Corrupt Creations

Third Shadow was the one with the highest authority on this operation, so he could decide who would take part on it and who wouldn't. He started to slowly walk towards Seth with a thin smile on his lips while thinking he was still one of them. 

"I don't know how you were able to found out what was happening here, but I have the rights to decide anything in this operation. I order you to leave immediately. Master Velgor is going to decide how to split the loot we are going to obtain from that chamber. He didn't want you taking part on this and his orders are supreme." 

Seth was crouching down beside Huo Shihong's body. He could clearly hear Yuyin wails and sobs of despair, but he wasn't able to even look towards her. The guilt and shame were gnawing on him from the inside. 

That guilt started to stimulate the Crimson Light, triggering many more emotions that were being suppressed by that drowning feeling of guilt. 

Seth raised his head to see the distant figure of Third Shadow approaching, and when he saw that smile on his face, all the guilt he was feeling was fed to the rage and hatred that suddenly bloomed. He stood up but didn't do anything, only kept looking at Third Shadow approaching figure. 

The man in front of him was one of the most powerful lackeys under Velgor command, a Profound Mana middle-stage Ream cultivator that had inherited the Shadow Demon bloodline just like himself. 

Seth knew about his strength and many more facts about Third Shadow, since he was one of the people who gave him those sessions of hellish training, that still were giving him nightmares until today. 

"What are you going to do?" Third Shadow kept approaching casually, but inwardly he felt that something was off. Seth attacked Seventh Shadow and carefully handled Huo Shihong's body. Those were incongruous signs from a person that was on their side. 

Seth didn't say anything, but he was almost losing control already. The blood inside his veins were pulsing with Crimson Corrupted Energy, making it almost unbearable to suppress the impulse of attacking right now. 

Third Shadow stopped in front of him and said: "Actually, even if you stay and participate in this, nothing is going to change. I doubt we would be able to find a decent loot in this weak and filthy place, where the strongest practitioner was a Mana Perception Realm trash." 

Seth was giving his all to not attack yet. However, Third Shadow continued to talk. 

"I don't know why you did what you did, but you don't need to worry though... We will make sure to end the suffering that little lady standing behind the barrier is going through right now." 

Boom! 

Seth's aura exploded and almost as if it was instantly, thousands of dark red spikes appeared in the air behind him. They were pulsing in an unholy red energy, that gave the chills in whoever that looked at them. 

Third Shadow suddenly felt the explosive aura Seth release and he was now certain that there was something wrong with Seth. However, he didn't panic after feeling Seth's aura, he just releases his own aura, resisting Seth's pressure. He was a Profound Mana middle-stage Realm cultivator and he would never fear someone with less cultivation than himself. But he got impressed after realizing that Seth's aura was a bit strange. It was certainly at the Mana Control peak-stage Realm, but it seemed to be way stronger. 

Third Shadow stared towards all those spikes hovering in the air and turned his head to look at Seth. Those spikes would be better described as drills, since there was a reddish violent energy making them spin endlessly. 

"Are you really going to defy Master Velgor's orders?" 

Seth didn't answer him, he just suddenly sent all those spikes down on Third Shadow, trying to put thousand plus holes in his body. They descended with ferocity and haste, trying to not give his enemy any time to escape or defend. 

However, Third Shadow was an old and strong Pure Blood. He wasn't a common enemy, but one of the strongest Pure Bloods from the Demon Territory. 

His red eyes shone with darkness and he instantly created more than a thousand dark spikes using his Mana, imitating Seth's move, since they both could use it. But his spikes were made of pure darkness and didn't contain that crimson glow Seth's spikes had. 

He sent them forward to meet the drills that were descending towards him. 

Swish! Swish! Swish! Swish! Swish! Swish! 

Those spikes kept colliding against each other, getting destroyed mutually. That scene kept repeating for almost thirty seconds till every single one of them were destroyed. 

Third Shadow furrowed his eyebrows after he realized he wasn't able to get the upper hand even though his spikes were made with a stronger energy than Seth's spikes, since he was from a higher realm of power. 

Just as that first barrage ended, Seth's figure disappeared from his sight, merging with the shadows nearby. 

'Shadow Walk? Heh!' Third Shadows' body vanished, disappearing amidst the shadows just like how Seth had just done. 

Ting! 

Suddenly, the sound of two daggers hitting each other echoed as they clashed in a single fraction of a second, before vanishing inside the shadows once again. 

Ting! Ting! Ting! 

Many more clashes happened in a quick succession, leaving behind dark shockwaves that destroyed the ground where they were. The speed of their fight kept increasing until it reached a point that Seventh Shadow wasn't able to accompany them with his eyes anymore. 

Seventh Shadow couldn't believe Seth was able to last this long against a powerhouse of a higher realm of strength. He was sure that if it was him, he would have lost already. 

Ting! 

Suddenly Third Shadow decided to execute the second step of his Shadow Walk, appearing behind Seth as if he had teleported there. He didn't have a dagger made of darkness in his hand, but a darkness orb. 

He pushed the dark orb towards Seth's back, but when he was about to touch him with it, Seth's silhouette disappeared just like him, appearing behind him, doing the same thing he did. 

Although Third Shadow was impressed that Seth was able to achieve the Second Step of the Shadow Walk skill, he already imagined it was possible. When he saw Seth disappearing, he was already ready to immediately react to his attack. 

Third Shadow turned around, thrusting his dark orb towards the figure that had appeared there. 

Boom! 

A loud explosion destroyed everything around the place his target was, decimating it thoroughly and burying it in darkness. A Specter of Darkness turned into mist, vanishing inside the area of effect of his orb of darkness. Third Shadow suddenly realized that he had actually hit a figure made o shadows and not the real deal. However, he didn't have time to recompose himself, before feeling a presence right behind him. 

Seth was holding an orb of darkness, ready to attack him the same way he did. Third Shadow had never seen the ability he used some seconds ago and that gave him the advantage of the surprise factor. 

Bang! 

Third Shadow was forced to defend against that attack, since it was certainly going to hit him. He used both his arms as a shield to absorb the impact, but even so, he was dragged backwards while being pushed by the dark storm caused by the explosion. 

His body moved a hundred meters from the place he was initially, suffering small injuries on both his arms, but inwardly, he felt like he had lost face. Apart from that, there were no grave wounds on anywhere on his body. 

Seth looked at him and realized he was resistant against darkness. It wouldn't be wise to spend his Mana while executing dark attribute techniques if they were to cause less damage, so he decided to stop trying to use it. He was in an environment filled with fire element and that is what he was going to use from now on. 

Fifth Shadow and Seventh Shadow arrived beside Third Shadow while looking at him with a bit of uncertainty and shock. 

"How...?" 

"I don't know. However, he is almost at my level of strength if not already at my level. I have to say that even Master Velgor may have miscalculated his real prowess. If not for that, how could he stand so much time in a fight against me? Actually, he must've been hiding his powers, else Master Velgor would have already cut that dangerous variable. Actually, he is already under "that" power and there is not much he will be able to do even if he tried to." 

"I agree." 

"True. He is doomed even though he doesn't know about it." 

"Brothers, we don't have the entire day to explore this place, so how about we join hands to take him down? You can use your full power, just don't kill him or severe any of his limbs. Master Velgor won't be bothered if he is badly hurt. He would only not like if one of those extreme case scenarios happened." Third Shadow was the one to propose that.. He was getting a bit anxious after not being able to obtain the upper hand and decided to let his brothers help him out.