Refining the Heavens (炼天)

Chapter 99: Double Agents

After confirming what they wanted to know from these men, Kairos' group flew into action. Their only concern was the distance between their targets might render the poisonous smoke less effective.

The reason the boys backed up to each other, shoulder touching shoulder, was to lure them in. Afterwards, things were easy.

The colour and smell of the smoke and the initial symptoms of losing one's internal Ki are all exact matches with the effects of common 'body weakening powder' (软骨散), but the actual powder that was used is actually the harmless 'relaxing body powder' ('松骨散) combined with several other compounds.

The irony of it is that the effects of the relaxing body powder actually help alleviate stress when inhaled, and it allows a person to have a good night sleep.

Any person in Saint Empire would have known that these two powders have a similar effect initially but should be able to differentiate between them instantly.

Unfortunately, after tempering the compound with dyes and perfume, even these veterans were deceived.

They did not realise that the actual poison in the smoke is something else entirely.

Before they set off, they have requested Helena for something that could render B or even A rankers helpless for a moment. She suggested a special type of 'body weakening powder' that she created a long time ago in the north. This new poison is something rare and unheard of here in Saint Empire, and she named it as the 'counter-antidote weakening powder'.

Just as its name states, it will only cause the body weakening effects when the specific antidote is taken.

The fifteen of them sat down weakly in lotus cultivation position, trying to slow down the effect of the poison. Many of them started weeping, regardless male or female, while the rest became ghastly pale when they realised that they have already lost. Being caught by the enemy, they know that it's the end for them.

Even if the boys set them free now, they will probably be discarded for losing to children.

At this moment, their hearts are completely filled with grievances. Although they may be trained to do the dirty work of the Devilheart family, this is a recent arrangement, made only five years ago and it couldn't be helped that they would feel this way.

All of them came from a poor background, they were either young orphans, slaves or even children sold from poor families to the Devilheart family. From an early age, they are forced to learn martial arts and to become the fighters of the Devilheart family.

Since they are of poor talent, they are only trained to be the family guards, and that requires them to fight and die for their masters' sake. However, as they grow older, their limitation in cultivation became more obvious, and at the age of 25, they begin their training as Death warriors.

After reaching the age of thirty, those that still have not attained A rank, and therefore their lifespan would not be extended a level, would slowly weaken with time, becoming old and feeble.

The Devilheart family calls slaves like these 'Discardable tools'.

In order words, they are convenient possessions of the family whose lives did not matter, groomed to take on dirty roles that must not be linked back to the family. But this does not mean that they have become fearless to death.

"You guys have two choices right now," Kairos spoke up when he saw their faces are filled with despair, "The first choice. You die. Even if I let you go, you know that you are finished.

Second choice. From today onwards, you will belong to the Snowdrifts, and I will also impart onto you a more suitable cultivation method that would bring you a step further than now. Once you break past your bottleneck, you will be able to leave this life of being a Death Warrior."