RISE OF THE MARTIAL GOD

"Just answer, we are all cousins here. Anyone who tries to use your answer against you is a dog and will be hunted by the rest of us. You can freely share your thoughts." A girl dressed in blue said, making his attention turn to her. Others equally nodded, agreeing with her.

He looked away after a second and smiled again.

"Who knows?"

"What do you mean? You shouldn't speak in parables, some of your brothers here are too young to understand." Another person around fourteen said, shaking Lord Frost's arm.

"Alright, alright. Even I, myself, don't know what I will do. But it all depends on the situation. Right now, I don't even know what Leo did to him. It's when I know the reason, then I will decide if I will wade in or just wait it out. But regardless, I won't let any of our cousins die before me." Lord Frost said, making the respect everyone had for him soar once again.

Kaiser's loud voice suddenly interrupted them, making everyone's eyes return to the main spectacle.

"Uncle James, why did you come yourself? I have to tell you that wiping your nephew's ass isn't possible. I will give you face now by letting you go back and call him. But if you want to throw weight around as someone from the older generation, that kind of intimidation won't work with me. If Buddha blocks me today, I will strike down Buddha. Respect your old age and go inside. Can't you see it's only people from the younger generation around here? I'm here to see Leo, not your old bones."

"Truly outrageous. Our cousin Kaiser is leagues above us." Yang Yang said with a mischievous chuckle, watching the scene with eager eyes.

"Good! Nice one. You don't even want to give this old man face. The rumors are indeed true, you have gotten more outrageous. Truly bold of you. It seems that my nephew has grown bigger than his elders." Uncle James said, nodding his head angrily. He was gritting his teeth, barely concealing his rage.

"Uncle James, I have no issue with you. I'm here to see Leo because he stole something that belongs to me. But you're here trying to block me from questioning him. It seems that he did not act alone. He must have taken the items at the instructions of the elders from your branch. I wondered how a teenager could be so vicious, but it seems that it was simply the elders playing puppeteers behind him, telling him what to do. Uncle James, step aside and relax. Attacking me is equivalent to dropping a huge stone on your foot. This is an issue between the younger generation. It has nothing to do with you."

"Presumptuous! You insult this old master repeatedly, are you just arrogant, or do you have a death wish?"

"Old? Where? Which part of your body is old, uncle James? You're still as strong as a horse. That's why you ran out to flex your muscles thinking you can intimidate me. If you were truly old, you will be lying peacefully on your bed waiting for Hades' messenger to come for you. But here you are, rushing to wipe the shit away from your beloved nephew's ass. I'm sure you all are quite proud of him for the feat he achieved. James, step aside now and call Leo out. If I enter the house myself, I won't have this calm smile then." Kaiser said coldly, slowly walking James.

"Good! Then allow this old man to have a taste of the exceptional strength you have been bragging about." He said and outstretched his hand. A sword appeared in his palm and he quickly swung it around.

Lord Frost squinted at them the moment the sword appeared. And he was not the only one. The more knowledgeable ones among the spectators were all stunned.

"Is uncle James kidding me? He actually brought out his soul devouring sword!"

"Isn't it just an internal competition between clansmen? Is there a need to take out the most dangerous of all his weapons? Besides, he's very strong. Despite hiding in seclusion for years, his place among the top three of the last generation's geniuses has remained unshakable. And Lord Kaiser is from the younger generation. Is this appropriate?"

"It seems like uncle James is going all out." Someone whispered, eliciting nods of agreement from the rest. But going all out was an understatement.

"Of course. Even though uncle James is one of the most powerful geniuses in his age grade, Kaiser cannot be trifled with either. No one knows his current cultivation. In addition to the fact that he has been angry since yesterday. He even attacked two elders at the elders council when he wanted to confront them for trapping his brother in the perilous lands. He needs to take it seriously."

"But he's still going too far. When he stood at the peak of his generation, Kaiser's mom had not even joined the clan yet. Kaiser is young enough to be his son."

"None of that matters at this point, let's just watch."

Kaiser chuckled as he watched James gathering momentum.

"It seems like uncle is really determined to fight me. If I don't comply, it will be too rude." He whispered and levitated into the air.

"Shut it and eat this!" James shouted and disappeared. Next he seemed to divide himself into five phantoms, moving with terrifying speed. He swung out his sword and his soul devouring sword multiplied itself into hundreds of copies, surrounding Kaiser in a circle.

"Ah? He used the soul devouring formation the moment the battle began. He didn't even give Lord Kaiser a chance to unleash a technique."

"He wants to kill him in one swoop. Kaiser is like a dangerous viper. If you miss its head on the first strike, he won't give you a chance to strike again because you will be the one eaten."

"I doubted it at first, but it seems the rumors are spot on. The elders council truly wants to wipe out the patriarch's family. Once Kaiser is taken down like his brother, it will be easier to take out the rest." Yang Yang whispered, watching the battle with interest.

Goosebumps appeared on Rona's skin as she listened to them. Kaiser had thrown her to the crowd the moment James summoned his sword, as if he knew what was about to happen.

"Die!" James' voice roared, reverberating all around. An explosion suddenly went off alongside a golden streak of light too fast for the eyes to see. And fog covered the spot where James and Kaiser were standing.

There was a pin drop silence for about two seconds, before everyone snapped out of their daze.

"What happened? Did you see what happened?"

The girl in blue waved her fan in the direction of the fog and the fog quickly cleared.

"Ah? What just happened here?" Someone whispered, unable to believe their eyes.

"This!"

"Impossible!" Yang Yang whispered, staring wide eyed at the scene before him. Kaiser was still standing at his initial spot without a speck of dust on him. While uncle James was kneeling a few meters away from him, with his soul devouring sword stuck to his chest. His body was covered with blood and black burn wounds, alongside rashes and tiny holes. And he was steadily vomiting black blood, while grunting in pain, holding the sword stuck to his chest.

"Why is uncle James the one wounded when Kaiser didn't attack?"

"Isn't it obvious? Kaiser defeated him in one move and made his attack rebound on him."

"This is terrifying. No wonder the elders feel uncomfortable. How did he do that? Is there anyone who saw him move? What kind of technique did he use? What about his foot work? Did anyone know what he did?" Amber shouted wide eyed, shaking all over in terror. She remembered the incident two days ago where she actually attacked Kaiser to teach him a lesson. It turned out that Kaiser was playing with her. Otherwise, he would have killed her with a mere sneeze if he chose to. And to think that she still felt unreconciled, planning to get stronger and try again. Cold sweat broke out on the surface of her skin. This gap between them has become deeper than an abyss even though they were around the same age. Even the mighty and legendary uncle James was reduced to such a state before Kaiser. How could she have had such ridiculous thoughts?

James began to scream at that moment, scratching all over his body as multiple holes began to appear on his body.

"What's going on here? Why does it seem like uncle James is poisoned?" Someone in the crowd asked, feeling mortified.

"That's right. Kaiser used a 'back to sender' technique on him, making everything he unleashed on our second brother return back to him. It seems that there was poison in uncle James' weapon. And if I would be so bold to speculate, from the symptoms he's showing, it's the hundred holes poison. This is terrifying. Thank goodness we were far away." Lord Frost whispered, making everyone speechless.

"Hundred holes poison? That's one of the most vicious of all forbidden poisons in the world. The victim will suffer numerous disgusting holes in their body, till their bones, skin and organs will be corroded to the point it becomes like a sieve—and it has no cure. How did uncle James use such a thing in a match against someone younger than he is? Wasn't the use of poison against martial ethics? What the fuck is going on?" Another person whispered.

"Uncle James, I already told you that attacking me is equivalent to lifting a huge stone, only to drop it on your foot. Did you think I was joking when I said that any attack you use on me will reflect back to you? To think that you poisoned your weapon in addition to the soul devouring formation—I'm impressed. Everyday, I keep learning more evil tricks from our dragon clan's elders. Very well then, I will carefully keep a record of this wickedness you all have been teaching me." Kaiser said coldly, still floating mid air with his hair flying behind him.

"Wait! Kaiser just admitted he used back to sender on uncle James. Wasn't it said that it will only work when the person reflecting the attack is way stronger than the assailant?" Yang Yang suddenly asked, making other geniuses shiver in horror.

"That's right. Does this mean that bro Kaiser's cultivation has surpassed that of uncle James? This is too terrifying. What is Kaiser's current level of cultivation then?" A young boy of fifteen asked, turning to the ones standing around him.

"Truly, life isn't fair. Comparison hurts" Someone muttered, watching Kaiser who was still standing mid air in his arrogant posture with his hands clasped behind him.