Chapter 151: The Hunt [2]
Inside the heavy stone walls of Kaelos City, the bustling streets vibrated with relentless, prosperous energy.
The central marketplace was packed to absolute capacity with merchants, cultivators, and wealthy travelers bargaining over rare goods.
Long wooden stalls lined the cobblestone avenues, displaying a grotesque variety of wares—sparkling jewels, rare medicinal herbs, high-grade beast mana cores, and thick, salted slabs of dried beastman meat hung openly on iron hooks above the stalls.
Children ran through the crowded lanes, laughing and playing tag around the trade wagons, their cheerful voices blending seamlessly with the macabre commerce of the city.
To the human inhabitants, it was simply another glorious, peaceful afternoon in the Hashian mountains.
High above the noisy markets, sitting on a cliffside overlooking the entire city, stood the grand, heavily fortified estate of the Mayor.
Inside the central reception hall, a heavy, tense atmosphere hung in the cold air.
Sunlight filtered through high arched windows, illuminating the polished wooden furniture and rare velvet tapestries lining the walls.
Sitting behind a massive mahogany desk was Mayor Henar—a broad-shouldered, brown-haired man in his mid-forties.
He was draped in an immaculate, dark priestly coat trimmed with silver embroidery, his fingers tapping rhythmically against the armrests of his high-backed chair.
Henar was a formidable cultivator who had broken through the mortal bottlenecks to become an Initial-Enlightened Martial General.
His word was absolute law across a hundred surrounding villages.
Yet, despite his supreme authority over the region, Henar’s posture was stiff, his breathing quiet and carefully controlled.
Standing near the open balcony window, looking down at the thriving city below with his hands folded behind his back, was a tall man draped in rich crimson robes.
The guest was a high-ranking Elder secretly dispatched from the Glorious Mythical Sect.
Though both men shared the title of Martial General, they were by no means equals.
The Sect Elder stood firmly in the Middle-Enlightened Martial General realm—a stage of power vastly superior to Henar’s initial baseline.
The ambient mana radiating subtly from the crimson-robed elder was so dense, so refined, that it made the air inside the spacious office feel thick and heavy.
The Elder turned his head slightly, a lofty, superior smile touching his lips as he looked at the quiet mayor.
"You seem tense, Henar," the Sect Elder spoke smoothly, his voice carrying a soft, melodic cadence. "Tell me... how progresses the quota assigned to Kaelos City by our Sect?"
Mayor Henar forced a polite, respectful smile onto his face, keeping his voice perfectly level as he answered.
"The work proceeds without flaw, Elder," Henar replied honestly, bowing his head slightly. "Our hunting vanguards have been exceptionally active over the past week. We have already captured and secured dozens of high-vitality beastman slaves.
They are currently locked down in the subterranean camp beneath the southern district... completely isolated from the eyes of the common folk, traveling merchants, and roving rogue cultivators."
Henar took a short breath before adding, "At this very moment, three of my top hunting squads—backed by three Peak-Enlightened Martial Masters—have surrounded the hidden enclaves of the Crimson-Spotted Leopard-kin in the outer ridges."
"Oh?" The Sect Elder’s smile broadened slightly, his sharp eyes flashing with a cold, predatory light. "The Crimson-Spotted Leopard-kin... an A-class species, if I recall correctly?"
"Indeed, Elder," Henar confirmed.
"Fascinating," the Elder chuckled softly, taking a few slow, measured steps toward the center of the room. "Their bone structures contain a remarkably dense concentration of refined primordial marrow—a rare, indispensable ingredient for high-grade skeletal tempering pills.
Furthermore, extracting the living hearts of an A-class species allows our grand alchemists to craft the Soul-Enhancing Vitality Elixir."
The Elder folded his hands inside his long crimson sleeves, his tone turning casual. "To purchase such pristine, unrefined materials through the black markets of the inner continents would cost our Sect millions of high-grade spirit stones.
Thus, to ensure your hunters encountered no unexpected anomalies... I made certain one of my trusted sect colleagues snuck along with your vanguard but I’m sure you noticed." the Elder smirked.
Mayor Henar’s eyes flickered slightly, though he maintained his composed expression.
"Failure is a concept our Sect does not tolerate, Henar," the Elder stated coldly, his eyes narrowing into sharp slits. "My colleague will ensure that stubborn Leopard-kin Tribe Leader and their martial elders are completely crushed.
The surviving cattle will be delivered directly into our hands."
"I understand, Elder," Mayor Henar nodded, though a faint, nervous pulse throbbed at his temple. "Kaelos City exists solely to serve the interests of the Glorious Mythical Sect."
The Sect Elder watched the mayor’s subtle reaction, his lofty smile returning.
He stepped closer to the mahogany desk, reaching out a pale hand to pat Henar’s shoulder with mock warmth.
"Do not look so grim, Henar," the Elder purred smoothly. "Our Sect deeply appreciates the unwavering diligence you have shown over these years.
Once this grand operation reaches its final fruition, you and your city will be compensated handsomely beyond your wildest imaginations.
High-grade cultivation manuals, spirit-replenishing pills, and territorial dominance over the entire northern province shall be yours."
The Elder looked out the window once more, his voice dropping into a dark, reverent tone.
"Every drop of blood spilled, every soul harvested from these beasts... it is all for a grander purpose. It is the necessary price for our Glorious Mythical Sect to shatter its current limits and ascend into the divine realm of a true Super Sect."
Seeing the mayor’s quiet demeanor, the Elder let out a soft, amused chuckle. "You have no need to harbor fear, Henar. We hold the shadows, and no one beyond these mountains suspects a thing."
Mayor Henar leaned back slowly against the carved wooden backrest of his chair.
He stared silently at the crimson-robed elder for a long, heavy moment before taking a deep, measured breath.
"Elder..." Henar asked softly, his eyes searching the Sect General’s face, "...how many more sacrifices will it take before the Glorious Mythical Sect finally achieves its ascension to a Super Sect?"
The Sect Elder paused. For a single second, the lofty smile faded from his porcelain face, replaced by a cold, calculating stillness.
Then, the corners of his lips curled upward into a chilling, wide grin that bared his teeth.
"Ten thousand more," the Elder answered smoothly.