Celestial Peak

Chapter 475: Pained Scream

"So, from our agreements all those years ago. You must tell me if you have more than three pairs of wings." Dulir asked remembering their timely promise that's only fulfilled every nine years.

"I do indeed have more than three pairs of wings." Roan obliged to their promise. 

They reached the basement. A place several hundreds of meters large. It was a wine cellar left by Dulic's wife to him a long time ago.

When the both of them reached the basement, Roan's eyes glimmered with joy as hundreds of barrels of wines were laid out before him and in one corner, there was a separated one hundred black barrels.

Roan approached these hundred black barrels and opened them without hesitation. The aroma wafted over to him gently.

"Hooah, these batches have a much sweeter scent than before." Roan leaned in closer to the opened cask of alcohol to take a deeper sniff of the product, "Hmmm, oh yeah, it's even stronger than before. Did you change an ingredient?"

"Hmmm? No, of course not! Though I did encounter a Hell Aurora Flower that's a hundred years older than I usually used. I thought I'd use it to mess with the hundred batches I would give you, I won't sell that group, anyway."

"So, you use mine as an experimental phase?"

"Yep!"

"That's brilliant!" Roan nodded, pleased at Dulir's decisions, "Father would love this, he's been more tolerant to the alcohol I've been giving him, as well."

"Father? I thought Devils were born from the feathers of the All-Father? Didn't you say you were born from the down feathers of the All-Father?" Dulir was confused.

"Oh, I was lying. Devils with three pairs of wings and below are born from a mother like everyone else. Though there are times when someone with four pairs manages to be born though." Roan explained as he kept the casks away and then began leaving the basement with unhurried steps.

"Wait, wait, wait from your words, are you telling me the All-Father is alive? Did he reincarnate like the Mother of Beasts? Roan! Answer me!" Dulir shouted from below. He could not believe Roan's words. The All-Father was alive, such a revelation said so casually it was actually both confusing and refreshing.

"Nope, I only have pair of wings, right? I was born to a mother and father. Yes, that's right, this Devil King is actually a born genius!" Roan laughed and then stopped, "Something like that."

"Are you messing with me, Roan?" 

"Nope, oh yeah, if you tell anyone about this, I am going to tear your souls asunder and keep you away from reincarnating," Roan said laughing.

"Yeah, yeah, I know."

"Good to know. Oh yeah, I'll answer your question nine years later."

"Is this going to be our Origin Bind this time around?"

"I don't have any more secrets to keep you alive, Dulic, so just accept it. Oh yeah, be sure to make an Oath for this one as well."

"Already ahead of you." Gathering his qi and a fragment of his soul in his right hand's index and middle fingers then placing it on his chest, Dulir spoke in a somber tone, "I Dulir Abract, under the influence of the Origin Essence, I swear to never speak of this information to any living soul other than the Devil Roan."

Dulir drew blood from his right wrist and splattered it on the ground. The blood turned to gold and dissipated into spokes that went directly to Dulir's chest.

"I the Devil Roan, under the influence of the Origin Essence, I swear to answer any question Human Dulir Abrach may have.." He too slit his wrists and spilled blood. 

Circular runes appeared on their chests, embedding on their hearts, the entrance to one's soul. This was the most ancient way to create a pact, the Oath of Origin, and unlike the Heavenly Blood Pact, this does not only result in being struck by lightning but even have their souls rendered and turned to dust returning to the Origin.

This Pact was what Dulir cared about the most because it gives him another reason to live.

"With that, I'll give you the answer when the pact takes effect in nine years, by then, however, you'd have known everything." Roan laughed as he exited the store, he opened the doors and already prepared his farewells to Dulir, when, he saw a man on his knees, waiting for him to walk out of the store outside.

"Oh, great traveler, I know we know not each other but please grant me the greatest honor of tasting the Immortal Seven Wonders Wine. My days are numbered and it would be my greatest honor to at least get a taste of a single drop of this masterpiece. If you wish for compensation, I am willing to give you anything, other than commit evil." It was the young man who had been waiting outside with a dejected face.

Now, the young man bowed before Roan and Dulir his face full of desperation and despair. With his clothes dirtied, he looked pitiful like a lost child.

Dulir looked at Roan, 'Do you know him?'

'No should I give him some? He looks worst than when you almost died from the Serpent Stones Empress.' Roan saw the young man's eyes, lacking in life and filled with nothing but despair, 'Clearly, he had given up on life.'

"I implore you, great men! Provide this insignificant self a chance to taste the"

"Okay! Just shut up and stop creating a commotion." Roan sighed not wanting to draw any more attention to him the kid already has. He flicked his wrist and just gave the kid an entire barrel of wine.

The young man's eyes shone, "Thank you, sir, may I ask what it is that I need to do to repay this great debt?"

"Just, stay quiet and let me leave already."

"I will, thank you very much, Sir Hero!" the young man overjoyed and quickly left to enjoy his drink. When the boy left, however, everyone around him had their eyes wide opened as they saw him disappear from their sights.

Roan turned his head over north and saw a figure keeping the barrel of wine away into a spatial ring, "it can't be, right? No expert would be so shameless"

"What are you talking about, Roan?"

"Ah, nothing, I must go now. I will see you later when you finish selling your wine. I need your "services" for a job." Roan said and then disappeared into the wind, leaving only an empty space where he once stood.

"Leaving without elaborating on the matter, what an asshole" Dulir said as he laughed shaking his head. He entered his shop, searching for the daggers he already kept hidden, "well, better prepare for whatever job this is."

Roan moved quickly and soon arrived at the Arch where the others were waiting for his arrival. 

There, he saw a young man bowing before Chang Ping, on his knees, with several cuts on his face and body, something that was not there previously. With a ragged breath, the young man spoke, "Ma-master, I apologize, it was just I was stalled as I fought abyssal demons on the way here. I tried my best to hurry, yet I failed you nonetheless. I do not deserve to live please, punish m"

The young man's acting was on point, sympathetic, and without flaw, but his face shifted as a man passed him by his mouth agape.

"Roan you have returned, look who finally arrived after three days? Seems like he was fighting three King-Class Abyssal Demons" Chang Ping had long passed the point of being angry, but chose to calm down seeing the First Sword's state.

Roan turned to the First Sword, "Is that so? 

Roan was silent for a time, then, he asked, "We can't use the Spatial Tear at sundown, correct?"

"Yes, why?"

The young man and Roan met gazes. The young man's eyes screamed for mercy.

"I saw him lining up to buy wine."

Roan could hardly care.

That night, Roan and the others had their wines accompanied by pained screams.