Chapter 55: RAID, PILLAGE, BURN

Chapter 55: RAID, PILLAGE, BURN

Xue Tie exits the throne room once again after getting permission to activate his contingency plans against the enemy kingdom if they were to go through with something. And it happened. Spirit Hall backed the Balak Kingdom, both increasing their power in the upcoming war but also putting their reputation on the line. So if they lose, then Kian Xunji will face the backlash of this event.

It will be a massive hit to Spirit Hall's reputation and they will take one of few steps to try to fix the situation but Xue Tie isn't worried.

He gathers up his forces, at least the higher level members since he doesnt want any dead weight for his plan. He leaves the castle grounds with the forces in tow. A malicious grin on many of his peoples faces as lots of his higher level members are from Slaughter city. So they are low key sociopaths.

Xue Tie and his merry band make way to the camp sites which are designated for the mercenary camps. To ensure efficiency. Spirit Hall had recruited some mercenaries before they made an announcement, and they are the ones at the camp now. As a former member, Xue Tie is aware of the specific groups and individual mercenaries that Spirit Hall would hire before the laymans and vagabonds join in due to the news.

As such, he knows that the strongest is a Spirit Saint like himself but if all goes according to plan, they would fall under his feet.

(new third person pov)

Kian Niuhing is a level 83 Spirit Saint and leader of the Baruck Boys. A prestigious mercenary band that has an excellent track record. He had been recruited a week ago by Spirit hall to aid the Balak Kingdom against the upstart Sun and Moon Kingdom that had rebelled against the Heaven Dou empire. He was promised a sizable sum for his effort and an assurance that he and his group would not have to face the Titled Douluos at all. Which essentially makes the job easy money.

"Hey Colley (Correy ), did you set up our tents yet?" Gian Niuhing overhears his members talking to the newest member of his group. As a level 35 17 year old spirit master, he is an excellent seed for his group. He doesnt mind a bit of roughshod amongst his people, it builds character. He sits down in his chair and opens up a bottle of sake for him to relax. He pours himself a cup and is about to take a sip when the unthinkable happens.

Multiple explosions ring around all across camp. A moment later yells and cries are heard. The shockwaves knock his sake cup away as he bolts up and towards his camp.

He arrives barely a moment after the explosions sound and he finds his side of the camp is desolate. Corpses everywhere with fire burning the tents. Kian Niuhing is shocked that this could happen under the protection of Spirit hall but he begins searching for both the ones responsible as well as those still alive from his group.

He suddenly hears a yell from a voice he recognizes. "COLLEY" he rushes forward and witnesses something horrible.

A cloaked figure with fire flowing around him like snakes or veins grabs Colley's face with his clawed hand. The person's 2nd spirit ring activates and a moment later Colley's head seeps out a liquid fire that smells heavy of blood from his nose. His eyes pop out and burn from the liquid. The figure shakes his hand to get rid of the blood and fire. As Calley's body falls over, it bursts into a bubble of blood as if his body exploded from the inside (post mortem bleed)

"Dude, you got snot all over my hand. If your gonna look like a bitch boy, you better swallow like a bitch boy. Dumbass"

The words send Kian Niuhing into a frenzy as he summons up his martial spirit Greatsword and is just about to charge at the skull headed figure when he is pierced in the back with a spear. He falls on his knees and spits out blood as he looks up to find a 2nd similarly cloaked figure with fire flowing around him. Except this one has no skull bone on his face and instead is a hood that emits darkness. Preventing him from seeing his opponent's face.

He spits out some more blood and activates his first spirit ring, Creating a sword barrier around him that dislodges the spear from his back. He slowly gets up as the injury is quite bad and already places him at a great disadvantage. The 2nd cloaked figure begins walking away deeper into the camp while the first approaches him.

"Hey there ole buddy, ole chum, ole pal. How are you." A voice that has manually heightened it's pitch to sound different than before. More playful than serious is heard from the first figure.

"Ill kill you, I won't rest until I break open your skull helm and rip out your own skull for me to use to a toilet bowl"

"Ya know, that would be intimidating, if you were well, Intimidating" The voice says an iconic line he heard long ago.

The figure waves their hand behind them as they go in for a punch. Kian Niuhing is baffled as he spots no spirit energy from the punch and is confident it would be blocked but is shocked when the fist breaks through and quickly transitions to grab him by the neck and directly slam him into the ground.

"Hey dandy man, you lost. And now im gonna kill you, by blowing up your stupid fucking head" The first ring is activated and the claws come in for a blow when the figure himself is blown away and flops in the air on top of a sword as Kian Niuhing had used his swords innate skill to shrink it down to dagger length then into a 10ft long sword that although not able to penetrate his targets defenses. Has him hanging on the tip of the sword.

"FUCKING DJINN SIZE ENCHANTMENT. YOU RUINED MY MOMENT. This is the second time in my life that has happened. And that is 1 time too many. So just die" The figure hanging on his sword yells and they hop off and begin closing the distance but Kian Niuhing had enough time to get up and so he activates his 7th, 6th and 5th ring at the same time.

"Sword Aura that pierces the Heavens, Moon-Fang Heaven Piercer" He lifts his sword and with multiple copies of it floating around him. He swings down, sending out a sword slash beam at the figure.

Unfortunately it misses but pierces through the smokey clouds as the figure brings out a pair of raven black wings and quickly accelerates behind him. He is crouched down when he speaks once more.

"Ya know what. If it was any other situation, I would have loved to simply recruit you just for that move but you won't let me live and I don't plan to die so you will have to. I shall pray for your soul as my student uses your body while making references that suit me" The figure cryptidly says and moves too fast for him to process before a pair of clawed fingers stab into his eyes.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHH" Kian Niuhing screams but for a moment as his head explodes from the inside out due to the figures 1st ring. His body is then stored away in a storage item.

`Damn, I got brain matter all over me. On the other hand, Yue-chan should be happy about her new present" The figure who is Xue Tie skips away from the mercenary camp after collecting his spear. While he was having fun, his people had decimated the camp with the help of his martial spirit avatar.

This isn't the only camp he plans to raid today. To avoid conflicts, multiple smaller camps were set up for various mercenary groups to avoid petty squabbles between them rising up on the job but Spirit Hall has a central outpost closer to the Balak Kingdom capital which is in charge of resource management and provisions. He doesnt plan to touch that since he is sure that a titled douluo would be watching over it to ensure nothing wrong happens there but they would take at least an hour to get here if they go full speed, regardless of who it is.

"Wait. does this make Jon Valentine or a more vulgar Alucard? hmmm. more to ponder later." He says as the distracting thought awakens in him. He continues walking while planning.

Xue Tie has his people bring away the supplies from the camp back to the Sun Moon castle and report that the first step is finished.