Chapter 562: Plundering

Liam wasn’t a stranger to the event. It had happened with Grace already, but he was in control now. His full immersion had been intentional and conscious. He had simply underestimated himself.

Everything had limits, at least in the realm Liam could fathom. Even the Master’s Pride’s ever-expanding property eventually failed against the world’s constant opposition.

However, there was no stretching itself thin when Liam continuously released more poison, especially one as contagious as his Qi. His dantian even took that one step further, forcing anything it infected to echo its effects.

The result was more widespread than Liam had expected. He knew a branching expert’s energy was vastly superior, and the same went for his dantian’s unnatural compulsion, but the combination still shocked him.

The frozen surface wasn’t limited to the giant cave-in Liam had caused. It reached as far back as the floating bone platforms and up to the rocky formation, where both armies had squeezed against, escaping the death looming underneath.

Unknowingly, Liam’s wild release of black Qi had created a toxic swamp hundreds of square meters wide in no time. It hadn’t even finished expanding. The frozen surface was simply blocking it from affecting anything above it.

’It must be due to the second layer of Qi mastery,’ Liam immediately understood.

Branching experts were true powerhouses, and Liam’s starting point was also greater, but the area’s high Qi density should have made it resilient enough to prevent such damage, or at least slow it down.

The fact that Liam could already express his core’s nature with such intensity was the only possible explanation. That was an ability cultivators at higher stages naturally acquired, but he had probably skipped some steps while fighting Dominic.

Also, Liam’s dantian belonged to a realm beyond the Heavens’ creations. Even Lancelot’s flames couldn’t come close to Liam’s poisonous nature.

The faces on the scene agreed with Liam’s conclusion. His expanding swamp forced the two armies to interrupt their fight, enveloping them in pure terror, and even the one who had handled the threat shared their seriousness.

Liam looked up. Amber had retreated higher into the sky and was now floating on a silver spear, carrying her daughter from her dark belt, warily inspecting her spell’s integrity.

Meanwhile, Rachel didn’t seem to care much about her unflattering stance. She held her spear tightly, checking the bubbling blackness under the ice with wide eyes, before they went to Liam, sparkling with something that resembled interest.

’Ice core ...’ Liam thought, the realization reminding him of Melissa but not stopping him from addressing his mistake. "I apologize."

As much as Liam had warned Rachel not to get close, he had indeed gone overboard. His inexperience in the branching stage was mostly to blame, and Amber understood that.

"Don’t," Amber shook her head, wearing a polite smile. "If anything, I should be the one to apologize."

Amber had asked Liam to join the attack despite knowing how recently his breakthrough had happened. In short, the damage his inexperience caused was her fault.

Liam didn’t overthink the matter. He scratched his head with the greatsword as he looked down again, reviewing the power he had almost unleashed.

Obviously, Liam needed more training in the branching stage, but the aspect he had just discovered went far deeper due to his alchemical skills.

’Controlling what I poison ...’ Liam pondered. ’Once I master this, the alchemical applications will be endless.’

Truth was, the applications weren’t limited to alchemy, at least not alchemy with a cauldron. If Liam could use what he infected, his battle style would change radically. The recipes that represented original techniques would even be at hand.

Sadly, Liam’s ears were too sharp for their own good, capturing a conversation he definitely shouldn’t have heard and would have preferred to be unaware of.

"Mother, he is special, isn’t he?" Rachel whispered, having straightened herself on her spear.

"It is indeed uncommon for newly advanced branching experts to wield such power," Amber agreed, talking into her daughter’s ear while straightening her braids. "His alchemical skills are still unclear, but his proficiency in poisons can only be excellent with such a deep affinity."

"And did you see that glare of his?" Rachel continued, excited. "He’s like a beast in human skin. I bet he is a beast in be-"

"Rachel, don’t be overconfident," Amber interrupted. "Have you not seen how he refused you during the trip?"

"I was holding back in front of Father," Rachel pouted. "He’ll fall for me in no time once we are alone."

Liam kept his eyes down, but his perception went to the apocalyptic shockwaves in the distance. Uriah and Laurel had continued to fight despite the swamp’s appearance, but Liam wished some of that overprotective anger would return now.

"You have your father’s recklessness," Amber sighed. "He may seem decent, but what if he runs back to his partner in guilt after taking your virtue?"

Liam sighed in relief. At least in private, Amber was being the voice of reason. Still, eavesdropping on the following statement revealed that she wasn’t helping him.

"So," Amber continued, "Make sure he plants a child in you. He’ll have to take responsibility like that."

’I’ll let Grace brand her name on my face next time,’ Liam decided, a chill running down his spine when he heard words addressing him.

"Dark Wanderer, leave the outskirts to us," Amber called. "You can go ahead and start the plundering you requested."

"Big Brother, I’ll come with you," Rachel promptly added, already floating down on her spear. "I’ve received the Red Sandstorm Tribe’s hospitality many times. The Young Masters even showed me its vaults."

Liam wanted to avoid remaining alone with Rachel, but Amber was offering him exactly what he had requested. Luckily, he desired something worthy of negotiations.

"That level three centipede is a poisonous magical beast," Liam announced. "I’m interested in hunting it."

Liam’s request made perfect sense, but words easily defeated him.

"The Dark Heaven Tribe can’t possibly ask even more of your support," Amber declared. "We have already been unreasonable, compelling you to join such a sudden expedition. So, please, take care of the vaults in our stead."

Arguing was pointless after Liam’s apparent lack of control. He could do more damage than good if he fought among allies, so he was forced to meet Rachel’s smiling face and her batting eyes.