CHAPTER 504 PREPARED THE SKY PIERCING ARRAY (PART TWO)

Hearing Nick's dilemma, Darren's eyes brightened in excitement. 'Horace and Rocky have a similar

cultivation base of rule cultivation with Nick. They might be able to help, ' he thought.

"Horace, have you arrived?" Determined to have them sooner at the Violet Phoenix Sect, Darren sent a

message through his spiritual sense.

"In a minute," replied Horace shortly.

"Nice. When you reach the palace, please don't tell them who you are. Maybe just tell them you are my

friends or some elders," the worried warrior suggested.

As a precautionary measure, Darren planned to conceal Horace's and Rocky's true identities. The

reason was that he wanted to avoid any unnecessary conflicts that might arise if others knew that they

had been grand-elders from the Red Inferno Sect.

"I see. I understand, sir," replied Horace, who was on their way toward the Violet Phoenix Sect.

After a little while, Horace and Rocky arrived at the hall. Their auras were felt the moment they landed

on the ground. Darren, Jacob, and Nick, all at once turned their heads towards them.

However, to Darren's surprise, the atmosphere had become intense the moment they draw near. It was

as if the sun suddenly hid among the clouds, and the ether started to dim.

"It is you!" Nick's tone was filled with anger. The instant he set his eyes upon Horace, he recognized

him at once.

"Humph, Nick, it's been a long time," Horace greeted the pale-faced Nick. Contemplating Nick's

reaction, Horace and Rocky looked at each other, giving a bitter smile.

"Don't call me by my name. I am surprised that you guys are still alive! Traitors and betrayers of trust!

humph!" Glaring at them, and eyeing them from head to foot at the same time, Nick snorted coldly.

"Yes, Nick, we are still alive, and we are thankful for that. But, Louis, on the other hand, is not lucky

enough that he died," with mournful scorn on his face, Horace answered.

As he was witnessing the exchange of arguments between the elders, Darren was stunned for a while.

Not in a single moment, in the broadest sense of his imagination, did he think that Horace and Nick

were fellow apprentice from the same sect.

"Louis... Did he die? That old man? Bless his soul." Grief flashed in Nick's eyes as he wished for the

perpetual repose of Louis' soul.

"Yes! He was fighting with us when he met his doom. He died an honorable death after all," Rocky

nodded his head while adding to Horace's statements.

At the thought of the horrible death, Louis had gone through, Nick's heart skipped a beat. When they

were in the same sect back then, he was the youngest one. It was his senior fellow apprentices,

including Horace, who all took care of him. He owed them his life and was thankful for the rearing that

he had received from them.

Nevertheless, albeit all the gratefulness he had for them, the other three all betrayed their master, and

he was the only one who remained loyal and stood by the master's side.

"Nick, it has been years. I know you have not forgotten us. But, heed us this time, I have something to

tell you." Motioning Nick to draw near to him, Horace requested with a calm and soothing voice. Yet,

the elder who was firm with his pride did not move a muscle. Thus, Horace persuaded him again,

saying, "It is about our master."

At the mention of their master, Nick yelled at Horace sullenly, "You have no right to call him master!"

After a few moments, however, Nick was convinced, and he went into the chamber following Horace

and Rocky.

Mindful that the whole truth was unknown to them and that what they had heard was just a piece of the

whole, both Darren and Jacob could not say anything about the matter—least judge the elders. All this

time, as the argument commenced, both of them kept their silence and assumed that there was no

need for them to find out the truth.

"What? Was he Master Skull? Are you sure of that? That's impossible! Unbelievable even! He was so

nice, how can he be a homicidal maniac!" Breaking the silence of the halls, Nick's roar came from the

chamber. The uproar made Darren and Jacob turn their heads towards the direction of the chamber.

Their curious minds made them lean their heads a little closer to have a more precise grasp of the

conversation.

To their disappointment, however, the voices were blocked by a rule power; others could not

eavesdrop.

About an hour later, cutting short Jacob's and Darren's impatience, the elders came out from the

chamber. An expression of extreme depression was stretched across Nick's face. It was apparent that

he had learned something unusual and bothersome.

"Nick, we've just told you the truth. Otherwise, we would not join in Red Inferno Sect if that didn't

happen. It was all because of him. However, he honestly considered you as his son, so he did not

torture you cruelly. Rocky, Louis, and I were just his tools. All this time, he lied to you that we betrayed

him. We haven't told you the truth for all these years, because we did not want you to hate him while

you were under his rule. After all, he died a long time ago, so why don't we just let it pass?" Horace

questioned, and he was hoping that Nick would understand the situation and forgive them in his heart.

"Big brother, please stop it here. I get your point, and I don't want to talk about it anymore," looking at

Horace's eyes, Nick replied.

"Good then, that would be fine with me. As you might have known, Rocky and I have become Darren's

subordinates. We will not do anything evil. Let's work together to save those people in his friend's clan,"

reckoned Horace, with a relieved smile spreading over his face.

This time, as they shifted their gaze towards Darren, Nick slightly nodded without saying anything

more.

"Let's start to prepare the Sky Piercing Array. With your help, the power of the Sky Piercing Array will

be greatly increased. Later, we can go there together and use it against the border mutants. Even if

there were two four-star mutants, we would be able to defeat them," assured Nick with all hopes high.

"That would be great. Let's start then. Darren, please wait for six more hours." Belongs © to .

"Okay, I will do that. Thanks, elders," With his hands cupped and his head bowed, Darren expressed

his gratefulness towards the elders. Reciprocating his gesture, Horace, Rocky, and Nick made a slight

bow and then left to refine the crystal core of the Sky Piercing Array.