The Exalt [Cultivation Fantasy]

Cheers and applause resounded everywhere as the City Lord Aldric Inron floated down to the center of the large stage, keeping his greatsword upright against the floor in his firm grip. His stoic and tall figure in the armor almost gave the illusion of him being a statue, always at the ready with his sword by his side. In a firm, powerful voice, his words silenced everyone's cheers. "History. History is what defines us. We move to and from any place, never forgetting where we come from and those who came before us. Now in this coliseum, we shall witness history unfold. The ones who shall carry the weight of the past on their shoulders and bring the future to the next will make their mark here. And we will watch as they take those steps to become heralds of their time. Welcome, everyone…to Convecia City.

Everyone gave loud applause after Aldric finished speaking. Oscar and Avril couldn't help themselves from clapping, not only to blend in but also because the speech stirred something in him. Oscar felt Aldric's words carried a heavy responsibility, not only to his position as City Lord but also to the younger generation, further evident by how he welcomed each participating faction and shook the hands of their students. Perhaps, Aldric was not involved in the kidnappings. Oscar thought as the City Lord waved a final goodbye before returning to his seat.

"That speech was amazing," Oscar said to Avril, loud enough for the others around him to hear, particularly the group from the Pavilion's enemies. "I can tell he truly cares about the younger generation, and rightly so. There is nothing more precious than that." He hoped one of them might be attracted by those words. He recalled Fenu mentioned how no matter what, his thoughts were always about the future of the Ashwolf Clan, especially during the war. These outsiders certainly held the same sentiments, caring for their homes and children.

"You're right about that. Are the two of you a married couple?" The man next to him, wearing the Undying Flame Sect uniform, laughed with a drink in his hand.

He got him! Now he needed to ride this momentum. Oscar smiled back with a cup of juice while embracing Avril with his free hand. "Yes, she is my beloved wife. Recently married."

"Your wife is quite beautiful. You're quite lucky for that face of yours." The man stared at the two cups and grinned. "No alcohol. Is there some special occasion?"

"You guessed it." Oscar leaned in with a bright smile, following the man's assumptions. The real reason they didn't drink alcohol was that he didn't want to make a scene here from drunkenness. "We're expecting, and so we're traveling back to her home south to give her family the good news."

"Ahaha. Congratulations to the two of you. Having children is a blessing. I remember my little boy when he was born. What a loud one he was, kicking and screaming. My advice is to be patient. It's a second job that's nonstop even when they become adults." The man stretched out his hand for a greeting. "My name is Arinn Flint. Nice to meet you."

"Desmond Grant, nice to meet you. My wife, Asher Grant." Oscar gestured toward Avril. He used his Azure Sea Company's first division and tenth division captain's names, who were also a happily married couple. "Are you residents of Convecia? It is a beautiful place, perfect for raising a kid, especially under the great City Lord."

"No. We come from afar. Here on some business and to enjoy the city. As you said, it's quite beautiful and prosperous. I would love to have my family live here." Arinn lifted a cup and clinked his against Ocsar's and downed the drink with a loud sigh. "Our three powers are fighting against a fearsome enemy that threatens to swallow all of us." The smile faded, replaced by a deep frown, as Arinn clenched his fists, showing the veins underneath, and gnashed his teeth. "We've lost so much against them, but we will be victorious. We cannot allow their evil influence to spread. But I fear for my family. I also went on this mission to secure a house for them to live in."

"Evil? Who is this enemy of yours?" Oscar asked with bated breath. He wanted to know about his home.

"The worst kind. I feel bad coming here to enjoy these peaceful festivities while my home struggles. If I can take my child here, it would be great." Arinn gazed down at the stage and pointed. "Looks like it's going to start soon. Did you place any bets, Mr. Grant?"

The conversation was lost, steered away from the main topic, but Oscar no longer pursued it, his face turning to face the stage where several groups went up. "No. I have not. My wife and I aren't from this continent, so we lack the knowledge to gamble. The odds are one thing, but having all the details is better."

"Really now?" Arinn ordered several other drinks. "I'm quite familiar with them, so let me explain." He explained the six factions, the King Exalts who ruled them, and the details about some of their latest generations. Oscar suspected how Arinn was so well-versed in the six factions. Even if one had a general knowledge, Arinn didn't pause and went into in-depth explanations to give Oscar a better chance at winning his gambles. The degree of knowledge was concerning.

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After everything was said, Arinn smiled and patted Oscar on the back with cheers. He wasn't a bad person, as Oscar thought. A brief image of another person passed through his mind, Orden Aesn, his bitter rival from Ashen Grove and one he could consider a good acquaintance. He glanced down at his hands, remembering all that he had done. Killing the girl and her friends in the ruined village under Oen Fortress with Austin, leading a rebellion that led to many lives lost in the Burning Valley, and now deceiving a man who seemed friendly and good-natured were all bloody affairs. Oscar closed his eyes and sighed, feeling the weight of his actions. In the end, the only difference was that they grew up in different places, driven by desperation and survival.

'Sorry, Arinn. I'll have to keep making use of you.' Oscar sipped from his cup, now wishing it really was alcohol to numb the regret of what he'd had to do later. Avril nudged him from the side, giving him a worried glance. He smiled weakly and caressed her hair.

"The two of you are quite daring in public." Arinn teased with a wide smile. "My two wives would kill me if I tried it with either of them in public."

"Two wives? You must be quite wealthy to have more than one." Oscar didn't expect this.

"As an elder, I have quite the charm. One was my arranged marriage, and the other was my childhood friend. Somehow we made it work and live well." Arinn bashfully scratched his head, looking like an idiot. "It was quite messy at first, I'll admit, but it all settled down."

"Well, congratulations to you for such a wonderful married life." Oscar lifted a glass and nodded.

"And a toast to the same for you. Now let's stop the talk and enjoy the action." Arinn down his cup and focused on the battles below. The first event was a battle royale of group battles, five in each group. The young Exalts fought bravely with all their might, displaying their brilliance for the cheering crowd. The second event was a contest of alchemy and fabrication with Hector and Helen as the judges for their respective professions. Weirdly, they gave each other strange gazes before turning away from each other in a huff.

The day finally ended, and Oscar bid Arinn farewell and walked away.

"Erden." Erden hurried out of his clothes at his call, coated in a grade-three invisible elixir. It would be hard to sense him following Arinn in this mass crowd. Part of the plan was to get some information through casual conversation, but the bulk was to get close and have Erden follow them in his small form with invisibility.

It was bright at night; Oscar and Avril roamed the city, having fun and pretending to be busy in case anyone followed them. As he sat down in a restaurant to eat with Avril, he finally had a moment to see through Erden's eyes. Erden was crawling, covered in dirt, and following the group of men as they went into a remote building under the cover of night. No one would be able to get in close without being spotted.

'I'll have to fly up.' Erden closed his eyes to sense their steps within the building. They were prudent enough to mask their scent and roam aimlessly several times to cover their tracks, but they could never expect him. Small antler wings sprouted from his back, and Erden flew up silently. He landed near a window and leaned in to listen closely.

"Arinn. What are you doing, getting so close to that stranger? What if he's a spy from the Pavilion?" Arinn's counterpart from the same sect scolded.

"He seems to be a good person, but I didn't reveal anything about our purpose here. I gave him a hint, and if he comes lurking around, we'll know. However, from what Gaius says, Desmond and his wife are enjoying the festival at this moment." Arinn scoffed and waved off his partner. "I'll try to see him tomorrow and probe his intentions. If there are none, he'll be a good friend."

'Sounds like they already suspect you. Good call on just sending me.' Erden knew Oscar was watching from his eyes.

'It's a shame. He's a good person, just fighting for the opposite side.' Oscar sighed deeply in Erden's mind. 'They haven't sensed you yet?'

'Perks of being a Mythical Exalt Beast. Our Ein is also akin to nature itself, so it's hard to sense me out unless I unleash it or someone stronger than me is here. Tort used it so many times to hide while I rampaged around.'

"Have any replies come?" They continued speaking inside.

"All the same. The six factions are quite stubborn. They won't send any resources or troops without proper assurance of payment. Our promise of sending them resources after we secure the Divine Essence and the war is not very convincing. They want something tangible now."

"Typical. I'm sure we're all thinking the same thing. Who will take charge of the Divine Essence after the Pavilion is gone? That's the question on everyone's mind. We'll have to send word to our leaders to iron out a plan."

"And what of the other one? They seem keenly interested in the war and only ask for all the prisoners of war and conquered citizens."

"I'm not very sure about them." Arinn shook his head. "Why would they want people rather than resources? Sounds suspicious."

"They have already shown us the extent of what they can send us and sent us a portion already. It will greatly help the war effort. What's the matter about sending them the losers? We need to win this war." They argued more about the proper course and ultimately agreed to talk with this strange faction outside the six factions.

'This is bad.' Erden leaned closer to listen about the details of this unknown benefactor when he felt a chill run down his spine. A maniacal laugh entered his ear as the wind stabbed toward him from nowhere.

"Who's snooping around in here?"

Erden rolled away from the strike, still invisible thanks to the elixir. A graceful woman stood before him, staring down with bright yet eerie teal eyes and a wide smile. Her sky-blue hair fluttered freely around, showering in the moonlight. The most prominent feature was her missing arm, replaced by a blade while her remaining arm gripped something invisible.

'Gail Wunther?' Oscar remembered this maniacal person from Ashen Grove.

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