Returning to the Mysterious Era-Chapter 305 - Goodbye, Teacher

On the morning of September 10, Year 110 of the Hongli Federation, Amos escorted Cassius and the other two on a brief tour around East Sea County. East Sea County had six city branches with cages that could be offered. When they added two more cities from the neighboring county to make up the numbers, they could generally meet the agreed requirements of the deal Cassius had struck with Amos.

East Sea County was economically prosperous with well-developed transportation routes. There were numerous connections between major cities whether by rail or road. Therefore, Cassius's journey was relatively swift.

They all took transportation to each city's train station, where the Black Ops Agency's local branch had special personnel to receive them and escort them back to the branch's base. Cassius absorbed the life vibration energy and eliminated the dark creatures, and was then sent back to the train station by a special vehicle.

The privileges of the Black Ops Agency allowed them to board any train heading in the same general direction they wanted without tickets. So it only took three or four days for Cassius and Amos to fulfil their agreement, and the three returned to Kura City.

During this time, Saint Feinan deepened his understanding of the various features of the Spiral-Eye Sword, becoming increasingly familiar with the antique sword. The injury on Feng Liusi's chest that had been inflicted by the Blade Demon's Rainbow World was also gradually healing. Cassius provided enough life vibration energy to reduce the six month recovery time to something more palatable.

As for Cassius himself, devouring all the dark creatures captured and imprisoned by the Black Ops Agency in the eight branch cages yielded significant benefits. Although the quantity was certainly less, the quality was several levels higher than usual. The dark creatures held in the cages were generally rare and precious, or difficult to handle.

Therefore, as Cassius absorbed the life vibration energy, he rarely encountered situations where he was growing resistant to their life vibration energy. All combined, it probably increased his progress bar by about 6 percent

However, since a portion was used to heal Feng Liusi's injuries, Cassius ultimately gained a 5.3 percent increase, which wasn't far off from the initial target of over 5 percent.

In the upper right corner of his vision, the progress bar displayed.

[Golem Covert Martial Arts: Qi Embodiment 45.6% (Total Three Stages)]

45.6% + 5.3% = 50.9%

[Golem Covert Martial Arts: Qi Embodiment 50.9% (Total Three Stages)]

The already majestic Qi of the Southern Dipper Red Falcon Fist had become even more profound, faintly containing countless imagery. Cassius's total amount of Qi had even surpassed Saint Feinan, who had been a veteran combat artist for over a decade.

Simply put, Qi was no longer his shortcoming. If he was categorized according to the Black Ops Agency's classification, he would be a Class B powerhouse.

Cassius's stats compared to a typical veteran combat artist were as follows.

Speed: B (45) → B (25)

Strength: B (50) → B (25)

Defense: B (51) → B (25)

Qi: B (51) → B (35)

Technique: B (20) → B (15)

It was evident that Cassius's physique and Qi were nearly twice that of a typical veteran combat artist in terms of raw stats. Golem Covert Martial Arts and life vibration energy had allowed him to enhance his body's Qi and drive his physique’s evolution and transformation.

Now, with both physique and Qi values around fifty, he had a double advantage, which would serve as Cassius's sharpest spear in combat. As for technique, there was indeed no good shortcut.

Cassius had increased from fifteen to twenty in technique mainly because Feng Liusi was gradually teaching him his ultimate move, Blood Vulture's Beak. Even so, Cassius still had some gap in technique compared to a typical veteran combat artist. After all, this required time and combat experience; it couldn't be achieved overnight.

Cassius had enough combat experience, but lacked time to consolidate it all. Many combat techniques and ultimate moves couldn't reach perfect output, but fortunately, the Third Breath technique could compensate for his striking speed.

It allowed him to cover flaws in his technique when fighting strong enemies, and then rely on his physique and Qi to win. Based on information he had gathered, the world of Covert Martial Arts roughly divided combat artists into several vague tiers.

New combat artists, veteran combat artists, top-tier combat artists, and pinnacle combat artists.

This classification was actually very general. Battles between combat artists weren't solely determined by tiers. Factors like both parties' current state, will to fight, Covert Martial Arts relationships, environmental factors, hidden trump cards, and so on, all played a role. However, excluding some interfering factors, it had some referential value.

Cassius's strength had been fully demonstrated in previous battles with the Blood Spirit Society and the Gate Organization. The improvements he had made during this period put his combat strength in a normal state between veteran and top-tier combat artists. Once he entered Golem state, used the Third Breath technique and Kidney Activation, his strength would cross that threshold to reach a higher level. He could even briefly contend with Blood Fist Feng Liusi.

The newly youthful Feng Liusi was originally a top-tier combat artist. Now that he had broken through to the fifth stage of Death's Fang and created the ultimate move Blood Vulture's Beak, he was already standing at the threshold between top-tier and pinnacle combat artists. Moreover, he had killed the Blade Demon Garoro, who had been of a similar level, in the previous battle. Cassius's ability to go toe-to-toe with him when fully unleashed was the best testament to his current strength.

The three returned to Kura City but instead of going to the Tulip Antique Exhibition, they went to the Black Ops Agency's branch to gather intelligence.

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None of the remaining members of the Blood Spirit Society in Kura City had managed to escape. They were all sealed within the city. Though they vaguely sensed impending danger, none of the high-ranking members had returned to the Blood Nest, leaving them leaderless. They could only minimize their presence and hide, not even daring to hunt for blood. Fortunately, the Black Ops Agency didn't take the opportunity to conduct searches during this time, so the Blood Spirit Society wasn't completely wiped out.

On September 14 at 8 PM, dark clouds shrouded the sky. Yet, the city's streets had a bustling nightlife, with lots of traffic on the main roads. Lamps lined the streets, emitting a yellowish glow. Pedestrians dressed in various styles came and went, while five-colored neon shop signs gave off a dreamy sensation.

At the entrance of a famous night market food street, separated from the bustling area by a dark corner, three figures in trench coats stood silently, as if waiting for something. Moments later, a young man with short brown hair mingled in the crowd on one side of the food street. He had a rather unremarkable face with slight freckles.

He seemed to have matters to attend to, his gaze never lingering on the dazzling shops or the mouth-watering snacks on both sides. Instead, he walked on his own, inconspicuously reaching the middle of the food street and entering a dim alleyway to the left.

The young man moved at a steady pace, glancing sideways behind him every few steps, as if wary of being followed. After passing through the dark alley and taking a few turns, he had walked several hundred meters.

He arrived at an ordinary residential area where the hazy moonlight spilled over the roofs of houses that were pieced together like building blocks. The architectural style featured locally characteristic square and rectangular houses.

Walking in the shadows, the young man slowly approached the gate of a residence, fumbled out a key from his pocket, and unlocked the gate. After passing through the courtyard, he arrived at the front door. He cautiously turned back to glance behind him; the street outside was silent, with only fallen leaves carried by the wind.

The young man reached out and knocked on the door first. When someone inside approached, he took out a key to open the door.

Click.

When the door opened, the brown-haired young man looked at his two approaching companions, about to report the specifics as usual. However, he then saw the eyes of the two suddenly widen. Their expressions were terrified as they looked past him.

"Wh..." He lowered his gaze and suddenly saw the shadow in the hallway that had been cast all the way from the doorway by the moonlight.

Three tall human figures blocked the light, their distorted shadows growing longer and larger, resembling deformed demonic monsters. An indescribable, spine-chilling ferocity emanated from them!

***

The bright moon gradually moved across the sky as light and shadows slowly shifted. A tall figure in a black robe darted through a dark alley. Moving at great speed, each step of his boot on the ground propelled him forward like an arrow.

Clearly, he was no ordinary person. However, suddenly, the figure revealed a panicked and disheveled expression, as if fearing something pursuing him. A deeper shade of black flickered in the shadows of the alley walls behind him, chasing like a shadow.

Finally, the shadow caught up with the burly man at a corner. The man's vision went dark, losing consciousness instantly. The last thing he saw was a pair of scaly, flame-like burning wings. The next second, a hand reached out from the fiery wings and grabbed the falling man's shoulder.

Feng Liusi had merely knocked him unconscious using a rare gentle technique. He reached out to lift the man's cloak, revealing a coarse face that looked somewhat fierce. The burly man was blind in one eye, which was covered by a black bandage. He had a bold and wild demeanor, like a brute bear in the mountains.

It was the Wind Elephant Sect's fourth core member, Moses. At the same time, on the Ring River Highway, a member of the Blood Spirit Society with a slender, feminine figure and a black robe, was forced onto the riverbank.

The river shimmered silver under the moonlight. Several ships were docked on the wide, gently flowing river. The crowded buildings on the opposite bank emitted specks of light, compressed into a line between the sky and water.

"Which force are you from? Why are you targeting our Blood Spirit Society?! Aren't you afraid that President Lotus will kill you all when he returns?" A hoarse female voice came from under the black robe. Though it sounded threatening, it carried a hint of fear.

Opposite the black-robed figure, a blonde figure in a black trench coat emerged from behind the shadow of a large riverside tree. The figure's blonde hair appeared even more dazzling under the dim halo cast by the nearby streetlamp. His delicate face was lit up by light.

"Which force?" The trench-coated man gradually approached, a look of reminiscence in his brows. "Do you remember the Wind Elephant Sect? The very sect of the body you're occupying, the one annihilated by the Blood Spirit Society ten years ago..."

His words hung heavier in the air, laden with intense killing intent like a bright candle burning in the dark night.

The black-robed figure subconsciously took a step back, but the approaching Cassius didn't stop speaking, continuing to respond to the latter half of what the black-robed figure had said: "High-ranking members of the Blood Spirit Society? President Lotus? Heh heh, what a coincidence. They were all killed by me..."

"You!" The black-robed figure groaned in pain as a jade-like hand landed on her shoulder.

The fully unleashed Golem life magnetic field enveloped her body, spreading to every corner of her limbs. The Dead Blood life magnetic field was instantly crushed without any resistance, turning into streams of life vibration energy.

The energy entered Cassius's body, circulated one round, and then returned to the black-robed figure's body as it began to nourish the weak and nearly collapsing human life magnetic field. Since Dead Blood had occupied the body, it would pay its life's essence as rent.

A few minutes later, the hand on the shoulder lifted. The black-robed figure, who had lost the ability to move, fell and was caught mid-air by Cassius. The hood fell back, revealing a pale face. It was a bright and dignified face, with a scar on the left cheek. Short hair added a brisk and capable aura to her.

Gazing at the familiar face under the lamplight and moonlight, Cassius lowered his head and muttered to himself, "Teacher... Lisa..."

The damp evening breeze from the riverbank blew by, causing the trench coat's hem to flutter. A figure gradually disappeared into the shadows.

***

On September 17 at 5:30 p.m. on the outskirts of Oak City in Beiliu County, at the Wind Elephant Sect headquarters...

Everywhere one turned, it was a scene of abandonment. The iron gate had long rusted from the wind and rain, bearing a reddish-brown hue. The walls were broken, buildings were in ruins, and rubble and weeds were everywhere. Clearly, it had been desolate for a number of years.

However, the back mountains behind the Wind Elephant Sect's main building, where the youth training camp was held, were different. It had a newly carved path with footprints on the dirt trails.

Thorns climbed and weeds grew rampant on the back mountain's gentle slope. The surroundings were shrubs, with tall trunks draped in verdant vines.

Gray tombstones were neatly arranged in a clearing, each engraved with the owner's name and date of death. Several elders, the sect master, the eldest senior brother, second senior sister, third senior brother, fourth senior brother, and the tomb in the very center.

Lisa's name was slowly engraved on the tombstone. Cassius stood in the cold wind, dressed in solemn black attire. His eyelids drooped as he took a pocket watch from his bosom and gently placed it on the unburied black coffin.

Silver and slightly worn, the cover was embossed with a large cluster of acanthus leaves, and the body engraved with two blurred letters: NZ.

Standing up again, Cassius personally shoveled the soil to bury it. Then, he stood by the tombstone until the sun was about to set, before turning with his two companions to walk down the mountain.

"Goodbye, Teacher... "

Behind them, golden-red light bathed the gray tombstone as the sun set in the west. A white flower, drifting from who knows where, gently landed on the right side of the upright tombstone. Just like a girl who loved fragrant scents, pinning the white flower behind her ear.