Chapter 122 122: Blood Vow!
Evan's brow furrowed as he mulled over the complexity of the situation surrounding the Frost Blood Household.
The responsibility of this household was to train and prepare the younger generation of the imperial Frost clan for enrollment in the army.
Furthermore, many members of this household held esteemed positions within the army.
General Edward, the head of the Frost Blood household, was known to have sired five children, but only Aiden and Annika were legitimate heirs as they were birthed by his primary wife, Catherine, who had a huge background.
Just like Evan's mother, Lady Catherine was from the Firestorm Imperial Clan!
Due to unforeseen events, Aiden's right to succession was taken away. Annika, on the other hand, had established herself as a distinguished army major after obliterating several Cosmic Crusaders' bases. Despite her outstanding achievements, her gender prevented her from inheriting her father's position and leading the family.
Furthermore, it was revealed that Lady Catherine had reached her limit. Her treasure palace had run dry after giving birth to two children who possessed the rare talent for soul cultivation. Her womb was like a barren land, unable to nurture life. She could no longer be impregnated. She could no longer give birth to a male heir for her husband.
Consequently, the councils of elders stepped in, creating an opportunity for General Edward's illegitimate sons to compete for the chance to become his successor.
Nevertheless, the amount of wealth Annika would be inheriting from her father would be quite substantial, and she was already a famous Major.
The army has a hierarchy of ranks, each with its own responsibilities and duties. The lowest rank is the Private, followed by the Corporal, Sergeant, Lieutenant, Captain, Major, Colonel, General, and the highest rank, Field Marshal.
How young was Annika?
She was in her twenties. Yet, she was already a Major!
Having the support of someone like her, it meant a lot!
Of course, Evan was grateful for Aiden's assistance as well.
"I can't believe I am being backed by you two siblings. I thought I'd be fighting alone in this war," Evan remarked.
Without warning, Aiden kneeled on one knee and placed his hand over his chest.
"I can't promise you victory, but I swear on my life and my title as the youngest young master of the Frost Blood Household that I will fight alongside you till the end and give my all in ensuring that you'll emerge victorious in this war," Aiden vowed like a general, his amber eyes radiating sincerity.
Aiden had only lost his right to fight in the succession war of the Frost Blood Household. He was not disowned. Thus, he could still be considered the young master of the Frost Blood Household.
[A blood vow has been made!]
Evan felt his blood heat up at the blood promise, a solemn vow that could only be made between two parties who had the Blood of Frost running in their veins.
The blood promise bound one to their words, like a knight swearing loyalty to their lord.
[Any violation of the blood vow would cause the violator to suffer from excruciating pain!]
Betrayal was not possible; if Aiden went against his words, his blood would solidify, and he would die a painful death.
Nowadays, few would dare to make a blood oath, as it bound them to an eternal promise. Aiden had essentially pledged himself to be Evan's sword, but whether Evan would accept this offer or not was entirely up to him.
Rumors of Evan's paranoia and trust issues had circulated, and Aiden had not seen Evan in years, so he had no choice but to rely on those rumors. In an effort to demonstrate his sincerity, Aiden made a bold move. However, Evan was not aware of Aiden's intentions, as he could not read his mind.
In his eyes, Aiden had gone too far in trying to prove that he was loyal to him. His actions left him feeling bewildered and suspicious.
Clearing up any misunderstandings between them was crucial, as misunderstandings were like dark clouds hovering over a relationship, obscuring the truth. It could lead to mistrust, resentment, and ultimately, the collapse of the relationship. Like a small seed, if not addressed, it could grow into a big, ugly tree, choking the life out of the connection.
Evan could sense Aiden's desperation, but he couldn't fathom the root of it. Luckily, he had a way to find out and resolve any misunderstandings immediately.
He looked at Aiden with narrowed eyes, and Aiden couldn't help but wonder what Evan was up to.
[The target has been selected, and the inspection skill has been cast!]
[Inspection Successful!]
Since Aiden's cultivation was lower than Evan, Evan could see through him and understand him better.
Evan was presented with Aiden's stats and past.
Name: Aiden
Cultivation Realm: Soul Manifestation Realm
Level: 8
Soul Plate: Energy Manipulator
Skill Crystal: Heavenly Touch.
Stats:
Strength: 88
Agility: 92
Stamina: 90
Aiden had decent stats. He must have worked his butt off, put in hours of hard labor in the army. When it came to physical strength, Jack and Eric didn't hold a candle to him. Aiden was nearly on par with Mathew and Dante in terms of stats alone.
Not to mention, with the power of his skill crystal, Aiden could purify anyone, himself or others, of debuffs caused by curses and so on instantly. He was a walking and talking talisman against all sorts of witchcraft and evil. In Evan's own words — Aiden was a potent repelling agent whom he had been missing all along.
However, he knew Aiden's skill had its limitations, and it couldn't be exploited without consequences. The cost of using Heavenly Touch was directly proportional to the severity of the debuff—the more intense the debuff, the greater the price that must be paid for purifying it.
Most importantly, this power was not to be wielded recklessly. After all, If a person with weak cultivation dared to use it to eliminate a severe debuff, they would pay for it with their life!
Still, there was no denying that with such a person by his side, Evan's chances to win the war had increased significantly!