Rearing Demons
Chapter 69: The Act

Chapter 69: The Act

Yur rushed through the forest with Velmira and Zhal. His sword was in hand, while the Ashen Grasp remained coiled around his arm like a dormant serpent.

The nearest city was still far, and he wanted to get there as soon as possible.

Zul, create a few quests that can be done here to assist me.

[Processing...]

[Complete!]

[...]

Dozens of quests loaded, neatly aligning with his long-term and short-term goals. As expected, Zul provided tasks that would reward him with each completion, paving a smoother path toward his objectives.

As they moved through the dense underbrush, Velmira suddenly halted, her gaze snapping toward a cave.

"There’s something in there," she muttered, pointing. "I sense a presence."

Yur narrowed his eyes. Zul, can you detect it?

[Scanning...]

[Two humans detected.]

Humans? That caught his interest.

He signaled for silence before approaching the cave entrance, where muffled shouting and the unmistakable clang of weapons echoed.

"You bastard! Do you know who I am?"

"I don’t care who you are!"

He listened carefully, wanting to extract as much information as possible before making a move.

"I am the crowned prince!" one of the men bellowed. "If you kill me, my kingdom will hunt you down!"

"They won’t find me, haha!" The other laughed, his voice dripping with arrogance. "Even if they do, I am a core disciple of the Raging Dragon Sect! What can your kingdom possibly do against me?"

"Fuck your sect!" the prince roared, launching himself at the disciple.

Yur, watching from the shadows, quickly assessed their strengths.

Both were at the Ignited Core realm. A level above him—technically. But weaker.

Who should I help?

Both could be useful, assuming their claims were true.

Wait. I can help both. He turned to Velmira and motioned her over. Take the sect disciple. I’ll deal with the prince.

She nodded, a small smirk playing at her lips.

While Yur and Velmira devised their plan, the battle between the prince and the disciple intensified.

Both were locked in a stalemate.

Damn it! The prince cursed internally. I came for a simple patrol and ended up ambushed by these sect bastards!

Sect and mortal kingdom relations were tenuous at best. In theory, they supported one another, but in reality, conflicts were frequent and unavoidable.

Some sects followed the unspoken rules, avoiding interference in mortal affairs. The Raging Dragon Sect was not one of them.

I need to escape before this bastard’s reinforcements arrive! As one of the strongest cultivators in his kingdom, the prince’s death would be catastrophic.

Mortal kingdoms rarely nurtured cultivators. Generally, sect recruitment siphoned away most of their talent, so it became pointless. However the prince had chosen differently, staying to protect his people, despite the many offers.

His goal was clear: reach the fifth realm. With that, he could challenge sect cultivators and protect his kingdom.

But he was far from it.

"Little prince, maybe now your family will dissolve. And that sister of yours... maybe I’ll have some fun with her."

The disciple sneered, his blade glinting ominously. But before he could strike—

A hand suddenly caught his sword mid-swing.

"Alright. That’s enough." Yur’s calm, heavy voice filled the cave.

The disciple flinched, eyes widening in alarm.

Behind him, Velmira stepped forward, a playful smirk on her lips.

"I’d say the same to you," she murmured, her gaze laced with amusement. The prince staggered back, his breath hitching.

Who... what is he?! He hadn’t even sensed Yur’s presence. This man was leagues beyond him.

"Take this disciple away," Yur commanded Velmira. "I’m protecting the prince now."

Velmira tilted her head, feigning resistance. "And if I refuse?" Her voice was silken, dangerous.

Then, she released a fraction of her aura.

BOOM.

Both the prince and the disciple collapsed under the pressure, gasping as if the very air had turned solid.

What... what is this strength?!

The prince’s lungs burned, his ribs felt like they were about to shatter.

But then Yur responded. He unleashed his own aura, imbued with Origin Essence.

The air split.

The prince’s ears and eyes bled instantly.

What the hell is this?!

Velmira’s playful expression faltered. Yur’s aura wasn’t just oppressive—it was destructive.

The disciple writhed on the ground, reduced to a trembling heap.

"Fine." Velmira pulled her aura back, as did Yur. "We’ll leave. But don’t think I’ll forget this." She turned to the disciple. "You. We’re leaving. Follow me." The disciple didn’t hesitate.There was no lust in his gaze, no arrogance left in his posture.

Only fear.

"Y-yes...!" He scrambled up, his body still weak and trembling.

Velmira gave Yur one last glance.

Go infiltrate his sect. Gather information on their politics. I’ll do the same with the prince.

Understood.

With that, she grabbed the disciple and vanished.

The prince, now alone with Yur, coughed violently, vomiting blood.

"Ugh!" He fumbled for pills from his storage ring, shoving them into his mouth.

Yur watched, expression unreadable. He waited.

After a few minutes, the prince, still breathing heavily, forced himself upright. His legs trembled, but he managed to stand.

Then, with visible effort—he bowed deeply.

"Thank you." His voice was sincere, filled with gratitude. "You saved my life—and my kingdom."

Yur remained still. "I was just passing by." His tone was neutral, void of emotion. "I don’t like seeing people get bullied, so I stepped in."

The words were a carefully crafted lie. His expression, flat and cold, only added to its credibility.

To the prince, Yur’s immense strength made him an enigma.

What could someone this powerful possibly gain from saving a small kingdom’s prince?

"Regardless, I owe you my life." He bowed again. "I am Renri, Crowned Prince of the Freau Mortal Kingdom."

Yur gave a simple reply. "Yur."

Renri hesitated, then offered, "Sir Yur, if I may... please allow me to properly thank you. Come to my kingdom. You may rest there as long as you like."

If someone of Yur’s caliber stayed in Freau, it would deter enemies. Just his presence could shift the tides of war.

Yur feigned deliberation before nodding. "My brother and I will accompany you." He turned toward the cave entrance. "Zhal. Come."

From the shadows, Zhal emerged. His gaze was subdued, expression unreadable.

Renri smiled and offered his hand. "Nice to meet you. You and your brother saved my life."

Zhal did not react.

An awkward silence stretched.

Yur patted Renri’s shoulder, shaking his head. "Don’t mind my brother. He is mute. And... simple."

Renri’s face softened. "Ah... I see. My mother is mute as well. I understand."

Yur nodded. As Renri led them out, Yur contacted Zul.

Continue providing dialogue. I will refine my role as we go.

[Understood!]

And so, the act continued.

————————————————————————

"Luna, are you awake?" Suddenly, in the middle of the night, Rose stepped into the small hut.

"Mom? You’re back?" Luna, who had been hiding beneath the cloth, peeked out cautiously.

"Yes, honey." With a weak smile, Rose crawled over and lay beside her. "Did I disturb you?"

"No, I was waiting for you," Luna said, but then she noticed the many marks on her mother’s neck and chest—blotches of pink and red, some even resembling bite marks. "Mom, what are all these?"

Rose glanced down, realizing the humiliating evidence, and quickly pulled the cloth over herself. "They’re nothing," she murmured, her face flushing with shame. One hand instinctively moved to her lower abdomen, where a dull, pulsing pain lingered.

Luna frowned in confusion but didn’t push further. Though curiosity gnawed at her, she knew better than to ask. This wasn’t the first time she had seen her mother return like this. She had learned to stay quiet.

"Anyway, how about we continue the story?" Rose said, reaching out with her remaining hand to gently pat Luna’s head. She wanted—no, needed—to distract herself from the miserable humiliation of her life.

"Yes! Tell me more about you and Dad!" Luna, easily distracted, perked up, excitement momentarily pushing aside her unease.

Rose smiled faintly, grateful for the reprieve. "Alright, let me tell you..."