Alex made his way back up the dungeon with no hurry. He arrived at where Xichen had been confined and found a middle-aged man standing outside the door.
“Your people still have a chance, Xichen. All I have to do is become an Extolite in half a year. Then I will marry your daughter, and the remainder of the Sunwardens that have run away will have to accept me as their rightful chief. Then I—”
The man paused when he heard footsteps and turned around to look at Alex.
“Did you not understand my father’s command?” the man shouted. “No one is allowed to come to this section of the dungeon.”
Alex gave a stern look, but said nothing. He continued stepping toward the prison cell and arrived right in front of it. He looked inside and saw the wounded Xichen looking out toward the cell, her eyes slowly widening when she saw him.
She tried to call for him, but her hoarse voice could not make any sound.
“Did you not hear me?” the man roared at Alex. “Such indiscipline will not be accepted. I will have you placed right here in this dunge—”
Alex simply turned toward the man, and his composure seemed to quiet him. The man took a step back, not understanding much. He looked at Alex and could tell that despite the dirt-covered robes, it was still clearly the Grayhounds’ attire.
And yet, looking at him, the man could only feel his heart skip a beat in fear.
“Leave,” Alex said. “I am going to take her with me. I have no grudge against your family or your tribe, so I won’t harm you. Do not try to stop me.”
Alex reached for the door and ripped it open. As he walked inside, he found a familiar mental pressure exerting upon him, but it was so weak that he barely struggled against it.
“What… what are you doing?” the man asked, a spear appearing in his hand. His eyes narrowed as he finally realized what was happening. “You’re an intruder! Someone dares come into our dungeon? Do not think you will be able to leave.”
The man rushed in instantly, the spear in his hands going for the back of Alex’s neck.
Alex stepped aside at the last moment and slammed his fist onto the man’s chest. The man was immediately thrown back, crashing on the other side of the dungeon wall.
A loud reverberation shook the dungeon, likely the ground above as well.
Alex turned back toward Xichen and reached for the shackles keeping her confined. The mental pain she felt made it nearly impossible for her to do anything, let alone exert any force to tear off the shackles.
The shackles themselves seemed to be made of a strong metal, much better than anything Alex had seen until now. But they were easy for him to tear through.
The parts of the metal fell around Xichen in loud clangs, and her hands were finally free, albeit her wrists were quite red and almost bleeding.
Alex destroyed the shackles around her leg next. He was about to pick her up when he heard movement behind him. He turned around and saw the man from before walking out of the debris, slightly disoriented but more or less okay.
Alex couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow. He had underestimated the man a little to think that a single punch would be enough to defeat him.
Alex left Xichen for the time being and walked out of the room.
The man didn’t say anything, simply eyeing Alex while he judged him. He could tell that Alex was strong, but not exactly how strong.
“I have never met someone like you,” the man said. “Are you an Extolite?”
“I am not,” Alex answered. “You’re not one either, but I must say you’re quite strong. Who are you?”
“I am Tailun, son of Duolun, the next in line to become the chief of the Grayhounds.”
Alex raised an eyebrow. “So you are Tailun,” he said. “I’ve heard a few things about you from her mouth. Nothing good.”
Tailun frowned, staring back at where Xichen was.
“I have no grudge against you, Tailun. So walk away and I won’t hurt you,” Alex said. “But I am not in such a good mood either. I was imprisoned for the past 50 years and have only found my escape. If you try and stop me from taking these girls, I will kill you.”
Tailun harrumphed. “You are quite daring to come into our dungeon and think of walking out of it without dying,” he said. “The mere fact that you think you can kill me when you are not even an Extolite shows that you do not understand the world you live in.”
He pulled the spear down, falling into a stance. “I will show you the power of someone who will become the next Extolite.”
Tailun charged at an incredible speed, his spear flashing brightly as he stabbed toward Alex.
To Tailun’s great surprise, the spear pierced through the man’s neck and came out on the other side.
What? He didn’t even try dodging, Tailun thought.
Alex stood where he was and looked down on Tailun, who seemed to have thought that he had won. He then reached out and grabbed onto the spear, slowly pulling it out of his neck.
Tailun could only watch as the spear fully retracted out of the man’s neck. He didn’t understand what Alex was trying to do there. But then, he saw something that made his eyes widen in shock.
Almost as soon as the spear came out of Alex’s neck, the hole in his neck immediately healed, even the blood flowing back into his body.
Alex then slowly pulled out the sword he had stolen so many years ago from the attackers.
“I gave you a chance to keep your life, but I see you do not value it,” Alex said. “I pray you will learn to do so in your next life.”