Chapter 241 - Perverse Pleasure. R-18
"What rumor?" Evelyn asked, clearly unaware of whatever Argo was referring to.
Argo sighed,
"It's more popular among the men of the Dane family. Especially those who don't bear the Dane Bloodline. The Patroness is looking for a suitable partner for Lady Melinda"
"What?" Evelyn was surprised and lifted her head off of Argo's shoulder while her brother raised his hands,
"Hey, it's only a rumor. But I have to admit that it's actually very likely" Argo said and then suddenly chuckled.
"What's funny?" She asked.
Argo shrugged,
"Well, when I first heard it, I had some notions. One of them being how Melinda would react but know that I have met her and fought her, no, I mean now that she has beaten me and cut me, I realize all my notions were wrong.
I feel it would be a little interesting to see how things progress when she is told of this news.
That is, of course, if it was more than just a rumor." He said and directed Evelyn's head down on his shoulder.
Evelyn frowned as she thought of it as well and while interesting was not the words he would use, she could not deny that it would be quite the spectacle.
...
Meanwhile...
At the Mansion...
"Mmmnngghh" Melinda moaned as she grabbed onto Hal's dark hair and pressed him into her pussy which he was eating out very efficiently.
She could not help but buckle a few times and thrust her pussy into his mouth more at each time.
She was naked on her bed and her hands were on her ample tits while she pulled at her nipples. Hal's tongue continued to scour the inside of her pussy which was wet with her juices as he lay between her legs, equally naked.
The rate at which he licked and the manner with which her body reacted to Hal's touch like he knew all there was to know and was quite adept in the spots to touch and make her go crazy.
And he did.
He knew of all those little kinks and he knew just how and where to go within her.
However, that did not take away the pleasure or render it a routine because whenever she was with Hal always felt new and the pleasure always felt fresh.
He was quite like an addictive drug except it was one she could never overdose on.
Hal's tongue lengthened and with it, he pleasured her from the inside. His tongue was charged with {Erogenous touch} and no matter where it went or touched, Melinda would clench her muscles on it and buck at the pleasure.
"Ohh yessss" she moaned as she felt an orgasm wash over her.
However, she had been with Hal enough times to know that this barely counted as a warning shot and she should prepare for harder-hitting climaxes.
The type that would have her tingling for days.
Her hands were no longer on her breasts but by her side and clenching the bedsheets while Hal's hands climbed up slowly and began to tease her towards that tingling orgasm she was only just thinking about.
Then again, the fact that she could still think was either proof that this was only the beginning or that she was getting closer to outlast him.
However, even she admitted the former was far more likely.
"Please Don't stop" she groaned and continued to gyrate on Hal's tongue.
Had Hal being able to speak words, he would have told her,
"Wouldn't dream of it"
Alas, his mouth was quite occupied.
Melinda squirted juices in the throes of climax and Hal, ever the efficient lover lapped it all up and did not allow any of it to go to waste.
Then his tongue was retracting and shrinking back to his normal size so that he could lap at her beautiful pussy lips.
Although Melinda hated the empty feeling of the absence of his tongue, she rejoiced in the thought that his cock would be filling that absence soon enough.
And sure enough, Hal was sitting up to look at her body before he sat cross-legged on the bed with his erect and angry looking cock standing straight up.
Melinda crawled over and lowered herself on top of it while wounding her arms around his neck and kissing all over his face as his cock made its way into her innermost regions.
Hal groaned at the tightness, grabbed and kneaded her ass cheeks as she wound her legs around his waist and they settled into that lotus position.
Thrusting was not going to be easy in that position but it was not the main aim as Melinda opened her eyes and groaned,
"Do it"
"As you wish" Hal smiled and his skin turned crimson as Black sinister-looking horns erupted out of his forehead and large crimson wings with thick black veins extended out of his back.
Melinda's body also became coated with golden flames that burned Hal but not to an extent he could not endure and besides the pain was only going to be momentary as properly controlled Devil energy seeped out of his body and snaked its way into Melinda's body.
It caused her mild discomfort but she took it in stride and allowed the Devil energy to initiate {Mind Meld}.
The moment the initiation was complete, the burning and discomforting sensations ceased and were replaced by perverse pleasure of the combination of things that should not be combined.
It was a taboo pleasure and it was one the two sinners and lovers reveled in.
Hal's sinister Devil look became completed with the emergence of claws from his fingers and toes,
With the force with which he grabbed Melinda's ass and how much his claws dug into her skin, she should have felt pain or discomfort but she only felt pleasure and any mark or injury it should have caused was nowhere to be seen.
It was as though they had made each other immune to one another.
Melinda grabbed Hal's face in her flaming hands and it only heightened the pleasurable sensation she was already feeling as she kissed him.
He lifted her ass as high as he could in that position and dropped her back down.
"Nnnggghhh"
"Mmmnnnggghhh"
The two of them groaned in unison as they not only felt the doubling of the pleasured sensations.
Their thrusts were slow and short but the enjoyment was even more.
They felt closer to each other than they ever did,
"So how long do you want to stay this way?" Hal asked with mirth in his voice.
Melinda groaned and gyrated on his laps as she leaked juices on said laps due to her heightened state of arousal,
"How about... Forever?" She said with her face buried in his neck and peppering it with kisses.
Hal chuckled,
"We might have to take a break once in a while, but... It's doable" he said.
*Pah*
*Pah*
*Pah*
"It better be. You got me hooked." She said and raised her ass up and slammed back down hard while also pulling back from him a little and grounding even harder on him.
Causing Hal to groan and almost lose his train of thought but getting it back was not hard as he pulled one hand away from her ass and trailed his claw on her breast.
"Maybe. But you're the kinky one who wants to sleep with the Devil. This..." He gestured to their transformed forms.
"...this is all you"
Chapter 242 - Mother-Daughter Pair Part 1. R-18
"Mmnngghhh"
Emily bit her bottom lip in an attempt to hold off her moans.
Hal was with her in her bed in the Mansion and pushing every write us button on her body, causing her to get all hot and bothered in seconds.
After satisfying Melinda thoroughly until she fell into blissful unconsciousness, Hal began his round trip to all the ladies.
Trips he planned to complete that night.
The first he visited after Melinda was Rita who wasted no time clinging to him and wringing him dry. Or at least she attempted to by squeezing her pussy as tight as she possibly could.
However, as it was inevitable, she slumped off before he did.
After that, he visited Marla whose enthusiasm was to be expected while making demands on the positions she wished which Hal readily agree to.
After her was Emily who despite not being that far down the list was still quite dissatisfied with where she fell to in the scheduling.
If she had her way, Hal would have been with her first.
When he had first arrived, she pouted and refused to acknowledge his presence, however, she was not averse to Hal's touches.
Touches that drew reactions from her that she was adamantly refusing to vocalize.
Hal did not initiate {Erogenous Touch} and yet he fiddled with her nipple nubs, clit nub, and kneaded her tits to get the reactions he wanted.
Hal was cross-legged behind her and she leaned into his chest as her robe was open in areas that allowed him access to his targets.
"Ohh yes" Emily moaned and quickly clamped a hand to her mouth to stifle the sound,
Hal chuckled at her actions and Emily looked over her shoulder at him to glare but it only amused him all the more as the effect of the glare had been watered down by the fact that her eyes were only half-open in pleasure.
"That's it" Emily suddenly said and it was like she had finally shaken off the spell Hal was attempting to cast on her but then she turned to him with her knees on the bed.
She looked him straight in the eyes for a few seconds before she moved her hand to his pants and began to unbuckle them.
Soon, she was pulling out his flaccid cock and giving it a few pumps.
*Fap* *Fap* *Fap*
Hal sighed at the pleasurable feeling of her dexterous wrist at work as Emily quickly earned herself a price in the form of a rigid, straight-standing hefty cock that caused her eyes to cloud over in pleasure.
Instead of getting straight to sucking and licking it, Emily placed her beautiful nose close to the organ and took a long whiff.
The pleasurable mouth-watering scent that always coated Hal's body, the scent that was much stronger and pleasant smelling than any cologne could ever be and was capable of making females heady and hungry for his touch and presence;
That scent was even more concentrated around his cock.
Such that the longer Emily sniffed, the faster her inner thighs moistened and cause her pussy to begin to ache at the absence of that cock sawing through her body.
"Mmm" Emily moaned as she savored the scent before she stretched her tongue to lick it lightly.
Hal groaned as he felt that touch but it was nothing compared to when she engulfed the head in her mouth and began to suck and just like that, her fellatio began.
So lost in the joy of servicing Hal's cock was Emily that she did not even notice when the door to the room opened up and Amelia walked in.
She did hear when Amelia spoke up,
"I thought I heard you moan" she said with a smirk.
Emily raised her head and turned a fraction to look at Amelia who was grinning from ear to ear.
"Can't talk right now sweetie" Emily said and went back to It. No embarrassment whatsoever from Amelia's presence.
Not that either Hal or Amelia expected it.
"Yeah, I can see you have your mouth full" Amelia said with a chuckle before she climbed up on the bed and join lips with Hal in a hot smooch.
The kiss lasted for a few seconds and its sloppiness increased with each passing second.
Soon they separated and the only sound I'm the room was that of Emily's diligent cock sucking which was aimed at the prize of Hal's seed down her throat.
*Fap* *Fap* *Fap*
*Slurp* *Slurp* *Slurp*
"Mind if I join in?" Amelia asked Hal in a quiet voice.
"Be my guest" Hal replied with a smile.
Then the daughter joined her mother and the two began to double team Hal's cock and if the pleasure of two mouths on his organ was not enough to get him very excited, then the fact that they were mother and daughter accomplished that.
As it usually can't be avoided, especially in this case where both did not really care about avoiding it, their lips touched and soon they were kissing each other around the veiny pole between them.
Amelia's hand slowly stretched to in between her mother's thighs which were slick with her pussy and when she explored further to her pussy lips, she found them licking juices.
So being the considerate daughter she was, she pulled away from the joint fellatio and went behind her mother to pull up her gown and expose her beautiful and pliant ass.
When Emily felt Amelia's touch on her ass, she had not really thought much of it but when she felt her tongue begin to lap at her juices, her eyes widened in surprise, but she simply shrugged and continued to focus her attention on Hal's cock.
While also enjoying the pleasure of the pussy licking from behind, of course.
Hal had to admit that this depravity and taboo threesome that involved Mother and daughter was quite pleading to him.
Not to mention, he had not even made use of pheromones as of then. That said, he was going to make use of it now to aid them along.
Even though they were far along without his intervention already.
He released his lust demon pheromones and if before, Amelia had been a little uncertain and careful in her ministrations, that was no longer the case as she delved in completely into her mother's pretty pussy while she then made use of her Succubus bloodline to coat her tongue in lust flames.
"Mmmmnggghhhh" Emily moaned loudly around the cock in her mouth as she felt the burning passion within her nethers and it pushed her to engulf the complete length of Hal's cock into her throat.
Then she began to constrict around it to milk it right there while Amelia coated her hands with lust flames as well and kneaded her mother's ass.
Emily bucked at the touch and harder onto Amelia's tongue which did mid stop their probing even though they did not elongate.
Hal groaned as he felt the tightening on his cock and the release of his seed was close at hand which was something Emily could tell as his balls, which she had cradled in her hand, jerked and Hal's copious seed made its way directly into her stomach.
She pulled back to allow it to pool in her mouth and by the time she was pulling away to savor the taste, Amelia was there already and smashing their lips together to have her share of the delicious seed.
Chapter 243 - Mother-Daughter Pair Part 2. R-18
While it was fun to watch the two share his seed, Hal felt it was about time they moved on to the main event and the real reason he was in Emily's room.
He sat up and the ruffling of sheets was enough to alert both ladies as they separated and swallowed whatever volume of his seed was left in their mouth as Emily prodded Amelia forward in a kind of perverse selfless mother act and let her daughter go first.
Hal had no issue with it whatsoever and before he knew it, Amelia was clinging to him with her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist with his cock prodding her ass lightly from underneath.
By then Hal was already off the bed and they were in a standing position as he tore off her clothes.
*Ripp*
"Mnngghh" Amelia moaned at the sound of her clothes getting ripped apart as Hal grabbed her perky ass and raised it to position her over his cock and then lower her onto it.
It slowly eased into her and she tilted her head back as she gripped it tightly with her inner muscles and actually succeeded in eliciting a moan out of Hal's lips.
Then her eyes turned violet, almost as though in reaction to the lust demon pheromones permeating the room.
In fact, she let out pheromones of her own in an attempt to get Hal heady with pleasure, and for the most part, she succeeded and Hal could feel the rising heat of lust within himself.
Which considering how lustful he already was, was really saying something.
That said, she was much too weak to elicit an uncontrollable lustful reaction within him and he was able to keep himself in check.
However, if his wolfish smile was any indication, he was surely going to let out those increased lustful passions on her and her mother.
He raised her and dropped her down on his pelvis hard as the pounding began and Amelia grabbed on strongly as she had a burst in sexual strength and stamina thanks to Hal's seed.
*Pah* *Pah* *Pah*
*Smack* *Smack* *Smack*
So hard-hitting was their sessions that Hal's balls smacked her ass repeatedly and drew groans of pleasure from her lips.
"Oh yes. Right there. Give it to me"
It was quite redundant for her to say those words as Hal was already 'giving it to her' and very hard by the way. Good thing she did not say harder, because if Hal went any harder, there was a danger of him pounding her right off his cock.
That said, Amelia did not simply cling on and receive the pounding but smacked back down with all of her weight and strength to meet Hal on an equal basis of copulation.
After all, how could she hope to get him to become putty in her hands if she was just satisfied with being on the receiving end?
*Bam*
Somehow she managed to use her weight to push them towards the wall and soon, Hal's back made contact as Amelia used her legs around his waist as leverage to pull herself up and smacked down with strong force.
As she did so, while grabbing his head against her neck, she coated herself with lust flames, clearly very determined to put Hal on the receiving end.
Hal's knees nearly buckled at her aggressive approach and could not help but chuckle while he whispered into her ear,
"Well done, you get an A for effort but now it's my turn"
And with that, he let her lust flames into his system and turned it into nourishment while he turned them around so that Amelia's back was against the wall,
*Pah* *Pah* *Pah*
*Smack* *Smack* *Smack*
He lowered his head and grabbed her erect nipple and sucked it into his mouth.
"Ahhnnnn"
Amelia grabbed onto his head tighter while also tightening her legs around his waist as Hal pounded her towards the sweet oblivion that was orgasmic bliss.
And yet he did not do it once, not twice and not there times but multiple times.
By the time he was settling her down and she was closing her eyes to fall into a deep slumber, her pussy was tingling with satisfaction and she had only one stray thought;
Was there any other situation where losing felt this good?
She doubted it.
Hal then turned to Emily who found his disheveled look more than charming.
She assumed the position and was thrusting her ass at him on all fours before he could even say a word,
"You are not even going to attempt to vie for dominance?" He asked with a smile.
He knew it was a thought that was in the mind of all of his ladies and Emily was no exception.
Emily shrugged,
"I'll be totally submissive today. You're too fired up. I am quite certain I'll lose" she said while shaking her hips at him in a tempting manner.
Hal chuckled and grabbed his cock to place it at her entrance before thrusting in to the hilt all at once.
*Smack*
Was the sound his pelvis made with Emily's Pliant and perfect ass cheeks.
"Nnnggghhh" she groaned at the sensation who h marked the start of her pounding sensation.
The one that surely guaranteed her bliss.
*Pah* *Pah* *Pah*
Hal simply reveled in the tightness of her snatch and the manner and strength with which she grabbed him.
For all her talk of being submissive, Emily was still attempting to one-up him, and the fact that she wished to use this was quite admirable to him.
The tightness almost made it impossible for him to pull out or thrust.
Almost.
It was a situation he could easily fix by increasing the force with which he performed both actions and that was exactly what he did and soon, he was establishing a pace.
One that pleased Emily immensely.
She thrust back at him just as much as he thrust forward and both always came together in a resounding smack of debilitating, knee-buckling pleasure.
"Mmnnnnggghhh. You know just what buttons to puuusssshhhh" Emily moaned as the thrusting continued.
Hal leaned forward on her back and grabbed her swinging, ample and perfect breasts which would always be assets he could never get tired of, and kneaded them while he continued his thrusts.
"Nnnggghhhh" Emily groaned and tightened once again around Hal which caused him to groan as he teased her erect nipples and pulled at them while also pinching them.
"Ohhh, yesssssss" Emily moaned and thrust back even harder against his pelvis.
The thrusting while slower never stopped and was getting harder the longer they went on,
*PAH*
*PAH*
*PAH*
Emily suddenly spasmed and Hal could feel it in the way her pussy wrapped around him and milked him for all he was worth.
Her arms which were pressed to the bed were shaking and Hal pulled her up while still slow-thrusting into her so as to aid her in riding out her orgasm.
Once her orgasm had waned, they both were well aware that neither was yet satisfied and they changed positions.
Hal lay down and Emily began to ride him.
He had his hands behind his head as he enjoyed the sensation of her being on top and doing all the work because he knew it would not be long before she could no longer go on and he would be right there to continue and pound her to that blissful unconsciousness she so craved.
Chapter 244 - Becoming His.
Hours later, Hal exited Emily's room and proceeded on his essence harvesting with the other ladies. It was quite early the next morning before he completed his rounds and that was despite him making use of the Time Warped chamber with the rest of the ladies.
He had taken his time with each and every one of them and made sure he left them with a smile on their faces.
After that, he returned to Melinda's room to sit cross-legged beside her and refine the essence.
However, despite him making use of Cosmic energy to facilitate the process, he was still unable to advance to the next stage and remained stuck in the Early Stage of the Cosmic Phenomenon Realm.
Sensing his impatience, Grimoire reminded him once again that it usually took other cultivators, Dual or otherwise, years to achieve the amount of progress he had in a month.
Hal knew the Artifact was correct but he retorted that Grimoire should be more than aware that his situation was different.
He had never once believed those that had tried to grab him on the bridge between the Mortal and Nether realms were after him at random.
It was most likely related to his Bloodline which was another issue since there was surely another tribulation in his future. Hopefully, it was still further in the future.
His urgency to get stronger was much more than any normal cultivator.
That said, impatience would also get him nowhere and he would need to take things to step by step.
It was why the [Upset Victory Package] of him defeating Arya could not have come at a better time as it would help a lot in transporting the ladies with him once he left Sapphire city.
He needed them close by to at least continue in the advancing pace he was on and stave off decline.
He left the bed and went to take a soak in the tub. Much as he quite liked being covered in female pleasure juices, it did not mean he did not also like to be clean.
Once he cleaned up any moisture left on his body he joined Melinda in bed and slept for the night.
...
The sun was shining brightly when he opened his eyes next and Melinda's head was laying on his chest while her breathing was low but he could also detect a change which showed she had woken up before him and refined his essence before going back to sleep.
He stroked her hair for a while before pulling her off him and leaving after a kiss to her cheek.
He had much to do today and the most important of them all was probably a visit to Tretch forest which he was ready to make since Arya had completed the batch of pills he had asked of her.
However, it would have to wait for now as there were a group of ladies waiting for him in the lounge.
The ladies were Karmen and the potential Blood knights, Olivia and Lillian.
Once he was in the lounge, all three bowed as he took his seat and smiled at them.
When Olivia had come to him with the hope to become a Blood Knight, Hal had to admit he had not been surprised as Karmen had already reiterated all their conversations to him.
However, he did wonder why she was so adamant about becoming part of a group of strangers even after she had been warned she would have to let go of all past relations.
Even after she had been warned that she would become his property should she become a Blood Knight.
It was not that Hal doubted his charms and looks but that he felt it was not the only factor here and this had been how his interview with Olivia had gone;
It was Hal's first time dealing with a case where someone actually proffered their interest in joining so he started with the easiest question,
"Why do you want to become a Blood Knight?" He asked.
"I want to become strong and this seems to be the way" she replied and while her answers were quick and straight to the point, Hal could still detect awe.
Clearly, his battle with Arya had left an impression.
"It's not the only way" he said.
"It's the only way open to me at the moment"
"Then why not wait for better opportunities?" He inquired.
Olivia paused and when she spoke next, there was a hint of annoyance,
"Pardon me for saying but... will you let me join or will you simply question me and then find me unworthy?
I am only one female from a small city, what assurance do I have that a 'better opportunity' will come around?
This is what I want, but if it's not what you want, then I would rather leave right now."
Hal chuckled,
"By all means, leave."
Olivia's eyes widened,
"What?"
Hal shrugged,
"I said leave. So what If I question you and then find you unworthy? It's my decision and you are at my mercy, Not the other way around.
Besides, I don't quite wish to be a part of your problem with your husband"
At those words, Olivia looked stunned and seemed to wish to deny but could not. So she said,
"I no longer wish to be with him. I don't deny it's one of the reasons I wish to be a knight."
Hal sighed,
"I truly could not care less what transpires between Marlon and you but unless you show me commitment and a readiness to surrender, I can not make you a Knight"
Olivia nodded solemnly and began to undo her clothes when Hal said,
"What are you doing?"
She looked confused,
"I'm offering you my body" she said in a tone that suggested that that should have been obvious.
Hal smiled lightly,
"Pleasing as that is sure to be, you are not yet a Knight and thus, not yet mine.
The manner with which you are to show me commitment is by going through arduous training and attempt to reach the cultivation level I dictate within the time frame I dictate.
Only if you are successful in these will I make you a Blood Knight"
Olivia's face had been red with embarrassment as she fastened her clothes and went off to find Karmen who Hal had instructed on what to do telepathically.
Hal smiled lightly as he watched her leave and then Marlon arrived to plead with Hal not to allow Olivia to become a Knight.
Hal placed his hand on the Edgar scion's shoulder and said,
"I did not trick or force her into this decision. It was hers and hers alone. If she wishes to become my Knight, I will not turn her away."
"But..." Marlon began but Hal interrupted.
"Truth is, I never needed to test Olivia's capabilities as she has proven herself already. You do remember she aided you in getting to the Runemasters, right?
The only reason for the training is to stall for time. If you are able to convince her otherwise before the end of her training, then she will be your wife once again.
But if she goes through with it and is brought before me to become a Knight... Forget her.
This is already an uncharacteristic moment of sentimentality from me."
.... And that brings us to present day.
Olivia had gone through with the training despite Marlon's pleas and Hal had told Lillian to go through the training as well.
Lillian was already a Pseudo-fiend thanks to Arya's efforts and with the drafting of a contract and the signing of it by the ladies, they both became Semi-Fiends.
They both became Blood Knights.
They both became his.
Chapter 245 - Spells And Skills.
Once Hal made them Blood Knights, Karmen led them out of the mansion to the Knight barracks which used to once be the Holger Estate. There was a longing in Lillian as she wondered when it was that Hal was going to bless her with his presence again.
She was not the only one who was thinking of that as it had now become a common wonder among the female Knights and their dissatisfaction was only made worse by the instigation of certain Knights such as the Fair lady.
Hal on the other hand felt they were not yet ready and while they truly were his, they happen to be a part of his force he wished to keep completely Combat focused.
At least for the time being.
He then left the lounge to head to the Alchemy room, in front of which Sassy was still coiled and 'napping'. However, any movement matter how slight was going to alert her.
And sure enough, she raised her head the moment Hal was close by and he stroked her head as he walked past her and into the room. She slithered in after him.
There Arya was hunched over her cauldron and looking very exhausted. Hal used his perception to count the pills and was pleased to see that this amount, coupled with the ones he would purchase from Grimoire with Blue gems from Arya was bound to be enough for all the beasts in Tretch forest.
Arya opened her eyes wearily once she felt Hal's presence,
"Master..." She said in a tired voice and tried to bow but only toppled over. Sassy caught her with her neck before she could hit the floor.
Hal pulled her up soon after and she leaned on him as he passed Cosmic energy into her body and rejuvenated her.
It was only going to stave off her fatigue for a while though, however, as Hal needed her to come along to Tretch forest with him, it was enough of a quick fix to keep her up for now.
Once this was done, she could then take some rest or simply absorb Cosmic energy and be good as new again.
Arya's eyes cleared up just as Hal actually surveyed the pills with his eyes and not his Astral perception before he put it all into a spatial pouch he handed to Arya.
"Good work" he said and Arya bowed deeply as she received the pills.
"Let's go" he said soon after and went out of the room with Sassy slithering by his side and Arya a few steps behind.
...
About 30 minutes later,
Their carriage stopped at the boundary of the Forest with Hal ordering Castor to remain in place while he, Sassy, and Arya went in ahead.
Hal had a destination in mind and his path was quite direct as he journeyed to the very center of the forest.
He had to admit that when he had first thought of doing this, he had been a little naive and unrealistic about how long it would take to lure all the Beasts closer and whether or not there would be some who would be averse to his Blood's energy.
However, during the battle with Arya when she had been displaying her considerable mastery of Demonic and Devil spells, he realized how to streamline and make things easy.
You see, it was kind of a given that he could also cast a Devil spell and not just any spell, but one of better quality than Arya's.
He could cast an original.
Spells are different from skills.
Skills are Cosmic constructs given a grade according to their energy requirements as well as their effects but they still ultimately rely on Cosmic energy.
And while not many are adept at using them, all Cultivators could by theory still use them, however, Spells were different.
Spells required specific energies to be used. They required Bloodline energy and all Bloodlines with Primeval roots such as the Primeval Devil Bloodline and the Primeval Virtue Bloodline could make use of them.
As well as a few Unique status Bloodlines.
On that note, while Melinda might not be able to use them, there were bound to be spells that required her Bloodline Energy to be activated. Probably only the most important and elderly members of her family could make use of them.
Any way,
The Devil tribe on the Dystopian continent must have been able to acquire genuine Devil and Demon Blood from which they were able to synthesize pseudo Devilish and Demonic bloodlines and through which they were able to use Devil and Demon spells.
And they then use those spells to form rituals for various purposes.
That pseudo-Bloodline was what they had bestowed to Arya and from which she had also been able to create Pseudo demons of her own like Lillian and Borus.
Hal had purchased every information regarding the synthesis from Grimoire and was only using that information to make concessions.
Concessions which Grimoire agreed were more than plausible.
Now, when it comes to spells, they are quite easy to create and also quite easy to mess up and hence cause irreversible harm.
While there were Demon and Devil spells within Grimoire or at the very least, the theoretical knowledge to create them, their mechanics did not really differ that much from the ones that Arya knew which Hal only found out after he spent thousands of gold coins to purchase one spell.
And yet, Grimoire had told him that it was the cheapest grade of spell within its pages.
Anyway,
Arya knew a Spell that was just right for this situation so he opted to learn hers instead.
'I can't believe you'll go for what she offers over what I offer. Just because of a little bit of gold' Grimoire snorted.
Hal sighed,
'You know what they say, "once bitten, twice shy"'
Grimoire was silent after that.
But Hal could tell it was being thoughtful.
"Alright Arya, show me" he said.
Arya nodded and began to instruct him with practical application and casting to make sure he understood.
Hal found her lectures quite tedious and convoluted. It was not that he did not understand the spell because he did. It was that he felt it was far more simple than she was making it out to be.
"Do you understand?" She asked once her demonstration was complete.
In response, Hal smiled and slammed his hands together, and channel Devil energy into those palms while drafting the spell mentally.
Almost as though he were drafting a contract.
Then again, a Devil contract was also a form of Devil spell, albeit an advanced one only open to real Devils.
In seconds, the spell was complete and Hal was raising the nightmarish black pentagram into the air where it released enticing scents that immediately began to draw beasts both wild and Demonic from all corners of the forest to the center of it.
Arya gaped at the speed and ease with which he cast his first spell and not a particularly easy spell.
He was a natural.
At this point, she nearly smacked herself. Of course, he was a natural. He was an actual Devil after all.
She shouldn't be surprised if Spell casting was ingrained in his very being.
Meanwhile, Hal was already casting another Devil spell which was the one he had purchased from Grimoire.
The spell's Pentagram slammed into his chest even though his hands remained locked in a symbol and soon he began to bleed.
Except that the blood did not flow downward as it should have due to gravity, instead, it stuck straight out of his body like a Tentacle.
Nine more tentacles joined the first and they were all brimming with Devil Energy and stabbed into the first Demonic beasts to arrive and begin to force an Evolution.
Chapter 246 - Would You Believe?
More Demon beasts arrived and as they did, more tentacles stretched out of the ten that were already connected to beasts and connected to those beasts as well and even those newly formed tentacles formed more tentacles that connected to even more beasts.
The branching out never stopped and soon, Hal was at the center of blood tentacle connection between the thousands of beasts in Tretch forest and began to force their evolution.
His face was covered in sweat as he groaned from the load and became pale from the blood loss,
"Arya" he called and the Alchemist who came forward and retrieved the Blood replenishing pills to begin feeding them to him.
Little by little and only to alleviate his pale complexion.
She was well aware that she could not just feed him everything as his Blood would only be replenished to his body's limit and the rest of the pill's energy would go to waste.
It was a long and quite arduous ordeal that went on for at least two hours as Hal fed the Beasts his Blood while also taking care to make use of that medium to bind them all to his will and his Mid-World Devil network.
Soon, the beasts' evolution reached its cap and the whole experience came to an end as the tentacles pulled out of their bodies and retraced their formation steps to return into his body.
*Whump*
Hal fell on his ass soon after while breathing heavily.
As it usually is, the theory was nothing like the practical.
He had expected it to be stressful but his mental preparation had not prepared him for how weak he was feeling at that moment.
Arya fed him the few Blood replenishing pills that remained and his skin regained a pinkish hue but he knew it would still be a while before he could consider himself back at full strength.
All the Demonic beasts were quiet and watching Hal with respectful expressions as though they were awaiting his orders and as Arya watched them, she could not help but ask the question she had been thinking to ask for a while,
"Why?"
Hal smiled weakly,
"Why what?" He asked in return.
"Why did you do this?' She asked.
With her level of cultivation, she could feel his Blood's energy had been quite effective for those beasts and she could also observe the wild beasts among them becoming Demonic beasts.
The strongest of them all was at the Mid-stage of the natured beat realm.
"Would you believe me if I said I pitied their situation? After all, their future is to either become slaves of the human race or die" Hal said with a weak smile.
There were many things Arya wanted to say to that and most of it was not polite so she said instead,
"I won't"
Hal nodded,
"Smart. This is an experiment. The first part of it has already been accomplished. None of them have a hint of an ancient bloodline like Sassy here and I have already gleaned from your head how rare of a find Sassy was for you..."
Rare not because of the Bloodline which was actually quite common in Dystopia but rare because those with ancient Bloodlines all have humanoid forms and reproduce in those forms.
That she was still an Egg was what was rare.
"And I lost her to you" Arya said as she eyed the serpent who flicked her tongue at the green-eyed lady.
Hal shook his head,
"You were never really serious about keeping her with you. Probably felt she would garner too much attention while you prefer to be as stealthy as can be. Why else would you keep her here as a trap rather than an asset?" The question was not rhetorical.
"Because it was only a hint of an ancient bloodline. The fact that her Bloodline is now so powerful is owed to you" Arya admitted with a sigh.
"Exactly" Hal said.
"As I was saying, the first is complete. The second is out of curiosity for what would be done when it is discovered that no beast is left in Tretch forest. I wonder how the news will be received.
The people of Sapphire city would have to become vegetarians though"
This was an inevitable eventuality as at some point during cultivation, no resource would be gotten from meats anymore. Or at least not from beasts of this level.
The idea of delicacies in capitals after all are prime cultivation resources that are actually quite as delicious as any meat-based meal.
Tretch forest was quite rich with those sorts of resources but for factors relating to the lack of the right sort of chefs or refiners, it merely remained untapped potential.
Back to the matter at hand,
"The third is that I am considering a revolution. It might prove impossible to avoid or even very important to instigate and Demonic beasts would be perfect for it.
The fourth is a probability. They could prove to be good bargaining chips should I ever be in the position where I actually need to bargain."
Hal stood shakily to his feet while Arya was quick to assist him.
Once standing upright, he withdrew into Grimoire to pay about 50000 gold coins to enlarge the size of the Forest habitat he had opened for Sassy previously.
It could only hold half of them before and Hal suspected Grimoire was cashing in on this by making him pay Five times the amount he had paid to open the forest habitat in the first place and the Book being Adamant that all prices were predetermined by its creator did not ease him one bit.
Especially since the space only became four times larger.
He opened the portal but before sending them in, he made it known to them all telepathically that Sassy was in charge and would be whipping them into shape.
Sassy had complained that they would disturb her naps so Hal told her she was allowed to kill whichever one of them invaded her personal space.
A permission all the Beasts heard and hence decided to give the serpent a wide berth.
Hal knew serpents couldn't smile but he could have sworn Sassy was smirking and that evaluation had nothing to do with her smug thoughts.
They all moved into the forest habitat where they would be able to cultivate, grow stronger, and further their evolution process. Because while they had no hint of an ancient Bloodline, that also made them wide open to Hal's devilish corruption and he could sense them becoming Devils.
Not demonic fiends like the Blood knights.
But actual Devils which was a development he was pleased with.
Of course, he could already feel the next curse Tribulation being strong enough to kill him just by appearing in the sky.
Inside, they met Borus who Hal had put into the habitat prior and was actually the main reason Sassy was spending more time outside it.
The Bear-like demonic beast had been stripped of all his pseudo-fiendishness when Arya absorbed all of his essence and Hal returned only his cultivation later on.
That said, he had already been privy to Hal's blood and well underway to become a Devil like the other Demonic beasts.
"Well, now that that is over, Arya assist me in harvesting all these prime resources.
Since we're here, I might as well gather the main ingredients for a nice meal."
"Master, you cook?" Arya looked surprised.
"Not this type of meal, but how hard can it be" he shrugged.
'After all, I have a gigantic cookbook in my head' he thought.
'You take that back' Grimoire piped.
'Will not'
Chapter 247 - Mother's Reprimand.
Silva Duchy Capital...
Dane Territory...
That was how powerful and important the Dane family was; 'Residence' was not enough to capture the essence of how large it was.
Spanning a territory of land that was larger than the Estates, Manor, and territories of the four Great families put together, the Dane territory was a picture of elegance and prestige.
And most importantly, power.
There is much to be spoken of in regards to this place the Dane family call home, however, we shall not discuss it for now and move on into the main residence.
The part of the territory the Patriarch and immediate Dane family members reside and in itself was an amalgam of buildings that made it quite fit to be a palace.
In one of the residence's drawing rooms sat two men opposite one another. They shared similar features like their light gold eyes and high defined and elegant cheekbones.
While they also deferred in certain features as well, with one being dark-haired while the other was brown-haired.
Also, the dark-haired one had a longer nose compared to his brown-haired brother.
Both were, however, undeniably handsome and regal.
The two were arguably the most powerful men in the Dane family with the Brown-haired man being Patriarch and his dark-haired brother was his advisor and closest to him.
The brothers were enjoying a game of chess at which the Dark-haired one was with the most pieces however, his brother had him in a check at that moment,
"So Devon, any news?" Asked the Brown-haired Patriarch.
Devon frowned lightly,
"Damien, how many times do I have to tell you? Be clear about your questions as I am not a mind reader. What are you talking about?" He asked and moved his king away from the check.
Damien paused to move his rook in position to check his brother's king once again before he replied,
"I'm talking about the envoys. Any news?" He clarified.
Devon frowned lightly,
"You sent them out, they should be reporting to you right?" He said and moved his king to escape the check again.
Now Damien was two moves away from checkmate.
"Well, I used to think so too. But apparently, they fear your reputation so much that they were ready to find a loophole in my orders which was that I had never actually ordered them to report to me first.
All you needed to do was ask and now they are to contact you in case of any development."
Devon shrugged, clearly no longer interested in playing dumb,
"So what? Are you upset?" He asked while awaiting Damien's move on the chessboard.
Damien moved his piece back and no longer pressed for a checkmate. He gave Devon some breathing room.
"That could cost you" Devon gestured at the board.
Now it was Damien's turn to shrug,
"I make concessions when it comes to you brother. Both in the game and life.
I am not upset.
However, it did make me wonder if you had not been truthful all these years. I always asked you if you were satisfied with my decision and if I should order Melinda's return but you said you were satisfied and that I should not.
Was that all a lie?" He asked.
Devon moved his knight into position to check Damien's king,
"You worry too much. If this continues, how the hell will you lead the Dane family to greater heights.
You should never make concessions.
Besides, Melinda's punishment was merited. I could not have her thinking her actions were right.
Self-defense or not, some sort of punishment is merited"
Damien's lips twitched,
"Is that why you beat Cirk an inch from death the moment she was gone?" He asked.
He was probably the only one aside from their mother who knew how much of a softie the 'Dane Monster' truly was. But the soft side were usually only seen in cases relating to Damien, their mother, and his daughter Melinda.
Devon chuckled,
"You banished my daughter and I beat up your son. I think that makes us even. Besides, they are both alive aren't they?"
"So what's the news?" Damien asked to prevent them from straying off-topic again.
In response, Devon flicked his wrist and retrieved a Communication talisman which he placed on the table and injected cosmic energy into it to activate its words,
"I'm sorry my lord but Lady Melinda did not wish to return with us. She said she'd return on her own terms. *clears throat* also, the lady is at the Early stage of the Cosmic Phenomenon Realm and we had a duel which I lost after she *Clears throat again* slashed my chest open with her sword..."
Devon deactivated it right after.
Damien's eyes were widened in surprise,
"The Cosmic Phenomenon realm in just five years? That's... Impossible. Also, she attacked my Envoy?"
Devon frowned,
"It was a duel. This means your envoy agreed to it and also, I told you she and I will not be held accountable for what happens to your Envoy.
To which you said and I quote 'Don't worry, I'll make sure the envoy is capable'.
Well, your envy wasn't." He said in an irate voice.
It was true that Damien had said so and it was why he had sent a Mid-stage Cosmic Phenomenon realm expert and not one but two. Speaking of two, where was Evelyn while her brother was been slashed?
The sound of unhurried footsteps sounded and the two turned to see an extremely beautiful woman walk into the Drawing room in a Beautiful green gown that while not very tight-fitting could still not hide her curvy shape or the swell of her ample breasts.
The woman's brown hair was hip length and there was a hint of regal haughtiness in her light gold eyes as she surveyed the room and when her eyes stopped on the brothers, the look shifted to one of mild anger.
The two were already on their feet because if they were arguably the most powerful men in the Dane family, then this woman was undeniably the most powerful.
Her cultivation realm was such that the brothers, despite their talent could not dream of having. At least not for now.
This woman was...
"Greetings, Mother" the two brothers bowed deeply.
... Isabella Dane, the Patroness of the Dane Family.
She had spent the most part of Melinda's banishment in cultivation seclusion because she did not wish to see the brothers who had banished her.
"Idiots" she said at the two.
The brothers shared a look and rushed over to grab Isabella's arms,
"Mother, she's already coming back home. Please don't be mad anymore. After all, you're not the only one who misses her" Devon said while stroking his mother's arm affectionately.
"Don't touch me" Isabella said and the two dropped her arms, well aware that she was still upset with them and compliance with her wishes was much better and less painful.
On the day Melinda had been banished, Isabella had attempted to use her role as patroness to keep her in the capital or at least stop Devon from suppressing her Bloodline but the brothers reminded her of her vow not to overrule their ruling.
Usually, they deferred to her a lot as she was the family's cornerstone but the two deliberately mentioned the vow on that day to tie her hands, knowing she would not go against it in front of the witnesses present.
It was a matter of reputation which was something the patroness cared a lot about.
She ignored them for years after that and only just left seclusion once she heard an Envoy would be visiting Melinda to audit her.
That was her breaking point and she ordered the two to call her back.
"You had better hope there is not one hair out of place on her head or else Cirk will pay for it" she said in a menacing tone despite her voice being so mellifluous.
"But Cirk is your grandchild as well..." Damien said as Isabella turned around to walk out the door but not before saying,
"So what? Melinda is your niece as well, is she not? Pray she makes it here safely or I will make good on my promise"
Chapter 248 - Epoch Of The Devil.
Sapphire City...
It was no longer news to anyone in the city that it was now under new management.
The management of the Benevolent One. The rightful Lord of Sapphire city.
A myth to so many of those residing in the said city as he was a figure they hardly got to see.
However, so many things had been done to win them over that if there were any reservations they used to have, it was now gone and they had all accepted that he had their best interest at heart.
Every family now strove to become favored and then become Blessed. It was the order of the day.
And as for those who wished to live a normal life devoid of the stress of cultivation and the injustice of the strong on the weak, who were in the minority, by the way, their wishes were granted.
Laws were put in place by the Mayor, Ford Horst by order of the lord of Sapphire city to ensure their lives remained peaceful.
They were given capital to start businesses and any attempt by the strong in Sapphire city to bully or make them feel inadequate because they could not cultivate were met with extreme action.
And it was not action by the Mayor's forces but action by the benevolent One's forces.
Every gang had been disbanded already and all those caught showing tendencies of such actions faced the full force of the law.
In a way, Sapphire city was shaping up to be a lawful region and those who wished to still be able to throw their weight around began to dream of becoming a part of the Benevolent One's forces.
It was a role that was bound to grant them a lot of prestige in the city.
In fact, with the way things were going, it was probably soon going to be the only guarantee of prestige.
Because slowly, so many families were cultivating to have a Phenomenon Realm expert and thus become Blessed families and have a direct involvement with the Lord of Sapphire city.
However, the transformation was not complete and in certain areas of the city, there were those that were still harboring wishes to recreate gangs and at least regain the semblance of disorderly hierarchy.
But Hal was not worried.
He had captured at least a part of their loyalty and that counted for having won them over. Whether a tight grip or mere ensnarement and temptation, he had a hold on everyone in Sapphire city and it was about time to plant the seed.
He stood on top of Melinda's Mansion which was not at the center of the City or the tallest building but it was good enough because once he infused his voice with Cosmic energy, the whole city was bound to hear.
Melinda was by his side and so were Rita, Marla, Amelia, and Emily.
"People of Sapphire City. It is I, the Benevolent One.
The one you all have rightfully dubbed the Lord of this City.
I am going to keep this short as there is not much I would like to say before I begin the planting ceremony"
Those words caused confusion in the minds of all who heard. Not because Hal was young, as that was something they had come to expect from all the tales of the Evangelists who strove to paint him in a good light, but because of what he had said.
Planting ceremony?
Was he cultivating a farm?
Hal continued,
"Once the planting is complete, not much will change as I will continue to rule by proxy, furthermore, my laws will remain.
There remains the governing families; the Horst family which is also the Mayor's family, the Edgar family, and the Krast family. "
As he listed the names, those belonging to those families could not help but feel a sense of pride and this people involved Alexander Edgar who was cultivating to catch up to Frank Horst and Jack the commoner in status among the Benevolent forces.
"They remain the first of the Blessed families and should be apportioned the same respect you apportion to me.
Of course, I won't need to go into the specifics once the planting is complete, so without further ado, I welcome you all to the epoch of the Devil"
As soon as Hal said this, he grinned wolfishly and his eyes turned nightmarish black, a seed that oozed of nefarious energies emerged from his chest.
"Let's begin..."
Tendrils began to extend from every part of the city from every individual and even the ladies were no exception.
The tendrils were of different colors and looked to symbolize individuality as they all stretched and attached to the seed that was now raised above Hal's head.
The extension of the tendrils or the connection with the seed was not painful to the denizens but instead, they were pleasurable.
Perversely Pleasurable as though enjoying being defiled by the Devil, being tainted by him.
Even those contracted and marked by him prior were connected to the seed.
The only ones who were exempt were the ladies with him who's connection with him seemed to have surpassed whatever the seed could provide. Even Melinda and Emily who were not contracted or marked fell into this category.
Or more accurately, Especially Melinda and Emily fell under this category.
That said, the ladies from Pleasure Inn became connected to the seed as well. Almost as though the seed itself was following Hal's preconceived division among his ladies.
Of course, it was right on point as even though the ladies were essential to him for dual cultivation and he would always treat them as his, their status could never compare to the five that were with him presently.
As the tendrils connected, the seed grew larger, and soon, the tendrils detached from those they connected to and vanished into the seed.
Marking the end of the absorption.
Afterward, an apparition of the seed separated from the original which was still in the air and vanished into the very center of the City as the very ground itself seemed to become obedient to Hal's will.
Then, a royal blue tendril intertwined with a nightmarish black one emerged out of Hal's chest and connected to the seed as Hal went through flashes of emotions, memories, and thoughts.
It now only required a thought and he could access their minds and peruse it at his leisure.
A luxury, however, he did not have with Rita, Marla, and Amelia as he allowed them their privacy of thought and his contract with them had been modified so that he could only peruse their minds with their consent.
When it came to the five of them, he preferred it this way.
They were not like the others.
Far from it actually.
Anyway, it was an experience that had his mind throbbing with the load but not more than he could endure, and very soon, it was over.
The ache was gone and so was the seed. The latter had entered into him and marked the end of the planting.
As one, everyone inside their homes came outside and this included the ladies of pleasure inn as well as the rest of Hal's forces.
The governing families were out as well and the entirety of Sapphire City's population kowtowed to him. Whether they could see him or not did not matter as they chorused,
"All Hail Hal the Benefactor, Master of our lives, and the Lord of Sapphire City."
Hal's gaze was completely imperious and seemed impervious to their hails but Melinda felt it was just a facade.
And she was right.
Hal was ecstatic.
He had done it.
From that moment on, he was a true Mid-Word Devil.
Chapter 249 - Descriptions.
Following his defeat of Arya and emerging winner of the Civil war which he had done by getting the surviving Family heads under his thumb, Hal became privy to two Upset Victory packages from Grimoire.
According to Grimoire, his victory over Arya and other parties in the Civil war was only accounted as ONE great deed and hence warranted ONE upset victory package, however, the second was to reward him for being a big spender as of recent.
However, none of it came as an ability that Hal had to admit quite disappointed him, or at least it disappointed him until he discovered what the package he had been given were.
The first which was to reward his big-spending nature was a 100 percent discount from Grimoire to pursue a particularly expensive purchase.
However, that expensive purchase was to be picked out from a predetermined list and this saw the return of Hal's disappointment.
"The glass is always half empty with you isn't it?" He had said with his eyes narrowed at Grimoire in his Mind Space.
The mind space by the way was twinkling quite brightly as a reflection to Hal's ever stronger Astral sense and by consequence, his ever-stronger mind.
"I think Half full is much more accurate" Grimoire said.
Hal growled and looked away from the grinning book at the screen in front of him.
He had to admit that all the potential purchases were mostly related to knowledge. Either about alchemy, Runemastering, or any other profession in this world.
Once purchased, the knowledge would be in his mind to peruse automatically and he could make use of them as long as he had the required skills or abilities.
That said, even though at that time, he had not yet come up with the idea of making use of equipoise to attempt alchemy, he had still being intrigued by the knowledge.
However, the one that truly caught his eye was a particular item marked under habitat.
The forest habitat was only suitable for Demonic beasts and Hal could never admit humans into it, but that had in no way prepared him for how much it would cost to unlock a habitable habitat for humans.
This particular item would take care of that and even be furnished however way he deemed fit.
Not only that, unlike the Forest habitat which he could not enter with his body and could only visit with the use of his senses or the creation of an apparition, he could visit this space physically.
He placed his hand on the tab beside it which said 'Description' and a voice that sounded suspiciously like Grimoire's said;
-Have you spent many sleepless nights worrying about losing the touch with your women?
Have you spent many nights in your perverted mind worried that you will have to desert such prime essence reaping specimens?
Of course, you have.
Well, no more.
Say goodbye to those worries because with the Harem space you can herd all the women you want!
You can put them in a well-furnished mansion or palace or any other type of accommodation -totally your choice- and visit them for regular romps.
Also, you can grant access to anyone you want so they can open the portal to the space whenever they want.
As long as they are in your vicinity of course.
And you can get this wonderful package for JUST 100 million gold coins!
So what are you waiting for? Grab this romping opportunity now!
-------------------------
Hal's lips were twitching to no end as the Description, nope, it was more accurate to say, advertisement ended and he turned to glare at Grimoire who was facing away from him and whistling.
Eventually, it could no longer act oblivious and faced Hal again,
"What?" It asked in an attempt to be defiant but it was far from convincing.
However, Hal just shrugged,
"I was only thinking I'll take this. It seems to be just what I need.
After all, I am a perverted fellow who stays awake all night worrying about losing the touch of my women" Hal said with heavy sarcasm.
Grimoire made the sound of clearing its throat (which it did not have) and said,
"Good choice" just as Hal clicked and purchased the harem space free of all cost.
As soon as he did so, a golden key emerged, not from the hologram but from Grimoire itself, and sunk into his palm or at least his apparition's palm as he could now feel the complete access he had to the space.
Now we move on to the second Upset Victory package...
It was an artifact.
Once again, there was a 'Description' which went like this,
-Cars!
Fast automobiles in quite a number of worlds in the mortal realm.
Well, there are Artifacts in the Cosmic realm that not only do what these 'Automobiles' can do, which is to transport without the need of steads, they also do it in a grander, more efficient, pollution-free manner.
Also, depending on their grade, they are incredibly faster.
And with this in mind, the Primordial Cosmic Grimoire presents; The Golden Chariot!-
With that, the description was paused as a visual of the chariot was shown and Hal had to admit, it truly was beautiful.
Contrary to what its name implied, the artifact was not a chariot but a carriage.
One with such width and length, it could easily occupy Seven individuals, excluding the compartment that could hold three and was for the one who would direct the chariot's path of travel.
Also, while it was called golden, it was not completely golden and was instead a royal blue color designed with tiny golden spirals that gave it an exotic glow.
What Hal liked the most was probably how it looked regal and yet simple at the same time, the perfect way to look distinguished but not draw too much attention in the capital.
However, he had gotten ahead of himself because there was a reason the chariot was named golden and it was not entirely about its spirals.
The 'Description' continued;
-The chariot requires a Driver who will occasionally feed it cosmic energy and keep it moving, however, this is Saint Rank transportation Artifact and merely moving at an even pace would be a disgrace.
In case of emergency or simply a need for faster movement, the amount of Cosmic energy fed only needs to be increased.
However, be warned! Only a Saint and by that I mean, someone at the saint realm can power it without suffering complete and total exhaustion.
Also, the weaker the feeder, the more detrimental the effects and it could lead to death.
Be careful in your need for outbursts of speed.
If you have kept this warning in mind, then what are you waiting for?
Grab your chariot and go on a Joy ride.
--------------------------------
With the description at an end, Hal gaped at the chariot, not because of the warning but because of its rank.
A saint rank artifact was something he knew even those well to do in the capital would kill to have.
"Grimoire, can the rank of the chariot be hidden" he asked with trepidation.
"By default. Unless you make use of its faster than normal and incredibly draining speed, it would simply seem like a Pagoda rank artifact. Still eye-catching but also manageable."
Hal nodded and continued to look at the chariot or more specifically, the golden spirals.
"Is it just me or do those golden spirals seem to be made of the same kind of gold ore as the gold coins. Especially the ones I've spent." He said with a raised brow.
Grimoire faced away from him and snorted,
"I don't know what you are talking about"
Once again, it was far from convincing.
Chapter 250 - Time To Leave.
When Hal brought the chariot out of his inventory where he had now taken to storing it after getting it out of Grimoire, The ladies admired it.
Praising its stunning workmanship while also wondering where Hal had gotten it, however, if there was one thing they had all come to know and expect, it was that Hal was a man with incredible resources.
At this moment, Hal was in a corner of the Mansion and examining the ground there while also measuring with his Astral sense in preparation for the drawing of a massive array.
A Teleportation Array or more commonly known on the continent as the Teleportation circle.
It should come as no surprise that the landmass of the Haron continent alone exceeds that of the earth by at least three times.
In such a situation where the size is not supposed to hinder transportation and quick summons by powerful figures, there grew a necessity for teleportation circles which can only be powered by strong Cosmic energy which either comes from a Cosmic Saint or a Blue gem.
Cities like Sapphire city did not have transportation curves because they were too low on the social hierarchy and could not afford the blue gems or the Saint expert needed to power it.
The closest Teleportation circle to Sapphire city was about three cities away and at the center of the Kirsten Barony which the city fell under.
It was going to be the target of their teleportation. As it turns out, the Array he was able to purchase from Grimoire at the moment only had little range and could easily get them to the Barony center which was Kirsten city and from there he would make use of their Departing Teleportation circle to go to the Duchy.
However, there were measures made by the organized Teleportation circles that belonged to a specific state that tracked the origin of a teleportation and Hal would prefer they did not know Sapphire city had a Teleportation circle.
Luckily, Grimoire also had its own measures through which Hal could cancel all traces and keep his traveling Anonymous.
*Pah*
He smacked his hands together and separated them to form a Hexagram made up of Astral energy which he slammed into the ground to begin drawing the Circle,
"This will take a while" he mumbled.
'Best to take your time' Grimoire said.
...
In the lounge...
Melinda was seated on a chair and Rita and Emily were on the sofa and facing each other while having what looked like a staring contest.
Neither of the two ladies was saying anything and the silence was thick with tension.
Tension that Melinda seemed completely oblivious to as she took leisure sips of wine.
"So, you're from Doxon" Rita was the first to break the silence.
Emily smiled lightly,
"Yes, I am. Is that a problem?" She asked.
That shook her head,
"Not at all. It's just that I am from Doxon as well. I just haven't been there in a while."
Emily raised her eyebrow,
"Oh? Do you have family there?" While the question might have seemed silly since a normal assumption would have been that Rita DID have family there, Emily was learned enough to know just how often people became orphans in a world governed by the strong.
No matter the attempt at organization.
That would simply remain the order of the day.
That said, the question still caused Rita to be confused,
"You don't know?" She asked in a slow tone of voice.
"Know what?" Now it was Emily's turn to be confused as well but it was not Rita who spoke now but Melinda,
"Rita's past." She said.
Emily shook her head,
"I have no idea"
Melinda nodded,
"Figures. Hal hardly speaks of our matters to each other. He says it's borderline gossip and he would rather leave that to us" she said with a mild chuckle.
Rita cut in,
"I was saved by Hal's mother and she sent me to this city to watch over him. A job I regret to say I nearly failed to do."
Emily narrowed her eyes slightly,
"You know Svetlana?"
Rita nodded with reservation,
"I do. She thought me a lot. I am guessing by the use of her name that you know her as well."
Emily looked thoughtful,
"Not personally. But residing in this city does not mean I should shut myself from the going-ons of my home, does it? It would be quite unruly of me not to know the name of my Duchess" she said.
News that Svetlana was now governing Doxon was not shocking to Rita in the least as that was something Hal had already told her. Although he never really said how he knew.
Also, Svetlana was a Duchess even before she sent Rita to watch Hal in Salmon city.
The two ladies were now looking away from each other and the silence was stretching once again. This time, Melinda broke it,
"Ahh, Doxon Duchy. Home of Sensuality and the capital of Debauchery. The imperial city might hold the power but I feel your Duchy holds the Men."
Emily grinned and it was clear she took those words as the compliment they were meant to be,
"Thank you. I absolutely concur. And that is saying something considering how I was practically raised to hate your guts." She said.
Melinda turned to her and smiled,
"Same here. From an early age, I was thought that the Doxon Duchy was corrupted by the Sensual palace and was aiming to plunge the continent into complete immorality.
I was thought to either stay away from your people or beat you up.
The thing is, I always secretly imagined how much fun it was to live in the Duchy." she said.
Emily laughed with a hand over her mouth,
"If you were taught. Then I was practically brainwashed. 'Beware of those with the Golden eyes. They wish to put an end to our way of life'. It was all a tad bit silly, to be honest."
Melinda agreed.
With the Duchys so close together and so different, there were unavoidable differences that stoked the fire of rivalry among them all.
The Doxons and the Silvas were usually at each other's throat, diplomatically of course, and by consequence, their secondary powers, Sensual palace and Dane family were directly opposing as well.
In the case of the latter pair, avoidance was even more unlikely as even though the Dane family did not really practice the abstinence of the Primeval Virtue, they did follow some of her other principles.
It caused them to shun the Sensual palace which was packed with Dual cultivators who practically dedicated their lives to doing the opposite of what the Primeval virtue ordered.
*Sigh*
The two sighed deeply simultaneously,
"But we need to go back" Melinda said.
Emily nodded,
"Yes, we do. They're family." She said.
Melinda looked away and there was a look in her eye as she 'agreed',
"Yes. Yes, I guess they are"
...
Meanwhile...
Hal completed the Teleportation circle and injected Cosmic Energy into it and activated it.
While he felt it took too long on account that it was short-ranged, Grimoire begged to differ and told him the fact that he completed it that fast was a sure sign of talent.
"Whatever, it's ready and it's time to leave"