Shrouded in mist, standing on clouds, Tian Monastery sat. It was a large monastery, equipped with dozens of buildings, that made it seem more like a small town than a place of worship. Although the thin and frigid air here was chilling to the bone, the monks remained unfettered and calm in their thin clothes. They meditated in silence, training their faith, like statues. Nothing could move them! In the large central hall, a figure was sitting in quiet meditation just like them. Waving a massive set of wings, it was none other than the acting Sect Master of the Featherwind Sect, Elder Argo! The grey and white falcon was big enough to become the centerpiece of the room. His aura fluctuated wildly between Grand Rank 2 Lord and Half-Rank 3 King as his body was drenched in sweat. He was concentrating so hard that veins bulged across his forehead. It was clear how much strain he was under!
A breeze suddenly swept through the courtyard, shaking him from his reverie. Boom! He instantly lost control of his energy and it rampaged throughout the room! Energy from someone at his level had the potency to destroy the building, and most of the monastery, killing everyone present! It was like an attack from a Half-Rank 3 King! But before it could reach that point, Argo grunted and activated the room's hidden Magic Array. Numerous Magic Circles materialized across the walls, instantly creating a rectangular barrier. The energy slammed against the walls like waves of an ocean, but it was unable to escape. Drawing a deep breath, the energy reversed directions and charged back into Argo's mouth before disappearing. When he exhaled, the room and monastery continued as if nothing happened.
Entering the hall, Terus was concerned. "Are you okay?"
Argo spat blood, but he replied, "I'm fine. My injuries are recovering slowly, and the effects of the backlash are fading. In a few years, I should be able to enter Half-Rank 3 King again."
"This monastery seems to have a mysterious power that we don't understand," Terus said. "It's strange because the World Energy is so scarce here, yet I feel harmony. I can see why the humans worship this place."
Argo nodded. "And the medicine that you created does have some effect."
The bird glanced at the nearby table in shame. There were around twenty rare and expensive medicinal ingredients on the table, ranging from century-old herbs to nearly extinct animals, with price tags that only the Four Great Nobility Families could afford! All of them were gifted by Prime Minister Pon-Wai using the imperial treasury and they could be considered as unique and priceless throughout the human world! However, they were truly inadequate! From Terus's estimates, they could be considered as Superior Mortal Grade treasures, perhaps Half-Noble Grade at most. But that was it… Mortal Grade was fit for mortals and mortals only. The tiny scrap of medicinal power that they could gather would be useless to Rank 2 Lords like them. It was a complete waste of time.
Aside from what the Prime Minister offered, they also found three Lesser Noble Grade treasures: Blood Pool Essence, Infernal Heart Walnut, and Fifty Yang Rose. Blood Pool Essence was created with the blood of hundreds, which condensed over the course of a century, to form an ugly looking red rock. Infernal Heart Walnut was created from the heart of someone who died in a place of extreme death with an unsatiable undying hatred towards the living. It looked like a tiny beating heart, covered in pulsing veins, and emanated a small amount of heat. As for Fifty Yang Rose, this was even more peculiar. It was created only in places of intense bloodshed, with bodies piling up to the thousands, ravaged enough that no living being would come close. If everything remained untouched, then after fifty years, a single white five-petalled rose would be born.
They originally wanted to make a medicine that would alleviate most, if not all, of their backlash damage, and return them to their peak fighting state. After all, the difference between a Mid-Rank 2 Lord and a Half-Rank 3 King was massive! It might not enable them to flee Commander Infernal Witch King again, but it was better than nothing. For example, if Ludin and Crus's strength were fully restored, then the entire Alzar fleet of twenty thousand would have stood zero chance. They would have been mercilessly annihilated! Yet, that medicine required Half-Monarch Grade or Superior Noble Grade ingredients. Back in their Featherwind Sect, they could find these treasures, but here… Even after scouring the empire for months, three Lesser Noble Grade treasures was all they could find. No doubt it was a depressing experience… Their path to recovery would take that much longer!
"If we could find a single Half-Monarch Grade treasure…" Terus shouted furiously.
"It's not your fault," Argo said. "This is the limit of what humanity can do."
Saying that, he felt nothing but frustration and irritation towards the Xingyuu Empire. Prime Minister Pon-Wai swindled them excellently, trapping them in the Nine Regrets Reincarnation vow. However, they were not completely without options. Argo snorted. As long as there was a 'lock', then there was bound to be a 'key'. People would always seek their freedom; that was a person's nature. Over the course of this vast and boundless world, just as new contracts were born, methods to break them would soon follow! Of course, the Nine Regrets Reincarnation vow was no exception. It was one of the most outstanding Rank 2 contract-type spells, but a Rank 2 was just Rank 2 in the end. The problem was still the threat of a hidden Rank 3 King. Argo and the rest were too wary to play any tricks, until they were certain that the empire had no Rank 3 King! Once that happened…
Argo's ears suddenly twitched. As a Perception Realm Master, he could detect the faint vibrations in the air outside. "Ludin and Crus must have returned."
Terus sneered. "They finished their job quickly. I guess the Alzar Kingdom wasn't anything to fuss about, like we expected."
"No…" His eyes sharpened, as if seeing through the dozens of walls and being there himself. "Something is wrong. Ludin is the one flying, but I don't hear Crus. She seems to be unconscious!"
"Unconscious?" Terus exclaimed in disbelief. "Impossible!"
With a darkened expression, Argo shouted, "Let's head out and meet them right now!"
The two birds then shot out of the window and soared into the sky to meet Ludin and Crus. Ludin was in a wretched state, having to support the Seven Encloses Heaven barrier with his Bloodline Ability. Afterwards, he was forced to carry an unconscious Crus over vast distances from the Maelstrom Gulf back to the Tian Monastery. It was not easy for him! Currently, his Core was dangerously low, and his combat strength hit rock bottom. He lacked even the most basic strength to defend himself. But, at the very least, his situation was better than Crus's. Crus's backlash was originally worse than Ludin's, and she had to use the extremely complex and taxing Demon Wind Resurrection technique with her Bloodline Ability. Consequently, her internal injuries were far more severe! A little more, and her life would be in danger! After helping them inside and tending to their wounds, Ludin explained what happened.