A moment after Aki was sent flying away, Dyon appeared with Ri still in his arms below a large snow-white palace. Obviously, this was Snow Palace.
The weather in most areas of the Epistemic Tower Inner world was usually calm and sunny, aside from the night time, of course. There were, of course, areas used for training that contained abyssal cores with drastically different weather patterns, but this was the truth for the most part.
However, in the cases of places like the Snow Palace that owned a relatively large area unto itself, they were able to place down formations that bent the weather to their whims. So, in the few hundred acres owned by the Snow Clan, there was a winter wonderland.
This Palace was actually Ri’s personal residence. Other members of the Snow Clan were placed in the various homes in the surroundings, but this relatively large piece of land was left to Ri alone as a sign of good will from the Snow Clan.
Dyon laughed. “Looks like you’re truly an Empress here.”
Ri flicked Dyon’s forehead, pouting slightly. “Are you going to tell me why you randomly brought up soul cultivation now?”
At first, Ri assumed that Dyon had spoken aloud because his cultivation and abilities were still sealed. But then she remembered that her and Dyon’s souls were connected, as were their souls with Clara and Madeleine.
Although Dyon’s soul was sealed, it didn’t mean they had an inability to communicate via their souls. In fact, the reason Ri knew exactly where Dyon was despite his mask and the large crowd was because she had sensed Dyon reaching out to her.
Even more oddly, although Dyon spoke aloud, he gave off the feeling that he wanted Ri to respond covertly. Thus, she used her energy to concentrate her voice into a line because Dyon, for some reason, hadn’t wanted her to communicate with her soul. It was all very curious. But, Ri, of course, trusted Dyon wholeheartedly. If he wanted something this complex done, he had done so for a reason.
Dyon smiled, taking a step forward and allowing the Snow Palace formation to activate and cause him, Ri and even the Palace itself to disappear into a blizzard.
Afterward, he allowed the mask to seep into his face, revealing his handsome and chiselled features.
Ri, who was looking up at him this entire time, felt her heart flutter. This was a face she had been longing to see for a long time. So, when Dyon lowered his head to kiss her, she accepted without reservation, allowing his masculine scent to overwhelm her soft lips.
By the time Dyon pulled away and allowed Ri to catch her breath, they had already made their way through the large Palace doors and into the only room with a bed covered in white sheets.
Dyon set Ri down on her feet, his eyes ablaze as he slowly took off her snow-white dress to reveal laced lingerie that made his heart thump. He even teased her tails, unable to stop himself from getting lost in their softness, before he too took off his clothes to leave behind a pair of what he assumed were designer boxers in the martial world. He never particularly cared for such things, but when one’s wife insists, you have no choice but to oblige.
As for the large bandaged package on Dyon’s back, he had let it lean on a random wall as he embraced Ri in his arms and allowed the both of them to fall on the bed.
From beginning to end, Dyon didn’t take off Ri’s visor. He allowed her to tell her own story at her own pace.
Soon, the couple lay in the bed. Ri lying on Dyon’s chest, while Dyon kept his arm wrapped around her slender waist, absentmindedly fiddling with the outline of her panties.
“To answer your question,” Dyon finally spoke after toying with Ri’s lips between his for long enough. “There was a rat in the crowd I wanted to test out.”
Ri raised an eyebrow, “Who?”
“Do you know the name of the man on the same floor as you at that time?”
Ri thought for a bit. “I didn’t pay much attention, but I know there were 6 others. As for their names, I’m even less aware.”
Dyon nodded, he expected this much.
“The reason I brought up soul cultivation was to help instill the fact that I am a soul cultivator. The more people think that that’s my identity, the better. There were more covert ways for us to escape. For example, I could have clashed with Aki, secretly destroying his badge, and thus ruining his ability to fly in the city. At that time, escaping would have been as easy as turning a hand over.
“Although the badge is quite complex and durable, a bit of finesse is all it would have taken.”
“Why do you want to come off as a soul cultivator? I assume your plan to strong arm the tower’s spirit into allowing you to leave the fog barrier up worked, right? So, it would be unlikely for anyone to believe that you’re Dyon, no?”
“For a time, you’re right. But, I’m sure everyone will find it odd if long enough passes without the fog barrier disappearing considering my name already appeared on the 5th trial rankings. I believe I have, at most, 10 years before people start investigating our fog barrier. Although mere investigation doesn’t mean much, my appearance coincides with when Dyon Sacharro should leave the trial grounds.
“There are enough clever individuals from what I’ve seen today for them to at least begin poking and prodding at me.
“The level and number of formidable characters in the tower far exceed the number and level from our universe.”