Chapter 571: Simple

Liam’s return to the Red Sandstorm Tribe’s outskirts was silent and uneventful. Amber’s brief statement had been enough to end the hostilities, or at least delay them until the meeting happened.

Naturally, that didn’t mean that everything was good and well for Liam, far from it. Both Andrew and Caspar glared at him nonstop, and chances were that no meeting could fix that.

Liam didn’t care at all, only remaining wary of sneak attacks while noting down information on his green jade, following Amber with the fuming pipe between his teeth.

Truth was, Liam could have saved his admission of guilt for later. He could also not have mentioned it at all, letting Uriah and Amber handle the matter.

Yet, Liam had already taken a side. It might have come with caveats and problematic interests, but Rachel had done the same, even going as far as lying to her parents to benefit him.

Publicly announcing the murders would bring the enmity on Liam, protecting Rachel in the process, so it was a no-brainer for him.

Moreover, Uriah had already expressed that strategy, and Liam pushed it one step further. His readiness to kill anyone, no matter their status, was his great Master’s way of handling problems, and changing region did nothing to his devotion to his teachings.

In short, the Tribes needed that message to learn that Liam wasn’t to be messed with, not even slightly.

In comparison, taking note of everything Liam had uncovered and learned during the battle was far higher on his list of priorities. He was overflowing with ideas that could keep him secluded for years,

Still, something able to divert Liam’s attention eventually arrived.

The outskirts had changed greatly, as if falling prey to a natural disaster, which wasn’t too far from the truth.

The sandy bedrock had shattered beyond recognition, puddles of blood staining it in multiple spots. There were few corpses, but all the underlings seemed to have suffered injuries and were now glaring at each other from opposite sides of the destroyed landscape.

The giant level three centipede was among the Red Sandstorm Tribe’s army, but its body was broken in countless spots. Its orange chitin had lost its luster and integrity, becoming a mess of cracks that leaked dark blood nonstop.

’It’s still alive,’ Liam added that mental note when inspecting the level three creature, worried about its state, or rather, about the integrity of its venomous organ. Depending on the meeting’s outcome, he might still get the chance to hunt it.

What came next turned Liam’s greed into respect.

The requested meeting involved too many branching experts for the Red Sandstorm Tribe to risk extending any hospitality. The Dark Heaven Tribe’s floating tent wasn’t suitable, either, but masters in the noble arts had plenty of ways to create appropriate environments.

A stone building had somehow appeared where the sand replaced the rocks. It wasn’t anything big, but it wasn’t a mere house, either, and its insides showcased luxury invisible from the outside.

Marble surfaces welcomed Liam once he entered the building, along with an artificial but refreshing coolness. He was in a large, furnished area connected to smaller rooms, a stone table already at its center, together with three experts.

Uriah and Laurel sat on opposite sides, the former calmly drinking. He had also lost the upper part of his robe, and his muscular torso revealed a few bruises, but he was otherwise unharmed.

Instead, Laurel had no visible injury, but her tanned complexion was clearly pale. Dark circles even stood under her eyes, with her grim expression telling a story of its own.

A third branching expert sat at Laurel’s side, albeit at some distance from her. He was a middle-aged man who shared many features with Andrew and Chester, namely their black hair and handsome faces, but an evident bruise stood on his square chin.

Liam didn’t know how much Amber had fought. Honestly, he hadn’t seen, tasted, or sensed much ice during the flight, making the more likely conclusion quite shocking.

It seemed Uriah had dealt with Laurel, the level three centipede, and the newcomer mostly on his own, and he had at least earned a draw.

Given that the other newcomer was a high-stage branching expert, Liam temporarily forgot the rank 3 poisonous ingredient to feel respect for Uriah’s battle prowess.

’Maybe he is like me,’ Liam considered. ’This is the perfect place for inscription masters. He has probably accumulated more magical items than I ever had alchemical products.’

Of course, the entrance wasn’t silent. It couldn’t be due to Caspar’s poor state.

"Caspar!" Laurel suddenly cried, teleporting behind the group to grab Caspar by his shoulders and inspect him all over.

"Mother, I’m fine," Caspar politely reassured, lowering his head, but not forgetting to glare at Liam. "Most importantly ..."

Liam didn’t stop to hear what he knew was about to come, mostly because Amber hadn’t stopped, either. She calmly reached Uriah’s side before eyeing Liam, silently inviting him.

The reason for that became clear after Liam sat down, too. Rachel had been at his side even during the return to the outskirts, and that was where she remained at the table, suggesting her loyalty was with him first rather than her parents.

The Dark Heaven Tribe’s side basically appeared to have two clear couples, with their similarities deepening that impression, leaving no room for doubt. With Liam and Uriah sharing burly frames, it was evident that Rachel and Amber had the same taste in men.

But that wasn’t the time to worry about appearances linked to political machinations. After all, Liam had to contend with general anger in the next second.

"The outsider claimed to be the one who murdered Chester and third Young Master Jacob," Andrew declared before Caspar could explain that point, bringing general awareness.

Andrew, Laurel, and the seated high-stage branching expert joined Caspar in his glare at Liam. With what he understood about Tribes’ leadership, it was evident his actions had gone beyond mere insults. He had killed family members, making everything personal.

And yet, the still-sitting branching expert only poured veiled coldness into his words when he addressed Liam. "Outsider, is this true? Did you kill my eldest?"

’Distasteful,’ Liam couldn’t help but think, a hiss resonating in the back of his mind.

Uriah and Amber had left a strong impression on Liam due to how much they valued their daughter. For the same reason, Liam disapproved of that cold but calm reaction. He had literally killed the middle-aged man’s first son, but he was barely showing any emotions.

Laurel had reacted similarly, wanting to disregard her son’s death in the face of Uriah’s anger. Even with nothing done yet, Liam felt like siding with the Dark Heaven Tribe had been the best possible choice, the one that suited him the most.

"I did," Liam confirmed, the realization making his tone firmer than it already was.

"May I know what warranted such extreme actions?" The middle-aged man inquired.

"Young Master Chester tried to give me orders," Liam responded honestly before glancing at Laurel. "Young Master Jacob followed with a threat. Only Rachel showed politeness."

Andrew and Laurel had voiced their knowledge about Rachel’s involvement in the incident, so Liam mentioned her, too. He even tried to be polite by including the titles he knew.

Rachel had lacked a title because Liam had only heard insults accompanying his name, so his statement ended up deepening the wrong impression showcased by the seating arrangements.

Naturally, Liam didn’t mention that he had been a rooting expert back then, but the Invincible Oasis Tribe seemed to have more backbone than the Red Sandstorm Tribe.

"An order?" Andrew said, incredulous but angry. "You killed my nephew because you lumped him together with a clueless Junior who went overboard to curry his favor?!"

Jacob and his Tribe were somehow getting caught in the crossfire. Laurel’s face grew even darker at that development, but Liam’s following words hit hard enough to reclaim everyone’s attention.

"Yes?" Liam replied as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "You get in my way, I kill you. It’s as simple as that."