"Uhm... You must see it for yourself, Senior Expert."
With these words, the representative led Lucas toward their sect's location. Unbeknownst to him, the platform he had created hovered above land governed by the Flower Dark Sect. Yet, the true essence of the sect lay hidden from plain sight.
As Lucas approached, he was struck by its breathtaking beauty. Majestic pagodas and intricately designed buildings adorned the landscape, seamlessly integrated into the base of a towering mountain. It was as if the mountain itself had been carved to cradle the sect within its embrace. Gazing upward, he marveled at a pagoda that seemed to pierce the sky, while behind him, more structures spread out in every direction, each one a testament to architectural mastery. This awe-inspiring sight was unlike anything he had ever encountered in his world, where guilds were merely large, solitary buildings, lacking the grandeur and complexity of this remarkable sect.
The people looked at him with crystals in their eyes, shimmering with awe as he followed the group. 'Why are they looking at me like this? Could it be because of my dantian? Ah, that's why the Heavenly Demon Sect felt threatened. They must have sensed it.'
His dantian affected his aura, making it clear that it was the cause of the attention. He knew he had to find a way to seal the aura, not his dantian, to maintain control.
As the cultivators led him to the tallest part of the sect and the highest pavilion, Lucas quickly scanned his surroundings. His eyes glowed yellow, allowing him to see through the walls in a simplified manner. The figures he saw were distinct enough for him to distinguish them from one another.
When his gaze stopped at the topmost floor of the pavilion, he raised an eyebrow and glanced at the representative.
"Is your Sect Master ill? Why does his condition seem so unstable?"
The representative flinched at Lucas's question. He didn't bother to ask how Lucas knew but remained silent for a few moments before answering.
"The truth is, he's in critical condition. He has been repelling the Heavenly Demon Sect's relentless attacks since day one."
Hearing this, Lucas was speechless. Why would their sect master take such a massive gamble by putting their strongest defender on the front line? Although it wasn't his concern initially, reflecting on his own faults made him sigh.
'Was I meditating for days? Tranquil Mind speeds up my perception of time more than I realized... I thought it would take days to grasp the full effect of the ability.'
Realizing he had lost track of time and had been above for several days, Lucas acknowledged his role in the misunderstanding between the two sects. He felt obliged to resolve the issue.
As they reached the topmost floor, they stopped in front of a grandiose sliding door.
"Sect Master, Senior Expert is here to assist us and to meet you," the representative announced.
"Come in..." a voice inside the room responded, slightly tired and pained.
They entered, and Lucas immediately saw the sect master's condition, lying helpless on the bed. He approached slowly, a dispirited look on his face.
'What I truly hate is how my actions create a ripple effect.'
Though he didn't fully understand the grudge between the two sects, guilt haunted him. Despite his outward appearance of indifference, he couldn't ignore the impact on lives.
"Thank you for granting me this audience," Lucas said, bowing his head slightly.
Under the canopy of the bed, the sect master spoke with a chuckle. "Hohoho... The Senior Expert seems to be young. I feared I would have to converse with a geezer like myself."
Lucas observed the sect master, noting his venerable appearance. He had long grey hair and a beard, yet his body still retained a certain vigor and shape, belying his age.
"I am older than you. Show some respect," Lucas said sarcastically.
The sect master's eyes widened, and he clasped his fist in apology. "Please forgive me, Senior Expert. I acted unforgivably by assuming you were younger."
"Never mind. Stand up and state your name," Lucas demanded.
The sect master sighed and grumbled, attempting to move but failing each time. Seeing this, Lucas softened his approach. It wouldn't hurt to be a bit more familiar.
"Forget about it. What's your name?" Lucas asked, his tone gentler.
"I am Thomas Wang, Senior Expert."
"I am Lucas. Now, Thomas Wang, who put you in this condition?" Lucas was curious and perplexed. Thomas's cultivation base was at the peak of the General Spirit Realm, making him a formidable cultivator.
"Well, I fought the sect master of the Heavenly Demon Sect, who is at the first level of the King Spirit Realm," Thomas explained with a smile, as if forgetting his previous embarrassment.
"It's my fault for triggering this conflict between your sects. Can you tell me the whole story? If I'm satisfied with your reasoning, I might offer you a helpful gift," Lucas said.
"Really, Senior Lucas? You will?" Thomas asked, astonished.
Lucas merely nodded. Out of thin air, sparkling lights appeared below his knee level, and a chair materialized through his third energy, a magical process. Thomas could barely contain his surprise, internally screaming at the spectacle he had just witnessed.
'A true expert who can create objects out of nowhere! Even though flying at a high altitude was astonishing, it wasn't enough to surprise me! But this-!'
"So, when will you start?" Lucas prompted.
Thomas snapped back to reality and began recounting the story behind the grudge between the two sects.
One hundred years ago, the two sects had a friendly competition as they were among the most esteemed sects in the northern region. However, during a match, a tragedy occurred: one member from each sect died. This incident ignited the hatred between them.
The situation worsened because the one who died from the Heavenly Demon Sect was the sect master's child. This loss fueled his animosity towards the Flower Dark Sect. The Heavenly Demon Sect believed the death was no accident, suspecting it was a deliberate act to hinder their future generation.
Unable to accept the explanation, the Heavenly Demon Sect launched attacks against the Flower Dark Sect. The Flower Dark Sect's casualty wasn't as prominent, leading the Heavenly Demon Sect to think it was a calculated move.
After years of unresolved conflict, the Heavenly Demon Sect withdrew, managing their own land while preparing for a final showdown. Recently, they resumed attacks, claiming the Flower Dark Sect intended to annihilate them. Believing they would be attacked by the cultivator above, they aimed to take down the Flower Dark Sect's sect master first, content with an all-sides-defeat outcome.
"And that cultivator was me?" Lucas sighed after hearing the story.
As absurd as it seemed, Lucas understood the enduring bitterness of the Heavenly Demon Sect's sect master, who was still on edge after all these years.
'He was a doting father... Unlike me, who couldn't even be there for my own child...'