After four months more of travelling, the Carmelo Family Caravan now arrived at the front of the towering walls of Stone Forest City.
The Stone Forest City was one of the unique city of Red Tree Kingdom because of its location. All of the city and Kingdoms of Azure Forest Dynasty was always named with trees and forest as it was always have a forest of tree nearby. But the Stone Forest Town was unique as it was build in the Stone Mountain who was known as the mountain full of rocks and almost minimal, if none, number of trees.
Nick came out on his carriage and went to Cole's.
"Master Cole, we are now at the Stone Forest Town." Nick said outside of Cole's carriage.
Cole came out along with Ricky. He didn't let them see Celia as he know that the caravan doesn't know Celia when they leaved from Towering Tree City. Beast was okay as they know by now that he was a Beast Tamer but Celia was a dragon and it will make it more controversial compared to Celia's human child form.
"Hmm.." Cole hum as answer to Nick. Nick just smile as he was afraid to offend the guy. Although he was older as he was already twenty-one years old but Cole, who was aged sixteen, can kill twenty bandits within a minute, something that he can't do. So he have to be polite.
"I heard that killing the Shadow Bandit has a reward? Is this true?" Cole inquire to Nick.
Nick smile to Cole while he slap himself to his heart as he forget the bounties of the Shadow Walkers for the past four months they were travelling and didn't manage to tell him.
"Yes. There was a reward." Nick answered. "And there's a different amount between their cultivation stage. Sixth Stage of Mana Gathering and below priced 5 gold coins each, Seventh Stage was 7 gold coins each, Eighth Stage was 10 gold coins each, Ninth Stage was 15 gold coins each, Peak Mana Gathering Stage was 30 gold coins while Core Formation Stage expert rewards was not out." He explained.
Cole nodded. It seems like he'll have many gold today as he eliminated the whole Shadow Walkers of the Shadow Forest except for Fernand. Fernand was at a Second Level of Core Formation Stage and was useful to him for a moment. Although he have Celia who can parasite person upto three stages higher than herself, he don't like to used paratism as it will only bring trouble to himself if her ability was to be known. Parasite user's was never friendly in the eyes of people.
The Carmelo Family Caravan finally enter the Stone Forest City. Just like the Towering Tree City, there were guards who are inspecting and charged entrance fee for those who will enter the city for the first time.
The guards were ready to stop the caravan when he saw the old man at the front of the carriages and recognized him. He bow almost immediately and said, "Welcome, esteemed elder of Carmelo Family."
All that was waiting in the line were ready to voiced out their complaint when they saw the lines of carriage wanted to pass them and not wait in line, however, when they heard that the carriages were from Carmelo Family, they immediately swallow their voice to the pit of their stomach.
That was the Carmelo Family! Even the city lord were polite with them!
The caravan arrived to the Carmelo residence almost immediately, however, Cole didn't even bother to enter. He wanted to claim the bounty almost immediately and go back to the Shadow Forest and made a breakthrough. He was now delayed for four months and if not for his mission to escort the family to this city, he should have made a breakthrough by now.
Nick escort Cole to the place called Hunter's Association, where he will claimed the bounties of the Shadow Walkers.
Both Nick and Cole come inside and arrived at the counter where a lady was sitting.
"Can I help you?" The lady said with bored tone.
This lady must be working here for a long time that her enthusiasm was now at rock bottom. Cole conclude to himself about the attitude of the counter lady.
"I'm here to get the bounties of Shadow Walkers." Cole replied.
The lady sighed heavily. Almost every-day, there will someone wants to claim the bounties of Shadow Walkers and most of them was fake. Now, there was someone who wanted to claim Shadow Hunter's bounty again.
"Can you make a swear for it?" The lady ask.
Cole look at her confused and ask, "Why?"
The lady smiled at him and said, "There are always claiming that he killed a member of Shadow Walkers and the best and fastest way to prove it was swearing." The lady explained.
Cole nod in understanding.
Cole prick his finger and a drop of blood appear and he chant, "I swear to the name of Heaven that all that I deliver to get the bounty was all the members of Shadow Walkers."
After a minute, nothing happened. The lady nod in satisfaction as she knew that the guy was not lying like the other before him.
"Where is the head?" The lady inquire.
Cole pointed at the carriage they brought with them and said, "There!"
The lady in the counter felt her heart beats faster. The only thing she can think was that since they can't bring them in and leaved the head at the carriage was because there were many of it. She immediately checked the inside of the carriage and saw many boxes. Her heart beats quickened.
"I-I'll get the supervisor." She said politely and quickly enter the building.
Moments later, she came out along with a muscled middle-aged man.
The middle-aged man checked Cole and he was in disbelief. He was so young!
The attendant said that there was someone who want claim the bounties of Shadow Walkers and there were many of it. He concluded that an expert decided to eliminate the Shadow Walkers, however, it doesn't appear to him that the expert was so young!
"You're the one who wanted to claim the bounty of Shadow Walkers?" The middle-aged man ask Cole.
The middle-aged man know that the man beside Cole was Nick, the young master of Carmelo Family, and he doesn't have the ability to eliminate the Shadow Walkers. So his guess was Cole was the expert or the servant of the expert. Whatever his background was, it was not something he can question.
"Yes." Cole answered.
The middle-aged man look at the attendant.
"He swear that all that he will deliver were all members of Shadow Walkers." The attendant said.
The middle-aged man nods and started to count the heads. He also believed that all of the heads in the boxes were all members of Shadow Walkers since Cole swear to the Heaven and nothing happened to him.
Half an hour later.
"I know that you know the bounty prices of this heads and make the calculation yourself right?" The middle-aged man ask Cole while he just nod. "The total of this head was 297 gold coins and I'll make it full 300 gold coins. Is that alright?"
"Sure." Cole nodded. He was satisfied he knows the total of this head before he brought them here and he was happy that there were additional 3 gold coins.
"Is the leader in here?" The middle-aged man ask Cole.
Cole shakes his head. "The leader of the Shadow Walkers were at Second Stage of Core Formation Stage. I can't kill him and he can't defeat me so I just let him go." Cole answered.
He didn't let go Fernand. He was outside, in the forest near here.
The middle-aged man nods in understanding. They can't defeat each other and just let each other go. It was favorable to the kid but he was sure that the leader of Shadow Walkers has now grudge with him. Sooner or later, they'll come with conclusion.
"Here. Full 300 gold coins." The middle-aged man give a bag to Cole.
Cole accept the bag and put it inside his robe and said, "Thank you." Then he started to leave.
The middle-aged man wanted to introduce himself to the young man and also learn the his identity but the kid look that he was in the hurry. He don't want to offend the powerhouse behind him.
Nick send Cole outside the city. He knows that Cole has some business to attend to and he felt that the guy wanted to leave but him escorting them to the city was the reason he didn't.
Nick find something inside his robe and he get the bag inside.
He put the bag to Cole's palm. "This is our payment for escorting and saving us from the hands of Shadow Walkers." He said.
Cole didn't even bother to be polite as he put it inside his robe.
Nick smile at the sight. The bag contained a 100 gold coins. It was too much for escorting as it was normally only paid 10 gold coins but he saved their life and he knows that there was no amount of gold it can amount to. And this was the maximum he could give to Cole. He was even nervous if Cole won't be satisfied with the amount but seeing his gesture, he felt relieved. Cole didn't even bother to check the amount inside the bag.
"I know that you want to enter the Five Elements Sect and you'll participate in their disciple recruitment." Nick spoke. "The travel to Five Elements Sect from here was only two months away. So if you want to come with us, just come here and we'll be happy again with your company." He added.
"Sure." Cole answered. "But if I didn't arrive by then, don't wait for me as I'm also uncertain if I can travel with you."
"See you then."
"See you."
Nick once again enter the city and get out of Cole's sight.
Cole was about to leave too and go back to the Shadow Forest and cultivate but suddenly stopped as his gaze fall on Ricky.
Ricky was holding Cole's hand and was about to walk too when he felt his big brother stop. "What's the matter Big Brother Cole?" He asked.
Cole ruffles Ricky's head and said, "We'll have fun today in the city and stay here for the night." Cole said to Ricky. "We'll just continue my plan tommorow." He added.
"Really? You mean it?" Ricky asked happily.
"Of course, I'll never lie to you." Cole answered Ricky. Ricky smiled even wider. "I'll just get the other's who can come." He said and summon the Gate and enter the Inner World.
Cole will his beast to come where he are and wait for them for a minute.
"I've decided to have fun in the city today and I'll bring who those who can come with me." Cole said.
"Those who can come?" Celia ask Cole.
Cole nodded. "You can come as you can transform into human kid while Shelly can reduced his size to palm size and he'll look harmless." Cole said to Celia. Celia nodded while she bow down her head as if contemplating something.
Cole look at Bell, Coal the Fire Lizard, Groot the Armored Demon Treant and lastly Blue, the four month old Hallucination Fox. "Don't worry guys, I'll buy you presents." Cole spoke to them. They all just nod in the underlying command, specially Bell. She understand what Cole mean. They were beast and they can't come with him with their forms or there will be a problem.
"Wait brother! I think I have a way to make us all go!" Celia exclaimed. Cole looked at her immediately as well as the others. This was a good news for them.
"We'll make Blue cover the other with illusion that will make us look acceptable to enter the city. Groot will be like an old man, Coal will be like a dog, Bell will be like a mouse. While Shelly and Blue are okay the way they are." Celia spoke.
"Won't the illusion can be seen through since Blue was a little weak right now?" Cole ask confused at Celia.
"Yes, they can." Celia spoke truthfully while Cole and the others look at her with disappointed face. "But they can't see through my Grandmist Aura." She suddenly added.
Cole look at her like she was a genius while the other look at her confused.
"We'll use illusion as the appearance and Grandmist Aura as the protection and the people would see that you were all just a normal beast. Celia! You're a genius!" Cole spoke loudly while he hug Celia and the others pick up the plan and they all smiled all ears.
Celia smiled triumphantly.