Chapter 398 Age of Empyrean VII (1/2)
CHAPTER 398
AGE OF EMPYREAN (VII)
Just as Lino had stepped inside the massive formation, Ella had swiftly turned into a flash of light and vanished toward the edge of the Do'r city. Though she appeared to be rushing, her expression was extremely calm and confident. Even she, after all, couldn't see the depths of Lino's strength, and even if he was unable to achieve victory in the end, she doubted they could do much to him to impede him in the long run.
Though in no rush, she still appeared outside the city within less than a minute, coming to a halt immediately. Just as Lino had predicted, they indeed did send out a powerful figure to welcome her -- what startled her, however, was who they sent. She imagined it would be one of the so-called 'Old Monsters', a generational lingo used to describe people that are at the very least older than the current era, but even in her wildest dreams she wouldn't have thought they'd send Hound of the East, the oldest Body Cultivator currently alive, the founder of the top-standing Holy Ground, Heaven's Chosen, and the sole Origin Titular of Body Cultivators, titled rather simply -- Devil Slayer, Y'nn.
Legend has it that, before ascending the steps of cultivation, he'd been an ordinary, human youth whose village was one day invaded by the Hell's Army, killing everyone and destroying everything. He was saved by a wandering Cultivator and eventually led over a thousand expeditions into Hell, killing hundreds of millions of Demons and Devils. Though Ella couldn't confirm how much of it was true, his reputation wasn't empty. She quickly frowned, realizing that Lino truly was right -- that something was terribly wrong. This wasn't merely putting up a facade -- they truly didn't want her to break in.
”... greetings, Sword Maiden. Or did you change your Title?” the man was tall and wide, and though slightly dwarfed by Eggor when it came to muscles, it was clearly intentional. He wore only shorts and nothing else, a massive spear strapped to his back, as large as he was. He had starkly dark eyes and bushy, silver beard, his hair cut in a ring above his ears, leaving only the top growth tied into a small ponytail at the back.
”... why would I change it?” Ella replied with a faint smile. ”I've earned it.”
”I suppose some feel shame more than others.” the old man commented quaintly, pecking at Ella's demons.
”I'd rather not hear a Gaia's slave preach to me of shame,” she said, her voice even and calm like his. ”Seems quite... odd, does it not?”
”I am merely another one of her Children,” the man said, seemingly undisturbed by Ella's words. ”And Children ought to respect and obey their parents. Something, unfortunately, you clearly do not understand.”
”Veil yourself in whatever excuses you want, old Hound,” Ella said. ”Truth of the matter is that you sold everyone who ever looked up to you over to her for the measly Ascension.”
”Measly?” the man's brows arched faintly as he cracked a slight smile. ”Perhaps, in your eyes, it may as well be 'measly'. But... ask that boy, when the time comes, whether it's 'measly' or not.”
”Funny,” Ella smiled suddenly. ”You using those rotted balls of yours to compare yourself to him. His Will alone dwarfs yours, you ancient relic that should have been buried in the sands of time eons ago. You seemed to have forgotten how far deep a hole you had to dig when Eldon claimed your head.”
”Yet, I still live.” the man replied, smiling still.
”Live?” Ella arched her brows suddenly, chuckling. ”You've ceased living the day you bent over to her. You're merely undying, a fate far worse than death.”
”Oh? Are you here to liberate me, then, of my cursed fate?”
”...” second after second, Ella's heart kept growing colder and colder; she could sense that he was merely buying time and humoring her. In any other scenario, that would make sense -- as the world around here simply isn't made to endure the two of them fighting -- but what worried her is that there was no reason to send him of all people out. They could have sent any one of the now-mythical figures... and instead chose him specifically. They've taken everything into account and sent him out in case she truly was much stronger than they anticipated; even if he couldn't win, in that case, he would be almost impossibly difficult to kill in a short period of time. Glancing past him and into the cyan sheen surrounding Do'r, she couldn't help but desire to see past the curtain and peer inside.
”What was it about that boy, Maiden?” the man's voice jolted her back away from her thoughts. ”Nay... what is it about him... that he causes all to become so blinded?”
”--!!!” Ella's eyes suddenly widened as she felt the faint seepage of energy and Qi coming from inside the dome. Those six traces... were terribly familiar. Her body shook as the man in front of her chuckled.
”As impressive as ever,” he said, glancing back. ”Not even a formation of such scale can contain their Qi. I've still ways to go, it seems.”
”... move.” Ella said simply, her voice turning beyond cold and frigid.
”I'm afraid I can't do that.” the man chuckled, shaking his head.
”I said... move.” Ella added, taking out a thin, rapier-like blade and pointing it at him.
”... no.” the man said, withdrawing the spear and holding it in front of him. ”Think about it carefully, Maiden. If we engage... this whole Empire... might cease to exist, alongside tens of millions of lives.”
”... stand aside,” Ella's Will suddenly bellowed out of her like an overbearing beast, covering the entire sky for over a hundred thousand miles across, her eyes shimmering in deep crimson as winds around her stirred awake, bounding her. ”You broken tool.”