After my mother beat the four elders that opposed my family, we learned why they acted the way they had. We already knew their motivation, which was to curb my family’s influence within the Dawn and Dusk Sect, but we found out why they thought it was a good idea in the first place.
It turned out that when my mother went into seclusion after giving birth to me, the four of them speculated that she must have suffered a serious injury. After all, it should have been impossible for a Domain Creation cultivator to have a child. They thought it would take decades, maybe even centuries, for my mother to recover. By the time she emerged from seclusion, it would be too late for her to do anything. At least, that was the plan.
Just in case they were wrong, Elder Boundless Sorrow and his cohorts laid low for a while. When I caused an incident with the Ancient Blood Sect, they saw it as an opportunity and made their move. They targeted me since I was the weakest member of my maternal family. If they discredited me and ruined my reputation, that would be a serious blow to my family. They would then use me as the lever to keep the rest of my family in check.
After we found all of this out, my mother took compensation from Elder Boundless Sorrow and his cohorts. She bled them for all they were worth. Sect Leader Twinheart sent me a telepathic message telling me that was how my mother earned most of her wealth. If she didn’t outright kill someone and take their storage ring, she beat them and then robbed them blind.
Of course, when it came to other members of the sect, she only did this if they attacked her or her people first. This rarely happened, since few within the sect were stupid enough to pick a fight with her.
When my mother finished taking compensation from Elder Boundless Sorrow and his cohorts, Sect Leader Twinheart summoned the elders from Rainbow Healer Hall to retrieve them. Said elders didn’t seem surprised to see Elder Boundless Sorrow and his cohorts in such a state. Either Sect Leader Twinheart told them what to expect, or such occurrences weren’t unusual for my mother. I wasn’t sure which was more likely.
As for Cultivator Desolate Gale and the others, we decided to let them go without a fuss. We didn’t see the need to punish them, since they were just following their masters’ orders. Besides, watching my mother make mincemeat out of their masters seemed like punishment enough.
Well, that wasn’t quite true. I decided to follow my mother’s example and demanded compensation from Cultivator Desolate Gale. Considering what he did to me, I figured I should get something from this whole ordeal. He tried to protest, but after some not so subtle threats from me, he gave in. I received two thousand spirit stones, several bottles of cultivation pills, and a few talismans that I had never seen before.
Afterwards, my mother met with the hall masters and/or vice hall masters of Black Heart Hall, Restless Grave Hall, Five Divine Pillars Hall, and Celestial Warrior Hall. I didn’t know the exact details of what happened, since I didn’t attend, but my mother ended up giving them some compensation. While she was powerful and influential within the Dawn and Dusk Sect, not even she could act with impunity. Giving the other halls some face maintained the peace.
And thus, this particular chapter came to a close.
Later on that same day, I searched for Harlow to have my wounds looked at. The Healing Pills I took helped, but even they had their limits. The wound I received from Cultivator Aiden’s Crimson Scorching Saber, in particular, needed some tending to. However, when I found Harlow, she was with Ellen and Willow.
When I finished telling them my story, all three of them lectured me about my reckless behavior. It was an unpleasant experience. However, since they lectured me out of concern for my well being, I endured without complaint. My patience paid off, since Ellen and Willow showered me with concern and affection after Harlow finished treating me. Harlow looked annoyed and envious by this.
After everything was said and done, I returned to my cabin to rest and study the talismans I received from Cultivator Desolate Gale. After the incident with the Ancient Blood Sect, where I used a treasure talisman to kill a Golden Core cultivator, I studied up on some of the rarer and more obscure talismans. If Brother Ross hadn’t told me how to use said treasure talisman, we would have suffered more casualties during that battle.
Cultivator Desolate Gale gave me three different kinds of talismans, and two of each one. After studying them for some time, I figured out what they were. The first kind were Fire Dragon Talismans. They were offensive type talismans that summoned a fiery dragon to attack one’s enemies. Their power was equivalent to a strike from a late Foundation Establishment cultivator.
The second kind were Dark Slumber Talismans. These were used to put one’s enemies to sleep. As befitting a disciple from Black Heart Hall, these kinds of talismans also induced nightmares. How sadistic. These were useful against even peak Foundation Establishment cultivators.
The last kind were Earth Prison Talismans. These were used to immobilize one’s enemies within a sphere of earth and stone. Anyone in Foundation Establishment and below would find it almost impossible to break free. Earth Prison Talismans could even hinder a Golden Core cultivator, if only for a moment. However, in battle, a moment could mean the difference between life and death.
The rest of the journey to North King City passed by without incident. Word of my victory over Cultivator Aiden spread throughout the Dawnfire. As expected, this raised my reputation within the Dawn and Dusk Sect. A few people even came by to congratulate me. Most of them were sycophants looking to make a connection with me, so I turned them away. The rest were my friends, who wanted to hear about what happened from my own lips.
Another benefit from defeating Cultivator Aiden was that my fellow disciples from Flame Fiend Hall became less wary around me. This gave me the courage to mingle with them. That’s when I learned that they all saw me as cold and standoffish, since I always kept my distance from them. As a divine demon and Hall Master Nova’s son, I was a lofty and unapproachable figure in their eyes. Approaching them first, and winning a few fights, was enough to break the ice. It turned out that I had been worried over nothing.
Of course, not everyone welcomed or liked me. For one reason or another, they remained hostile towards me. I paid them no mind, since worrying about them was a waste of my time.
I spent the days leading up to our arrival honing my mental state, training (brawling) with my fellow disciples from Flame Fiend Hall, and spending time with my loved ones.
And then we arrived at North King City.
On the day we arrived, I stood on the Dawnfire’s top deck so I could see North King City for myself. It was a clear and beautiful morning, with not a single cloud in the sky. The barriers that protected the Dawnfire kept the winter chill out, so it was rather comfortable.
I wasn’t the only one on the top deck either. Almost everyone aboard the Dawnfire was here as well. Even though the top deck was wide and expansive, it felt a little cramped with thousands of people crowding it. The sound of their excited chatter filled the air. Many of them jostled and pushed one another to get a better vantage point. However, with the elders keeping an eye on everything, no one caused too much of a fuss. They floated in the air above the top deck, with my mother and Big Sis Sidra among them.
My remaining loved ones and I secured a good spot for ourselves, right next to the top deck’s railing. Elliot, in his capacity as my bodyguard, kept everyone from getting too close to us. Ellen and Willow stood next to me, one on each side, while Harlow squeezed herself right in front of me. This earned her a raised eyebrow from Willow.
“What?” Harlow asked, her voice containing a hint of challenge.
“Don’t push me too far.” Willow said with a snort. “You aren’t part of our family yet.”
Harlow rolled her eyes at that.
“It’s going to happen eventually.” She said. “Darian wants it, I want it, and you know you want it too. You’d be bored without me around.” She smirked. “Besides, how else are you going to find a healer willing to treat Darian? For free, I might add.”
I wanted to protest at that, since I offered to compensate Harlow for her services several times. However, she always refused. When I opened my mouth to mention this, she turned around and gave me a look. I shut my mouth with a click.
“Quiet you two,” Ellen said in a stern voice, “We’re almost there.”
Willow and Harlow stopped their bickering. The latter pressed her body against mine. Her small frame felt warm and she smelled of herbs and medicine. Harlow was short enough that I could see over her without issue. In fact, I could even rest my chest on the top of her head. I gave it a try. When she didn’t object, and in fact pressed harder against me, I left it there.
When North King City came into view, all other thoughts fled my mind. I could only stare in amazement. I had seen a couple cities in my relatively short life, such as Evenfall City, Clear Basin City, and East Mesa City. However, North King City dwarfed them all.
It was a sprawling metropolis that occupied a circular, rocky island located near the southern tip of the Northern Region’s central continent. It was large enough that I estimated that it would take a mortal an entire day to walk from one end of the city to the other; maybe even several days. A ring of fang-like black rocks jutted up from the sea and surrounded the entire island. This made it impossible to approach it by sea. The only way to enter the city was by air or teleportation array.
The island itself was flat and barren, devoid of any vegetation. Not that there was much room for any plants to grow on it. North King City occupied every available inch of the island. In the very center stood a large mountain made from black stone. It wasn’t the tallest I had ever seen, but it was the widest.
Still, as impressive as I found North King City, and I did, it was the sea that caught my attention. I had never seen such a wide and expansive body of water in my life. The closest was the lake around Evenfall City. However, compared to the sea, it might as well have been a shallow pond. I took a deep breath. The scent of briny sea water filled my lungs, mingling with Harlow’s medicinal scent.
The sea stretched as far as the eye could see, infinite and endless. In that moment, if someone told me that eternity could be found in the horizon, that liminal space where the sea met the sky, I would have believed them.
As the Dawnfire neared North King City, several flying ships departed from the city and headed in our direction. From their fearsome and intimidating appearance, I guessed that they were warships. The disciples of the Dawn and Dusk Sect broke out into excited whispers at the sight of them. Even so, despite the warships’ appearance, they were minnows compared to the Dawnfire.
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
Dozens of soldiers in black armor occupied each of the warships. Most of these soldiers were at Foundation Establishment, but a few were at Golden Core. I assumed they were officers. A male Nascent Soul cultivator stood at the helm of the warship in the lead.
When the warships were about a mile away from us, they stopped and hovered in place. The Dawnfire stopped as well. The Nascent Soul cultivator leapt up and flew towards the Dawnfire. Sect Leader Twinheart flew over towards him, and the two met halfway.
“Greetings, guests from the Dawn and Dusk Sect.” The Nascent Soul cultivator said, giving Sect Leader Twinheart a martial salute. He spoke in a respectful tone that was neither deferential nor servile. “I am Captain Enduring Resolve of the Black Iron Guard. My master, the mighty and wise North King, has tasked me with escorting you into North King City.”
I knew a little bit about the Black Iron Guard. They were Clan Black Iron’s personal army. Many cultivators longed to become one of them, rogue cultivators in particular, since there were many benefits to joining the Black Iron Guard. However, not everyone could join, since they had strict requirements. Even so, that didn’t stop countless people from trying.
“Greetings, Captain Enduring Resolve,” Sect Leader Twinheart said, returning the martial salute, “We are honored by the North King’s consideration, and grateful for his thoughtfulness.”
Captain Enduring Resolve gave Sect Leader Twinheart a smile.
“I know this should be obvious,” he said, “But I ask that everyone remain aboard the Dawnfire until it lands. There are several restrictions in place around North King City. We’re opening them up for the Dawnfire. However, if anyone tries to fly off on their own, the restrictions may end up attacking them.”
“Of course.” Sect Leader Twinheart said. “The elders and I will ensure that this doesn’t happen.” He gestured to Captain Enduring Resolve. “Please lead the way, Captain.”
Captain Enduring Resolve nodded, before he turned around and flew back to his warship. It then turned around and started flying back towards North King City. The Dawnfire followed in its wake. The other warships position themselves at several points around the Dawnfire, escorting it. At first I thought their placement was random. However, I soon realized that there was a pattern to it, though I couldn’t decipher what this pattern signified.
Minutes later, the outskirts of North King City came within range of my spirit sense, and I sucked in a breath. Several fearsome restrictions protected the city. The weakest among them were as powerful as the ones in Big Sis Sidra’s abode. The strongest were beyond my comprehension. An army of Golden Core cultivators could assault North King City and fail to break through. In fact, I suspected that the restrictions were powerful enough to keep a Domain Creation cultivator at bay, maybe even several.
When the Dawnfire and its escorts neared the restrictions, multicolored lights shot out of the warships and linked them to one another. Together, they formed a massive and intricate array that encompassed the Dawnfire. I exclaimed in admiration. I wasn’t the only one either. Many of my fellow disciples reacted the same way.
The Dawnfire, protected by the massive array, passed through the restrictions surrounding North King City with ease. Once we were through, I let out a relieved sigh. Without that array protecting us, I feared that the Dawnfire would have suffered severe damage. It might have even been destroyed altogether, and us along with it.
Once we were through the restrictions, the massive array disappeared. This somewhat disappointed me. Taking my first good look at North King City more than made up for it. It was a grand place. All of the buildings were several stories tall, and beautifully designed as well. Despite its size, the city was neat and organized. It was laid out in concentric rings, connected altogether by an intricate network of paved roads.
From this distance, I could see that North King City was a lively and bustling place. I saw tens of thousands of people roaming the streets, each one going about their business. All of them were cultivators, though most were only at Qi Condensation. A few flew about in the air, but the rest walked on foot.
I turned my attention to the mountain in the center of the city. Buildings covered its entire surface. They were built in harmony with the mountain, making it appear as if they were carved from it. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if that were the case. From what I knew, the rest of the city extended into the mountain itself.
The Dawnfire flew towards an airship dock located in the third outermost ring of the city. It was a tower that stood several dozen stories tall. To my surprise, there weren’t any airships moored at the airship dock. Had they cleared the entire dock for our sake? I supposed so.
After the Dawnfire reached the airship dock, the warships split off and headed towards another area of the city. However, they didn’t leave us to our own devices.
A group of cultivators waited for us at the airship dock. The one in the lead was a woman at Golden Core, while the rest were a mixed group of men and women at Foundation Establishment. They all wore gray robes. With my spirit sense, I saw that the back of their robes depicted a surprisingly accurate representation of the black mountain that occupied the center of North King City.
As soon as the Dawnfire docked, Sect Leader Twinheart and the various elders of the Dawn and Dusk Sect flew over and landed in front of the group of cultivators waiting for us. The women in the lead gave Sect Leader Twinheart a martial salute.
“Greeting, esteemed guests from the Dawn and Dusk Sect.” The woman said with a smile on her face. “My name is Luella. I am your liaison during your stay here at North King City. If there is anything that you need, or if you have any questions, feel free to ask me.” She gestured to the Foundation Establishment cultivators standing behind her. “If I am not available, my subordinates will help you in my place.”
When she finished speaking, the Foundation Establishment cultivators all saluted as one.
“Greetings, Liaison Luella.” Sect Leader Twinheart said, giving her a martial salute. “I am Twinheart, leader of the Dawn and Dusk Sect. Thank you for coming out to greet us. We have had a long journey, and we would like to go to our assigned quarters as soon as possible.”
“Of course, Sect Leader Twinheart.” Liaison Luella said. “If you would all follow me.”
With that, everyone started disembarking. It took a while, since there were thousands of us, but the elders’ guidance minimized the chaos. Rather than compete with the other disciples to disembark, my companions and I decided to wait until the crowd thinned out first. I expected Willow and Harlow to join their respective halls. However, to my surprise, they both remained by my side.
“I convinced Master and Grandfather Riordan to let me stay with you while we were in North King City.” Willow explained. She gave me a quick kiss on the lips, before whispering in my ear. “Since we haven’t been together in two weeks, Big Sis Ellen agreed to let me have you to myself tonight.”
Harlow, who stood nearby, made a discontented sound.
“I still can’t believe that you managed to snag him first.” She said, an envious expression on her face.
Willow grinned at her.
“I saw an opportunity and I took it.” She said. “Don’t blame me because you were too slow.”
I gave them both a flat look.
“You know,” I said, “I’m not some prize to be won.”
Willow and Harlow shared a glance.
“You are a little bit.” Willow said. “Though you are a handsome prize, to be sure.”
I stared at her, unsure of how to feel about that statement.
“Besides,” Harlow said, grinning at me, “It’s not like you hate it. We’ve been friends long enough that I know you love the attention. Why else would you insist on having more than one wife?”
Well, I couldn’t argue against that.
“Still,” I said, crossing my arms and pouting, “I’m not just a piece of meat.”
Ellen hugged me from the side and leaned her head against my shoulder.
“Of course you aren’t,” she said in a consoling tone, “You are a kind and beautiful man, who we all love.” She paused. “However, you are also a fine physical specimen. Even you have to admit that much.”
I chuckled at that.
“Fine,” I said, “You win.” I looked at Harlow. “What about you? Aren’t you staying with the other disciples of Rainbow Healer Hall?”
Harlow puffed out her chest, a proud smile on her face.
“I managed to convince my superiors to let me stay with you as your personal healer.” she said.
I blinked at her.
“And they didn’t find that suspicious at all?” I asked in disbelief.
Harlow scoffed.
“Of course they found it suspicious.” She said. “They aren’t idiots. Everyone knows that I’m aiming to make you mine. However, considering your previous exploits, they agreed that assigning you a personal healer was a good idea. You suffer serious injuries on a more regular basis than other disciples from Flame Fiend Hall.”
I felt Ellen and Willow stare at me, accusation in their eyes.
“I’m not that bad.” I said in a weak voice.
Harlow put her hands on her hips and gave me a serious look.
“Darian,” she said, “That baldy from Celestial Warrior Hall almost severed your spine.”
“Exactly,” I said, “It wasn’t life threatening. I just wouldn’t have been able to walk for several weeks.”
Harlow stared at me in disbelief, before looking at Ellen and Willow.
“How do you put up with this?” She asked.
“With great difficulty.” Ellen said in a flat voice.
Harlow sighed.
“Keeping you alive isn’t going to be easy, is it?” She asked.
Willow embraced me from my side, the one opposite Ellen. Her large frame almost engulfed my entire body.
“No,” Willow said, “But he’s worth it.”
Harlow stared at us for several seconds, before she let out a frustrated sound.
“Ah!” She said. “When will it be my turn?”
After the disciples of the Dawn and Dusk Sect disembarked from the Dawnfire, Liaison Luella and her subordinates guided us towards our assigned residence during our stay in North King City: a location called Divine Beast Palace. There were flight restrictions in place, so we had to walk there. I found this odd, since I saw people flying in North King City. When I asked one of Liaison Luella’s subordinates about it, he told me that only licensed ferry services and cultivators in the Golden Core realm or above were exempt from the flight restrictions. Otherwise, the air above the city would be a chaotic mess.
Divine Beast Palace wasn’t far from the airship, so it only took us a few minutes to reach it by foot. It was a palace the size of a small town. Like the rest of North King City, it was beautiful and magnificent. The palace was divided into two parts: the outer palace and the inner palace. The latter consisted of eight palaces, with each one named after a different legendary creature. Dragon Palace, Phoenix Palace, Qilin Palace, etc.
The sect elders and those participating in the Rising Heroes Tournament were assigned to the inner palace. Everyone else was assigned to the outer palace. There weren’t enough palaces within the inner palace for each hall to have its own, so they ended up sharing. Sect Leader Twinheart claimed Qilin Palace all for himself. Ah, the privileges that came with status.
Flame Fiend Hall and Celestial Warrior Hall were both assigned to the Dragon Palace. On the one hand, this made me happy since I had a few friends in Celestial Warrior Hall, and I was an honorary disciple. On the other hand, sharing the same palace meant that I might run into Cultivator Byron or Cultivator Aiden at some point. Considering my history with both, this was something I would rather avoid.
As a core disciple, I received my own courtyard within the Dragon Palace, which I shared with Ellen, Elliot, Willow, and Harlow. Once everyone settled in, Liaison Luella and her subordinates explained the rules we needed to adhere to during our stay in North King City. A few of the disciples had already participated in past tournaments, so it was mostly for the benefits of newcomers such as myself.
First and foremost, violence between the disciples of the various sects was not allowed. Anyone caught fighting would be imprisoned for a time, the length of which depended on the severity of the crime. If the situation was serious enough, then the offender(s) might even end up missing the Rising Heroes Tournament.
Second, outsiders were only allowed to roam around in the three outermost rings of North King City. The innermost rings were restricted to residents of the city and invited guests.
There were more rules beyond those two, but those were the most important ones. After they finished explaining things to us, Liaison Luella and her subordinates gave us martial salutes one final time.
“One last thing.” Liaison Luella said. “Welcome to North King City. Please enjoy your stay here.”
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This chapter was edited by Radriel7
