Capítulo 139: Chapter 137 - The Ruler of the Darkwood
Half a dozen li from Lantern City, deep enough into the Darkwood Valley that only the faintest glimmer of light from the distant city penetrated the preternatural darkness created by the looming ancient trees, two figures walked a narrow path leading towards Crown Point, the highest natural point overlooking the entirety of Darkwood Valley.
"My lady," the older of the two figures said softly. "Was it truly wise to come without any of your guards?" Despite his steel gray hair and weathered face, the old Warrior moved with a stable gait that showed no fear of the surrounding darkness. Deep wariness could be seen in his eyes and keen ears remained perked, listening for the faintest sound in the chill night air but his aura carried not the slightest trace of worry for his personal safety. Rather, he focused that worry on the diminutive raven-haired beauty who walked beside him.
"Branch Manager Ling should concern himself with his own safety before worrying about mine," the young woman answered smoothly. "When you have made the night a part of your very being as I have, you learn that the true dangers in the night are the ones you bring with you. My guards are capable enough but they aren't stable enough for a night like this. One wrong move from them could provoke our host and once that mistake is made it's impossible to take back. Better to leave them at home."
"My lady is wise beyond her years," the elder man praised. Wan Yewan had risen to the position of Lord Mayor of Lantern City a mere two decades ago and in the years since then, the dark-haired bewitching beauty had completely transformed Lantern City. Her dark robes might lack any colorful accents or embroidery in a concession to her powers over the darkness of the night but that didn't mean she dressed simply. Each pleat and fold of her robes spoke to meticulous care of every aspect of her appearance whether it was the voluminous skirt that gave her the appearance of floating over the ground like a ghost or the delicate black lace veil that hid all but her eyes from view, she cultivated a deliberate air of mystery and mastery of self that few could see through.
Ling San, by contrast, kept his appearance in line with his profession. A simple coat of mail hung over his heavy outer robes, clinking faintly in the cool night air. Long, heavy-bladed knives hung at his waist, though the presence of the iron-shafted spear in his right hand made it plain that he considered the heavy knives to be a weapon of last resort rather than a primary method of bringing death to his foes. That he wore his armor at all was a sign of just how dangerous the local Branch Manager of the Association of Loose Cultivators found the area around Crown Point to be.
The infamous Darkwood Giant Cedar trees grew to heights that exceeded one hundred meters, their branches all but visibly drinking in every bit of light that tried to filter past them to the ground below. Even in bright daylight, the area around the base of the massive cedars remained cloaked in the gloom of twilight, and on moonless nights like this one, only the soft glow of the lanterns carried by the two travelers allowed them to find their way over the rough trail toward the rocky summit. From further ahead on the trail, a cold wind blew carrying the stench of rotting flesh and decay. Not a single branch stirred in the foul wind but every living creature felt it and heeded the unspoken warning to stay away.
When the two cultivators emerged from the tree line their lanterns illuminated a string of boulders, each three meters tall or greater, arranged in a line along the ridge like the bones of some giant creature's spine. There, perched on the final boulder, sat the largest vulture either cultivator had ever seen. Its hunched body alone measured two and a half meters from the base of its fan-shaped tail to the ruffled collar of bloody plumage at the base of its neck. The vast wings of the ancient spirit beast spread nearly five meters wide, blocking out what little starlight reached the summit with its inky black feathers. Two black eyes stared at the cultivators like polished orbs of onyx set in the skull-like visage of the bird's unfeathered head. A long wicked beak dripped fresh blood as it pulled its head away from the carcass sprawled beneath the boulder it perched on.
"Cultivator Wan Yewan," the vulture spoke in a gravelly voice that imitated the sounds of proper speech more than it replicated those sounds. "Inspect this dead thing," it growled, applying tremendous pressure on both Wan Yewan and Ling San.
"At Your Majesty's pleasure," the Lord Mayor of Lantern City said, bowing with cupped hands toward the massive bird. Stepping forward, she showed no fear of the giant vulture, even as she kept her senses alert to anything that moved within the night, including the mighty bird.
"I wasn't aware Your Majesty had taken Iron Tusk Boars into his kingdom," she said, inspecting the carcass carefully. The beast was an unusual sight in Darkwood Valley where any light reflecting off its gleaming iron tusks would expose it to the superior hunters in darkness, but if it had become a vassal of the vulture then its chances of surviving grew dramatically.
"This King's beak did not notch its ear," the vulture replied forcefully.
"Your Majesty didn't?" Wan Yewan said in surprise. "Someone imitated your mark on this beast? Why?"
"This King does not know," the vulture said sharply. "You will accompany this King to learn why." The words it spoke were not a request.
"I will honor our pact," Wan Yewan said formally. "What threatens your kingdom threatens my city."
"Good that you know. Cultivator Ling," the vulture said, turning its dark eyes on the veteran Warrior. "Tell your minions that these beasts have entered my kingdom. Ensure your hunters know the difference. Mistakes will not be tolerated."
Before Ling San could reply, the vulture extended its long neck and delicately plucked Wan Yewan from the ground, setting her on its broad back between its giant wings. "Mistakes will not be tolerated," it repeated, stepping off the boulder and spreading its wings wide as both bird and woman melded with the darkness of night itself, leaving Ling San alone to make his way back to Lantern City.
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JustJae
JustJae Thank you everyone for all the support! I'm adjusting the release cycle a touch so chapters will post slightly earlier (just after reset.)
If you’re enjoying this, please check out my other work ‘Unparalleled Artist Unlikely Hero’, set thousands of years earlier in the same world and following Wu Ling the disciple of one of Ao Wen’s previous incarnations!
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