ACC Chapter 27 Tribulation(4)

The city was crowded, with streets laden with vendors, mortal and cultivator alike. The roads in the middle of the streets teemed with even more people and carriages, plus wagons, carrying all manner of stuff. From normal grain to demon beast corpses.

All this fell into my eyes from where we were seated, in the third floor of a building, somewhat taller than its close counterparts. Our seating arrangement was by the window, covered with glass, which apparently had ceased to be a mere luxury enjoyed by nobles and cultivators alone.

My gaze left the hubbub below and rested upon Renah, my companion at the table.

Her chin was resting within the palm of her hand, with her black eyes gazing at me attentively.

"You're making me uncomfortable."

"The crimson within your eyes has gotten deeper. During our first meeting, it had been lighter."

"So, what's with the beggar clothing?"

I had already taken in her choice of clothing. Short pants that only covered up to the middle of her thighs, a tattered shirt and a leather belt that appeared to be on the verge of turning into scrap. The sandals adorning her feet were also worn out, as if they had been used repeatedly without being washed.

Then there was the sack resting at her back, tied securely with rope running from one shoulder, cutting between her twin mounds and under her left arm.

"I had been on a journey, into the amazon down south, collecting spiritual plants to facilitate the funds for my breakthrough into the mid-Foundation stage.

I raised an eyebrow at that.

"Are you that talented?" Subconsciously, my tone became high pitched because of the incredulity I was feeling.

"Hehehehehe...if I had chosen to join any sect, I might have directly been appointed core disciple." She bragged.

"Oy! Renah!"

Someone's shout caused a dark expression to overtake her previously cheerful mood.

"Young master Roland, could you please, let me dine in peace? I was catching up with a friend."

A tall youth, appearing to look like a teenager, yet I could tell, through my practice of a blood art that he was at least double that age, had appeared. He was clad in the light green robes of the Gale Sect, with an insignia on the left side of his chest depicting a typhoon.

The moment he had appeared, I had already thought of ways I could escape his attention. Sect babies like him were troublesome, especially those of his ilk, with the two goons standing respectfully behind him.

They didn't jump out to insult, but they were already directing hostile and disdainful gazes towards me.

"Oh! Friend, who might you be?"

The question, containing condescension after giving me a once over, entered my ears, affording me to give partial attention to the brat.

"No one important, Sir. I am just a cousin from a far away land who happened to meet my long lost relative." I calmly answered.

"Cousin...?" The boy chewed on the word, suspicious, about the whole spiel. He looked to Renah, who hadn't shown so much as a flicker of surprise or shock at my absurd words. It was interesting how, without anticipating my words,she didn't reveal any flaw in her facade.

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

"Okay, then. I will leave you two, to it." With that, Roland sauntered off, with Renah letting out a pent up breath afterwards.

"You don't truly believe he bought all that, right?" I inquired.

"Of course not! Why do think am alone? I should have had teammates and the like, but as you can see, there are none."

"He's been chasing them off?"

"Yap! Even women are bought off, or scared off if they muster resistance."

"Since you aren't running off somewhere else, there must be a reason you're still here, right?"

"Its because he has a way to monitor me. If I am not mistaken, the only reason he came running like a dog was simply because his goons spread word that I had appeared with an unfamiliar man."

"That explains the weird gazes when I had been walking with you."

"Can we escape them? You have been around longer than me... Considering the fact that you just blustered your way through the situation." She continued.

"I will let you in on a little secret. Don't ever underestimate any sect!"

"I have never done that." She denied with a pout.

As the server arrived to take our orders, the conversation was paused in favor of ordering. It was also because we wanted to regain our privacy. After all, the man could be a spy.

"I don't mean to disparage you. I was once allowed the honor of stepping into the grounds of a small sect. And do you know what I found? Contraptions created with arrays that made it seem as if the sects were a futuristic version of our world. Have you ever ridden a flying vehicle, an elevator? Or even... No, you can't even begin to fathom their means."

"Why haven't I heard anything about those things?"

"Because they make us swear to the Heavens."

"I will give you an example of something you might not know. You see these identity passes they give out?"

"Wait! If you were sworn into secrecy, won't the oath devour you?"

"Don't worry, it was destroyed by some large sect. The oath was already broken."

"That card in your palm can be used to trace you in case you have done something heinous. How do you think all those that challenge the sects are easily caught? After all, they could just hide in some mountain. But they are all caught without exception!"

"Uncle, don't scare me." Renah gazed at her card as if it was about to attack her.

"That sect brat probably went to check within their records for information about me. Sects do share information about itinerant cultivators after all. And since it has been some time since I last left this region, they will find that we aren't related at all."

"So, what are we going to do? You must have some sort of plan, right?"

"We are going to sneak out of the city, but first, we must lose the flies. But let's first enjoy our meal. That young master won't act today even after he finds out the truth."

-----

Night fell, casting darkness onto the city, leaving only a few torches to light up the roads, and some establishments like brothels, whose patrons were going to stay until morning.

There was a curfew, whereby no one was allowed outside beyond a certain time.

Renah led me along as we skulked around in the shadows making sure to avoid the heavy patrols on the streets. Since I was new in this city, I could only provide some general directions. Only she, who had lived here the longest could lead us to where I wanted us to go.

The goons, two of them, had been slacking off as they didn't expect the two of us to escape. After all, in their eyes, the young master hadn't done anything to spook us yet. That disregard had made it easier for us to escape.

"How are we going to get over those walls?" Whispered Renah as we hid within the shadow of a small home. I could even hear the laughter and bantering of the family within. For a moment, my heart yearned.

Sometimes I wondered whether becoming a cultivator had been the right choice. If I had settled down, gotten a wife and a few kids... Would I be content?

"Uncle!"

"I can hear you very well. Getting above the walls will be easy. One of my self-created techniques would be capable of it. Now, come closer!"

I held her hand and concentrated, activating a reddish haze that settled over us.

After that, I walked out of the shadows, still holding her hand.

"Calm your heart. They won't be able to see us unless a Core Formation is among them."

Once we reached the wall, I asked Renah to get on my back, after which tiny hairs sprouted along my palms and my feet enlarged. I had already stowed my sandals away.

With hurried movements, I started clambering up the wall like a lizard. Activating two different abilities was placing a strain, but I grit my teeth and held on. If we were discovered at this point, there would absolutely be no chance of saving ourselves.

With a leap, I landed atop the wall after making sure that no one was around. Siege weapons lay on the wall, ones capable of launching massive arrows and nets. They were preparations for when a demon beast horde attacked.

Making sure that there were no other people to interrupt our escape, I made for the other side of the wall and started going down, making sure that the red misty shell around us didn't dissipate.

-----

"Where should we go?" Renah asked after a few minutes. We were somewhat far from the behemoth, which appeared to loom within our vision even among the somewhat dense foliage around us.

"Can you survive in the wild like a barbarian for a few years, maybe forever?" I asked.