Chapter 136: Torture Inside, Training Outside
''If something is to be maintained consistently, then arge amount of energy is needed for sustenance. From the sizes of those soul wisps, it is possible to assume that torment alone was not the culprit.''
[The brutality is off the charts, but I must apud the person who made it a reality. It is very hard to kill some of the animals in the collection, like the Octori and Twig Walker. Many more like these are exclusive for a single ce on Utopia and it is entirely up to luck whether you might meet one or not. And this person just mocked fate in its face and killed, and collected those beast''s souls before it is dissipated. A round of apuse, boy!]
Lee was staring at the opposite wall with a poker-face expression. Though he was expressing outwardly, D understood the intent behind it and went silent. Lee took a second to confirm this pause of apology and spoke-
''Do you have any clue about how it was maintained?''
[I only got to scan the scythe when it was wrapped in chains. So I was not able to identify anything special with it. My bet is on the apparition. As the soul which knows most about the scythe, we might be able to get some vital info if itmunicated with us.]
''So the scythe and the souls are with Gauthama, right?''
[Yes, but I did not sense any such presence on him. Maybe they went back in the scythe.]
Lee spoke with D, and was arriving at some conclusions, when the prison seal showed depletion of Mana inside it. The affinities did its role wlessly and a lot of devilish aura was scraped from the apparition. Theck of corrupted Mana atmosphere and regrly piercing Light-Splitter fragments made its healing as slow as a sloth.
''Time for round two!''
Lee withdrew his consciousness into the chamber and created a much more denser andrger Mana construct imbued with the same affinities. The apparition began to scream at the first nce of the opening hole. As it feared, the Mana entered the cube and this time, the pain was tripled.
*SCREECH*
The audible expression of agony it suffered made both Lee and D feel pity for it. But they had to do it for a good cause. The scorching sensation that the Mana delivered made it numb and fell unconscious. As the duo spectated, the ghost sunk into the Mana pool. Slight changes were beginning to happen, and Lee went back to the reality while telling D to notify if anything urs.
----
Lee nced out of the window and guessed that the trio might have came back downstairs, so he quickly surfed through the Shop and brought a good set of undies and pants. Them he exited the room and went down the stairs. Gauthama and thedies were standing near the reception desk and were eagerly waiting for Lee, while having a group chat. The footsteps of Lee walking down the stairs attracted their attention.
"Am Ite?"
"No, we got here a minute ago."
Lee was about to apologise for beingte, but Tera gave an answer which rxed his worries. Gauthama quickly went into the room and came back with the scythe. As he handed it over to Lee, thedies were staring at it with appreciation and liking. Lee received it and stored it away in the spatial ring. Gauthama skimmed through the faces and spoke as he slowly stepped towards the door.
"Let us reach the destination before sunrise."
Gauthama opened the door and a chilling breeze swept across their face. He stepped aside and let the women exit. As Lee came outst, he locked the door and led the group away.
---
=====
6 A.M.
77131 Essence harvested.
=====
The fairly bright light conquered the horizon and moved forward to the city. Birds greeted the morning starshines with a beautiful choir. Very few people were on the streets, but a major portion among them recognised Lee. As the unrivalled champion of the Tri-annual Tournament, many pairs of eyes observed him. Through the Map, he noticed hostile beings scanning him and his group from a distance, and then disappearing from his sight. It did not take too much time to deduce that they belonged to the four giants of the city.
The soldiers on the city walls also recognised Lee from a distance. As cultivators and somehow rted to the four giants, the guards closely observed his movements and those around him. With an order not to engage him in direct fight, the guards held their stations while their eyes followed the group.
"Where to?"
A guard stopped them before exiting the gate. Three more armed guards came behind him and disyed solidarity with the obstruction.
"We are going to the Ora coastal ins."
Gauthama gave a warm smile and replied appropriately. The guards were not content with the answer. Not that they are not satisfied, but they wanted to test the strength of the not-so-bulky champion. ording to those stupid guards, how big you are determined your strength.
"We cannot allow you to pass."
The guard who raised the question took his sword out of the scabbard. Though not in a hostile manner, he brandished his sword at them. An and Mia touched their sword pommels, but Lee walked past them and reached right next to Lee. He deduced that their actual target was him, from their micro-expressions and facial movements.
"We mean no harm. Please let us pass."
The nk expression and in tone irritated the annoyances in uniforms. At once, he shouted at Lee and tried to harm him. But the Tri-annual Tournament champion grabbed the sword by its de.
"I said, let us pass!"
The sound of metal cracking inside his left palm made the guard pale. His grip loosened from the sword handle and jumped backward in terror. Lee opened his palm and the de, curled and crumbled, with an impression of his palm, fell on the ground. The three who stood behind him had fled long ago. The guard who got his sword deformed, ran to the gate. Just when the gate was being raised, a much more serious and firm voice came from their right. A temporary tent caught their sight, and a figure emerged from it.
"So you are the so called ''champion'', eh?"