Live Streaming Academy

Chapter 155: Brother and Father

The winding stone path finally leveled out after nearly an hour of continuous hiking. Solomon and the group stepped onto a wide observation deck overlooking the central gorge. A complex spiderweb of hanging rope bridges connected the surrounding mountain rings directly to Cloud Piercing Peak.

Arthur adjusted his spectacles and walked right up to the wooden railing. The damage inflicted upon the central peak looked strangely beautiful under the twilight sky. Perfect geometric slices replaced the once rough terrain.

A mirror-like smooth surface now capped the entire mountain, reflecting the setting sun across the severed stone.

"Did you actually do all of this?" Arthur asked, pointing a trembling finger at the sheared cliffs.

Maximus dropped his shield onto the deck. Elizabeth stood right beside Arthur and stared at the perfectly flat plateau with wide eyes. Marco remained quiet and simply watched the activity happening across the gorge.

Solomon rested his hands inside his pockets and glanced at the severed mountain. "It is just a normal swing. There is nothing special about cutting some rocks."

[1Fizzy: nothing special?!]

[James_hayes: bro just called reshaping the map a normal swing.]

[Fatal_Beauty: the arrogance is off the charts today.]

[Mezz_3863: he really thinks this is basic stuff.]

Arthur choked on his own spit and looked at Solomon. The group stared at the silver-haired boy as if he had grown a second head.

Solomon kept a straight face because he genuinely meant every word. During his early mercenary days, he never witnessed such widespread destruction. Things changed drastically after spending fifteen years inside the paladin’s world.

The undead paladin routinely unleashed attacks that dwarfed this level of damage during their daily training and sparring sessions.

Furthermore, the recent fight against Uriel permanently warped his perception of power. The divine angel possessed abilities that defied human comprehension. During that battle, Vlad utilized a simple dagger to intercept a falling meteor the size of an actual planet.

Compared to witnessing a celestial body getting erased from existence, cleanly slicing the top off a local mountain felt like a basic warm-up exercise.

[Harry_Hart: standard Tuesday for Solo Man.]

The group crossed the primary suspension bridge and stepped onto the newly formed plateau of Cloud Piercing Peak. A large crowd already occupied the smooth stone surface. Blue-robed instructors walked around with glowing crystals to record the damage.

Elder teachers stroked their beards while inspecting the severed boulders scattered near the edges. Several pavilion leaders from other disciplines stood near the center, pointing at the unnatural cloud formations hovering above their heads.

Solomon separated from Arthur and the others. He walked over to a lone pine tree that somehow survived the silver slash. Leaning his back against the rough bark, he crossed his arms and quietly watched the faculty members investigate his handiwork.

The dark silhouette cast by the pine tree twisted unnaturally across the smooth stone. A familiar sarcastic voice echoed directly into his ear. "Remodeling the local geography is a rather flashy way to spend your night. Perhaps, no girl likes you enough to keep you company?"

Solomon shifted his weight against the rough bark and kept his eyes fixed on the distant instructors. "If you keep sneaking up on me out of nowhere, you really should avoid complaining when I accidentally punch you in the jaw again."

[1Fizzy: who is he talking to?]

[Mezz_3863: bro finally lost his sanity.]

[James_hayes: the training actually broke his mind.]

[User12: he is literally talking to a tree right now.]

[Fatal_Beauty: Solo Man please go back to bed.]

[Chi_Master: who are you threatening bro?]

The shadow clinging to the trunk rippled along the surface. "I am utilizing shadow vibration to speak directly into your auditory canals. Your drone cannot pick up my voice. You need to keep your mouth shut and simply listen to me quietly."

Solomon crossed his arms over his chest and stared blankly at the crowd of students gathering near the rope bridges.

"The previously captured infiltrators are detained across different pavilions under varying levels of security," Corvus reported through the darkness. "I spent the previous night and the entire day tracking the remaining cultists. I found seven strong suspects among the faculty. I lack the concrete evidence to confirm their guilt right now."

The elongated shadow shifted closer to Solomon’s boots. "We must consider the high probability of three additional traitors hiding among the staff. That logic assumes the cult planted exactly one spy within each of the ten sect pavilions. The extraction operation begins exactly at midnight. Be prepared."

Solomon kept his lips sealed tight. He furrowed his brow and glared at the blue-robed teachers investigating the flattened mountain peak.

The disciples and faculty filtered out of the observation deck. Instructors cast nervous glances toward the pine tree. They noticed the frown creasing Solomon’s forehead and quickly opted for alternate paths down the mountain.

Soon, only the pavilion masters, Arthur, Maximus, Marco, and Elizabeth remained near the center of the plateau.

A rustling sound echoed from the dark canopy above Solomon’s head. He clenched his right fist and drove an uppercut directly into the shadows. He expected to hit Corvus in the jaw.

However, a hand covered in silk wraps caught his knuckles mid-air. The impact sent a shockwave through the pine needles.

A girl with peach hair dropped gracefully from the high branch and landed on the cobblestones. She wore luxurious robes decorated with silver embroidery.

"You have an aggressive way of greeting people," the girl remarked. She dusted off her sleeves and tilted her head. "Are you always this hostile to strangers?"

Solomon narrowed his eyes and pulled his fist back. He inspected her face and posture. He had never seen her before.

[1Fizzy: who is that?!]

[Fatal_Beauty: she blocked him easily.]

[Mezz_3863: Solo Man throwing hands at trees again.]

[LazyCat: bro has zero hesitation.]

[Chi_Master: she just caught his punch.]

Arthur and Marco jogged across the plateau to catch up with Solomon. Marco rounded the pine tree and locked eyes with the girl. He stopped dead in his tracks. His face lost color. He pivoted on his boots to walk in the opposite direction.

"Where do you think you are going, Marco?" the girl called out.

Marco froze in place and slowly turned back around. He rubbed the back of his neck while staring at the ground.

[James_hayes: bro hit the reverse gear immediately.]

[GoonLord: MARCO IS TERRIFIED!]

[Grim: who is she to make Marco run away?]

[Shadow1749: she has the same hair color as him.]

[User12: sibling alert.]

Solomon crossed his arms and looked between the two of them. "Do you know her?"

The girl offered a bright grin and stepped forward. She threw an arm around Marco’s rigid shoulders.

"I am Yue Alfoy," she said, patting Marco’s back. "I am his older sister."

"Well, nice to meet you."

"I have also been wanting to meet you ever since I saw your duel with my father."

"Hmm?" Solomon raised his brow.

"I am talking about the sword pavilion leader Jin. He is our father, Jin Alfoy."

"Uhh..." Solomon didn’t know what to say.

’Isn’t this kind of suspense that should be kept secret until the right time? Also, I would have never even thought about this possibility, even in my dreams.’

"Why did you want to meet me? Do you want to duel with me too?"

Yue’s eyes left all joy after hearing that.

"I want you to accompany me tomorrow on my short trip to a neighboring city."