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Chapter 28: You Are My Faith (IX)

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Although Tylor had told Kaiser in a very imposing manner that Shang Ke was going to stay at his mansion, Shang Ke still spiritedly left with Kaiser, completely ignoring Tylor’s sad and gloomy face.

On the way back home, Kaiser looked at the youth beside him. Handsome features, a pair of rippling eyes, and a head of long black hair that flowed down his back with a silky luster. His every action carried a very spiritual and harmonious manner. What was even more important was that he had a very pure nature and firm will. After thinking, it did not seem strange at all for Tylor to fall in love with him.

“What’s wrong?” Shang Ke asked as he turned his head toward him.

Pupu also turned to look at him with a questioning gaze.

“No-nothing.” Kaiser immediately took his gaze back. That one look caused his heartbeat to speed up a bit. He had originally wanted to ask about his relationship with Tylor, but in the end he didn’t ask anything. However, so long as he thought about how Shang Ke would one day be together with Tylor, his heart would feel stuffy.

In fact, Tylor’s heart was just as stuffy as his. Watching as the man he liked left with another man, it was impossible for his mood to improve.

But the world would not wait for them to settle their feelings, and every country in the continent responded to the Holy Empire’s call, agreeing to participate in the sealing of the Devil’s Tree.

With the mission decided, they began the journey to seal the tree.

The warriors all prepared themselves to leave for the marsh abyss.

No one knew just how dangerous the sealing operation would be. Although Shang Ke did not know exactly how many people there were, he remembered that almost everyone had been killed in the end. Their losses were disastrous after merely entering the fringe, and those who had managed to survive all had mental shadows. During the operation’s second attempt, two-thirds of the party were lost.

As such, Shang Ke did not have much assurance in this operation. He could only concentrate on all of the final warriors who managed to last until the end, and make use of his ability to absorb devil qi to protect them until the interior of the abyss.

This time, Tylor joined Kaiser’s group and operated along with them. Shang Ke had also asked for two other people aside from Tylor, one being the Guard Captain Max that had provoked him before, and the other being the horticulture master, Simbi.

They could understand asking for assistance from Max, but what the heck was the horticulture master for? Tylor and Kaiser both couldn’t understand at all.

Shang Ke said, “One’s social status does not say anything about their power of faith. Plus, sealing the Devil’s Tree needs different kinds of faiths. So the more kinds of faith there are, the better.”

Then he doesn’t necessarily have to choose a horticulture master! It’s not that they look down on that occupation, rather, the one before them was too strange! He wore a shirt and jacket on his upper body while his lower body wore a grass skirt, and he also wore grass boots! Was this kind of expressive madman really suitable for the mission?

With his participation, the style of the entire group became wrong!

But under Shang Ke’s strong persuasion, everyone still agreed with much difficulty. The group altogether had twenty-three people, among them were Kaiser’s five companions Amy, Vadula, Fred, Youri and Duro. The remaining people were mostly Tylor’s men.

Everyone organized their baggage and set out at the arranged time.

On the way, they intentionally placed some distance between Simbi and themselves, only Shang Ke did not care about this. These people who only judged people by their appearances would never think that this horticulture master was a powerful man that had participated in two sealing operations and was the first person to arrive at the center of the abyss. Also, he was one of the only five warriors that returned alive in the end.

His faith was in “nature”. Although his actions and esthetics was a bit eccentric, his mental state was stronger than everyone here. Hm, the thickness of his face was stronger too.

“Shang Ke, this weave of yours is really nice, teach me.” Simbi looked at the weave Shang Ke gave to Pupu, his eyes brightening.

“Sure,” Shang Ke smiled and agreed.

Two people with completely different styles somehow interacted so harmoniously that it was a bit strange.

Tylor only watched Shang Ke in the daytime, and at night he would pull him and Pupu into his tent. Kaiser would make his tent somewhere near to obstruct them every time, so that he could take note of any suspicious activity within. As long as he noticed that something was wrong, he would immediately rush in.

But with Pupu around, no matter what Tylor had in mind, he couldn’t really do anything to Shang Ke.

The first few days of the mission were very peaceful and nothing unexpected happened. On the way, they had met many other groups, some were rather friendly, others alienated. Everyone maintained a not-too-close-or-too-far distance from each other and made for the same destination.

But on the sixth day, at a distance not even thirty meters from the edge of the abyss,a dead body was found. The several days of peace had finally ended.

There were about fifty corpses, and the way they died was very tragic, the blood hadn’t even dried yet.

“It should have been done by a group of devil apostles, the strength of the other party was very strong and ruthless.” The imperial guard investigated and reported back.

Tylor wrinkled his brows and did not say much, only reminding everyone to be careful.

The group advanced a couple more meters and finally stopped to make their camp before nightfall.

That night, there was not a sound to be heard besides the shrill scraping of the wind.

At this moment, the originally sleeping Tylor suddenly opened his eyes and quietly made his way out of his tent. The other people that came out along with him were Kaiser and Max.

They were just about to sound a warning when the camp was attacked.

Shang Ke was awakened by the clamor. He quickly walked to the entrance of the tent and raised a corner to take a look outside. What he saw was Tylor and the others fighting the sneak attacking opponents fiercely.

He was just about to be exit the tent when out of nowhere, a small head popped over and almost went out the tent. Shang Ke promptly pulled Pupu into his arms, quietly warning her, “Stay here obediently, don’t run out okay?”

Pupu saw Shang Ke’s grave expression and copied a grave expression, nodding her head repeatedly as she stayed motionless in his arms.

While Shang Ke held Pupu in the tent, he was also nervously mindful of the activity outside.

He was now a weak person who would gasp for breath just every few steps, it was best that he just inconspicuously stayed in a corner and not go out to cause trouble. He believed that it wouldn’t be a problem for Kaiser, with the “main character” halo along with Tylor’s immense strength, to handle a dozen low ranking apostles.

“Quincy, over here.” Tylor’s sudden shout transmitted to Shang Ke’s ear.

Quincy? Shang Ke’s expression changed. Wasn’t he the traitor that plotted against Tylor in the story?

So strange, he knew all the people in the group, but to his knowledge, there shouldn’t be a “Quincy” in them.

Shang Ke raised the tent cover and looked over.

So it was him, the imperial guard by Tylor’s side, Jacques (Zhangkunkesi). “Quincy(Kunxi)” should be his nickname.

He fortunately found out early! Otherwise, Shang Ke would have been very likely to miss the chance to save Tylor. In the original plotline, the truth of Tylor’s death remained a mystery. No one knew that the second prince of the empire, the once famous Tylor, had unexpectedly died in the hands of his most trusted friend.

Of the famous double stars of Light Ode College, one died an unnatural death while the other threw himself into the darkness. He had to say, this was a great tragedy.

But since Shang Ke came, he would not allow this tragedy to repeat itself.

Right at that moment, he suddenly hear a tearing sound. The tent was torn open by a sharp blade that wasn’t even ten centimeters from Shang Ke.

Shang Ke quickly grabbed Pupu and retreated a couple steps, and in those few seconds, several more gaps were torn into the tent.

Shang Ke frowned, the devil qi in his body fluctuated and his eyes flickered. The oppressing pressure of a King level apostle erupted from his body.

One of the attackers seemed to have noticed Shang Ke’s existence and was just about to attack the tent, but was almost struck down by the oppressing pressure.

Because Shang Ke had absorbed a large amount of devil qi during a short time period, the King level apostle’s pressing might did not disappear but rather grew even stronger.

That attacker’s heart was greatly startled and he retreated many steps, no longer daring to approach that tent.

Tylor and Kaiser both made their preparations to save Shang Ke when they saw one of the attackers approaching the tent. But god knows what kind of show that guy was giving, he threw himself forward then shot back out like he saw something terrifying.

Tylor and the others naturally would not show mercy and took the chance to send the person to hell.

“Shang Ke, are you guys alright?” Tylor hurriedly ran to the tent and looked inside.

“We’re fine.” Shang Ke asked, “How is the situation outside?”

Tylor took a look around then replied, “It’s already settled.”

The attackers were all annihilated so everyone started to clean up the scene.

Only now did Shang Ke leave the tent while carrying Pupu.

Pupu did not show a frighten expression at the bloody scene. This bit, Shang Ke had discovered long ago. Although Pupu’s intelligence was a bit lower than a normal child, but maybe because of that, she did not fear death at all.

To her, the world was very simple. She only had likes and dislike, there was no cognition of good and bad.

Not long after, a couple of people from two other camps came to find Tylor and exchanged their opinions on the attack. In the end, they decided to merge their groups into one. With the united management, it became more convenient to focus their power in response to the following crisis.

“Lord Tylor, this is?” A fit and beautiful female warrior looked in Shang Ke’s direction, her eyes full of interest.

“Osari.” Tylor place his hand around his waist, a very common action, yet it looked like he was declaring his sovereignty.

The female warrior was a crude one, so she completely did not make out the deep meaning within and said to Shang Ke, “I saw that the food in your camp was all cooked by you these past few days and the smell is really tempting. I don’t know if you can offer some to us too from now on? We can pay for it if needed.”

“That’s fine.” Shang Ke agreed with a smile, “As long as you guys don’t mind sharing it.”

“We don’t mind, we don’t mind it at all.” They had already smelled his delicious food for several days alright?!

The captain of the other group was rather wary against Shang Ke, in his eyes was inquiry.

The next day, the group continued their journey and entered the abyss of the marsh by afternoon. The devil qi here was clearly richer than other places and everyone immediately felt incomparably oppressed, their expressions looking very resentful and bitter. Only Shang Ke, Pupu and the horticulture master were like usual.

In the abyss of the marsh, no one was able to sleep on the first night. Even if they forced themselves to fall asleep, they would be roused by nightmares.

The atmosphere in the group became very compressed, all sorts of negative mood came thick and fast, nobody could resist it.

Just at that moment, sporadic tones of notes sounded, soon after, it became a string of notes that altogether turned into melodious and sweet music.

The people in the tents took turns leaving, each heading for the source of the elegant music.

A man wearing a robe sat cross legged at the fire. In his hands was a harp, and he gently played it. His long lustrous black hair scattered onto the blanket placed on the ground, his expression gentle and the light of the fire glowed in his unclouded eyes. His fingers danced across the strings in the quiet night like magic, scattering the devil qi in the surroundings. Everyone’s stifled mood all eased, the heavy and sinister atmosphere unwittingly vanished like smoke.

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