Chapter 29: Departure

“Get lost!” A heated palm strike shot forward, blasting away the Mist Lord guard.

The man roaring and almost going out of control was Ranser, Razil’s father. His violent behavior at the castle of his father, the Marzel’s family head, may have seemed impertinent, however, in truth it was nothing but justified.

“Enter”. A hoarse voice reverberated throughout the castle.

To its approval, the guards and commander of the family head’s castle made way for Ranser, to proceed from the foyer to the family head’s chamber.

An old man with grave and imposing appearance waited to welcome Ranser.

Ignoring, or rather to angry to pay attention to his father’s own fiery temper, Ranser strode into the large chamber, which overlooked most of the Marzel property, as an azure aura erupted from every pore in his body, lashing at every direction.

“What have I done, father?! What have I done?! An intruder broke into our Marzel territory, came into my home and assaulted my son, your grandson! Putting him at death’s door, and when I summon for the medical team each of my immediate requests are actually all being annulled by you!”

“Quite down, Ranser!” The Marzel family head erupted in rage. “No aid will come to your son, not from inside or outside the family!”

Ranser stared at his father in complete bewilderment, at loss for words for the words coming out of his mouths, words regarding the wellbeing of his own grandson. Before he had the chance to ask for account, his father continued as cold and piercing fluctuations emanated from his person.

“The decree is of the matriarch herself, Ranser, and neither I nor your uncle can go against it! As for reasoning?! Bah!” The Marzel family head was livid. “Razil’s audacity has ticked off a person even the matriarch refuses to meddle with far more than her position demands of her. As such, she agreed to stand back and let Razil face the repercussions of his behavior without interference so long as he is left alive and his cultivation intact”.

Ranser’s mind reeled in trepidation and his face was ashen. His son is to be abandoned by the family?! The issue actually involves the matriarch?! Furthermore, his son dare offend a person of equal or possibly higher standing than the matriarch?!

“Sigh...” All the he could do after getting his father to explain was let loose a thick, heavy breath. His cultivation, his age, his status and overall experience allowed the clarity of seeing things as they are and knowing when they reach beyond his limits.

As if drained from all the hauteur and supremacy he demonstrated before, Ranser now looked like an ordinary, commoner middle age man after a long day of work.

He turned back to leave without saying a word to his father and head of the family, it was not even in him to bow and apologize for his outburst despite knowing everything.

“Ranser”, the family head voice was placid and brought him to a halt. “Razil’s calamity can also be looked as a tribulation, should he will show resolution it could temper his soul and forge his future cultivation path. Not all is loss”.

“I know”. Ranser replied after a moment of silence.

“However”, the family head’s voice turned solemn. “Dare he, or anyone else for him, will later seek revenge ... In the matriarch’s own words: ‘The calamity will evolve to a catastrophe that will sweep the entire family into the brink of extinction’”.

A shiver ran across Ranser’s back after hearing his father’s following words.

“I understand”.

Valgarel.

A young man, eyes closed and legs crossed, dressed in everyday clothes sat beside the entrance of a lengthy tunnel. In front of him sat a black, big humanoid figure, having his right hand resting on the young man’s head.

The two were Zax and his Master, Kartius. The tunnel which entrance was situated near them was the entrance to Grandmaster Kartion’s cave, where they a short time ago been.

Inside Zax’s sea of consciousness black streams of foreign soul energy gushed and assembled to the shape of a dark cloud with bullets like rain.

BANG!

BANG!

BANG!

Salvo after salvo after salvo of soul bullets rained down toward Zax’s soul, only to be confronted by Zax’s own soul energy and engage in a battle of strategic patterns.

Kartius’s soul attack was “Densely Packed Soul Bullet”, Ariel Dauch’s creation, and was a small price to pay, coupled with the fact that it was a friction of the total price and the low popularity of soul attacks, for having Zax registered as Eden Formation’s student and represent the school, as well as the pick of the Dauch family, in the Martial competition.

As for Zax’s defensive measures ... The Summit of Eden Formation did not really have any worthy soul defense techniques or formation, so the counter the soul bullets Zax mostly relied on the experience he gained from recreating Superintendent Ten’s Soul Binding soul formation to battle and possibly come up with potential mold for futuristic personal soul defense technique.

WHOOSH!

A black ray of soul energy combined with dark attribute shot past the Densely Packed Soul Bullet’s clouds, up above them to the top of Zax’s head and was transmitted to Kartius’s arm.

As soon as he sensed Zax’s incoming soul attack, Kartius’s eyes snapped opened, he retrieved his arm and concentrated on surpassing his chance for a taste from a similar Densely Packed Soul Bullet soul attack.

It took the span of two seconds for Kartius to gain his composure and meet Zax’s calm stare.

Shaking his head, Kartius opened. “It’s not good. When it comes to the soul even without the freakish strength yours have, the affinity to soul related technique is far beyond anything I’ve ever seen. Even little sister can’t compare”. Kartius sighed in resignation and then lingering thoughts breached his shut lips. “Be that as it may, it’s still unsatisfactory, Martial son. Soul attacks aren’t used frequently in New Earth because they require physical contact for he cultivator below the third realm to deploy them. Even Martial Mortals don’t bother with them much, according the big brother. But that doesn’t negate the fact that soul attacks can result in the most devastating wounds for a cultivator and when you leave to Ercas Mir who knows what the local’s opinion of the aspect and if there exists more fearsome soul techniques”.