As for why he had waited so long to come, it was because the Magic Crystal ore they usually mined was transported back to the clan only once a year. This time, Elodi was several months late, with no prior word at all. Lachlan had finally grown anxious and come personally to investigate.
The Magic Crystal vein was secondary. Most importantly, he needed to find out what had happened to Elodi. The Joshua Clan could survive without him, but it could not survive without its strongest member, Elodi.
After all, Lachlan had broken through to the Saint Realm several centuries ago, yet he was still stuck at the mid-tier, unable to comprehend the laws. He could only place his hopes on the brilliant Elodi. Fortunately, Elodi had not disappointed him. In just over a hundred years, he had reached the Saint Realm Peak and had even comprehended a soul-based ultimate technique.
If anything has happened to Elodi, where will the Joshua Clan go from here? As Lachlan continued searching, his heart sank deeper and deeper.
"Hey, old man, what are you looking for?" Simon called out loudly as he arrived.
Lachlan looked up. "It's you, Simon! Why are you here?" Seeing that it was Simon, the unease in his heart only intensified.
"Yes, it's me. Old man, you still haven't answered my question."
"Hmph, what I'm looking for is none of your business. As for you, didn't you lose our wager? Yet here you are again. Is the Herbert Family's integrity nothing but empty words?"
"The Herbert Family's integrity is naturally for the living. As for the dead, they have no right to discuss such matters."
Hearing Simon say this, Lachlan immediately chose to flee at full speed with his Battle Qi. He no longer cared about Elodi's whereabouts or the Magic Crystal mine. The most urgent matter was returning home and preserving the clan's final spark.
If the Joshua Clan lost him as well, the consequences would truly be unimaginable.
"Trying to run? Do you think you can escape?"
Simon activated his Battle Qi and caught up to Lachlan with a slight burst of speed. As he swung his longsword, Sigh of the Wind was unleashed. Lachlan had only raised his war blade halfway when his head was already separated from his body, leaving behind only a sigh. This veteran Saint Realm expert, who had supported the Joshua Clan for centuries, had fallen and gone to the Netherworld to reunite with Elodi.
For the current Simon, killing a Saint Realm Mid-Tier expert was no harder than killing a chicken.
"The Herbert Family repays every grievance!"
Simon looked coldly at Lachlan's falling body.
"Unfortunately, I still haven't comprehended any Soul Attack techniques. I can only let Elodi and Lachlan's souls be drawn into the Netherworld. I possess such powerful soul force, yet I can't put it to use. I can only rely on the crudest technique, Spirit Storm." Simon could not help but smile bitterly.
However, Simon was not a greedy man. Nothing in the world was ever perfect. He was already satisfied with everything he possessed now. As for soul techniques, they would naturally come as his understanding of the profound mysteries of the laws deepened.
Eradicating the Roots
Although the Wind Element and Water Element were not skilled in Soul Attacks, the Water Element was famously powerful in soul defense. He would need to make up for those shortcomings in the future.
After cleaning up the battlefield, Simon discovered that Lachlan had not left behind any valuables such as a Spatial Ring. He collected Lachlan's war blade and flew toward the clan.
Having thoroughly eliminated the threat of the Joshua Clan, Simon naturally needed to bring this good news back to his family. He transformed into a gentle breeze and drifted into the distance.
The journey here had taken half a month. Now that he had comprehended the Profound Mystery of Speed, Gale City, where his clan was located, was already in sight after less than half a day.
Although Simon had not used his full strength on either journey, the difference in speed was like that between a snail and a high-speed train.
"Come to think of it, I'm probably faster than the supersonic fighter jets from my previous life now." Gale City was more than a hundred thousand li from the Despair Mountain Range in a straight line, yet Simon had returned in less than half a day without even going all out.
If Simon cast the Wind Element Saint Realm support spell, Extreme Speed, and then fully activated his Fused Battle Qi, his speed could increase by at least another threefold. However, he could not maintain that speed for long.
Even though Simon had reached the Saint Realm as a warrior and had a fairly strong body, he would not be able to endure such a burden for long. The immense strain would eventually damage his body.
Along the way, Simon tested it and found that he could sustain full power for half an hour without issue. Among powerful experts, a single second was enough to determine life and death. Half an hour was more than enough.
After all, Simon's body was still that of an ordinary human. Although his physical body alone had reached the level of a Seventh-Rank Warrior after becoming a Saint Realm expert, it was still far inferior to Saint Realm magical beasts.
Only when both his Water and Wind Elements reached the God-Level would the divine clone formed from Fusion Divine Power fundamentally surpass ordinary human God-Level experts.
A faint breeze drifted past, and Simon had already appeared at the clan's ancestral residence.
When the old steward Pete saw the clan's genius Saint Realm expert return, he hurriedly ran off in excitement to notify Solo.
In truth, Solo had sensed Simon's return the moment he entered the clan grounds. After all, he had remained in the Saint Realm for over a thousand years. Through long years of meditation, his spiritual force had become comparable to that of an ordinary Saint Magus.
The ancestral residence was not large, and Solo often covered the entire place with his soul force whenever he had nothing else to do.
"Haha, Simon, didn't you say you were going out to travel? It's only been a little over a year. Were you already homesick?"
Looking at the spirited Simon before him, the Old Patriarch could not help but tease him.
"Patriarch, I returned so quickly this time because I have wonderful news to report to the clan. This isn't the place to talk. Let's find somewhere quiet."
Upon hearing this, Solo led Simon to his study and sent a soul message calling over the clan's Second Elder, Garrod, and Third Elder, Sanders.
The two elders warmly exchanged a few pleasantries with Simon when they saw that he had returned.
Once the four of them were seated, Simon told the patriarch and the two elders about killing Elodi and Lachlan.
The patriarch had initially been worried, since Simon had been seriously injured and left unconscious by Elodi not long ago. But when he heard that Simon had acted only after a tremendous increase in strength gave him complete confidence against Elodi, he was reassured.
Especially after seeing the personal weapons of Elodi and Lachlan that Simon displayed, the three men burst into delighted laughter.
"The Joshua Clan was destined for this calamity. Having lost two Saint Realm experts, their clan is finished." Solo and the two elders clapped in satisfaction.
Simon was happy as well. The Joshua Clan had provoked them first, and if Elodi had encountered a lone Saint Realm expert of the Herbert Family in the wilderness, he definitely would not have shown mercy if he had a chance to kill him.
This was an unspoken convention among the great clans of the continent. There had never been any mercy for hostile clans or factions.
Having long adapted to the survival rules of the Coiling Dragon World, Simon would be even less merciful when given the opportunity.
Showing mercy to enemies was the greatest cruelty toward one's own people.
This principle held true in both his past and present lives.
The four continued talking in Patriarch Solo's study for a long time before Simon finally took his leave.
"Haha, Simon truly turned misfortune into a blessing this time. Who would have thought that after waking from his coma, his strength would improve so rapidly? The heavens are truly watching over the Herbert Family." Solo continued to sigh happily.
"Yes, I still can't quite believe it. That junior is only a little over forty, yet with a wave of his hand, he nearly wiped out an established clan." Second Elder Garrod exclaimed in amazement.
Afterward, the three discussed and finalized their follow-up plan for dealing with the Joshua Clan, then went their separate ways.
The one who took the lead in completely erasing the Joshua Clan was Third Elder Sanders. Though this clan elder was over five hundred years old and his talent was ordinary, he handled matters with flawless thoroughness.
That very night, he infiltrated the Joshua Clan's ancestral residence in the outskirts of the city and slaughtered every warrior above the seventh rank he could find. Then, with a single fire, he reduced this clan that had endured for centuries to ashes.
As for the few who escaped, they were caught and killed by the Herbert Family's Ninth-Rank experts, who had been lying in ambush around the area.
For the Joshua Clan members who had not been at the ancestral residence and were scattered throughout other cities, Sanders hired the Gale Empire's largest assassin organization, Dark Blade, offering a high-priced bounty.
The Joshua Clan's remaining assets and businesses were swiftly divided among the empire's great clans. The Magic Crystal mine on the northwestern border was taken by another major clan in the empire. Of course, that clan also made certain exchanges of benefits with the Herbert Family before fully securing it.
Thus, the Joshua Clan, once dominant throughout the Gale Empire, collapsed overnight.
Simon could not help but sigh at this, and his desire to become stronger grew even more intense.
In a world where the strong devoured the weak, weakness was the original sin. Only by continuously growing stronger could one earn the right to survive.
Simon stayed with the clan for several more months. Once the aftermath involving the Joshua Clan had settled, he set out on his travels again.
Before Simon departed, the Old Patriarch repeatedly reminded him that cultivation was the most important thing and that he should avoid unnecessary conflicts whenever possible.
Simon sincerely agreed to every one of the Old Patriarch's instructions.
After packing his belongings, Simon flew straight north through the empire.
His destination this time was Icewind Canyon.
It was a place particularly suited for cultivating the Water Element and Law of Wind.
Traveling north, Simon passed through several great empires. At one point, unable to suppress his curiosity, he fully released his soul force within the imperial capital of the Charles Empire, covering nearly half the city.
Just as he was enjoying himself, a soul message suddenly arrived. An aged voice echoed within Simon's mind.
"Friend, please do not casually release your soul force and investigate at will. This is the imperial capital of my Charles Empire, after all."
"Ah, my apologies. I've only just arrived and couldn't resist my curiosity. I'll stop immediately. Please don't take offense." Simon hurriedly replied through soul transmission. After all, doing such a thing on someone else's territory did put him in the wrong.
Of course, Simon had done this because he wanted to test the true strength of the Charles Empire.
Icewind Canyon
Now that he looked at it, the empire was indeed full of hidden experts.
Simon's soul force had swept over the area, yet he had not discovered the source of the voice at first. Only after receiving the soul message and investigating more carefully did he find that it came from an unremarkable small courtyard somewhere in the imperial capital.
"My name is Anthony. I am a Saint Realm warrior who cultivates the Laws of Darkness, and I currently serve as the Guardian Saint of the Charles Empire."
So he cultivated the Laws of Darkness. No wonder he was so skilled at concealing his aura. That explained why Simon had failed to notice him in his carelessness.
"Simon, Saint Realm warrior. I cultivate the Law of Wind and come from the Herbert Family of the Gale Empire."
Since the other man had introduced himself, Simon gave a brief reply as well.
"Friend from afar, I have prepared some modest wine. If you do not mind, please come to my courtyard so we can have a chat."
Hearing Anthony's invitation, Simon did not put on airs. They were in the imperial capital, after all. The other man could not possibly attack him here, and even if he did, Simon was no longer afraid. Besides, Anthony's voice did not sound hostile. So Simon flew toward the source of the voice.
Before long, he landed in Anthony's courtyard.
Looking around, Simon found that the courtyard was simply furnished yet elegant. A jar of wine and several delicate dishes had already been placed on a small table in the center.
"Haha, Simon, welcome to the Charles Empire. Come, sit down and try this specialty wine of mine, aged in the cellar for over a thousand years," Anthony said heartily.
Simon walked over and sat at the table. "Thank you for your hospitality, Mr. Anthony. Simon is deeply honored."
The two began chatting over wine.
"I had long heard that the Gale Empire had produced several genius Saint Realm experts in recent years. I never expected to meet one today. Come, little brother Simon, let me offer you a toast."
After several rounds of drinking, the two quickly began addressing each other as brothers. According to Anthony, he was already over two thousand years old, far older than Simon. He was even older than Old Patriarch Solo.
"I'll toast you as well, Brother Anthony. Your Laws of Darkness cultivation is truly impressive. You're standing right in front of me, yet if I didn't sense you carefully, I would take you for an ordinary person." Simon raised his cup and clinked it against Anthony's.
"Haha, this is the only skill your old brother has. If we truly fought, I couldn't compare to young fellows like you," Anthony said happily as he stroked his beard.
Simon naturally knew Anthony was being modest. Reaching a level where even a Soul Mutator could not easily detect his aura was an extraordinary feat.
Simon guessed that the old man before him had most likely reached the Saint Realm Limit.
Of course, if Anthony did not make a move, Simon truly had difficulty sensing his aura. But if they fought, it would inevitably cause fluctuations in the Heaven and Earth Elements, and those would not escape Simon's soul detection.
If Anthony could cultivate to the point of completely concealing his aura until his opponent had been struck before noticing him, then he would likely be able to break through to the God-Level as well.
After their enthusiastic exchange, Anthony also learned Simon's destination.
"Icewind Canyon? It is indeed suited for Wind Element experts to cultivate, but I mainly cultivate the Laws of Darkness. I visited it once in my early years, but I don't know much about the place. Still, with your strength, little brother Simon, as long as you aren't besieged by the Saint Realm magical beasts there, Wind Element experts like you need not worry about danger because of your speed."
Anthony spoke casually. After the two had drunk to their hearts' content, they could not help standing up and sparring casually. Whenever Simon traveled outside, he only revealed himself as a Saint Realm warrior who cultivated the Law of Wind.
This time was no exception.
They could not fight properly within the imperial capital. After a brief discussion, the two transformed into two Light Rays and flew out of the city.
Before you continue