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Whoosh- stomp! Whoosh, whoosh...!
Heian Ciemnosc slowly stood on the dark carpet, facing the incoming gigantic Creature. It had feathers and a long tail, which started thick at the base. A pair of legs nearly as thick as its torso and leather wings that impulsed its body upwards to dash forwards. It could fly but was very limited. Its head was like an elongated reptile with thicker volume than thought possible, and its 2 eyes looked ahead ravenously with the pure instinct of bloodthirsty looming over its rationality.
"Boss! Isn't this Creature at its adult stage? It must be at the peak of the Soul Spirit realm!" A cultivator said while pointing at the Creature rushing at them. One of the young girls stood up and asked Heian Ciemnosc with concern, "Will it be okay? Boss is in the 3rd stage after all..."
"Yes, it's no problem," Heian Ciemnosc responded, gaining everyone's attention before they returned to face their front. The Creature was still rushing towards them, and Heian Ciemnosc wasn't moving. He lifted his right arm with dark Neutral Energy falling from his fingertips as a dark energy sword condensed before him to his right.
Pshiiiiift~! The dark energy sword streaked forwards, rapidly approaching the Creature as the First Step cultivators watched with rapt attention. This was the first time their boss, the black monster, faced a predator in the same realm and several stages above his cultivation base, for that matter.
Riiiip~~- pah- tah!
"!!" The dark sword energy flashed forward, crashed against the Creature, and instantly ripped its body apart! It didn't even sound as if it had touched the body of a living being, but paper! It was cut into 2, and as the cultivators' jaws dropped, the Creature's halves gained momentum as the dark carpet gradually halted, and blood flew towards them.
Psshh- splashh, splutter! Obscured red liquid fell everywhere except on the cultivator’s bodies and faces. The dark carpet seemed to form a protective field around them, preventing the Creature’s contents from dropping on them. It was silent for a full minute, which Heian Ciemnosc took advantage of to pick up the carcass and save the yummy ingredients for later. He left some for the Dimension and let a few pieces of flesh and bones to erode on the ground before resuming their trip to the base of operations.
The cultivators didn’t remain surprised for long, and they swiftly sat back down at their spots after processing enough information. They looked at each other and saw the same glints in the others’ eyes… Their boss might really be this formidable!
The coalition’s base wasn’t too far away. Heian Ciemnosc and his dark carpet were constantly seen by scouts, from one side to another, circling and going back and forth to harvest many materials and flora. The fields were one thing, but after Heian Ciemnosc flew towards distant areas and new zones, he found many ores, trees, and other underground items that were free to take.
Now that they were finally reuniting with the rest of the Crimsonbreaking Faction’s people and the coalition, the First Step cultivators were itchy to return and present their harvest to the people in charge of keeping records of all this information, and safe from the enemy’s hands. After all, if one went to battle with all the riches, it would be tremendously stupid. Besides, the Interchanging Dust Dynasty’s devices should already work as intended.
Despite having won many resources and experienced many sightseeing during these 3 months, the First Step cultivators were still itching to fight but couldn’t. They would only face First Step cultivators if a rare situation arose, leaving the fun to the Second Step fellas.
Suddenly… “Boss!”
“?” Heian Ciemnosc looked at the leading youngster, who spoke to him just as he was about to sit back down and continue meditating for another few tens of minutes before arriving at the base. The youngster wasted no time and elaborated, “One of the detection devices sensed movement in one of the forbidden fields to harvest!”
“We’re going. Grab onto something.” Heian Ciemnosc’s darkest eyes narrowed as his Spirit Sense focused on where the leading youngster showed Heian Ciemnosc from a portable panel. Heian Ciemnosc discovered a little rat, a cultivator from the coalition, moving between the tall vegetation of one of the fields they’re not supposed to touch. The dark carpet sped up without warning, and a few cultivators nearly flew off, avoiding such a fate thanks to others who caught them in time.
After they settled on the dark carpet and recomposed themselves, they looked at their boss and saw the same glint in their eyes again. Their boss wasn’t content and became very insulted after such a thing happened. This wouldn’t be good!
WHOOOOSHHH~!
The dark carpet continued flying until 20 minutes later when it arrived at a distant location, which Heian Ciemnosc’s group had passed 30 days ago. The perpetrator should have thought there wouldn’t be any surveillance after so much time had passed and came here hoping to get what nobody else was after.
“... Huh?” A cultivator who was going through the tall vegetation and was picking his 300th stalk of precious flora. He looked up and backwards, only to see the rumored dark carpet fly towards him. He became tense and anxious, planning to flee right away. But, on second thought, after hearing more than ‘the outcast’s’ cultivation base from the Crimsons, he stopped, and his countenance visibly relaxed. He walked outside the field and waited for the dark carpet to arrive.
Whoo- ooosh! Whoosh, whoosh… Tap, tap.
Heian Ciemnosc wordlessly stepped down the dark carpet as it continued to fly downwards. The coalition cultivator looked at the First Step cultivators on the dark carpet, staring back at him with scrutiny, and felt humiliated. How could trifling First Step ants dare look at him with their eyes?!
Heian Ciemnosc landed his feet on the ground and looked at the coalition cultivator without fear. The latter nudged his head upwards at Heian Ciemnosc and loudly asked, "And who might you be?"
"You took things you shouldn't have. Why did you take them?" Heian Ciemnosc ignored the questions and did his own. He walked forwards and stood several meters before the coalition cultivator. The latter's expression became slightly ugly, being ignored and questioned instead. He immediately sent his aura to bump against Heian Ciemnosc, attempting to hurt and intimidate the outcast.
"!" The First Step cultivators, still on the dark carpet, became tremendously surprised when they saw the coalition cultivator's move. However, their faces were shocked as they not only noticed the coalition cultivator's aura not hurt them with its remains, but Heian Ciemnosc was standing there like nothing had happened!
"Boss's aura is weaker than that guy's! How can this happen?" - "That guy must be a realm above our boss... The Light or Dark realm... Boss is... this powerful?!"
"Why did you do that?" However, the cultivators behind Heian Ciemnosc didn't have a chance to question and debate with each other more, as their boss asked the coalition cultivator calmly and with a reprimanding tone.
"..." Everything became silent out of nowhere. The coalition cultivator's face hardened, and he looked at Heian Ciemnosc in a way no one would if more people were around. The First Step cultivators felt pressured out of nowhere, and they felt like what might be a terrible incident was about to happen. But just then... several figures flew towards them, each in their Fighters from the distant sky. The first to arrive stopped tens of meters above the coalition cultivator's head as a dozen cultivators flew down from them.
"What is happening here?" An imposing voice sounded from a young man who took the coalition cultivator's side and stood on his right. The young man's words and siding made the former feel relaxed and as if he had gained heavy support. Heian Ciemnosc narrowed his eyes, looking at them, and slowly spoke as the other figures were flying closer towards them. "I am the one interrogating here. Your buddy stole from the Interchanging Dust Dynasty. Your emblems say you are in the coalition, so... why are you acting like you're not?"
Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.
"..." The opposing young man became tensely silent as he recognized Heian Ciemnosc and understood what happened. He granted the cultivator a fleeting glance before taking half a step forward and communicating to Heian Ciemnosc, "This is a misunderstanding, but it was just that. My buddy here only took a few stalks from the field. The damage is done, so how about we leave it here?"
"If I don't?" Heian Ciemnosc didn't even bother refuting the young man's claims when at least 1% of the field lacked consistency, and the tall vegetation had an evident gap. He simply asked that question and gave no fucks, making the young man before him grow increasingly tenser.
The young man took another half step forwards, and his aura raised as his cultivation base exerted pressure in the air, slowly making its way down to Heian Ciemnosc's shoulders. "There's no issue here. I will deal with it. This matter is over now. Leave it be, or else."
"Give me the stalks, or none of us are leaving here early." Heian Ciemnosc stood his ground and looked straight into the young man's eyes, whose aura immediately lunged downwards at Heian Ciemnosc. Heian Ciemnosc could smell some Elemental particles from the notion, but he still didn't more. The cultivator was at the Light realm 2nd stage, while this young man had a cultivation base of the Dark realm 7th stage. Meanwhile, Heian Ciemnosc didn't have more than a few days in the Soul Spirit realm 3rd stage.
Whooosh~~! Thud~~- wang~!
Suddenly, a figure flew from the sky, still far from their location, and rushed towards Heian Ciemnosc. It halted in midair, 10 meters before reaching Heian Ciemnosc's side and slowly floated down to land on his left. The figure had black eyes, black hair, was Human, and white skin. When he landed on Heian Ciemnosc's left, he stared directly at the young man on the other side.
"Now, what are you doing here? I don't remember any scout being set here or a harvesting group. Why is it only one person who has entered one of the forbidden fields to harvest from, but many others defending him? What is going on, exactly?"
"E- E- Elder Brother Riquel, you're here?" The young man struggled to respond like an intelligent being before finally speaking. Riquel, Heian Ciemnosc's old pal, looked at the young man and shook his head. "Do you think you can question me? Here I am, welcoming a dear comrade, but you focus your attention on me? And what about this idiot at your side? Was I and the other coalition leaders not clear enough?!"
"!" The young man became visibly awed. He looked between Heian Ciemnosc's face and Riquel's before bowing and immediately holding the cultivator's hands in a lock beside him. "I'm sorry, Elder Brother. This is a misunderstanding, I-" The young man went on, but Riquel elevated his voice again and put on a fiery expression, "Get lost! You'll be interrogated upon returning! Now, get going!!"
... Whoosh! The young man trembled before bowing and immediately flying back to the Fighters his group came from. They dashed towards the base, leaving a bunch of confused First Step cultivators behind and Heian Ciemnosc and Riquel together. Riquel placed his right forearm on Heian Ciemnosc's left shoulder and looked at the latter with some swag.
"So, how was my entrance?" Riquel smugly asked Heian Ciemnosc. Heian Ciemnosc looked at him with a helpless expression. Riquel's cultivation base was at the Light ream 9th stage, very high and astounding for him, as their ages weren't that far from each other, and he was just not as talented as others like the Tenos, Yuns, or even Kilah.
"Fancy," Heian Ciemnosc answered. Riquel grinned victoriously and looked at the First Step cultivators he brought to a harvesting trip. "Wow, you really did kangaroo for these kids, huh?"
"Kids? You weren't that old several decades ago. Careful with what you say." Heian Ciemnosc shook his head and interjected. Riquel opened his mouth helplessly, not believing Heian Ciemnosc would backstab him at this moment. Nowadays, few dared slight him, and everyone treated him with respect, accordingly. But he didn't see Heian Ciemnosc the same way. Riquel stared at Heian Ciemnosc for several seconds before finally breaking the awkward, bro-to-bro moment.
"Siiigh, tsk. You know... I never figured you'd be this handsome and slow in cultivating. How disappointing. Hey, did you fall off?"
"No, I was too busy dancing with women you don't even have the chance to speak with," Heian Ciemnosc answered, taking Riquel's arm off his shoulder with fashion. Riquel was dealt a critical bow and was stunned for various moments. "Hey! I came to save you, and this is how you reward me?!"
"..." Heian Ciemnosc walked a few steps away but stopped and turned around with his head and extended neck leading the motion. He stared at Riquel silently before saying, "No, I'm sorry. I'm not like that."
"..." Riquel was truly beaten down this time. He looked back at the cultivators, noticed they weren't trying to peer into their conversation and grew relieved. But just then, a blatant, raw voice shouted at them from the sky before he could save himself.
“Hey! Heian Ciemnosc! Long time no see!” Following that voice was an explosive might that flew towards them. Heian Ciemnosc looked up, but he already knew what was up. Even then, he still saw Yun Tang flying towards them with an expansive smile and probably intending to slam against them. In a last-minute moment-effort to show Riquel that he forgave him for nothing, Heian Ciemnosc pushed Riquel as his fingers pushed the latter’s arm while Heian Ciemnosc himself flew to the side.
WHOO- ppuuuuummmm!!
Yun Tang’s body barely flashed before their eyes as Riquel felt grateful after his body immediately flew 20 meters from Heian Ciemnosc’s pure bodily strength. Yun Tang created a long crater that looked more like a burrow poorly done. Heian Ciemnosc landed his feet smoothly 300 meters away, while Riquel drifted through the ground a few seconds before stopping, only using a slight quantity of Neutral Energy.
“... I’m fine!” While Heian Ciemnosc and Riquel waited, Yun Tang struggled slightly to come out of his long burrow. When he soared up the surface, his body was a little dirtied, but his jaw was open, and the corners of his mouth expanded. Yun Tang stepped towards Heian Ciemnosc, intending to destroy his life and aspirations with a bear hug. Heian Ciemnosc could tell about this, but he couldn’t drive away from Yun Tang for a second time. Once was already pushing him to loneliness, that wasn’t okay…
Whooosh!! THUD! HUG!
Heian Ciemnosc barely saw a shadow move towards him as Riquel watched from the side before his arms were hugged by the tall tower, not taller than him, but more robust with more muscles to show. Heian Ciemnosc was tightly locked by Yun Tang as the First Step cultivators looked with rapt attention, recognizing the incredibly Gifted cultivator torturing their boss.
“Aah! How long since the tournament, eh?!” Yun Tang let go of Heian Ciemnosc and freed the cultivators’ boss. Riquel had already walked over by the time Yun Tang finished his hug and stared at the two fellas with a nod. “Wow, that made me a little jealous?”
“...” Heian Ciemnosc arranged his clothes with dark Neutral Energy and looked at Riquel without spirit in his darkest eyes. Then, Heian Ciemnosc frowned slightly and asked, “Where is Teno? Or Tene? None of them could come?”
“Nah,” Yun Tang responded just as Riquel grew bashful and swung his left hand down. Then, he continued, “After the event, those 2 have begun intense cultivation sessions. Did you know that a young girl surpassed them in just a decade? They’ve been crazy since then. They can’t come out unless they’re at that gal’s level. Right! Yun Nitu is already being taught on her way to becoming the Sect’s next Sect Master and is going through similar schedules. As for me, I came here to find opponents who can force me through my last and maybe breakthrough. Haha!”
“... Indeed,” Heian Ciemnosc looked at the brute and remained silent before praising him with one word. It fitted Yun Tang perfectly. Riquel joined and spoke while his Fighter flew closer to them. “Well, they couldn’t come. But if another situation like this one arrives, we’ll definitely meet each other. They are becoming more challenging as time passed. The other day, just because I was chosen to come here because your participation was confirmed, Teno asked me to spar with him.”
“Mn,” Yun Tang nodded while looking at Riquel, seemingly already aware of the story. Heian Ciemnosc was intrigued and looked at Riquel so he could continue. Riquel internally sighed and said, “I still remember the pain… However, his sister treated me for a few minutes… It was worthy… Hey, black monster, do you think I could have a chance? Can you help m-”
Phisft- boom!
“...” Riquel was blasted off with dark Neutral Energy, letting him feel a bubble of dark water smear around his face. What was strange was that it hurt him a little. He didn’t put any resistance up, and Heian Ciemnosc wouldn’t go all-out to prank him, yet it still hurt. Riquel looked at Heian Ciemnosc, somewhat baffled, and said, with his hands moving to his hips. “You’re really never going to give us a break, huh? Can’t you be a good pal and stop going against reason? Let us feel we have a change, you know? Or something…”
“...” Yun Tang nodded again, this time understanding Riquel’s pain and not just knowing about it. After all, he tried crushing a bone or two from Heian Ciemnosc’s body, but he ended up getting his skin and chest feeling all sore. What were they supposed to feel? It was awful!
“Oh, I think that’s enough. Shall we return to the base?” Heian Ciemnosc said after shrugging his shoulders innocently. The other 2 looked at him and frowned before simultaneously saying, “What return? You aren’t even known there!”
“...” Heian Ciemnosc shrugged again and walked back to his cultivators. They didn’t ask anything and simply entered the Bulldog and Ornament Fighters, respectively, after Heian Ciemnosc took them out of his Covert Space bags. Riquel and Yun Tang returned to theirs and flew them to meet with the others, relaying some news before flying away once Heian Ciemnosc was ready. They adopted a parade formation with Heian Ciemnosc in the center and before him to the sides.
Like this, Heian Ciemnosc finally made his way to the coalition base.
…