Hello, dear readers! Here's chapter 126 part 1! Hope you're enjoying the development so far.
This week: I've been started modifying the way I write since last week. So, I write more each day, but I don't even go near my story during the weekend. That way, not only m I more productive, but I can also mentally disconnect for a few days each week. So far it's been working well, but we'll see if it lasts in the long term.
Other interesting fact: I just checked on the 'edit page' for my novel on RR, more specifically in the tag section and I saw a big warning box under the sexual content tag saying that if the sex scenes are too excessive, the novel will be banned from the site. Now, I shouldn't be affected since the ratio, R18 chapters/Normal chapters is heavily skewed toward the latter, but in my opinion it's hinting at something I don't like at all, especially since I've been censored on Patre0n recently. So, just a heads-up for you all, don't be surprised if I have to, at one point, delete the R18 chapters to keep my story on RR. I'm not saying that will absolutely happen, but many sites seem to follow that trend lately. Let's pray I'm wrong.
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Bright Star City, Bright Star Island, Flowing Stars Archipelago, Earth
Omniscient P.O.V.
As Demian's seemingly innocuous question resounded in the air, the atmosphere turned even tenser, with all those witnessing the scene feeling a shiver of fear course through their bodies, and those with weaker cultivation subconsciously taking a few steps back. Though one may think they were overreacting, who knew if that seemingly gentle but clearly ruthless young man would not use them as an example? Granted, the chances were low, but what if? None of them was ready to gamble with that Young Lord's 'breadth of mind'. What they were not aware of was that Demian's nonchalant appearance was actually just a front to hide his uneasiness. Yes, he had killed before. Also, yes, the crippled scum lying on the floor clearly deserved his fate for a simple reason: If that man acted the way he did with Demian's group while being weaker than the latter, would he really act like a proper gentleman with weaker cultivators? Clearly not! Though Demian had no real proof for his guess, he was pretty certain that the number of innocent people that man had hurt in the past was certainly high, accruing some bad karma, if that kind of thing even existed, until today when 'he reaped what he sowed'. With all that being said, Demian was not an unfeeling psychopath—not yet, at least—, but simply a man who was forced to adapt to a ruthless world. Fortunately, his Will had been tempered a lot since he started his cultivation journey, so although not feeling completely comfortable with their actions, the thought of what those men would have done to the women he loved dearly if his power was insufficient not only helped him get over his reluctance, but also see that 'performance' to the end. Taking a deep breath, the young man then said out loud, his smile vanishing, replaced by a cold expression as he declared. "Since all of you were merely followers, I'll only cripple your lower core. This is all the mercy you'll receive from me." Hearing the word mercy, all of those targeted wanted to ask, 'You call that mercy?!', but seeing the main instigator's state, most clenched their teeth to avoid giving that ruthless Young Lord a reason to inflict them with the same injuries. Though they would probably never be able to cultivate again, and may even lose some lifespan, it was still much better than being a complete 'vegetable'. Seeing the group's reactions, Demian's deep blue eyes shone with a strange glint before he added. "Seems like you're not as stupid as you look." Shaking his head, he continued. "Let's get it over with. We've got other places to be." As soon as those words left his lips, the Water Elemental Energy, ever-present in Bright Star City due to its proximity to the Inner Flowing Stars Sea, seemed to come alive, forming some small swords around each one of those 'sinners' lying powerlessly on the ground. Each sword emitted powerful fluctuations that did not match the young man's seemingly low cultivation base, eliciting a few shocked thoughts in many knowledgeable cultivators' minds. 'Fully converted Elemental Energy and Entry-level First-Grade Water Intent with only Peak Chi gathering Rank cultivation. Where did this monster come from?' Indeed, only a handful among them recognized the Serene River Mansion's emblem, with most being clueless. The only thing that was certain was that a Force capable of nurturing such a talented man could not be weak. If it were not the case, someone would have intervened before it escalated to that point. Thus, the Serene River Mansion emblem was firmly remembered by those people, along with the notion that those people should never be offended, no matter the reason.
As a myriad of thoughts appeared in people's minds, those floating swords were poised to penetrate those people's Lower Core. However, before they did, a surging Aura fell on Demian's body, hindering his Inner Energy circulation, while a female voice boomed in everyone's ears. "That's enough. The culprit has been dealt with. There's no need for further bloodshed." While speaking, the woman in question suddenly appeared close to the young man, whose movements were heavily impaired, her face a mask of indifference, though Demian could sense some wariness directed at him through his Soul Sensing Skill, making him ponder. 'Low Core Formation, uh? Why is she intervening now?' Indeed, the woman was part of those several people with cultivation a full Rank above him who had been observing the situation from the beginning. Of course, his Soul Sense was too weak to perceive their presence 'normally', and it was only because their attention was directed at his group that his Sensing Soul Skill was triggered, making him aware of their existence. Besides the one with malicious intentions, the rest were either indifferent or annoyed, and though he sensed some jealousy coming from one cultivator in particular, it was not strong, and thus Demian never expected them to act before the 'show' was over, especially with Wang's previous assurance. As for the puppeteer behind the scenes? The most likely scenario was his disappearance. After all, none of the people present were fools, and if that person pushed their luck, the consequences would most likely not be in their favor. That was why Demian felt surprised at the woman's sudden appearance. What was even stranger was the fact that she did not even spare a look at those lying on the ground, as if they did not exist. 'Could she be acting on someone else's order?' Demian wondered, his guess coming from the fact that the attractive brown-haired woman with Eastern European features and generous curves wore a suit very similar to the one worn by the Protector General they had met the previous day. Naturally, not only were the fluctuations her outfit emitted much weaker than the General but the emblem on the left breast's location was also different. Instead of the five white, five-pointed stars and golden sun, the woman had only four of those stars, and each of their core was empty. As for what her Rank was, he had no clue. Fortunately, his question was immediately answered when Wang Xiong appeared by his side along with Bryn—the latter's whole attention directed toward the newly arrived woman, wondering how they should act if things were to go south—before exclaiming. "Serene River Mansion's Deputy Guard Leader Wang Xiong greets the Junior Protector Lieutenant." Speaking of that Junior Protector Lieutenant. Though she knew that intervening in that 'spat' between those two King Rank Forces would only land her in trouble, Irina had no other choice but to act after receiving an order from the highest-ranked protector present in the Wisdom Tide Library Secret Realm, a woman called Liu Jing, who held the Senior Protector Captain Rank. Whether it was the woman's Upper Fifth-Grade position or Peak Core Formation cultivation, Irina, with her Lower Fourth-Grade position and Low Core Formation cultivation, was completely outmatched.
So, not wanting to lose her very lucrative job, she had to bite the bullet, knowing that she was about to offend that ruthless and monstrously talented couple, who seemingly found someone even more monstrous as a successor. 'Fuck! Why did that have to be me? I'll remember that, damn old hag!' Irina exclaimed inwardly, though none of her frustration showed on her face as she replied calmly. "Junior Protector Lieutenant Irina Novikov greets the Young King, Young Queens, and Mister Wang of the Serene River Mansion." Wang then asked, his tone neither arrogant nor subservient. "I wonder what the Junior Protector Lieutenant stopped us for? I assume you've witnessed those people's actions. My Mansion may promote kindness and tolerance, but even we have our own limits. As a King Rank Force, we won't tolerate anyone trampling on our dignity." Hearing the predictable arguments, Irina groaned inwardly. After all, her intervention was indeed excessive. Were the 'punishments' inflicted on those troublemakers too ruthless? Despite being considered young for a Core Formation cultivator, Irina was still a few hundred years old, and during those hundreds of years, she had seen and heard many things, making her aware that the golden-skinned woman had actually been pretty lenient with those offenders. Most cultivators who trampled on a King Rank Force's dignity had a much more dire fate, many times even involving their loved ones in the Force's retaliation. And, most of the time, the Federation simply turned a blind eye. Of course, there were still rules in place, like needing an aboveboard and righteous reason to act. But even that can be manipulated with a slight effort. That was why Irina felt so stifled when she was ordered to stop the Mansion's act of restoring their dignity. Even though there was only one 'small' level between her Peak Lord rank Family and the other party's Low King Rank Mansion, the difference was the same as the one between a Mortal commoner and a Mortal noble. To say that she was feeling some pressure was an euphemism, but fortunately, as her brain was trying to come up with a solution to get out of this problem, an idea suddenly surfaced in her mind. Granted, it was an extremely risky, bridge-burning idea that would force her to choose a side, throwing herself into that deadly game of chess between two King Forces. It was a massive gamble with her life and future prospects on the line, and if it was not for her boss forcing her to act as a sacrificial pawn, she would have never considered making that gamble. Nonetheless, if she were afraid to put her life on the line, Irina would have never reached her current cultivation base, so she decided inwardly. 'On the one side, there is a well-established Mid King Rank Force having survived for more than 10,000 years. It's relatively safe, but exactly because of that, they wouldn't value me at all. On the other side, there is a newly minted King Rank Force with a weak Foundation, with the two most talented geniuses of the Federation behind it. If I'm not wrong, they should be barely around sixty years old, and they've not only already reached Peak Core Formation, but are also capable of creating Low Tier 4 Formation and Pills. That's the high-risk, high-reward choice, but also the better one for me. Alright, it's decided. I hope you'll live up to your reputation as geniuses.'
Since she had made her decision, she did not hesitate further and sent a voice transmission to Wang, Demian, and Bryn. ["I apologize, but the Senior Protector Captain in charge of the Library ordered me to intervene. Li Tianming, the Young King of the Heavenly Fire Mansion, is currently with her in her office."] Out loud, she said. "I understand your concern, but I believe the main culprit has been punished. Don't you think it's already enough?"
Hearing the woman's words, Wang finally connected the dots. 'So, it was those people from the Heavenly Fire Mansion. No wonder...' He exclaimed inwardly before giving her some instructions as to how she should act later, while also giving Demian and Bryn a small rundown on that Force's background. Out loud, however, he exclaimed coldly. "Enough, you say?! How can it be enough?! Those filth insulted my Mansion's Young Queens, and you think that's enough with just one of them being punished?!" Pausing for a second, he then questioned, this time projecting his voice directly toward the pagodas. "It seems that the Serene River King and Queen's reputation is worth nothing in front of the mighty Senior Protector Captain. I wonder if Your Excellency could share your identity, so that I can report truthfully to My Lady and Lord." This was one of the reasons why Ling and Sergei trusted the four Mikhailovs' safety with Wang Xiong. The man, despite his boorish appearance, was extremely cunning, mastering the art of 'killing' with words without leaving any proof of his deeds. Was he taking a risk in infuriating the woman with his words? Unless she was a complete lunatic, no. Sure, she was a full cultivation Rank above him and could probably slap him to death with a thought. But at the same time, cultivation was not everything in the Federation. Indeed, status was extremely important, and nobles without an official position could only be ordered by an official with the corresponding Rank. In this particular case, Sergei and Ling, being King Rank nobles, could only be 'ordered' by those Protector Commanders—equivalent to Low and Mid Void Seed cultivators—and higher. So, although the Serene River Mansion could not control a Protector Captain, they still possessed a certain amount of immunity against them. As for demanding respect from officials, though not being an official 'rule', it was still widely accepted as one by everyone in the Federation. That was why Wang was not scared of the woman going berserk against them and was a bit forceful in his words. That being said, Xiong was also aware that people were unpredictable, so he did not cross the line with his words, as no matter how the Lord and Lady retaliate against the Captain, he would still be dead. He also sent a message to His Lady and Lord, explaining the situation as succinctly as possible. In the meantime, Liu Jing, the Senior Protector Captain, was feeling extremely stifled. On one hand, since she had reached her current Cultivation and Official Rank, no one had dared speak to her so rudely, especially when the other man was a civilian with cultivation a full Rank below hers. After all, whether it was those Officials from the Military Hall or those from the Protector Hall like her, they all earned their position through gaining merits. What sort of merits? Well, those from the Military earned it through those frequent wars against the Frost Beast Palace's Demon Beasts, often going on the offensive against them. As for the Protector Hall, as the name suggested, they were in charge of protection, the guardians of the Federation. One was the Federation's sharp sword, soaked in Demon Beast's blood, the other a large and powerful shield covering trillions of citizens with its sturdy body. Two completely different approaches, but with the same goal: Creating a safe environment for continuous growth. The price was steep, with death being a constant companion for anyone from those two Halls, especially the Military Hall, who had to constantly face the enemy directly.