Chapter 221: Chapter 205: Aetheria

Luna Sutton had no mind to care where this Mad Dragon was taking her; instinctively, she searched for Kian Sterling’s figure.

She saw Kian Sterling’s blood-stained fingertips futilely pass through the warped curtain of light.

The always smiling fox eyes were now filled with shattered tears, and the blood from his severed tail continued to flow, but he seemed not to mind.

“Kian…”

Her nose tingled, and tears streamed down her face as she couldn’t help but call out.

Unfortunately, her voice was swallowed by the chaotic space currents.

Mael Valerius’ dragon claw suddenly covered her eyes, and the warm dragon blood dripped down her eyelashes, “Don’t look… it will hurt.”

As the galaxy spun beneath her feet, the space became increasingly distorted.

It was as if a tear had opened in the heavens and the earth, revealing a hundred-meter-long rift in space.

Mael Valerius’ enormous dragon body carried her into it.

At the moment the space rift closed.

Luna Sutton saw the heartbroken expression in Kian Sterling’s eyes, seemingly trying to say something, yet the words were swallowed by the spatial tumult, completely inaudible.

However, his lips seemed to say: “Luna, live and wait for me… even if it means the ends of the earth, I will find you.”

She understood his lip movements.

It felt as if her heart was being torn open, the pain making it hard to breathe.

She watched helplessly as Kian Sterling’s figure grew smaller in the closing space rift until it disappeared completely.

She didn’t know if it was her illusion, but she seemed to hear a heart-wrenching wolf howl from Corbin Crowley.

Suddenly, she remembered the three newborn wolf pups and the eight unhatched snake eggs, feeling as if a part of her heart was empty.

If the system hadn’t gone dormant, it would have surely told her that Corbin Crowley’s affection level had broken through 90.

Unfortunately, she didn’t know this, nor did she care anymore.

……

The Violet-Gold Fox Clan was still ablaze, the entire forest alight with flames reaching the sky.

The Nine-Winged Beast had long since fallen from the sky, sprawled on the ground in a sorry state, covered in blood, breathing faintly.

Kian Sterling’s severed tail still bled, yet he seemed not to mind, only staring unblinkingly at the closed space rift, his gender-indistinct face under moonlight pale as paper.

“Third Prince…”

Finn Arcanus approached with hemostatic medicine, speaking with a complex expression.

The Third Prince had lost three fox tails, not only losing power significantly but also losing the qualification to inherit the position of Beast King.

In the Fox Clan, the Nine-Tails were esteemed; losing three tails naturally meant he was no longer qualified to inherit the throne.

No matter how much the Beast King favored the Third Prince, it wouldn’t work.

The elder council of The Nine-Tailed White Fox Clan would never agree.

Kian Sterling seemed not to hear Finn Arcanus’ voice, still staring blankly at the already closed space rift.

Finn Arcanus watched Kian Sterling’s expression, looking more and more complex.

His gaze fixed on the bleeding severed tail, “Third Prince, let me apply some medicine for you.”

As he spoke, he approached to apply the medicine to Kian Sterling’s wound.

“Get away…”

Kian Sterling waved his sleeve, scattering the herbs on the ground.

Suddenly, he laughed softly, a laugh so eerie it sent shivers down everyone’s spine.

This laughter was even more disturbing than crying.

The night wind carried crackling sparks.

Kian Sterling’s laughter abruptly stopped.

His blood-stained fingers suddenly pierced into his own severed tail, digging out a piece of flesh in the midst of everyone’s shocked gaze.

“Third Prince…”

Yuri Ashwood rushed forward only to be knocked away by a fox tail.

Kian Sterling licked the blood off his fingertips, squinting at Corbin Crowley: “Are you satisfied now?”

With every step, his white robe bloomed into a blood lotus, “If it weren’t for you forcing her to nurse…”

“Shut up!”

Corbin Crowley’s silver eyes bulged with blood, and his wolf claws gouged deep grooves into the ground.

Wasn’t he regretful?

When he saw Luna Sutton suddenly become ugly, curling up in a corner in despair…

Then covering her face, fleeing in panic, his heart was like being torn to shreds by beast claws, painful and uneasy.

“I…”

His paws clawed at the ground continuously, wanting to explain, but not knowing what to say.

Even he didn’t know how things had evolved to this point.

The night wind swept the scent of blood across the battlefield, and from the pile of rubble at the mountain’s foot came a rumbling sound.

Rhys Blackwood struggled out from the pile of rubble at the cliff’s edge, half of his serpent body emerging, with most black scales fallen off, revealing a bloody and battered body.

He struggled out of the pile of debris, and as he transformed into a human, spat out a mouthful of blood foam, his cold, stern face terrifyingly pale, pathetic and weak.

He was clearly severely injured.

He glanced at Corbin Crowley, whose face was full of regret, frowning, “Now’s not the time to blame who’s right or wrong, we should think about how to find her.”

Malachi Arcanus kicked apart a half-dried wood trunk, roaring in frustration: “The Mad Dragon used a Space Forbidden Technique, which only the Dragon Clan in Aetheria can use, where to find it?”

“Right, do you feel anything from your companion marks?”

Zeke Veridian’s green eyes were cold as he looked at Corbin Crowley, Rhys Blackwood, and Kian Sterling, suddenly speaking.

The words pierced the hearts of the three like daggers.

If they had any sense, they would have gone after it a long time ago. Why would they just stand here?

Corbin Crowley instantly transformed into a human form, his eyes filled with violent regret: “The connection was lost the moment the space rift closed.”

With a cold laugh, Rhys Blackwood wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and said, “Forbidden Technique of the Aetheria Dragon Clan. It would be a miracle if you could sense it.”

Despite his wounds still bleeding, Rhys stood his ground, thinking of something, and looked at Kian Sterling: “Kian, does your Fox Clan still have influence in Aetheria? Do you know how to reach there?”

A space barrier lies between the Lower Domain and Aetheria, and it is said only special passageways can lead there.

No beastman knows exactly where these passageways are.

But since Kian is the Third Prince of Beast King City, he must know.

Kian lowered his gaze and stared at the blood in his palm, then suddenly smirked coldly: “We do have influence, and it’s our Nine-Tailed White Fox Clan’s original sect. But I am nothing more than a tailless waste.”

His Adam’s apple moved twice, and his voice was filled with desolation: “I’m afraid I can’t even step through the sect’s main gate.”

These words left everyone stunned, deepening the oppressive atmosphere.

Corbin Crowley fixed his gaze on Kian, speaking coldly: “Give me a straight answer. How exactly do we get to Aetheria? Don’t tell me you don’t know.”

Kian wiped the blood from his face and suddenly chuckled: “There’s a passage in the Fox Clan’s forbidden land, with a teleportation array that leads to Aetheria. It opens once every ten years.”

He turned and began to descend the mountain, “Consider yourselves lucky, the day of the opening is in three days.”

Corbin Crowley’s eyes brightened, as if seeing hope: “Let’s go now!”

“What’s the rush?”

Kian disdainfully waved him off, squinting at the sky, “It can only take five people at a time… just right.”

His gaze fell on Corbin Crowley’s face, his lips curling into a mocking smile: “But did I say I’d take you?”

Corbin Crowley’s silver eyes instantly filled with blood, his anger barely contained: “What did you say?”

Kian’s smile grew even brighter: “Want to go? Kneel and beg me…”

“Courting death…”

The ferocity in the depths of Corbin Crowley’s eyes was on the verge of exploding, as if he was about to erupt the next second.

Malachi Arcanus suddenly stepped in between the two: “Is this the time for infighting?”

Holding his chest, Rhys Blackwood came over, his dark eyes fixed on Kian: “Is the other end of the passage the White Fox’s original sect in Aetheria?”

“Yes.”

The hatred in Kian’s eyes lessened slightly, his tone mocking: “My cousins… are much trickier than the Mad Dragon.”

There was a moment of silence among the group.

“Tricky?”

Corbin Crowley frowned coldly, “No matter how tricky, we must go, even if it’s through fire and brimstone.”

“Fire and brimstone? Where were you earlier?”

Kian’s eyes remained icy, his cold laugh mocking: “The White Fox Clan of Aetheria despises outsiders stepping in. If I go, the worst I’ll get is a couple of waste taunts, but you guys—”

He glanced at them, snorting, “You’d probably be torn apart as soon as you step in.”

Zeke Veridian frowned: “Then what do we do?”

Kian ignited a flicker of Fox Fire at his fingertips, casting an enchanting glow over his features: “Simple, implant a Slave Mark.”

“Slave Mark?”

Corbin Crowley’s silver eyes narrowed, his anger finally burning through his control, “Are you asking for death?”

Kian’s smile grew more seductive: “If you don’t pretend to be my slaves, you can’t even touch the teleportation array—”

Before he finished speaking.

Rhys Blackwood’s snake tail had already coiled around his neck: “You better not play any tricks.”

Zeke Veridian suddenly unleashed a Wind Blade to separate everyone: “Stop it!”

His emerald eyes locked onto Kian, “This method won’t work, find another.”

The old fox is full of tricks. If he actually gives them the Slave Mark and later doesn’t remove it, they’d be ruined for life.

There’s no shortage of slaves in the Beast King City.

Though they are companions, they’re also rivals in love. It’s hard to ensure the old fox won’t use this to get rid of them.

Kian suddenly laughed softly, his fox tail sweeping aside Rhys Blackwood’s snake tail, looking at them with a half-smile: “Scared?”

He pointed to his own severed tail with a cold smile: “In my current state, what can I possibly scheme against you?”

From the start, the only one he wanted to scheme against was Corbin Crowley.

Corbin Crowley’s expression was conflicted; he didn’t trust the old fox at all, nor was he willing to take the risk.

He turned to leave: “I’ll find a passage myself. I refuse to believe that besides the Fox Clan’s forbidden land passage, there’s no other way across.”

Rhys Blackwood frowned and stopped him: “Do you know where any other passages are?”

“No.”

Corbin Crowley shook off the snake tail, speaking coldly, “It’s still better than being fooled into becoming a slave, isn’t it?”

The old fox might not trick Rhys Blackwood, Zeke Veridian, or Malachi Arcanus.

But it’s uncertain with him.

The whole situation with Luna started because of him, and who knows how much Kian resents him, and might take this chance to eliminate him.

Kian let the Purple Gold Fox Fire at his fingertips extinguish, not bothering with Corbin Crowley, and turned to leave.

There are indeed other ways from the Lower Domain to Aetheria, like traversing the Endless Sea, filled with countless High-Ranked Sea Beasts, where a single misstep could mean death.

If Corbin Crowley is lucky, he might just make it across.

But Kian doesn’t concern himself with that.

His mind was consumed with how to persuade the Beast King to allow him to go to Aetheria.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep