道罗邪皇子 (邪神之道 B5)

994

"Can we really trust him?"

Upon Táng Jiǔ Kè's (唐九刻) leave the second prime elder raises this question with a cautious tone to which Xia Huang Hai answers-

"We can't. The only reason he's still with us till this day is because I'm here. The moment I'm gone he's surely going to cause a ruckus."

In the Xia family's domain Tang Jiu Ke can be considered a sort of legend.

His parents are but common mortals that were kidnapped and taken into this land.

This means that biologically speaking Tang Jiu Ke isn't a clansman of the Xia family.

The only reason he is given the status of first prime elder is because he had been the first person in the Xia family's domain to reach the Exalted Celestial's realm of cultivation.

"130 years. That is the amount of time it took for him to become an Exalted Celestial."

In any household such a talent would surely be treasured but since Tang Jiu Ke isn't a genuine clansman of the Xia family Xia Huang Hai has always had mixed feelings about the former.

"Even I have to admire his talents but the more I thought about it the more apparent it became to me that his current cultivation base has nothing to do with his innate talent."

"Then just how is it that he managed to become an Exalted Celestial in such little time?"

"Ghosts surround us on a daily basis."

Thinking of the meaning behind these words the second prime elder knits her brows together and eventually draws on the conclusion that-

"Divine ancestor means to say that a roaming ghost may have possessed him while he was but an infant?"

"Rather unbelievable isn't it? Had I been able to see his soul when he was but an infant I might have been able to confirm this theory but right now it's the only argument that I can go off of to explain his unusual cultivation speed. And if this theory is true then in his past life he must have been someone of great skill."

"Then it seems like we need to keep our eyes on more than just one individual."

"*Sigh* no need for that."

"Why?"

"Even if we managed to acquire the Fourth Hell's Flag entering the central domain will still be a difficult challenge."

"..."

Recalling the past in which Xia Huang Hai and Tian He Zi had agreed to join forces as a means to enter the central domain the second prime elder frowns.

This was an event that occurred prior to the Fourth Hell's Flag disappearing and locking the gates of the central domain.

At the time the second prime elder has yet to become an Exalted Celestial so she wasn't able to see much of what had happened inside.

However, she clearly remembering the sight of both Xia Huang Hai and Tian He Zi emerging from the gates with numerous wounds on their bodies as they looked into the depths of the gates with genuine terror almost as if they were looking at the most terrifying monster in all of existence.

"Acquiring the flag will give us another shot at challenging the central domain's security measures but with just the strength of divine ancestor and Tian He Zi... Is divine ancestor perhaps hoping that the intruder will be able to see reason in cooperating with us?"

"Exactly. However, if he is truly the one killing off my clansmen then I'll have to settle this grudge with them after everything is over."

.........

"*Sigh*"

Straightening his back Tang Jiu Ke takes two steps back and shakes his head.

Surrounding him and resting on the floor of this single-floored building is a grand total of 24 corpses with a piece of cloth layered over their faces.

These corpses are all unusually clean and they practically looked no different from an actual living person that was put into a deep coma.

However, if one were to inspect these corpses thoroughly they would notice that their souls have all gone missing making these bodies nothing more than hollowed shells.

Other than Tang Jiu Ke there were six other individuals in the vicinity and at this time they were all directing their eyes towards the former.

"First prime elder?"

"Whoever managed to kill them is definitely skilled. I'm afraid examinations of these bodies will have to be left to the divine ancestor."

"First prime elder means to say that this is done by another Half-Monarch?"

"What I'm about to tell you all mustn't be leaked outside. Understood?"

In response to Tang Jiu Ke's question each of the six elders nodded their heads.

"Divine ancestor theorized that there is an intruder in our domain and there's a high chance of this intruder being a Half-Monarch."

"Does divine ancestor have a suspect to go with his theory?"

"Not yet."

As he is still in the process of sorting through his thoughts on how he should go about handling this situation Tang Jiu Ke decides to give a neutral answer.

(I can either go along with Xia Huang Hai's plan or I can go ahead and try my luck with this intruder.)

Thinking of the risks involved with both methods Tang Jiu Ke admittedly has a difficult time deciding on which route to take.

"Alright enough is enough. Since none of us here are able to detect the method used to kill we can only send these corpses to the divine ancestor for a more detailed examination. I intend to stay out here for the time being due to the divine ancestor's assigned tasks so-"

"No need to say anything more first prime elder. I'll go and have someone arrange you a place to stay."

"Wait."

Drawing closer to the elder who had offered to arrange a place for him Tang Jiu Ke whispers-

"Make it a place close to the seventh elder's residence."

Replying with a nod the elder rushes out of the room.