Villain Seduces to Rise in Status

Sael’s eyes widened in surprise. "You’re not? But we have information that you’ve used it! Don’t deny it! Even the elder from my family on the Academy’s council witnessed it."

Cale replied, "That’s a different energy idiot. Sigh, I understand you want to kill me, but bringing a Grandmaster and an Expert Stage cultivator? My, how far your family has fallen."

He smirked, but Zetian’s next question cut through his confidence.

"But how does someone like you know of Merth’s existence? The Nexus Lord was man who’d disappeared centuries ago. A name that shouldn’t even be known to you people unless you’ve allied with Clans or Sects like ours."

"I... I read about him somewhere."

Rou’s eyes narrowed. "Or perhaps your family is harboring him. The flames you use could be an advanced evolution of his old technique, hehe it is indeed a plausible reason given the time difference."

"You’re making assumptions out of thin air old man. I said I don’t know him."

The ground trembled.

Two swords suddenly erupted from the earth, flying directly into Zetian and Rou’s waiting hands.

Telekinesis—a technique Cale was only beginning to master himself. Controlling energy of nature could be done only from master stage.

Cale’s voice hardened as he looked back at Rexa. "Run as fast as you can if there’s even a small gap in this barrier."

Sael’s smirk widened into something sadistic. "Escape from this formation? Are you stupid? Lord Zetian is a 3rd Tier Formation and Array Master. You believe someone like you can break free? This is your grave, Cale. And don’t worry about her, I’ll kill her after I’m finished with her body. Hehehehe. At least she’ll live longer than you."

Cale met Rexa’s gaze. Understanding flickered across her crimson eyes, she recognized, he had a plan.

She turned and launched herself toward the barrier’s edge, her presence suppressed to near-invisibility by her physique.

Zetian appeared directly in her path like a phantom.

His kick struck with the weight of mountains, connecting directly with her core. Rexa flew backward violently, her body crashing hard against the ground.

"Rexa!" Cale bolted toward her, catching her falling form against his chest.

"Cough... I’m... fine, Young Master," she gasped, blood trickling from the corner of her mouth.

Sael’s laughter echoed across the battlefield. "Doesn’t matter if you break her arms or legs—as long as her body can be healed, I don’t care!"

Cale stared at him, mind racing. ’Shit! What can I do? Think. THINK.’

Zetian sighed, glancing at Rexa with an almost bored expression.

"You heard him, young lady. Simply surrender yourself and you might live."

Rexa’s eyes flashed with fury. "I would rather die protecting Young Master."

Rou chuckled. "Heh. Such devotion."

Rexa lowered her voice, meant only for Cale. "Young Master, Lord Silvester gave our group a gravity manipulation artifact. It functions only for one minute, but it will completely drain my reserves. I’ll be unconscious within a second after activation given the power level we’re facing."

Cale took a defensive stance, his back to her. "So we get one minute. Alright, do it on my signal. Let’s keep it as a final option."

Zetian looked at Sael with obvious impatience. "Shall we begin? You’re not expecting us to do all the work, are you?"

"Yes, Lord," Sael replied eagerly, gesturing to his men. "Attack them!"

Wang Rou and several subordinates advanced on Cale, while Zetian and the remaining warriors moved toward Rexa. The distance between the two battlefields was minimal.

Cale’s eyes locked onto Rexa’s. "Try to stay within ten meters of me at all times. I’ll work on breaking this formation."

Combat erupted.

As the fight started, Cale tried to kill as many as he could while also dodging the flying swords attacking him as if they had a mind of their own.

’This old man’s will itself is suppressing my attacks... argh!’

Rexa too was going through the same.

Cale stood his ground, a massive aura of black flames shimmering to life around him.

A lesser cultivator charged from his blind spot, but he severed his head with a single swing of his sword without even looking.

’Sigh, dealing with an expert is already tough, and these fucking NPCs.’

His focus remained locked onto Wang Rou, ignoring the fresh cut already stinging his cheek from an earlier exchange.

"Haha, kid, you’ve got quite the treasure," Rou observed.

Then he lunged.

His sword materialized in a toxic-green shimmer, energy crackling along its length as it clashed violently against Noxis.

Sparks exploded outward. Using the momentum from their collision, Rou stepped inside Cale’s guard and drove a brutal punch directly into his ribs.

"Kugh—!"

The air exploded from his lungs. Pain bloomed like fire across his entire side as they broke apart, both breathing heavily.

"Huff...huff..."

Two more lackeys rushed Cale, but a snap of his fingers erupted them into pillars of roaring black flames, reducing them to ash instantly.

’Just how many of them are there..’

Distracted for a fraction of a second, Cale failed to block Rou’s sweeping kick, sending him crashing hard into the dirt.

"Just accept your fate."

"Yeah right! Fuck you old man", With a sharp cry, Cale rolled and forced his black flames forward to intercept Wang Rou’s next strike.

His opponent took to the air, his blade radiating a blinding green aura. A massive beam of green energy carved through the earth, slicing a shallow, burning gash across Cale’s shoulder as he dodged.

’Shit... I hope its not poisoned too.’

Landing gracefully, Wang Rou gathered his spiritual energy, his green sword suddenly morphing into a terrifying, blood-red blade.

"Try dodging this!"

He launched it forward with a wave of his hand. The flying sword became a crimson laser, tearing through the forest at impossible speed as Cale began running and avoiding it.

He threw his bleeding arms out, conjuring a dense shield-like wall of swirling black flames just in time.

The red sword slammed into the fiery barrier, its razor-sharp tip breaking through just enough to draw a deep line of blood down Cale’s forearm.

With a desperate burst of fiery energy, Cale pushed back, sending black embers scattering as he finally deflected the weapon with his sword.

An opportunistic enemy lunged at his exposed back, but he simply backhanded him, a whip of black fire bifurcating the man in an instant. Panting and heavily bruised, Cale brought his hands together.

"Well... fucked, aren’t I?"