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In contrast to the arrogance both men directed at one another before there was a stark shift in the Old Scholar's bearing as his bright clear eyes looked forward without malice or fear. There was only a peaceful gaze that spoke of the elderly cultivators calm in face of the spiritual storm the Maggot Baron was summoning forth. "Hmph!" In response to the massive pressure that descended upon the world Old Scholar maintained his stance and unleashed a golden aura that spread outward stopping half way of the distance between himself and the Baron. The edge of this aura faltered there and began to oscillate back and forth as though it were battling an invisible force for domination over territory. The light extended upwards to the heavens where it split the clouds and fell to the earth where it created a circular safe space that protected the forest trees from the domineering and destructive pressure.

"You should be careful with your words you know..."

A strange smile played across the old man's face as he kept the auric blade around his hand at the ready. His voice dripped out a teasing tone as he spoke, "If I remember correctly, we stand within the Greater Maggotspine Mountains. You are but a steward serving at the grace of the Great Shen Empire. Tell me, if I were to show little Shen a memory fragment of your statement just now, do you believe that he wont bring an army to your doorstep to put you down for treason?" The statement and Old Scholar's ability to stand against the Baron's pressure made two things clear. The first being that the old man had a personal relationship with the Emperor, the second being that he possessed the strength to justify a position at least on part with that of the Maggot Baron. But why would a friend of the Emperor be out in these desolate backwater lands? Old Scholar was not keen to say and instead finally took action!

The sword arm was raised high and then plummeted downwards in a single straight line. The movement was simple but there was resonance with the great dao as a profound energy manifested itself where ever the blades edge passed. Rather than sword light, a black ink-like substance that contained a golden tint painted itself onto the air and sped forwards cutting through the air as an arc. The ink blade was dense and carried the weight of a small mountain within.

[font color="e6cd19"]"Jisui"[/font]
[font color="a419e6"]"The Barron"[/font]

[blockquote] [font color="e61919"]"You should be careful with your words you know... If I remember correctly, we stand within the Greater Maggotspine Mountains. You are but a steward serving at the grace of the Great Shen Empire. Tell me, if I were to show little Shen a memory fragment of your statement just now, do you believe that he wont bring an army to your doorstep to put you down for treason?"[/font]

From the very moment that the Barron felt the Old Man's aura he understood instinctively that he was not one who would be pushed aside lightly and as the Old Man continued to speak in such familiar terms the pit in his stomach grew ever larger. However in the moment that the Old Man spoke about Emperor Shen most, if not all, of that pit shattered and for the first time since the two of them came face to face a slight smile appeared on the Barron's face along with a small chuckle [font color="a419e6"]"Heh... Had you said those words 15 years prior... You clearly have been away from Court for far too long, my Emperor... ... has already delegated mortal affairs for his ascension."[/font] the words that he spoke of had a hint of arrogance in them but also with a immense amount of pride as though something wonderful were in the process. Emperor Shen, unbeknownst to 99.9% of the world was already off in a deep secluded meditation in order to attempt to ascend into the next realm. But as to how long this process would take, whether success or failure, was unknown even to someone such as Shen himself and as such the troubles of the lower realm needed to be delegated to his Steward(s) with the Barron himself being one such individual.




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