The presence of a Nascent Soul cultivator crashed into the group from the High Flame Sect like and washed away their arrogant expressions like the tide washing away words in the sand.
It wasn’t enough to force them to their knees as that wasn’t the goal of the Infernal in question, who was a member of the Black Dawn and was given the task to figure out who was approaching.
Maybe there was a small chance, a very small and minuscule chance, but a chance nonetheless that the members of Raizen’s clan would’ve greeted the entourage from the High Flame Sect with a little bit more politeness, but this was unfortunately a bad time for them.
Their Patriarch was working towards a breakthrough and it had been weeks since he began. All of them knew at minimum it would likely take months for the breakthrough to complete but there was no telling exactly how long it would take.
All of them would not allow even the breeze to blow too hard around his meditation room for fear of disturbing him and running his breakthrough. They would all die a thousand deaths, come back to life then die another thousand deaths before they allowed his breakthrough to be ruined.
Needless to say, roughly 6000 Infernals were on constant edge.
But that wasn’t all, their Patriarch had left them with a number of tasks, and things to accomplish, which meant quite a few of them were busy working to accomplish every goal that was set out, and that included having to leave the stronghold to complete various missions.
Which mean not every single one of Raizen’s Infernals were present at the moment.
Regardless, they were not in the mood to entertain visitors.
Not in the slightest.
“We represent the High Flame Sect!”
A shaking voice came out from the lone Core Formation Cultivator who had a bit more resistance than his counterparts.
Realization dawned in the eyes of the Infernal for a moment, but their presence did not recede in the slightest.
“You’ve come to pay the bounty then. Wait.”
That was all the Infernal said before sending a mental message to someone else. It was just a message asking for the remains of the cultivator they killed so that they could collect the bounty.
The Core Formation disciple frowned at this and gritted his teeth.
This was not how it was supposed to go! They were supposed to be granted a proper audience and welcomed properly. At that point, perhaps a battle of wit or brawn, or more than likely both would ensue versus others of mostly equal strength.
All of which would give them multiple chances to expand the authority of their Sect here and continue to uplift their reputation as long as they performed well enough.
The cultivator felt repulsion at going back like this. There would be no glory won here, and while he did indeed have orders to let these people know that the bounty would be paid in due time, that ‘time’ was certainly not at this moment.
He had to say something.
“We are not here to pay the bounty! Not yet!”
The voice had a bit more life now, but it was still a shaky one, and although he likely would’ve been more respectful to the Infernal considering they were of a higher cultivation than them, he didn’t really have the mental capacity to worry about something like that at the moment.
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The Infernal narrowed their eyes at that comment.
“Then leave. Immediately.”
This wasn’t a question nor was it a request. It was a demand.
“But we-”
He tried to voice a complaint at the treatment he had received but it was stifled and his voice was violently stuffed back into his throat.
“Leave. Now.”
This time it was clearly not just a demand, but an implied threat. If they didn’t get the hell out of the Ember Fields right this second, then they simply would become permanent residents instead.
They did not a second warning.
The presence of the Infernal receded and the disciples of the High Flame Sect slowly limped slowly at first since they had to recover from the effects of what they were just under and then they scurried away quickly.
Raizen’s people did not care.
These were the first visitors the clan had received at the Stronghold since its creation a few weeks ago, but it would not be the last.
Rellia had been barreling through space towards Acuva for weeks now. At her speed and the distance she had to cover, it was a time that could be considered quite quick. It wouldn’t have been a shock if it took her another month or so to arrive.
But she had no reason to tarry and instead moved to Acuva at breakneck speed.
Once she entered the atmosphere of the planet, it didn’t take her long to pinpoint the location of her goal. She wasn’t brazen enough to try wash an Infernal Patriarch in her Qi in an effort to find him, but that wasn’t the only way to sense an Infernal Patriarch.
At least not for someone of her strength and expertise.
Although she herself did not wield the Eternal Flame and was not beholden to any clan, she was still child of chaos, and was thus very attuned to Infernal Qi, and especially attuned to sensing where it was most concentrated, at least the general direction of it.
This of course wouldn’t work for sensing the Patriarch, but it at least told her which direction to look in, and from there she concentrated her senses looking for one thing and one thing only.
The Eternal Flame.
To an Infernal like her who was no Matriarch, she would never be able to communicate with it, but sensing it? That was something she could do.
It was not easy, especially if the flame was not being displayed for all to see, but it could be accomplished with training, and it was something she had done long ago.
There…in the northern hemisphere of the planet, she could see it. Almost feel it.
The Eternal Flame.
She moved her senses away quickly so as not to disrespect the Patriarch who likely would’ve already sensed her looking, but she’s never heard of one who would mind something like that too much, but it was best not to push it.
Even if the Patriarch in question didn’t care, as most of them didn’t, she would still always err on the side of caution and respect. They all deserved that from her.
Though…she couldn’t help but wonder something.
The flame seemed small?
It was hard to tell, and she dared not assume anything untoward towards the Patriarch, but she sensed what she sensed.
Anyway not wanting to waste anymore time than she already had floating there just within the atmosphere of the planet, she sped of towards the point in which she sensed and arrived there very quickly.
On the way there and even now as she landed a short distance in front of the stronghold, not daring to allow her senses to extend in it in any way shape or form, she thought about which Patriarch it was.
At this point they rarely left Planet Infernal unless it was for a war or something of that nature, and while she wasn’t privy to everything happening in the clans, she knew some of the larger things.
There was that war with the Vhampryls, but that shouldn’t extend all the way out here. Perhaps a new war was about to start? Maybe she should pause her mediations to join. It might provide some insights into the law she was trying to deepen her understanding of.
It was these thoughts swirling around her mind as she slowly yet confidently walked to the entrance of the stronghold, even as Lidaz landing in front of the gate, her steps did not pause.
Not until she stood right before him.
“Hello, my name is Rellia and I’ve come to pay respects to the Patriarch.”
It was simple greeting, if it could even be called that, but among Infernals…it was more than enough.
In usual circumstances that is.
Lidaz responded, not a hint of displeasure in his voice. In fact he knew who he was looking at.
“it’s nice to see you too Lady Rellia.”
Rellia raised an eyebrow.
“You don’t know me, but I know you. I was born in the Gravile Clan’s territory. Your record in the Spear Art Class of the Heliza Academy was still standing even after I graduated more than a couple centuries ago. It was a pretty famous record back then.”