Return of the Mythic Bloodline

Inside a house in the country of Ironvale...

"Is keeping her here really safe, nya?" asked Feralin, a beautiful white-haired girl with the tail and ears of a cat.

She was sitting on a chair beside the bed. Beside her sat a man with the head of an elephant and a short brown-haired man carrying a long wand in his hand. They were Gajendra and Armin.

On the bed lay an unconscious mature woman in a light robe, the veins across her entire body turned deep black. At the corner of the bed sat Vyrion, holding a Soul Stone in his glowing hands.

The Soulforce from the stone flowed into the unconscious woman, reducing the darkness of the veins only slightly.

"They are targeting the whole country," Armin spoke, his voice laced with worry. "If they manage to break in, it would be disastrous."

Vyrion said nothing. His half-open amber eyes were fixed on Su Yan, the unconscious woman.

Armin released a sigh and continued, "I know you are staying here because of the word Lucifer gave you about healing her, but you must understand that he isn't the same Lucifer anymore. He is burning with the desire for revenge. I wonder if he even remembers his wor—"

"He will surely help us," Vyrion said firmly. "He has never gone back on his word. If the army manages to break into the country, we will move to the fortress."

His grip around the stone tightened as he continued, "This is the only chance we have to cure her."

Armin bit his lip and muttered, clenching his fist, "And what if they recognize yo—"

Before he could finish his words, someone knocked on the door.

Armin facepalmed himself, regretting what he had been about to say, and walked out to open the door.

For a moment, the room remained awkwardly silent until Armin returned with hurried steps.

"V-Vyrion, a lady is at the door saying that Prince Taranis has sent her."

"Who—"

"Hehe~ I'm sorry to barge in like this, but I'm a very busy person," a soft female voice came from beside Armin.

The voice belonged to a breathtakingly beautiful woman with light pink hair. She wore a beautiful silken robe, and two butterfly wings fluttered on her back.

Even though her face was covered by a veil, her mesmerizing beauty enchanted everyone in the room.

"W-who are you?" Vyrion asked, his face turning red.

"I'm Sylvaris El Flowerbane. Prince Taranis sent me here to heal a patient," she said with a warm smile. "Oh, and stop staring, or you might fall to your inner demons."

The group instantly averted their eyes, realizing how intensely they had been staring at her.

"Y-you are the Sect Master of the Flowerbane Sect," Vyrion murmured, lowering his gaze. "The most beautiful woman of Vyoman."

"Oh, young man, you are quite good with compliments," Sylvaris chuckled.

Moving closer to the bed, she ordered, "Now then, everyone, leave the room."

"Lady Sylvaris, can you really cure her?" Vyrion asked, a hint of doubt in his voice.

"Are you doubting my abilities?" Sylvaris asked, raising an eyebrow.

"N-no, of course not," Vyrion blurted. "But she is suffering from Soulforce deviation, an incurable disease."

"It must have been difficult, since she has suffered from Soulforce deviation for twenty years," Sylvaris said, touching Su Yan's wrist. "But you kept the corruption under control using Soul Stones, so it is curable."

The group's eyes lit up with hope and excitement upon hearing Sylvaris's words. They were aware of her reputation as the greatest physician on the Western Continent. If not for their circumstances, she would have been the first person they would have sought out to cure Su Yan.

The group left the room so Sylvaris could begin the treatment. A couple of hours passed as they waited outside in the dark night.

Throughout that time, they were overwhelmed by fear, anticipation, and restlessness.

The door of the house opened, and Sylvaris walked out.

"Her Soulforce deviation has been cured, but I need to check on her regularly for a few days. Bring her to the fortress," Sylvaris said, her face showing signs of fatigue.

Armin, Feralin, and Gajendra rushed inside the house, while Vyrion remained completely frozen in place.

Slowly, his eyes grew moist, and tears began to fall.

"Th-thank you... thank you so much," Vyrion murmured, giving a deep bow to Sylvaris.

"No need to thank me. I simply did my duty as a physician," Sylvaris replied. "She is currently unconscious. It will take a couple of days before she wakes up."

Sylvaris left after saying her part, while Vyrion remained bowed until she was no longer in sight.

Before the sun rose, Vyrion and his group left the city and entered the fortress of Ironvale with Su Yan.

---

The next day, the empire's soldiers surrounded the country once again, and the earth-shaking clash between the two mighty forces resumed.

Once again, Taranis, Jambavan, and Vyaghra fought outside the fortress, the Sect Masters clashed against the Dukes, their massive armies collided, and Aurelion stood at the fortress as an absolute wall.

Instead of moving in close formation like the previous day, the empire's army spread outward to avoid being swept away by the explosive strikes of the cannons.

This also made it more difficult for the three gods to cover the vast battlefield.

Most of the knights avoided direct confrontation with them and charged straight toward the fortress, where Aurelion dealt with them instantly.

"Are they trying to exhaust me?" Aurelion murmured, finding the empire's tactics strange.

Even though the knights kept targeting the fortress, they did not possess enough strength to make Aurelion use even a quarter of his Soulforce.

It was as if the emperor was sending them all to their certain deaths.

Still, Aurelion's senses rang restlessly, warning him of something ominous about to unfold.

Only cultivators who possessed Divine Soulforce could sense this dangerous premonition, but because Aurelion's seed of divinity had not yet sprouted, the feeling was faint.

He swung his arm, freezing another wave of empire knights who had reached the fortress gates, and muttered,

"Kharos Solaris, what are you plotting?"