Cosmic Ruler - Chapter 201

Chapter 201: Back to Explorer

“Let me introduce myself first. My name is Mikhail,” the Dullahan said as he sat down.

“The reason I wanted to be your servant is because I seek power—power for revenge,” Mikhail clenched his fist, and the air around it shook wildly. “After you gave me this body, I felt that if I could follow you, I would surely acquire the power I desire.”

“You seem to be in dire need of power, but why?” Shelly asked, looking at him intently.

“I… We, my wife and I, are from the central region, the region also called Cultivators’ Paradise because of the abundance of Spiritual Energy there,” Mikhail began.

“We each hail from one of the top eight clans from that region,” he continued. “The central region is jointly governed by five Supreme Sects and eight clans. My wife and I were part of two of these clans.”

“I hailed from the Bloodshed Clan, while my wife was from the Tears Clan,” Mikhail said, his voice tinged with sorrow. “And because of our conflicting Martial Spirits, both the Tears Clan and the Bloodshed Clan are mortal enemies. But I fell in love with a girl from the Tears Clan.”

“We met in the sect and fell in love with each other over time,” Mikhail’s eyes grew distant, lost in the memories.

After a pause he continued, Aiden and others didnt force him to hurry up, they waited patiently.

“As fate would have it, our clans eventually discovered our relationship,” Mikhail continued, his voice heavy with emotion. “Both the Bloodshed Clan and the Tears Clan were furious. They saw our union as a betrayal, a disgrace to their long-standing enmity.”

“They forced us to run away,” Mikhail said, his eyes hardening with resolve. “We had no choice but to flee the central region. We left behind everything—our families, our positions, our entire lives.”

“We came to this region seeking refuge, hoping to start anew,” Mikhail explained. “But our past followed us. The central region’s influence reaches far and wide. We were constantly hunted, forced to hide and move from place to place.”

“But the worst came when a group of assassins from the Bloodshed Clan found us,” Mikhail’s voice trembled with rage. “They ambushed us, and in the ensuing battle, my wife… she was severely injured.”

Mikhail took a deep breath, trying to steady himself. “I managed to escape with her, but she was in a coma, teetering between life and death. She survived, but then another grave news took her life: we learned from the healer that she was pregnant, and due to her injuries, our unborn child died. That’s when I knew I needed power—power beyond anything I had ever known, power to avenge her, our child, and the wrongs done to us.”

“But I was crippled by my clan. The only thing I had left was my tempered body, though even that wasn’t enough to defeat the old demonic cultivator. Once again, I saw the people who supported me after her death, dying cruelly, and I couldn’t do anything to stop it.”

Mikhail clenched his fists, the air around them trembling with his suppressed anger. “But then you came, out of nowhere. You gave me power, a body, and a chance to kill that old demonic cultivator myself.”

“And that’s why I sought you out,” Mikhail looked directly at Aiden, his eyes burning with determination. “I believe that by following you, by serving you, I can gain the strength I need to eradicate those two clans and exact my revenge.”

Aiden nodded, understanding the depth of Mikhail’s desperation and resolve. “Very well, Mikhail. If it’s power you seek, then power you shall have. I will allow you to serve me and even help you with your revenge.”

Mikhail bowed deeply, gratitude and determination etched on his face. “Thank you, my lord. I will serve you with all my might.”

Shelly, who had been quietly listening, placed a comforting hand on Mikhail’s shoulder. “We will help you, Mikhail. You’re not alone in this.”

Mikhail nodded, feeling a renewed sense of hope and purpose. After his death at the hands of the old demonic cultivator, he thought he wouldn’t be able to avenge them, but it seems even God is with him.

He sent Aiden to help him, and for that, he is truly grateful. He will serve Aiden with his whole heart, determined to see his vengeance fulfilled and his loved ones avenged.

“You can follow us. Shelly, store him in that gourd,” Aiden instructed. Shelly opened the gourd and pointed it at Mikhail, who transformed into smoke and was sucked inside.

“I wonder how it feels inside,” Serian mumbled.

Shelly glanced at her, then uncapped the gourd and pointed it at Serian.

“Wait! You idiot—” Serian screamed as she was sucked inside the gourd.

Aiden looked at Shelly speechlessly. Snatching the gourd from her hand, he uncorked it and brought Serian out.

Serian emerged, covered in an unknown liquid. The temperature around her increased, evaporating the liquid. Like an angry cat, she pounced at Shelly.

Shelly effortlessly sidestepped, escaping the angry Serian. But Serian’s anger was on another level. She pointed at Shelly, and nine flaming dragons appeared around her and attacked Shelly.

Shelly waved her hand, freezing the dragons. Clenching her fist, she shattered them into millions of ice flakes.

Serian gritted her teeth and yelled, “Damn it, at least let me smack you once!” She pounced at Shelly, aiming her fist at her. Shelly raised her brows, then struck the back of Serian’s neck, knocking her out.

Shaking her head, Shelly looked around. “Where is he?”

Not finding Aiden, she began to look around and saw him examining the village ruins.

“What are you doing?” she asked, approaching him while holding Serian on her shoulder like a sack of rice.

“I was collecting traces from this ruined village. It seems it’s not that old, just 50 to 60 years. No wonder this village was dubbed as Ruin,” Aiden said, rubbing his chin.

“The old man probably posted this ruin exploration quest as a trap to lure mercenaries and then use them as his nourishment,” Aiden added.

Shelly nodded. “That seems to be the case.”

“Well then, let’s go bac…. What happened to her?” Aiden asked, turning around to see the unconscious Serian.

“She… fell unconscious, probably because of the smell,” Shelly replied with a straight face.

Aiden shrugged and then told her to summon back her mount.

The winged tiger appeared, and Aiden and Shelly, with Serian in tow, climbed onto its back and flew back to the city.

Unmounting the Winter some distance away from the city, they walked to Explore Guild, and by that time Serian was awake and from her Aiden leaned it was Shelly who actually knocked her out.

And when Aiden asked why she did that, her reply left both Aiden and Serina dumbfounded.

Her exactly reply was ” She was going to ruin my face which solely belongs to you”

After this Aiden ignored her and just entered the Explorer Guild.

There, they explained the ins and outs of the whole fabricated ruin to the receptionist, a cold beauty named Rose.

“Are you telling the truth?” Rose asked, frowning.

Aiden nodded and then presented the gourd to her. “Yes, and here is the proof.”

Rose took the gourd and examined it. “Hmm, it does contain some traces of demonic energy.”

She then nodded to Aiden and his party. “You all will be rewarded for this.”

As she began to leave, Aiden stopped her.

“What is it now?” she asked.

“Well, you forgot to return the gourd,” Aiden pointed at the gourd in her hand.

“…This is a demonic artifact. We are now storing it under tight security. I can’t return it to you,” Rose said, shaking her head.

“I know the use of demonic artifacts is prohibited, but this isn’t a demonic tool. It just has demonic aura because it was used by a demonic cultivator,” Aiden explained.

Rose frowned, clearly not believing him.

“Very well, allow me to demonstrate that it can work without demonic energy,” Aiden proposed.

After some thinking, Rose nodded and handed him the gourd.

Aiden took the gourd, looked left and right, then walked to an open space. Uncorking the gourd, he summoned the Violet Jade Singer. Suddenly, a large winged tiger with beautiful violet jade patterns all over its body appeared.

The majestic creature let out a low roar, causing people around to gasp and step back in awe.

“See?” Aiden gestured to the tiger. “This is not a demonic artifact. It’s a versatile container that can store various beings and objects, regardless of their nature.”

Rose examined the tiger closely, noting the lack of demonic energy. She finally nodded in agreement. “Alright, I believe you. You may keep the gourd.”

“Thank you,” Aiden said, bowing slightly.

Rose handed the gourd back to him and added, “But remember, any misuse of such artifacts will lead to severe consequences.”

“Understood,” Aiden replied.

With the matter settled, Aiden and his party left the guild, thier destination being Restaurant.