"Are there no way to help them?" Ryker asked, as the two princess are too distraught to say anything.
The man shook his head. "At this rate. Their death is all but certain. Unless we learn of methods to remove the parasite, then we could not do anything to help them.
Constantly giving them life qi would only make thing worse in the long run, so, don't count on such method as it would strengthen the parasite until it killed the guards," hearing this, the two princesses break into tears.
Ryker wanted to tell in frustration but hold himself, as doing so will not help anyone.
"Contact the President and the royal alchemist. They should learn of this new detail quickly," the healer nodded as he took out a specialize communication token, telling the two of what they just find out.
-x-
"Parasite, well, it would be hard to guess it if not for your ability," the royal alchemist looked at the healer. The healer in question practiced a Technique called Life Detection Eyes. His eyes could see vitality of anything in his sight, allowing him to tell if there is anyone in the room still alive and many other practical uses.
It is by this art that he was able to see the presence of the parasite, slowly feeding upon the life qi and vitality of the two guards. The only reason he did not detect them earlier is because he did not use it until Ryker bestowed the two with life qi, allowing him to see them.
"This make things more complicated. After all, while there are some healing pills that can kill parasites, it depends on the types of parasites in question.
Is it animals? Is it plants? Is it mushroom? Giving the wrong types can make things worst for them," the President said as the royal alchemist nodded like he was an apprentice who just dabble in alchemy.
Then again, the President both have seniority, and higher cultivation, not to mention she is the sole Sovereign Alchemist of the Kingdom, making her insight valuable to the royal alchemist.
"Do we still don't get him to talk?" Ryker asked the Crown Prince, who shook his head.
"He knew his life will be forfeit the moment he talk, so he decided to hold it. After all, when the guards die, he will to. So, it better to just make sure his death will last longer," the Crown Prince answered.
"If that is the case," Ryker stood up as he looked at Lariz with a stern gaze, "Tell me where that bastard is?"
-x-
"Neat place," Ryker said, looking at the dark hallway, only illuminated by glowing stones.
"Thank you," the warden of the prison said. The man is a peak Genesis Sea expert, but when the person who came in is given some authority by the King himself, then he could only obey him. Not to mention, the one who was given authority defeated 2 Noble experts, consecutively.
Even if it just 1st Stage Noble, he is still just a 4th Stage Genesis Sea, making his achievement even greater. So, having some connection with such person is just common sense at this point. After all, when he become a Noble expert, who knew what kind of thing he can achieve.
"This where that bandit is keep, my Lord," Ryker nodded as he entered the cell, where the man in question find himself between two Noble experts, elite torturers of the Birak Kingdom.
"Look who is here," despite losing some of his teeth, his face being one giant bruise, and two of his limbs are gone, the bandit still able to keep a lacksaidal appearance.
"The one who beat me, and the reason why I am locked up," his tone turned venomous. If he was not restrained, no doubt he will try to hurt him, damned the consequences.
"You deserve it," Ryker said coldly before turning to the warden. "You don't try extracting his soul?"
"There is no one that able to do it here. At least for Noble experts. After all, there are some changes to the Soul after reaching the Noble realm," Ryker nodded. This is something he had learned as well from the book inside the Hidden Ancient Mansion.
However, the book also told him of several key details that is not known, even to the Birak Kingdom higher-ups.
"Well then, let me have a go then," his Soul materialize, before it turned into chain, flying into the head of the bandit. Realizing something is wrong, the restrained man tried to do something to his Soul but never get the chance, as his Soul freeze, unable to do anything, even self-destructing.
-x-
"What?" the bandit find himself in his Inner Realm, specifically the part where his soul, or soul strength to be exact, is located.
A look down reveal that he was his Soul Avatar. While he is an alchemist, his soul strength is just above the average, the result from practicing a profession without any assistance, just blindly going through it.
"Wow, your Soul Strenght is so lack lustre," a voice said. The bandit turned to see the reason for his suffering looking at him, his Soul even more radiant than he is.
"What if your Soul is brighter than mine?! In here, you are under my control!" the bandit growled as he used his Soul to crush the young man. That is one of the danger of attacking the Soul through brute force, as it will force you to enter their Inner Realm, or at least make contact with it, where the Soul of the owner is at it's strongest.
To Ryker thought, it is not dangerous, but merely a nuisance.
"Hhmph," a single raised hand and the attack, culmination of Soul Strength of a Noble expert that dabbled in alchemy and achieve the Noble Rank at it, was stopped with laughable ease.
"That's it," Ryker asked in contempt, the other man too shock to say anything else.
"It's a wonder you can create a brand new potion, well, aphrodisiac. Then again, the parasite inside it is the one that did most of it. In fact, you probably cultivate an art that use the parasite, essentially becoming a cultivator of it, helping it grow, and receive the boon of not dying from it.
You essentially treated it like a Beast Companion, even if it's probably a plant of some kind. Oh well, you don't have to answer. I am just going to get it out if you as painfully as possible," the bandit shivered at his cold tone, feeling like his life is in the man in front of him hands.