Ch. 931..940
Chapter 931
James turned around but did not sense anyone dangerous.He mumbled, perplexed, "What’s going on? What is this terrifying sensation?"
Thinking he had too much to drink, he shook his head and continued walking forward.
However, after a short walk, the terrifying sensation returned.
It was uncomfortable, like being watched by a venomous snake.
This time, he ignored it and continued on his way.He took a few steps before turning around abruptly.
The moment James turned around, he saw countless people behind him.
Among them was a man in a black overcoat and black hat.
He was about fifty years old.
His facial features were ordinary, the kind that one would forget after a quick glance.
Regardless, James sensed a threat emanating from him.
It was like a venomous snake, ready to strike and bite at any moment.
Two sets of eyes locked on each other.
The man in the black overcoat raised the corners of his mouth and smiled slightly.
Immediately afterward, he turned and walked away.
James hurriedly pursued and chased him until they arrived in a deserted alley.
He quickened his pace, took a few strides forward, and appeared behind the middle-aged man, quickly grabbing his shoulder.
The man, on the other hand, leaned slightly and easily avoided his attack.
His movements were strange.
Somehow, he managed to get around James.
Before James could even react, a dagger was already pressing against the small of his back.
James was shocked.
He was already a first-rank martial artist, almost second-rank, but he could not figure out the man's movements.
How terrifyingly powerful was this man?
"Who are you? Why are you following me?"
James did not act recklessly and instead inquired coldly.
At that moment, James could feel the dagger behind him being removed.He could not stop himself from turning around and catching sight of the man's back.
With a flick of his hand, the man tossed an envelope toward James.
James caught it perfectly.
"who the hell are you?" he asked loudly.
Still, the man remained silent and soon went around the corner, disappearing from James’ sight.
James looked at the envelope in his hands.
There was nothing written on it.He opened the envelope and there was a photograph inside—a photograph of Thea.
On the back of the photograph, there was a message.
"If you want her to live, arrive at Mount Arclens within three days."
James looked at the message with a solemn expression.
Mount Arclens was a mountain located within Sol's borders.It was, according to his understanding, a volcanic mountain.
Nobody lived within two hundred and fifty kilometers of it.It was barren and desolate.
Who is this person? Could it be that Thea was taken to the mountain by the man who was suspected to be his grandfather? James took a deep breath and walked away, holding the envelope.He hurried back to Cynthia's villa.
Villa, foyer.
James took the letter from the stranger and handed it to Maxine.
When she opened it, she saw the photograph of Thea and the words on the back.
"What's the deal with this?" she asked, involuntarily frowning.
James shook his head and said, "I don’t know.A stranger gave it to me.He was extremely powerful and I couldn't counter any of his moves.He could’ve killed me if he had wanted to.But he didn't, and instead gave me this envelope."
With a puzzled expression, Maxine said, "Mount Arclens is a volcanic mountain.There’s no one living within two hundred and fifty kilometers of it.Just who is it that wants you to go there, and what do they want?"
James shook his head.He could not figure it out either.
"Should I go?" James asked, looking at her.
He was currently at a complete loss and had no idea what to do.
Chapter 932
"You should go.Is there any reason not to?"
Maxine said, "You said it yourself that the person who gave you the letter was extremely powerful and could’ve killed you with a single move.So, if he didn't kill you and even left you a message, there must be a reason.We'll find out what his purpose is when you get there.Besides, I'll join you."
She was not actually concerned about his safety and believed that going to Mount Arclens would not put James in danger.
He would have gotten into trouble today if it had been dangerous.
The opponent did not have to wait until they had led him to Mount Arclens to strike.
"Okay."
James nodded and said, "The photograph revealed a lot of information.I simply need to go and take a look."
"I'll get some plane tickets for you right now,"said Cynthia.
As she spoke, she took out her phone to book the flights.
James and Maxine, on the other hand, were having a discussion.
They were speculating about who had sent them the photograph.
Despite a lengthy discussion, no conclusion was reached.
Soon after, James and Maxine left Cynthia's house for the airport.
Before leaving, Maxine gave Cynthia some advice.
She wanted her to fully comprehend the Internal Cultivation Method.
Even if she could not cultivate True Energy in a short period of time, she would be fine because James had absorbed all the Cold Energy from her body.It would not be an issue for two weeks.
After telling her that, they both left.
At the airport, James and Maxine boarded the plane.
Mount Arclens was located near the northwest border of Sol.
On the same day, James and Maxine arrived in Harvin City to the northwest of Sol.
They walked out of the airport together.
"James, we're still about three hundred kilometers away from Mount Arclens," Maxine said.
"I looked at the map, and the road is only about a hundred kilometers long.We'll have to walk the rest of the way."
"Okay," James said, nodding his head.
"They gave us three days, so we should be able to get there in that time.But I'm still confused.Who brought Thea to this place and led me here, and what are they trying to accomplish?"
Maxine simply shrugged.
"I have no idea.First, let’s rent a car."
"Good idea."
James nodded.
They rented an off-road vehicle from a car rental company in Harvin City.
Then they ate haphazardly, bought some rations, and set out for Mount Arclens.
An off-road vehicle was traversing a desolate road.
The sky was gradually darkening.
"James, we’re getting close to Mount Arclens.There is no longer a road ahead of us.We'll have to walk."
Maxine, who was driving, stepped on the brakes and brought the car to a halt.
James, who was resting in the passenger seat with his eyes closed, opened them to see some rocks blocking their path.
"Okay," he nodded and said.
"Let's get out of the car here."
As he said this, he pushed the door open and got out of the car.
Maxine turned off the engine and exited the vehicle as well.
They both took some rations with them and set out on foot, towards Mount Arclens.
Meanwhile, at the summit of Mount Arclens...
Mount Arclens was a volcanic mountain.
Thea was sitting on a rock with her legs crossed.
She raised her hands.Then, a powerful burst of energy formed in her palms and shot out abruptly.
The terrifying energy swept through the area before exploding in the distance.
A small pit formed in the ground instantly, creating a large cloud of dust.
On the side stood an elderly man.
He was Thomas Caden.
"Not bad," he said with a laugh.
Thea breathed in.
"If you didn't catch the fire snake at the volcanic vent and give me the snake gall to ingest, or help me cultivate with True Energy, I couldn't possibly become so strong in only a few days," she said with a smile on her pretty face.
"It was pure luck," Thomas laughed and said.
"I wasn't expecting to see a centenary fire snake here.It was such a terrifying creature that even I almost succumbed to it."
"Grandpa, what is my current rank?"
Thea inquired, unsure.
Despite the fact that Thomas had told her a lot of things, including practicing martial arts, she had no idea what rank her strength was at.
Thomas gave it a thought and said, "Based on the strength of your True Energy, you're barely at the third rank, but you have no martial arts background and only have Inner Energy in your body.People with significant combat experience can still defeat you even if they haven’t cultivated True Energy.For example, James as he was when he first married into the Callahan family could defeat you."
"Thea, remember that True Energy comes second.What matters most is the self.You have True Energy, so you must learn to use it and fully harness its power."
"Yes, Grandfather.I'll keep that in mind."
Chapter 933
Thomas came here to search for the Sacred Fire Fig, but he did not expect to come across a centenary fire snake.
The gall of the fire snake was a tonic for martial artists.
However, his strength had already reached a point where using external means to increase it would be futile.
Even the gall of a centenary fire snake would not help him much.
On the other hand, giving it to Thea would boost her strength significantly.
With only a snake gall, a third- rank powerhouse was trained.
"Oh, that’s right.Why do you want to lead James here, Grandfather? Isn't it fine if I just bring back the Sacred Fire Fig?" Thea inquired.
She was aware of Thomas' plan to lead James here.
Thomas glanced at her and said, "How would you explain it if you just brought it back? It isn't the right time yet.I don't want James to find out about my existence, and I especially don't want outsiders to speculate about it."
"But James is already suspicious of you."
"That’s why I’m leading him here."
Thomas gave a small smile.
"Enough, no more questions.I have my own arrangements.According to my calculations, he should be arriving tomorrow morning.Let's get going.We're making some plans." Thea asked no further questions.
She believed Thomas would not harm James and was working behind the scenes to help him.
As long as it benefitted James, she would not inquire further.
James was rushing to get there at that moment.
They were traveling by foot after getting out of the car.
Fortunately, they were both martial artists, so they were quick and agile.
When they were running, they were much faster than a car.
They continued their journey into the night.
The next morning...
The sun was peeking over the horizon.
A sliver of rosy dawn appeared in the sky.
As they had rushed through the night, they were already getting close to Mount Arclens.
At the foot of the mountain...
They both came to a halt.
James removed two bottles of water from his backpack and handed one to Maxine.
Twisting one open and then looking at the bleak mountain in front of him, he said, "So this is Mount Arclens.There isn't anyone in sight.What’s the other person trying to accomplish by leading me here?"
Maxine drank a mouthful of water, looked ahead, and said, "It’s really difficult to speculate.But since we're already here, let's go up the mountain and take a look."
"Yeah.That’s the only option."
James opened up his backpack and took out some bread.
They ate at the foot of the mountain and rested briefly.
When they regained some energy, they proceeded to climb the mountain.
The closer they got to the volcano, the hotter it became, but since they were both martial artists, the heat did not bother them too much.
Soon, they were at the summit of the mountain.
James scanned his surroundings.
There was no road ahead, only a sheer cliff.
An entrance to a cavern was located below the cliff.
"There's nothing?"
James was perplexed.
Maxine was also looking around.She noticed traces of people moving about at the location.
"James, look," she said, pointing to a nearby rock.
"There’s a water bottle.That means someone has been here."
James followed her gaze and saw it as well.
He walked over, picked up the water bottle, and examined it.
The date of manufacture was a month ago, so it could be deduced that it was recently discarded here.
"Who is there?"
Maxine shouted abruptly and dashed after someone, James followed closely.
They soon arrived at the entrance to the cavern.
As they approached the entrance, they were hit with a blast of scorching hot air.
Maxine said, "I saw a figure entering the cavern."
James did not even think twice about entering.
Maxine grabbed him in time and asked, "What are you doing?"
"I'm going inside, of course.Since there’s someone here, Thea must be inside.The temperature is extremely high, and she’s just a regular girl.How could she take it?"
James was extremely concerned about Thea's safety.
Thinking about a soft girl like her being trapped in a scorching underground cavern, his heart filled with dread.
"This is an active volcano, and it could erupt at any time.If you continue as is, there could be dangers," Maxine reminded him.
Chapter 934
"We're already here.We should go even if it’s dangerous."
James walked straight into the cavern.
Maxine wore a defeated expression.
'He's been blinded by love.If he continues to be reckless, he might lose his life"
Still, she followed him.
The entrance to the cavern was small, but once inside, it stretched in all directions.
The deeper they went, the hotter it grew.
Even for James and Maxine, who were martial artists, it was becoming unbearable.
They had no choice but to use True Energy to combat the intense heat in the cavern, yet even then, they were both still sweating profusely.
Their clothes were soon soaked with sweat.
"It’s so hot."
Maxine fanned her face with her hand and tugged at her sweat -soaked clothes that clung to her skin.
James took out another water bottle and handed it to Maxine, saying, "Drink some..."
At that moment, he saw what Maxine was doing when he turned around to hand over the water bottle.
He noticed her tugging at her clothes, fanning the insides of her clothes from the neckline, and even pulling at her bra strap.
Maxine's face flushed instantly, and she let go quickly.
"It’s...It’s far too hot.I’m covered with sweat and my bra is bothering me."
She reached out her hands to take the water from James.
James, too, was embarrassed.
He turned to look at the path ahead and said, "It really is too hot.This isn’t a place for people to stay.If Thea is indeed here, then..."
He did not dare to consider the consequences.
"James, you’ve finally arrived."
At that moment, a voice rang out.
The echo of the voice lingered in the cavern for some time, never dissipating.
James immediately focused his attention on his surroundings, but the echo was so loud that he could not tell where it came from.
"It should be ahead," Maxine said as she pointed forward.
James walked over quickly.
They did not walk far before reaching the edge of the cliff.
A massive protruding rock stood across from the cliff.
There were ropes on the rock, and two people were bound to the ropes.
There was an older and a younger person.
A huge opening was above their heads.
Light shone through, illuminating the pitch-black cavern.
Beneath them was a bottomless abyss.
A person dressed in black robes was also standing on the massive rock.
They had a mask on their face and were roughly one meter and seventy centimeters tall.
Their clothes were baggy and loose.
It was difficult to distinguish their features.
James recognized the people who were left dangling.
The older person was the one who took Tiara and was also suspected to be Thomas.
The woman was Thea.
"who are you, and what do you want?"
James glared at the person standing on the rock and questioned coldly.
"Haha..."
A boisterous laughter filled the cavern.
"You don't need to be concerned with who I am."
The person in the black robe laughed.
"What are you trying to do?"
James inquired coldly.
At the same time, he was keeping a close eye on Thea and the person suspected of being his grandfather.
They appeared to be unconscious and were dangling from the rope.
If it snapped, they would fall into the abyss.
"I want to know the secret of the Moonlit Flowers on Cliffside's Edge.Tell me the secret, or else your grandfather and wife will perish," came a hoarse voice.
At that moment, the unconscious Thomas awoke and yelled, "Child, leave now and get away from here quickly! Never tell this devil the secret of the Moonlit Flowers on Cliffside's Edge.Once he has it, there won't be any peace throughout the lands."
"Annoying old fart.You talk way too much."
The masked person in the black robe let out a cold snort and casually flicked their hand.
A burst of energy appeared.
The rope Thomas was dangling from snapped in an instant, and his body plummeted into the bottomless pit.
"ah! No..."
James let out a guttural roar.
Chapter 935
The moment Thomas spoke, James knew he was his grandfather.
The same grandfather who adored him since he was a child.
He knelt on the ground, staring at the bottomless pit in front of him, and sobbed uncontrollably.
Scenes from his childhood flooded back to him.
He remembered sitting on his grandfather's lap while his grandfather taught him ancient language and the fundamentals of Solean Medicine.
In the fire at the Cadens' ten years ago, he was helpless.He heard the Cadens howling and roaring in agony, but he could not do anything.
In the end, it was Thea who rushed in and saved him.
Ten years later, he was still helpless and witnessed his grandfather's fall into the bottomless pit with his own eyes.
"Damn it."
James stood up, veins bulging on his face, and stared unwaveringly at the black-robe figure on the rock across from him.
Maxine was concerned that James would lose control and grabbed him just in time.
"James, don’t be reckless.Thea is still dangling there," she advised.
"James, I'll repeat myself.Tell me the secret of the Moonlit Flowers on Cliffside's Edge or Thea will fall from here.Her face will no longer be recognizable," the black-robed figure spoke again.
"How brazen."
At that moment, a voice filled the air.
James turned around and looked.
An old man appeared.
"Grandpa!"
Maxine was beaming.
"You're finally here," she exclaimed.
It was Tobias.
Before Maxine boarded the plane, she informed him of the situation.
Tobias was also concerned that something bad would happen, so he rushed over.
The person in the black robe saw Tobias’ arrival and casually flicked their hand.
A burst of energy formed on the tip of their finger, immediately striking and snapping the rope from which Thea was dangling.
Then, they fled quickly.
Thea was plummeting like a kite with a broken string.
Looking at what was happening in front of him, James was stunned.
His mouth was wide open, but he could not make a sound.
Tobias, on the other hand, flew over in a flash.
He fell quickly and caught Thea as she was falling.
Then, he came to the cliff's edge, stepped on it, and flew back using the rebound.
He then stood firm on the ground.
James regained his composure and exclaimed, "Thea!"
With a toss, Tobias handed Thea over to James.
James took her in his arms and held her.
"Stay here and don’t move,"
Tobias gave his command, then leaped across dozens of meters with a flash before reappearing on the ground across the cliff and chasing after the black-robed figure.
James was holding Thea and laying her down to check her pulse.
It was weak, but she was not in danger of dying.He finally exhaled a sigh of relief.
"Thea."
He shook Thea gently.
Thea blinked open her eyes in a daze.
She noticed a face that appeared familiar but felt foreign to her.
"J...James..." she spoke softly, then abruptly asked, "Where is Grandfather?"
"Grandfather...Grandfather was..."
James was choking on sobs and could not speak.
"What happened to Grandfather?" Thea asked anxiously.
"Thea, you knew Thomas was alive, didn't you?" asked Maxine, who was standing by.
Thea stood up and looked at Maxine.
"Yes.I was already aware of it," she said with a nod.
James looked at Thea and asked, "What is this all about?"
Thea was lost in her memories for a while before saying, "When Tiara was in trouble and you went to the Capital, Grandfather found me and said you were in danger.He couldn't appear in person, so he asked me to step in."
Chapter 936
Maxine stared at Thea and said, "It was you who helped James kill the Emperor in the Capital.You were also the one who impersonated me, escorted James out of the Johnston residence, and dumped him at the Caden mansion's main entrance.The God- King Palace was, in fact, Thomas' creation."
"Yes."
Thea did not try to deny any of it.
"Grandfather did build the God-King Palace," she said.
"Why did he take Tiara and Quincy away?" James asked.
"Grandfather said it wasn't safe for them to be following you because you have a lot of enemies around you.He also took them away for the time being to protect them so that you wouldn't be preoccupied," Thea said.
James questioned once more, "Then why are you and Grandfather here?"
"Grandfather told me that we needed True Energy with extreme Yang energy to cultivate Moonlit Flowers on Cliffside's Edge, so he brought me along to look for it.But we didn't expect him to be ambushed and for us to be taken prisoner,"
Thea responded.
"What?"
Maxine exclaimed, surprised.
"Thomas...Thomas knew about the Moonlit Flowers on Cliffside's Edge's secret?"
At that moment, Tobias returned.
Thea deliberately kept her mouth shut and did not say anything else.
Maxine looked at Tobias and asked, "How did it go, Grandpa?"
"I couldn't catch them," Tobias said, shaking his head.
"They’re extremely powerful.Wait here while I check the bottom of the cliff."
Tobias had just arrived when he noticed Thomas falling in the distance, but it was too late for him to do anything.He did not trust Thomas.He could only be certain if he went down and saw it for himself.
After saying that, he made his way to the cliff's edge and looked down.
Then, like a gecko, he climbed quickly to the bottom of the cliff.
James was looking at Thea.
Thea continued, "Grandfather had already figured out the secret of the Moonlit Flowers on Cliffside's Edge.He came here to find the Sacred Fire Fig in order to help you.All the while, he’s been secretly assisting you."
Currently, Maxine was at a loss.She could no longer tell what kind of person Thomas was.
Her previous theory was that Thomas was stirring up trouble.
Now, though, it appeared that he was merely protecting James covertly.He truly did nothing but assist James.
"Where are Tiara and Quincy right now?" James inquired.
"I-I don't know,"
Thea finally said after a brief moment of hesitation.
"Grandfather didn’t tell me that.He only mentioned that they’re in a very secure location."
She was, in fact, aware of their location.
They were both safe and sound.
However, she did not want them to come back so quickly or get so close to James again.She did not want James to look for them right now, either.
Phew! James took a deep breath.
That was not how he had expected the truth to be.
He had not anticipated that the person assisting him in secret would be his grandfather, who should have died ten years ago.
Although James still had a lot to say to him, Thomas had already fallen off the cliff.He would probably never learn the truth about the Johnston family's internal conflicts thirty years ago.
"What else do you know?"
When James looked at Thea, he noticed that she didn’t appear to be affected by the environment's extreme heat.
Involuntarily, he furrowed his brows.
"This place is so hot, even I can feel the sweltering heat, but you don't seem bothered at all."
"That’s because grandfather found a centenary fire snake while searching for the Sacred Fire Fig.He killed it and extracted its gall for me to consume.Then, he assisted me in refining it so that I could obtain a strong cultivation base.My current strength is equivalent to third rank," Thea explained.
"Third rank?"
James and Maxine both exclaimed in shock at the same time.
‘This...Isn't this too frightening?’
‘In just a few days, you've gone from being a regular person with no prior martial arts experience to a third-rank powerhouse"
"Thomas is a little too frightening,"
Maxine murmured.
"He managed to elevate a regular person to the third rank in a matter of days."
James, on the other hand, was baffled.
What kind of a person was his grandfather exactly? He was still alive, so why did he never appear for ten years, never met with him, and even built a God- King Palace in secret? Who was right and who was wrong in the Caden family’s internal dispute thirty years ago?
Chapter 937
Tobias left quickly and came back just as quickly.
After ten minutes or so, he returned.
"How did it go, Grandpa?" Maxine inquired.
Tobias shook his head and said, "The base is very deep and filled with lava.I couldn't delve any further.He most likely didn't survive the fall."
"I don't believe that," James kept shaking his head.
His grandfather had even survived the devastating fire ten years before.He would not have died so easily right now.
Tobias took a glance at him and said, "Even if you don't believe it, you should.Theoretically, falling from this point would result in certain death, unless his strength had reached unimaginable heights and advanced beyond the seventh rank."
As he was saying that, he cast a quick glance at Thea and inquired, "How did you become involved with Thomas?"
Thea did not hold back, telling him everything about how Thomas had met up with her.She did not, however, say anything about the secret of Moonlit Flowers on Cliffside's Edge.She only mentioned that Thomas had brought her here to search for the Sacred Fire Fig in order to aid James in boosting his True Energy.
Tobias furrowed his brows as he listened.
"Grandpa, what are you thinking about?" asked Maxine.
"It's nothing," Tobias said after regaining his composure.
"Since we’re now safe, let's go back.By the way, Thea, do you know who kidnapped you?"
Thea gave it some thought and said, "I don’t, but I overheard them talking to Grandfather.Grandfather might have called them a devil.What was it, Gu Devil or something? I wasn't really paying attention."
"Gu Devil?" Tobias' pupils shrank.
"Have you heard this name, Grandpa?"
Maxine inquired.
Tobias took a deep breath and said, "A hundred years ago, the Gu Sect Leader had already attained the seventh rank.They were, however, nearly in their sixties at the time.That was a century ago.Even for a seventh-rank powerhouse, it’s impossible to survive that long, unless..."
"Unless he reached the eighth rank," Maxine chimed in.
"yes"
Tobias nodded with a solemn look.
"Perhaps the Gu Sect is actually making a comeback This is quite unusual.I must get back to the Capital as soon as possible."
He turned and walked away as soon as he finished speaking.
"Let’s go, James."
Maxine gently tugged at James, who was staring at the bottomless cliff.
"I..."
James tried to speak but choked on his tears.
"Did your grandfather really fall in there, James?"
Thea's face was filled with disbelief.
"Let’s go."
James said nothing else, gritted his teeth, and dragged Thea along as he followed Tobias out of the cavern.
They were out of there in no time.
The temperature was lower outside.
James was much more at ease.
Outside...
"If it was the Gu Devil, they'll definitely find you again.It’s best if you return to the Capital with me for your safety," Tobias advised.
James wanted to go back to the Capital as well.
Still, there were things he had to do in Cansington.
Chapter 938
Cynthia was still in Cansington.He needed to absorb the Cold Energy from her body to cultivate his True Energy.
"I'm not going to the Capital for the time being.I have to return to Cansington first," he said.Tobias gave him a quick glance and nodded, saying, "Be careful, then."
After saying that, he leaped, covering a few dozen meters.
In a matter of seconds, he was already a few hundred meters away.
"Let’s go too," said Maxine.
"Not yet," said Thea.
"Ja...Honey, Grandfather came here to search for the Sacred Fire Fig.He found it eventually, but the Gu Devil showed up before he could collect it."
"Forget about it.Let’s go back.The Gu Devil hasn't left yet.If we stick around, he might come back.Grandpa had already left and we stand no chance against him."
"Oh, that’s right..."
James pondered and asked, "What is Tobias’ rank? Why did the Gu Devil run away so quickly when he saw him?"
"I don't know that," Maxine said, shaking her head.
"Grandpa never made his rank known to the public.Since a few decades ago, he’s rarely engaged in hand-to-hand combat.His level, however, is probably not any weaker than a seventh rank.Even when considering the whole of Sol, he should be among the best."
James looked astonished.
"Seventh rank? That’s incredible." Maxine nodded.
"He's quite powerful, but not the most powerful.In each of the Ancient Four families, there are Grand Patriarchs.They were already powerhouses a century ago.Their strength must have reached unfathomable heights after meditating in seclusion for a century.According to speculation, the Grand Patriarch of the Caden family has attained the eighth rank, at the very least.Even if they haven’t achieved it, they would still be at the pinnacle of the seventh rank.The Grand Patriarchs of the other three families should be roughly the same."
"They’re that powerful? I’ve heard from Gloom that the only people who ever attained the eighth rank throughout history were the major officials of the Prince of Orchid Mountain, who were the ancestors of the Ancient Four today."
"Many things had not been passed down from previous generations in the East due to the development of western technology in the last century," Maxine explained.
"Some ancient texts were lost, and as a result, they are rarely found in circulation.Gloom is a bodyguard at best.How could he have known the true classified information?"
Then, she reminded him, "James, don’t be fooled by the fact that Sol is full of ordinary people.
A true powerhouse is formidable.
Once they make a move, the destruction they can cause is quite terrifying."
James was intrigued.He could not help but ask, "You grew up in the Cadens’ mansion, so you'd know more.Do you know how many people within Sol’s borders have attained the eighth rank?"
"I'm not sure," Maxine said, shaking her head.
"There could be none, or there could be a few."
She, too, had no idea.
Maxine only knew the Grand Patriarchs of the Ancient Four were at the very top of the seventh rank, but she was uncertain as to whether they had advanced to the eighth rank.
"The Gu Devil must have been terrified of the Cadens.I’m sure they’ve already fled," said Thea.
"Honey, Grandfather overcame many obstacles to come here and search for the Sacred Fire Fig.He went to such lengths for a good cause.Wouldn't he die in vain if we went back like this?"
Thea asked while holding on to James.
Maxine took a glance at Thea and asked, "Where is the Sacred Fire Fig?"
"It's at the top of the cliff,"
Thea said, pointing to the sheer cliff in front of them.
"Wait here," Maxine said after glancing at the sheer cliff.
"I'll go check it out."
She turned and walked away, then leaped a dozen meters and appeared on the cliff, gripping a rock.
Using it as a support, she pulled herself up and continued her ascent.
James was looking at Thea.He never expected Thea to become a third-rank powerhouse in just a few days.Her strength had even surpassed his.
It was hard for him to believe that the woman in front of him was someone who needed to be protected by others not long ago.
"Honey, why are you staring at me like that?"
Thea lowered her head shyly.
"No, it’s nothing."
James took a deep breath and said, "I'm just a little confused.This is too bizarre."
Thea took James' hand in hers with a look of determination and said, "Honey, I'm no longer just a pretty face, and I don’t need your protection anymore.I’m now able to assist you.Can you let me stay by your side?"
Chapter 939
James was also relieved that Thea had acquired third-rank Internal Energy.
Now, he could finally relax and stop worrying about her getting into trouble.
Instead of responding to Thea, he turned around and stared at the cavern’s entrance nearby.
Thea was tactful and stood by quietly without asking any further.
"Haa..."
James sighed deeply in resignation.
When the man thought to be his grandfather showed up, he was both ecstatic and concerned.He was ecstatic because his grandfather was still alive.
In contrast, he was concerned that his grandfather was, as Tobias and Maxine had described him, a vile and unforgivable devil.
James wished he could find his grandfather and learn the truth from him.He wanted to hear from him directly that he was not who they claimed he was.
However, his grandfather fell into the bottomless abyss only moments after they met.
Although he saw him fall, James was powerless to stop it.
"Honey, Grandfather wanted you to live a good life and didn't want you to be involved in any sort of conflict.Nevertheless, you were already caught up in it, so he racked his brain and did everything he could to increase your power and make you invincible."
Thea, who was standing by, said softly, "Grandfather told me when he and his immediate family were driven out of the Caden family, they came to Cansington and established a new life here.His cultivation base was also removed, but he refused to give up.Instead, he concentrated his studies on medical skills in order to find ways to regain his strength.
"That was because he knew that the internal conflict in the family hadn't come to an end.He was aware that the Cadens would contact him at some point.
"Ten years ago, the Caden residence was consumed by flames.Grandfather only managed to get away by pure luck.
After that, he went into hiding and built the God-King Palace.
"He didn’t find you because he was afraid.The Cadens are far too powerful.If he showed himself, he would surely be killed.He’s gone now, but he left you the God-King Palace."
After hearing that, James could not help but turn to Thea and ask, "Did Grandfather tell you about what happened in the Caden family thirty years ago, and why he was expelled?"
"He did mention a little," Thea said, nodding her head.
"I’m listening."
James took a seat on a rock.He had always been curious about the events of thirty years ago, and even more so about his grandfather's character.
Thea took a moment to think back as she stood in front of James and peered into the distance.
"According to Grandfather, conflict was always present within the Caden family, and he had no desire to vie for the position of patriarch.He was gifted in martial arts, but the martial arts he practiced were not the ones passed down through the Caden family.Instead, it was a cultivation method that was left behind by a devil.That's why outsiders thought he was evil.
"Thirty years ago, he was unexpectedly attacked while cultivating, disrupting the flow of his True Energy and causing him to suffer from Energy deviation.He lost his mind and became violent.He attacked people at the Caden residence, killing many members of the Caden family.Finally, the Grand Patriarch of the Caden family stepped forward to subdue him and remove his Devilish Energy.
Then, they expelled him from the family.
"He understood that even though he had been kicked out of the family and had his cultivation base removed, the Cadens would not leave him alone as long as he was still alive.So, before he left, he stole the Moonlit Flowers on Cliffside's Edge painting.He said that as long as he had that painting, the Caden family would not take him lightly.
"However, in the end, he still couldn’t stop the unfortunate fate that befell the Caden family." Thea spoke softly as she described the past.
James was puzzled as he listened and asked, "Did Grandfather ever reveal to you who it was that attacked him, causing him to experience an Energy deviation and go insane?"
Thea shook her head.
"Grandfather had no idea who it was either.He could only guess it was someone from the Caden family.Grandfather’s talent was impressive, and he possessed the highest level of martial arts mastery among the Caden family's younger generations, so it was an unspoken agreement that he would be the patriarch.Tobias is the current patriarch, so it’s highly likely that he was the one responsible."
James began to lose himself in thought.
Although he did not have much interaction with Tobias, he was almost certain that Tobias was not someone who would plot and scheme for the position of patriarch.
"What else did he tell you?" James inquired.
Thea replied, "During that time, he told me a lot of stories, some of which were about the Gu Sect a century ago.
However, since these events are now considered taboo, people rarely bring them up, and Grandfather didn't know much either.
He simply stated that the establishment of the Empire of Sol had cost far too many lives and that the three major families of the Gu Sect had all been sacrificed.During the war, these three families made heroic contributions to the establishment of the country.In the end, though, people were wary of them and they were all wiped out."
Chapter 940
James had heard about these events from Blake.He also knew that the Gu Sect had been exterminated by the King of Sol at that time with the aid of some martial artists.
This was, however, quite typical.
Since ancient times, the people who had made significant contributions to the country would be killed when a new dynasty and king rose to power.
James was fairly certain after hearing Thea speak that his grandfather was not a vile and unforgivable devil.He was simply labeled as evil because the martial arts he was learning were unconventional.He was also ambushed, which caused his Energy to deviate, and that was when mistakes were made.
The two continued to talk about a lot of things.
Maxine soon made her way back.She returned carrying a few red fruits, which were not particularly large.
They were about the size of a fist, red, and resembled a ball of raging flames.
"James, this is the Sacred Fire Fig.There were only four on the tree, and I brought them all back.Four of these would be sufficient to transform your True Energy into one of pure and extreme Yang energy."
Joy was apparent on Maxine’s pretty face when she handed the fruits to James.
James took them and examined them in his hands.
Apart from being warm to the touch, there was nothing peculiar about them.
Instead of studying them, he opened his backpack and placed them inside.
Then, he looked at the entrance of the cavern and said, "The Gu Devil hasn't appeared in a while.Perhaps there are other exits to the cavern and he's already fled?"
"There are indeed a lot of exits.The cavern's interior stretches in all directions, and there are also exits behind the mountain.He might have already fled," Thea said while nodding her head.
"I’m going down to take a look."
James left earlier because he was worried that the Gu Devil would return.
However, a long time had passed and the Gu Devil had yet to appear.
That meant they had already fled.
His grandpa had fallen into the bottomless pit, so he could not possibly feel at ease if he did not investigate it.
Even if his grandfather was dead, he would still need to find him and bring his body back to Cansington so that he could be laid to rest.
"James, not even Grandpa managed to go down into the pit.How would you do that?"
Maxine asked, her brows furrowed.
"Regardless of how difficult it is, I must go take a look"
James took out his phone after saying that.
He wanted to call for assistance and have some equipment brought over, but his phone could not get a good signal there.He held up his phone and waved it around.
There was still no reception.
"Let's return to Harvin City first, and then I'll come back with some equipment.I need to go down and take a look at it in person," said James.
Maxine did not say anything else because James was adamant.
On the other hand, Thea nodded her head.
"Your grandfather already endured a difficult decade before ending up in this situation.We should bring back his body so that he can be laid to rest."
James turned around and walked away without saying anything.
The three of them quickly made their way down the mountain and returned the way they came.