Legacy of Hatred

Things were oddly calm after Liam’s seemingly rash outburst. His action had been surprising, but it hadn’t taken anyone by surprise.

Branching experts would always move faster than Liam, even experiencing the world at a different pace. Everyone at the table had seen the greatsword’s materialization and the half-swing that had led to the table’s destruction, which was exactly what drew attention.

Liam’s half-swing had been fast, not as fast as what the branching stage could provide, but close, closer than any rooting expert had any right to be.

The greatsword itself was ominous. It looked too heavy to be swung at all, especially at that speed, and something dangerous was brewing inside it, dangerous enough to alert the representatives’ survival instincts.

Lastly, there had been the target. The Church’s representative was in the way, so Liam couldn’t have swung directly at Red Boar without involving him, but he definitely had attacks that could reach him. Yet, Liam had gone for the table instead.

That showed self-restraint, at least partially. Liam hadn’t meant his gesture to ruin the meeting entirely. It had been a warning for reasons that he didn’t hesitate to voice.

"Your Guild almost killed my Dao partner," Liam said, glaring at Red Boar, his expression feral, doing his best not to hiss. "Eradicating a branch and killing its Lady doesn’t even come close to making us even."

The strangely calm silence continued after the cold explanation. Everyone still had their cups, too, having salvaged them from the table’s destruction. No one intervened, either, letting Red Boar fend for himself.

"Do you think I’d believe that ludicrous rumor?" Red Boar snorted. "You might have tricked the experts from that backwater place, but it’s clear for everyone to see that you relied on the infamous Demoness to kill our Lady Jessica."

While information spread far and instantaneously in the cultivation world, trusting it was a different matter altogether. The topic at hand even had valid reasons to be discarded as a mere rumor.

First, the source was unreliable. The border was a unique environment with no stable systems, making information gathering difficult. It had also been a tumultuous time with the rebellion, worsening that aspect.

Second, the news was impossible. Rooting experts couldn’t kill branching experts. Such was the reality of the world.

Yet, before Liam or Grace could intervene, support arrived from one of the representatives.

"Red Boar, I’m afraid Master Black Qi speaks the truth," The old woman, Whispering Wind, revealed. "Hundreds of witnesses have corroborated the news."

"What witnesses?!" Red Boar cried, glaring at his fellow representative. "A bunch of criminals from Demonic Sects and the like? The Messengers Guild should know better than to believe stories made up to destabilize our authority."

"I admit I shared your mind on the matter," Whispering Wind stated, focusing on Liam. "But the eyewitnesses provided quite the detailed description of the battle. Master Black Qi is also said to have used the very rank 3 ingredient the enmity with your Guild was born of, and said ingredient could become poisonous in the hands of an alchemist."

As much as Liam had witnessed that feat countless times already, Whispering Wind’s ability to gather such detailed information remained shocking, inevitably making him wary.

’Is no one reporting about me hissing?’ Liam wondered. ’Did the chaos of the battle hide it?’

"How could a rooting expert even refine rank 3 ingredients?" Red Boar kept arguing with the old woman. "That’s not a gap skills can fill. He must have received help!"

"Master Black Qi has a poison core," Whispering Wind pointed out. "While still unbelievable, it is possible that he wields a unique affinity to related ingredients, enabling him to refine those in the third rank, at least some of them."

Red Boar was defeated. It was as Whispering Wind had said. The matter was truly unbelievable, but the many unique factors involved might have led to that impossible feat.

Actually, adding a rank 3 poison to the equation made the news easier to swallow. Like that, the feat wouldn’t be about a rooting expert besting a branching expert anymore. It would be about a shrewd alchemist killing a careless Senior.

Of course, reason wasn’t enough to quell Red Boar.

"Black Hound," Red Boar called, switching his target. "You heard him confess his crimes. Isn’t this enough for the Enforcement Guild to take action?"

The attention shifted to Felix, who abided by his neutrality.

"Master Black Qi claims the Mercenary Guild has been the assailant," Felix exclaimed. "While extreme, it was within his rights to respond to the offense. It is also known that matters of love make even the greatest experts lose reason."

Of course, the rights Felix had mentioned came solely from the fact that Liam and Grace had overcome those challenges, proving their worth. The Guilds would have just squashed them without hearing their version of the story otherwise.

Red Boar didn’t give up just yet. He threw a look at the cloaked branching expert, seeking his support. The Assassins Guild was the dark side of the Enforcement Guild after all.

However, the cloaked man remained silent, his lack of reply speaking louder than words. He was basically declaring that going after the couple wasn’t worth the cost, factually giving them the right to contest the status quo.

Red Boar looked about to shout again as his face snapped at Liam, but he was interrupted by someone who hadn’t spoken until then.

"Red Boar, could I request that you let this meeting unfold peacefully?" The blonde woman from the Merchants Guild asked. "I would like to inquire about the benefits Master Black Qi and Lady Grace are willing to bring to the table before losing them out of impoliteness."

The blue woman didn’t stop there, eyeing Grace, studying how she had remained calm and smiling despite everything that had unfolded. She hadn’t as much as flinched.

"Lady Grace, I can see that your feelings for Master Black Qi are genuine," The blue woman announced. "However, does your Dao partner also hold corresponding value? Is he worth this level of exposure?"

The blue woman was basically trying to speak to the merchant inside Grace, and the latter had no doubt about her stance.

"Lady Chief," Grace called. "None of you can fathom how priceless my beloved is."

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