The other two frantically explained, “Mr. Sparrow, we didn’t search the young man. You can ask him about it. Both of us didn’t do anything at all!” Konce, with half his face swollen, lowered his head like a child who was being reprimanded.
The haughty air he had put on earlier was now nowhere to be seen. Jared was amused by that sight. In Ethereal Realm, it always came down to the survival of the fittest. Faced with absolute power, even the most arrogant of men would turn into cowards.
“If I ever find out that you’re committing robbery around Jipsdale again, I’ll destroy your divine souls. Now, get lost!” Hester barked.
“Yes, yes…”
With that, the three men fled without even looking back. “Thank you very much, Mr. Sparrow. Your timing was impeccable!” Jared came forward to express his gratitude..
“I was also drawn here by the strange phenomenon. I could feel the intense demonic aura contained within it. It couldn’t be coming from whatever you’re holding, could it?” Hester asked.
“It’s the emerald badge. All I did was drop my blood to claim ownership and that phenomenon occurred,” Jared answered honestly.
He wasn’t afraid that Hester would seize his belongings. Given that they were on the same side, the latter would definitely not harm him.
“It seems the emerald badge is more than just a key to some hidden treasure. You’d better be more careful once you leave Jipsdale. I won’t be able to keep an eye on you anymore,” Hester reminded.
Jared nodded. “Thanks for the reminder, Mr. Sparrow. I’ll keep that in mind.”
Once Hester was gone, Jared and his companions quickly moved on. The phenomenon that had just occurred would definitely attract many more curious onlookers, bringing along unnecessary trouble.
“Vasily, what’s with the emerald badge? Why does it contain such a strong demonic aura?” Jared asked Vasily.
“I’m just as clueless as you are, Mr. Chance. When the treasure was being built, I heard that many of the construction workers were demon spirits. At that time, they were already treated as undesirables. Many of them fled to the far north which was the territory of the Archaic Body cultivators. There, they were captured and forced into slave labor.
When the treasure was completed, the Demonic Cultivators were all killed in order to keep its location a secret. Anyone found giving refuge to Demonic Cultivators would be punished and hunted down. But all these are just rumors I heard. I’m actually not really clear about what exactly happened,” Vasily said in detail to Jared.
Jared retrieved the emerald badge to examine it closely. If what Vasily says is true, many soul remnants of Demonic Cultivators must have been sealed within it when they were massacred.
“Since the far north belongs to Archaic Body cultivators, what has the Tall family got anything to do with it?” Jared asked.
Vasily sighed. “The Tall family settled there. after us and only has a history of a few hundred years. However, their powerful techniques allowed their strength to grow rapidly and them to gradually take over our territory. Thereafter, they began to slaughter our people and make us their slaves. Despite the fierce resistance we put up, my people were no match for them at all.
We were forced to hide in even colder places. Sadly, the Tall family continued to bear down on us. In order to get their hands on the treasure, they cut off our supplies so that we would be forced into submission. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have needed to come all the way here to Jipsdale to fight in the arena just to obtain supplies.”
Vasily spoke in a deep and grim tone, concerned about the fate of Archaic Body cultivators.