Chapter 220: Magic / 6.7 : Atlas’ haven in this heartless universe
Atlas, Zihang, and Yun got in the carriage on the way home. Atlas and Yun were sitting on one side and ZIhang in front of them.
Yun moved closer to Atlas and circled his arm. When she laid her head on his shoulder Atlas kissed her forehead. Yun couldn’t stop herself from smiling.
She missed Atlas so much that when she thought he died she felt as though she lost a limb. Even if she’s a magian she was always around him while he worked hard to become stronger.
Zihang looked at his children emotionally. He never thought he would have his son back but there he is. He has so many questions but he doesn’t want anyone around when they talk.
Once they arrived Zihang walked to the main hall and ordered the eunuch:
"Bring some food."
"Yes, master."
Once he had brought food he tossed everyone out of the hall until there was only him and his children left.
Atlas was about to fill his plate but Yun did it first. Once she had filled it she gave it to Atlas with a smile, Atlas smiled back.
"Thank you Yun’er."
Yun swallowed, she missed hearing Atlas call her that. Only he and his father call her that way. When Atlas caressed her head she blinked back her tears.
As Atlas ate Zihang asked:
"How are you?"
"I’m alright father."
He asked:
"What happened?"
Atlas explained:
"Bei Yan was obsessed with reaching the hydrous stage but even with all his cultivation, he didn’t have a breakthrough so he decided to go to beast valley to kill an esse beast. I told him that he wasn’t strong enough to go on his own but he was determined so I went with him to make sure he wouldn’t get himself killed. The first esse beast we encountered was an ox humanoid ranked SS. I told Yan to look for another one but he went to fight it before I could stop him. The ox tossed him against a tree and he had a sharp giant claw in his leg. I fought the ox humanoid while he was passed out and killed it. I was about to grab the nucleus to give it to him but before I could I received a claw in my chest and because of the force I fell into the ravine. The claw broke my nucleus and I ended up at the bottom unable to move since most of my bones were broken."
Yun looked at Atlas wide-eyed. Zihang asked in a quiet voice:
"Yan is the one who did it?"
Atlas nodded and said:
"I didn’t know but he had been harboring jealousy and resentment toward me because he wasn’t as good as I was and everyone only saw him as my shadow."
Yun had a hard time breathing when she felt her father’s overbearing aura. She was stunned when a bubble materialized around her.
They both looked at Atlas amazed and Yun asked:
"I thought he had shattered your nucleus?"
Atlas answered:
"He did but as my esse was draining I used it to fix it and it worked. I had to use everything I had so I had to stay there cultivating for a long time. When I could finally repair my body I sealed myself in a cave until I was strong enough to come back."
Yun asked:
"Why didn’t you come back home sooner?"
"Huang and Yan are after the throne and our family. If I would’ve come back before I was strong enough they would’ve killed me then you and father. Furthermore, they have a dark mage on their payroll. I knew that they wouldn’t do anything to you until they had dealt with the imperial family."
Zihang frowned.
"You mean the illness isn’t something hereditary?"
Atlas shook his head.
"They were afflicted with darkness. Yan and Huang got it from their dark mage because they knew that the twins’ mother and grandmother would never accept him being with the twins’ and they wanted Yitian to become emperor so Yan could manipulate him."
Zihang’s hands tightened into fists. The emperor was one of his dearest friends and they dared to kill him.
He asked:
"They don’t plan on getting rid of the twins?"
"Only if they can’t be used. If they can’t Huang will reach every minister so they can vote Yan as the emperor once they die since they will be no more imperial family members."
Zihang said:
"We need to stop them before he poisons the twins."
"I already took care of it don’t worry.
Yun tilted her head.
"When?"
"Do you remember when the twins went to beast valley less than a year ago?"
Zihang and Yun nodded and Atlas told them about how they met and gave them something to stop any mage from poisoning them or corrupting their mind. The twins’ attitude and Atlas’ made more sense to Zihang after hearing that.
Zihang asked:
"Why are they angry at you? And why are you?"
"They wanted me to go back to the imperial city with them but I wasn’t strong enough then. When I refused they dared to compare me to Yan and said that he was fighting for the empire while all I did was hide in this cave when they knew nothing about me."
Zihang nodded. Yun reached out to put a hand on Atlas’ shoulder but she hit the bubble. Atlas waved his hand and it faded. Yun put a hand on Atlas’ shoulder and Atlas smiled at her.
She can tell that Atlas is more hurt than angry. Atlas said:
"Now that you know the truth you mustn’t tell anyone and act like you don’t know."
Yun asked:
"Why?"
"So I can deal with them, the more they believe we are clueless the better."
Zihang frowned.
"Atlas I don’t think..."
Before he could finish Atlas cut him.
"Don’t you trust and believe in me father?"
"Of course I do but as you said they also have a dark mage on their side."
Atlas smiled and said:
"It doesn’t matter how many mages they have on their side I’m an archmage who reached the cogent stage."
Yun and Zihang looked at the flower that had appeared between Atlas’ eyebrows astonished. Each petal was a different color and the petals were fully colored. You can tell a mage’s ability and how far along he is by his emblem.
If you only see the contour of it it means that he is still at the miasmic stage, if it’s half colored they are at the hydrous stage and if it’s fully colored they are at the cogent stage.
Usually, a mage’s emblem is only one color representing the element ability they mastered but if they were to have more than one color it would mean that the mage mastered more than one ability but it never happens.
Mastering one ability is hard enough without adding another. But since Atlas’ flower petals are each a different color and fully colored it means that he mastered the five element abilities to the cogent stage.
Atlas said with a ruthless smile:
"I’ll kill every single person who tries to hurt my family starting with the Bei."
His family is his haven in this heartless universe and he won’t let anyone take them away from him again. Zihang and Yun smiled.
When the feast ended Yan and Huang got in the carriage and rode home in silence. When they arrived Huang walked to the main hall followed by a fearful Yan. He took a seat and Yan kept standing.
Huang could see the fear in his son’s eyes and knew that he had messed up big time. He ordered:
"Sit down!"
Yan swallowed and took a seat. Huang asked:
"Tell me what really transpired in beast valley?"
Yan explained everything including leaving Atlas at the bottom of the ravine because he thought he was dead.
Huang banged his fist on the table and Yan leaned back in fear.
"Why didn’t you make sure he was dead?"
"After that fall he should’ve died. I looked down and saw him bleeding out and he looked pale like he was already dead."
Huang looked at his son furiously. He should’ve gone down and finished the job but now Atlas is back and he is sure he’ll tell what went on that day.
"He doesn’t know that I’m the one who threw the claw."
Huang relaxed a little hearing that and made sure:
"You’re sure you hit his nucleus?"
"I did father, it’s shattered he’ll never be a mage again."
Huang nodded and said:
"You need to have a conversation with him and pretend that you feel guilty about all of this. Maybe he might keep his mouth shut. And find out how he plans to cure the empress dowager."
Yan nodded and said:
"No matter what he won’t be able to only an archmage can."
"Ask anyway and ask about where he’s been all those years. You’ve seen the way he was dressed he must have had someone powerful who took care of him."
"I will father."
Huang said:
"Once the empress dowager dies we’ll deal with the Sheng once and for all like we’ve talked."
Yan asked excitedly:
"Can I be the one to kill Atlas before that?"
Huang nodded with a malicious smile, Yan smiled back ruthlessly.
