An enormous figure appeared in Raizel's view. The figure was larger than any being in Terra. His entire skin was painted with green tattoos. He wore a black armour and carried a long lance.
Each step he took was oppressive and filled with murderous intent. He began to charge forward. The figure struck.
A single strike caused the void to tear.
Across the vast sea was a smaller figure clad in faded blue robes. His white hair flew freely among the wind. Empty golden eyes blazed with power, he lifted his sword meeting the force that felt like nothing was capable of stopping it among heavens and earth.
The blue-clothed person attacked next. His long sword whistled.
A flickering azure flash appeared before the large figure. Illusory yet real. The sword beam seemed to have broken the confines of space and time carrying within it the nothingness of the void.
The large figure laughed loudly as he rose to the challenge.
Over and over again, the beginning of his fight with the Devil King played in his mind. Raizel remained sitting with his legs crossed as he digested the looping scene in his thoughts.
He had broken into the realm of Dao Transcendence amidst Battle. After the fight, he was too wounded and went to sleep. Although he had consolidated his realm, he had not yet had time to digest his battle with the Devil King.
Each time he watched the battle over again, he could understand better. His flaws, his strength and the nomological truth of the world.
Raizel opened his eyes. The corners of his eyes were red and the blood vessels around his eyes grew hotter, almost bulging. His dull brown pupils turned golden and his limbs shook.
His hands rapidly formed hand seals, the vermillion mark on his sole crept towards his stomach glowing faintly. His eyes turned back to a brown colour. Raizel got up and wiped the trail of blood at the corner of his mouth. It seems he had not recovered as much as he believed. His body was still very weak.
There was a knock on the door. The knock was first hesitant before it grew in intensity. Raizel glanced at the door, it was Austin.
He opened the door to meet the young man who smiled at him. Austin was a good seedling but he had met a better one.
"Good morning, Raizel." Austin managed weakly. He seemed to take a few seconds before he smiled and gave a pamphlet to Raizel.
Raizel took the pamphlet from his slightly trembling hands. It was a list of events that would be held at the Hartil festival.
"Are you interested in any of them?"
Raizel looked through the list, there were contests, parties, performances, concerts and all kinds of games and trivia. It had all the makings for a vacation.
Luca had wanted them to visit Harton and relax. He would try his best to enjoy the festival for both of them.
"Is there a market?" He asked curiously.
Austin smiled even wider, "Yes, the Harton Market. It is said that all kinds of things can be found there." He came closer and whispered to Raizel, "Last year, I heard that at the Night market, someone found a supreme cultivation method there."
Raizel wanted to tell Austin that he did not need to come close, that as a cultivator he could hear him loud and clear but he ended up saying, "Let's go there first."
Austin chuckled, "Let's eat then leave."
Raizel followed him down to the hotel restaurant.
Stewed meatballs, fried chicken wings, broccoli in garlic sauce and marinated cold jellyfish paired with a bowl of cooling rock sugar white fungus and snow pear soup.
The fragrance of the breakfast set was incomparable. Raizel ate without raising his head. After finishing his meal, he looked to see Austin looking at him with a weird look on his face.
Raizel did not bother. "Let's go."
Raizel and Austin left the hotel and strolled around the market.
There were weapon traders, beast traders, pill traders... All sorts of people filled the market. Among the riff-raff, there could be precious books, precious herbs, secret techniques for sale as well. It all depends on how discerning your eyes were.
"Over ten brother mercenaries died for us to acquire this precious weapon from the Giza plains, and then we had to make our way back through the wastelands and encounter countless difficulties before we arrived at Harton. We weren't even willing to sell it for five thousand spirit stones, but you want to try and buy it for one thousand? That's too little. At least ten thousand spirit stones!" A rough-voiced man was shouting from nearby.
Raizel glanced over in curiosity.
He saw around tens of people in a circle surrounding four tall, burly men that had the tattoo of a spiked chain on their body. The tallest man was broad and bald with the tattoo of the spiked chain on his forehead. The man continued: "Ten thousand spirit stones, whoever pays Ten thousand spirit stones can take it away!"
"That's too much."
Another man murmured, "Ten thousand spirit stones, he actually dares to say it out loud."
Although his voice was very low, it did not escape the ears of a cultivator and the four men fixed their eyes on him. Raizel had a feeling that if murder was not outlawed, they would have torn the man into pieces.
The man also sensed that and chuckled awkwardly before speeding away.
"In the end, it is just a weapon and not some kind of spiritual treasure. I will give you six thousand spirit stones right here. What do you say?"
The tall man did not bulge at all, "Ten thousand spirit stones or nothing. If you are not buying, get lost."
The middle-aged man seemed to appreciate the weapon a lot, "You are at the market, not the mall, I will add another one thousand spirit stones. That's my last offer."
Murmurs increased as people began to pressure them to take the 7000 spirit stones. Raizel quickly calculated the money. If he went with the 100:1 rate, it was 700,000 credits. It was indeed a high sum of money to ordinary people.
Raizel took a closer look at the weapon. It was a whip. It had a long handle with the flexible braided leather lash dozens of feet long. There were red markings in the Dharma Epistle but they were too faint to see. Little arcs of lightning fizzled in and out of the weapon. The men were not lying. It was a precious weapon worth more than they knew.
Raizel turned to look at his companion. Austin's entire focus was on the weapon. Raizel was not surprised, Austin was born with the innate Dao seed of lightning. He was also a talented and perceptive young man. Surely he should be able to sense the remnant laws on the whip.
Austin seemed to have sensed his gaze as he turned back to look at him.
"It is a good weapon, isn't it?"
Raizel just lifted an eyebrow. He was a little confused. He watched Austin, clench and unclench his fist. Gritting and ungritting his teeth.
"I will take the weapon." Austin seethed. The knowledge that his entire wealth was his third junior brother was like a choker around his neck.
"I will also take the weapon!" A loud voice called out attracting all attention to him. Raizel felt another sense of weariness seeing the flamboyant pink hair.
Raizel could see the contempt in Nathan's eyes as he looked at Austin. He was still carrying the grudge of the plan even though he was not the victim.
Austin smiled at him, his voice was kind and gentle, "Mister, I was the first."
Nathan rolled his eyes, "Is your name written on the weapon? You have not even paid for it yet and you are already claiming it. Where is the law? Where is justice?" Turning to the men selling the whip, he inquired, "I will give you the money right now and add another five hundred spirit stones on it. What do you say?"
The bald man swallowed before looking at Austin with excitement.
Austin's eyes got increasingly cold and his voice got even more gentle, "This is not fair."
"Yes, it is not fair, what can you do about it?"
The words were extremely familiar to Raizel who was watching the exchange.
"Enough. Be good. Don't cause any more trouble." Usually, Raizel's voice was a little deep and his tone was calm making it seem a little cold and detached, but when he spoke gently, it caused unimaginable things to the ears.
Raizel blinked a bit when he remembered where he was and who he was with. He was so used to his junior martial brother causing so much trouble and he had to coax him that the words had just escaped his mouth.
He looked at Austin who was staring at him in a gaze. He then glanced at Nathan, intending to apologise but the man covered his face that was slightly red while mumbling.
"What should I do...Ah, everything you want I will give to you."
Raizel:"...."