At this moment, the young Magus that had collapsed to the ground immediately shouted out, "Lord Ancestor, you can't let him off so easily! He attacked our Farlier family and even indirectly caused Grandpa Damien's death!"
"Oh?!" Leylin furrowed his brows. Black flames blazed as he instantly moved to the youth's side. With just a scan, he understood the youth's body like the back of his own hand. "Did the Spirit Slaying Sect give you that wound on your chest?"
"Yes. I got hit by the attack of a soul plague from the sect disciples, and was also poisoned by a Malaria Spider!" The youth looked defeated, but then had an excited flush on his face.
"A small issue." Leylin's finger moved, and the bandages around the youth's chest automatically fell off to reveal twisted muscles and horrifying wounds.
"Bear with it for a bit." Leylin dripped a crimson potion onto the youth's injuries. White gas steamed from the wounds, causing the youth to cry out in pain involuntarily. Shortly after, black gas streamed out of the wound and the flesh began to mend itself rapidly. The wounds were healing.
"WHAT?" Darlie shouted from not far away, "That's even faster than a rank 3 healer! Is this an ancient healing potion from legends?"
Leylin had no wish to answer Darlie's question. Instead, he noticed Alric beginning to make a move. "Tch, so stubborn."
*Rumble!* Countless holy javelins made of platinum flames appeared around him, shooting towards Leylin like thousands of arrows being launched at the same time. Alric himself revealed a large pair of wings as he took to the skies.
"I said, stay there quietly. Did you not understand the first time?" Leylin's expression darkened, and an aura several times more terrifying and powerful than Alric's descended. Formless energy rippled, causing those javelins to explode in the air and dissipate into motes of light.
Seeing Leylin take care of his attack, Alric made a strange sound from mid-air, spreading his wings and escaping as far as he could go.
"Get down here!" Leylin's right hand pulled downwards, and Alric gave a blood-curdling cry from within the streak of light. He fell down, the two wings on his back being torn off by a formless force. Some flesh and blood remained at the end, revealing long gashes on his back from which blood spurted forth.
The cage with pillars of light that sealed off the region had, with a sound as if it could not hold on for longer, exploded bit by bit.
"..." His wound completely healed, the youth now stood up and watched the scene silently. He was surprised, yes, but the events that had played out so far had far exceeded what he could take. He was now numb to everything.
When he'd been fleeing from the sect disciples, a voice in his mind urged him to change course, veering towards Teljose City. Before the Spirit Slaying Sect disciples who were after him could attack him, Alric appeared. Faced against the sect disciple and a rank 3 Magus who both had grudges against him, the youth would rather be caught by the sect that even see Alric's face.
However, things were far from over. Just when he thought everything was done for, an even more bizarre thing had happened. Leylin, the genius from his Farlier Family who'd been missing for centuries, had suddenly reappeared. On top of that, he dominated and defeated Alric the moment he showed himself!
The youth watched Alric lying on the ground like a dead dog, his expression stiff. He had a strong suspicion that this could be a mere clone, or perhaps a fraud. Since when was a rank 3 Magus, the best of the south coast, so weak?
'Or is it that he isn't weak, but the Lord Ancestor is just that powerful?' The youth watched Leylin's masked face, his eyes full of admiration. He was fully privy to Alric's prowess. Under the forcefield the rank 3 Magus had shown off, he would have been killed like an ant…
However, Leylin had defeated his opponent with a mere wave of the arm. How large was the disparity between them?
"Your wounds are all healed up. By the way, what's your name?" Leylin's face held some rare gentleness as he faced this descendant.
"My– My name is Krupp, I'm Audi's descendant…" Krupp knew Leylin had no interest in his family tree, and directly mentioned the person in Leylin's generation.
"Audi? Did this happen after I left?" Leylin stroked his chin.
"Yes, he's your brother, born two years after you left…" Krupp carefully watched Leylin's expression, and then pointed at Alric, "Lord Ancestor, he once sent people to attack our Farlier family and almost caused us to be completely uprooted from the Chernobyl Islands. Only a few of us escaped under Grandpa Damien's protection. You must take revenge for us!"
Having said all this, Krupp clenched his fists tightly, his eyes brimming with tears.
"Don't worry," Leylin nodded. After hearing news that the Farlier family had almost been destroyed, he strangely felt no anger. It was as if he was hearing someone else's story; even he was surprised at his reaction.
Leylin immediately thought of the reason for this. He was someone who'd come from another world, and wasn't the original Leylin who was just a playboy. Because he had the A.I. Chip and was a grandmaster in the field of souls, issues with things like soul fragments that were retained from the original soul causing melodrama wouldn't be an issue for him.
The old Leylin's soul had long since been annihilated, with not a trace left behind. He would not be able to affect Fang Ming the slightest. Hence, after hearing that the Farlier family had almost been wiped out, he' only nodded slightly in acknowledgement.
Emotions and the responsibility towards one's bloodline were different, however. Leylin believed he still had some work to do in that regard.
Krupp and Darlie felt the temperature of their surroundings lower in an instant. A slight explosion could be heard from Alric's body, and it seemed like he was strangled at his throat by a formless strength. He now hung before Leylin.
"My…" Alric tried to sound from his throat. With a blink of Leylin's eyes, his face had flushed red. He squirmed as the blood drained from his face; it turned an ashen grey.
In that short moment, Leylin had destroyed Alric's spiritual force. He was now just slightly stronger than a regular human.
"You've really got some guts. To dare go against the unwritten rules of the south coast and take revenge on my family…" Leylin's hand grabbed at the void, and crackling sounds were heard from Alric's body. The bones automatically broke apart inch by inch, but Alric was still awake and had to deal with the suffering alone. Soon enough, blood spurted from his mouth, and some of his teeth were broken.
"I believe there's a need to set a precedent, so that the other Magi will be aware." A thin crimson thread was extracted from his body and hovered in front of Leylin.
"Let's see!" A trace of blood-red light could be seen in Leylin's eyes as countless translucent mirrors opened up before him, revealing vague figures within.
"NOO…" Alric immediately grew agitated upon seeing them, his body trembling unceasingly as his eyes pleaded with Leylin.
However, Leylin himself cared nothing for this, "Mm, you don't have any direct descendants yourself, but there are a lot of other branches. Siblings?"
Alric did not answer, his tongue had long since been bitten off. If not for Leylin intentionally keeping him alive, he would have died long ago. Alric would much rather die early than face what was to come.
"You know my character. I rarely use curses or other spells in that vein. It's not because I'm unfamiliar with them, but because they're troublesome; not only is the preparatory work tedious, there's also a backlash," Leylin continued on as if he were chatting with a friend, "But things are different here. The backlash from some rank 1 and 2 Magi, and even regular humans, means nothing to me…"
As he spoke, leylin produced a large amount of materials from his spatial pouch, carving strange altar-like runes on the ground.
"Trace back the path of the bloodline to all branches…" Terrifying curses rolled off Leylin's tongue in a strange accent, "Ye of his blood, shall become the source of the curse!" After a few ceremonies, Leylin extracted some blood with a dagger and threw it onto the altar under Alric's look of despair.
"AAAAHH…" With sounds of anguish being transmitted from the altar, a faint distorted face with empty eyes wailed as it pounced into the air.
"Go!" Leylin snapped his fingers.
*Bzzt bzzt…* Formless ripples spread, and immediately after a blond Magus' expression changed in one of the round mirrors, green warts appearing all over his body. They then exploded, spurting out corrosive liquid that caused him to become a pile of white bones amidst his howls.
Black fog occupied the entirety of a castle elsewhere, and broken limbs were thrown out of it every once in a while.
"Noooo…" Alric lowered his head. All that remained in his dead eyes was boundless hatred.
"Did you think that was all?" Leylin could not help but laugh as he saw Alric in this state.
"Soul extraction!" A translucent figure was pulled out from Alric's forehead.
-x-X-x-
"A.I. Chip, organise Alric's memories, separate the information I require."
[Beep, mission established. Beginning analysis. Extracting data from target.]
As a Grandmaster in the field of soul research who possessed the help of the A.I. Chip, Leylin found what he needed in mere seconds.
Alric's body died once his soul was pulled out. Now translucent, he'd regained the ability to speak. Information was extracted from his soul as he let out cries of misery. Having memories extracted from your soul wasn't exactly pleasant. "AAAHH… What are you doing? I won't let you off! I curse you and I curse all that is yours!"
"Oh, so you have a brother who you're not on good terms with. It's a bit of a pity that he died under the curse as well," Leylin said as great amounts of data streaked past him, "Whatever. If he's dead he's dead. Did you think it would just end like this?
"Void Assassin!" A translucent figure appeared instantly with a flutter of his sleeve. These servants that he'd gained from the ruins of Scarlet Crescent each had a strength of up to rank 3, and with their ability to travel through the void even Morning Stars had to guard carefully against them. They were practically invincible in the south coast.
"Here's the information. Kill all his friends, acolytes, and anyone else he treasures." With a stretch of his arm and a tap, Alric's soul was sealed into the Void Assassin's head, "Make sure he watches everything. Once you're done, sink into the lava underground and have his soul roast for eternity…"
"Understood." A robotic voice sounded from the Void Assassin.
Immediately after, its body disappeared into the void, leaving behind Alric's despairing cries that seemed to echo in this land.
"Are you satisfied with how I handled this?" Leylin turned to look at Krupp.
"Yes, very satisfied! No matter what Patriarch does, you're the most correct!" With Leylin's eyes on him, Krupp stiffened in his nervousness.
At the thought of what his ancestor had done, Krupp couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat. This was someone who already knew of the darkness that lay in the Magus World!
'Using a method to extinguish one's bloodline and not even letting off their friends or acolytes... ' Krupp secretly wiped off the perspiration, 'Patriarch is no saint…'
Having taken care of Alric, Leylin glanced into the horizon and beckoned to Krupp, "Let's go! A few worms will come and disturb us if we don't leave quickly."
But before they got onto the carriage, a thought flashed through Leylin's mind. He looked at Darlie, 'It's my fault that she got involved. Since she came with me, I should at least bring her to the next city…'
Leylin pointed at Darlie, but the female Magus was in a state of complete shock. The roaring skeletal horse was blazing with black flames; it seemed like a demon from a nightmare, it's hooves leaving behind flaming marks.
The large carriage sped down the road like a black whirlwind. Krupp sat inside with some reservation, occasionally sneaking glances at Leylin's black leather boots. Darlie was still frozen, hiding in the corner and trembling with her arms wrapped around herself.
The recent events had dealt a huge blow to this female Magus. In reality, if not for Leylin intentionally protecting her, she and Krupp wouldn't have been able to live past the moment Alric burst out. However, she didn't believe that her survival was some stroke of fortune.
The fall of a rank 3 Magus, and the curse that accompanied it, made it easy for her to imagine what kind of chaos was going to arise in the south coast. And as the witness, she was in a bad situation. Though the light Magi revered order, they were the first in line to trample over their own rules for the sake of benefits.
Darlie shut her eyes, and could already imagine a large number of high-ranked Magi cutting open her skull and extracting parts of her brain.
Though the dark Magi were more famous for it, Darlie knew very well that many light Magi were no inferior at the skill of extracting memories. They could probably clone all her thoughts from her childhood with not a single error.
As for what would happen to her? That was something no Magi would ever care about. Sacrificing herself for the big picture and for all light Magi was something that she should feel honoured to do. They'd expect her to serve herself up voluntarily.
Darlie only realised how helpless she was under such immense pressure. While she'd always been prideful of the order and glory of the light Magi, all she wished for now was their destruction.
In matters of life and death, everything could be renounced.
'But as long as this lord is around…' Darlie peeked up and saw the figure that had caused her immense fear. That stern gaze that shot out from behind the mask seemed to pierce her body, suffocating her.
She quickly lowered her head respectfully, her breathing becoming rough, "Starting with Alric's fall, the return of my Lord will bring about great changes in the south coast…"
Leylin knew what this female Magus was thinking of immediately, but he couldn't be bothered with it. To him, she was but a stranger he'd picked up somewhere and embroiled in this because of a coincidence. Even if he wasn't with her, having taken on the task of gathering starlight grass she would've come to Ebole Town anyway. Without his protection, she would probably be in even worse a condition by now. Thus, he believed she owed him a favour.
That last thought was because they'd travelled together and grown slightly more familiar with each other. Reaching a rest point and then tossing her away was a very simple alternative, however based on Krupp's expression this might be a variable that would change things. Leylin chuckled at that thought.
Leylin suddenly spoke. "Krupp, give me the Fallen Star Pendant around your neck."
"Oh, of course, Patriarch!" Krupp deferentially took the pendant down and passed it to Leylin with both hands.
Light flickered from the broken gems on the dark red cross' surface. The slight weight in his hands left Leylin nostalgic.
"Grandpa Damien gave it to, me and he even told me…" Krupp watched Leylin hesitantly.
Leylin nodded in acknowledgement, "Yes, this is a magic artifact I created. Damien was under my orders to protect the Farlier Family in the Chernobyl Islands." He observed the creation in his hands. With his current insight, he naturally noticed the defects in his original craftsmanship, and the immaturity when he'd made it.
"Though the materials in this Fallen Star Pendant aren't all that great, it isn't as if there's no room for improvement…" Crimson light wrapped around the cross in tandem with Leylin's words, causing it to float into the air and emit powerful energy waves that shocked Krupp and Darlie.
"This– This is…" Darlie looked stunned, "He's working without any tools? Only Grandmaster Alchemists from legend can do something like this…" The red glow expanded unceasingly, gradually forming a beautiful flaming daffodil that slowly bloomed within the carriage.
When the last petal withered, the pendant suspended in the air now looked different. It was more slender before, its dark red surface more pure. Many fine black lines were on it, making it seem like the back of a python.
"I've re-smelted the artifact, and added a few functions. On top of that, I've restricted its use to those with the Farlier bloodline…" Leylin said lightly, and then Fallen Star Pendant fell into Krupp's hands.
'He re-smelted a magic artifact so quickly, and upgraded it to become a high-ranked magic artifact!' Still hiding in the corner, Darlie's eyes were now shining. Only rank 2 or 3 Magi were qualified to possess things like high-grade magic artifacts in the south coast.
For low-ranked Magi like her, just taking a glance at a treasure of this grade was like a dream come true.
The person who was across her, however, had refined one without so much as a change in expression, and gifted it away as if it was nothing.
'Perhaps… my hopes for the future will all rely on this person…' Darlie made up her mind, vigorous flames bursting forth in her heart.
"Many thanks, Patriarch!" Krupp took the pendant, pleasantly surprised. This magic artifact had always been very useful, and it was an unexpected surprise for it to be upgraded to become a high-ranked one.
However, after his spiritual force made contact with the pendant, his eyes grew as round as saucers. It was as if he'd been struck by lightning.
"What? Is anything the matter?" Leylin found this descendant rather funny.
"Magic– A piece of magic equipment! The Fallen Star Pendant!" Krupp spoke of the grade of the item, "Patriarch, you upgraded it to magic equipment?"
It was already a huge surprise for the Fallen Star Pendant to be upgraded to a high-grade magic artifact, but the fact that it had become the legendary magic equipment was shocking.
This was magic equipment! It was of a level even greater than magic artifacts, and regular rank 3 Magi weren't even qualified to have them! These were the trump cards of the largest organisations! However, this ancestor of his had casually managed to refine a middle-grade magic artifact into one…
Krupp was rendered speechless…
-x-X-x-
"Mm. Because of the materials used to make the Fallen Star Pendant, it can at best only become a piece of low-grade magic equipment."
Although Leylin found this quite a pity, Krupp instead grew so excited he was about to froth at the mouth.
On the other hand, Darlie grew even more emotional. Seeing that the Fallen Star Pendant had really been upgraded to become a low-grade magic equipment piece, she was at first frozen before she pounced at Leylin's feet. "Revered Lord Farlier, please take me in as your disciple… No, how could I qualify to be the disciple of such a great Magus? Please give me any chance regardless of what it is. Whether as a maid, a servant, or even a guinea pig, just give me a chance to learn from you!"
"You– You're serious?" Leylin watched this female Magus. With her her thirst and pursuit of knowledge, she was very similar to how he had been back then.
Krupp had a stiff expression. It was nothing much for a Magus to become a disciple, but becoming a servant or a guinea pig would effectively render one dispensable to a dark Magus. This female Magus seemed to care nothing for her life. Rather, she was giving up her very life for the pursuit of truth!
"My Lord…" Krupp gaped but was unable to speak.
He was merely Leylin's nephew. There was nothing beside that relationship that bonded them together. Before he was sure of what place he held in Leylin's heart, speaking out like this seemed rather risky.
"I don't have plans to teach anyone now, and I'm not lacking in servants either." Leylin spoke indifferently, causing Darlie's eyes gaze to dim. But Leylin's next words brought her from the depths of hell to heaven. "But I give you permission to observe and emulate me for a period of time. How much you learn will depend on you."
"Many thanks, my Lord!" she replied, tears lining her eyes.
However, Leylin had yet to finish speaking, "What can you offer me though, that is of equal value?"
"My everything!" Darlie's tone was firm.
"Good. Swear it. Swear it on your soul and your honour, that from hereon out your power, your body, your soul and everything will belong to the Farlier Family branch head on the south coast, Krupp Farlier!"
Leylin sounded unenthusiastic, but Krupp's eyes went wide, "What? Me?"
Darlie took a look at Krupp who was beside her, and immediately made a vow with her soul, "I swear on it!" With Leylin as a witness, it would haunt her throughout her life unless a Magus who comprehended laws aided her. Of course, the chances that an existence at or above rank 7 would help Darlie were pretty much nil.
"Patriarch… Why?" Krupp watched Darlie, looking puzzled.
"As the descendant of our Farlier family, you should help our family continue the bloodline!" Leylin chuckled, "Darlie is a great choice. She's talented, and you've seen her willpower and good qualities for yourself…"
Astute as he was, Leylin had long since noticed Krupp's slight crush on Darlie. This meant nothing to him, but as he was the real descendant of the Farlier Family he placed more importance on Krupp spreading his blood than his vengeance.
Having done this, he now felt that he'd done enough to make up for everything he owed the family.
Hearing Leylin saying something so shameless out in the open, a trace of a blush crept onto the faces of Krupp and Darlie, Magi as they were.
"*Cough cough*… My Lord, where are we going now?" Krupp directed the conversation elsewhere. He'd been running for his life ever since birth, and experiences like this one were rare. The only reason he'd felt anything for Darlie was that she was pleasing to the eye.
"Let's go to the Abyssal Bone Swamp. I want to see how the academy is doing, and there are also some people I want to find out about." Leylin smiled, considerately changing the topic, "It also looks like I need to show off some strength, display that the Farlier Family has a solid backing. It'll be very troublesome if we keep getting harassed like this."
"Troublesome?!" Krupp was first baffled, but his expression quickly changed.
An aged voice was transmitted to them, "Mister Leylin, could we trouble you to come out of the carriage?"
"Let's go out, we have guests!" Leylin beamed, shaking his robes as he got to his feet. Krupp and Darlie exchanged a glance and lined themselves up behind him, seemingly with good chemistry seeing how they occupied his left and right.
The nightmare horse snarled in dissatisfaction and the carriage stopped. Getting out of the carriage, Leylin caught sight of a few aged Magi.
At the front was a white-browed old man with layers of wrinkles on a face that was covered with spots. He looked about to die at any moment, wearing a simple grey robe that contrasted the dazzling golden staff in hand. He seemed to be the speaker.
Beside him was an old woman wearing the clothing of aristocracy, her hair that had pearls and gems embedded within it tied in a bun.
The two stood on top of a large banyan tree which was blocking Leylin's path. A large face emerged from the trunk. This banyan tree was actually a Magus, and its life force was the strongest amongst the three Magi!
The three immediately went on guard when they saw Leylin coming out. The one holding the staff was the first to speak, "Leylin Farlier?"
"That's me." Leylin's body floated up, and he stood on top of the carriage. While the lack of an aura coming from his body gave no reason for it, the Magi opposite him felt a great feeling of danger.
"I am the Saint Nonov Ciel Andrew; you can call me Nonov. Beside me is Mistress Marjorie, and this giant tree is Lord Keefa!" The auras of Crystal Phase Magi became apparent as the old Magus introduced his party. All three of them were mighty rank 3 Magi whose spiritual force had crystallised!
Leylin could also sense scattered undulations from some bloodline treasures and other unique magical items, and there was even a high-grade magic artifact on them. It was apparent that they'd brought everything they had.
"Mm, you must be the leaders of the light Magi." Leylin nodded.
"Yes," Nonov said as he forced a smile. Even face to face he couldn't sense Leylin's aura. It was like his immediate vicinity was a boundless sea, drowning out any probes and leaving no traces behind.
"Is this about the issue with Alric?" Leylin asked casually. He could eliminate ants like these in one blow, but for the sake of the Farlier Family it was prudent to leave them alive to spread word of the terror he wrought.
"The matter with Alric was a personal feud between you and him. Though my Lord's methods are a little… overboard… they aren't unacceptable." Realising that Leylin was not to be trifled with, Nonov immediately changed his plans. His conceding seemed quite pathetic to Leylin.
If he was considered weak, these Magi wouldn't have bothered with such words and instead just killed him. They would cut the person who had tarnished the reputation of the light Magi up into a million pieces. However, realising Leylin wasn't going to be pushed around, Nonov gave up his pursuit of enmity on Alric's behalf.
After all, it was irrational to provoke a powerful Magus for the sake of a dead person, what more one whose family, organisation, and subordinates had all disappeared. It was all for the 'big picture'. The casual sacrifice of Alric even left Leylin wanting to sneer in response.
This sort of thing was exactly why he was hellbent on becoming stronger himself, rather than depending on organisations.
"However, Lord Alric was still a colleague of ours. Shouldn't Mister Leylin do something about this?" Nonov finally got to the point.
"What 'something'?" Leylin watched the old man playfully.
"Mister Leylin was once a professor at Four Seasons Gardens, which means you were once a light Magus. As a light Magus, it's our obligation to fight against evil!" Nonov seemed to be spouting righteous words. "The source of all evil in the south coast, the ancient demon that the Spirit Slaying Sect believes in, the Gargamel is alive. Is Lord Leylin willing to aid us in destroying the sect? I'm sure that once you contribute enough, Four Seasons Garden will be very willing to welcome you back…"
'They can't beat me, so now they're trying to assimilate me to their cause' Leylin chuckled inside, but Nonov had already begun stating his conditions. If Leylin were to attack the Spirit Slaying Sect and even kill the Gargamel, they would compensate him by admitting him once more into the Four Seasons Garden, even allowing him full control of it. It was indeed an enticing offer.
If Leylin was a peak rank 3 Magus, he would have put some consideration into it. However, there was no need to fake courtesy with his current strength. "I reject your proposal!" he exclaimed unceremoniously. Though the Gargamel had long since entered the list of beings he had to kill, he hated being threatened to do anything.
"What?" Such a blunt answer put the old man in shock, and his expression dimmed.
"There should be some enmity between my Lord and the Gargamel, no? Wouldn't this be getting the best of both worlds? Or are you thinking of siding with the evil dark Magi?"
-x-X-x-
"You learnt about that too… It seems like you know me quite well," Leylin shook his head, "But did you know that the thing I hate the most is being coerced?"
His expression instantly darkened. "Furthermore, it's better to deal with dark Magi than the likes of you. As long as I display enough strength to shock them, they become even more obedient than dogs, and won't resort to sneaky actions in the shadows…"
"It looks like Sir Leylin is very prejudiced against us light Magi. What a pity…" Nonov spoke slowly, the golden scepter in his hand emitting even more dazzling rays of light.
"Are you done with all that nonsense? Like I said earlier, we should just eliminate him. He started out as a dark Magus!" Marjorie, who was beside Nonov, began to speak with a piercing voice.
*Sou sou!* The giant tree Magus under them did not speak, but large amounts of roots spread out from it to envelop the surrounding region. It formed a grid of roots in the area.
"Increasing your vitality by combining your life with plants'? How pathetic." Leylin shook his head, seeing through the tree with a slight glance. While he didn't say more than that, the look of pity in his eyes threw the banyan tree into a violent rage.
Boundless green light spread around the area. It was like it had formed a translucent crystal in the air, sealing the air around Leylin.
"As we discussed before. Keefa will be in charge of restraining him while you amplify our power. I'll take the charge." As he said that, Nonov took the lead, the golden scepter in his hands abruptly increasing in size to become a golden holy lance.
"Understood!" Marjorie answered quickly from behind him. All sorts of complicated and mysterious runes appeared from her body, disappearing into the giant tree and Nonov's body. With that support, more of their spiritual forces crystallised, approaching the limit.
"Even after the amplification, they're still only close to the limit of rank 3?" Leylin sighed, the disappointment evident in his eyes as he waved his arm.
*Rumble!* Black flames began encircling the horse carriage in defence. "Wait here, don't come out and block me."
Numerous tendrils that had come to probe the area sizzled, instantly burnt to ashes by the black flames. It caused the large banyan tree to let loose a miserable cry.
The black flames looked to be about to burn right up the roots, and the tree had no choice but to sever the affected ones, cutting its connection with them. Jade-green sap flowed out of the wounds in great amounts.
"AARGHORH…" The human face on the trunk let out roars that nobody could make sense of. On the other hand, the faces of Nonov and Marjorie changed.
"These flames burn the very soul! Lord Leylin seems to have obtained some amazing inheritance in his time away." Golden light was produced from the lance, covering Nonov's body as if some kind of golden armour.
"You think I'm relying on some inheritance? You think that's what gives me my strength?" Leylin replied, disapproving.
"Heaven's Lance, make a judgement for light and justice!" Nonov's body seemed to burst into golden flames. He hurled the lance in his hands into the distance, and it seemed like a golden meteor was launched. The lance reached Leylin in the blink of an eye. Black even streaked near the tip of the lance, fine spatial cracks being formed.
"I must say, you're quite good for a rank 3 Magus." Leylin stretched out his hand as he yawned. In front of that pale hand, be it the golden flames or the spatial cracks, everything was destroyed. The terrifyingly sharp tip of the holy golden lance could do no harm to his skin as he grabbed it.
"It's best not to show this stuff and humiliate yourself." As if in answer to all the taunting from the three Magi, Leylin exerted a bit of force with his two hands.
The golden lance broke apart at the center, the screech it left behind sounding miserable. Golden sand fell from where it had broken apart, causing the main body to quickly collapse.
"No, how is that possible?" Nonov took several steps backwards, blood flowing from the corners of his mouth due to the backlash of having his holy lance destroyed. Two streaks of red fell from his eyes, "This is a treasure that's been passed down in our academy! Even peak rank 3 Magi shouldn't be able to so much as move it!"
"Let's go! He's even more terrifying than that Gargamel!" Marjorie pulled at Nonov, and the banyan tree below them abruptly pulled up its roots and fled like a giant, each step allowing it to cover hundreds of metres.
"Activate the interference formation we'd planned for the Gargamel!" Nonov seemed to have recovered, but his eyes still held a trace of shock. He took out a white handkerchief to cover the blood from the corner of his mouth even as he gave his command.
The earth rumbled as four pillars of light, red yellow, blue, and green, shot up around Leylin. Smoke and multi-colour light appeared in the air, forming a tremendous spell formation with runes snaking around its surface.
"Nonov, the enemy is far stronger than we expected. The four-pillared stone seal shouldn't be able to hold him down for long. We'll need to use our final treasure!" Marjorie exclaimed solemnly.
"Roar…" The banyan tree Magus under them thundered, emitting spiritual undulations of approval.
"In that case…" Nonov's expression underwent several changes before he finally gritted his teeth and reached into his robes.
*Rumble!* All of a sudden, loud thuds sounded from the sealing formation, causing shivers to go down the spines of the three Magi. It was like some powerful ferocious beast had been set free in there, bursting forth with enough force to break it open. Bumps appeared in the barrier, and the runes on top of it shattered like glass.
"How is that possible? That's our four-pillar rock seal, even the Gargamel was trapped inside it for a few minutes. How long has it been?" Marjorie let out a piercing shout.
"Prepare to strengthen the seal. Use the Aquatic Devil Seaweed and help me gain time. Quick!" Nonov looked exceptionally sinister.
"But that's the last secret trick we have. There's only enough of the Aquatic Devil Seaweed to be used once…" Marjorie obviously hesitated.
"His strength is the greatest catastrophe for us. I even suspect… quick!" Nonov coughed out blood.
"Fine." Marjorie merely hesitated for a moment and immediately grew clear-headed, tossing a dried-up seaweed into the formation.
"Emissary sleeping deep within the sea, please heed my call…" With her chants, the small dried-up marine seaweed abruptly swelled in mid-air, as if it had absorbed a large amount of moisture. Even its surface grew wet.
Large amounts of moisture gathered within it and formed a dark green ball of plants, with all sorts of seaweed on it. The plant ball shifted above the sealing spell formation before it suddenly exploded, threads of black seaweed forming a web that covered the area.
"Alright! Even if it's a peak rank 3, the Aquatic Devil Seaweed can still achieve…" The glee in Nonov's eyes only lasted a short while. His eyes nearly popped out from their sockets and he lost all of his previous demeanour, "How is that possible?"
He could see a gap in the middle of the formation, be it the four pillared stone seal or the threads of seaweed. A Magus wearing dark-golden scholarly robes and a mysterious mask on his face walked out arrogantly. Immediately after, a black hole appeared in his hands, sucking in the surrounding seal and the aquatic seaweed.
*Pow!* A slight explosion sounded in the air, and in the blink of an eye, the spell formation and the devil algae seal had turned into a miniature model in Leylin's hands.
"This is far beyond rank 3. You're a Morning–" Nonov's face immediately seemed to lose all blood, becoming so pale that it was frightening.
However, Leylin did not give him the chance to kneel and beg for forgiveness nor flee, "The tasteless games shall end now. I'll return this to you!" He tossed the model in his hand lightly in front.
The seal that was compressed a thousandfold rumbled, abruptly blowing up along with the devil algae. Formless energy buffeted all directions, shaking the earth itself. Multi-coloured light rippled in the air, the magnificence concealing a deadly danger.
"I'm warning you right now. Don't provoke the Farlier Family, or else…" Leylin gently landed above the carriage, and under Krupp and Darlie's reverential gazes headed inside.
The demonic nightmare horse neighed and galloped wildly, several times faster than before. It even soared into the air after a while, turning into a flash of light that streaked through the horizon.
The terrifying explosions continued for a while in the place they'd left behind before gradually ending to reveal two figures, both in a sorry state.
Keefa, the gigantic banyan tree of a Magus, had already disappeared; he'd used his body to absorb most of the attack.
"Keefa!" Marjorie was not in a very good condition, but what had given her the greatest blow was not her injuries. It was instead that terrifying and invincible figure.
"It'll be fine! Though his body was destroyed, his seed is still alive." Nonov produced a green seed.
-x-X-x-
"Keefa has already become a living plant. As long as this trueseed of his still exists, he can revive at any time. However, it'll take a long while for him to amass the amount of life force he had before…" Nonov sighed, fixing his eyes on the green seed.
It was the size of a grown man's fist, with complicated plant runes on it. She could vaguely sense a familiar spiritual force undulation coming from it, as if there was a gravely injured life that had fallen asleep inside.
"He seems to have let us off intentionally, restraining himself at the last minute. If not, none of us would have been able to survive…" Nonov laughed wryly, "What do you think?"
"We still have our final treasure. If we're pushed to the limit, we can use it to deal him immense damage," Marjorie said hatefully, before her expression suddenly changed, "What?".
The sound of an item shattering could be heard from Nonov's body. More specifically, it was from a secret compartment in his robes where the final treasure was kept.
"What's going on? Could it be…" A chill rose in her heart.
Nonov expressionlessly shoved his hand towards the area and fished out a few shattered metallic pieces. There still remained powerful radiations and complicated, intricate patterns and clearly was a part of a high-grade magic equipment.
"The Blade of Avarice! What's going on? It's a high-grade magic artifact. How can it suddenly shatter?" Marjorie yelled, her extremely sharp voice even dispersing the clouds in the sky.
This high-grade magic artifact that was the final treasure of the light Magi could recharge itself automatically. It produced a terrifying attack that could destroy peak rank 3 Magi, hence it was regarded as the final trump card of the light Magi, being safeguarded tightly. It wouldn't be used unless it was a life or death situation.
It was this very item that had injured the Gargamel previously, but now… Nonov looked at the blade fragments in his hands, and suddenly felt like the honour and glory that the light Magi upheld seemed to be collapsing magnificently.
"To be able to go past my defences and even destroy the Blade of Avarice without my knowledge, lowering the energy waves to the limit so that the explosion wouldn't injure anyone... This strength..." Nonov felt as if all the bones in his body had been extracted as he collapsed to the ground.
He took a deep breath and then guessed, "He must be stronger than the peak of rank 3, having reached the unfathomable Morning Star realm!"
"Morning Star... A rank 4 Magus!" the old woman shrieked, "What kind of joke is this? A Magus of this rank in our south coast… a Magus of this rank…" She kept repeating the words, her voice becoming softer.
She was beginning to believe in this conjecture. Perhaps only Magi at and above the Morning Star realm could break out of their attack so easily, leaving them powerless and in despair.
After staying silent for a long while, she asked a very practical question. "What should we do next? What kind of attitude should we use to face that… Lord?"
"I don't know," Nonov laughed wryly, "But what I do know is that the whole situation in the south coast is going to experience a tumultuous change soon. Whatever it is, we know one thing for sure— never provoke the Farlier Family!"
At the end, Nonov's expression turned incomparably grim...
Flames streaked across the sky. Krupp was instantly terrified by their speed once he opened the door to the carriage.
"If we'd hurried on at this speed earlier, those light Magi wouldn't even have had any time to react, right? Why…"
"Why did I deliberately slow down and let them chase up to us?" Leylin reclined on the sofa in the carriage, gus eyes narrowed slightly. His expression was hidden by the half-mask.
"Per–perhaps Lord Leylin wanted to exhibit his strength to them. This can be seen from how Lord Leylin let them off at the end!" Darlie stammered out while clutching at her skirt.
"You said it well!" Leylin nodded in praise. Darlie was a smart girl, and her talent and qualities were all good. In addition, with the limitations of her soul vow, she could never go against the will of the Farlier Family, and instead become Krupp's valuable companion.
"These Magi are obviously nothing to Lord Leylin, but my lord is making plans for us? My Lord is taking precautions so that once he leaves, they will be too terrified to give us trouble," Darlie guessed.
"Patriarch, are you leaving?" Krupp turned pale in fright.
"Mm, the south coast is just too small. This place is too barren for me and there's nothing worth my attention here. If not for the Farlier Family being here, as well as some debts I had to settle, I wouldn't have returned." Krupp grew disappointed as Leylin nodded, "I'll leave the task of restoring the Farlier Family to you. The reputation I'll leave behind won't count for much; what you'll really need to rely on is your own strength. I'll teach you and Darlie well in this period of time..."
…..
News of Leylin's reappearance did not shock most of the lower-ranked Magi in the south coast. What made them sigh with sorrow was the change in the leadership of Teljose City, as well as the strange death of the rank 3 Magus Alric along with his friends, disciples, and family.
The acolytes and rank 1 Magi were too far removed from the upper echelons, and the news that spread to them was limited. Hence, they believed that Alric had been struck by some unknown curse. Suffering a curse due to some lab accident or mistaken summoning was common in the Magus World, even ones that ended one's lineage. It was just that the scope of the curse this time was far more terrifying.
Though their guesses were rather close to reality, never did they expect that the one who had caused Alric's fall was the wanted Magus, the Toxic King Leylin, the name that was just a symbol in their history textbooks.
However, no matter which organisation they belonged to, the higher-ranked Magi were shaken. This trend did not seem to vanish, but instead became increasingly intense. The fall of Alric and his families was like a giant rock being thrown into a lake, resulting in immense ripples in the south coast.
As a rank 3 Magus, Alric was probably one of the top five in the light alliance. Yet he'd been killed just like that. Even his family and disciples hadn't been let off. Such a ruthless power caused terror in the hearts of both light Magi and dark.
What they did not expect was that the death of Alric was merely a prologue of sorts. The fact that the higher-ups amongst the light Magi had surrounded the murderer and fought him was concealed originally, but eventually it leaked. The Magi that heard of the real situation sank into a mysterious silence.
The news was just too shocking, to the point they believed it to be fake. Three peak Crystal Phase Magi had been grievously injured and lost the Golden Staff, Aquatic Devil Seaweed and countless other treasures. Even the Blade of the Avarice had been reduced to pieces! Such a terrifying battle might dumbfounded the high-ranked Magi of the south coast.
Meanwhile, news of Leylin's achievements spread like wildfire, and many Magus historians flipped through thick tomes hoping to find all traces of him in the historical records. The most important order now was not to provoke Leylin or the Farlier Family. It wasn't just the light Magi, even the dark Magi enforced this rule.
In such a situation, a carriage that was being pulled by a flaming skeleton horse slowly entered the boundaries of the Abyssal Bone Swamp.
*Caw! Caw!* A few red-eyed crows flew in the sky, causing nostalgia to arise in Leylin's eyes. Having moderated his aura, he seemed like a regular human. The only thing that showed he was not normal was the aura of nobility that he inadvertently leaked.
The Abyssal Bone Swamp belonged to the Abyssal Bone Forest Academy, which was Leylin's destination. As the place that had guided him into the ranks of Magi, Leylin still felt something for his alma mater.
As the place that had guided him into the ranks of Magi, Leylin still felt something for his alma mater. Furthermore...
"Kroft, Bicky, Neela, Jayden, Dorotte, Nyssa…" Leylin announced the names slowly, "Though a lot of them have probably disappeared, I still want to take a look…"
Huge tombs appeared before him after he crossed through the dark forest. Several enormous stone statues of gorillas lined the sides of the tallest tomb in the centre came to life and screeched "INVADERS!"
Shrill alarms began to ring, and white human skulls emerged from the earth one by one. They were followed by torsos and then the rest of their skeletal bodies. The skeletons emitted a dense aura of death as they grabbed rotting metal weaponry before slowly surrounding Leylin and his party.
A few double-headed dogs growled gruffly, with pus flowing profusely from the gaps between their teeth as they circled around them
"Lunatics who dare offend the dignity of the Abyssal Bone Forest Academy, you will learn what it means to pay a price in blood!" The largest stone gorilla snarled, and the undead troops began to attack.
"Wait!" An imposing voice sounded out, accompanied by large amounts of green flames. Many human figures emerged from underground, all having energy undulations of at least rank 1.
"Director!" The magical beasts bowed towards the new arrivals, but what surprised Leylin the most was that standing in front of the many professors was a female Magus.
'Wasn't the director of the Abyssal Bone Forest Academy Siley? So it's someone else now?' Astonishment flashed in Leylin's eyes as he curiously watched the person in front of him.
-x-X-x-
The director of the Abyssal Bone Forest Academy, standing in front of their many professors, was a female Magus. This had exceeded all of Leylin's expectations. On top of that, Leylin felt like her face was familiar.
Leylin couldn't help but begin to inspect her features closely. She had long, wavy blonde hair and a doll-like face. Her starlike eyes, small stature with some baby fat remaining on her face making the woman whose skin was as pale as snow seem lovable and adorable. Materialised spiritual force at the peak of rank 2 was being emitted clearly from her body.
'Huh… These energy undulations are different from those of regular Magi, she must be from an ancient branch. Was she fortunate enough to obtain some ancient inheritance?'
"Lord Leylin!" The female Magus opposite him curtsied, her pleasant voice sounding like a black-naped oriole, "Welcome back! Abyssal Bone Forest shall forever be your home!"
She was obviously showing her good will, and her voice immediately made Leylin think back to the bonfire at the acolyte camp. He remembered her as a person, but her appearance had drastically changed that he no longer remember her original visage.
"You are… Nyssa?" Leylin spoke slowly. This female Magus was the one who had been deceived by her Mentor. The one who had turned into a disgusting freak due to a failed experiment. Contrary to her former nickname of 'swine', the Nyssa now was the very personification of beauty.
"It's me. Thank you for all your support and encouragement in the past." Nyssa's chest bounced up and down, she evidently had many things to say. Immediately after that, she ran her eyes over the surroundings, "Lord Leylin is no enemy. You may return."
"Understood." The stone orangutans saluted respectfully and brought the skeletal troops back to their original places.
"Everyone, let me introduce you. This is Leylin Farlier, the eternal pride of our Abyssal Bone Forest Academy! Let us welcome him warmly." Nyssa spoke with the poise of a leader to the professors behind her. She was completely different from the fragile and weak girl of the past.
"He's that Leylin!" "The Toxic Sovereign King?" "No, I heard that…"
His previous actions had earned Leylin a reputation second to none in the Abyssal Bone Forest Academy. People quickly began whispering under their breaths when his name was announced; some of them who were ranked high enough had received some information that caused them to humble themselves further before him.
The chattering stopped with but a wave of Nyssa's hand. This simple action showed off her authority.
She shot a sweet smile at Leylin, and it seemed to light up the whole graveyard. "I know there's a lot you want to know. I have a lot to say myself, so it's best we continue this in my drawing room below."
"Mm," Leylin nodded. Following that, he entered the underground construction that was the Abyssal Bone Forest Academy escorted by the many Magi.
The surface of Abyssal Bone Forest Academy was a graveyard, but it had a huge underground structure that could accommodate thousands of Magi and those doing odd jobs inside. It was like a complicated but precise beehive.
In the main drawing room, Leylin put down the black tea in his hands and listened to Nyssa as she gave an account of all that had occurred after they parted ways.
"... And so I acquired that sage's inheritance and successfully became an official Magus. Two centuries later, I reached rank 2 and was elected the director of the Abyssal Bone Forest Academy." Nyssa tucked her long hair behind her ear.
"Mm, it's been hard on you," Leylin watched the girl in front of him. While what she said sounded simple, he could imagine the price she'd had to pay for all these changes. However, she wasn't willing to share more and he wouldn't pour salt on her wounds. It would do him no good.
However, since she wasn't willing to share more, he wouldn't pour salt on her wound. More importantly, it would do him no good.
"I'd thought I'd need to deal with some bugs and trash in the academy, but it looks like there's little for me to do!" Leylin laughed as he spoke bluntly.
Three Magus families had managed everything when he'd been studying at the academy, even electing its director. He'd fought with the Lilytell Family which was one of the three, and was left with no choice but to leave. Though he later dealt the family a huge blow, circumstances hadn't allowed him to completely uproot it from the academy.
However, the fact that Nyssa was the director and nobody from the Lilytell Family disrupted his arrival was telling.
"I've already completely uprooted the Lilytell Family, and the other two have been affected as well. They can't meddle with anything to do with the academy anymore. Come to think of it, this is all thanks to you. If you hadn't killed a peak rank 1 grand elder who had a chance of reaching rank 2, the families would never have grown imbalanced in power. And that was what sparked everything…"
Nyssa was all smiles as she watched Leylin. Although her words were light, the carnage behind them did not need to be described. Whatever be the situation, the Abyssal Bone Forest Academy was merely a small-scaled organisation with its most powerful Magus being Siley who was only a middling rank 2. However, Nyssa was at the peak of rank 2, which made it easy for her to push him off his throne.
"Since the Lilytell Family has been completely destroyed, it saves me a lot of trouble…" Leylin chuckled, "There are a few other people I want to find the whereabouts of…"
Hearing this, Nyssa's eyes dimmed, "I can guess who you want to ask about. Our companions, Guricha, Dodoria, and even Jayden have all died… Only the two of us remain from that batch…"
"Even Jayden, with his grade 5 aptitude…" Leylin shook his head, looking grim. However, he would never admit his knowledge of the reason for his death.
"Jayden's Mentor, White Bone Dorotte, went missing during an expedition into some ruins. News spread that his life imprint dissipated, which means there's little chance of his survival.…" Nyssa spoke calmly. She hadn't dealt much with either Jayden or Dorotte, and her sorrow for their deaths couldn't compare to what she'd felt when Guricha and Dodoria died.
In reality, magic study and research was filled with dangers. For two acolytes from the south coast to survive and even achieve such dazzling results was quite rare.
"Mm… How about my mentor, Professor Kroft?" Leylin asked on.
"Potioneering Professor Kroft died peacefully of natural causes a century ago. His grave is right behind the academy, should I take you there?" Leylin immediately went silent upon hearing Nyssa's words, and scenes of Kroft's lectures emerged in his mind.
He wasn't surprised that Kroft had died of old age, though he was still a little sad. The professor was merely a rank 1 magus, and even if he was adept at Potioneering there was a limit to his lifespan. Leylin had no idea how long Kroft had lived before he'd become his student. Since he hadn't advanced to rank 2, it was natural for him to die of old age.
Such a death was actually pretty good in the Magus World, and it didn't really cause Leylin any grief. It only made him think that time was indeed the largest foe of life. This event only strengthened his resolve to pursue immortality.
Leylin stayed silent for a while longer before his voice sounded out, "Thank you very much, Nyssa. I plan to stay here for a period of time, and there are a few other people whose whereabouts I need to trouble you for. Neela, Bicky, and Anna who's from Extreme Night City. She's a human who once took over my manor…" He announced a few names.
"Alright, I've remembered their names. I'll give you an answer within a week," Nyssa quickly replied.
"Many thanks. I'd like to be alone now." Leylin reclined on the sofa, waving his arms as if in weariness.
"Then I'll take my leave." Although Nyssa was the host, she seemed to obey Leylin unconditionally. She bowed slightly before retreating in caution.
...
"Kroft Leslie..." The lettering on the mottled black tombstone had dulled with the passage of time, but Leylin was still able to read the name out. He was currently among a large number of tombs; numerous black tombstones and upside down crosses covering the area. It caused the place to feel ominous and cold.
The tomb in front of him belonged to his ex-mentor, Kroft.
"Mentor… I'm back!" Leylin said, the words emerging after a long period of silence. The cold wind kept blowing, causing the black trees to rustle.
"Professor Kroft left very peacefully, and he didn't leave behind any descendants…" Nyssa walked over, "Also, I've gotten an answer about what you wanted me to check out…"
"Tell me." Leylin's voice was calm, but that only caused a shiver to run down her spine. It was as if she had met some natural enemy.
"First is Neela. It can be confirmed that she passed away 129 years ago, and her family was extinguished 67 years ago due to a leak during an experiment… Those from Extreme Night City have also returned to report, saying that Anna did live there for a period of time, and even developed the organisation to the perimeters of Extreme Night City. She was a very capable woman and never did marry. She later died alone of old age. Her organisation withered away after her passing. As for Bicky…"
Nyssa glanced at Leylin, "She's… gone missing…"
"Gone missing? Clarify!" Leylin furrowed his brows.
"After you rescued her in the Tyler Family, she left and travelled the continent by herself, apparently to look for you. Nobody knows where she is…"
-x-X-x-
Nyssa sounded very gentle, "The person who was the head of the Tyler Family at that time has been waiting here. Would you like to meet him?"
"There's no need for that," Leylin waved his arms. He'd never been interested in those who were so brazen in looking for benefits. Noticing him sinking into silence immediately after, Nyssa retreated tactfully.
After a long while, he sighed deeply. "Neela was a very smart woman after all, while Anna was slightly foolish. I never thought Bicky would have the perseverance to do that…" Leylin knew Neela's personality very well. She was adaptable and knew when to advance and retreat. It was only expected for her to meet a good end.
Anna's organisation had only been a way out that Leylin had prepared while he was an acolyte. It was understandable that it could not hold out for long.
What Leylin found the strangest was Bicky. With her personality, she evidently wasn't the kind of Magus who liked to work hard. It seemed like that matter had influenced her greatly, to the point that her personality had changed.
All three of them were good friends of Leylin's, perhaps even closer than that. If he could still see them, he would naturally want to help. However, it didn't matter if he couldn't.
Leylin left the graveyard after indulging in nostalgia for a while, returning to the luxurious room that the Abyssal Bone Forest Academy had prepared specially for him.
"Patriarch!" Krupp bowed deferentially. Now, however, he seemed vastly different from before.
The colour of his eyes and pupils had changed, and they were turning pure black. The lines on his face were more gentle, and he had grown more handsome, emitting a unique charm.
"Mm. How's your body? Can you get used to it?" Leylin's eyes shot out blue light that scanned his body up and down.
There were many methods that could be used to raise one's strength quickly, but the most suitable for Krupp was the modification of his bloodline.
Krupp had been receiving a transplant of Leylin's bloodline all this while. It was rather like contaminating a lower-ranked being with the power of a higher-ranked one.
Though Krupp had chosen the path of a Magus, he was still only a rank 1. With the methods Leylin had currently, it was easy for him to push him onto the path of a bloodline Warlock.
Not only was the aura of a bloodline Warlock rippling out of Krupp's body currently, his energy undulations had quietly crossed the threshold of rank 2.
"I'm alright. It's just uncomfortable, like even my marrow is burning…" Krupp was feeling very emotional right now. A bit of pain was a cheap price to pay for the modification to a Magus' bloodline, something that would give them great power. Such a chance was rare, not something one would find even if they were begging for it.
Now that he'd crossed over to rank 2 by drawing on the power of Leylin's bloodline, Krupp was completely subservient to him.
"Mm. That's natural with bloodline transplants. Remember to meditate using Kemoyin's Pupil a few times when you return." Leylin said, nodding inwardly at the information the A.I. Chip had gathered.
Leylin had planned Krupp's modifications out. After all, the south coast branch of the Farlier Family needed a powerful guardian. And once Leylin transported a Kemoyin bloodline into the boy, his ability of control as a Kemoyin Emperor have him great control over him.
'A rank 5 emperor bloodline will have an extraordinary effect. Just this bloodline force pushed Krupp to rank 2, and might get him to rank 3 in just 50 more years. The possibility of breaking through to Morning Star is…' Glints of intelligence flashed in Leylin's eyes.
He'd naturally used the Kemoyin Emperor bloodline, but it wasn't his own. Leylin's own bloodline was far too powerful, and just a single drop of it would cause Krupp to explode. Since a first generation Warlock's bloodline was too much, Leylin had instead given Krupp the umbilical blood that had been gathered from Syre's birth.
A second generation Warlock bloodline may be weaker than Leylin's, but it was still real rank 5 Kemoyin Emperor blood. It was diluted and hadn't matured, but that's what made it suitable for Krupp.
Now that he carried Syre's blood, Krupp could be considered a third generation Warlock. In other words, he was effectively Leylin's grandson.
At this time, the A.I. Chip's robotic voice sounded again. [Beep! Bloodline weakening graph completed. Estimated degeneration to Giant Kemoyin Serpent bloodline: 15th generation. Estimated further degeneration at 34th generation.…]
The weakening of Warlock bloodlines was something that couldn't be avoided. In order to keep the family bloodline pure, they had to practice endogamy or use even more sinister methods with hopes that the deterioration of the bloodline could be drawn out. However, no matter how much was sacrificed the process wouldn't be pushed back more than a century.
'In other words, the chance of a rank 5 Warlock appearing in the Farlier Family is pretty high before the fifteenth generation?' Leylin pondered over this thought while stroking his chin.
It wasn't true that everyone with the Kemoyin Emperor bloodline would become a rank 5 Warlock. Even within the Ouroboros Clan there were many with Kemoyin bloodlines but only Gilbert and the other two dukes had reached Morning Star. Even Bevis with his rank 6 bloodline wasn't guaranteed to reach the Breaking Dawn realm and become a Monarch. He only had the potential to do so.
Hence, while descendants that inherited Leylin's rank 5 Kemoyin Emperor bloodline only needed to work hard and would easily reach rank 4, whether they reached rank 5 was still a question.
As someone who had gone through this process himself, Leylin understood clearly that advancing as Magi did not only require a large amount of resources and hard work. Luck was a very important factor as well.
Other Magi did not have an A.I. Chip at the side like Leylin; they couldn't run simulations and predict possibilities for advancement.
"Understood, my Lord!" Having been modified by Kemoyin Emperor blood, Krupp's respect towards Leylin had evolved into a dependance and reverence from his very soul. He had the Kemoyin bloodline, and humility before the king of one's race had been carved into his very blood and genetics. It could not be changed.
'This is truly an intoxicating feeling…' Leylin's eyes flashed as he continued to think, 'As I am right now, Krupp probably wouldn't say no even if I were to order him to kill everyone he loves and then commit suicide. He'd even risk his life for this mission… The Snake Dowager's control over other serpents the same… I'm probably the only one of my kind.'
Leylin's finger kept brushing against his cheek. His forehead had been covered by the cold mask, and the Allsnake Curse's mark was dead silent with no visible movements.
However, Leylin could sense traces of fine bloodline force being absorbed by it from all areas of his body as it increased in strength. Though there wasn't much of an effect on him now considering the rate at which it was happening, his bloodline force would be absorbed completely in two more years, leaving him a regular human once more.
Krupp's display showed how the controlling ability of the Kemoyin Emperor was a revolt against the Snake Dowager's own authority. Were he to break through his bloodline shackles, perhaps all Kemoyins would break away from her rule. This was something she would never accept.
Hence, a conflict between them definitely could not be avoided.
"Also, Director Nyssa is waiting outside and hoping to see you!" While Leylin was deep in thought, Krupp had been standing respectfully at the side like the most loyal soldier or servant. He'd moved forward to make his report only when there was a reaction from him.
"Nyssa? Is there anything else she needs?" Leylin's brows furrowed slightly.
"It should be about other visitors. Ever since news spread that my Lord is staying at the Abyssal Bone Forest Academy, many dark Magus organisations have dispatched emissaries to meet you. Some leaders have even come over personally, the head of the Lighthouse of the Night being one." As he said this Krupp sighed slightly in his mind.
Tyrants among the dark Magi like the leader of the Lighthouse of the Night were absolute existences in his eyes, ones to be looked up to. However, they'd come forward so humbly and waited for a meeting with his patriarch. It made him feel honoured.
"Also, a few light Magi organisations have secretly sent emissaries as well…" Krupp saw the calm look on Leylin's face and continued, "My Lord, do you think…"
"Set a time. I'll see them all." Leylin waved his hands.
...
"I never thought my Lord would visit the Abyssal Bone Forest Academy. It truly is the honour of our professors and students!" Elsewhere, Nyssa was speaking to a Magus clad in black robes whose eyes flamed a dark green. She was accompanying him on a stroll through the interior of the Abyssal Bone Forest.
"The Abyssal Bone Forest managed to produce a genius like Lord Leylin. It surely has some redeeming qualities!" The black-robed man was evidently the leader of the Lighthouse of the Night, the strongest dark Magus organisation.
With its massive network, he'd quickly gained intel on Leylin's terrifying battle achievements, followed by other general information on him. He couldn't remain seated after he heard it all. After all, this Lord Leylin was very likely a great Magus who had entered the Morning Star realm!
Just some advice on his path of advancement would leave him very grateful.
"Lord Leylin relied on his own talents. The Abyssal Bone Forest Academy was merely lucky enough to instruct him…" Nyssa did not dare exaggerate when it came to this, and instead told the truth.
-x-X-x-
"Whatever the matter, Lord Leylin is Abyssal Bone Forest Academy's greatest success and fortune!" the glance the leader of Lighthouse of the Night shot at Nyssa hinted at something, and no matter how hard she tried to conceal it a hint of glee appeared in her eyes.
The greater Leylin's reputation was, the better it was for the academy. With his fame, the Abyssal Bone Forest Academy would definitely be able to expand enormously under her administration. She could even accomplish more than what all the previous directors had been able to. This was the petty and low reason for which Nyssa was trying so hard to invite him to join them.
'If I could make use of their good relationship and get Leylin to become a famed professor at the academy…' Just the idea had Nyssa trembling in her excitement; she was perhaps smiling even in her sleep.
"Also… I seem to see a lot of old friends from the light Magi here!" The green-eyed Magus stared at Nyssa with a half-smile.
"Yes, there are quite a few. Ennea Ivory Ring Tower, Four Seasons Garden… Practically all the large light Magus organisations have secretly sent people to make contact with us." Since it was basically impossible to hide it from him, Nyssa just nodded and admitted it.
"Hu huu… looks like his reputation has terrified them…" The leader laughed in a strange manner, like an owl in the night.
The Magi of light and dark coexisted in the south coast. However, the light Magi were evidently much stronger and occupied most of the resource-rich regions, and the dark Magi could only eke out an existence hidden in the corners. The leaders of the light Magi had steadily suppressed them.
With the appearance of the Gargamel, there was now a three-way confrontation. The dark and light Magi might have temporarily stopped fighting, but the enmity between them had not been resolved, only inhibited by the existence of a powerful external enemy.
Now, with a Morning Star Magus who had started off as a dark Magus, this was more than enough for the old light Magi to be like cats on hot bricks.
At this thought, a sneer appeared about the leader's lips.
"Director Nyssa and this lord here!"
At this moment, Krupp appeared before Nyssa, and it was as if the figure of a snake flashed in his eyes. The bloodline aura he had caused even the leader, who was a rank 3 Magus, to feel his heart palpitate.
"The Patriarch is willing to meet you. Please come with me!"
Krupp's hair and eyes almost turned completely black, darkness elemental particles extremely dense as they strived to outdo each other and wiggle into his pores. Such a scene astounded Nyssa and the leader.
Having said this, Krupp led the way while Nyssa and the leader transmitted each other messages secretly.
"So this Magus is that lord's grandson? The descendant of the Farlier Family?" The leader's eyes were filled with curiosity. After all, a powerful rank 2 Magus was very rare in the south coast. Any one of them could take over an organisation and still hold immense power.
"He's obviously only advanced very recently. While in history, it's common for that to happen to the descendants of high-ranked Magi, but…"
A hint of hesitance appeared in his voice.
"Yes! This Magus isn't Sire Leylin's descendant, but only a branch from his brother!" Nyssa knew what he wanted to ask and gave the answer.
"A lateral relative?" His eyes went wide, before he lowered his head to chuckle, "I now have even more expectations towards Sire Leylin!"
"We're here!"
Krupp brought Nyssa and the leader into a large hall. There, many Magi were already in wait, but there were two entirely different groups.
At one side were Magi, with many wearing black Magus robes. Their auras were ice-cold and evil. After seeing the arrival of the leader of Lighthouse of the Night, many drew close and greeted him like moths to a flame.
The Magi at the other side who saw this mostly huffed, not looking very good.
They were clad in white robes, with many decorations of plants that represented life on it. Light and a holy aura began to emanate from their bodies.
"He called them all at one go? I've been greeting the leader of the Lighthouse of Night all this while, but this…"
Nyssa gritted her teeth, and her expression became a wry smile.
With Leylin's absolute power, that bit of authority she had as the director was probably even lighter than a feather in the eyes of the Abyssal Bone Forest professors.
Hence, after being ordered by Leylin, they carried out what he asked without hesitation and even gave her the misconception that they had abandoned her.
No! This wasn't a misconception. Nyssa knew very well that as long as that man were to say that he wanted to be the director of the academy, she would immediately be made to renounce her position.
Thankfully, he had never been fond of power and status. Furthermore, the academy was just much too small for him, to the point that he might turn his nose up at it.
Nyssa, who thought about this, finally relaxed, the bit of worry she had disappearing.
"Everyone!"
Krupp stood on the platform in the middle of the hall with Darlie beside him. While she had not undergone bloodline modification, she'd been observing Leylin and learning from him. Leylin's knowledge was abundant and he could give perfect answers to all her questions, which very beneficial to her without her being aware of it.
Flames flickered, and Leylin floated above the place where the master should be, black eyes scanning his surroundings.
A terrifying and vast aura that was like countless stars in the skies filled the hall. All the Magi that Leylin looked in the eye, whether the rank 2 Nyssa or rank 3 leader of Lighthouse of the Night felt a piercing pain in their eyes, and subconsciously lowered their heads, even bending their waists.
"Greetings, Lord Leylin…"
Having personally sensed Leylin's aura and how terrifying he was, the Magi had no disillusions about his strength.
"Rise!" Seeing the many Magi who had bowed, Leylin raised his arms slightly.
Immediately after, the Magi below the platform felt themselves being raised by a warm draft, holding within strength that they could not oppose.
The Magi could not help but stand up straight, eyes full of astonishment.
"I'm afraid it's true that this lord has already advanced to be a Morning Star!"
The leader of Lighthouse of the Night's pupil's flashed. He now had no doubt at all towards Leylin, who had easily defeated a top-notch master of the light Magi and even destroyed their final trump card, the Blade of Avarice.
Leylin glanced through. Lighthouse of the Night, Ennea Ivory Ring Tower, Four Seasons Garden, Skeleton Throne… Besides the representative from the Spirit Slaying Sect, everyone in the Magus World from the south coast had arrived.
These top-grade dark and light Magi organisations were very well-known back in the day. Now, however, they could only creep at his feet.
However, Leylin did not even twitch. The Magi under the platform could not tell Leylin's expression under the mask and merely lowered their heads humbly.
Leylin continued to speak, "I wonder what all of the Magi here have come for?"
The Magi exchanged glances. The reason they were here was mostly to verify Leylin's might and his attitude.
Based on what had happened, there was no question about his strength. Just displaying the tip of the iceberg had them gasping in admiration, and nobody dared personally test it out with a battle.
Besides that, this lord's attitude towards the two factions seemed rather mild. It wasn't good or bad, as if he had no ambitions to unify the south coast.
This discovery had many light Magi sighing in relief.
"Lord Leylin!" At this moment, the leader of the Lighthouse of the Night stood out.
"Speak." Leylin extended his arm and made a polite gesture for him to go on. Inside, he was sighing a little. In his acolyte days, he'd once seen the leader during the bloodbath for the secret dimension.
At that time, just a gaze could cause him grievous injuries or kill him. However, the tables had turned. With just a look, he would immediately be stricken with terror and die miserably.
"Please forgive me for my boldness in saying this, but… have you… already become a rank 4 Magus?"
The leader of the Lighthouse of the Night hesitated but eventually asked.
Things like status had long since lost interest to him. The only thing that would attract him and cause him to invest his mind and body in was a thirst towards a higher realm.
Hearing this question, the hall quieted down. Everyone watched Leylin expectantly.
"This question…"
Just as he was about to answer, a smile appeared about his lips, "Please forgive me, but I will answer this later. Let us first meet a friend!"
"A friend?" The leader was stunned, and immediately noticed two translucent faint figures pressing on either side of a demonic being that suddenly emerged from the void.
"That's… the Gargamel of the Spirit Slaying Sect!"
Between the two void assassins was a soul demonic being. It had a mask of a horned demon, and its body was as concentrated as a black crystal. Vast soul undulations was transmitted from its body, causing the expressions on these Magi to change.
This was a level that surpassed all of them who were advancing towards the path of Morning Star.
"Is that really the Gargamel?"
"Definitely! This strength that's mixed with resentment and lunacy is something all Magi who've seen it even once can't misidentify…"
Many Magi whispered incessantly amongst each other, and then watched Leylin with reverence in their eyes.
-x-X-x-
With the appearance of the Gargamel, the Magi present sank into a mysterious silence.
They knew very well how terrifying and troublesome the Gargamel was. Not only was it powerful at magic, it could support its body with vengeful dead spirits, allowing it to maintain peak condition at all times. Even when struck by the light Magi's final trump card, the Blade of Avarice, it had only been injured and not killed. It only went low-profile for a while before making waves again.
If not for the Magi being unable to deal with it, the Spirit Slaying Sect wouldn't be able to rise in the south coast to be regarded equal to the dark and light Magi.
Now, however, the sect chief, the Gargamel that the disciples fiercely believed in had been seized so easily. The demon that had caused so much terror was suppressed under the platform.
The huge contrast left the Magi questioning whether they were in an illusion.
However, they had no choice but to admit that this was reality after a few tests. Even Leylin's subordinates had the ability to take down a peak rank 3 Magus!
Capturing someone at the same rank alive was more difficult than killing them. This was something known to all Magi. They would perhaps only have a slight increase in respect if Leylin had captured the Gargamel himself. However, this was his subordinates' work, the effect on them was so great that it couldn't possibly be better from Leylin's perspective.
The two void assassins bowed slightly and disappeared into the void. Such strange methods caused many Magi to have changes of expressions. Now, they understood very well that with just a command, he didn't have to do anything at all. Just his two subordinates could eliminate all the Magi here!
Recognising that, they no longer dared to have any thoughts about Leylin, fearing he would notice.
"Gaga… gege… you are… Leylin!"
A hoarse voice sounded from behind the Gargamel's horned white bone mask. It sounded intermittent, but was evidently much more quick-witted than when he'd first seen it.
"Yes. How's' that pitiful Magi mother and daughter doing?"
Leylin asked indifferently. He was obviously talking about Old Devil and her daughter in Teljose City then. The old witch had made a deal with the Gargamel to revive her daughter, and even tried to offer Leylin up as a sacrifice.
Of course, after Leylin's counterattack, they had suffered consequences and fused to form a strange being.
"Them? I ate those two useless pieces of trash long ago!"
The Gargamel's speech became more fluent.
"Is that so…" Leylin seemed to be in a daze for a moment, as if recalling some distant memories.
"Ga ga!"
At this moment, two bundles of crimson flames emerged from under the Gargamel's bone mask. Numerous runes burst on its body, and a layer of thick black fog spread.
"Crap! It's gotten out of its bindings!" The Magi shouted in their fear and anger, bodies flickering with colourful innate defensive spells.
"The home of all living things can only be the tomb of the soul for eternity… the Gargamel!"
The Gargamel yelled as if chanting runes of sacrifice that constantly echoed.
*Boom!* Amidst the curse, the Gargamel's body exploded and countless figures emerged from its body. There were the old, young, male, female, and the one common point they had were their vicious faces as well as eyes that were dripping blood.
"Keke, let's destroy everything together. Soul Disaster!"
The bone mask exploded with a rumble and turned into powder that flew through the air. Bits of light fused with the figures from before, the terrifying aura they emitted causing even the leader of the Lighthouse of the Night's expression to change.
The peak rank 3 Gargamel had now was treading on the threshold of Morning Star. The dreadful attack formed by ruining its own body meant he had no thoughts that he could survive as a rank 3 Magus himself.
He knew very well that once such a spell completely broke out and spread, the Magi in the hall would die, and even the Abyssal Bone Forest Academy would not be spared.
"I'm going all out! Though using secret techniques will consume much of our measly life force, it's still better than dying here!"
The leader called out in a low voice, a layer of fine black runes appearing around his body. They were like tadpoles cruising through the air, as if about to collide with that soul body of nothingness.
*Weng! Weng! Weng!*
At this moment, blue starlight descended, and the leader's body quivered. He found that his spiritual force had gone stagnant, and even the secret technique he was risking his life force for was forcefully being suppressed. He felt no weakness, and the backlash had evidently been pushed down and not consuming his life force at all.
"This– This…"
His eyes went wide as he watched the stars that spread from Leylin's back.
The light blue starlight brought with it a cold brightness that penetrated through the layers of defence and ground of the Abyssal Bone Forest, arriving in the hall. This made it seem as if the top of the hall was a dome showing the night sky with bits of starlight projecting and showing inverted images of gorgeous lights.
Accompanying the lights was a terrifying pressure that caused elemental particles to be rejected. The night domain that the leader had always been proud of exploded with a rumble in front of the pressure like bubbles.
"Ahh…" "Ga ga…" "Zhi zhi…"
The numerous spirit bodies in the sky were like bugs frozen in amber, unable to move at all. No Magi were injured.
"This– This is…" The leader trembled, crouching down almost involuntarily, "The Morning Star Domain of a Morning Star Magus!"
Compared to the fake domain of a rank 3 Magus, the exhibition of a real Morning Star domain with prowess that was terrifying to the extreme made him seem to be a joke.
"Gargamel, did you think I really didn't notice what you'd been doing?"
Leylin looked calm as he watched the many faint figures in the air. He grabbed forward casually, and a soul that looked dazed automatically flew over.
Immediately after, the look on the soul's face became sinister, body covered with black and two horns growing on the tips of his head as it growled at Leylin unceasingly.
"You look like you're going to implode yourself, but you actually hid your soul in one of the figures. As long one of these figures and vengeful spirits escape, you can use that body and revive yourself?"
Leylin coldly scanned the numerous vengeful spirits in the air.
"Very impressive. Perhaps regular Morning Star Magi might not notice and let you escape, but it's a pity… you met me!"
Leylin clenched his right fist.
*Boom!* Large numbers of vengeful spirits were like popcorn as they popped, a silver vortex forming and pulling the many figures and their remains within.
"No~~~!" A very unwilling roar was heard in the air before it finally became softer and disappeared.
The many spirits formed from the Gargamel's self implosion, as well as the one that Leylin had specifically picked out, all disappeared as they entered the silver vortex.
*Pak!* The Morning Star domain dissipated, and all that had just happened was like a dream, yet had happened in real life.
"Anye, greeting Morning Star Magus, lord Leylin Farlier!"
At this moment, the leader of the Lighthouse of the Night sounded. He knelt on the floor respectfully, looking as if he were a pilgrim.
"Greetings to Lord Leylin…" Now, the other Magi knelt like they had just woken from a dream, faces filled with excitement.
All that had happened just now and the appearance of the Morning Star domain made it clear that the Magus sitting at the main seat, Leylin Farlier, had truly entered the rank 4 realm.
In the south coast, after thousands of year, a Morning Star had finally appeared once more!
In that moment, some elderly Magi felt their eyes go blurry, filled with heat.
...
In front of the metal door where many light Magi were guarding, many peak rank 1 elite troops were with rapt attention as they did their job.
Not far away, there were many rank 2 Magi undulations transmitting from a few buildings.
*Sou! Sou! Sou!*
Three human figures appeared in the air, flying towards the metal door.
"Stop right there! This is the entrance to the pocket dimension of the Eternal Plains, and it's protected by the Lighthouse of the Night. What do you think you're doing?"
A spiritual force undulation was transmitted. Immediately after, the Magus standing leftmost hummed coldly, eyes emitting dark green light, "It's me!"
"Revered leader!" The rank 3 Magus' undulations dispersed, and the Magi who had been on their guard had their right hands on their chest as they greeted him.
Three human figures touched down, revealing two figures on top of that of the leader.
At the rightmost was a beautiful female Magus who had an exquisite face like a doll. Now, however, she and Anye automatically took a step back and allowed a space, as if not daring to stand shoulder to shoulder with the Magi between them.
The Magus in the middle wore dark golden, black scholarly robes with a cutting that was very proper. He had a very noble aura and had a black mask on his face with mysterious patterns on it.
Such dressing and to be accompanied by their own leader immediately rang the warning bells in this guard Magi.
Before, there had been no Magi that could stand on equal ground with their leader in the south coast. However, this situation had changed tens of days ago.
The guard Magus knelt respectfully and shouted the arrival's name, "We welcome, great Morning Star Magus, Sire Leylin Farlier…"
"We want to enter the Eternal Plains pocket dimension. Make preparations immediately!" Anye ordered.
Leylin nodded casually and stood by the metal door with Nyssa.
"The Eternal Plains pocket dimension… it's been so long!"
Leylin watched the large metal door before him, eyes full of nostalgia.
Scenes of the danger when he had advanced to rank 2 seemed to appear in his mind in that instant, every person extremely lively.