Born in Blood

Chapter 366 Party

As Liam quietly cultivated in front of a mirror, he silently thought of how to go about this meeting.

The invitation was an obvious lie.

It was a bait.

And yet, the Echorian Royals accepted.

Whether or not they knew it was bait, was a different matter.

Obviously, the Queen herself was not coming to the party.

Even Usan's Rank 6 prowess could not earn him that privilege.

At most, some Rank 5's and Rank 4 Royals would arrive at the meeting.

Nothing more, nothing less.

Well, at least to Liam's knowledge.

And yet, there were a few people that Liam was certain were coming.

Mostly, his old squadron/cohort/classmates.

Rin, Nord and Nessa, along with several others.

Day by day, their names were gaining popularity and attention, beside other growing individuals.

Of course, 'parties' between countries like these were always a pissing contest.

Each side would show their greatest talents, and more often than not, there would be a 'friendly' competition between the two parties.

The Royals would use that chance to further cement their reputation.

Liam didn't need to take part in these competitions. In fact, he didn't need to do anything. As the advertised 'heir' of the Eternal Sword, a mere glance and a small talk was more than enough as a requirement.

Usan would do most of the hard work by stalling the Royals for as long as possible.

At least, until Liam got proof.

What exactly did Liam plan to do?

Well, Liam's 'Bob' identity was still not connected to him.

The Golden-eyed Vagrant saga wasn't as infamous and loud as it used to be.

Liam was basically a vague rumor now, and the only place he was remembered was the academy, among the students.

Obviously, the Royce family and those Liam crossed remembered him quite well, too. Including the Royals.

Exposing himself now would be risky.

On one side, it was his responsibility to obtain proof of Niveh's existence.

It was just him that knew her personally, after all.

But Liam's special aura made it incredibly difficult.

Plus, there was a chance the Echorians could deploy methods of investigation into the party itself. It wasn't like they forgot about Liam.

In fact, Liam was sure that they would try to look for him during the party.

…But despite all this risk, there was a reward.

And that was the alliance with Alucard.

One had to remember Usan's illness.

Although it was a bit difficult to think about, he would no longer be there.

And Liam would be next in line to lead such a massive force.

Right now, the allies of the Temple of Shadow were following Usan, not Liam.

Usan had not announced who his heir would be. At least, not yet. It wasn't the appropriate time.

If Liam became a Patriarch without approval, nothing stopped the Rank 5 Clansmen to take over the Temple. Even with the Temple's superior numbers and forces.

Although there was trust between the alliances now, there was no telling who would buckle and crack under political pressure.

Currently, there was no Rank 5 cultivator working for the Temple of Shadow.

Rank 5's were obviously not common.

They were strong enough to command battalions of their own.

Why would someone like that listen to a mere Mortal-ranked cultivator's commands?

There was a reason why Sector Patriarchs were not merging with the Temple.

If Usan's status was permanent, they probably would.

But it was not.

However, if Liam was to obtain an alliance with the king of vampires?

Something they wouldn't dream of doing?

Who would dare question his authority?

Nobody.

Liam had to be 'approved'.

But the issue of maintaining that alliance still remained.

'Still. As long as the alliance lasts for at least a year or two, they'll come to know my authority.'

Liam hated this.

This whole… pandering to people and 'seeking approval'.

But he supposed everyone was caught up in these kinds of situations once they got to a certain point.

Certainly, the strongest of the world couldn't avoid it, either.

'I need to become a Zenith already. I've been stuck in these Mortal ranks for too long,' Liam thought with a sigh.

A Zenith sea of consciousness was still far away.

A Zenith core wasn't near, either.

A Zenith Chaos Pearl was definitely not near.

But Liam had a few tricks up his sleeve to make his task easier.

Liam opened his eyes to look into the mirror.

'I don't have to show myself for the first segment of the party,' Liam thought. 'It should be a good time to scout whoever comes.'

Slowly, Liam's face transformed.

Ever since Liam entered the upper-tier of his blood, his transformation abilities were remarkable and more precise.

Not only that, but a changed appearance dulled down the Eternal Sword's aura effect!

As long as Liam didn't look at people directly, and they were far away, the danger effect would be significantly less.

'The closest range of effect would be three arm-spans away. Then they'll feel something's off with me.'

Liam heaved a sigh.

First, Liam's skin changed from pale-white to olive-tanned brown.

Then, Liam's frame grew bulkier, taller and more pronounced.

Right after, a nicely trimmed black beard with a few tints of grey rapidly grew on his chin.

Followed by that, Liam's hair retracted into his scalp, replaced with a natural white, slicked-back hairstyle that fell over his shoulders in an unkempt fashion.

Liam's appearance went from young and cold, to aged and hardened.

'I should blend in with the others now,' Liam thought, nodding to himself.

Putting on some expensive wrappings, Liam made a few more minor changes to his appearance before leaving.

Outside, it was nighttime.

Up in the sky, stars came into view.

No clouds.

A soft, melancholic wind.

Hordes of acolytes ran this way and that. Some wore on serving duty, while others were still making preparations for the upcoming event.

The party would take place at the peak of the island, where the biggest temple was.

Liam stood at the highest cliff, overlooking the endless sea raging with waves.

Just then, Liam's eyes narrowed.

Little silver and golden dots appeared over the horizon, growing bigger as they neared.

'They're here.'