Celestial Bloodline

"Where did he go!? Find him! This time I am going to punish him with my own hands!"

Ned, Vexana, and all those who had rarely seen Old Hal lose his composure were surprised when a powerful aura emanated from his aged body. They swiftly started searching for the silver-haired human, intending not to further upset the old man. Suddenly, a loud and familiar taunting voice echoed from the audience below.

"Well, if the old man doesn't want to give me a spot, then I guess I shall take my leave. It's fine even if I don't enter the tomb. I should heed the words of the elder one."

The folks near Kyle were startled by his voice. They quickly distanced themselves from the silver-haired man lounging atop a chair in the audience with a smirk. After all, they lacked the strength to confront him at that moment, and nobody wanted to incur his wrath after witnessing his strength.

Old Hal's eyebrow started twitching violently at his words as he looked down at the human staring up at him.

Unlike Ned and the others who swiftly dashed towards Kyle with lightning-fast speed to capture him, the old man remained firmly rooted in his place.

"You have got quite the nerve, don't you, young one? But do you honestly believe I would fall for the same trick twice?"

Kyle shook his head upon hearing the old man's loud words. He vanished from his spot as Ned and the others closed in on him, only to reappear in the air a short distance away from the old man.

"Of course, I am certain you won't. You are far more powerful than me. However, I'm kind of curious, can I enter this tomb without using its entrance?"

Old Hal's pupils shook with disbelief as he grasped the meaning behind Kyle's words. The human intended to enter the tomb using his teleportation skill. He knew this was doable as he had seen James using his teleportation skill multiple times to bypass the limitations of various restricted realms and forcefully enter inside.

"Don't!"

He yelled and exerted his power to pause the human because Kyle's body wasn't yet strong enough to withstand the pain that breaking the rules of such a powerful ancient tomb would cause.

The old man even lunged forward with all his might to seize the human body; after all, he didn't want to lose such a powerful individual! But his blue pupils enlarged as blood trickled down the jaw of the human floating before him.

Kyle's eyes flashed with a wild glint as he glanced at the old man's hands trying to seize his body. A sudden wave of pain pulsed through his body as he advanced in mid-air, and the space before him expanded to engulf his whole being in darkness, leaving only a faint remnant behind.

Old Hal gazed at the vacant space before him for a few moments before closing his eyes and furrowing his brow.

"Crazy fool... Just don't die."

He looked at the entrance of the old tomb and, without paying attention to the crowd below, quietly watched the people on the platform who showed no concern for Kyle and were determined to enter the tomb.

He just wanted to make sure the silver-haired man wasn't dead by seeing how many unfortunate folks, whose spots were taken by Kyle and his crew, couldn't get into the tomb. After a few minutes, the platform in front of the tomb gate was nearly empty, except for thirteen individuals who were unable to enter as they were pushed back by the entrance.

The thirteen unfortunate souls tried to force their way into the tomb and let out cries when the gate slammed shut before them. They stared at Old Hal, seeking answers for the injustice they had just faced. However, the old man paid them no heed, shifting his gaze to Vexana and the group assembled behind him.

"Our task here is finished. Our presence is unnecessary until those who went into the tomb emerge. I believe there's no need for us to linger here any longer."

The crowd below bellowed, questioning how such powerful figures couldn't even halt a few unruly individuals. The thirteenth unfortunate souls stared at the old man's back with disbelief in their eyes.

All the barriers encircling the arena shattered into particles, and the arena walls began to dissolve into the ground alongside everything within the towering walls. The audience, whose strength was suppressed by the power of the arena, was finally released, and they regained their power.

Right away, the guardians and relatives of the thirteen unlucky individuals, shedding tears on the dissipating platform, moved to confront Old Hal for the unjust treatment their people endured. They had earned the tomb's spot fairly but were denied entry! If this isn't injustice, then what is??

But before they could reach him, Old Hal and his companions disappeared into a fissure that opened before them.

Old Hal emerged from the fissure with Vexana and the rest onto a barren plain, devoid of any greenery and littered with countless skeletons. He sighed and massaged his throbbing head.

"At least he made it... I was certain he wouldn't, but that insane fellow did. With Kyle and all his companions, excluding the two beasts, the total number of spots they held within the tomb is 13... yet, how can that young man risk his life just to gain access to an ancient tomb?"

He sighed and looked at Ned, who hovered behind him.

"Return quietly and offer some treasures to the guardians and families of those thirteen unlucky folks to pacify them. I truly wish to avoid any more chaos when I return to the Sacred Divine Land to see those who made it back from the tomb alive."

Ned was taken aback and pointed at himself, looking bewildered.

"Me?"

Old Hal nodded with a frown.

"Who else goes by Ned around here?"

He waved his hand to dismiss him.

"Off you go. I know it won't be easy to calm the guardians and families of those thirteen unlucky folks, but take it as a punishment. You have really been a headache for me."

Ned's face fell, and he left the group with clenched teeth to go back to Sacred Divine Land. It was then that Old Hal retrieved the storage ring Nine had tossed at him.

"These dark contracts... I must bring them to James. Elizabeth departed hastily, so I couldn't inform her. I believe we will gain many allies by freeing those enslaved by the dark side."

The group disappeared towards one of the many floating islands above the desolate plain, scattered with numerous skeletons.