171-180

Chapter 171 - An Admission Of Guilt.

Gregory's eyes widened as the ricocheted Cosmic Attack hit him in the small of his back and sent him flying into the Dome boundary.

This time, he did not try to resist the repulse and fell to the ground. Once he made contact with the ground, he rolled over quickly from fear that Hal would take advantage.

But Hal did not.

Instead, he slashed his sword again and sent another cosmic attack at the Dome.

Gregory gritted his teeth and quickly made to dodge the ricochet Cosmic attack and he succeeded...

*Bang!*

...only to be hit in the back by another Cosmic attack altogether.

Gregory was so confused that he could not help but pause and look around and it was at that moment...

*Bang* *Bang* *Bang*

...that more of Hal's ricocheted Cosmic attacks hit him from all sides. Such that, when one attack propelled him forward, another would knock him back.

Hal simply sneered as he stood in place and made very precise calculations to strike cosmic attacks at the Dome barrier and let said barrier take care of throwing those attacks at Gregory.

Before long, Gregory's entire body was covered in cuts and bruises.

As mentioned earlier, the Cosmic attacks become less effective upon ricochet and so one of them was not life-threatening and was something Gregory could shrug off.

However, the same could not be said for multiple Cosmic attacks.

What annoyed Gregory the most was that Cosmic attacks were from the Cultivators Cosmic energy supply and as such, they were ammunitions that were finite and could be used up.

The way Hal was making use of them, while effective could still be tagged as wasteful. After all, most of the attack's effectiveness was lost upon contact with the Dome.

As this thought came to Gregory he could not help but smile. Surely all he needed to do was wait out Hal's eventual run out of Cosmic energy or at least until his son realized how wasteful he was being and let up.

It was at such a moment Gregory planned to attack.

If only he knew that, unlike a normal Cultivator, Hal's Cosmic Pearl was quite large and as such the volume of Cosmic energy the younger man could store up was nothing to be scoffed at.

Soon, Hal stopped his Barrage of ricocheting Cosmic attacks. An act Gregory was quick to interpret as him finally at his limit.

Then Gregory laughed and unleashed the pressure of his Cultivation base, so much so that Melinda and Rita in the Valley could feel it.

So could the still-battling Payne forces who chose to ignore it and continue the struggle.

Along with the release of the full extent of his cultivation base, Gregory quickly condensed an immense cosmic attack that made use of his cultivation base in its entirety.

The condensing was so fast that it made use of the space of a second when Hal was fazed by the mighty pressure to begin its approach

So much so that Hal could not possibly dodge it. Neither did he attempt to do so.

*BOOOOMMMMM!!!*

So great was the explosion that the Dome actually distorted from its force and couldn't even completely keep the blast's effects away from Castor and Burt on the outside, who quickly took measures to protect themselves.

Even though a part of him wished to rejoice that Hal could not have possibly survived as much a blast, another part of him defied reason and told him to begin to prepare himself to attack again.

Gregory listened to that part of his mind and began to condense another Cosmic attack, unlike the one he had just released, this was not going to result in an explosion.

In analogy, the Cosmic attack he just sent to Hal could be called a bomb while the one he now condensed could be likened to a powerful sniper bullet.

Not as destructive but quite deadly in its own right.

"Amazing" called Hal's voice from within the explosion cloud.

He was not saying that to mock Gregory, he truly meant it. This sort of attack was one Hal doubted San Fidwud could have been able to accomplish despite being in the peak stage of the Cosmic Armament Realm.

That was not to say San was weak, as Gregory had obviously added his own flair to that attack.

And the fact that he could still have enough left to start condensing another dangerous attack, was enough for him to earn Hal's admiration.

That said, Hal still planned to beat him senseless.

Gregory groaned in annoyance once he heard Hal's voice and as soon as the voice sounded, the Explosive cloud simply disappeared and Hal was visible once again... surrounded by the Dark fog that had been seeping from his body earlier.

Except that this time, it was in a much larger volume and seemed to have been what had shielded Hal from the Explosive Cosmic attack.

Gregory looked into Hal's Dark eyes and still shivered, so much so that he had to look away.

Hal sneered and raised his Cosmic Armament to point it at Gregory and then slashed diagonally.

The slash sent a crescent-shaped dark fog attack at Gregory who was shocked by the speed it traveled and quickly attempted to dodge.

Even then, the attack still grazed him and left a deep wound behind.

"Kek" Gregory made a frustrated sound as he felt the graze.

Still, he managed to toss the newly condensed Cosmic attack at Hal who simply waved his Cosmic Armament which was now veiled thinly by Dark fog to deflect the attack and smack it into the ground, where it left a large crack.

The manner of ease Hal had used to deflect the attack made it seem as though, at that moment, he was untouchable.

Gregory's eyes widened but he refused to accept that this was how it would end.

Quickly he retrieved Rank 3 Runes from his spatial pouch, which must have been from his secret stash and tossed them all at Hal.

Hal narrowed his eyes. Gregory was surely not stupid enough to believe this was enough to stop him.

He created a shield purely out of Astral Energy and negated the effects of the Runes (which had all being explosive),

"What is it with you and Explosions?" Hal tsked before he noticed Gregory was no longer where he should have been.

The whole thing had been a Distraction!

And the Payne Patriarch had used it to sneak up on Hal from behind... Or so he thought.

For when Gregory came out with his Purple Broadsword raised and ready to strike down at Hal, the younger man turned and grinned at him like an old friend,

"Oh there you are" He said and every skin on his body that Gregory was privy to, turned Scarlet as he grabbed Gregory by the Jaw and smack him into the ground...

"Bang!*

*Crack!*

...so hard that it cracked the ground.

Then, with his hand still holding Gregory's jaw tightly and the older man still struggling, Hal lifted and released him, only to put enough distance between them and kick Gregory's midsection...

*Multiple cracks!*

*Bang!*

... So much so that the man could feel several of his ribs fracture from the impact while the kick smacked him all the way to the other side of the Dome, right into the Dome barrier.

He lay crumpled on the ground, his hands holding his midsection tight, struggling to breathe and occasionally spouting Blood.

It was while he lay there, awaiting the sweet release of death that he had some sort of Epiphany.

Here he was laying in the ground, very much alive and struggling to stay that way and yet Hal did not make a move.

He chanced a look and saw that Hal's skin was back to normal and he was just watching Gregory on the floor with his piercing sapphire blue eyes.

Hal did not want to kill him!

That was the only explanation that made sense to him, except if Hal simply wanted him to suffer.

Either way, Gregory saw an opportunity to strike at Hal and take advantage of his complacency.

He managed to rise to his knees and bear with the pain when he realized that Hal was already right in front of him.

"Oh, Greggy. By now, you should have realized, I have no real interest in killing you. If you want to take advantage of that, then think again, because from the very start, you were going for the kill and I wasn't,

And yet it still ended up like this. If you try to take 'advantage' now, it won't change the outcome..."

Then Hal lowered his voice to a whisper that made him sound eerie, but all those at the Cosmic Armament Realm could still hear him.

"... So give up"

It was as though Gregory deflated and lost all his will.

Somehow, those words crushed him more than Hal's blows.

Here he was, the Lord of Payne Estate and Patriarch of the Payne Family, beaten to a pulp and being told to... give up.

And yet, what other choice did he have other than to give up?

"So I can't avenge Rad?" he couldn't help but voice out in despair.

Hal shook his head without an ounce of pity in his eyes,

"No, you can't. Besides, we both know that while I dealt the final blow, deep down, you don't believe I killed him" Hal said.

Gregory gulped,

"Yes. It was me. I killed him. If I want to avenge him. There is only one thing for me to do..."

He said and made to kill himself with his Broadsword when a Rune (Bind) slammed into his chest and forced him to freeze in place.

"Who said you could kill yourself?

I'm not done with you yet, Gregory Payne"

Chapter 172 - Gregory's Punishment.

Gregory attempted to struggle against the Bind but stopped quickly once he realized it was practically impossible. He hung his head in a destitute manner.

In the haze of his emotional turmoil, he even forgot to mention the sudden realization he was starting to have...

Hal barely spared him a glance as the Dome barrier that surrounded the two of them faded and he walked to the edge of the hill to peer down at the valley where so many of the Payne forces still lost their lives.

Hal could easily see his Blood knights take advantage of the situation and reap Blood essence to increase their strength and he was proud to see they were that sensible.

That said, he telepathically ordered them all to stop and they all stepped back and became observers.

In the seconds it would take for the desperate men to realize there were some of them simply standing and doing nothing, Hal leaped away from the Hill and down into the valley of fighting men.

Despite the Dome that should have blocked all entry from the outside, he entered as easily as though it were not there and still left it intact.

In truth, the fact that he drew the Rune should have made such a thing possible but it would not have been as easy as that, after all, someone else's Cosmic Energy was used to activate the Array and it had now become their sole property.

This was the whole basis that the sale of Arrays were based on.

After all, where was the security when you buy an Array and make use of it only for the Runemaster you purchased it from to simply waltz in?

It would be an avenue for so many successful conspiracies.

So Arrays that are for sale have their connection to the Runemaster who drew them, cut off to stop such situations.

Hal on the other hand would never completely sever his connection with any Array he drew and he prided himself on sneaking the connection past the noses of seasoned Array critics. But once again, that is a story for another time.

*Boom*

Hal landed and the attention of those closest to him turned in his direction, but he was looking at Rita and Melinda,

"You ladies all right?" He asked with a smile.

"Peachy" Melinda grinned.

"Good" Hal nodded with a smile before he cast a protective Dome of Astral energy around them.

At that time, some men of status who had managed to survive until that moment immediately recognized him, so did many of the Elites.

"Hal?" Called one of the men of status with a little uncertainty.

He had heard that Hal killed Rad and was no longer the pathetic introverted loner he once was but he had not been expecting this. Not in the slightest.

As he looked upon Hal's face, he wondered,

Could a man really look that good?

"Oh Hello, Uncle Julius" Hal greeted in a jovial manner but Julius could not help but gulp.

He and Hal had never had a conversation and he did not know how Hal knew his name not to mention saying it with such familiarity.

"Wh-what are you doing here?" Julius asked starting to realize that not many people were killing each other anymore.

They were looking curiously at the newcomer.

"Is that not obvious?..." Hal asked as his eyes turned Dark and occasionally released small bursts of fog and his skin turned Scarlet as he took on the form of a lesser Devil,

"I'm here to kill you" He said with a cruel smile and along with his words came the release of a torrent of Devil energy that quickly saturated the Dome.

Melinda and Rita were safe from its pressure thanks to the Dome of Astral energy around them and the Blood Knights could also endure thanks to their Semi-Fiend Bloodline.

The same, however, could not be said for the Payne forces who quickly succumbed to the stifling and suffocating presence.

Those that had still been embroiled in combat could not possibly continue in the face of such pressure and they all fell to the ground clutching their chests while they looked upon Hal's face with trepidation and fear.

Meanwhile, Julius who had been closest to Hal felt the most of the pressure and would have very well died, had it not been for his Cosmic Armament Realm cultivation.

That said, he should have not been capable of speech, however, with blood trailing down the side of his lips as he held back a blood spurt, Julius reached out and grabbed Hal's leg.

At first, he attempted to use it as support to pull himself up, but he gave up on that very soon when he realized there was no way he could pull himself erect in the face of the nightmarish fog that surrounded Hal.

Instead, he focused on tugging the leg to gain Hal's attention which he got as the Devil looked down on him and pinned him with his terrifying black eyes and cruel grin that showed off his perfect teeth,

"Yes, uncle?" Hal asked with his head cocked to the side.

Julius shivered but still spoke up,

"Why?" He asked.

It was clear that he was inquiring why Hal wanted to kill the Paynes and he couldn't really be blamed for his inquiry.

After all, while they had all ignored him in his time of distress and instead focused on becoming stronger, none of all those present had ever mistreated him personally.

"Isn't just being Paynes enough? Isn't just being related to Gregory Payne enough?" Hal asked and this time his voice was completely dispassionate and devoid of emotions.

Julius' eyes widened and he would have very much liked to yell at Hal that he was being too petty and that killing innocent people just because of a grudge against one particular individual was too cruel,

Alas,

Not to even mention yelling, if he attempted to say another word, he feared his internal organs might completely shut down and or rupture.

However, he did not need to say any of the things he thought because Hal could see it all clearly in his expression.

"Heh Heh, You think I'm cruel huh, or maybe petty? Or maybe both? Ah, yes. It's definitely both.

Well, I've got news for you 'Uncle'. I am very petty and I am very cruel. Also, if I want to kill you all. That is exactly what I will do.

Besides, you fight for my 'Father' and you want the glory of the Payne Family to shine while I want it to fade. So you see? It's not just Gregory I have an issue with... It's all of you"

As soon as he said that, Hal reined in all of his Devil energy and those that had been at the brink of unconscious awoke fully and looked around in mild confusion for having survived.

Hal had been very serious with having an issue with everyone who was part of the Payne family but he had already decided that if he no longer had any real intentions in killing Gregory, then he might as well make use of his men.

With the infighting, hundreds of the Payne men were already dead and their death was bound to have an effect on Gregory's mental health and push him even further past the brink of despair.

This was going to be Hal's punishment for Gregory;

He would make him wish for death and he was only just starting.

Chapter 173 - I Am Curious.

In a minute Hal branded all those of the Payne forces with the Devil mark. He offered none of them contracts because as of that moment they were not truly part of HIS force and would only prove themselves worthy in the coming civil war.

In other words, he was going to use them as meat shields and not give a crap if any of them lost their lives. Only those who survived would be offered Contracts and formally initiated into his force.

Hal was not only doing this because of his grudge against the Payne family but also because he had realized that somehow, he was letting any Tom, Dick and Harry into his force.

True he could offer them incredible techniques that would improve their cultivation speed drastically, but how fast and far they would progress would depend solely on their personal comprehension and talent.

When talent was low then resources were practically being wasted. It was why, even at that moment, Hal was still drafting his men.

The reality was that not all of those he had in the newly acquired Holger estate was going to end up being a part of his Elites and some of them would eventually be cut off and condemned to be cannon fodder.

While he had not said such a thing to those that were diligently cultivating, a lot of them could guess that would be the case since he gave them a deadline of one month.

Those were the very perceptive ones who realized that while a month might truly be the city's breaking point, it was also the best moment for Hal to test their potential.

Also, the deadline was 'within one month' and not 'After one month', which meant that they most likely did not even have Four weeks but instead three, two or In the worst-case scenario, one.

Every minute counted.

Once Hal had branded all those in the Payne forces, he smiled and opted for a vocal speech as opposed to communicating with them through the mark,

"So listen up. Men and women of the Payne family forces. Your life is now mine to do with as I deem fit but you don't have to worry because as much as I hate you, I have no interest in killing you... For now.

Just as you have always done, you will continue to do. And by that, I mean, of course, that you are to continue cultivating and preparing to battle the Plebeian alliance and the Great Families.

I am not going to lie to you, it will be brutal and quite a lot of you are likely not to survive but you still have to try your able best if you want to live. Yes, that's right, even though your life is in my hands, in that war, it is your choice that matters.

You are not allowed to deflect and you are not allowed to desert once the war begins, but other than that, what you do as long as you participate in the war is your choice..."

At this point, Hal paused to view the confusion in their faces,

"What I mean is, if you wish to stand in place and let the enemy kill you, then you can.

If you wish to commit suicide, you can.

If you despair that you can not possibly survive, then you are free to take as many enemies down before you are killed. And,

If you wish to fight for your survival and live to tell the tale, then by all means feel free.

So you see, the choice is really in your hands. I don't need you to fight for me if you don't want to and so if you are sure of that decision then you can die in the war"

The look of confusion in the eyes of the crowd turned into one of understanding and horror.

This young man was Mad!

For all the fancy vocabulary, what Hal was saying was that they were all to fight for him and if they decided not to fight, they would die... one way or the other.

From the moment they were branded with the Devil mark, they could all feel that their lives were really in his hands and should they attempt to desert, they would be killed.

Hal chuckled and spread his arms,

"See how generous I am? Now, all of you are to abandon this disgusting bloodied hideout" Hal said with a wave of his hand.

Julius who was still reeling from the damage to his internal organs, cringed at Hal's shamelessness, after all, it was now clear that he was the cause of the internal conflict that dyed the ground red with blood.

Hal gestured at his Blood Knights and all Ten of them who had been mixed in with the Payne forces stepped forward.

Many of those in the crowd clenched their fists at those that had been the real traitors all along and caused them to kill many of their colleagues.

Although it could be argued that the Blood Knights were not traitors as they had always been loyal to Hal from the very start.

*Pat*

Hal patted the shoulder of one of the Blood Knights,

"These are my Blood Knights and they will be in charge. You are all to listen to whatever orders they give as they are a representation of me..." Then more quietly to the Blood Knights,

"Lead them to Payne Estate. I'm on my way"

They all bowed to him

"Yes, Master" and led the Payne forces away from the hideout while some of those in the crowd looked back on their fallen comrades, some of whom they had killed personally.

Others, however, tried not to gaze upon those dead faces, for fear that they would be haunted.

Hal could see that the events of the day were likely to cause them psychological damage but he couldn't care less. On the contrary, that would only make the weeding process even better.

Once the last of them were out of sight, Hal canceled the Dome of Astral energy that shielded Melinda and Rita,

"What was with that speech about choices?" Melinda could not help but ask once she and Rita were out of the dome.

She found it a little uncharacteristic of Hal to advise the Payne forces to kill or die.

Hal sighed and told her with a smile,

"Most of those I have contracted lately were those with no previous allegiances and for those who already had allegiances, I still got them on my side. However, for the Payne Family forces, I find myself being a little... curious.

I am curious as to what they would do when given a choice between killing themselves and serving me, the one who killed their young master and will humiliate their Lord.

I want to see just how many will still scream out their allegiance to Gregory by dying on the field of battle and I am rather sure that the number, which would interpret into the number of those who truly fought for Gregory, will be both disappointing and despairing for my 'Dear father'.

Call it an elaborate scheme if you want but I am quite sure that on that day, it would be very entertaining"

Melinda nodded and did not doubt that one bit.

Chapter 174 - Gregory's Tale.

Hal then leaped up right from the ground back to the top of the hill and stood before the still-bound Gregory Payne whose eyes seemed completely devoid of any life whatsoever.

But Hal could tell, it was momentary. It was not yet permanent and was something the Payne Patriarch would shake off eventually.

And sure enough, after a few minutes of sorrowful staring, Gregory looked up at Hal.

"You're finally back" He said and it was in a tone of complete honesty, albeit dead.

"Yea I am. Anything you wanna say to me there, Greggy?" Hal asked with his cocked to the side slightly.

As he said so, he heard two soft 'Thump' sounds of Melinda and Rita landing right behind him but other than that, they were quiet and seemed only eager to listen in on the proceedings.

Gregory licked his lips as he looked upon the faces of his audiences,

"I don't blame you" he said.

Hal chuckled,

"Well, why should you?"

Gregory cleared his throat to stop his voice from cracking,

"You killed Rad and broke up my family, but it was all because of the mistake I once made and that is why I don't... blame you"

Hal narrowed his eyes while placing his hands on his hips,

"And by mistake, I take it you are referring to having sired me"

Gregory nodded as his head was the only part of his body he could still control thanks to the Binding Rune.

Hal sighed in false melancholy,

"Well, if you are, then it's just another roundabout way of saying that it's my fault"

Gregory's eyes widened as he noticed the conundrum as well,

"Well, it is not your fault and neither is it mine. It's the fault of your slutty witch of a mother" He said and although his tone was heavily laced with venom and hatred, Hal could see that, this time, it had nothing to do with him.

It was all directed towards a distant figure who could truly be blamed for the hatred of a father to his Son.

And yet as Hal prepared to ask about and hear of the tale of Gregory and his Mother, or more accurately, the mother of his body, he could not help but feel the reason was found to be silly and hinge heavily on heartbreak.

Since Hal wanted the ladies to hear the tale as well, he did not brand Gregory and acess his memories through the mark. Instead, he prompted the Payne Patriarch to tell his tale.

Gregory cleared his throat once again and when he spoke again, it was in a surprisingly clear tone of voice,

"Her name was Svetlana.

I had only recently received the title of Patriarch from my father and I was fresh with ideas and ambition to become Mayor and make the Payne Family great.

I was married and I had a son who was growing up quite nicely and showing aptitude for Cultivation. I was truly happy.

And then She came and oh, was she beautiful. As much as I now hate her, I cannot for the life of me forget her face and I have not yet met any woman more beautiful.

Her long silky Black hair and her Piercing Blue eyes. Very much like yours Hal.

When she arrived, she came with only four attendants, all-female and it was clear from the visage of their clothing, Svetlana as well, that they had just been in a struggle. When they came to the gate of Payne Estate and I welcomed them in, I learned that they were seeking refuge and my home was the first they had been to.

It was clear that they were hoping not to be turned away and while I was feeling a little trepidation at the trouble they were likely to bring to my doorstep, I offered them refuge.

I will admit... I was charmed by her good looks.

Svetlana was incredibly grateful and she offered to tell me why she was here and offer me an explanation as to why her appearance was in such disarray, and it was clear that both were related.

I declined and told her the less I knew, the better.

Lillian was skeptical as to my reasons for allowing Svetlana and her gorgeous attendants to stay in the Estate, but it did not take long before I convinced her of the likely advantages;

Which was that helping someone like her who was so obviously not from Salmon City could prove beneficial in the future. We would not even need to interfere in whatever conflict she was involved in.

Just granting her refuge was enough to gain a lifelong favor that we could cash in on in the future..."

"And of course all this was just because you were interested in her, right?" Rita interrupted.

Hal could tell that she had taken offense to Gregory naming Svetlana the villain right from the very start of this tale. Her loyalty was completely with Hal, but Svetlana still once saved her life and placed her on the path of Cultivation.

She was like a pseudo-Teacher to Rita and the Black-eyed lady was not particularly pleased with the badmouthing.

That said, she was quite invested in the tale as it was revealing to her, the things she knew nothing about.

At this time, Hal waved his hand and brought out three grand-looking chairs from his inventory which he, Melinda and Rita sat on as they faced Gregory like the Judges in Hades.

(AN: in this sentence, I am simply making a reference to the judges in the Greek underworld myth and it so far has nothing to do with this novel)

Gregory cast Rita a very annoyed look but once Hal cleared his throat, the Payne Patriarch rearranged his expression, cleared his throat and continued,

"As I have already admitted earlier, I was charmed by Svetlana's looks and I will also now admit that it played a large role in me offering her refuge.

This was my mistake and it opened the door to many more.

Despite Lillian seeing the possible advantages of letting the ladies stay, she was also skeptical if I would remain faithful and I managed to convince her that I would be.

I wasn't.

It wasn't even three days later that Svetlana asked to take a walk with me, which I gladly agreed to.

As we took a walk in the Estate's gardens, Svetlana told me a lot about herself, except why she here of course.

At this point, I would like to tell you that there are not many details that I explicitly remember of that conversation, because Svetlana had freshened up at this point and if she had been beautiful before, then she was now a goddess.

But I remember she told me about her father who doted on her and her brothers who... did not. Exactly how sour her relationship with them was, she never told me but whenever she mentioned her father, her voice always seemed to crack and I inferred that wherever the man was, he was not doing fine.

Our conversation on that day did not last long as I had things to attend to as Family head, but we promised to continue the enjoyable talk the next day...

And we did.

In fact, we spent two weeks after her arrival getting to know more about each other and subconsciously, I was beginning to see her as a... Friend.

And Lillian was getting dissatisfied..."

Chapter 175 - The Golden Balls.

"Well, duh" Melinda could not help but say "Of course, she was dissatisfied. You were spending more time with another woman"

Gregory looked stunned at the rebuke and gestured as best he could with his head as he said,

"You two are with him, what about that?"

"Polygamy is not for everyone. Also, do you really want to compare yourself to him?"

Melinda asked with a sexy smirk and crossed her legs but the look in her eyes was one that chilled the Payne Patriarch and caused him to decide it was best to be quiet now.

Also, he had to admit it to himself that Hal was the kind of son no father should compare themselves to.

They would just be setting themselves up for disappointment.

And Hal simply tried his best to hide his smile.

He needed to be detached.

Aloof.

But Melinda's words and Gregory's bug-eyed expressions were making it really hard.

'Oh wipe that smug grin off your face' Grimoire scolded.

'What? I'm trying to' Hal retorted.

'So what do you think of the story so far, cause I find it interesting' Grimoire said and Hal could not help but roll his eyes. In his mind of course.

'I feel it's about to take a turn, a turn which would finally make it interesting to me' he told the Artifact.

Gregory cleared his throat once again and resumed his tale,

"So Lillian was dissatisfied with the amount of time I was spending with Svetlana and she confronted me about it. We talked it out and once again I convinced her that I was merely being hospitable.

What I failed to inform her was that I was already beginning to have feelings for Svetlana and our 'talks' were also now involving full-out make out sessions..."

"Um, Greggy? Skip the details" Hal said and Gregory nodded so fast and often, he resembled a woodpecker,

"Right. So, our relationship progressed and before long we went from simply kissing to a secret sexual affair that I kept from Lillian.

I was so trapped in Svetlana's clutches that I began to imagine a life where I opened up to Lillian and finally no longer have to keep what I now felt for Svetlana a secret.

It was then that she told me she was leaving.

Naturally, the news shocked me and threatened to choke me. How could she simply leave? After everything, we had done. In my haste to overturn her decision to leave, I confessed my love to her.

At first, she looked surprised and I feared that our affair might not have meant to her, what it had meant to me, but then she smiled and told me she felt the same way.

That Bitch!"

It was a little sudden to see Gregory break away from the flow of the story and curse Svetlana but Hal said nothing and simply waited for him to continue.

And soon, he did,

"She told me she loved me but she still could not stay. In fact, She said It was because she loved me that she had to leave so as not to put me in danger.

It was then that she told me the story which I had refused to listen to a month ago when she had first arrived. She told me why she was here.

Her father is a Duke, she told me, but as of then, he was ill and very much close to the end. Her brothers converged and began to plan who would become the next Duke.

Of course, being the idiots that they were, her words not mine, they forgot to factor in the fact that there were outsiders who eyed the title and neither of the Brothers had the proper ability or connections to hold such a role, nor was any of them qualified to govern the lives of the billions who lived in the Duchy.

Once one of the families interested in the Title made their claim and backed it up with a display of dominance and strength, her brothers relinquished the Title of Duke and focussed on taking care of their ill father, albeit poorly.

Then the family requested Svetlana's brothers show that they were sincerely relinquishing the Duke title and give Svetlana up for marriage.

A request the brothers accepted in a heartbeat as they had never truly liked this sister of their's who possessed Astral sense and was more interested in being a Rune Master than a Cultivator..."

"Wait, Svetlana has Astral sense?" Hal asked.

"Of course. why do you think I wasn't that surprised that you had it too? Or at least, not more surprised than I was that you could now cultivate" Gregory said.

Hal sighed and nearly hit himself for being an idiot. It was something he had never thought of or considered and he should have since the ability could clearly be hereditary.

If it was merely random, families outside of the city could not possibly build themselves up with it as the foundation. In fact, in some of those families, the moment a child was of age, there were means to activate the ability, should they have it.

After all, even though it was hereditary, there could be those in the family, in whom it would be recessive. Families who place much stock on Astral sense tend to marry other families like themselves, just to tilt the odds in their favor.

"Anyway," Gregory interrupted Hal's thoughts and continued "Having Astral sense was not the only thing her Brothers disliked about Svetlana, it was also how much their Father cared for her.

Once She heard their decision, Svetlana ran and she did so with all her attendants. As the daughter of a Duke, she was practically royalty and her attendants were also her guards and protectors.

They fought to protect her from those who chased to bring her back home and a lot of them died in the process. She told me that as much as it hurt to see them die, she could not stop and eventually she lost her pursuers.

Of course, knowing that it was merely temporary, she knew what the best thing to do was; She needed to leave the Duchy and she did. She did not really tell me how she traveled the distance of the two Duchys which I have seen from exotic maps, is incredibly large.

The point is that she was now at the most remote part of the Silva Duchy but was still convinced she needed to now change locations so that she would not be found.

Her tale was so moving and I could see how resolute she was to leave. Knowing that with her strength, I could not possibly stop her even if I wished to, I did not bother to try.

Instead, I spent our last few days together sleeping with her when I could and telling her all about the Payne Family.

I figured she was leaving anyway, so what was the point of keeping anything about my family secret.

So I took her to the Payne Treasury and showed her all of the Payne Family's most treasured possessions and of all that was in there, only one thing caught her eye; The Golden balls"

Hal blinked and wondered if he heard wrong,

"Excuse me what?"

Chapter 176 - 'Priceless' Artifact.

Hal of course had never heard of these 'Golden balls' but he could not help but find the sound of them a little queer.

"I said, the Golden balls" Gregory repeated for fear that Hal had not heard.

"And what exactly are these balls?" He asked.

Gregory sighed,

"The Golden balls is an artifact consisting of, well...Golden balls and were bestowed to a Payne Ancestor. It is said to be an item of great power but no one has ever understood their use or being able to make it do anything whatsoever.

But even then, it is still considered more valuable than the Payne Broadsword which is an Armament rank Artifact. In fact, It is a priceless treasure that I was supposed to guard until my dying day as the Payne Family head.

When your mother saw it, she seemed very enamored with it and so I explained everything about it to her. Including just how priceless it was to me and my family and how much I would hate to see it lost.

I admit that I was bragging a little at the time. This was the first possession I had that interested this Blue-eyed goddess and I was quite proud of myself.

So you can imagine my shock when your mother examined the Balls for a few seconds and told me that everything I had been told was a lie and the Balls were worthless junk.

I was upset and it showed in my visage as she quickly pacified me by telling me that it was only that way because it was incomplete. I asked her if she knew what it was supposed to be and she told me she not only knew what it was supposed to be, she also knew how to make it so.

She said she would need a few materials and might even be able to complete it. I grinned from ear to ear and asked her if she was truly considering staying a while longer to complete this artifact and she told me yes.

Not only that, but she would also no longer return home should she succeeds in completing it.

"This should be enough to take care of whoever comes after me" She said.

I could not help but fantasize about how glorious the Artifact would be once complete. At that time, surely nothing was stopping me from becoming Mayor and fulfilling my dreams.

Alas,

I should have known it was too good to be true.

That night, everything changed..."

Gregory paused at this point and cleared his throat loudly while he seemed to attempt to pull himself together.

While he was doing so, Hal thought of the implication of what Gregory had just told him. Even though he did not know yet if Svetlana had truly been able to complete that artifact, but if she had then it could mean only one thing:

She was an inscriptionist.

Inscribing was a branch of Rune Mastering and an obscure branch at that. This was mostly because it was not of the utmost importance that an inscriptionist has Astral sense.

It was something that any Cultivator could attempt, however it was considered a branch of Rune mastering because it required the special skills and finesse that is needed in the drawing of Arrays.

The act of inscribing which usually goes hand in hand with Crafting and Forging referred to the creation of Artifacts.

Take for example, the Rune dagger that had been used by the Plebeians during their attack of Hal's mansion,

It was a product of inscription, albeit a poor one. It was considered the lowest level of inscriptions and not even qualified to be called an Artifact.

However, there were scarcely any widespread creations of Artifacts because it required much more than inscribing words of power (Runes) into an object with either Astral energy or Cosmic Energy. It required a little bit of life force as well.

It was why the Rune dagger could never count as an artifact because not only was it weak, its ability, which was to be sharp enough to pierce the body of a Cultivator, was bound to fade away eventually and it could only be made permanent with the use of life force.

Which begs the question most have been known to ask, Just how many people had died for the creation of the Many artifacts in this world, as some particularly powerful Artifacts could not be made with the Life span of a single cultivator no matter how powerful the cultivator.

It had led many to believe that a majority of the Artifacts were created by gods which also supported the claims of some that they were wielding 'Divine weapons'.

So, as it must now be obvious, this practice is detrimental to the Inscriptionists and shortens their lifespan and the reduction depended on the Rank of the Artifact being created.

Naturally, with all these disadvantages, such a profession could not truly be popular and we are now back to it being an obscure branch of Rune mastering.

Anyway, Inscriptionist exists but they are usually more focused on the fixing of damaged Artifacts which hardly caused any reduction of Life Force and would also not permanently stave off the eventual deterioration of the Artifact in question.

However, Hal doubted Svetlana was only interested in fixing the Artifact. If she was completing what she herself testified to as being powerful, then she was bound to at least apply to forge and Crafting.

It was a process that was quite guaranteed to involve the use and reduction of Lifeforce, but yet Hal felt Svetlana was not the type to do so and might seek alternative means.

Then again, she could very not have a choice and feel her back was against the wall.

Gregory finally completed his pause and resumed the tale, or more accurately, he began the end of it,

"That night, Lillian confronted me and accused me of cheating on her. I wanted to deny it but I felt it was about time to own up to how I felt for Svetlana so I admitted everything to Lillian and told her she would just have to deal with me being with Svetlana.

I told her I never meant to hurt her..."

"Yeah, great line" Rita said in a spiteful voice.

Gregory ignored her,

"...and that this was not likely to happen with any other woman. Svetlana would be the only one.

I was truly hooked on polygamy at the time.

Lillian stormed out to a different room while I, feeling quite terrible, sought out comfort with Svetlana in her room and was surprised to find the place completely cleaned out.

The only thing left there was a note that said 'Thanks'.

I searched the entire estate and came up empty, not only in my search but also in my heart. Something in me was gone and it was very much related to Svetlana's departure.

Even the guards claimed they had not seen her. For all indications, she seemed to have vanished.

It was at that time when I was feeling sorry for myself that a thought came to me and I sped off to the treasury only to find the Golden balls missing. So many other precious materials were gone as well.

And I knew at that moment that not only had she stolen my heart, but Svetlana had also stolen my treasures and I had now funded the restoration of an Artifact I would never get to make use of"

Chapter 177 - Eugene's Departure.

"There was no point attempting to find her but I still had my men search the city for any trace of her but found nothing.

I felt betrayed and I felt lost. I gave her my heart and she crushed it. You can not even begin to comprehend just how much it hurt.

They say there's a thin line between Love and Hate, well, I crossed that line when your mother left me"

'Technically, she's not my mother' Hal thought.

'Depends on how you choose to see it. Your body came from her and while your soul and Blood have nothing to do with her or Gregory, the Body still keeps you two connected' Grimoire told him with a sigh.

Hal knew the Artifact was correct, and while the Devil queen and whoever knocked her up should be the only ones he considered parents, being in this body forced him to acknowledge Svetlana and Gregory.

It was probably why he was feeling very vindictive towards Gregory, which did not make sense,

After all, if Gregory had not sent the old Hal to the Slavehouse and then poisoned him, Hal would not have been able to take over the boy's body and successfully transmigrate.

In all honesty, he should have been thanking Gregory, however, because he had taken over the body of a soul that had departed with grievances, he could not help himself but hate Gregory.

Of course, the Payne Patriarch's incessant dislike and inability to let things go, as well as seeking to kill Hal did not help his case.

Gregory was looking at Hal deeply and it was clear that there was something he wished to say. Hal did not prompt him and simply waited for the moment he would no longer be capable of holding it in,

"You know, I'm starting to suspect that you are not my son. He is nothing like you. He was a shut-in and he let everyone walk all over him. There's something that just doesn't feel right about you"

'So this is what you wanted to say' Hal thought before he shrugged,

"Who knows? Maybe you're right. But do you genuinely believe you have the right to throw out suspicions or even say the words 'my son'?

Considering you sold one into slavery and then tried to poison him and later, you successfully had the other one killed"

Gregory looked as though he had been slapped, but even then, he spoke up,

"Fine! I wasn't a good father but at least I was better than Svetlana, that Blue-eyed witch"

Hal chuckled,

"Yeah, that's very mature. Try to pan off your faults on someone else. I can guess the rest of your 'sad' story.

Since she left, you lost something inside of you and a part of you died. You worked hard to fix the relationship you had with your wife, most likely going against your profession of love for the beautiful stranger and claiming it was a moment of weakness.

Like the sweet woman she was, Lillian gave you a second chance and you tried your best to forget the whole experience. Except you couldn't.

You were forever scarred.

The feeling only grew worse when I was delivered to you, a memory of what you had lost and of the woman you both love and hate.

So you did what asshole fathers just as you do; you took out your frustrations, anger and pain on the innocent offspring of your affair.

I'm guessing the fact that I could not cultivate did not smoothen things over"

Did I miss anything?"

Gregory gulped and said nothing.

'I didn't think so' Hal thought.

"What of Svetlana? You seem to be making her spotless in all this. She's no saint!" Gregory voiced out again in anger.

"Are you a retard? In what way, from all I have just said, did I make Svetlana the innocent one in this situation. She is just as guilty as you are.

It is clear that she was using you and while it can be considered wrong, -which is also a matter of perspective, after all, staying with you or letting you touch them, must be a real torture to any woman- it does not justify your actions.

You were bitter and like it or not, all that happened was still your fault. You have already admitted to being charmed by her looks. Also, she never threatened or ensnared you from all you have said.

You wanted it and you got it. For goodness sake, Greggy, you confessed to loving her and requested your wife and mother of your child be okay with it.

Stop playing the victim.

Also, what if she stole the Golden balls, you had no idea what it was for and were only going with what you had been told by a bunch of dead guys.

When and if I ever meet Svetlana, she'll get what's coming to her, but for now, it's just you and you're going to pay, Greggy.

You... are... going... to... pay"

Gregory was struck dumb and when he looked into those piercing blue eyes, he knew Hal meant it. Yet, he could not bring himself to beg for mercy.

He felt he deserved it and whatever punishment Hal decided to bestow, he could and would take on with pride.

If only he knew how wrong he was.

Hal branded him and let him go free of the Binding Rune while he infiltrated his mind through the Devil mark and got complete details of the memories of Gregory's experience with Svetlana, who he had to admit, was incredibly beautiful.

Gregory and Burt went ahead and returned to Payne Estate. Hal and the ladies would go there as well, but for now, they hung back.

Castor moved a few distances away, very conscious of the fact that this was a private moment between Hal and his women.

"Are you okay?" Rita asked in a quiet voice.

Hal glanced at her and chuckled as he wound his arm around her waist and pulled her closer,

"Of course I'm fine" he said with a smile.

The truth was that he was not truly fine. He had finally put the matter with Gregory to rest and hated that he was feeling so unsatisfied.

Even what he had planned to do to hurt Gregory all the more was not feeling enough. It seemed he would have to tweak things a bit.

Simply demoralizing him would not be enough, he needed to make use of the one thing that could most likely hurt Gregory more than seeing his kinsmen die could.

He needed Lillian.

"What now?" Melinda asked and took her place at his side as he led the two towards the carriage that would take them to the Payne Estate.

As they walked Hal smiled and said,

"Now? Now we make an announcement"

...

Meanwhile,

While Hal proceeded with his plans, a certain man was at the boundary of Salmon city and looking back on where he had spent so many years and lived a semi-peaceful life.

"Master, are you really sure you want to leave?" Orn asked the middle-aged man.

Eugene took a deep breath,

"I have no choice" was all he said but there was a longing to remain in his eyes.

"Maybe he was right. Maybe I do need a change" he mumbled and Orn was about to ask what his Master meant when Eugene turned away.

"We have a long journey ahead of us, Orn. Let's be off" he said and walked briskly away.

Their long journey was only to the nearest teleportation circle and he had more than enough blue gems to get them to the Duchy capital.

As Eugene left, one could not help but wonder when next he would make an appearance and whether Hal's words would have had an impact or not...

Chapter 178 - Reconciliation.

There was a piece of news now passing through the City and needless to say, it caused quite a wave of reactions.

It had come as an announcement from the Payne Estate and announced with loud voices imbued with Cosmic Energy; The Payne Father and Son had reconciled!

They were no longer after the lives of one another and were now all about letting the dust settle and leaving the past in the past.

According to the announcement, they were ready to bury the hatchet and look forward to a bright future. They would not let all that the Payne ancestors have worked for go to waste by ruining the Payne Family's chances with their feud.

"What a bunch of horseshit!" Hector said in anger and it was a little uncharacteristic of him to swear so hard.

Karon who stood behind him in the study, could not help but feel that this was why Hal had not been truly worried about the One-year immunity being rescinded.

One way or the other, the One-year immunity no longer had any use!

Could it be as so many had suspected and the Payne Father and Son had always colluded and this was them finally showing their hands?

After all, Karon and the Edgars were the only ones who knew Hal had quite a capable force and the only drawback was likely the fact that they were a meager bunch.

If he teamed up with Gregory and somehow made the Payne forces as formidable as his Knights, would that not be terrible for the other families in the coming war?

This must have been a ruse!

Karon did not know when it started and did not know for sure if Rad's death was what caused it to happen, what delayed the plan or simply an unexpected glitch.

However, he could not help but wonder if a father would really let the son he doted on the most die, just so he could win a war.

When he reiterated his thoughts to Hector, the older man shook his head in disagreement and pinpointed the parts where Karon's logic completely fell apart.

"Rad's death was a genuinely heartbreaking moment for Gregory. I know that because he's not really a good actor. Also the young man Hal also loathed Rad and his father, I saw that in his eyes when he came to request for the Deathmatch order from me with Melinda Dane.

That said, I have no real idea as to what is going on and I can only say that there is more need to be very vigilant. It is clear that whether we like it or not, I was used.

The Deathmatch order and the subsequent immunity were simply to buy Hal Payne some time to put his plans together and I cannot help but be worried about what else he has in store.

All this talk about letting the past remain the past and look to the future was only sugar-coated words to say 'We're coming for you'"

Karon looked a little uncomfortable as he said,

"Should we call off the ceremony?"

Hector sighed,

"No, we can't. Even if do, we will only be delaying the inevitable. Instead, we should make use of the ceremony to lay a trap, should they attempt to do anything funny.

Besides, you still have me" He said and clenched his fist, the motion alone causing a distortion in the air due to the strength behind it.

There was a fire burning in his eyes and Karon could not help but shake his head in pity for the enemies of the Edgar family,

The Mayor was finally serious!

...

The Master's Den,

*Bang*

*Shatter*

"That's impossible" Lillian said in anger as she also heard the announcement.

The master stood in the archway of the room she was in and eyed her with their crimson eyes,

"What's impossible?" They asked and there was a hint of mockery in their voice.

It was something Lillian did not miss but decided to ignore. She might as well entertain the question,

"Because, while Gregory does have a lot of faults, he will never reconcile with the one who killed his son" she snarled.

"Are you sure? Not even to have the upper hand against his enemies..." The master let the words hang there as though expecting Lillian's input but the lady simply glared.

So the Master continued,

"The whole city now knows just how resourceful your stepson is. I mean, he was able to fend off the ambush of the Plebian alliance. What if Gregory finally recognized his talents?

What if he finally saw Hal as his hope at finally becoming Mayor?"

Lillian looked down at her hands as she heard those valid points.

While Gregory truly was a vindictive individual, he was also an ambitious one. The fact that she was no longer by his side might have finally let the Ambitious side win over the vindictive side.

It was while she was thinking on this that another possibility came to mind,

"What if he was threatened?" She asked.

The Master's Crimson eyes narrowed to slits,

"By Hal?" They asked with a hint of disbelief.

Lillian shrugged,

"Why not? You said it yourself, Hal is very resourceful. If he could trump the Plebeian alliance, then it stands to reason that he could do the same to the Payne forces.

He might have found out the hideout of the Payne Family elites and somehow used them as a bargaining chip to draw Gregory to his side" she said.

The Master stroked their chin,

"That's a definite possibility. Very smart of you, Lillian" They said and turned away but Lillian spoke up,

"That's it? You are not even going to do something about it? You are just going to let this happen?" She asked.

the Master sighed,

"Lillian, like I once told you, you are way too impatient. I have already provided you with the means to grow stronger and have your revenge on those who wronged you, but here is a need for you to be cautious and not be too hasty.

Also, I have grown weary of interfering, from now until the harvesting, I shall simply observe and let things move in the direction I have already directed.

It seems to me that you still harbor feelings for that son-killing husband of yours and it is already clouding your judgment. You might want to let go of any lingering emotions if you want to stand by my side on the day of this City's reckoning."

With that the Master left and Lillian, who could not deny she still loved Gregory wondered if she could actually do what needed to be done once the time was right.

...

Meanwhile, at the Payne Estate...

The guards and servants stood together in the courtyard as Hal regarded them with Sapphire blue eyes and made them feel like lambs for slaughter.

Chapter 179 - An Arrow Of Toxic Green.

Things had been relatively calm at the Estate on that day even though they were expecting Hal Payne who killed their young Master Rad.

While they, the guards and servants of Payne Estate, might not know what their lord was planning and he might really have been doing it for the good of the family, it did not really change how any of them felt about Hal.

They had waited with bated breath for the two to be embroiled in conflict once their dinner had begun but all through, it was calm. And then they both exited the Estate, boarded a carriage and trudged off.

Now they all wondered what might have caused the quick departure and where they might be headed. Their questions were answered soon when the Elites of Payne Estate arrived at the mansion and raised the eyebrows of many.

No one who worked at the Estate was unaware that the family's true elites did not train here but only a scant few of them, who could be referred to as kinsmen or men of status, knew where the hideout was.

Soon the Elites were in the Estate and once they all gathered together in the courtyard, despite their still-large numbers, it occupied them quite well.

The guards and servants soon noticed that the clothes of the Elites were covered in blood and they looked to have been embroiled in a particularly difficult battle.

A while after they arrived, Gregory walked into the Estate with Burt right at his side but unlike the clear hierarchy as well as trust that was usually felt between the two, the tension between them was as though they were strangers.

Once Gregory was in the courtyard, everyone wondered what had happened and where Hal Payne was, with a majority of them hoping he was dead and gone.

It looked as though Gregory had been where the Elites had been since he was also injured. And so it was assumed that he w9uld now address the situation.

So you can imagine their surprise when a carriage stopped outside of the Estate and out of it came Hal, Melinda and Rita.

Castor stayed behind with the carriage while the trio walked in with their poise full of confidence.

After that, the surprise only increased when Hal and Gregory stood at the top of the stairs and imbued their voice with Cosmic Energy and voiced out to the city at large that they had settled their differences and reconciled.

"Lord Gregory" some of the guards were quick to protest but Gregory said nothing.

Once the announcement was done, the noise of protest increased in volume as they all sought to get their Lord's attention, even as he ignored them.

*Whoosh*

A large Arrow of a vivid toxic green color suddenly flew towards the protesting guards after which it exploded, creating a cloud of green smoke.

Quickly, all those behind the row of victims stepped back with their eyes widened from shock at the swift attack, the unfortunate guards had been unable to survive.

The smoke cloud only remained for a while before it faded, leaving behind the discolored bodies of the protesting Guards.

It was clear from their still-protesting expressions that their deaths had been instantaneous.

Those that had stepped back soon doubled over as well while clutching their chest as their faces discolored as well and they died.

It seemed that while they had been able to escape contact with the poisonous fog, they had not been able to do without taking a whiff of the fog.

And just like that, a large number of Payne family guards died and all eyes turned to the one who had caused their deaths in the form of a large undulating Green serpent twisting her body protectively in front of Hal.

Hal stretched his hand and stroked her green serpentine head with a doting smile,

"Good work, Sassy" he said.

Then he looked up and nailed the Guards and servants with his piercing sapphire blue eyes as though he was looking at Lambs for slaughter.

There was no guard and no servant who dared to say another word after the terrifying display from Hal's familiar.

Hell, Even the Elites who were the best of the Payne Family forces looked upon the scene as though they were suffering from trauma.

Which was not far-fetched considering what they had been through on that day.

"Now that I have your attention... and your silence, I can proceed.

Hem Hem, from now on, I am the lord of Payne Estate and if you don't like it you have the opportunity to leave. However, before you leave, know that anyone who steps out of this Estate will die.

As long as you keep that in mind, you are welcome to take your first step.

Now, I have no interest in making the Payne family Great, in fact, at the end of this war, I guarantee the Payne family will be completely destroyed.

But until then, -should you decide to remain- you will continue what you have always done.

This speech would have gone on for much longer but I don't see the point, none of you are strong enough to warrant my attention anyway and whatever else you need to know, the Elites will fill you in."

With that, Hal turned around and walked into the Estate with Melinda and Rita at his sides and Sassy slithering ahead of him.

Gregory who walked behind them looked completely desolate. While he knew Hal was not particularly interested in making the Payne family prosper, it still depressed him immensely to hear that it would be destroyed.

Hal paused ahead of him,

"Do you hear that Greggy?" He asked.

Gregory looked confused,

"Hear what?"

"The sound of all your hopes and dreams collapsing. Haha, it sounds wonderful" Hal laughed boisterously and walked in while the eyes of the Payne Patriarch reddened.

Whether out of hatred, anger or pain was uncertain.

It was most likely all of the above.

...

Three Days later...

On an Afternoon...

Horst Manor...

Invitations were out for the big remarriage ceremony of Marlon Edgar and his wife Olivia and all those of the Great families were invited.

It could be seen as an attempt to be civil in hope that the long friendship and good relations between the four families would still hold strong enough for neither to launch a sneak attack.

Emily however, did not see the sense in having the Marriage ceremony now when war was certain to break out very soon.

Of course, she did admit that Marlon might have come to accept his mortality and the likely possibility that he would die during the war and as such decided to have the ceremony before then,

But even then, she still saw no sense in it or at the very least, saw no sense in inviting those who were bound to become their enemies once the war began.

In her opinion, they were putting way too much stock on the ability of people to not be selfish and attempt to take advantage when they could.

At least they had the sense not to invite the Plebeians on account of fully blown enmity.

Emily walked to the door of her room after having taken a walk in the Manor's gardens and reminiscing of life back home.

She opened and stepped inside to see Hal sitting in a chair and facing her as she made her entry.

Hal noted that there was no surprise in her slightly grey eyes as she regarded him.

He smiled at her and said in a half-joking tone of voice,

"It took a while for me to finally get past your spell. You have some nerves messing with my Mind"

Emily shrugged with a smirk,

"I don't know what you're talking about"

Hal chuckled,

"Oh, I think you do, 'Masked Lady'"

Chapter 180 - Show Me.

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It took Hal quite a while to figure out Emily's alter-ego and it had not been entirely his fault or because of his lack of attention to detail, It was all because of Emily/the Masked Lady's mask.

When Hal had encounter Emily outside of Ford's study, Grimoire had said it was unable to read her cultivation base and the reason was most likely due to an Artifact she had with her.

At the time, Hal had considered it a coincidence that he had not been able to sense the Masked Lady's cultivation as well but had thought nothing of it because, for some reason, he had not been able to mark a resemblance between the two.

That said, there was simply something he could not seem to place about Emily and it was what had finally allowed him to make the connection.

When he did, he asked if Grimoire had known all along and the Artifact told him once again that while it had impressive functions, it was far from being clairvoyant.

Also, the fact that it resides in Hal's body greatly limited its scoping abilities.

"So, you finally figured it out? Took you long enough" Emily said and took off the outer coat of her clothing to reveal the gown beneath that clung to her sexy hourglass figure.

Hal smiled,

"You were expecting me to?" He asked.

"Not exactly. But I figured if anyone could do it, it would be you" she said.

Emily said with a little bit of smugness in her voice. Her mask was a Saint Rank Artifact of concealment whose only application involved hiding her identity by fogging the memories of those who came in contact with her wearing it.

And if she so much as put it on her person, it fogged up people's senses and made it impossible for them to sense her cultivation.

Sometimes the effects were so strong that it would still hide the extent of her cultivation base even if she let out suffocating and stifling pressure.

"I'm actually quite disappointed that it took me so long, I mean I... touched you." Hal said with a sigh.

Emily stuck out her lower lip in an attempt to be cute but it came off as sexy instead,

"Don't beat yourself up over it. Touching me does not give you a free pass. My ladies touched me at Pleasure inn as well and they would not have been able to sense me should they see me without it" She smiled.

Now that Hal thought of it, all this could have been avoided had he simply took off her mask on that day but he had been confident and had not expected it would conceal her identity that well.

While he did not voice out this thought, Emily was thinking the same thing and it had been why she had been so ashamed at letting her guard down that much around Hal who rivaled her in mysteriousness.

Of course, even as vulnerable as she had been after his Orgasm-inducing massage, Emily knew that he could not possibly successfully attack her even if he wished to.

She was just that strong.

Hal took a deep breath and crossed his legs while Emily sat atop the chair in front of her mirror, in a position that allowed them to see face to face,

"Wow. My mother-in-law runs a brothel. That sounds so awesome" Hal said with the enthusiasm of the horny Devil he was.

"USED to run a Brothel. That is over now, thanks to you." She said with a little false spite in her voice.

Hal acted as though he had not heard the falseness in her tone and played along,

"They are not complaining. Far from it actually"

"I saw. The purple flames, the combustion of Plebeians, it was quite impressive. It would seem their future is bright. Which is all I ever wanted for them in the first place" Emily said with a sigh.

Much as Hal would have loved to hear the tale which was sure to be informative and thrilling, he decided to keep learning that as well as learning of her past for later.

There were far more important things at the moment.

"So, I have news for you, Emily. Your Daughter asked me to Fuck you" Hal said without mincing words and in such a forthright tone of voice that Emily could not help but applaud his shamelessness.

Emily shrugged,

"So what? She's only worried about her mother."

Hal was not the least bit surprised by her casual response to what he had said. He had already noticed long before now that the mother-daughter pair were much closer than the public viewed.

"Oh, yeah. Your condition" Hal said as though he only just remembered which was not true as it was something he had not truly being able to forget or totally not think about.

For the first time since their conversation began, Emily did not smile. Of course, she did not frown either, her expression was just completely neutral,

"That is none of your business" she said.

Hal just smiled,

"Actually, considering Amelia told me, it must mean it's something I can help with and since so as not to betray your trust, she did not reveal it to me, I began to wonder what it could be.

I am quite sure you're in perfect health and so this condition must be something that hinders with your prowess as a Dual cultivator."

Emily sighed but she did not look angry,

"Don't talk about it anymore" she told him.

Hal stood from his chair and walked over to hers to bend low in front of her so that their face was lined up,

"I can help you" he said.

"You seem overly confident for someone going off on a guess" she said and giggled.

"As long as it's related to me fucking your brains out, then yes, I am quite confident" He said with a smile.

He wasn't just saying that to be suave, he was confident that all conditions followed, he could help.

Also, as to whether his -I can help you- seduction technique could work on Emily, he was not the slightest bit worried, after all, he was narcissistic enough to admit he was just that good.

Besides, he didn't know why she was so skeptical when she had felt the effect of his fingers.

Emily smiled confidently, in an attempt to hide the giddy anticipating feeling she was trying her best to suppress,

"Okay then"

Hal nodded with a sigh,

"Good. But just know this, the moment you have me, you will be unable to have anyone else. I feel I need to be upfront with you..."

Emily smirked,

"That you are going to ruin me for other men?

Hal smiled casually,

"Absolutely" he said.

Emily stood up from her chair and without the slightest bit of hesitation, she undid what held her gown in place and bared herself to Hal.

After which she placed her hands on her wide hips and said with a smile,

"Well then, you'd better back up your words with your actions.

Show me what all the fuss about you is all about"