Even after the hit Stella had given him, Fidd looked totally untouched as he dusted off the debris from his cloth.
"You call that a power move? Let me show you what true power is."
And then he turned.
Stella blinked, instantly moving her spear to the side, blocking the incoming punch.
It was right in front of her eyes that her spear shattered into many shards of light, and the shockwave sent her flying straight into the ceiling.
The blow didn't just break her weapon.
It sent a numbing shock through her body, and for that moment, she became immobile.
"Haha! You see what I mean." Fidd danced on his toes, looking like a playful little child. "It would have been a lot more fun though, if some of the stronger ones were here."
Then his countenance changed and he pouted. "You're all so… fragile. It's disappointing."
Silverwave had shot to the ceiling, grabbing Stella right before she could hit the ground.
"It's fine, Stella. Please recuperate. I'd take over now," she whispered into her ears before moving her to a safer side.
Taking her to Lu's side, she faced Fidd.
Silverwave always donned a mask so no one really knew what she looked like, and her gender was only displayed through her lady-like features.
"Another lady toy?" Fidd frowned. His goal was that cowardly man that they were defending. "Why don't you come out here and fight me if you are man enough!" He pointed a finger at Lu.
Lu frowned. He could obviously tell that he was being rage-baited, but something in him wanted to bring out his path and fight this man.
"Don't even think about it. Let us handle it," Silverwave shot back, wanting him to stay put.
If he got involved, she would have to hold back because of his safety.
She was currently at the Spirit Root Realm, which was just after the Core Realm. A few months ago, she had broken through to the second stage of Spirit Root, becoming a Spirit Master, and one of her many suitors had given a technique that matched perfectly with her path.
Too bad her heart was already given out to someone else.
During this meeting, she had wanted to inform Lu of her progress, but all this had happened and he was still acting depressed about that lady's death. It had been a decade already. How long would she have to wait?
Why can't you see me, Lu? She took her fighting stance with a burdened heart. No matter. This time I'd show you my strength, and then you'd see that I'm worthy to stand by your side!
Right as she muttered those words to herself, a beetle-like bug crept onto her shoulder, and she smiled beneath her mask.
She would save her man (to-be).
Fidd frowned when he saw that beetle.
They had been warned about this mask person.
Maybe he needed to take this thing seriously. And where was the creepy guy who was supposed to help him?!
---
Minutes before the chaos erupted…
Reith had decided that he couldn't wait for Master Lu anymore.
"It wouldn't hurt to find the collection myself and save him a lot of stress," Reith muttered, and moved to walking around for a while.
He had made several turns into different rooms, but he still couldn't find a room filled with beasts—or at least, that was what he thought he was looking for.
"Alright, I'm heading back. I should have just waited." Reith sighed, and it was at the moment he made this decision that the ground rumbled massively and the alarms started blaring.
His brain signals moved wildly, and wanting to avoid or hide from any intruder, he did the first thing that came into his mind and ran into the first room.
"What's going on?" But there was no way he could find out anything, at least not right now.
Remembering the event in the forest made him bite his inner lips. He wasn't strong enough to get into any major drama, especially in such a place filled with people of way higher cultivation realms than him.
Just as he reached for the door, something in the room dropped on the floor, and his ears perked up.
Footsteps…
He could hear it clearly, even louder than his current heartbeats.
Reith's eyes looked behind him, past the shelves that lined up in front of him, looking past the glasses that held countless gems and pristine weapons.
There was a sickening feeling that seemed to grip him by the neck and draw the air out of him.
Suddenly, out of the long row of shelves, someone stepped out, holding a small gem. He held the gem close to his eyes and seemed to look through it.
This person wasn't Fidd. Instead, his presence was a lot heavier, reeking of rot and venom.
A smile appeared on his face.
"Oh? I didn't see you there! Care to go through this place with me?" The man dropped the gem and looked at Reith with a slow smile.
Cold sweat ran down Reith's face, and his throat clamped. His pupils dilated, and he couldn't get himself to calm down.
There was no need for an explanation. This man was deadly. Every instinct in his body told him so.
Something even worse was the way the man's hana flow was moving.
A dark purple-colored line seemed to move intricately around the man's body.
It was then the man narrowed his eyes. "Quite a nice skill you have there," he said, his smile becoming stiff. "But don't you think you should ask for permission before invading privacy?"
It was strange to see how self-absorbed a person could be when it came to judging others' actions but committing even greater sins themselves. It was plain humanity.
Reith swallowed, moving backwards, an attempt to escape the snares of this man, but his back hit the locked door.
Even if he called on Ruach now, his body wouldn't be able to carry the power needed to beat this man.
The lines around the man were starting to convulse, thicken as if building up energy, and he knew what that meant.
This man was preparing his attack, and from the way those lines moved, it was going to be very dangerous.
"You see, child, boy? I don't know what to call you." The man looked perplexed for a moment, but his face straightened right after.
"I got a new technique added to my collection two days ago, and I haven't had the opportunity to try it out yet."
He said as a snake crawled from underneath his sleeve and wrapped around his arm, pushing its tongue forward with a slow hiss.
"There, there, Camilta. Tonight, we feast." He muttered, before turning a crooked smile at his prey. "Young blood always tastes better when it is terrified."