Heavenly Opposers-Chapter 353 - 352-Scarlet Peak City

Scarlet Peak City slowly came into view like a blooming wound on the horizon.

From the chariot’s front viewing pane, the distant mountain rose from the plains in a jagged spear of crimson rock, its sides streaked with molten lines that glowed faintly even under the afternoon sun. At its base, sheltered within its shadow and wrapped around its slopes, a sprawling city of red-tiled roofs and black stone walls clung to the mountain like a living organism.

The air itself seemed different here: warmer, thicker, laced with faint embers of Fire Qi. As the chariot descended from higher skies, the smell of ash, metal, and distant burning incense reached them like a whisper.

"So that’s Scarlet Peak City..." Raena murmured, her blood-red eyes glinting with interest as she leaned forward, her elbow resting lazily on one knee. "Not bad for a little corner of the Lower Realm. At least they know how to make an entrance."

Valencia’s golden eyes narrowed slightly, the threads of fate shimmering faintly around her irises as she focused on the city below. Her hair, tied in a loose side ponytail today, caught the light, the soft pink strands glowing gently.

"There’s a strong fire vein under the mountain," she said calmly. "Not a natural one. It was redirected here in the past. The city’s fortune is tied to it. Without that vein, this place would just be another provincial city."

Azrail nodded, confirming her assessment. "Scarlet Peak sits on a secondary branch of the Crimson Gorge fire vein. The original ancient sect that controlled it is long gone. Now, the Rexion Empire claims ownership, but a dozen powers bite into it like dogs gnawing on a bone."

He flicked his fingers, and a semi-transparent projection expanded in front of them, showing the layout of the city. Tall black stone walls surrounded it, etched with runes that channelled the ambient Fire Qi. The city was divided into several districts: a bustling market quarter, an artisan area filled with forges and refineries, a noble district with mansions climbing the mountain slope, and higher up, near the flank of Scarlet Peak itself, the local branch of the Burning Sky Sect.

And near that noble district, subtly highlighted, lay a particular compound traced in faint blue light.

Lin Clan.

Xuanyin leaned closer without a word, her pale face reflected on the surface of the projected map. Her eyes, so often blank and distant to others, tracked the glowing outline almost curiously. Azrail’s thumb ran absently over the back of her hand; she didn’t pull away.

"Lin Clan," Azrail said aloud, voice quiet. "Once a modestly prosperous noble family, now sliding slowly into decline. They never truly controlled the main trade veins. Their only leverage is the marriage ties they managed to secure with the Burning Sky family."

"Let me guess," Raena’s lips curved. "They sold their daughter for survival."

Azrail’s eyes darkened slightly. "They offered her, yes. But they also believe they’re giving her ’a good future’. Their ignorance isn’t malicious. Just... limited."

Adria’s phantom form floated just behind Valencia’s shoulder, her moonlight hair drifting softly despite there being no wind. She gazed down at the city, her expression unreadable.

"The Lower Realm truly hasn’t changed," the ghostly elf murmured. "Same patterns. Same petty plays. The powerful feast on the blood of the weak, calling it ’opportunity’."

Valencia’s lips quirked faintly. "And then someone like Azrail comes along and spoils the script."

Azrail smiled, his shadowed eyes reflecting the crimson mountain ahead. "That’s the idea."

The chariot began to lower, its exterior subtly shifting. Its sleek, futuristic form folded in on itself, plates of metal sliding and morphing with seamless precision until the craft resembled an ornate, high-tier noble carriage—still luxurious, still imposing, but acceptable within the standards of a Lower Realm city. Symbols of the Ai family appeared along its sides, subtle but unmistakable to those who knew what to look for.

"Door’s stabilised," All-Seer’s calm voice spoke in his mind. "Connection to Ai Manor secure. External appearance adjusted to match local standards. Defensive systems are at sixty percent passive, forty per cent dormant. Awaiting orders, Master."

"Keep us unnoticed unless I say otherwise," Azrail responded silently. "No flashy displays unless necessary."

[Understood.]

He rose from his seat, stretching lightly. The black and deep-crimson cloak he wore fell perfectly into place, obscuring his features in shadow while still allowing his eyes to gleam faintly red from within. Beside him, Valencia adjusted her veil, a thin, elegant piece of fabric that concealed the lower half of her face. Raena changed nothing; she simply smiled, and it was more than enough to draw attention wherever she went. Meanwhile Huifen tried her best to act like she was invisible, and she was actually partly succeeding too.

Xuanyin, wearing a simple icy-blue dress that contrasted beautifully with her cold aura, stood silently. Her hair, long and dark, flowed down her back like a river of ink. She clasped Azrail’s sleeve lightly, more habit than need.

"We’ll enter as a visiting noble entourage from the Ai family," Azrail said calmly. "No need to hide our connection. The Rexion Empire already knows who I am. There’s no advantage in pretending otherwise here."

"And Lin Mei?" Valencia asked. Her voice was soft, but a glimmer of curiosity lingered behind it.

Azrail’s lips curved.

"For now, we watch. We walk the city, taste its flavour, and let its people show us their faces. Lin Mei’s moment is soon, but not yet. The more we understand the stage, the better the play."

Raena chuckled, eyes bright. "You really love your theatrics."

"Coming from you, that’s a compliment," Azrail replied.

The chariot descended just outside the eastern gate of Scarlet Peak City, its wheels touching the ground with barely a sound. As the doors opened, the first wave of heat rolled in, washing over them like a welcoming caress.

Outside, a wide road stretched toward the city gate, lined with merchant caravans, travelling cultivators, and commoners carrying crates and bundles. Guards in red-and-black armour patrolled the area, their spears gleaming faintly with embedded Fire Qi.

The moment Azrail stepped out, conversations faltered around them.

The chariot itself, even in its ’disguised’ form, was too perfect, too refined, too advanced. The craftsmanship blatantly surpassed anything a normal Lower Realm artisan could produce. And the people stepping out of it—each one radiating an aura that, even when suppressed, pressed faintly on the nerves of everyone nearby—were clearly not ordinary.

One of the gate captains, a middle-aged man with a scar across his cheek, was the first to react. He quickly approached, fist cupped and bowing slightly.

"This humble one greets honoured guests," he said, voice steady despite the strain. "May I ask from which noble house you hail and the purpose of your visit to Scarlet Peak City?"

Azrail lifted his hood slightly, just enough for his features to be seen: the exquisite, almost inhuman beauty that made even hardened cultivators feel a strange chill, the red eyes that seemed to see through flesh and bone into the soul.

"Ai family," he said simply. "From Ailin City."

A ripple went through the surrounding crowd. The Ai family was not unknown in the Rexion Empire—especially not after the series of events caused by Azrail’s recent appearances. Rumours of a monstrous genius from a remote city, one who wielded extreme power and made even the Emperor feel fear, had spread far and wide.

The gate captain’s eyes widened, then his expression turned serious as he bowed deeper.

"Ai... honoured guests from the Ai family. Forgive my impudence." His forehead glistened with a thin sheen of sweat now. "May I ask if your visit has been pre-registered with the city lord?"

Azrail smiled faintly, the expression not quite reaching his eyes. "No. This visit is personal. I am here to enjoy your city’s sights, sample its food, and perhaps do some business."

"Personal..." The gate captain swallowed. He quickly straightened. "Of course! Scarlet Peak City welcomes you. I will inform the city lord’s mansion of your arrival immediately."

"There’s no need to trouble yourselves too much," Azrail replied lightly. "We prefer to move quietly. Treat us as simple nobles here for leisure."

The captain nodded rapidly. "Understood!"

He made a few quick hand signals. The guards stepped aside, and the massive gate opened a little wider, enough to allow the chariot and entourage to pass smoothly.

As they entered the city, the first true breath of Scarlet Peak washed over them.

The streets were alive.

Merchants shouted from stalls, their voices competing with the crackle of fire from open forges. The smell of roasted meat, spicy broths, and sweet pastries mixed with the metallic tang of molten ore. Children ran between adults, chasing each other with wooden swords, their laughter rising above the steady hum of city life.

Cultivators in red-tinged robes walked with deliberate strides, their auras faintly visible as shimmering waves of heat. Artisans hammered at glowing metal in open workshops, sparks flying like tiny meteors. In the distance, the crimson mountain loomed, its presence a constant reminder of the city’s heart.

Xuanyin’s fingers tightened on Azrail’s sleeve, not out of fear, but something like... wonder.

Her world, up until now, had been mostly mansions, compounds, and controlled training environments. Cities like this—crowded, noisy, raw—were almost alien to her.

"What do you think?" Azrail asked softly.

She was quiet for a few seconds, then answered in her usual soft tone. "It’s... loud. And messy. But... warm."

Her eyes shifted, watching a street vendor hand a skewer of glistening meat to a giggling child, then a couple sharing a steaming bowl of noodles on the side of the road, then an old blacksmith laughing with his apprentice as they worked the forge.

Azrail’s lips curved.

"Warm is good," he said. "You should see more of it."

Valencia’s gaze flicked to Xuanyin for a moment, a small, almost imperceptible smile touching her eyes beneath the veil. Raena, meanwhile, had already locked onto the nearest high-end tavern with a rooftop view; Huifen was more hidden again; she is still a princess, though openly showing herself here would only cause issues.

"So, what’s the plan?" Raena asked, her tone half serious, half playful. "Food first? Information first? Or should we go straight to knocking on the Lin Clan’s door and scaring them out of their skin?"

"Food," Xuanyin said suddenly.

The three ’adults’ looked at her.

Azrail laughed softly. "Food it is, then. Information can wait a bit. The assassination attempt won’t happen today. We have time."

He led them down a side street lined with food stalls. The vendors, initially wary, quickly thawed as silver coins and low-grade spirit stones began to change hands. Xuanyin tried skewers of spiced meat, her expression barely changing, but the way her eyes lingered on the second skewer gave her away.

Valencia sampled a bowl of fiery noodle soup, her Heavenly Eyes briefly scanning the ingredients and Qi composition, then nodding in approval. Raena, unsurprisingly, drifted toward a stall selling jade-colored wine that glowed faintly in the dark.

"Careful with that," Azrail commented as she raised the cup. "It’s brewed using a minor fire spirit. Normal cultivators people would burn from the inside if they drank too much, it can hurt even you if you take it unprepared an unknowing."

Raena smirked. "Then it’s just right for me."

They moved like that for a while—eating, observing, blending in just enough to not draw constant attention, yet never truly invisible. Azrail watched everything: the flow of people, the subtle hierarchies, the lingering gazes of low-level cultivators who recognised that something about them was... off.

At one point, he slowed, eyes flicking toward the noble district climbing the slope of Scarlet Peak.

From a distance, the Lin Clan compound looked modest compared to some of the other estates. Its walls were clean but not opulent. The guards at its gate wore decent armour but not the latest designs. Yet, within its grounds, Azrail could feel it: a faint pulse of something ancient and noble, buried deep and sleeping.

Bloodline.

Physique.

He smiled, almost to himself. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢

"Found you, Lin Mei," he murmured.

Valencia stepped closer, following his gaze. Her Heavenly Eyes stirred, golden light swirling, reaching, tracing invisible threads.

And far away, within that compound, a young girl’s heart skipped a beat for no apparent reason, as if something in the world had just... turned toward her.