Eos

Exiting the inn, Eos and Nephele stepped out into the street. It was called the 'Riddle of the Deer'. Which was an appropriate name, as they had been given a riddle that contained only one word, 'Firefly'. Admittedly, it was not a deer that had delivered it but five murderous cultivators with no sect affiliation that Eos could find.

It was clear that he had to start cultivating to reach the Celestrial Golden Core Realm. He would have had a hard time dealing with five cultivators without Naphele. After his last setback, he hadn't spent much time on it.

All of his siblings including himself had problems. But they were different in nature. Somehow, he had been born with a curse. He had indescribable cultivation speed even compared to his siblings. But the problem was that every time he would break through to the Primary Celestial Soul Sea Realm, the setback was catastrophic. It had happened at least five times in his seventy-four year life.

No matter how hard he tried, the outcome was always the same: failure that seemed to be sending him towards his demise.

Eos sighed, and Nephele looked at him questioningly. Eos shook his head, trying to dispel the dark thoughts that plagued him. But he couldn't shake off the feeling of impending doom that seemed to follow him wherever he went. It was as if the universe was conspiring against him.

As they walked down the street, he noticed that the people around them were acting strange. They were whispering and looking at him with fearful eyes, as if they knew something he didn't. It made Eos uneasy.

Suddenly, Nephele grabbed his arm and pulled him into an alleyway. "We're being followed," she whispered, her eyes darting around nervously.

"More cultivators?" He asked expressionlessly.

"Yes. But I can't feel their cultivation. Should I... ask them..." Nephele asked, hesitantly.

"In the same way that you asked the five who knocked on our door." Eos' voice was amused.

"They didn't knock," Nephele muttered.

Eos laughed, despite a slight sense of frustration.

He silently vowed to himself that he needed to cultivate quickly and break through to the Celestial Golden Core Realm. With that achievement, he would gain access to both the fire and thunder elements, which were imprinted in his spirit root. His golden art was derived from his fire-thunder root.

Currently, He was still in the Celestial peak Qi Realm, but his senses were far greater than ordinary cultivators in the same realm. His sixth sense extended as far as he could project his aura, reaching up to ten meters. In comparison, a normal Immortal cultivator in the same realm as him wouldn't even have an aura.

However, Nephele was in the Advanced Soul Sea Realm and possessed an aura that stretched over forty meters. Eos' siblings, Ria and Ari, had an even greater aura that could reach up to eighty to a hundred meters. The extent of an aura was proportional to how strong cultivators were.

The sound of the shopping street was just as varied as the smells. The chatter of people haggling over prices mixed with the clanging of metal from the blacksmith's forge. The fishmonger called out their prices and deals, while the street performers played music and sang songs.

The sound of horse hooves echoed through the street as a carriage made its way down the road.

The street itself was a colorful sight to behold. The storefronts were adorned with bright banners and signs, each trying to outdo the other in attracting customers.

The bakery had baskets of freshly baked bread on display, while the deli had hanging strings of cured meats. The apothecary had jars of colorful herbs and powders in the window, while the temple had intricate carvings and sculptures on display.

People of all shapes and sizes were out and about, dressed in a variety of styles and colors. Merchants haggled with customers over prices, while children ran through the crowds playing games.

The street performers drew crowds with their music and acrobatics. The shopping street was a vibrant and bustling place, filled with the sights, sounds and smells of a thriving city.

"Which way are we going?"

"We are trying to find a quieter place where we can get a closer look at our pursuers. If you can get an idea of how many there are or what their cultivation is, let me know. It is always good to know what we will be up against."

Nephele nodded and led Eos down a side street, away from the noisy shopping street. The alley they entered was narrow and dimly lit, with tall buildings looming overhead. The smell of rotten garbage mixed with the scent of spices and incense from nearby shops.

As they walked further into the alley, Eos noticed that the buildings were getting shorter and closer together. The alleyway became more cramped, and the smell grew more pungent.

Suddenly, Nephele stopped and pressed herself against the wall. Eos followed suit, and they both listened intently.

There was no sound except for the distant chatter of the shopping street. Eos strained his senses, but he couldn't feel any presence nearby.

"Are you sure we're being followed?" He whispered.

"I'm positive," Nephele whispered back. "I could feel their presence earlier."

Eos frowned. "Then where are they?"

Nephele shrugged. "Maybe they split up to search for us, or they're waiting for us further ahead."

Eos nodded and took a deep breath. He closed his eyes and focused on his cultivation, feeling the fire and thunder elements within him. He visualized himself breaking through to the Celestial Golden Core Realm.

With Nephele by his side, Eos stepped out of the alley and into the next street. It was deserted, with no one in sight. Eos frowned, wondering where their pursuers had gone.

Suddenly, a figure stepped out from behind a building, blocking their path. It was a man dressed in black robes, with a silver mask covering his face.

Eos looked thoughtfully at the man in front of him. He was not from any sect he recognized and why was he alone.

"Nephele, don't kill him right away."

"As long as he doesn't try anything stupid."

"Nephele..."

"I do not sense his cultivation. Somehow he hides it from me." Said Nephele. Her soft melodic voice was tense.

Eos watched as Nephele walked forward. The man in black didn't move, just watched her with his cold, silver eyes.

"Nephele, let me talk to him," Eos said, placing a hand on her shoulder.

She looked at him skeptically before nodding and stepping back.

Eos approached the man slowly.

"What do you want?" he asked, trying to keep his voice steady.

The man in black said nothing, just looked at him with that cold mask.

"If you're here to kill us, you're wasting your time," Eos continued. "We're not worth your trouble."

The man in black tilted his head, almost as if he was considering Eos' words.

"Why are you following us?" Eos asked.

The man in black finally spoke, his voice low and measured. "I was sent to deliver a message."

"A message?"

"Yes. Your presence here has caused quite a stir among certain groups. They want to know your intentions."

Eos narrowed his eyes. "And who are these groups?"

The man in black shrugged. "I cannot say."

"Then how am I supposed to respond to this message?"

"That is up to you. But I suggest you leave the city before things escalate."

Eos laughed bitterly. "And what if we don't? What will happen then?"

The man in black didn't answer. He simply bowed and disappeared into the shadows.

Eos stood there for a moment, staring at the spot where the man had vanished. Nephele came up beside him.

"What do you think we should do?" she asked quietly.

Eos thought for a moment before answering. "We keep moving forward. We can't let them scare us off. And we need to find Ciri."

Nephele nodded slowly. "I think that man was not a disciple of any sect. He was an elder. I could read his cultivation indirectly and it was in peak Nacent or Primery Soul Sea.... He must have had a similar artifact that you gave Ciri and me."

"Yes and they are not common."

If they're watching us, they could strike at any moment."

"Perhaps it is best that we try to keep a low profile."

"Since when would Nephele of the Yinpai keep a low profile voluntarily." Eos said with a smile and nodded towards her.

Nephele drew stares as much as Ciri. Dressed in just a short, front laced ruby red corset, revealing her midriff and the top half of her full breasts. It gave an enticing view of her flat stomach, with the perfect round belly button.

Around her hips was a short pair of leather low waist mini pants. The outfit showed off her feminine curves and served as the perfect complement to her enchanting face and angelic smile.

Her thick, wild raven hair hung loosely over her forehead and covered up part of her eyes. The large, golden orbs were quite striking, framed by high cheekbones that made her whole face look otherworldly. Even her lips begged to be kissed with their enchanting fullness.

Nephele let out a chuckle and replied, "I am simply being myself, Master."

"Don't join in with Ciri, Nephele," Eos responded.

"Of course not, my darling." Her tone was playful and teasing.

Eos felt his face heat up. He was hardly immune to Nephele's teasing ways and she knew it.

Eos turned to her, a determined look on his face. "If they come after us, we deal with it."

Nephele gave him a small smile. "I know."

They continued on their journey, wary of the shadows and the threat that lurked within them. As they walked, Eos couldn't help but wonder who was behind this message. Who were these mysterious groups that wanted them gone? And why were they so interested in what he and Nephele were doing?

The answers to those questions would have to wait, however. For now, they needed to focus on finding Ciri and staying alive.

As they walked, they came across a small marketplace. Vendors were selling everything from exotic fruits to rare books. Eos and Nephele stopped to take a look, hoping to find some information about Ciri.

As they approached a vendor selling herbs and potions, Eos noticed a group of men in black robes approaching them from the corner of his eye. He turned to Nephele and said quietly, "We have company."

The group of men in black robes drew nearer, and Eos could feel the tension in the air. He noticed that these men were all disciples of the same sect, their robes bearing the insignia of the Black Lotus.

Eos took a deep breath and stood his ground. One of the disciples stepped forward, a smirk on his face. "You two are causing quite a stir, you know," he said, his voice dripping with contempt.

Eos glared at him. "What do you want?"

"We want you to leave the city," the disciple replied. "Your presence here is not welcome."

Eos laughed sarcastically. "And what if we don't?"

The disciple's smirk widened as he spoke, "Looks like we'll have to make you go. I heard you're only at the peak of the Qi realm, and your companion..." His words were cut off when he noticed her advanced Soul Sea realm level, signaling that he was outmatched. He stood there stunned, gaping as if he had been pulled from a pond.

"Maybe next time you should think more before you talk," said the Nephele, unbothered by his attempt to intimidate them.

The disciple's face turned red with embarrassment and anger as he realized his mistake. He quickly regained his composure and tried to save face by saying, "I was just testing you. You are worthy opponents indeed. But be warned, you may have won this battle, but the war is far from over."

The Nephele simply chuckled at his words, knowing that they were more than capable of defending themselves. As they turned to leave, the disciple shouted after them, "Don't get too comfortable. There are many more like me who will come after you!"

The Nephele simply waved goodbye without looking back.