Lord Shadow

A melody sounded out and the moment the sound comes out, there is a wave of energy that connected with the Laws of the world as the clouds above the residence slowly gathers about. 

The water is slowly changing as someone is rewriting the Laws of the world connecting it with the higher laws of the Universe.

Elsewhere, in a dark universe, ten demonic beings could hear the melody. Some of them rub their ears feeling very annoyed. 

Some of them hold their heads in pain. Others tries to hide the sound that echoes in their minds.

The reason is because, the melody is played but the melody has no intention or will to summon them.

The melody is played for the sake of playing. Their new master doesn’t seem to care that much about them. But when they think of their old master, they think it would not be that bad. Anyone is probably better than that Monkey.

Azief only plays it for about ten seconds and then he stops blowing the flute.

And in that ten second, Lihua listen to that melody intently. And when the melody could no longer be head, she understands why he brought out the flute and why he plays that melody to her.

The gathering clouds above the residence disperses and the laws of the world went calm once again.

He then asks her

‘Heard this melody before?’ Azief had the full report of what happened that day from Sasha.

And he saw something in the Time tunnel. It is a very revealing experience. It is no wonder why Will say that Time Tunnel experience could be disastrous or a fortune.

Time Tunnel is the time streams backdoor. As such there is a lot one could see. In the past and in the future.

Lihua was actually shocked when she heard the melody. The reason was because she is very familiar with the melody. 

It is the melody that she was taught by Loki. It is the same melody that she uses to summon that ten demonic being to stop the coffin from the sky.

Azief look at Lihua face and he knew she recognizes the sound. He waited and then Lihua answer

‘It is the melody Loki taught me to summon the ten demonic beings’ Azief hearing this nodded. It was as he suspected.

Thinking about this, he did not know how much more things that is in Loki calculations.

‘I suspected as much’ he said and Lihua could only sigh. It is not like she could lie either. In her opinion, Death Monarch had known that she would recognize the melody. 

Since that is the case, lying would be useless and instead would only harm her.

And it was not like her teacher would not understand her decision. 

‘Hmm’ Azief sighed again. 

He could sense that Xu Cong is looking at him. Even though, he tried to hide his surveillance, nothing could escape Azief eyes. All under Heaven is under his eyes.

So how could Xu Cong tricks could escape him. He saw that there are paintings all around the gardens. 

Only these paintings are not like any other paintings.

Other might not notice but the four trees that is in the four corner of this clearing is actually made of painting.

Turning a painting into real. It emits smell, it felt solid and everything else felt real when one looks at the tree. 

But Azief saw what it was because he felt something wrong with the trees. It lacks a soul.

A life. That is what it lacks. And Xu Cong could always see things through his paintings. As such, Xu Cong could see him with the trees as the medium.

Azief knew Xu Cong is concerned about his wife. But he was never coming here to meet Lihua. It is just that she is here and as such, he could also ask about one of the question.

Unlike the question he is about to ask Will, these question that he asked Lihua is a question that he already knew the answer too.

So, he was not desperate for the answer. It is just good to know it for sure.

‘I do not want to talk too much to you. Because there is not a lot of things we need to talk about. Circumstances forces you to choose a side before. Now, there is no one forcing you. But know, that if you choose there will always be consequences for such choices’

She nodded. And Azief got up. 

‘I will not be long here. I don’t think Xu Cong would feel at ease knowing I am here talking to you’

She then said

‘Why would you say that your Excellency?’ Azief smiles and then he said

‘Because he is scared of me. And he should’ The he refers to Xu Cong. He then said

‘I promise you peace. I promise you safety. But all of this on the condition that you never meddle in the matters of the court’

‘We did not.’ She reply

‘Not yet’ He said. Then he continued.

‘If one day, you enter the court, my agreement with you two is void.’ She sighed and then she asks

‘What do you hope us to do?’

‘That is your choice’ he simply said 

Snorting she ask

‘Even if we choose to defy you, would you not hold it against us?’

Azief laughed.

‘I am never someone that look down of people choices. But make an informed one. But in the end, the choice belongs to you. If you enter the court, I would no longer protect you from the plots and schemes of peoples. This is not me threatening you. This is simply the price you have to pay. Since you are his disciple, you must know of his rule. Everything has a price. My protection also has a price. The price is too steep if you also enter the court. I do not care about what kind of waves you could do in my court. Because waves after all is just waves. Can I not calm it?’ Smirking he then said

‘But, if you enter the court, then Loki also have his presence. I could deal with Loki. But I could never deal with his pawns. Because there are too many pawns in his chessboards. Which one of them is useful and which one is there to distract me? I am not a fan of chess. Because I am not good at it. But just because I am not good at it, doesn’t mean I don’t know how to play it. I could see but I could not predict the future’ Sighing, then said gently to her

‘But that does not mean that I would regard you as enemy unless you did something that would make us enemy. My protection is not some locked cage. I never close the door. I just prevent people from coming in. I never forbid you from coming out.’

Then he asks her

‘You know how hard it is? To have the power to take one freedom and not do it?’ He said looking at her. The words chill her heart and she gulped in fear.

Azief only smiles as he said

‘Power is very tempting. Control is even more tempting. But I know how it feels like to feel like you are not in control. Thus I do not like controlling people. I don’t give them choice. Choices should be made not given. Giving choices is sometimes just an illusion of freedom. Every time you wanted to come out from that cage, just spread your wing and come out. Living in peace is good and all. But sometime it does get tend to be boring’ he said and he smiles. Hearing this Lihua chuckles.

‘Well, that is not wrong’ Then Azief spread his divine sense and noticed that Will is inside the gallery.

Then without saying anything else, the space contorted and breaking off and Azief entire body spirals out of existence as the laws and protection formation that is being set up all around the residence was manipulated into following Death Monarch whims as he teleported straight inside the gallery.

He appears a few meter away from Will. Will is looking at painting on the dimly lit corner of the gallery. 

Will is admiring the painting that is hug up on the largest space of the wall of this secluded gallery.

Azief look at his old friend. The closer the day is about to need, the more he felt this premonition that everything is about to change is not wrong.

People might think he is rushing. He is rushing. But he also at the same time having contradictory feeling. He wanted to know fast but he also wanted to slow it down.

It is why he had time to talk with Lihua. It is why he bothers drinking coffee with Sina. It is why he did not immediately see Sofia.

Everyone have that kind of feeling. 

When you know something unpleasant is about to happen to you. 

You know you can’t avoid it. 

So, you have this two contradictory feeling. On one part you want it to be over quick. The other part wanted it to never come 

His eyes focused. As he wanted his mind to remember this moment. 

But before he takes his step toward Will and ask the question he is about to ask, he needs to make sure no one is listening

He closes his eyes

And then he spreads his Divine Sense all over the residence. It sweeps over Xu Cong and Lihua and they both felt like a powerful pressure enveloping the entire residence.

Xu Cong was already beside Lihua as she is drinking some calming potion after her talk with Death Monarch.

Xu Cong was the first to felt that Divine Sense sweeps and he was cautious. It is fortunate that the Divine Sense is not used for attacking.

Azief is covering up the residence with his Divine Sense. 

Even if some powerful people decide toe eavesdrops, could they eavesdrop against the powerful Divine Sense that Azief had just unleashed.

To those who could not see the flow of energy, all they felt is a sensation of energy sweeping by. 

But to those who could see it, and those who attuned to the Laws of the world could see that the Laws around the Immortal Couple Residence is stretching out like it is being pulled by a powerful force. 

The energy of the Divine Sense created a storm that affects the laws. This storm is not something that is solid. It is storms of Laws which creates space distortions, and space rips all around the residence.

The winds around the residence moves erratically, forming sharps gales of wind that could cut stones.

the water droplets that is falling from the leaves went backwards as it leaps back onto the top of the leaves as Time and Space were affected.

Some areas of the forest near the residence experiences withering, the trees grow old and rot as the grass turns black and die 

while on the other side, a clearing that have no grass suddenly sprouted with life as flowers, grass and trees emerges out with powerful life force embedded inside it.

It was like the residence of the Immortal Couple is in another dimension as no kinds of surveillance magic could trace it. 

Even though one could see the residence with their eyes, if one uses their Divine Sense to scan it, they would have backlash and for those who could use their Divine Sense to sense energy, all they would sense would be the mass chaos of energy swirling around the residence.

Azief then opens his eyes after he make sure no one could eavesdrop his conversation with Will.

Then he asks 

‘Why are you still here?’ Azief waited for his answer. Will knows the answer probably would confuse him but there is no better answer 

Will who is still looking at the painting only said

‘For me and for you. That is why I stay’ Then he smiles mysteriously. Azief just shakes his head as he comes closer to Will.

The curtain to Time Crisis is now open!

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>