Return of the Mythic Bloodline-Chapter 324: Vyaghra: Sharp or oblivious?

"So this idiot openly attacked the city gates with just two disciples from his sect," I facepalmed in disbelief at the stupidity of the old man named Stanley, who was tied to a chair.

"A-are you Lucifer Morningstar?" Stanley murmured, slowly raising his head.

"Hm, I heard you came here to punish me," I asked, raising an eyebrow.

He suddenly shivered at my question and blurted out, terror filling his eyes, "I... I would not dare. It was a misunderstanding!"

Turning to Ume, I asked, "How exactly is this idiot the key to entering the Mainland?"

"The Mainland is separated by a massive wall equipped with countless weapons capable of instantly killing even an Awakened Sage if they attempt to trespass," Ume explained. "If someone somehow manages to reach the Mainland, the alarms on the wall will alert the empire, and the intruder will immediately become the target of the entire Western Continent. To ensure we pass the wall without triggering any alarms, this man will help us since he is..."

"He is the Sect Master of the Clear Spring Sect, responsible for guarding the border between the Mainland and the Abandoned Lands," I completed her sentence with an amused smile.

"I... I will help you enter the Mainland," Stanley spoke up hurriedly. "In exchange, please spare me and my sect members."

"Oh? But you came here to extort us," I countered with a serious expression, leaning closer to his face. "Besides, what made you think you are in a position to demand anything from us?"

"Pl-please forgive me, Sir Morningstar," Stanley pleaded, his voice growing desperate. "I would never have thought of extorting you if I had known how you fought against El Dorado to bring dawn to the Abandoned Lands. I extorted Nyx because she, along with all her subordinates, were criminals."

"Do not try to disguise your greed as righteousness, Stanley," I said, my voice deep and authoritative. "I do not deny that Nyx’s actions were inhumane, but your excessive demands for Soul Stones were a major reason that pushed her down that path."

Stanley said nothing. Or rather, he had no words that could serve as a convincing excuse.

After a brief pause, he murmured in a low voice, "Th-then at least let my disciples live. They are innocent."

"You have also captured his disciples?" I asked, turning to Ume.

She nodded and replied, "They are imprisoned in the city above."

Turning my sharp gaze back to Stanley, I declared, "Your fate depends on how smoothly we enter the Mainland."

"I... I will make sure you face no difficulties!" Stanley blurted out, as if life had suddenly returned to his eyes.

With that, Ume and I left the basement and headed to the city above.

The city looked much the same as it used to. Very little had changed over the past year, except that the people appeared more lively and joyful than before. Their bodies looked healthier, and there were many children playing in the streets, a sight that had been rather rare a year ago.

The moment I entered the city, the gazes of the people shifted toward me in shock and disbelief.

"I-is that really him?"

"Those crimson eyes and hair. There is no doubt, it is him."

"When did he return from closed-door cultivation?"

The people murmured in astonishment as they slowly gathered around me.

"Closed-door cultivation? Is that what you told them?" I asked Ume, who was walking beside me.

"I had to come up with something to explain the disappearance of their leader," Ume shrugged.

As we walked through the streets, more and more people gathered and began greeting me with bows and reverence, as if welcoming a god.

"Welcome back, Sir Morningstar!"

"We are glad for your return!"

"I hope you achieved the desired breakthroughs in your cultivation!"

.

.

.

We were showered with greetings until we reached the city gate.

"Are we going somewhere?" I asked Ume, who had led me there.

"I have a surprise for you," she said before ordering the guards at the gate to open the doors.

Beyond the gate lay a vast open land, surrounded by another boundary of massive walls encircling the city.

Across the open ground, several people dressed in black robes were training rigorously. Some were engaged in sparring or physical exercises, while others meditated beneath the shade of the few trees scattered across the land.

What surprised me the most were not the cultivators themselves, but their leader, who was training them personally with a sharp and penetrating gaze in his eyes.

The moment I looked at him, he turned instantly, as if he had sensed my gaze falling upon him.

As soon as he saw me, he vanished into the shadows, only to reappear in front of me by emerging from my own shadow.

"You are late," Vyaghra said in his usual cold and emotionless tone.

Before I could respond, he continued, "Because of your absence, Her Majesty has been drinking without restraint for the past two months—"

"Vyaghra, be silent!" Ume shouted immediately, her face flushing red.

"Ume, this was very childish," I scolded her in a low but firm voice. "I understand that I was a few months late, but that is no excuse for making your own life miserable by drinking liquor."

"I... I understand my mistake," Ume murmured softly, lowering her head as her fluffy ears drooped after being scolded.

Vyaghra, who had been silently observing me, spoke again once Ume acknowledged her fault. "You have changed."

"Changed in what sense?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Your irritating accent has disappeared and become more refined. The manner in which you walk and carry yourself has also changed greatly. It feels as though I am standing before a renowned martial artist from a prestigious clan."

I remained stunned by how sharp Vyaghra’s observation truly was. It was true that my accent and demeanor had changed, or rather, they had returned to how they originally were after I recovered my memories. From this brief interaction alone, he had even guessed that I resembled someone from a prestigious clan, which was indeed true. I was a Thunderbane, not to mention the Prince of the Hundred Sky Mountains.

"No wonder his senses are so sharp. He is the God of Hunt and Stealth for a reason," I murmured inwardly.

As I acknowledged his perceptiveness, he continued speaking and said something so oblivious that I felt an urge to punch him in the face.

"Your Soulforce has increased greatly compared to what it was a year ago," Vyaghra said. "But it is strange. Not only you, even Her Majesty’s Soulforce has deepened significantly within just a single day."

Both Ume and I instantly turned crimson, fully aware of the reason behind the sudden growth in our Soulforce.

Before we could steer the conversation elsewhere, Vyaghra’s gaze shifted to Ume’s neck. His expression sharpened as he muttered, "Your Majesty, who dared to attack your neck?"