Chapter 561: Nuya's Worries P2

Chapter 561: Nuya’s Worries P2

Aksai rested his elbow on the table, gazing at the Spirit lights that flickered faintly along the garden path.

His mind had been quiet until a new thought tugged at him.

“Nuya,” he said after a pause.

“What about Emerald Cove’s own people? With all this chaos spreading through the Archipelago, we couldn’t have remained untouched.

Um… what I mean is… How bad is it?”

Nuya’s expression stiffened slightly. She didn’t answer right away. Instead, she looked down at her hands folded on the table, her long fingers tracing the rim of her empty glass. When she finally spoke, her voice was quieter than before.

“We’ve suffered,” she said slowly. “More than I’d like to admit.”

Aksai didn’t interrupt her.

She sighed and leaned back in her chair, her eyes unfocused as she stared at the pond beyond the gazebo.

“Our elite force—the one we built together a few years ago before you left for the Duya Forest—they’re almost gone, Aksai. From dozens of seasoned fighters, only twenty-six late-stage Spirit Gathering realm warriors remain.”

Aksai’s brows furrowed deeply. “Only twenty-six?”

Aksai had personally looked after the growth of the warriors when he was on the island. He felt like all his efforts had gone down the drain when he heard Nuya’s words.

Nuya nodded, her tone heavy. “The rest are… well… gone. Most were killed while defending the trade routes and outposts near the western currents. A few died in ambushes along the sea paths. Some never even made it back to the mainland.”

She looked up at him then, her eyes reflecting frustration she didn’t bother to hide. “Those who are left are mostly the apprentices we took in last winter. Kids, really. They’ve barely reached the sixth stage of the Spirit Gathering realm. After receiving the aid that we give them… they are highly motivated and brave, but inexperienced. They can’t fill the shoes of the veterans we lost.”

Aksai leaned back slowly, his gaze turning distant. The news hit him harder than he expected. Those warriors had been carefully trained under strict conditions, selected from the best the island had to offer. Each one had been meant to become the backbone of Emerald Cove’s defense.

Aksai and Nuya weren’t really worried about the elite warriors they had lost. However, losing them meant their business with the mainland getting affected. That’s what hurt the two Experts the most.

“Who were they fighting?” he asked quietly.

Nuya hesitated, then said, “All kinds. Not just Kalingoot’s fleets. Some of the island owners who defected from the Alliance turned on us too. They joined the demonic factions for better protection. Our men were caught between them—attacked from both sides.”

Aksai’s fists tightened. “So even the people we once called allies have started turning.”

“Yes,” Nuya said bitterly. “The outer islands are the worst. Kalingoot is offering wealth, cultivation resources, even temporary protection to those who switch sides. A few island lords didn’t hesitate to betray us. They raided our outposts and supply lines as a show of loyalty to their new masters.”

For a long moment, neither spoke. The garden around them felt quieter than before, almost suffocating. The golden glow of the Spirit lamps nearby flickered, casting long, soft shadows across their faces.

Aksai finally asked, “if the army suffers surely the king won’t be left alone either. You said before that things were getting dangerous around the island. What happened?”

Nuya exhaled slowly, her tone steady but her eyes sharp. “I went to inspect the sea barriers near the northern currents two weeks ago. On my way back, I was ambushed by a group posing as merchant cultivators. Turned out they were Kalingoot assassins. They lured me into a Spirit fog trap.”

Aksai’s expression darkened. “And?”

“I got out in time,” she said with a faint smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “But if I’d been a little slower, it would’ve been much worse. The poison they used was spirit-weakening type—meant to cripple a cultivator’s foundation instead of killing them outright. They wanted to make me a warning for others. After all, those who have still remained in the Alliance even now won’t likely go to Kalingoot unless someone “motivated” them to do so.”

Aksai spoke in a serious tone. “They’re testing our defenses,” he muttered. “Seeing how far they can push without open war.”

Nuya nodded. “Exactly. The waters around Emerald Cove aren’t safe anymore. Even the spirit beasts are becoming restless from all the fighting and bloodshed in the region.”

She looked at him again, her tone firm. “If we don’t do something soon, it won’t be long before Emerald Cove itself becomes a target.”

Aksai sat quietly, staring at the half-empty wine jug between them. For a moment, his reflection shimmered faintly on the golden surface. The Spirit farmer was plotting a mass murder at this point. After all, his interests were getting hurt without him doing anything to Kalingoot that would prompt them to take such actions.

After a while, it was Nuya who spoke first. “You still haven’t told me how your trip to Duya Forest went,” she said, turning her gaze toward him. “Did you find what you were looking for?”

Aksai smiled faintly, setting his glass down. “I did. It wasn’t easy, but I managed to finish what I set out to do.”

Nuya’s lips curved into a small smile. “That sounds like you. Always venturing into danger and returning with blessings.”

Aksai chuckled softly. “Well… it wasn’t THAT dangerous for me.” Then, after a pause, he added, “Speaking of danger, I heard some people talking about the Holy Land Torel on the island. You must’ve heard that too.”

Nuya nodded slowly, her eyes narrowing slightly. “Yes. And I also heard that you were the one who entered it—and that you saved my father from that place.”

Nuya’s father was Nael Netherfrost AKA the Frostbound Lord.

Aksai looked at her, a flicker of surprise passing through his calm expression. “So he told you.”

“He did,” Nuya replied, leaning forward slightly. “But only bits and pieces. How did you even end up there, Aksai?”

He paused for a moment, as if choosing his words carefully. “Torel appeared unexpectedly. I… I went in to explore something else but found the Holy Land by accident… and found three Core Formation stage cultivators trapped inside. One of them was your father.”

Nuya listened quietly, her eyes following his every word.

When Aksai finished, he leaned back slightly. “You know,” he said softly, “if you’re ever curious, I can take you there the next time Torel opens.”

But Nuya shook her head slowly. “No,” she said in a quiet voice. “Father already told me it’s not meant for me. He said the Holy Land Torel suits you, not me.”

Aksai raised an eyebrow, studying her carefully. “He told you that?”

“Yes.” Nuya’s gaze turned distant for a moment. “He visited me before you returned to the island. He told me about his time inside Torel—how it felt like centuries, even though only a few decades passed outside.”

She took a deep breath before continuing. “But he also told me something else… something I think you should know.”

Aksai’s eyes narrowed slightly. He had noticed all evening that Nuya was uneasy, as if something weighed heavily on her mind. “What did he say?”

Nuya looked down, her fingers curling lightly around the rim of her glass. When she spoke again, her voice was soft but trembling. “He said he would be coming back for me. In a week.”

Aksai froze for a moment, then frowned slightly. “Coming back? To take you away?”

Nuya nodded, her eyes glistening faintly under the light of the spirit lamps. “Yes.”

Aksai leaned forward, his tone suddenly more serious. “Why? Is it because of the turmoil in the Archipelago? If that’s the case, you don’t need to leave, Nuya. Just wait a few more days. I canjust—”

She cut him off before he could finish. “That’s not it, Aksai.”

Her interruption was gentle, but the sadness in her voice made Aksai stop mid-sentence.

“Father told me…” she continued slowly, “that my mother is alive.”

Aksai blinked, stunned. “Alive?”

Nuya nodded, her eyes soft but filled with uncertainty. “Yes. He believes she’s somewhere beyond the Duya Forest, in the Shinayin Empire. He said he has clues about her whereabouts but needs my help to find her. So…” She looked away, her voice growing quieter. “…I can’t stay on Emerald Cove anymore.”

Aksai sat in silence for a moment, the words sinking in. He felt like he had made a big mistake by releasing the demonic Core Formation Lords. Not only their appearance had triggered the turmoil in the seas and mainland but one of them had managed to take Nuya away as well.

The sound of the sea outside suddenly felt louder, the air around them colder.

Nuya continued, her tone heavy. “I’ve already decided. Once Father arrives, I’ll leave with him. There are… other troubles we’ll have to face too. The path ahead won’t be safe.” She looked at him, her eyes softening. “I don’t think I’ll ever return to the Dadangar Subcontinent.”

Aksai felt betrayed for some reason when he heard Nuya’s words. Even though he could understand her decision, he still didn’t agree with her leaving him. “Nuya…” he began, but his words faltered.

She gave a small, sad smile. “Aksai… from now on, you’ll have to rule Emerald Cove on your own.”