"Is that what you're wearing?" Jiang Fei looked at Arran with a raised eyebrow.
"What's wrong with it?" Arran asked.
He was wearing a simple brown linen robe, and although it was nothing like the crimson silk dress Jiang Fei was wearing, he didn't think there was anything wrong with it. It was comfortable and clean, and it was something that would attract no unwanted attention.
"Nothing," Jiang Fei said with a frown, "if you're planning to spend the day on a farm."
Arran sighed, then went back inside. Some moments later he emerged from the cottage once more, this time wearing a black silk robe with red embroidery. It was one of the finer robes Master Zhao had left him in the void bag, and wearing it made Arran feel like a monkey in a wedding dress.
"Much better," Jiang Fei said, smiling brightly. "Dressed like this, you could almost trick me into thinking you're handsome."
"Who were those guys?" Arran looked at Jiang Fei with some concern. With the protection of Lord Jiang, he wasn't too worried about himself, but he hoped he hadn't caused any problems for Jiang Fei."They're from the Redstone branch of the Jiang Clan," she replied. "From what I heard, the branch leader has been trying to get an audience with Uncle Bear for the past month. They thought they could use me to force Uncle Bear to see them." She shook her head in disgust."Are you okay?" Arran asked."I am," she said. "But this is going to cause some trouble for you. The Redstone branch is among the more powerful factions within the clan, and they will want compensation for what you did.""The little bastard had it coming," Arran said with a shrug. He was confident that Lord Jiang would protect him if necessary, but even if that weren't the case, he would not let some random thug manhandle Jiang Fei.
Arran woke up early the next morning, well before the first light of dawn. The previous night he had not felt too worried, but now, the confrontation was coming awfully close.After some thought, he put on the armored coat he had bought the previous day. He did not think Lord Jiang would let it come to violence, but then, it was better to be needlessly prepared than to need it and not be prepared.He ate breakfast with Jiang Fei and Magistrate Huang, and much like the previous day, they were the only ones in the large dining hall. By now, Arran was beginning to think that the people in Magistrate Huang's household were trying to avoid them.The more he thought about it, the more it made sense. Even Magistrate Huang himself was visibly uncomfortable being around Arran and Jiang Fei, clearly still afraid of their powers. That the rest of the household would be even more timid did not seem far-fetched at all.<
"You killed them…" Magistrate Huang looked at the two bodies with an expression of sheer terror."It would seem that way." Lord Jiang brushed some of Elder Redstone's blood off his hand. Turning to Magistrate Huang, he said, "I want you to spread word that any members of the Redstone branch left in the city by sundown will be hanged."Magistrate Huang gaped in shock. "What if they cause trouble?" he said in a small voice."If any of them cause trouble for your men," Lord Jiang said, "they will face a fate far worse than hanging.""Yes, Lord Jiang," the old man said, his voice thick with anxiety. After a deep bow to Lord Jiang he left quickly, seeming anxious to be away from the violent scene in the hall."We should leave as well," Lord Jiang said. "There are matters to discuss, but we had best do so at the estate, far away from prying ears."When they
"It's going to hurt." Lord Jiang gave Arran a serious look. "When I remove the seals, Essence will flood your body. It will not be as bad as taking a Realm Opening Pill, but it will be painful." It was early morning, and Lord Jiang had taken Arran to a distant area of the estate, several miles away from any buildings. Here, the estate's lands more resembled a wilderness than a garden. Today, Lord Jiang would finally remove the seals he had placed on Arran's Realms half a year earlier. Although the prospect made Arran nervous, part of him was impatient to see how strong he would be once the seals were removed. "Are there any dangers?" he asked. "Some," Lord Jiang replied. "By now, your body should be able to handle it, but it will not be easy. There will be pain, and it will last for a while." "Just how long will it last?" Arran asked, feeling some suspicion at what Lord
When Arran awoke, he immediately felt a flood of Essence within his body. It took him a moment to recall what happened, and when he did, he was relieved that he had survived the ordeal unscathed.He was lying on the grass, surrounded by trees, but he found himself covered with a blanket. When he sat up, he saw that Lord Jiang was sitting on the grass next to him."Finally awake, are you?" Lord Jiang said with a chuckle. "It took you long enough."Arran groaned in discomfort. His body still felt tired, and he was tense from the pressure of the Essence inside of him. Although there was no real pain anymore, the constant pressure made just sitting tiresome, as if he was constantly holding up a large weight."How long will this last?" he asked, feeling slightly miserable."You will gradually start to feel better," Lord Jiang said, "and the worst of it should be over in a few hours. F
As the days passed, Arran became increasingly proficient at handling the vast amount of Essence he now had at his disposal.Each day, he would spend hours training in the abandoned part of the estate, drawing Essence from his Realms and sending great balls of fire and gusts of wind into the distance, scorching and uprooting trees.The training paid off, with Arran's control over the Essence strengthening and his attacks growing smaller but denser. The fireballs he produced were only half their previous size, but they burned far more intensely, radiating a searing heat as they soared through the air.Although Arran could not be certain, he thought that by now, he could probably harm even adepts using nothing but magic. Adding in the physical strength he had gained through Lord Jiang's Body Refinement techniques, and he thought he should have a decent chance at surviving a fight against an adept.His r
When Arran arrived at Jiang Fei's cottage, he found the door closed, but some noises came from inside. He knocked on the door, then waited."One moment!" Jiang Fei's muffled voice sounded through the door.When she finally opened the door, Arran was startled at her appearance. Her hair was disheveled and there were dark rings around her eyes, as if she hadn't slept in days."Sorry for making you wait," she said with a faint smile. "Come in."As he entered, Arran saw that the main room of the cottage was in a state of chaos. The floor was littered with scrolls and piles of books, and he wondered just what Jiang Fei had been doing these past two weeks."Are you okay?" he asked. By now, he was beginning to feel worried about her."I'm fine," she said, although she didn't look it. "I've just been slightly busy.""Was that why you couldn't see
The first days after he left Lord Jiang's estate, Arran traveled at night, hiding out during the days and taking care not to be seen when he was out in the open.When he was a week's travel from Silvermere, he began to travel by day. By then, he thought there was little risk of being recognized, and even if someone did recognize him, by the time word reached Silvermere he would be long gone.The lands to the west of Silvermere were rough, filled with rocky hills and dense forests, but the roads were well-maintained, and he made good distance with every day of travel. Still wary of being seen, he spent the first weeks avoiding any towns and villages along the way. Instead, he camped out in the wilderness each night.He did not mind the lack of comfort. Lord Jiang's void bag contained enough food to last him well over a year, and although the nights were cold, he found that he could easily warm his body by circulating Fire