An Oath of Life And Death

  Lotus hurried continued to stitch the wounds together and blot out the blood as she continued working. She had to be fast knowing that Huo Wei had already lost a lot of blood while waiting for her. If only, she could utilize her abilities to the fullest...

  Doing what she could, she finally managed to patch Huo Wei up and stop the bleeding. Finally, he turned to them and sighed, "Really... I was hoping I wouldn't get into trouble with this if I weren't able to fulfil the task."

  "Lotus, do you know who this person is?" Lilia questioned curiously. 

  "Of course I do, to a certain extent." Lotus responded, "I've worked with him in the recent past before since he swore a life and death oath to the princess. He's been working as her spy against the assassins who invaded the school this entire time. Or rather, it is clearer to say that the princess managed to convince him to defect to her side."

  "Those assassins..." Lilia hesitated. 

  "They're looking for someone but hasn't had any luck yet. The princess managed to dwindle down the remaining number to one now. However, she states that it would be near impossible to capture this one alive." Lotus responded. 

  "Why is that?" Lilia looked to her in confusion.

  "Because," Lotus sighed, "this one has been committing taboo practices to grow stronger. The practice has turned him into something similar to a sentient overblot phantom but with his body and mind intact."

  "Why did this one defected then?" Malleus looked to her curiously.

  "They come from an assassin guild where a large majority of people there are not there for their own choice but because they were capture and forced to work there. When I took care of the others the princess caught, each one of them was poisoned by a long-term poison that they have been suppressing with a concoction passed down to them from their superiors. If they do not follow orders, fail to, or even try to flee, they would experience great agony before perishing on the spot. Huo Wei was such person who seemed to be struggling going against the order while also surviving."

  "What was he tasked with?" Lilia questioned curiously. 

  "His task was to spark chaos in Scarabia dorm, find their target, and slaughter all eye witnesses." Lotus responded as she sat on the bed side and putting away the bandages into her medic bag, "That being said, the princess offered to cure his poison for his cooperation. So, the only people he's hurting is those assassins. Who knew the guy decided to swore a life and death oath imbued with magic."

  "That's the vow Lotus made as well..." Malleus looked to her in shock, "So, if he breaks the oath..."

  "He'll be struck by lightning until he dies." Lotus explained, "Even if he hides, thunderclouds will just wait until he re-emerges and hunts him down."

  Lilia shuddered, "That's insane..."

  Shaking his head in annoyance as he recalled how lightly Lotus had treated those words she spouted, he continued, "So, what will the princess do with the other assassin?"

  "With their leader having turned into a demonic cultivator, she will be forced to put him down

  Lotus nodded, "However, it is a rather useful thing to have in a society where it's not even uncommon for long-time friends to stab one another in the backs." 

  "Will that person come after the students now that he's achieved greater strength?" Malleus hummed curiously as though it was just another day. 

  "As if." Lotus shook her head and raised two fingers, "There two things stopping him from acting as he like. First is Huo Wei having seen a few entities calling themselves guardians for each dorm. They reside beyond the border of the dorms or usually out of sight. The princess contacted each of them and asked them for aid. Turns out, they have kept an eye since these people first stepped onto school grounds. They've cornered the assassin to Diasomnia dorm. They're already sick of the entire thing anyway. Apparently, they usually don't work together so often. This time, they did so after learning the last assassin has strayed off the path." 

  "Is it really so important? Straying off..." Malleus questioned. 

  "It is, actually." Lotus nodded, "When a cultivator strays off from the path in their practice, they become incredibly stronger and more destructive. If it's not their strength, it's their features and aura."

  "Features and aura..."

  "Some would lose their sanity and attack with the hunger for more power. Others with stronger mental strength with retain their sanity but their aura is so destructive that everything around them will die in their presence. Some can contain their aura and sanity, but all of their magic would no longer be of any element. Instead, they would only be capable of manipulating blot-like energy. No other elements." Lotus sighed, "It's similar to when humans gets addicted to dangerous drugs. They would be in a high and thrill state for a period of time before their body starts to collapse through exposure to the drugs consumption. However, the assassin is another story. He's reached the state of being able to retain his sanity and properly control his mana. Not only that, he is now practicing taboo arts to grow stronger. If this continues, he will lose his sense of morality and principles over time and just become a monster in the husk of a human body. Even they would even forget the reason why they strayed off the path to begin with or their goals and sense of self. Some who do retain their senses will have the chance to become evil cultivators without becoming monsters and manipulate the souls and corruption or blot as we call it. However, the last time there was such a person was many years ago. This guy will definitely become a monster instead of a person."

  As she thought this, she remembered how her second sister is an evil cultivator. It was under her husband's protection that she was able to safely retain her sense of humanity while also holding the power of destruction in her grasps.

  Lotus opened her mouth as she continued calmly, "Now, the second reason he won't be able to do anything." 

  She pointed to Malleus and continued, "You and the one protecting this dorm have been exuding quite a bit of aura. When the princess first stepped into the dorm, she didn't like how Malleus is so bad at pulling back his mana. However, she discovered that it wasn't him. Malleus's mana was only so difficult that you could feel it when you reach closer to the dorm building. However, it cannot be compared to the mana that could be felt from the entrance. Malleus alone might be enough to put up a fight against that guy. However... the power of this mana is only a small fraction. In other areas, this mana gets stronger. If they were faced with the assassin, he wouldn't even look at it and kill him from aura alone. Moreover, she said that this one might have an ancient lineage such as a mythical beast. After all, this aura is definitely not from a human. The assassin could already feel both auras, so he doesn't dare do anything reckless in this dorm out of fear."

  Lotus yawned as she began to lean against the pillar of the bed frame, "Either way, I got you a cultivator. You've been curious about cultivators, right? You may as well take this chance to ask him when he wakes up... However, there are some things that he is not allowed to talk about, so try not to push too hard if he can't respond. As for what to... do... now..."

  It wasn't long before the two saw Lotus easily falling asleep while sitting against the pillar. Finally, Malleus moved away from the table and walked over to Lotus as Lilia spoke up in bewilderment, "He fell asleep..."

  Malleus sighed before he picked her up in his arms and nodded, "He was struggling to sleep properly these past few days. It's not surprising that he would fall asleep now."

Lilia was surprised to find Malleus interact so closely with a human! Since when did he become this close with a human? The last one was with that prefect from ramshackle dorm, but he was not this intimate with him either. If those in Briar Valley heard of this, there'd be a lot of rumors flying around and it may displease the queen who had been whether antagonist towards humans due to the loss of her daughter and son-in-law. However...

  "How about putting him in my room for tonight?" Lilia suggested, "I'll keep an eye on this guy tonight. We can question him tomorrow."

  Hearing this, Malleus hesitated while getting this ominous feeling, but he nodded reluctantly. After all, this room was the safest room for secrets. Right now the biggest secret is this anonymous man covered in wounds. It is better than picking up a serious injured man and putting him in Lilia's room or throwing Peony into his other retainer's room. Sebek is still not ready to do these things without Silver's help and Silver is currently resting in his own room. The best choice is definitely Lilia's room, especially since Lilia would be away for the entire night on post here.

  With that, he teleported into Lilia's messy room and placed her into Lilia's bed as she groaned painfully. Malleus raised a brow in confusion before noticing the strong stench. It's here again. He was sure he smelt it earlier when Peony attempted to take all those pain killers. Could those pain killers have anything to do with this strong stench of blood?