Chapter 234: Chaos
Kael observed from the shadows as chaos consumed Vael-Khazul.
He had pressed himself against the trunk of an enormous tree, shadow manipulation wrapping around him like a second skin, rendering him virtually invisible to normal perception.
He couldn’t leave right now. The moment he stepped out of the forest, he would be facing Mid Spirit Soul realm cultivators. His concealment was flawless, but escaping a territory surrounded by hundreds of enemies required more than stealth.
He just hoped Vyra and the rest would come fast.
He turned and walked back toward the settlements, staying low, moving through root tunnels and moss-covered paths that kept him invisible.
Meanwhile, at the settlement.
Horns sounded through the interconnected root networks. Deep, resonant blasts that shook the trees and echoed through every home. The signal for war.
Gra-Khazul warriors mobilized instantly. Warriors grabbed bone weapons, soul-crafted blades, and whatever armor they owned. They poured out of their homes and rushed toward the territory boundaries to defend. Children were ushered into underground root shelters by elders. Women grabbed healing supplies and moved to designated safe zones.
The forest became chaos.
Gra-Khazul warriors ran past Kael’s hiding spot toward the boundaries, their movements urgent but disciplined. Draven soldiers cut them down before they could reach the perimeter.
THUD. CRACK. SWISH.
A Nesh warrior collapsed with a hole through his chest. A Kal warrior running beside him didn’t even slow down.
SWISH. THUD.
A Mora shaman tried to heal a wounded fighter. A Draven soldier decapitated her from behind before her spell completed.
SHLICK.
The Patriarch’s aura exploded across the forest.
It wasn’t mana. It was soul force — concentrated, overwhelming, ancient. A pressure that pressed against every living soul in the territory like a god’s gaze. Warriors on both sides staggered. Draven soldiers hesitated for a critical half-second.
In that half-second, the Patriarch killed three Mid Spirit Soul realm Draven soldiers.
He didn’t move from his position at the center of the territory. Three soul lances erupted from his consciousness across impossible distances, each one piercing a different target. The soldiers’ eyes went blank. Their bodies dropped where they stood.
THUD. THUD. THUD.
Three mid Spirit Soul realm Draven soldiers immediately engaged him.
The Patriarch drew a bone staff inscribed with ancient glyphs and stepped forward to meet them.
The first one attacked with a soul-crafted war hammer. The Patriarch sidestepped and drove his staff through the attacker’s skull.
CRACK.
The second launched a soul barrage — eight concentrated spikes aimed at his chest. The Patriarch raised his staff and a barrier of soul force absorbed every spike without a crack.
The third circled behind him, attempting an ambush. The Patriarch didn’t turn. His staff swept backward in an arc that caught the attacker across the jaw.
CRACK.
The Draven soldier’s head snapped sideways. He dropped.
BOOM.
A shockwave from the collision cleared the canopy above them, sending branches and leaves raining down. Sunlight — real, actual sunlight — poured into the forest for the first time in millennia.
Two late Spirit Soul realm cultivators immediately engaged the Patriarch.
Below, the remaining Mid Spirit Soul cultivators engaged the family heads of the other seven clans.
The family heads were all at Mid Spirit Soul realm with Soul Manifestation — the fourth stage of the soul path. But they faced a disadvantage. The Dravens had come prepared. Their soldiers carried soul defense items — amulets, inscribed armor, consumable pills that temporarily boost soul resistance. Weapons designed specifically to counter soul cultivation advantages.
The weakest were the Kal and Nesh family heads — both at Rank 4 Spirit Soul. They struggled against Draven soldiers whose equipment nullified much of their soul-based offensive power.
The Mora Clan female leader was the most dominant in her fight. She was at the Peak Stage of Soul Manifestation, her soul power so dense that Draven soldiers couldn’t approach without suffering debilitating soul pain just from proximity. Her attacks warped reality around her, turning the forest against her enemies.
Down below, in the shadows, other soldiers clashed with Mana Heart tribe members.
A fierce fight immediately erupted. Bone blades met Draven steel. Soul techniques clashed with mana abilities. The trees around them were destroyed by attacks and shockwaves. Shockwaves flattened sections of forest, uprooting trees and sending beasts scattering in panic. Even the beasts from the forest were running rampant, terrified by the chaos.
Kael watched from the forest with an indifferent expression.
The Finesh persona will still be useful when I come back for the inheritance ground.
He reached into his shadow and pulled out a Soul Vein Crystal he had stolen from the chamber. Then another. Then a third. The chaos made the normally guarded soul well chambers unattended.
He created a shadow clone and pressed the Mask of a Thousand Faces onto its face. The clone took on Finesh’s appearance perfectly — face, build, voice, mana signature, soul presence.
"Go back to the village," Kael whispered to the clone. "Complete the mission assigned to Finesh. Steal more soul vein crystals. Also, make them remember Finesh’s contribution. I would like to build his reputation for when I come back."
The clone nodded and vanished into the chaos.
Kael stayed hidden, watching the destruction unfold.
Suddenly, a red-haired figure looked directly at his position.
"I see you, kid."
Kael turned.
The red-haired figure stood forty meters away, hands clasped behind his back, a soul-crafted sword hanging at his hip. His expression carried a lazy, confident amusement.
Kael suddenly sensed danger.
Pure, concentrated soul force — aimed directly at his consciousness.
His hands came up. "Soul Shield!"
A barrier of condensed soul force formed around him — seven layers of protection against soul attacks, each layer capable of absorbing one major strike.
The shield cracked.
CRACK.
Pain exploded in Kael’s head — a sharp, stabbing sensation that felt like a needle driven into his consciousness. He gritted his teeth and the pain quickly stabilized.
His shadow shroud dissolved. His concealment stripped away.
He became fully visible.
Kael looked at the red-haired man standing fifty meters away. A soul-crafted sword in his hand that hummed with condensed soul power. His amber eyes burned with cold amusement.
Kael’s Spirit Eyes of the Dark Emperor activated. Information flooded his vision.
Soul Core realm. Mid Stage at minimum. Possibly higher.
He’s also a soul cultivator.
The red-haired man drew his sword with blinding speed and slashed outward.
SWISH.
A strong wave of force screamed toward Kael, distorting the air itself.
Kael activated Lightning Body.
ZZZT.
His body became lightning for a fraction of a second, pulling him sideways by bare millimeters. The force wave passed so close he felt the wind scrape across his cheek.
Kael landed in a crouch, his silver-gray eyes locked onto the red-haired man with a grim expression.
Mana Heart Rank 8. Force manipulation. This guy is likely a member of the main family of the Dravens.
The red-haired man smiled wider, his sword humming with building power.