Chapter 2174 Aftermath The spirit battle was overwhelmingly difficult; Emery's soul was killed several times, and it was only with the external help of King Severus that Emery's soul could revive and continue fighting. After what felt like an eternity of relentless struggle, Emery finally succumbed to sheer exhaustion. When he eventually awoke, he found himself in a comfortable, dimly lit room, with Grand Magus Atika standing nearby. "Master... the battle... where are we? Shinta! How is she?!" Emery's voice was hoarse, his mind still foggy from the ordeal. The grand magus told him to calm down before slowly explaining the situation. Emery had been unconscious for three days. While the battle was over, there were still many issues being discussed among the clan leaders, so they had become guests of the Faulen faction. "As for Shinta, her life is not in danger," Atika assured him, her tone serious. "But she is currently still in treatment." "What kind of treatment? What happened to her?!" Unfortunately, Emery was not allowed to see her before being debriefed by the Faulen staff on the situation. Following Master Atika's advice, he complied with all the requests. During the process, Emery let Annara and his captive Apothecary master out to comply with the procedures. Hours later, one of the Faulen elders took them to their renowned Faulen gene facility Entering one of the special rooms, Emery stood silent as he saw the girl still unconscious inside a tube filled with a glowing, viscous liquid. The sight reminded him all too vividly of the fate that had befallen her mother. Shinta floated within the tube, her eyes closed, and her face pale but peaceful. Various tubes and wires were connected to her, monitoring her vital signs and administering treatment. "Tell me of her condition," "She is stable, but her spirit and body have endured significant trauma. The connection with the patriarch left her in a fragile state. We have placed her in this regenerative chamber to facilitate her recovery. The process will take time, and she will need continuous monitoring." Despite everything Shinta was going through, Emery was relieved to find all her vitals were normal. More than normal, actually; her physique was off the charts, and she had even reached a recent breakthrough in her bloodline rank. "Unfortunately, our leading expert, Grand Master Asclepius, and many of his staff were killed during the chaos," the elder explained, his voice heavy with sorrow. "We are currently still waiting for experts from other clans to come and help." Emery didn't hesitate. "I can help," he offered urgently, revealing his identity as an apothecary master. "Let me assist in her treatment." The elder, however, shook his head. "Given the current situation and the security protocols in place, I cannot grant your request" Before Emery could argue further, the elder explained that he needed to participate in the ongoing post-disaster meeting. Reluctantly, he complied, following the elder to the meeting location. The journey took them through the devastated parts of Faulen city, where the magnitude of destruction was evident. Buildings lay in ruins, the air thick with dust and the scent of smoke. Survivors moved about, salvaging what they could, their faces a mix of determination and despair. The meeting was held in a secret, highly secure chamber, located a hundred miles away from the city to ensure safety and prevent any potential threats during such chaotic times. Upon entering the chamber, Emery was met with a tense atmosphere. The viceroy, and leaders from various clans were present; Queen Ouroboros, the Giant Monarch, the Targaryen King, and others, their expressions grim and resolute. To Emery's surprise, other than Grand Magus Warwick of the Silvermane wolf faction, the famous Supreme figure, Alduin Talon from the Zodiac faction, was also present. "Why is he here?!" Emery muttered under his breath. As Emery listened intently to the discussions, he quickly realized the gravity of the situation. The incident that had brought them all together was not an isolated event but was speculated to be part of a much larger and more sinister plot aimed at controlling or weakening all the half-blood communities. The Zodiac faction leader, Aldun Talon, a symbol of unity among half-bloods, began to reveal the unsettling series of incidents plaguing the half-blood communities. He spoke of incidents that spanned years, each one targeting a prominent half-blood figure. Emery vividly remembered the incident eight years ago when the Alpha King had rampaged through Silvermane city, driven by a book given by mysterious figures. There was also an attack on Bloodsea Ancestor, a respected bat figure. Star Mountain Goat, a revered leader, mysteriously died, and the White Tortoise Sage disappeared. Five out of the twelve half-blood supreme figures had been plotted against in the last decade, a grim tally that spoke volumes of the danger they faced. For the serpent bloodline, the aftermath was catastrophic, resulting in the deaths of three grand magus, and more than 200,000 mortal lives lost. The devastation was profound, casting a dark shadow over the serpent community. In a surprising twist, despite the carnage that slain the formidable hydra, the patriarch's soul managed to survive. Emery watched with astonishment as the serpent supreme revealed himself in a new young clone body of full moon magus realm. Although survived, It was clear that it would take him decades to fully recover his former strength. As the patriarch began to unravel the truth behind the dire situation, the viceroy stepped forward with a glass tube containing a chilling sight: a parasite-like creature resembling a fragment of a human organ, no larger than a fist. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶 "This is the true form of the grand guardian," the viceroy announced solemnly. The patriarch continued, revealing that the culprits introduced him to a grandmaster gene master and tempted him with the promise of fulfilling his lifelong desire: the supreme gene projects. Unbeknownst to him, this seemingly benevolent offer concealed a sinister agenda. His primary objective was to seize control of the patriarch's body during a vulnerable moment, usurping the role of serpent supreme. As a secondary agenda, he aimed to sow discord among the serpent clans, fostering conflicts to weaken them from within. Fortunately, the viceroy remained skeptical and clandestinely warned Queen Ouroboros about the fake body during the conclave. As for the identity of this grand guardian, the patriarch revealed the name of one of the five biggest magus alliance factions. "He came from the Oculus faction," said the patriarch. The fact that the Oculus faction betrayed the alliance five years ago and joined the elves only further illustrates the larger schemes behind their actions.