Two Masked Assassins

"You guys train here while guarding me, I will cultivate. I hope you can handle it if any problems arise, so my cultivation won't be disturbed," said Julius.

Galen Blackthorn and the other three disciples nodded. They took positions not far from where Julius was cultivating. The four disciples practiced what the young man they called their little master had taught them. Meanwhile, Julius began to cultivate to enhance his abilities while trying to break through the realm of Heavenly Spirits.

Several times Julius attempted the techniques taught by Master Kaelen Frostfire to break through to the next level, but his efforts were always in vain. His physical condition severely limited his abilities. Normally, it would be easy for him to penetrate the realms with the God emperor's spirit within his body.

"My body is truly inadequate to support me at the moment. It's too slow to improve my cultivation. Should I use what was given by the master so I can break through to the next realm?" muttered Julius, somewhat annoyed with his own condition.

 Julius had been cultivating for almost three hours, yet it yielded no results. This was also noticed by his four friends who were practicing with him. They deeply regretted Julius's situation; he possessed extraordinary intelligence but was not supported by his physical condition. Thus, his abilities did not help him much in advancing his cultivation, apart from mastering many cultivation theories, especially the techniques owned by the Tower of God Academy.

"Be alert!"

Suddenly, Galen Blackthorn warned his three friends to be on guard when he saw several lights approaching their training ground. At that moment, Galen Blackthorn sensed something ominous about the presence of the people behind those lights. And indeed, a few moments later, two individuals dressed in red robes with dragon masks covering their faces appeared.

"Which one of you is Julius?" asked one of the masked newcomers.

"Why are you looking for Julius?" replied Galen Blackthorn, asking back.

"You'd better not ask too many questions so you won't end up killed by us! Just tell us who and where Julius is, and I can spare your life. If I'm not mistaken, you're the young master from the Blackthorn Family, right? Then cooperate so you won't lose your life!" The masked person threatened again.

Galen Blackthorn was quite surprised to hear the person knowing his identity. Although from the voice, he couldn't recognize where the masked man originated. But he was sure that someone had ordered the two masked individuals to eliminate Julius.

Hearing the words of the masked individuals, Julius's four companions stood on guard. Although they had just met Julius, their determination was strong not to leave the young man when facing problems and dangers like this. Moreover, they saw the young man still striving in his cultivation, which was still at the Peak Earth Spirit realm level nine.

"Haaaaa!"

One of the masked men unleashed a burst of energy that created a powerful gust of wind, slamming into Julius's four companions. Though the energy burst wasn't a direct attack, its force was enough to push back the four youths from the Dragon Earth Tower. Their faces immediately turned pale as they realized that their current opponents were at the second level of the Semi-Fairy Realm, a level nearly equivalent to the assistant instructors at the Tower of the Gods Academy.

"It seems our opponents this time are far above us. One of us needs to seek help," whispered Galen Blackthorn to his three companions.

Dorian Star nodded slowly, ensuring that their movements weren't detected by the two masked individuals threatening them. He signaled to Galen Blackthorn that he would go for help from the Tower. After making his preparations, he dashed away from the scene.

Unfortunately, Galen Blackthorn's plan was discovered by their adversaries. Suddenly, an array appeared, trapping them and sending Dorian Star flying back to where they started. He almost fell if it weren't for Galen Blackthorn and the others catching him. Their hopes were dashed, and now, if they wanted to survive, they had to decide whether to stay out of Julius's affairs or be willing to sacrifice their lives to protect him.

Meanwhile, Julius continued his cultivation efforts in his secluded spot. His presence went unnoticed by the two masked individuals searching for him. Julius utilized seals to render himself invisible to the naked eye and concealed the extent of his energy in that place. Conversely, he could accurately assess the situation around him.

"Hmm... who are they? Why are they looking for me, and who ordered these masked individuals? I'm sure they're just pawns," Julius muttered to himself.

Seeing the situation grow more dire, Julius continued to cultivate, striving to advance to the next realm quickly. He realized that even with powerful techniques, some of which were at a semi-divine level, his current cultivation strength would render those techniques useless against formidable enemies. At least he had to break through to the Heavenly Spirit Realm to strengthen the power and destructiveness of his combat techniques. Meanwhile, the enemy began to show signs of wanting to eliminate Julius's four friends, whom they believed were hiding him.

"Once again, I give you the chance to reveal where the youth named Julius is. As long as you disclose his whereabouts, we will spare you and not harm you in the slightest. But if you persist in hiding him, then don't blame us for sending you to hell!" threatened one of the men in red attire wearing a mask.

Instead of complying with the masked men's wishes, Galen Blackthorn and his three companions prepared themselves, summoning their energies to fight against the two opponents. Naturally, the defiance displayed by the four youths enraged the two masked men. One of them unleashed a powerful attack towards the four companions of Julius.