Mystical Journey

Sitting on the high seat, Garen looked like he was paying his utmost attention on the matches, but he was really casual about it.

Glancing at the matches below, he softly asked the Gate Master about situations at the Skylark Mountain waterfall.

"First Divine Warrior should be ending his solitary period in a few days. The herbal supplements he asked us to send had been increasing. Without his summons, no one was even allowed near the waterfall."

"Looks like he’s at his critical period." Garen nodded, "I will wait for him here for three days. When you’re sending people over, please relay the message."

"No problem." Gate Master Bondi nodded. This man is a descendant of Holy Fist Palosa who took care of him when he was a kid. His talent was pretty good, but it’s still ways to go before achieving the Holy Fist Realm, being a Grandmaster of Combat.

Bondi glanced at Garen before inquiring, "Do you have any opinions on the current situation in the Confederation, Divine Warrior?"

"Why do you ask?" Garen smiled.

"I heard you have a close relationship with the higher powers of the Confederation, and also that you have an important role." Bondi answered cautiously.

"Oh? This news had been travelling fast." Garen didn’t deny.

The winner’s announcement rang once more. "Aisha Freya of the east wins!"

Garen took a quick glance below and answered nonchalantly, "I do have a role in the Confederation, but I’ve only touched a tiny part of it. I don’t know most of how they run things."

"I only need some advice," Bondi asked seriously. "Now that Southern Sky Holy Fist Gate lost our enemy, we’ve became a little lax and disjointed. Without the stress of a common enemy, some of the original sects were thinking of separating from us." He scanned Garen’s facial expression before continuing. "Right now, the situation in the Confederation wasn’t stable, I don’t think you’ve managed to get wind about the current event?"

"What current event?" Garen paid a little more attention.

"Yesterday, Weisman struck Moshi City, the military port of the Confederation’s Special Forces. Three countries landed there and launched a massacre, killing more than two hundred thousand people. Only about a hundred people were spared to clean up the corpses." Bondi’s face fell as he described the situation. "The Confederation commenced a lockdown on the news. I only found out because my disciple’s family was there. The news should spread here soon."

"Two hundred thousand!" Garen’s face stiffened. "Three countries? Which three?"

"The empires Weisman, Crimson Crescent and Talitaan, Weisman lead the genocide." Bondi sounded somber.

"Are you sure? Two hundred thousand! Not a hundred or two, not a thousand or two, but two hundred thousand!" Garen was in disbelief. "In this age when several thousand deaths could cause an outrage, two hundred thousand deaths without even a sound?"

"Completely sure!" Bondi nodded,

Garen squinted as his heart suddenly sank. No matter what happened, disturbances in the Confederation is a threat to the safety of his family and White Cloud Gate. He could ask the Sirens for help in avoiding the war, but it’s not as calming as his own country.

"Let’s not be too hasty… We’ll see how the Confederation reacts, they are not so brittle to be easily defeated."

"I hope so…" Bondi went silent.

Garen’s put his arms on the armrest, thinking about something, the atmosphere becoming heavier by the second.

The next day, Cynthia got news from her contact confirming the authenticity of the news. It can be assumed to make its way through the whole Confederation, after all, it’s not a small amount of people who were killed.

The third day after the news, the championship had arrived at its final segment.

Garen didn’t go to audit the matches. Instead, with the arrangement of the Gate Master, he arrived at a secluded hall alone.

It looked like it used to be a small chapel. A bronze statue about eight meters tall was erected in the middle of it. The scent of incense permeated the air.

Garen entered. The disciple who lead him there closed the door and left, leaving him alone in the empty hall.

The statue looked down at him, his humanoid silhouette covered with a gray hood, spikes extended from his back, casting a shade of rusticness and savagery.

Standing in front of the statue, Garen waited without speaking.

Soon, a tall thin silhouette appeared from behind the statue. He had white hair and white beard, his face was calm and kind, and he wore a gray robe like the statue. It was Palosa.

"Been a long while, Garen."

"You’ve finally retired from your hermitary. Have you made up your mind? Join us." Garen asked calmly.

"I heard you got a Mirror of Secret Texts from the Immortal Palace in Picardi?" Palosa avoided the topic, bringing up another.

"If you join us, we’ll definitely share it with you. And not only that, we have other news." Regarding Smoke Island, there’s something that even the Immortal Palace was interested in, it must not be a normal treasure. It’s also why the King of Nightmare and Andrela decided to go together. If Palosa refused to join them, this news will not be shared with Palosa.

"Isn’t crossing the boundary the only dream we have at our level? Nothing to hesitate about." Palosa agreed without much thought. As one of the strongest fighters, he didn’t have to play tricks on them. Once he gave his word, there’s no need for them to doubt him.

After all, they are only teaming up for the benefits. They would naturally disband once they gotten the benefits.

Garen told Palosa about the Promise, in case he’s still hung up on the injury he suffered last time.

"Have you fully recovered?" Garen asked, "We’ve managed to get hold of the Argent Mirror last time, this time it’s possible there are more people from the Immortal Palace, be prepared."

"Don’t worry, if even I haven’t recover, Sylphalan could only be worse." Palosa answered confidently. "If there are other things to shout about, I won’t drag you down."

"Shall we go together?"

"No need, I still have things to arrange."

"That’s fine. See you at Hilda."

"See you there."

Garen turned around and left the hall, the door closing behind him.

Palosa stared at his leaving figure until his footsteps were no longer heard before a look of seriousness crossed his face.

"This boy… He’s even stronger now… Sylphalan, I’ve prepared something big for you!"

Having left the chapel-hall, Garen could tell Palosa had recovered to his previous state, but he’s also more confident than usual. Obviously he’s prepared a trump card, which is good, the stronger your allies are in this period of chaos, the better.

After reporting his current status, Garen tabulated the loose ends he want to wrap up.

"Two to go."

He left the Southern Sky Holy Fist Gate at night in an prearranged car toward the capital of the Confederation Yangliu City.

Fenistine is there right now. According to Golden Hoop’s information, the leader of Behemoth Gate, General Black Orchid, had agreed to Garen’s private meeting request. The both of them will be meeting officially for the first time in this capital city.

Under Garen’s leadership, White Cloud Gate, Celestial Circle Gate, and Red Sand Sword Gate, as well as the whole of southern Martial Arts community have attacked Behemoth Gate countless times.

After killing Behemoth’s elite, Clark, Garen got his hands on the Blood of Eternal Life.

Furthermore, Celestial Circle Gate also utilized their sources to flush out one of the hiding places of Behemoth Gate. It is now safe to say Behemoth Gate no longer has any standing in the South.

Initially, Behemoth Gate wanted to have a formal meeting with Garen, to which Garen refused.

After that, the saga with the Argent Mirror happened in Picardi. As soon as this spread, the Behemoth Gate immediately contacted White Cloud Gate’s Intelligence department, hoping to meet with Garen.

After a few times, they even asked a high level Confederation official to be the mediator before Garen agreed to the meeting. Garen’s conditions were that it could only be a private meeting in Yangliu City and that Golden Hoop will arrange for heavy duty bodyguards surrounding the place.

Aside from the meeting with Behemoth Gate, he could also deal with Fenistine’s troubles at once.

After his return, Garen confirmed that Fenistine do need help with her situation. As a friend, he didn’t mind lending a hand, plus, it’s not that big of a deal to him.

**************

In the plane.

Under the starry night sky, blue starlights were reflected on the smooth fuselage, throwing a luster of gentle sheen like a mirror.

The four-winged military transport aircraft floated on top of a sea of cottony cloud like a black bird gliding slowly through the air. Strings of cloud zoomed past the windows occasionally, flying toward the full moon in the distance.

Garen sat in the cabin, quietly observing the blue-black sea of clouds. In the aircraft, it felt as if he’s in a world of endless cotton.

The aircraft slowly made its way through the cottony cloud. Above the aircraft was a canvas of black decorated with numerous amount of sapphires.

"Sir, your coffee." A pretty female soldier slowly handed Garen’s hot coffee to him.

"Thank you." Garen took the white ceramic cup and sniffed it. It wasn’t the best kind of coffee, but it’s already pretty lucky to be able to drink coffee in the air. "How far are we from the destination?"

"Another hour, sir!" The female soldier gave him a salute before answering.

"Can you please pass me today’s papers?"

"Please hold on."

She acquired a stack of newspaper and hung them on a hook beside Garen’s seat.

Garen casually flipped through the pages, and stopped all of a sudden as he picked out a page and started reading.

‘Military Port Massacre! Who’s Responsible?’

‘Surprise Attack at Navy Port! 200,000 Dead!"

‘Weisman Empire’s Declaration of War, "This is A War on The Systems, This is A Revolution!"