novelraw Chapter 566 - 565 - Hungry
Chapter 566 - 565 - Hungry
The Karridan Empire was a lively place of mercantile business as the main trade route between all the empires flowed through it. The imperial family had made smart alliances over the millennia and their coffers were rarely suffering.
One of the most profitable markets were its slave trade or the presentation of exiles to the Soulmancers. Normally, there were a few of such events a year, but the last 5 years saw a sharp decline in the exiles.
No one knew why but no empire seemed able to find them as easily anymore. While their camps had to move to avoid powerful aether beasts or known raided areas, but suddenly no one could be found.
While the number of exiles were few relative to the whole billions of the population, it was not simply one known area they fled to that was having issues.
It was only when the presentations stopped happening one year to the next that the powers in charge began to investigate more deeply.
Unfortunately, there were no leads. No strange events seemed to relate to it but there was an open bounty for some deserters from 5 years ago that some thought might be related.
A golden tower inside the sprawling Imperial Jade Palace grounds stood on the northernmost wall. It was a splendid tower of smooth lines and seemed to glow in the sun or moon with golden light.
It was not a formation but the material itself. It was made from Midas crystal stone. It was a naturally occurring material that was very strong but very light. It allowed for intricate structures of massive proportions that could withstand pure Sky Realm strength without issues.
While adding arrays could make it better, most let it be decorative due to its natural beauty. Making the tower drew the eyes of many but it had 3 counterparts that marked the borders of the Imperial Jade Palace grounds.
The southern, western, and eastern towers were of different materials but a sharp eyed formation master would see that each tower was a massive formation eye.
The power of each tower blended to make a defensive and offensive formation that should terrify any enemy of Karridan.
The golden tower was simply called Life Tower as its golden glow filled all with the feeling of joy and awe to see it. Inside of it were several luxurious rooms but also functional guard rooms currently fully manned.
The reason being a guest had come and demanded a meeting in the top most floor of the tower.
A man dressed in red and golden robes sipped carefully at his tea as he waited for his guest. The very handsome features were normally serene but a slight sweat covered his face now. His tanned skin seemed chilly to him right then.
The Imperial First Prince normally loved rubbing elbows with the powerful and the influential, but the current guest was one he would usually avoid. Sadly, his father forced him to be their envoy as the request had been very serious.
The sound of delicate steps made him sit up and stand up instantly. There were few that could make him stand but the coming person was one of them.
One of his guards wearing a full face helmet bowed to let in a woman beyond beautiful. Her unearthly beauty should have taken his breath away and left him planning how to make her his but the black robes marked her as a powerful Soulmancer.
Again, the First Prince usually did not mind working with Soulmancers but that particular one terrified him.
"Welcome to our Imperial Palace's Life Tower, Soulmancer Helena." He bowed low, far lower than anyone of his station should but he dared not hold back. He heard gentle laughter but only terror filled his heart until he heard her sit.
He instantly poured tea for her and was proud his hands did not shake.
"You should not be so worried, Lin. I am not here for you or your family." First Prince Lin did not show any emotion but one concern faded from his heart, yet he never assumed it would remain so.
There were far too many stories of the whims of a Soulmancer.
Her dark lips contrasted well with her shining smile but not even a twitch of the charm reached Lin. He knew far too much about how she retained her current body.
"May I know what brings you to our Empire? Normally, you let us know what to have ready in advance." It was patently true. Soulmancers could come on business but the Imperial family usually expected them then.
When one came suddenly, they usually sent a message ahead to prepare a certain number of sacrifices but no such message came this time.
"Ha, I am currently fine. My fellows are obsessing over an old issue while the current one has become concerning." Lin nodded as he had already sent forces to investigate the known camps for any clues but the Hinterlands was massive.
Taming the lands between the empires had been a disaster as true monsters of aether beasts were found waiting to kill any intruders.
Unlike humans, beasts could live far longer than the average of 5-7 thousand years of Heaven Realms. A few humans had been lucky enough to reach 10,000 years but no more than that.
There was an azure drake between Karridan and Perot that had been there since history was recorded. It also pre-dated the Immortal Suzen raising the Law Binding, yet none knew its cultivation realm.
If it was still a Heaven Realm, it had to be close to the end of its life, but if it had reached the Immortal Realm, it could be a child!
Either way, it cared not what they did so long as they stayed out of its territory.
Thus, the exploration teams were careful not to annoy any of the beast lords of the Hinterlands.
"We have looked into it but the normal areas are barren. Our counterparts report similar issues of suddenly being unable to find the exiles." Lin was on more confident ground but Helena ignored his report.
"I care little for useless work. Anyone with a brain should have figured out someone has carved out a haven for our wayward materials." Lin could not repress a shiver at those words and Helena smiled at him.
"Do you have a lead for us to take?" She nodded but then frowned.
"I have a good idea where to look but despite several scans, nothing comes back. I suspect a rogue Soulmancer is involved." Lin felt all his blood drain at those words. He did not want to be in the meeting anymore!
While it was rare, he had heard of such incidents but only rumors. The reason being, anyone directly involved had 'accidents' shortly after.
His face must have shown his fear as she laughed lightly at him
"Behave and you will have nothing to fear from us. Besides, this incident is a little different." She then produced a jade stone that projected an area of the Hinterlands he was familiar with. It was not far from the most dangerous bog in the forests due to the Sun Tier beast there, yet he saw a massive spike of energy shown on the projection.
It was far stronger than anything he had ever heard of.
"This is 5 years ago and something killed that annoying woman. I say something because we have been unable to confirm what it was. There are some indications but they could also be a coincidence." Lin nodded as his eyes narrowed.
"I think this projection is mistaken." Helena looked up at him but waved for him to continue. "It shows an open area made by the splitting of the main river and starting the next not far from the bog, yet I know that area is dead. On your display there are living trees and other plants."
He had sent soldiers to look but it was not unusual for an area to change depending on Qi disruptions or foolish actions of cultivators. If a dantain self destructed it could reduce a once vibrant area into a dead zone.
Helena smiled as she summoned another slip.
"I read your reports, and others, but yours had something I found interesting." She tossed it to him and he sunk his Star Tier senses into it.
[The Two Rivers area is desolate. No sign of any encampments anymore. Formation plates not working right so moving farther away until they work properly.]
"We usually use formation plates to create safe areas rather than make formation masters go with each group." She nodded at his words but smiled wider at him.
"Do you know that formation masters can't detect a soul ring but a formation plate can have issues around them?" Lin had not known that. He contemplated for a moment but then looked up in awe at her.
"That area is marked off?" She nodded as he instantly began to plan an expedition but then froze as he realized something.
"May I know why you did not simply order us to follow you, My Lady?" Helena smirked as she finished her tea before standing up. The feeling in the room changed.
"You see, I need to be a bit more prepared to search and destroy that haven they made. I don't need souls, I need a very different kind of feast." She touched a few places on her robes and exposed her body instantly.
Lin bolted to the door and tried to open it, only to find it sealed. He no longer kept decorum and tried to smash open the door but a formation flared as well as something else. A soul ring!
"You won't die and I assure you, it will be the best experience you ever have. I am soooo hungry." Lin began to weep as he knew he would be alive but would not want to be once she was done with him.
He had been a fool! His father had sacrificed him!
A cool hand firmly grabbed his neck and dragged him back to the bedroom as part of the suite. The monster behind the beauty was fully exposed as she hungrily ripped his robes asunder as if they were paper and tossed him to the bed.
Sigils began to appear around them and the last thing the First Prince Lin of Karridan knew was his body felt hot and his mind became only a fog.
Days later, a very flush and happy Helena left the Life Tower and gathered soldiers to follow her into the Hinterland. The maids went to clean the rooms and screamed as the emaciated but still living Lin was left in the nearly wrecked bedroom.
His cultivation was intact but it made no difference as his vitality was nearly entirely gone! He lived but only to suffer for as long as his cultivation lasted. Tears fell as the screaming maids left him behind.