Chapter 866: The Golden Guardians II
Kyle eyed the space in front of him. The first thing he saw were mountains, so big and tall they seemed to touch the sky. He couldn’t believe he hadn’t seen them from outside the Gate and walls. The next thing he saw were many waterfalls, they looked like a giant curtain of sparkling water cascading down the mountainsides.
Then there were people from different races, scattered across the mountain like wildflowers in a meadow. Each one had found their own perfect spot to sit, nestled amongst the rocks and trees. All of them had their eyes closed, as if they were part of the beautiful, peaceful landscape, their figures adding to the harmony of nature.
His heart, usually a slow, steady beat, suddenly quickened for a few seconds. It was extremely rare for him to get excited just by seeing a new place, especially after he had spent years trapped in the vast gray world due to the natural law of time. But sensing such immense power of nature around him, his eyes sparkled.
"A perfect place for me to advance..."
He muttered softly, his feet carrying him towards the mountains almost of their own accord. Yet, Silver stood blocking his path.
"Stop! That’s the place where only those who are at the fourth level of Celestial rank and above are allowed to meditate. They will beat you up if they sense you."
Kyle glanced at the veiled woman. He had to look down because she was shorter than him. He was annoyed as to why he couldn’t go and meditate in the mountains.
His senses were tingling in anticipation because even from afar he could sense so many natural laws there that he hadn’t even seen in his universe! They were practically calling him to come and learn them!
Controlling himself, he spoke.
"Why? Why can’t I go there?"
Silver flinched back a bit at the raspy, deep voice. She was shocked that his voice had such an impact on her when he was just a 2nd-stage Celestial and she was stronger! And why the hell was this man so tall? She was one hundred percent sure his height at least rivaled a 4th-stage Celestial!
"You..."
She stuttered a bit, overwhelmed.
"Just who are you? Why is your Celestial aura impacting me when I am an entire stage stronger than you in strength!"
Kyle turned to her. His earlier annoyance had already vanished because while Silver was busy thinking, he had sent his senses toward the mountains, but a few people seated there tore apart his senses.
The pain he had just experienced when his senses were torn apart was agonizing, but it was nothing at the same time.
"I am just a human. Tell me if I am not allowed to step towards the mountains. Then in this place, where else can I stay? I thought I am a member of this clan now."
Silver harrumphed loudly at how easily he changed the topic and snapped open the fan in her hand with pointy eyes.
"It’s your fault for focusing solely on the natural energy and ignoring the rest. Look to the left! The clan members with power lower than the 4th-stage of Celestial rank are staying there. The mountains here are just for meditation, nothing special, but the older generation has monopolized them."
She clicked her tongue.
"Ares is stronger than them, but he doesn’t say anything to those elders because they are at least a thousand or two years older than him. Just ignore them!"
Kyle sensed the soreness in her tone.
It was clear that although this Ares was strong and this was his clan, he couldn’t control so many powerful old members.
So, ultimately he had to ignore them.
Additionally, Kyle had sensed the natural energy from the mountains—they weren’t just simply there for meditation, they were treasures in themselves. He was sure just by staying on them, he could advance his knowledge of natural laws. If it were up to him, he would have destroyed one or two to put them in his mind space to study later.
No wonder those old individuals were hoarding the mountains to themselves.
Kyle noted the faces of those individuals who had torn his senses a while back and turned to his left, only to see a massive city enclosed in a golden barrier. It wasn’t much different from the ones he had seen before.
However, he could see a small distinction because the Celestials were minding their own business. There were no shops, but only huge houses lined in every direction.
"So the Celestials don’t eat?"
Silver scoffed beside him as they approached the city.
"We don’t need to eat since consuming energy keeps us satiated. No matter the type, food contains a lot of impurities, so most Celestials abstain from it. Eating is a rare occurrence. That’s why this realm has limited dining establishments, and the ones present charge a lot of natural crystal. You won’t find any shops here. You will have to go out of the clan territory and explore the lands of the Celestial realm to find them."
Kyle picked the most important words.
"Natural crystal?"
"The only currency exchanged here. The value depends on who you’re trading with."
She was looking ahead, so she failed to notice when he wiped the blood that had trickled out of his lips.
It seems he sustained some internal injuries when his senses were harmed so suddenly and brutally. Kyle’s eyes turned to their original color for a second.
’I will make sure to repay this. Soon.’
The two quickly disappeared into the enclosed city. High above, sitting on the mountain peaks, a group of old people watched, their eyes like ancient, knowing stars. They exchanged silent glances, a communication that transcended words.
One of them whispered,
"I thought he would scream when his senses, a vulnerable part of him, were harmed so savagely..."
Another, his eyes narrowed, replied.
"Scream? That young man didn’t even flinch. Not a single frown crossed his face. What a tolerance for pain. Even I, who have lived for five thousand years, don’t possess such resilience. And to think he is barely fifty years old, in terms of his bone age."
A female voice echoed.
"Ares has a keen eye for promising seedlings. He found another promising talent for the clan. I just hope this young newcomer knows his place."
They all scoffed at her words. After all, if he didn’t know his place, they would put him in his place. It’s not like they hadn’t done it before, unaware that they would soon be humbled.