Playing inventor in a cultivation world

Seraph’s gaze met with the princess’s eyes. She looked young, around fourteen or fifteen years. As a royalty, her beauty was undeniable. Her lustrous blonde hair glimmered under the sunlight, and her blue eyes were enchanting.

However, Seraph noticed something strange. Her eyes were too dry, and her cheeks were a little sunken. Her skin was a little pale, even. These details were negligible and almost unnoticeable if one didn’t observe her well enough.

Realizing he might be staring too much, Seraph lowered his gaze and said.

"Thanks for your understanding, princess. We can move now."

The young girl nodded with a smile, then closed the curtain.

Immediately, Noel marched up to Seraph with an angry expression.

Lowering his voice, he spoke harshly. "What was that all about? You jerk! Do you want to ruin this for us?"

Seraph’s smile remained polite. "Apologies, Senior Brother. I simply want to ensure we’re taking the right mission."

Noel ground his teeth in anger, but huffed and returned to his position.

Seraph also took a post on the other side of the carriage where the butler presumably stayed.

Then, they departed. The distance between the Soul Cross Sect and Valmere City wasn’t that much. With the aid of the carriage, it would only take them about a full day to reach the city.

Therefore, the disciples had to keep up with the carriage’s speed while being on guard against any sneak attacks and ambush.

Seraph stabilized his breathing rhythm, adjusting it so it could accommodate his current speed.

As he jogged beside the carriage, he pondered about the second part of his interconnected mission.

’Save the princess... from what?’

Looking around, there was no visible threat. The disciples didn’t seem to be traitors either. That left the butler who was with the princess.

However, Seraph had no doubt that he would be helpless against such a person. The butler himself wasn’t going to be a weakling.

’And when are the guards going to return? Are they even friends or foes?’

While he was thinking, he heard a low voice speak from within the carriage. It was the butler.

"Young boy, I love your caution. But fear not, the princess is safe for now, at least."

’Safe? For now?’

Seraph repeated those fragments in his head, his eyes narrowing.

"You aren’t answering, hm? Okay." The voice chuckled. "Just watch out for thorns."

’!!!’

Seraph’s intuition tingled, and he immediately did a front flip. Earth spikes erupted beneath him, almost impaling him.

The carriage immediately came to a halt, surrounded by masked individuals in black robes.

The butler’s voice sounded tired.

"It hasn’t even been two hours since we departed."

The Soul Cross Sect disciples immediately pulled out their weapons, surrounding the carriage and casting a protective net around it.

"You..."

Noel spoke grimly, his grip tight on his sword.

"State your affiliation and I might show you some mercy."

The masked strangers didn’t reply, and one of them suddenly dashed at Marcus.

The boy reacted immediately. His flame sword was swung upward, deflecting the stranger’s attack and slicing through their head.

Blood spilled to the ground and the attacker collapsed—dead.

Marcus’s ruthlessness surprised Seraph, and he remembered that the boy had come from a high-level family.

Killing wouldn’t be much of a mental strain for him.

Rolling his eyes, Seraph twirled his spear and attacked the two guys beside him.

Seeing him approach, they raised their swords and cut down at him.

Seraph placed his spear horizontally, blocking both attacks.

As he slipped beneath his own weapon, he fired two wind blades at them.

Ungarded, their midsections were sliced open, blood and organs spilling.

Seraph paid no more attention to them—the battle had already started.

Noel was facing four of them, easily decapitating them one after the other. In just a few minutes, the battle was over.

Even though the enemies had been killed, Noel felt uneasy.

’This fight... was too easy.’

It was as if the enemies weren’t even cultivators but regular humans.

"Let’s keep moving. Be on the lookout."

They resumed the journey, all tensed and pensive.

Seraph returned to his position, then asked in a low voice.

"Would you like to trek, sir?"

There was a moment of silence, then the butler replied in an unamused voice.

"Me? Trek? What are you insinuating?"

Seraph smiled but didn’t reply.

The journey continued. At times, Marcus tried to bring up some light talk with his senior sister from Summer Peak, but the atmosphere wasn’t right.

Eventually, he just had to shut up.

After about three hours, the carriage paused because the princess needed to ease herself.

It was embarrassing and mundane, but real. Even Seraph had to reduce his ever-present smile.

When the princess alighted from the carriage, her face was red in embarrassment. The Inner court disciple from Summer Peak escorted her away to a safe distance while the others stayed back and waited.

The butler also stepped out, revealing himself to the disciples. He was a middle-aged man with neatly combed grey hair and sharp black eyed.

He stood tall, towering above even Noel. Dressed in sharp grey robes, he had an auspicious air around him.

The man’s gaze turned to Seraph, a hint of curiosity within his eyes.

"Oh? A colorful pair of eyes like yours is breathtaking."

He praised without a smile.

Seraph turned to him, his own smile returning. "Thank you for your sincere praise, sir. But... you might err... want to step forward."

"Hm?"

Boom!

The carriage exploded, throwing wooden splinters through the air. The others flinched, and even the butler took a large stride away from the carriage.

Seraph remained standing, allowing the splinters to fly past him harmlessly.

The heat of the flames washed over him, but he remained indifferent.

"Sir..." He called out slowly. "Do you perhaps have an extra carriage?"

The butler’s expression darkened, the red hue of the flames coloring his face.

He didn’t reply. The enemies were already upon them.

Noel and the other disciples sprang into action, and so did Seraph.

Creating a large wind blades, he let it cleave through the flames and smash into the figures behind the fire.

Unlike the first set of masked enemies, these ones were obviously cultivators.

They immediately raised up a water shield which blocked the wind blades and saved them. However, this gave Noel and the other disciples enough time to reach them.

Elemental skills flew back and forth, shooting between the two sides.

Seraph stayed back, keeping an eye on the butler.

Meanwhile, he also focused his attention on the ongoing battle.

Noel displayed his skill as an inner court disciple, using ice element with great precision and showing great control over his own strength.

The other two from Solstice Peak were even more surprising. They worked together in sync, weaving between the enemies like water. Wherever they passed, limbs flew in the air.

Marcus was more ruthless, stabbing his sword deep into the enemies and turning it painfully.

It was tougher than the first, but still easy. In just a few minutes, they had killed every masked person.

’Beginner Stage? They’re too weak.’ Noel wondered, his brows furrowed in worry.

He didn’t like the uneasy feeling creeping up his spine.

It felt as if the enemies were testing their strength by sending out cannon fodder.

"What?"

A startled gasp broke the tense atmosphere, and everyone turned to look at the princess. She had returned, just to realize that her carriage had been destroyed.

"What happened?"

The female inner court disciple asked calmly, looking at the corpses strewn on the ground.

Marcus scoffed and answered. "These masked bastards came again."

Noel nodded and added his opinion. "I think information must have leaked about the princess’s movements. Else, these guys wouldn’t be so persistent."

The princess sighed tiredly as if accustomed to this scenario. Turning to her butler, she asked.

"We’re going to trek on foot now?" She looked down at her legs. "Thank goodness I have my comfortable sandals with me."

Seraph rolled his eyes and joked. "Surely, it’d have been a hassle walking long distance with heels. Oh, the agony."

The princess giggled softly, amused. "Junior brother, you really have a great sense of humor."

Seraph smiled and bowed. "Thank you for your sincere praise."

"Let’s get going. We can’t afford to waste time. Sorry for the inconveniences, your highness."

Noel said seriously, leading the way with a grim expression.

The eight people resumed the journey by foot. Now, they moved at a slower pace and paused occasionally for the princess to catch her breath.

The butler remained silent throughout, his face deeply solemn.

Seraph took a glance at him, trying to read his thoughts through his expressions. However, the man remained focused, his eyes scanning the surroundings cautiously.

Suddenly, he smiled—a broad smile. "They’re here."

The atmosphere immediately changed, and Noel’s expression hardened. He could sense the level of the new enemies that had just arrived.

’Advanced Stage... are they really trying to kill this princess? Who would even dare to?’