*On another side of the valley, closer to Taewan city. Sebastian and his group heads toward the nearest outpost of the Rodolf family. It's about two kilometers away as they can already see the rooftops and tops of some buildings*
"Run faster! He's gaining on us". Sebastian orders as the sounds of explosions draw nearer. What about Alexander, he should be done with this battle by now. Why are the explosions still on going?", One of the other royals complain as she forces herself to keep up with the rest of her companions. "Maybe we shouldn't have gotten rid of Xiantian, he would've helped us get there earlier if he were here", one of the other royals also complain and Sebastian halts his advance turning to stare the boys straight in the eye. The group halts with him as they gulp in the silence amongst the group. "Are you saying I'm not competent enough to lead our group", Sebastian says as he approaches the boy. "I.... I'm not saying that your not competent enough, i...it's just that if Xiantian were here, we would've reached Taewan by now. We've already gotten lost three times already. I know he was annoying and a pain in the butt but he still.....". *SMACK* The boy falls to the ground still in shock of the slap Sebastian had given him. "Xiantian was just a useless and disobedient peasant. He didn't have the right to be in the midst of royals, neither did he have the balls to even spar and humiliate us. I got rid of a nuisance who wouldn't even live to become a chancellor or an advisor of the main royal family. He probably would've died as a weak and useless guard anyway, he didn't even deserve to cultivate. I'm the son and main bloodline of the Rodolf family, next in line to become patriarch of the sect after my father. I'll grow to become a renowned cultivator and lead the Rodolf family and the entirety of the Liang sect to it's glory. You'll obey me and no one else do you hear me!".
Sebastian says with an authoritative voice as he continues sprinting forward. The whole group is shocked, but still follows as they make there way closer to the outpost.
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On other side Alexander's battle drags on as he effortlessly overwhelms his opponent while ensuring to deliver fatal blows and protect the injured Igor and the royals.
Igor floats on a cloud of wind directly behind Alexander as he continues slashing at my opponent. "Damn you Alexander!", The hooded assassin yells as he loses his second arm in their fight. He has already lost an eye, one of his ears and now his two hands. He uses condensed flames and moulds it to form a new arm although he is unable to grasp any material object. His entire figure is drenched in blood and his skin featured multiple burns from head to toe due. He had to burn most of his injuries to prevent excess blood loss. Half his face was a bloody mess as there was no longer flesh on its surface. Only visible muscles protects his skull and his entire figure featured multiple cuts. He barely had his clothes together as they were torn to rags. Only the hood covering his face and his underwears remain unruffled. The entire scenery is more pitiful than the cultivator's figure, the trees are either cut in half or burnt and the ground is a mess of blood or fallen heads and limbs.
"Give up now and I'll let the sect leader reduce the amount of torture and pain you'll receive. I really don't want to get anymore blood on my clothes if you understand". Alexander says while blowing a leaf off his messy and unkept hair.
'Chuckles'...."You damn bastard!, I knew you were strong but Ryan didn't say your strength was this overwhelming. I would've gotten away with just a few scars if I had known you would be this much of a pain in the ass". The man says as he laughs shortly before coughing a mouthful of blood.
"Can't say he didn't warn you, although he was quite strong for his level. His attacks were atleast more decent and skilled than yours. I'm suprised you claimed to be a peak rank 2 cultivator, you're quite weak". Alexander continues as he approaches the hooded assassin slowly. " You bastard, do you think it's every one that has the privilege to train under the full support of the sect. You have no
idea what we have been through to make a living for ourselves". The hooded cultivator continues as he prepares his stance for the upcoming clash. "Raping and kidnapping women isn't much for making a living, I also don't see how hijacking carts and robbing them blindly doesn't also prove much of hardwork", Alexander continues as he wields his knife ready to deliver a final blow.
"You know.... I never really thought I could defeat Alexander, especially since I knew who you were. However, I won't just sit back and let you kill me. Those children they seem to come from a royal family, a major sect perhaps". The man says as he smiles before enveloping his entire figure in a barrage of flames. "If I kill one of them, I'm sure you'll be out in a tight spot for it". The man says smiling maniacally as the forces his figure out burst with great power making him stronger than before. Alexander's eyes widen realizing his intentions and prepares to divide the man into two, but his attack ends on crashing on a tree as the man disappears from his position. Alexander charges forward without having anytime to think. 'That dumb bastard!, He went after Xiantian's group', the thought crosses his mind as he charges like a bolt of lightning in the hooded cultivator's direction.
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"We're in the last areas of the gorge, be careful. There are many caves and tunnels that may be inhabited by magic beasts so be wary of your surroundings". Sebastian never stops giving instructions as the outpost is only a few hundred meters away.
For the first time in almost a day of a tiring and frightening journey, they catch sight of a road, the one that they were supposed to follow before they were attacked. The group exhales as the joy of seeing carriages carrying people and foodstuffs and not hooded men fill their minds. They are about to make their way towards a free carriage when a man covered in blood with missing arms, a leg, an ear and huge patches of skin from his face, covered with a barrage of flames grabs one of the royals while laughing maniacally and pointing his flaming fists towards her face.
" You've reached your limit Alexander, let me go now or I'll carry this little girl with to hell". The hooded man says as he slowly places his fists closer to the girls face making her scream in painp. "You just don't know when to give up do you", Alexander says as he drops his knife while glaring at the sad and poor looking man in front of him. "Now that's more like it....". The man is suddenly cut short as the ground shakes and another flaming figure bursts from one of the caves close by. Alexander hurriedly picks up his knife, but he is shocked at what happens next. The hooded assassin turns to see what the ruckus was about, but the world seems to turn upside down as he head falls to the ground. It's only when he is able to see his neck that he realizes that he was just decapitated. He throws his eyes forward to see a familiar boy, covered in flames and wielding two blunted blades. His eyes widen, but not for too long as his consciousness grows dark.
The flaming figure throws his eyes in Sebastian and the latter quivers in fear as the figure appears directly in front of him with his blades already at his neck. A barrage of wind throws the figure backwards slamming him on the ground. Sebastian is shocked as the urine he held since the chase of the hooded men, flows uncontrollably on his trousers as he falls on the ground, his face filled with fear as a sharp but shallow line appears on his neck.
He is utterly dumbfounded as his entire life flashes before his eyes after being so close to imminent death. He breathes heavily as Xiantian's bloody and ruffled figure appear in his vision. The entire group starts taking steps back while glancing at Alexander hoping for him to do something. Sebastian just freezes with fear as his now wet figure looks horrified while glancing at Xiantian. "H....How d.. did..you..", but he is unable to finish as a red line crashes on a barrage of wind directly in front of him. Alexander answers the groups silent request by covering Xiantian in a prison made of wind. Xiantian realizing that he is unable to break it, only snorts before sitting
cross-legged on the floor before he starts cultivating.
Alexander seems shocked as he begins to analyze my whole figure. 'He's cultivating? When did he even get his dantian? Not only that, he was able to throw a slash at this level. He doesn't even seem to be a rank 0 cultivator, I can tell that he is directly in the first rank. He was even able to cut Sebastian, even under my wind barrage. It was my weakest spell, and I didn't but much Qi into it. Yet, he still shouldn't be able to bypass it and not only that, where did he even learn a cultivation technique?'. The series of thoughts crosses Alexander's mind. He eventually chuckles before regaining his tired and aloof expression. From the terrified look of the group, Alexander can tell that something happened on our way to Taewan. I look at Sebastian with killing intent, and Alexander realizes that they had something to do with my current situation.
"It's a long story", I tell Alexander before stopping my cultivation technique. I'm not too angry about Alexander's interruption, I know I didn't fail to get my revenge. It was only delayed and Sebastian also realizes that based on my deadly stare.