Born in Blood



Obviously, there was no such nightmare creature inside the small torture room. It was a freakish apparition that Liam had conjured up from mental energy.

But Crimson Tiger didn't know that. 

He screamed and screamed until he could no longer. 

Cracks formed on the man's mental sphere… before eventually shattering. 

He had killed himself.

…

Liam remained silent.

He had just killed a Zenith. A significantly weakened Zenith, but still.

Granted, it wasn't really fair, or even a fight, but the method of killing was what amazed him.

Liam had killed the man using fear alone!

Just fear!

For regular humans, this was possible.

They could die from heart-attacks that came from sudden jumpscares or when faced with terrifying situations.

But this was a Rank 4 Zenith!

Someone who had triumphed over all three Tribulations and attained massive power!

And Liam had made the man kill himself.

'Fear is also a tool,' Liam realized, looking at the limp Zenith. 'I've never really used it that way before.'

Well, on more than one occasion, he did.

Just not intentionally.

'Maybe I should start taking it more seriously.'

///

Pretty soon, the short reprieve the Temple had was over and done with.

Liam made himself useful during that period, focusing a bit more with his Shadow.

Not only was it the key to figuring out his body-tempering method, it was also connected to his recreation of the Ravenous Leash Arts.

More importantly, he focused more on Darkening it, rather than enlarging.

Now, his Shadow was a little larger than his entire body.

He could swim under the ground with ease.

Shadow Teleportation was obviously harder, but Liam would eventually figure that out too. 

Meanwhile, the Psionic Rune was an utter pain.

Liam could only work 20 minutes with it at a time!

It swallowed gobs of his mental energy, not to mention, he was forced to rest right afterward, which was something he hated to do.

And it barely expanded his mental sphere!

Nevertheless, he did his best to extend training with that shrewd rock.

By the end, the second attack was ready to be executed.

Liam left his quarters and joined the underground groups. 

He wore his finest clothes for the occasion.

By 'finest', it obviously meant the strongest – the black wrappings were a peak Rank 2 item that could block low-ranking spells with relative ease.

Soon after, the Elders began the briefing.

Firstly, there wasn't the same scale of inscribed items available as before. 

They had used most of them to kill the 12 Zeniths, which stripped off most of the Ravenous Leashes forces.

Now, there were only 6 Elders left to battle.

But fighting on their turf? It was way more dangerous than an ambush.

And, well, there was the Clan Patriarch to consider.

There were massive plots of land that they needed to navigate through without knowing too much about the landscape, what Formations they contained, and what dangers were lying in wait.

However, it wasn't like they were going in blind.

From what they knew, there were several Beast Grounds, where massive amounts of wild Rank 3 creatures were being stored.

Even Rank 4 Spirit Beasts were stored.

The Leashes were the only Sector capable of inventing powerful chains that held those specimens together.

That was an attack point for the Temple.

They would release those creatures first to add a chaotic element to their raid.

Honestly speaking, they needed all the help they could get.

It was a battle between around 3,000, and roughly 9,000 cultivators.

This raid wouldn't finish in a single night.

There was no doubt in Liam's mind that it would last until morning, if everything went well.

That monolithic lion statue erected in the center of the large-size Sector was going to be the rallypoint for all the acolytes to navigate around.

"None of you must approach the statue. It is where their Patriarch, Wild Fang, lives," Elder Verium spoke sternly. 

That was the first time Liam heard the man's name.

"...And he's a Rank 5 cultivator."

Silence.

Liam blinked.

Everyone else was just as dumbfounded as him for a few seconds.

Rank 5?

Wait… Rank 5?!

Slowly, Liam's eyes widened with shock.

They chose to keep that hidden until now?!

Why?!

Liam's hair rose to no end.

A single leap in the Zenith Ranks was no small matter.

A full Rank 5 cultivator could probably butcher a hundred Rank 4's, and still have the strength remaining for a dozen more.

Despite the chaotic and slightly fearful atmosphere that spread throughout the underground, the Elders didn't share the same look.

Then, Liam realized it.

He realized why they were so calm.

He realized why they were orchestrating this reckless attack in the first place.

The Unforgiven Shadow was a Rank 5 cultivator!

"Once Master Usan comes out, run."

Usan.

That was the Unforgiven Shadow's name.

"Run as far and wide as you can from their battle and don't look back. It's between life and death."

"I hope everyone understood my words clearly," Verium quickly glanced at Liam from the side, then shifted his gaze back at the group. 

"If there's nothing else, we can move."

"May our Shadows devour their light."

In unison, everyone left the underground.

This was the final, and most important battle for the Temple so far.

Truthfully? 

Liam was worried.

And simultaneously excited.

He was going to witness a battle between existences that were far beyond what he had seen.

What wasn't exciting about that?

///

Since the entire eastern side was occupied by the Leashes, it didn't matter where the Temple attacked.

They could come from the ocean sides, the cliffs, and covertly from the front, disguised as tradesmen.

Groups were made for each line of attack, and Liam chose to come from the ocean side.

Him and countless other Shadows were swimming beneath the cold, tumultuous ocean. 

The moon shone as always, painting the folding waves silver. 

Wind blew.

Shhhhhhhh.

Liam could see straight through the dark waters, his eye emitting a dulled yellow glow.

Him and everyone else were more than 30 meters deep, holding their breaths with no discomfort whatsoever.

Eventually, the Sect walls grew visible.

And so, the attack on the Leash Sect began.