Chapter 191 – Calls From Beyond (I)

Chapter 191

Calls From Beyond (I)

My eyes immediately veered up to the young man, and I saw it–shadows stirring behind him and coiling around him, colored anywhere from pitch black to bloody red.

There were thousands of them, each one of their movements seeming to cause the cave to quake. Just as I was about to order retreat, I heard Long Tao’s voice break out.

“You should all go.” Thankfully, his voice was calm–and he seemed even calmer, somehow. “It’s not safe here.”

“Hm. Be careful, Senior Brother!”

“We’ll take Master to safety!”

“Don’t be too hardy and run if you fail!”

Hey, why am I being dragged by the kids?

… will there be an end to my shame?

As expected, Lilia’s and Zhu’s expressions… changed. They first looked at Long Tao with a certain level of bemusement before their gazes shifted over to me literally being dragged out of the cave by the kids, where the bemusement changed into being flabbergasted.

Yeah.

I don’t blame you.

I’m flabbergasted in many ways, too.

Honestly, I can actually fight–not well, sure, but I’m not weak anymore. I’m of average strength for my realm.

I think.

I never actually fought with any of the kids (not Long Tao either), so I’m not entirely sure if my belief is correct… but it’s a belief. It just requires blind faith and nothing else, and I’ve got that shit in spades.

Alas, it didn’t matter.

To these kids, I was still a porcelain vase that could crack at the faintest gust of wind, let alone a fight.

Haah.

This would all have been so much easier if I were a masochist…

**

Long Tao’s eyes stayed peeled to the entrancing colors above. The body was no longer visible behind the cloud of blood and darkness.

It was only him, now–well, him and that thing above.

He was vaguely familiar with what it was, and the reason why he asked others to leave wasn’t because he couldn’t protect them–rather, he had a few questions to ask, and he didn’t want them hearing the answers.

The entire process took about ten minutes before the body became visible yet again–except, the young man now had a mane of blood and a pair of obsidian eyes shimmering with faint twilight around the edges of the irises.

The body descended rather gracefully, ‘coming to’ as it looked around, eyes landing on Long Tao.

“–a child? Did you do this?”

“Hmm… E’tin? I’d hoped for someone higher up.” Long Tao’s words shifted the indifferent expression to one of deeper curiosity.

“You recognized me? No–how do you even know my name? I hadn’t appeared in these layers in… a long time.”

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“I suppose it’s fruitless to ask you to go back and, I don’t know, call Amit over instead?”

“… it’s a harsh joke, youngster. I’ve killed for far less.”

“I imagine you did,” Long Tao said. “I’m sorry to tell you, but this will be the end of your descent.”

“Oh?”

“I’d appreciate a few answers, though.”

“Ha ha ha. Interesting. It’s been a long time since I saw a child as bold as you. Perhaps, if I skewer your brain, I will learn what gave you such confidence? No, rather–what made you so foolish.”

“… if you piss me off, I’ll use the Sacramental Seal instead of the Banishment one.”

“–!!!!” The posture changed rapidly as the ‘young man’ drew back, a coating of red appearing in front of him. “Who are you?”

“Irrelevant,” Long Tao said. “As I mentioned, your descent ends here. But… if you answer me a few questions, I will give you a hint.”