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[Tree] Chapter 423: (Interlude) Silverspire Peak
🕑 Added 2025-01-31 14:24:13 +0000 UTCVespera Silverspire, second wife of the Silverspire Grand Elder, stood alone in a courtyard of dancing shadows. Her eyes were closed as she listened to the overhead rumbling of the heavens. It had been days since the divine lightning began enacting its wrath upon the peak, meaning her husband had commenced the final step of ascension.
She had no doubts he would succeed. Selene Silverspire, his third wife, was the Matriarch of the Astral branch of the family. She had a high comprehension of the celestial dao due to her blood relations with the Starweaver family, which gave her insights into the threads of fate.
Due to metal Qi's unique cultivation method of forming metal cores, there was far less friction in learning other daos. Selene had deep insight into cosmic dao, which gave her access to star metal techniques, while Vespera's branch of the family, the Silvernight, specialized in shadow dao, making them adept assassins and wielders of shadow metal.
Selene Silverspire had accurately predicted many things in the past, giving Vespera reason to trust her.
In exchange for her son's life, she told me three truths spoken of in the threads of fate. A soul will be forged in gold. A foreign princess will incite a slaughter, and a prodigy within the family will make themselves known. The first refers to the Grand Elder's ascension to the Golden Core stage. But I don't know of a princess, nor who could be slaughtered. Though, the one I'm truly concerned about is this prodigy. With the inheritance for the Silver Core at stake, I can't afford for another wife's child to outshine my own.
A faint presence cut Vespera's musings short.
"Speak."
A man clad in black emerged from the dancing shadows like a mirage.
"Matriarch of Silvernight, I come bearing news. Your son has returned."
"Where is he now?" Vespera replied without bothering to look at the man. He was part of the Ghost Edge, an elite group of assassins under her.
"His ship has docked in Argentum."
Vespera opened her eyes and squinted at the man, "Why did he land in the capital?"
Argentum was a giant city surrounding Silverspire Peak. Due to how deeply the mountain range they were upon had been mined, it was a multi-layered city going deep into the earth. While Argentum supported many places to dock an airship as the mining industry had to be conducted in faraway lands, they had their own personal dock.
"Trackers," the man gruffly replied.
Vespera's shadow stirred, and two eyes looked at the man. "Have the Ghost Edge escort him here. If anything happens to him, you know the consequences."
"As you command," the man shifted back into the shadows.
"Trackers. I thought this might happen." Vespera clicked her tongue. This place was secret to all except the Silverspire Grand Elder himself. Due to the nature of the inheritance challenge for the Silver Core, her son had to step out of the shadows and into the open to conduct business, making him a target.
Shards of black metal rose from her shadow and floated behind her like a cape of shrapnel as she walked through the courtyard toward a meeting room.
It only took a few hours before Vespera felt a familiar presence.
"Daedrin," she said as a tall young man with jet-black hair streaked with silver stepped out of the darkness.
"Mother," he whispered in return. As a by-product of his intensive training during youth, he could never bring his voice above a whisper or look his mother in the eyes. "I have returned."
"And the trackers?" Vespera stood from her chair and walked over to her boy. She ran a finger down Daedrin's cheek, and he shuddered.
"Killed without a trace." He meekly replied.
"Good boy. Do you know who they were from?"
"They were from Zenovia's branch."
Vespera's finger paused against his cheek, and her face twisted into a vile expression. "Of course, only that bitch would be so brazen to try and harm my boy. Just because she's the first wife. Heavens, I can't wait to skin her alive someday. Say, Daedrin, where is your sister?"
Daedrin opened his mouth to speak but couldn't find the words. He looked at the floor as if seeking comfort in the shadows.
"Daedrin dear," Vespera leaned in and felt his pounding heartbeat against her chest, "You wouldn't hide anything from your Mother now, would you? Where is your sister?"
"She..." he gulped, "Saphira is dead."
Vespera felt the world freeze at that moment. A hundred thoughts flashed through her mind, and uncontrollable emotions erupted. The metal shards in her shadow cried out. Disbelief, denial, anger, rage, and hatred overlapped like a raging storm. She opened her mouth, and a single word escaped her lips.
"Who?"
"I don't—"
"Who was it, Daedrin," Vespera said, her Qi-infused voice cutting the air like knives. "Who. Was. It. Who killed your sister—my daughter? A proud member of the Silvernight branch. I need a name, a face, a description. Now."
"A monster, Mother. A terrifying creature from the beyond. I swear—" words cascaded out of Daedrin's mouth as if he was scared to pause and breathe "—I picked Saphira up from a city near Terraforge Peak. We were traversing the western wilderness when her ship's defensive formations suddenly powered up to full. We didn't know what was happening, and it was already too late by the time we went to investigate."
Daedrin, a man trained to kill since birth, shook like a leaf as he recalled the event. "I tried to save her Mother—we all did. But it was hopeless. That thing cannot be beaten."
Vespera clamped her fingers around Daedrin's throat, "Details, Daedrin. What did this monster look like? How did it kill Saphira?"
Daedrin choked as he replied, "The monster's top half was a mixture of a ghostly woman with translucent eyes and deer antlers. But her legs were a squirming mass of shadow tendrils. It was these she used to attack. They phased right through Saphira's defenses and ripped out her soul."
To Vespera's surprise, Daedrin actually raised his voice higher than a whisper.
"Mother, I saw it all. Everyone was dead, only she was still alive when we boarded the ship. The monster had saved her for last as if she were a dessert. She... she looked at me. Hoping I could save her. I tried. But I was too late! I watched as my sister's soul was devoured. Even if you send me to the gates of hell, I will not find her. Only in the stomach of that monster does she exist now."
Vespera released her grip on her son, and he coughed as he stumbled backward.
"Didn't I inform you to take the long way around the western wilderness!? We already knew something was lurking there!"
"The Ghost Edge had cleared the path beforehand, and we were taking a less direct route toward the east." Daedrin's voice dropped to a whisper, "What we didn't expect was this monster could phase through reality and ignore our defenses. The monster was not something we could fight. It was the spirit of death."
"Could this be the slaughter princess the prophecy spoke of?" Vespera cursed as she turned away from her son and began pacing the courtyard. The loss of her daughter would significantly harm her political power within the family.
I now have as many children as Lyriana. My only advantage is that Daedrin is older and has reached the Silver Core Realm, unlike Ryker, who is only five and likely still in the Iron Core Realm at best.
She turned on her heel and stared at her only remaining child. "Daedrin, how did your business venture go?"
"Quite well," he replied in his usual hushed tone. "I set up an underground bounty-hunting company and secured a few high-end deals before hastily returning here. I highly doubt my other siblings could have set up anything as profitable so quickly."
"For your sake, I hope your words are true," Vespera said with a serious tone, "Because with your dear sister dead, you're the only pawn I have to play. Whoever inherits the Silver Core is guaranteed an effortless path to the Golden Core Realm. Whichever branch of the family inherits the Silver Core will be considered the main branch and assume control over the metal supply. Do you understand?"
"I understand, Mother," Daedrin said wholeheartedly.
Vespera turned to the side as a presence lurked in the shadows.
"Speak."
It was the same man from the Ghost Edge assassins. "Matriarch, your presence is urgently required on Silverspire Peak."
"Why?" She snapped at the man, "Can't you see I'm busy talking to my son here?"
What could possibly be more important than learning of my daughter's death and that the fate of the Silvernight branch hangs in the balance.
"Matriarch, please excuse my intrusion. But the Celestial Empire and the Starweaver family have arrived at our gates and demanded an audience. As the Grand Elder is currently in closed-door cultivation, the duty of attendance falls upon his wives."
Vespera's eyes widened, "The Starweavers, I could understand as we have some close ties to them, but why is the Celestial Empire here?"
"I apologize, but I do not know. The Celestial Empire arrived so suddenly we haven't had a chance to investigate possible causes."
Vespera frowned. "Those bastards are far from home, so their motives can be discerned by the size of their forces."
"The situation is still developing, but as of now, we believe their force to be a small fleet of elite highspeed airships carrying fifty Enforcers and a member of the Celestial Council."
Fifty Enforcers? Vespera couldn't believe what she was hearing. Enforcers were usually elites in the Star Core Realm. Such a number would be enough to wipe out a noble family, and with the involvement of a member of the Celestial Council who was either in the Nascent Soul Realm or Monarch Realm, this force was powerful enough to wipe out a sect.
"Do you think we should flee?" Daedrin asked, bringing Vespera out of her shock.
"No," she flatly replied. "The Celestial Empire hasn't come here for a fight."
"How do you know, Mother?"
"We are still alive, are we not? With a force like that, they wouldn't have bothered knocking at our door first. Either they have demands we must accept, or there's something else I've missed." She tapped her chin, "Fifty Enforcers is one of the largest fleets I've heard of in a long time, but still within the realm of possibility. But a Council member? Just what could require a council member to move? They rarely show much interest or presence out here in the wilderness."
Vespera turned to her son, "I have a job for you."
"Am I not coming with you?" the boy tilted his head.
She shook her head, "No. This meeting doesn't matter as we ultimately have no control over their demands. However, if the Silverspire family comes out of this alive," her eyes narrowed, "I want us to emerge victorious. This is a good opportunity—kill your siblings."
"What—"
"Hush," she put a finger on his lips, "Don't say what—the correct question is who. Just do as Mother says. There's a monster out there that killed your sister without leaving a trace, and there's the most powerful empire knocking at our door. The other branches may panic, but we will focus on the objective."
"The Silver Core."
"Indeed, it seems you have inherited my intelligence, at least," she said, lowering her hand. "Kill your elder brothers and sisters first. Target those from Zenovia's branch."
Daedrin nodded, "What about Ryker?"
"Ryker?" Vespera snorted, "He's only five and was sent off to Darklight City. He's not worth worrying about."
"I'm not so sure, Mother. That kid, he always seemed a little different."
"Oh?" Vespera searched his expression. He seemed unsettled. "An assassin needs to trust their instincts, and looks can be deceiving. Fine, if you want to kill him, go for it." Vespera waved dismissively, "I never liked the twerp and his mother anyways. The Grand Elder obviously has a soft spot for them, so removing Ryker from the occasion will doom Lyriana. After all, without a pawn in the game, she can't even play."
"It's as you say, Mother."
"Good, now go. I have a meeting to attend."
***
Vespera felt an oppressive aura blanketing the entire peak as the black suit of armor she wore to approach stealthily fractured into many shards and retracted into her shadow.
Landing in one of the many courtyards, her sword splintered, joining the suit in the shadow. Checking her robes were immaculate, she strode through a doorway and down a corridor to the main hall.
On the way, she had the misfortune of running into the Grand Elder's favorite little flower.
"Lyriana," Vespera called out.
The regal woman covered from head to toe in clinking jewelry glanced at her. "Vespera, for a branch family focused on stealth, you sure are noisy."
Vespera almost felt a vein pop in her forehead. Somehow, this vile woman got under everyone's skin so effortlessly. However, she usually wasn't so direct.
"And you're just a pretty flower with no thorns," Vespera snapped back.
"Oh, I have thorns," the woman smiled, "But I find thorns work best when kept hidden."
Vespera snorted, "Hidden or not, dull thorns are nothing but bumps."
"Let's stop beating around the bush, dear. It's so very tiresome." The bitch stared at her blankly, "Do you need something from me?"
"What could I possibly need from you? All that talking with you results in is a headache."
"How curious. If I recall, you were the one to call out to me. Are you perhaps a masochist who enjoys being so easily tormented like a child?"
Shards of black metal erupted from Vespera's shadow and paused an inch from Lyriana's neck. "The Grand Elder has no need for a vixen like you."
"Do it." Lyriana stared right at her, "Kill me."
The shards trembled in the air, edging ever closer until they pressed against her slender neck.
"I know you won't." Lyriana narrowed her eyes.
"Oh?" Vespera smirked, "Has Ryker returned yet?"
"No, but he will soon."
"I wouldn't count on it," Vespera recalled her metal and walked past Lyriana. She had no desire to kill the woman as it would be far more satisfying to watch her downfall.
Whether Ryker lived or not, it didn't matter. There was no chance the Silver Core would go to the 7th son.
Comments
Alexey Gladkich
@lp It wasn't stated that they are good at it. In fact, they are bad at lying as they lie all the damn time, and nobody believes them. Shadow cultivators are more of pathological liars.
lp
I assume her second soul does chill there. It will heal and soul and stuff, but won't help her soul get stronger like hunting does, it's not all about soul damage, hs needs to learn the daos of the body, make her soul strong enough to have more control on body and satisfy her hunger.
lp
When was it stated that they are good at lying, sure Nox lied, but most cultivators are like that, or was it specifically mentioned that theya re liars and backstabers? And yes this seems really suspicious, how can he survive running into Nyxalia?
lp
That was Azurecrest family
Alexey Gladkich
@hawkshe there was such a chapter, but she was slaughtering Azurecrests, not Silverspires. The reason I find his account suspicious is that he survived witnessing her. And shadow cultivators are liars - him specializing in shadow dao is a factor. Also, I'd expect her to avoid attacking Silverspires as they have some allegiance with Ashfallen sect.
hawkshe .
Wasn't there a chapter that showed him running into her? I don't remember when it was, or much of what happened, but I could have sworn there was a chapter where Nox killed a bunch of people on a skyship
Ethan Barrow
TFTP!! I am really looking forward to seeing some new metal trees around
Alexey Gladkich
It placed the bounty, but the bounty is local. I doubt that every branch informs of all the bounties worldwide. It'd be just weird and pointless.
Gonvas
Oh yeah, Tiberius was messing with Nox's bounty > Everyone knows that bounty is a joke to keep the Lunarshade family at bay . This is the closest branch to Stella. It's the place that leaked Stella's location to everyone, that gave Ashfallen a divine rank and put it on display for all to see, ... These are not secrets!
Sancturillore -- Élie Simard-Wallot
What? He IS in the silver core realm. It's just that the only Silverspires who know that are his mother and Sebastian.
D.
In my head Ryker was in the starcore realm( silver), but I realize now that he is not
Alexey Gladkich
@Gonvas You treat the Pavilion as some kind of unified organisation. It isn't. It has multiple branches, and wardens can manipulate the information flow.
Alexey Gladkich
@Gonvas [Dead or Alive: Nox Duskwalker] Target’s estimated threat level: Star Core 9 Affiliation with Duskwalker Family: *Nascent Soul Realm 6* [Pending Re-evaluation] Bounty: 30,000 Yinxi Coins. The bounty is placed by The Lunarshade Family. For more information, consult a Lotus Informant. The "pending re-evaluation" was there for a hundred years.
Gonvas
I don't remember an example where the Duskwalker family was considered a NS family in the present. IIRC, the information of the factions is free for all to see. It's on display, there's no paywall. And the empire should have privileged access to it. It should be very, very easy for them to get the general information (Stella and Ashfallen are on Red Vine Peak, they defeated the 2nd and 3rd most powerful sects in the wilderness).
Gonvas
Two points? Golden Core is the GE, Princess is Stella and the prodigy is Ryker.
Alexey Gladkich
@Gonvas Stella collected the bounty from the Celestial warden of the Lunarshade city. Only members of his branch would know the details. The Duskwalker family was still rated as NS 6 hundred years after their Grand Elder perished. While Pavilion keeps a lot of info, most of it is heavily paywalled, to the point that people don't know which questions they should even ask. The general theme in the story is that cultivators are careless and arrogant with information handling.
Gonvas
Wdym unkown? Stella was the one that collected Vincent's bounty. After Vincent's death, if the Pavilion still considers Blood Lotus Sect alive, it should no longer appear as a NS faction. The enforcers were able to communicate with the council and report she's part of a cult. So they definitely had a means of communication that could reach the council from Blood Lotus Sect region. There wasn’t a loss of information here. Even their deaths served as a warning of a powerhouse behind Stella.
Demonlord
Thanks for the nice chapter 😊 Damn the next meeting of all on silverspire peak will be awesome
Alexey Gladkich
@Gonvas But Stella's involvement in it is unknown except in the Lunarshade City. The previous enforcers were killed, and I believe much of the related info was lost with them. What they could find was divination from Starweavers after they arrived at the Bloodlotus Sect, and thus, they all went to Silverspires, but it is still dubious.
Gonvas
That's why I said capture or kill. Chairman wants capture, previously several council members went for the kill. After ch 408 makes sense for them to be even more invested in Stella. The fall of Lunarshade GE and Vincent + Ashfallen being divine rank sect + ... is all public information. The Monarch realms may not care about the details but the people they sent here have to know in order to complete their mission. I believe they went to the Silverspire family because they know the public information but they will try to get some details of a local powerhouse.
Alexey Gladkich
They don't know that Darklight City is the home base of the Ashfallen Sect, as it doesn't make any sense. Why would a worthless mining city be important to such a powerful sect? Or why would they even help Ryker? It contradicts way too much conventional knowledge.
D.
When Ryker is two points of the prophecy and he brings the third...
Alexey Gladkich
Daedrin's account is sus. My guess is that he encountered Nyxalia solo, and to save himself, he offered more souls in exchange - his sister and her entourage. He then set up the trip to get her killed. How come he encountered her solo? Maybe somebody put up a bounty on her, and he decided to try it? I see a rival setting him up for failure via a large lump of gold.
BrotherJohn
You’ve built this up so well. This is peak hype
Sargon Yami
Jesus nox stop eating people just chill under the nine moons
David W. Baijense
No, more like they are ignoring everything from darklight cuz Ryker went there and he's only five.
Daniel Hamilton
I’m curious her first sons about to find out exactly who Ryker is tied to, if he’s gonna make it to the Ash fallen Peak as they’re coming out of the Mystic realms before they leave.
Daniel Hamilton
Imagine what Stella will do to someone who hurts a child under her protection/ sworn little brother
Daniel Hamilton
Oh, this is building up nicely, can’t wait for the next couple chapters. I really hope Knox comes to visit with Stella. That she has been able to ground herself and is all there. Looking forward to what’s going to happen with Ryker now. As much as Stella pretends to detest kids, she’s overly protective of them as seen countless times even if she usually does it on a whim and as Ryker is her sworn little brother… This is going to be phenomenal.
Alexey Gladkich
I don't think "trailers" was the right word here. It left me confused. "Trackers" or "stalkers" would suit better.
Alexey Gladkich
@Gonvas Celestial empire is not monolithic, and many of its members act out of their personal agendas rather than orders of the Chairman. Also, based on the Chairman's discussion with the Celestial Warden, they don't seem to know she is a member of the Ashfallen sect.
Gonvas
They know Stella is in the Blood Lotus Sect and that she's part of Ashfallen Sect. The fall of Vincent is recent but still something the ones involved know. IIRC, it was implied the Silverspire family was the 2nd most powerful family in the sect. So, that makes them the most powerful in the region that aren't allies of Stella. Silverspire also have maintained some relations with the Pavilion (Empire's organisation) despite Vincent's rules. My guess is they main goal is to capture and/or kill Stella (can't recall if the kill order was revoked). They came to the Silverspires looking for information and then to either use them as pawns and/or make them subordinates (if the ring deal is valuable enough).
Xobody18 (Daniel)
thanks for the chapter! ryker go and suprise everyone!
Alexey Gladkich
There could be two reasons for the counsellor's sudden appearance. Stella Crestfallen, Ashlock's Trading Company, or both. They could've figured out Silverspires are involved and decided to question them about the new products.
Basically God
| "Ryker?" Vespera snorted, "He's only five and was sent off to Darklight City. He's not worth worrying about." For a family based on stealth their information gathering skills fucking suck... Literally everyone should have heard about the Ashfallen Sect take over. Yet this fuckwit actually thinks that their HOME BASE isn't of any importance? Clearly she never bothered even looking into why some people didn't return from the meeting or what even happened there so doesn't deserve to win as she'd just get their family destroyed whether due to pissing someone off or simply not being able to sell their rings due to incompetence. Thanks for the chapter~♥
Jkj3000
Welp that was a short lived character
Tara Lanth
Oooo I can't wait sounds like they're really will be a Slaughter
SDCard
Thanks for the chapter!
Gal Anonim
Great chapter! Imagine destruction Ryker would allow Stella to unleash ,should his mother be killed
Wanderer of Worlds
Can this bitch die please?
Ether's Blessed One
Welp, he could have lived, he could have. He just had to dive into the abyss or void considering the bastion.
Gonvas
The plot thickens... 😈
Quentin Cozzi
Thanks for the chapter!
