119 Brewing Tensions (2/2)
The man's laugh echoed out around the mountain as he blinked out of existence.
Hartley stood rooted to the spot for a moment surprised that the man knew who he was, then let out a sigh of relief when he felt no danger around, he too soon felt the fluctuations of powerful experts arriving.
Twinkling blue lines swirled around his sphere from bottom to top creating a blue spiral pattern that quickly turned into a vortex of blue particles around his body sending the falling ash scattering away. Hartley then stepped forward and disappeared from the scene of devastation leaving swirling wind and ash behind...
Soon two men popped out of the void and surveyed the destruction. one dressed in black and the other in white.
”What do you think?” the one wearing white asked.
”Saints!” the man in black replied with a bit of surprise.
”Way out here in these back mountains?” the man in white asked a little shocked
”Hmm, there is remnants of a saint domain and evidence of a hard fought battle.” They walked around the barren patch in the forest investigating pieces of broken rocks and touching the ground now and again.
”Do you think it has anything to do with that blue light earlier or the lord of the western hills?” asked the man in white.
”I don't know, lets head back and make a report, this is weird, it might affect some of the boss's plans.” the man answered after a moment of silence.
The day was stretching toward late evening and the western hills began falling into shadow. Hartley settled down on his cushioned chair in the lounge on the second floor of the manor.
He was greeted with relieved faces after returning to the manor earlier, especially Zhi Ruo who almost looked on the brink of tears when she saw him. There was still enough natural light left in the day to illuminate the large room making the shadows from the window frames stretch gloomily across the furniture.
She took her usual place beside him sharing his chair, Qin Li and Fu Qian sat across from the couple with straight backs and sullen faces, they were obviously nervous about the events of the day deep in the mountain.
Fu Qian had been closer to the strange phenomenon and had experienced first hand the terrible quakes and the blue column of light and he was visibly more nervous. To him the whole thing was like something from ancient folklore.
With a smile Hartley assured them there was no overwhelming danger in the deep mountain and recounted the events of the morning leaving out some bits of information.
”What? There was a saint in the deep mountains?” Zhi Ruo said in a high pitched voice with her eyes wide..
Hartley shook his head to confirm.
Qin Li and Futian looked startled at the mere mention of a legendary saint.
”Was he an enemy or a friend?” Qin Li asked looking no less nervous than Fu Qian at this point.
”I'm not sure, at first he seemed like an enemy but in the end he seemed more like a friend.” Hartley's reply did not provide a modicum of comfort for the two sat across from him.
Based on Hartley's interaction with Kang, he didn't think saints would lower themselves to be involved in the petty squabbles between nobles, but one can never be too sure. Hartley thought the man might have just been investigating the events surrounding his breakthrough, but he wouldn't bet money on it.
”Based on what he said, something suspicious is brewing in the capital and we don't want to be caught off-guard by whatever is happening, send a runner to Windsor Peak castle to see if Viscount Sanzu knows what's going on.” Hartley instructed Fu Qian.
”Right away.” Fu Qian answered, bowed and hustled out of the room in haste.
After dismissing the meeting Hartley kissed Zhi Ruo on her forehead and headed straight to his private cultivation room, leaving strict orders to the serving staff that he wished to not be disturbed in the upcoming days unless it was an emergency of epic proportion.