Chapter 154 - Triggering A Phenomenon
Kinetic energy... a simple term yet carries unlimited potential.
After learning the usefulness of kinetic energy in battle, it opened a new world for Leon and lead him back to one profound truth; only speed is unbreakable.
Speed could be converted into raw power and that power could be transferred into his attacks. As long as his body was strong enough to cope with the transference, his spear throwing attacks could reach unimaginable heights, slaying opponents beyond his level with one shot.
"I'm going to become a one-shot wonder." Leon smiled, as he inspected the condition of his arm by contracting and relaxing his muscles. "It's seems my body has become a bit stronger after reaching the 9th Layer of Body Tempering Realm. I can withstand threefold with little damage incurred. Once I reach the peak 9th Layer, I should be able to use threefold strength freely without a problem."
After finishing his inspection, Leon searched the headless body of the member from the Bloodfiend Sect.
"Damn! This person is a freaking pauper! Not even a single penny on him." Leon grumbled, before poaching some strange pills and a manual on the said body. He took a whiff of the pills and understood its usage. "This is a sort blood replenishing pill… this should be a blood enhancing pill…"
Moving his sights onto the manual, he was a bit moved. The manual was called the [Blood Refining Art]. It was a simple name, but its purpose was easily understood. Leon rubbed his chin in contemplation. To say he wasn't interested in learning it, he would be lying.
The reason blood cultivators were despised was because they were unscrupulous in their pursuit of power, murder innocent mortals indiscriminately. Humans weren't the only race with red blood flowing in their veins either. The beast race had much stronger physique than humans and would naturally have stronger blood vitality as well.
If he could resolve the grievance and resentment aura and stop it from corrupting his mind, he would have no hesitation in learning the [Blood Refining Art] to strengthen his body.
"I'll store it away for now." Leon tossed the pills and manual into his Worldspace and proceeded to return to Blackwillow Town.
…
At midnight, the streets of Blackwillow Town was devoid of life as the town was shrouded in the darkness of the night and the gloomy clouds blotted out the moon from showering the town in its cascading light.
Blackwillow Town was not like the Upper District of the Capital, where the streets are bustling with activities day and night all year round. At Blackwillow Town, all residents and visitors retire early to their sleeping chambers.
Midnight was the point of time, when the forest was at its coldest and the howls and screams of spirits can be heard coming from the forest. There were reported cases, where people have gone missing within the safety of the town's wall. Many believed that the vengeful spirits of the forest roamed the streets at night and spirited away those people. Due to that belief, no one dared to step foot outside at night.
However, on the second floor of an inn, light could still be seen radiating outside through the open windows.
KNOCK KNOCK*
The knock on the door, roused Nina awake. It appeared she had fallen asleep over at the candlelit table at some point. "Who is it?"
"Esteemed guest, I am the innkeeper of this inn. I'm just here to kindly remind you to close the windows and turn off the lights. It is dangerous around this time of the night and people tend to go missing if they wonder outside." The innkeeper said courteously. In truth, his reminder was one of selfishness rather than kindness. He didn't want his inn to attract misfortune.
"Oh?" Nina was surprised as she was not a local and did not know about the town's superstitions, but she soon nodded in understanding. "I see. Thank you for the reminder."
She arrived by the windows and prepared to shut it, when the silhouette of a person could be seen walking on the dark streets.
"Hmm?" Nina intended to pass on the reminder to the fella out of good will, but soon realized who it was. Her cherry lips rose up into a crescent smile. "Your high… Leo, over here!" She hollered. She almost blurted out 'your highness' but managed to stop halfway.
Receiving Nina's call, Leon floated over and entered the room through the window. Seeing she was alone, he asked. "Where are the others?"
"They have all left. This place was too dangerous to stay."
Listening to her reply, Leon nodded. "That's understandable. The waters of Blackwillow Town is surprisingly quite deep." His soon knitted his brows and said, "If I recalled, you were the timidest one in the group. Why are you still here when the others have already left?"
His reminder made Nina blush in shame. She didn't want to recall the moment when she had to pathetically beg the ex-team leader for mercy. As an offspring of the Baron-level Lowell family, she had her pride as a noble. But under the threat of death, she had to pathetically beg the ex-team leader for mercy. The events had become a stain on her life; however, she did not blame Leon for bringing it up.
"I… since everyone was leaving, I volunteered to stay back to wait and hand over your share of today's hunt to you, your highness." Nina said with her head lowered, while passing a bag of money to Leon.
"I see. Thank you. Hmm...since you know I am royalty, you should also know I don't lack this bit of money, right?" Leon said, but he still accepted the money.
Nina's lips twitched at the contradicting words and action of the prince. However, she put on a smile and said humbly, "Yes, yes, you're right, your highness. But this money belongs to your highness, as the team has agreed on upon before we had set out to hunt. No one would dare to take the money of royalty."
Although Leon neither admitted nor denied his status, his lack of reaction towards her form of address was taken as silent admittance. Under that assumption, it strengthened her belief that her choice to stay behind was the best choice she made.
There were two reasons why she still had courage to stay behind and wait for the prince. Firstly, she thought it would be safe enough inside the town. Secondly, she wanted to establish a connection with the royal family.
Within the upper class, establishing connections with other nobles and royalty was beneficial towards one's business and provide a form of protection. More often than not, the rise and fall of a family was dictated by the extent of their connections. As such, it was quite common for nobles to host banquets and social gatherings for the purpose of establishing these connections.
Leon could read her intentions like an open book. He did not despise these types of people as this was what the weak had to do in order to survive. However, he did not like it either. That's why, he would rather not make his status public to avoid this type of situation.
"Since I have taken my share, I shall be leaving now." Leon intended to exit through the window he entered with.
"W-Wait, your highness!" Surprised, Nina tugged on his clothes and blushed. "All the places offering accommodations are closed at this time. How about you stay here for the night, your highness?"
Her suggestion made Leon silent, as he quietly observed her expressions. Under his gaze, Nina began to lower her head as her face flushed with shyness. "If… If you wish, I could serve you for tonight, your highness." She said coyly.
If this was in the past, he would have gladly accepted what was offered to him on a silver platter. However, he was no longer interested in such casual relationships. Sex without feelings was rather dull.
"Not interested."
Leon left after leaving behind his cold reply. Nina was actual relieved after Leon left. She wasn't a casual woman like she appeared to be.
As the second eldest daughter of Baron Haldren, she was also required to pull her weight for the rise of the family.
Strangely, there was also some traces of disappointment in her heart. She did not feel humiliated for being rejected and felt some admiration for the prince instead.
When Leon left, he flew out of town to a secluded hill to cultivate, as sleep could be replaced with cultivation, plus it was more productive.
"Let's find out the extent of this heavenly treasure's ability."
The Book of Life materialized on top of his palm and began to draw in all the energy of heaven and earth from the surrounding. Its capacity for absorption was alarming, whipping up a storm as all energy within a 100-mile radius of him was visibly stirred. The energy of heaven and earth funnelled into the Book of Life from the sky like a descending tornado.
Strangely, such a large change in the sky did not alarm the common populace in the surrounding under the veil of the night. Only the high-level Awakeners that was relatively sensitive to energy was able to sense the change.
Leon was great startled as he had not anticipated the Book of Life to trigger such a grand phenomenon. He quickly ended the absorption and recalled the Book of Life back into his soulcore, before disappearing from the location.
A few minutes later, several figures began arriving one after another from all directions.