Reborn as a Demonic Tree

Chapter 434: (Interlude) A Confrontation

Lyriana Silverspire frowned at the golden hairpin she was twirling between her fingers. “Why didn’t Sebastian answer me?” She muttered as she fiddled with the artifact inlaid with emeralds. It was a long-range communication artifact that she had used to converse with her son’s attendant many times, and he had never failed to answer her until now.

After trying a few times to call him and not getting an answer, she’d resorted to sending a recorded message. “He must not bring Ryker back here.” Her piercing eyes flickered to the doorway as she rose from her seat, “It’s already too late for me, but he can still live a long life.”

The doorway flung open, and a silver-haired man breathing heavily supported himself on the door frame, “Lyriana, we can’t hold them back—”

“I know. Stop being a fool and stand down. It’s me they are after.” Lyriana said, “Don’t look at me like that. There’s no need for unnecessary casualties by fighting the inevitable.”

The man stared at her wide-eyed, “You’re going to stay? That’s suicide—please, Lyriana, just think for a moment. If not for yourself, what about Ryker? Flee this place while you still can.”

Lyriana shook her head, “Ryker is in good hands. I’m not going to flee, so give up.”

“Lyriana—You’re our beloved cousin who raised our tiny side branch to one of utmost importance within the family. We will lay our lives down for you. Please, let us do this last duty and flee. You and I both know that if you perish, we are destined to follow you into the afterlife regardless.”

Lyriana sighed. She could see the unfaltering determination of a man who had accepted his death. Yet, instead of backing down, she mirrored his resolve with her own.

“I will not run. My airship is no faster than the other wives’ airships, and I certainly can’t outrun them should that Monarch Realm councilman return. I understand our survival is looking slim, and you want to feel heroic laying down your life for me, cousin. But that’s simply not going to work. Let me try to talk to them; perhaps a solution can be found.”

“A solution? We saw them all enter a meeting without you, and now they are marching through the hallways with an army of guards. Whatever reason they have, they are coming for blood.” The man tensed as he looked her dead in the eyes, “Your blood.”

“If my blood will paint these walls, then so be it,” Lyriana said with finality.

The man’s head drooped and seemed to be debating his options. He smiled reluctantly as he raised his head again and met her gaze. “Stubborn until your last breath, cousin. Fine. If that is your wish, then so be it,” he turned and shouted down the corridor, “Everyone, stand down. Let them pass and have an audience with Lyriana.”

“Thank you, cousin.” Lyriana smiled.

The man grimaced, “Don’t die on us, Lyriana. Maybe there’s still a way out of this,”

Lyriana chuckled, “I appreciate the optimism.”

The door clicked shut, and Lyriana was left alone in her room once more. However, through her spiritual sense, she knew that wouldn’t be the case for long. Sighing, she looked at herself in the mirror. Surging Qi down her silver hair, the left side cascading freely behind her ear coiled up into a tight bun by itself. She then slotted the hairpin artifact into the bun to secure it.

She didn’t like the ridiculous amount of jewelry she adorned, but they were part of her power. Her family branch wasn’t famed for deep knowledge of daos like the other three wives, who had perfected the combination of metal affinity and other daos for generations. What had earned the interest of the Grand Elder was her talent for making artifacts. Each piece of jewelry, including the gem crown infused into her forehead, was an artifact she’d made.

However, creating artifacts was an incredibly costly endeavor, as their effectiveness was directly linked to the materials used in their creation. That’s why she had pursued the Grand Elder and relied so heavily on him.

“In the end, it was all for nothing.” Lyriana smiled bitterly. All the scheming, politics, and pursuit of her craft… she had worked herself to the bone for herself and the betterment of those around her. As a mother, she wanted Ryker to have the best opportunities, yet the best she could manage for him was gathering her measly life savings and sending him off to Darklight City.

Yet, somehow, it seems to have all worked out. Through a lucky encounter in that backwater mining city, this strange Ashfallen Sect seems to have turned him into a sleeping dragon. Lyriana closed her eyes and hummed to herself. How I wish I could live to see the day of his return. The look on the other wives’ faces and the adoration for Ryker from the Grand Elder. I’d be so proud.

Unfortunately, she would never see such a sight. Her death drew near, and she had told Sebastian to keep Ryker well away from Argentum. With her death likely to be covered up as her having been killed by either the Celestial Empire or the Soul Eater that has been plaguing the lands, there would be no place in this family for Ryker to return to.

Her door was kicked open, and a woman she hated with all her heart strode in like she owned the place.

Zenovia Silverspire, first wife of the Grand Elder. Her suffocating presence flooded the room with a chill that could kill. Her hair, a radiant silver and white, added to her ice beauty appearance. As did her icy blue eyes that glared at her like she was some vermin to be stepped on.

A pretentious bitch, as always. Lyriana thought as her left earring artifact—a soul pressure ward—automatically activated, causing the feeling of burning moonlight to fade. As the matriarch of the Lunarsteel branch of the family, Zenovia possessed extensive knowledge of lunar dao and how to blend it with metal affinity, enabling her metal attacks and soul pressure to carry the frost of the moon. Although Lyriana despised Zenovia, she had to admit it was quite the combination.

If it were only Zenovia who had a problem with her, Lyriana could fend her off. Unfortunately, the first wife brought along an entire entourage, including the second and third wives, a dozen or so Star Core guards, and two of the Celestial Empire’s enforcers. Just when her room was starting to feel quite crowded, the glaring group of cultivators parted to make way for the Elders of the Starweaver family, who were the last to arrive.

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An unsettling silence filled the room, prompting Lyriana to make the first move.

“This is quite the crowd,” Lyriana said as she rested her chin on her palm. “Did I do something wrong—”

A stern-looking Elder from the Starweaver family coldly interrupted her. ”Lyriana Silverspire, you are suspected of betraying the Silverspire family.”

“That’s quite an accusation coming from an outsider,” Lyriana tilted her head. “On what grounds do you accuse me of such a thing?”

“You are affiliated with the Ashfallen Sect, are you not?” The man continued without pause.

Lyriana studied the Starweaver Elder’s expression and concluded there was no point in lying. If he was genuinely asking the question, he wouldn’t have such intent in his gaze nor have assembled such a large group to suppress one person.

“Affiliation?” Lyriana pretended to think deeply. “I’ve never met or spoken with them directly,” she said after a pause. It was the truth. She had only heard about them through Sebastian. “But I do know of them.”

The Starweaver Elder stepped forward. His eyes were like swirling galaxies as he scrutinized her for a moment. After an unsettling long pause, he scrunched his face in a mixture of disgust and disappointment. “I hoped you would tell the truth.” He reached forward with his gnarled fingers and pulled the hairpin artifact from her hair. “But it seems you will lie until the end.”

Lyriana grabbed his wrist with a vice grip and narrowed her eyes, “I’m no liar, but you are a thief.” She twisted his arm and forced him to let go of the hairpin. “Now tell me, what makes you so sure I’m a liar to the point of disrespecting me to this extent?”

The Starweaver Elder nursed his hand with a cruel smile. He stepped aside, and a short girl with black hair streaked with blue and gold took center stage.

“Tell them, Celeste, who controls Darklight City?” The Starweaver Elder said, and the girl glanced around curiously as if she wasn’t sure what was happening.

“The Ashfallen Sect, I believe?”

The Starweaver Elder nodded knowingly, “And did you meet anyone from the Silverspire family while there?”

Celeste pondered momentarily before nodding, “A small child, I think?”

The Starweaver Elder glanced at Lyriana and said, “Your son Ryker was sent to Darklight City by chance as part of your familyʼs succession competition. This is knowledge known by everyone here.” He smirked, “What is lesser known is who your son became business partners with. Tell them, Celeste, who did you see Ryker walking around with?”

Celeste shrugged, “Stella Crestfallen and the other important people in the Ashfallen Sect.”

That caused a stir among everyone present, especially the Celestial Empire Enforcers who had accompanied the wives into her room. They exchanged glances, and it seemed they were communicating silently.

Why did the name of the Murder Princess that Ryker referred to as his big sister, earn such a reaction from the Celestial Empire, of all people? Lyriana thought, managing to maintain a straight face, but inside, she was in turmoil. This was truly the worst-case scenario. If her son was seen as an accomplice to an enemy of the Celestial Empire, he would be hunted down like a dog until the edge of the realm.

“It would seem the Ashfallen Sect has more enemies than I expected.” The Starweaver Elder mused as he stroked his chin and side-eyed the Celestial Empire Enforcers.

Lyriana glanced at everyone present. She understood why Selene, the third wife, was glaring at her with hatred. A flying demon sword, said to be controlled by the All-Seeing Eye—the deity worshiped in the Ashfallen Sect—had just slaughtered her son.

“Forgive my ignorance,” Lyriana said as she took the offensive, “but why are you here, Elder Starweaver? In light of recent events, the animosity toward the Ashfallen Sect within my family is understandable, but how does this concern you?”

The Starweaver Elder chuckled. “Oh, it concerns us all right. The deity and leader of the Ashfallen Sect are one and the same—a murderous demi-god that gains power through slaughter. Don’t you understand? The Nightrose family was just the beginning, a mere stepping stone to realm domination. We are all next, including the Celestial Empire. This is not an entity that can be reasoned with; only by working together can we persevere.”

Lyriana couldn’t help but frown. That ran entirely contrary to what she had been told by Sebastian. “Your proof is?”

“Proof?” The Elder snorted. “The proof is standing right before you. Not only do the threads of fate whisper of the realm’s demise, but it has already begun. Our Grand Elder worked alongside the Ashfallen Sect to conquer Nightrose City, and once the battle was over, he was betrayed and killed. That is why I stand before you today in his stead.”

Lyriana crossed her arms. “Right, what does that have to do with me? Are you suggesting my five-year-old son is to blame for the actions of this demi-god being? He was sent to a backwater city to make as much money as possible for a chance to inherit his father’s Silver Core, so naturally, he would befriend the regional power. Even though he’s seen with this Stella Crestfallen girl, I doubt he is aware of or responsible for what’s happening.”

Zenovia stepped forward with two Star Core Realm guards in tow. There was a look of amusement dancing in her gaze. “You’re correct, Lyriana. You likely have nothing to do with the death of the Starweaver Grand Elder or the butchering of Selene’s son.” Despite the reassuring nature of her words, her tone was like ice. “However, your son is the best lead we have to get at the Ashfallen Sect.”

“What are you doing?” Lyriana asked as the two guards summoned wooden chains inlaid with Qi-suppressing runes and began wrapping them around her. She wanted to resist, but that would give them a perfect excuse to execute her on the spot, and she was outnumbered thirty to one.

“Consider this insurance,” Zenovia chuckled. “We don’t want our prized bait to get any ideas and think she can escape when someone isn’t looking.”

“Bait?” Lyriana said as she tried to resist the wooden chains.

“Rejoice, Lyriana! Your talentless son is finally going to be of some use to the world,” Zenovia smirked before turning away, “He will come back to save his dear mommy with the help of the Ashfallen Sect. Isn’t that sweet?”

“You’re sick in the head,” Lyriana spat to the side and glared at the back of Zenovia’s head.

“I prefer the term resourceful,” Zenovia replied without looking back. “Take her to the meeting hall.”

Lyriana swayed side to side as the two guards lifted the chair to which she was bound and paraded her out of her own room and through the hallways of her home. Everyone followed Zenovia like lost ducklings, stealing glances at her as if she were some kind of demon spawn.

Servants and youngsters of the family curiously watched the parade from behind half-opened doors or around corners. Hushed whispers tickled her ears, and they were all nonsense.

It sufficed to say that Lyriana felt slightly angered by the whole situation. She tried to maintain her composure, but her blood was boiling with rage. If not for the chains sapping away her Qi and soul presence, she would surely be bathing the parade in her bloodlust.

As she finally entered the main hall, nearly fifty Star Core Realm Enforcers from the Celestial Empire greeted her with their intense gazes. They stood along the walls like silent statues. The air was thick with an unseen pressure, and the sound of wood hitting stone was deafening as she was set down and positioned before the floating demon sword. It was truly massive, suitable for a titan. Although calling it a sword felt inaccurate. The veins along its length pulsed as if alive, and the warped spatial formation trapping it barely contained the aura of slaughter that swirled around the sword like a bloodied mist. It reacted to her presence, the mist condensing into tendrils that seemed to curl and twist against the formation.

Zenovia came up behind her and ripped out her hairpin.

“Bitch, give that back.” Lyriana snapped, all her decorum gone.

Zenovia hummed in amusement as she inserted Qi into the hairpin, causing the emeralds to glow a sickly green. Once the connection was established, she held it before her and smiled. “Now speak. Beg him to come save you.”

Lyriana did no such thing. Her lips parted, and with a soft whisper, she said. “Mother loves you. Don’t come back here for me, my son. Run, run as fast as you can for the stars. I’ll see you on the other side.”