Legacy of Hatred-Chapter 144: Special

Liam blinked multiple times, but his eyes had nothing to do with the picture. He was staring at the wall on the other side of the basement, but something far more impure and warm filled his vision.

For some reason, Liam felt hot in his cheeks, shy and inexplicably guilty, but also unable to shake off that image from his head, nor to stop peeking at it.

Everything Liam knew told him that what he was imagining was wrong, that it was bad to picture Melissa in such a state.

Yet, Liam also felt drawn to that picture, wanting to look at it nonstop, even craving to do much more. He had realized the touching part after concocting with Melissa at his side for almost a month, but the urge was far deeper now.

’Is this another side effect of the Primal Urge?’ Liam wondered, feeling feverish, connecting that to an illness. ’Is it because of the healing pill?’

Liam shook his head and rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand, calming down a bit. However, that picture now existed in his mind, and it kept flashing in his vision whenever he tried not to think about it.

Of course, Liam was too simple to let such doubts fester. That wasn’t even the busy time in his cave, and he was with someone who could answer his questions.

"Mitchell, can I ask you something?" Liam called. He would have normally waited to ask Melissa directly, but that strange, inexplicable sensation was a hundred times more intense now, compelling him to seek help.

"Of course, Senior," Mitchell instinctively responded, still refusing to turn.

"I’m imagining one of my Sisters without clothes," Liam revealed. "Why is that? Am I ill?"

Mitchell couldn’t believe his ears. He had never gotten the chance to learn about Liam’s social shortcomings, and his opinion of him had only skyrocketed despite being high in the first place.

Mitchell could never consider that a foundation expert who had just done the impossible could be clueless about intimate matters. So, after plenty of mental gymnastics, he saw Liam’s question as a test of his demeanor.

"Even the greatest hero is still a man," Mitchell declared. "Such thoughts are natural for men, but they distinguish themselves from beasts by not letting them rule their lives."

"What?" Liam questioned, completely lost at the gibberish that reached his ears.

Mitchell tensed up, panicking. It seemed he had misunderstood Liam’s intentions. Maybe Liam was truly looking for advice, which Mitchell connected to the cultivation journey’s conflicting nature when it came to such a heroic figure.

A cultivator’s duty was to cultivate. Those possessing great talent even had a moral obligation to reach higher stages. It would be an insult to the Heavens that had given them that potential otherwise.

Yet, cultivators were also humans. They could elevate themselves beyond their natural standing, but their most basic instincts wouldn’t just disappear, creating a conflict with that duty.

Mitchell could only imagine how much worse that conflict was for Liam. He was a miraculous talent carrying the title of perfection, but he was also a man with affections.

Of course, all that only existed in Mitchell’s mind, but it still prompted him to ask a more humane, personal question.

"Senior, do you have a special relationship with this Sister?" Mitchell questioned.

Liam diverted his gaze in thought, the many times Melissa had touched him, the hug, and the two kisses rushing through his memory, leading to an undeniable response. "I do."

"Then Senior is blessed," Mitchell claimed, "Deservingly so. While all men harbor such impure impulses, it’s perfectly justified to think of your special one in that way." 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

’Do all men really think like this?’ Liam wondered, finding some truth in that due to Melissa’s life story, while also noticing an issue. ’But Lucy and I also had a special relationship. Why is it different with Melissa? Why is it only her?’

That interaction didn’t bring clarity, but it convinced Liam that it was time to ask Melissa directly. He had warned her, and he would have done that already if he had the time, but his mind had gone too far now, making it a priority.

Liam felt too guilty about what his imagination had concocted anyway, so he had to come clean with Melissa. That was what his poor social experience told him was the right thing to do.

Sharing the issue with Mitchell allowed Liam to put the matter aside, or at least stop thinking about it nonstop. Liam could refocus on Cecilia, still seeing her as nothing but prey, to do an inventory of her belongings.

The first thing that stood out was another rank 2 glass shard, at which Liam drew his knife and wielded it as best as he could to slam it on the item.

Cecilia and the Crimson Warrior Sect probably were the masterminds behind that ploy, but two more enemy teams were still around, and Liam couldn’t risk another battle in his condition.

The splinted and buddy-taped fingers and Liam’s lingering weakness didn’t make the stabbing easy, but the glass shard eventually gave in, shattering into multiple pieces.

As for everything else, Cecilia didn’t have anything spectacular or much in general, which made sense. If she did, she would have used it against Liam.

Also, that scarcity matched what Cecilia had revealed. Liam killing her three Junior Brothers had damaged her reputation, making her Sect unwilling to provide resources.

Liam only found three rank 2 Qi Recovery elixirs and the tuning fork that launched those explosive rings. Her pouch had been pretty empty, but it was in good condition, so Liam took it, too.

’What should I do with this?’ Liam considered, bringing the rank 1 fork under his gaze. ’It can be useful, but maybe I’m better off trading it.’

Liam didn’t want to waste his still-recovering Qi binding the magical item. The latter could have conditions, and its use was quite peculiar. It could also require practice, bringing no immediate advantage.

’I’ll put this off for now,’ Liam quickly decided, bringing his new findings to the items he had emptied on the floor earlier, stuffing everything into Cecilia’s pouch.

Liam had used his entire arsenal, and many of his elixirs had broken, but the new pouch almost reached full capacity since he had lost his robe as additional storage space.

Yet, Liam took the issue for granted now, straightening himself and casually igniting the pipe, blowing smoke away from Mitchell, before addressing that still-turned cultivator.

"Mitchell, I need you to do something," Liam called, circling Mitchell so that he could appear in his view. As for the pipe, Mitchell had seen him use poison, so it was pointless to hide it.

"Anything, Senior!" Mitchell resolutely declared, only to lower his head in shame when he realized that he had shouted again.

Liam had switched to his hunter mindset, so he disregarded that minor issue. He only considered the state of his team and what each piece could do.

"I don’t know if someone else is coming here," Liam explained. "I need you to find my Senior Brothers or reunite with your team. It’s almost the sixth day, so it might be time to group up."

Mitchell agreed with the idea. It was his team’s strategy in the first place, but he found a flaw in Liam’s iteration.

"Senior, I can’t leave you alone in your condition," Mitchell argued. "I must guard over you."

"There are no magical beasts here," Liam pointed out, "And there’s nothing we could do if another rooting expert arrives."

"But the Scorching Sun Sect and the Crimson Warrior Sect’s foundation experts might still be in the area," Mitchell reminded.

"I’ll hide soon," Liam promised. "I just have that something to do alone first. You can call for reinforcements in the meantime since I can’t travel in my condition."

The pickle that the previous explosion had saved Mitchell from returned, albeit in a far easier-to-swallow manner.

Liam was right. Calling for reinforcements was the best plan of action, and Mitchell was the only one capable of making the journey. He even knew where his team was.

Besides, the area looked safe. Aside from the lack of magical beasts, no one else had arrived despite the noise of the battle, which had happened a couple of hours ago.

Liam might truly be better off there after all.

"Senior, I shall return with reinforcements as soon as possible," Mitchell promised, performing a solemn bow.

"If it’s not a problem," Liam added, nodding at the four pouches on the floor, "Carry those with you. You can split them with your Seniors, too. I feel bad that I haven’t shared anything."

Mitchell lifted his head, feeling profoundly ashamed to have hesitated to listen to a hero capable of such genuine kindness. He quickly put the pouches on his back, speaking as his life was on the line.

"I swear I’ll fight so that the Pale Moon Sect can keep them all!" Mitchell cried. "Senior, wait for me! I’ll prove that your trust wasn’t misplaced!"

"Remember to be silent and alert," Liam warned. "There are still the magical beasts out there."

That additional worry dealt a fatal blow to Mitchell’s heartstrings. He would be swearing eternal alliance to Liam if he hadn’t more pressing matters at hand. So, he bowed again, jumping out of the basement as soon as he straightened.

’He won’t die, right?’ Liam asked, looking in the direction of Mitchell’s departure, his worry for that unlikely ally genuine. ’Though, it’s safer to send him away while I’m like this.’

Liam was in no condition to lead or protect anyone. Allowing Mitchell to reunite with his Seniors was the safest option for him, and he didn’t risk being too loud with no one to talk to.

’And the thing I want to find is ...’ Liam thought, the matter putting an end to his conflict, adding cold tones to his face.

Cecilia’s interruption hadn’t made Liam forget about his goal. He still had one of the Rising Waterfall Sect’s marks to cross, as well as finding how and why that place was connected to the Ancestral Beasts.