Chapter 1197: The Three Spiritualists
Everyone was panicking. It was a more than appropriate way to describe what everyone in the Alpha Universe was feeling right now.
In just the span of three short days, first Nan Shazi’s Dark Spiritualists had suddenly burst forth from the Collapsed Expanse of the Founders, slaughtering the countless innocents that had gathered to wait for their fellow clansmen. They had racked up a shocking body count, and immediately afterwards paid a visit to the local major Spiritualist clan, the Purple Jade Sect.
Perhaps because ma.s.sacring the commoners was not enough to prove just how committed they were, these Dark Spiritualists had chosen Purple Jade, considered to be the strongest organization among the Unrestricteds, the Dark Spiritualists, and the Spiritualists of Purity. While the initial encounter made everyone feel indignant and angry, the bloodbath they brought to the Purple Jade instilled actual fear in everyone! No one had any idea just who would be their next target.
On the screen, the corpse of Qi Daxuan, the second-in-command of the Purple Jade Sect, was embedded right in the middle of the mountain gate, his chest having been torn apart. It was an extremely gruesome sight to see.
Zesyr Night could not stand watching any more. She turned her head and slumped onto the shoulder of her brother, Anzu Night, distressed. “Uncle Qi died so tragically. He and grandfather were drinking buddies for many years! I’m sure my grandfather must be very sad seeing this.”
Ulan and Fuchen were also sighing uncontrollably. Qi Daxuan was the second-in-command of the Purple Jade, and had had quite a bit of contact with one another. Given how a hero of their time had been slaughtered like a mere mongrel, they could not help but feel their hearts beat in trepidation.
Xia Fei reached out to turn the screen off and addressed everyone, “This is only the beginning. I believe the Dark Spiritualists ma.s.sacred Purple Jade as a show of strength, and things in the Alpha Universe will only get worse.”
Everyone turned to Xia Fei, almost as if to ask what could actually be worse than the current situation they were in.
Swallowing, Xia Fei narrowed his eyes. “Though there aren’t many Spiritualists around, they are nevertheless the dominant force across the entire Alpha Universe. Now that the Dark Spiritualists have begun their comeback, and have further demonstrated sufficient strength, the various major clans in the universe will have to choose sides: Will they continue to back the Spiritualist a.s.sociation, or will they turn to the Dark Spiritualists instead?
“If I’m not mistaken, there will be a calm before the storm. The Dark Spiritualists will use this chance to secretly win people’s hearts over. By the time the division is over, all those that choose to view the Dark Spiritualists as the enemy will be ruthlessly suppressed, until one side will be able to achieve a clear victory in this dispute.”
…
Everyone could not help but tremble. If what Xia Fei suggested was true, then this would be a new universal war! No matter if they were spiritualists or soul pract.i.tioners, all would be involved in the fighting!
“Then what about the even more powerful experts, like that group that we met in the Collapsed Expanse of the Founders? If they are willing to intervene, the Dark Spiritualists will surely be no match!” Ulan asked somewhat naively.
Xia Fei chuckled and retorted, “When we were in the Law Realm, and had a hard time going up against the Inverse, did any of you think to attempt a mediation? Did anyone care for our lives?! That war wiped out half of the elite warriors of the Law Realm!”
It was a heartbreaking response! Ulan, Fuchen, and even the siblings from the Venus of Eternal Night could all feel their ears turn red.
The Alpha Universe was considered the core of the Lower Five Stars, but who cared about the even lower Law Realm? When Xia Fei and Xia Gucheng had led the Law Realm in the fight for their existence, the leaders of the Alpha Universe were still sleeping soundly. Most had no idea there was another group of sapient lifeforms beyond the Alpha Universe, and even if they did know, they did not care about them a bit!
...
After pausing, Xia Fei remarked, “At any given time, everyone only cares about their own strength. We may borrow strength from outsiders, but we cannot become reliant on it. Zesyr and Anzu Night, this will be where we bid each other farewell. I’m going back to check up on my own comrades. It is especially during times like these that we must not cause chaos within our own ranks.”
…
Cosmic Gate. The first fortress from the Law Realm in the Alpha Universe…
Xia Gucheng walked out from the recently built conference center with a stern expression. He raised his head and looked to the sky.
All he saw were the countless black wars.h.i.+ps that surrounded the Law Realm’s stronghold, their black cannon barrels pointed straight at him.
Every s.h.i.+p had the insignia of a crown and a pair of horns, like a monster who had grown a set of horns while wearing a metal hat. That was none other than the logo of the Black Angel Corporation that operated on the fringes of Alpha Universe.
Ever Since the Law Realm had stepped into Alpha, the forces around them had begun to eye these newcomers. Among them, it was the Black Angel Corporation who took them most seriously. The last time they came to find fault, it was the grand ancestor Xia Gucheng who had rebuffed them, and the two sides had since harbored great animosity toward each other.
During this period of time, quite a few Law Realm warriors had been ambushed, and the newly constructed barracks two days ago had even been blown up by someone using ultra-long-ranged weapons. The shadow of the Black Angel Corporation hung ominously behind every single one of these incidents.
Unfortunately, the Law Realm had just newly joined Alpha, so they lacked information. They had only recently understood the power distribution of those who surrounded them. Even those warriors from the Aurora Clan had come from the core region of Alpha, so they were also at a disadvantage in terms of their knowledge pertaining to the local customs and actions within the fringe region.
In any case, the Law Realm found themselves in a pa.s.sive position, and they were feeling more and more depressed with each pa.s.sing day.
Just yesterday, the Black Angel Corporation had actually sent a fleet and had the Law Realm’s fortress surrounded, clearly displaying their determination to continue with hostilities!
…
*Whoosh*
A Black Angel Corporation wars.h.i.+p suddenly landed, and out walked a single individual. It was none other than the envoy Victor, who had taken a loss by the hands of Xia Gucheng. He was acting even more arrogant than the last time, his head nearly facing vertically up to the sky.
“So we meet again!” Victor used his hand to pinch his nose and continued, “I already told you that there’s a limit to Black Angel Corporation’s patience, so don’t try and test our bottom line. If not, you just might find yourself in an unpleasant predicament!”
His gaze casually swept their surroundings before Victor continued, “I’m sure you already know that Alpha is on the brink of chaos right now. With the Dark Spiritualists making a return, every major clan will be looking out for their own safety, not to mention you lower beings who have only just taken their first steps here in the Alpha Universe. If none of the significant organizations are willing to take you in, it won’t be long before you’ll find yourselves eaten up, not even leaving enough gristle on your bones to be gnawed on!
“The chairman of our Black Angel Corporation has a heart for everything under the stars, and is more than willing to accept you and your people, protecting your sovereignty in the fringes of the Alpha Universe. Of course, this would come at a small price.”
Victor extended a finger and a thumb and rubbed them together, miming as if he was counting money.
Before he even finished, however, grand ancestor Xia Gucheng already snorted, “No need! The answer I gave the last time is already very clear-cut. Besides, bringing such a large fleet along with you, is that how you plan to invite us?!”
“Invite?” Victor pursed his lips sinisterly. “That’s nothing more than a nice way of putting things. Today, if you agree, then that’s that. But if you refuse, the Black Angel Corporation plan to lay waste to your base with each pa.s.sing minute! We’ll slay your warriors, plunder your loot, and take women! See if we will do that!”
Victor had naturally spoken this without a hint of fear. He had not come alone, and had even brought an entire team of Founder experts with him. There were also thousands of Alpha Universe wars.h.i.+ps in the distance, all of them forming an immense threat to the Law Realm!
Gritting his teeth, Xia Guchen lifted the left hand that he had hidden behind his back this entire time, and balled it up into a fist. His entire time as a grand ancestor, he had been the one to bully others. When had he ever been made to face such humiliation?! The color of his eyes were slowly turning blood-red, and he revealed a fierce expression.
“What do you think you’re doing?! Are you not afraid to die? Do you not fear your clansman’s lives?!” Victor was quite frightened after seeing Xia Fei’s fierce expression, and hastily backed away, suddenly uneasy.
Actually, what he had said was true. The Skywings were still a bunch of evildoers who really had no fear of death!
Unfortunately, this was no longer just a Skywing Clan matter. This outpost into the Alpha Universe concerned the entire Law Realm, and there were countless ordinary Law Realm warriors and citizens who were looking toward him. If it was just the Skywings, they would have long since declared war against the Black Angels already!
Alpha Universe was filled with Dark Energy, an irreplaceable benefit for a warrior’s improvement. Their technology level was high too, and everyone was hoping that they could reduce the gap between themselves and the powerhouses of the Alpha Universe once this outpost was up and running.
Unfortunately, reality was often cruel, and rather than the Law Realm being ignored, it had instead been viewed with hostility by everyone in the region around them.
Seeing Xia Gucheng undecided, Victor mistook it for him being afraid, and was just about to say something shameless.
That was when a silver wars.h.i.+p came streaking across s.p.a.ce at an unreasonable speed. It was none other than the Silver Specter!
It moved with such speed! The Silver Specter flew between the gaps of the Dark Angel Corporation wars.h.i.+ps, sending all those wars.h.i.+ps flying immediately! They were like s.h.i.+ps that had been rocked by a turbulent storm, which only went to show just how powerful an impetus and speed it had!
*Rumble*
Silver Specter did not use any conventional methods to dock itself, but instead dove right into the ground like an arrow, generating an earthquake that shook everything around it!
Dirt and dust scattered in the air. They heard the sound of a door opening. Xia Fei came striding out from the wars.h.i.+p, a fierce expression on his face. Behind him followed the two Great Spiritualists Fuchen and Ulan, as well as Xia Guchengand Oro. Furball sat on Xia Fei’s shoulder, snoring softly.
“Everyone, come look!”
“Xia Fei’s back!”
Everyone crowded around, their voices clamoring. It was as if all of them had seen hope, and they were all looking toward Xia Fei fervently.
“Old man, are these people here looking for trouble?” Before Xia Fei could even ask, it was Xia Guanghai who had spoken up first, his head crooked to the side with his hands in his pockets.
“Seems so,” Xia Gucheng replied with a smile.
“Have you really gotten old? Someone’s trying to block our front door, what is there to talk about? Can’t we settle this if we just kill them outright?” Xia Guanghai remarked with a hint of viciousness, spitting on the ground to demonstrate his distaste.
Not counting Xia Fei, Xia Gucheng and Xia Guanghai were the most barbaric and unreasonable in the Skywing Clan. But while Xia Guanghai was very fierce, he lacked the ability to see the bigger picture. He was not thinking in Xia Gucheng’s shoes. If this had been up to Xia Gucheng and his temper, they would have already exchanged blows long ago; why would he need to wait until Xia Fei returned?
Xia Fei had not spoken a word this entire time. He understood the difficult spot Xia Gucheng was put in. Fighting had never been the problem for the Skywing Maniac, but what Xia Gucheng was really helpless over was throwing all the ordinary warriors from the other clans under the bus this way.
That was when a warrior behind Victor leaned into his ear and whispered a few words. Victor was at first startled, but soon showed a big plastic grin on his face and paid respect to Fuchen with cupped hands, “Ah, so an esteemed Spiritualist had come. Forgive me for the disrespect!”
Fuchen harrumphed coldly and continued to follow behind Xia Fei, staring daggers at Victor and the others.
Ulan barely took a step out of the a.s.sociation, but Fuchen had been famous across the Alpha Universe. It was not uncommon for someone among these Founders to recognize him.
“Since you recognize this old man, then why haven’t you gotten lost?” Fuchen scoffed.
“Well…” Victor flashed him an awkward smile. “The chairman gave us a death order before we came, so if we were to leave now, I’m afraid there’s no way for us to give an account.”
“Simple. Yours truly shall follow you back. I would like to see just who this chairman of yours is!” Fuchen waved his hand grandly.
Victor quickly responded, “Of course, that’s perfectly fine. As an esteemed Spiritualist like yourself coming for a visit, that would be a great honor for the Black Angel Corporation.”
The word Spiritualist was not merely bragging, and even if the Black Angels could act like a tyrant in the fringe regions, they could not afford to not show face to Fuchen!
But Xia Fei frowned. He had personally healed Fuchen, and no one was clearer than him as to Fuchen’s current condition. In the past, Fuchen did indeed have the strength to sweep everything away with a wave of his hand, but now…
“You should rest. This is a Law Realm matter, so I’ll be the one going with him,” Xia Fei stopped Fuchen.
“You?” Victor showed a disdainful expression once more. Xia Fei did not look too old, and he did not think he was anyone important.
“What about me?” Xia Fei glared back at him. “I’m a Spiritualist, too!”
*Crumble*
With that, Xia Fei swung his hand and a boulder ten miles away shattered. He had used Spirit Energy to do that!
Even the warrior behind Victor could not hold back and exclaimed in shock, “Two Spiritualists?!”
This was the fringe region after all, and for two Spiritualists to appear like this had surprised these Founders.
Another boulder even further away cracked in two, yet another display of Spirit Energy!
Ulan pulled back his arm and corrected him softly, “You’re wrong. There’s three here!”