novelraw Chapter 298 - 297 - Vicious Ancestors
Chapter 298 - 297 - Vicious Ancestors
Stilson stood in shock at the 3 bodies laid out in the street. They had swiftly moved across the village from where they searched but the convoluted layout slowed them down. Flying would draw too much attention in a Mortal Realm, so they had kept to running.
Even so, it had only been the length of time to burn an incense stick since the call went out that the target was found, but 3 of them were dead including the fearsome Poison Adept!
The meticulous man's face was rather plain now, but that was the point of his cultivation technique. While active, no poison could affect him and his Qi would constantly disperse the various poison he carried depending on the harts used.
The man also had the terribly powerful Shadow Flame Arts for close combat. The man was lethal at range or up close, yet his dantian was ripped to shreds with his guts! Sid had his neck snapped like a twig, and the man with no name had been turned into a cinder!
"H-how is this possible? He is only an Iron Tier, even if he could fight a tier above in this ant hill, he should not be able to kill 3 of us as if we were nothing!" Avery was shaking his large body in fear and he was not alone.
The scene before them was merciless and swift. It was definitely not what they expected. Sid was the first to send out the call and likely got caught so his death was feasible as first strike dictated his life or death far too easily.
He relied on darkness and air to keep him away from his enemies until it was too late, but if one could get close, he was fairly weak. The man with no name was a master assassin, able to be right in front of his target without arousing suspicion.
His sect was respected until it was revealed they had 3 of the now termed Cannibalistic Inheritances. They reaped life and chose to keep doing so should not have surprised the Alliance.
Finally, Cyril was the strongest of them all. He was close to Diamond Tier in his strength but his methods were unbeatable one on one for any of them. Lind Frey seemingly killed him with ease!
"I think we should leave! If that man is still around, we stand no chance!" Gregorl, a large man that did not speak often voiced many of their opinions. Stilson, however, narrowed his gaze at Cyril.
"I think it is our best chance to kill him. He fought all 3 of these people but look around you, it was not easy. There are clear signs of struggle and finally that attack on Cyril pierced his robes! That is not simple and a lot of Qi would be needed to pull it off. It is clear he has power, but his limits are clear too!" Stilson's words made all of them brighten.
They began to summon artifacts but then a very old man came around the corner of the street in front of them. He was followed by 2 old women as well. A last old man appeared behind them.
Compared to all the weaklings they had met in the Rakathi Wastes, Stilson felt wary of these old cultivators. He could not feel their cultivation!
It meant they were very high in the Diamond Tier!
"You brought a ruckus to one of our special guests. Normally we would simply ask you to leave but your words make it clear you are enemies." The old man's voice was wispy but the strength behind it made chills run down their spines.
"Old fools! We outnumber you! You think 4 people are enough to stop us?! We are elites from the Heaven Realm. You should be thankful we even come to this backwater place!" Stilson wanted to slit Avery's throat right then. He saw many faces darken on both sides.
Their foes were clearly insulted while Stilson's side was not in the mood to poke an unknown like Avery. He might be able to gauge their strength better due to a technique or Art, it did not change the fact they were not as strong as the old people in front of them.
"It would seem the young did not get a good education. Cecil, do you mind if I start?" The old woman with tan robes spoke and her pale white eyes seemed blind but Stilson would lay all odds she could see perfectly.
"Try not to make too much of a mess like that silver wurm." A smile spread on her face before they lost all track of her! The only feeling Stilson had was a brush of air but then Avery called out in pain.
He expected the man to be crippled, and, in a way, he was. Blood gushed from his groin as he rolled on the ground.
"For such a big mouth, you have such a small presence. I wonder where your confidence came from?" All blood drained from Stilson's face at her words as it confirmed what he saw. The others trembled but made no move to run.
"Great Seniors, we will leave this place! We have no desire for further combat and you are not our enemies!" Stilson wanted to throttle the idiot that spoke now. It was a slim man that spoke so arrogantly of his accomplishments but he was now soiling his robes and just wanted to flee.
"Ah, it is always the bully that cannot withstand karma when it comes. The wisdom of your elders clearly was wasted on you all." The old man at the back had white robes but Stilson saw only death in those cold black eyes.
Hairs standing on end made Stilson duck on instinct as a few others followed him. There was no sound until the slim man looked confused at ducking companions.
He went to speak but then the world went dark for him. Stilson at first thought they had been cut in half but then he saw that their bodies were intact but their spines were missing!
"I thought I said not to make a mess. We are only making more work for little Katie. I will not cover for you." The first old man seemed unperturbed but his words had great effect on the other old man who now had a small pile of 4 spines by him and a large pool of blood that did not seem to touch his robes.
"Ah, yes, I will take care of the mess. My apologies, Head Elder." The contrite and very polite tone made Stilson hope he was having a nightmare. The complete lack of mercy and the vicious attacks shocked him.
Why were these monsters hidden in such a remote place? They had reduced the number from 8 down to 4!
"I believe your wailing friend there said you outnumbered us? I think he needs to learn to count." The final old woman spoke nonchalantly, as if the preceding events were simply a normal day!
"We have offended you, and for that we apologize. Is there a way for us to leave alive, great seniors?" Stilson had his pride, but pride did not serve you dead. He spoke earnestly but he also prepared a teleportation talisman.
It was his only hope!
"Sonny, if you think that trinket will work here, you will be in for a rude awakening. Assuming you survive, the odds of you living to leave Rakathi will be slim." The first old man, their Head Elder, seemed to know exactly what Stilson was doing.
Who were these people?!
"S-Stilson, don't leave me here!" Avery was crawling on the ground in desperation while the last 2 looked on in despair.
"Enough, we have wasted enough time. I want to see that boy's progress up close!" The first old woman seemed bored now. Before Stilson could blink his world changed. He was now looking up at the roiling clouds as his body became cold.
He did not know what had happened but his peripheral vision showed his body off to the side! There was no blood! The blood was in fact being drawn up into some kind of artifact.
"I did not make this mess but Katie will yell at me if I leave it. Adria could have been neater about things!" The grumbling black eyes man was storing away their bodies like they were leaves on the forest floor!
"..." Stilson wanted to wail. They were once the mighty elites of the Heaven Realm. They had known the secret to living forever in the horrific times they lived in. The war with the Fiends was far from his concern, but now he was dying in a nameless backwater village.
All of it was one man's fault! It was all because of Lind Fre–
The light went out in Stilson's eyes as the old man continued to grumble about how unfair it was the other elders left him to clean up their mess.
In a short few moments, the entire battlefield was not only clear but any damage was repaired if needed as if nothing ever happened.
⬧⬧⬧⬧
Lind felt like he was home. He felt warmth of not just the hearth but the feeling of family was around him. Why did he feel like that?
Cyntilla was well on her way to the Floating Isles by then. Qing, Shoti, and Annabelle had ascended over 30 years ago. They had such a party when those 3 pulled it off so quickly. Lind had learned a lot by watching but not as much as he hoped.
Ascension seemed much more personal compared to Gold and Diamond Tribulations. He could not yet put his finger on why but he would, one day.
Little Fey was now serving for a term as a Sky Realm Elder of the Heavenly Maiden Sect, but she did it mostly to be near him. Her combat skills remained unrivaled in the sect but her alchemy was just as potent. She was a deadly combination.
She also could not escape her Dao title of Fierce Fairy.
Ethry had been the one to change the most. She was a baby but she grew up quickly as she progressed in cultivation, still, he did not directly address what the bond between them meant. She was too obsessed with being near him and she needed to form her own path for cultivation before she could ascend.
His mother made that possible.
Lind was smiling as the feeling faded away and the flicker of a lit hearth came into his view. He saw Beth sleeping with a blanket draped over her in a chair as Katie smiled down at them both.
Lind was about to speak when his instincts started screaming at him once more.
Emerald light flared as his skin hardened but then he nearly stumbled as he tried to stand up.
"Sorry about that, sonny, I just wanted to be sure. My granddaughter is a bit biased when it comes to your stories but that light confirms it. You are Lind Frey. A pleasure to meet you." A very old man seemed to emerge from the shadows of the room and Lind felt all his hair stand on end.
A Sky Realm! How was a Sky Realm in the Rakathi Wastes!