Chapter 287

Chapter 287 - Establishing the Foundation

Red lanterns once again adorned the exotic mansion, signaling the return of its master.

Felzahar, the de facto ruler of the west, had been away from his lair for too long, causing various factions to grow restless.

Despite his high-profile presence in news reports, Mr. Felzahar was an absolute enigma. When he didn't wish to be found by other monsters, none could locate him.

It was this air of mystique (or perhaps, manipulation) combined with the capable female secretary that kept his business thriving even in his prolonged absence.

No reports had foretold Mr. Felzahar's return. The monsters only witnessed his mansion brightly illuminated once more, followed by three overwhelming auras emanating from the estate and engulfing Yumac City, then spreading out into the surrounding regions.

It was at that moment that all monsters realized: Ah... Mr. Felzahar has returned.

He returned quietly but with grandeur.

Rumor had it that Mr. Felzahar ventured out to acquire a new foundation for magic. He purchased an extensive piece of land where each section previously held its own magical foundation. Although these foundations were demolished during the reconstruction process, the residual magical pressures from the original ones continued to interfere with one another, creating a chaotic territory.

During his first homely feast, Mr. Felzahar mentioned his intention to find a suitable magical beast to establish a foundation for his land. Some monsters had jokingly mentioned the region's notorious ferocious beasts in the north, while others brought up the Aputuo Hunting Grounds.

They only mentioned it casually, but now it seems that Mr. Felzahar actually went there and even ventured into the Aputuo Hunting Grounds. Those three terrifying magical beasts originated from Aputuo!

This... this, this, this... It's understandable that every influential magical creature in this city is eagerly anticipating an invitation from Mr. Felzahar.

All the magical creatures could speculate that the three beasts Mr. Felzahar tirelessly acquired must be incredibly powerful. However, upon seeing them with their own eyes, they were still left speechless by the spectacle.

Are these the magical beasts from the Aputuo Hunting Grounds? Simply... unbelievable!

The trio of Abyssal Beasts that had once astonished the northern magical creatures now stunned those in the west.

More ferocious than the Abyssal Beast that the previous western overlord, Trudeau, had showcased at his hundred-day banquet, these three beasts were genuine Abyssal Species!

"Yes, they're genuine Abyssal Species. Rumor has it that... after the Aputuo Hunting Grounds issued a substantial bounty, skilled magical beast traders managed to capture them..." Ajin, surrounded by the other magical creatures, answered their questions gently, conveying Mr. Felzahar's official statement.

Whether the guests believed him or not was beyond his jurisdiction.

The intimidating presence exuded by the three beasts, the northern magical beast traders capable of capturing such creatures, and the fact that someone from the north could catch all three at once...

Sipping on a long-awaited western brew, the dark-haired demon quietly settled in the depths of the hall. Ji Huan, cloaked, was not far from him, while Hei Dan was joyfully running around with his friends he hadn't seen in ages.

Among them was his dear companion, Little Hong.

Silver-haired Deer Lin stood alongside Ji Huan, both of them being rather taciturn. They would only occasionally whisper to each other, their words drowned out by the shrill screams of the surrounding young demons.

At that moment, another cloaked demon approached the dark-haired demon.

"By the Demon King's grace! You actually managed to bring them back..." the creature whispered, his voice low and urgent. As he drew near, the sounds around them seemed to fade away.

Evidently, he had activated some sort of ability, isolating them from the gaze and voices of the other demons around them.

Removing his cloak, he revealed fiery red hair. This demon was none other than Dufay.

"The central demon... is that the princess of the Roim clan? I can't be mistaken, for I've seen the original form of a Roim princess with my own eyes! How... how did she become like this?"

"And the other two beside her – could they also be significant figures of the Roim clan? Good heavens! What have you done to them? Such a formidable family... all turned into demons?!"

Dufay was evidently deeply shocked. Having personally experienced the events of that year and later being imprisoned by Ajin, no demon knew their history better than he did.

"Is this also your power? You... You turned them into monsters?" Dufay looked in astonishment at the black-haired demon beside him.

The other party, however, didn't spare him a glance, nor did he look at the other guests around them. His eyes were fixed on the young man in the cloak not far away and, even further off, the sweat-drenched black-haired young monster running frantically.

"I found them already in this state," the black-haired demon replied after a long while.

"The situation in the north is abnormal. When we left, chaos had already erupted. I have a premonition that it won't be long before that chaos spreads here," he continued, his gaze still locked on the two figures, the larger and the smaller one. He selectively shared with the red-haired demon what he had seen and heard.

The red-haired demon's expression grew increasingly peculiar. Upon hearing the last part, he let out a long sigh.

"So that's how it is. I've indeed noticed that the demons who participated in the hunt back then have been disappearing gradually. Now that I think about it, their fates might have ended up... just like this. To be honest, even if you had pressed me for information back then, I wouldn't have known anything. All I could tell you was the appearance of most of the demons involved in the incident and the person who invited me. But I can't disclose that now. As long as the Roim are still around, I can't say a word." Nodding, then shaking his head, Dufay spoke candidly to the black-haired demon.

"What's your plan for next steps?" Calming himself, Dufay glanced at the bound Roim in front and finally shifted his gaze back to the black-haired demon beside him.

"I plan to kill these Roim and use them to create a demonic foundation."

"That's precisely why I bought them at a high price," the black-haired demon said leisurely.

Dufay was taken aback for a moment, then he shook his head after a while. He had intended to ask about the "next steps" the other party had in mind, but despite understanding the question, the black-haired demon had sidestepped it and instead mentioned their immediate plan.

Dealing with such a creature is exhausting, always unable to guess its thoughts. Dufay glanced at the slender man standing beside Lulin, a creature that was, in his eyes, as unpredictable as the one he was observing.

It was astonishing that any monster could coexist with this one, like two pieces of a puzzle fitting together. As he pondered over the possible experiences of the Roim in the north, Dufay released his "Power" and rejoined the banquet hall. His first action was to stand beside Lulin. The other monster by Lulin's side, who should have been surprised, didn't even stir his cloak; instead, he nodded politely, creating space for the two monsters to converse, before slowly making his way to a nearby black-haired monster, who was alone.

Though they spoke not a word, their mere presence together altered the atmosphere around them.

"The main event is about to begin," Dufay licked his lips, whispering to Lulin beside him.

He was referring to Ajin's revelation about the impending chaos in the north spreading to the west and south, but in the current context, Lulin interpreted it as the impending Magic Foundation Incorporation Ceremony.

Nine top-notch Magic Foundation creators had been invited, and once the guests had finished admiring the magical creatures, Mr. Felzahar, the host, rose to announce the commencement of the ceremony.

"Our journey to the north was mostly successful. Although we narrowly escaped an accident on our return, we made it back safely."

"The gains from this trip surpassed my expectations. After consulting with the nine masters, we believe that these three magical beasts are more than capable of fulfilling the responsibilities of a Magic Foundation for this residence. In fact, their potential impact is likely far greater than serving as the Magic Foundation for a mere house."

"So, after discussing with my family, I've decided to maximize the potential of these three magic beasts and turn them into the Magic Foundation for the entire West Ninth District!"

Mr. Felzahar's words left all the magical creatures present in awe.

Not just a mansion's Magic Foundation, but the Magic Foundation for the whole West Ninth District?

What did this mean? It meant that the safety level of the entire district would skyrocket from then on!

Mr. Felzahar's announcement quickly spread through the journalists and reached beyond Yumac City, soon reaching every corner of the West Ninth District. All the magical creatures there came to know about it.

"The next step requires the cooperation of everyone living in the West Ninth District. The nine Masters will handle the specifics. Those whose homes are at the site of the Magic Foundation may need to temporarily relocate for a while. But during that time, I'll provide accommodations. Once the Magic Foundation is operational, life will return to normal, and no inconvenience will be caused."

Mr. Felzahar's speech was as courteous as ever. However—

"There won't be any inconvenience! None at all! Please go ahead, Mr. Felzahar! Welcome to choose my place as the site!" Cheers erupted outside the courtyard. The magical creatures laughed and shouted their joy, eager to share their happiness with Mr. Felzahar inside.

Looking at Ji Huan in silence, Ajin finally nodded. Then, he walked straight to the nine Masters responsible for creating the Magic Foundation.

That night, during the western magical creatures' most lively hour, the three Abyssal Beasts were lowered deep into the earth under the watchful eyes of the entire West Ninth District. With their final meaningless roar echoing, they were fixed in their designated locations.

While all the monsters rejoiced at the heightened safety measures, only a select few were aware that this might be the final curtain call for the once-mighty Roim clan that had dominated the entire realm.

"Ajin stood beside Ji Huan, untouched by the proceedings, and merely observed in silence. As the Magic Foundation was completed, he whispered to Ji Huan, 'In the past, they took much from the other creatures of this realm. Now, it is time for them to repay their former subjects.'"

With those words, Ji Huan realized that he had finally fully transcended his past.