Chapter 626: Full picture

The hall was large enough to have plenty of empty space. Liam stopped beside the marble table, warily checking his surroundings before refocusing on the sitting family.

Such a luxurious area wasn’t ideal for what Liam had in mind, at least for its first part. Still, he had never really cared about those matters, and his main worry outclassed everything else.

"Can I speak freely here?" Liam asked. "Is there any risk of leaks?"

Any force could easily take offense at those questions. After all, the palace was the heart of the Dark Heaven Tribe, its central place, and Liam was implying it was unsafe.

Yet, Liam couldn’t leave anything to chance, not with what he was about to reveal. The cultivation world simply had too much magic to be wary of.

The seriousness Liam’s face, tone, and aura radiated prevented shouts. Uriah and Amber exchanged a glance before looking at their daughter, who nodded with what seemed a hint of pride.

Uriah and Amber exchanged another look before springing into action. They didn’t actually move, but both summoned jades and tablets that caused a reaction in the hall.

Silver symbols lit up on the columns by the balcony, their glow blending with the burning braziers. The scenery outside also twisted, as if a transparent curtain had descended.

The entrance went through similar changes, and the same applied to the other surfaces. Liam stopped sensing anything beyond the hall. The area was in total lockdown, prompting him to proceed.

Liam waved his hand, methodically releasing items from his rings. Rocks with silver veins and boulders with similar shades were the first to appear, forming a big pile on the floor. That was the retrieved mineral, most of it with enough Qi to be a rank 3 material.

The magical beasts’ cores came next. Another pile formed, with most of its pebbles from level two creatures, but there were enough of the superior kind to start arcing eyebrows.

When the actual corpses arrived, Uriah and Amber couldn’t stay still anymore. Liam had kept what he could, leaving him mostly with mangled level three creatures since he had obviously given them priority.

Admittedly, the corpses weren’t in great condition. Liam had killed all but one with the greatsword, which left little intact. He had also retrieved the venomous organs and whatever else could work in alchemy, ruining them even further.

Nevertheless, bones, chitin, and more were still valuable resources, even as torn and broken shards. Each creature was also rather big, giving masters plenty to work with.

Besides, anything salvaged would award rank 3 materials, making the endeavor quite remunerative.

The most ruined corpse attracted the most attention. Amber hid her mouth behind her sleeve while Uriah rested his chin on his fist as they inspected the taipan’s two corroded, maimed pieces.

That was a truly dangerous beast, but Liam had killed it nonetheless, vouching for his battle prowess.

With the three piles on display, the hall became cramped. Dirt, blood, and more stained the luxurious area, but the showcase was undoubtedly a happy occurrence.

At least, it should have been.

Liam had brought back immense wealth to the Tribe. He had proven himself a warrior worthy of Rachel, and he had just finished mesmerizing everyone with his alchemical skills.

Celebrations should have started on the spot, but no one spoke. Liam wouldn’t have asked for extra safety to shower the Tribe with goods, and the seriousness still permeating his aura proved it.

Liam lowered his gaze, doing his best to sort his thoughts. He had shed his hesitation, but that was a close first for him, so he wasn’t sure how to best approach it.

Liam had only really come clean with Grace. Everyone else had just happened to discover the matter, forcing him to add explanations.

Still, there really wasn’t much to consider. Fancy words in a nice order wouldn’t change anything, and it wasn’t hard to find a good starting point.

"My name is Liam," Liam announced. "I come from the eastern region."

Needless to say, the silence deepened. Liam was finally disclosing his identity, a topic that both parents were very interested in.

"I eventually crossed the border to the northern region," Liam continued. "That’s from where I teleported. I was known as Black Qi there. Well, master Black Qi."

Amber’s gaze flickered. As isolated and distant as the Aetacia region was, rumors spread far and quickly in the cultivation world. She had actually heard that name.

"I was part of the team that claimed Archbishop Ignatius’ inheritance in the fifth Outer Circle of the eastern region," Liam explained. "It’s why I ran so far, but the Church of the Man eventually found me, and ..."

Liam didn’t know how famous the Archbishop’s inheritance was in the Aetacia region. A whole region, two Outer Circles, and deserts stood between them after all.

However, Liam trusted that everyone would understand the implications. He had just stopped because he had reached the truly dangerous secrets.

"The Archbishop’s spirit told me a secret the Church doesn’t want made public," Liam revealed. "They are doing experiments on cultivators, trying to create an eighth ancestral bloodline by harnessing the others. Anyone carrying such lineages but the Dragons are potential targets."

The news hit hard. The southern region’s inhabitants had the Wolf Mother as their legendary common ancestor. She had spread her lineage far and wide, creating an incalculable number of descendants.

Basically, if Liam were to be believed, the Church of the Man could easily see the entire southern region as prime hunting ground for ancestral bloodlines.

"When my identity was uncovered," Liam stated, "The Church launched what they called a purge. They surrounded lone cultivators and Guild leaders alike, anyone I might have shared this secret with, planning to force their enlistment or kill them."

The additional details made Liam’s claims even more unbelievable. The Church going as far as killing Guild leaders just didn’t fit the known order of the world.

"The targeted experts and I joined hands and escaped the Church’s encirclement," Liam announced. "We knew about a teleport used for reinforcements, so I split up on my own to destroy it and create a diversion."

Liam sighed. "I was teleported in the middle of an attack and ended up destroying the teleport on this side, stranding myself in the process. The structure here looked quite isolated, and I killed everyone, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the Church has launched an investigation by now."

The almost ten months since Liam’s teleport were more than enough for the Church to learn their isolated structure had gone dark. The Great Quiet Desert’s harshness could be a silver lining, but Liam wouldn’t bet on it.

Liam also didn’t know how serious the investigation would be. It was unclear whether the Church had learned about the accidental teleport. He had caused a mess in the Cathedral, but the matter still involved the cultivation world’s endless resourcefulness.

Moreover, the worst had yet to come.

"And," Liam continued. "It’s not just the Church. Eventually, the Dragons will also come for me because I’m the son of the Ancestral Snake."