Legacy of Hatred

Chapter 353: Destination

One week later, Liam watched the dawn begin to illuminate the horizon from one of the tallest trees in the area. He was sitting on a thick branch, back leaning against the trunk, the fuming pipe between his teeth.

The sunlight quickly stretched past the horizon, illuminating the vast expanse of trees. An immense forest covered the area, including the hill Liam’s team had temporarily occupied.

Liam tried to look beyond the sea of trees. He couldn’t see it, but there was an even bigger plain past the forest’s eastern border. The place even had a name. It was called Green Haven, which acted as the border between two Outer Circles.

Apparently, Liam had crossed Green Haven. His team had entered a more innermost Outer Circle, except that he hadn’t seen any of it. He had spent that part of the journey asleep on Robert’s back, recovering from his injuries.

’I can’t see it,’ Liam sighed internally. ’I guess I missed it forever.’

Chances were that Liam would never go back there, especially now that his predicament had worsened, but he felt little regret over the matter. That inspection had merely been a way to kill time, as well as something else.

Liam couldn’t really explain it. He couldn’t even pinpoint it to anything specific. He just knew that something, down to the very way in which he saw the world, had shifted, and he still couldn’t understand to what extent.

Truth be told, Liam didn’t even know what that change implied, but he felt different, and he guessed only experiencing life with those new eyes would explain it.

Liam moved his attention to his right hand next. His injuries had healed, leaving no trace whatsoever. Even the nasty sense of weakness that had followed was no more. He had gone overboard, but that week spent resting had done the job since the healing pill had addressed the worst parts.

Naturally, the target of Liam’s gaze wasn’t the non-existent injuries. He studied his white ring, the one embodying what that whole struggle had been for, and the main thing he had yet to go through since he had been too busy recovering and hiding.

Actually, Liam had much to review, a lot even, but the moment hadn’t arrived yet. With no injuries to deal with, it was time to resume moving, which created another problem, one that took priority.

Besides, it was hard to find time to do anything with constant interruptions.

Liam smelled it before rustling reached his ears. The branch he was sitting on tilted due to the additional weight. A blonde, handsome, silver-wearing cultivator had climbed the tree, the pendant hanging from his neck reflecting the rising sunlight.

"Brother, are you feeling romantic today?" Lancelot asked, gazing at the horizon.

Lancelot had also fully recovered, and Liam only threw a quick look at him before chuckling, unable to stop that genuine reaction.

After the battle, Liam couldn’t feel any barrier toward that genius anymore. Lancelot hadn’t even shared his secret with the others. In that short time together, he had become one of the people Liam trusted the most.

"Brother, thank you for this," Liam exclaimed, having reason to be grateful, "But you still aren’t touching my butt."

Lancelot laughed, shaking his head. "Such trivial things aren’t worth mentioning between Brothers. However, I demand we share a drink once Robert comes back."

"We should get down then," Liam stated. "Robert will be here shortly."

Lancelot knew better than to question Liam’s sense of smell. He jumped down, and Liam followed, the two heading for a crevice in the mossy ground.

Talismans littered the crevice’s edges, preventing anything from leaking outside. Liam and Lancelot crossed it, entering a well-lit circular chamber that had all kinds of useful furniture.

Each of those items came from the woman sitting cross-legged on a praying mat, the very woman who had given Liam the simple black robe he was wearing.

"Master William," Isabel called, snapping out of her meditation. "Is Fellow Daoist Robert coming back?"

Liam didn’t need to answer since both Lancelot’s and Isabel’s perceptions caught up with what he had sniffed. Isabel took more items from her space-ring at that point, arranging pillows around a short table, even preparing wine and cups.

By the time Liam and Lancelot sat, a fourth figure entered the chamber. Robert snorted as he lowered the cloth before his face, uttering a short explanation as he joined the others. "It’s done. I relayed the rumor that Lancelot claimed Archbishop Ignatius’ inheritance and killed the Shrouded Desert Sect’s Disciplinary Elder on his own."

That was the reason behind Liam’s gratitude, the plan to keep him and Robert safe. Lancelot would catch a lot of heat, but he had the Secret Jade Sect as a shield.

Moreover, Lancelot would benefit from that fame, too, and the attention on him might spare Liam from additional investigations, which could reveal something even the Secret Jade Sect was powerless against.

"What’s the word around the Messengers Guild?" Lancelot asked.

"I didn’t linger for long," Robert revealed, filling his cup. "I even used a foundation expert who happened to pass by, but it seems all our names are already out."

"Julian," Liam cursed, also seizing a cup for himself. "I’m sorry I couldn’t finish him off."

"I’d complain but ..." Robert began to say, only for his gaze to fall on the white ring on his hand.

The team had already gone through the briefing and the splitting of the rewards.

Apparently, Isabel and Robert had been stuck inside the Cathedral while Lancelot and Liam did what they did. Lancelot hadn’t even held anything back while chanting Liam’s feats inside the inheritance’s heart.

As for the rewards, the chance to rearrange them had come, but no one had mentioned the idea. Even Robert had merely needed one look at what the Archbishop had prepared for him to forget about the matter entirely.

That wasn’t just out of how satisfactory that share of rewards was. Technically, Robert and Isabel hadn’t succeeded in the inheritance, but they had still received far more than scraps.

Also, it was the norm for cultivators to keep secrets, even among allies. Redistributing the rewards meant that everyone would learn what they consisted of and what each would own, which Robert had preferred to avoid.

"Anything else?" Lancelot wondered, chuckling. "We can all start praising Brother William if that’s all."

"The Church’s forces aren’t hunting us just yet," Robert revealed. "Rumor is that the Shrouded Desert Sect suspected foul play, so the Church is trying to reassure it first, but that will change now."

Spreading the false rumor would indeed place a target on Lancelot’s back, but the investigation it would kickstart would also involve his teammates. Safer didn’t mean safe, so it was time to decide the next step.

"I’ve traced a route to the Secret Jade Sect," Isabel revealed, summoning a map from her ring and placing it on the table. "It won’t be easy, but the Elders will pick us up somewhere in the next Outer Circles."

While Lancelot and Isabel had the Secret Jade Sect as a shield, everyone also knew it would be their destination. Anyone interested in the Archbishop’s inheritance would have plenty of opportunities to intercept them.

"Which brings us to the question," Lancelot added, his heated gaze darting between Liam and Robert. "Do you want to join the Secret Jade Sect? I can’t think of better cultivators to recruit."

The offer didn’t exactly take Liam and Robert by surprise. Lancelot had already mentioned it in the previous days, but the time to make a decision had come.

"Lancelot, Isabel," Robert called, bringing his cup to his mouth, rolling his eyes. "I might or might not have a bit of a troubled history with the Assassins Guild and a few Demonic Sects."

Liam couldn’t help but throw a curious glance at Robert. He barely knew of one Demonic Sect, but Robert had casually mentioned a few of those, including a Guild.

"You are so coming with us," Lancelot smirked.

"Fellow Daoist, the Secret Jade Sect is beyond those forces and far away," Isabel added. "With the support you have shown the Young Master, the Elders won’t care about past misdeeds."

Robert placed his cup down and crossed his arms, only to scratch his head right afterward. fɾeeweɓnѳveɭ.com

"I never saw myself joining a Sect," Robert admitted. "But considering the situation, how can I refuse?"

"That’s settled!" Lancelot exclaimed, focusing on Liam. "Brother, what about you?"

Liam found himself considering the idea properly. Unlike the Shrouded Desert Sect and the Roaring Thunder Sect, the Secret Jade Sect featured a series of advantages that he couldn’t just disregard.

First of all, there was the trip. The whole strategy around the fake rumor was to keep the attention away from Liam, but traveling with teammates wasn’t a negligible advantage, especially companions with whom he had defeated a branching expert.

Then, there was the Secret Jade Sect’s power. That force was beyond what the Sects in the farther reaches of the Kingdom could ever hope to be. The support it could offer was incomparable to anything Liam had experienced.

The location was another point worth considering. While not quite in the Inner Circles, the Secret Jade Sect was basically at their edge, right next to where Liam’s main goal stood.

However, that last point was also what made Liam hesitate.

The fight against Dominic had more than proven it. Liam wasn’t ready to face the dangers inside the Inner Circles. Getting there now risked exposing him to threats he had no hope of handling.

Moreover, the victory against Dominic, no matter its nuances, had proven that Liam’s initial idea was working. He was getting stronger during that journey toward the Inner Circles.

It would be slower, but Liam might reach his destination with the power he needed at that pace.

There were two other big issues, too.

One was Grace. Liam wouldn’t go anywhere without her. He wouldn’t let her be alone again. Lancelot would probably recruit her if Liam asked, but being locked inside a Sect might not work well for her goals.

Truth was, that part applied to Liam, too, hence the second issue. He would still have to leave eventually, which didn’t feel right since it was Lancelot’s Sect. His presence could also bring problems to that force, which he preferred to avoid until he could protect it.

So, it was with a bit of bitterness that Liam gave his answer. "Brother, I’m sorry. I just can’t."

Robert and Isabel expected some insistence on Lancelot’s side. It was evident how much he liked Liam in the end, but he ended up surprising them both.

"I expected as much," Lancelot sighed, but still nodding in approval, "But nothing under the Heavens will stop us from meeting again. In the meantime, where will you go?"

Liam hadn’t worked the details yet, but his direction seemed set in stone already. He had gotten that far already, so he might as well change region.

"North," Liam declared.