In the quiet night, the Powerhouses that were scattered around the Soulless Garden, deeply and serenely in meditation, opened their to eyes at the same time.
Patriarch Lei felt both amazed and excitement as well as worry. Worried about what will happen to his people if an unexpected happen. However, since two Rulers and three Sages have already decided, he could only sigh.
'Powerful... but why do I feel strangely familiar about this feeling? It felt something... uncomfortable...', he questionably asked himself as what he felt wasn't fear but only made him uncomfortable. He was right about it being strange.
On the other side, the Patriarch Yun had no reaction. He had his always-closed eyes narrowly opened but immediately shut closed.
On the other hand, Emperor Sheng Ju Long was caught in contemplation. He was familiar with this feeling that came from the Sacrifice, on a huge scale, too. He just couldn't figure it out.
These Powerhouses who felt a massive aura that came out of the Sacrifice were mysteriously calm and didn't mind it that much. Even much for Sage Tai Shi, who was the only person whose eyes remained closed, unfazed by the abrupt appearance of something otherworldly.....
The night quickly passed while the people from Lei and Yun's clan enjoyed their peaceful sleep around the Soulless Garden. With their lack of cultivation, the glimpse of a terrifying energy fluctuation that came from the Sacrifice is just another weird uncomfortable feeling that came out of nowhere with no apparent reason. They even have no idea that it came from the Sacrifice.
By the morning, they easily took their tents or sleeping bags into their spatial rings and started preparing food. Different groups began to form as they get to know each other more. It became a lively and peaceful morning. Once again, you wouldn't believe that they are in the middle of a beast-infested forest.
Their faith to the Powerhouses brought them calm and peace deep in their minds. From time to time, laughter would sound but they tried to be quiet as possible.
However, on the side, the uncle and niece pair were lonely. Others wouldn't talk or even look at them. The pair offended the Powerhouses which their lives were staked. It can be likened to a religion which one of their members broke one of the laws of their God, therefore, being excommunicated.
But Elder Min knew what probably happened so he couldn't care about what the pair had done and joined them at their meal. Actually, he felt a little responsibility for it.
Uncle Xiu couldn't just blame it on Elder Min either that he welcomed him with a smile. After that, Zhe came to them with the other top student. Lei Mu became happy to see her brother again and had a chance to talk to him.
Brother Zhe then introduced the girl beside him. Yun Ju Mei, the top student of the Yun Clan. Nobody expected it but the two has Soul Connection, one of the three Partner Pacts. Soul Connection meant as the name implied, their souls are connected which means they are partnered for life. But that was not that surprise them the most but the benefits it brings.
If their soul is connected then if either one of them was to have enlightenment then the other will be shared that enlightenment. It is very much like an exp share, meaning, their cultivation may be twice faster than they were before.
However, there is a downside to it. If it only has benefits then most people have already gone for this Partner Pact. If they are partnered for life, they are partnered for death too. Their souls are connected and had already become one whole soul. If one were to diminished then the other, with no questions asked, would follow. Your life became twice as vulnerable as before.
The way to avoid this thing is to find a strong partner who can protect themselves and even protect you at the same time. But this time, two strong people made a Partner Pact! It was an absolute win-win!
Not only that but because the two were the top student of the two Great Clans, they were given a unique skill or a technique that only people with Soul Connection have access to. Since the pair always have eyes on each other, the skills were a barrier, heal, and, in case of emergency, an immediate teleport in a short distance.
However, this was all a one-time casting which would take some time before one could recast. For example, the immediate teleport called "Force Blink" which can only be cast to another but not to oneself, this skill is not simple at all, it needs multiple factors such as having a temporary control over the spatial energy. Because of this, the tax was huge. For the Zhe and Ju Mei pair, they could only do it to each other twice a day.
In the middle of the explanation, Lei Zhe boasted that by practicing this skill, both of them had come up with other skills such as changing positions completely or teleporting a whole area. They surprisingly created a wide range of modification by just practicing such skill, they are not called top students for nothing! Uncle Xiu and Elder Min gulped and thought.
However, Lei Zhe became shy right after. After boasting about their achievements, he had to say the problems with it. If he didn't, others may blindly rely on the pair.
With his face slightly red, Lei Zhe explained that even though they can cast such a skill, the downside is that their energy will completely be drained, making them unable to use other skills.
Of course! Uncle Xiu and Elder Min were not surprised at all.
Lei Mu, meanwhile, was attentively listening with glitters in her eyes, 'Brother Zhe is very lucky. His cultivation is two times faster than before! That's like... cheating!', she thought with envy as a silent Pop* sounded.
She stepped into the Earthly Realm...
'Ehh....?', Lei Mu dazed off, unable to make sense of the unbelievable power concentrating within her. It was too sudden and silent for her to react normally.
At the same time, the food was hot and ready.
.....
"The Powerhouses have decided that in an hour, all should be prepared to leave!"
.....
"Little Mu, why aren't you saying anything?"
.....
"Four Grade 4 Beast incoming...!!!"
.....
"As expected from the Powerhouses, each of them already killed more than five Grade 4 Beasts! Aren't they amazing, right?"
"Lei Mu...?"
.....
Lei Mu only woke up when Uncle Xiu had enough and pulled her hands.
"Ah? Uncle Xiu?"
Uncle Xiu looked at her with a puzzled expression, "You finally speak something, huh? Did you slept with your eyes open while walking?"
Lei Mu look far ahead and asked, "Uhn, where are we now? I don't see the Sacrifice anymore."
"You... are you seriously asleep earlier?", Uncle Xiu pointed behind them as he looked at Lei Mu.
Lei Mu turned her head to see the largest thing she saw in her entire life. They are already leaving while the seven Powerhouses had their backs turned to them and their faces in front of the Sacrifice.