Capítulo 122: Chapter 120: Tethers of the Past
Chapter 120: Tethers of the Past
Killing intent—an ethereal force capable of bending reality. In the world of Penglai, mastering one's intent was as crucial as cultivating qi. Without intent, how could one hope to affect change in the world—or even within oneself?
There were countless forms of intent: sword, fist, ice, and more. In his past life, Darius had chosen the merciless path of killing intent. It was the most natural to cultivate, as nearly all who walked the martial path would develop some form of it over time.
But as Xue Feng, Darius hadn't simply followed the natural progression. He had thrown himself fully into the killing Dao, immersing his soul in the brutal truths of the Dao of War. His pursuit wasn't mindless slaughter, nor the wanton cruelty of demonic cultivators. Yet, the barest justification—a slight offense, a perceived threat—was all he needed to justify wiping out entire clans, destroying sects, and leaving rivers of blood in his wake.
At his peak, he became the most hunted man in the lower realms. Even the immense power of his backing couldn't shield him during his final century before embracing the Dao of Taiji.
During that dark century, resigned to his fate, he walked openly, dragging behind him the tethered corpses of his enemies. Thousands became hundreds of thousands. By the end of his hundred-year death march, millions of corpses followed him before betrayal by one he trusted finally put an end to it all.
The bitter fog of that memory—a life driven by merciless intent—washed away as a surge of lightning mana coursed through him. The sharpness of the memory snapped his focus onto the present.
While speaking with Barrond, he was reminded that his position in Gaia, though growing stronger, remained fragile. Something vital was missing—a trump card.
Upon returning to the All-Room, his aura sparked as his comprehension forcibly ignited. The thousands of techniques and skills he'd acquired in his previous life began to surface, each etched into the marrow of his soul. His thoughts were immediately drawn toward one category: martial techniques forged with killing intent.
One stood apart, glowing like a beacon in his mind: the Azure Dragon Devouring Roar.
A relic of the ancient dragon race, Darius had discovered it within a fallen immortal's inheritance. It was the prize of a tomb riddled with traps and trials. Beyond the Divine pills and treasures he had uncovered, this brutal, oppressive technique had seized his attention.
Azure Dragon Devouring Roar was inspired by the final death throes of a Divine beast. When death was certain, even the weakest creature could unleash a strike of unparalleled ferocity. This technique embodied that desperation, drawing everything from the user to deliver a world-shattering strike.
To train in it required the user to cultivate their killing intent to the extremes, along with comprehending the profound movements of the technique. But its cost of use was monstrous: sacrificing an entire realm of cultivation to fuel the strike.
In his past life, Xue Feng had avoided such reckless destruction of his foundation. Yet now, with his new path and the flexibility of mana, Darius saw its potential anew.
His intent sharpened. This wasn't merely about replication; it was about transformation. He needed to adapt the technique to Gaia's mana system and temper its excessive cost. If he could maintain its overwhelming power while reducing its toll, the Azure Dragon Devouring Roar would become the trump card he needed.
Sitting in the All-Room's quiet expanse, his mind began dismantling the technique. Symbols from the original method unraveled before his inner sight, and the framework of mana formed around them like the skeletal remains of a long-dead dragon.
Piece by piece, he began the reconstruction.
----
"NO. ABSOLUTELY NOT!"
Barrond winced at the outburst, his large paw rubbing his head as he spoke to the dimly lit chamber. "That's exactly what I told him. But he wouldn't relent. Stubborn rock."
"Shut up, Barrond!" Agni's voice was sharp, laced with fury. "Do you think this is amusing?"
Before Barrond could respond, Maguayan's gentle voice interjected, calm yet firm. "Now, now, Agni. Barrond is simply doing his duty. And let's not pretend the boy's request is entirely unreasonable."
"Unreasonable?" Ayowyn's whispy voice interjected. "Does he think we're that desperate? He's overstepping—he needs to be reminded of his place. Or perhaps he's just stressed."
Barrond's gnarled brow furrowed. "We can't afford to be dismissive. We need to face it—he's our only option. With this situation involving his father..." His voice trailed off, but his gaze hardened. "If we withhold support and he fails... if his father dies... it could fracture everything. We need to handle this carefully."
The chamber fell silent.
"..."
"..."
"..."
Finally, Barrond cleared his throat, breaking the tension. "Let's consider the cost. If we give him what he's asking for, we lose access to Agarttha, Gaia's most powerful convergence site. But, in truth, we haven't actively used it in millennia."
Still no response. Encouraged, Barrond continued. "And if we grant his request, it cements our alliance. It will be seen as a declaration of full support, especially since our ability to intervene in his father's situation is limited."
"He's right. Even if we tried to help directly, those leeches would swarm us. They've been lurking ever since that boy appeared—one even poisoned one of my lakes hoping to draw me out."
"Let's just give it to him. If he fails, at least he can't blame us for not trying. And even if he did, it wouldn't do the pretty boy much good."
Barrond's gaze shifted. "You're unusually quiet, Agni. Anything to add before we vote?"
Agni's childlike voice was low, restrained. "No. Just get on with it."
Barrond nodded, "all in favor of granting Darius sole rights to Agarttha, say aye."
"A resounding yes."
"If I must vote... fine, why not?"
"...*tap*..."
After waiting for a moment, Barrond's frown deepened. "Agni...? We need unanimous agreement."
Agni's reply was curt. "He can have it."
Barrond let out a relieved sigh. "Then it's settled. I'm sure he will—"
"Hold it." Agni's voice cut through. "There's a condition. He must pass all our trials first. Until then, he can only have limited access."
Barrond's ears twitched in annoyance, but he agreed. "Fine. Upon completing the trials."
"And we'll need sister Eldrina's agreement before we can finalize this. I assume you have a plan for that, Barrond?"
A faint blush crept across Barrond's face as he cleared his throat. "I do. I'll handle it. I was planning to speak with her about the matter of his father anyway."
"Good. It's her territory. Let her deal with it." A soft gust of wind brushed through the chamber, and the presence of wind mana faded.
"...*tap-tap*..." The faint crackle of lightning mana ebbed next, leaving the air noticeably still.
"Do give her my regards then," a gentle voice murmured as the water mana receded, leaving the room dry.
Agni's voice remained, cold and cutting. "Promise me something."
Barrond hesitated. "If I can, I will."
"Promise me you'll send him to me first once you're done with him."
The edge in Agni's voice was impossible to miss. Barrond sighed deeply, his heavy shoulders sinking. "I'll do my best."
The temperature plummeted, leaving only the steady, grounding pulse of earth mana. Slowly, Barrond's massive body began to merge with the floor, his expression distant as a small, wistful smile crossed his face.
"Eldrina..." he whispered, disappearing into the ground.
----
Haku streaked through the trees of the Farm, a wild grin plastered across his face. In his animal form, he leaped effortlessly from branch to branch, the blue flames licking at his feet leaving streaks of fire in the air.
Ahead of him, two monkeys hooted and yapped, swinging wildly through the canopy. Below, the children gave chase, their eyes locked onto the mischievous primates.
"I'll block them up ahead!" Jass called out, her body glowing briefly with purple mana before she surged forward, veering into the trees and disappearing around a bend.
Splat! "Ow!" Milo hissed, wiping a sticky mess off his furred ear. A crushed fruit dripped onto his shoulder. His narrowed eyes snapped up to the culprit—the larger of the three monkeys perched high above, chittering in triumph.
Smoke curled from Milo's mouth as he growled. Without hesitation, he launched himself up the trunk of the tree, hot on the monkey's tail.
"Don't split up!" Lint shouted after him, his small frame weaving through the underbrush. But before he could say more, another splat interrupted him. A well-aimed fruit struck him squarely, knocking him off balance. He stumbled, his embarrassment growing as Tem's laughter rang out behind him.
"Keep moving!" Tem teased, grabbing his arm mid-sprint and yanking him back to his feet.
Lint wiped his face with a grimace, catching sight of the monkey laughing and darting ahead. "I'll get him for that!" he shouted, determination flickering in his eyes.
A sudden, thunderous crash silenced them all. A beam of water came from the lake, cutting through the air and slicing a thick oak halfway up its trunk near the lake's edge. The tree groaned as it splintered and fell, crashing into the earth.
The largest monkey, caught mid-leap, shrieked in outrage as its escape route collapsed beneath it.
"Surround it!" Kilt's deep voice barked, snapping the group into action. The children spread out, encircling the fallen treetop where the monkey had disappeared.
Kilt motioned to Milo and Lint. "We'll flush it out."
The two nodded, darting into the tangled mess with him. Chaos erupted immediately—shouts, yelps, and snapping wood filled the air as the trio thrashed through the branches.
The remaining children waited outside the tree's shadow, their movements sharp and erratic, eyes scanning for any sign of an escape.
Leek froze, his nose twitching. A smile crept onto his face as he shifted his stance and suddenly jumped back. The fleeing primate sprang from the branches, its triumphant grin fading as it realized too late that its path led directly into Leek's waiting arms.
With surprising strength, Leek caught the monkey by its leg and arm mid-air. He spun the squirming creature in a wide arc, its startled screeches echoing through the clearing. After a few rotations, Leek hurled the monkey towards the lake with a satisfying splash.
"Nice job, Leek!" The children's cheers erupted as they watched the drenched monkey surface, sputtering and flailing toward the shore.
Before it could reach the land, a massive tail broke the water's surface with a powerful slap, sending waves cascading over the struggling primate. The monkey squawked in alarm, spinning in place as Ursie swam just beneath the surface, her massive tail swaying lazily in the water.
The children burst into laughter as the monkey scrambled for the shore, its screeches echoing across the lake as it dragged itself onto dry land, soaked and thoroughly humbled.
Watching, Haku rounded the far side of the lake, his voice echoed in excitement. "Get him, little sis!" Refocusing on the monkey ahead, his grin widened as he pushed himself harder.
Despite Haku's immense speed, the monkey maintained it's edge, it's agility and maneuverability in the trees keeping it just out of reach. Frustration flared as he abruptly roared and blue flames erupted from him.
With a ground-shaking thud, he landed in his beast form. His massive paws tore through the earth as he sprinted, his head and horns lowered in a charge. Just as the startled primate leaped to the next branch, the tree trunk beneath it splintered and collapsed under Haku's rush.
"Got you now, you little shit!" Lunging for the falling monkey, Haku shifted back to his smaller form mid-air.
Before his claws could reach, a large melon slammed into his side, sending him crashing into the ground with a wet thud.
Dazed, he glanced up to see the last monkey hooting in triumph from a nearby branch. Suddenly, a grin split Haku's face as Jass tackled the smug primate from the tree, pinning it to the forest floor. "I got— you!" she shouted, wrestling the monkey's arms behind its back.
Meanwhile, the other children closed in on the second primate that Haku had been chasing, cornering it as it hissed and screeched. Tomp quickly tripped and pinned it with his sticky tongue, sitting on the animal, he tapped the monkey's forehead with quick pokes.
As everyone was enjoying themselves, from out of nowhere, the atmosphere shifted. The children paled and froze as an oppressive force swept over them like a storm. Instinctively, the monkeys screeched and tore free, fleeing into the trees.
Haku growled, his body shifting back into his massive beast form, blue fire raging around him as he let out a defiant roar. The lake's surface churned violently as Ursie's aura surged in response. Sparks flickered as Neko appeared beside the group, his sleepy eyes narrowing.
'Big Brother!' Neko's voice crackled in Haku's mind, his tiny body trembling on edge. 'Enemy here? Fight now?'
Sniffing the air, Haku's heightened senses scanned the farm. Colored scents blurred together until he locked onto the source of the disturbance. It was coming from the open door to the All-room.
As Darius stepped in to the farm, his frown deepened as he noticed the grass wilting around him. The plants seemed to rot under his steps, a creeping wave of decay spreading outward.
"Still too potent," he muttered, closing his eyes. With a measured breath, he retracted the stray killing intent from his aura. Once contained, he expanded his mana sense, quickly pinpointing the group's location near the lake.
The sight of the children trembling, fear etched into their faces, sent a twitch of embarrassment through him. In a flash, he vanished and reappeared before them.
As soon as he appeared, Neko immediately leapt onto his shoulder, claws sparking. "Biggest Brother! Fight now, enemy!"
Patting the tense weasel's head, Darius scanned the group. "Relax," he said, his voice calm and steady. "There's no enemy. What you're feeling is my fault. It's just something I've been working on, not a threat."
Slowly, the children began to rise, their faces gaining color. The oppressive weight had vanished, but the lingering unease remained.
At that moment, Glabe burst through the trees, his breathing ragged. "What's happening?!"
Darius explained briefly, his tone soothing as he again reassured the group. With the children calmed, he sent a mental message to Ursie, causing her aura to fade. With everything settled, they all returned to the lodge, their curiosity mounting as Darius gathered everyone for an announcement.
The room fell quiet as he stood before them, his expression serious. Even Ursie sat attentively in the large tub the children had crafted for her.
"I have something important to share," he began, his voice steady. "Starting immediately, I will be entering closed-door cultivation."
Confusion rippled through the group. "What does that mean?"
"It means I will lock myself away to cultivate for an extended period," Darius clarified. "And I cannot, under any circumstance, be disturbed during it."
The children erupted in protests.
"But you just started teaching us! What about forming our cores?!"
"You promised we'd break through today!"
"Is it because we didn't stop? We know we messed up, but we won't do it again, we promise to listen!"
Darius raised his voice, cutting through the commotion. "that's enough." The room stilled as his eyes softened. "This is a descision I am being forced to make."
He let the silence linger before continuing, his gaze settling on Haku. "I have limited time, and I must use it wisely. I've just learned that my father is still alive, and if I don't act, he will be executed."
"Jarek's alive?!" Haku's voice cracked with disbelief, his fur bristling as he shot to his feet.
"Yes, Barrond informed me that Crowley has him captive. Which means he's had him this entire time. Considering the timing, this is likely Crowley's response to Trayton's death. Instead of wasting resources searching for me, he's using this execution to lure me out."
"A trap?" Leek asked, his wide eyes filled with concern.
"Exactly." Darius patted the boy's head gently. "And that's why I need to take full advantage of every second to grow stronger." He gazed over the group, noting their solemn expressions. Even Glabe nodded firmly, his earlier impatience for Darius's guidance replaced by understanding. The weight of the situation had settled on everyone's shoulders.
"I knew you all would understand. Just please be patient until I return." Darius's eyes then landed on Haku, "you, however, are coming with me."
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