Chapter 211: Leader

The Third Elder walked through the wide hallway. The portrait and paintings, flowers and silky carpet embedded along the way as the third elder continued. Large curtains and torches hung on either side of the hall, and the guards stood with their weapons at attention, looking around vigilantly. When they saw the third elder, all of them saluted. 

The man didn't bother to reply and headed deeper. After five minutes later, a large gloomy looking gate revealed and over twenty soldiers stood in front of the door. All of them releasing a tremendous amount of energy from their bodies—Third Elder whispered something in the ear of one man, and the man nodded sternly before gesturing towards his companions. He seemed the captain of this group.

Afterwards those people pushed the doors open with the "chuu" sound. It looked as if the door hadn't opened for a long time. The dirt had also gathered on the doors that fell from up above.

The elder frowned, seeing so much dirt falling, but did not complain. Wasting no time, he entered while the gatekeepers stayed behind. The third elder sniffed and a rotten smell filled his nose, and he twisted his face in disgust. But he controlled the urge to run, nonetheless, and peered ahead of him. He saw a man sitting on an altar—long hair, clothes tattered, and body covered in dirt. His eyes were closed, and he looked no more alive.

Seeing this man, the third elder turned pale, and the more terrifying thing was that there were hundreds of skeletons of humans scattered all about the altar. The guts and faeces laid, wafting the entire room with a disgusting stench. The walls of the room were also smudged with red marks, and ground was crimson, and somewhat damp due to red liquid.

The man turned paler and paler, looking at this scene, though he was one of the most feared men in the palace. He still couldn't keep his calm in front of such a scene. Only eaters could do these things. Normal cultivators could never stand such treachery. "Le-leader~" after collecting his entire courage he spoke this single word, but the word echoed in the room like a ghostly shout, in the darkness of the new moon.

"Leader~" when no reply came from the opposite party, the third elder once more voiced. This time the body twitched and eyes opened, peering directly at the elder. That made the man shudder in terror. He saw maroon eyes, pale face and dark black hair that were entangled with dust and slimy liquid. The man twisted his neck round and stretched his hands before standing up on his feet. His speed was insane, like vampires from the legends.

"Give me a reason not to eat you." The voice was hoarse due to not speaking for a long time, but this gruffy voice struck terror in the poor man's heart. He fell on his knees and kowtowed in prostate. "Leader, please, forgive this lowly servant. It's just that… the mat… matter is too important to ignore any further."

"Ohh," the man raised his brows, and sat on the altar once more and placed both of his palms on the ground behind him and tilted his head ahead. "Go on."

"Leader, someone entered inside the seventh level of the tower!" with lots of effort he blurted out the secret he wanted to tell.

"I know that, but did he come out?" the man raised his brows."

"That…" the third elder turned pale, hearing such a question. "I-I wanted to capture the culprit before informing you, but… but we didn't succeed in capturing him, and now it's been over six months since we have found his traces on the central continent."

"Boom!!"

Suddenly a tremendous amount of pressure fell upon his shoulders and his head once more hit the ground with a thud sound, and he groaned in pain due to pressure. The Leader stood up and walked towards him with a slow pace and stood in front of him. "It's been over six months, and I didn't get any information about this. Why? Because you wanted to show how important and intelligent you are." he said and squeezed the third elder's head under his foot, and sneered. "When you last informed me, that someone had entered the seventh level, I said something to you. What was that?"

"I-I ha-have to inform you-you immediately when I realise that they have come out." The third elder spoke under the feet of the leader, as his cheek was on the ground and saliva flew out of his mouth with snots.

"Oh, you remember, and yet, you didn't follow my command." The man eyed the elder under his bare foot. "Looks like you have forgotten about me, heh? After I went into seclusion you felt that you are the king?"

"No-no, leader." The man tried to explain but pressure increased over his head and he shut his mouth.

"Grumble~"

"Ahh, I am hungry," said the man, while rubbing his stomach with his right hand.

"I'll make some arrangements…"

"Oh, you don't," grinned the man, looking at the man. "Not bad you have reached the Butterfly Realm. You aren't a good meal for me."

"Noo! Noo!!" the elder started to struggle when he heard the words. He screamed and fumbled his hands all about, but to no avail. He could not get free under the foot. "I love to see the last struggles of my meal. Now you are going to die. Let me tell you the truth. I trained you because you had the talent, true. But not to fight for me, but to eat your meat, after you have reached a certain level. Now the time has come you fulfil your purpose...kekeke…"

"Nooo!!" 

"Crunch~ Crunch~"

Inside the room the sound of crunching sounded as the man dug his teeth inside the flesh of the elder. The man screamed and begged and cursed, then his eyes lost their luster, becoming dull. The prey laid on the ground lifeless while the hunter munching over it, blood dripping from hands and mouth, and meat grinding through his blood teeth.