Chapter 1053 Quickly And Cleanly
Aldo's anger completely shattered the table beneath them, causing food to fly everywhere. Luckily, there were all martial warriors and such a simple matter wouldn't dirty them.
It was only after a few minutes of raging that he finally calmed down enough to listen to his long time friend's story. But, that only lasted a while before he was sent into yet another rage.
"You bastard!" Aldo roared. "I entrusted her to you, yet you allow this to happen?! That limp dicked eunuch from the 74th quadrant has no right to lay hands on Giralda!"
"Father!" The young man grabbed his father's arm, trying to hold him back, but to no avail.
The Master was sent flying through the restaurant and into the distance.
Aldo frowned. Although he had lost himself in anger, he didn't apply more force than he thought Marco could handle. The fact his friend was so easily beaten by him proved that he had some internal injuries.
In the past, the Master was a second grade celestial, definitely among the geniuses of the martial world. To step into the 11th stage of sainthood before ascending to become a celestial was definitely a feat only the best could accomplish. However, right now, he didn't have battle prowess surpassing a mere 4th grade celestial.
For context, a 4th grade celestial would only have entered the 9th stage of sainthood before becoming a celestial. The difference was like that of heaven and earth.
The only explanation for such a drop was that his long-time friend had had 18 of his meridians directly destroyed or compromised in some form or fashion.
Violet didn't react much to her father being sent flying into the distance. In fact, she had expected as much. She only pretended to be slightly troubled so that the young man would comfort her.
"Father, think of Violet. Control your temper." The young man said resolutely, blocking his father's path.
In the distance, the Master sighed and stood up slowly, coughing up a few mouthfuls of blood. He wasn't angry. He felt that this was what he deserved.
Aldo ignored his son, pushing him to one side. "You should have come to me!" Aldo roared. "You've let her spend 200 years in suffering because of your stupid pride?! I could lay down my own, but you couldn't?! You're undeserving of her!"
Aldo's roars shook the planet. He had long since broken into the middle celestial levels, and although he was previously less talented than the Master, he was definitely far ahead of him now.
Master Ricci sighed. If Giralda chose him, a man of lesser status, over a good man like Aldo, how could he possibly be so petty when dealing with his wife's happiness?
Aldo's family was the most powerful of the 53rd quadrant, the Kong Clan. However, there were two subordinate clans nipping at their heels. If Aldo was such a good man, why would he participate in something as disgusting as Soul Market? It was obviously because his family was being pushed toward extinction due to the collaboration of those two subordinate clans.
This wasn't all, either. Even if the Kong Clan ignored all warnings to launch an attack on the 74th quadrant, there would be massive consequences for doing such a thing.
Why was it that a weak quadrant like the 98th hadn't been annexed? Wasn't the value of becoming a higher ranked clan or sect massive? Wasn't the use of faith capable of increasing the strength of a person many times over? So, why could weak quadrants survive?
It was precisely because there were checks and balances. There was a tacit agreement among all 100 quadrants to disallow conquests that didn't occur within your own quadrant. Inter-quadrant warfare hadn't happened since the Star Clan stumbled into their corner of the Cosmos.
What do you think would happen is a 53rd ranked quadrant launched an attack on the 74th? Do you believe that people would listen to Aldo's explanation? Of course not. The Kong family would be directly wiped out by an alliance of clans and sects.
Marco had already lost the love of his life, how could he drag his best friend down with him?
So, he suffered in silence, raising his daughter diligently and hoping that she would one day become strong enough to save his wife and her mother.
However, due to recent events, he felt like he was failing as a father. His daughter had become vain and pessimistic, seeing the world only as a balance and exchange of goods. She didn't even value her own body for any reason other than maintaining its "price" as high as possible.
She wasn't angered by Dyon's actions due to embarrassment and pride, but rather because she felt like Dyon had directly slashed down what her body was worth.
In the end, Aldo understood these things too. He was aware of his long-time friend's personality and knew he wasn't such a petty man, or else he wouldn't have let Giralda marry him.
That said, Aldo was still fuming. No matter how good of a person he was, how could he not think that if his love had chosen him, none of this would have ever happened?
Before any of them could say anything more, another roar broke through the skies, causing Violet's eyes to contract.
? "If that bastard Master and his bitch of a daughter don't appear within ten seconds, I'll start slaughtering your core elders one by one!"
The swarming the core pavilion of Soul Rending Peak felt their eyes contract into small pins after hearing Dyon's roar.
They were certain that Dyon's energy cultivation was only of the first essence level, however his roar… It was more powerful than a normal celestial!
'His body!' They all thought at once.
Suddenly, they felt like all of this was a little to inconceivable. How could a mere 98th quadrant have such a powerful member of the younger generation? And why did it seem like he was in conflict with their number one sect? It couldn't be that this mere 98th quadrant was stupid to the point of angering such a talent, could it?
It was then that many looked toward the Devil Cultivators and their confusion deepened.
Seeing them, they could also only think of one word: geniuses!
None of this made any sense. If there were such geniuses here, this quadrant wouldn't merely be ranked 98th. It seemed Soul Market wasn't their only secret…
It was at that point that the top-level figures of the various families began to show up one by one. First it was those of the four up and coming families, then it was the White Mother of The Cathedral, before finally, the family head of the Caedes family came back with a bright eyed Donari behind him grinning like a madman.
The White Mother frowned when she saw that it was in fact Dyon. It didn't take her long to reach the same conclusion Lilith had. However, she quickly relaxed. As long as she secretly communicated with a few members of their Soul Market council, this would be resolved easily.
However, she didn't believe it had to go that far. If she brought this up too soon, it would give them an excuse to ask for greater benefits. Although they had made a lot of profit from Soul Market since its opening, this final auction had the potential to match and directly double the profits of the last 600 years. How could she turn her nose up at that?
After this was all finished, she would directly take her cut and live out the rest of her life leisurely.
The only problem that remained was Dyon. She had to make sure that he didn't release any information about Soul Market to the public before he died, or else their lives and her picture of the future would be ruined.
"Haha," Donari laughed almost hysterically, "I knew he wouldn't die so easily. As if someone who defeated me would die so soon."
In sharp contrast to his son's reaction, the Caedes family head had a deep frown wrinkling his brow.
"Take him down." The White Mother spoke to her priests resolutely. "Quickly and cleanly. Don't give him an opportunity to speak."
The Cathedral had hundreds of saints, but only a dozen celestials. The only reason Soul Rending Peak could still be seen as their equal was because of the Master's power which surpassed even the White Mother.