"Haa..." Finally, Xiao opened his eyes, waking up from his earlier state. Looking around, he realized he was back in the room he was in before. Seeing this, he let out a sigh, relieving some of the tension in his nerves. However, his mind still reeled from the earlier encounter.
'Gravewalker? Worldiard clan?' What on earth were those? This was the first time Xiao had heard of them. Moreover, how did he end up in that place? What was that place? Numerous questions swirled within Xiao's mind, giving him a headache. Xiao closed his eyes and took a deep breath to regain his calm. Right now, he was in the dark and could only make use of what was given to him.
'Calm down, calm down...'
'Looks like I need to acquire "that" soon.'
Xiao had planned on obtaining that certain treasure later, but since his cultivation had risen so much, it might be possible to obtain it sooner. Setting that aside, Xiao's mind started to reflect on what had happened.
The first thing he realized was that the being sitting on the throne was not his enemy, but it didn't necessarily mean it was his ally either. He also contemplated what it had said about him facing an ordeal. Currently, Xiao was in a world where everything seemed to be heading towards war.
With a hardened look on his face, Xiao's eyes opened as he made a decision. Anything labeled as an 'ordeal' by such a powerful being couldn't be considered simple. Xiao focused on something hidden within him, feeling a 'sword' buried deep inside, waiting to be wielded. Though he couldn't measure its exact power, he could see that it was extremely potent and would be helpful in the upcoming challenges. It was then that Alex spoke, interrupting Xiao's thoughts.
"Are you all right?"
Looking towards Alex and the others, Xiao calmly nodded his head and replied, "Yes, I'm all right. Thank you for your help."
"It's nothing. I'm just happy to help," Alex responded.
Hearing Alex's words, Xiao nodded again and turned his attention to Naria. He hadn't forgotten what she had asked of him. Raising his hands, a raging purple flame, demanding respect, appeared. The rest of the group widened their eyes with surprise, which soon turned into unbridled happiness. Alex even shed a single tear out of sheer joy, his body trembling.
Observing their reactions, Xiao remained impassive. How could he understand the feelings of these people who had been looked down upon since a young age? People who believed they would never truly be special in their lives? In this case, all he could do was gaze at the faces of these people, trembling with happiness. However, the moment quickly passed, and they regained their composure.
"Thank you," Naria said as she looked at him. In her eyes burned a deep desire, a desire to no longer be looked down upon. The others shared the same sentiment. Xiao didn't say anything and instead asked the question that had been weighing on him.
"So, can we go out now?"
But just as he asked the question, a loud sound reverberated from outside. The entire room began shaking violently.
Screeeeehhhhhh!
A deafening scream filled the realms, accompanied by chaotic Qi. Powerful auras emerged everywhere, and the sounds of bells rang throughout. Xiao clutched the sofa he was sitting on as the tremors subsided. Standing up, he asked, "What's happening?"
Xiao looked at Alex, who appeared pale. Alex stammered, "Th-They are here."
Hearing this, Xiao narrowed his eyes, understanding the underlying meaning. A sense of emergency filled his mind as he thought about Yun Yurou. However, he managed to calm himself down, realizing she is in the safest place possible. Xiao remained silent for a moment, contemplating his next move. He was currently trapped here, and although it seemed safe, there was no telling how things would unfold.
"Sam, can you check if the guards are still outside?" Xiao asked, noticing Sam was closest to the door. Sam walked towards the door, looked outside, and then shook his head, turning towards Xiao. This presented a dilemma. Xiao could either stay within this seemingly 'safe' room or leave. Soon, he reached a decision and said, "I will be leaving."
"No," Aleezer spoke, looking at Xiao. "This is the best place for you, and if the lords find out that you've left this room, they could blame us."
The rest of the teens agreed, but Alex, who had lived much longer and could perceive more than others, remained silent. Looking at Xiao, he asked, "Are they here for you?"
The room fell silent. Xiao remained quiet for a moment before nodding. He understood from the words of the woman earlier that he was wanted by these Scyllas. Xiao wasn't someone who would passively await his death. Hearing Xiao's agreement, many of them turned pale.
"I see. Then let's go."
"Father!" Aleezer shouted, looking at Alex, but Alex paid him no mind. He turned to Xiao and asked, "Do you have anything capable of withstanding the Qi pressure?"
"Yes," Xiao affirmed. By himself Xiao has no power to take on the external pressure outside, even if his cultivation has reached this level, because here it ain't even the beginning, but the sword 'gifted' to him helped resolve that issue, well before that, the flame within him still keeps protecting him.
"Then, where would you like to go?"
"First, I would like to know what's happening."
"Okay."
With that, Alex enveloped Xiao and the rest in his Qi and led them out of the room. The place Xiao found himself in was enormous. With Xiao's cultivation, it would take years to reach the destination he had in mind.
They swiftly traversed through the hallways of the location, and as soon as Xiao stepped outside, the sword within him trembled, releasing a certain pressure that shielded him from the Qi outside
Soon, Xiao sensed them passing through a spatial gate, and in the next moment, he stood outside a colossal floating castle, surrounded by hundreds of beautiful islands. Countless immortal mountains and islands floated in the air, emitting divine lights that shot toward the sky. Spiritual mist pervaded the area, and the entire territory was enveloped by a formidable formation, radiating with bright flares akin to the brilliance of the sun and the moon.