novelraw Chapter 1392 - 1391 - Fuel for the Fire
Chapter 1392 - 1391 - Fuel for the Fire
Barbatos had fully recovered long ago but wished deeply he could still fight. The civil war had been more of a screaming match as both sides knew his faction had the upper hand.
The True Lord's abilities as a Triple Maester left even him in awe. Also, his preparation with artifacts, weapons, and armor for all the Immortals he had met plus more for those he had not, were just staggering.
The amount of resources he had consumed for them was impossible to calculate but the entire Under Lands could be stripped bare and not even come close to his contribution.
Sadly, the worst case scenario had unfolded and then some.
The Sovereign Lands had launched a sneak attack and 4 of their Immortals had been killed with more captured. The True Lord's creations let them fight back and the rules of war were imposed at that point.
Even the Sovereign Lands would lose out if the peak Immortals began to fight.
Years had passed and he had not been home in far too long. His children were likely to be grown by the time he got home! He wanted to know the current batch while they were little! It was the best time!
His grandchildren too! They were adorable until they grew up and got mouthy!
His strange ruminations only revealed how boring it was when war settled on the lower tiers. People were nearly dying but a Radiant or Sovereign Tier would act at the last moment and it was only a matter of who exhausted themselves first.
Unfortunately, Barbatos suspected it would be their side first as the Sovereign Lands supply lines would keep fresh resources flowing to them.
The items made by the True Lord were showing signs of wear and tear already as he had warned them they would. Even returning to the nearest forests only bought them time at best.
"You seem to be lost, fellow daoist." An unwelcome voice he had hoped had been killed in the ambush swayed in. He did admit, the demonic witch seemed calmer lately. Less irritating as well.
"What do you want, witch? Come to tell me the bad news of the future?" His fanged sneer revealed his mood easily enough.
Her twisted face actually cocked 45 degrees in surprise.
"Oddly, yes, but the news is not bad. It is more of a revelation." She produced a jade communication stone. Its dark violet color revealed it was a demonic one as expected.
"Where did you get that?" Barbatos felt the profound aura. He only knew of one person that could make such a fine item for their side.
"A messenger in crimson robes arrived and asked me to bring it to you as you refuse to stay still." She infused her demonic Qi into it and a projection appeared of another demoness with virulent green eyes. Her dark lavender skin also was recognized by him.
"By the–" Barbatos did not get to complete his thought as the projection began.
[Sovereign Barbatos. I have been given a command by my husband and I so I send you this warning. Withdraw or face the wrath of what is to come.] Confusion filled him.
While the Frey Clan's items were vital and helpful, the members themselves were not strong enough to make such a threat.
They had a lot of Sovereign Tiers, true, but they were all low Sovereign Tiers and not all of them had mastered their cultivation yet.
He did not have hard numbers but given that only 10 had shown up made him think no more than twice that number could be combat ready.
A single peak Sovereign Tier could dominate 30 or more low Sovereign Tiers. The difference was just that massive.
While he could help them, he was severely outnumbered! Even if the witch and a few others joined them, the situation was not so easily resolved!
"I would heed her words, Barbatos. I do not know if you have noticed but despite not having the support of the True Lord, the quality of items are on par with what he gave us at times." He looked up sharply at that.
His bald head suddenly tingled. It was an instinctual response to danger. Lethal danger.
He roared and the leaders of his forces as well as some allies came running.
"We are leaving right now. Call all our forces back and retreat!" Confusion and resistance warred but his aura flared and silenced them all.
"No arguments. Spread the word and a warning. The Frey Clan is on the move!" More confusion followed some of the lower ranks but the upper ranks changed immediately before they spread outward.
The Under Lands all began to withdraw to the confusion of the spiders and Sovereign Land forces alike.
No one knew what was happening until thunder rumbled far above.
Barbatos looked above but he did not feel the power of a True Lord. What was going on? If the True Lord was not on the move, how were they going to stop the war?
⬧⬧⬧⬧
"All gone? Not even a scouting party left?" A young man with slicked back blonde hair and pale blue eyes looked in disbelief at his own scout. The kneeling man was in front of a group inside a tent filled with luxurious food and drink all around him.
The scout had leathers that were covered in dirt and debris as he had rushed to report the sudden retreat of their enemies.
The young man looked to his left at a demon in chains. He was emaciated and miserable. His ochre hair was matted to his skull in clumps as his skull-like face felt the pressure of their attention.
"Well? Why have they retreated? What is their plan?" The sneer on the young man's face left little doubt he was amused by the demon's misery. He was one of the 3 that had 'wisely' surrendered to them.
"COUGH–COUGH! I do not know, Young Lord. The rules of war dictate they should continue until the end. Even knowing they would lose, they will not surrender." His words were logical but a collar at his neck lit up and he began to scream.
A simple cylinder in the young man's hand glowed in sync with the collar.
"If I wanted the obvious stated, I would have asked. For a fellow Sovereign Tier, you are pathetic." He left the demon squirming and turned back to the scout.
The slim man was sweating and it had nothing to do with his exertion to get to the tent anymore.
"Go back–" The words were cut off as thunder rumbled above. The young man looked up confused but then sighed. "Did someone decide to breakthrough in this hovel of a land?"
It seemed likely but the normal feeling of pressure from Heaven did not come. A frown marred his perfectly symmetrical face as he waved his hand to part the tent flaps.
He flew out and looked up but there were no clouds nor any normal sign of a tribulation.
He was about to contact his frontline when a body was sent flying past him. He activated the formations on his silver robes instantly. HIs defenses were put to the max but nothing else happened.
"A peak Sovereign Tier? Are they suicidal?" Their forces had 5 of them ready to protect the main camp. It was the most their temporary alliance could spare.
He was about to crush an emergency summons when the dust settled. The broken body was one of the peak Sovereign Tiers!
How?!
Thunder rumbled once more and he felt something chill his spine at that moment as the sound of footsteps were heard.
A figure appeared in the brush but there was no sign of their soldiers or other cultivators even trying to stop them.
She had hair evenly split between abyssal black and forest green. His pale blue eyes went wide in terror as he recognized her!
"G–goddess of Life and Death?!" She was only a low Sovereign Tier but unlike others she had powers that terrified even his own seniors!
She was able to tap into the Dao of Life and Death!
She paid a price to be sure but it was clear she had learned to use it to an extent as blood dripped from her blades.
"You are the young master of Gem Hearth Sect. Your sect spearheaded this little expedition. I have taken out your guardians. Leave now, or die." Fey Frey was a legend in the short time since she ascended.
Still, no one expected her to be so powerful!
How was she able to do what she was doing at such a low level of power?
"You dare interfere in our war–" The world tilted as the tent behind him withered to dust. He felt terror as she had not moved!
His legs had become husks!
"War? You call this little play of yours war? You waste time and resources just to scrape out a bit more for yourselves. I have seen real war. I have seen the devastation it brings. You all should have realized that in a place held between life and death, I would be unstoppable if I tapped into it." Fey's cold voice pierced his soul.
He understood!
The lack of conclusion and the endless near deaths had created a cycle that built up in the background for the Laws and even Dao itself. Fey Frey was so strong because they made a place to enhance her power!
Darkness closed in with regrets. He did not want to die yet! He wanted to do so much more–