalled time for Rodger. After all, enlightenment doesn''t mean that the cultivator could seamlessly use the Heavenly Law that they understood without practice. Rodger made a sidelong glance at Vanadis and calculated the risks and rewards of his suggestions. As someone who valued himself more than others, Rodger understood that the best way to escape the rage of a Heavenly Law was to have Vanadis stall for some time. Gnashing his teeth, Rodger nodded his head and Vanadis burst forth with his entire cultivation base. Using everything that he had, he leaped at Juliet''s body with his daggers forming sharp lights that whistled through the air. Juliet merely glanced at him and coldly laughed, "Using daggers in front of someone that comprehended Dagger Intent. Hmmph, what a foolish move..." She mumbled and with a will on her part, the sharp lights hurled at her turned around and struck Vanadis''s body amidst his widened eyes. "Guah!" "Vanadis!" Vanadis spat a mouthful of blood and he collapsed on his knees. Rodger shouted in worry and anguish. His eyes reddened in resentment and fury as Vanadis stretched attacked the ground with his palm, sending loads of dust into the air, forming a screen which reduced visibility. "Hurry up and escape, Young master!" Vanadis valiantly shouted, discarding his daggers. His Spiritual Energy coated his body and fists and his eyes darted around the area. With his cultivation base, he could still feel Juliet''s presence in front of him, yet a miserable shriek echoed far behind, belonging to Rodger who fell into the ground with a dull thud. "Both of you really are rude, you gatecrashed into my pavilion and injured one of my subordinates. Do you really think that I''ll just let you go like that?" Juliet''s cold voice echoed amidst the darkness and when the dust settled. Vanadis finally saw what happened to Rodger. Lodged in both of Rodger''s knees were two familiar daggers. Vanadis harshly turned to Juliet as the latter lightly chuckled and said, "What are you looking like that at me for? Didn''t you forget that I comprehended the Dagger Intent? It''s only natural that I can control daggers..." She covered her mouth with her right palm and lightly laughed. Dagger Intent, First Form, Ethereal Daggers! Juliet commanded and wind formed into razor sharp blades that swept past Vanadis and Rodger''s figures. Summoning their protective barriers, it did nothing against Juliet''s attack as the two of them miserably shrieked. Not even a Divine Soul cultivator''s defensive barriers managed to defend itself against Juliet''s attack. Despite not using an ounce of Spiritual Energy. The might of the Heavenly Law that descended to protect her alone was enough to send them into despair. "Just what is going on, you''re clearly not using any Spiritual Energy and I''m several Realms higher than you in cultivation, why can''t I defend at all... Is this the true power of a Heavenly Law?" Vanadis couldn''t help but tremble. Taking a parchment from his Spatial Ring, he crushed it within his hands and hurled it at Rodger. "Young master, run away as far as you can and activate that!" Vanadis screamed amidst the sharp pain that wracked his body. Rodger hesitated for a moment before biting his lips. Grabbing the parchment from the ground, he desperately ran towards the opposite direction in all fours. "Interesting, you can go and run wherever you want, Rodger from the Imperial Clan. There''s no way that you can escape..." Juliet mused, her expression revealed indifference and coldness that contrasted the innocence that she had when Vanadis first saw and met her. "Young girl... Just because you have a Heavenly Law as your protector, don''t feel so smug! When that Heavenly Law dissipates, there''s no way that you can escape the Imperial Clan''s retaliation!" Vanadis knew that there was no way that he could survive today''s affair so he violently cursed to spite. Juliet stared at him as if he was a fool, clenching his fists. Vanadis enveloped his fists with Spiritual Energy before stomping on the ground. Dashing at Juliet''s direction, his cultivation base madly rotated against the current of suppression. Dance of the Night! His cultivation method, Night Dancer enabled short bursts of movements that confused enemies, not only that, he could build his attack''s momentum amidst his movements and in the end, he could explode with an amplified force, striking at his enemy for a sure kill. His figure formed mirages and he became untraceable for the naked eye. Spurring dust into the air for added confusion. Vanadis finally launched his attack at Juliet''s side, aiming his fists at her kidney. "Let''s see if you can take this!" Vanadis roared, his cultivation base soared and his fists transformed into shining beacons of light that sparkled so brilliantly amidst the darkness. Puchi! Bang! Two crisps sounds of collision reverberated along with a deafening roar that temporarily robbed everyone of their hearing. When the dust settled, a middle-aged figure could be seen holding his chest. His right shoulder almost torn from his torso and on his right chest, a gaping hole that revealed the scenery behind him could be seen. Dagger Intent, First Form, Ethereal Daggers! Juliet thought in her mind before turning around to look at Vanadis in a conceited manner, "What a foolish move, do you really think that a mere mortal like you could possibly withstand the might of a Heavenly Law?" He spat out venomously. "I did say that there''s no way that the two of you could safely escape this place with your lives intact. It is time to end your life. Be honored to die under the strength of a Heavenly Law..." Juliet declared, swiping with her fingers at Vanadis''s throat, blood splashed on her face as Vanadis''s croaked and groaned before falling into the ground with a dull thud. Even in his death, Vanadis never expected to die under someone decades younger than him. Within his widened eyes. One could see the resentment and hatred that he had against the Heavenly Law that assisted his enemy. Unfortunately, he was already dead, and no dead could tell tales. Rodger saw his subordinates miserable death and he hurriedly ran forward even leaving his shoes amidst his panic. Juliet felt his movements and merely lifted a small smile of amusement. Chasing after him in a leisurely manner, it looked like Juliet was walking in her own backyard instead of chasing her prey. "Damn, what the hell is going on here? Is someone from her clan attacking us from the shadows? There''s just no way... There''s just no way that she''s that powerful! She''s just a goddamned kid for fuck''s sake!" Rodger madly ran away, not minding his steps to the extent that he almost stumbled to the ground. Holding the parchment tightly within his palms. He turned around and when he saw that Juliet wasn''t in his sight. He sighed in relief and ignited the parchment with his Spiritual Energy. Space violently shook and a Spatial Channel appeared in the space before him. Seeing the channel, relief flashed through Rodger''s face and he hurriedly leaped inside it. But just as his body entered the Spatial Channel and escaped through Spatial Tunneling, razor sharp winds battered his figure and he spat a mouthful of blood. At that moment at the Duterte General Merchandises, the customers who lined up and the employees who managed the store was astonished and horrified to find the corpse of their employer, Rodger Duterte at the entrance of their pavilion. One could see on his face that he died a miserable and unexpected death. Full of grievances and resentment, Rodger Duterte''s life came to an end under Juliet Longinus''s hands. 236 The Imperial Clan Moves The Imperial Clan''s Region covered at least fifty hectares of land, housing not only those who had the bloodline of the Emperor but those upper-ranked nobles that stayed loyal to the Emperor. Inside a wide hall protected by dozens of Heaven Grade Artifacts, one could see a shelf that spanned at least a hundred meters. Placed on the shelfs were numerous jadeslips that mysteriously shone amidst the darkness. Below the jadeslips were plaques that had names of the owners writted in flamboyant calligraphy. It was clear that this room housed soul jadeslips. Soul Jadeslips were jadeslips that contained a thread of the owner''s soul. Once the owner died, the Soul Jadeslip in question would crack and dissipate into dust upon losing its source of energy. The lined up jadeslips that shone in an ethereal and dreamy light looked fascinating to the eyes. However, if one looked closely, they could see a single jadeslip that broke this line of lights. It was the jadeslip belonging to Rodger Duterte. In contrast to the others. His jadeslip was filled with fissures and the light within it had obviously dimmed. The cracks that spread on its surface indicated that it was about to return to dust like its owner. "T-T-This can''t be... A member of the Imperial Clan... Someone possessing the bloodline of the Emperor was actually killed?!" The old man who guarded the Hall of Souls saw Rodger Duterte''s jadeslip and hurriedly approached it with hastened footsteps. Sending a thread of Spiritual Energy into the jadeslip. Images flashed through the old man''s eyes, revealing Rodger''s final moments in this world. Clenching his fists, the old man''s eyes flashed with a hateful glare. His gaze flashed with hardened resolve and swiftly disappearing from the room, he reported this event to the Emperor himself. "Someone within the Paradyne Academy comprehended the Dagger Intent and killed a member of the Imperial Clan... Good! Good! Good! It seems like people have been looking down on the might of the Imperial Clan..." A terrifying might exploded towards the skies and everyone within the Imperial Clan''s Region felt the suffocating pressure that carried with it an undeniable Imperial Aura. Everyone within the Region quickly knelt on the ground and prostrated. Displaying their submission to the Emperor''s Authority. Danilo Duterte almost crushed his armrests. Both of his arms bulged with veins that looked as thick as tree roots. His became violent and purple from anger. The old man who reported the news started shaking like a sieve. Suppressing his fear by gulping a mouthful of saliva. He didn''t dare to lift his head lest he suffers the Emperor''s anger. "Kalan! Summon the Golden-Clawed Guards! Make sure that they are here in half an hour. Those that don''t follow my instructions shall be executed!" Danilo Duterte roared and the old man, named Kalan who knelt on the ground, hurriedly lifted his head and bowed before disappering from the Throne Room to act on the Emperor''s decree. In the next several minutes, literally the entire Empire of Eternal Faith trembled in nervousness and apprehension. The Emperor''s enraged roar not only reached Kalan. It also extended throughout the entire Imperial Clan''s Region and those who heard his voice started praying for their safety. The current Emperor of the Empire of Eternal Faith, Danilo Duterte was a man known for his shrewd mind and composure. There was moment in his life where he had to execute his own brother using his own hands. According to witnesses, throughout the entire execution. Danilo Duterte never batted an eyelid nor cried in sorrow. It was rare to see him erupt in anger. But when that happened, a bloodbath never failed to happen. However that wasn''t the reason why everyone was so shaken. It was because his tone contained far more unprecedented resentment and bottled-up fury. Just from that alone, one could imagine the incoming storm. In the airspace above the Empire of Eternal Faith. Dozens of brilliant lights that looked as bright as the sun manifested and surged towards the Imperial Clan''s Region. Cultivators that had substantial cultivation visibly trembled while those with weaker cultivation couldn''t help but fall on the ground. "T-T-That''s the Golden-Clawed Guards of the Imperial Clan! They are scattered throughout the entire continent and seldom summoned! However, legends say that once they are summoned, a fierce bloodbath and cleansing would ensue!" An old cultivator that had far greater wisdom and experience than the others announced, astonishing and shaking the hearts of those who heard his announcement. Within the next few minutes, the Empire automatically went into a lockdown, all establishments refused customers and the city gates denied visitors. Mortals took cover in their houses, hoping that they wouldn''t be involved in the incoming battle between cultivators while those with lower cultivation huddled together inside the Adventurer''s Guild of the Empire. Each and every citizens focused their anxious gazes at the Imperial Clan''s Region, hopeful for a peaceful resolution. Lined along the sides of the Throne Room were twelve Golden-Clawed Guards of the Empire of Eternal Faith. Their faces stoic and unyielding. Their eyes cold and indifferent, not revealing any hint of emotions at all. Standing at the center of this procession was Kalan who knelt down and announced. "Your Majesty, the twelve Golden-Clawed Guards of the Empire of Eternal Faith has arrived. They are here to pay homage to the Emperor and obey his decree..." Kalan deeply bowed and retreated silently to the back. Danilo Duterte, his Majesty swept his gaze at the Golden-Clawed Guards. Nodding his head in approval, he clasped his hands together below his chin and his expression turned complex and solemn. "Today, Kalan, the guardian of the Hall of Souls reported that a Soul Jadeslip, belonging to one of my direct descendants has dimmed out..." When the Emperor''s voice rang out, the Golden-Clawed Guards that remained composed all this time finally showed hints of emotions of disbelief within their eyes. They couldn''t believe that someone actually dared to challenge the Emperor''s authority as their eyes narrowed in utmost killing intent and the desire for slaughter. As someone assigned to the honorable job and title of a Golden-Clawed Guard, they had absolute loyalty to the Emperor and were willing to sake their lives for his sake. "Kalan immediately probed and realized that the bastard who killed a direct descendant of mine came from the Paradyne Academy, one of our greatest nemesis..." When Danilo declared these in front of them, the Golden-Clawed Guards were astonished for a moment before seething in anger. They hated the Paradyne Academy to the extent that they didn''t want to exist under the same sky. As a result, these seasoned men who seldom revealed emotions trembled from the fury and indignance that bubbled within their hearts. "I know that you are angry, and so do I. In the past, I never challenged the Paradyne Academy''s intrusion and authority despite the fact that they were foreign intruders that came from the other continents. Respecting their strength, I gave them autonomous authority and allowed their operations, but what did they do?" Danilo turned silent for a moment before continuing, "They killed our brothers, sisters, parents and mothers, all for the sake of solidfying their position as the so-called absolute authority and what''s more, in our own Empire!" Danilo started shaking from emotions and seeing their sovereign trembling like a leaf. His men, the members of the Golden-Clawed Guards were also affected. "We suffered in silence and let them do whatever they wanted with us. But now, enough is enough. They had continuously provoked and challenged us yet we still remained pacifists, making them feel conceited about themselves. But now, enough is enough..." Slamming his hands on his armrests, it exploded into smithereens as Danilo continued: "I had enough of this humiliation! After seeing one of my direct descendants die inside their region and by the hands of their disciples, I have finally understood that there''s no way backing out from the fight could solve everything..." "Right now, we will go for war, we will go for war until we reached the answers that we needed from the mouths of their leaders themselves... Gentlemen, follow me. Raise the banners of the Empire, for today, we shall lay siege to our enemies..." Danilo stood up and flicked his robes. "Yes, Your majesty!" The twelve Golded-Clawed Guards simultaneously howled. Their voices echoed like muffled thunder and their bodies radiated fierce battle intent and the desire of complete annihilation for their enemies. Lifting their war banners and with Danilo, the Emperor himself at the forefront, each and every citizen of the Empire of Eternal Faith stared fearfully at the direction of the Paradyne Academy. Silently hoping in their hearts that everything wouldn''t escalate and settle peacefully. At the Gates of the Paradyne Academy, it was the same average day for the disciples that guarded the entrance of the Academy. Playing some board games and joking with each other, they looked leisurely and unfettered. "Break that Gate down!" That was until a fierce voice rang out, along with a might that instantly swallowed their consciousness as their bodies fell to the ground with a dull thud. Panic ensued around the area and the disciples who saw what happened immediately reported it to their Senior Brothers and their Senior Brothers reported it to the Elders until it reached the ears of Mathias, the Headmaster of the Paradyne Academy. Atop the tallest mountain peak inside the region of the Paradyne Academy. Mathias stood there, clad with pure white robes. His expression looked nonchalant but when a voice transmission informing him of the Empire''s invasion struck his ears. His lips lifted into a smile as he whispered into the air. "War... Is this what you really desire for? Old geezer..." 237 Both Sides Raises their Flags "Isn''t that the Golden-Clawed Guards of the Imperial Clan?! What are they doing here, are they going to start a war against us?!" "Oh shit! It''s the Golden-Clawed Guards, everyone retreat! Those with cultivation lower than the Divine Soul Realm must retreat at all costs!" "Get the fuck away from the Southern Gate, inform the Elders about what''s going on here!" The Golden-Clawed Guards summoned their entire cultivation base and wrecked havoc inside the Paradyne Academy. Buildings crashed and disciples who ran too late were cut down into minced meat. Blood drenched the ground and the smell of rust circulated in the air. "It''s the Imperial Clan! The Imperial Clan is killing everyone!" The disciples at the distance saw the scene of carnage and suppressed the urge to vomit. Though they frequently killed, they never once slaughtered humans in such scale. In this case, this couldn''t even be called a slaughter. It was more like a genocide. Resplendent beams of rainbow lights flew towards the distance. Their speed didn''t resemble average disciples for they ran as desperately as they can away from the Golden-Clawed Guards. "Strike them down..." Danilo coldly ordered and a Golden-Clawed Guard stretched his hand towards the skies and an illusionary palm made from Spiritual Energy descended and crashed unto the figures of the desperate disciples. Blood gushed madly like broken dam and when the palm slapped on the ground, they were turned into meat pastes. "Rush forwards, first squad guard the left flank, second squad at the right flank, and third squad at the back. Remaining members shall follow me!" Danilo calmly commanded and the Golden-Clawed Guards complied with a cold shout of affirmation. The Southern Gate housed the Commerce Block of the Paradyne Academy and most people that lived there were commoners that had nothing to do with the Academy so they were spared. But those wearing the robes of the Academy on the other hand, suffered the most as they died miserable deaths. "Who dares to attack the Paradyne Academy?" A surge of Spiritual Energy appeared along with a might that suppressed a Golden-Clawed Guard from killing a disciple. The disciples stood in shock for a moment before running towards the opposite direction. "Master Mein!" At the distance stood an old man clad with the robes of the Paradyne Academy. Noticing Danilo''s presence, the old man scoffed and said. "Danilo Duterte? The current Emperor of the Empire? Do you really think that just because you possess such a prestigious title that you could do whatever you want? In the end, strength matters and without it, everything that you do is completely useless!" Mein summoned his entire cultivation base and a tempest formed around his body. Every Elders within the Paradyne Academy had high comprehensions regarding the laws of Incinerating Fire. His body blazed and shone with a brilliance comparable to the sun. The ground where he stepped on melted like mercury as Mein pushed his palm outwards and said. "Great Incineration!" A volley of flames burst forth into a cone before his figure, rushing towards the Golden-Clawed Guards and Danilo, the flames alone contained heat that could melt steel. Paired with the Spiritual Energy infused within the attack, one could predict that those under the Divine Soul Realm couldn''t possibly survive. Danilo and the Golden-Clawed Guards stared at the incoming flames as the scenery around them turned scarlet. Knitting his eyebrows, he unsheathed his sword and sword lights flashed as the volley of flames were dissected into five different parts. "Five Slashes of Light..." Danilo mumbled as he sheathed his sword. The dissected volley of flames dissipated into nothingness just before it could reach his face. Despite the absolute difference in strength to the extent that his attacks were easily dissipated. Mein still remained indifferent and composed. Compressed between his palms was a concentrated ball of flames, compressed to the limits until they reached the size of a soccer ball. "I''m not done, yet!" Mein grunted and pushed the beam of flames towards Danilo''s direction. Purifying Flame of Incineration! The Golden-Clawed Guards were about to move and defend their Emperor when Danilo stopped them with his hands. "None shall interfere, the humiliation that I suffered back then, shall be paid today in full!" Danilo roared out and unsheathed his sword, five arcs of sword lights manifested and the beam of flame couldn''t even reach him as they exploded into a wall of flame that covered Mein from behind. Mein who saw what happened immediately manipulated his attack to form a wall that would provide cover for them. Carrying the disciple earlier on his shoulders. Mein stepped on the ground and flew towards the distance. The Golden-Clawed Guards moved to pursuit but Danilo stopped them. "Let them run away, running away is the proof that they''re the prey..." Danilo declared and the Golden-Clawed Guards couldn''t help but gulp a mouthful of saliva when they saw the coldness on his dignified face. They knew that Danilo was a ruthless ruler but it was the first time that they saw their Emperor acting so cold and apathetic. Nodding their heads, each and everyone of them finally understood the implications and consequences of Rodger''s death. Hardening their resolves, they steeled their hearts and marched onwards, Towards the direction of the Outer Disciples Region. Above the airspace of the Paradyne Academy. Mein suppressed the violent heaving of his chest by taking deep breaths one after another. He acted tough earlier but facing the might of Danilo clad with the prized treasures of the Empire and with a cultivation at the Divine Ascendance Realm. Mein knew that he had no chance of defeating Danilo in his current state. The only one that could possibly defeat him was the Headmaster of the Academy, Mathias Paradyne himself. Arriving at the Outer Disciples Region, the disciples who heard the earlier warning had already evacuated away so when the Golden-Clawed Guards and Danilo arrived. All they saw was a vast plain filled with empty houses. "Bombard it away, make sure that no houses are left standing..." Danilo commanded and the twelve Golden-Clawed Guards flew towards the skies. Their peak Divine Soul cultivation transformed the vast plain into a place of destruction and oblivion where life couldn''t possibly exist. At the Inner Disciples Region on the other hand, droves of disciples gathered with uneasiness and apprehension visible on their faces. After hearing that the Golden-Clawed Guards and the Emperor of the Empire of Eternal Faith himself came for war. They all understood that there''s no way that they could influence the battlefield with their measly strength. "Everyone calm down, let us all evacuate in an orderly manner! Remember only disciples of the Paradyne Academy can go inside the Core Disciples Region! As for commoners we''re gonna have to ask you to stay here with your family and belongings!" An Inner Disciple shouted. His voice rang loud and clear and boomed like muffled thunder. The disciples'' expression brightened while the commoners who heard his announcement revealed displeased and hopelessness on their faces. In times like this, cultivators were prioritized for their strength while they were abandoned out here to die. One of the commoners who couldn''t hold his resentment, shouted: "How despicable of you guys to leave us commoners here to die! Are you really that selfish! We''re still of the same species! Don''t you have compassion!" The disciples who heard his voice turned stone cold and the atmosphere in the area turned chilly. The guy who shouted earlier stiffened and realized the consequences of his actions. With trembling knees, he bowed his head down and silently retreated lest he provoked the anger of these dragons. "The commoners need not to worry about their well-being. It is stated under the Genesis Convention that in wars between cultivators, commoners shouldn''t be harmed. I don''t think that the Imperial Clan will go against the Convention so each and everyone of you guys will be safer than us..." The Inner Disciple consoled the still unconvinced commoners. But what could they do? They were merely mortals that had no power nor influence over the battlefield. Silently retreating to their homes, some mortals that had money brought some Human Ranked Talismans and Artifacts that could hopefully save them from the debris of the inevitable battle. Inside the Outer Disciples Region, thousands of Disciples lined up with their expressions solemn and pensive. Despite the huge numbers of people that gathered in this region. The vast plain was eerily quiet. None dared to speak as Mathias Paradyne made his entrance up above the skies. "Everyone hear my command!" Mathias softly whispered yet his mumble rang out like thunder that silenced and stiffened everyone that dared to move nor speak under his presence. With all eyes on him. Mathias nodded his head in satisfaction and continued. "The Imperial Clan who has always been our greatest enemy has finally reached a boiling point in their temper and launched a preemptive attack against us... Danilo Duterte, the current Emperor and his Golden-Clawed Guards personally came to the Southern Gates and slaughtered at least a hundred Outer Disciples from the Academy." Each and every disciple including the Elders who remained ignorant about the scale of the Imperial Clan''s attack stared with widened eyes at their Headmaster. They expected some damages but the number of casualties wasn''t something that they expected. Clenching their fists, emotions awashed these disciples including the Elders. Each and every disciple no matter what rank nor prowess they had was someone whom they treated as their brothers. The resentment that they had in their hearts intensified. Staring at Mathias, the latter could see the burning intent of battle and slaughter within his disciples'' eyes as he nodded his head and continued with a shaking voice. "Since time immemorial, the Paradyne Academy has considered every disciple as a family member. Seeing one of our own dying, my heart can''t help but clench and tremble in sorrow and hatred..." "Unfortunately, the enemy is strong, stronger that not just anyone can possibly handle them... That''s why I will have to ask every disciple to retreat and stay calm and at all times. That''s the only way that you can help us Elders in the upcoming battle..." Unsheathing his sword, Mathias pointed towards the Southern Gate and declared. "The enemies are fast approaching and I can''t afford to waste our time like this. As the Headmaster of the Paradyne Academy, I ask for your best wishes and hope that I can be successful in repelling or cutting our enemies down..." Mathias swept his gaze across the Elders and nodded. "Elders, follow my lead, we shall go to the battlefield!" He declared and along with the dozens of Elders of the Paradyne Academy. Their figures transformed into resplendent rainbow beams that flew towards the direction of their enemies. 238 Reunion and Quagmire The Golden-Clawed Guards and Danilo surveyed the Outer Disciples Region and every disciple of the Paradyne Academy that they found were instantly killed. Either turned into meat pastes or dissipated into dusts. As for the mortals, Danilo and his subordinates spared them. After all, they weren''t demonic cultivators that involved commoners to battles. Everyone of the Golden-Clawed Guards and even Danilo himself were dressed with Heaven Grade Artifacts from head to toe even if they stood there and someone with a cultivation at the Peak of Divine Soul Realm attacked them, they couldn''t possibly suffer any injuries with the protection of these Artifacts. Surveying the area, Danilo''s line of sight landed at the distance where the Entertainment Block was located. Riddled with towering buildings and pavilions and the dazzling sparkles of colorful decorations that looked enchanting to the eyes, it wasn''t that hard to spot the Entertainment Block even with the distance of ten kilometers. "That''s the place where my direct descendant died..." Danilo mumbled and he turned around in mid-air. His subordinates also stopped at followed his line of sight. Comparing the information that he had from Kalan. Danilo nodded his head and said, "That''s definitely the place, since that''s far from the borders of the Inner Disciples Region, most of the disciples there shouldn''t have escaped yet and as for that killer, I have my ways to find her..." Rotating his cultivation base, consecutive deafening booms reverberated as him and his subordinates surged towards the direction of the Entertainment Block. .... Back at the Fragrant Peak Pavilion. Natalie, Grace and Dan all stood together with solemn expressions on their faces. Their figures looked stronger and full of vitality if compared to what they looked like several months ago. If a cultivator was there and closely observed their figures, that cultivator would know that all three of them were at the Realm of the Divine Soul. "People from the Imperial Clan is attacking?" The three of them never heard Mathias''s announcement nor the commotion that occurred around them since they were in the middle of their secluded meditation. But when the aura of a Divine Ascendance Realm cultivator and numerous Divine Soul Realm cultivators surged. They detected it even when they were far away. "Yeah, there''s no mistaking it, only the members of the Imperial Clan could possibly emit such righteous auras that disdained the darkness..." Grace nodded his head in confirmation, her fair countenance knitted in worry. "Indeed, I studied some things about the Imperial Clan when I knew that Juliet was about to face them. According to those books, the Imperial Clan should have the strongest and purest righteous auras in the entire Empire due to their cultivation method..." Natalie supported her sister''s claims and Dan nodded his head. "In that case, what are we still doing here? A battle between experts at their scale aren''t something that we can casually intervene in... Since they''re attacking, our fellow disciples must''ve retreated...." Dan hurried them outside to retreat, glancing at Vincent''s room at the door directly opposite to them, Dan didn''t discover any traces of life. "Damn that Vincent why didn''t he told us that something is happening in the outside world, if not for the fact that we detected the Imperial Clan''s invasion from so far away, we would''ve been so clueluess and kept on cultivating!" Dan cursed Vincent''s cold-bloodedness as Natalie chuckled behind him. "Well, if you were so welcoming to him when he visited at that time, he may have informed us today..." "Yeah, that''s right, Dan. You were definitely rude at that time..." Grace lightly laughed and teased. "Leave me alone! Hmmph, such a small-minded guy..." Dan coldly snorted and shrugged. Turning the topic away from Vincent, Dan asked in curiosity. "Since you detected their auras from so far away, can you still detect them, Grace?" He turned to look at Grace and the latter nodded her head, saying. "Unnn, as of now..." Grace closed her eyes for a moment and after a long pause. She opened them once again and said with an uncertain voice, "They''re heading for the direction of the Entertainment Block... In their pace, they''ll arrive there in less than five minutes..." She casually said these words with a nonchalant expression but when Natalie and Dan heard what she said, their eyes widened in shock as they simultaneously shouted. "Entertainment Block?!" "Entertainment Block? Isn''t that the place where Juliet is staying with her business?" Dan asked in a queer voice and Grace finally realized something critical. "Shit! They''re going for the Entertainment Block! We must make sure that Juliet has escaped or else those bastards may dispose of her!" Grace''s expression turned ashened. Natalie and Dan immediately ignited their Blessing of the Lightning God. Lightning crackled around their bodies as the three of them stomped on the ground. Flying towards the horizon while leaving a deafening roar on their wakes. All three wished in their hearts that they could arrive faster than the Imperial Clan. .... ZIeve laid on a soft matress with his body covered in bandages. Lightly groaning, he raised his upper body as Juliet ran towards him with worry visible on her visage. "You shouldn''t try to sit, yet! Your injuries are still fresh!" Juliet scolded and when Zieve saw her teary expression, he bitterly smiled. Remembering the events that happened back then, he realized and understood that he acted recklessly without thinking of the consequences. Fortunately, Juliet saved him in time or else he would''ve been travelling on the Yellow Springs, lining up for Grandma Meng''s soup. Scratching his head awkwardly, Zieve said in a tone that didn''t know whether to laugh or to cry. "Ermmm, I''m sorry about what happened back then, Juliet..." His lips twitched as Juliet puffed her cheeks and dashed to his torso with a tight embrace. "You idiot! You shouldn''t have done such a thing! What if you died, ah! If you really died because of your stupidity and recklessness then I would''ve fed your body to the dogs, letting you die without a proper burial!" Juliet tightened her hug around Zieve, not letting him go, afraid that he may disappear from her arms. "Ouch, Owww, Damn that hurts... Juliet... I''m still wounded, you know? Can you please loosen your hug..." Zieve requested, his face filled with suffering as he repeatedly hissed in pain. Despite Juliet''s violent cursing, Zieve felt a warm and sour sensation rise up to his throat as he reciprocated her hug. "Okay, I promise ah, I won''t do that thing anymore... But I can''t promise that I won''t stake my life if you''re the one in danger..." He whispered in a mellow voice that looked any trace of deceit. Upon realizing what he said. His eyes widened in shock for he unknowingly mumbled the honest feelings in his heart. Juliet lifted her head and stared at Zieve. Her shoulders intermittently trembled from the overflowing emotions that surged from her heart. Teardrops, great teardrops streamed down her eyelids and at this moment. The terrifying young woman that comprehended the elusive Dagger Intent and beheaded two members of the Imperial Clan without a trace of emotions acted so amiably and obediently like a child in front of Zieve. "Ah, no... Please don''t do this... Ah! Please don''t cry..." It was the first time that Zieve encountered someone crying, much more a young woman. Flailing his hands awkwardly in the air, Zieve''s lips twitched and a crooked smile emerged on his lips. After several minutes of being stuck in such an awkward position. A deafening roar reverberated above the skies of the Dreamy House Pavilion. Lightning crackled and three familiar auras emerged with painted a smile on Juliet''s face as she hurriedly stared above. "It''s Papa and Mama!" Juliet blurted out with excitement and Zieve also followed her line of sight. There, floating behind the hole of the ceiling were the figures of Dan, Natalie and Grace. Surrounded by Lightning, they looked incomparably valiant and dashing as they descended like Sovereigns from the heavens. "Hooo, we only left Juliet with you for two months but it seems like you''ve grown some balls. Actually daring to make my daughter sit on your lap like that..." Dan''s face looked as dark as a kettle''s bottom and his eyebrows tightly knitted. Grace lightly laughed to his reaction and said, "Here you are again acting so overprotective, Juliet isn''t a little girl anymore, you know? She''s grown into a fine woman and she''ll eventually spread her wings and travel with her husband, right?" Grace glanced at Zieve and winked which made the latter bitterly smile. Natalie and Dan stared at each other and nodded their heads. Juliet was the prized treasure of the family and if someone courted her, they would definitely make sure that he''s fitting to be her husband and had the capabilities to protect her. Natalie sized Zieve like a predator staring at its prey. Crossing her arms, her countenance turned cold and Zieve felt a shiver down his spine. She remembered that Juliet had the same stare like Natalie when she was angry. "Damn. The phrase, like mother, like daughter really is true... So Juliet inherited her fierceness to her mother?" Zieve thought in his mind as Dan declared. "Now is not the time for jokes, after everything is over and done, we will surely have a serious talk..." Dan made a sidelong glance at Zieve before directing his gaze towards the hole above the ceiling. "Have you guys not received the news about the evacuation that the Paradyne Academy declared? Why are the two you still here?" Dan asked with knitted eyebrows and Juliet replied in a soft voice. "Papa, we received the news but Zieve was severely injured enough that transport may worsen his injuries so I decided to stay here with him... Please don''t blame him about anything..." Juliet pleaded and Dan lifted an eyebrow for before replying. "I am not so petty, Juliet... Zieve has done well protecting you from the bastards of the Imperial Clan to the extent that he was even willing to sacrifice his life for your safety... Tell me, why would I blame such a man like him?" Dan shrugged and Natalie made a queer chuckle and poked directly at Dan''s weak spot. "You''re being so eloquent and self-righteous, Dan. But aren''t you just jealous about Zieve...?" Natalie emphasized the word "jealous" for added effect and Dan glared at her, "Jealous?! Me? Hmmph! Why would I be jealous? What a joke!" "Okay, okay, you really aren''t jealous.... Let''s just hurry up and evacuate lest the Golden-Clawed Guards and the Emperor catch up to us and prevented our escape..." Grace also chuckled and advised. Dan puffed his cheeks while Natalie and Grace covered their mouths with their palms to muffle their laughter. Juliet wore a smile of amusement on her face as she casually sat on Zieve''s lap. "Just what the hell is with this family..." Zieve mumbled into the air, when he heard Grace''s announcement about the incoming Golden-Clawed Guards and the Emperor, he was scared silly and almost leaped from fear if not for Juliet who sat on his lap. "That''s the Golden-Clawed Guards, you know! Possessing strength at the Peak Divine Soul Realm! Not only that, the Emperor himself has invaded the Academy! How can these people be so calm..." Zieve thought in his mind and took a moment to calm himself down. Though he couldn''t believe nor understand how they could act so leisurely and composed. He was gradually infected by their joyful mood as a small smile lifted on his face. Rotating their cultivation bases, all five of them floated in the air. Turning towards the direction of the Core Disciples Region. Juliet, Grace, Natalie and Dan ignited their cultivation method as Lightning surrounded their body. In the past months of training, Dan and his two wives gained substantial benefits but as a man, Dan acquired the most benefits out of the two. Stomping into the air, all five of them soared as consecutive sonic boom shook the air. But before they could even fly far, an all-encompassing might enveloped the heavens and each and everyone of them felt like they were stuck in a quagmire. "T-t-this aura... There''s no mistaking it..." Zieve paled in horror and turning around, the five of them saw the figures of the Golden-Clawed Guards along with Danilo whose eyes denied the existence of distance and landed squarely on Juliet''s figure as he howled in a voice filled with utmost killing intent. "So you''re the one..." "You''re the one that killed my son!" 239 Absolute Difference in Realms All five of them stalled in mid-air. Each and everyone of them wore solemn and pensive expressions on their faces. Zieve and Juliet felt suffocated and gasped for air. Their faces turned pale and sorrowful. Flicking his wrist at the two, Dan enveloped them in his aura and their faces regained redness and color. Staring back at Danilo Duterte''s direction, he and his wives couldn''t help but tremble in mid-air. Particularly, Dan and Natalie who thought of the events back at that day where the Emperor and the Headmaster engaged on showdown. Under the might of a Divine Ascendance Realm cultivator that could tear and collapse spaces with their bare hands. Resisting was a wishful thinking. Gulping a mouthful of saliva, Dan and Natalie hurriedly turned at Grace as the former shouted. "Quick, combine our cultivations together and resist!" The three of them instantly ignited their cultivation bases to the utmost limit as the skies dimmed and the Earth trembled. Cultivators at the Divine Soul Realm had transcended their mortal roots and stepped on the threshold of the Divine way. With a will, they could slice mountains in two and drain the boundless ocean of its water. That''s how powerful they were. And paired with the fact that three cultivators at that realm combined their strength together, the effects were unimaginable. Black clouds rolled overhead and thunder rumbled as lightning wildly danced within the clouds. The air turned murky and Zieve along with Juliet couldn''t stop their bodies from trembling. Although it wasn''t the first time that they felt such absolute power, they didn''t expect that a human with enough cultivation could possibly possess such strength. "T-T-This power... This is like what I felt from your Dagger Intent..." Zieve whispered towards Juliet who snuggled into his chest out of fear. Juliet raised her head and nodded her head. "Yes, this power definitely resembles the Dagger Intent''s Heavenly Law. Thought it is weaker, it''s the same concept... To think that Papa and Mama could emit such terrifying might..." Juliet couldn''t hold back her shock and excitement from showing within her tone. She was happy that her parents were that powerful. "Three Divine Soul Cultivators at the Initial Stage... How dare you stand in the way of someone that has thoroughly trascended the limits!" Danilo roared out loud and boundless power that denied all resistance swept from his body and surged towards the direction of the five. [Warning: Power at the Peak of Divine Ascendance Realm has been detected!] [Chances of surviving: .10%! [Suggestion: Get the fuck away and run for your life!] Blaring red warning signs along with a mechanical voice that announced the Assassination System''s evaluation about Danilo''s attack reverberated inside Dan''s mind. Gnashing his teeth, he made a sidelong glance at his daughter and decided. No matter what happens, he couldn''t possibly abandon them! They were his family! "More, faster! Use everything that you have to resist!" Dan madly howled, Natalie and Grace placed everything that they had to form a transparent three-meter barrier. Repeatedly reinforcing it with their might, not even cultivators at the same realm could possibly destroy such a barrier. But it was different in the case for their enemy today. After all, Danilo Duterte, the Emperor of the Empire of Eternal Faith wasn''t someone that could be underestimated. His cultivation alone was at the peak Divine Ascendance Realm and along with the Artifacts that he had, that amplified his might. Even Dan couldn''t imagine his strength! Danilo''s attack that looked as powerful as the ocean and as endless as the rivers appeared in the form of an intangible wave that threatened to swallow them whole! Gnashing his teeth, all three of them bit the tip of their tongue and spat a mouthful of blood essence into their barrier which immediately turned crimson. Bang! A defeaning roar reverberated along with pain-filled groans. Dan who resisted the brunt of the attack spat a mouthful of blood. His shoulder blades were torn off yet he kept on resisting the attack that battered their barrier! Natalie and Grace that stood behind and acted as cushion for Dan weren''t well-off either! All two of them spat huge mouthfuls of blood as their faces turned pale from over-exertion. Natalie sprained both of her ankles while Grace tore a ligament at her knee. "Fuck off!" Dan madly howled and Lightning surged from his body as he forcefully slapped Danilo''s attack to the side. The intangible wave diverted its course and landed on the buidlings as another deafening roar reverberated in the skies! Huffing and puffing, Dan glanced at his two wives and anger rushed to his eyes when he saw their miserable appearances. Fortunately, his daughter wasn''t injured or else Dan wouldn''t know what he would do. "Zieve, Juliet... The two of you should go away as far as you can. Remember, do not fight back, just rush to the direction of the Core Disciples Region..." Dan instructed and handed over a Spatial Ring filled with Talismans and Artifacts. "Use everything inside that Spatial Ring to survive. Remember, Zieve... You must protect my daughter at all costs..." Dan tapped Zieve''s shoulder and passed on the responsibility of Juliet''s safety to him as the latter nodded his head. From the time that he felt the aura of the Imperial Clan. Zieve understood that everything didn''t go as smoothly as planned. Clenching his fists, he placed Juliet into a tight embrace, "Yes, Juliet saved me so it is time for me to repay my debt... No matter what happens, even if I die, I''ll ensure her safety..." Zieve declared. Natalie and Grace sweetly smiled upon witnessing Zieve''s conviction. Dan glanced at him for a moment but merely shrugged and coldly snorted. Despite his display of coldness, he couldn''t help but put Zieve at a higher place in his mind. Juliet raised her head when she heard Zieve''s declaration. Her heart madly thumped and her cheeks blushed crimson. It was the first time that she felt such an ethereal sensation so she tried her hardest to suppress the beating of her heart. Burying herself deeper into Zieve''s embrace, Juliet hid her crimson cheeks. "Incredible... To think that someone from the Divine Soul Realm could suppress the attack of someone like me who is at the Peak of the Divine Ascendance Realm..." Danilo''s voice rang like a ghost and when they turned their heads to look at his direction. They were startled to find him standing there right in front of their eyes. Danilo''s eyes sparkled with curiosity and fascination akin to a child that discovered a new toy. Lifting his hand, Danilo placed his middle and thumb finger together as Dan hurriedly activated dozens of Heaven Grade Defensive Artifacts with his will. Danilo flicked at their direction and the Spiritual Energy of Heaven and Earth bent to his will, forming a concentrated beam of light that included the laws of nature within it. As a response, Dan swiftly acted and ignited dozens of Defensive Artifacts as defense. Flick~ Bang! Dozens of Defensive Artifacts collapsed like glasses as Dan stood at the front and crossed his arms into an X. Activating the Third Stance of the Blessing of the Lightning God, Ascension. Scales formed on his arms that cushioned the impact of Danilo''s attack. "Guah!" Dan spat a huge mouthful of blood and flew for several hundreds of meters away like a kite that lost its strings. Crashing towards the ground, his condition unknown. Natalie and Grace''s expressions paled. In these past two months, Dan obtained the most benefits and became stronger than them yet a single flick of Danilo''s fingers severely injured him. It was clear that they couldn''t possibly survive a single attack from Danilo. "Damn it all!" Zieve exclaimed and rotated his cultivation base. Stomping in the air, he dashed at the opposite direction as Natalie and Grace prepared for Danilo''s intervention. But to their shock, the old man did nothing but glance at Juliet who started her escape. "Are you not going after her?" Natalie with a trembling voice in an effort to stall for time. Danilo stared at her for a moment and said, "It wouldn''t matter, after all, I''m not the only one here. I have my subordinates and I trust that they could capture them alive..." He lightly smiled with confidence and swept his gaze at Grace. "Your aura is quite strange, not only it contains the domineering might of Lightning it also contains the frosty hint of Ice... Do you perhaps possess some kind of a unique physique?" Danilo amiably smiled at Grace, his expression turned gentle like a neighboring old man would act. Grace bit her lower lip and never replied. Danilo merely shrugged towards her display of defiance and unresponsiveness. "It doesn''t really matter, the two of you are such great cultivation furnaces... I''ll find more about your secrets when I capture you two..." Danilo licked his lips as Natalie and Grace cringed. Gnashing their teeth, Natalie and Grace rotated their cultivation bases as Lightning crackled around their body. But before they could even activate their Stances. Danilo tapped on their foreheads and directly sealed their acupoints, preventing the circulation of Spiritual Energy as their figures that lost the support of Spiritual Energy descended from the skies towards the ground. Lifting a conceited smile that disdained everything under the heavens. Danilo swept like an eagle towards Natalie and Grace. Stretching his hand out, he prepared to embrace them as a deafening roar of hatred and fury assaulted his ears. "Hands off them, you perverted old bastard!" Thunder rumbled and Lightning flashed as Dan instantly appeared before his wives. Taking them into an embrace, he hurled a Flash Grenade at Danilo while simultaneously flying towards the opposite direction. Danilo''s eyes flashed with amusement towards Dan''s desperate actions. His figure looked carefree and leisurely as he floated there while staring at his prey''s fleeing figures. Towards the item that Dan hurled at him, upon noticing that it didn''t contain any traces of Spiritual Energy, he just disregarded it and thought of it as Dan''s laughable distraction attempt. "What a farce... Go on and escape, escape as far as you can... There''s no way that I''ll let the criminal that killed my direct descendant live under the same skies as mine..." Danilo blurted out and shrugged. Moving his body, a blinding flash of light along with an explosion that harshly invaded his ears reverberated. The flash of light robbed his eyesight while the explosion disoriented his sense of direction. "What the hell?! What the hell just happened?!" Danilo panicked and started flailing around in mid-air like a fly that lost its head. Glancing behind him, Dan snickered and flew as fast as he could towards the direction of Zieve that desperately ran away from the pursuit of the Golden-Clawed Guards. "Conceited brat! How dare you play tricks in front of this Sovereign!" Danilo madly howled like a dog that lost its mind. His cultivation base rotated to the maximum the space around his body, collapsed. Forcing open a Spatial Tear, he leaped into it and arrived beside Dan whose eyes widened in astonishment and horror. "Just how did you..." He mumbled as Danilo clenched his fist and directly punched at his torso. Wind whistled and space collapsed. Dan found himself stuck in the middle of the collapsed spaces'' suction force and couldn''t even move an inch. Rotating his cultivation base, Dan summoned all the might that he could and turned his back towards Danilo''s punch so that his wives wouldn''t be struck by the latter''s attack. Puchi! Bang! Dan felt his bones crack from within his body as his torso curved in weird angle. Intense and sharp pain coursed throughout his body that he almost lost his consciousness from shock. Biting the tip of his tongue, he made sure that he wouldn''t lose his consciousness until he guaranteed his wives'' safety. Bang! Crashing on the ground, Dan endured the impact, his eyes rolled into his skull as mouthfuls after mouthfuls of blood flew like an arrow from his mouth. Despite all of this, Dan made sure that he wouldn''t lose consciousness as his body crashed and stopped on a building''s pillar. Sweeping his gaze on his wives, Dan inwardly sighed when he saw that apart from some scratches and superficial injuries, they didn''t suffer anything more than that. Lifting his head to stare at the distance. He found Danilo staring at him in disdain as Dan engraved the old bastard''s face within his mind and heart. Someday when he had enough strength, he would definitely make sure that the Imperial Clan would be wiped out from the face of the Earth! "Really, I applaud your determination and tenacity to protect your wives... If I was in your place, I would also do the same. After all, they are all so beautiful and their physiques are also incredibly rare... Sadly, but in the end, strength is what matters in this world. Without strength to protect their loved ones and belongings, surviving isn''t possible..." Space shifted and Danilo reappeared before Dan. Looking down at the latter, Danilo wore a slight smile on his face. "At the least, I''ll grant you a honorable death, dying under the hands of the Emperor and the prized treasure of the Empire, that isn''t such a bad death..." Danilo unsheathed his sword and raised it towards the skies. Dan didn''t reply to his words. He merely sat there and lightly smiled, it was as if he was a martyr that faced his execution. Knitting his eyebrows, Danilo felt disturbed and as soon as he brought his sword down. A roar of hatred and anger reverberated right into his ears. "You despicable old geezer! How dare you attack a member of the junior generation!" A ball of fire engulfed Danilo''s figure followed by the appearance of a might composed from the superimposition of cultivation bases. Mathias along with his subordinates appeared in mid-air. Staring down at Danilo, their eyes reflected fierceness and resentment that desired for his death! 240 Arrogance With the appearance of these powerhouses, even the confident Danilo couldn''t help but constrict his pupils. Stomping on the ground, he made a defensive stance as Mathias flicked his wrist towards his direction. Space collapsed around Danilo and a Spatial Tear inadvertently swallowed him, sealing him into an independent space separate from reality. It took longer to describe but it happened within a split second. Dan''s eyes widened in astonishment and shock as Mathias descended and said. "You did well surviving against a Divine Ascendance Realm Expert..." He glanced at the former and instructed his subordinate, "Place him into intensive care, make sure that not any hidden nor internal injuries are left when he''s healed..." His tone cold and frosty, filled with a dignified might that didn''t allow for refusal. A middle-aged woman from his side bowed her head and walked towards Dan''s direction. Opening her palms, space collapsed around the latter''s body and it swallowed him like what happened to Danilo. Securing him into an independent space where no further harm would happen along with his wives. "The rest of the Elders, all of you handle the Golden-Clawed Guards, leave the Emperor to me, there''s no way that you can even help if you joined me anyways..." Mathias''s tone contained deep arrogance and conceit, yet none of the Elders dared to call him out for it. Nodding their heads, they flew towards the horizon and chased after their enemies. Sweeping his gaze at the scene of destruction that occurred within the Entertainment Block. Mathias couldn''t help but feel his blood boiling from anger. Each and every building, and every lives within his territory was something precious to him. Their destruction from another''s hands was something that he couldn''t accept. A sound akin to glass breaking reverberated and a Spatial Tear manifested, revealing the figure of Danilo who lightly smiled at the sight of Mathias. "Old Stinky Bones, you''re finally here? I was thinking about how I can lure you out of your basement..." Danilo said with a mocking voice that contained deep-seated resentment and indignance. "Bastard, is this really what you want to happen? A war between the two of us? Don''t you understand how much destruction and casualties will happen from our fight?" Mathias sighed, his countenance looked somewhat aggrieved and hesitant. Mathias had ruthlessness running through his veins, but he disliked useless fighting. If an option to solve everything peacefully was present, he would try his best and resolve those problems through that way. "The Imperial Clan has been enduring these past decades, Mathias... Because of that, your disciples seemed to have thought that we are that easy to bully. Actually killing a direct descendant of mine without thinking about the consequences, do you really think that I''ll just stand by and let your disciples kill my own?" Danilo replied with a voice that resembled absolute frost, his eyes sparkled with the desire to battle and slaughter. His sword of [Absolute Purification] emanated a divine brilliance that stung the eyes of those that dared to stare directly at it. Mathias heaved a deep sigh and mumbled into the air, "Since you''re that adamant to settle everything in a bloody way, there''s nothing that I can do other than to forcefully send you back to where you came from..." Mathias stretched his hand into his Independent Space and took a Soft Sword within it. Experts at the level of the Divine Ascendance Realm had transcended the limits of mortality, acquiring basic control of the Laws of the Heaven and Earth, they could easily tear a hole through space and establish their own independent spaces where they could place anything including living beings. The Soft Sword within Mathias''s hand shone with an ethereal and dreamy light and emanated coldness that contrasted his cultivation method that conformed with the Element of Fire. Upon seeing this Soft Sword. Danilo''s countenance turned solemn and pensive, as if staring at his greatest nemesis. [Slither of Absolute Frost] Forged personally by Mathias within a deep ice cavern at the Northern Tip of the Continent, combining the might of dozens of Heaven Grade Artifacts, Mathias managed to create a superposition effect which ultimately resulted to the monster whom he considered as his personal prized treasure. When it emerged, the atmosphere considerably cooled down and paired with Mathias''s cultivation method that manipulated the Law of Fire. Space itself distorted as the land within a kilometer around him turned into a fiery inferno that sometimes shifted into absolute frost, creating a strange phenomenon that mortals couldn''t possibly understand. "Slither of Absolute Frost..." Danilo muttered, his breathing turned somewhat rough. Assuming a defensive stance, he took a deep breath and his eyes flashed with the renewed light of conviction and determination. No matter what, he would take revenge today! "Shall I attack first?" Mathias stared at Danilo with complete indifference and coldness within his eyes, compared to the previous sparkle that shone within his eyes, Mathias lacked the hesitation that he previously displayed. Right now, he has prepared himself for Danilo''s reckoning. "Or should you attack..." Disappearing from his initial location. Mathias reappeared behind Danilo along with the fluctuations of space as his Slither of Absolute Frost transformed into a malevolent snake that lunged at Danilo''s nape. "First?!" With a shout, a deafening boom reverberated as dust flew towards the skies. Danilo seamlessly parried Mathias''s attack as he redirected the force and counter-attacked with a stab. Peng! Sparks flew and the Slither of Absolute Frost twisted into a weird angle that''s completely impossible for a normal sword to do. Its sharp point turned around and slapped Danilo''s sword away as the two powerhouses took a step backward and retreated. What happened just now was a simple exchange of three moves yet everything around them had turned into dust and ruin. The buildings that stood mightily promptly collapsed when Mathias unveiled his prized treasure and when they exchanged moves, none of the buildings remained standing. That''s how devastating a fight between two experts was. Those below the cultivation of the Divine Ascendance Realm should step away as far as they could lest they got struck by the shockwaves from the battle and die an unjustified death. "Absolute Frost!" Mathias blurted out and the Slither of Absolute Frost gleamed with a dreamy light that turned into a wave of frost that swept towards Danilo''s direction. Wherever the wave passed, everything turned into ice that could never melt under normal circumstances. "Light of the Infallible!" Danilo''s eyes constricted, with the speed of the wave, he knew that he didn''t have any chances to evade so why would he? Rotating his cultivation base, his sword exploded into a golden brilliance that looked gentle and mellow to the touch which eventually transformed into light flakes that descended towards the tsunami of frost. The tsunami of frost versus the flakes of light. When the two forces clashed, not even an explosion occurred as both powers collapsed under their own strength. With a flash of a bright light, the tsunami of frost disappeared along with the light flakes. Everything turned calm, but before anyone could relax their tensed nerves. Mathias appeared like a ghost beside Danilo with his Slither of Absolute Frost pouncing at his neck like a snake. Danilo coldly snorted, under the heightened senses of someone of his caliber. Mathias''s movements looked as slow as a turtle as he stabbed out with his sword. His sword pierced straight at Mathias''s heart, yet the latter smirked despite the incoming danger. With a will on his end, the Slither of Absolute Frost''s blade wrapped around his body while its sharp point lunged at Danilo''s heart as if it had a spirit on its own, capable of decisions. Danilo clicked his tongue and his armor exuded a subtle sheen that deflected the Slither of Absolute Frost away. Stomping on the ground, he flew backward and assessed the situation. One of the reasons why it was so tricky to fight against Mathias was because of his Slither of Absolute Frost that was capable of independent thoughts. Though they were the same Heaven Grade Artifact, the Slither of Absolute Frost stood at the absolute limit of the Heaven Tier and could possibly break through the mortal coil. Unfortunately, it never developed a true spirit that could become tangible so it lacked the final requirement for that inevitable breakthrough. Nevertheless, the Slither of Absolute Frost was a weapon that could never be underestimated. Gripping the hilt of his sword, Danilo could sense his sweat dripping down his back with his heightened senses. Lifting his head, he dashed at Mathias with his sword raised to the air for a downward slash! "Attacking so blatantly like that, how naive!" Mathias coldly snorted and flicked his weapon like a whip. "Hmmph, do you really think that you''re the only one that has improved for these past decades?" Danilo smirked and waved his hand in front of it causing space to collapse. The Slither of Absolute Frost that flew at his direction went inside that collapsed space as Mathias''s eyes widened in astonishment. Before Mathias could retract his weapon. Danilo forcefully closed the collapsed space with a wave of his hand and circled around Mathias with a horizontal strike directed at the latter''s neck. "Eat this, you old geezer!" It took longer to describe but each movement happened within a fraction of a second. Wind whistled and consecutive sizzling noises of space being torn apart reverberated out as Danilo''s attack landed squarely on Mathias''s nape. Bang! But instead of smiling. Danilo revealed a pensive expression on his face and his sense of imminent danger told him that he should immediately retreat. Leaping backward, a tower of fire consumed his initial location as Mathias''s figure appeared with a faint smile on his face. "You''re not the only one that has Defensive Artifacts, old bastard..." Above his right hand floated a fireball which distorted air itself while within his left hand was the Slither of Absolute Frost shining in a dreamy light that emanated the peak of coldness. "You... What are you trying to do..." Danilo''s voice trembled in shock. As someone among the peak existence within this continent, nothing could easily cause such a violent reaction from him but Mathias''s action of holding both his palms parallel to each other made him utter such words in a disgraceful tone. His reaction was inevitable for Mathias was doing such an incomprehensible act. And that was forcefully fusing energies at the polar extremes together! It has to be known that fire and ice absolutely abhorred each other. Just contact alone could provoke catastrophic reactions that was tantamount to suicide, yet Mathias was actually doing something like that! Is he trying to kill himself?! Danilo lightly smiled, his expression relaxed, though he still assumed a defensive stance, he didn''t interrupt Mathias''s fusion process. Instead, he stared at him with a disdainful expression on his face. Since Mathias wanted to die that much, then why would he bother exerting effort on killing a suicidal man? It should be much better to witness his final regrets on trying to commit such a miracle! Mathias''s lips lifted into a small smile when he witnessed Danilo''s actions. Calming himself down, he activated his Defensive Artifacts just in case that the old geezer decided to attack.Taking deep breaths. His chest heaved violently and the atmosphere turned murky with the presence of these two opposing energies. When the heat from Mathias''s cultivation method made contact with the Slither of Absolute Frost. It pulsated chaotically as if wanting to break free from its shackles. Suppressing the fire with his will, the Frost from the Slither of Absolute Frost tried to take advantage of this opening but was immediately suppressed by Mathias. Danilo who saw everything that happened couldn''t help but shake his head in disappointment and disdain. It was already an hour after Mathias started his hopeless journey of fusing both extreme energies together, yet the only progress that he made didn''t look that promising. "What a foolish endeavor, trying to do something that only Divine Emperors could possibly do... Has this rival of mine finally gone senile?" Danilo blurted out, not even suppressing his tone as he sheathed his sword and crossed his arms together. Observing Mathias for a so-called miracle. Mathias heard what Danilo said but he never took it to heart. Concentrating on his movements, he slowly inched his palms closer to each other while equally suppressing the two energies as they gradually melted into each other. The crimson flames of the Paradyne Clan''s cultivation method and the dreamy frost of the Slither of Absolute Frost began to blend together and just as Danilo''s pupils constricted, it suddenly erupted into a chaotic mess. "Shit!" Mathias''s expression paled and Danilo couldn''t help but lightly chuckle. However, little did he knew that as soon as the concoction in between Mathias''s palms surged, the former''s eyes started shining with a sly light. Space wantonly collapsed and wind surged into a tempest as Mathias''s figure at the middle of the storm transformed into a bedraggled middle-aged man with his robes tearing at its edges. Danilo who saw the miserable appearance of his arch nemesis silently took a Profound Imagery Stone and recorded the situation as he said. "Bwahahaha, look at your miserable appearance, old bastard! I will make sure to record each and every expression of yours so that everyone in this entire continent will understand how foolish you really are, Mathias Paradyne!" Danilo boisterously laughed and roared out loud. "Is that so?" Mathias coldly replied and opening his palms, the chaotic concoction of two polar energies transformed into a beam of concentrated energy that flew towards the direction of the astonished and pale-faced Danilo! 241 The Situation Escalates Frost and Fire blended with each other and formed a concentrated beam of light that surged towards Danilo''s direction. Not having the time to react amidst his astonishment. Danilo unsheathed his sword and hurriedly placed it in front as the beam collided with his body in a great explosion that shook the entire Entertainment Block. Fragments of rock, wood and dust flew towards the air in all directions. Fortunately, not any other soul was present or it would be impossible for them to escape unscathed. At the epicenter of this destruction stood Mathias whose expression revealed a comical one as he stared at the distance. At the forefront of these destruction stood Danilo whose expression looked bedraggled and miserable. His brilliant armor that made him looked dashing was chipped and the blade of his sword was covered by a layer of frost and fire. His expression twisted into madness and anger as he dashed and shouted. "How dare you deceive me, you old fucking bastard?!" He violently cursed as the Artifact on his feet burst into a greenish light that amplified his movement speed. Appearing right next to Mathias, his sword exploded into a brilliant light and supported by his cultivation base, he hacked at Mathias''s torso. Regardless of how powerful Danilo''s strike was. Mathias remained composed and idle with a slight smirk on his face. Stretching his right hand towards Danilo''s sword. His movement looked and felt suicidal but when Danilo''s sword collided with Mathias''s hands. Nothing fancy occurred. The Spiritual Energy embued within the attack just instantly dissipated into nothingness. "Wha..." Danilo exclaimed out of shock but before he could retreat. Mathias stretched his other hand and smacked his face to the side. Sending his body flying towards the skies like a kite that lost its strings. Crashing harshly on the ground, Danilo''s figure rolled like a ballfor a moment before stopping. Wiping the blood on his lips, Danilo''s pupils constricted. He couldn''t understand how Mathias possessed such a dominating strength when they both had the same cultivation. Clenching his fists, he was unwilling. He was unwilling to be defeated just like this! "Look at you, Danilo. You''re supposed to be a righteous cultivator yet you''re consumed by hatred. When cultivating such a righteous cultivation method, distractions are not permitted and the heart should remain clear..." Mathias crossed his arms together and casually said. His expression looked leisurely and nonchalant. "Why... Just why... Just why and how did you become stronger than me..." Danilo''s tone became filled with sorrow, resentment and envy. Ever since the Paradyne Academy came from the other continents and invaded his territory, everything turned into a downward spiral. He gradually lost control over his territory and in the end, the half a continent wide Empire of Eternal Faith became a small land on the continent. Mathias sighed and felt sympathetic about Danilo''s situation. It''s not like he hated Danilo to the core that he didn''t want to stay under the same skies as him. The truth was if not for the fact that the Headquarters from the other continent ordered him to establish a branch of the Paradyne Academy then Danilo''s life wouldn''t have become so miserable. "Now that I think about it... Everything became worse from me ever since you came here along with the Paradyne Academy..." Danilo''s voice turned murky and dark. One could feel the deep-seated resentment and anger that he forcefully suppressed within his heart, boiling at this moment. Rage flashed through his face and his expression contorted as veins popped out from his temples. His shoulders intermittently trembled and his eyes sparkled with darkness comparable to the abyss. His cultivation base silently came to light, as Mathias who detected his actions stared at Danilo with astonishment. "Old geezer, what the hell are you doing?!" Mathias blurted out of shock when he noticed the brilliant light of Danilo''s cultivation method surging with power. Light distorted and wind screeched as a tempest gradually swept his figure and Danilo''s. "You.... You better not activate that Forbidden Technique, Danilo! Do you understand the consequences if you die?! Your Empire will lose a leader and it would just be a matter of time until the Headquarters orders me to take control of what you left!" Mathias warned, his expression turned tense as the light from Danilo''s body transformed into a searing heat. His body emanated a light comparable to a sun''s supernova. It was visible even from the Core Disciples Region. "It''s your fault... Everything is your fault... Ever since you came here and brought the Paradyne Academy with you, my life has turned to shambles and everything was ruined. My territory, my direct descendants, you took them all. Even the most patient God has a bottom line, Mathias!" Danilo madly roared, his clothes and his armor melted into molten due to the heat that his forbidden technique exuded. Even the lava flow from a volcano couldn''t possibly melt a Heaven Grade Defensive Artifact yet the heat from Danilo''s body alone melted it into a thick viscous liquid that resembled lava. The Forbidden Technique of the Imperial Clan''s cultivation method, the Final Brilliance of the Dying Sun enables a cultivator to ignite their life''s remaining potential for a chance at their last stand. Witnessing Danilo''s actions. Mathias asked once again. "Foolish bastard! Hurry up and stop! You still have the chance! The Technique still hasn''t reached your cultivation reservoir!" Unfortunately for Mathias, his voice fell into deaf ears as Danilo disregarded his advices and continued on rotating his cultivation base. On both of his hand laid the prized treasure of the Imperial Clan, a Peak Heaven Grade Defensive Artifact. Staring at the Artifact, Danilo''s crazed and reckless eyes turned mellow and soft, filled with incredible longing and regrets as he slowly mumbled towards it. "You have done your best, Celline. Per your wishes, I shall strike at the Paradyne Academy using your soul as the catalyst, so that they may feel the despair, hopelessness and fear that they felt before your inevitable and untimely death..." A single tear fell from Danilo''s eye and as soon as it struck the blade, his cultivation base rotated faster than ever, its rotation comparable to a typhoon that desired nothing but utter destruction. Observing the typhoon from the outside, Mathias stood with a solemn expression on his face. Even as a Peak Divine Ascendance Realm that had control over the Laws of the Heaven and Earth. There''s no way that he could stop such a crazed attack from someone that had the same cultivation as him. Taking a jadeslip from his Spatial Ring. Mathias crushed it within his palms and a crimson light flew towards the skies and exploded, forming into three words written in a domineering cursive style that instilled fear at those who stared at it. [Full Emergency Alert!] Back at the Core Disciples Region, every disciple and Elders who saw the words at the skies felt their blood run cold. Since the Imperial Clan has just recently invaded. They didn''t expect that the situation would escalate that swiftly so they acted nonchalant and composed with their evacuations. After all, the Paradyne Academy was still one of the strongest force within the continent and not even the Emperor himself could easily damage their foundations. "Hey... Isn''t that the highest Emergency Alert that only the Headmaster himself could declare?" A Core Disciple that had a gist of what was going on within the upper echelons blurted out. Those that heard his words stared at him in fright. "Nah, don''t joke around, Senior Brother. The Imperial Clan has just invaded and our Elders just arrived here earlier with the Golden-Clawed Guards as captives, shouldn''t we be winning the battle?" A Core Disciple replied to what he said and another disciple supported the latter''s claims with a nod. "Yeah, that''s right. Maybe the Headmaster''s hands just slipped and he inadvertently announced the alert by mistake, there''s just no way that the situation would reach this point in such a swift manner..." He said with confidence, yet his slightly trembling knees gave out what he truly felt. "Everyone, listen! Please don''t panic! I have confirmed from the Headmaster himself that the Emergency Alert is indeed genuine. From now on, the Paradyne Academy will enter a state of complete lockdown as we employ various formations to protect us from the intruders!" A middle-aged man clad in the robes of the Elders announced with a dignified and solemn voice. The disciples who heard his voice burst out into murmurs. One could feel the shaking within their tones as the middle-aged man continued, "Fear not, for the Paradyne Academy will definitely ensure the safety of each and every disciples. I just need you all to stay calm and follow the process as slowly and as surely as you can so that no one will suffer injuries!" His voice rang loud and clear yet it failed to calm the anxiety of the disciples. Particularly those Inner and Outer Disciples who stared at him with worry and apprehension within their eyes. Opening their mouths, they wanted to say something but in the end, the closed their mouths and hung their heads low. Deciding not to speak for fear of provoking the higher authorities. "Ermm..." A timid young man who looked to be at his fifteen years of age raised his hand. Among the Outer Disciples that hung their heads low. His actions of raising his head and hand garnered everyone''s attention as the middle-aged Elder said. "What''s wrong? Do you have something to say? Speak now or be silenced! We don''t have the time to engage in pointless talks!" The middle-aged man locked his eyebrows. His tone deep and commanding, yet the timid young man didn''t back out either as the said in a low voice. "Ermmm, Sire... May I ask about what will happen to the commoners within the Academy?" Though his voice sounded low, when it reached the ears of the Outer Disciples, all of them turned to look at him with gratefulness in their eyes. "What do you mean by what will the Academy do to the commoners?" The middle-aged man had a gist of the timid young man''s point but he didn''t confirm it. "Ermmm, If I''m right, that shining ball right there should be the reason why the Headmaster declared a state of highest Emergency, judging from the energy fluctuations and the heatwave alone, everyone could tell that it''s something that even the Headmaster himself cannot possibly block..." The timid young man replied in a courteous voice as he pointed towards the horizon. "Then? What''s your point?" The middle-aged Elder became impatient and asked. "Ermmm. what I wanna ask is what will the Academy do to the commoners residing within the territory of the Academy? Once that thing explodes, there''s no way that any Artifact at any tiers could save their lives. Perhaps, only the Grand Barrier of the Academy could save them... That''s why this disciple is asking..." The timid young man struck realization within the hearts of the disciples around him. And all of them turned to look at the middle-aged man as they shouted. "Yeah, that''s right, that''s right! Our families lives within the territory of the Paradyne Academy, since they are in your hands, don''t tell us that you guys won''t do any actions to save their lives, right?" An Inner Disciple who stood at the top of the rankings said. His expression severe for his family also lived within the borders of the Paradyne Academy. Witnessing their Senior Brother''s actions, every disciple suddenly erupted into protest and in the end, since the middle-aged Elder didn''t dare to answer their questions. They forcefully went out of the Core Disciples Region and rushed out to their families, intent on bringing them with them at the Core Disciples Region for protection. 242 Final Brilliance of the Dying Sun The Forbidden Technique of the Imperial Clan''s cultivation method, the Final Brilliance of the Dying Sun required igniting one''s remaining potential for a chance at a last stand. As a result, it could generate the strongest power that a practitioner could possibly generate in exchange of their life. It was a technique that one couldn''t possibly cancel once activated. Staring at the ball of fire that resembled the sun floating in mid-air. Mathias knew that he had no time to waste. Clenching his fists, he glared at Danilo''s direction before fiercely turning around towards the direction of the Core Disciples Region. "I sure hope that you won''t regret this decision, old bastard..." Mathias cursed as he mumbled into the air. He knew that Danilo had some methods that he could use to prevent himself from dying when activating the Forbidden Technique. The Final Brilliance of the Dying Sun indiscriminately harmed everyone or anything around apart from the caster. And since Mathias knew that Danilo didn''t have the heart to sacrifice his own life so he knew that the soul whom Danilo was using in igniting the Forbidden Technique didn''t belong to him. As for whom it belonged to, Mathias couldn''t even spare the time to care. Shrugging, he flew towards the opposite direction, heading for the Core Disciples Region. Even if the Forbidden Technique didn''t use a Divine Ascendance Realm cultivator''s soul as fuel, it still possessed enough power to shake the foundations of the Academy. "What are you doing?!" Mathias stared in horror at the direction of the Core Disciples Border. With his heightened senses, he could see an ant from at least a kilometer away so he instantly discovered the presence of so many moving disciples that ran towards the direction of the other regions in a frantic and desperate manner. Mathias took a jadeslip from within his storage space and immediately contacted the Elders at the Core Disciples Region. His expression dark and locked in frustration. Mathias understood the concerns of the disciples who had families living within the region of the Academy. But witnessing them running towards their families frustrated him. "Can''t these young punks wait for my explanation before rushing out like this?!" In his anger, Mathias crushed the jadeslip within his hand into dust. Rotating his cultivation base, a sound like muffled thunder reverberated as he flew towards the distance. Descending from the skies, it didn''t even took five minutes for Mathias to arrive at the Core Disciples Region with his speed. Facing the Elders who stood there with blank expressions. Mathias harshly scolded. "Are you old bastards, stupid or what? With your cultivation, it should be easy for you guys to stop them! Now everything has gone to shit!" He flared up and those who saw his anger couldn''t help but feel a shiver down their spines. It was the first time that they saw their normally composed and calm Headmaster being so furious. Standing there together with their heads hung low, these Elders who were unparalleled talents in their generation looked like little children amidst Mathias''s scoldings. They didn''t dare to show any shame nor indignance for fear of aggravating Mathias''s anger. "You old fools! We don''t have time for this, activate the Grand Barrier now!" Mathias stopped his scoldings and scoffed. Crossing his arms together, his eyes flashed with a light of complicated expressions. He also has a family so he knew the pain that his disciples were going through. "But Headmaster, what are we going to do with the disciples that ran outside towards their families?" The middle-aged Elder who announced the state of emergency towards the disciples earlier asked in an uncertain manner. All the other Elders also turned to look at Mathias. Each and everyone of them wished in their hearts that Mathias would do something to help those commoners stuck at the Outer and Inner Region of the Academy. After all, though they were cultivators. They were once mortals and commoners were human for them too. Nevertheless, they didn''t voice their opinions out. They understood that Mathias was a ruthless man that prioritized benefits at all cost. Saving those mortals meant that the Paradyne Academy would have to sacrifice precious resources that they painstakingly saved up for their disciples. Mathias stared at these Elders with a gloomy and dark expression on his face. He wanted to save the resources of the Academy for the sake of the future generation but that meant losing the trust of his Elders. In that case, does he even have a choice? With a dark countenance, Mathias solemnly declared: "We''re going to save the commoners, as for our disciples. Just let them run away to their families. I''ll personally control the Grand Barrier, all of you guys stay here and make sure that no disciple is hurt from this stampede." The Elders who heard his words were taken aback. They thought that Mathias would shrug off this issue, so his answer was unexpected for them. Nodding their heads solemnly, they all stared at Mathias''s direction only to find that the latter had disappeared towards the direction of the highest mountain peak. Clasping their hands together, the Elders deeply bowed in respect towards Mathias''s direction as all of them turned towrads the disciples and started their work on calming down the crowd. Soaring through the skies, Mathias soon arrived at the peak of the highest mountain and entered his residence. Sweeping his arm in the air. Space collapsed and Spatial Fluctuations emerged along with a Spatial Tear where Mathias swiftly entered. At the other side of the Spatial Tear. Mathias arrived in a dark space, a strange sensation overwhelmed his body and he felt like he was floating up in the air. Sweeping his gaze across the darkness, innumerable runes suddenly lit up around him and surrounded his body. These runes looked mystical as they floated in the air, emanating dreamy lights that looked ethereal and out of this world. Knitting his eyebrows for a moment, Mathias touched one of these floating runes and shuffled them together like solving a puzzle. Shifting here, shifting there. Mathias carefully guided all of these runes into their suitable slots. His dignified countenance revealed traces of sweat that slowly dripped towards his chin. Despite the pressure that he experienced, his movements still looked fluid and without a trace of panic. Eventually, all of these runes came together and surged into a brilliant and colorful explosion that resembled a firework exploding in the skies. Sighing in relief, Mathias calmed himself down as the dark space around him slowly changed, the sensation of weightlessness disappeared and Mathias found himself standing on a dark hallway. Before him stood a dual-entry door that emanated an archaic smell which permeated the nose. Tracing the door with his eyes, Mathias found that the door stood so tall that he couldn''t even see the top of it even with his heightened senses. Opening the door with his palm pushed outward, the machinery inside the door creaked and rotated as they rumbled into life. Slowly, yet surely opening, Mathias calmed his perturbed heart and entered, walking towards the other side behind the door. At the other side of the door, floated an interface that looked similar to the runes that he manipulated earlier. However, when Mathias stood before the interface, his expression turned solemn as he vigorously tapped on the runes that acted like buttons. In each tap that he did, the earth rumbled and the skies outside the Paradyne Academy, changed. Black clouds rolled above the skies, blocking sunlight from reaching the ground as the entire Academy entered a state of complete darkness. "It''s judgement day... It''s judgement day!" The commoners who saw the darkening of the skies screamed hysterically towards the skies. Women, children and even adults kowtowed on the ground, repeatedly asking for forgiveness as tears rolled down their cheeks. "Father, please calm down. It''s just the Headmaster doing that kind of thing to protect us from that huge ball of light over there!" The disciples who arrived at their families consoled their parents and siblings that everything was fine, yet they couldn''t even suppress the trembling of their knees. The Core Disciples that knew more about the Academy stood there with reverence and admiration shining within their eyes, the Grand Barrier of the Paradyne Academy was one of the strongest barrier that they ever knew, made from combinations of at least a thousand arrays and formations, it was practically indestructible for their eyes. But right now, when observing that miniature sun glowing at the distance. All of them felt insecure and disturbed in their hearts. Could the Grand Barrier actually defend against that fireball when it explodes? None of them knew that answer to their questions. Even more anxious than them was the Elders of the Paradyne Academy who stood together with their hands clenched in apprehension. Cold sweat dripped down their backs, yet they could do nothing other than watch and await the conclusion of the Imperial Clan''s invasion. Thunder rumbled, bestowing some light amidst the darkness as the black clouds that rolled overhead slowly shrunk until it covered the entire Core Disciples Region. Light returned at the Inner and Outer Disciples Region yet when the Elders saw what happened, their anxiousness intensified even further. "This black cloud should be the Grand Barrier of the Academy... Right now, it only covers the Core Disciples Region, I wonder if the Headmaster will expand the coverage of the Barrier so that it''ll protect the Outer and Inner Disciples Region too..." A middle-aged Elder blurted out. "Definitely, I don''t think that the Headmaster would be that ruthless to not think about the safety of his citizens. Even if they''re mortals, they still have lives and remember that we were once mortals before we''re cultivators!" A woman at his mid-thirties retorted and the other Elders nodded their heads in agreement. They all knew that Mathias was ruthless but they believed that he still has a compassionate heart. Sighing in their hearts, each and every Elder calmed themselves down. Since everything has already went this far, there''s nothing that they could do other than to obey the Headmaster''s command. Protect every disciple! Within the cocoon of brilliant light above the skies of the Entertainment Block was Danilo who stared with a light smile on his face at the black clouds that roiled overhead. Rotating his cultivation base, his Spiritual Energy surged and diffused in his surroundings as the cocoon of light that enveloped him, gradually grew larger. It expanded and wherever and whatever it touched turned into dust as space continuously collapsed. If not for the fact that the space within the Academy was stabilized by several dozens of arrays and formations intertwined with each other, a black hole may have already appeared and swallowed everything to nothingness. Blood spurted out of Danilo''s arms. His seven orifices bled and the skin on his body burst out, revealing his pinkish muscles that slowly drained out of blood. Despite the intense pain that wracked his body. Danilo kept his silence and never voiced his complaints. The brilliant sun that floated in mid-air expanded from the size of a small house into the size of a small mountain. Its brilliance spread so far that its light reached the Outer and Inner Disciples Region, acting like a beacon in the dark. "Sunlight?" A disciple embracing his family blurted out when he noticed the light and warmth that struck his cheeks. But soon, his eyes widened in shock and realization when he saw that the walls of his house started melting. The light clearly didn''t came from the sun, but from that miniature sun floating at the Entertainment Block! "Oh god, no..." The disciple rotated his cultivation base and enveloped his family with a layer of Spiritual Energy to protect them from the heatwave. Walking out of his house, he and his family desperately ran towards the Core Disciples Region for protection. Same scenes occurred throughout the other Regions, disciples with their families ran about, some disciples strapped their younger siblings on their bodies and carried their parents with each of their arms, as they tried their best to escape the heatwave from the miniature sun. Mathias who merged with the Grand Barrier saw everything that happened down below. In his current state, he could see every nook and cranny within the Academy so it wasn''t strange that he knew what was going on. Staring at Danilo''s direction, Mathias understood that everything was at the point of no return. "Sacrificing so much just for the sake of a single attack, are you trying to prove something to me, old geezer?" Mathias bitterly smiled, opening his mouth. He fiercely bit at the tip of his tongue as blood splattered on the interface. It turned crimson-red as a result as Mathias wiped his lips and said. "I wonder what you''re feeling now, old bastard..." He said in an aggrieved tone before directing his solemn gazes to the outside world. Back within the miniature sun, enveloped by a cocoon of light that bestowed him protection. Danilo floated there with his consciousness murky and hazy. Staring towards the skies, he could see within his remaining consciousness, a faint figure of a young woman smiling at him from the heavens. Her smile was so bright and colorful, yet her eyes sparkled with emotions that contrasted that smile. From within her eyes were resentment, hatred, anger and utmost fury that trembled the heavens itself. "Everything''s fine already, Celline. You can rest now, after this. I shall rest too..." Danilo affectionately mumbled, his expression lost all the craziness that he had, instead. He looked incomparably tranquil and at peace. The woman staring at the skies sweetly smiled, her eyes that sparkled with negative emotions changed into peacefulness and affection. Sweeping towards Danilo''s reaction, she pecked his forehead before dissipating into innumerable light crystals. Taking a deep breath, Danilo swept his gaze around him and absorbed all the scenery that he could. Staring overhead, He saw the Grand Barrier slowly expanding until it enveloped the Inner and Outer Disciples Region. Lightly laughing, Danilo murmured: "Stingy bastard, I finally managed to make you pay a huge price, back then. It was always me that paid the price when we fought. But this time, I guess that you can finally understand how much pain I experienced back at that time, right?" Closing his eyes for a moment, Danilo took a deep breath and exhaled. Snapping his eyes open, his cultivation base came to life and his Spiritual Energy surged towards the core of the miniature sun. "FInal Brilliance of the Dying Sun!" With his will, the miniature sun that floated above the skies of the Entertainment Block, suddenly yet silently exploded into a fierce heatwave comparable to a sun''s supernova. Everything within the Entertainment Block and the surrounding area turned into nothing but dust. Those staring at the explosion were blinded as Space wantonly collapsed. Each and every disciple of the Paradyne Academy, no matter where they were ducked on the ground and prayed for their safety along with their families. Above the highest mountain peak stood Mathias, who observed the explosion of the miniature sun like observing the arrival of sunrise. Sighing in his heart, he turned around and one could see that his figure looked incredibly weakened. The Grand Barrier who received all of the damage were riddled with cracks all over and when the disciples realized that the Grand Barrier didn''t shatter, all of them rejoiced for their safety as cheers and cries of relief filled the atmosphere. They understood and knew in their heats that the invasion of the Imperial Clan has officially ended with their victory. Despite the celebration of the disciples, none of the Elders felt happy. Instead, they looked lonely and somber, sweeping their gazes on the land that turned infertile and useless, they felt their heart bleed. But everything on earth has its own time, a time for prosperity and a time for decline. Nevertheless, they were resolute that the Paradyne Academy will soon recover, and become even more prosperous than before. 243 Start of a New Beginning The first dawn after the battle against the Imperial Clan''s invasion arrived. The Entertainment Block that received the most damage looked and turned into a place unsuitable for crops. Although buildings could still be established, since the lands around it turned infertile, the Entertainment Block would most likely be unable to reach the peak that it once achieved. Juliet and Zieve stood beside each other with a aggrieved and solemn expressions on their faces. The Entertainment Block apart from the Outer Disciples Region was the most memorable place for them in their hearts. It was the place where they soared towards the skies and achieved their dreams, yet right now. It became a deserted place, with nothing standing on its vast plains. "Everything that happened these past several months has been such a dream... Even the collapse of the Entertainment Block and the invasion of the Imperial Clan felt so dream-like to me..." Zieve blurted out loud as he stretched his taut body. Juliet who stood beside her lightly laughed and nudged him with her elbow: "Yeah, everything has happened too fast, we started as a small restaurant, eventually to a business that sold soup, we clashed against the Imperial Clan, franchised our product to others and eventually soared through the skies and prospered..." When she spoke of these, her voice turned melancholic and her eyes sparkled with tears. Witnessing the downfall of the pavilion whom she worked hard to establish made her feel stifled and sour. Suppressing her emotions. She glanced at Zieve and said. "You know that we could still build our company from scratch, you know? And it''s not like it''s the end of us already. Remember that we expanded throughout the entire Academy...." Zieve nodded his head to Juliet''s words as he turned his torso around and silently wiped a tear that fell from his eye. Turning back to her, he patted her head and ruffled her hair, making it run through her fingers as he sweetly smiled. "Yeah, with the two of us together. We''re invincible and impeccable. After all, we''re a duo... Partners in business and Partners in life..." Zieve mumbled but his eyes quickly widened in realization. Standing there like a statue, he noticed that Juliet didn''t seem to react to his words as he slowly turned around. She found Juliet standing there with a crimson sheen spread on her cheeks. She stood stiffly like frozen. Her heart madly pulsated within her chest. As someone who lived through horrendous conditions back in her childhood, Juliet was a precocious child that knew about the relationship between men and women. Yet even with her strategic mind, she didn''t expect that Zieve would say such a bold thing. After all, she''s just ten years old, you know? Even when her body already looked so developed due to the help of Heavenly Ingredients and the nurturing of pills from her father, she was still a little girl in heart. Zieve also knew this fact, but he never denied what he said. He just stood there, awaiting for Juliet''s reply. As the wind swept past their bodies and made them shiver. Juliet eventually broke out of her trance and slowly lifted her head to stare at Zieve whose expression completely flushed in embarrassment and shame. When their gazes met, none of them spoke a word yet they reached a mutual understanding that resonated not only with their hearts but their souls. Holding Zieve''s sleeve. The two turned around and walked towards the direction of the Fragrant Peak Pavilion. At the highest mountain peak of the Academy stood a residence that was considered as a Forbidden Ground for any unauthorized personnel. Not even Core Disciples who had the highest authority among disciples were allowed to visit the area. Within a highly protected room enveloped by dozens of formations enough that not even a rat could enter, stood the figure of Mathias with a tranquil and composed expression on his face. Before him laid on the bed was a familiar figure clad in clean white robes. Though his eyes were tightly closed, his chiseled face made everyone who looked straight at him feel intimidated. Paired with the dignified aura that wafted out of his figure, one could tell that he was someone that enjoyed high status in life. it was none other than the current Emperor of the Empire of Eternal Faith. Yesterday, after using the Final Brilliance of the Dying Sun, Danilo Duterte was left incredibly weakened. But due to Mathias''s history with Danilo, the former decided that it was disrespectful to kick such a respected man when he''s down. Killing the Emperor would cause so many problems that he would have to personally solve. But of course, the general public and his disciples that experienced the terror of yesterday''s events still needs something to vent on so Mathias publicly executed the entire Golden-Clawed Guards, effectively removing the claws of the Imperial Clan. Now that the Imperial Clan has lost some ferocity, Mathias felt at ease once more. Staring at Danilo, complicated emotions surged in his heart. Mathias understood why Danilo acted that desperately when attacking his Academy. The death of his direct descendant may have been the trigger but it wasn''t the same cause. It was because back at the time when the Paradyne Academy first arrived at the Continent and tried establishing their influence, they chose the center of the Continent for it had equally close proximity in all extremities, enabling ease of travel for everyone. Back then, Danilo ruled over a vast Empire of Eternal Faith. Unfortunately, since the Continent where his Empire stayed on lacked resources compared to the other continents, the cultivators and the fighting force that Danilo had couldn''t even compare to what Mathias brought with him from the other continent. Within the course of a decade, after a bitter fight that severely damaged both sides. The war finally ended with the Empire of Eternal Faith''s surrender and the Academy''s surrender. But the result was, Danilo Duterte lost his wife and dozens of children from the war. Ever since that day, Mathias tried his best on getting along with the aggrieved Danilo. It took long for Danilo to move on but he eventually did and the two became brothers, with the help of the Paradyne Academy. The two of them repelled the invasions of the nearby Empire of Dawn and the bandits at the North and the Empire of Eternal Faith finally became prosperous once again. Mathias thought that Danilo had moved on from the death of his descendants and his beloved wife. But in the end, he underestimated Danilo''s train of thoughts. And his naivety was proven today when Danilo personally used his wife''s soul as the sacrifice for the Final Brilliance of the Dying Sun. Deeply sighing, Mathias sat down at the bedside and pulled a quill and a paper. Scribbling down the events of yesterday and today. The dignified Mathias revealed a rare eagerness on his face. His eyes sparkled with hope that burned together with tenacity. At the Fragrant Peak Pavilion. Dan, Natalie, Grace, Juliet, Zieve, Charlotte and even Vincent gathered together at the backyard. The smell of roasting meat permeated the air as Dan danced before the grill with his hands repeatedly rotating skewers of meat cooking on top of the grill. "Damn, that really smells good, just how did you learn such culinary skills while cultivating at the same time, Dan?" The voice of a vibrant young man echoed out at the distance. Staring at the source of the voice, Dan saw Vincent working out his body with squats. "It''s just a mere side job, you see? How about you, Vincent? Are you not planning on learning some culinary skills to impress your future wives?" Dan lightly chuckled and Vincent stared at him for a moment before saying with locked eyebrows. "Stop it, Dan. I''m not such a lecherous man like you, I''d rather focus on the path of cultivation than enter the world of cringey romance..." Dan who heard his words shook his head in disapproval, "Look at you acting so bitter, you should just find a wife already! With your dashing looks and cultivation base, women will fall head over heels at you..." He teased and Vincent kept his indignance to himself and proceeded to ignore Dan. Grace who heard their banter lightly laughed, "Dan, stop teasing the poor boy... Romance, that''s something that he haven''t even heard of! You can''t expect him to know something about that, can you?" Vincent almost choked in his own saliva as his movements instantly stopped. Glaring at Grace''s direction, his flushed expression in embarrassment looked too adorable to behold as Grace continued poking fun at the aggrieved Vincent. At the distance stood Natalie, Juliet and Zieve who talked with each other, discussing future plans about the Juliet''s Dreamy House''s future headquarters. As they were talking, Natalie felt that her daughter''s gazes at Zieve were filled with indescribable emotions whom she was completely familiar with and the realization made her smirk. Poking fun at the solemn Juliet, Natalie said: "Aiyaaa, my daughter really has matured, to think that she would boldly invite a man over to her parents house... Dear, what should I do, what if Juliet will leave us for this man?" Zieve and Juliet stiffened like statues and Dan who heard Natalie''s sentence fiercely glared at their direction. Specifically, at Zieve who involuntarily gulped a mouthful of saliva after receiving Dan''s hostile gaze. Juliet who stood at the side kept her silence, yet her blushed cheeks displayed the emotions that she felt in her heart. Zieve felt cold sweat dripping down his back, as he lifted a crooked smile towards Natalie''s continuous teasing. He didn''t deny her allegations. But he also never confirmed them. If he did, that would be tantamount to courting death, who knows what Dan would do to him! "The barbeque is cooked, guys! Come here and sit! Let''s eat already!" Dan shouted at the others and all of them simultaneously darted their gaze at the attractive skewers of meat that glistened mysteriously under sunlight. "You don''t know how much I''ve been longing for your roasted meat, Dear..." Natalie seductively said and the innocent Vincent who heard her words almost stumbled on his feet, evoking laughter from Grace who made fun of his lecherous mind. Juliet and Zieve slowly walked together with Juliet revealing a sweet smile on his face and Zieve looking all stiff and nervous. Sitting down together and besides each other, the group of six looked like a one huge family that gathered for thanksgiving. Handing over the portions, it was clear that Dan favored the women, especially her daughter as Vincent cried out in indignance, "What the hell, bro! I was waiting for this roasted meat all morning but all you''re giving me is a skewer? Juliet has at least six skewers and she''s a little girl that''s younger than me!" Dan raised an eyebrow as he replied, "So what? Are you my daughter? If you want another skewer, you can pay me five Spirit Stones! You do know that I used rare ingredients from the Great Wilderness of Torb! And they aren''t cheap!" Vincent froze for a moment before sighing in retreat. Zieve who heard Dan''s words stared at the skewer on his plate as a bitter smile emerged on his lips. Just the surface of the meat and the smell that it emanated indicated that it could compare to the chiefs at high-class restaurants at the Core Disciples Region. If this happened several weeks ago, Zieve wouldn''t be so aggrieved, but since the Dreamy House was in the middle of reconstruction. Funds were tight for him so Zieve wouldn''t have any other choice but to make do with a single skewer. Juliet detected Zieve''s thoughts and lifted up three skewers from his plate towards his plate. Garnering the attention of Dan who harshly glared at the former and said, "Sharing of food is forbidden, return those skewers to your plate, Juliet!" Dan''s words sounded harsh and deflated Zieve''s heart but Juliet didn''t back down and replied with knitted eyebrows that astonished both of her mothers, "Didn''t Papa give these skewers to me? Since they are mine, it is my right on what should I do with them, not Papa''s!" Dan instantly froze like a statue and his countenance visibly aged by several decades. His wives that saw his bleak countenance moved closer and patted both of his shoulders. "That''s fine, my dear. You do know that Juliet is a growing girl, I think she''s in that phase now..." "Dear, don''t worry too much about Juliet, she''s a young woman now. We should let her do whatever she wants in her life as long as it''s not something bad for her..." Grace and Natalie whispered into the ears of the heartbroken Dan. Vincent who observed at the side all this while revealed amusement and schadenfreude on his face as he lightly chortled and teased. "So even the domineering Dan of the Fragrant Peak Pavilion is under the skirt not only to his wives but also his daughter? What a news! I bet if I sent this information to the Newspaper Pavilion, it would definitely sell off!" He said as he bit at the meat attached on the skewer. Dan glared at him and revealed a challenged smirk, "Vincent, I saw your heartbroken expression earlier when you realized that you only had a skewer of meat. I graciously offered you five Spirit Stones for a skewer but since you''re challenging my authority, I''m raising the price to ten Spirit Stones!" Natalie and Grace who witnessed his shameless actions erupted into chuckles as Vincent''s countenance considerably paled, his figure stood stiff like a frozen statue before standing up and pouncing into the air, sweeping his wrist at Dan''s direction, a small bag flew towards Dan''s hands as Vincent landed on the ground and deeply bowed. "There are fifty Spirit Stones in that bag, please give me more roasted meat skewers!" Vincent swallowed his pride and kept his indignance to himself, the delectable taste of the tender meat and the explosive combination of spices and herbs was something that he couldn''t possibly pass by even if it meant abandoning his pride. Dan coldly snorted, but his eyes sparkled upon counting the Spirit Stones. Handing it over to the manager of his funds, Grace. He stood up and cooked more meat for his guests. The afternoon went like that, teasing here and teasing there. It was a joyful day for everyone within the Longinus Family. When night arrived several hours later, Dan, Natalie and Grace laid besides each other with Dan at the center. Staring at the ceiling, all three contemplated about what happened to their lives in these several months. "Dear, what do you think about Zieve?" Natalie asked with an uncertain tone and Dan who was in the middle of his trance was jolted back to reality. Staring at Natalie''s visage for a moment, Dan sighed and revealed his true feelings. "If that bastard really loves my daughter and Juliet loved him the same, then is there anything that I could even do in the first place? Apart from supporting them, it would be too cruel to separate the two if the feelings really are mutual, and it''s something that even the shameless I could do..." Dan sighed for a moment before continuing. "But Juliet is still really young, maybe in the next several years, I would let her run free but not right now. Even when she grew that fast, in the end, she''s still a ten years old child that recently struck puberty..." Natalie and Grace nodded their heads together and snuggled into his chest, these past two months of cultivation meant that they were lonely and never felt the touch of their husband. Like chicks looking for the warmth of their mother''s touch, the two snuggled and Dan smirked. "Did the two of you really think that I wouldn''t notice you guys squirming under the sheets. So that''s the reason why you two kept your silence ever since we laid here?" Dan said in an ambiguous voice and the two simultaneously blushed. "Don''t be so embarrassed, you two... It''s not like you guys are the only one that has been missing it... This little guy here has been missing it too..." Dan directed his gaze at the tent that formed at his lower body. Natalie and Grace stared at each other for a moment before nodding their heads. "Thirty minutes each, alright?" Dan placed both of his hands under his head and enjoyed the sensation that Natalie and Grace brought to him after their two months of longing. 244 In the Midst of Recovery A new morning arrived along with the first burst of sunlight. Each and every disciple of the Paradyne Academy awakened to do their jobs, hastening the recover process of the Academy from the damage that it suffered, everyone worked hard to accomplish their goals. Commoners assisted the cultivators while the cultivators did the same, vice-versa. Dan, Natalie and Grace awakened, slipping off the bed, the three of them worked in silence. Natalie and Grace made the breakfast while Dan fetched Juliet and Zieve from their apartment. By the time that Dan returned back at home, it was filled with the enticing aroma of meat and vegetables. Vincent who was doing his daily routine at the backyard of the Pavilion detected the scent with his heightened senses and hurriedly turned around to look at the direction of Natalie''s residence. His eyes sparkling with hunger and greed. Abandoning his daily routine, Vincent dashed towards the opposite direction and swiftly appeared by the door, rotating his cultivation base, he stretched his hand out and manipulated the array attached on Natalie''s door and it slowly opened on its own. Entering Natalie''s residence, Vincent suddenly stiffened for he felt coldness originating ahead of him and when he lifted his head. Sure enough, Dan was there, looking at him with a small smirk on his face. "Natalie, it looks like we garnered the attention of a hungry ghost again! Can you pass me the garlic?" Dan gestured with his hand and Vincent fiercely retorted. "What hungry ghost are you talking about? I''m just here to check on the condition of my little sister, Juliet." With knitted eyebrows, he swept his gaze in the room and found Juliet staring at him with an astonished expression on her face. Seating beside her, he swung his arm around Juliet''s shoulders and lightly chuckled, "How are you, Little Sis? Did your father or Mother Grace, bully you again? If they do so, just tell your Big Brother Vincent, I''ll beat them up for you..." Zieve awkwardly stared at Vincent, while Dan crossed his arms together and replied, "Beat us up? You sure are getting arrogant, Vincent. Not only you''re shamelessly freeloading, you''re also trying to coax my daughter up and take her side..." "Hooo?" Vincent raised an eyebrow and said, "Dan, you sure got arrogant, eh? Just because you broke through the Divine Soul Realm doesn''t mean that you''re stronger than me. Remember that true geniuses can jump through realms to fight..." He stood up and stared at Dan''s eyes as the fierce intent of battle surged within each other''s heart. Dan felt that his authority was being challenged and so, with a light smile on his face. He said to Vincent, "Let''s take this outside, if you win I''ll let you freeload whenever you want but if you lose, let''s see..." Dan revealed a pondering look for a moment before saying with a smile, "If you lose, you''ll have to pay Ten Spirit Stones for every dish that you freeload from us..." Vincent almost stumbled on his footsteps in his way outside of the residence, "Ten Spirit Stones?! You''re really getting more shameless and greedy, ah!" Dan merely shook his head and chuckled, "My cooking is something that not even the gods above the nine heavens could resist. If you don''t wanna pay the price, then that''s fine, you just don''t have to come back when you lose..." Vincent glared back at him before turning around to leave. Dan lightly chuckled for a moment before following him outside. Juliet, Zieve, Natalie and Grace who saw the two''s banter could only shake their heads and sigh as the two women wrapped up their cooking and brought the dishes on the table. "Shall we go outside and observe your father''s hot-headedness and stupidity?" Grace offered towards Juliet, her two hands carried huge trays of food. "Yeah, let''s do that, Mama. I prefer eating outside than indoors." Juliet agreed with a nod and she stood up along with Zieve who walked towards Grace and helped her carry the trays. "Hooo, you''re getting really good at this. Zieve, are you trying to butter us up so that we''ll agree that you can get together with Juliet?" Grace teased and Zieve exploded into a furious blush that he desperately hid. Natalie merely chuckled at the side while Juliet''s expression turned indescribable. At the backyard, fluctuations of Spiritual Energy summoned a tempest that made the entire backyard, windy. The wooden chairs and tables tumbled around as Vincent and Dan clashed against each other with their fists. Lightning crackled along with resplendent lights that resembled the sun, making the four feel like they were watching a firework''s display. "Today is the day that you''re gonna crumble on your knees, Dan!" Vincent madly screamed, the intensity of the brilliant halo that enveloped his body increased as a deafening roar resonated. The ground underneath Dan crumbled under the pressure, yet the confident smile on his face never faded, "If you think that just a little bit of force can force me down, then you''re completely wrong!" Rotating his cultivation base to the utmost limit, veins on his arms bulged outward and Lightning madly danced around his body. Grace sat beside Juliet and munched on some fruits while Zieve leaned on a pillar of the pavilion. His expression revealed not any surprise for he understood that such an intense battle was a normal daily life occurrence for this family. Natalie who expected a peaceful breakfast brought her arms akimbo and swept her gaze at the two. Opening her mouth, she sharply inhaled before shouting in a voice that resembled the roar of an angered dragon. "Cut it out, the two of you! It''s so already in the morning yet you guys are already that hyped?!" Her voice rang out like muffled thunder, sending everyone into a trance. When they recovered, Vincent and Dan stared at each other for a moment before simultaneously turning towards Natalie''s direction with an awkward smile on their lips. Having reached a mutual understanding, the two of them calmed down and ate breakfast together with Natalie and the others. After their sumptuous breakfast, Everyone from Dan''s family accompanied Zieve and Juliet towards the reestablished Entertainment Block. As one of the Paradyne Academy''s primary source of income, the Headmaster decided that it should receive the most attention when it comes to repairs. As a result, the Entertainment Block recovered so swiftly and became filled with towering pavilions and buildings that still didn''t have an owner. It was up to the previous establishment to claim a spot and that included Juliet''s Dreamy House. Arriving at the previous location of the Dreamy House. The three of them frowned when they saw a bunch of people all clad in the same robes gathered before the towering pavilion that the Academy built for the Dreamy House. "This is definitely a good place for our Silk and Armor Pavilion...." A fatty middle-aged man scanned the pavilion and nodded his head in satisfaction. "It is definitely a good place sire, but the previous owner of this pavilion before that disaster is the Dreamy House..." His subordinate that stood at the side mumbled in a low voice and the fatty middle-aged man fiercely glared at him, saying. "The Dreamy House? Do you really think that I would put those bastards who only knows how to sell aphrodisiacs for horny old bastards in my eyes? Hmmmph!" Witnessing his master''s actions. The subordinate could only bow his head and close his mouth. Since his subordinate never spoke a word once again, the fatty middle-aged man felt good about himself and took a step forward towards the pavilion. "Place your feet on the ground and I''ll cut them off..." A cold voice stopped him on his tracks. The voice sounded like it came from a youngster so the middle-aged man didn''t heed the young man''s request. Turning his head behind him, his eyes widened in shock when he saw the Honorary Disciple''s badge on the young man''s chest. "Ah... Ermmm... I-I-I didn''t expect that someone of such status would take fancy of this one''s pavilion. If young master wished so, I would gladly give up on this location..." The fatty middle-aged man stuttered through his words, eyeing the young man before him. His gaze wandered at the two women at his side and he almost lost his composure. Beside Dan stood two women that looked too beautiful to behold, their countenance that mysteriously sparkled under sunlight and the swaying of their slender-frame as they moved caught his attention. Realizing that the young man was still looking at him, he cleared his throat and bowed his head even deeply. Dan had the badge of an Honorary Disciple on him so it was understandable that someone of his capability would be escorted by heaven defying beauties. But since he was also a man, he couldn''t help but take another glance and the badges plastered on the two women''s chest intensified his shock. "T-T-Three Honorary Disciples?! What the hell is going on here?!" The fatty middle-aged man''s thoughts raced and his heart started beating fast. His reaction felt similar to a commoner finding out that the Emperor himself was standing right in front of his eyes. The shock of realization and epiphany all combined together that it felt too surreal. Dan calculated the middle-aged man''s reaction so he wasn''t that astonished. Zieve who saw the middle-aged man''s complexion could only bitterly smile for he was sure that he had the same face when he first discovered that Juliet had three Honorary Disciples as her parents. "Can you step aside now? We don''t have time for small talks..." Dan coldly said and the middle-aged man felt his spine shivering from fear. With cold sweat dripping down his back, he clasped his hands together and respectfully bowed before running towards the opposite direction with his subordinate. Juliet stared at his father''s actions with knitted eyebrows. Since they had the necessary papers for the pavilion. Surely, there wasn''t a reason for him to scare that middle-aged man away, right? Zieve felt the same and looked at Dan''s direction. "Just because the two of you guys are known to be one of the most powerful influence here in the Entertainment Block after the Charming Pavilion, people with bad intentions will still intentionally go after the two of you, especially if you guys kept on acting like pacifists, you must show them who''s stronger or else they''ll keep on going after you..." Dan casually said without turning his head, his wives who stood beside him nodded their heads in agreement and Juliet along with Zieve kept their silence. However, the two of them stared at each other and reached a tacit understanding that would surely help them in the future. Entering the pavilion, Dan found that it still didn''t have the furnitures and arrangements that he specifically requested from the Academy. Sighing, he didn''t have the right to complain for if not for the fact that he used his authority as a Honorary Disciple, none of the Elders would even care for his concern. Turning to look at Juliet and Zieve, Dan crossed his arms together and said, "I have already requested support from the Academy but it looks like they''re still not here..." "Oh right, what a coincidence, young Dan..." The familiar voice of an old man appeared amidst the darkness of the pavilion along with a Spatial Tear where Mathias emerged from within. Juliet and Zieve were startled while Dan and his wives, frowned. "What the hell old man, can you at least do a proper entrance instead of coming out of that dark and unstable looking hole..." Mathias lightly chuckled upon hearing Dan''s words before saying, "You sure know your way around words. Unfortunately, I am not here to play, come with me this instant along with your wives since I have something special for you three..." The wide smile on Mathias''s face intrigued the three and they nodded their heads in agreement. Mathias swept his eyes at the empty Pavilion before throwing a Spatial Ring at Juliet''s direction. "Little Girl, that''s my present and gift of apologies for you, everything within that Spatial Ring is something that will help your company soar greater heights than before..." Mathias mysteriously smiled and before Juliet could express her thanks, a Spatial Opening manifested and swallowed Mathias along with Dan and his wives. 245 The Truth about the World Dan stared speechlessly at Mathias and the latter merely smiled at his stunned expression. Sweeping his gaze at the three, Mathias invited them to his room where a table and chairs were present along with fragrant tea that incited not only their palate but also their cultivation bases. "Sit down and have some tea, don''t act so embarrassed and be at home..." Mathias gestured for the three and the two women that liked aromatic and fragrant teas revealed delighted expressions to Mathias''s invitations. Displaying proper decorum and etiquette, the two sat down and silently sipped their teas. Dan clasped his hands together and also displayed his manner. Taking his seat, in between his wives. He took his cup and sipped the fragrant tea. Upon entering his throat, and his stomach, it warmed not only his insides but also his meridians, cleansing toxins hidden within his body. He even felt his cultivation base subconsciously rotating and absorbing the tea''s medicine efficacy. Throwing all decorum and manners into the air. Dan downed the cup of tea with a huge mouthful as he exclaimed with satisfaction and excitement. "Good tea! One more cup, please..." Dan slammed the teacup on the saucer and Mathias gladly served him another cup. His wives raised their eyebrows towards his brash actions. The person in front of them wasn''t just a random figure, but the Headmaster of the Paradyne Academy himself! Recognized as the strongest man in the entire Empire, yet how could Dan act so familiar and nonchalant? "This is definitely some good tea that you have here, Sir Mathias... Can I please have another cup?" Dan boisterously laughed and asked for another cup of tea that Mathias silently complied. Not even sipping the tea, Dan gulped it down like drinking water and asked for another. But before he could even coax Mathias for another cup. Sharp pain stung both his thighs as Natalie and Grace stared at him with vicious lights within their eyes. They knew that the tea they were drinking costs an astronomical amount of Spirit Stones so they slowly drank and savored its delectable and distinct taste, yet Dan gulped them all like drinking water and kept asking for seconds as if he was the one paying for it. Dan awkwardly scratched his head and beamed with a smile at Mathias''s direction. His gaze wandered at the teapot and Mathias who noticed his furtive gaze sighed before saying. "All the tea for today is my treat, don''t hold back and drink everything that you can..." Mathias gestured for the three and the two women brightened with smiles. Dan''s lips lifted into a sly smile and his eyes landed on the bottle filled with tea leaves. "Sir Mathias, ah no- Headmaster... Didn''t you say that I can take and drink everything that I can?" Dan said in a respectful voice that perturbed his companions and the Headmaster himself. Just as the latter wondered about why Dan suddenly acted so respectful. The latter''s hands flashed as fast as lightning and grabbed his tea bottle on the table. Before anyone could react, the bottle disappeared from his hands and entered his Storage Device. "You..." Mathias figure slightly trembled from shock upon witnessing Dan''s actions. The tea leaves weren''t that precious if compared to other treasures that it had but it still was still extraordinarily expensive enough that his heart bled upon witnessing it disappear into Dan''s Storage Device. Natalie and Grace stared at Dan with astonishment and horror, acting so presumptuous in front of an expert that can easily disintegrate them into dust with a thought, was he seeking for his death? They thought in their heads. "Well, I did say that I would treating all of you guys for today so just consider those tea leaves as my treat..." Mathias resigned with a sigh and Natalie and Grace stared with astonishment at his reaction. Nevertheless, since he didn''t erupted into anger, they stopped pursuing the issue and proceeded to enjoy their tea. After the group enjoyed the short intermission. It was finally time for them to settle their business as Mathias sat at the opposite direction to the three. With his arms crossed together, Mathias said in a solemn voice. "Since the three of you have achieved the realm of the Divine Soul, you three have officially arrived at the starting point of cultivation for the path of Immortality. All the realms under the Divine Soul merely cultivated the Spirit, Body and the Flesh..." The three nodded their heads, Mathias words were textbook to the three of them that read far too many books to count. Staring right into Mathias''s eyes that sparkled with anticipation. They grew curious, just what is topic is he going to talk with us? They thought. "Now that you have achieved the basic qualifications and are finally considered as entry-level cultivators, all three of you can officially participate with other Core Disciples for the exploration of the Mystic Realm of the Undead..." Mathias ended his sentence with a wide smile on his face. "Mystic Realm of the Undead? That name alone sounds so ominous, Headmaster..." Grace couldn''t help but comment as Natalie and Dan nodded their heads in agreement. Mathias stared at them with sparkling eyes before continuing, "The Mystic Realm of the Undead as the name says is a huge independent space containing its own world, said to be constructed by a Divine Emperor Realm Expert..." Even Mathias who witnessed countless scenarios in his life couldn''t help but feel short of breath when he mentioned the supreme expert that created the Mystic Realm of Undead. Towards someone like him that stood at the peak of the Divine Ascendance Realm but never managed to take that single step towards the Realm of Emperors, the existence of such experts felt too surreal for him. "A huge independent space that contains its own world?" Natalie exclaimed from shock and Dan along with Grace revealed the same expressions on their faces. The void that surrrounded and stabilized the world was known as the void and with enough cultivation, one could tear a hole on it and travel swiftly through Spatial Tunneling. Once one reached the Realm of the Divine Ascendance, they could suppress the volatility of the void and create their own indendent space that could shelter a few cultivators and items that they wished to space. Though it sounded absurd, it definitely existed and was showcased by Mathias. But creating your own world inside an independent space was something too surreal and bizzare for each and everyone of them. The realization that one could eventually do that if they worked hard enough made the three dreamy and set their hearts ablaze with ambition. "Indeed, according to the researches done to the land and the space inside that Mystic Realm. It was supposedly created by a Divine Emperor Powerhouse or above several hundreds thousand of years ago..." Mathias replied while nodding his head and Dan who listened intently at his words couldn''t suppress his shock. "Wait, Headmaster... Did you just say Divine Emperor Powerhouse and above? Are you saying that there are realms above the Divine Emperor?" His words struck epiphany into Natalie and Grace''s mind as the two of them also stared at Mathias in curiosity and shock. Mathias locked his eyebrows and stared at them for a moment before slapping the back of his head in realization. Lightly laughing, he continued, "Damn, I actually forgot that the three of you still hasn''t received the briefing that everyone at the Divine Soul Realm receives...." Placing his elbows on the table, Mathias leaned and continued, "Then let me personally brief you about the other realms above the Divine Emperor. But first, let me ask the three of you. How much do you know about this world?" The three who anticipated Mathias''s personal teachings stiffened upon hearing what he said. Falling into deep contemplation, their mind madly spun and arranged information regarding the world that they lived in as their eyes widened in realization. That''s right... Even after living for so many years. Apart from the Empire of Dawn, the Empire of Eternal Faith and its surrounding areas. The three of them knew nothing about the world that they were in with the exception of some basic information that they gathered from reading books in the Academy''s library. Mathias who saw their frozen figures lightly smiled and continued. "That''s right, even with all the information that you have gathered, all of them were information that only includes the Continent of Dawn, right? Apart from knowing the Empire of Dawn, Empire of Eternal Faith, the Great Wilderness of Torb and the Desert Wilderness Bazaar, all three of you knew nothing about how truly huge this world is..." Natalie, Grace and Dan nodded their heads as they clasped their hands together and said, "In that case, I hope that the Headmaster will enlighten our ignorant minds..." Their tone respectful and Mathias lightly chuckled upon witnessing their respectful displays. "It''s fine, it''s fine, you bunch don''t have to act so respectful. It''s not like you wouldn''t learn about this when you officially become Core Disciples... But since we''re already at this point, I may as well just tell you..." Mathias even winked at Dan which sent shivers down the spine of the latter whose lips twitched along with his crooked smile. "Okay, let''s start..." Mathias cleared his throat and said. "The planet where we are in called the Blue Crystal Star is composed of three Continents namely, the Continent of Dawn, the Crimson Continent and the Continent of the Divine, out of all three Continents, the Continent of Dawn possessed the lowest resources and as a result, average cultivators in the Continent of Dawn couldn''t keep up with the cultivators at the other two continent and in the end, they were abandoned and treated as failures." Mathias stopped and gave the three a breather to absorb the information into their mind before continuing. "Since they were treated as failures they were exiled from the others and a Divine Emperor Powerhouse pushed the continent away from the two other continents. As a result, contact was lost and without the support of sufficient resources, the cultivators in the Continent of Dawn gradually declined to the extent that it was incredibly rare for someone to break through the shackles of the Divine and reach the Emperor of the World Status..." "In reality, there are realms above the Realm of the Divine Emperor and they are called, the Divine Sovereign Realm, the Divine Void Realm and the Divine Universe Realm. Even at the other two continents, each and every practitioner were mostly stuck at the Divine Sovereign Realm while those luckier ones managed to break through the Divine Void Realm..." "As far as I know, none had ever broke through the Realm of the Divine Universe. But legends say that breaking through that Realm meant achieving immortality and acquiring complete control over the cosmos..." Mathias ended his exposition and all three of them were left breathless from all the information that they just heard. Within Dan''s eyes sparkled a light of anticipation and excitement, though no one had ever broken through the realm of the Divine Universe, he had confidence that he could eventually achieve that Realm for as long as he didn''t prematurely die. After all, he had the Assassination System with him, something that shouldn''t technically exist. "That''s all that I have to say regarding the truths of the world. All that I said isn''t enough to enlighten you of everything but it should suffice so that you won''t keep being an ignorant to the matters of this world. After all, you three are already qualified from the time that you broke the shackles of mortality." All three of them thanked Mathias from the bottom of their hearts. Smiling in satisfaction, Mathias stretched his hand and proposed, "Would the two of you want to experience more of the world?" 246 Invitation for the Mystic Realm of the Undead Mathias''s question sounded nonsensical to the three of them who stared right into his eyes with a smile decorating their faces. Without an ounce of hesitation. Natalie, Grace and Dan all nodded their heads in confirmation as the latter said in a voice filled with anticipation. "Is that even a question that needs to be asked, Headmaster? Of course we do want to see and experience more of the world." Dan lightly laughed and his wives beside him also said. "That''s right, Headmaster. As long as there''s an opportunity for us to learn more, why wouldn''t we take it?" Grace covered her mouth with her palm and her shoulders shook as she chortled. "Indeed, Headmaster. Since you graciously offered such an opportunity to us, it would be illogical and disrespectful to refuse your offer." Natalie followed suit and slightly bowed her head in gratitude. Her eyes sparkled with the same light as her two companions. Filled with excitement and anticipation for their futures. "Good choice. I know that I don''t have to remind you but it''s safer that I do. The Mystic Realm of the Undead, as the name says contains the personification and apparitions of the damned souls that the supreme expert killed throughout his entire life. They continued to exist and haunt those that dared to trespass their territory..." Mathias warned them with a cheeky smile on his face that incited fear from the two women who felt shivers down their spines. Dan glanced at Natalie and Grace, noticing their pale expressions, he stared back at Mathias and said. "What could a bunch of skeletons and ghosts do against us, cultivators?" He said with crossed arms and Mathias sized him up for a moment and said, "You act so confident aren''t you? But I think that even with your current capabilities, if you were placed in the Mystic Realm, you wouldn''t even last an hour." Mathias chuckled. His phrase intensified the fears of the two young women and Dan couldn''t help but feel perturbed. Staring at Mathias''s expression. He didn''t looked like he was lying and if he was, there wasn''t something for him if he lied so it would be illogical. Knitting his eyebrows, Dan asked. "Is it possible for you to tell us on how exactly powerful are those monsters within the Mystic Realm?" Dan asked with caution, his arrogance retracted. Natalie and Grace who heard his words turned with attention at Mathias who lightly chortled. "If I were to make a comparison, a single apparition at that Mystic Realm could beat ten of you, Dan..." His eyes shone in a crimson light that reflected amusement and interest. Natalie and Grace shivered for a moment before the three of them finally realized how truly dangerous the Mystic Realm of the Undead. If ten Dans couldn''t survive the attack of a single apparition, what could they do when they were weaker than him? "In that case, Headmaster. Why did you even invite us if our enemies are that strong? isn''t that the same as throwing our lives away?" Dan asked with a dark expression, his tone became slightly rash as Mathias turned to look at him and said. "If I wanted to kill you guys, why should I go with such a roundabout way. With my cultivation base, all it takes is a single thought and I could even annihilate your existence without anyone else knowing what happened to you..." Mathias''s countenance hardened and Dan who acted rashly couldn''t help but take a step backward. Clasping his hands together, he said in a mellow and amiable tone. "Forgive this one''s rashness, Headmaster. I was just overwhelmed and astonished by the information that I received from yours truly, that I forgot the difference between the two of us and acted like you were my close brother..." Natalie and Grace glanced at him and couldn''t help but lightly chuckle as their slender shoulders slightly trembled from laughter. "It''s fine, It''s fine, didn''t I tell you that you don''t have to address me that respectfully. After all, me and your father has been such good brothers. If I knew that I was treating his son like this, that old geezer would definitely come here from the Continent of the Divine and kick me down a notch..." Mathias nonchalantly waved his hands and Dan felt cold sweat dripping down his back as he inwardly facepalmed. He actually forgot the difference between their status and treated this man like an old man in the streets! Grimacing, he glanced at his wives and found that the two were laughing at his misery. Glaring at them, Dan calmed himself down and focused on the task at hand. "Of course, I am not so stupid to immediately throw you away to that place without giving you proper training. But before I train you guys. Let me tell you more about the Mystic Realm of the Undead and why are there so many influences going after it and what they are..." Mathias nodded his head and glanced at them for a moment before continuing his discussion. "One of the reason why this Mystic Realm has been so attractive to other influences, sects and organizations is because of the fact that a supreme expert at the Divine Emperor Realm from the other continent has managed to peer into the depths of the Independent space and found that the Mystic Realm had high concentrations of Spiritual Energy in certain areas which only means one thing..." Mathias stopped and glanced at them for a moment. But before he could continue, Natalie who kept her silence continued. "It means that enormous and innumerable formations should be concentrated at those certain areas. And whenever formations are present, it only means that something is being protected from outsiders. And as for what is being protected, I can only think of one thing..." Natalie stopped her sentence in suspense. But this time, it wasn''t her that continued but Dan who smirked cheekily beside her "The supreme experts legacy or a treasure room is being protected behind those formations!" Dan exclaimed and Mathias nodded his head and continued his exposition. "That is indeed the case, but even though that Divine Emperor expert managed to see those formations. It was impossible for anyone to track the locations of those formations for they frequently shift in space, meaning. Only those that luckily stumbled upon the formations could have the chance to open them and reap all the rewards..." Sweeping his gaze at Natalie, Grace and Dan who stared right into his figure with serious intent to listen. Mathias nodded his head in appreciation and satisfaction before clearing his throat and continuing. "In that case, so that those formations could quickly be spotted within the independent space, each and every influences within the Continent of Dawn and the two other continents acquired the rights to send ten of their strongest disciples for an expedition and quest for that supreme expert''s legacy and treasures. That''s the reason why I invited all of you guys, to give you the chance of becoming the Paradyne Academy''s representative in the Mystic Realm of the Undead." Mathias smiled at them and Grace asked him a question: "If people with cultivation as low as the Divine Soul Realm could easily enter that place, why didn''t those experts at the Divine Ascendance or the Divine Emperor Realm, enter that Mystic Realm themselves and explore it?" Grace''s expression revealed curiosity and Mathias who heard her question beamed with a deeper smile than before. But before Mathias could answer Grace''s inquiry. Dan overtook him and answered, "The supreme expert that made that Mystic Realm should''ve placed a policy which prevents cultivators at the certain age or cultivation and above from entering that place..." Mathias glanced at Dan with shock. Dan felt too confident with his words that it didn''t seem like he was lying. And from the information that Mathias received from the headquarters. Dan''s words matched the information that the headquarters bestowed upon Mathias. Grace glanced at Dan for a moment before turning her line of sight at Mathias who nodded his head and said, "That is indeed the case, unless someone was below the age of 25 and below the cultivation of the Divine Ascendance Realm. It was impossible for them to enter and if they tried, the formations placed within the Mystic Realm would react to their presence and erase them from existence." Mathias casually said these words but it made the three feel cold in their hearts. Formations established by a Divine Emperor Realm expert. They couldn''t even imagine how powerful would those formations be. All they knew that once it located them as target for extinction. There''s no way that they could resist. After hearing this far, Dan, Natalie and Grace finally understood the gravity of the situation. "Enough of this talk shall we? I think that after I said this much, you three should know the gist about the Mystic Realm and how dangerous it is. How about it, still down for the challenge? Or would the three of you rather live a comfortable life without any danger and enemies to bother you..." Mathias lifted an ambiguous smile on his lips, his eyes sparkled with a light that challenged each and everyone of the three. Inviting them to accept the lethal invitation of the god of death. Natalie and Grace stared at Dan, when they became Dan''s wives, they understood that he had the authority over them and they willingly gave up in submission to him with all of their hearts. Wherever he goes and whatever his decision, they would follow and stand beside him. Dan stiffened like a statue and didn''t reply to Mathias''s question. His mind madly spun and analyzed all the factors and tallied all the information that he had. If he didn''t accept Mathias''s request, he could live a peaceful life with his wives and daughter but it would mean that he wouldn''t see much of the world and eventually die in ignorance. If he accepted Mathias''s challenge, that would mean undertaking a huge risk and danger that not only endangered his life but the lives of his wives that followed and stood beside him all this time. They had experienced traumatic pasts and Dan wanted them to live a life where they could freely do whatever he wanted. Stuck in a dilemma, beaded sweats dripped down Dan''s forehead. Grace and Natalie who noticed his internal struggles stared at each other for a moment before sweetly smiling. Stretching their hands, they held both of Dan''s hands and reassured him, saying. "Dear, you don''t have to worry that much about our safety. You do know that I have also been training myself hard so I can catch up to you. If you don''t let me experience a baptism of blood and engage in an exchange of techniques that placed my life on the line, there''s no way that I could improve..." Natalie said in an affectionate manner and Grace who sat at Dan''s left side also whispered into his left ears. Her voice soft and felt like a whisper of enticement. "That''s right, Dan. From the time that I became your slave, I already resolved myself to follow you even if that road is treacherous and filled with knives and flames. I''ll do everything that I can so I can improve and continuously stay at your side, so please. We want you to accept the Headmaster''s offer..." Under Grace and Natalie''s convincing. Dan who internally struggled finally opened his eyes that gleamed with the light of determination and ambition. Stretching his hand forward, he said with a confident tone in his voice. "I, Dan Gabriel Longinus, along with my wives shall accept your offer, Headmaster. Please guide us!" 247 Revealing Ones Cards "Since the three of you have decided, then everything has been settled when it comes to consent. The only thing that the three of you must need to know is that you will inevitably fight against the Core Disciples of the Academy..." Mathias cheekily smiled and stared at them with challenge sparkling within his eyes. The three nodded their heads in a solemn manner, from the time that they accepted Mathias''s proposal. They knew that they had to fight their away against the Core Disciples and rise up amongst the masses, so they were prepared. "With your current state and cultivation, any random Core Disciple could defeat all three of you in less than five moves. Even if you three had certainly improved these past months, your improvements didn''t surpass the improvement that Juliet acquired..." Mathias lifted an ambiguous smile and swept his gaze across the three. "The improvement that Juliet acquired? What do you mean, Headmaster? Juliet hasn''t broken through another realm or stage, what improvement do you mean, Headmaster?" Dan turned to look at Mathias and stared at him in a curious manner. His wives also did the same and awaited Mathias''s response. Mathias stared at them in doubt for a moment before lightly laughing. With his heightened senses, it wasn''t a problem for him to know whether someone was lying or not. Suppressing his laughter, Mathias gazed at them and said in a serious tone that he could possibly muster in that situation. "Your daughter, Juliet managed to comprehend a Heavenly Law called the Dagger Intent..." Mathias tried his best to keep a solemn voice but the fact that Juliet hid herself too deeply even to her parents made him feel that the situation was too amusing. In contrast to Mathias who felt that the situation was amusing. Dan, Natalie and Grace who heard his words stiffened like statues as their figures trembled in shock. Their lips twitching and they couldn''t just believe that Juliet would comprehend something so complex like a Heavenly Law.... As cultivators of the Paradyne Academy and Honorary Disciples at that, all three of them had the right to learn more about the world and that also includes learning about Heavenly Laws. From one of the books that they read, the Dagger Intent was mentioned to be at the third strongest when it comes to offense. It was an excessively difficult Heavenly Law to comprehend and it was unimaginable that someone like Juliet could understand such a complex Intent. Their shocks were justified for average cultivators require at least several decades in order to catch a glimpse of that certain Law, yet Juliet understood it by chance. Staring at Mathias''s expression, he didn''t seem to be lying and there''s nothing in there for him if he did lie. Knitting their eyebrows, Dan replied to Mathias, "If what the Headmaster said is true, then just how did Juliet acquire comprehension in such a complex Heavenly Law, and not only that it''s the fabled Dagger Intent, which is the the third strongest under the heavens..." Mathias shrugged and bitterly smiled, throughout his youth, Mathias had also tried his best in comprehending a Heavenly Law, but alas. He never succeeded and eventually gave up his pursuit. Staring at Dan, he opened his mouth and replied. "Comprehension of a Heavenly Law requires knowledge, understanding and inspiration. If a single component among these three is missing, there''s no way that someone could understand a Heavenly Law... In conclusion, let''s just say that Juliet successfully had all three of those in the right place and at the right time..." His bitter smile astonished the three and Dan who noticed it, asked. "From the looks of your face, headmaster. It seems like you have tried comprehending a Heavenly Law back then and failed..." Dan''s words evoked a deep sigh from Mathias who nodded, "I indeed tried understanding a Heavenly Law but let''s just say that it''s not really for everyone, only those smiled by fortune could possibly stumble on such a lucky chance..." "I understand, Headmaster... Please forgive me for that question..." Dan clasped his hands together and respectfully bowed. Natalie and Grace sighed in their hearts and felt sympathy for Mathias''s past. "The three of you shouldn''t bother about the matters of the past, right now. I want you to think about how you three could possibly surpass even the weakest of the Core Disciples..." Mathias lightly smiled and turned to look at all three of them. Dan, Natalie and Grace nodded their heads and Grace who kept her silence spoke up, "Before we do that, Headmaster, there''s a problem that has been bugging me ever since I arrived at the Academy..." Mathias''s eyes lit up and he turned to look at Grace and said, "Hooo? Pray tell," Grace adjusted her posture and continued her exposition, "Ever since I came here, I noticed that the power levels of the disciples in different sections of the Academy is vastly different, may I know the reason behind that, Headmaster?" Grace''s knitted eyebrows attracted the amusement of Mathias who lightly chuckled upon her inquiry, "Yeah, that''s indeed a good question to ask. Even though the three of you guys have arrived and settled here for several months already, there has been so many issues here and there that the three of you didn''t manage to explore the surroundings, right?" The three nodded their heads in confirmation and Mathias crossed his arms together in a leisurely manner before continuing, "Outer, Inner and Core, all of these regions have distinct differences when it comes to facilities for training, take a look at the Outer Disciples Region for example, it''s mostly filled with commoners and disciples, but when you visit the Inner Disciples Region, commoners were scarce and at the Core Disciples Region, you would find no commoners..." "That''s because the quality of the Spiritual Energy within those Regions starting at the Inner Disciple Region up to the Core Disciples Region are vastly stronger and concentrated than that of the Outer Disciples Region to the extent that those commoners would continuously suffer if they went inside those Regions..." His words ignited sparkling lights within the eyes of the three. Grace nodded her head and mumbled, "So that''s the reason why cultivating within the Fragrant Peak Pavilion is easier than cultivating at other areas... And so that''s also the reason why I felt that the air within the Academy is different when compared to the air within the Empire..." Mathias nodded, "That''s indeed the case, but that''s not the only reason why Core Disciples are several folds stronger than Inner Disciples... Apart from the difference between Spiritual Energy concentration, the Core Disciples also enjoyed topnotch monthly cultivation resources from the Academy and first-rate training grounds that increased their pace of cultivation by at least ten folds..." "At least ten folds?!" Natalie exclaimed from shock, forgetting proper decorum. Dan and Grace also stared wide-eyed at Mathias who merely chuckled and continued, "Yeah, there are arrays there that one can use to enter a virtual world where they can constantly baptise themselves with iron and blood. I haven''t told you guys about these back then since you three simply didn''t have the qualifications to use those facilities but now that you''re at the realm of the Divine Soul, it would be unfair if I didn''t tell you..." He shrugged and Dan said, "That''s not a problem, Headmaster. We won''t carry a grudge just because of that matter of you hiding information from us. But I just wanna ask, just where can we try those formations out?" Natalie and Grace turned to look at Mathias in curiosity and the latter nodded his head and replied, "Since all three of you are Honorary Disciples of the Academy, you can enjoy far more resources than those of the Core Disciples. But keep in mind that since all three of you are already at the Divine Soul Realm, Core Disciples could challenge you to a fight and if they win, your Honorary Disciple position would be forfeit..." Natalie and Grace sucked mouthfuls of cold air and the latter asked, "Ermm, Headmaster. If they do challenge us, is it possible to refuse or we must fight against those challengers..." Mathias''s lips lifted into a sly smile and he said, "Since the position of an Honorary Disciple is a highly-coveted yet limited edition position, to prevent monopoly by a single disciple, the holder of the position must accept the challenges of all challengers. Of course there are some rules, after all. It would be bad if they just kept challenging you even when you''re tired..." Mathias sipped his tea but before he could reply, Grace intervened with a small smile on her face, "The amount of challenges that the Honorary Disciple must accept is limited. Am I right, Headmaster?" "Absolutely right, Grace... That analysis of yours sure surprises me every time..." Mathias praised with a laugh and afterwards, all three of them enjoyed each other''s company as Mathias explained further advanced rules of the Academy before dispersing them towards the Core Disciples Region per Dan''s request. Arriving in an instant, all three of them swept their eyes at the surroundings and felt incomparably awed. The scene that they were currently looking at was something that couldn''t easily be surpassed. Countless small-sized Pavilions were casually floating in the skies like small islands, painting a surreal scene. On the ground, were numerous disciples from the Inner and Core Disciples Region interacting at each other with smiles. Squinting his eyes, Dan exclaimed in shock as he stared at the pavement that these disciples were walking on. "Damn, to think that the Academy had such an extravagant side, even the pavement and the grasses on the ground are made with top-quality jaded asphalt and everlasting grass..." Grace and her sister Natalie also couldn''t suppress their astonishment as they curiously looked around the area. Particularly, at those small islets floating in the skies and swimming amidst the clouds. Taking their deep breaths, all three of them exclaimed. "Such density and concentration of the Spiritual Energy in the air... Cultivating a single day here is equal to cultivating ten days at the Fragrant Peak Pavilion!" Natalie analyzed and the two of her companions wore smiles on their faces as they continued their journey towards the Pavilion where they could temper themselves for the upcoming Academy Selection for the Mystic Realm of the Undead. Entering the Dreamy World Pavilion, dozens of Core Disciples strode around the area with their female companions or butlers standing at their sides, looking incomparably charming or unyielding. Noticing the arrival of the three, the Core Disciples turned to look curiously at them and noticed that they were newcomers. An attendant approached them from the side and asked towards Dan. "Excuse me sire, but judging from the look in your eyes, I presume that you''re a newly-ascended Core Disciple. am I right?" The attendant asked in a polite and respectful tone, someone with his stature couldn''t afford offending a Core Disciple so he tried his best at keeping propriety and decorum. Dan realized that the attendant didn''t seem to recognize his standing as an Honorary Disciple. Smiling in amusement, he nodded his head and said, "That''s indeed the case, brother. May I ask about how we could enter the finest array that you have when it comes to tempering one''s body and everything?" The attendant who heard Dan''s gentle words inwardly sighed in relief. His tense expression relaxed as he introduced towards the distant array where dozens of disciples neatly lined-up. "That array is called the Thousand Worlds Changing Array. As for why it is called with such a name. It''s because due to the fact that the world inside the array could change according to the user''s specifications so that it would perfectly suit their desires... Entering the array requires a fee of five thousand Spirit Stones for an hour and a Core Disciple could only rent it for not more than three hours everyday..." Dan who prepared himself for the heft price tag couldn''t help but stiffen up when he heard the price. Five thousand Spirit Stones, that was equal to several days of disposable income that he could acquire from his Pharmaceutical Company! Natalie and Grace also didn''t manage to suppress their shocks as their faces behind their veils trembled with their lips repeatedly twitching with complex emotions. "Brother, you know that five thousand Spirit Stones is quite expensive, is there anyway that we could get a discount?" Dan felt his face turn hot from shame but he still asked without holding back, as long as they could acquire a discount, everything was worth it! The attendant bitterly smiled towards Dan''s questions: "I''m afraid that there''s no way that I could do that, brother. I''m nothing but just an attendant tasked to look at the conditions of the array, there''s no way that I could manipulate the prices... Though if you have an Elder''s Pardon or the position of an Honorary Disciple, you could use the array whenever you want and even bypass the lines!" The attendant gave them a beacon of light amidst the darkness, but judging from his bitter expression, one could see that he didn''t think much of his capabilities. The three who heard what he said lightly smiled. Particularly, Natalie and Grace who couldn''t help but suppress their chuckles. Dan clasped his hands together in gratitude and the attendant left them with a deep bow. Turning his head towards the direction of the Thousand Worlds Changing Array, Dan slowly walked towards it with his wives in tow. "What the hell is that brat doing, is he planning on skipping the lines?" "Maybe he does have an Elder''s Pardon, after all, newly-ascended Core Disciples frequently have those things as rewards from their professors back when they were still Inner Disciples..." "I don''t care if he has that Elder''s Pardon thing, as long as he tries to skip this line, I''d fucking cave his skull into his neck, I have been waiting here since yesterday and still haven''t got my turn..." Voices of complaints echoed out, some disciples stared at Dan with sharp lights of battle intent shining within their eyes. Dan merely shrugged their challenging eyes and arrived at the doors of the array where a Core Disciple stood with raised eyebrows. "Newcomer, are you planning on using your Elder''s Pardon and bypass the line? I''m afraid that you cannot do that when I''m here standing in front of you..." The Core Disciple had a huge frame and he was at least a meter higher than Dan. His voice dark and incomparably deep as he warned. "Elder''s Pardon? Something like that is something that you guys can easily disregard so I wouldn''t use that. In fact, I don''t even have that Elder''s Pardon thing..." Dan lightly smiled and fearlessly faced the Core Disciple. "Then, what are you standing here for? Looking for a fight? If so, I''d gladly accompany you..." The latter cracked his knuckles and stretched his neck, preparing for an incoming battle. Dan lightly shrugged, sighing. His hand stretched towards his robes and amidst the stunned gazes of the crowd, slowly lifted a small jade token that shone in an incomparably brilliant light that illuminated the entire Pavilion. Clenched within Dan''s palms was the insignia of the most coveted position within the Academy. The mark of an Honorary Disciple! 248 Disregarding Challengers, Seamless Teamwork Within Dan''s palm was a token shining in an incomparable brilliance that illuminated the entire pavilion. Everyone''s eyes darted on the source of sudden light and their eyes simultaneously widened in shock when they saw the mark clenched within the former''s palm. "Honorary Disciple Token!?" "That brat is an Honorary Disciple? Was acquiring an Honorary Disciple Token that easy?!" "So that''s the reason why he walked up to the front with confidence, is he courting his death?" Murmurs echoed in the area and every Core Disciples'' eyes sparkled with dangerous lights. Eyeing Dan in a blatant manner, dozens of Spiritual Energy in the form of threads landed on Dan''s body and inspected his cultivation along with his foundation. [Approach of numerous foreign Spiritual Energies has been detected. Do you want to expel? Y/N] A bluish screen appeared right in front of Dan''s eyes which made him smirk. Sweeping his gaze across the Core Disciples who stared right back into his eyes. Dan softly mumbled into the air and the Spiritual Energies flying towards him, all shattered at once. Muffled groans rang out from those that tried to probe Dan. Holding their stifled chests, they stared at Dan with renewed lights within their eyes before retracting their penetrating eyes. It seems like Dan who held the Honorary Disciple Token wasn''t so simple. Standing at the corner of the pavilion was a figure clad with the Core Disciple robes of the Paradyne Academy. Despite his tall and slender stature that towered over the short disciples around him. None of the disciples noticed his presence. In fact, if one didn''t stare at him, they would not feel his presence. With a wine glass on hand, the young man sipped and licked his lips clean. Staring at Dan''s direction. His eyes sparkled with interest before shaking his head and turning around to leave. Back at the front of the line, Dan swept his gaze across the crowd. Seeing the each and every disciple had retracted their ferocious eyes, he smirked and slowly made his way towards the array. As a Honorary Disciple, Dan didn''t need to pay the required Spirit Stones and so did his wives. In a flash of brilliant light along with the undulations of Spatial Transfer. Dan and his wives disappeared from the vicinity. Just as they vanished from the eyes of everyone. The disciples standing within the pavilion exploded into a clamor as each and everyone of them crushed jadeslips, disseminating information throughout the region. "Damn, I could never get used to this feeling..." The sensation of Spatial Transfer assaulted the nerves of the three who looked somewhat pale upon arrival. Sweeping their gaze around, they discovered that they had arrived at the center of a Wilderness. Towering trees and thick shrubs and the prevalent smell of earth filled their senses. Incredibly, they had arrived deep inside a forest! Unsheathing their weapons, the three went into cautious mode and scanned the area with wary eyes for predators. According to Mathias and the attendant, the world within the array had numerous hidden dangers that could easily annihilate those that didn''t brace for enemies. Grace held twin daggers personally made by her within her hands, while Natalie assumed a defensive stance with her Soft Sword. Dan used the same weapon as Grace and the three of them slowly searched for enemies. Since Dan intended on further tempering his senses and techniques. He didn''t rely on the System. This time, he used everything that he had and entered a state of concentration as his mind madly spun and processed everything in front of him, looking for any traces of movement in the surroundings. Natalie and Grace wore same expressions on their faces as they warily glanced at the surroudings with their nerves stretched taut. Inhibiting their auras, the three concealed their breathing and slowed down their footsteps. "Up ahead, one is slowly approaching our way..." Dan mumbled in the softest voice that he could. Natalie and Grace nodded their heads and stared at the distance. Concealed within the darkness of the forest and the thick shrubberies, stood a two meters wolf looking for a prey to feast on. Dan turned to look at Natalie and informed his wives through voice transmission, "Natalie, you go take that wolf out, your weapon is more suited at medium-range engagements. Make sure to take it out in a single strike..." With Dan''s command, Natalie solemnly nodded her head and infused Spiritual Energy into her Soft Sword which quickly transformed into a snake that she flicked at the direction of the wolf. Air itself split up with a whistle and Natalie''s attack struck the unsuspecting wolf right at its neck, instantly killing it. Sighing in relief after completing her objective. Natalie retracted her Soft Sword and relaxed. But when she turned to look at Grace and Dan. Her expression changed when she saw them frowning, "What''s going on with the two of you? I just killed the wolf..." "Yeah, you did kill the wolf, Natalie. But that wolf isn''t the only enemy that we have within this forest. Soon, the smell of fresh blood will attract other predators..." Grace solemnly declared and Dan nodded his head. "That''s right, before we get surrounded by predators, we should move out immediately and observe from a distance, make sure that your presences are still extinguished. Fighting beasts is vastly different from fighting humans, don''t let your guard down...'''' All three concealed their presences once again, at the distance. Innumerable footsteps formed a chorus that shook the earth. Amidst the darkness, the three could vaguely see dozens of wolves approaching their vicinity. Crimson eyes lit up within the darkness followed by low growls that indicated fury and anger caused by the death of their companion. Staring at the scene, Dan clicked his tongue and hurriedly decided. "Damn it, they have already arrived! There''s no way that we could escape through their encirclement! We need to forcefully break out!" With a cold flash of light, Dan swung his daggers and instantly killed several wolves around him. Natalie and Grace didn''t reply with words. Instead, they leaped at the direction of the wolves and unleashed their skills and techniques that they honed for several months. Blood littered the ground and the strong smell of iron filled the air. Natalie swung her Soft Sword around that lunged on its enemies like a venomous snake. Grace danced amidst the battlefield, each swing of her dagger claimed a single life while Dan looked like a mirage, leaving only a trace of Lightning as his attacks devastated the wolves. Miserable whines and the angered growls of wolves never ceased along with the three''s slaughter. However, the longer that they stayed within the battlefield and the more lives they reaped, the three realized that the wolves increasingly became frenzied, as if they were being aroused by the smell and sight of blood. "Damn it, these guys are getting persistent! The more we kill the frenzier they become!" Dan clicked his tongue and gnashed his teeth. Even with his speed, he''s having a hard time keeping up with these crazed wolves. "Dan! This battle is a one-sided slaughter but there are too many of them! We need to open up a path so we can escape or else we''ll die of exhaustion in here!" Grace shouted towards the two as glistening crystallized sweats formed on her forehead that dripped down her chin. Despite the exhaustion and the sore sensation on her limbs, she kept prancing around and her movements never stopped. Natalie was better off than the two, with her Soft Sword that seemed to possess an intelligence of its own. She didnt need to move and apart from adjusting her body with the movements of her Sword, she just stood there and observed the scene of carnage. "I''ll go and open up a path, the two of you keep the others busy!" Natalie exclaimed and the three of them reached a tacit understanding. Opening both of her palms in parallel to each other. Natalie softly chanted and a burst of Lightning exploded from her body. Scaring those wolves that dared to approach her for a sneak attack. Lightning continuously crackled as Natalie''s body transformed into a Lightning Empress, her eyes sparkled with an azure light as the Lightning field around her body continuously expanded. The wolves that touched the Lightning field disintegrated into dust while those that managed to escape before it was too late looked miserable with burnt marks all around their bodies. "Blessing of the Lightning God: Fourth Stance, Lightning Domain!" Natalie ended her chant and the Lightning Field expanded to its maximum. The wolves were taken aback as they hurriedly retreated in a panic. Staring at this scene with smiles on their faces. Grace and Dan ignited their cultivation bases as they ran towards those fleeing wolves and reaped their lives. The fear that the wolves experienced reduced resistance so Grace and Dan didn''t have a hard time dealing with them like earlier. Though wolves had an affinity for Lightning, it has to be known that the environment within the forest was dark, staring at such a sudden brilliance robbed them of their eyesight and made them lose their minds. Taking advantage of this weakness, Grace and Dan paved the way outside with countless corpses of wolves at the side. Signalling towards Natalie, the latter nodded and followed suit. Jumping tree branches after tree branches, all three tried their best in escaping the pursuit of the wolves, occasionally stopping and disposing of those that caught up to their movements. "Right there, there''s a cave! Once we turn right, abandon your blood-soaked robes and conceal your presences so that they''ll get confused!" Dan ordered and the two nodded their heads in understanding. Sharply turning right, the three abandoned their robes and dispatched everything that had the smell of blood. Concealing their presences, they leaped directly into the cave entrance and merged within the darkness. The cold wind swept past their bodies and after seeing that no wolves lingered around them, they heaved sighs of reliefs and leaned on each other''s shoulders. Earlier, they were surrounded by at least a thousand wolves. It was an incredibly lucky feat that they managed to escape without any injuries. Taking out fresh set of robes from his Spatial Ring. Dan clothed both of his wives and the two sweetly smiled in return. Drinking some water, the three leaned on the cave wall and eventually sat down. Turning towards the depths of the cave, the eyes of the three widened in shock as they witnessed innumerable crimson eyes igniting within the darkness! 249 Fierce Battle Amidst the Darkness! "Hieeek!" Natalie and Grace simultaneously screamed out in fear when they realized the identity of the crimson eyes floating amidst the darkness. Even Dan who thought that nothing could scare him within this world when he became a cultivator shivered in shock and fear. Rats! Hundreds no- several thousands of Rats whose body at least a foot tall appeared right before the eyes of the three. Unsheathing their weapons. The normally graceful Natalie and Grace flailed their arms in the air in panic. Dan clicked his tongue and gnashed his teeth. Suppressing his disgust, he pounced forward and pushed the Rats away before sending a Lightning Bolt at the direction of the ceiling. An ear-splitting rumbling sound reverberated followed by the sound of crashing rocks as dust flew towards the air, reducing further visibility which hampered their senses. Miserable shrieks after miserable shrieks rang out along with the sound of flesh being crushed into meat pastes. Standing at the edge of the entrance. Natalie and Grace huffed and puffed as they complained. "What the hell is wrong with this place! Didn''t the attendant say that we could imagine the ideal world that we want and it''ll come true? Why are there giant Rats lurking around in caves?!" Grace didn''t respond to Natalie''s rant. Instead, she glanced at Dan and said in a soft voice. "Dan, since you''re the one that went first inside the Array. This world should be your fabrications. Just what kind of a world did you make that it''s this bizzare..." She wondered and Dan merely smiled. "To tell you the truth, I have never imagined any world or even anything. I just closed my eyes, waiting for the disappearance of that nauseating sensation of Spatial Transfer..." At the end of his sentence, Dan suddenly widened his eyes in shock and exclaimed. "That''s it! Now that I think about it, that sensation earlier... that must''ve been the feeling of Spatial Transfer! If that''s really true then the world we are in shouldn''t be inside an Array but somewhere within the continent!" Dan''s conjecture astonished the two women who fell into deep contemplation. "Your idea is feasible but too farfetched, something that could constantly transfer people in such long distances, that''s something that only Divine Emperor''s could possibly do!" Natalie nodded her head in support to Grace''s answer. After the three of them arrived at the Divine Soul Realm. They had realized that the world had something deeper than they had expected. Spiritual Energy, Heavenly Laws, Heavenly Tribulation and all sorts of strange and unique occurrences all follow strict rules under the heavens. That included the manipulation of Space. Despite having basic control of the Heavenly Laws. Manipulating space requires an enormous amount of energy expenditure that it''s completely impossible for someone below the Divine Emperor Realm to constantly transfer other people in such large distances. "Grace, you''re thinking inside the box, how about think outside of the box for a moment. Haven''t you realized the grandeur and complexity of the array that we entered earlier? Though I can''t understand it, I''m sure that it could do something that only Divine Emperors could do..." Dan lightly smiled and Grace merely shook her head towards Dan''s answer and didn''t argue anymore. Natalie who observed all this while bitterly smiled and said, "How about we stop the argument for a moment and think of a way that we can do to exit this Array?" Her words awakened the two from their state of trance as they said, "That''s right, we went too deep into thinking. Let''s just keep each other safe for and find the exit first before we start thinking about the Array..." Dan nodded in understanding and the three stared back at the depths of the cave where countless rocks formed into a mountain that crushed the thousands of Rats earlier. Thinking about the Rats and their size, Dan had a subtle idea in his mind about what kind of a world they were in but soon shook his head in denial. Unless definitive proof was present, he preferred not jumping into conclusions. Just as they were thinking about their next course of actions, dozens of subtle movements became visible up ahead of them and the sound of the earth, faintly trembling rang out as the expressions of the three, changed. "The depths of the cave is blocked, and ahead of us are several thousands of wolves approaching. I refuse to believe that this forest is endless. Come, let''s go and baptize ourselves with blood, we''re gonna slaughter our way outside!" Dan decisively declared, Grace and Natalie nodded their heads without hesitation and unsheathed their weapons. Cutting off the sleeves and hems of their robes to increase movement fluidity and flexibility. The two women rotated their cultivation bases as Dan opened up the battle with a concentrated beam of Lightning which illuminated the world. RUUUUUUMMMMMMBBBBBBLLLLLLLEEE! A deafening boom of muffled thunder shook the heavens and earth as it pierced through all obstacles and incinerated the approaching wolves, wind formed a tempest and countless trees were uprooted. Under the attacks of a Divine Soul cultivator like Dan who could manipulate Heavenly Laws, uprooting trees and upturning the earth was a simple feat. Miserable howls reverberated out which quickly turned into whistles and whines of pain as Natalie and Grace recommenced their slaughter. This time, the two women didn''t hold back and unleashed everything that they had. One left a trails of Lightning Bolts behind her while the other left Ice statues of wolves that shattered upon impact. "Awwwooo!" A fierce and mournful howl echoed at the distance and Dan''s expression visibly changed when he saw the appearance of a monstrous wolf that looked to be at five to six meters in height. On the wolf''s forehead was the image of a crown below a floating moon. Standing there amidst the darkness, the monstrous wolf''s body sparkled with a soft-silvery light. But that wasn''t the reason why Dan felt so shaken. It was because due to the fact that the energy fluctuations coming out of the wolf was something incomparable to those of the Divine Soul Realm. Clearly, the monstrous wolf possessed a cultivation beyond that of the Divine Soul Realm! "Shit! It''s a Divine Ascendance Realm Beast! The two of you, hurry up and retreat!" Dan fiercely ordered, but before Natalie and Grace could realize the severity of the situation. A trail of silver light flashed before their eyes as they miserably shrieked. Their figures flying backward and struck towering trees before stopping. "Natalie! Grace!" Dan turned around and rushed towards their figures and found the mutilated bodies of the two. All of Natalie''s ribs had broken while both of Grace''s arms had turned into a weird angle. Blood decorated their robes, as the two kept spouting mouthfuls of blood one after another. Opening his Virtual Inventory. Dan took the highest quality of Recovery Pills that he had and fed them to the two. Within an instant, the greenish light of nature enveloped their bodies and one could visibly see their injuries healing along with constant crunchy sounds as their bones recovered from fractures. "Ugh... What happened... I only saw a flash of silver light and before I realized it, I was flying in the air..." "Me too... Before I knew it, I felt intense pain and struck this tree..." Natalie and Grace moaned out in pain and confusion. Gnashing his teeth, Dan turned behind and saw the image of the monstrous wolf standing there idle with its army, staring at them with disdain in its eyes. "That stupidly huge wolf is comparable to a Divine Ascendance Realm Elder... That''s the reason why I called out, earlier..." Dan said and the two followed his line of sight. When their gazes landed on the wolf, the two of them exclaimed in shock and hopelessnes. "Yeah... That energy fluctuation... Only a Divine Ascendance Realm Expert could possibly possess such an overbearing and dominant pressure which trembles even my soul..." "This is hopeless, this is definitely hopeless... Maybe there''s a way for us to get out of here like, suicide?" Grace and Natalie lost their minds from the fear of death. Frowning, Dan turned towards the two and stared at them with a pensive gaze. Both of his wives possessed strong minds and attitude, their nature made it so that they wouldn''t easily give up but why were they acting so cowardly right now? Such a matter felt too strange for Dan who blurted out. "What the hell is wrong with you two? The Natalie and Grace that I have known are strong, independent women that wouldn''t falter in the face of enemies or adversities like this? Have the two of you went nuts? Wake up, you two!" Dan fiercely scolded without holding back, awakening the two from their trance who mumbled in scared voices as their expressions went completely pale without any color. "Please no... Sir, please don''t hurt me, we never meant to do anything like that, please... forgive meeee!" "No, please... you can hurt me, but please don''t hurt my daughter, Juliet..." Grace and Natalie huddled together whilst trembling. Natalie tightly held Grace into an embrace and incoherently muttered amidst her bated breath. Dan stood in front of them with a dark expression on his face. Staring at the bluish system notification in front of him, his eyes flashed in cruel light. [System Evaluation: The targets are under the influences of Fear and Hallucination Effects. Duration: Indefinite.] "Indefinite Hallucination and Fear Effects, within this place, that stupidly huge wolf should be the one that did this to them..." Dan slowly turned around with his dagger clenched on his left hand. Furiously tapping on the air, numerous equipment manifested around his body such as Grenades, a handgun and a knife whose blade looked twisted and unique. Taking a Grenade from his waist, Dan dashed forwards, leaving a trail of Lightning and the sound of muffled thunder as he appeared amidst the wolves and hurled the Grenade at the center. Circling around, his body transformed into a mirage, leaving countless afterimages in his wake. BOOOOOOMMM! A defeaning boom resonated throughout the entire forest as countless chunks of flesh flew in all directions. The smell of concentrated blood and iron filled the air as the monstrous wolf howled in rage. Staring with reddened eyes at Dan''s direction, it waved its paws, causing space itself to collapse as Dan hurriedly opened a hole in space and shifted his location towards the opposite direction. "Uggghhh..." The attack never struck Dan, but the aftereffects of instantaneous movement disoriented and nauseated him. Nevertheless, turning towards the direction of the attacking wolf, Dan covered his body with Lightning as he rushed at the wolf with his dagger in tow. Evading its gigantic paw in a hair''s breadth, Dan glided through the air and arrived at the center of the carnage where most of the wolves had gathered. Littered on the ground were their corpses and those severely injured. Arriving amidst the destruction and slaughter. Dan''s body suddenly exploded into a bluish brilliance as he screamed in a decisive manner. "Blessing of the Lightning God: Fourth Stance, Lightning Domain!" His words turned into a dharmic decree which manifested an all-encompassing Lightning that consumed everything on its path, the severely injured wolves cried out one last time as their bodies turned into nothingness. The entire forest became bathed with the azure light of lightning, everything around Dan had collapsed, the explosion of the Lightning Domain left the entire forest void of life. 250 Honor and Sacrifice Smoke floated up in the air and the charred remains wolves littered the ground. The lush vegetations that decorated the surroundings had disappeared along with the disappearance of the Lightning Domain that manifested and brought destruction to everything. Without the blockage of trees. Moonlight freely descended and Dan''s eyes widened in shock when he saw the scene tha unveiled itself before him. Ignoring the curled up monstrous wolf. Dan''s eyes penetrated behind it and landed on the dozens of tall skyscrapers that pierced through the clouds. Trembling, Dan was completely sure that the world before him was a complete depiction of the modern world. Tall skyscrapers and dim billboards made from glasses along with gigantic figurines and modern minimalistic design reminded him of Japan''s Akihabara. Despite the colorful designs of the skyscrapers and the tall figurines that depicted freedom and happiness, the gloomy atmosphere that surrounded the area around those buildings and the thick stench of Earth, indicated that life was unlikely present within the City. "Roaaar!" An enraged bestial roar awakened Dan from his trance. Darting his gaze back at the monstrous wolf. His eyes widened in shock when he realized that it merely had some scratches. Even with the most powerful technique that he could currently use, the monstrous wolf only sustained minor injuries that couldn''t even penetrate its empowered flesh. His daggers danced and flashed with cold lights. Dan dashed towards the monstrous wolf. Clad in azure Lightning, his speed looked unfathomable and indiscernible. But to the monstrous wolf whose cultivation at least a realm higher than Dan, his speed looked as slow as a turle as repeated slaps from its paws battered Dan''s figure. Clang! Crossing his daggers in mid-air, Dan clashed against the monstrous wolf''s paw. Gnashing his teeth, the earth underneath his feet almost collapsed from the force and the weight of the wolf''s attack. Diverting his weight, Dan turned his body to the side and directed the force of the wolf''s attack to the ground. Twisting his body, he ignited his cultivation base and launched himselt towards the monstrous wolf''s face. According to the System, with the monstrous wolf''s cultivation, its flesh were as hard as steel and its claws as sharp as tempered blade. Nevertheless, it still has a single weak point and that was its eyes. Without hesitation, Dan twisted his body in mid-air and launched a fierce attack at the monstrous wolf''s eyes. His arms shone in a crimson sheen as he activated a skill amidst his bated breath. [Sudden Strike!] Bang! "Awooo!" The sound of penetrated flesh rang out followed by a miserable cry that shook the surroundings. Dan hurriedly retreated using [Flicker] and ran towards the opposite direction. Observing the monstrous wolf from afar, Dan calmed his furiously breathing heart. [The host has dealt massive damage to the target! Target''s Current HP: 40%] "Only 40% remaining, I can do this.. The only problem is can I even survive a single attack from this bad boy..." Dan gnashed his teeth and bent his knees, without giving the wolf any time to recover. Dan launched his attacks once again and even hurled numerous Grenades to distract the wolf who covered its another eye with its paw. Bang! Bang! Bang! Simultaneous defeaning roar of the air being split reverberated across the area. Distracted by the sound of explosions and the intense pain around its body. The wolf turned around and Dan took advantage of this opening. Arriving before its abdomen, Dan maliciously targeted the wolf''s family jewels with a palm strike. [Young Lightning!] A burst of concentrated Lightning beam exploded from his palms which quickly latched on the wolf''s family jewels and electrocuted it. Causing a painful whimpering filled with utmost pain, anger and despair. The pain was too much for it to handle that it didn''t counter-attack and just stared resentfully at Dan. The smell of burnt flesh wafted out in the air and Dan smiled in satisfaction, "Hmmm, Soup number five..." He smirked as he was reminded by the smell of his favorite dish back at his hometown in his previous life. Taking out his handgun, he pointed it at the wolf and in each time the latter concentrated to heal itself, the resonant sound of gunshot interrupted its healing process which almost made it go mad in indignance and anger. With reddened eyes, it stood up and stared at Dan''s direction with complete fury welling up in its eyes. It had enough, it had enough of holding back. It first looked at Dan like he was some kind of an ant but after it suffered the consequences, it finally learned the consequences of holding back against an enemy. Straightening its hind legs, it lowered its head down to the ground and Dan immediately went into alert mode. Normally, Dan would activate System Assist but since he has decided that he wouldn''t rely too much on the System. He didn''t activate it and calculated the wolf''s pouncing direction in his mind. Swish~ With faintly visible noise of splitting air, the wolf disappeared from its initial location. Before Dan could react, it appeared behind him and slapped down with its paw. Bang! The impact destroyed everything within the area, and sent kilograms of dust flying into the skies, reducing visibility for both parties. Emerging from [Stealth] Dan appeared behind the wolf and clicked his tongue. If not for the fact that he subconsciously activated [Flicker]. His life would''ve been over. After all, no matter how strong his physique was, it couldn''t possibly withstand the all-out attack of a Divine Ascendance Realm beast. The wolf who was in a state of complete alertness detected Dan''s presence and launched a series of counter-attacks. Swiping, slapping and swatting with its paws. It sought to overwhelm Dan with the number of attacks. But unfortunately, Dan had affinity with the most destructive and swiftest element in the cosmos. With a trail of Lightning, Dan easily avoided the wolf''s attack. But his wanton and frantic avoidance didn''t come without any consequences. Right now, his Spiritual Energy reserves were being sucked dry faster than a collapsed dam. "Damn this won''t do, I need to find a way to wake Natalie and Grace up so we can join hands and defeat this bastard... The current me isn''t simply capable of fighting against a Divine Ascendance Realm expert..." Dan concluded in his mind and ordered the system. "System, calculate, simulate or analyze and find out ways that I could use to wake up both of my wives!" Dan who promised that he would never use the System within the Array was pushed behind his limits and asked for the System''s assistance all the while avoiding the wolf''s angered attack against him. [System Functions Initiating: 50%] [Due to the number of instructions and factors involved, the completion of the assigned task may take longer than normal. Expected time of completion: 30mins] Sweeping his gaze across the system notifications in the air, Dan clicked his tongue and violently cursed, "Fucking hell, even the System is forcing me into a corner!" Turning around, he parried an attack and twisted his body. With Lightning protecting his body and increasing his speed, Dan danced around the wolf''s body before flying upwards and striking at its nape. Clang! A fierce clash ensued, even the wolf''s fur was as hard as tempered steel! Dan almost coughed a mouthful of blood in indignance when he discovered this fact. Landing on the ground, he commenced his attack once again, looking for that sweet spot that could induce considerable damage to the wolf before he runs out of Spiritual Energy. Bang! Bang! Bang! Gunshots rang out as Dan fiercely unleashed his load towards the wolf who whimpered in pain. Rotating his body, a magazine appeared out of mid-air and Dan slammed the butt of the gun towards that magazine and cocked it with his waist. Without landing on the ground, he once again started his volley of bullets, intent on looking for that certain spot. The wolf who felt intense pain throughout its body suddenly roared towards the skies. Moonlight descended and clad its body with a silvery-light as Dan hurriedly retreated towards the opposite direction. Observing the monstrous wolf''s condition, a system notification suddenly sprung up. [The target is preparing for a massive area of effect attack! Please intercept or take cover!] The blaring red system notification indicated utmost danger that could annihilate the host. With widened eyes, Dan''s mind madly spun, calculating risk factors so that he could decide his next course of actions. Bending his knees, resolve flashed through Dan''s mind as he abandoned all notion to escape and rushed towards the wolf''s figure! Clad with moonlight, the monstrous wolf opened its mouth wide and concentrated all Spiritual Energy to a point between his mouth. Floating there was a sphere of silver, emanating terrifying fluctuations of Spiritual Energy that threatened to collapse even the heavens itself. Dan knew that once the monstrous wolf unleashed such an attack, there was no way that he and his wives could survive. Taking cover wasn''t an option so the only choice that he had was to interrupt. Rotating his cultivation base to the maximum, the Blessing of the Lightning God went into full throttle and a faint silhouette of a middle-aged man sitting on a throne manifested behind Dan. At the distance, Natalie and Grace who fell into the influence of Fear and Hallucination Effect slowly awakened from slumber. The scene of scorched earth and charcoaled corpses around them awakened their senses. However, the events occurring right ahead of them startled them out of their wits. Captured in their eyes was Dan leaping towards the wolf''s neck. With his daggers in tow, he prepared to slice and end its life! Unfortunately, the wolf wasn''t so stupid. By the time that Dan ran towards it, it had already detected his presence and when Dan leaped towards the skies, it suddenly cancelled the channeling process and chomped at Dan''s figure, capturing him in its mouth amidst the widened eyes of Grace and Natalie! "Nooo!" "Daaan!" Natalie and Grace screamed in despair. But before they could break down and cry their eyes out, a sparkle of Lightning suddenly gleamed from within the wolf''s mouth followed by the manifestation of an all-encompassing fluctuations of self-destructive strength originating from Dan''s body! Evidently, Dan had chosen to self-destruct along with the monstrous wolf! Like a star exploding at the end of its life, Dan''s life force and soul began to disappear like the fires of a candle amidst the tempest. The wolf mournfully moaned as the azure Lightning that crazily danced from within its mouth disintegrated its body into dust. The already scorched earth became baptized once again with the azure light of destructive Lightning that wreaked havoc and annihilation to the surroundings. Natalie and Grace huddled with each other and stared at the scene of destruction, choking in tears and sobbing against each other''s shoulders. Several minutes later, the domineering might of the azure Lightning had disappeared along with the fluctuations of Dan''s self-destruction. Sitting there amidst the ruins were Natalie and Grace who still couldn''t recover from their shock. Staring at the initial and final location of their husband, the eyes of the two lit in a disbelieving light. Unfortunately, no matter how much they slapped and pinched their cheeks, Dan was undoubtedly dead. He died sacrificing himself and protecting his beloved. He died... He died an honorable death. 251 The World Within the Array "What the hell are the two of you crying for? Something like that won''t make me kick the bucket..." Like a beacon amidst the darkness, Dan''s voice rang behind the young women. As if electrocuted, Natalie and Grace stood stiff and turned their heads around. Upon landing on Dan''s smiling figure. Their faces went pale and they exclaimed. "Ghost!" Natalie and Grace tightly embraced each other and their Spiritual Energy burst forth in a panic, transforming into a snake that lunged forwards at Dan who hurriedly stepped at the side. "Natalie, Grace. It''s really me. Do both of you really think that something like that is enough to kill me? Both of you are really underestimating your husband. Even though I look like this, I still have my methods, ah..." Dan shook his head and approached his fidgety wives. Pulling them into a hot embrace, the two women cried tears of relief which made him smile in return as a warm sensation filled up his heart. Having such thoughtful and beautiful women care for him made him appreciate the fact that he had transmigrated. Pecking their foreheads, rubbing their hairs and patting their heads. Dan calmed the two little kitten in his arms. "You... How could you act so reckless ah. When I saw you dying before my eyes, don''t you realize how much pain I felt? What should we do if you really died earlier?!" Natalie punched his chest and Grace dug deep into his arms, saying. "That''s right, you idiot husband! Don''t you realize that you have so many people waiting for you to come back? Me, Natalie, Grace, Sandra, Jacob, Zieve and your family... They are waiting for you to come back safely, but here you are risking your life!" Grace and Natalie''s words made him realize something. He couldn''t bet his life so recklessly anymore. After all, he had so many people awaiting his safe return. Nodding his head, a flash of resolve surged within his eyes and he solemnly vowed in front of his wives. "Don''t worry, no matter how treacherous the path of cultivation is, I will definitely return safe..." Dan''s words sounded so optimistic and unrealistic yet when the two women heard what he said, security and relief surged within their hearts. Tightening their embrace, Dan lifted their head and wiped their faces clean of snot and tears as he lightly chuckled, "Grace, I thought of you as someone strong and reliable yet you could actually still cry like a baby..." Grace puffed her cheeks and Natalie chuckled at the side. "You too, Natalie... For someone that''s older than Grace for several years, you sure could cry like a small baby..." Dan poked fun at the two women and their teary-eyed sight made an irresistible sensation surge within Dan''s heart as he pounced forward and pinched their cheeks to the limit. Grace and Natalie pushed him away at first but seeing his bloodied clothes, they felt hesitant and before they realized it. It was already too late, Dan had captured them and repeatedly pinched their cheeks as he wanted. After this short transmission, Natalie and Grace glared at Dan. Their cheeks reddened and puffed from all the pinching that the latter did. Pecking their foreheads for one final touch, he tried pulling them into an embrace but Grace slapped her hand away, saying. "You... We''re inside the Array, can''t you at least suppress that instincts..." "That''s right, Dan... Also, we don''t even know if people are watching us from the outside..." Dan surveyed their expressions and saw that despite their warnings, their faces were flushed red that extended until their neck. With his knowledge about his wives'' attitude. Dan revealed a smile akin to that of a wolf that found its prey. Arriving beside them, Dan''s hands transformed into mirages that danced around their bodies, simulating some of their weakspots which made them uncontrollably shivered. In the end, Dan''s technique transformed their unwillingness into the opposite. But just as they lifted their heads and stare at Dan with their glazed eyes. The latter suddenly said. "Oh yeah, the two of you are definitely right, we''re inside a virtual world created by the Array, and there''s no guarantee that there are no one watching us from the outside... We should really stop doing these kinds of activities, righhhttt?" Dan made a sidelong glanced at the flushed women before turning to stare ahead and whistling away. His expression looked so nonchalant and carefree that it felt like he was walking on his backyard. Natalie and Grace stared at each other and simultaneously nodded in tacit understanding. Unleashing a hail of Ice that slowed down Dan''s footsteps. Natalie followed suit with her Soft Sword that wrapped around his legs before dragging him back towards his hungry and aggrieved wives. Soon enough, the light of a Sound and Light Isolating Formation sprung up and covered the figures of the three, along with muffling Dan''s miserable, yet pleasure-filled screams. Half an hour later, a bedraggled Dan emerged from the formation. His expression looked pale, and his breathing uneven. In contrast, the two women behind him looked refreshed and jubilant. Their skin looked supple and blooming, their complexions, rosy. Staring ahead of them, the clouds that blocked moonlight finally parted ways, illuminating the darkenend world which revealed the tall skyscrapers standing at the distance. Natalie and Grace looked visibly shaken, astonished by the scene before them. In contrast, Dan looked relatively calm. However, his eyes repeatedly danced around the dark corners and alleyways, looking for some kind of an evidence that will prove the conjecture in his mind. "Woaaah... What kind of a world is this? Such tall buildings, that building is even taller than the Heaven Piercing Tower of the Empire of Eternal Faith!" Grace''s innate curiousity sparked as she pointed at a towering skyscraper. "Indeed, and these architechtural designs. It is something that I have never seen nor read... Dan, since the Array conjures a world based on one''s wishes. Could it be that something like this world is something that you wished for?" Natalie turned to look at Dan along with Grace who stared at him in astonishment and curiosity. Dan made a sidelong glance at the two. Seeing their jubilant and exhilarated expressions. He decided not to break the ice on them about how cruel his previous world was. Nodding his head, he smiled and said, "It''s indeed a fantastic world filled with marvelous wonderful things and mysteries..." Grace and Natalie sweetly smiled. Dragging him towards the direction of the City, all three of them dashed as fast as they could towards the City with smiles of excitement and anticipation decorated on their lips. Amidst the gloominess that surrounded the entire City, several crimson eyes suddenly lit up and stared at the direction of the invaders. Growling, deep and slow footsteps rang out as these creatures walked towards the approaching three. Within the City, Natalie and Grace felt like fishes that returned to the ocean as they happily danced around and observed all the mysteries that they could see. Despite the obvious eeriness of the area, these two women still showed their excitement and curiosity which made Dan scratch his head in awkwardness. They came here to temper their minds and bodies yet these two women were frolicking so nonchalantly and carefreely right before his eyes. Oh well, since they looked so happy, it would be better to just let them be and do the investigation on my own. Turning around to leave, Dan activated [Stealth] and leaped towards a nearby rooftop. Observing everything around him with narrowed eyes. He continued his journey, leaving his wives behind in their trance. Natalie stared at a figurine of a dignified woman carrying a broken sword on her shoulder. The woman''s expression looked unyielding and defiant. Her clothes, although simple and even torn at the hem looked practical and easy to move with. But that wasn''t the reason why Natalie stared at her so intently. It was because of the words written on the plaque above her head. [A warrior''s blade reflects the truth in their heart. Mine is black, and broken. - Riven] Written in a domineering fashion, Natalie''s mind and soul unknowingly focused on the simple phrases carved on the plaque that were covered by dust and moss. Her eyes looked listless, yet the faint trembling of her body indicated that she was completely conscious and in the middle of enlightenment. Little did Natalie knew that as soon as she entered a state of enlightenment, deep, heavy and slow footsteps approached her from the side. Once the creature that looked rotten and spiteful to behold spotted her figure. Its eyes sparkled with a crimson light that desired for her flesh. "Growwwlll..." The creature emanated a guttural growl as it slowly approached, each footstep that it took left sticky mucuous that looked so disgusting. In fact, if one looked closely, they would see maggots festering on the mucuous that it left on the ground. Pouncing at the listless Natalie, the sound of flesh being penetrated suddenly rang out followed by the voice of Grace who screamed. "Natalie, wake up! We''re being surrounded!" 252 Undead Army Grace''s shout jolted Natalie awaked from her trance. Swiftly turning around, Natalie''s eyes widened when she saw the approaching figure of a man whose eyes shining in a crimson light. "Hieeek!" Terrified, Natalie kicked with all of her might, sending the man''s upper body flying through the skies. Realizing what just happened, Natalie''s terror intensified when she found out that the man''s body looked decomposed, filled with squirming maggots and wounds festered with pus. "Grace... Grace!" Natalie screamed out loud, looking for the source of the voice earlier for respite. There, at a distant alleyway, stood a frightened Grace whose complexion completely pale from fear and terror. "Stay away from me... Stay away!" Natalie flailed her arms around in a frantic manner as an army of undead surrounded her from all directions. Fear gripped her heart too much to the extent that she couldn''t even properly circulate her Spiritual Energy. Sparks of Lightning wantonly manifested around her body, in a frantic struggle to escape the encirclement of the undead. When the approaching undead saw the sparkle of Lightning, their movements came to a halt, enough that Natalie recovered from her stuper and scrambled away on fours towards Grace''s direction. Slipping inside that dark alleyway. The two embraced each other and after checking that none of them were injured. Grace sighed in relief and said. "Just what is going on here, Grace! What were those creatures? They look like they''re humans but their decomposing body said otherwise. It''s as if they were living but dead!" Natalie blurted out in a frantic manner and Grace hurriedly closed Natalie''s mouth with her palm. "Don''t be so loud, those bastards are sensitive to sound and movement... That''s right, they are indeed humans. But they have long since lost all traces of Spirituality. Something or someone within this City is controlling them to consume all living..." Grace revealed her conjecture and Natalie stared at her with disbelieving eyes. "What do you mean they have lost all Spirituality? Does that mean that although they still look humans, there''s something controlling them from within that isn''t human?" She asked with a solemn voice and Grace nodded her head, saying. "I can''t say for sure but that''s most likely the right answer... Also, judging from their decomposing bodies. They cannot be killed by natural means..." Her words made Natalie suck a mouthful of cold air as she asked with uncertainty, "In that case, since they cannot be killed by natural means. We could hasten their journey to the underworld with our own hands, right?" Natalie''s killing intent flared up when she remembered the humiliation that she suffered earlier. Staring at her initial location, she scoured for the presences of those living dead, but found nothing within her line of sight. Even her Divine Sense which was far stronger than Soul Sense detected nothing but silence. "Don''t bother trying to detect them with Divine Sense. Remember that they don''t have any traces of Spirituality within their bodies. Without any trace of life, they''re virtually undetectable with DIvine Sense..." Grace reminded and the two women slowly scaled the unfamiliar skyscrapers around them. With their weapons strapped on their waists, Grace and Natalie leaped, rooftops after rooftops and as they arrived at the road intersection. Grace movements halted, along with Natalie. Staring at the road intersection, they found the slender figure of Dan holding two handguns within his hands. Dancing amidst the darkness with excitement visible on his visage. "Hahaha, fuck yeah! I have dreamt of this kind of a world for such a long time... Now that my dream has come true. My gamer self has finally awakened! Come, come to me all of you undeads!" Dan unleashed volleys after volleys of leads towards the heads of the approaching undead. Instead of anxiety as the two women expected. Dan''s expression became filled with even more excitement as time passed by. Bang! Bang! Bang! The reduced visibility brought by the fog did nothing to Dan who kept on prancing around with his handguns in tow. In each pull of his trigger, a head of an undead would explode into meat pastes along with bodies that slowly collapsed onto the ground. "Come to me, baby! Is that all? Is that all that you bunch of bastards, can do?! More, give me more, give this gamer self more entertainment and opportunity to slaughter you bunch of undead bastards!" Dan roared towards the skies and abandoned a handgun. Replacing it with a dagger, he lunged forward and engaged in a close-combat battle with the undead. Above a skyscraper''s rooftop, Natalie and Grace stared in astonishment at Dan who was in the middle of his fervor. Knitting their eyebrows, they had never expected that Dan had such a crazy side to him that he could transform into such a frenzied state. Nevertheless, the two women descended from the skyscraper and unsheathed their weapons. Lightning crackled and booming sounds of muffled thunder reverberated out as they rotated their cultivation bases and unleashed their cultivation methods. "You... Idiots! Don''t use your cultivation methods here, or you''ll attract more undead!" Dan fiercely scolded when he saw the actions of the two. Natalie and Grace was taken aback by Dan''s fierce tone but they swiftly cancelled the activation of their Blessing of the Lightning God. Upon cancellation, the azure Lightning that manifested amidst the skies of the City, gradually disappeared into nothingness. Unfortunately, the solemn atmosphere that surrounded Dan''s body didn''t vanish. Instead, he looked even more pensive and serious than before as he said. "Damn it, those bastards had already noticed our arrival... Grace, Natalie! Stop your attacks and retreat with me!" Dan turned towards the opposite direction and unleashed a magazine of lead before slicing clean with his dagger. Revealing a path that his two wives followed as they escaped. Above the airspace of the City, one could see the image of a floating creature staring down below. Its eyes that looked as murky as mud stared at the direction of Dan, Natalie and Grace who ran towards the opposite direction while leaving trails of Lightning bolt in their wake. The creature''s hideous face that was covered with innumerable fine snakes that looked as thin as hair threads fell into deep contemplation. But it soon awakened from its thought and disregarded the ants below on the ground as if it was below its dignity to fight against the three. Turning its gigantic head away, nothing fancy occurred. It''s just that at that moment, the creature suddenly vanished out of thin air as if it never actually existed. Down below, Dan who kept running with his wives in tow suddenly felt a shiver down his spine. Turning around, he glanced at the skies and after finding nothing. He gnashed his teeth and surveyed his surroundings. Directing his gaze at a nearby school building. He urged at the two. "Turn off your cultivation method and let''s take a right turn at the next intersection..." Natalie and Grace nodded their heads and never dared to delay. After all, the scene that they saw earlier not only shook their minds but their souls as well. With a stomp on the ground, the Lightning that surrounded their bodies, fizzled out before their presences completely disappeared from existence. Arriving at a classroom, Natalie and Grace didn''t have the leeway to admire the mysteries in front of them as they hurriedly sat at a corner and huddled together while breathing roughly. Dan had it worse. Not only his complexion looked completely red but his robes were drenched with his sweat and the mixture of rotten blood and flesh that splattered on his body from the earlier slaughter. "Dan, just what is going on with the world that you have imagined. I can understand how fantastic and mysterious it is but with those creatures out there... I just can''t believe that this is an ideal world like what you dreamed off..." Natalie asked with a frown and Grace also lifted her head to stare at Dan in curiosity. Towards their questions, Dan couldn''t do anything other than bitterly smile. He knew that even if he explained. These two women wouldn''t understand the dreams that he had as a gamer back in his previous life. "Well, how can I put this into words... Ah! This is indeed the world that I have dreamed off but you know... Since the function of this Array is to temper one''s mind and body, it wouldn''t achieve its purpose without adding dangers, right?" Dan looked hesitant at first but swiftly clapped his hands together when he found an idea to use in his subterfuge. Looking incomparably solemn yet sly. Dan calmly explained the situation and the two women didn''t seem to doubt his explanation. "Yeah, that explanation is indeed plausible... Now that we have that problem settled. How about we talk on how we can escape this Array?" Natalie nodded her head and presented an issue which plagued all three of them from the start. When they first arrived, they had already discovered the vastness of the world contained within the Array. It was even huge than the entire Empire of Eternal Faith and Empire of Dawn combined. Without any visible indication for the exit, the three were aggrieved and annoyed. "Now that''s the true problem that we have to face... How about we take turns in killing ourselves? Maybe that''ll make us leave this damned world..." Grace jokingly said. Her suggestion made Natalie''s complexion turn pale while Dan shook his head and said. "Grace, did you forget about what I said earlier regarding the fact that we felt the sensation of Spatial Transfer? We may not be inside a simulated world but in reality... If we really did kill ourselves, we would''ve killed ourselves in reality too..." Dan lightly chuckled as he explained. His words astonished the two as Grace facepalmed herself. Dan had indeed explained such a conjecture to her earlier, yet she actually forgot such an important matter! What a blunder! She thought in her mind. "Ermmm..." Amidst their discussion, Natalie suddenly blurted out with her voice laced with nervousness. Frowning, the two stood up and followed her line of sight but when their gazes landed on the scene that she was looking at. Their eyes widened in shock and panic soon captured their hearts. With the exception of Dan, of course. Hundreds, no- at least several thousands of undead had swarmed and surrounded the school building where they were in. Banging on the windows, glasses shattered with an ear-piercing noise as the undead slowly flooded in, slowly, yet surely walking towards the classroom where the three of them took refuge. "Hieeek! What should we do, what should we do? They are coming after us!" Natalie shrieked and flailed around in a frantic manner. In response, Dan flicked using his index and thumb finger at Natalie''s forehead. The sharp pain awakened the young woman from her trance and she stared teary-eyed at Dan. "Calm down, for a moment. Even if they cannot be killed so easily, as long as you completely pulverized their heads, they would fall down and die..." Dan declared and Grace nodded her head in agreement. From her observation earlier at Dan''s fight, she realized the same thing as he did. "That''s right, Sis. Just let your stress free and annihilate these bastards out of existence and we''ll be fine..." Grace positively said in a cheerful tone and calmed Natalie''s anxiety. Staring at the two women who finally looked visibly calm. Dan unsheathed his daggers and said. "The two of you take care of the southern direction, I''ll take care of the north..." He ordered before kicking a window down and running towards the hallway where the undead had gathered. Natalie and Grace hesitated for a moment but after the gunshots started. They stared at each other for a while before unsheathing their weapons and starting their slaughter. 253 Way to Annihilate Growls of the undead filled the air along with the resonant sounds of Lightning constantly crackling. Within the darkness of the hallway, flashed of Lightning bolts danced around and in each time it swept past an undead. Its head would explode and its body would fall to the ground. Despite killing dozens of undead in a sngle swipe of his hand. Dan knew that with the overwhelming numbes that the enemies had. They would eventually run out of fuel and when that time came. It would be their deaths. Opening his palm, Dan hurled a concentrated beam of Lightning which latched on the nearest undead and burnt it into cinders. After killing that undead, it transformed into a beam once again and latched on another undead. It kept on dancing and dancing amidst the battlefield. Only when it killed at least fifty undeads did it disappear from the scene. Ashes from the burnt bodies of the undead crumbled onto the ground. But Dan wasn''t satisfied, shooting another Chain Lightning. He continued his massacre. And since these figures weren''t human anymore, he felt no remorse and continued his killings. At Natalie and Grace''s side, both women unleashed their killing techniques without hesitation. Their movements looked graceful and filled with incomparable flair that not only accentuated their beauty but also maximized efficiency. Wherever their arms passed, heads would roll and bodies would crumble, each of their attacks never held back and contained lethality that could send shiver down the spines of anyone. "Damn there''s no end to this horde of monsters! We have to find a way to escape their encirclement or else we''ll die of exhaustion!" Grace shouted out as she stabbed an undead with her dagger. Pulling her weapon out, pieces of flesh and sticky pus from the undead''s body splashed on her robes, almost making her vomit. "Yeah, goddamned it... Stay back, you bastards!" Natalie twisted her body in mid-air and kicked an approaching undead. The undead staggered backward and those behind him were also forced back from the momentum of Natalie''s kick, giving her momentary respite as she replied. "Yeah, that will definitely happen unless we find a way to escape from this place...." All three of them were located at the second highest floor of the entire school building. Though jumping was possible, the same would still happen for there were at least several thousands of undeads littered at the school yard, surrounding the entire school building. At the opposite direction of the two stood Dan whose complexion filled with beaded sweats that slowly dripped down his chin. Sweeping his gaze at the commotion before him. Dan realized that their life and death depended on whether they could escape and recover the Spiritual Energy that they lost. Turning to his left, a window that revealed the murky and somber atmoshere of the outside world could be seen. Shooting at the window, the ear-splitting sound of glass shattering rang out as Dan hurriedly commanded at the two behind him. "Grace, Natalie! The two of you, come over here... Let''s escape through that window!" He beckoned for them and they turned towards his direction without hesitation. Both wanted to get out of this place more than anything. With a speed faster than normal, they arrived at his side and Dan lightly smiled. "We won''t be going down, we''ll be going towards the roof, once your standing on the window, jump to the skies and propel yourself to the rooftop once in the air, got it?" Grace and Natalie furiously nodded their heads like chicken pecking rice. They wanted nothing but to escape this place as fast as they could to the extent that they would do anything no matter how dangerous it was for that slim chance of escaping. Leaping at the window, Dan bent his knees and propelled himself upward. Lightning crackled and exploded beneath his feet as his body horizontally flew towards the rooftop just three meters above their initial position. Seeing their husband''s success. Natalie and Grace felt somewhat relieved and stared at each other for a moment before nodding. Natalie went outside the window and Grace kept the approaching undead at bay with her Lightning. Bending her knees, Natalie calmed her nervousness and leaped vertically. Following Dan''s example, Lightning surged under her feet and pushed her horizontally towards the rooftop where she rolled and anxiously awaited Grace''s arrival. A flash of Lightning followed by the sound of muffled thunder energized her complexion as she saw Grace''s figure soaring through the skies towards her location. Embracing her tight, Natalie worriedly glanced at Grace''s body as the latter shyly said. "Sis Natalie, you don''t have to do these kind of things... You know that we''re in a virtual world, right? Injuries here won''t actually mean that we''re also injured in reality..." Grace turned to look at Dan in embarrassment and the latter merely turned his gaze away. His cheeks somewhat reddened for a certain idea popped out of his mind when he saw them locked in an embrace. Taking a deep breath, he calmed himself down and called for a discussion. "Now that we''re at the rooftop, we''re probably somewhat safe from everything that''s going on underneath. However, to get out of this place. We have to find a way to kill those undead bastards without wasting too much Spiritual Energy..." Dan lightly smiled as he said, his eyes darted around Natalie and Grace who stared at him in confusion. Before Natalie could say anything. Grace opened her mouth and spoke. "Why are you saying that we shouldn''t waste too much Spiritual Energy? Wouldn''t killing those bastards mean the end of the Array and that we could finally escape?" Dan shook his head towards her inquiry. Crossing his arms together. His expression turned solemn and serious. Staring at his two wives, he took a deep breath and explained. "Everything''s not so simple... Natalie, Grace... If the Array could really perfectly potray the dream world within my heart, then that undead army shouldn''t be the end of everything... If I am right, there''s still the final boss that we need to defeat..." At the end of his sentence, a bitter and apologetic smile lifted on his lips before sighing as Natalie and Grace stared at him in shock. Just how crazy of a world he has in his heart? And why would he dream of such a presposterous world that contains all sorts of dangers and mysterious things? Of course, they didn''t voice out their concerns. Instead, they kept it to themselves before asking. "In that case, just when and how can we defeat that so-called final boss that you''re saying? Is there some kind of a special requirement necessary for it to appear?" Grace asked with knitted eyebrows and Dan clapped his hands together and replied with a smile of admiration on his face. "That''s right, that''s indeed the case, Grace... There''s a special requirement that needs to be met before that final boss of this world appears..." Taking a deep breath, he continued, "No matter where and when, I''m really amazed of your observational skills. To think that you would draw such a conclusion just from observing the world around you..." Grace felt her cheeks burn hot from Dan''s intense and incessant praising of her observational skills. Natalie who stood at the side puffed her cheeks and glared at Dan''s direction. Of course, the latter picked her signal up and he approached both of his wives and patted their heads. Without saying anything, both understood what Dan wanted to say and his feelings so they felt gratified and appreciated in their hearts. Sweetly smiling, the two stared at Dan and the latter retracted his hand before saying. "I have surefire way that could let us kill each and everyone of those bastards underneath us without wasting too much Spiritual Energy..." Dan told them with a smile lingering on his face. The two women''s curiosity peaked and they practically looked like two little puppies eager for some treats from their master. Towards their expressions, Dan couldn''t help but chuckle as he continued his explanation. "I have some explosives with me that we could use to detonate some spots within the school building so that it''ll collapse and crush those bastards underneath." Dan''s use of a new term confused the two women who asked. "Explosives? Something that will explode like those green balls that you always throw at the enemy?" Dan nodded his head in confirmation and the two women also nodded their heads in understanding. Reaching a tacit agreement, all three of them prepared for the commencement of the plan. "Just how reliable is your plan, dear? Are you really sure that we won''t be caught off guard and injured by the flying debris from the demolition?" Natalie asked with concern visible on her face and Dan shook his head. "Natalie, you do remember that we''re all cultivators here, right? We could just activate our Spiritual Energy and cover our bodies with it so that we won''t get injured. Unfortunately, we can''t break the void here or else we could escape from the rooftop and not have to use this dangerous plan..." Grace nodded her head at Dan''s explanation and Natalie conceded. Holding dozens of Grenades on their hands, all three of them burst forth from the rooftop and ran towards the location that Dan indicated earlier at his explanation. Planting several Grenades on a foundation pillar and columns. All three of them worked together and tried their best avoiding the slow undeads without using little to no Spiritual Energy. In the end, they regrouped at the rooftop without sustaining any injuries. Apart from exhaustion that they suffered from running to and fro, all three safely returned. "Excellent work, before we start destroying everything. Let''s change clothes first, these robes are starting to get really stinky..." Dan applauded and praised the two women and proposed. His words made them smile for they felt the same way. Women were creatures that liked beauty and cleanliness, so wearing such sticky and stinky robes felt like a punishment for the two. Taking off their robes, they didn''t bother to hide from Dan''s side as they slowly undressed everything including their underwear. Dan merely smiled at their actions and never said anything. Of course, to protect his wives valuable bodies from the eyes of outsiders, he propped a Sound and Light Isolating Formation around the two as insurance before taking off his clothes and displaying his naked body to the outside world while smiling. "If there are any lechers there then you bastards will make do on watching my buttocks..." He smirked and dressed himself up. HIs act of changing his clothes didn''t even take a minute but his wives took at least several minutes before they emerged from the formation. "Could the two of you at least dress up faster? We''re not in a particular occasion so there''s no reason to dress so flashilly, you could''ve make do with a simple tunic..." Dan berated and Natalie glared at his direction. "You obviously don''t understand anything about women''s fashion, my dear... Without sufficient knowledge, one should just shut up and stop complaining..." Dan who didn''t expect Natalie''s fierce retaliation almost choked in his own saliva while Grace reeled at his misfortune for forgetting Natalie''s bottom line. You could take away anything that you want from Natalie with the exception of her daughter and her valuable clothes. Taking them away meant courting death. Shrugging, Dan could care less and closed his eyes. Floating up in the air, his Divine Sense covered the entire school building and he marked the planted Grenades before simultaneously detonating them all with a thought. BOOM! A sound akin to muffled thunder reverberated out, every pillar and column that supported the school building promptly collapsed. Burying several thousands of undeads beneath as the smell of iron and rotten corpses filled the air and formed into a toxic cloud. 254 Final Boss The toxic cloud formed from the mixture of decomposing flesh, rotten blood and all sorts of noxious pieces from the bodies of the undead rose towards the skies. With solemn expressions on their faces, Dan, Natalie and Grace swiftly manifested their Spiritual Energy and enveloped their bodies. Making sure that not even a thread of the air could get inside their bodies. Flying there in the air, Dan scoured the area and realized that none of the undead managed to escape the explosion. They all died beneath the rubble. Wiping the sweat on his forehead, he heaved a sigh of relief before turning to look at his wives and saying. "There are currently no signs of movement underneath. However, we can''t be too lax. Particularly, from this corrosive toxic cloud which can even seem to corrode our Spiritual Energy..." Dan lifted his hand and exposed the tip of his finger to the cloud. Upon touching, his nails instantly turned black as Dan hurriedly retracted his hand and covered it with his Spiritual Energy. Natalie and Grace who stared at him all this while was taken aback. After all, Dan was a cultivator at the Divine Soul Realm, once a cultivator stepped on that realm. It meant that the particular cultivator had transcended the limits of mortality and attained a state of living that no mortals could possibly achieve. His physique, and everything within his body were reinforced and should be as hard as steel. However, a single exposure from the toxic cloud instantly corroded his flesh. What would happen if they exposed their bodies to the outside world for an extended period of time? The answer was obvious, it meant nothing but certain death. Faces turning pale, the two women looked increasingly apprehensive and fidgety as time passed by. Sweeping their gazes at the ground, they wanted to land for floating in the air meant continuously consuming Spiritual Energy. And once their Spiritual Energy ran out, they would be helpless like mortals in such harsh conditions. Dan understood their worries, surveying around. He pointed at the soccer field and beckoned towards the two. "We should land as fast as possible, the energy expenditure of just flying around in the air will soon become too much for us to handle... Let''s go there and land..." Natalie and Grace didn''t express any objections. After all, they desperately wanted to land. The sensation of not stepping on solid ground combined with the anxiousness towards the unknown felt too surreal and scary for them. Landing on solid ground, all three heaved sighs of relief but never diffused their guards. Staring warily at the surroundings, Dan observed the destruction ahead while his wives surveyed the other directions in tacit understanding. They have fought together for so long that communication wasn''t necessary. All three of them could perceive what the other required and act on that requirement. Such a state of seamless cooperation was something that even blood bonded brothers would find hard to achieve. "Not a single trace of undead could be seen within a kilometer from my side, Dear, Grace..." Natalie reported and Grace nodded her head in understanding. "Not any undead is visible in my sight too... How about you, Dan?" Dan nodded his head, he confirmed the deaths of the several thousands of undeads that converged earlier at the school building. The explosion not only destroyed the building but also sent innumerable rocks flying in all directions. Some of the undead were crushed by stones while some were annihilated by the shockwaves of the explosion. "Yeah, not even a trace can be seen. It seems like we killed them all..." Dan heaved a sigh of relief, but the tense lights that lingered within his pupils never faded out. Natalie and Grace relaxed and placed their heads on each other''s shoulders as they sat there on the soft bermuda grass. Everything that they had experienced in this world from the start has all been so surreal and unbelievable that they couldn''t even understand whether they were in a virtual or real world anymore. Staring at Dan''s direction with bitter smiles, they wondered if he really dreamt off such a ridiculous and dangerous world in his heart and what influenced him to dream off such a world. After all, not anyone had enough mental capacity to think of such a detailed, mysterious yet dangerous world. "Don''t get too relaxed now, I told you guys earlier that if this world is indeed based on the world in my heart, something like that undead army earlier was just a taste test... Something bigger and stronger will definitely appear..." Dan warned his wives with solemn expression on his face. His words made their blood run cold, indeed. Dan told them earlier that the world that he had in his heart wasn''t so simple that it would end with the annihilation of an undead army. In that case, then what could they do to escape this nightmare? As if reading their thoughts, Dan said. "I''m positive that as long as we can find and defeat that final boss, we will be freed from this world and obtain the rewards that we deserve from such hardships..." He lightly chuckled, intent on lightening the mood. But his words did the opposite effect as Grace and Natalie sighed. They thought that they could finally escape their nightmares but it seems like they still had to face another formidable enemy that they didn''t even know if they could defeat or not. "Both of you don''t be so somber, it''s not like we''re in the real world, right? All of these around us is just a virtual world simulated by the Array..." Dan shrugged and said in a nonchalant and casual manner as if he was going on a picnic later. The two women narrowed their eyes but never said anything. Sighing, they resigned to their fates. "Well at the least, if we''re gonna face such a formidable enemy, the rewards should be equally bountiful, right?" Grace''s eyes lost hopelessness and despair, replaced within her pupils was the light of determination and greediness for profits. In the face of profits. the Grace who once demolished a merchant company with her own hands had surfaced once again. Natalie also couldn''t help but stare at Dan and Grace with sparkling lights within her eyes. It seems like the prospects of certain profit also excited her beyond belief. Dan lifted a bitter smile on his lips and shook his head towards their inquiry. Of course, he didn''t deny their questions but he also never answered. After all, even he wasn''t so sure if rewards were present upon completion of their objective so it was better to remain neutral and not answer outright. Dan''s silence towards their questions meant something that they easily understood. Staring at each other for a moment, Natalie and Grace nodded their heads and stood up. Warily staring at the area, they eagerly looked for that final boss so that they could defeat it and claim their rewards. Dan also perked his senses and stared at the modern necropolis. Admiring the pictureque scene that the combination of fog and the murkiness of the atmosphere created. He heaved a deep sigh and thought about the anime and video games that he could never play once again. Holding back his emotions, Dan calmed himself down and started a search for the certain final boss that they had to defeat in order to clear their objectives and escape out of this nightmare of a world that he created in his heart. "System, search for any source of abnormally strong concentration of Spiritual Energy and place it at the minimap..." He instructed and the System promptly replied. [System Function Initiating; 50%] [System Function completed!] A small screen manifested in his line of vision and as soon as his gaze focused on the displayed information. His eyes widened in shock when he realized that an extremely strong concentration of Spiritual Energy was approaching their vicinity in a slow, turtle-like pace. "Grace, Natalie! Unsheath your weapons and prepare for engagement!" Dan screamed out loud in a stern tone, his voice contained far more severity than it previously had when they discovered the undead army. Taken aback, the two women stiffened at first but as soon as they recovered their composure. They unsheathed their weapons and followed Dan''s line of sight. There, hidden above the yellowish clouds was the faint silhouette of a creature that looked as tall as a skyscraper. Natalie and Grace couldn''t clearly see what the creature was but for Dan who had the System''s assistance. He could see the creature''s image as clear as day. "Head filled with snakes, torso of a goat, tail of a whale, legs of a lion, and the wings of a Griffin? That creature... It should definitely be a Chimera!" Dan exclaimed in a stern voice that contained far more seriousness than before. His calm composure completely broke as his voice couldn''t help but tremble upon that realization. A Chimera was a creature that possessed all sorts of traits from other different creatures and for Dan, it virtually didn''t have any weaknesses. Gnashing his teeth, he glanced at Natalie and Grace before saying in a solemn voice. "It''s coming... Prepare not to die..." With a deafening boom, no fancy effects manifested. Instead, the creature above the skies instantly appeared right in front of the three without any warning. With its appearance, an all-encompassing might surged and covered the skies, forcing all three onto the ground as the pressure from the Chimera alone, engulfed all hope that they had in their hearts. 255 Battle Against the Chimera The source of the all-encompassing pressure that almost broke their souls into pieces was the Chimera that stood right in front of their eyes. Natalie, Grace and Dan all struggled to lift their heads as their eyes widened in shock upon the realization that not only the Chimera possessed such traits, it also has a strange silvery-white armor covering its body. Embedded within that silvery-white armor were several capsules containing liquid that eerily radiated a characteristic blue glow that resembled that of an underwater nuclear reactor''s core. That information alone sufficed for Dan to conclude that the Chimera wasn''t definitely a living creature, but the fruit of continuous experimentation that went rogue. "Cherenkov Radiation? Could this Chimera be a product of a failed scientific experiment? Definitely, other than that, there''s no logical explanation as to why something as amazing and horrendous as a Chimera is running wild and free..." Dan''s mystical words didn''t serve as explanation for his two wives who made a sidelong glance at him in confusion. But before he could explain any further, the Chimera raised its front paw and slammed it at the three. With its size, its front paw alone covered at least a hundred meters of land so a single leap wasn''t enough to escape. Circulating their cultivation bases, Lightning sparked and the figures of the three simultaneously disappeared and reappeared at the distance followed by a deafening roar that whistled through the air. Countless rocks battered the barriers of the three. Fortunately, it held out and as soon as the dust settled. They were astonished to find that the Chimera had disappeared from its initial location. Instead, it appeared behind them in the form of a huge shadow which overwhelmed their figures. Bang! Another paw descended and the three frantically retreated. Dan violently cursed as a shiver ran down his spine. "What goddamned speed!" If one stared at the size of the Chimera. They would never think that it could be capable of such short instantaneous movements that never left any traces. Yet, it broke that perception and did the opposite. With a single will, it could disappear from their eyes and reappear with a heavenly-defying strike. Clicking his tongue and gnashing his teeth, Dan endured the pain from the shockwave and flew towards the Chimera''s abdomen. SInce its head was full of snakes, he couldn''t possibly attack it head-on so he went for the abdomen. His dagger slashed right onto the Chimera''s abdomen, yet the dagger was knocked away and he was sent flying. Some of the superficial wounds that he had sustained erupted into bigger wounds and a blood mist burst forth from his body as Dan hurriedly popped a pill into his mouth and landed right beside his wives. Although he had been injured, the medicinal pills that he gathered within his Spatial Ring recovered most of his injuries as he stood there, looking renewed as if he never sustained any injuries. Of course, despite the recovery of his physical body, that didn''t mean that his mental and emotional state had recovered. "It''s skin is harder than what I expected, the two of you shouldn''t go for the head or the abdomen, let''s try and find its weaknesses first..." Dan swfitly commanded, raising his daggers. He dashed at the Chimera. His two wives didn''t let themselvse be idle, dashing at the Chimera. All three soared through the skies and hacked at it. Clang! Sparks flew as the sound of metal clashing against metal resonated through the skies. From the feedback, all three realized that the Chimera didn''t possess a normal skin. Instead, it had a skin covered with reinforced steel that not only absorbed their attacks, but also reflected it against them. "I refuse to believe that this bastard doesn''t have any weaknesses!" Grace gnashed her teeth and igniting her cultivation method. Lightning and Ice merged with each other, forming a destructive beam of concentrated Spiritual Energy containing two affinities that surged towards the Chimera. Bang! Despite the terrifying force contained within the attack, when it landed. It instantly fizzled out without any trace. The sight astonished the three who backed up. Realizing that no matter how much or how strong they attacked the Chimera, it was impossible to give it even the most superficial injuries. "Awooo!" With a wolf-like howl, the earth trembled as the snakes attached on the Chimera''s head, soared through the skies and went for the direction of Dan, Natalie and Grace. Horrified and astonished, Grace and Natalie stiffened from the sight of thousands of snakes coming over their way. "Fuck off!" Dan scoffed, brandishing his dagger, the jet-black light of Soul Devouring sparkled within his eyes as the aura of death washed over the incoming snakes. The air itself froze and wherever that black light touched lost all sense of Spirituality and life force. The snakes stiffened and withered like tree branches. Natalie and Grace stared at Dan in shock, they had actually forgot to use one of their powerful techniques, the method of Soul Devouring prescribed within the Blessing of the Lightning God. In an instant, three surges of black light manifested from their bodies and assaulted the Chimera. If they couldn''t defeat its physical body then they could try and annihilate its soul. "Damn it, don''t use too much of that technique! Those snakes doesn''t contain that much life force so we''re losing out when it comes to Spiritual Energy expenditure!" Dan warned and both Natalie and Grace stopped their Soul Devouring techniques. The former didn''t stop his techniques. Insead, he inhibited it for a moment and used it once again in short bursts. Natalie and Grace followed his way of using his techniques. Both displayed enough finesse and skills to the extent that their usage didn''t look that much different from their husband. "Awooo!" A mournful shriek from the Chimera rang out, by the time that it realized that its head was slowly dying out, the three had already killed at least seventy percent of snakes attached on its head. Staring at the three with reddened eyes, the Chimera flapped its wings and floated in the air, its body radiated a light, indicating that it had enough. "Damn it, it started flying! Retreat for now, we need to assess what kind of attacks will it do to us before we fight it!" Dan violently cursed and howled at the two beside him. Leaving a trail of Lightning, all three disappeared into the rooftop of a distant skyscraper where they observed the Chimera. Fortunately, Dan left his Shadow Clone to fight against it so that it wouldn''t feel suspicious that they had already disappeared. "A Clone? You left a clone to fight against that Chimera?" Grace asked with lifted eyebrows and Dan merely nodded his head, brushing the issue off. He sternly whispered. "The Spiritual Energy that I injected in my clone is enough for it to last at least a dozen revival. Even though I gave it an absolute instruction that it must dodge the Chimera''s attack at all costs, that doesn''t mean that it could survive the shockwaves of its attack. At most, we only have the time it takes to burn an incense stick.We must learn the Chimera''s attack pattern before time runs out..." Natalie and Grace nodded their heads, "Attack pattern? It has a pattern in its attack?" Natalie asked in confusion. Living creatures shouldn''t attack in an obvious pattern, so what is he saying? Dan stared at the two for a moment and realized the source of their confusion. Sighign, he chuckled and explained. "I forgot to tell the two of you that the Chimera isn''t a living creature, it''s a creature made from metal and steel. In other words, it''s a mechanical beast..." His words further astonished the two. Though they didn''t understand what Dan was saying, the two words "mechanical beast." told them everything that they wanted to know. Sucking mouthfuls of cold air, all two of them stared at him in a tense manner. There was an occupation in this world called the Mechanical Master, they were known for their creation of complex machineries and contraptions that baffled those who discovered their ancient works several thousands of years later. From Dan''s explanation, they could draw out the conclusion that the Chimera right in front of them was created by a legendary Mechanical Master, which served to further increase their apprehension towards their incoming battle. Dan realized that they had misunderstood something from his explanation. Nevertheless, since it was also convenient for him not to explain every bits and pieces. He merely nodded his head and said. "That''s right, that''s the reason why we have to understand and know its attack patterns. With that knowledge, we could have all the time in the world to examine its weaknesses by dodging its swift attacks..." Grace nodded her head and said, "When it comes to calculations, leave that to me... I''ll do my best within the time it takes an incense stick to burn." With that said, she turned towards the Chimera and narrowed her eyes. Entering a state of utmost concentration to which she locked on at the Chimera. "Natalie, since Grace does a better job when it comes to those things than the two of us, we should work together and recover our Spiritual Energy as fast as possible for the final battle..." Dan sternly said towards Natalie and the latter nodded her head in a solemn manner. Linking hands with Dan, they sat cross-legged and meditated. At the distance, the Chimera recklessly attacked, its paws transformed into mirages and its wings flapped dozens of wind blades towards the direction of the Clone who merely stared at the incoming attack in indifference. Stepping aside and rolling on the ground, it dodged the Chimera''s paws but as soon as it stood up, the wind blades sliced his body apart. Chunks of flesh along with blood and innards that looked extremely realistic splattered on the ground. Just as the Chimera rejoiced at the death of its enemy, the clone''s body suddenly floated towards the skies and converged into a single point. With a throbbing that resembled a heartbeat, the clone has once again appeared and revived, further enraging the Chimera that hurled another rounds of fierce attacks at the clone. Floating in the skies, the Chimera finally moved its tail that resembled that of a whale. An earth-crushing pressure that tore through wind appeared in its wake and the clone found that it couldn''t move his body. Standing there like a statue, the tail of the Chimera slapped him on the ground, causing a deafening roar and sending tonnes of dust into the air. When the dust settled, a hundred meters crater could be seen with the newly-revived clone standing at the center. Infuriated and mystified about the strangeness of its enemy. The Chimera decided to use everything that it had in its arsenal. Swooping down like an eagle, the clone responded by leaping through the air. The Chimera missed its target but its humongous tail slapped the clone upwards into the air. The remaining snakes on the Chimera''s head lunged at the clone, biting down as blood splattered wantonly in the air. Such an attack ensured certain death but the Chimera never let its guard down. Seeing the clone''s flesh regenerating in mid-air, it slapped down with its tail and killed the clone once again. Staring down at the chunks of body parts littered on the ground. The Chimera didn''t give the clone any leeway to regenerate before it slapped down with its tail. Such fierce attacks destroyed all traces of Spiritual Energy within the clone and it finally died. Staring at the ground, the Chimera roared in victory. But just as it opened its mouth and revealed its razor-sharp teeth, sparks of Lightning manifested and muffled thunder echoed out. Appearing before it was, Natalie, Grace and Dan. All armed and ready for the final battle. 256 Final Battle [Maximum Damage Capacity has been reached, activating berserk mode.] [Mission: Annihilate all targets...] A mechanical voice reverberated out of the Chimera''s body as the azure light that it emanated promptly turned crimson. Hissing sounds of hydraulics followed suit as dozens of armor further reinforced the Chimera''s body. On its paws, six metal claws protruded out, increasing its deadliness. Furthermore, the suffocating pressure from the Chimera had disappeared, replaced by nothing but void. However, such an occurrence didn''t instill happiness to the three. They knew in their hearts that once someone had successfully returned their cultivation bases to nothingness and reached the state of void, they would be virtually undetectable like the current Chimera''s state. Words were useless for a single sight alone indicated the severity of the situation. Igniting their cultivation methods and rotating their cultivation bases to the maximum. Sparks flew and resonating crashes of thunder rang out as the temperature dropped. All three unleashed their skills without restraint as Dan dashed towards the Chimera''s abdomen and sent dozens of resounding strikes to its metal flesh. Sword and numerous dagger lights flashed across the Chimera''s body without stopping yet not a single one of them managed to penetrate its body. "Dark and Ice Resonance!" "Young Lightning!" "Chain Lightning!" Dan, Natalie and Grace unloaded their respective techniques towards the Chimera. Blaring red lights momentarily flashed on its body as the damaged that it sustained from the combination attack of the three penetrated its defenses. "Shrieeek!" A harsh shriek that didn''t resemble any living being under the heavens. Staring at the shivering figure of the Chimera, Dan, Natalie and Grace realized that their combination attack worked against it. Brandishing everything that they had, countless lightning bolts and Ice wantonly danced in the air and battered the Chimera. "Damn it, this won''t work! If we keep on doing this, we will soon run out of Spiritual Energy!" Dan warned. Natalie and Grace turned solemn, the Spiritual Energy contained within their dantian had reduced to at least a fourth after those two simultaneous attacks. "Dan, when you wished for this world, did you also wish for something so ridiculous like that bastard?" Grace couldn''t help but intervene at the side as she turned to look at Dan with a bitter smile on her face. Natalie also had the same expression. Scratching his head, Dan titled his body aside and avoided the Chimera''s lashing attack before replying with the same bitter smile, "I don''t know for sure... All I know is that the world that I have imagined is definitely so ridiculous that something like that Chimera would definitely exist..." Grace could only shook her head as she deflected an incoming attack from the Chimera. Natalie who sent her Soft Sword lashing at the enemy, turned to look at Dan and asked, "Now that I think about it, dear... Since this world has been your creation... Then you should know about how we can kill this bastard..." "Yeah, I definitely know the way. Within that Chimera''s body is a core that once shattered would ultimately cause its death. Unfortunately, we must first penetrate through its reinforced body before we could get to that core and destroy it..." Dan''s bitter smile intensified. However, his two wives realized that though his smile looked bitter. The light of determination and excitement within his eyes had never decreased despite the hopelessness of the situation. Was he just making light of the situation or was he seriously considering their current status quo as something that shouldn''t be taken seriously? They thought in their minds. Of course, how could Dan not feel any excitement? Defeating that Chimera meant bountiful rewards that would definitely help him towards his journey for the peak. Turning to look at Grace and Natalie, he said. "Let''s stop talking now. The most that we could do is stall for time and wait until that bastard exhausts his energy so we can land a decisive strike..." Dan commanded and both women nodded their heads in confirmation and understanding. Something as huge and as complex as that Chimera should require vast amounts of energy to operate. One could imagine the energy expenditure that it used in every breath that it operated. Soaring through the skies, all three unleashed their everything once again. Revealing his SCAR-L. Dan unloaded magazines after magazines of reinforced bullets at the Chimera''s body. The already deadly bullets became even deadlier when enveloped with his Spiritual Energy. Hurling several Grenades, consecutive deafening roars that trembled the air resonated. Heaven and Earth shook as the Chimera shrieked in pain, the lights that surrounded its body blinked fast, as the hissing sounds of hydraulics rang out once again. Its giant head turned to look at Dan and a mechanical voice echoed out. [Targets Assessment Completed, Target One has been declared as the highest priority target.] [Annihilation Procedure has started.] The mechanical voice that didn''t sound male nor female declared Dan''s death sentence as the latter''s eyes widened in shock. The towering Chimera right before his eyes had disappeared and reappeared behind him. With a whistling sound of air being torn, its tail slapped on Dan''s body as the cries of Natalie and Grace rang out. "Dan!" They all screamed and flew towards his direction while sending concentrated beams of Lightning and Ice towards the Chimera, staggering it back. There, still floating at his initial location was Dan who wiped the sweat that collected on his forehead. Remembering the scene where he almost died. Cold sweat filled his back as he thought, Damn if I didn''t activate [Flicker] on time then that would''ve been my end... His dread intensified when he saw the crater formed from the Chimera''s attack. Judging from the traces of Spiritual Energy that lingered within the crater, Dan predicted that not even a peak Divine Soul expert could survive the Chimera''s attack. Gnashing his teeth, he decided that enough was enough. It was time for him to use his cheat, the Assassination System. "System! Simulate the target''s weakpoints and display it in a HUD with appropriate labeling depending on how durable that certain weak point is!" Dan hissed out a complex command and the System didn''t reject his request as it replied. [System Functions Initiating with the factors included.] [System Functions Initiated!] [The host''s request has been successfully completed, please don''t die...] Dan lightly chuckled upon seeing the last part of the System notifications as he thought about how human-like the System could act in certain situations. Shaking his head, he threw all distracting thoughts away and stared at the Chimera. Within his vision, numerous red dots floated in the air and tagged the Chimera''s body. Some of the red dots looked as large as someone''s palm while some of it looked as huge as a plate. The biggest of them all was the dot at the center of its chest that was huge enough that it almost covered the entire chest. "Natalie, Grace! Both of you, focus your attacks on its chest! That''s where the core is located and we need to penetrate it so that we can destroy that fucking core!" Dan violently cursed and ignited his cultivation method. Grace and Natalie who kept on flying around, dodging the Chimera''s attack nodded their heads and sent their attacks at the Chimera''s chest. In response, the Chimera folded its wings in front of its chest, an action that it never did before. "Jackpot! Since the Chimera is instinctively protecting that area, that''s definitely its strongest weak spot!" Azure Lightning madly danced around Dan''s body and formed the image of a dragon that opened its mouth wide. Sweeping through the air, it flew majestically at the Chimera''s chest as Natalie and Grace forced its wings away with their attacks. As a result, the Dragon struck it squarely as a miserable shriek that almost shattered their eardrums echoed out from the Chimera''s body. Retreating and taking a breather, all three glanced at each other and saw the exhaustion within their faces. Smiling, Dan turned to look at the Chimera and saw that a fist-size hole had opened up at its chest. "Roaaaar!" The Chimera''s body suddenly exploded with the resplendent lights of, azure, orange, green, and grey. Forming a whirlwind around its body, it dashed at the three, defying all logic as it carried its gigantic tail and slapped at their direction. Dan activated [Flicker] while both of his wives did their best in dodging the Chimera''s attack. Thankfully, its size didn''t let it attack as swiftly as it should be. However, the wind and the shockwave that appeared from its attack still managed to injure all three of them as blood splattered from their mouth towards the ground. The Chimera flapped its wings and sent a gale of wind towards their direction as a follow-up attack towards Natalie and Grace. Seeing the vulnerable state of his wives. Anger flashed through Dan''s face as he hurriedly disappeared towards their direction and clashed against that gale of wind, forcibly vanquishing it through brute force. "Are the three of you, okay? Hurry up and pop these pills into your mouth, don''t hold back!" Dan hurled several jade bottles towards Natalie and Grace''s direction. The two women didn''t express their needless gratitude. Capturing the bottles, their eyes widened in shock when they saw the contents. "Potential Combusting Pills? Dan, are you serious about this? Once we use these pills, that is tantamount to burning most of our potential for the sake of short-lived power..." Grace couldn''t suppress the trembling in her voice as she stared sternly at Dan''s direction. Potential Combusting Pills exchanged a cultivator''s potential for temporary power to overcome their enemies. It was also a double-edged sword, once used, the cultivator''s potential or in other words, blood essences would dry up in exchange of that power. Without sufficient blood essences to aid in their breakthrough, those who consumed the pill were bound to stay at the same realm until the end of their lifespan. Both their figures couldn''t help but tremble upon the ultimatum that Dan bestowed upon them. "Worry about the consequences later when we survive this problem... For now, all that we have to do is to kill that bastard, claim our rewards and return to the real world..." Dan smirked, his smile told them everything that they wanted to know. "So you''re betting on the chance that we''re not in a real world but a virtual world? I thought that you didn''t have that notion in your mind..." Grace lightly chuckled and Natalie felt relieved. If they were in a virtual world then they could do whatever that they wanted without thinking of the consequences. All three stared at each other for a moment as Dan reminded, "Remember to focus your attacks at the center of its chest, if it tries to protect its chest using its wings, break it away!" Laughing, Dan popped a Potential Combusting Pill into his mouth and at that instant, his body visibly bulged. Veins bulged on his temples and his arms doubled in size, the exhausted Spiritual Energy within his body blossomed with strength as the blood essences located within his heart vein simultaneously burned with their final brilliance. Bestowing strength that Dan required for his success. Roaring towards the skies, space itself shattered as rocks underneath his feet turned into dust. The Chimera that treated him as the highest priority target stiffened, its dim eyes flashed with red lights, reassessing Dan''s strength as it observed and stared at its target. Middle Stage Divine Soul Realm! Late Stage Divine Soul Realm! Peak Stage Divine Soul Realm! Half-step Divine Ascendance Realm In under ten breaths, Dan''s cultivation base soared towards the Half-step Divine Ascendance Realm. The Lightning that enveloped his body dangerously turned crimson. At his side, Natalie and Grace also looked as menacing as him. The only difference was that the Lightning covering Natalie''s body didn''t look crimson. Instead, it looked as dark as charcoal. At Grace''s side on the other hand, the Lightning that surrounded her body transformed into a bluish color that looked as ethereal and dreamy as ice. With solemn expressions, all three floated in the air and connected their hands. Lightly chanting, all three forcefully activated the Fifth Stance of the Blessing of the Lightning God. "Blessing of the Lightning God, Fifth Stance: Lightning Beam of Annihilation..." A soundless scream echoed out from the Chimera as an all-encompassing might engulfed its figure. Space shattered as Earth and Heaven trembled. The world lost all sound as the might that came from the three''s combination attack overwhelmed the world that they were in, completely shattering it into nothingness. 257 Chimera Flame The sound of glass shattering echoed out of the void. Natalie, Grace and Dan collapsed onto their butts as exhaustion overcame their bodies. Even so, when they saw the collapsing world around them, all three lifted same smiles of excitement and accomplishment. Even though they had to use Potential Combusting Pills, it didn''t matter for as long as they acquired their rightful rewards and also, that world wasn''t really real. In fact, it was just a virtual world that Grace and Dan exaggerated in their discussions. All three felt strange when they realized that they had arrived in a world that had nothing but darkness. Though they could still see each other, their eyes couldn''t seem to penetrate beyond the void around them. "Look, there''s a flame floating there!" Grace pointed out and the two followed her line of sight. Indeed, at the distance floated a flame that radiated a soft and dreamy orange light. Although wind didn''t exist within this space, it continuously flickered and looked unstable as it floated. "I''ll approach it first, that looks quite strange that I don''t want you guys near it..." Dan warned at the two and they nodded their heads without objections. Standing up, Dan crouched and silently circulated his cultivation base. His nerves stretched taut, ready for any unexpected situation. When he reached ten meters before the flame, a scorching heatwave passed through Dan''s body. Prompting him to activate his Spiritual Energy and cover himself with it. Dan gulped a mouthful of saliva, the heatwave that passed through his body resembled the sun''s heat. Completely overbearing and dominant. Dan used his Divine Sense to examine the flame. The flame element inside was extremely dense and concentrated, yet unstable like a celestial star. It looked like it would explode in any moment if it continued flickering there in the air. "Grace, Natalie... I think this should be our reward..." Dan said with uncertainty and both women knitted their eyebrows, After all those troubles that we experienced, we are only given a single flame to share among the three of us? What the hell? They thought in their minds. "This flame contains something that even I cannot subdue on my own, we need to work together on sealing this flame. He declared as Natalie and Grace turned incomparably solemn. Stretching his hand towards the flame, Dan wrapped it slowly with his Divine Sense, inducing short bursts of his Spiritual Energy towards the flame. Per Dan''s deductions, a flame of this level should contain a juvenile spirituality that recognizes hostility and affection. If he instantly moved to capture this flame, it would most likely rebel against his control and explode resulting in a failure of submission. The spirit contained within the flame looked like a docile toddler that found that scent of another. Intrigued by Dan, the flame spirit inspected his Divine Sense and understood that Dan brought no harm towards it. Nevertheless, it still hurriedly retreated behind a wall of fire and didn''t dare to stick its head out, afraid that Dan may discover it. The flame spirit''s life-like actions astonished and amused Dan, sending several bursts of his Spiritual Energy, but when he neared the flame spirit, a strong sense of rejection suddenly overwhelmed his Divine Sense and he was forcefully ejected from the world within the flame. "Guah!" Dan''s throat tasted sweet and his chest expanded until he violently coughed a mouthful of blood. The backlash that he received from the ejection injured his Soul and weakened his Divine Sense. Most probably if he sent another stream of Spiritual Energy within the flame, his Divine Sense would be instantly eradicated. But the question was, just why did the flame spirit who acted so amiably and docile towards him suddenly acted violent and threw him out from the world within the flame? Knitting his eyebrows, Dan thought hard until he finally reached a conclusion. "Flames are naturally Yang, and this flame shouldn''t be an exception. Since this flame is still at its infancy stage, it may have instinctively disliked those with extreme Yang, thinking that I am a predator that would absorb it... In that case, I should really enlist the help of Natalie and Grace..." Dan whispered amidst his bated breath, little did he knew that as soon as he fell on his butt and coughed a mouthful of blood. Natalie and Grace rushed beside him and checked his injuries. So they clearly heard what he said. "Yeah, we will try and subdue the flame spirit, you sit here and rest..." Grace patted his shoulders and smiled at Natalie who turned to look at Dan and said, "Dear, you''ve been working so hard from the start. It''s time for you to rest and leave everything to us, your wives..." Seeing the actions and hearing the words of the two, a warm and sour sensation surged within Dan''s heart as he tried his best in suppressing his emotions. Biting his lower lip, he said with his eyes glistening, "No, I''ll accompany you two, unless we make the flame spirit understand that I am not an enemy through your vouching, it wouldn''t heed my words." Dan sat cross-legged and entered a meditative state. Popping a soul restoring medicinal pill into his mouth. He focused and guide the energy through his soul. Healing and reinforcing its defenses. Opening his eyes, he walked along with his wives towards the flame spirit. "Remember, do not be forceful... If the flame spirit doesn''t want our presence then we should stop for a moment and return at a later time. Being forceful will definitely make us fail..." Dan reminded and both women solemnly nodded. Focusing, all three sent surges of Spiritual Energy towards the direction of the flame spirit. Entering the world within the flame, the flame spirit jolted when it sensed the presence of three intruders. Sticking its head out of the pillar of fire, it frowned when it saw Dan but its expression softened when it saw the energies of Natalie and Grace. "Goddamned it so this flame spirit is a womanizer?" Dan thought in his mind, the flame spirit didn''t even spare another glance at him as it stared at Natalie and Grace who beckoned, "Come here, little man... We your sisters are here to play with you..." When it comes to knowledge and wisdom, Grace was a notch stronger than Natalie but when it comes to child-care and playing with children. Natalie took the cake. Not only her expression looked warm as the sun in the summer, her eyes sparkled with nothing but concern and motherly love. The flame spirit whose intelligence could only be compared to a three years old child hesitated for a moment, the instincts that it had in its soul longed for the warmth that Natalie radiated, but the beastly instincts that it also had said that it shouldn''t anyone that appeared before it. Natalie, Grace and Dan could see the confusion within its eyes, and Grace who never liked indecisive people became annoyed, what was the flame spirit waiting for? Does it want to stay inside this dark space and never go out to experience the world? The flame spirit was a spirituality created from the maturity of the flame''s consciousness. Technically, it couldn''t be compared to true intelligence. However, it was still extremely sensitive to emotions, particularly negative ones as it darted its gaze at Grace and frowned, detecting her impatience. The flame spirit revealed a wronged expression and proceeded to ignore all three of them. Grace''s mouth widened in shock and Natalie''s figure stiffened. Dan shook his head in disappointment and said. "We should come back at a later time, the flame spirit has decided that it won''t see us for today. I don''t know the reason but it must''ve detected that we''re becoming impatient and desperate in making friends with it, making it suspicious about our true intentions." Grace revealed a guilty expression. She knew that her impatience was detected by the flame spirit and it was the reason why it backed out in making friends with them. Natalie stretched her hand out and patted Grace''s head as if consoling a little sister. Dan also stretched his hand out and patted her shoulder. Grace lightly smiled, whenever she felt down, these two were there to console and motivate her up, so she never wanted to give up. Clenching her fists, she stared at the fire pillar with renewed resolve and retreated along with Dan and Natalie. Meditating within the darkness, the three sought to recover from the expenditure that they spent when sending their Spiritual Energy towards the world within the flame. Several hours later, the three completed their meditation and returned at the world within the flame. Staring at the flame spirit, Dan''s expression turned indescribable. According to the books that he read in his previous and current life, the flame that they had encountered today far differed from those Earth and Beast flames. Earth flames had a solid core and frequently formed within volcanoes and other places deep within the earth. Beast flames, on the other hand, possessed violence and berserk energy that would wantonly attack anyone within itrs range, possessing little to nor sentience than its Earth flame counterpart. Using those factors, Dan concluded that the flame right before their eyes belonged to a tier higher than what he knew. As for what tier did the flame spirit belong, Dan didn''t know yet. Beckoning for the flame spirit, it took longer to stick its head out from the fire pillar since it still remembered the events several hours ago. When it stuck its head, it didn''t radiate with the neutral aura that it previously did. Instead, it looked somewhat wary and cautious towards the three. Dan bitterly smiled, in fact. According to the books that he had read, flames like these could be forcefully subdued but in this case. it meant that they would be fighting against something whose battle prowess were unknown to them. Dan didn''t have the leeway to take such risks. Natalie continuously coaxed the flame spirit, while making small steps towards its direction. Of course, she did all of these without impatience and each time she realized that the flame spirit felt suspicious at her actions. She would stop and smother it for a long time before taking another step. Even after several hours, Natalie only managed to close the gap for twenty-meters for the first day. But since they didn''t give up. Eventually, the flame spirit grew fond of Natalie as the two of them joyfully frolicked like mother and son. Natalie also grew fond of the flame spirit that looked extremely amiable and adorable. No words were exchanged between the two but their bond linked their souls together. Even without using the System, Dan realized and understood this fact. Bitterly smiling, Dan glanced at Grace and found that the latter looked the same. With the impatience that she displayed several days ago, the flame spirit wouldn''t easily forgive her. Continuously sending her Spiritual Energy in an effort to make friends with the flame spirit, Grace never gave up until the flame spirit eventually accepted her presence. Dan had it worse, since the flame spirit naturally disliked his extreme Yang and thought of him as a predator, it never walked up to his side even with Natalie and Grace''s coaxing. Still, like Grace, he never gave up and even overdrafted his Spiritual Energy for the sake of making friends with the flame spirit. Seeing his collapsed figure, the flame spirit took pity and finally understood that Dan wasn''t there to consume it. Lightly smiling, the exhausted Dan stood up and made friends with the flame spirit, forming a link that resonated with their souls. At the end, all three of them took the flame away and named it as the Chimera Flame. Born from the destruction of the strongest creature within Dan''s heart. It was a completely appropriate name. 258 Whetstone The Thousand Worlds Changing Array rumbled, attracting the attention of every Core disciples within the pavilion. In an instant, dozens of Divine Senses flooded the Array''s platform as Dan, Natalie and Grace arrived amidst the commotion. These Divine Senses simultaneously condensed and shot towards the bodies of the three. Intent on finding out the rewards that they acquired from the trials within the Array. "System, break them all!" Dan fiercely commanded, and the sound of shattering glasses rang out, forming a chorus as those who sent their Divine Sense all suffered a backlash, staring at Dan in horror. Almost all of them gulped a mouthful of saliva and thought. "What a powerful and indomitable soul!" A cold shout of shock could be heard amidst the crowd. Glaring at the disciples, each and everyone of them hung their heads low and didn''t dare to meet his gaze. After all, someone with such a strong soul could inflict damage to them with just a gaze. Both Grace and Natalie turned to look at him and thought about how domineering and timid he could become whenever and wherever he want. Although they felt curious about why he intentional displayed his skills, they didn''t ask for his reasons. Coldly snorting, Dan stretched his hand around the shoulders of Natalie and Grace, walking off with beauties on each hand, Dan became the focus of envy among the Core disciples. Even though with their might, wealth and influence, they could easily acquire beauties with their own hands, it was different when it comes to Natalie and Grace. Not only do they possess gorgeous bodies and perfect countenances, they also had the talent and strength to back everything up. Having such two exotic beauties within the arms of a young man like Dan ignited the resentment and envy of almost every male within the pavilion. Sighing, Natalie and Grace resigned themselves to their fates. For they could also feel the piercing gazes of every female disciples around them. Clinging tighter around Dan''s torso, the two of them displayed that they only belonged to him alone. The expressions of those female disciples that were attracted by Dan''s domineering display of might darkened. Glaring at Natalie and Grace, if looks could kill, the two of them would''ve already died for thousands of times. Pinching Dan''s waist, both women proceeded to unleash their annoyance to the clueless Dan who silently groaned in pain. Arriving at the Fragrant Peak Pavilion, Vincent told them of the news that Juliet and ZIeve were still in the process of reestablishing their Dreamy House. Expressing his gratitude, Dan invited him for a dinner and afterwards asked him a certain question. "Vincent, do you wanna do a serious spar for a while? Since we just finished eating, it could help us digest what we ate..." Dan lifted an ambiguous smile and furtively glanced at his wives who merely sighed and stared pitifully at Vincent. Both of them thoroughly knew that Dan wanted to test the Chimera Flame in a fair duel. Vincent who was a battle maniac and a completely competitive person immediately agreed with sparkling eyes and head that nodded so furiously like a chicken. Ever since the two of them fought their duels, there has been never a day that a clear winner was decided. Maybe today, was the day that one of them triumphs over the other. "You better use your weapon, Vincent. You do know that I went to the Core disciples region, right? An Inner disciple like you with a lower cultivation than me should rely on his weapon or else there''s no way that you can stand a chance against me..." Dan leaked a cheeky smile that irritated Vincent. Coldly snorting, the latter retrieved his lance and took an offensive stance. Face turning cold and focused, he said in a voice that reeked of battle intent, "Interesting, when we always fought it was always you that used weapons not me... But right now, you''re actually making me reveal my lance... Be sure not to regret your decision, Dan..." Twirling his daggers around his hand, Dan lifted a cold smile and said, "You need not worry about that, Vincent. I have never acted without thinking of the consequences of my actions..." Both stared coldly at each other as the atmosphere turned murky, the gazes of Natalie and Grace focused on the two as they casually sat on the porch and munched on some chips, clearly in expectations of the incoming battle before them. Bang! A fierce sound echoed out as Dan stomped on the ground. Dashing towards the direction of Vincent, his figure looked hazy and unpredictable. "Hmmph..." Vincent coldly snorted and revealed a cold smirk. Even though Dan was a cultivator at the Divine Soul Realm, he had complete confidence in his own ability. His will was steadfast and unyielding. Meeting Dan''s daggers with his Lance, a brilliant light burst from his body as he clashed against Dan''s momentum. Smiling, the latter stared seriously at Vincent and rotated his cultivation base to the maximum without holding anything back. The pressure of a Divine Soul cultivator against a Spirit Tempering Realm cultivator could be imagined. Vincent felt like the heavens turned against him. His muscles cramped and his bones creaked against the sheer pressure that bore on his soul. "Enduring against someone at the Divine Soul Realm, that''s an astonishing feat, Vincent. You have the right to be proud..." Dan declared and his smirk turned into a cold smile. Vanishing from sight, he reappeared behind Vincent and struck at his nape, revealing cold killing intent that desired to slaughter. "Wha..." Grace and Natalie were taken aback. They didn''t expect even in their wildest dreams that Dan had the intention to kill Vincent, even the latter thought the same. Though they hated each other, it wasn''t to the extent that they didn''t want to live under the same skies. Vincent stiffened like a statue, the pressure from Dan''s body, the shock and grieve that he felt from Dan''s actions all combined together into a huge upheaval that grind his mind to a halt. Seeing his prey frozen still right in front of his eyes. Dan''s smile transformed into excitement and accomplishment. Natalie and Grace simultaneously stood up from their seats. Unveiling their weapons, they prepared to intervene but Dan shut them up with a glare, do not intervene. He said with his eyes. Both women stiffened and gulped a mouthful of saliva, the lights within Dan''s eyes were something that they rarely saw, those lights reflected nothing but the fierce intent to murder and annihilate. Something that they only saw when all three of them were in a battlefield. Sitting back on the porch, they disregarded their snacks and focused their eyes on the battlefield. Hoping that Vincent could survive Dan''s onslaught so they could rescue him away from Dan''s hands. "Dan... What are you..." Vincent mumbled amidst his trance as Dan''s dagger descended on torso, slicing open his chest a kick sent the former away flying into the fences of the Fragrant Peak Pavilion. Staring at the blood that stained his dagger, Dan lightly smiled and mocked, "Do you really think that a battle is just so simple as giving up and you''ll be spared? That''s not the case, Vincent... For us cultivators, every battle is a life and death battle and must be taken seriously lest you lose your life..." Vincent felt the sharp and tingling sensation on his chest and when he opened his eyes. The first scene that he saw was the gruesome scene of his sliced open chest. Blood madly dropped down the open wound and he could even see traces of his ribs. "Aaaah!" He screamed out loud, clearly startled. Though he had fought against beasts and had a fair share of gory scenes, it was the first time that he suffered such a serious injury and subjected to the killing intent of a fellow person. Particularly, Dan whom he treated as a brother. "Why did you do this, Dan...." Vincent blurted out in a weak voice as his consciousness turned hazy. His cultivation base gradually came to a halt and the brilliant light from his lance vanished. Dan walked up to him and stared at him from above. His face revealed disdain and derision, as if he was staring at an insignificant pebble on the street. Twirling his dagger around his hand, Dan raised it to the skies as his eyes flashed with the cold light of murder. Vincent''s hope collapsed when he saw Dan''s actions. He wanted to live and move his body away but found that his flesh that he strengthened and tempered for so long had failed him. Groaning, he wanted to say something but his throat couldn''t even move. All he felt was searing and excruciating pain. He couldn''t even scream and vent out his feelings and pain. "I have expected far so many things from you, Vincent. But to think that you would crumble in the face of something as insignificant as this. If you can''t even fight back for your life, then you wouldn''t accomplish much in this world." Dan coldly said, his eyes flashed with the light of hesitation for a moment before turning into the light of resolve. The Paradyne Academy has been known for being so overprotective with their disciples to the extent that they would attack anyone that dared to attack their disciples. Because of this, those that had bad intentions against the disciples of the Paradyne Academy all disappeared and as a result, almost every disciple within the Paradyne Academy had never experienced a true life and death battle, due to the disappearance of their whetstones. In other words, almost each and everyone of them turned naive and overly-arrogant of their own capabilities, not thinking that there''s a huge sky above their wells. Sighing, Dan inwardly shook his head. Vincent''s eyes looked dim and lifeless, remembering the dreams, hopes and ambitions that he had, a small spark of determination ignited his willpower. Clenching his fists, he was unwilling. He was unwilling to die like this! Gnashing his teeth, he mustered his strength and tried his best to grip his lance. Dan who was staring above him saw his actions but didn''t stop him. Vincent was so powerless right now that if he wanted to, he could easily stab right into his heart and end his life. Natalie and Grace simultaneously stared at each other in shock, they prepared to rescue Vincent earlier at the earliest sign of Dan''s ruthless attack but they never expected that the former could still fight back. Suppressing their raging emotions, all three of them stared at his struggle. "Never..." "I can''t let myself die right here!" Vincent''s low mumbling eventually turned into a roar as he pulled strength out of nowhere and forcefully lifted his lance. Brilliant light surged from his body as he stared at Dan with hatred and resentment. "Good, that''s what I wanna see and that''s how I like everything, come fight me.. Fight me with all your strength!" Dan lightly chuckled and said in a cold voice, backing up. His cultivation base came to life and he bent his knees in preparation for Vincent''s retaliation. Bang! Vincent disappeared from his sight and appeared at his side, horizontally sweeping at Dan''s torso, the latter held his dagger in a reverse grip and forcefully parried the former''s attack. Swooping down, Dan aimed for Vincent''s ankle but Vincent leaped in the air and dodged. Retracting his lance, he made a downward slam at Dan''s head, aiming for a fatal strike. Bang! Sparks flew and dust flew to the skies, Dan wiped the sweat that formed on his forehead and boisterously laughed. "Yeah, that''s right, this is want I want, this is what I wanted all this while, Vincent!" He screamed out loud and a crimson flame silently ignited, coating his daggers. 259 Vincents Pas The instant the flame appeared, the atmosphere turned humid and hot. Natalie and Grace saw steam appearing within the battlefield as the moisture contained within the grasses wildly evaporated, forming droplets of skin on their skins. "That''s the Chimera Flame? He''s actually using it against Vincent?" "Yeah, that''s definitely the Chimera Flame, although dear isn''t using all its power..." Grace and Natalie commented at the side. Vincent who stood right before Dan felt the brunt of the heatwave and couldn''t help but flinch in fear. The heatwave that penetrated even his Spiritual Energy subconsciously made him terrified. Dan disregarded his expression and focused on drawing out the most minimum power that he could from the Chimera Flame so that he won''t inadvertently kill or severely injure his enemy. Only when the Chimera Flame safely coated his daggers did he heaved in relief and stared at the terrified Vincent. "What''s wrong? Is that the extent of your courage?" Dan coldly smirked and without any warnings, dashed at Vincent''s direction. His daggers flashed, leaving cold lights amidst their wake as Vincent hurriedly heaved his lance and received the former''s attack. Bang! Sparks flew and Vincent was thrown backward, his back struck the fence as he slowly dropped on the ground. The injury on his chest and the damage from the impact further weakened his body. Gnashing his teeth, he stabbed his lance in the ground and stood up. Facing Dan with a defiant expression on his face. This time, he made the first attack, exploding with the brilliant light of the sun. He stabbed forwards with his lance. In response, Dan merely sidestepped and parried his lance to the side, before counter-attacking with a kick at Vincent''s torso. "Hmmph!" Vincent coldly snorted transferring his lance to his right hand, he moved his body to the left and avoided Dan''s kick before sending a palm strike with his left hand to Dan''s chest. However, he was horrified when he saw that Dan didn''t have the intentions to judge his fully-powered palm strike "What is he doing? is he planning on withstanding Vincent''s strike?" Grace said with worry visible in her tone. She was evidently astonished by Dan''s actions of standing still. "Yeah, even with our tempered bodies, there''s no way that we wouldn''t suffer any injuries after sustaining such a strong attack. But he''s clearly not planning on stepping aside, just what is he trying to do?" Natalie curiously thought, and Grace nodded her head. As Dan''s wives, all two of them knew him too well. He wasn''t someone that would whimsically act without any plans, so they were curious about what he was trying to do. Bang! A fierce explosion rang out as Vincent''s foot struck a wall of flame that coincidentally had the same size as his foot sole, when his foot and the wall of flame collided, the two energies belonging to the same affinities momentarily merged with each other. Unfortunately, both energies possessed the trait of absolute dominance and absolutely disliked seeing someone trying to step over their dignity. As a result, in that instant, the two energies cancelled each other out and exploded into a burst of flames, sending a curtain of fire in all directions. Grace moved and with a sweep of her arm, Yin appeared and the temperature abruptly plummeted, the flame created from the clash of Dan and Vincent''s energies stiffened and turned into frozen sculptures that shattered upon impact on the ground. Natalie turned to look at Grace in admiration, her fast reaction and fine control of her Spiritual Energy made it so that they wouldn''t cause any collateral damage to the surroundings. Dan made a sidelong glance at Grace before turning to look at Vincent once again. Even though Dan used less than two percent of the Chimera Flame''s power, the Spiritual Energy that he used to fuel the Chimera Flame should be enough to cause severe injuries to someone like Vincent, but miraculously. He cancelled his attack and remained unscathed. Such strength was something that infinitely neared the true threshold of the Divine Soul Realm. One last push or inspiration will definitely cause his break through. Inwardly smiling, Dan crossed his arms and coldly said. "Now you finally have that courage to stand up for your own benefit..." He snorted and assumed an offensive stance. Before Vincent could even reply, he vanished and appeared right before Vincent''s eyes with his daggers stabbed forwards. Vincent predicted his movements and made a short backward leap, turning his lance around. He swoop horizontally at Dan, his lance sparkling in a golden sheen. The golden sheen from his lance came from his main cultivation method that Vincent never once revealed to anyone apart from the Elders and the Headmaster, It emanated a strong heatwave and the trace of Yang, along with an extremely corrosive force that could penetrate through Spiritual Energy in an instant. With this in mind, Dan knew better than to clash against his lance with his daggers coated in his Spiritual Energy. Ignoring Vincent''s attack, his eyes flashed with resolve as he decisively thrust his daggers at Vincent''s body, aiming for mutual destruction. "You... You''re not planning on dodging?!" Vincent was horrified, with the Spiritual Energy that he injected in his lance, his attack was comparable to a Mid-Stage Divine Soul Realm cultivator. If it landed squarely on Dan''s body, he would be lucky if he only sustained severe injuries. "Retreating isn''t in my dictionary. If you wanna win against someone, you must be equally ruthless to yourself..." Dan merely chuckled and continued his thrust. Vincent actually didn''t want to injure Dan for he still treated him as a brother despite the fact that the former wanted to kill him earlier. Unfortunately, he was horrified to find that he couldn''t stop his attack anymore. If he forcefully did, he risked damaging his meridians and crippling himself. Time slowed down and almost grind to a halt as Vincent''s lance neared Dan''s body and Dan''s thrust reached Vincent''s chest. Vincent gnashed his teeth and took a leap backward, avoiding Dan''s strike while his lance swoop through the latter''s body, splitting him in half. Before Vincent could react and express his shock, Dan''s cold voice echoed behind, startling him. "Did you really think that something like that is enough to kill me? How naive..." Vincent hurriedly twisted his body and blocked Dan''s attack using his lance. With the collision of the Chimera Flame and his cultivation method came a fierce explosion that prompted Grace''s response. Despite the commotion, the two of them never darted their gazes away from each other, afraid that one of them might sneak attack and cause their demise. "Dan... Why are you doing this to me? I thought we were brothers! Yet, you... Why are you trying to kill me?!" Vincent angrily roared, asking for explanations. His face turned hysterical amidst his disbelief and denial. Towards Vincent''s question, Dan merely smirked and coldly replied. "You really need to mature starting now, Vincent. If you do not, then there''s no way that you could stop me from reaping your life, nor you could survive long enough in this world. "If you want to achieve the peak of cultivation, become ruthless! Only when you''re ruthless and powerful enough will people respect you... Without it, you''re nothing but a cannon fodder." "Is that what you want to become in the future? Do you see yourself as a mere pebble on the ground, incomparably insignificant and unworthy of mention?!" Dan''s fierce words filled with righteousness shook Vincent''s core. Staring wide-eyed at his direction, he started struggling against Dan''s attack he gnashed his teeth and roared, starting his counter-attack with a volley of thrusts. "Of course, I want to reach the peak of cultivation! Of course, I want to get wealth, fame, and power! But everything''s not so simple, everything''s not so simple, Dan!" Clang! At the end of his sentence, Vincent smashed downwards with his lance, forcing Dan away and scattering his Chimera Flame across the ground. Some of the flames landed on his clothes and it started to burn, eating his clothes away and burning his flesh. Anyone that felt their flesh burn should feel the pain, yet Vincent merely stood there with a dignified expression. A strange air started revolving around his body and the Chimera Flame that ate his clothes slowly vanished into nothingness, consumed by the brilliance from his cultivation method. "Interesting..." Dan blurted out loud, it has to be known that the Chimera Flame possessed the affinities of all the elements, including Earth, Water, Fire and Wind. Meaning it shouldn''t easily extinguish even when someone used everything that they had to do it. Nevertheless, Vincent managed to extinguish his fire, it goes to say that his cultivation method was a notch higher than the Chimera Flame. Such findings piqued the interest of Natalie, Grace and Dan who stared intently at Vincent. "Everything''s not so simple... Everything''s not so simple... Everything''s not so simple..." He continuously muttered as if he was out of his mind. His eyes looked listless and his figure stood stiff as if he was in a trance. Dan knitted his eyebrows and observed Vincent''s changes. Through the System, he understood that he was currently undergoing a fierce emotional upheaval, triggered by post-traumatic stress. Right now, it was best that he do not intervene and let Vincent fix himself Within VIncent''s memories was the fading figure of a woman. The woman stared at him affectionately and cupped his chin as she kneeled down. Her eyes sparkled with the light of maternal love as she said in an amiable voice. "Listen, Vincent. Inside this ruthless world where strength speaks everything. Someone that has such a pure soul like you is akin to a qilin''s horn and a phoenix''s feathers. You must not let your soul be tainted. You must live a life of forgiveness and learn to accept everything that comes to your way..." The juvenile Vincent sweetly smiled and nodded his head. The words of her mother were engraved inside his mind and he kept on doing what his mother wanted until that fateful day. His father, that recently returned from the battlefield at the Katze Plains, suddenly broke into a huge fight with her mother and killed her. In this world, strength was valued more than anything else including familial relations. Seeing his mother die so miserable and humiliated ignited Vincent''s anger who in that time had started his cultivation in their ancestor''s cultivation method. In his fury, he ignited half of his body''s potential and took revenge for the death of his mother. As a result, he was ostracized for his decision and was eventually sent to an exile. Ever since the death of that bastard father of his. Vincent swore that he would never take another person''s life for his own benefit, and if possible. He would solve everything in a peaceful and orderly manner unlike what''s common in this world. Unfortunately, that led to his dao heart going into hibernation, and even with his remaining talent, his cultivation grind to a halt and he got stuck at the peak of the Spirit Tempering Realm. Despite the amount of Heavenly Treasures that he used to boost his cultivation and reach a breakthrough, it never came and he never broke through. Dan''s words awakened these memories from within the depths of Vincent''s heart and mind, sending him into hyperventilation as his mind madly spun out of control. A part of him wanted to become ruthless and take revenge against the unfairness of the world that killed his mother while a part of him desired to keep his mother''s principles. Facing reality, Vincent knew the answer but he was afraid. Afraid to take that step forward lest he could never come back to what he was before. Sighing, Dan finally deduced Vincent''s train of thoughts, turning to look at him. He said in a cold voice. "Wake up!" 260 Dans Intentions "Wake up!" Dan''s fierce shout pulled Vincent away from his trance. When he awakened, his listless eyes became filled with color and his continuously trembling figure came to a halt. Staring at Dan''s direction, Vincent didn''t know what to say. He knew that he had to change something within himself lest he died without a proper burial but he couldn''t seem to take that step. He finally understood why Dan tried to kill him earlier. And the realization made him feel bitter about himself. Dan just wanted him to change for the better but he actually thought otherwise. Gnashing his teeth, a sour sensation surged within his chest as Dan said with a sighing voice. "You finally understood the reason why I did such a thing.... Remember that I only did this for your sake... However, if you cannot let go of the past and turn over into a new leaf, I shall end your life..." His voice turned indifferent and he coldly declared. Even though Vincent knew of his intentions, he still aimed on killing him if he didn''t change for the better. After all, once the selection for the Mystic Realm of the Undead starts, if Vincent didn''t change, then there''s no way that he could survive. Vincent knew of this fact, and he tightly clenched his fists and bit his lips until it bled. His nails dug deep into his palms and a fierce internal struggle ensued, All the lessons that he learned that he obediently abided for so long came from his late mother, changing what he knew and used to follow wasn''t something that could be done in an instant. But if he didn''t do so, only one route existed for him. Death. Vincent didn''t want to die. In order to accomplish his dreams and his objective of revenge against his clan that abandoned him. He wanted to survive and become stronger than ever, and finally accomplish his goal. However, he knew that if he didn''t change his pacifist mindset, the future where he''d die would definitely arrive. "Words alone aren''t enough to declare your conviction. We''re both cultivators here, so we''ll talk with our strength and our weapons!" Dan coldly snorted and lunged forwards, his dagger ignited with a crimson flame as he raised them to the skies and slashed downward, aiming to slice both of Vincent''s shoulders off. Vincent who felt the sense of imminent danger, immediately turned taut. His knees bent and he raised his lance, fluidly parrying Dan''s daggers as his body exploded with the brilliance of the sun. If he couldn''t express his conviction and determination through words, then it shall be expressed through his actions. Clang! Clang! Clang! Dan''s arms transformed into a mirage, his daggers repeatedly clashed against Vincent''s lance, sending sparks flying in all directions along with the chipped off Chimera Flames that Grace instantly froze before they could land on the ground. "Now that you''re about to die, you finally became clear-headed and understood my point and how I want you to change..." Dan lightly smiled, taking a step backward. He assumed an offensive stance with his daggers and held them in a reverse grip. The space around his daggers constantly trembled on the verge of shattering. "I think it''s time for me to let you witness how strong those at the Divine Soul Realm really are..." Dan opened his palm and pointed it at Vincent''s direction. Clenching his opened palm, the space around Vincent abruptly shattered as blood splattered from Vincent''s back, staining the ground in a crimson hue. Vincent''s eyes widened in shock. He couldn''t even detect anything prior to the arrival of Dan''s attack and when he realized it, he found himself severely injured and unable to fight back. Apart from the space fluctuations before the latter''s attack which was virtually undetectable, Vincent didn''t know how he could counter such a monstrous attack. Out of everything within the universe, and a constituent of the five elements. Space was the sharpest and the hardest to detect. In an instant, it could disappear and in an instant, it could turn into the sharpest weapon that could slice through anything under the heavens. As someone who gained basic control of the Heavenly Laws, Dan could indefinitely manipulate the five elements and its constituent for as long as he had the Spiritual Energy and comprehension to back up his manipulation. Else, his control will fail and he''ll suffer a backlash for biting more than he could chew. Unfortunately for Vincent, controlling space was something that Dan greatly researched when he entered the Divine Soul Realm. After all, Space was a mysterious constituent of the five elements that could enable him to travel long distances in an instant and even create pockets of space where he could establish his own world. If compared to Natalie and Grace, who focused on their respective elements such as Fire, Ice and Lightning, Dan possessed the highest comprehension and the strongest finesse when it comes to Space. For Vincent, it was a complete disaster. Vincent defiantly roared and rushed at Dan, ruthlessly slamming his lance at Dan''s skull. The lance was one of the heaviest and slowest weapons in existence, wielding it required great strength and without it, one couldn''t even possibly hoist it. Vincent possessed the raw strength and technique necessary to effectively use his lance so his attack was extremely fast; as soon as he had moved, his lance had already practically reached Dan''s face. His footwork, decisive and sly. But what astonished Vincent was that Dan acted as if he didn''t even see the lance. Standing still like a frozen statue, Vincent was reminded of what happened earlier and so he prepared a back-up plan. Stabbing his dagger towards Vincent''s stomach, he once again aimed for mutual destruction. "Does he really think that his daggers can hit me faster than my lance?" Vincent scoffed in his mind, his lance was at least four meters along while Dan''s dagger was a merely twelve inches in length. One could already see who will suffer in this engagement. Just as Natalie and Grace prepared to intervene and Vincent lifted a conceited smile on his face, the time around him suddenly grind to a halt, slowing down to the extent that he could see the dust floating in the surroundings. All minute particles, including threads of fiber and droplets of sweat from his body became visible to the naked eye. Vincent''s pupils constricted when he realized that time had slowed down, he could see and predict any movements around him and could even see the individual flaps of a bee''s wing. But that wasn''t the reason why he felt so shocked. It was because of the fact that he also found himself slowed down, movement became too heavy for him. On the other hand, Dan who stood still in front of him lifted a calm and excited smile on his face. When he moved, Vincent was astonished to find that Dan''s movements didn''t look inhibited, in fact, within this stagnated space, he could move faster than ever before. Standing right in front of Vincent''s body who was still in mid-air with his lance thrust forwards. Dan lightly chuckled and stuck his finger out, playfully poking Vincent''s nose, pinching his cheeks and flicking his forehead as he said. "Vincent, you should really make up your mind and break through the Divine Soul Realm. Now that I am here, I can finally understand why everyone is so hyped and anxious to arrive at this stage... The sensation of being in control of everything is absolutely sublime and indescribable..." Within this slowed space, Natalie and Grace who had the same cultivation as him were the only one that could break through the shackles and prepare for intervention if Dan went too far with his meddling. Unsheathing their weapons, both women stared intently at his direction. Dan made a sidelong glance at the two, as the controller who manipulated the space around him, he could detect every movement within his area of responsibility and that includes Grace and Natalie who forcefully broke through his shackles and the laws that he made in the area around him. Ignoring them. He opened his palm and a concentrated beam of Spiritual Energy that shone in the color of darkness emerged from above his palm. When Natalie and Grace saw the darkness, their figures trembled and their eyes widened in shock. That hint of darkness meant that Dan''s next attack could cripple or kill his target, it was time for them to intervene. But before they could move and intercept Dan''s attack. He harshly glared at them and said something through voice transmission which made them stop their movements. Turning to look again at Vincent, he said in a nonchalant manner, his tone contained contempt and disdain for a coward. "This attack of mine will surely cripple you for good. Since you''re not someone that''s suitable on the cultivation path and you''re not that willing to change. I''d rather end your career on my own hands than to see you humiliated by our enemies... You need not to worry, we will still take care of you and you won''t have any problems living until old age." The darkness above his palm pulsated and throbbed with the desires to claim a life. Vincent was horrified, the sensation that he felt from that darkness meant that he would definitely suffer extreme injuries and become a cripple for his entire life. "Gnnnhhhh!" Vincent gnashed his teeth and tried to forcefully break through the stagnated space. Veins bulged throughout his body and his robes were torn in an effort to move his body away from Dan''s attack. "I can''t... I can''t die like this..." Tears welled up his eyes, his heart and mind madly spun looking for anyways that they could use to survive Dan''s attack, but alas. The difference between cultivation bases was something that willpower alone couldn''t cross. Staring at the incoming palm strike, Vincent''s expression turned paler and despite the small distance that the palm had to cross before it could reach his body, the moment felt like an eternity for Vincent as he silently prayed in his heart. Hoping that a last minute miracle would arrive and he could survive. "Nooo... Not like this... I can''t die yet!" Vincent turned hysterical when Dan''s palm reached about two meters away from his exposed chest. The latter grimly smiled, his eyes flashed with disdain and mocking for his useless struggle that bore no fruit. Under the pressure, exhaustion and stress. Vincent''s cultivation method silently rotated against all odds and paired with Vincent''s determination to live, it slowly came to life as a ball of fire ignited around Vincent''s body, engulfing and bathing him with its golden flames that defied all obstacles. Along with the appearance of that golden flame was the sound of countless chains unlocking together, and Vincent''s weakened aura abruptly soared towards the peak. The barrier that stood before his breakthrough to the Divine Soul Realm had shattered and he formally entered the Realm of the Divine Soul! Baptized by the golden flames from Vincent''s mysterious cultivation method, his body underwent a qualitative change. His physique transformed into a silky-smooth bronze color and his eyes twinkled with a golden light that looked noticeable under certain conditions. What startled all three of them was that Vincent''s body emanated a pressure that subconsciously made their cultivation methods ignite in agitation, as if they were in protest against Vincent''s cultivation method. Standing right in front of Vincent, Dan bore the brunt of the former''s breakthrough, but he never looked aggrieved nor annoyed. He just stood there with a slight smile of satisfaction on his face, awaiting the arrival of his beloved friend that finally broke through the next realm. Emerging within the flames was the figure of Vincent whose expression looked indifferent and detached. His eyes sparkled with golden flames while his skin transformed into a healthy bronze color. Standing there and staring at Dan''s direction, his breakthrough made him understand Dan''s goal and he couldn''t help but feel endlessly grateful. Words were useless between brothers. Dan sheathed his weapons and crossed his arms together. Staring at Vincent, he couldn''t help but laugh as he said. "Wear some clothes you damned pervert!" 261 Start of Selection Everyday since the establishment of the Paradyne Academy. There has been not a day where activity wasn''t present. May it be commoners and cultivators, each and everyone of them brought life to the Academy, and without them, the Academy wouldn''t become into a bustling center of commerce. Right now at the Core disciples region, there were at least several thousands more people present within the normally highly-secure region of the Paradyne Academy. They gathered here for the sake of witnessing a once in a century event, the Disciples Selection of the Mystic Realm of the Undead. Gathered across a square that spanned at least a kilometer were the one thousand Core disciples of the Paradyne Academy. They didn''t normally recruit these much disciples but to fan flames to the fire, they decided to recruit more than they used to. Standing amidst the crowd were the three figures of Dan, Natalie and Grace who kept on jumping up and down, intent and curious on seeing everything around them to no avail. Even though they could easily see whatever they wanna see using their Divine Sense, releasing one''s Divine Sense with other cultivators at the same Realm was frowned upon and so, they opted not to do it. What they were looking for was the figure of a young woman whom Dan had never met ever since that event at the Desert Wilderness Bazaar. Natalie and Grace also looked forward to seeing her. After all, when they returned back to the Academy, they had also never saw her again. Unfortunately, even with their heightened senses. The three of them couldn''t spot her figure amidst all of this commotion. "Damn, there are too many people in here... There''s no way that we could find her in this state. Let''s try again later after the Headmaster announces the start of the Selection Process, maybe at that time she''ll pop out like a pimple." Dan lightly laughed and looked leisurely as ever. He stretched his hand out and captured the shoulders of his wives, bringing them closer into his chest as he enjoyed the envious and resentful gazes of the men around him. "Dan, you sure do like trouble, ah... Look at how many people are looking at us right now, with beauties left and right, I''m afraid that you''ll become the focus of everyone once the selection process starts..." Vincent sighed and poked fun at Dan who merely shrugged and said. "In that case, let them come. If they dare to fight me, then I shall turn them into whetstones for my own development, I haven''t had a good fight for ages, I would welcome any arrogant young master that comes into my way..." Just as he ended his sentence, a sharp pain assaulted his waist and he couldn''t help but scrunch forwards in pain. Making a sidelong glance at Natalie whose cheeks were puffed from annoyance, he could only bitterly smile when he found out that Grace had the same expression. It has to be known that Dan looked dashing and valiant, with his cultivation and tempered physique. His body underwent a qualitative change. His eyes looked as sharp as swords, his eyes sparkled with deep lights comparable to the abyss while his figure stood stoic and unyielding like a mountain. Women preferred stronger men and seeing Dan''s display of his ability made them interested about him. But when they saw the two beauties stuck and snuggled into his chest, their competitive spirit surged and they stared daggers at both Natalie and Grace who felt so uncomfortable that they had to warn Dan to restrain himself. "Hahaha, what use is wealth if one doesn''t show it off?" Dan merely chuckled at the sight of the two women''s puffed cheeks. Vincent who stood at the side as a third wheel shook his head and blurted out in the air, "This is the reason why I don''t go into relationships... It''s the same as asking for trouble..." Ah! What a headache, we had planned on going low-key, but look at this guy showing off his wives... Vincent furtively glared at Dan who kept the small smile on his face. Natalie and Grace pushed themselves deeper into his chest like declaring their authority. Their faces revealed coy smiles, but their eyes shone in tacit understanding. Dan purposely aggravated the envy and sense of self-fulfillment within the hearts of these young heroes and beauties. It was normal to sought for treasures and beauties that caught their eyes, someone without a stone-cold heart couldn''t possibly suppress the desires within their hearts for these two women beside Dan. At the sametime, the jealousy that they felt towards Dan soared through the roof, they would do everything that they want to steal those women away from him! If not willingly, then forcefully! After all, women aren''t really that important in the path of cultivation, if these women weren''t sensible and didn''t follow them willingly, they could just use them as furnaces. Some Core Disciples stared at Dan''s direction and coldly scoffed. What use was women if they cannot fend for themselves? Crossing their arms together, they proceeded to ignore him and returned their stares at the direction of the highest mountain peak within the Paradyne Academy. The Selection for the Mystic Realm of the Undead was an event that occured once in a blue moon. Obviously, the Elders wouldn''t cheap out on the decorations for such an event. No matter where you looked at, you would find luxurious red and orange designs of intertwined dragons and phoenixes. The commoners wore orange tunics while every disciple that spectated apart from the Core Disciples that were here to participate wore red robes decorated with the same design that you could find as far as you can see within the Paradyne Academy. Suddenly, the atmosphere changed. Everyone''s eyes focused at the top of the mountain peak and a brillant light manifested that briefly robbed their sense of sight. As their eyesight returned, everyone saw the figure of a middle-aged man standing on a perfectly rectangle block of marble. "Woaaah... It''s been such a long time since we saw her before she went into secluded meditation...." "Look at that style, and look at that sharp resting demeanor, even staring right into her face makes a chill run up my spine." "Even without releasing her aura, she could actually intimidate those at the same cultivation as her... It seems like we got ourselves a fierce competitor." "Nevertheless, even if she truly became that strong. It doesn''t mean that we don''t have what it means to defeat her. After all, we are of the same cultivation as her and I don''t think that she has the experience that we had, when she experienced such as a sheltered life." When their eyes landed on the beauty that stood beside Mathias. Some expressed their admiration, while some expressed their sadness in facing such a strong competitor, while some merely shook their heads and expressed their honest and rational thoughts. Dan heard these conversations and he nodded his head in understanding. Particularly, at the fourth phrase that he heard. Even though Charlotte has indeed grown stronger these past several months. That didn''t mean that they also didn''t grow stronger along with her. When it comes to practical experience, Dan was confident that he overshadowed her. Since the Selection Process for the Mystic Realm of the Undead happened once every two generations. None of the current Core Disciples actually knew how it worked and what they were gonna do to display their skills and overcome other geniuses in their time. Of course, those that were truly strong maintained their calm and only stared coldly at the others. "Greetings, everyone." A deafening roar reverberated amidst Mathias''s voice as those who were whispering instantly turned silent, while those that were excessively moving stood stiff like frozen statues. Those that were intentionally releasing some of their auras to intimidate their competitors immediately retracted it and acted like nothing happened. "I know that each and everyone of you, Core disciples are excited to acquire the chance to enter one of the most coveted independent space within the Continent of Dawn. The Mystic Realm of the Undead." Mathias''s voice was amiable and extremely gentle to the ear. It was as if he was singing a lullaby instead of announcing something. "The independent space that housed the Mystic Realm of the Undead has been a mystery to the powerhouses within the continent. Even me, doesn''t have the capability to thoroughly understand it. And we''re completely sure that it is created by someone at the realm of the Divine Emperor or even beyond it!" When the last part of his sentence fell, his voice turned grave and those who heard what he said all stared at him wide-eyed. What concept was a Divine Emperor Realm cultivator? Even Mathias who tried innumerable times to overcome the barrier between the Divine Ascendance Realm and the Divine Emperor Realm couldn''t even take a half-step into that mysterious realm. For these geniuses, achieving such a realm within their lifetime was a mere pipedream. Within these bunch of disciples. Only Dan maintained his calm. Both of his wives and even Vincent who now possessed a firm daoheart couldn''t help but tremble upon hearing such words from the Headmaster. "However, even though the independent space that housed the Mystic Realm of the Undead was an incomparably stable space. It still cannot withstand the test of time. After several millions of years. It has finally showed signs of collapse and space storms enveloped its location, making it hard for us to open it through bruteforce." Mathias sighed, it seems like the fact that even Divine Emperors couldn''t stand the test of time perturbed him. Taking a deep breath. His eyes that shone in a sharp glint momentarily scanned the disciples before he said,=. "As a result of this difficulty, we are not able to send all disciples that we want to send inside the Mystic Realm of the Undead. Part of the cause is that it is too risky and expensive to send every disciples that wants to join inside, and another part of the reason is that the dangers within that Mystic Realm are far too dangerous..." Mathias''s tone turned solemn and he emphasized the word, "dangerous". It was the first time that these Core disciples who thought of Mathias as some kind of a God, say that something is incredibly dangerous with that expression on his face. Evidently, everyone was intimidated. "Hmmph, just a small danger is enough to intimidate you guys? Such weak hearts, if not for treasures supporting your cultivation making you soar high despite your mediocre talent and heart. You guys would''ve been worse than Outer Disciples..." Dan purposely provoked all the disciples around him. The crowd exploded into a clamor as some of the disciples couldn''t suppress themselves and tried their best to reach Dan and punch his face. Natalie and Grace pinched his waist and Dan bitterly smiled towards their actions. Vincent was astonished at Dan''s outrageousness but wasn''t surprised. Within the crowd, two women whose beauty could absolutely compare to Natalie and Grace stood together with cold expressions on their faces. If one looked closely, they would find that the normally lecherous male disciples acted amiable and respectful before them. It was because of the fact that these two women were the strongest of all Core Disciples! One possessed the comprehension of the Sword Intent and high comprehension of the Laws of Fire, while the other. Who looked quite serene and ethereal amidst the crowd, possessed the highest understanding when it comes to the most mysterious law in existence, the Law of Space. Both were sworn sister and experienced countless life and death battles together! Annie Thompson and Alexandra! Annie clad in red robes that had a waistband on her waist that kept her sword attached to her waist, frowned when she heard Dan''s words. Those at the Divine Soul Realm possessed strong senses that could detect everything around them if their wished, paired with the fact that everyone was completely silent, they could hear him even if they didn''t try. "Hmmph, the holder of an Honorary Disciples token is actually just a brash brat that doesn''t know the immensity of Heaven and Earth! How outrageous! Just when did the Honorary Disciple''s Token became a cabbage that could be given to beggars?" Annie Thompson coldly snorted and Alexandra who stood beside her made a sidelong glance at Dan and also knitted her eyebrows when she saw the two women snuggled into his chest. "Calm down, Annie. No matter what, this Selection Process for the Mystic Realm will reveal everything about that man, particularly those two women stuck in his chest. My instinct is saying that there''s something off about them..." Alexandra whispered at Annie and the latter was astonished for a moment before turning silent. No matter what, whether the Paradyne Academy made the right decision to bestow their Honorary Disciple Tokens towards the three of them, it will all be known once the Selection Process starts! Coldly snorting, Annie turned and looked at the Headmaster. 262 Process of Selection "The land within the independent space contains insurmountable amounts of negative energies that not any of us can possibly withstand, even myself..." Mathias suddenly announced, his words booming like muffled thunder that sent a jolt down each and everyone of the listener''s hearts. Soft murmurs echoed out and the disciples below him looked somewhat pale and anxious. Within every person''s hearts, negative energy was the most prominent energy. Part of the reason was that a truly perfect and stainless heart didn''t exist. Everyone that lived under the heavens possessed a stain that negative energy could amplify and take root. Evidently, each and everyone of these disciples didn''t believe that they possessed the capability to withstand nor diffuse negative energy once it entered their heart. And what was the consequences of being infected by negative energies? It was simple, one would just become a mindless husk that knew nothing and desires nothing but slaughter and destruction. Alexandra and Annie tightly clenched their fists and bit their lips, their aggrieved expressions painted a scene that could ignite the sadistic sides of any male disciple. Unfortunately, none of them had the drive to do such a thing. They merely stood and tallied the risks and rewards in entering the Mystic Realm of the Undead. If it was too dangerous, they wouldn''t dare to enter. After all, it took them several years of incessant hardwork to reach their current boundary. Throwing their life away for the sake of the once in a million chance sounded so silly and stupid. Vincent furrowed his eyebrows and fell into deep contemplation. Meanwhile, amidst all of these commotion, there existed three people that looked as serene as a clear river. Dan, Natalie and Grace merely stared at each other and sweetly smiled. Towards these three that cultivated on the Demonic and Aberrant Path, negative energies were their nutrition. "Dan, what do you think? Negative energies... According to the books that I have read, once you''re infected and the infection was deep enough. There''s no way that you could recover...And according to the Headmaster, that place is teeming with negative energies... Would someone still go there despite those conditions?" Vincent curiously asked for Dan''s opinion whose expression turned into a solemn one as a pretense. Dan who had his arms wrapped around his wives thought for a moment before turning to stare at him and saying: "I don''t think that the Headmaster would purposely send us to our graves. Since he''s making us compete for a spot into this so-called Mystic Realm of the Undead, there should be countermeasures against those negative energies..." "Yeah, you''re right. I''m overthinking it. What I''m curious about is what would the process of selection be and how will the Academy eliminate so many participants in a short period of time..." Vincent lightly smiled and expressed his thoughts. Towards his words, Dan lifted a smile on his face. His eyes blazed with the light of battle intent. Natalie and Grace who were extremely sensitive to his emotions noticed this change and they simultaneously glanced at him. "Dear, do you have any idea about the incoming selection process?" Natalie asked with a slight smile on her face, she looked so confident about her husband''s thoughts despite not knowing it. Grace had the same expression but she didn''t say any words. "Yeah, if they''re looking to eliminate as much disciples as possible and make those truly strong, stand out from the crowd. That certain method is definitely possible. But who knows, it''s not that I can read minds and in the end, I don''t know what the Headmaster is thinking..." Dan''s tone contained utmost confidence at the first half but when he reached the end of his sentence, he shrugged in a nonchalant manner and continued to stare at Mathias. The latter seemed to have noticed his gaze and glanced at him for a moment before lightly smiling in an ambiguous manner. "I know that each and everyone of you has safety concerns regarding those negative energies. Fear not, we will be distributing necklaces that could safely absorb those negative energies and keep you away from harm. However, even with our resources, we only managed to create ten necklaces! In other words, out of all of you Core disciples, only ten people can possibly acquire the chance to enter that Mystic Realm!" Mathias dropped another bombshell, but this time. The bomb that he dropped created waves after waves of murmurs. The Core disciples who looked relaxed and amiable to each other abruptly turned cold and glared at the direction of their respective enemies. Dan who kept his silence all this while received innumerable cold stares from every disciple around him. Vincent lifted a bitter smile on his face. His brother and comrade, Dan. Expectedly became a magnet for hatred and resentment. With how he acted earlier, this was an expected outcome. Dan disregarded all of these gazes. Instead, he stared at Mathias''s direction and inwardly cursed the man inside his man. Damn! How insidious! What a savage man! To think that he would truly do such a thing to squeeze out everything that I have! If he really followed through his plan, I may get overly-exhausted and burn out until my defeat! Natalie and Grace felt the same thing but they merely stared at Dan with a "I told ya" look. If he didn''t act so condescending against these disciples earlier, they he wouldn''t have garnered so much animosity that these disciples looked like they didn''t want to breathe the same air as him. "And now, for the announcement that each and everyone of you anticipates for... The Process of Selection... Since there are only ten bracelets and the opening of the Mystic Realm is nearing everyday. The Selection Process would thoroughly be brutal..." Mathias tone turned indifferent, and his eyes sparkled with cold lights that could freeze the soulds of those that dared to look into his eyes. The disciples who stood below him all had knowing looks within their faces. It looks like if we didn''t slaughter our way through the top. There''s no way that we can get that chance! Some of them thought like this and became even more determined, while some had suspicious looks on their faces. The Academy wouldn''t do something stupid such as making them fight each other to their deaths, right? Dan, Natalie and Grace thought the same. The Academy spent so many resources into nurturing these geniuses only to end up making them kill each other for the sake of those necklaces. That doesn''t sound right. Mathias predicted the thoughts of everyone and he lightly chuckled. His imposing and indifferent expression defused as he swept his gaze at the disciples and announced: "Of course, we aren''t so stupid as to really make you kill each other for the sake of that chances. But of course, we cannot allow those with faint hearts acquire a necklace or else it would spell disaster for the Academy... In a way, each and everyone of you disciples will truly kill each other but not in reality..." When Mathias reached the end of his sentence, a smile blooomed on his face and those disciples that possessed some smartness within their heads realized what he was trying to say. That of course included, Grace, Dan and Natalie who simultaneously whispered along with Mathias''s continuation. "Thousand Worlds Changing Array... A virtual world..." Mathias lightly chuckled, with his current boundary. Picking up the slight sounds of whispers around him was a task as easy as eating food. Sweeping his gaze at the disciples once again. He continued, "That''s right, we will have all of you fight within the Thousand Worlds Changing Array. Since all of you are Core disciples, there should be no reason for me to further explain the function of that array and if truly works..." Those who felt hesitant about his earlier announcement all sighed in relief. Their eyes flashed with ferocity, while some coldly snorted and blurted out: "Hmmph, even if it''s not a virtual world, I''m prepared to kill my way to the top!" Dan made a sidelong glance at the disciples around him and temporarily closed his eyes and opened them again: He now confirmed that most of the disciples within the Academy never experienced a true life and death battle. Most of their battle experiences should''ve come from that Thousand Worlds Changing Array. If not, why would they act so conceited and arrogant in the face of danger? Only those who are naive or truly strong do such a thing. Natalie and Grace also made a sidelong glance at these disciples before snuggling back into Dan''s chest, looking for that warmth. Apparently, they noticed and thought the same. Vincent looked somewhat confused of their actions, but the light within his eyes shone in excitement and the determination to acquire one of those necklaces. "Each and every Core disciple will be transported into the world within the Array. And once you arrived, the battle would officially start. It will only end once there are only ten disciples remaining. Once the Array detected that, it would instantly transfer those ten back to reality, and they will be crowned as geniuses among geniuses!" Mathias boldly declared and screams erupted among the disciples and the spectators, forming a chorus that shook the entire Core Disciples Region. The commoners who came to watch the battle waved their hands in the air and some even jumped up and down from excitement. Since the battle occurred within a virtual world, each and every disciple could unleash everything that they had without restraining themselves. Of course, the problem of imperfect replication of their true strength within the real world didn''t exist within the world of the mysterious Thousand Worlds Changing Array. "Since all of you looked so ready and there''s no time to waste, the Selection Process will promptly begin. To the spectators, every battle occurring within the Array will be projected so each and everyone of you can observe their battle and hopefully acquire inspiration from the strongest bunch of disciples within the Academy!" Mathias amiably smiled before turning his head to look at the Elders stationed at the sides. "Elders, activate the Thousand Worlds Changing Array formation! Maximum Output and Input! Don''t hold back!" Mathias announced and resplendent lights suddenly exploded amidst the crowd, an Elder stood among the crowd and held a huge sparkling Spirit Stone from their hands. The light that soared through the skies formed a web that resembled a spiderweb which eventually turned into a huge gate that attracted the souls of every Core disciples including Dan, Natalie and Grace. [The Host''s soul and consciousness is being invited to the world within the Thousand Worlds Changing Array. Do you want to accept the invitation? Y/N] A system notification popped out in the air and Dan observed as each and every disciple around him all collapsed into the ground including both of his wives and Vincent. "Hmmph, so in the end. The Headmaster really chose such a vicious and savage method of sorting the diamonds from the stones..." He coldly snorted before positively responding to the system notification. Afterwards, his body collapsed beside his wives. From above the clouds, directly overhead the Paradyne Academy, a figure silently floated. The figure''s face and stature looked slender and one could deduce that his body definitely looked malnourished. The deep stench of death constantly accompanied this figure, but despite all of these. From within the hood of his robes, two crimson lights ignited with excitement and fervor. "Aaaaah, the sacrifice... I know that you''ll stand out among the crowd... I''ll be waiting for you within that world..." He blurted out in a hoarse voice that lacked any sort of power. However, when he stretched his hand out, his finger tore the void as he silently disappeared into it. Mathias who kept his amiable smile suddenly stiffened. Staring above him, his eyes narrowed before clicking his tongue in annoyance and anxiousness: "Well, this can also be considered as a tribulation and possibly the biggest obstacle that they would face..." He sighed and shook his head, sending that certain matter to the very back of his mind. 263 Battle Royale The deep stench of earth assaulted the Dan''s nostrils. When his eyes snapped open, an incredibly realistic scene of a vast swamp appeared right in front of his eyes. Looking down, dark and sticky mud drenched his feet up until his knees. Incredibly, he had arrived at the center of a vast swamp. "Natalie? Grace? Vincent?" Dan blankly blurted out and scanned for his surroundings. He found no signs of the three and thought that they must''ve been transported to a different area within the world of the Thousand Worlds Changing Array. "Well. with all the training that we did together. It''s not like they cannot protect themselves... It''s time for me to focus on getting to that top 10." Dan shrugged and threw the matter of searching for the three to the back of his mind. He must get into the top 10 or everything that he had planned so far would go into ruins. Using his Divine Sense, Dan scanned the surroundings and realized that despite his strong Divine Soul. He couldn''t scan further than a hundred meters. It was as if there was a heavenly barrier that forcefully restricted his Divine Sense from stretching that far. "So this virtual world is unlike that previous virtual world where I can use my Divine Sense as efficiently as I can. It looks like they''re trying to squeeze our potential by placing us within such a dark and unfamiliar environment. Well, this is also quite good." When Dan reached the end of his sentence, his eyes narrowed when he realized that a token was plastered on his left chest. Taking the token, he inserted his Spiritual Energy and a holographic image of a number popped out in the air. [489] Out of the five hundred plus participants for the Mystic Realm of the Undead Selection Process, at least fifty or so participants has been eliminated in such a short amount of time. Just what was going on? Did some people arrive at this place with others and instantly got into a battle? The sense of imminent danger suddenly crept into Dan''s heart. After experiencing all sorts of dangers. His nerves became quite sensitive to danger so in that instant, he ducked his head low and simultaneously unsheathed his dagger and assumed a defensive stance. Clang! Sparks flew and Lightning sparkled amidst the darkness, Dan clicked his tongue and kicked the figure before him away, sending that figure flying into a tree trunk. "Hmmph, at the least you have quite the capability..." in front of Dan was a young man clad in the Core disciples robe of the Paradyne Academy. His appearance wasn''t that bad. However, his pointed nose that contrasted his deep and solemn looking countenance, formed a distasteful scene that made him look cunning and scheming. "I saw you act so disdainful of your fellow Core disciples earlier. is it because you''re truly capable or is it because you''re just mindlessly arrogant and stupid?" The young man dusted his shoulders and stood up. His eyes flashed with the intense light of killing intent which made Dan frown in response. "Whether I acted arrogant or not, strength proves everything. If you want to fight then let''s fight! I don''t have the time to deal with such bastards like you!" Dan clicked his tongue and rotated his cultivation base. Lightning roared and the dark swamp exploded with the brilliance of azure. The young man merely shrugged when he saw Dan''s actions. In his eyes, Dan was just a mere Early-Stage Divine Soul cultivator that had just entered the Core Disciples Region. He was nothing when compared to his expertise. Dan sized up his enemy and saw that the young man had a cultivation of the Middle-Stage Divine Soul Realm. Despite the fact that every stage within the Divine Soul Realm had the difference of Heaven and Earth. Dan remained unfazed and faced his enemy with a smile on his face. According to his calculations, towards such an enemy. He didn''t even need to use his Chimera Flame. Using the System''s assistance. He quickly discovered several weaknesses on his target as he stood there in a half-crouched position. Looking like a beast about to pounce on his prey. "To selectively target someone as weak as me. You must really feel prideful about yourself. I bet that you''re the weakest among the Core disciples. After all, you can only afford to fight against someone like me. Bullying the weak to pretend to be strong. How shameless is that!" Dan smiled in derision, and the young man was taken aback by his speech. Gnashing his teeth, the young man rotated his cultivation as the earth underneath rumbled. Within the thick muddy waters of the swamp unfurled numerous tree branches that looked as thick as a person that lashed at Dan''s direction. Earth Laws? This will be quite troublesome. Dan thought and Lightning flashed through his eyes. In a burst of brilliance, the three branches that was about to land on his body were roughly deflected back as Dan bent his knees and shot backward. The young man stared at him with clear mocking in his eyes, but Dan maintained his stoic visage. "A cultivation method based on the laws of Lightning? It seems like this will be quite easy... But if you''re really that heaven-defying as what you said, you should be able to find some ways against me..." The young man looked nonchalant and carefree. "I wonder how you managed to seduce those two beauties earlier, since they''re following someone as weak and stupid as you, they should be affected by some kind of a mind control method from you. Either way, once you die, I can just use a secret technique that will enable me to look into your memories so I can bring them into my control..." The young man teased, but little did he knew that he poked fun at the Dan''s reverse scale. Similar to a dragon''s reverse scale, Dan''s family was his greatest weakness, touching them warranted a death sentence from him. At that moment, Dan thought of giving the young man a death worthy of a Core disciple, but when the young man actually teased him using his family, all of those thoughts vanished as his expression turned remarkably calm. His cold countenance turned into indifference, but within his eyes burned a wick of flame that could ignite at any second and burn everything around it. "Of course I can bestow upon you a good and painless death and even leave your body intact. But that will only happen if you willingly teach me that wicked method that you used against those women. If not, don''t blame me for being forceful." The earth underneath the young man continuously trembled like gongs. It has to be known the Laws had their respective counters. In this case, since Dan was an expert with the Laws of Lightning, he found it hard to deal significant damage to his enemy, whose cultivation method directly countered his own method. "Hmmph! Lusting after another man''s wife. That goes to say that you''re so socially inept that you can''t even attract those of the opposite sex. I bet that after they stare at your face and saw that pointed nose of yours that looks like dog''s donger, they would run away in fear. What a coincidence, it also explains that deep-seated insecurity of yours." Dan coldly snorted and venomously retorted. The young man''s figure trembled as rage suffused on his face. His eyes sparkled with immense killing intent. "I''ll kill you!" He roared out and the earth beneath him violently shivered as dozens after dozens of thick tree branches shot out and lashed at Dan''s direction. Dan took both of his daggers and engaged in a fierce close combat battle against those tree branches. Despite the young man''s horrendous attitude, he actually possessed finesse when it comes to controlling his cultivation method. It has to be known that Dan was personally taught by George, and his techniques when it comes to holding the dagger also came from that old man. At that time, Dan experienced hell and trained his techniques until he acquired George''s approval. Without even saying it, one can understand the strength of such techniques that personally came from a peak-expert like George. Nevertheless, despite all of these, the young man in front of him could actually contend against him and deter his techniques. Dan thought for a moment and considered using the Chimera Flame. But he soon shook his head, it was still too early to reveal his trump cards. If he did so, he would lose the element of surprise and may as well suffer from other enemies that should be observing him and this young man before him. Right now, he had to defeat this bastard and send him to the other side using his techniques and the experience he had gained in these past several months. Dan''s body suddenly turned slippery like an eel and she slipped into a gap in between the tree branches that rained past him. Stabbing outwards with his dagger, he aimed at the young man''s stomach. Giving him a severe injury so that he would learn his lesson! "Futile..." The young man coldly smiled and stared at Dan''s incoming dagger. When it was about to strike his skin, a dull thud echoed that sounded similar to metal striking wood. The young man''s cold smile turned into mocking, but before he could counter-attack. A burning sensation came from his stomach along with the smell of burnt wood. "Ah!" The young man retreated in a panic. The tree branches that he controlled lifelessly fell into the deep swamp. Dan stared at him with a cold smile on his face. If one looked closely at the tip of his dagger, they would find a small crimson fire that looked more like of a spark instead of a fire. Acquiring the Chimera Flame''s trust and having it willingly submit under his control meant that Dan wouldn''t have a hard time controlling it. Although he couldn''t use its true strength yet. He could manifest it into a small spark that could let him penetrate his enemy''s defenses. "What did you do!" The young man angrily roared as he stared at the small hole that opened up in his chest. Blood continuously dripped from that opening and despite a Divine Soul cultivator''s strong regenerative properties. The hole didn''t look like it would heal soon. Humans subconsciously feared the unknown and receiving damage from an unknown source brought quite an impact on the young man''s heart. Gnashing his teeth, he glared at Dan''s direction and blurted out. "Earth''s Core: Arrival of a thousand soldiers!" With his signal, his cultivation base madly rotated and his cultivation method fully came to life. The energy fluctuations that emanated from his body made the Dan who stood at the distance click his tongue in annoyance. A battle between Divine Soul experts would definitely attract the eyes of other disciples within their location. And with the taunting that Dan did earlier, he knew that once those mad dogs laid eyes on him. He would be chased until the end of this virtual world. They wouldn''t definitely rest until he died. Igniting his cultivation base to the maximum, Dan awakened his cultivation method and his figure transformed into an azure lightbulb that illuminated the darkened swamp. Blessing of the Lightning God: Third Stance! Dan discarded his second dagger and used both of his hands to hold a single dagger. Imbued with extreme Lightning, the heatwave that came from his dagger evaporated the thick and muddy swamp around him as he ran towards the young man with a roar. Puchi! A clear sound of penetrated flesh rang out! "H-H-How could it be like this..." The young man stared at the dagger that directly pierced his heart. His heart completely disintegrated from Dan''s attack and his life was quickly fading away. "It''s because you insulted my family, that''s why..." Dan''s expression still maintained that cold indifference; as if he never even cared about his enemy from the start. "I''ll remember you... Dan..." The young man whispered with resentment and Dan coldly smiled at him. "Remembering me? I''m sorry but I can''t do that and remember you... You''re too insignificant to remember..." These words landed into the young man''s ears as his body exploded into countless light crystals that eventually vanished into nothingness. Sheathing his daggers, Dan swiftly left the area, several minutes later. a disciple stumbled upon the scene of battle. 264 Swift Ambush When Dan escaped the area, little did he knew that a silhouette stared at his direction with a cold smile on his face. That silhouette coldly snorted and left towards the opposite direction. Without making any noise, the silhouette vanished into thin-air like popped bubbles. Leaping tree branches after tree branches, Dan inhibited his aura and concealed his presence. Taking the token from his chest, a holographic number floated up in the air. [410] In that short amount of time that he engaged with that young man earlier. Dozens were actually decimated. Dan was appalled and his expression turned serious. Since the Core disciples all stood within the same realm, defeating a fellow Core disciple was easier said than done, yet someone or something caused so much deaths in such a short smount of time. Just what was going on? Dan thought as he used all of his senses and even asked for the System''s assistance in looking for the familiar auras of Vincent, Natalie and Grace who must be somewhere within this virtual world. Since he completely focused on the safety of his brother and wives. He never noticed the shadows of several disciples following him from behind. At another part within the same virtual world, Natalie, Grace and Vincent stared at each other with solemn expressions, their eyes all stared at the same thing; the floating holographic number that continuously descended every minute. From that number, they knew that the outside world was filled with complete slaughter. "Just what is going on, how are so many people dying at the sametime, every minute?" Grace was astonished, she had never seen such a strange phenomenon in her life. Natalie looked concerned too, while Vincent was appalled by their lack of concern towards a certain someone. Ever since they arrived together within this cave, both women never mentioned and expressed their concern towards the certain man; it was as if he was never their husband and they never cared about him in the first place. "Hey... Both of you, aren''t you worried about what will happen to brother?" Vincent asked with an awkward smile on his face, sweat continuously dripped down his forehead and even his palms couldn''t help but become sweaty. Any man would crumble when faced by the gazes of these two beauties and Vincent wasn''t an exception. "Worried about who? Dan? Why would he worry about him? That guy is stronger than us combined, we should worry about ourselves first before him! Especially when right now, we''re inside a winding cave and we can''t even find the exit, Gah!" Grace glared at him and Vincent gulped a mouthful of saliva in response. Natalie merely smiled and stared at Vincent, hinting that he shouldn''t cause trouble for Grace who was wracking her head in irritation. She wanted to instantly join the fray and start killing so she could gauge her current strength, but their luck ran out when they were sent into such a strange maze-like cave! What a disaster! Vincent wanted to say something else, but after gauging Grace''s annoyance level. He didn''t bother and just stood there, keeping his silence. Natalie sweetly smiled at his direction and praised: "That''s a good boy, just stand there and keep using that light for us so we can see where we are going..." Natalie''s words almost made him choke in his own saliva as a bitter smile lifted on his lips. If it was any other person that said such a thing to him. He would''ve gone crazy and fought that person to death! After all, being treated as a lightbulb wasn''t something funny and it made him feel weird and bitter about himself. "I still can''t find any wind coming from the outside world. Thankfully, we are in a virtual world so the chance of meeting a beast is highly unlikely..." Vincent quickly changed the topic and tried to engage in a talk with them. Hoping that it would do something about his anxiety around these two beautiful women. Grace and Natalie stiffened and stared at each other for a moment. Lightly smiling, Natalie turned to stare at Vincent and said, "Vincent, what do you think is the scarier, a human or a beast?" Natalie''s question astonished him, but he still thought about it. After a moment of silence, he turned to look at Natalie and replied, "Humans are scarier than beasts, that''s for sure. After all, beasts only fight for their survival, but humans fight for benefits and are even willing to sacrifice anything to achieve their wretched goals." Grace who kept looking forwards turned to look at him and said, "It seems like you really did have such a traumatic past... Don''t worry, I won''t dig any further..." When Grace saw that Vincent became uncomfortable upon the mention of his past, Grace reassured him with a smile as she turned to look ahead and blurted out in a solemn voice. "It seems like there''s no other way than to face these cruel humans ahead of us... The two of you, prepare for battle. Remember not to hold back anything..." Grace unsheathed her daggers and Natalie unveiled her Soft Sword. Vincent was taken aback for a moment but he also took his lance out from his Storage Device. "This cave is damned! We''ve been walking for several minutes already but there''s no sign of any exit!" An irritated voice of a young man echoed at the distance. After this voice rang out, several other footsteps appeared in the vicinity. "Calm down, don''t you understand that we''re in a survival game? It''s even better for us to stay indoors and not going outside! Don''t you remember what the Headmaster said? As long as you survive to the top 10, you will get a place for that Mystic Realm so our current situation is actually pretty good." A stoic and deep voice echoed out and the young man who said such words earlier exaggeratedly shouted in enlightenment. From the fawning expression of the young man, it was clear that the one who replied to his words was someone of high standing and respectable. "The young master really is bright and wise! To think that you would be able to ascertain such a method!" The young man endlessly flattered, and what he got in response was a cold snort. "Are you really that stupid? That was mere common sense, those bastards that kept on fighting each other outside of this cave are also pretty stupid. Don''t they understand that we just need to stay put and conserve our strength for the sake of that final fight for the top 10 position?" "A final fight? There will be a final fight for the top 10 position?" That young man actually asked such a stupid question which garnered the annoyance of his young master. A clear slap echoed out and that young man bitterly retreated to the back. "Don''t ask such stupid questions, if you asked more of those questions, I''ll make sure that you''ll die in this instant!" A robust voice of another man rang out and that young man could do nothing other than to hung his head low and stare at the ground in shame. "Shh, stand back. There''s someone ahead of us..." Just when they were about to make a right turn, that young man referred to as the young master suddenly stopped. All of his henchmen behind him immediately stiffened like statues as the young man stuck his head out and saw a scene which made his eyes sparkle in delight. Arranging his clothes, the young man applied some perfume on his body and cleared his throat. His sudden actions baffled his subordinates as he strode forwards amidst their confused gazes. "Cough, cough... Young miss, it seems like you''re quite confounded by your current situation and has been separated from your companions..." The young man confidently walked up to a young woman whose expression looked pale and exhausted. The young woman''s exhausted countenance and her sparkling eyes induced pity from the hearts of those who saw such a scene. Since the young woman looked so scared and wary of her surroundings. The young man deduced that she must be a newly-ascended Core disciple from the Inner Disciples Region. Freshly-arrived disciples from the Inner Disciples Region were often unshackled and unprotected by any factions. Meaning, the young man didn''t have to worry about any repercussions if he laid his hands on such an exquisite beauty. Of course, he didn''t reveal such thoughts outright. After all, a willing partner was much better than a forced one. He was confident that once he revealed where he came from and offered some benefits. He would surely get this young woman on his bed and take a taste on of such an exotic and exquisite beauty. Just her silvery-hair alone was enough for her to attract his gaze. "Who are you! Don''t approach me! I have a dagger and I am not afraid to fight!" The young woman went into defensive mode and this made the smile on the young man''s face intensify and his eyes sparkle in amusement and security. Scared women were easier to conquer than calm and composed ones. After all, they would do their best to find that reprieve and the security of having someone protecting them. Once he laid out his "clean" intentions. He would surely rope her in. "Junior Sister, we''re from the Tortoise Faction of the Core Disciples Region. The young man speaking to you is our Faction Leader, Richard Zoel. We mean no harm, Junior Sister. We are just curious as to why you are here alone inside such a dark cave without any light with you..." A young man with a robust frame said in a deep voice, his voice respectful and proper, yet unbeknownst to the young woman. His eyes silently sparkled with greed and desire. HIs fellow brothers introduced themselves to her one by one, in a respectful manner, of course. "Really? You don''t want to harm me?" The young woman lifted her head as her eyes gleamed with innocence and some hesitation. It was as if she was fighting an internal struggle. The young man clicked his tongue and felt irritated by her indecisiveness. Nevertheless, he just stood there with his hand stretched forward, gesturing for her to join them in their journey. "Yes, please don''t worry. We''re fellow disciples here and we''re older than you so it''s proper that we help you as your Seniors..." That robust young man supplemented and when he said the word "help" his eyes couldn''t help but flash in a strange light that he quickly hid. The young woman repeatedly glanced at the ground and the young master before her. Biting her lower lips, she seemed to have arrived at a decision as she lifted her head and stared at their direction. "Okay, I will join Senior Brother, but will Senior Brother follow me first?" The young woman''s tone turned melodious and gentle to the ears. Those that heard her voice couldn''t help but subconsciously follow what she was saying. Celebrating the fact that he roped in such a heaven-defying beauty into his ranks. The young man nodded his head like chicken pecking rice and followed behind her with his subordinates. "Ermm, Junior Sister. I know that this might be a strange question, but I wonder where are we going?" The young man who was the leader of the Tortoise Faction asked with a slight smile. The young woman with the silver hair stopped, sweeping her gaze at him and his subordinates, she blurted out. "I guess this far is fine..." "This far is fine? Are we gonna stop here? I thought that we''re going to find your sisters?" The young man asked with curiosity and the young woman nodded her head and sweetly smiled, "Yeah, and the young master said that he''ll accompany me right?" Though he felt weirded out about what was going on, the young man nodded his head and amiably smiled, maintaining calm and gentleman facade: "Of course, since I said so, it would be bad if I reneged on my promise." "In that case, I am happy... Since I will be sending each and everyone of you to... hell!" The young woman suddenly roared out in a ferocious voice when she reached the end of her sentence. Each and everyone from the Tortoise Faction was taken aback. But before they could analyze what was happening, brief flashes of sword lights and the sound of penetrated flesh simultaneously rang out as their bodies fell into the ground with dull thuds. "You..." That young leader of the Tortoise Faction never expected, even in his wildest dreams that the delicate and fragile woman that he rescued would be the one that will stab him in the heart. Thankfully, this was just a virtual world. Engraving her face into his mind, his body vanished into countless light crystals that eventually disappeared into nothingness. "So this really is a virtual world..." Grace whispered and a light smile decorated her face as she turned to face Vincent and Natalie who appeared from the shadows ahead. Chapter 265 - Cruel Reality "They really dealt with them appropriately. Swift, decisive and equally ruthless. Although that boy among them had some hesitations, he''s being affected by the two other women. In a good way, of course." An Elder of the Paradyne Academy stared at the direction of the floating screen. Within the floating screen, three faint figures could be seen. "Yeah, when they first came into the Academy. They were just a bunch of immature brats. But now, look at how they have grown..." Mathias sighed, his eyes flashed with numerous emotions. "How preposterous, to think that they would use such underhanded methods to kill my disciples!" Another Elder, who had a white beard that reached his chest angrily roared, his eyes sparkled with anger and even his voice couldn''t help but intensely tremble when he remembered the gruesome sight of his disciples'' deaths. "Calm down, Second Elder. It''s not like they would really die in real life. That''s just within the world of the Thousand Worlds Changing Array. You cannot blame other disciples from killing your so-called precious disciples... You can only blame yourself for not teaching them on how to restrain their lust~" A middle-aged woman scoffed, judging from her attire, she was also an Elder of the Paradyne Academy. The Second Elder who received the muddle-aged woman''s scoldings looked terrible and almost choked with his own saliva. Gnashing his teeth and clenching his fists. He suppressed his anger and could only turn silent. In the face of the Headmaster himself, he couldn''t bring further shame to himself. "Third Elder''s words are right. Second Elder, you can''t be like that. Although I understand that you pamper your disciples, you can''t hold grudges against someone that defeated them. You can only blame your lack of ability to teach your disciples some restraint. Falling against a simple trick, are they even disciples of the Academy?" Another old man whose eyes sparkled with knowledge and wisdom said in a hoarse voice. On his chest stuck a token embedded with the number "1". When the old man spoke, those who heard his words stiffened and Mathias made a sidelong glance at him but never said anything. "This Junior understands Senior''s sermons. It will not happen again. I will do everything to correct my disciples'' attitudes." The Second Elder clasped his hands together and respectfully bowed, expressing that he understood the First Elder''s words. However, his eyes that he hid beneath his hands gleamed with a intense resentment. But when he blinked and opened his eyes again. That certain emotion had disappeared. Mathias stared at the Second Elder for a moment before turning his head to look at the screen once again. His eyes flashed with different suppressed emotions but in the end. He only sighed and cleared his thoughts before returning to focus on the Selection Process within the Thousand Worlds Changing Array. "Ah! Damn! This is place is annoying. I though that we could steal something from them but it looks like everything that they have also disappears along with them!" Grace scratched her head in annoyance and Vincent bitterly stared at her and thought, "Of course, this is a virtual world. What do you expect? Did you really want to rob them that much?" He inwardly swore not to do anything that would provoke this dangerous fox. Natalie brought her closer and patted her head, comforting her that everything would be fine and they could still steal try to steal the property of others before they could truly disappear. Their discussion made Vincent feel terrified. Gulping a mouthful of saliva, he didn''t dare to interject and ask them that they should go away lest some disciples arrived and discovered them. "Ermm, the two of you... Can we get out of this place as fast as possible? If other disciples arrived and discovered us, it would be pretty bad..." Vincent suppressed his anxiety and asked a question in an amiable voice. Grace turned to look at him and sweetly smiled. The smile that she revealed looked as warmth and as gentle as the spring breeze, but when Vincent saw it, a shiver went down his spine. "Well, if that really happens. We can count on you, right? Big Bro Vincent~" Grace said in an affectionate manner. If it was any other man, they would''ve nodded their heads like chicken pecking rice already. But Vincent who knew how terrifying this young woman could become in an instant, his lips repeatedly twitched into a crooked smile. "O-O-Of course..." He didn''t dare to decline. Grace then turned her head away as if nothing had happened. The sudden changes on her expression couldn''t help but intensify the bitter smile on his face. If he knew that Grace and Natalie had such a side behind them, he wouldn''t dare to approach them so casually back then! Ah! Beauties really are tragedies! And I''m already chained! Walking ahead of the two women, Vincent was miserably treated as a meatshield for incoming ambushes. Afraid of their outbursts, he could only comply. Wielding his lance, Vincent suffused a solemn expression. Although indignant, he knew that it wasn''t the time to act childish when there were so many hidden dangers around them. Somewhere within the cave where Vincent, Grace and Natalie stayed in. Numerous light footsteps slowly rang out as the slender figures of women appeared amidst the darkness. Floating ahead of them was an orb of light that constantly emanated light that comforted their anxious hearts. "Big Sis, is this really the way?" A female disciple asked with a small voice, her expression pale and cold sweat constantly dripped down her back, drenching her robes. Women were creatures that sought for security and stability, such sudden changes combined with the fear of the unknown triggered their deepest fears. Even the most valiant woman would feel some fear within such a dark environment. "Yeah, I know the way, with my cultivation method. You know that there''s no way that I''ll make a mistake when it comes to directions, right?" A warm voice echoed out and delivered a reply to the young woman''s anxiety. "Just calm down will you? It''s not like something will happen to us when we''re with Alexandra... Also don''t act so cowardly! It''s becoming unfit for a Core disciple!" A cold voice followed up and scolded, the young woman who initially spoke stiffened and hung her head low, afraid to even stare right into the scolding woman''s eyes. "Hey, don''t be so harsh on her, Annie." The second voice targeted Annie who merely snorted and replied, "If you kept on pampering these girls like they are princesses, then their deaths are near." Her harsh reply astonished the several other female disciples that religiously followed them. Seeing the violent reaction of her female disciples, a smack came at the back of Annie''s head and she scratched her head in pain and stared at the direction of the one that smacked her. Her eyes sparkled with a defiant light, but she didn''t say anything in response. "Calm down, calm down, everyone. Even if there are really hidden dangers around here, I will stand strong on my promise of protecting everyone so they can safely survive until the end of everything." "Big Sis..." Alexandra''s declaration ignited the light of hopes within the young women''s eyes. They had never wanted to join the struggle within the Selection Process, but as Core disciples. They were required to join and prove that they had what it takes to maintain their position within the Academy. Cowards were frowned upon so they had to pretend that they were strong. Annie disapproved of Alexandra''s method, thinking that it would only cause further harm towards these young women. It was much better to expose them to the dangers of reality than making them live a sheltered and entitled life. Spoiling them like this, was tantamount to a death sentence for them. But since Alexandra held a higher position than her, she could only keep her silence. "Even now, you''re still that naive, Alexandra? To think that such a stupid and ignorant woman like you could become one of the strongest within the Academy... Such a title is so undeserving of you..." A young man''s cold voice suddenly rang out like a ghost and Annie swiftly unsheathed her sword. Rumbling noises boomed from her body as her cultivation base came to life. Alexandra also did the same, but instead of assuming an offensive stance. She stood in front of the women and protected them with her life. A lone young man walked out of the darkness. From his hands clenched a sword that shone in a mysterious golden sheen. When the female disciples saw him, their expressions changed as they exclaimed, "Senior Brother Robin Fuentes!" Alexandra''s expression turned complicated when she saw the young man. She acand Robin Fuentes had always been mortal enemies ever since they arrived at the Academy. There was a saying that only a single lion can live in a single mountain, and these talented two always clashed against each other once there was an opportunity to do so. "What are you doing here, Robin?" Alexandra''s alertness soared through the skies and she silently rotated her cultivation method, in preparation if Robin really did attack. It was better safe than sorry. "Why I am here? I am here to make you understand why you shouldn''t so naive..." Robin''s eyes flashed with a cruel light and the sound of penetrated flesh echoed amidst the silence. A sharp pain assaulted Alexandra and Annie''s chest and when they looked downwards, their eyes widened in shock when they saw the daggers sticking out of their flesh. "You guys... Why are you..." Alexandra whispered and as soon as the words came out of her mouth, she coughed a mouthful of blood that drenched the ground before her. Not minding the pain, her eyes were widened in shock as she stared at her fellow female disciples that she constantly protected until now. "S-S-Sorry... Forgive us, Big Sis... But we have to do this, not only for you... But for our sake too!" The timid young woman who got scolded by Annie earlier apologized and deeply bowed her head, turning to look at Annie, her timid expression transformed into a venomous one as she raised her leg and struck at Annie''s wound. "Gah!" A scream escaped from Annie''s mouth as she writhed on the ground in pain. Despite the intense pain, her eyes remained cold and indifferent, it was as if she was faking the pain that she felt throughout her entire body. "T-T-Those girls!" Outside the world within the Array, the middle-aged woman who scolded the Second Elder earlier fiercely stood up and glared at those female disciples that betrayed Alexandra: "How ungrateful! They actually dared to bite the hand that feeds them! I''ll make sure that they''ll suffer!" The Second Elder snickered and kicked her while she''s down, "Calm down, old hag. Betrayals are normal in a life and death competition. It''s also a good lesson to learn for your disciples, right?"" His voice filled with mocking and the middle-aged woman turned around and glared, "How dare you! Come out with me and let''s take this outside!" "The two of you, settle down!" Mathias''s dignified voice rang out as he intervened. The middle-aged woman and the Second Elder stiffened and in the face of Mathias''s pressure, they resigned and turned silent: "Remember that the two of you are Elders of the Academy! Show some proper decorum befitting of that position!" "Yes, Headmaster!" The two respectfully bowed and apologies. Nevertheless, they still glared at each other in resentment before turning their heads to look at the projection in the skies. "How does it feel? You''ve been verbally abusing us for quite some time now... Looking down at us like some kind of a Heavenly Empress... How does it feel to be down there?" The female disciple stepped on Annie''s face and repeatedly rubbed it on the hard and rough surface of the cave. Robin stared at them with interest before lightly laughing: "Have you applied the poison to them?" The female disciple whose expression twisted into a venomous one, instantly changed into an amiable face when she heard Robin''s words: "Yes, Senior Brother. There''s no way that these bitches can still move after getting infected by that poison..." Her other fellow disciples also walked towards Annie and abused her, forcibly inserting their toes into her mouth as the defiant Annie started to feel the humiliation, indicated by her teary-eyes. Alexandra used all the will that she had in her body, but the paralysis poison that infected her was too strong. Staring at her beloved friend Annie, she couldn''t help but feel bitter and ashamed. If she just followed Annie''s advice on taking care of recruiting other people into their ranks, this wouldn''t have happened. Sorry, Annie... I am sorry... She repeatedly apologized in her heart. "Okay, you can stop now, just leave those girls to me..." Robin intervened and stepped forwards. The female disciples immediately stopped their humiliation on Annie and stared feverishly at Robin''s robust stature. It was as if they were trying to sell themselves to him and acquire his interest. "All of you really did a great job..." Robin stretched her hand out towards one of the girls, and the female disciple stared wide-eyed at him and closed her eyes, expecting a headpat from her greatest idol. But instead... Puchi! A cold flash of sword light swept past their necks and in that instant, their visions swam as they stared at their headless shoulders in horror. None of them even managed to scream as Robin swiftly dispatched of them like trashes. Chapter 266 - Please Come Back... A tense atmosphere sprung up outside of the Thousand Worlds Changing Array. Robin''s display of ruthlessness and decisiveness baffled and astonished those who came and observed the Selection Process. "W-W-Was that the Golden Prince? I-I-I have never seen him act like that..." A female disciple that had close relations with Robin Fuentes staggered backward, her expression pale and her shoulders continuously trembled like a sieve; as if the world around her had collapsed into ruins. Almost everyone of the twelve Elders of the Paradyne Academy stared wide-eyed at the projected figure at the screen. The middle-aged woman who was also an Elder literally had veins bulging on her temples as she stared angrily at Robin. Her anger soared to the extent that her cultivation base subconsciously rotated and seethed. "Calm down all of you. Remember that they''re in a situation where they had to be ruthless and decisive. This is a life and death battle royale, those soft-hearted cannot possibly survive and acquire that precious chance." "Also, even if they did miraculously enter the top 10 and obtain the spot. Do you think that they can survive the dangers within the Mystic Realm if they remained so naive? It''s time for them to experience how cruel reality really is." Mathias turned to look at his Elders and sternly scolded. He was right, without possessing sufficient ruthlessness and decisiveness to your enemies and oneself. There''s no way that these bunch of plants that grew within a greenhouse can survive the outside world on their own. Although these Elders felt somewhat aggrieved and sorrowful for their disciples, they could only nod their heads and think that their decision for today was for their disciples'' future. Back within the virtual world, Robin Fuentes stared at the fallen Alexandra and Annie before sighing. He considered the two of them as his greatest rival so eliminating them right now was the best choice if he wanted to dominate and acquire first place. Of course, he knew deep within his heart that his method was too venomous and unscrupulous. But who cares? Within this virtual world, as long as you can survive to the top 10. Everything is permitted, and you know what they say; In war, there are no restrictions. You couldn''t just shamelessly stop an enemy and say that he cheated by blinding you with sands, right? "Alexandra, Annie... I''m sorry that I did you with this, but there''s no other way, I have to acquire that first place no matter what..." Robin lifted his golden sword and positioned himself before the two young women. "Ha ha ha. Of course, you''re gonna do us like this, you can''t even defeat us through fair means. The only way that you can defeat us is through the use of poison, right? All-mighty Golden Prince of the Paradyne Academy?" Annie scoffed and coldly mocked, Robin''s expression shifted for a moment before turning solemn. He lifted a self-mocking smile as he lifelessly swept his gaze across their bodies: "You''re right about that, I cannot defeat the two of you in a fair battle. But who cares? Even if I used under-handed means; history is written by the victors, those who lost can only helplessly cry within the dark." When Annie heard his words, all ideas of fighting back with words crumbled down. He''s right, nothing is considered cheating in war, all sorts of dirty tricks are permitted so why I am acting like a sore loser? He just outplayed the two of us with his own methods, what''s wrong with that? She sighed and calmed down. It looked like she came to terms and accepted her fate. Making a sidelong glance at Alexandra, she wanted to say something but kept her silence in the end. The light within Alexandra''s eyes dimmed and her chest violently heaved and gasped for air. The mental impact that she received from the betrayal of her close friends damaged her more than the physical injury that she received. With blood dripping from her lips, she tightly clenched her fists and thought. Why did I deserve all of these? I acted so kindly, treated you guys well and gave you a safe haven away from the male disciples that only wanted to harm you, but why? Why must you do such a thing and bite the hand that feeds you? I know I act cold and I often scold each and everyone of you but do I really deserve to get this kind of a punishment? She turned to look at Robin and found not any trace of compassion and kindness. The only emotion that he had was coldness. When their gazes met, an intense piercing pain enveloped Alexandra''s mind as muffled pained groans came out of her throat. That again! That nightmare... I will never forget that day... Robin''s figure that coldly stared at her seemed to superimpose with a certain figure within Alexandra''s mind. Voicelessly screaming, her body intermittently trembled in an effort to break free from the restraints of the paralysis poison. Robin saw her actions and lightly chuckled, "It''s futile, Alexandra. If your cultivation base isn''t higher than the Divine Soul Realm, there''s no way that you can break away from the effects of the Paralysis Poison." He made a quick glance at the token within his chest and saw that the number was decreasing every minute. Placing the token right before the eyes of the two young women. He lightly smiled and said, "Look at the numbers, it''s literally decreasing every minute, I am quite sure that the outside world is filled with nothing but the smell of blood and the scene of carnage..." Robin moved closer to the two and stretched his hand, embracing their bodies amidst Annie and Alexandra''s disgust and horror. He propped them up on a slab of rock so that it would look like they were sitting down and leaning on the wall. Dusting his shoulders, he sat at their opposite direction and said. "There''s still quite some time until most of the garbage outside are cleaned off, why don''t we have a discussion? Aren''t the two of you curious why I am so desperate for the sake of acquiring the first place?" Alexandra and Annie wanted to turn their heads away or close their eyelids. But due to the effects of the paralysis poison, they couldn''t even speak in retort much more move. Outside the virtual world, the spectators saw Robin''s actions and felt mystified. Even the Elders and the Headmaster himself and their curiosity piqued. Unfortunately, it was impossible to listen on their conversation. And since they weren''t in the middle of a fight, the platform screen changed scenes and arrived at a nearby battlefield. Vincent, Natalie and Grace seamlessly worked together and launched massacres after massacres, the scene of two Heavenly beauties covered in blood and coldly smiling at them were engraved within the hearts of the massacred disciples, and it''s something that they would never forget in their lifetime. The newcomer, Vincent had trouble keeping up with their pace at first but he easily adjusted and became an absolute bastion and meatshield. "Yay! I think that''s my twentieth kill! How about you, Natalie?" Grace happily bounced like a ball, but since her body was drenched by the blood of her enemies, it contrasted her cutesy actions and made her look abnormal instead. "Only the twentieth? You still have a way to go before you can defeat your Big Sister, Lil'' Grace. That kill was already my thirtieth kill..." Natalie cheekily smiled, the drop of blood that drenched her cheeks as she smiled sent shivers down Vincent''s spine. "How about you, Vincent?" Grace turned to look at Vincent and asked in a challenging voice, "I only killed two..." He said in a hesitant voice and hearing his disappointing results, the two young women stared at each other for a moment before suffusing a sympathetic face, repeatedly patting his shoulders and saying. "It''s okay, it''s okay. We are still gonna slaughter later so maybe you can increase that lousy kill count and prove that you''re really a man..." Grace poked fun at her and Natalie flicked at her forehead, "Hey, don''t tease him too much, how could he be a man if he isn''t supposed to be a man in the first place!" "Then, Natalie. What do you think should Vincent be?" "Hmmm..." Natalie made a ''thinking'' expression and sweetly smiled before saying, "A cute houseboy, I guess?" Vincent cried as the two foxes poked fun at him from both sides. Staring at the skies, he silently pleaded with all of his might... "Dan, please come back..." You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net Chapter 267 - Aurora Chrysanthemum The main objective of the Selection Process was survival. One only needed to hide for an extended period of time to acquire that spot in the top 10. Yet, why are everyone killing each other instead of hiding? The answer for this question piqued Dan''s interest as he blended with the darkness and dashed towards the direction where energy fluctuations often came from. His aura inhibited and if one didn''t look at him and only used their senses to scout, they wouldn''t be able to detect his presence. Apart from sight, Dan was virtually indetectable. Knitting his eyebrows. He realized that the energy fluctuations came from within a winding cave that looked ominous and deadly, just the vibes that it gave off along due to the mysterious white fog that enveloped its vicinity sent shivers down Dan''s spine. Nevertheless, he continued on his journey on finding out the answer to his question and slowly neared the cave. "Strange, why is the temperature here different? Why does it seem like it''s much colder here by several degrees?" Dan frowned in thought but soon shook his head and focused on his task at hand. Entering the winding cave, he didn''t have any trouble and concerns about getting lost for he had something to follow as he stuck closely at the wall and kept his camouflage. He found that at the distance. At least a dozen disciples had set up a circular barricade that seemingly protected something from the privy eyes of others. "Fuck off! We found this Aurora Chrysanthemum first so it will be ours when it blooms!" "Yeah! Finders, keepers bro! It''s not like we aren''t members of the same Academy. Can we just follow that rule and mind our own business?" Voices of shouting disciples echoed from within the barricade, and Dan could see that just outside the barricade. Dozens of disciples stood and glared at their direction. Their cultivation bases silently rotated and all sorts of resplendent lights surged towards the barricade. But when their attacks landed, it struck an invisible barrier and silently dissipated into nothingness. "Hah, with our Senior Brother Gin''s formations. There''s no way that you bastards can take our rewards! Just stand there and kiss my ass!" A naughty male disciple even flashed his buttcheeks at the disciples who simultaneously retched in disgust. "Scoundrel! I''ll kill you!" A female disciple who saw the forbidden rocket and crevice violently trembled in anger. Unsheathing her weapon, she repeatedly lashed at the barricade. Unfortunately, all of her attacks couldn''t even scratch the formations that protected it. "Calm down, calm down. It''s not like they''ll stay forever within that turtle shell of theirs, right? All of you brother and sisters are acting so impatient. Tssk, what if all of you ran out of Spiritual Energy and dropped the ball at a crucial moment?" A calm and composed voice rang out at this moment and when the disciples turned around to look at the origin of the voice. Their expressions turned sinister as curses rang out. "Bastard, you''re the arrogant twat earlier at the gathering!" "Brat, you finally emerged from where you came from. Do you really want to retire that badly? This grandfather of yours will help you for that!" Simultaneous shiiing sounds reverberated along with the cold gleam of blades that reflected light at Dan''s direction. Despite the combined pressure of facing dozens of Core disciples. Dan maintained his composed expression and never wavered in the face of adversity. "Well boy, I can say that each and everyone of you has been so hasty when trying to assault those guys within that turtle shell..." Dan professionally shifted the subject away and piqued the interest of his fellow disciples. Seeing their confused expressions. He cleared his throat and said. "Judging from the ripples of the barrier earlier, that formation isn''t so simple and I think not e-" The sound of a sword slicing through air interrupted Dan''s speech as he tilted his head to the side and evaded the surprise attack with ease. Rotating his body, he continued: "I think that not even a Peak Divine Sou- Oh, that was close... I think that not even a Divine Soul Realm cultivato-Woah, calm down bro. At least let me finish what I''m saying before attacking me." "Whoops, that''s close. Okay, that''s even closer, if you angled your blade farther to the right, you would''ve hit me back th- Nah, you''re getting too far away from my bo- Are you even trying?" Dan continuously ducked his head and made small leaps around the cave as he smoothly evaded the attacks from the enraged disciple. The disciple trained his swordsmanship for at least a decade and he was confident that those that can compare to his skills when it comes to the sword within the Academy wasn''t that high. Although, he couldn''t consider himself as an expert. His skill should be enough for him to kill or at least injure a random joe like Dan. Unfortunately, reality was far too cruel. He couldn''t even land a single strike and was constantly being taunted by his enemy, asking if he was even trying. Taking a step back, he made a downward slash that Dan easily parried by slapping the side of the blade, forcibly changing the trajectory of the attack before Dan stepped forward and pointed his fist at his neck. "Checkmate~" Dan lightly smiled and tapped the young disciple on the shoulder. Retreating backward, he swept his gaze across the disciples around him and said: "Now all of you should be convinced that trying to kill me is more troublesome than opening that turtle shell, right?" He gestured at the barricade. "Yeah, you''re indeed troublesome to kill. Out of everyone of us here, Senior Brother Perion has the strongest swordsmanship but he cannot even land a strike on your body..." A male disciple admitted defeat and soon. Every disciple in the area admitted defeat and stopped on trying to kill him. "Are you sure about this, everyone? If we just let him go like that, wouldn''t he become a strong contender against our quest to acquire that incredibly rare Aurora Chrysanthemum?" A sensible female disciple spoke up and the eyes of the disciples around her lit up as they stared at Dan in a gaze similar to wolves. Dan clicked his tongue and inwardly cursed the female disciple before replying with a light smile as if he didn''t have any guilty conscience: "Calm down, all of you. As an Honorary Disciple, I enjoy far more benefits than each and everyone of you here so why would I care about a mere Aurora Chrysanthemum, the Purple Sun Orchids and Crimson Dandelion that the Academy provides for me alone is enough to top that Chrysanthemum for several folds already..." Every disciple sharply inhaled, Purple Sun Orchids, Crimson Dandelion?! Aren''t those the name of ultra rare ingredients for a certain medicinal pill that could instantly increase and reinforce the cultivation base of the consumer?! Is that support for Honorary Disciples really that extravagant? They hardly couldn''t believe their ears. But when they saw Dan''s look of confidence, they conceded and could only believe what they said. After all, he had nothing to win if he lied, and even if he did lied and stole the Aurora Chrysanthemum. With their numbers, could he even escape? "Okay, fine. I won''t question you anymore. But can you even help us with your measly cultivation base?" The female disciple coldly snorted. Indeed, Dan''s cultivation base was lower than them. With this, could he even offer much help other than becoming a cannon fodder for the incoming fight? "Indeed, with Seniors'' cultivation bases, there''s nothing that I can do when it comes to physical battle, but how about mental ones? As someone who subdued two Heavenly beauties, I do have confidence when it comes to mind games, I could easily bend the battlefield the way we want it to be~" Dan lightly chuckled as he explained, anger surfaced on the female disciple''s expression when she heard him mention the two Heavenly beauties. One could see that she felt quite threatened by the presence of those beauties .As for what reason, maybe it was her insecurity bugging her. "Oh? Since you claim to be like that, Mister Genius. Tell us how we can acquire that Aurora Chrysanthemum. And if we did so, we will certainly not cheap out on our rewards..." The female disciple turned to look at Dan with slight curiosity and the latter lightly laughed, "Miss, you know what they say. If you''re good at something, never do it for free. I wonder if I can trust the words of everyone in here..." "Hmmph, do you think that we''ll renege on our promises? We''re not as shameless as you!" The female disciple retorted but Dan calmly countered: "Well, with our current business relationship. Verbal promises mean nothing do they? You could just easily claim that nothing happened within the virtual world and you would be safe from any form of compensation..." "Then what do you want us to do?! We''re in a virtual world so we cannot make an oath with our cultivation base as the stake!" The female disciple retorted and Dan fell into deep contemplation for a moment before replying, "Okay, I''ll trust your words for now. But remember that I''m an Honorary Disciple, with my influence. I could easily ruin everyone''s reputation so please keep in mind not to renege~" "I understand, but keep in mind that the plan has to be worthwhile or else..." The female disciple coldly glared at him and the other disciples did the same. Dan''s lips repeatedly twitched and he awkwardly scratched his head as he called for them to gather. Soon, midnight arrived within the virtual world and the time of the Chrysanthemum to bloom has arrived! Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net Chapter 268 - How Shameless Of You! Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net As the zenith of the night arrived, the temperature within the virtual world drastically dropped to the extent that the muddy swamp gradually became a frozen lake. Those in the midst of a battle stopped and stared wide-eyed at the rapid changes that occurred around them. "What in the actual heavens is going on..." All disciples sucked mouthfuls of cold air, they wondered if their eyes were playing tricks of them. After all, the changes were so drastic and sudden that they couldn''t help but think that they were in an illusion! But the coldness that slowly engulfed their bodies and their soul were all too real! In an instant, these disciples forgot that they were fighting as they all scrambled away for their lives! Some disciples who noticed too late stiffened and turned into frozen statues, while some who understood what was going on managed to run faraway enough that they weren''t completely engulfed by the coldness that rivaled Absolute Zero. Some disciples that had affinities on the Laws of Water acquired enough time to escape the ice-laded and frozen world, while those that had opposite elemental affinities to water like fire and earth were completely enshrouded by sheets of ice that eventually consumed them and turned them into ice statues. "What the fuck is going on here? Something like this isn''t normal, something has definitely triggered such an event." A young man with a sword on his waist crossed his arms together and calmly walked within the world of ice. Everyone around him froze and turned into ice sculptures, but when the ice neared his body, it would mysteriously vanish, consumed by an enigmatic might. He slowly walked and pondered as screams soared through his direction. "Senior Brother Kwydin! Help me! I don''t wanna die!" A miserable shriek echoed from behind him and he turned his body around to look. At the distance, a disciple had his lower limb completely encased within a thin sheet of ice. One could see that the thin sheet of ice slowly worked its way up to his head. The young man called Kwydin merely glanced at him and sighed: "Junior brother, as much as I want to help you. The ice has already consumed your lower extremities, cutting them off also means cutting your lower body off. It would be much better for you to die like that than die in agony under my blade..." He declared and ignored the disciple who continued his shrieks. Turning to look at the distance. Kwydin found a cave entrance that the world of ice couldn''t reach. Lightly smiling, he leisurely walked towards it. His footsteps light and his movements, graceful and contained a certain charm. But if one looked too closely at his figure, their eyes would eventually bleed from the Sword Intent that he subconsciously released from his body. Senior Brother Perion and the female disciple named Christina all stared at the other disciples around him as Dan declared: "The success of this plan relies on how well each and everyone of you coordinates. You must not let them realize our schemes..." Christina stared at Dan''s direction and couldn''t help but suck a mouthful of cold air, Dan''s plan involved playing too well on the emotions of those within the barricade. One couldn''t possibly formulate such a plan without sufficient understanding on how emotions work! Calming her disturbed emotions. She glanced at her other teammates and said: "We will do as he planned, let''s go. The Aurora Chrysanthemum is already blooming! It should be plucked within half an hour of blooming or else it will lose most of its medicinal efficacy!" Hearing her words, the disciples around her fiercely stood up and unsheathed their weapons. Dashing towards the direction of the barricade. The disciples within the barricade who observed their movements wildly laughed. "How persistent! I have already told you guys that breaking through our formation is futile! There''s no way that you can do it!" Most of the disciples within the barricade stood up and observed the commotion outside. They had looks of ridicule and mocking on their faces as they crossed their arms together and leisurely observed the attacks of these disciples. The attacking disciples outside of the barricade saw the looks of ridicule on the faces of their enemies and their attacks grew fiercer. Dan also dashed with his daggers. A sly smile leaked on his lips as he sliced crazily like a madman. His fierce display stirred the hearts of the disciples around him as they all roared out and sent waves after waves of attacks that constantly battered the barrier. Although the barrier had multiple layers and was constantly being nourished by a plethora of Spirit Stones. What were the cultivation bases of the attackers? All of them had a cultivation of a Divine Soul Realm expert and when their power combined together, even a Divine Ascendance Realm cultivator had to feel afraid. Cracks began to spread on the surface of the formation and the disciples within the barricade couldn''t even smile anymore. Turning to look at their Senior Brother Gin who was currently holding a jade box. Slowly approaching the Aurora Chrysanthemum, his concentration never lagged. In fact, he didn''t dare to turn his attention to something else. Being in close proximity with the Aurora Chrysanthemum made him feel constricted as sweat continuously dripped down his forehead. One wrong move and he''ll instantly be frozen into an ice sculpture. Harvesting the Aurora Chrysanthemum involves slow and constant sending of the harvester''s Spiritual Energy into the Aurora Chrysanthemum so that it will gradually treat you as a friendly creature and not a hostile one. Once that happens, the harvester can now easily pluck the Chrysanthemum off the ground and harvest it for his own use. But although the process sounded so simple and hassle-free. One must know that the action of sending one''s Spiritual Energy to familiarize himself with the Aurora Chrysanthemum must be incredibly slow and tender, harvesting it was like cooking good meat, slowly but surely. The disciples who wanted to speak up at first held their horses and stiffened. Judging from the expression on their Senior Brother. They knew that he must not be disturbed at all costs. Covering him a Sound and Light Isolating Formation, the disciples turned their heads to look at the attacking disciples and shouted, "Launch the attack!" Cultivation bases and cultivation methods ignited and soared as both sides unleashed everything that they had. The attacking disciples madly attacked the barricade while the defending disciples tried their best in order to deter the assault of their enemies. As long as they can hold out until Senior Brother Gin harvests the Aurora Chrysanthemum, all sacrifices would be worth it. Slowly but surely, these defending disciples never realized that the attacking disciples had changed their tempo and movements, revolving around the barricade, they focused their attack on one side unbeknownst to the defending disciples. "What a bunch of dumbfucks, to think that in their madness, they didn''t notice that they are attacking behind the entrance. As long as we can survive their current onslaught, there''s no way that we cannot make our escape!" A disciple ridiculed when he saw where the location of the attacking disciples. His fellow disciples that heard his words also wore the same smile on their face. But nevertheless, they didn''t dare to show emotions on their faces lest the attacking disciples realized their blunder and corrected it. The battle reached the peak and the energy fluctuations caused by the exchange of fire attracted some curious disciples. When they saw the presence of the Aurora Chrysanthemum, their eyes sparkled with greed and they joined the attacking disciples. Resulting in additional pressure for the defending disciples. Some disciples that didn''t want to disturb their Senior Brother Gin while he was harvesting couldn''t help it anymore and ask: "Senior Brother Gin! There are too many disciples attacking us right now, I''m afraid that the barricade in any moment!" Senior Brother Gin who heard the disciples words stiffened and his hand almost slipped. Calming the rage that surfaced in his heart, he remembered the voice of that disciples and he didn''t reply. "Stupid bastard! Didn''t I told you not to disturb Senior Brother? What are you gonna do if his concentration lagged and we got annihilated by the Aurora Chrysanthemum?! Not only we couldn''t harvest it but we would also lose our place for the Mystic Realm..." Another disciple smacked the head of that disciple who could only suppress his resentment and continued on the defense. That''s right, as long as they succeeded, anything was worth it. "Just a little bit more, stall me some more time. At least half a minute, and I can successfully harvest this Chrysanthemum!" Senior Brother Gin sent through a voice transmission towards his fellow disciples and they all stared at each other before nodding. As long as they can survive this incoming half a minute, with their Senior Brother Gin''s capabilities. They should be able to escape with minimal injuries or casualties. "Damn it, we''re attracting too many eyes. If Senior Brother can''t successfully harvest the Chrysanthemum in the next few minutes. I''m afraid that even if we did succeeded, we won''t be able to escape!" A sensible disciple within the barricade gnashed his teeth as he blurted out. "That''s why we need to hold on! Stop chattering and keep on attacking! Send these bastards away!" Another disciple scolded as he roared, sending a volley of attacks towards the disciples that madly attacked their barricade. The cracks that spread on the surface of the barrier extended out and eventually enveloped the entire barrier. The disciples within the barricade stared in horror and fiercely turned towards the disciple that was tasked on keeping the barrier alive as long as he could: "What the hell are you doing?! Throw in as much Spirit Stones as you can! Keep the barrier alive or else we will die and fail!" "I am doing my best! I am even overclocking the formation''s capabilities but the enemies are too strong! There''s too many pressure on all sides! At most, this formation can only last for 20 seconds!" The disciple had veins bulging all across his body as he desperately fed Spirit Stones at the formation furnace and even burned his blood essence to strengthen the formation''s durability. But he knew that what he was doing was a mere stopgap, eventually. It will collapse and if Senior Brother Gin wasn''t done with the harvesting process, they will undoubtedly succumb to their enemies. "20 seconds, that''s enough! I''ll be done with the harvesting process in the next 20 seconds!" Senior Brother Gin roared out loud, his eyes reddened from overdrafting his energy. The disciples who heard his voice roared their battlecries as each and everyone of them sent volleys after volleys of fierce attacks to their enemies. Dan who was attacking with ''everything that he had'' outside the barrier saw that the Aurora Chrysanthemum was about to be harvested. Lifting a sly smile, he slowly rotated his cultivation method and activated the Fourth Stance of the Blessing of the Lightning God. A sound akin to glass shattering rang out and the attacking disciples stared with joy visible in their eyes: "We broke the barrier! Everyone, take the Chrysanthemum away!" The female disciple who seemed to be the leader roared out loud and every attacking disciple surged towards the direction of the defending disciples. Senior Brother Gin tightly embraced the Aurora Chrysanthemum and fiercely turned behind where they could see the entrance, scoffing. He blurted out, "These bunch of bastards really are stupid, to think that they would forget that the exit is just right behind us! Let''s go! Pave the way!" He rallied and they all turned behind and madly dashed towards the exit. At the other side of the barrier, a flash of Lightning streaked through the air and the female disciple lightly smiled and stared with hopes at Dan''s direction. Dan who prepared beforehand easily stole the Chrysanthemum away from the hands of Senior Brother Gin. Staring at his empty handed hands, he roared in fury and glared at Dan''s direction. "Give the Chrysanthemum back!" His cultivation base came to life and his cultivation method caused the earth to tremble. Evidently, his method had affinities to the Earth Elemental Laws. Dan merely smiled and the female disciple stretched her hand forward: "Good work, I will surely reward you heavily! Come, hurry up and give me the Chrysanthemum! Once that landed on my hands, he wouldn''t dare to steal it from me!" Senior Brother Gin''s expression looked sour, anger filled his heart. He did everything that he could and even burned some of his blood essence to speed up the harvesting process. But in the end, the one that benefited was his greatest nemesis! No- He wouldn''t let everything to end like this! Dan walked up to the female disciple as Senior Brother Gin angrily roared out and dashed at his direction. The other subordinate disciples of the female disciple rushed up to protect the two from Senior Brother Gin''s mad attacks, creating a distraction which made a small smile leak on Dan''s lips. When he neared the female disciple, his hand suddenly turned into a palm and Thunder rumbled as Dan slammed his palm on the female disciple''s chest, "Young Lightning!" He shouted as his figure transformed into a Lightning that escaped deeper into the cave. "Guah!" The female disciple spat a mouthful of blood. Even though her cultivation was stronger than Dan. She didn''t expect that he would suddenly strike at her and steal the Chrysanthemum away. Revolving her cultivation base, she violently cursed, "You fucking bastard, how shameless of you!" You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net Chapter 269 - Stalling For Time Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net After the roar of the female disciple rang out. In an instant, all eyes landed on the trail of Lightning that soared deeper into the cave. All defending and attacking disciples, stiffened and rage surfaced on their eyes. "We''ve been duped! That bastard stole the Chrysanthemum away! Chase after him!" At that moment, dozens of Core disciples with their Divine Soul cultivation chased after Dan who held the Chrysanthemum close to his chest. Floating at the side of his vision was the blaring red system notifications from the system, informing him of the approaching imminent danger. [Warning: Detected dozens of hostile auras targeting the host!] [System Evaluation: Run as far as you can, but don''t surrender the Chrysanthemum!] "Yeah, I sure will run as far as I can, System. You''re job is to invoke a minimap at my peripheral vision so I''ll know where I can go..." Dan lightly smiled and ordered the system. Using the minimap floating at the side of his eyes, he deftly maneuvered around inside the cave despite not having any stable light source. "How in the hell is that guy flying around so fast and not hitting any stalactites? Could it be that he could extend his Divine Sense farther than us?" A curious disciple asked. His expression looked sour. "Don''t be stupid, that bastard''s cultivation is lower than us, could it be that we, at the peak of the Divine Soul Realm cannot defeat someone that''s lower in cultivation than us? Just keep chasing and we''ll definitely catch him!" A senior disciple scolded and that disciple turned silent, feeling convinced as he continued his chase. Senior Brother Gin and that female disciple stared at each other for a moment before the latter coldly snorted and scoffed in disdain, "To think that you would exert so much effort, even burning your blood essence for someone else to benefit. Ha ha ha, what a joke..." She harshly turned around and flew towards the direction where Dan escaped. "You''re saying that to me as if you weren''t even duped by that bastard. Much worse, you actually thought of him as trustworthy! Are you actually feeling glad when you had it worse than me? Ha ha ha, as expected, you''re a masochist!" The female disciple trembled for a moment. But she didn''t turn back. Floating in the air, she flew towards the distant cave path where her subordinates chased after Dan. Senior Brother Gin clenched his fists and gnashed his teeth. Carving Dan''s image into his mind and heart. He gloomily rotated his cultivation base and chased after him. Just when Dan was in the middle of escaping. He wondered, weren''t they within a virtual world? Since this was a virtual world, meaning everything within this world wasn''t actually real, yet why were they fighting all-out for the sake of this Chrysanthemum that they weren''t even sure if they could carry it back to the real world. Of course, Dan knew that he could bring the Aurora Chrysanthemum back to the real world so he would definitely try his best to snatch it away from anyone''s eyes. After all, he managed to bring that Chimera Flame away from the virtual world, so the current situation should be the same. But do these disciples had the same experience and knowledge as him? If not, then why would they fight for the sake of this Aurora Chrysanthemum that they weren''t even sure if they could bring it to the real world? There''s no other explanation than the fact that these disciples knew it from the start. Suddenly, his figure stopped and he lifted his head to stare at what''s ahead of him. All that he found was a boulder that blocked the entrance that was supposed to be open according to the minimap. When the chasing disciples saw that he stopped and found the reason why, they all lifted comical smiles on their faces as one of them screamed out. "There''s nothing that you can run to, you bastard. Hand the Chrysanthemum to us and we will spare your life!" The fierce roar rang out and the dozens of disciples behind him were attracted to the source of the voice. When they saw the lone Dan standing before a boulder that blocked his one and only escape route, murderous smiles leaked on their lips. "Bastard, we finally found you. Think you''re so smart just because you stole the Chrysanthemum away from us?" A male disciples that Dan recognized as someone within the barricade earlier, shouted in a venomous tone. The female disciple and Senior Brother Gin soon caught up and saw the commotion. Seeing the trapped mouse, the two of them lifted smiles on their faces as the female disciple approached and said, "We don''t want no trouble, although you betrayed us earlier, you still helped us on attacking that barricade so as long as you return that Chrysanthemum, I swear that I won''t touch even your hair and will definitely let you escape." Dan looked terrifyingly calm, it was as if he wasn''t facing the collective anger of these disciples, but was just casually strolling through his backyard. He wasn''t even rotating his cultivation base. He just stood there with his arms holding on the Chrysanthemum on his chest. His calm demeanor and stabilized breathing perturbed these disciples who chased after them. No matter how calm someone could be, they should at least feel flustered under the collective anger of these Divine Soul experts, right? Some disciples started wavering, their breathing turned ragged as their hearts were gripped by the fear of the unknown. Afraid that Dan may have something beneath his sleeves that he could use to turn the tables around and screw them up. The female disciple also noticed this peculiar change but she merely smirked. As if he could do something outrageous before the eyes of dozens of Core disciples! Senior Brother Gin had the same expression, but he was more alert than anyone else around him. "Hand over the Chrysanthemum to all of you?" Dan lightly smiled, his gaze furtively landed above him as his cultivation method silently rotated. Facing these bunch of disciples, he said in a carefree voice, "If I really did hand over the Chrysanthemum, at whose side should it belong, to your side? Or to the other side?" Dan''s eyes gleamed in amusement as he stared at Senior Brother Gin and the female disciple. Everyone who heard what he said stiffened for a moment and the bunch of disciples abruptly became separated into two halves. The female disciple and Senior Brother Gin was taken aback by the changes. Just when the two sides were about to attack each other, the female disciple roared out and said. "You stupid bastards! Do you really think that what he''s saying is true?! He''s merely manipulating your mind, making us fight each other so he can make his escape! Don''t you realize that he''s stalling for time and searching for an opening?!" "Junior Sister is right, that man is indeed cunning and venomous. He knows where to hit us where it hurts and he''s using it to stall for some time that he could capitalize to escape. I propose that we temporarily make peace with each other and deal with this damned bastard first!" Senior Brother Gin unsheathed his sword, the inhibited might within his body manifested and those who stared right into his figure felt prickly sensations within their eyes. Staring long enough might make their eyes bleed so they averted their gazes away from him. "For the first time, you''re finally using your mind, Senior Brother...Gin~" The female disciple unsheathed her soft sword and rotated her cultivation base and method. The disciples coming from both sides came to a temporary truce as each and everyone of them summoned their might and prepared to attack their target, Dan. Dan swept his gaze at their direction and calmly smiled in amusement. Revolving his cultivation base, he sucked a mouthful of cold air as his expression abruptly turned solemn. "Blessing of the Lightning God, Fifth Stance: Lightning Beam of Annihilation..." As soon as his words fell, Thunder rumbled within his body and an intense spark of Lightning temporarily robbed everyone of their sense of sight. Just as they recovered, they saw Dan holding both of his hands parallel to each other as a ball of concentrated Lightning fluctuated in between his palms. "Attack!" The female disciple and Senior Brother Gin knew that there was no time to waste nor to hesitate. Exploding with all of their might, they hurled all of their attacks at Dan''s direction. But who knew that instead of throwing the ball of Lightning at them, Dan would actually do the unthinkable! Amidst the stunned gazes of everyone and Dan''s sly and accomplished smile, he hurled the ball of concentrated Lightning towards the ceiling, just above their heads! Bang! Rumble! A deafening roar rang out as every disciple that attacked him staggered backward from the shock wave that came from Dan''s attack. However, when they saw that they weren''t injured, they all rejoiced and glared back at Dan as if he was an idiot that never knew how to aim his attacks right. "Look out! The ceiling is collapsing! Everyone, move out!" Senior Brother Gin solemnly screamed, his voice rang loud and clear for everyone to hear. Unfortunately, the disciples noticed it too later for the stalactites and stones above the ceiling, all collapsed and crushed them down, turning them into meat pastes. Dan perfectly calculated where the rocks and debris would fall so he remained unscathed. Staring right into Senior Brother Gin and the female disciple''s eyes, his eyes flashed with the light of mocking before he burst open the boulder with a slap of his palm and escaping to the darkness. Senior Brother Gin clenched his fists tightly until his nails dug deep into his palms. The female disciple looked green in anger and black in fury. Her shoulders kept trembling as she tried her best in suppressing her anger. Never in her entire life did she experience such a humiliation! Not only her target escape, he also escaped unscathed and even stole something that she fought for with her dear life! "Senior Brother Gin, are you just gonna stand here and let that bastard run free with what was rightfully ours?" The female disciple harshly turned to look at Senior Brother Gin. Her eyes shone in a light of madness that made the latter gulp a mouthful of saliva. He had never seen such a venomous expression on such a beautiful face. "Of course, I''m not gonna let that bastard go... But what else can we do, the road ahead of us is blocked and my brothers are exhausted with their morale at an all-time low... Really, that bastard did us good... I''ll make sure that he won''t live a good life once we''re back at the Academy..." Senior Brother Gin possessed quite the influence so everyone knew that he could easily do what he said. Even to an Honorary Disciple. His declaration made the female disciple nod her head in confirmation. Holding her soft sword, she blurted out. "I''ll open a path for us to chase after him, we shall not let him escape." She coldly declared as a blast of invisible wave punched a hole through the fallen debris and rocks. Senior Brother Gin was taken aback for a moment, but he soon calmed down. Bringing with him his remaining brothers, he went through the hole. But before he could even exit, a rumbling sound rang out as the rocks and debris above him collapsed. He and his brothers couldn''t even scream before they were buried alive. "Fools, do they really think that I''ll let them have a share of my rewards?" The female disciple coldly scoffed in disdain, turning behind, she dashed at the exit behind her and chased after Dan using an alternative route. Read novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net Chapter 270 - Changing Battlefield You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net Dan lightly smiled and stared at the Chrysanthemum on his chest as he ran away. The minimap in his peripheral vision perfectly scanned the area and marked the winding paths with several icons that indicated if they led deeper into the cave or if they were a dead end. Dan stopped for a moment and looked around, even though the he had the system''s assistance. There was no guarantee that someone couldn''t evade its watchful eyes. Whispering in the air, he said: "System, can you tell me the effects of this Aurora Chrysanthemum?" [System Functions; Initiating] [System Functions; Initiated] [System Evaluation: Aurora Chrysanthemum] [Description: It took root within a Yin filled cave, basking on pure Yin within the depths of the Yin filled cave. It gradually gained slight sentience enough that it could influence the consumer''s mind and body once eaten.] [Effects: Once consumed, mental Yin Demons will arrive and will try to overwhelm the consumer. However, once victory is captured, it enables the consumer to break through a single Realm unconditionally without any severe repercussions. Can only be consumed once in a lifetime. A rare and exotic finding.] "What in the actual..." Dan sucked a mouthful of cold air as his eyes widened in shock. His shoulders couldn''t help but tremble as a sour sensation overcame his stomach and chest: "Such... Such an outrageous item actually exists within this virtual world?! I thought that the Chimera Flame was ridiculous enough, but this..." Dan tightly held the Aurora Chrysanthemum, afraid that it may find an opportunity to escape. After all, according to the system. The Chrysanthemum had developed slight sentience, although he wasn''t sure that the developed sentience was enough for it to recognize danger and escape. It was better safe than sorry. Wrapping it around a cage of Lightning, Dan made sure that the Lightning never actually touched the Chrysanthemum. Afraid that some medicinal efficacy may dissipate. After all, the Chrysanthemum was Yin filled object and Lightning belonged to the extreme Yang with the highest offensive capabilities. Continuing his journey, Dan knitted his eyebrows. The minimap displayed at his peripheral vision suddenly turned white, as if covered by a thin sheet of snow. Just as he was about to ask the system about what was going on. A breeze swept past his body and Dan''s figure instantly shivered in coldness. "What the fuck? How is everything so cold?" Dan circulated his cultivation base and fought against the coldness with his extreme Yang Blessing of the Lightning God. But when he activated his cultivation method, he realized that the frosty and ethereal aura of the Aurora Chrysanthemum drastically dimmed. "Shit" In a panic, Dan turned off his cultivation method and just as he expected. The Aurora Chrysanthemum easily recovered within this Yin filled cave. However, as a consequence. Dan''s body became continuously battered by the freezing winds as his body started shivering. "I need to get away as fast as possible from here!" Dan didn''t dare to revolve his cultivation method. Instead, he circulated his cultivation base and used it as a throttle as he stomped on the ground and leaped great distances towards a certain cave path that led deeper into the cave. Meanwhile, Natalie, Grace and Vincent entered the cave entrance. Just ahead of them was a world filled with a thick sheets of snow. Wherever their eyes landed, they could see that everything had turned into ice sculptures. They even saw numerous disciples that escaped a tad too late and never managed to reach their safe haven. "Vincent, are you okay?" Natalie asked this question to Vincent. As women, their bodies were more suited for these cold temperatures. Unlike Vincent who was already shivering non-stop. Her extreme Yang cultivation method was thoroughly suppressed and couldn''t even circulate properly. "This battlefield is quite strange..." Grace glanced at Vincent for a moment and mumbled, "When we arrived here earlier. I already started mapping out the area and found that this virtual world only spans three kilometers at most. Beyond that three kilometers was a world that none of us could reach. If so, where did these snow came from?" Grace''s words astonished Natalie and she also nodded her head and said: "I think I can safely say that the Headmaster is forcing us to fight each other. They should be shrinking the battlefield right now until there''s now place that we could escape to..." Vincent who was shivering suddenly lifted his head when he heard their words. Taking a deep breath, he said: "I remembered that the Headmaster said that there was not enough time. Wasn''t that the reason why he chose this kind of method instead of selective selection process?" "Indeed, this method allows them to swiftly and efficiently shave off those disciples that lacked the requirements to survive within that Mystic Realm of the Undead..." Grace nodded in confirmation and Natalie lightly smiled and said. "So in conclusion, this battlefield is constantly shrinking! To prevent disciples from hiding into secluded places and earn higher positions that they didn''t deserve, the Headmaster and the Elders have chosen this method! What a brilliant method!" Natalie even clapped her hands and Vincent stared at her with a frown. "Why does it feel like you''re enjoying that idea?" Vincent had an inkling about it in his mind but he didn''t dare to confirm it without asking for Natalie and Grace''s answer. The two women turned their heads to look at him with smiles on their faces. Their countenance beamed with brightness and the freshness of Spring, yet the following words that they said sent shivers down Vincent''s spine. "Of course, it''s because we can kill~" "To kill, of course. What else?" Natalie and Grace casually said and Vincent subconsciously sucked mouthfuls of cold air as he suppressed the fear that inched closer to his heart. Even if a man possessed a Lion''s heart, the stark contrast of beauty and the cold-bloodedness that resembled murders that Natalie and Grace displayed, could easily froze anyone''s heart. Vincent gulped a mouthful of saliva and suppressed his fear. Natalie noticed his fluctuation emotions and merely chuckled, it was as if she was looking at a small boy that required her protection. Opening her palm, a small flame that mysteriously didn''t even waver amidst the cold breeze and didn''t emanate any heatwave appeared above her opened palm. "Here, I''ll let you borrow this flame, this flame will keep you alive in such harsh conditions." Natalie flicked the flame over to Vincent who initially panicked. But when the flame reached his chest, it didn''t blaze and burn his body into ashes. Instead, it disappeared like a rock thrown into the ocean. "Thank you," Although mystified, Vincent expressed his gratitude at Natalie and Grace made a sidelong glance at him for a moment. Her eyes sparkled with curiosity as she also opened her palm and flicked a spark of flame towards Vincent''s body. Like what happened earlier, the flame that didn''t carry any hostile intent quietly disappeared into Vincent''s chest. When Vincent received the two flames, he found that his cultivation method suddenly revolved faster than before; as if it was on steroids. "Just what is going on here? I feel so warm... It''s like there''s nothing even cold here in the first place..." Vincent blurted out, his tone laced with astonishment which made the young women chuckle: "It''s something that we got from a secret place, just stop talking. Let''s continue walking. We have stopped far too long. I''m afraid that we may not be able to get as much kill as we would if we didn''t stop..." Grace said these words to the two. For some reason, Vincent felt apologetic but he didn''t dare to say anything as he just hung his head low and carried his lance on his shoulder. Following after the two young women, he thoroughly looked like an obedient child. Meanwhile, Dan also reached the same conclusion as his wives. The battlefield was indeed constantly shrinking. Not only that, the cold temperature that surrounded the area also pressured their cultivation bases and methods. Making it so that they won''t be able to exert their true strength in engagements. Activating the Chimera Flame, the coldness around Dan''s body disappeared and he felt unrestrained and free. He could walk for as long as he liked without suffering any severe injuries from the coldness. It looked like he wasn''t walking in such harsh conditions but was walking on his own backyard. Dan suddenly crouched and inhibited his movements. According to the minimap, he was nearing the place that could be considered as the center of the cave. There were no other possible movements other than going back. So he had to make sure that there weren''t any traps within that center of the cave or else he would be akin to a cornered mouse. Narrowing his eyes, Dan found the presence of six disciples that huddled together. Apparently, the cold had overwhelmed their bodies so they just huddled together and tried their best to survive for that slim chance of acquiring one of the top ten positions. Taking off the token on his chest, Dan saw that from several hundreds of disciples. The number of disciples had dwindled to fifty. The sudden change of the battlefield chipped at least two hundred disciples as Dan clenched his fists. "Damn, those bastards really are ruthless, not only they didn''t warn us about this feature, they also used such a merciless method in decimating those that had used their minds and hid throughout the entire Selection Process!" Dan reached this conclusion. Apart from weeding out those that hid within secluded locations to reach higher positions within the Selection Process that they didn''t deserve, it also forces the potential of these disciples by exposing them to life and death battles. If said in another way, it was definitely a good method to find the diamond among the stones. "Well, they''re really trying their best to survive..." Dan unsheathed his daggers and a cold gleam swept past his eyes. Particularly, when he noticed that one of the huddled disciples was someone who had shouted at him in disdain earlier when he made his escape. Dan furtively glanced at the nearest cave entrance beside the huddled and cold disciples. A strange and cunning light flashed through his eyes. But in the end, a small smile crept on his face and he stealthily approached the huddled disciples. A cold light flashed by and the shivering of these disciples abruptly stopped as their eyes widened in shock. Nothing special happened. Their eyes just simply detached from their heads and rolled on the ground, their blood stained the snowy-ground into crimson before their bodies disappeared into countless specks of light crystals. Sheathing his word, Dan lifted his head and stared at the adjacent cave entrance that was void of any light. Lightly chuckling, he said in a calm and composed voice. "Are you guys not gonna come out or anything? Didn''t you guys used your fellow comrades as bait to lure me in? Now that I am here, can you guys stop hiding? It''ll be a hassle for me to get in that cave so it''s much better for you to come out. Much more, visibility is better here..." A light and refreshing feminine chuckle came out of that dark entrance as the silhouette of a young woman came into light. As expected, the young woman was the female disciple that held so much distrust to him earlier. "You really feel so confident about yourself, don''t you?" The female disciple lightly chuckled once again and behind her, came dozens of heavy footsteps as dozens of Core disciples wearing angered expressions came forward and stood beside her like obedient subordinates. Dan merely smiled towards what he saw, taking out his daggers. He said not any word anymore and silently rotated his cultivation base and method. Crouching down, he thought: ''It was time for a slaughterfest!'' Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net Chapter 271 - Dans Peak State Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net Dan unsheathed his sword and dashed at his enemies. Rotating his cultivation base and method along with the Chimera Flame. His body looked like a human rainbow as resplendent colors filled the air. Although it looked flashy and somewhat comical. Those that saw the light coming from his body couldn''t help but tremble. The Lightning suppressed their soul and cultivation base and the crimson-orange flame thoroughly suppressed their morale. Nevertheless, with the female disciple''s howl of "Don''t falter!" Each and everyone of them hoisted their weapons and brandished it at Dan''s direction. The superimposed might of these disciples disturbed Dan''s heart as he didn''t dare to relax his concentration. Using everything that he had, he didn''t dare to feel any conceit as Dan''s arms transformed into mirages and sent volleys of attacks towards the disciples in front of him. A disciple in front easily disintegrated Dan''s attack with a wave of his hand. Following an angry roar. He shot forward like a phantom, appearing in front of Dan in an instant. He moved so fast that it was almost impossible to see his movement. Sword lights flashed by and Dan found himself overwhelmed with sword lights as numerous cuts appeared on his body. Clicking his tongue, Dan turned around and kicked the disciple with a reverse kick before jumping in retreat. Despite the intense pain that wracked his body. He never uttered any sounds of complaint. He wanted to rest for a moment. But these disciples didn''t give him the room to do so. That disciple who attacked him earlier took this opportunity to arrive behind him and slice right at his nape. "Fuck off" Dan roared and harshly turned around, a fierce blaze ignited and shot towards the disciple like a beam of fire. People were horrified to see that as soon as the flame landed on the disciple''s body. His body slowly melted from the bottom to the top. "You actually dared to use such a lowly flame towards this Luo Yang?" The disciple scoffed in disdain and raised his sword to attack once again. But when he saw the ashen-faced expressions of his fellow disciples. His movement came to a halt as the sense of foreboding danger filled his heart. "What? Why are you guys looking at me like that..." He blurted out and a nearby disciple pointed at him with a shaky finger. Luo Yang immediately directed his gaze at his lower body and the sight that he saw grinded his mind, heart and soul to a halt. Starting from his toes up to his knees, he found that his body was slowly melting into a pool of mud that closely resembled magma. Right when he noticed what was going on. He fiercely turned around, stared at his fellow disciples and howled in anguish: "B-b-b-b-brothers... S-s-s-s-save me..." He stuttered through his words. "L-L-Luo Yang! Come here!" A male disciple that had close relations with Luo Yang screamed out loud and rushed towards him. Bringing a towel that he could use to suffocate the flame. Unfortunately, before he could reach Luo Yang. Dan manipulated the Chimera Flame and intensified the devouring process. Making it so that when he arrived near Luo Yang. Only Luo Yang''s head would remain, frozen in an expression of despair and anguish. "You..." When his brother disappeared into ashes. That disciple continuously trembled like a sieve. Lifting his head, he glared at Dan''s direction and angrily howled: "How dare you kill my brother in such a humiliating way!" His cultivation base circulated to the maximum, fueled by his anger. He subconsciously surpassed his limit. Dan dusted his shoulders and looked as carefree as ever. Despite revealing countless openings that any attackers could exploit to kill him. None of the disciples dared to move. Noticing this, Dan coldly snorted in disdain: "In the end, you bunch of bastards are still afraid of death. If I were you, I would''ve attacked at the moment that I tried to stand up." The moment his voice rang, the disciples around him were astonished. ''W-W-Why is he lecturing us on how to kill him?'' They thought but didn''t dare to retort. After all, he could easily turn them into ashes with that strange flame of his. "Also, you! Instead of standing there grieving for your brother''s death. You should''ve took the opportunity and attacked me! If you did, there would be some certain chance of success!" He glared at the disciple that grieved for Luo Yang''s death before fiercely sweeping his gaze at the disciples around him. "Remember that deaths are often in the battlefield! Although I can understand that you''re grief-stricken from your brother''s death. It shouldn''t bother you until the battle ends! If you started grieving amidst the battlefield, do you really think that you can muster all the strength that you have? How foolish! In the end, you bunch of disciples only know how to talk but can never display their arrogance through actions!" Dan crossed his arms together and revealed an expression of utter disdain. The disciples around him simultaneously trembled in shock. Apart from shock, they also felt incomparably puzzled. Why in the actual heavens is he lecturing us on how to efficiently kill him?! Does he really want to die that much? If that''s the case, he could''ve took his own life! "What are you standing there in shock? Come and attack me! If you don''t, I''ll attack first!" Dan quickly rotated his daggers around his palms and held them in a reverse grip. After being scolded, the disciple that ran towards Luo Yang stiffened, sensing the coldness within Dan''s eyes. He understood that he wasn''t fooling around this time. "Here, I go!" Dan stabbed out with both of his dagger. One dagger targeted his enemy''s neck while the other dagger launched towards his enemy''s potential escape route. The male disciple found in horror that if he had no other way to escape this predicament other than to counter-attack. He couldn''t even dodge for he realized that if he did took a step back, Dan''s other dagger would pierce through his nape. Unsheathing his sword, a cold light flashed by and he under the sense of imminent danger that filled his body. He miraculously blocked Dan''s first attack and evaded the one that followed. Turning his body to the side, he horizontally slashed at Dan''s abdomen. Facing this attack, Dan didn''t even dodge. Instead, he rushed forwards, aiming to take his enemy''s life and exchange it of his own. Stabbing at the male disciple''s neck. The latter knew that if he continued his attack, he could severely injure or kill his enemy. However, as a consequence. Dan''s attack would also land on his neck, and result on mutual destruction. The male disciple''s hesitation momentarily stopped his attack. But that short moment was enough for Dan to seal the deal. Cold dagger light swept by and the male disciple''s eyes widened in shock as a blood arrow exploded from his neck. "How naive... Consider that as a lesson, see you at the outside world..." Dan coldly snorted as the male disciple''s body gradually disintegrated into light crystals. In a battle between experts. Usually, those that possessed the stronger and firmer willpower and composure often turn out as the victors. If the male disciple didn''t hesitate and continued on his attack, even though he would undoubtedly die. He would be able to inflict enough damage to Dan and greatly weaken him enough for his fellow disciples to finish the latter off. Turning towards the other disciples. The blood that drenched his daggers and robe, along with his cold gaze that seemed to reel in their hearts and souls. Dan looked incomparably intimidating and terrifying. Some disciples that couldn''t keep their willpower in check continuously trembled under his gaze that resembled that of an ancient beast. Dan''s gaze momentarily stopped at those disciples that didn''t possess enough willpower according to his criteria before he opened his mouth to speak: "We''re currently within a virtual world, yet why are you guys hesitating? It''s not like you''re gonna die in reality." He shook his head and continued, "If you''re already like this in a virtual world, just how can you face your enemies in the future and become a powerhouse?" "If that''s the case, it would be better for me to dispose of you trashes, right now..." He suddenly crouched and leaped out, as soon as he appeared overhead. The astonished disciples found three Dan''s holding similar daggers on their palms. "Clones?!" A male disciple screamed out and revealed his weapon. Under the threat of death from Dan''s clones, these disciples forcibly summoned their strength and escaped the Chimera Flame and Blessing of the Lightning God''s combined Soul Suppression effects. In an instant, dozens of resplendent lights filled the battlefield as the disciples started their fierce counter-attack at Dan''s clones. There was even a female disciple that was known for her timidness. Under the threat of imminent danger, she suddenly howled like a wolf and unsheathed her soft sword that flew like a wolf and injured a clone. The sight of the blood drenching her innocent-looking face was engraved on ther faces of her fellow disciples. From now on, none of them would dare to think of her as a pushover anymore. Her quality of living at the Core Disciples Region would definitely soar after this event. Above a protruding rock was Dan who was in the middle of Stealth. Staring at the slaughterfest below him. A light smile lifted on his lips as he celebrated on the succession of his plan. Earlier, he deliberately said those words to provoke the inner arrogance of these disciples while showing them the consequences of acting so naive an indecisive within the battlefield. He stared at the ceiling and lightly smiled, "These can be considered as a repayment for how much you have helped me these past months, Headmaster..." Outside the barrier, when Mathias Paradyne saw that smile on Dan''s face. He couldn''t help but chuckle as he explained towards the dumbfounded Elders who wanted to know Dan''s objective on purposely causing trouble. "That young man really helped us this time. Our overprotectiveness to our disciples caused them to become lax and unable to face a true life and death battle. Earlier, Dan merely provoked their inner arrogance and their will to live. Converting it into confidence and decisiveness that could definitely save their lives in the future. Ultimately, it would also increase the Academy''s strength." After this explanation, the Elders finally understood what Mathias meant and they couldn''t help but feel endlessly grateful to Dan for tempering their disciples'' minds. Once these disciples came out of the virtual world, they would be akin to a wolf returning home from his first hunt. Just as Dan returned his gaze at the disciples below him. An intense sense of imminent danger suddenly filled his heart as the sound of flesh being penetrated rang out. The female disciple who absolutely disliked him had mysteriously appeared right behind him and pierced his heart. "You..." Dan blurted out as blood spilled from his throat into the ground. "I finally caught you, you bastard! How dare you make someone like me suffer like that earlier! I''ll make sure that you won''t die yet!" The female disciple howled in a voice that sounded similar to a Banshee. But before she could rejoice, she suddenly turned around and kicked, sending a figure flying towards the cave wall as the ''Dan'' right in front of her dissipated into a cloud of smoke. "You green tea bitch! You finally appeared. This time, I won''t be holding back!" Dan wiped the blood that stained his lips. Within his eyes, ignited a fierce battle intent that sought nothing but slaughter. "Blessing of the Lightning God, Chimera Flame!" Dan madly circulated his cultivation base and summoned everything that he had, facing the female disciple. Dan looked like a human torch that radiated off intense Lightning as Thunder continuously rumbled around his body. "You took the words from my mouth!" The female disciple coldly replied and cold air suddenly manifested around her body, forming a gown made entirely of ice. When this gown appeared on her body. The temperature within the cave drastically dropped as the disciples fighting against Dan''s clone stiffened and stared at the two in astonishment. One was clad with Fire and Lightning. Looking like a fierce God of War, while the other looked majestic and ethereal, in this world of snow, she was the only queen and the rightful controller of this domain. Without exchanging any words, the two lifted up in the air and brandished their weapons at each other! You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net Chapter 272 - Disdaining Best novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net "Wreck him! Senior Sister Krylle!" "Pummel that arrogant bastard!" The instant their weapons clashed, a deafening roar rang out. Those nearby had their eardrums shattered from the shock wave while those farther from the epicenter of the explosion staggered backward and held their chests in pain. They are clearly within the same realm, yet these two are in another level! It was evident that if they were in their stead, that attack would''ve decided everything! These disciples calmed down and all came to a mutual understanding. Silently retreating into a cave entrance, they stuck their heads out, ever so slightly so they could see what was going on ahead of them. Snow flew and blanketed the skies, when it cleared up. Everyone could see the figures of Dan and Krylle shining amidst the thin sheet of ice that enveloped their bodies. Krylle looked slightly bedraggled while Dan had blood dripping from his lips. Obviously, the latter slightly won that engagement. "Hmmph! You even dared to teach my fellow disciples on some nonsensical things... What qualifications do you have on teaching them when you can''t even uphold those principles that you said?" Krylle revealed a sneer that contrasted her prim and proper appearance. Dan didn''t reply, he merely lifted his head and stared at her coldly. Without saying anything. His figure vanished like smoke and reappeared beside her with his dagger heading for her neck. Krylle predicted his movements so she merely stepped backward and easily evaded his attack. Opening her palm, she slammed it right into Dan''s chest as the Lightning that surrounded the latter, abruptly extinguished. But before she could celebrate on her successful attack, Dan suddenly twisted around and counter-attacked with a kicked that aimed at her face! This attack was a vicious move, after all. Women sought for beauty the most and Krylle wasn''t an exception. In an instant, her conceit turned into anger as she lashed out in fury. Sending a wave of Ice towards Dan''s direction, and another explosion rang out as his figure flew outwards like a rocket, slamming into a cave wall and falling into the ground in a miserable manner. "Although you might be an Honorary disciple. Why does it seem like you''re much weaker than the weakest of the Core disciples? You can''t even withstand at least five exchanges with me. What makes you feel like you can survive that Mystic Realm of the Undead?" Krylle casually approached Dan and stared at the latter as if she was staring at someone that''s an absolute garbage. Dan also lifted his head, his eyes flashed with a strange light for a moment before he lightly chuckled and said. "Someone who pretends to be a Goddess up above the nine heavens, but is actually a venomous snake that can backstab anyone in a moment''s notice. How truly laughable, you are... Tell me, aren''t you the one that killed that so-called Senior Brother Gin and his comrades? I''m pretty sure that the reason why they aren''t here is because they are dead..." Dan spoke in a voice that was loud enough for everyone to hear and when his fellow disciples within the cave entrance heard what he said. They all trembled in fear and glanced furtively at Krylle. Krylle was someone that had that peculiar side, if she ordered a disciple and that disciple didn''t comply or did what she asked, poorly. Krylle would often beat that disciple up until the disciple''s mother couldn''t even recognize that disciple. However, they didn''t expect that she would actually be so vicious as to do such a thing. After all, although she and Senior Brother Gin had a bad relationship, it wouldn''t be to such an extent that she would betray and kill him behind his back. Incredibly, Krylle didn''t deny Dan''s accusations as she nodded her and said in an indifferent voice: "We''re currently within a virtual world, what''s the deal with dying? After all, we''re supposed to kill each other to prove that we''re worthy for a position in that Mystic Realm of the Undead... Don''t go and preach me with that self-righteousness of yours. It''s nauseating..." "Ha ha ha," Dan dryly laughed and continued: "We''re indeed in a virtual world. However, showing that side of yours towards your fellow disciples. Do you really think that they will still be able to trust you? After all, who knows if you''re suddenly just gonna attack someone from the back for the sake of your own benefit." Krylle''s expression went cold and her eyes flashed with killing intent. Not saying anything in reply, she revolved her cultivation base and kicked out, sending Dan flying towards the cave wall once again. "Gah!" Dan landed roughly and he opened his mouth, vomiting mouthfuls of blood along with grated bits of his organs that were mangled from Krylle''s attack. Seeing the extent of his injury, Krylle lifted her lips into a smile. With her cultivation base circulated to the limit, she placed both of her palms in parallel to each other and chanted. Soon, a sword made entirely of ice appeared right in front of her. Extending her hand, she gripped the Ice Sword and raised it towards the skies. Aiming at the fallen Dan''s neck, she aimed to end his life in an instant. But before her sword could fall, a thundering voice of anger and fury rang out from a distant cave entrance. "Dan!" The thundering voice contained an intimidating might that stiffened Krylle''s movements. Since she went into a solemn state, when that voice echoed out, she received the shock of her life and she stiffened like a statue. "He he he..." A dry laugh came before her and the seriously injured Dan miraculously stood up like he didn''t sustain any injuries. His jet-black eyes that radiated excitement and fury stared right into Krylle''s eyes, peering into her soul. "You... How could you..." Krylle hastily recovered and mustered her defenses. But before she could complete her barrier of Ice, a flash of Lightning struck her back as she spat a mouthful of blood. The impact sent her tumbling forwards into Dan who slowly raised his foot and aimed it right into her face with a light smile on his face. "Even facial reconstruction surgery won''t help you with this..." Dan''s foot suddenly ignited with Thunder and Fire, the fierce heatwave that his foot emanated actually burned Krylle''s face and turned it into something similar to a candle''s wax. Bang! A crunchy sound reverberated and Krylle found herself flying towards the cave wall. A blood arrow burst forth from her throat and stained her snow-white dress into a crimson hue. She felt an incomparably intense and sharp pain on her face and she roared angrily like a Banshee: "You... Why are you not injured!" She asked in an unwilling tone. Dan casually approached her like what she did earlier and stared at her from above as if looking at an absolute garbage. Crossing his arms together, Dan lifted a disdainful smile and whispered: "You were fighting my clone earlier, a clone that didn''t even possess a fourth of my strength." You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net