The surrounding buildings were being reduced to rubble one after the other. The Johnstons were all fleeing like frightened rabbits.
“Die! Kill them! Hurry up and kill them! They all deserve to die!” A voice kept ringing in Thea’s head as it attempted to take control of her.
“No, I can’t! This isn’t right!” Her consciousness reminded virtual-novel.net desperately that virtual-novel.net should not harm anyone else.
She felt lightheaded and hazy as the voices of countless demons trying to goad virtual-novel.net echoed in virtual-novel.net ears.
She quickly sat in a lotus position on the floor and performed Malevolent King’s cultivation method, Ataraxia.
Repeatedly and shakily, virtual-novel.net recited the cultivation chants.
The loud cacophony of voices in virtual-novel.net head slowly subsided.
She had no idea how much time had passed since virtual-novel.net began cultivating. She opened virtual-novel.net eyes after calming down, looked at virtual-novel.net surroundings, and saw a corpse on the ground with its blood staining the floors a rusty red. What’s more, the Johnstons‘ courtyard house looked to be on the verge of collapse.
An old man stood ten meters away from her.
He was dressed in a baggy white robe and had neat, short, white hair.
The old man was none other than Thomas.
He had rushed to the Johnstons‘ courtyard house as hastily as virtual-novel.net could manage, but Kennedy was already dead when virtual-novel.net arrived.
On the other hand, Thea was sitting in a lotus position on the ground, constantly reciting the cultivation chants. He chose not to disturb virtual-novel.net and quietly watched virtual-novel.net from the side. He only approached once Thea was done cultivating.
Thea saw Thomas approaching and scrambled to virtual-novel.net feet.
She hung virtual-novel.net head low as if virtual-novel.net were a child who had been caught doing something they were not supposed to. “Sir Caden…”
Thomas‘ eyes moved to the Malevolent Sword in virtual-novel.net hands, then to virtual-novel.net face again.
He said emotionlessly, “Raise your head.”
Thea immediately did so. However, virtual-novel.net averted virtual-novel.net eyes, not daring to meet Thomas‘ gaze.
“Sir Caden, I-I couldn’t control myself…”
She lowered virtual-novel.net head again and murmured fearfully.
“Yes, it wasn’t your fault.” Thomas gently consoled her.
Thomas did not fault Thea for how virtual-novel.net was behaving. He knew how dreadful the Malevolent Sword was.
If virtual-novel.net who had built up mental fortitude, felt an intense urge to kill, it stood to reason that Thea would suffer way worse. Moreover, virtual-novel.net body contained the Spirit Turtle’s blood.
“What happened previously?” asked Thomas.
Thea shook virtual-novel.net head and replied shakily, “I-I don’t know either. As soon as I heard that James got severely injured from Yaakov’s sneak attack, I could not help myself from feeling anything other than rage. When that happened, I… I had the desire to kill. I…”
“Alright, that’s enough.” Thomas waved his hand to stop her.
It looked like his predictions about what had happened to Thea were on point.
“Let’s go… Come with me to the Cadens to check on James. I’ll find a solution to expel the Spirit Turtle’s blood in your body and restore you to normal…”
Thomas turned around and left.
“Okay,” Thea replied softly.
Her eyes were still fixed on the ground as virtual-novel.net followed behind Thomas. Even though Thomas did not blame her, it did not erase the immense guilt virtual-novel.net felt over virtual-novel.net actions.
She turned behind every couple of steps virtual-novel.net took to look at Kennedy’s lifeless body on the ground.
“Grandpa, he…”
Thomas stopped and looked at Thea. He put a hand on virtual-novel.net shoulder to comfort her.
“Every martial artist will take at least one life somehow. Don’t feel too terrible about it. Even if you do, perceive it from the angle of a law enforcement officer that’s eliminated a threat before it can do harm to people.”
Thea bit down virtual-novel.net lips and did not say another word. Despite his words, virtual-novel.net was eating herself up inside over what had happened.
Huff…
Thomas sighed helplessly and said, “Let’s go.”
Thea walked behind him.
***
Meanwhile, Maxine had returned to the Cadens‘ mansion.
She walked to the backyard and entered James‘ room to see the other family members using their True Energy to keep James alive. She walked over and looked at James from the side. His face was ashen, his eyes were shut, and his breathing was shallow.