98 Prelude to the Storm

When Dan returned, he saw Leona cleaning herself of the blood that she absorbed from the mortals. Approaching her, the latter noticed his presence as she lifted her head and said, "Did you find that old geezer? We have a time limit of thirty minutes and it is almost up..."

She calmly walked atop the pile of corpses and embraced Dan's arm as the latter mumbled, "He's inside the Hamlet Captain's house, cultivating..." Leona lifted his head and found that he looked pale and exhausted. Leona understood that the shock of witnessing such deaths may have rattled his nerves.

In an effort to calm him down, Leona pressed her ample chest on his body. But Dan couldn't savor the sensation, for he still felt disturbed by everything that happened in here. There was only one thing that he wanted to do, and that was to return back and rest.

When the couple arrived before the Hamlet Captain's residence, the Triass Clan Chief was standing there, greeting them with a smile. His expression looked gentle and amiable as if what happened earlier, didn't occur.

"Oh? Why is this brat not cultivating?" the Triass Clan Chief frowned when he noticed that there were no Spiritual Qi fluctuations on Dan's body. Leona also stared at him in doubt. Crossing his arms together, he said in a tone full of disdain, "Are you telling me to absorb the measly essences of these mortals?'

His expression made the Triass Clan Chief chuckle, "You're quite stubborn, aren't cha? Maybe that's the reason why your wife has a higher cultivation than yours..." Dan returned a frown but didn't say anything as Leona reassured her by sticking even more closely on his body.

The group walked towards the center of the Hamlet and found numerous ghastly apparitions carrying numerous sacks of food. They placed these sacks of food in a clean area at the center before transporting it away using Spatial Tunneling. Witnessing this scene, the Trias Clan Chief said, "Our task could be considered as done. Since this Hamlet supplies at least half of the Merchant Town's food supplies, people will definitely panic in the next several days..."

Dan turned to the former and said, "Several days, you say?"

"Yeah, it would take at least several days since the Town Mayor has his own stocks of food which he could use as a temporary stopper. But once his supply runs out too, the prices of everything will skyrocket and those poor livestock living at the Extreme Region would definitely cause a ruckus..."

"So the current plan is to create a massive civil war? Wouldn't that attract the attention of the Emperor himself?" His line of questions made the Triass Clan Chief stare at him in annoyance.

"This much of an upheaval wouldn't warrant his care. After all, scenes like these happen often and with how huge the Empire of Eternal Faith's territory. They wouldn't bother about such a small town."

Dan nodded his head, so that's the reason why the members of the Night Ranger Association were becoming more proactive as time passed by. But little did they know that the Emperor was already alerted and had sent some of his trusted confidants such as Mathias and Takemikazuchi in investigating their traces.

Since the plan of the Night Ranger Association was about to come into fruition in the next several days, Dan understood that he had to make use of the confusion so that he could commence the last phase of his plan. Glancing at Leona, he knew that the young woman really did fell for him.

Unfortunately, they were bound to be enemies and he had to eliminate her if he wanted to erase all traces of his existence in this Merchant Town of Kalur. Hardening his resolve, Dan reaffirmed his beliefs. Since the roots of his entire clan belonged to the demonic path. Dan understood that he had to be merciless and cold. He knew that he needed to sacrifice, even everything so that he could increase his cultivation.

No matter how much he wanted to be righteous. His roots wouldn't let him and he would eventually fall on the demonic path. Calming himself down, he returned back to the Merchant Town of Kalur along with Leona who once again invited him inside her room.

Entering Stealth, he had his clone satisfy her desire. Though he could just disregard everything and do it with her. Dan disliked the idea since he wouldn't really obtain that much other than sensual pleasures. Her Divine Art was incompatible with him and wouldn't increase their cultivation no matter how much dual-cultivation they did.

Sneaking out of the house, he informed the Town Mayor about everything that happened as his expression changed in utmost fury and anger. Raising his hand, he pummeled the table before him as it dissipated into dust.

Dan staggered backward. The might of a Divine Soul Practitioner was something that he still couldn't endure even with the help of the System.

"I understand, I understand now...So that's the reason why they're trying to overthrow me from my position? Fat chance!" He violently cursed and turned towards Dan's direction. His expression looked complicated. Using his connections, he found that Dan was a student of the prestigious Paradyne Academy.

He understood how protective the Academy was about their student's wellbeing. There was even an instance where a student was wrongfully killed by an arrogant young master and as a result. The Academy summoned a fleet of Divine Soul Elders and annihilated the entire clan of that young master.

The annihilation shook the entire continent to its core and from there on. Everyone would try their best to curry some favors with a Paradyne Academy student and if they couldn't be friends with them. They would avoid them like a plague.

"Senior, just what is the reason why they are so adamant in taking your position? It's not like they would acquire anything substantial other than the lives of the mortals inside this Town..." He knitted his eyebrow in thought.

The Town Mayor turned to look at him and said, "It's because of this," Since Dan and he were allies, he didn't hesitate to reveal the reason why the members of the Night Ranger Association targeted his position.

Atop his opened palm, a small metal ring could be seen. The ring looked average and if one placed it amidst garbages, they wouldn't think much about it. However, when Dan scanned the ring. The information that the System revealed to him made him stare at it in shock.

[Name: Shadow God's Inheritance Key]

[Effects: Use this to trace the Shadow God's Inheritance]

The Town Mayor noticed his confusion and he explained, "This is the key for the Shadow God's Inheritance Trial. I managed to trace its location but I was restricted because of my skeletal age. As for now, I am planning on giving it to my son which currently studies at the Maximus Academy..."

"System, search for information about the Shadow God..." He mumbled under his breath as a series of system notification manifested in the air.

[Shadow God - A figure which according to the rumors, achieved the realm beyond the Divine Emperor and attained Immortality. He has long since ascended but before he did. He left his complete inheritance in his homeland, in hopes that someone suitable could acquire it.]

Dismissing the system notification, Dan's eyes flashed in a light of understanding. Lifting his head, he said, "Since this item is quite important, why is Senior wearing it like a normal accessory?"

The Town Mayor chuckled before saying, "What's the best way to hide a tree?" He said and his words made the latter frown in confusion. Before Dan could answer, he continued with a small smile on his face, "The best way to hide a tree is hiding it inside a forest..."

When his cryptic words reached the ears of Dan. The latter's eyes flashed in enlightenment, "So the reason why Senior is blatantly displaying such an important item is to hide it from the scrutiny of your enemies?"

"Indeed," The Town Mayor nodded in satisfaction when Dan caught a hold of his point. "Those bastards are trying to get this key from my possession, but little did they know that the Shadow God only permits the entrance of those below the age of twenty and with the cultivation of a Spirit Tempering Realm..."

A playful smile lifted on his lips as he thought about the tragic expression of those bastards if they ever succeed. Crossing his arms together, he turned to look at Dan and said, "You're from the Paradyne Academy, right?" Dan returned a look of his own and inwardly thought, 'As expected of the Town Mayor's connections, he easily unveiled my identity in just a few days...'

"Yes, I am from that Academy..."

"Umu...I have sent those two brats towards the Paradyne Academy with my letter so that at the least, they could avoid this incoming ruckus..." He explained and Dan cupped his hands together in a gesture of appreciation.

"I thank Senior's thoughtfulness for this matter..."

"Don't worry about it," The Town Mayor replied, "Setting that aside, the storm that they orchestrated is starting to brew..." His eyes flashed in a light of anticipation and killing intent. He had been chasing the Night Ranger Association for several decades and now that they were willing to reveal themselves before him. Why would he chase them away?

The next morning arrived and a commotion exploded in the marketplace. The supply of wheat and all sorts of staple food fell sharply and with the two clans fanning the flames by spreading some rumors about the Town Mayor's monopoly towards these resources created a rally before the City Hall.

Soon, the rumors about the Town Mayor's dirty deeds spread across the entire Merchant Town of Kalur. The indignance of the common populace along with the fanning of the two clans composed a chaos which crippled the entire Merchant Town in just a single day.

The so-called perpetrator of this chaos was inside the City Hall. Casually sipping his morning tea. Facing the window, he opened the curtains and saw a sea of people trying to force their way inside the City Hall.

"As expected, those bastards really do work fast..." He closed his eyes for a moment and when it snapped open. A cruel and merciless light flashed within his eyes. "As long as that lad finishes the job that I asked him to, I will never let any one of you go..."