by Yuri Ajin
“You don’t deserve an easy death, but, unfortunately, I don’t have the time,” the young man’s icy voice pierced the endless space of the soul world. “But before you die, you’ll tell me something...”
At the next moment, the High Priest’s soul world turned into a realm of chaos, pain, and suffering.
***
Moving at great speed, Kai was heading north. Now that he knew where the Gates were, he had no reason to stay on Earth any longer. Before leaving the city, he turned on the radio for the last time to inform the others about the Gates and his departure.
Having left everyone behind, he was now heading to Jiang Dao to negotiate a passage to the new world.
Snow began to fall. Unusual, crimson snow, each snowflake of which cut and froze everything that it touched.
Chapter 29
DECEPTION
Thanks to the Step Through the Snow technique, Kai could now travel distances of ten miles or less in the blink of an eye. However, this technique, as any other, had its limitations. First of all, teleportation wasn’t instantaneous but took up to five seconds. Secondly, it put a lot of stress on his body, so he couldn’t use it repeatedly. And, thirdly, it could only be used in places where there was snow or ice. And, luckily, the snowy Siberia was an ideal environment for it.
Night. In the middle of a vast pine forest stood a huge tower of bluish-black color. Ever since its appearance more than four years ago, the surrounding vegetation began to die out, and animals, sensing the dark energy it exuded, avoided it.
A huge airship hovering above the ground was moored to the tower with the help of a special artifact. It has been a week since they arrived here. A group of twenty-one Elementalists and the same number of Exorcists had placed the Energy Stones in their positions and were just finishing preparing the Gates for the grand opening ceremony.
A couple of the weakest Exorcists were left on duty near the entrance to the tower, at the same time feeding it with their ki.
“What do you think awaits us there?” asked a bald man whose robes looked more like that of a monk than a cultivator.
“How should I know?” His friend shrugged. “I expect that the next world will have more external energy. At least I hope so, that’d make it easier to cultivate there.”
“Yes...” the bald man drawled dreamily. “There should be better resources and techniques as well... And the Forces would become easier to learn. We ought to find a nice place for ourselves there, like the Plateau.”
“Do you really think that anyone will be able to say no to Jiang Dao? Even the Old Man lost to him! You can be sure that we’ll find a great place for ourselves!” his friend said with a sparkle in his eyes.
“I think you’re forgetting something.” The bald man gave him a condescending look. “If there’s more energy there, that means that their cultivators are super powerful. Not that Jiang Dao isn’t powerful, but even he’d have problems with a Holy Lord.”
“A Holy Lord?” the Exorcist raised his eyebrow in confusion.
“My teacher told me that that’s the next stage of development!” the bald man replied in a half-whisper.
“Interesting...” his friend mumbled.
Their conversation was interrupted by a wave of unfamiliar energy. The two instantly took out their weapons, and powered-up their techniques. They were ready to attack at any moment, but they were in no hurry to do so.
The snow in front of them began to swirl and form a tall figure.
“Who are you?!” the bald Exorcists shouted, preparing to activate a technique. He’s only at the Source Creation level, he shouldn’t be too big of a problem, he thought. But why didn’t the array detect him?
While he wondered how the stranger snuck up on them, his friend managed to inform their mentor about the intruder’s arrival.
“You?!” the two exclaimed in surprise once the snow settled and they saw the newcomer. “Jiang Kai?!”
“That’s right,” he replied.
“What are you doing here? And how did you find us?” The newly arrived Elementalist asked, putting his hand on Kai’s shoulder. He was surprised to see that the latter didn’t so much as twitch. It was as if he knew that he was there.
“I want to go with you. There’s nothing for me in this world,” Kai replied without a trace of concern or excitement. “I need to talk to Lord Jiang Dao.”
“I see...” The Elementalist smiled. “Well, let’s go then. I’m sure he’ll be interested in hearing your story,” he said and disappeared, taking Kai with him, and leaving behind the two bewildered Exorcists to guard the tower.
***
“I understand, my lord. I’ll work even harder,” said a handsome man with golden locks, touching the floor with his forehead.
Jiang Dao sat on a throne, which doubled as the airship’s steering wheel, slowly consuming the Sun Grape, a Royal-rank Spirit Fruit. Before he could answer the blond, a knock on the door made him turn his head.
“My lord.”
“Come in,” Jiang Dao said, dismissing the blond with a wave of his hand.
The door opened and two people entered the room.
“Ohoho! Look at who the cat brought in!” For the first time today, curiosity appeared on Jiang Dao’s face, which almost made the blond grit his teeth. “Kai, am I seeing things or is that really you?”
“My greetings,” Kai bowed respectfully, “Lord Jiang Dao.”
“You amaze me once again. First he Tournament, now this...” Jiang Dao smiled. “Oh, where to start? Tell me, how are you even alive?”
“As you know, I was once a student of the Sea Dragon Clan. Its founder, the great U’Shor, used the Gates of Ecumene, so I had some knowledge about them.”
“I see...” Jiang Dao nodded. “And you’re telling the truth?”
His voice made the air tremble. Activating the Master’s Will, he stared at Kai.
“Yes,” the raven-haired cultivator replied calmly. With Ultimate Focus, he negated the technique’s effect.
“I see.” Jiang Dao leaned back in his throne. “Then, let’s move on to the next question. How did you find us?”
“With the help of the locals and their technology. I’m sure you noticed something strange a few weeks ago.”
Jiang Dao chuckled.
“So that’s why one of the auras seemed vaguely familiar... That was a risky move, Kai. You could’ve gotten hurt.”
“It’s not that easy to hurt me,” Kai replied indifferently.
“I know, I remember… You have an interesting bloodline, but that doesn’t matter now.” The smile suddenly disappeared from Jiang Dao’s face. “So… Do I understand correctly that you have come to join us?”
“I have, yes.” Kai nodded. “I have enough Energy Stones to teleport myself, but I have nothing to activate the portal with.”
“So you know about that...” Jiang Dao was slightly surprised. “I understand. One last thing... What can you offer me in return?”
“The scroll with the Cold Void Meditation Technique,” Kai said immediately.
The Elementalist who brought him aboard raised his eyebrows in surprise, but Jiang Dao didn’t so much as flinch.
“You probably didn’t know, but my mentor had the same technique,” he replied, shocking those present. “I don’t need your scroll.”
Kai thought for a moment, then nodded to himself.
“In that case, I can offer you two of the three things that are most valuable to me — my freedom, and strength...” Kai bowed again. “If you allow me to go with you, for the next hundred years, I shall follow you wherever you may go.”
This time Jiang Dao was the one to raise his eyebrows in surprise. And then he suddenly grinned again. However, before he had time to answer, he was interrupted by a sudden wave of hostility.
“Jiang Suin, what are you doing?” Jiang Dao frowned and looked at the blond that he had previously been talking to.
“My deepest apologies, Lord Jiang Dao, but I believe that this
man isn’t worthy of being your subordinate.”
“Explain,” Jiang Dao said sternly.
“He’s too weak! Yes, he won the Tournament, but he’s still at the Soul Stage, although he’s almost twenty-one. This gap will only widen over time! He’s strong, there’s no denying that, but that means nothing for those who are one step above him. In the future, he’ll only be a hindrance!”
Kai looked at him, puzzled. He knew of him, but they didn’t know each other personally. So why did Jiang Suin hate him so much?
If he only knew that it was Jiang Suin who could’ve claimed victory in the Grand Tournament. The blond was considered the star of the younger generation at the time. He was the strongest and most talented among those who hadn’t yet reached the Exorcist Stage before the age of twenty. Unfortunately, he turned twenty-one just a week before the start of the Tournament, so he couldn’t take part in it.
So when he saw that some peasant at the Opening of the Acupuncture Points level became the winner, his anger knew no limit. He wanted to hurt Kai, but he couldn’t because he was famous, and Jiang Yui’s student.
I won’t let you screw me over twice, he thought. I’ll be his apprentice! You don’t deserve it!
He has been trying to become Jiang Dao’s student for the third year in a row. There had been already four candidates, but, over time, several accidents occurred, leaving him as the only remaining one. However, Jiang Dao never gave him an answer. And although this upset him, Jiang Suin figured that his future mentor was simply too busy and would accept him after they have left this world.
But he had never expected this. He never thought of him as competition, since Kai already had a mentor. However, now, the two were in different worlds, so it was unlikely that they’d meet again anytime soon. And this changed everything.
“Are you ready to put your money where your mouth is?” Kai asked, glancing defiantly at Jiang Suin.
“Absolutely!” the blond replied with an insolent grin and a haughty look. “I can prove that you’re no match for an Exorcist. And even if you become one, your opponents will still be better than you. If you want, I’ll prove it by fighting you!”
“I don’t mind,” Kai said absentmindedly. Jiang Dao doesn’t look like he’ll put a stop to this... Guess I’ll have to deal with it on my own.
You dumbass! Are you insane? Jiang Suin thought. Do you really think that you can win against me? Heavens, I hate that impudent look on your face! Oh, I’ll make you pay for everything! I won’t kill you, no... But I’ll cripple you. Then you’ll be useless to Jiang Dao!
“Good. As a sign of good will, I shall let you attack first.”
No sooner had he finished his sentence than Kai suddenly disappeared. At almost the same moment, Jiang Suin felt that he couldn’t move at all. An unknown force held his body, thoughts, and even ki frozen in place.
Repapering next to him, Kai grabbing Jiang Suin by the face, and slammed him against the floor. The fight ended instantly.
“You aren’t nearly as strong as those with whom I had a chance to fight in this world,” he whispered, leaning over his opponent. His gaze made Jiang Suin’s soul grow cold. “Do you understand that I could kill you with a glance alone if I so pleased?”
Letting go, Kai took a few steps to the side, and looked at Jiang Dao.
“Excellent!” Jiang Dao said with a smile. “Kai, I accept your offer.”
“Thank you.” Kai bowed. “But before I take the oath, you must know that neither Jiang Kai nor Kai Arnhard are my real names. I’m Rune’Tan Shakvir.”
***
Dawn was approaching.
Preparations for activating the portal were complete. Forty-three people gathered in front of the tower’s gates. Jiang Dao was the last to leave the airship.
Stopping in front of the vessel, he removed a large pendant from his neck. Holding it out in front of him, he filled it with ki and then concentrated on his aura. After a few seconds, the force of the object began to envelop the airship, and it began to shrink until it was finally absorbed by the pendant.
Putting the necklace back on, he walked over to the others. It was time to move to a new world.
The group headed for the tower.
“Tell me, why didn’t you take Jiang Yui with you?” Kai asked, walking alongside Jiang Dao.
After the fight with Jiang Suin, he passed control of his body to Rune’Tan, who took the oath in his stead. This way, he was able to maintain his freedom, but at the same time gain Jiang Dao’s trust. As for Rune’Tan himself, this oath didn’t threaten him, as it had one loophole — the one who took the oath had to fulfill it only if they were capable of doing so. As Rune’Tan was locked away in Kai’s soul world, and thus unable to fulfill any order given to him, he technically wasn’t breaking any rules, and, thus, couldn’t be punished.
Jiang Dao had made his mind to take Kai as his disciple in order to keep him as close to himself as possible a long time ago, so this came as a pleasant turn of events for him. And even if his student was currently weak in comparison with other Elementalists, he was certain that the young cultivator would become as powerful as himself in the future.
If he only knew that he was being played.
“Jiang Yui is too young and too attached to the clan. She would’ve probably refused to join me, and I would’ve had to kill her, which I really didn’t want to do,” Jiang Dao explained.
“I see.” Kai nodded respectfully.
Finally, they reached the center of the tower, on the floor of which was a large circle. Everyone stepped inside.
In the center of the portal was a floating board. By pouring ki into it, it was possible to configure the portal’s parameters and activate it.
Elementalists were enough to turn on the portal, select the next world (but not the previous ones), and perform couple more tasks. If they had a Holy Lord in their group, things would go much faster, but, as things were, they had to wait.
Attention!
Setting coordinates and laying out an interdimensional route...
Estimated time of activation: 63 minutes and 26 seconds.
Destination: Diol (distant world)
Teleportation method: instant
“Let’s join hands before the activation process ends. I don’t want to have to spend several days searching for you all,” Jiang Dao said.
“Yes, Lord Jiang Dao.” The Exorcists bowed.
“Yes, older brother,” the Elementalists replied.
Sitting down on the floor, they all entered meditation to pass time quicker. Kai sat with them, but instead of meditating, he looked around the tower. He was especially interested in its structure in the energy spectrum.
The last time he used the Gates he had to rush, so he didn’t have time to study them in detail. His gaze immediately fell on numerous concentric circles that surrounded the platform. He remembered those who entered the Indestructible Tower being placed in similar circles and turned into batteries for the portal. But things were different this time around. Instead of people, cheap Rings, apparently taken from the cultist, were placed in the circles. Each of them was filled with Energy Stones, which were previously kept in Jiang Dao’s pendant.
Energy lines ran from most of the circles under the floor to the portal’s platform. There were four sections, the power lines of which led to the control board. It was probably in these places that the Energy Stones were located, while in the remaining areas, items were placed to transfer the cultivators themselves.
Kai continued to calmly examine everything around him when a powerful, familiar aura filled the place. Looking over his shoulder, he saw a red-haired man standing at the entrance to the tower.
“I finally found it!” Liu exclaimed with a grin, his scorpion tail whipping the air in excitement.
It took Jiang Dao and his men a mere moment to react. Three Elementalists immediately approached the insectoid, only to die in the most terrible way the next moment. Their bodies froze, and then all blood was drain
ed from them, forming crimson spheres that hung next to Liu’s head.
Five more Elementalists attacked. But the insectoid easily blocked their attacks, and did to them what he had done to their friends. Satisfied with the amount of blood he had gathered, Liu rushed to the center of the tower, where the remaining cultivators were. But before he had time to cross even half the way, an incredibly powerful blast sent him flying out of the tower. Jiang Dao ran out after him.
The reason why Liu could easily deal with a higher stage opponent was the level of his Forces, which were on the Walker Stage. Not only had Liu already created his Sphere, which belonged to the Path of Blood, but he used to be a Holy Lord.
“We have to help him!” one of the Elementalists shouted, seeing that Jiang Dai was struggling.
“Yes!”
“You’re right!”
“Let’s go!” added the second most powerful cultivator after Jiang Dao. “Exorcists, you stay here and form a barrier. And if our battle isn’t over by the time the portal is activated, remove the Rings. That should interrupt it.”
The Elementalists rushed to help their leader, leaving the young Exorcists alone. And, as soon as they stepped outside the tower, Kai began to act. Under the surprised looks of the Exorcists, he went to the control board, taking an unusual black bead out of the folds of his robes.
“What are you doing?!” Jiang Suin asked. After his defeat, he hated Kai even more. “Are you deaf?! We were told to form a barrier!”
Kai just gave him a glance, like he was an annoying fly, and then showed him his middle finger. He was aware that Jiang Suin had no clue what the gesture meant, but he didn’t care.
Stopping near the levitating board, he threw the bead into the air and watched it as it began to grow until it eventually burst. At the same moment, sixteen more people appeared on the platform. A dome covered Kai, Lily, Ivsim, Elize, as well as Shacks and his group, and began to expand right up to the edges of the platform. The rest of those present, not marked by Shacks’s ancient artifact, were thrown out of the circle by the barrier.
