Chapter 367: The Vipers’ Playbook

Kael let out a strained breath, his muscles tensing. "Did you... change the content of the hot spring? The last time I was here, it had a healing effect rather than a crushing one."

Cassandra smirked, running her hand through the heavy, silver water. "Indeed, I did change it. This is no ordinary healing spring. It’s called Gravitas Heavy Water."

She let the water slip through her fingers. "It is harvested from the core of a dying star. It is incredibly dense, to the point where a single drop weighs as much as a small mountain. It is the ultimate tempering tool for body cultivators. If you can withstand it, the physical benefits are immense."

Splash. Splash.

Kael pushed his arms through the Gravitas Heavy Water, the sheer resistance making every movement feel like he was trying to lift a big mountain. The dense, silver liquid clung to his skin, seeping into his pores and pressing down on his marrow.

Crack! A sharp pain shot through his shoulders, followed by a deep, satisfying ache. The water was brutal, but it was exactly what he needed. His body cultivation had been stuck at Mid Tier 5 for a while now, the progress stalled.

"Damn, I’ve been stuck at the Mid tier 5 for a while now. I’m definitely going to need this," Kael muttered, gritting his teeth as he forced his muscles to relax and absorb the pressure. "If I can temper my body here, I might finally push past Mid Tier 5."

Cassandra let out a soft chuckle. Splash. She scooped a handful of the heavy water and let it trickle down her arm. "If other body cultivators heard you complaining right now, they would immediately try to assassinate you. You are twenty-two years old, Kael. You are already at Mid Spirit Soul in mana, Mid Tier 5 in body, and your soul cultivation is so dense that I can’t even measure it without you actively using it. Compare to your the others, you could even be called a monster."

Kael smirked, leaning his head back against a smooth rock. "And yet, the Family Head gave me a suicide mission. So clearly, being a monster isn’t enough."

Cassandra’s expression hardened slightly. "Father doesn’t do things without reason. He gave it to you because he wants to see how you handle a vipers’ nest. It’s a test."

"Then I plan to pass it with flying colors," Kael said, his voice turning serious. He looked at Cassandra, his silver-flecked eyes piercing through the steam. "Speaking of vipers, I found something. In Sector 9-Vex, I interrogated one of the Crimson cultivators. She gave me a location before I killed her."

Cassandra straightened up, her attention fully focused. "Where?"

"A planet called Necroxis, in the Necrotic Reach. It’s the Clown’s staging ground for now." Kael’s voice dropped to a cold whisper. "I can’t confirm if he’s still there, but it’s the best lead we’ve had."

Cassandra nodded slowly, her eyes burning with a cold fire. "I’ll take over from here. I’ll send a few of my personal Guardian Knights to investigate. If the Clown is there, we’ll tear the planet apart to find him."

Kael reached up, pulling the communication badge from his spatial ring. He tossed it through the air. Swoosh. "You can also ask the Guardians for assistance. No one knows the House of Crimson and the Shadow Vatican better than they do. I have a direct line to Lyra. She can coordinate a joint strike."

Cassandra caught the badge, her eyes scanning the three glowing stars on its surface. A rare, genuine smile touched her lips. "Impressive. A 3-star Guardian at your age. You really don’t do anything by half measures, do you?" She tossed the badge back. Swoosh. "But there will be no need for that."

Kael caught the badge, his brow furrowing. "Why? You need the intelligence."

Cassandra smirked, sinking deeper into the water. "Because I already have a Guardian of my own. A 4-star guardian."

Kael’s eyes widened in genuine surprise. A 4-star Guardian was at least at the Origin Realm, likely higher. The Guardians didn’t hand out 4-star rankings lightly. "Who?"

Cassandra met his gaze. "Alex Du Lac."

Splash. Kael sat up abruptly, the heavy water sloshing around him. Alex Du Lac. The name rang a bell. He was from the same generation as Marcus and Thalia. He had been the leader of the Heaven’s Gate Academy during the previous Inter-Academy Tournament, leading them to second place. More importantly, he was a prodigy of the Du Lac family, Cassandra’s maternal family.

"I thought he was deployed to the frontlines," Kael said.

"He was. He’s back on a temporary rotation. I’ll have him look into Necroxis. If the Clown is hiding there, Alex will find him." Cassandra’s expression softened, a rare glimpse of sisterly affection in her cold eyes. "Focus on Vaelor, Kael. Let me handle the Clown. Your job is to survive."

Kael let out a breath, nodding. "Fine. But tell me about Vaelor. What am I walking into?"

Cassandra sighed, running a hand through her wet hair. "I knew you would ask." She stood up slightly, the water dripping from her porcelain skin. "Vaelor is a world fractured by ancient grudges. It is divided into five distinct continents, each ruled by a different race and kingdom."

She raised her hand, and the water above her palm began to form a glowing, holographic map.

"The Eastern Continent is ruled by the Elenoir Kingdom. It’s an elven kingdom, known for their ancient archery and nature magic. They are isolationists, but their arrows can pierce through most standard armor."

"The Western Continent is ruled by the Britannia Kingdom. A human kingdom that focuses on heavy cavalry and knightly orders. They are honorable to a fault, but their rigid traditions make them predictable."

"The Northern Continent is ruled by the Kingdom of Dawn. Another human kingdom, but these are barbarians of the frozen wastes. They are physically the strongest, relying on brutal, close-quarters combat and ice-based bloodlines."

"The Southern Continent is ruled by the Crimsonia Kingdom. A vampire kingdom. They are the assassins and spies of Vaelor, moving in the shadows and utilizing blood magic."

"The Central Continent is ruled by the Fangmoor Kingdom. A kingdom of wolf beast-kin. They are the most aggressive, constantly raiding the borders of the other four."

Cassandra closed her hand, and the map dissolved. "Each kingdom is ruled by an Early Origin Realm cultivator at the very least. They have been locked in a fragile, centuries-long stalemate. If one kingdom moves, the others retaliate."

Kael absorbed the information, his mind already racing with strategies. "A stalemate. So if I want to conquer them, I need to break the stalemate."

"Exactly," Cassandra said. She waved her hand again. Whoosh. Two items materialized on the smooth rocks beside the hot spring.

The first was a set of dark, metallic armor. It looked incredibly light, but the surface was etched with intricate, glowing runes that pulsed with a deep violet light.

"This is the Voidscale Armor," Cassandra explained. "It’s a Tier 1 defensive artifact. The runes are inscribed with a specialized absorption array. It should be able to tank at least five powerful attacks from any Early Origin Realm cultivator."

Kael ran his hand over the armor, feeling the dense mana within. It was a life-saving treasure.

The second item was a thick, leather-bound book. Kael opened it, his eyes widening as he recognized the writing. It was the Gravitational Paradox Techniques, but the Chapters were different from the version he had borrowed from Isabella.

"This is the complete, improved version," Cassandra said. "I had our scholars update it based on the First Ancestor’s original notes. With your comprehension speed, you should be able to master the next Chapters before you reach Vaelor."

Kael looked up, a genuine smile touching his lips. "Thank you, sister. This is more than I expected."

Cassandra leaned back in the water, her eyes glinting. "Don’t thank me yet. Conquering Vaelor isn’t just about fighting. The peace between the five kingdoms is fragile. The best way to weaken them is to incite conflict. Plant false evidence, to make the elves think the vampires are attacking, or make the wolves think the humans are encroaching on their territory."

She paused, her voice turning cold. "Let them bleed each other dry. Then, when they are exhausted, you walk in and pick up the pieces. You are a Sword now, Kael. It’s time you started acting like a general."

Kael nodded, his eyes burning with determination. "I understand."

"Good," Cassandra said, closing her eyes and sinking back into the heavy water. "Now, stay in this spring for another hour. Let the Heavy Water temper your bones. When you leave, you’ll be one step closer to breaking through."

Kael closed his eyes as well, allowing the crushing weight of the water to push him deeper. He had a kingdom to burn, a clown to hunt, and a family to outmaneuver.

How delightful.