Chapter 51
Right, it still hadn’t gotten its Dragon Pearl back, without the Pearl it was stuck at Middle-Tier Spirit Emperor forever, no amount of effort would ever move it again, how could that stand!
"I said I would return it at an opportune time."
"What I promise, I don’t go back on."
That domineering tone wilted the dragon completely, head drooping, its speed fell away, the wind lost its sweetness, the flowers their fragrance.
Orathis understood perfectly, unless Soren handed it over himself, the Dragon Pearl was gone for good.
"Sigh, fine, fine, fine, who told me to fall into Master’s hands."
"Hm? That area up ahead is the Ice Heaven Alluring Fox territory, isn’t it?"
"Oh heavens, it smells so good~"
The unique scent of Spirit people hit its nose and it perked right up, after a hundred thousand years without a meal, that achingly familiar smell nearly had it drooling onto the treetops.
Watching it drift off the rails, Lysara issued a flat reminder. "Don’t forget what Master told you."
"Before eating anyone, consider whether eating them serves Master’s interests."
"You don’t get to eat whatever you please!"
"Master intends to build a Spirit army and rule the entire Exalted Continent, even the entire Azure Spirit World, these people are the first batch of candidates."
"If you can’t control your appetite, you know what your fate will be..."
Orathis wiped the drool from its mouth with one claw. "I was just smelling them."
The clan territory.
Osmond and several elders were finalizing how to lure Jared to a pre-arranged location, after killing him, Corpse-Dissolving Water would erase the body forever, not a trace would be left behind.
The cover story was ready too, signs of human sabotage had appeared in the territory, they would say, and while Jared led a patrol to investigate, a mysterious intruder who had somehow entered Black Dragon Mountain abducted him.
Then, with a suitable show of grief and remorse, plus a few small bloody scratches on their own bodies, they could win Ethel’s sympathy and convince her they had done everything they could.
If Soren truly did return, Ethel herself would help smooth things over.
The group had just finished, each wearing a cold sneer, ready to set the plan in motion... when an explosive pressure crashed down and froze the very space, every one of them stood paralyzed inside the hall, unable to move.
Osmond’s face filled with shock. "This is Soren’s demonic might!"
"How is he back so fast?"
"Wait, we haven’t even started acting, and he’s back?"
"And besides that Lower-Tier Human Empress Lysara, why is there a Middle-Tier Spirit Emperor aura next to him?"
"What is going on?"
"Good heavens, is someone toying with us!?"
The elders who had been full of drive one second earlier now stood with eyelids jumping, trembling head to toe.
"What is everyone panicking about?"
"Old Clan Chief, look at it from another angle, Soren is back, yes, but we never made our move, did we?"
"So we’re all innocent."
"We simply find another opportunity next time."
Osmond had nearly forgotten the plan was still only a plan, at the elder’s reminder he exhaled hard, relief spreading over his face.
"Indeed, the Third Elder speaks the truth."
"Let us go out and welcome Soren respectfully."
"Make absolutely certain he sees nothing amiss."
"Everyone, be sharp."
They gritted their teeth, mobilized Spirit energy against the demonic pressure until their bodies loosened, and hurried out in formation.
Roar!
Orathis hung above the clan territory on beating wings, the gale it kicked up flattened tens of thousands of clansmen amid rolling screams.
The Ice Heaven Alluring Fox clansmen, who had never seen a Spirit beast in its true form, stood dumbstruck, even Jared and Ethel stared at the behemoth with twitching eyes and hammering hearts.
Fortunately they had sensed Soren’s aura first, and could see him standing on Orathis’s back.
If not for that, a giant beast dropping out of the sky, a Middle-Tier Spirit Emperor in true form no less, would have had half the clan wetting themselves.
"Oh heavens, so fragrant."
"Every one of them a walking, tender little snack," Orathis muttered under its breath.
"Sigh, it’s not the old days anymore."
"I’m a dragon with a Master now."
"I must listen to Master."
Soren crossed his arms, gaze sweeping fast across the tens of thousands below, it paused only once, briefly, on Ethel waving up at him, no one else received the same.
That fleeting pause left a great many female clansmen bitterly envious, a look lasting under a second, and it announced Ethel’s standing in the entire clan.
To be valued by a Middle-Tier Demon Emperor meant status and protection for years to come.
And Soren wasn’t merely powerful and decisive, most importantly, he was very handsome.
He only stood there, yet the tall frame, the resolute eyes, the handsome face and the muscle faintly outlined beneath his clothes had Spirit girls in the age of first love declaring they could not cope.
The Spirit race and the demon race were mortal enemies, true, but this clan was an exception, they had never dealt with outside demons, and carried no unresolvable blood debt against them.
Soren’s sweeping gaze was, in fact, hunting for Osmond and the elders.
Seconds later, Osmond and the elders came scurrying out of a side hall.
Soren gave Lysara one look, she understood at once.
Both jade hands released a terrifying wave of spiritual energy, and in an instant Osmond and the elders were strung up in mid-air, upside down.
The clansmen looked at each other, whispers rippling out, fear threading through surprise.
"Demon Emperor, Demon Emperor, what are you doing?" Osmond asked, wearing his best innocence.
Lysara cast a flat glance over the restless crowd, her expression cold and remote.
"Master has asked me to feed you all a piece of gossip."
"I imagine you’ve all wondered why clansmen keep disappearing under bizarre circumstances, yes?"
Bewildered voices rose from below. "It’s true, every time someone nears a breakthrough to Upper-Tier Spirit Venerable, they vanish into thin air, it’s been an unsolved mystery for years."
Lysara sneered. "Then ask your Old Clan Chief."
"Master has spoken, any elder who obediently confesses the Old Clan Chief’s crimes and clears the clansmen’s confusion may be permitted to keep his life."
"Starting now, you have three seconds to decide."
"Whoever nods last, his head falls first"