Chapter 211 - A Heart's Loyalty

With bolts of wild lightning crackling around the Ancestor's body, the ear-shattering sound of thunder exploded into the Patriarch and Calron's ears.

Unfazed by the Ancestor's display of power, the woman calmly stopped in front of the group and cheerfully waved her hand. If not for the woman's similar aura to the Ancestor, Calron would have thought that the stranger before them was mentally disabled.

"Men are so impulsive! The moment they see someone they don't like, out come the showing off the muscles and puffed-up chests. Hmm, so you're the kid who turned this whole city upside down, eh? Don't worry about Mori-mori over there; he's just mad I left him half a century ago."

The woman turned to Calron while ignoring the bolts of lightning and winked at him mischievously.

"Mori…mori?"

Calron bunched his face together, confused as to whom the woman was referring to.

"Shut up! My name is Morain!"

The Ancestor roared with bright-red cheeks. It was kind of unsettling to see an expert cultivator on the Ancestor's caliber blus.h.i.+ng in front of people.

"Pfft."

The Patriarch snorted at the woman's reference but quickly switched to a poker face the moment Morain glanced back at him.

"What do you want with us?"

Calron inquired calmly. He figured if the woman had any intention of attacking, she would have sneaked up on them instead of arriving from the front.

"Maybe, there's some hope for you yet."

She laughed at Calron, ignoring the still seething Morain at the side.

"Answer the kid, Xin. We don't have time to waste."

The Ancestor withdrew his essence and scowled at the woman.

"Tch, fine. I sensed your energy from my clan's tower and came here to investigate what brought the famous Morain to the outside world. You weren't at the mansion, so I waited here while searching for your soul within the city. Of course, you would suppress your energy, and I couldn't locate it until you finally leaked a bit of it a few minutes ago."

Xin twirled a strand of her hair playfully as she told the group her story.

"I wondered what you were doing there, and so I listened in on the exchange going on between this one and the other Lords. He's got some b.a.l.l.s on him… Unlike a certain someone else."

The woman pointed at Calron and later gave Morain the dark eye.

"You left me, not the other way around."

The Ancestor retorted in a bitter voice.

"I left because you thought there were other things more important than our relations.h.i.+p. Anyways, I came here to warn you about the others. They'll have detected your presence by now, and once they hear about the Raizel clan's betrayal, all of them will barge into the clan."

Xin glared at Morain.

I'm glad I never got involved with a girl… Wait, her name is Xin? As in 'Xin' Tower clan that Sela is from?

As Calron was inwardly contemplating, the woman's name struck a chord in his memories. Now that he looked more closely at the woman's facial features, they were akin to Sela, especially her dark hair.

"Ancestor, if what Lady Xin says is true, we must hurry up and prepare the clan to leave the city."

The Patriarch lightly bowed his head to the woman and turned to face Morain.

"I have already informed the other Elders to begin the preparations. I hope to avoid a battle, but if the Lords of the city want it, then we cannot deny them."

Morain stated confidently, dauntless at the prospect of facing the other clans.

"You're really leaving then…"

Xin softly mumbled to herself.

"Quen, go to the clan's treasury and store all the cultivation scrolls and resources into as many spatial rings or bracelets you can find. Take Calron with you as well."

Morain gazed into Xin's eyes and ordered the Patriarch without taking his sight off the woman.

What happened between these two?

Calron wanted to say it aloud but knew it was not the right moment.

"Understood."

The Patriarch grabbed Calron by the shoulders and rushed down to the ground and into the Raizel clan's courtyard.

"Did you forget why we all stayed locked up all these years, Mori? Our enemy is not the city, but an ent.i.ty far more dangerous than any we've ever faced. I'll talk with the King and force him to pardon you and your clan."

Xin abruptly changed her earlier tone into a gentler one once both the Patriarch and Calron left.

"The city and its rulers have changed far too much to stand united against the threat we'll face in future, Xin. You and the others have already turned a blind eye to the corruption and greed spreading amongst the n.o.bles. If we want to change our future, then the city must be cleansed. Or we can build a new city without the Lords."

Morain answered coldly.

"You rather fight against the other Ancestors and risk everything we've built here than excusing the Lords of their corruption? This is madness, Mori! Will you sacrifice everything for your clan!?"

Xin raised her trembling voice.

"Our clan is not like others, Xin. It took me decades to realize this until one kid finally opened my eyes to it. I cannot sit idly by and ignore the direction this city is going in. The Raizel clan will take action, and we will also protect the ones who deserve it."

Morain whispered with a slight smile on his face and gently tucked Xin's stranded lock of hair behind her ear, before turning around and about to descend to the ground.

"This is the second time you've broken my heart."

Xin cried out at Morain's back.

"I never had a heart to share with you, Xin. My heart belonged to the clan the moment I was born."

Morain's faded voice traveled to Xin's ears as his figure vanished from the sky.

"b.a.s.t.a.r.d…"

A teardrop rolled down Xin's cheek as she turned around and left the area. The direction she was heading in was towards the Royal Palace.

"You should pack your things as well, Calron. I'll send out a clan-wide telepathic message once the Elders are ready, and we'll begin departing the city at dawn."

The Patriarch patted him on the back and swiftly rushed towards the Elders' residences.

I don't have many things I own…

Calron thought as he headed towards his hut. It was a long day, and he wanted to take a much-needed nap after yesterday's sleepless night.

"Oh s.h.i.+t!"

Calron cursed out when he suddenly remembered about the Azure Pavilion shop. In their new city, the ex-slaves won't have much money to spare for the expensive G.o.d Tiles, and without their sales, Calron won't have any incoming finances.

I should contact Matias.

Calron made a mental note to look for the Outlaw Sect Elder after the clan left the city.

As Calron searched through his memories to see if he forgot anything else of importance, he heard several voices coming from the inside of his hut.

"He's here!"

One of them shouted the instant Calron arrived a few meters away from the entrance.

"Guess I'll save that nap for later."

Calron sighed and entered the hut.