NOVEL NEXT Chapter 95: Forces at Play
Nathan once again returned to the underground chamber with Darkan, accompanied by Alaric's presence. Beside the sect leader stood another figure. This person appeared younger, with a somewhat round face that maintained an unending subtle smile from the moment Nathan stepped inside. He wore a mixture of green and red clothing, hands clasped behind his back. In just the few seconds since they'd met, Nathan had already observed him bouncing on his heels three or four times.
When Nathan entered the area lit by the weak glow from a lamp post placed in the room, he bowed respectfully to his master and the sect leader.
Darkan waved his hand, sealing his chamber shut. After the heavy sounds of movement subsided, he finally spoke.
"Nathan. We have a mission for you."
"Yes, Master."
"The situation in Emberwood village is more complex than we imagined," Darkan said. "Our sect's agents couldn't uncover anything. The Caelindor police force constantly obstructed them, making the work difficult."
"So you'll have a companion." Alaric stepped forward, gesturing toward the figure standing behind them.
For the first time, the young man appeared beneath the light, his subtle smile gradually transforming into a curve that revealed perfectly white, even teeth. A thin layer of beard graced his lips and chin—enough to suggest he was weathered, but not enough to indicate he was diligent about grooming his appearance. His hair hung long and loose, tied back in a ponytail behind his neck. Two locks of hair sprouted from either side of his forehead. An air of wandering romance, even greater than Zeryn's, emanated from him.
"Delighted to meet you, Nathan," the second youngest man in the room said. "I've always hoped to personally befriend the disciple that this particular gentleman here has taken under his wing."
"Watch your mouth, cunt," Darkan scowled.
"Be respectful, Vincent," Alaric chided, though his tone carried no severity.
Nathan stared in shock at this person. For the first time, he'd encountered someone who dared speak so casually before Darkan.
Seeing this, Nathan gripped the hand Vincent extended toward him tightly, smiling as he said, "Very pleased to meet you, Vincent."
Vincent grinned broadly, pulling Nathan forward, then realized with surprise that he couldn't budge his opponent.
Nathan regarded him suspiciously, asking, "What are you planning to do?"
"Speak more intimately." Vincent released his hand, flexing it due to the dull ache. "About the future of Verdant Spire Sect between the two of us. Two who will hold power in place of these old men."
Nathan heard a grunt from Darkan beside them but detected no complaint. Vincent's manner of speaking had evidently existed long enough that Darkan could do nothing beyond expressing mild irritation. Or more accurately, Nathan's master knew he shouldn't get entangled in such matters.
"So you are?" Nathan raised an eyebrow.
"Oh, yeah." Vincent stepped back as if performing to let Nathan see him more clearly. "Forgot to introduce myself. I'm Vincent Velora. Direct Disciple of Alaric Tethras."
With a motion forming a V against his chin, Vincent flicked his coat dramatically behind him like a narcissist.
Nathan's lips twitched, wanting nothing more than to cringe into nonexistence. All the initial admiration he'd harbored for this person suddenly plummeted to zero.
He'd already suspected the opponent's role and position. Extrapolating from the situation, aside from the elders, only a direct disciple would receive such secret information. Even those involved like Qingfeng and Gideon had been warned not to breathe a word to anyone about the Emberwood incident.
Seeing the disappointed expression on his counterpart's face, Vincent's face fell.
"Strange," he muttered. "Girls really like this stuff."
"Do I look like a girl to you?" Nathan snapped.
"Does charm distinguish between genders?" Vincent seemed genuinely confused.
"I know someone who could argue this point with you all day. I'll introduce you sometime."
"Zeryn Valtaris?" Vincent trembled with excitement. "I look forward to it. You, me, and him. The future of Verdant Spire Sect. We could discuss how to achieve the world's greatest pleasures. You're not exactly handsome, but you look decent enough. Girls really like guys who can cook."
Rather than curse at his counterpart, Nathan shot a questioning look toward Alaric. He felt somewhat concerned about the future with this potential next Sect Leader.
In response, he received only a shrug. If even Darkan couldn't discipline Vincent, then Alaric with his easygoing nature certainly couldn't do better.
Nathan felt frustrated that he couldn't use [Bad Juju] on his counterpart. He genuinely wanted Vincent to bite his own tongue to reduce his chatter.
"Why do I have to partner with Vincent when the agents couldn't gather any information?" Nathan asked.
Vincent made an exaggerated expression of hurt at Nathan's implied displeasure with their partnership.
"Because of the boy's wood-aspect mana," Alaric said. "I can't go myself."
"Because of the Obsidian Fang Sect situation?" Nathan probed.
"Oh," Vincent exclaimed, "you hear news quickly."
"So is it true? A war is coming?" Nathan ignored him, directing his question to both Darkan and Alaric.
"Possibly," Darkan replied. "But this young fool should focus on what he can do right now rather than worrying about distant matters."
"Your master speaks correctly," Alaric said. "Currently nothing is certain, but the sects and organizations are being cautious with each other. The King is also maintaining surveillance over the leaders. While I could slip away, there's no guarantee it wouldn't pull at threads and disturb the forest. The royal council and I have agreed to handle the Emberwood matter as quietly as possible. So I'm compelled to send Vincent to investigate."
"And I'm being sent because?" Nathan was puzzled.
Vincent stepped forward, patting Nathan's shoulder cheerfully. "To protect me."
"What's your tier level?" Nathan frowned.
"Tier 3 Phase 2."
"And I'm protecting you?" Nathan said mockingly.
"Oh, Nathan," Vincent said with meaningful inflection. "You're still underestimating yourself."
Darkan and Alaric remained silent, apparently allowing Vincent to demonstrate his role.
"I'm not exaggerating when I say you're the future of Verdant Spire Sect," Vincent was beaming. "If information leaked that you can use nora, this entire world would come seeking you immediately. That's the kind of attractive power you possess, you know? It's dangerous, but used correctly, it will achieve results beyond expectations."
As if to demonstrate his words, Vincent extended his hand forward.
From his palm grew a small black branch, looking quite frail and ready to break at any moment. Vincent channeled mana from his other hand into this branch, making it writhe like a living snake.
Then Nathan felt that familiar sensation. The invitation of nora.
His entire body went cold when he saw his counterpart's eyes turn completely black, swallowing the pupils. He looked around toward the two strongest people in the room, filled with panic. Their facial expressions were ice-cold, their eyes holding a trace of anticipation.
What the heck is going on?
"No need to fear," Vincent said, his voice no longer clear as before but carrying an unsettling quality.
The direct disciple's entire body trembled once, his eyes clenched shut. When they opened, they had returned to normal. The tree on his hand retracted back into his body.
"Did you just use nora?" Nathan asked in terror. He'd spent time learning about this so-called Demon Energy. Cultivators could either cultivate it from the beginning or had to go mad and destroy their foundation to be able to use it due to its fundamental difference from mana. Either path led to shortened lifespan. That's why it was called anti-life.
"Don't worry." Vincent waved his hand dismissively, his cheerful expression returning. "A small dose doesn't harm anything. It's too early for you to understand, but using nora is a training method I employ to prepare for Internal Tribulation, which you must overcome to reach Tier 4. But simultaneously, it's also like opium—the power it brings is too attractive."
And so Nathan understood.
"So that's where I come in. To stop you if anything beyond control related to nora happens in Emberwood."
"Guessed correctly." Vincent snapped his fingers.
Darkan nodded in confirmation.
"You need to assist Vincent in tracing the source of nora," Alaric explained further. "With him being one of the few disciples who can endure some of nora's harmful effects, there's no better candidate. That ancient tree surely still holds secrets that need uncovering. Whether we can stay one step ahead of those lurking in the shadows depends precisely on this operation."
At that moment, the system immediately displayed a notification—something Nathan had somewhat missed after several months of not seeing it.
You got a new quest: 'Layers of Secret'.
Objective: Unveil the secrets connecting to Emberwood.
Rewards: 5000 credits.
Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.
Punishment if failed: None.
5000 credits? Nathan mused.
This could be considered the largest credit amount a quest had ever offered. He couldn't help but question the difficulty level of this operation. With his advancement to Tier 2 Spirit Cultivation, had the system been upgraded in its prediction capabilities? And did Fortune Flow really contribute to this? The more he thought, the more lost he felt among the schemes surrounding him.
"So, junior brother?" Vincent said enthusiastically. "This first collaboration must be spectacular. Afterward, I'll take you to a place no less 'amazing.'"
Vincent's wink made Nathan feel the future looked ominous.
The two figures behind them only shook their heads as Vincent dragged Nathan out of the secret chamber.
Nathan spent some time visiting Argentius after Vincent promised to handle transportation and advised changing from sect robes into civilian clothes.
Currently, Nathan wore a t-shirt with a form-fitting underlayer that provided friction reduction and an additional protective layer. Over this was his Tier 3 armor after repairs, costing over one hundred Standard Mana Stones throughout the past week. The confrontation in Emberwood had taught him how important defensive layers were. His current Qi Armor couldn't be used carelessly since he needed essence for his Omnipotential Aspect, so he'd lost one protective layer.
The Common Garden staff led him to a facility hidden deep within the dense trees of Verdant Spire Sect. This place looked no different from the secret research facilities he'd seen in science fiction movies on Earth.
The architecture of this monster emergency center was built by connecting different sections through wooden joints. One could see bright mana flows coursing back and forth like bloodstreams throughout the facility. The treatment rooms could move via these connecting joints to make space for massive, towering monsters, or separate to allow flying creatures to land.
Nathan knew there were several places like this on other mountains. And naturally, excluding the ninth mountain. Darkan seemed to disdain assistance from companions. Or, Nathan thought, his master didn't want to become involved in bonding with other creatures. Because one of Darkan's friends was no longer by his side. From what Nathan knew, the possibility of such things wasn't nonexistent.
He was brought to a separate room at the very back because the amount he'd spent was substantial. Despite being hospitalized for only two weeks, Argentius had already cost over five thousand Standard Mana Stones for treatment.
The staff member left him and departed after summarizing the tiger monster's condition.
Argentius was floating suspended in a long tube filled with solution that was pumped in and out. Thick tubes connected around its body. Every few minutes, rather frightening-looking viscous fluids were pumped out. According to the analysis, Argy's wounds had existed since their time in Moirath Forest, simply suppressed until now. On the surface, they didn't cause too much hindrance, but could potentially interfere with the advancement process to Tier 4.
This was one of the reasons why most Cultivators stopped at Tier 2. These hidden wounds might not draw anyone's attention, only waiting for the decisive moment to erupt. They were like cancer in ordinary people—if not treated early, they would grow silently. By the time they were discovered, it was too late. On the other hand, Tier 2 cultivators still maintained their lifespan of around two hundred years.
After learning this, Nathan became even more amazed by the Titan bloodline. He'd sustained wounds that could be considered the most devastating for a Tier 2. Zhanyu's space cut was one example. He assumed his teammates had also undergone examination before returning. As for himself, he trusted that Darkan wouldn't let him wander around with such potential disasters.
In the future, before [Titan's Descendant] returned, he needed to be more careful with his body.
"How are you doing, Argy?" he asked through their mental link. With his advancement to Tier 2, this had become increasingly easier and the range had expanded significantly.
"Feeling better," Argy replied with unusual cheerfulness. Its condition had evidently been bothering it for quite some time.
"How much longer do you need to fully recover?" Nathan asked. These wounds required the subject's active participation combined with medicinal assistance, not complete passivity.
"At this rate, perhaps a few months," Argy said.
"Could it be faster? I might need you soon."
Argentius didn't answer immediately. Its motionless body in the water tank swayed slightly.
"Possibly," it said after a moment of consideration. "But you know what that would require."
"Whether it's three times or ten times the cost, I can still pay," Nathan said without hesitation. "Whatever you need, just say it."
Nathan spent the next half hour talking and writing on a tablet his requirements for Verdant Spire Sect. He deposited a large amount of Standard Mana Stones for the staff to work with, while also having the sect issue missions for disciples to solve.
When he reached the outer sect area, Vincent was pouting incessantly.
"Ten minutes." He pointed at Nathan accusingly. "I said ten minutes. And you went for a whole hour."
"Sorry." Nathan raised his hands apologetically. "Need to visit my friend."
Vincent narrowed his eyes, but contrary to the irritation Nathan expected to endure, the sect leader's direct disciple simply waved his hand.
"Do you think your outfit lacks a focal point?" Vincent asked.
Only now did Nathan have time to glance over his counterpart's attire. Over his t-shirt was a loose, baggy shirt. His shorts didn't reach his knees, exposing hairy shins. He looked like the young people Nathan encountered on the streets of Maelivar. No different from the uncles returning from the sea he'd once seen on Earth.
"We're not going on vacation, right?" Nathan frowned, feeling like his counterpart had lost touch with reality.
"But we should still be comfortable and attractive, shouldn't we?" Vincent protested.
"Didn't you say we should dress like civilians to blend in? Be hard to detect?"
"Did I say that?" Vincent scratched his head.
Exhaling in frustration, Nathan asked, "So what are we traveling with?"
Vincent seemed to have been waiting for exactly this question, immediately stepping backward, hand sweeping forward. A beam of light shot from his spatial ring.
Before Nathan appeared a wooden board with two fan tubes at either end just beneath the surface. It looked like a hoverboard.
"My creation," Vincent declared proudly. "What do you think?"
Nathan didn't answer immediately, studying the contraption before him intently. He'd always wanted to try something like this but had always been prevented by his mother's fear he'd break his arms or legs. And this wouldn't be the fake hoverboard type he'd seen in online videos, but something truly worthy of its name.
"A hoverboard?" Nathan asked.
"Oh, that's a great name." Vincent's eyes widened. "Much better than SPAT."
"SPAT?" Nathan stared. "What the hell is that?"
"Slanted Plank for Air Travel," Vincent said blandly.
"Let somebody else do the naming next time," Nathan mocked.
Vincent nodded in agreement. Then his face wrinkled.
"There's one problem," he said. "I only have this one."
"Then why did you bring it out to show off?" Nathan snapped.
"Just to show off."
Nathan clenched his fists, genuinely feeling he couldn't say anything more.
"So where's the transportation device?"
Another beam of light, and Vincent produced the equipment. It looked like a kayak with a seat placed on top. Behind it were even two wheels to function on ground surfaces. It looked utterly ordinary.
"I'll hire one of the carrier monsters," Nathan said, his face twitching.
"No, no, you don't," Vincent hurried forward to block his path. "Flying with this is faster. I promised."
Hearing that, Nathan stopped. Since Vincent was Tier 3, he would surely prioritize speed rather than speaking idly.
"Next time, I'll be the one preparing transportation," Nathan announced.
Vincent smiled.
"You really can't let me have the hoverboard?"
"And let you look more handsome because of this cool thing?" Vincent countered.
"Is that a deal breaker for you?"
"It is."
"Then screw you."
With unutterable frustration, Nathan climbed into the kayak.
On the other side, Vincent mounted the hoverboard. Stomping once, the two engines on either side ignited mana energy, creating thrust that lifted him hovering higher in the air.
Nathan didn't even bother controlling his device, letting Vincent do whatever he wanted.
The kayak similarly flew up level with Vincent. In moments, both were once again sailing alongside the clouds in the sky. Cool wind blew from above. Nathan searched for a windshield mechanism like the canopy mounted on Cloud Glider's back.
"There's no such thing," Vincent said. "You need to get closer to nature. Touch grass more. Touch air more."
Nathan felt something pop in his temple. His nails struck his skin painfully.
"To arrive on time, we need to fly fast," Vincent said. "To prepare for this situation, I've already installed two thrusters on, um, your vehicle."
Nathan noticed his counterpart's hesitation. This boat must also have some ridiculous name that Vincent was only now realizing was absurd.
With a snap of his fingers, the two wheels at the tail gradually moved to either side, forming two propulsion units like the hoverboard.
Vincent leaned stylishly on his hoverboard while Nathan was trapped in the cramped space of the kayak. However, as Vincent had said, the speed was indeed faster than Cloud Glider, and compared to other monsters, it was certainly superior.
The main problem was when Nathan looked down, his lips twitched violently. The shadow of this kayak cast on the ground made him incredibly annoyed. After extending the two round wheels, it had transformed into something obscene.
"Switch," Nathan shouted. "Switch places right now!"
Vincent pretended not to hear, even lowering their altitude. The shadow below glided over terrain that was now clearly a vast grassland.
"You bastard," Nathan cursed when he realized he was locked in place by his counterpart's aura.
His response was Vincent's loud, cheerful laughter as he glided away, leaving white trails on his hoverboard.
Nathan continuously cursed "You're gonna fall!" hoping [Bad Juju] would activate successfully.
While the two young men from Verdant Spire Sect set out on their mission, a similar group also departed.
A group of four people wearing black robes and simple cloth masks left their hiding place outside the outer sect, pursuing the two flying devices overhead. They moved on the ground but could always maintain a stable distance from their airborne targets.
"Who's the one following that Tier 2 kid?" one of the four spoke, their voice distorted, clearly processed. "PsiLink returned no results."
A prolonged silence followed. Finally, the leader spoke.
"Alaric Tethras's Direct Disciple. Damn it! To avoid drawing attention, our team has no Tier 3. But that kid is already Tier 3."
"A Tier 3 that young?" another asked. "Do we have enough capability for this mission when that Nathan kid is so well protected?"
"No," the leader answered bluntly. "That's why reinforcements are being sent. What we need to do is maintain distance and monitor them."
"That's good," a comrade replied. "For King and country!"
"For King and country!" the group chorused.
Afterward, they moved in silence.
On another side, a team of two had also just set out. They maintained a much greater distance than the previous group. However, the confidence displayed on their faces was far more evident.
They covered half their faces with nose and mouth pieces shaped like demons, with protruding fangs. Tattoos covered their foreheads and faces. The difference was that one had fewer markings than the other.
"Master," the one with fewer tattoos spoke. "It seems our target is stronger than intelligence suggested."
"Nothing concerning, just Tier 3 Phase 2," the man with a lean build replied beneath his neat, form-fitting clothes. "To stand firm in Carrion Creed, you need to prepare for such situations."
"Please instruct me, sir."
"Even if the opponent is a genius, increasing the risk of contract completion, you must anticipate it. They won't stop on their path seeking power. Neither will we. Therefore, never be careless. Only this way can you obtain the Second Stain, understand?"
"Disciple will remember this," the apprentice replied cautiously while following the other's shadow.
"Even Third Stain like myself can't avoid these unpredictable situations. A good assassin precisely predicts everything."
"Predict everything and leave the enemy no escape route," the disciple recited as if from a textbook.
"Excellent."
Two shadows flickered in and out of sight among the trees. When moving across more barren surfaces, they still always hid behind large boulders, mountain crevices or hills, beneath farmers' makeshift awnings, or moved directly under carriage canopies on major roads without making a sound. They accomplished all this while maintaining distance from their targets above.
"Those two really don't deserve the name of Verdant Spire Sect disciples," the disciple commented. "Flying something so ugly."
Before him, the boat's shadow still cast its mark on the terrain.
The master laughed.
"The wood used to make it is quite valuable," he said. "You should keep it intact to sell after we deal with them."
"Them?" The disciple's eyes widened above his mask. "You mean we're also taking care of that Tier 2 kid?"
"Not taking care." The master shook his head. "But capturing. That boy is quite valuable. But the priority remains Vincent. Remember that well."
"Yes, Master."
Both master and apprentice's eyes gleamed, revealing clear greed.
At the border of Verdant Spire Sect's outer sect, a group of three people stood up from their resting position. They wore form-fitting outfits no different from the assassin group, but instead of dark colors, theirs were deep green with gleaming badges pinned to their chests—a needle rising from dense forest. The symbol of Verdant Spire Sect. Their faces were similarly hidden behind masks.
"The Sect Leader predicted correctly," one of the three said. "These rats were indeed just waiting for us to act."
"Carrion Creed isn't anything unusual," another said. "The problem is that second group. We've never encountered them before."
"How did they get so close without us detecting them?"
"Because of their low Tier," the third person spoke. "We need to retrain subordinates on this issue."
"Or they're careful. That can be the case. Don't be so hard on ourselves like that."
Two soft chuckles arose. One person stepped forward, then turned back to say, "Vincent is about to leave our sensory range. Let's go. Hope this kid doesn't act recklessly."
"Alaric has given instructions," another said cheerfully. "Though the boy looks unreliable on the surface, he understands what needs to be done."
"Let's hope so."
All three vanished. When they reappeared, they were quite close to Vincent and Nathan. Simultaneously, they were all monitoring the other two groups.
Nathan above remained completely unaware of the campaigns unfolding around him, only continuously cursing Vincent for endlessly pranking him on the hoverboard.