Chapter 126
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Chapter 126
On either side of the entrance into the plateau were large statues posing proudly. They were reminiscent of the floating projection of Everheart, though unique in their own way. People were already starting to rush towards the entrance, and Anton saw people either pass through easily or get violently thrown back. Interestingly enough, nobody seemed to be injured no matter how far it flung them.
For example, one eager man from the front of the pack landed right at Antons feet still over a hundred meters away. He was a man of about thirty years of age, but he had clearly been rejected harshly. Though Anton would have thought he could have reacted while in the air to have a smooth landing with his cultivation in mid Spirit Building, he landed directly on his rear and sat there stunned.
Anton and the other proceeded forward at a natural pace, and the area in front was starting to somewhat calm down. People seemed to have noticed that if they were moving at a moderate rate they wouldnt get flung too far back. That was presumably less embarrassing for them, though it left everyone looking at them as they struggled to pick themselves up and staggered out of the way.
One man barrelled into the entrance once, landed on his rear, then charged it again. The second time he was flung twice as far and instead of landing gently if in an undignified manner, he struck the dirt and tumbled. Anton focused his eyes to see the man lying on his back staring up at the sky with a bloody nose. It didnt look serious, but the escalation was a clear warning. Most people got it.
Anton clicked his tongue as the remaining disciples of the Frostmirror sect pulled out of the way, having been some of the first to reach the entrance. Those who could enter had already done so, and the rest stood to the side trying to look like they hadnt been rejected.
Though the situation precluded the various sects from engaging in violence with their enemies, it didnt stop verbal barbs and jabs. A member of the Heavenly Lion Sect jeered at someone who was unable to enter, then found himself similarly rejected.
The members of the Order of Ninety-Nine Stars tried to keep a neutral composure though some couldnt suppress their eagerness, running forward ahead of the rest. Some made it inside, but others had to make the walk of shame back towards the main body of the group.
Anton and the others kept a measured pace. There had been nothing that said admittance was limited, and more people were rejected than able to enter. There was no need to rush.
When Anton and the others around him were about ten meters away, Anton picked out Van Hassel and Slusser trying to enter. They were swiftly rejected, with Van Hassel sliding past Anton. His eyes couldnt help but follow the man, and for a moment their eyes met. Anton was close to just whipping out his bow and killing the man as he was in the midst of their group, but that would give others a reason to attack them. He also couldnt justify his actions without taking long enough for the man to prepare himself or retreat. Even if he did, any accusations would likely be taken as, well, an attempt to justify killing the man. It would be, even if it was just.
His vision simply lingered on Van Hassel as he approached the entrance, and the surprisingly well kept man glared. What are you looking at, huh, old man? Where are you going? You think you can enter when I cant?
Anton refrained from comment, but had already made himself seen. He just kept his gaze on the man as he continued walking.
Van Hassel got up on his feet and gestured. If hed been gutsy enough to pull out a weapon Anton might have tried to manipulate the situation, but mere impotent threats werent sufficient. Hey! Answer me you- the sound was cut off as Anton felt energy wrap around him. It was powerful, and stopped his movements. He prepared himself to be flung backwards and resolved to land with as much dignity as possible, but then his step continued and he was through the barrier. He wasnt sure if the pause was even enough for most people to notice, but he certainly felt it.
He turned to Hoyt who walked next to him, whispering, Did the barrier slightly stagger you?
Seeming to be finished with Annelie clambering on her, Diana gently but swiftly lowered her to the ground. You should not believe him. That is not possible. Even if it was, there are opportunities to seek. We must be going. She started pulling Annelie behind her down a hallway.
Annelie looked back, I believe you! Well talk more later once Diana loses track of me!
Thats not the sort of thing you should say in front of me, the woman admonished.
Given the demeanor of the other surrounding disciples, Anton declined to attempt to follow her. Fare well, Annelie. See you soon. At least he could confirm she was alive and in something like good spirits, though he didnt think much of her sect mates. Cold and uncaring or a bit too emotional like the young man apparently permanently relegated to the ceiling. He was standing now, walking around and trying to find a way to get to the other hallways- while still occasionally glaring towards Anton.
Shes terrible, Catarina commented. Diana, I mean. Annelie seems great.
Ah, I forgot to introduce you, Anton shook his head. Well, there will be chances later, Im certain. He wasnt happy with the brevity of the meeting, but his heart was uplifted. Lets go check out these death traps, shall we? There should be reliable rewards if we can pass them.
The other disciples from the Order had already left, except for the core group. Timothy, Hoyt, and Velvet were still nearby.Hoyt spoke up next, The Frostmirror sect is one of those that tends to divest themselves of emotions instead of handling them. Luckily Annelie there is still in early Spirit Building as far as I could tell, so she should have barely begun the process. It would be better if we could retrieve her from their care, but that might be difficult.
Is removing your emotions that bad? Velvet asked. Do cultivators really need them?
Hoyt shrugged. It depends on who you ask. But I will say this. You have two kidneys. You dont need both of them. But I doubt you would divest yourself of either of them just because they might inconvenience you in the future.
Velvet wrapped her hands around her belly. Right.
Much better to be able to suppress emotions for a short time than entirely remove them, Anton said. Its literally impossible to be happy about the results, nor sad. If properly handled, positive emotions can be made to outweigh the negative. Even if it takes much effort. Anton was making use of his training at the very moment, trying not to remember the emotions from two and a half years prior, when hed last seen Annelie. Breaking down crying wouldnt do any good right now. He could just do it a little bit inside. He didnt need to pretend the meeting was only happy though.
The group had been strolling towards the nearest hallway. When they arrived, another Everheart with coiffed hair and tailored clothes that were probably fashionable in a previous century was just finishing an explanation to a small crowd. ... and thats about it. Just follow those instructions and you probably wont get yourself killed. His eyes turned to the five just entering the area. No, Im not going to repeat myself. Figure it out.
Somehow, Anton found Everhearts intentionally provocative attitude reassuring. He could take his mind off of problems he couldnt solve right now with a little bit of mortal danger. He looked down what seemed to be an empty hallway with little decoration by tiled floors and started scanning it with his eyes and senses, while the others did so as well.
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Chapter 126
On either side of the entrance into the plateau were large statues posing proudly. They were reminiscent of the floating projection of Everheart, though unique in their own way. People were already starting to rush towards the entrance, and Anton saw people either pass through easily or get violently thrown back. Interestingly enough, nobody seemed to be injured no matter how far it flung them.
For example, one eager man from the front of the pack landed right at Antons feet still over a hundred meters away. He was a man of about thirty years of age, but he had clearly been rejected harshly. Though Anton would have thought he could have reacted while in the air to have a smooth landing with his cultivation in mid Spirit Building, he landed directly on his rear and sat there stunned.
Anton and the other proceeded forward at a natural pace, and the area in front was starting to somewhat calm down. People seemed to have noticed that if they were moving at a moderate rate they wouldnt get flung too far back. That was presumably less embarrassing for them, though it left everyone looking at them as they struggled to pick themselves up and staggered out of the way.
One man barrelled into the entrance once, landed on his rear, then charged it again. The second time he was flung twice as far and instead of landing gently if in an undignified manner, he struck the dirt and tumbled. Anton focused his eyes to see the man lying on his back staring up at the sky with a bloody nose. It didnt look serious, but the escalation was a clear warning. Most people got it.
Anton clicked his tongue as the remaining disciples of the Frostmirror sect pulled out of the way, having been some of the first to reach the entrance. Those who could enter had already done so, and the rest stood to the side trying to look like they hadnt been rejected.
Though the situation precluded the various sects from engaging in violence with their enemies, it didnt stop verbal barbs and jabs. A member of the Heavenly Lion Sect jeered at someone who was unable to enter, then found himself similarly rejected.
The members of the Order of Ninety-Nine Stars tried to keep a neutral composure though some couldnt suppress their eagerness, running forward ahead of the rest. Some made it inside, but others had to make the walk of shame back towards the main body of the group.
Anton and the others kept a measured pace. There had been nothing that said admittance was limited, and more people were rejected than able to enter. There was no need to rush.
When Anton and the others around him were about ten meters away, Anton picked out Van Hassel and Slusser trying to enter. They were swiftly rejected, with Van Hassel sliding past Anton. His eyes couldnt help but follow the man, and for a moment their eyes met. Anton was close to just whipping out his bow and killing the man as he was in the midst of their group, but that would give others a reason to attack them. He also couldnt justify his actions without taking long enough for the man to prepare himself or retreat. Even if he did, any accusations would likely be taken as, well, an attempt to justify killing the man. It would be, even if it was just.
His vision simply lingered on Van Hassel as he approached the entrance, and the surprisingly well kept man glared. What are you looking at, huh, old man? Where are you going? You think you can enter when I cant?
Anton refrained from comment, but had already made himself seen. He just kept his gaze on the man as he continued walking.
Van Hassel got up on his feet and gestured. If hed been gutsy enough to pull out a weapon Anton might have tried to manipulate the situation, but mere impotent threats werent sufficient. Hey! Answer me you- the sound was cut off as Anton felt energy wrap around him. It was powerful, and stopped his movements. He prepared himself to be flung backwards and resolved to land with as much dignity as possible, but then his step continued and he was through the barrier. He wasnt sure if the pause was even enough for most people to notice, but he certainly felt it.
He turned to Hoyt who walked next to him, whispering, Did the barrier slightly stagger you?
Seeming to be finished with Annelie clambering on her, Diana gently but swiftly lowered her to the ground. You should not believe him. That is not possible. Even if it was, there are opportunities to seek. We must be going. She started pulling Annelie behind her down a hallway.
Annelie looked back, I believe you! Well talk more later once Diana loses track of me!
Thats not the sort of thing you should say in front of me, the woman admonished.
Given the demeanor of the other surrounding disciples, Anton declined to attempt to follow her. Fare well, Annelie. See you soon. At least he could confirm she was alive and in something like good spirits, though he didnt think much of her sect mates. Cold and uncaring or a bit too emotional like the young man apparently permanently relegated to the ceiling. He was standing now, walking around and trying to find a way to get to the other hallways- while still occasionally glaring towards Anton.
Shes terrible, Catarina commented. Diana, I mean. Annelie seems great.
Ah, I forgot to introduce you, Anton shook his head. Well, there will be chances later, Im certain. He wasnt happy with the brevity of the meeting, but his heart was uplifted. Lets go check out these death traps, shall we? There should be reliable rewards if we can pass them.
The other disciples from the Order had already left, except for the core group. Timothy, Hoyt, and Velvet were still nearby.Hoyt spoke up next, The Frostmirror sect is one of those that tends to divest themselves of emotions instead of handling them. Luckily Annelie there is still in early Spirit Building as far as I could tell, so she should have barely begun the process. It would be better if we could retrieve her from their care, but that might be difficult.
Is removing your emotions that bad? Velvet asked. Do cultivators really need them?
Hoyt shrugged. It depends on who you ask. But I will say this. You have two kidneys. You dont need both of them. But I doubt you would divest yourself of either of them just because they might inconvenience you in the future.
Velvet wrapped her hands around her belly. Right.
Much better to be able to suppress emotions for a short time than entirely remove them, Anton said. Its literally impossible to be happy about the results, nor sad. If properly handled, positive emotions can be made to outweigh the negative. Even if it takes much effort. Anton was making use of his training at the very moment, trying not to remember the emotions from two and a half years prior, when hed last seen Annelie. Breaking down crying wouldnt do any good right now. He could just do it a little bit inside. He didnt need to pretend the meeting was only happy though.
The group had been strolling towards the nearest hallway. When they arrived, another Everheart with coiffed hair and tailored clothes that were probably fashionable in a previous century was just finishing an explanation to a small crowd. ... and thats about it. Just follow those instructions and you probably wont get yourself killed. His eyes turned to the five just entering the area. No, Im not going to repeat myself. Figure it out.
Somehow, Anton found Everhearts intentionally provocative attitude reassuring. He could take his mind off of problems he couldnt solve right now with a little bit of mortal danger. He looked down what seemed to be an empty hallway with little decoration by tiled floors and started scanning it with his eyes and senses, while the others did so as well.
Chapter 126On either side of the entrance into the plateau were large statues posing proudly. They were reminiscent of the floating projection of Everheart, though unique in their own way. People were already starting to rush towards the entrance, and Anton saw people either pass through easily or get violently thrown back. Interestingly enough, nobody seemed to be injured no matter how far it flung them.For example, one eager man from the front of the pack landed right at Antons feet still over a hundred meters away. He was a man of about thirty years of age, but he had clearly been rejected harshly. Though Anton would have thought he could have reacted while in the air to have a smooth landing with his cultivation in mid Spirit Building, he landed directly on his rear and sat there stunned.Anton and the other proceeded forward at a natural pace, and the area in front was starting to somewhat calm down. People seemed to have noticed that if they were moving at a moderate rate they wouldnt get flung too far back. That was presumably less embarrassing for them, though it left everyone looking at them as they struggled to pick themselves up and staggered out of the way.One man barrelled into the entrance once, landed on his rear, then charged it again. The second time he was flung twice as far and instead of landing gently if in an undignified manner, he struck the dirt and tumbled. Anton focused his eyes to see the man lying on his back staring up at the sky with a bloody nose. It didnt look serious, but the escalation was a clear warning. Most people got it.Anton clicked his tongue as the remaining disciples of the Frostmirror sect pulled out of the way, having been some of the first to reach the entrance. Those who could enter had already done so, and the rest stood to the side trying to look like they hadnt been rejected. Though the situation precluded the various sects from engaging in violence with their enemies, it didnt stop verbal barbs and jabs. A member of the Heavenly Lion Sect jeered at someone who was unable to enter, then found himself similarly rejected. The members of the Order of Ninety-Nine Stars tried to keep a neutral composure though some couldnt suppress their eagerness, running forward ahead of the rest. Some made it inside, but others had to make the walk of shame back towards the main body of the group.Anton and the others kept a measured pace. There had been nothing that said admittance was limited, and more people were rejected than able to enter. There was no need to rush.When Anton and the others around him were about ten meters away, Anton picked out Van Hassel and Slusser trying to enter. They were swiftly rejected, with Van Hassel sliding past Anton. His eyes couldnt help but follow the man, and for a moment their eyes met. Anton was close to just whipping out his bow and killing the man as he was in the midst of their group, but that would give others a reason to attack them. He also couldnt justify his actions without taking long enough for the man to prepare himself or retreat. Even if he did, any accusations would likely be taken as, well, an attempt to justify killing the man. It would be, even if it was just.His vision simply lingered on Van Hassel as he approached the entrance, and the surprisingly well kept man glared. What are you looking at, huh, old man? Where are you going? You think you can enter when I cant?Anton refrained from comment, but had already made himself seen. He just kept his gaze on the man as he continued walking.Van Hassel got up on his feet and gestured. If hed been gutsy enough to pull out a weapon Anton might have tried to manipulate the situation, but mere impotent threats werent sufficient. Hey! Answer me you- the sound was cut off as Anton felt energy wrap around him. It was powerful, and stopped his movements. He prepared himself to be flung backwards and resolved to land with as much dignity as possible, but then his step continued and he was through the barrier. He wasnt sure if the pause was even enough for most people to notice, but he certainly felt it. He turned to Hoyt who walked next to him, whispering, Did the barrier slightly stagger you?Seeming to be finished with Annelie clambering on her, Diana gently but swiftly lowered her to the ground. You should not believe him. That is not possible. Even if it was, there are opportunities to seek. We must be going. She started pulling Annelie behind her down a hallway.Annelie looked back, I believe you! Well talk more later once Diana loses track of me!Thats not the sort of thing you should say in front of me, the woman admonished.Given the demeanor of the other surrounding disciples, Anton declined to attempt to follow her. Fare well, Annelie. See you soon. At least he could confirm she was alive and in something like good spirits, though he didnt think much of her sect mates. Cold and uncaring or a bit too emotional like the young man apparently permanently relegated to the ceiling. He was standing now, walking around and trying to find a way to get to the other hallways- while still occasionally glaring towards Anton.Shes terrible, Catarina commented. Diana, I mean. Annelie seems great.Ah, I forgot to introduce you, Anton shook his head. Well, there will be chances later, Im certain. He wasnt happy with the brevity of the meeting, but his heart was uplifted. Lets go check out these death traps, shall we? There should be reliable rewards if we can pass them.The other disciples from the Order had already left, except for the core group. Timothy, Hoyt, and Velvet were still nearby.Hoyt spoke up next, The Frostmirror sect is one of those that tends to divest themselves of emotions instead of handling them. Luckily Annelie there is still in early Spirit Building as far as I could tell, so she should have barely begun the process. It would be better if we could retrieve her from their care, but that might be difficult.Is removing your emotions that bad? Velvet asked. Do cultivators really need them?Hoyt shrugged. It depends on who you ask. But I will say this. You have two kidneys. You dont need both of them. But I doubt you would divest yourself of either of them just because they might inconvenience you in the future.Velvet wrapped her hands around her belly. Right.Much better to be able to suppress emotions for a short time than entirely remove them, Anton said. Its literally impossible to be happy about the results, nor sad. If properly handled, positive emotions can be made to outweigh the negative. Even if it takes much effort. Anton was making use of his training at the very moment, trying not to remember the emotions from two and a half years prior, when hed last seen Annelie. Breaking down crying wouldnt do any good right now. He could just do it a little bit inside. He didnt need to pretend the meeting was only happy though.The group had been strolling towards the nearest hallway. When they arrived, another Everheart with coiffed hair and tailored clothes that were probably fashionable in a previous century was just finishing an explanation to a small crowd. ... and thats about it. Just follow those instructions and you probably wont get yourself killed. His eyes turned to the five just entering the area. No, Im not going to repeat myself. Figure it out.Somehow, Anton found Everhearts intentionally provocative attitude reassuring. He could take his mind off of problems he couldnt solve right now with a little bit of mortal danger. He looked down what seemed to be an empty hallway with little decoration by tiled floors and started scanning it with his eyes and senses, while the others did so as well.
