Death... and me

"What's happening?"

"It's coming from the center of the valley."

"Has the natural formation finally run out of energy?"

Rean narrowed his eyes as he looked up at the sky. Sure, the natural formation seemed to be a lot dimmer now. However, it was not to the point where it would crumble.

'Sister Orb, is it breaking?'

[No. Although I'm far from being able to take control over it, I finished analyzing the formation already. I'm sure that the formation can last at least one more year, probably a few months more.]

Rean and Roan nodded in response. Since that was the case, then only one option remained.

'Seems like that so-called ancestor is finally coming out.'

Jana, Xila, and the other high-level experts of the Lakure Race looked at the valley's center, excited. Without hesitation, they all rushed there to see the event.

Down below the natural formation's core, one could find the chamber where Laro was locked. However, all the chains and the inscriptions over them began to break one after another. 

*Shatter, shatter, shatter...*

As they broke apart, the power released by it affected the whole valley and the surrounding regions, making them tremble nonstop. However, Jana and the others didn't care about it. They already arrived at the chamber's location and could only pay attention to the sealed door.

Eventually...

*Bang!*

The final chains disintegrated as the chamber's door was blasted open from inside. Following that, a far stronger burst of Spiritual Energy came from inside as a figure appeared at the door.

"Sigh... thousands of years seeing nothing more than four corners. Truly annoying."

Jana, Xila, and all the other experts immediately kneeled down as they said in unison.

"Congratulations, Ancestor."

Laro looked at the guys and smiled. He knew who they were, but it was the first time he had ever seen their faces with his own eyes.

"Thanks. Now, then. You guys can leave me alone for now. I used too much energy to break the seal, so I need to rest."

"Yes, Ancestor."

Everyone couldn't help but feel a little sad that they could talk more with him. However, Ancestor Laro's recovery was their main priority. Jana immediately ordered many of their Saint Realm experts to guard the surroundings to stop anyone from entering.

After they left, Laro looked in a particular direction.

"So, I'm out now."

Old Worm then appeared out of thin air.

"I can see that. Just take this last year or so to talk with your people. Remember, your Lakure Race has to give support when the time comes."

Laro nodded, replying with a snort.

"Hmph! I will keep my word, don't worry. However, wouldn't it be much easier to solve things if you get involved?"

Old Worm shook his head as he said.

"I can't. Since you're out now, I can tell you this much. There's a rule between experts at our level. We cannot intervene in secular world affairs. Only those at Elemental Transformation and below are allowed to meddle. After all, you know very well just how much destruction would happen if we decide to fight. Of course, I'm talking about direct fights. We can still rule over our own territory and things like that. The rule is only to not use our power."

"Same goes for you, Laro. If you decide to directly intervene by attacking someone, everyone else will join hands to get rid of you. If that happens, I doubt your Lakure Race will be spared either."

Laro understood.

"That makes sense. I had a few of my members explore the surroundings before the natural formation was activated. After a few thousand years, the planet seems to have recovered from our battle to some extent."

Old Worm shook his head as he said.

"Not completely. The amount of Spiritual Energy available in heaven and earth is not even half of what it was before. Because of that, we have very few Elemental Transformation Realm cultivators in the world. As for people at our level, only a single guy has appeared since the end of the war."

Laro was taken aback, asking.

"That bad? Thousands of years and only one guy surpassed the Elemental Transformation Realm?"

Old Worm nodded with the same serious expression as always.

"Do you think this is a bad result? It was already a miracle that he was capable of doing it. You should remember very well the conditions of the world after the war between us was over. What you see now is already a major step. Perhaps our world can finish recovering in the next ten thousand years. It would be great if that happens."

Laro sighed before nodding.

"Talking about the others, they won't come after me looking for trouble, right?"

Old Worm shook his head.

"I already used a special method to contact them. We do have the power to get rid of you, but that would be in exchange for massive destruction once again. Especially taking into consideration the situation where you focus on running away. We have agreed that we won't do anything to you as long as you don't do anything stupid. Of course, just like everyone else, you can try to lead your race to conquer territories. It's just that you can't participate in the battles."

Laro didn't mind it at all.

"That's already good enough. However, we don't have the numbers to wage war against any empire, so we will stay by ourselves and blend in Sasamil for now. After all, that's the agreement between you and me. However, once the term of our agreement finishes, I'll take my Lakure Race to find a spot for ourselves. I heard about the Maril Region, where no empires have been established for a very long time. That might be a good place to start."

Old Worm shrugged his shoulders as he said.

"That's up to you."

Laro then used his Spiritual Sense to check the conditions of the outside world and the formation.

"I didn't expect the humans and the Lakures to get along that well. After all, it has been only three years since both sides began to live together. Was it also because of those twins?"

Old Worm nodded with his deadpan face.

"I'm also quite impressed with them. Rean can use the Light and Dark Element to get rid of your Lakure Race's poison, so he gathered a lot of support and goodwill. As for Roan, he's as cold as ever. Of course, the one who really made things turn out like this was that demon bird."

Laro used his Spiritual Sense and immediately found the bird that Old Worm was talking about.

"My Spiritual Sense was limited inside the chamber, so I couldn't see things properly before. Is that bird what I think it is? No, it's a little different, especially that white and dark feather crown on its head. The real one doesn't have it. Is it a mutation? Still..."

Old Worm nodded.

"So you can recognize it as well?"

Laro glared at Old Worm with an angry expression.

"How could I not recognize it? That's our Lakure Race's guardian demon beast, Minokawa. Well, I'm the only one who saw it alive and is still here. The other members of my race wouldn't be able to recognize it at all. Let alone that it has somewhat mutated. However, I thought they had all been killed by you guys back then during the war. There should be more in other planets, but not in this one, so I'm confused."

Old Worm nodded.

"I know how you feel. From what I know, the twins found this Minokawa egg when they went out for a sect mission. I confirmed that it was the truth later. In the end, no one knows how this egg appeared there. Perhaps it is a remnant from the old times that we let escape."

Old Worm continued.

"In any case, do me a favor. Don't speak about it with the others. Unless they come out and pay very close attention to this bird, they won't recognize it at all. Even I had a hard time noticing it, and I have been living in the same sect for many years."

Laro narrowed his eyes as he offered.

"I want to raise it for our race."

Old Worm immediately shook his head as he replied.

"It has already accepted a master."

Laro didn't mind as he continued.

"I just need to kill him without it noticing. As long as it never finds out, it will be easy to shift its belief, especially since it's so young."

However, Old Worm's expression turned darker than usual.

"I told you that black-haired boy is my disciple, right? He's the master. In fact, it has recognized two masters, the other being his brother. Do you think I'll let you take their lives?"

Laro was taken aback once more.

"Just how fucking lucky can you get? That boy is already a heaven-defying genius, his brother not the least bit worse. On top of that, you also got our guardian beast because of them? Fuck you!"

Old Worm's expression relaxed after hearing that.

"It was all thanks to my ancestor who passed away."

"Thanks to your ancestor? What are you talking about?"

Old Worm then shook his head before saying.

"Forget it."

Laro thought that there was something more to it but didn't continue to inquire.

"Whatever. Still..."

Laro continued to look at Kentucky.

"How can a Minokawa be hated and loved so much like that?"

Old Worm faintly smiled as he answered.

"That's what I was talking about. In either case, Kentucky was the main reason behind the progress of both races. Well, it definitely doesn't know it since it only cares about girls. Were the Minokawas that perverted back in your day?"

Laro's mouth twitched in response. The more he watched, the more he felt like Kentucky was tarnishing his memory regarding the race's guardian beast. Kentucky became 'super scared' with the ground trembling and buried himself in the middle of the female cultivators. All of them were hugging him, saying that he would be fine. As he got that treatment, the men on the other side gritted their teeth in fury... and jealousy.

"Who the hell trained that bird to be like this?"

Somewhere outside the natural formation...

*Achoo!*

Elder Reliance looked around as he rubbed his nose.

"Is someone talking about me?"