Vaelric stood motionless for a moment, his fiery gaze fixed on the disciple as his mind churned. The fact that a mere twenty individuals—divided into groups of four—could cause such chaos, even against the Crimson Serpent Sect’s disciples, spoke volumes about their strength.
The average strength of their disciples was at the peak of 1-star, with a few promising individuals reaching early 2-star Awakening. But these attackers… if they were capable of such precision and carnage, they couldn’t be below 2-star, and some might even be stronger.
“Twenty men,” Vaelric murmured, his voice low and deadly. “And yet you dare to tell me this is the work of mere mercenaries?”
The disciple flinched, lowering his head further. “Sect Master, their techniques… they don’t match any local groups. They’re skilled, and they fight as though they’ve trained for years.”
Vaelric’s lips curled into a sneer. “Skilled or not, they are vermin. Their strength is insignificant next to mine. But for the sake of appearances…” He turned, his robes swishing, and gestured sharply toward the guards near the door. “Summon Elder Jayan and the others. I want elders of at least peak 3-star Awakening leading the charge. Let them bring these fools to their knees.”
One of the guards hesitated, glancing at Vaelric before bowing deeply. “Sect Master, Elder Jayan is… preoccupied with overseeing the interrogation of the Azure Blossom Sect’s former disciples.”
Vaelric’s glare snapped toward him, his amber eyes blazing. “Then relieve her of that duty. Those broken dogs can wait.” He straightened, his aura expanding with suffocating intensity, sending a ripple of unease through everyone present. “Do you think I would entrust this matter to anyone less? Elder Jayan will handle this personally.”
The guard nodded quickly and left the chamber, not daring to look back.
Vaelric’s attention returned to the kneeling disciple, his sharp features twisted into a scowl. “Make no mistake. These attacks threaten more than just our reputation—they undermine the entire foundation of what we’ve built here.”
For sects like the Crimson Serpent Sect or the Azure Blossom Sect, power was everything. Their reach might not have extended to the grand capitals of the empire, but in the countryside and smaller cities, they were undisputed rulers. Having even a 3-star Awakened elder was a sign of strength, one that demanded respect and submission from the surrounding populace. That strength was why they could collect protection taxes and fees, imposing their will without resistance.
For Vaelric, maintaining this facade of power was paramount. A threat like this—an organized, deadly group that could cut down disciples and destabilize their influence—could not go unanswered. The Crimson Serpent Sect’s grip on Thornridge and its surrounding regions had to remain ironclad.
“Send the elders,” he repeated, his voice colder now. “Crush these insects. I want their corpses hung at the city gates as a reminder to all. Anyone who defies us will meet the same fate.”
The disciple nodded frantically. “Yes, Sect Master.”
As the disciple scrambled to obey, Vaelric turned toward the grand window that overlooked the city. The skyline of Thornridge stretched out before him, a mix of stone buildings and bustling streets. His gaze lingered on the distant horizon, where the fading light of the sun cast long shadows over the city. Explore hidden tales at empire
His thoughts darkened as he considered the timing of the attacks. Two years ago, the Crimson Serpent Sect was different than how it was just now.
Back then, even Vaelric himself had been stuck at mid-4-star Awakening, unable to break through no matter how hard he pushed.
And with the Sect Master of the Azure Blossom Sect being mid-4-star rank as him, his sect was actually weaker than the Azure Sect thanks to the Guardian Beast, which they called.
In fact, he hated the feeling though his core. After all, he was a lot more talented than that bitch, and he was much more hardworking.
But because of the existence of the Vitaliara, the Guardian Beast, she was able to advance while he was stuck dealing with the matters of his sect.
His ambition had burned brighter than his strength, and he’d known the sect’s survival would require more than sheer determination.
It was then that they had come.
The memory of that fateful meeting sent a shiver down his spine. Their offer had been simple: power in exchange for allegiance. The means by which they’d delivered on their promise remained a mystery, but the results were undeniable. Vaelric had surged past his limits, reaching the peak of 4-star Awakening, and the sect had grown stronger under his rule.
But the deal had come with strings, and now, those strings were tightening.
“Where is that ‘cat’?” Vaelric muttered, his voice low and dangerous.
The guards stiffened, exchanging uneasy glances. None dared to answer immediately.
“Did you not hear me?” Vaelric snapped, his gaze slicing through them like a blade. “Where is Vitaliara?”
“….Sect Master…..4 Elders are already looking for her through the Shadow Thicket….It is just, you know that place…”
“It has been a fucking year!”
Vaelric’s hand slammed against the black stone wall, the force of his rage shaking the chamber. A crack spidered through the smooth surface, dust crumbling at his feet. His amber eyes burned with barely restrained fury as he turned back toward the guards, his presence swelling like a storm about to break.
“A year!” he roared, his voice echoing through the chamber. “It has been a fucking year, and you’re telling me she’s still eluded us? How many elders have I sent into that cursed Shadow Thicket? How many of our resources have I burned for this hunt, only for you to return empty-handed every time?”
The guards flinched, their heads bowing further, none daring to meet his gaze. One of them, a younger man trembling under Vaelric’s oppressive aura, hesitated before speaking.
“S-Sect Master… the Shadow Thicket is vast and treacherous. Even with the elders’ strength, the place is… unnatural. It shifts, it misleads.”
“Enough!” Vaelric snapped, his voice cutting through the explanation like a blade. He advanced on the trembling guard, his expression a mask of wrath. “Do you think I don’t know the dangers of that place? Do you think I care about excuses?”
The guard fell silent, swallowing hard as Vaelric loomed over him.
Vaelric stepped back, running a hand through his slicked-back hair, his fingers trembling with frustration. He turned toward the window once more, staring out at the darkening horizon. His thoughts raced, the weight of the promised time pressing down on him like a vice.
The deal.
The memory of that meeting was as vivid as ever. The shadowy figures, their impossible presence, their cryptic smiles as they made their offer. They had given him what he’d longed for—strength beyond his limits, the power to crush the Azure Blossom Sect and claim Thornridge as his own. But their terms had been clear.
Vitaliara.
The beast’s essence was the price they demanded, and if he failed to deliver, the consequences would be dire. The whispers of what would happen to his sect, to him, if he failed… they had haunted his dreams ever since.
And now, the promised time was approaching.
“Sigh…..”
Vaelric exhaled sharply, his shoulders rising and falling as he tried to steady the storm raging within him. The weight of his failures, the looming consequences of the deal, and the chaos erupting in his city gnawed at his composure. He closed his eyes for a brief moment before opening them, his gaze sharp and calculating.
“Bring her,” he said coldly, his voice low but firm. “Now.”
The guards exchanged uneasy glances before one of them bowed and hurried out of the chamber. Vaelric didn’t move, his back to the room as he stared out the window, the city lights flickering like distant stars. The air in the room grew heavier as the moments stretched, his impatience simmering beneath the surface.
Minutes later, the heavy doors creaked open again. The sound of dragging footsteps echoed through the chamber as two guards entered, a figure between them. She stumbled slightly as they brought her forward, her hands bound with enchanted cuffs that glimmered faintly in the torchlight.
Vaelric turned slowly, his eyes narrowing as they fell upon the woman.
She stood tall despite the bindings, her posture graceful but rigid. Her long, dark hair framed her strikingly beautiful face, but it was her eyes that drew the most attention—or rather, the lack of life within them. Her pale gray eyes, once filled with vitality and pride, were now shallow pools of emptiness, devoid of any spark of resistance or hope. She was a ghost of the person she had once been.
“Leave us,” Vaelric commanded, his voice cutting through the silence like a blade. “All of you. Get out.”
The guards hesitated, exchanging wary looks before bowing and stepping out of the chamber. The door shut behind them with a heavy thud, sealing the room in oppressive quiet.
“Hehe…..Crawl.”
It was his time to play.