NOVEL WEB Chapter 556: Water Sect
As we exit the territory of the gu sect, I can't help but be pleasantly surprised.
I was almost expecting some random enemy to be lying in wait for us. Nope. We make sure to scout it all carefully with Gus, and everything is clear. It's almost too good to be true. I turn to my companion, puzzled.
[Where do you think our enemies are? Are we getting chased right now or no?]
"I'm not sure if they lost our track or if they just gave up. Logically there shouldn't be a reason to desire us dead at all cost."
[Hopefully. Right, I was wondering. Does having a Gu following me around qualifies me as a professional Gu trainer? Did you guys ever think about creating medals or something?]
"You mean like the Beast Taming guild? I'd say the big difference is that these guys are an organization. Since they have more members and many branch locations, they have no choice but to set a certain set of evaluation criteria."
[Right, multiple branches...]
I can't help but picture the Unnamed God Sect one day having tons of recruiting buildings everywhere around the world. The only requirements would be to follow our core values and loyalty.
"Honestly, I would love for a day to come when the Gu sect becomes big enough to warrant this kind of thing, but it's pretty much impossible now."
[If there is a will, there is a way. I'm just surprised you are still hoping for the Gu sect to prosper even after what they have tried doing to you.]
He is way too much of a nice guy. Sure, I caused trouble, but they didn't have to take it out on him too. Oh well, he will probably forget them, and it will be for the best.
"But, yes. You are totally a Gu Trainer since you can order a Gu ancestor. Then again, it won't mean much besides the fact that everyone will hate you.
[Do you think that the Gu sect even realized that we are gone?]
"Probably not. They'll just assume we have been entirely devoured when they don't see us exit. As for the tunnel, it's hidden well enough that it could take them weeks or months even to notice."
This trip feels way too relaxed. Yes, we are moving carefully, but the Gus are the ones doing all the work. I feel like some kind of leecher.
"We will see a river soon. We will be able to eat fresh fish tonight."
Before long, we can hear the rumbling of water. Then appears the very source of life that lets us quench our thirst easily. My companion looks like a traveler finding an oasis in a desert. He runs to it and starts drinking without a care in the world.
I'm laughing at the beginning, but then he starts choking violently. That's when I can see ice crystals start to appear on his skin. What the Hell?! He, too, didn't expect the water of a river to be poisoned!
I heal him as fast as possible, sending him an inquisitive glance. Something is clearly wrong here, and I want to know what it is. If every river becomes like this, the continent will soon be a goner.
[What do you think happened?]
COUGH COUGH
"Thank you. I became complacent with you here. There seems to be some pure ice energy in the water. The weird part is that it is mixing with it without affecting it."
I slowly come closer, and I scoop a bit of water. But that's when it happens. As soon as it leaves the stream, it freezes over. It seems like the water is at the very edge of becoming ice at any moment. There is a very thin equilibrium with the flow, allowing it to remain like that.
[This is incredible!]
"Incredibly scary, that's what it is! This is no way to die! Let me send some Gus to find more about it. I'd rather die burned alive than turned into ice!"
[We could probably enlist the Sun Sect leader's help for that. I'm sure he'd be more than happy to send a few solar rays your way.]
"I'm sure he would be more than happy to oblige. He would gladly come running and would barbecue us both."
[But seriously, do you think he is the type to recklessly strive for revenge at all cost? If yes, I'd rather be the one to make the first move. I can make him my target after this hostage situation has been resolved.]
"It should be fine. I think you have made it clear that you aren't someone he should mess with. He came to kill me because their sect lost face, but he should have realized by now that it's not worth it at all."
[How so?]
"Well, overall, the Sun Young Master dying shouldn't cause that many problems to the sect iteself. They have another talented youth that should be able to take over his Champion duties."
[So they will replace him and forget he ever existed, eh? This whole thing feels so shitty. Especially when you consider that he's alive and well, they gave up before even confirming the facts, just going straight for vengeance and calling it a day...]
"This is how sects work, my friend. You work your ass off for them, you slowly climb the ranks, you even become a champion, but even then, you remain disposable. That's the case even if you own a blessing."
[Ridiculous! Isn't a blessing supposed to be amazing?!]
"It's really hard to explain. Getting one is something magical yet banal. In my case, it allowed me to control and train Gus more easily. But slowly, I began straying from the guided path, and it became less and less useful."
[Oh? You didn't think that you were going against the teachings of your god or something?]
"Yes, many times. But I believed in my method enough to keep going nonetheless."
[Yep, one can definitely do without a blessing.]
I point at the Gu ancestor. My companion gives a smile while nodding. That is when the Gus come back.
"This is crazy!"
[What is?]
"Upstream, there is a land of ice. I have no clue what could do such a thing. But I'm sure I don't want to encounter it.
[What about any enemy?]
"None. It's completely desolated. It's as if a natural catastrophe passed right through without letting the land recover whatsoever. Did an army of ice mages go to war?! No, this doesn't seem like it."
[I think I know what happened.]
He listens with keep interest.
[Near the Water Sect, there is a mountain full of ice elementals. They recently went on a journey for some reason. The village nearby got utterly destroyed because of it.]
"If they can feeze not only the earth but also poison it, this will very quickly degenerate. It will end up as a real calamity! The whole world is going to Hell!"
[Indeed. It's like even the monsters can feel it. That there is a war coming. For all we know, they too could have their god pushing them toward violence and destruction.]
"Maybe, but I've never heard of any..."
[Otherwise, I see no reason for the sudden exodus. Still, we need to keep going. This means that we are almost there, right?]
"Yes, we should see it very soon. In fact, following this river, we will be right there. It even connects to the Water sect directly."
[I don't remember seeing any river coming from outside of their city...]
"It does. It passes underground."
[You mean an underground river? Wait, so wouldn't the ice poison have reached their sect too?!]
"It should be fine. I mean, given their magic they should be able to notice it easily and counter it."
Their magic, eh? We will need to be extremely careful about it. I remember how I was toyed with. I remember the torrent of water that they kept trying to drown me with. I remember the countless projectiles.
Just thinking about it makes me feel angry against these damn backstabbing water mages. I'm also worried about my friend and stressed about how we will attempt this rescue operation.
I need to be careful. Divine energy is powerful but I need to remember my own mortality and that of my friends. If I wasn't so hard to kill I'd be long dead in fact.
We keep progressing in silence. Soon, the City of Water appears before us. But, it looks so different. The magnificent and incredibly huge water barrier is gone.
It also feels desolate for some reason. Ah, there are no guards! How can there be no life to be seen from the exterior at all?! Wait, what is happening?! What the Hell is up with it?
[Let's try sneaking inside. I have a bad feeling about this.]
My friend sends a Gu to scout. Then, as it returns his expression changes, it becomes solemn. He even shakes his head gravely. This is enough to tell me that I won't like what we will find inside. Not one bit.
I activate my own scouting ability. I need to know. I need to see for myself! Please let her be alright!....