Damien stared at the talisman in his hand as a sense of trepidation entered his heart and took root. Every time he tried to inject it with mana, it would flash and spark, but show no result in the end.
What was the cause of this? What was going on? There was no way Tian Yang would give him a faulty talisman, and even if he did, there's no way he'd do the same with Ruyue.
Panic had already begun to set in even though it had only been a few seconds since he first started fiddling with the talismans and a terrifying idea sprouted in his mind.
There wasn't time, he had to test it. Grabbing Ruyue's arm, Damien spread his awareness until he could feel the surface and willed the mana around him to invoke teleportation.
And soon, they disappeared from where they stood.
And reappeared only 5 meters away, still within the confines of the private room. Damien gritted his teeth, a flash of worry flashing through his eyes.
"Damien, what is happening?" Ruyue asked as she pulled her arm away. She was naturally perturbed by the talismans failing as well, but she didn't feel the same dread he did.
Well, it wasn't her fault since she didn't have any insights on space. That was the exact reason Damien was panicking right now. The situation itself hadn't reached that level, but the implications were much larger.
Although he hadn't yet touched upon this particular aspect, he was well aware of the possibility. He had even been planning to incorporate it into his sword art soon.
Grinding his teeth, Damien muttered an answer to Ruyue's question.
"Spatial Lock."
For all normal cultivators, a spatial lock was simple. It was a method used to prevent escape using escape talismans while at the same time limiting their movement. The latter worked similarly to the concept of gravity, while the former was even more simple to explain.
If the spatial lock that was cast was directed solely at Damien, he'd know. He'd just have to peer into the layers of space and he'd find out. But even when he had done so, he found no indication of spatial nodes or outside interference.
This could only mean one thing. The entire area was locked.
And while whoever cast this lock had most likely done so to trap all those present in this convention, he was the one who was affected the worst.
Spatial lock was a concept that was most useful against other practitioners using the space element. Damien was well aware from the fact that he could barely even teleport that the person who cast this lock was above him in comprehension of the space element. This meant his abilities in battle would be supremely hindered.
His Void Sword Art, Vector Control, and many other arts would become largely unusable with the other party locking down space. Especially vector control, which dealt with points in space, would become virtually useless in such a situation.
Still, he wasn't out of options. Just as his combat capabilities were restricted, his evasion capabilities could still be used. As long as he could properly wade through the spatial layers, escaping was still viable, even if it became infinitely harder to do so.
Damien's gaze became grim as he explained all this to Ruyue, and her expression soon followed. They both knew it wouldn't be long before all hell broke loose.
And as if answering their call, such events began immediately.
BOOM!
With none the wiser within the convention besides those 4th class existences in the private rooms, a storm came crashing down.
The ceiling of the massive cavern they were occupying came crashing in, large pieces of rubble fell everywhere and clouds of dust obscured everyone's vision.
"W-what?!"
"What's happening?!"
The light of day shone brightly in the cavern as a swarm of people descended from the sky. Each and every one of them was wearing uniforms of pure white and gold, with similarly colored masks adorning their faces.
"Hear my call, vile miscreants hiding in the shadows. Today is a day of inquisition! Today is a day of Judgement! None shall leave here alive! In the name of Justice!"
""In the name of Justice!!!!"
The figure at the head of the crowd started and all those behind him followed, chanting incessantly as they gazed upon those below them.
They cared not for the hundreds of people that had been crushed by the rocky fragments of the cavern ceiling due to their domineering entrance, and they cared not for distinctions between man, woman, and child.
There was only scorn in their eyes, and without wasting another breath, they charged. Those white-cloaked figures spread out within the large cavern and began a mass slaughter, with no respect whatsoever.
From their auras alone, it was clear these people were all high-level 3rd class and even 4th class beings, but they slaughtered those 1st and 2nd class beings like pigs.
A rain of blood descended on the convention, accompanied by ghastly screams filled with fear and unwillingness.
Heads and limbs became scattered across the floor, not a single person being spared. Hell, even those innocent victims being sold in the slave market were cut down without being given the chance to resist.
Damien watched it all happen. Oddly enough, those so-called inquisitors made no move on those within the private rooms. And throughout the entire ordeal, all he could feel was disgust.
Who were these people to decide justice? They were just cowards who only knew how to bully the weak and fear the strong. If not, how was it that those in important positions were still safe while tens of 4th classes slaughtered their juniors for no reason?
And even worse still, he was well aware of this massive farce. Regardless of how angelic they dressed themselves and regardless of how many passionate speeches they made about slaying the wicked, could they hide from him?
No matter the words that come from one's mouth, their aura tells no lies. This was a lesson Damien had learned long ago.
And the auras of these fools?
Black and putrid. They held the same stench as those devil worshippers, only much stronger and to a much higher degree. There was no mistaking it, these people were those so-called Priests and Inheritors that the Nox appointed.
Damien narrows his eyes as he shifted his gaze away from the atrocities being committed down below, his gaze centering on a certain private room.
And even though he was sure that the glass partition was still doing its job to conceal him within it, he was almost certain he could feel a cold stare gazing directly back at him.
'There's no other choice. If anything, this is the only way we can escape with the talismans being ineffective.'
He felt like a hypocrite. Wasn't he the one who had said he wouldn't allow any injustice as long as it was happening in front of him? Wasn't he the one who said he couldn't bear the suffering of innocents in large conflicts like this one?
But it wasn't something he could change. When emperors fought, it was the common people that suffered.
Damien took one last look at those white robes figured. He stared daggers into their angelic forms. Only their eyes were visible behind their masks, but even then he could clearly see their glee. They were feeling ecstasy while being soaked in the blood of those weaker.
He seared their auras into his memory.
'These atrocities…I will remember them.'
And then, the space around him twisted once again, as he and Ruyue vanished from their prior position.
