Chapter 0037

Surrendering to a heart demon and reliving a nightmare have the same effect, but the consequences are completely different.

Should Tempest surrender to her heart demon she would become obsessed with the past, unwilling to let it go until the heart demon consumes her consciousness. Tempest would degenerate into a madman, killing anything and anyone she perceives as a threat.

Reliving a nightmare is similar to being stuck in an illusion. The cultivator will relive the nightmare over and over until they die in the nightmare or get out of it.

The little charm seller is relieving her worst nightmare.

Soul bane and heart demons don’t exist for cultivators focusing on the heart as their immortal potential. Cultivators think the spirits do allow other factors affecting the affinities between them and their, well, person.

It is not exactly true.

The spirits do not permit soul bane or heart demons to exist in those cultivating the heart because soul bane and heart demons are excellent source of nutrients for the spirits.

A rumor that has been suppressed by the Magus Alliance has it that the first union of spirit and mortal occurred because the glutton spirit was hungry so it bonded with the mortal to eat the soul bane and heart demons and thus creating the fourth immortal path.

Tempest later clarified the story, and Ventus denied it with Lies, it all lies. Damn liars and all their descendant. Tempest dropped the issue. What happened in the past doesn’t matter as long as it doesn’t affect her in the present.

The nightmare Tempest is reliving is one the most devastating event she experiences in her previous life. Admittedly, she joked about the event in the past, but that was a defense mechanism to cope with depression. If only she could do it all again… she’d do the same thing.

If only is for wishful thinkers. Tempest will never desecrate the memories of their friendship by making a mockery of their sacrifice or idealized situation, nor would she belittle their heartfelt wishes. The past can’t be changed. They died.

She can only accept their decision and tried to fulfill their wishes by trying to live a normal life as much as possible.

However, her acceptance of the past don’t mean she won’t get revenge. Those who harmed them, those who betrayed them, those liars and hypocritical bastards all died by her hands in one form or another.

Betrayers will die!

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Tempest going crazy and attacking her own side was not within anyone’s expectation.

Except maybe Jean because she is scheming and observant. Aria Se Jivock will not befriend sane people. Xing Zhi Hui is not Aria Se Jivock’s friend.

The black hair trio probably guess Tempest has mental issues which was why Amber didn’t hesitate when she agreed to put Tempest in the rearguard. The further she was away from them, the better.

Emery is a poser. She’d know another poser when she saw one. Tempest posing as a weak charm seller told her something was wrong with the newcomer’s head. Those who hunt level 3 magical beast aren’t weak. Anyone who thinks otherwise is a fool.

Ellen and Terra, they kinda knew.

Tilda and Wiminia, of course they knew. Strange attract strangers. No normal people can tolerate Tilda as long as she did.

So… basically, everyone knew there was something wrong with the newcomer.

Tempest going crazy was not unexpected. It was not problematic either.

“Tempest is going crazy! Let her attack the Iron Clawed Wolves. She’d take them down faster than we can. Cerendial Tavoy assist in killing the Iron Clawed Wolves with me. Everyone else surround and attacks the Alpha Iron Clawed Wolf. Move!” Terra immediately adjust her plans once the Tempest vamped up her attack.

Those who were fighting the Iron Clawed Wolves will just get in the way of a deranged mage who reserves seem never ending.

“Emery, back off and give me support. Your weapon can’t take it much longer.” When Ellen heard Terra’s command, she made plans of her own. Emery easily concedes the lead position to the axe wielding girl. “Attackers use your strongest move to kill the Alpha Iron Clawed Wolf. Don’t hold back or we won’t make it.”

Sadly, intent and execution differ.

Ellen wanted to take the lead and handle the frontal attack of the Alpha Iron Clawed Wolf while the others surround the Alpha Iron Clawed Wolf and whittle away its stamina with their attacks. Even after fighting for a while now, there were only a few minor scratches and one decent wound on its flank. Ellen already planned the sequences of event but she forgot one important fact, the intelligence level of the Alpha Iron Clawed Wolf.

Level 3 magical beast have intelligence. A little bit of intelligence mixed with animal instinct and powerful body makes ranks the Alpha Iron Clawed Wolf at the upper tier of the level 3 magical beast. For pack animals such as wolves, the intelligences they gain when they reach level 3 is greater than the average level 3 magical beast. Pack leaders need intelligence to lead the group.

The Alpha Iron Clawed Wolf sense Emery is the weakest link. Her sword is almost cracked. With a few more hits, the Alpha Iron Clawed Wolf can kill the caramel skinned woman and destroy the rest of the intruders.

Emery tries to move back but the enemy wouldn’t let her. It ignores the other’s attack while focusing on her who pose the greatest threat and has the most detrimental weakness, her swords is about to crumble.

“Hurry and move back Emery. I’ll take over.” Ellen urged as she tried to cut the Alpha Iron Clawed Wolf with her axe. Even with her mid-level skill, Great Cleave, the brunette barely does any damage to the silvery hide of the Alpha Iron Clawed Wolf. The others fare no better.

“I’m trying but it is sticking to me closer than an Andurian sap.”

“Your weapon won’t last long.”

“Then do some damage to the Alpha Iron Clawed Wolf so it will see you as a threat instead of focusing its energy on me!”

Ellen growled, unable to retort because Emery’s Tripart Slice is better than her Great Cleave.

“Damn butch woman, hurry and peel this Sand Burrow Bug off me! Didn’t you want its attention to shift to you? Do something.” Most people treat Emery like the silent thief types, those who treasure their words more than gold, therefore they were surprised when Emery goaded Ellen with her words.

Emery had no choice. Her silent type persona was developed during her journey here. Base Avon-Ying, the scrooge, docked 2 weeks of her pay because she said an innocuous comment which he claims to cause him to lower the price on his merchandise. After three more incidents where her pay was cut, Emery learned silence was golden. If you don’t say anything, it can’t be used against you.

As to her goading Ellen, again, she had no choice. Her weapon was going to break and damn if she was going to use her good sword because no one was trying their best to kill the level 3 magical beast.

The jealous slut! Ellen’s anger from Emery’s barrage of implied insults increases her power as she fought with the Alpha Iron Clawed Wolf. How dare she insult me, the legendary bandit killer of the Sanling Kingdom. I will show her!

Despite Ellen’s enraged attacks, the Alpha Iron Clawed Wolf pay no attention to her, instead choosing to swipe its formidable claw towards Emery’s left while using its strong jaw to attack Emery’s right side.

Emery ducked out of the pincer attack and rolled 6 steps away and pivot behind the axe-wielding-turned-berzerker Ellen.

Ellen took advantage of the opening Emery gave and attack the Alpha Iron Clawed Wolf. “Majestic Great Cleave.”

Majestic Great Cleave and Great Cleave are both mid level attack skills that differs from a single point, the internal energy of the cultivator. Great Cleave is a mid level attack suitable for either an axe or a greatsword. The cultivator focuses all of his or her physical strength into the attack, using the might of a formidable body to literally cleave the target. If it wasn’t for the high physical strength requirement, Great Cleave would have been classified as a low-level skill.

Majestic Great Cleave requires the attacker to inject internal energy (either soul force, mental power or qi) into their weapon at the highest point of the arc to maximize the energy output and damage. The physical exhaustion and energy consumption of Majestic Great Cleave are greater than Great Cleave. Ellen can use three Majestic Great Cleave at most.

Ellen intended to show off her skills when they fought the Sundered Lion, but faced with Emery’s outstanding performances and her continual goading, Ellen had to use her trump card or be considered the laughingstock of the group.

It was worth it.

The mid-level skill, Majestic Great Cleave, cause the Alpha Iron Clawed Wolf to feel a moment of fear.