26 Chapter XXVI: Worthy of Ten Thousand Deaths

My body sank through the shallow levels of the lake into the middle depths. The light of the world became dimmer yet ethereal. Looking towards the surface, it slightly resembled the northern light. Despite the rapid submersion, the scene brought a scene of peace and tranquility to my mind. My mind went still lake in the summer absent a breeze.

While I began my quest to conquer the mysterious lake, the outside world had continued to move by its own will, working to weave the fates of those close to me but at a much slower rate than time within the Lunar Temple.

Once the Temple Spirit had taken an interest in me, the barrier that was erected was birthed from a time delation array of an intricate and grand design.

Just thinking about the time dilation still astounds me as the array was unmatched, built with the perfect concept of time and space. As an Immortal, I have seen greater skills, but for such an expert to hide their legacy in the Deep South where Qi was thin and polluted, many lands barren, and hopeless mortals roamed, is an awesome twist of fate.

While two months had passed in the Lunar Temple, two weeks had gone by in the outer world.

-Night Empire, Capital Center Square-

"The barrier will not fall until it runs its course." Said Gellis.

"And what exactly is its purpose?" Situ Ren asked, " This has never happened before."

"Ren, relax…" Xiong Xinya sighed, her son had received his emotional personality from her husband. "It must mean that they have achieved something that no one else has achieved before. Whether this is good or bad is to be determined. But if anyone makes it out, I'm certain their gains will be many."

My father and the inner circle sat in a room after collecting all of the information they could on the mysterious barrier. Even for my parents, born on a Continent leagues above the South, in a family with ancient pedigree, my father had never encountered such an array and it was far beyond his capabilities to understand.

My mother sat next to him and held his arm. No one could tell, but mother had long noticed the worry and anxiety that cloaked my father. Though he held it together well, Situ Ren's blatant emotions made it hard for him.

My mother squeezed his arm and my father blinked a few times before he stood up. " Xiong Xinya is right. All we can do now is wait for the barrier to fall and trust in our children's ability and potential. For now, we have jobs to do. Situ Ren, find something to distract yourself. Everyone else. Continue with the city repairs"

"General." Hu Yin called out.

With the changes in the Night Parade. The rank of Captain was created and placed above Lieutenant. A rank that Hu Yin now held as she breakthrough to the Houtian Realm and accumulated many achievements during the war. She was invited into the most sensitive meetings while many people were being reassigned whether it was rank or position.

"Hmm?" my father replied.

"The matter of sealing the palace to enter the next phase." She politely spoke.

"Have the candidates been selected?" He asked.

"With the exception of the Imperials, I received the complete list from you and the three generals."

"Then commence the advanced training for the Night…"

The Palace suddenly rumbled and the explosion resounded from the steppes of the palace.

Everyone looked towards the commotion and each of the eyes shined as they inspected the commotion meticulously with the aid of their cultivation.

"Hu Yin. You and General Situ handle this. General Ironwood, find out how they made it hear without warning. Their cultivation isn't that high." My father and mother then made their way deeper into the palace, unbothered by the intruders.

"Hu Yin, you go first. Ironwood, seal off the palace and maintain order." Situ Ren Issued orders.

The room dispersed and prepared to handle the situation as Situ Ren's eyes remained locked on the sky at two figures easily missed.

"You see them too?" His mother asked.

"Hmm." he nodded, " They have our Xiong Light affinity. And it's much more intense than either of us."

Situ Ren referred to the Light element that he and his mother cultivated. An affinity that Xiong Xinya received from her father.

"Remember, Orym wants peace. We move only if we need. I'll be waiting." Xiong Xinya finished as she activated her movement skill and vanished, leaving Situ Ren alone.

In front of the Palace, Hu Yin appears and orders the guards to step back as they had their spear, sword, and arrows aimed at the Eldest Prince of the Twin Kingdom and his friends.

"What you have done is worthy of ten thousand deaths. But the Night Empire is merciful. Identify yourself." Hu Yin spoke firmly with building momentum like a tiger gearing up to pounce.

"Hahaha, you puny scum. Cultivate for 100 more years and maybe you may be worthy enough to know my name." The Eldest Prince replied looking around for his aunty, paying no attention to Hu Yin.

"Bring out Ingrid. This Dark Prince is here to take her!" His voice boomed, amplified by his essence.

In the palace, Situ Ren smirked. 'Pull back' he spoke softly but his words were well received by Hu Yin. She then waved a hand, the palace guards took a few steps back.

In Ingrid's courtyard, her maids looked at her with worry. Taking out the King's envoys was one thing. But the Eldest Prince and his backers was something that even the council of Kings didn't dare do.

"It's come to this." Ingrid sighed, " then it's best to face it head-on. Hopefully, this can end without blood."

"We'll be the one's bleeding" a maid mumbled and received a deadly glare from Ingrid that startled her and provoked a cold sweat.

"The Emperor arranged my marriage. Situ Ren isn't the type to disobey. I'll just have to draw a clear line and make my allegiance known, right now."

Ingrid rose from the ground like a fairy and appeared in front of her nephew in a matter of moments. The moment he saw her, he gushed and his eyes sparkled.

"Dark Prince?" Was the first thing Ingrid said, " I take it that you caused more trouble? He stripped you of everything?"

"Hmm." the eldest prince nodded sheepishly as he thought his aunt was going to scold him again. Then he received the shock of his life.

"Ahh, then you should return to the War God Sect. This place no longer has anything for you." Ingrid replied completely aloof.

Behind the shocked exiled prince, his friends laughed beyond amused.

"B-but…"

"Eamon… Go back to your sect. I'll be fine here, I can handle my own affairs." Ingrid explained.

Suddenly a hand fell on Eamon's shoulder and poisonous words slithered into his. Eamon's hand balled into a fist so tight the low sound of bones under stress were emitted.

Eamon moved like the wind and took hold of Ingrid before her maidens could react. Jake and Derek, Eamon's friend then moved. A single punch and kick cleared the Queen's maidens out. As the maidens tumbled and rolled, the overbearing boys released their cultivation, silently threatening everyone who watched.

'Xiantian Realm… Hmm...Mother, it's our turn.' Situ Ren phased out.

A moment later, Situ Ren and Xiong Xinya appeared. Blood splattered across the courtyard and Eamon was thrown aside as Situ Ren took Ingrid into his arms and retreated.

Once the realization of what happened set in, Eamon produced a blood curling scream of pain.

"You dare touch a daughter of my Situ Clan?!" Xiong Xinya roared.

"Humph, old bitch at the second stage of Xiantian. I have juniors stronger than you." Derek hissed.

The two boys rushed in with the intent to kill. The light around Xiong Xinya and Situ Ren fluctuated and the two boys confidently struck the earth where the mother and son once stood.

Just as they realized what happened, a low cold voice sent chills up their spine.

"Radiant Javelin: Great Deluge!" Xiong Xinya's essence flared and a downpour of light constructed javelin appeared in the sky before falling to the earth with a single area of contact.

"Presumptuous!" The sky cracked like thunder.

Two old men appeared and a great seal was conjured faster than anything Xiong Xinya had ever seen before. Her attack hit the protective seal like light rain droplets on a window. The power of the javelins splattered across the seal before being absorbed.

The sight was beyond any skill that they had ever seen. It worried my mother.

"Fei Rong! Go!" My mother shouted from within the palace.

Like a shooting star. Fei Rong appeared as Xiong Xinya's energy that was absorbed and tripled was sent back at her. Fei Rong stabbed her spear into the ground and a dome of spear intent was conjured.

As the energy hit, it left Fei Rong and Xiong Xinya on a small island in the middle of molten rock.

"Foundation Establishment… You dare walk into this Great One's Empire?" Fei Rong's voice carried the might of a peak Foundation Establishment expert, driving the old wolves to their knees.

"Speak!" Fei Rong commanded.

The men grunted. Their cultivation erupted and they rose with the intent of fighting Fei Rong.

"Gellis, something isn't right." My mother spoke while watching from her meditation mat in the core area of the palace.

"I know." my father replied. "Even if the little prince was talented. So are the boys he's with. Why risk them for the sake of the little prince's onesided love."

"Arrogance? Pride?" My mother asked.

"No. Doesn't make sense. It has something to do with Ingrid." My father reasoned. "Fei Rong, kill the boys."

"Yes, Lord." Fei Rong spoke as two spears made of spear intent sped past the old men. Their seal barely managed to protect the young talents. That is until two more spears were conjured and shattered the seal before skewering the boys like kababs.

Blood spurted from their moths and the old men shouted desperately. The boys then exploded as tyrannical spear intent shredded them to a thick crimson pulp.

The old men finally realized who they were up against. As Outer Court Deacons, they held a lofty status, but that status meant nothing to a strong country bumpkin that paid no attention to their backing. They had no idea that the 'country bumpkin' they were fighting held a status superior to them and just didn't care who they were.

Either way, Fei Rong was too much for them to handle. Naturally, they tried to flee and earned chuckles from Fei Rong. An air current locked onto the fleeing man and sent them back to Fei Rong as she met them half away, bisecting them with a single swipe of spear.

This was the terror of the Imperial Protector, the Wind Deamoness of the Spear, Fei Rong. Everyone watching inhaled sharply and struggled to exhale. The scene was too vicious. They had heard Fei Rong clearly say Foundation Establishment, yet she had killed two under their protection and destroyed them with a single move.

"H-how?!" Eamon shouted, his sanity slowly slipping.

All of his friends were dead, his arm was lost, and the deacons were destroyed. He was at a loss of what was happening.

When all eyes fell on Eamon, Ingrid was the first to speak. "Spare him…" she said.

Everyone shared an incredulous look. Such a woman becoming the lady of the Situ Clan. The established Clan heading the Martial Hall. It was their job to cultivate strength in the Night Empire and hunt enemies. To brazenly storm the palace, strike their people, and disrespect the Night Empire is a death sentence without discussion.

"Girl! That's not how this works." Grandma Xiong pointed at Eamon and a focused light beam blew a hole in his head, then set his body on fire like an ant under a magnifying glass.

Everyone sighed in relief. Enemies shouldn't be spared if can be helped.

Fei Rong collected their interspatial rings then ordered the bodies disposed of. On her way back into the palace, her voice was transmitted to Lord Ironwood and Primrose.

"Watch the Queen's Maiden's closely. Primrose, find out the cause of this nonsense. Our Lord wants answers before his son returns."

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While the commotion of the outside world died down, Wu Zexi opened her eyes after three hours of meditation beside the soul lake. Her gaze was complicated.

"Master…" she sighed.

She held up her hand in front of her face and took a good look at them.

'They're nothing like his' she thought as a memory of her applying medicine to my blistering hands came to mind.

'Not once have I ever heard him complain or joke about quitting. Even now, he dives into the mysterious abyss with nothing but hope for my future. I have to do better, endure more… I can't let him down.'

Wu Zexi became determined and her will sharpened as she grabbed her Miaodao and rose to her feet. By herself, void of the fear and caution she once held, Wu Zexi walked away from the lake hoping to meet me again as a stronger warrior and better servant worthy of my efforts and care.