Chapter 29 Chapter 29 - Hells Ways (2/2)
”The Kingdom will soon host the Annual Festival and it will be a good opportunity to gain clean access to the Capital. As we're uncertain of the details, it's probably best we don't rush headlong.”
”Hm, good idea,” the middle-aged man nodded. ”If the Portal somehow reaches 80% by the time you get to it, immediately evacuate and come here. I'll personally lead the Purge in that case. Oh, right. You mentioned a young cultivator? Where is he from?”
”… uh, no clue,” Lu Hao shook his head in embarrassment. ”He doesn't belong to any forces there and appears to be… loose cultivator.”
”Oh? Is that even possible?”
”It shouldn't be,” Lu Hao replied. ”What's even odder is that he's a Body Refiner. Although I haven't personally clashed with him to inspect his cultivation method, from my induction, it appears to be at least of Mystic Grade, possibly higher.”
”Oh? That's interesting,” the middle-aged man stroked his beard as he mumbled lowly. ”How old is he?”
”Around fifteen, I think.” Lu Hao said. ”The last time I saw traces of him, it appeared he was Level 40.”
”Not bad, not bad. Considering the circumstances there, he seems like a great budding.”
”… hm, the odd part is that he seems to have cultivated for less than two years at that point.”
”…” the middle-aged man's expression suddenly darkened as he thought about something but he quickly shook his head. ”I'm thinking too much…”
”Uncle?”
”Ah, it's nothing,” he said. ”If you meet him, try to invite him to join us. When do you plan on departing?”
”As quickly as possible,” Lu Hao said. ”I also want to ask a personal favor from the Uncle.”
”Don't worry, don't worry, your dear disciple can stay here,” the middle-aged man laughed lightly. ”I suspected that by the time you come back, he'd have surpassed you already.”
”Lu Hao thanks the Great Uncle!”
”Yan Hao thanks the Great Uncle!”
”Don't stand on the ceremony,” the middle-aged man said. ”I've already informed my three disciples and they're on their way over. I'll personally send you guys the closest I can to the Umbra Kingdom. Remember: always be careful. Don't play the hero if it will lead to your deaths.”
”Lu Hao will heed Great Uncle's advice!”
”Hm, good,” the man nodded, smiling lightly. ”I'll be expecting good news.”
The only reason Lu Hao and Yan Hao were able to quickly rush over to the Main Sect was due to the teleportation formation residing right outside the Umbra Kingdom. Otherwise, with their average speed, it would probably take them roughly 6 years to reach this place without ever even resting for a second. With Wei Hao – Lu Hao's Great Uncle, Core Disciple Hall Master as well as the Main Sect's youngest Elder figure – promising to send them back near the Umbra Kingdom, it meant that their worries were alleviated, otherwise resources required to make a trip back through the teleportation formation would be almost impossible to bear.
The Dying Roses Sect within the Umbra Kingdom was just one of the hundreds of branch sects scattered around the world, usually tasked with either spreading the influence of the Main Sect or pulling in extraordinary talents. Dying Roses Main Sect occupied high position in the world's hierarchy, as it was actually one of the Sacred Ground Sects. The Sect had incredibly long history, dating back all the way to the previous era – Cultivation Era. However, because they rarely instigated conflicts and entered the struggle for power, they never vied for the position of one of the Seven Holy Grounds of mankind. It was one of their principal rules, and they were mostly focused on dealing with mankind's external enemies – primarily Devils from the Hell. One could say that they were the pioneering force when it came to defending against invaders, and had long since took it upon themselves to helm the position of a leader without much dissatisfaction from others. Lu Hao felt rather reassured as with the addition of two Purity Realm cultivators and a peak Mystic Realm cultivator he was more confident in dealing with whatever would be thrown his way.
Currently, within the Umbra Kingdom's Capital, deep beneath the palace, in a massive underground clearing, an eternally spinning, circular flash of light was beaming in bloody red, residual Qi spilling over eating away at the world's Qi bit by bit. The atmosphere was heavy and were any mortal to be placed here, they wouldn't last even a breath before choking and dying on spot. Besides the portal that was a centralized portion of the opening, there were two symmetrical altars depicting a same, three-horned Devil with massive wings and hooves for feet. Suddenly, the Portal flashed in brilliant crimson as a shadow spilled over like water, landing in front of it on the already corroded ground. The figure was almost two meters tall, with dazzling crimson hair flowing freely like blood. Its skin was a mix of black and red, and it had three eyes, one atop the forehead currently closed while the other pair burned in heavy maroon. The figure was bare chested and had simple loin cloth covering from his waist down to his knees. Unlike humans, his feet were hooves and legs gave of metallic sheen, appearing slightly thin when compared to his muscular torso and arms. A few moments later, a rugged breathing could be heard as a figure darted from upward and landed in front of the two-horned Devil, kneeling while shaking.
”G-great Lord… Y-your Servant is-is late… please… punish me!” the figure clothed entirely in black with only a pair of emerald-green eyes revealed spoke in a shaky and frightened voice.
”Rise.” the two-horned Devil spoke in a calm and even, yet harshly commanding, tone. ”Hm, not bad. I could probably sustain myself for roughly four breaths while fighting here, thirty or so while idle. Nobody realized that the Portal has been completed?”
”N-no, Great Lord,” though he was pardoned, the black-clothed figure didn't dare rise from his knees or even rise his lowered head to look at the two-horned Devil in the eyes. ”At most, some hidden forces and spies would suspect that it is halfway completed.”
”Looks like Exalted One's Formation is functioning marvelously,” the two-horned Devil said in a worshiping tone. ”As expected. What is the status of the corrupted?”
”All according to the Great Lord's plans.”
”You can put the little one as a figurehead after the initial phase is done,” the two-horned Devil said. ”As for the other two… humph, they think they can get free lunch from Us? Exalted One has warned me that we will hit a few obstacles during the initial phase; though I can't say for certain to what degree, He said that if we do our best, it would be no trouble to complete the initial plans. Send those two to investigate any possible retaliation and if need be force them to exterminate any opposition.”
”It will be as the Great Lord decrees.”
”Hm, not bad, you've already reached the Purity Realm in a few years,” the two-horned Devil said, nodding his head lightly. ”Looks like it wasn't a mistake to send you over. Any important issues to report?”
”I am ashamed to say, but a tiny branch of Dying Roses Sect evaded our eyes until recently,” the black-clothed man said, a clear hint of bitterness in his voice. ”By the time this lowly one got the wind of it, they relocated. There is a great chance that they will be informing their Main Sect soon.”
”… humph, those inbred dogs,” the two-horned Devil spoke harshly, his voice full of killing intent. ”Their last campaign over to our home costed us a lot. It is high time we repaid the favor. Don't worry about them. At most, they'll send a few Purity Realm puppies. If they dare make a stir, just activate the talisman and I'll rush over. Exalted One has been planning this operation for hundreds of years, and my territory won't be the one to screw things up.”
”This lowly one is reassured with Great Lord's promise!”
”Oh, right,” the two-horned Devil said suddenly as though he remembered something. ”Exalted One was informed by the Revered Origin Ancestor that someone has begun cultivating the last Writ - mpyrean Writ>. Though it is probably someone from the Great Descent as they're the only ones who've been vying for the last Writ over the past millions of years, it may not necessarily be so. Exalted One has asked everyone to keep an eye out just in case.”
”Ah! This lowly one understands!” the black-clothed man's eyes flashed with deep surprise as he said. ”It's just…”
”Speak!”
”This lowly one has only ever heard of the mpyrean Writ>,” the black-clothed man spoke carefully. ”But has never learned how to recognize its Bearer.”
”Hm, it's understandable you hadn't,” the two-horned Devil said with a sigh. ”Even We only have a few clues We've deciphered from the Ancient Texts. Though most other signs are uncertain, one is definite: it is the only Writ which is yet to submit to the Gaia's Qi, meaning that its bearer would cultivate Qi of Entropy. It should be easy for you to recognize it as its roots reject both the Gaia's Qi and Devil God's Qi.”
”Ah, this lowly one understands! Thank You, Great Lord, for clearing it up!”
”Don't worry about it,” the two-horned Devil said as he turned around, preparing to walk back through the Portal. ”No force will allow Writ's Bearer to grow unless the Writ submits to Gaia. Even if we do find the Bearer by accident, we needn't lift a finger except informing humans and watch them slaughter each other. That will be all. Keep me informed.”
”Yes!”
A mere flash later, and the two-horned Devil disappeared back through the portal. Black-clothed man only got up after a few minutes of kneeling, completely wet from head to toe due to fright. After all, the two-horned Devil wasn't just an ordinary Devil; he was one of the most feared Devil Variants, Godfiend. Though he was just recently ascended one, he was still a genuine Godfiend – a being comparable to a human's Deus Imperium cultivator, a being in human world akin to a god, one at least at 1250 Level.