33. Schemes that Got Together III
In the cultivation world, when someone is killed, no one would bother except the deceased's love ones. The only time it matters is when the dead is a powerful or influential figure.
A century ago, a small scale disappearances of Alchemists or Alchemy apprentices started in a small town within Amkayan Municipality. Not many cared at first but as years passed, these cases became more and more frequent slowly spreading towards neighboring cities, then expanded throughout multiple municipalities, then towards nearby provinces.
Cultivators with sufficient mental strength are already rare and for them to go missing on a large scale, it invited the attention of Power Houses.
At the border of Amkayan Province far south of Minten'az Province exists a powerful demonic Elven faction called Tez Cerva'an Sect.
Fifty years ago, the case of missing Alchemists had reached their territory. Elven reproduction when compared to humans is like comparing a turtle and a rabbit in terms of speed. Leave a human village and let their citizens get busy for a hundred years, their population growth can rival towns which then becomes cities if left for another century. The reason Tez Cerva'an as a demonic sect is found near the border of human province is that it is strategically located so if they need blood sacrifices, they have nearby human settlements to go hunting with.
However, fifty years ago, the hunting area has been reversed that even among their promising disciples have gone missing.
Majority of humans are not aware but almost all of cultivation practices are based on Elvens. So, when the missing cases reached their territory, the elders of Tez Cerva'an did not have to dig deeper to understand what this case was up to.
It took Tez Cerva'an ten years to determine the culprit and the location of the offerings however at that time, Bang-et Royal family intervened. It was surprising that the royal family did not apprehend the real culprit but exterminated a neutral Elven clan and even spread news that this Elven Clan was the perpetrator and even framed them of amassing forces to overthrow the royal family.
Tez Cerva'an Sect continued their observation for another decade and though the cases of missing Alchemist and apprentices have significantly decreased, the type of flames planted on the offerings had been changed from Human to Earth Class.
They have not found any indication of the royal family taking actions which lead them to a certain conclusion. They believed that the Royal Family were pretending like they were unaware and allow the growth of the Essence Flame and will seize it later when the time is ripe.
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Confident that the royal family will not further investigate during the growth period, Tez Cerva'an Sect started their own version of abductions and fed the lion in secret until the day when they can finally reap the rewards.
From their estimate, the beast should need at least three more session before it evolves but for some reasons, the advancement prematurely triggered.
Having killed Chung Har’an and Dal In, the Elven Nascent expert summoned more than twenty dark and tall pillars properly positioning them to form an Isolation and Defensive Formation.
When he saw the Flame Horned Lion approaching its second meal, he descended and found a spot at least a hundred meters away from the helpless boy and started activating the array causing the pillars to release thick smoke covering the area within five kilometer radius.
Meanwhile, Clay knelt on the ground. He felt dizzy and started to lose consciousness. He could feel the other Essence Flame that has been unsealed by his master and over powered his original flame and slowly taking roots towards his Qi Nodes.
Earlier, he tried summoning multiple Qi Projections in an attempt to release the surging energy but he realized a bigger problem. The unknown Essence Flame in his dantian is devouring him from inside.
Even on this state, all his senses had been raised to maximum level and while he was figuring out a way to expel the flame, he felt a dreadful and horrifying aura.
“Please, help me!”
When Clay looked up, he saw a terrifying horned beast head with its mouth salivating as it stood on top of a boulder near him. With a single glance, he could tell the beast is ready to pounce at him.
“Please, help me!”
Clay helplessly cried for his master’s mercy. He is already on the state of being turned into ashes yet another bigger threat showed up.
SWISH!
The beast did not roar nor released a sound and jumped towards him.
Clay is on the verge of collapse but his body went into fight and flight state causing his mind to go into a trance. Time seemed like it stopped.
Clay knew he could not run and there is no weapon in his ring and he was certain that the offensive technique he learned is useless.
He then recalled the scrolls he inscribed. He had been meaning to test it but he does not know if this will create a subspace or will tear space but if it does, he hopes this would allow him to escape even if it means being teleported to an unknown location.
When Clay saw the lion jumped, he immediately retrieved a scroll from his ring and pointed it towards the descending beast.
Clay poured his Qi to activate the inscription on the scroll however it was interrupted as the surging continues to rampage within his meridians causing him to lose control. Clay imbued his Qi one more time causing the scroll to release a blinding light and for a split second, he heard a sound.
PHSSSKK!
Clay did not know what happened but if someone was able to witness the momentary explosion, they would notice the space being torn and while the size is a tiny little dot, the sheer amount of force it created was enough to vaporize anything around it.