Chapter 175: The Crazy Elder

Chapter 175: Chapter 175: The Crazy Elder

He wanted to maintain a good relationship with both sides. He didn’t want to offend the Mountain Venerable, but neither did he want to antagonize two influential figures standing in front of him.

Liam quickly noticed the patriarch’s hesitation.

He understood exactly what Charles was worried about, so he decided to offer him an explanation.

"Don’t misunderstand. Maya isn’t coming back to reclaim her place in the Shelby Family. She only wants to visit my eldest sister."

He hoped that would ease the tension.

But before he could finish speaking, a sudden flash of black light appeared in front of him.

Liam’s expression changed drastically.

The one who had suddenly attacked was none other than the Shelby Family’s Seventh Elder. He had remained silent ever since the group arrived, giving no indication that he intended to make a move.

Yet, without warning, he launched an attack.

Nobody knew what had driven him to act or who he was targeting.

As a third-star Divine Power Realm expert, the Seventh Elder possessed an exceptionally strong foundation.

He had also comprehended the Law of Speed to an astonishing degree. With a single movement, he crossed several dozen meters in the blink of an eye.

His speed was so incredible that it almost looked like teleportation.

The suddenness of his attack made matters even worse.

By the time everyone realized what was happening, the spear in his hand was already pointed at Maya Knox’s head!

He hadn’t targeted Liam Shelby, Victoria Quill, or Mr. X.

Instead, he had chosen Maya, a young woman who hadn’t even reached the Spirit Platform Realm!

Fortunately, Xavier reacted before anyone else.

His speed was extraordinary, and his instincts were sharp. However, the distance was too short for him to release his chaotic aura in time, much less activate the group teleportation function of his rune armor.

He had only an instant to decide what to do.

In that brief moment, Xavier assessed the situation and chose the most effective response.

"Great Wilderness Imprisoning Heaven Finger!"

He raised his left index finger.

A golden force spread outward at once, covering the surrounding area.

The Seventh Elder’s spear was already less than five centimeters from Maya’s head when his body suddenly stopped.

He had been completely immobilized!

The spatial confinement created by the Heavenly-level Great Wilderness Imprisoning Heaven Finger was far more stable than ordinary spatial abilities.

Once caught within its range, even a powerful Divine Power Realm expert would struggle to break free.

And the Seventh Elder wasn’t the only one affected.

Liam, Victoria, Charles, Peter, Eleanor, and everyone else within the area were also frozen in place.

They could still think and remain aware of their surroundings, but not a single part of their bodies could move.

If they hadn’t been able to think, they might have believed that someone had used the Law of Time to stop time itself.

The sight left everyone stunned.

Victoria, Mira Sinclair, and Maya were not particularly surprised. They already knew that Mr. X possessed the Six Directions Heaven-Piercing Finger.

However, even they hadn’t expected him to display such terrifying control over space.

As for Liam, Charles, Peter, and Eleanor, they were completely dumbfounded.

They had barely begun to understand what had happened when Xavier moved again.

He stepped forward and pressed his palm against the Seventh Elder’s chest, directly over his heart.

At the same time, he released his chaotic aura and wrapped it around Mira, Maya, and the others, shielding them from the attack he was about to unleash.

Then he summoned the full force of the lightning energy within his body.

BOOM!

A deafening explosion shook the surroundings.

A bolt of lightning, mostly white with faint purple streaks running through it, descended with the force of divine punishment.

It struck the Seventh Elder directly, filling the entire area with blinding light.

The thunder continued to roar for ten full seconds.

Only after that did Xavier lower his hand and release the Great Wilderness Imprisoning Heaven Finger.

Everyone immediately regained control of their bodies.

However, what they saw left them horrified.

The Seventh Elder’s body had been almost completely destroyed. Everything below his chest had turned to ashes, while the upper half was nothing more than a blackened, charred mess.

Yet, he was somehow still alive.

That was the frightening vitality of a Divine Power Realm martial artist. Even after suffering such devastating injuries, his life force had not been completely extinguished.

It wasn’t because Xavier had gone easy on him.

If he had genuinely intended to kill the Seventh Elder, he would have targeted his head rather than his heart.

He had deliberately left the man alive because he wanted answers.

"Explain yourself!"

Xavier’s cold gaze settled on the Seventh Elder.

"Why did you attack Maya?"

Unfortunately, the Seventh Elder seemed to have lost his ability to speak. The lightning had left him in such a terrible state that he could barely react.

"Speak, or I’ll finish you!"

Xavier sneered.

He reached for his Dragon-Slaying Sword, preparing to cut open the man’s head and search for the answers himself.

Inside the area controlled by the Great Wilderness Imprisoning Heaven Finger, spatial rings couldn’t be activated. Otherwise, Xavier wouldn’t have needed to go through the trouble of unleashing his lightning power.

"Stop!"

"Mr. X, kill him!"

Charles and Liam spoke almost at the same time, though their reasons were completely different.

For Charles, the Seventh Elder was one of the Shelby Family’s most important fighters.

Divine Power Realm experts were the backbone of a powerful family. As its patriarch, he couldn’t simply stand by and watch one of them get killed.

Even so, Charles still had no idea why the Seventh Elder had suddenly attacked Maya.

Liam, on the other hand, couldn’t care less about the man’s position in the family.

The Seventh Elder had dared to attack his own niece. In Liam’s eyes, he deserved whatever punishment he received.

However, before Xavier could swing his sword, Victoria stepped forward and stopped him.

"Mr. X, don’t act recklessly!"

She reached out and placed a hand on the hilt of his Dragon-Slaying Sword.

"Something isn’t right with this man. Just before you attacked him, I thought I saw a six-pointed star-shaped mark flash across his eyes."

Victoria had been standing close to Maya when the Seventh Elder launched his attack.

Although the Great Wilderness Imprisoning Heaven Finger had frozen everyone in place, she had clearly seen the strange change in his eyes.

"A six-pointed star?"

Liam, who was standing nearby, immediately reacted.

"Are you talking about the Abyss Cult?"

"That’s right. The Abyss Cult."

Victoria nodded.

Seeing the puzzled expression on Xavier’s face, she began explaining.

"Ever since the revival of spiritual energy, our world has faced constant threats from demonic beasts and foreign races. Unfortunately, not everyone has chosen to stand with humanity and fight against these enemies."

"There are people who have completely abandoned their human identity. They believe the Abyss Demons represent the ultimate future of this world, and they willingly serve them."

"Over time, these people formed an organization with branches across the world. It’s known as the Abyss Cult."

Victoria paused briefly before continuing.

"According to the information I’ve heard, the cult’s leader received the favor of the Abyss Demons about twenty years ago. They granted him several strange abilities. One of them is known as the Hexagram Demon Mark."

"This mark allows its user to distort another person’s will and take control of them."

"There’s a clear sign that someone has fallen under its influence. A six-pointed star symbol will briefly appear in their eyes."

Victoria looked toward the severely injured Seventh Elder.

"That’s why I don’t think he suddenly went mad. Someone may have taken control of his mind."

Victoria had spent many years stationed at the border. She had encountered all kinds of strange and dangerous situations, including threats that ordinary martial artists had never heard of.

She had once served alongside a teammate who had been secretly controlled by the Abyss Cult. That incident had nearly wiped out her entire squad.

The experience had left a deep impression on her. She had never forgotten the strange six-pointed star symbol associated with the cult.

When she noticed the same sign in the Seventh Elder’s eyes, she immediately suspected that he was being controlled.

However, she had been so shocked by the power of Xavier’s technique that she hadn’t reacted quickly enough. It was only now that she had managed to warn him.

"The Abyss Cult? The Hexagram Demon Mark?"

Charles’s expression changed drastically.

"That’s impossible!"

He understood exactly what Victoria was suggesting, and the thought filled him with fear.

The Abyss Cult was terrifying for more than just its ability to manipulate people’s minds.

Its strength was equally frightening.

The organization was believed to have at least two Venerable Realm experts among its members!

Compared to that, losing the Seventh Elder was a minor matter. If the Shelby Family were suspected of having ties to the Abyss Cult, the consequences would be disastrous.

In truth, Charles would much rather believe that the Seventh Elder had simply lost his mind.

He knew a little about the Hexagram Demon Mark. Although it was an unusual ability, controlling someone as powerful as a third-star Divine Power Realm expert wasn’t easy.

The process required the person using the mark and their target to be at the same cultivation realm. They also needed to spend a considerable amount of time together before the control could take effect.

What did that imply?

It meant that someone must have been in contact with the Seventh Elder for a long time.

And if that person belonged to the Abyss Cult, what would outsiders think?

Even the authorities might begin to suspect that the Shelby Family was secretly cooperating with the cult.

Charles couldn’t allow such an accusation to spread.

"You claim to have seen the mark, but where is your proof?"

He looked directly at Victoria, his voice firm.

"According to what I know, the Hexagram Demon Mark can only successfully control someone when the user and their target are at the same cultivation realm. They also need to spend a long time together."

"Putting Liam aside, my Shelby Family has only three Divine Power Realm experts. Are you suggesting that the other two are members of the Abyss Cult?"

Charles shook his head emphatically.

"No! That’s absolutely impossible!"

The Shelby Family manor was enormous, with several buildings and courtyards spread across a vast area.

After entering the estate, the group left the flying boat behind and continued on foot. Their destination was Sarah Shelby’s villa.

As they walked, the conversation gradually shifted away from the Seventh Elder’s strange attack. Everyone was now more interested in the astonishing technique Mr. X had displayed.

"Mr. X, was that the Six Directions Heaven-Piercing Finger you used earlier?" Victoria asked curiously.

Before Xavier could answer, Liam excitedly joined the conversation.

"It has to be! I’ve heard that this technique is one of the most powerful ninth-grade martial skills. Seeing it in action today has made me realize just how extraordinary it is. Its ability to restrain an opponent is even more impressive than most spatial abilities!"

He still seemed unable to get over what he had witnessed.

"The attack came so suddenly. If Mr. X hadn’t reacted in time, Maya would have been in serious danger."

Liam glanced at his niece before turning toward Mira and Maya.

"You two need to take your cultivation seriously. Make sure you master this technique properly. Mr. X went through the trouble of teaching you, so don’t waste the opportunity!"

Mira and Maya exchanged glances.

They had both witnessed the terrifying effect of the technique. The golden force had immobilized several powerful Divine Power Realm experts without giving them any chance to resist.

Neither girl intended to take such a precious opportunity lightly.

"Thank you, Uncle-Master!" Maya said sincerely.

Liam smiled with satisfaction.

However, he suddenly remembered something and turned toward Xavier.

"Brother X, wait a moment. If that’s the Six Directions Heaven-Piercing Finger, does that mean you’re a successor of Venerable Blazing Sun?"