A few hours later, Dakon waited outside the city. He had no intention of meddling in their political affairs, nor did he care to be drawn into their empire's internal tensions, so he chose to remain beyond the walls and wait for them there
' The pulsations won't stop until I absorb the Gem… how annoying ' Dakon could still clearly sense the Raw Knowledge Gem. Its pulsations were steady yet powerful, bright enough to eclipse most cultivators within the city. Still, it was nothing like the overwhelming presence he had felt from the Dragon's Gem. These pulsations were weaker ' So it must only contain a single technique ' He concluded
He waited for several more minutes until the Long family group finally emerged from the city gates. Every one of them wore a grim expression, their mood heavy and restrained. Only Long Zhelan was unreadable, her face once again hidden behind a black veil
At the front walked Long Zan, Long Zhelan's grandfather. He stopped briefly before Dakon, his gaze firm and severe " Let's go " He said " We must head somewhere else before returning to the Long Empire "
Dakon nodded calmly. As Long Zan and Long Zhelan moved ahead, Dakon fell one step behind them, right next to the twin elders
' Something definitely happened ' Dakon thought ' Even the elders looked weighed down ' Whatever discussion had taken place inside the city had clearly left its mark
After a moment of silence, Dakon turned slightly toward Elder Tai " Elder " He asked, " Why are you searching for people everywhere? "
Elder Tai raised an eyebrow, hesitation flickering across his face " Well… "
" Go on " Long Zan interrupted without turning around " You can explain everything. He's already part of this matter "
Elder Tai nodded solemnly " As you wish, my Lord " He then looked at Dakon seriously " We are gathering people and resources for an incoming conflict "
Dakon raised an eyebrow " A conflict? What kind of conflict requires a Spiritual King to seek help? "
" I'm not the only Spiritual King in existence, boy " Long Zan replied evenly
Elder Tai continued, his voice heavy " As my Lord said, there are other powerhouses. Our Empire has been locked in a prolonged conflict for several years now—against the Nine Nether Sects. Six of those sects are led by Spiritual Lords, but the remaining three are far more dangerous. each with Spiritual Kings guiding each of them "
" Three Spiritual Kings… " Dakon murmured, genuine surprise crossing his face " Then how have you lasted this long? "
From his perspective, even if Long Zan matched them in strength, facing three opponents of equal cultivation should have been impossible, especially if they fought as the guys Dakon had killed earlier
His words stirred irritation, but none of it was directed at him. The anger in the group was aimed solely at the Nine Nether Sects " Our Lord's cultivation technique grants him an advantage against anything those sects can throw at him " Elder Tai said grimly " But even so, our people are dying. Our numbers are shrinking. The enemy grows stronger in ways we don't—their dark arts allow them to use corpses as fuel. The more we fight, the more powerful they become "
" I still haven't reached the state of immunity against dark arts… " Long Zhelan said tightly, clenching her fists " If only I could— "
" Enough " Long Zan said gently, resting a hand on her head " Even your father took many years to reach that realm. Do not burden yourself with guilt "
Long Zhelan nodded, though reluctance lingered in her posture
Dakon spoke again, his tone thoughtful " I understand now. But as far as I know, their dark arts rely mostly on poison techniques. Is there anything else? "
" Blood Absorption Arts, Corpse Manipulation Arts, and Necromancy " Elder Tao replied coldly " Those are their greatest threats, alongside poison "
Dakon nodded slowly ' So they drain cultivation from corpses and reuse them as soldiers… ' This was far more complicated than he had initially assumed ' No wonder they're desperate for help '
Long Zan suddenly turned, his sharp gaze locking onto Dakon's " You are free to leave, boy. You have no obligation to involve yourself in this war " The words startled the elders, and even Long Zhelan looked at Long Zan in surprise
But Dakon shook his head. His voice was steady " I will never run away again. Just keep your promise when this is over "
" Of course " Long Zan replied, a faint smile forming. The elders shared looks of quiet satisfaction, while Long Zhelan studied Dakon in silence
' This reminds me of old days ' Long Zan thought
' There should be a way to grow stronger before getting there ' Dakon thought. Then he looked at Long Zan and spoke again " Hey… can I ask you for a favor? "
Long Zan turned fully toward him, curiosity flickering in his eyes " Go on "
" That gravity technique, do you think you can use it on me again? " Dakon said with a serious expression as Long Zan and the others saw him in confusion
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At the same time, in another place—
A solitary plain stretched beneath an ashen sky, wind sweeping endlessly across dry grass and cracked earth. At its center stood a modest residence of stone and wood, isolated and defenseless against the vast emptiness around it. This was Yun Hai's home
Yun Hai knelt in reverence before Callion, his head lowered, and his body trembled " My Lord… I did not expect to see you so soon " Yun Hai said in Fear and disbelief
" I came because I will be leaving for a very long time " Callion said coldly " I need the information you have gathered so far "
" Yes, my Lord " Yun Hai swallowed before continuing " The only thing I managed to uncover is that someone removed you from the palace before the execution. It was a young maid—the one who did it "
" Wait " Elder Qiu's voice cut through the air as he turned sharply toward Yun Hai, disbelief flashing in his eyes " What did you say? "
" Elder " Yun Hai said, raising his head slightly " My Lord was saved by a young maid. That is the only information I could obtain "
Callion's fists clenched tightly at his sides " I need to know what happened to her "
" She was executed " Elder Qiu's voice was stern
Callion turned toward him in shock " What do you— "
" She was executed " Elder Qiu interrupted coldly " Because of you "
*BOOM* Elder Qiu's Spiritual Energy erupted violently, crashing down like a tidal wave. The ground trembled, and Yun Hai's face drained of all color as he collapsed, barely able to breathe. Even Callion was forced back, his feet sliding as he jumped away, eyes sharp with alarm
" Have you gone mad, old man?! " Callion shouted
For the first time, Callion was witnessing Elder Qiu's full strength—a cultivator at the peak of the Spiritual Lord Superior State
Elder Qiu ignored him completely. His eyes narrowed, burning with hatred and grief " Her name was Ruyin " he said slowly " And she was my daughter "
Callion's eyes widened. His voice dropped to a whisper " …What? "
The crushing pressure eased slightly, though Yun Hai remained frozen on the ground, trembling, his instincts screaming at him to flee even as his body refused to move
Elder Qiu continued to stare at Callion, murderous intent swirling violently—until, suddenly—
*ZOOM*
The Spiritual Energy vanished
Elder Qiu's face twisted, no longer furious but ugly with pain and self-loathing.
" I cannot kill you " he said hoarsely " She gave her life for you. If I do so… it would be no different than killing her myself "
Callion frowned deeply, his fists tightening as something heavy settled in his chest
Yun Hai finally drew a shaky breath, looking at Elder Qiu with a mixture of awe and terror
" I never imagined the reason they killed her was because of you " Elder Qiu continued, his voice dripping with hatred " They discarded her as if she were trash. A simple palace guard's daughter. I was powerless to save her "
His gaze hardened " But I knew one thing—I had to stay alive to give her justice. And that time… is drawing closer "
Elder Qiu turned toward Callion, eyes sharp " Destiny works in strange ways, boy. Now it has placed us on the same path… chasing the same goal "
Callion met his gaze, expression grave " It is strange indeed, old man. But hear this—every single one of them will die by my hand "
Elder Qiu stared at him for a long moment, then turned to Yun Hai " And him? He is useless now—and he knows too much "
Yun Hai's face went deathly pale
" He will come with us " Callion said calmly " I promised him a reward "
Callion smirked faintly. Yun Hai exhaled in silent relief and bowed deeply " Thank you, my Lord "
" Then let's leave " Elder Qiu said, grabbing Yun Hai by the arm. In a burst of motion, they rose into the sky—Callion following closely behind
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A couple of days later, within the side sect…
The White Tiger lay within the open chamber of the cave, his body motionless. His eyes were closed as if in deep slumber, yet an intense white aura poured endlessly from his form, illuminating every corner of the cavern like moonlight made solid. The air itself trembled faintly under his presence
' Ragna… do you hear me? ' The White Tiger's voice echoed within his own mind
His consciousness drifted into a vast, endless black expanse. Within that void, a colossal pair of eyes slowly opened, larger than his own, glowing with an ancient yellow light, sharp and cold like a dragon's gaze
Those eyes fixed upon him, narrowing slightly, and a voice resounded, powerful, rough, and steeped in unfathomable age " Zeon. It is rare for you to call upon me, brother "
" It has indeed been a long time since we spoke like this " The White Tiger replied calmly, his tone steady and restrained " But there is something I must ask "
The dragon's eyes gleamed faintly " This is about Father, is it not? " Ragna said " After all, you have ascended… yet found no answers "
The White Tiger closed his eyes briefly before continuing " Indeed. It seems that he hasn't returned yet. Even you were not present when I arrived at the main sect "
Ragna let out something close to a quiet scoff, a trace of amusement rippling through his voice " Several of my kin have ascended to the Immortal Realm in recent days. I wanted to observe the cause of it personally, with our sister's permission, of course. Yet most of them are young… weak and stupid… but they are still useful " His eyes narrowed, the humor fading " As for Father. Even I do not know when he will return "
" Hm… " The White Tiger fell silent for several breaths, the weight of the words settling. Then he spoke again, his voice lower " And the Overseer? Do you know where he is? And why hasn't he descended? "
" The child answers no one, but Father " Ragna replied evenly " However… he caused an insurrection within the Divine Realm "
" An insurrection? " The White Tiger's eyes snapped open slightly " Why was I not informed of this when I ascended? "
Ragna's voice remained calm, almost indifferent " The reason is simple. It is because of the Overseer himself, not even Leriac meddle in what he does "
" Besides, after Father's disappearance, many gods grew arrogant—overconfident as they think they are above everyone else. The brat exploited that foolishness, provoking them or giving them a final push into rebellion, using his own paws in doing so. It could be that, guided by fear, revenge, or mindless objectives, they fell into his trap, without knowing that they were dancing in his palm like puppets. He must be plotting something big. Still… I think there is no immediate need for concern "
" So he is trying to erase the cultivators from existence again " The White Tiger murmured " No wonder he delayed his arrival "
His gaze sharpened as he looked directly at Ragna's eyes " Does he know about the ones who descended from the Divine Realm?"
" Most likely " Ragna answered serenely " I didn't expect that the chosen ones of the lower realm would be involved in the matter, but there is no problem if some of them die. Father's plans are proceeding as he wants; besides, sooner or later, he will find those who descended. After all… he delights in hunting cultivators " The dragon paused briefly " Is there anything else you wish to ask, brother? "
" Yes " The White Tiger's voice turned firm " I seek your permission to place Fannel in charge of supervising the boys until the Overseer descends "
Ragna's eyes narrowed further. He remained silent for several long moments, the void itself seeming to hold its breath. Then he spoke " Very well. But if he encounters anyone from the Divine Realm who seeks to harm the chosen ones… he is to kill them immediately. There is no need for interrogation or prisoners. We can't have something that the little brat could use to provoke the others to escalate things further in the Divine Realm "
The White Tiger's eyes hardened " Understood. Until we meet again, brother "
With a soft growl, the immense yellow eyes slowly vanished into the darkness
The White Tiger opened his eyes and rose to his feet, the aura around him gradually dimming
" So? " Courne asked casually, standing beside Fannel " What did he say? "
The White Tiger turned his gaze to Fannel " Go on. Remember, kill anyone who could be from the Divine Realm and do not interfere with anything involving beings below the Divine Realm "
Fannel smirked, turning toward the cave's exit " Alright. See you later, then "
Courne grinned as he glanced back at the White Tiger " And me? Can I leave as well? It's dreadfully boring here "
The White Tiger sat down and began licking his paw lazily " Leave. Just stay away from the boys… and try not to kill too many of them "
Courne's grin widened with a hint of coldness and disdain. As he walked away, his voice echoed faintly " Sure, sure. I will be careful with cattle… haha "
Once Courne departed, the White Tiger lowered himself back to the ground, preparing to rest once more ' The child hasn't changed ' He thought silently ' His hatred remains the same. If Father doesn't return soon to stop him again… another massacre will erupt within the Divine Realm—one even more brutal than when Father seized the throne of the strongest, Kolard is still such a troublesome child '
The White Tiger closed his eyes, returning to silent slumber