"Brother Aiden…" Lan Yueya brushed out of the range of the dark tree, blood trailing her footsteps.
"What are you doing here?" Aiden asked, his brows furrowed to the limit as he scanned the injured Lan Yueya's condition. She was dripping blood, her clothes stained with the red hue. Her left hand bore a deep, jagged gash, the result of a vicious encounter with a dark tree's barbed branch. A large portion of her once-pristine robe was now missing, torn away to expose her flat breasts and upper torso. But rather than being a sensual scene, it was a gruesome sight of mangled flesh.
She advanced, carrying the rotten stench of dark trees along with her.
Aiden stepped back, keeping a safe distance between them.
"Why?" she asked, her skin was mottled with bruises and lacerations, each mark telling a story of the ordeal she had endured. The tattered edges of her remaining clothing fluttered weakly in the cool breeze, offering little protection or dignity.
She had emerged out of the different side of the dark forest, so she must have faced some horde of trees Aiden had faced. It was a miracle she came out with her low cultivation levels. She looked pitiful; a gentleman would have rushed to help her.
However, Aiden wasn't a gentleman.
"Brother Aiden…" her voice trailed off as if she was holding her dying breath to see him one last time. She dropped in front of him, her eyes rolling back.
Aiden watched her collapse, kicking up a small cloud of dirt. He could have reached out to break her fall, but he saw no reason to intervene. Her relationship with Mi Tha wasn't clear, so he couldn't take the risk by helping her. And what use he had of her help. If he killed her, he might get a Corpse Bloom out of her.
Aiden remained rooted in place, savoring the cold rush of water from his leather skin. The satisfying gulp was a stark contrast to the oppressive atmosphere of the dark forest. If he could get coffee, that would have been for the best, but he had seen nothing like coffee in this world so far. Stretching his neck, he scanned the energy field, wondering if he should destroy it after all. Placing his palm on the film, he looked for a weak spot.
Suddenly, Lan Yueya shifted. "I thought you would help a damsel in distress." She sat back up, looking unfazed by her own body's condition.
Aiden snorted coldly. "Why would I? You're not a damsel, but an old soul trying to take over a human body. You can't fool me with such tactics." Living in prison for years had taught him many things, and one of them was to not trust his enemies even when they were in desperate situation. Given the choice between killing an injured enemy or letting them succumb to their wounds, Aiden would opt for the latter, conserving his energy. That way, he would save his own energy.
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"You are cruel." She took out a water skin.
Aiden gulped more water, his fingers brushing across the energy film.
"If you heal me, I can take us to the Dark Demon Inheritance. I've a way to break that energy film."
"Dark Demon Inheritance?" Aiden arched his brows.
"You didn't know about the inheritance and yet you cut through the dark forest?" Lan Yueya turned to observe the clear path he had made through the forest. "How did you do that?"
"I've my ways. Tell me more about this inheritance."
She sighed. "Your growth amazes me, Aiden. An otherworldly soul and yet you can grasp things which people haven't grasped for decades."
"Have you already taken over her?" Aiden asked, tossing his leather skin to her.
She poured water over her face, pretending to be busy.
"Let's talk business," she said, drinking more water. "You heal me, and I'll take you to the other side, where we can contend for the Dark Demon Inheritance fairly. Whoever takes the inheritance will get it for herself."
"I'm not interested. Thanks for telling me there's a way out from the other side." Aiden got up and moved to the clearing he had made through the dark forest.
"Wait, it's useful. It will help you reach the peak of the current realm, but moreover, it has an epic skill as a reward."
"An epic skill? Is that a battle skill?" Aiden felt a twig in his stomach. Maybe he should take the inheritance.
Lan Yueya sighed. "I don't know. There are numerous Dark Demon inheritances, and it can contain many skills. If you pass the trials, you will get some battle skills out of this inheritance, that's for sure."
Aiden studied her reaction. If she had come here through the dark forest, that meant this inheritance wasn't something simple. However, she wasn't someone he wanted to deal with like this. This woman was unfathomable, and he didn't understand the extent of her powers.
"Tell me more before I decide." Aiden walked back to the energy film, but his attention was on her.
"If you promise to heal me, I'll tell you more."
"I promise nothing, Mi Tha." Aiden shook his head. If this woman thought he was a naive guy, then she was wrong.
"Please, brother Aiden. If we get this inheritance, we can walk out of this shitty place. Do you know there is a world beyond these three realms, and in that world there are riches you can't even imagine?"
Aiden scoffed inwardly. Riches meant nothing to a dead man, and he'd be damned if he'd dance to Mi Tha's tune. The energy film pulsed before him, almost daring him to act. Without hesitation, he drew back his fist, feeling power surge through his arm. The impact reverberated through his bones as he struck, shattering the barrier in a single, decisive blow.
The shimmering barrier collapsed, coalescing into a massive, gleaming sphere. It rocketed upward, transforming into a colossal column of radiance that blazed across the skies visible from every corner of the realm.
"Bastard, what did you do? Why did you notify others?" Lan Yueya shouted, her eyes growing dark. Her injuries healed instantly as she got up, two wings formed behind her as she shot at him.
She had murder in her eyes.