Huland's Green Snow village was situated in a small green valley, surrounded and concealed by snowy mountain range and a bewildering formation. The vehicles used to transport the elderly and the young could not cross the terrain, therefore, around the last rest stop, roughly eight kilometers from their destination, the Martial Mortals leading the convoy utilized their mist energy to carry groups of people directly to the village, whilst protecting them on the way from the severely cold elements of the encompa.s.sing mountain range.
There were close to two thousand wooden structures at the village. Its human residents with weak const.i.tution to the weather wore thick fur clothes. Its small beast population also had members of it wearing, granted in different fas.h.i.+on, the warm human clothes, even in animalistic form. They were those who could not get used to the cold climate and cultivation was sufficiently high to demonstrate human's intelligence, but too low to s.h.i.+eld themselves with mist energy – there were even some who had not cultivated yet to humanoid form.
After receiving something warm to wear, Zax's friends and family were a.s.sembled on a gra.s.s field outside the village. In front of them stood Zax, still in his disguise, the twelve members of the chain and Huland along with couple of his Dark Glare's members.
"Everyone, turn your attention to me". Zax called as heads were turning and he slowly reverted to his true appearance.
"Zax!" His grandpa Ger, who fell ill in the past two days from stress and reminiscing of his beloved home, was the first to uttered outloud. Immediately after, an upsurge of similar responses was triggered, in even more astonishment the grandpa Ger's.
"Marco, your son is alive!"
"Laylen, Laylen, that- that's your son!"
"Zax…"
These and many more reactions stirred the crowed.
Of course, not all knew Zax. Among the adults, a handful were even unfamiliar with his name and it is meaningless mentioning the younger generation.
Zax beheld the people in front of him. Many exhibited happiness, many showed suspicious, several were even angry and all were confused.
"Ssh…" The whisper was carried on a wave of dark attribute energy, spread in the crowed and caused all who heard it to hush.
Suddenly, everyone go the sense that the figure who asked for their attention was a giant with the power to squash or guard them, depends on his whim. At the same time, though, they also got the impression that as long as they will listen he will remain harmless.
Zax sighed inwardly. He did not want to intimidate them into submission, but was aware that otherwise he will have to deal with never ending complains and demands. Yes he was their relative, yes they grew up as friends, but no, he could not based on those things, let them dictate right and wrong when there was far too little that they understood of the current situation.
"I realize that you all must have many questions and in the past week and a half you experienced an overwhelming life changing revelations". Zax opened. "I deeply apologize. The source of your misfortune is me". Dark attribute energy constantly blended in his speech.
"Y- You are responsible to the torment we had been through?!"
A hateful voice snapped from the crowed. As the majority recognized Zax as an ent.i.ty that should not be undermined, there were six or seven with pent up emotions that made them act like a cornered mouse with no choice but to retaliate for its life.
"Linda!" Kade grabbed his wife and berated her. From head to feet tremors shook his body and echoed from his mouth. "What do you think you are doing?! Apologize this instant!" He forced her to the front of the crowed, there he made her drop to her knees together with him and pushed her head down. "Please forgive my wife's audacity and my inadequate control of her, senior!" He begged toward Zax.
A portion of his fear was the recollection of the bit of trouble he and his wife gave Zetsa, who he knew was Zax's sister, while he always been there watching from the sideline, harboring who knows what?!
The greater part of his fear was what little he learned about the experts accompanying them from the pathway to their underground home to this hidden village. They were being beyond his comprehension. Whatever they did was impossible for him to gage in the most rudimentary way.
As an old fellow tempered by dangerous encounters and lessons of enlightenment, Kade hastily put up a loud show in it he purposely let everyone know that even he, a Core Master expert, yield to the man before them. As such, Zax would be pacified with him and his wife for making the people of Kingdom Earth, who view Core Breakers as a wonder, follow suit instead of giving him troubles for supposed grievances.
'If he valued his life more than his wife's he would've annulled their marriage'. Zax finally had a sense of the capacity of Kade's feelings to Linda. "It's fine. Please get back in line until I'll finish".
"Yes, senior, thank you, senior. Thank you for elevating us to the blue sky of our dreams!" It might have sounded like too much, but that single sentence was another tool to strum the heart stringers of all New Earth's inhabitants.
The crowed quickly calmed down after the brief commotion. Zax spent an hour and forty minutes confessing his faults against them, explaining, not in depth, his grudge with the five powers, promising to return them home when it will be safe and mentioning opportunities that they may gain and will never find in New Earth. He dedicated another hour and ten minutes to the Green Snow village and everything he talked about with Huland, in addition to receiving the numerous questions everyone had.
With a signal from Huland, thirty something villagers lead the entourage of one hundred and forty into processing. As they were forced to leave, Zax made eye contact and a head gesture with a simple meaning to his big sister, Anet and couple of his old friends "We'll talk later. Now go and do as you're told".
"I allocated them a place so they won't be separated. With will help them get accustomed to their new life". Huland said.
"Thank you, Mister Huland, for everything". Zax took the initiative to shake his hands.
Huland smiled. "It will take time before they'll finish the processing phase. Afterwards there will still be a lot left to teach and figure about each individual. For the meantime, come to my cottage. We should talk". His tone indicated an actual matter at hand and not just small talk.
"Mister Huland, Zax, we will depart now". Kloky and Bonjier walked forward.
"Your family and friends are safe now, Zax. You can calmly resume training or taking on the chain's tasks". Zechariah reminded him.
"Don't forget to make up with your girlfriend". Xiao Kirin teased.
"You should concentrating on really remedying your relations.h.i.+p with you relatives and friends. They might be ordinary people and in a blink of an eye there will come a day when they all pa.s.sed away, but because of it, so your heart won't have unfinished business in the future, you better take care of those things sooner than later…" Gadgel cautioned. Next to him, Rockwell, Giant Havreim and Varinka had complex look in their eyes, which Zax noticed and perhaps he sensed something relatable he nodded in affirmation to Gadgel.
They left accompanied by a first level Martial Mortal, member of Dark Glare, to guide them through the bewildering formation.
Huland's wooden cottage was two storeys high, with a balcony and artificial lake. He and Zax sat in the balcony, surrounded by a mantle so n.o.body could hear or read their lips.
"This is for you". Huland retrieved a large container and placed it on the balcony's wooden panels. "Hurry up and store it or pick it up. I don't want my balcony's floor to give in to the weight".
Zax swept his hand over the container and examined it once it was put in his spatial ring. 'Liquefied dark attribute's essence, and a thousand kilograms! ' It was safe to say that he was gratified to at last receive the first portion for dark attribute's essence he was promised. There was no need for questions, since it was easy to figure that Huland was merely Gid Chu's messenger.
"Thank you".
"Don't mention it". Huland waved his hand. "Philp, pour our guest first". He motioned to a blond haired, blue eyes, brown skinned fur cladded youth in his early teens that entered the balcony holding a tray with two tall cups and a gla.s.s pitcher.
The boy, Philp, filled Zax's cup millimeter from the brim with the light green beverage and proceeded to do the same for Huland.
"Good boy". Zax nodded in approval. "Is he your Tal or apprentice?" He could sense Philip's cultivation and it was ludicrous to imagine that a thirteen years old Beginner Core Breaker is just a retainer. Moreover, the boy oozed equanimity in his, a stranger seemingly on the same caliber as the owner of Green Snow village, presence.
"I am Mor Huland's second Tal". Philp said in a respectful tone.
"He is a human and I'm a beast, but I decided to retain the proper Kingdom Earth's honorific since I like them better". Huland said. "Philip, go do something else. I and Mister Zax have some matter to discuss privately".
"Yes, Mor Huland". Philip bowed and jumped off the balcony.
Seeing the energetic boy skipping away, Zax was infected by Huland low laughter. "It's fortunate when a teacher happens to like from the initial interaction a potential student who come seeking their tutelage, but it blessing from the G.o.ds when the teacher is the one who found the student. I was blessed in finding both my Tals, as well as being found by Master Yurnal".
"I can't say that I share the sentiment, since I'm n.o.body teacher and my Master was introduced to me by my big sister. However, to me my Master is no different than a father and I was blessed by an entire Martial family".
"Then you and I are equal in our luck". Huland laughed and poured him and Zax a second serving of the green beverage.
Zax drank happily. The green beverage had a sour and sweet flavor and smelled like a mixture of kiwi, oranges and mango. It was not a rare kind of fruit, rather a common delicious drink.
"What you wanted to talk with me about?" Zax inquired when the mood settled.
"I'll be frank with you, Mister Zax, the chain's Leader divulged to me the details of your recent task. Your cultivation is baffling. I can't a.s.sert it; only deduce that you haven't broken through to the third realm in any aspect. It's possible that you intentionally cloud your cultivation. Be that as it may, your battle powers are estimate around the level of Beginner fourth level Martial Moral and that's the important thing".
"So your interest in me is my strength. I noticed two third level Martial Mortal when we pa.s.sed the bewildering formation and the village came to view. Is the perquisite to your request of me is the strength of a fourth level Martial Mortal or the capability to at least escape from one?"
"You understand and still willing to listen, does it mean that if I'll elaborate you'll accept it?"
"I can't kill a fourth level Martial Mortal, no matter how weak he or she may be". Zax made it clear. In fact, he was not even confident that he will be able to escape Beginner fourth level Martial Mortal whose expertise are in speed or any Intermediate or above…
"Good. I don't want you to kill a fourth level Martial Mortal, only a third level one".
"A third level… why can't you or one of your Dark Glare's members kill him or her?"
"Him. And although my current accomplishments in Master's bodily refinement technique grant me the strength of an Intermediate third level Martial, while the opponent is at the Beginner phase, he is a Chaoyue type beast and an heir to my Malignant Monkey clan… also beloved apprentice to my d.a.m.ned father".
