Melinda, Rita and Eugene ran into the estate right after the Holgers. Melinda and Rita were determined and while they had hesitated, they trusted their man enough to stay focused.

They soon entered into a large hall with Hard wood floors glinting with quality. Corban ran straight towards the end of the hall, pushed the door open and ran outside. Adler and Brysen stayed behind to face the pursuers. They were brimming with confidence despite being obviously outnumbered.

“Go after him” Melinda told the other two and they did, knowing it was for the best considering Corban was way stronger than this two.

The look of confidence in Adler’s eyes remained constant as Rita and Eugene went after her brother.

“Stay far away from this fight. I’ll kill her quickly and we’ll go help your father. Not that he needs it…” Adler said to Brysen before she turned towards Melinda and chuckled

“Very well auntie” Brysen smiled and walked to the side

Melinda could not care less about Brysen, while he was well older than the others of the young generation being well past his 70’s, he was no threat to her. Adler on the other hand was another story and Melinda was willing to bet that she had some tricks up her sleeves…

“So, have you had him yet?” Adler asked as she licked her lips

“Well of course…Do you want details?” Knowing fully well what Adler was referring to, she decided to play along… A little banter never hurt anyone right?

Adler shivered from a sudden arousal “Ohh, I wish I could have him. I want him even more than I want Edvard. *sigh* unfortunately, I don’t think he will survive. What a shame, so handsome and yet so foolish..”

Adler let out the full might of her cultivation base and Melinda did the same as the two sent a cosmic attack to each other and both attacks canceled each other out.

…

Corban entered into a smaller hall and was not surprised to find the two chasing after him

“Don’t brother running Corban. This whole estate is completely isolated with Astral Energy” Eugene said the moment he entered into the hall.

“Hahaha, I have no intention of ‘escaping’, this was simply a divide and conquer tactic” Corban laughed and then began to pace back and forth while Rita and Eugene prepared themselves.

“I still find it a little hard to believe that you all had the galls to actually come to my home and lay a seige” Corban’s expression warped into one of anger “Since you seem to be the strongest, let’s see what you’ve got”

Corban stretched forth his hand and in a whirlwind of cosmic energy he summoned his Cosmic Armament: A dusty yellow colored spear that had a semi transparent look. A pressure was suddenly released from him which marked his cultivation base as being at the peak stage of the cosmic armament realm.

Rita and Eugene were shocked. This was strength worthy of a great family patriarch.

“Surprised? Heh heh. You should be running scared” Corban said as he flexed the cosmic spear in his hand and smiled down at the two.

“Do you want to know how it happened? Before I kill you of course”

“We don’t care” Rita said and stretched her hand to summon her Cosmic armament; a sky blue longsword and Eugene released his; a cyan battle Axe

Mortal weapons lose their effectiveness on a cultivator’s body from the late stages of the Energy sensing realm and as such ordinary weapons were useless in a fight among cultivators. The only weapons that could be useful from that moment on were Artifacts. In Salmon City, the families that have them treasure them immensely and would only make use of them in dire situations.

Now, Advancing to the cosmic Armament realm involves forming a cosmic armament which was basically a weapon, preferably, one the cultivator is quite adept in using. As such, members of a family usually have the same cosmic armament as it becomes the weapon their family mostly trains in and is known for.

The Payne family’s happens to be broadswords while the Holgers used the spear. Rita however had learned the basics of swordfighting from Hal’s mother.

“Very well then. straight to business” Corban smirked and launch himself forward for his first strike.

…

*Boom!*

The collision of the Cosmic attacks caused a repulse that pushed both ladies back but neither of them would back down…

“Third grade skill: shooting stars” Melinda said and pointed her hand to enact the skill

Trapped by the skill’s energy, Adler withdrew defensive runes and activated them all at once, but while they protected her from the full effects of the skill they still knocked her backwards into the wall

*Bang!*

Adler was irate “Grr, you think, you’re the only one who has a third grade skill?

Third grade skill: Lady’s whip”

Out of a three colored ring with one ring fainter than the others emerged a blurry silhouette and it swung the whip in it’s hands. Escape, Melinda could not, so she surrounded herself with cosmic energy and activated defensive runes just in case.

However as though seeking it’s weak spot, the whip passed cleanly through a blind spot and smacked her in the midsection

“Arrrgh” Melinda screamed as it lashed her skin and caused her to bleed

“Haha hahaha” Adler laughed before running forward to finally put an end to her foe who had crumpled to the ground cradling her wound, But when she was close enough for them to see eye to eye, Melinda’s head snapped up and she buried her fist right into Adler’s ribs

*Crack!*

-puchi-

Adler spat out blood as she was sent flying backwards unto the ground, her ribs broken. And yet she could only curse herself for letting her guard down.

Brysen watched his aunt squirming on the floor and thought ‘To hell with this’

He ripped up his shirt and his physique bulged as he growled and launched himself on all fours towards Melinda whose eyes were widened in shock.

…

Corban swung his spear and it intercepted with Eugene’s battle Axe and knocked the latter backwards. Even at the Late stage of the Cosmic Armament realm, the gap of a stage remained insurmountable. So it was obvious that Rita had no chance but she pressed on anyway, swinging her sword and trying to outmaneuver the reach of Corban’s spear.

A swipe for her head would cause Rita to bend her knees and duck to avoid the hit, she then slashed at his legs with her longsword but he escaped easily, her speed was nothing in his eyes.

The move however gave Eugene the opportunity he seemed to need to make another try, but…

*Bang!!*

“Ahh” A cosmic attack from an unconcerned Corban would knock him back

“Retribution? Don’t make me laugh. You can’t possibly believe it’s…” An astral rune (Silence) struck him dumb and another (Bind) held him down and Rita’s sword jabbed at his neck..

It all seemed over, until he freed himself from the rune with brute strength and tilted his head just so that the sword cut his lower cheek instead, dousing his jaw with blood.

Corban smacked Rita into a wall with his spear before he touched the wound and observed the blood on his hand

“Impressive. But that’s all you are going to get”

Eugene was now projecting three different runes that floated in mid air before they attacked Corban.

The first exploded on impact so fast that it hit him point blank and sent him sliding back… Still on his feet.

The second hit the ground and caused the ground to wrap itself around his feet preventing him from moving.

The third became a wind that spun around him and lacerated his body tearing his clothes to shreds while causing lacerated wounds to appear all over Corban’s body.

The use of such high powered runes had sapped Eugene’s mental strength but it had worked and now Corban was in terrible shape, unfortunately he was healing and healing fast and the two began to consider leaving because attacking Corban at that moment would prove useless. as he was very much still alert. Also, When he attacked next, they knew it would be for the kill.

…

Meanwhile, Hal stood in front of the auctioneer, who had surprised him by having such a high cultivation base. He was someone Hal had never expected to be so strong and especially not to the level of the second strongest in the Holger family, Adler.

His next words would explain it all…

“You’ve got some nerve, coming to attack my cousin in his own house” the auctioneer said

“And who are you really?” Hal asked

“Kael Holger. Who would have thought we would meet again under such circumstances”

“Not me”.Hal said

“I never did find out how you survived being poisoned” Kael said but if he had expected a change in expression, he was soon dissapointed

“Must be good genetics. Besides if you’re good looking enough, you could live forever. Did you know that?” Hal said with a smile while he amassed all the astral energy he had in his body

The past Hal getting poisoned was not really that surprising to him

“So you’re a joker now? Very funny” Karl said in a relaxed fashion

“Who said I was joking?” Hal released all the Astral energy in his body and they formed a barrage of royal blue Astral arrows which attacked Kael all at once…

*Bang!*

A blast of superior cosmic attack would destroy the arrows and leave Kael unharmed…

Just as he had expected.

“Is that it?” Karl smirked

“Nope.

Rise for the blood of my foes, Executioner”

A blood red mist would emerge from Hal’s body and a killing intent so dense would fill the courtyard.

The instant the fog appeared, the faces of Kael and the raiders became flushed and together…

-Puchi-

…They all spurted blood.