C209 The Descendant of King of Wraiths

Zanas's smile was tinged with mischief.

The demise of his three hand-chosen disciples hadn't truly affected him; his spirits remained high, and he was brimming with expectation.

His own mentor from the Binders of Shadows had treated him similarly.

On his deathbed, Zanas's master confided that within the Serpent Spine Mountains of Aetherius, an Alien Bug lay concealed.

This Alien Bug was a rarity, unparalleled in the world.

His master, once the frenzied herbalist of the Order of Healing, had scoured the three continents for the most brutal and fearsome poisonous insects, eventually cultivating this unique specimen.

The mad herbalist had been the one to secretly nurture the Alien Bug in the Serpent Spine Mountains.

Constrained by an extraordinary cage, the bug could grow quietly, yet breaking free in a short span was nearly impossible.

Zanas's master, having severed his path of cultivation, depended on various Alien Bugs and spiritual medicines to extend his life. But the Venomcraft he practiced was so dreadful that toxins had infiltrated his blood, flesh, and organs, and with his time running out, no medicine could save him.

At life's end, Zanas was the sole disciple remaining by his side.

It was only then that his master divulged the secret.

Over time, his fellow disciples had either perished or fallen victim to Zanas's schemes.

Zanas alone survived.

His master revealed that the Alien Bug was intended for the mad herbalist of the Order of Healing.

Alas, the herbalist had lost his mind and soul to his craft.

The toxic smog array that imprisoned the Alien Bug had been set by the herbalist, and after his death, even Zanas's master dared not tamper with it, fearing the lethal contingencies left behind.

Three centuries passed, and as Zanas's master neared death, he believed the Alien Bug, given its energy and potential, had likely matured and shed its shackles long ago.

Thus, he entrusted Zanas with the task of attempting to gain the Alien Bug's allegiance.

If the Alien Bug could recognize him as its master, Zanas's status as a hand-chosen disciple within the Binders of Shadows would skyrocket.

He even harbored hopes of rising to the pinnacle of the sect and vying for the position of sect master.

Zanas harbored a deep resentment toward his master, yet he was also riddled with fear. He was aware that his master had lived a life full of risks and trusted his master's judgment implicitly.

Thus, he placed great expectations on the Alien Bug.

The loss of a few hand-chosen disciples was of no concern to him. As long as he could gain the Alien Bug's recognition, any sacrifice would be justified, just as his master had asserted.

To the Alien Bug, these young herbalists from Aetherius were nothing more than delectable treats.

Zanas was determined to observe closely, using his soul to keenly perceive and understand the Alien Bug's temperament and traits, to see if they aligned with his master's descriptions.

Only then could he gauge the true extent of the Alien Bug's development after three hundred years.

If it proved to be overwhelmingly powerful, beyond his control, he would need to prepare and strategize accordingly.

In Zanas's eyes, all the men and women before him were as good as dead.

"Binders of Shadows!"

"You're with the Binders of Shadows!"

Upon Zanas revealing his affiliation, the expressions of the young herbalists from the various empires of Aetherius shifted subtly.

The Binders of Shadows had a fearsome reputation, and any cultivator worth their salt knew of their infamy.

"Senior!"

Bai Shenshen, clearly displeased, spoke up, "This is the domain of the Sacred Hands. Your presence here with your master is tolerable, but why utter such frightening statements? What do you mean by 'delicious'?"

Zanas flashed a sly grin and replied nonchalantly, "It means nothing."

The herbalists present exchanged uneasy glances, unsure of what to make of the enigmatic Zanas.

Liu Zaihe from the Sunblessed Empire began to quietly slip away, his retreat directed towards the headquarters of the Sacred Hands.

He had a premonition that something was amiss.

"Don't leave."

Zanas burst into boisterous laughter, disregarding Zaihe's lineage, and expelled a burst of Qi from his mouth.

The orb of energy, enshrouded in a vibrant, colorful mist, suddenly soared toward Liu Zaihe. From within the orb, an immense Ghoul Glyph unfurled, swiftly reaching above Liu Zaihe's head and forming a binding spell. In an instant, Liu Zaihe felt as though he was encased in layers of invisible stones, tightly sealed without a single crevice for escape.

"Stone Talisman!" Bai Shenshen's expression chilled as she observed numerous unseen spiritual lights morph into stones, encircling Liu Zaihe from every angle. While the Stone Talisman might not significantly restrict her, it was clear that Liu Zaihe, the young herbalist of the Sunblessed Empire, would struggle to break free.

"He is a descendant of the Sunblessed Empire's King of Wraiths!" Bai Shenshen exclaimed.

"The Sunblessed Empire, King of Wraiths..." Zanas paused, then nodded, acknowledging, "The King of Wraiths is indeed a formidable figure. I didn't realize you, young man, hailed from such a prestigious lineage."

"Retrieve!" With a commanding gesture, Zanas's hand erupted with a burst of green lightning. The Stone Talisman that had been hovering over Liu Zaihe's head now coalesced back into an orb of energy, which Zanas promptly absorbed.

"Being a descendant of the King of Wraiths, I'll cut you some slack. You're free to go," Zanas stated, waving his hand in a gesture of reluctant release.

Liu Zaihe, maintaining his proud demeanor, simply nodded in acknowledgment and, without uttering a word, quickly departed.

"He's a perceptive one," Yu Yuan mused quietly, turning to Bai Shenshen with curiosity. "Is the King of Wraiths that powerful?"

Bai Shenshen offered a wry smile. "The King of Wraiths of the Sunblessed Empire was the younger brother of the former emperor, a prodigy from birth. He was handpicked by the Devil Palace to practice the authentic dark arts. A century ago, the King of Wraiths entered the Land of Quiescence from the Aetherius Continent, armed with the advanced cultivation of the late Spirit Walk stage."

"The current King of Wraiths is a high-ranking Solar Spirit Cultivator of the Devil Palace and hasn't set foot in Aetherius for many years."

The Binders of Shadows, a sect within the Land of Quiescence, knows better than to provoke the descendants of the King of Wraiths, even though he no longer resides in Aetherius.

"The Devil Palace and Shadow's Keep are the two towering peaks in the Land of Quiescence, insurmountable by any!" Bai Shenshen exclaimed with a sigh.

"You're absolutely correct. I have no desire to cross the King of Wraiths. Our Binders of Shadows do not wish to draw the Devil Palace's wrath upon us here in the Land of Quiescence," Zanas admitted, casting a sidelong glance at the younger members gathered around. "If any of you have ancestors who, like the King of Wraiths, sought refuge early in our Land of Quiescence, I might be inclined to turn a blind eye."

"My grandfather practices in the Ebon Star Sect on the Euwrea Continent, and he has reached the Spirit Walk Stage!" a young girl in a white dress called out.

"Ebon Star?" Zanas sneered. "Cultivators from Euwrea are natural adversaries to us here in the Land of Quiescence. That won't work in your favor."

The other juniors began to clamor, invoking the names of their esteemed elders.

"It's too late," Yu Yuan murmured with a low sigh.

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