Corrupt Creations

Seth motioned with his right hand and the darkness covering them dissipated, revealing the two sorry figures inside. 

Every part of their skin was totally flayed, making they look like two raw meat bags still alive. The pain they felt was a torment that one would remember for all eternity, but they wouldn't need to bother with that, their end was drawing near. 

Tao Zhong and Tao Changming didn't have enough strength to stand up and flee. They could only squirm like worms on the ground and weakly voice their sufferings. Their whimpers were getting weaker each time, together with their ability to resist. 

"P-please... spare... me." Tao Changming begged for his life with those low sounds he was emitting. 

"Which one of you is Tao Zhong?" Seth controlled his rage, still trying to be rational. 

Seth was really mad. He didn't show it previously in order to not totally scare Meiyi, but his intent to kill them was almost tangible. He was familiar with the concept of killing intent, but it was not something able to turn real. It was an illusory feeling one would release when thinking about the death of his target. 

"I... am..." One of the two blood-covered figures, claimed to be the person Seth wanted to find. 

"Congratulations, you will live for a bit longer." 

After saying those words, Seth lit his soul energy. The Hades inheritance resonated with Tao Changming hopeless soul, making the temperature inside his body start to raise. 

Tao Changming felt like he was burning from the inside. A scalding hot sensation came from within his soul. He felt that the previous painful sensation of having his skin peeled by that dark energy was barely ten percent of what he was starting to feel now. A desire to die formed inside his mind, but he wasn't even able to voice it out. 

The pain inflicted to the soul was something that would rarely happen on a practitioner's life.

Putting into consideration that people of the Alteria continent haven't even hear of the concept of soul cultivation, these practitioners weren't even able to put up with a good defense against soul attacks. Powerful soul attacks like this one that Seth possessed, were practically overkill for them. 

Seth didn't want to waste his time torturing them, so he used the fundamental laws of the Hades manual to convert Tao Changming soul essence into energy for his own. That burning sensation Tao Changming was feeling was akin to a combustion, a process that was turning his essence into energy. 

Mere five seconds later and his body dropped lifeless on the ground. The miserable amount of soul essence Seth acquired entered his soul space, being refined into a single drop of 'water'. Even Seth didn't know that what he was doing was soul cultivation. An overbearing way to improve his soul power, but still inside the limits of what could be called soul cultivation. 

"Now it's your turn. Tell me, why... why were you after Meiyi? Is it because of that scum called Tao Yong? A pity that he is already dead." 

Seth looked towards Tao Zhong, that was trembling after witnessing the immense suffering his cousin felt moments before being brutally killed. He knew that he would end up the same way. 

Tao Yong eyes protruded to an unnatural shape as he realized that Seth might be the reason for his brother's disappearance. 

"You... killed... him." If Tao Zhong knew that such an irregular monster was the reason behind his brother's death, he would rather involve his father than going to strike on his own. 

Tao Zhong was certainly feeling fear, but for some reason there was a really arrogant countenance on his face. The arrogant gleam on his eyes were not fading at all. 

Seth took notice of that and associated it with the Cerberus clan bloodline and arts. The Cerberus clan were famous for being loyal to the royals of the devil empire and would never bow their heads to any other faction or sect. It was said that they gave their lives trying to protect the Devil Empress before she was assassinated and ended up being destroyed together with her. 

People theorized many things about the disappearance of the Cerberus clan, however only Seth knew that they were hiding like worms inside those damned caves, conducting experimentations with living and dead people. 

"How can someone like you possible possess the Cerberus clan bloodline and even partially use their fire arts?" Seth wanted to know this more than anything, it might be a clue that could lead him to one of the most hated enemies of his life. 

Tao Zhong arrogance faded and the only thing left behind was shock. 

"How... do you know... about..." Tao Zhong stopped talking. If he spoke about these things his family will be doomed. I would be better if he died and didn't reveal a single thing about this. A sudden resolute expression formed on his face. He sealed his lips tight and he vowed to not spill a single bit of information. The fear of death he had before changed into resoluteness. 

Seth could not believe the changes that happened with Tao Zhong. He would probably obtain nothing out of torturing him, however it was rather an interesting thing for Seth, since he had many other ways of obtaining information. 

His eyes glowed with soul power and he forcefully opened Tao Zhong soul, ready to search for the information himself through his soul essence. 

But right at this time, Seth heard a creep laugh, and an eerie aura appeared out of thin air. 

"Hehehe, as expected of our number one genius. You were able to find the target I was searching for all this time." 

A shadow that was lurking in the darkness suddenly arrived. It was an old man. His skin was pale and devoid of any life. Even his voice seemed to be dead. 

Tao Zhong's body vanished from its place, appearing directly on the hands of that old man. 

"I might have to thank young master for your hard work, hehehe." His mocking tone was missing the life it should have. 

Seth clenched his teeth in anger, but didn't move harshly. Valic had taken away what was possibly one of the best ways to get the information he needed from right between his hands. 

Seth could try to snatch it back, but he would be going against his "master's orders". It would be better for Seth to not reveal his cards in hand yet, and if he fought with Valic now, he would have to show some of them. 

"Since you like him, you can have him. I'm late for another appointment if you don't have anything to say."

Seth prepared to leave, ignoring Valic that was looking really ridiculous, with an unbelieving expression on his face. It did not combine with his dead looks. 

"Well, if young master does not mind, I'm taking my leave." Valic vanished with the almost dead Tao Zhong on his hands. 

Seth eyes shone with a deep blue light right after he left. 

"If I can't have the information I need, then I won't allow you to have it either." 

"You were right about not fighting it off against him. He is at the Mana Perception peak-stage realm, you would have lost." Lexi showed up to soothe Seth's mood a bit. 

"I'm a bit upset on how things ended, but I guess it was for the best. At least, this situation will delay Valic ways of dealing with me. It's bothersome to have his eyes on my back every time." 

Seth continued: "Since I pretty much resolved the situation around here, I'll immediately head to the Fire Labyrinth. Finally..." 

"To think that you ended up spending four months on this sect just for this moment... I hope you get the item you have been wanting to find all this time." Lexi sincerely wished. She knew that he had many unfinished businesses to resolve on the demon territory too, so if he could find whatever item he wanted, it would save a lot of time. 

"Alright, let's head to the middle of the vortex." 

Seth moved freely around the unguarded inner Blazing Phoenix sect territory, quickly reaching the place the other practitioners were, when the entered the labyrinth. 

He took the Fire Labyrinth token on his hand and recalled how to use it from Lilian's teachings. 

Raising it towards to center of the fire vortex, the token started to burn. A mysterious flame that didn't hurt at all started to spread, enveloping his entire body in a matter of seconds. Then, an irresistible attraction pulled him towards the vortex, making his body vanish. 

Normal teleport formations needed to be powered up in order to instant shift a person from a place to another. But the phenomenon that was called Fire Labyrinth was totally different from normal teleportation. 

Once you had the token and was admitted entry, you were basically leaving your dimension and entering another. The laws around the place were bound to change, getting totally different from the way things worked on the Lazuli star.