Besides the scrolls, the space artifact also contained a few miscellaneous items Aksai had picked up from the Holy Land Torel.
These were the items he had no use for. But they would be considered highly valuable by regular cultivators in the Dadangar Subcontinent.
He spoke with the bride and groom for a few more minutes before deciding it was ti to leave.
"Alright then, now that I have—"
Aksai was just about to excuse himself, already half-turned to go, when a quiet voice echoed through the Spirit-imbued air.
"Aksai! Brat, co here."
He froze.
That voice carried weight. Not loud, but it made his back straighten on instinct.
He turned his head.
At the far side of the plaza, under the arched pavilion where important guests were seated, sat the Blackblood Lord.
He was surrounded by the other Core Formation Lords. Even the silent Frostbound Lord was seated there, his icy robe unmoving despite the warm weather.
Aksai felt a faint pressure settle on his shoulders.
The Core Formation Lords were not talking or laughing. They were watching. Waiting.
Aksai took a deep breath, brushing a stray strand of hair from his forehead as a way to appear calm.
He looked back at Haitin, who gave him an encouraging nod. Siya smiled as if to say good luck.
"I suppose it would be disrespectful to pretend I didn't hear," Aksai muttered and straightened his back.
With steady steps, he walked across the open space of the plaza. His footsteps were light, but his heart was heavy.
He had no idea what the Blackblood Lord wanted—but when a Core Formation Lord called, one answered. No matter who you were.
"Hahaha! Aksai brat!" the Blackblood Lord called out in a cheerful voice that rang over the gentle hum of the wedding crowd. "Co over here, don't pretend you didn't hear !"
The mont Aksai reached the front of the table, the Blackblood Lord grinned widely and patted the table's edge, gesturing for him to stand right there.
"My friends," the Blackblood Lord said, looking around at the other Lords, "this brat here is not bad."
There was a strange glint in his eyes as he looked at Aksai—half amused, half serious. It wasn't clear whether he was praising him or mocking him.
"He's quite pitiful," he continued with a tone full of fake sympathy. "Ca from a humble background with no real backing or influence. Thankfully, he ran into my son and beca friends with him. Good for him, I say."
So of the Core Formation Lords raised their brows while others nodded slightly. Aksai simply stood there, quiet, wondering where the old monster was going with all this.
"But I guess that's not his only accomplishnt," the Blackblood Lord added with a sly smile. "This brat even ca looking for and the Frostbound Lord in a… cough… let's just say a special place. He handed us a thod to break out of that cursed place."
There was a small pause. The Lords were clearly listening closely now.
"Hahah. Don't look at him that way. He was rely a delivery boy. He has no other great talent to speak of," the Blackblood Lord went on, casually waving his hand. "But he did help escape, and for that, I have decided to make him my last direct disciple."
That made Aksai blink. Even though he had suspected the Blackblood Lord would pull sothing like this, hearing it in front of everyone still caught him off guard.
The Blackblood Lord leaned back in his seat and let out a long sigh.
"He's got so accomplishnts in the Heretic Dao, so I'm hoping he at least becos a Core Formation Lord soday. I only have a few days to teach him. Let's see if I can benefit from my teachings," he said as if it was a far-off dream, sothing mildly impressive at best.
'Haah! This old monster is playing too much.'
Aksai stared at him, stunned. The words coming from the old monster's mouth were wild to say the least.
On one hand, he made Aksai sound like a below-average Spirit cultivator with no talent. On the other hand, he casually ntioned he expected him to beco a Core Formation Lord—sothing that only a handful of Spirit cultivators had managed in the last hundred years.
It was a contradiction, but Aksai understood what the Blackblood Lord was doing. This was a kind of humble brag.
By presenting Aksai as an underwhelming talent and then saying he would eventually rise to the 3rd realm, the Blackblood Lord was claiming credit in advance.
Haah! It was my ntorship that he managed to rise above his circumstances.
It was as if the Blackblood Lord had already prepared to turn himself into a ghost after his death and say such words loudly in front of anyone who could hear.
If Aksai really did beco a Core Formation Lord soday, it would reflect well on his "master's vision and guidance."
Aksai sighed internally but kept his expression calm. He didn't try to deny anything. In fact, it was probably better that his real involvent in escaping the Holy Land Torel was being downplayed. If people knew too much, it would only bring him trouble.
So, with a slight bow toward the table of powerful Lords, Aksai said politely, "I am honored, Blackblood Lord. I will try not to bring sha to your na."
The Blackblood Lord chuckled again and waved his hand. "You better not, brat. If I end up watching from the afterlife and see you ssing around, I'll co back and haunt you."
So of the other Lords gave quiet chuckles at that.
The heavy tension from earlier had faded slightly. And Aksai, though still a little uncomfortable, felt the mood shifting in his favor.
In the distance, the music from the perforrs picked up again.
The wedding celebration carried on, but Aksai could already feel that things in his life had started changing for better or worse.
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