Scaled Woruse

The time difference between the evolved beast jumping to face the blades, and the blades breaking past the barrier was too short for Shui to interfere. He didn't want to see the brave creature get brutally killed for trying to protect him, but even his martial intent wouldn't reach in time.

By this time, the assassin had picked up on the scaled woruse's actions with his spiritual sense but only smirked. He was confident that this beast wouldn't even be able to delay the inevitable. Both Shui and the assassin had the same cruel scene in their heads, as if its death was a fact just waiting to be proven. However, the scaled woruse would prove both of them wrong.

"Rawr!"

The sound that came from it was supposed to be a cute roar, and the sound at least did match, but the effects couldn't be compared. All of the blades coming at them froze in midair, and then shattered like glass. The assassin had completely no idea how it happened and was shocked still. Shui was also surprised but his eyes had picked up on what happened. The roar had forced the nature energy in the blades into submission, which disrupted the spell and caused it to malfunction. It was bewildering how it was able to do such a thing with just its roar, but he could accept it considering its heritage. What he knew about it was only scraps and pieces mentioned in a select few books so there was very little information on its abilities. However, as a descendent of a divine race it made sense that their bloodline could dominate nature energy.

This ability could increase Shui's chances of beating the assassin, but rather than jump into such precarious circumstances, he stuck with his plan.

"Let's go."

Shui was going to head in a random direction but the scaled woruse bit his right pant leg and dragged it to a specific direction. He didn't know where it was trying to lead him, but any place seemed better than where he was.

"Okay. Lead the way."

He wasn't sure if it could understand his words, but it at least comprehended his intent. The scaled woruse released his pant leg and ran ahead. While Shui followed it, the assassin stayed in his position. The strange beast that had interfered, plus his vision that still hadn't returned made him hesitate. If he wanted to, he would be able to follow them using his sense of smell and hearing, but he now had no certainty in being able to complete his mission. And so, rather than recklessly chase after them, he let the target go. However, this would be the first and last time.

'Don't think you'll be get away the next time we meet.'

"Good, he's not following us."

Shui constantly checked behind them for ten minutes before being sure that they weren't being chased. He looked down at his cloak. He was wearing the 'Defense' cloak over the ruined 'Confuse' cloak since it hadn't completely stopped working even though wearing two cloaks was a bit stuffy. Unlike 'Hide' and 'Conceal', 'Confuse' could also affect the usual five senses, making it hard to find his exact location. He was already under the influence of six symbols so he only added one 'Confuse' talisman to his body. He wanted to find a place he could either fix his ruined cloak or make another cloak with a 'Confuse' inscription, but the scaled woruse wasn't stopping. Shui was very curious as to where it was taking him so he followed without any fuss.

As he followed the creature, his senses picked up on something that made his eyebrows furrow and his mouth open in surprise. It was a majestic aura that came from an indistinct cave. Yes, it was exactly what he was looking for.

'Does whatever's in there have something to do with this scaled woruse?'

Just like Shui thought, the scaled woruse took him inside the cave. The passage that they went through was big enough to fit Kate's house in it and their footsteps echoed inside. There was almost no light inside, but that was no problem with Shui's eyes. He had always been able to see in the night like it was the day, just that it took a little more effort. Still, if it wasn't for the impressive aura that got stronger as they went deeper into the cave, Shui would have thought this was a normal cave.

After walking in the cave for a few minutes, a bright light showed itself in front of them. When it saw that light, the scaled woruse ran towards it and Shui hurriedly followed. The light came from a room that had sparkling stones for walls and a ceiling. At the end of the room was a platform upon which a single evolved beast sat. It was a bigger, older, scaled woruse with scales that glittered like a pale rainbow and a crystal horn that released a dull light. Now that he was this close, Shui couldn't compare this beast to anything or anyone he had met before. Even Ulus seemed like an ant before this beast.

"Thank you for accompanying this child."

The voice of the scaled woruse sounded like a gentle old man as it went straight into Shui's mind. Naturally, an elderly scaled woruse's intelligence couldn't be compared to that of the red tiger Shui faced. Shui took off his mask and spoke to it.

"No, I'm the one who should be thankful since I was saved."

"I see. You are the first person that this child has brought to me, so I believe you are worthy of earning its favour."

The scaled woruse that brought him here was rubbing itself on the fur of the elderly scaled woruse. Though the colour of their horns and scales were clearly different, the elderly one's fur was only of a duller shade so the two looked like a grandparent and its grandchild. For the elderly scaled woruse to release such a majestic aura despite it obviously reaching the end of its lifespan, Shui believed that it had to be at least a beast lord. If it was at its peak, its aura would have probably covered the entirety of the ancestral lands. Shui knew that an evolved beast with such a cultivation couldn't be born in the ancestral lands and considering its age he guessed that it was probably alive during the time of the progenitor. Evolved beasts generally had longer lifespans than humans. A human in the Master Realm could live up to 500 years while a beast lord could live up to 1000 years.

Since it was still a beast lord, every part of its body was a treasure that could be sold for enough money to allow him live like a wastrel for the rest of his life if he didn't cultivate further. However, Shui showed no greed, only interest and curiosity. The elderly scaled woruse could see this so it decided it was finally time for its conclusion.

"Tell me, you should be a descendent of the Theos clan, correct?"

Not to mention any other child currently in the ancestral lands, even most of the elders wouldn't know of the Theos clan. However as he had read Carlos' journal, Shui knew that the clan that the three clans were originally part of was the Theos clan. Shui didn't know if the elderly scaled woruse knew of this, or if it was just testing him so he answered honestly.

"Yes, but around eight hundred years ago the Theos clan split up into three clans. I am from one of those three clans."

"Is that so. I suppose when so much time passes such changes are only natural."

He couldn't sense any change in its tone or expression, but he had a feeling that it was sad. Or maybe nostalgic would be a better term. That was the feeling he got from the faraway look in its eyes.