As soon as those words were heard, everyone turned their attention towards them.
It was the sword immortal and the lotus of life who were just entering.
Obviously, what the sword immortal had just done was disrespectful to Rui and Jane, so Rui stared daggers at him despite the obvious status difference.
He was their ancestor, but that didn't mean he had the right to ruin the occasion with his antics.
Sensing the awkward atmosphere in the hall, the sword immortal looked confused.
"Listen here, you buffoon; stop ruining the occasion with your antics! I swear, you always do this!"
Lianhua reprimanded him while pinching his cheeks, prompting him to scream in dismay.
"Sorry for the trouble; I'll just escort him to his seat and make sure he doesn't spout nonsense for the rest of the banquet."
"But, Lianhua, I didn't do anything wrong!"
"This again! I married an adult, not a child. If you don't think about what you did and why it was wrong, I won't allow you to interfere with the young ones anymore."
The crowd watched this scene in disbelief as the Sword Immortal was dragged around like a mischievous child, despite him obviously being stronger.
'Let's make sure I'm on the ancestral mother's side.'
Rui told himself, holding Jane's hand tight.
The banquet proceeded smoothly, and people enjoyed themselves, dancing, laughing, and celebrating the occasion.
Rui and Jane spent this time socializing, especially Jane since she was new to this world. She was introduced to Rui's circle and began acclimating to her new environment.
Jane was mentally strong, and despite the obvious weirdness in her situation, she took everything in stride.
Although she was uncomfortable with being unable to see her family, she still had her partner, whom she thought she had lost.
However, that didn't mean she had no worries. Since she was in a new environment, despite having power thanks to her awakening on earth, she was afraid that she would be left behind.
She knew that Rui was talented and strong, and he would only get stronger as he increased his cultivation.
Compared to earth, where she had to go into gates and hunt monsters, the world here was safe, with the only danger being other humans and rarely runic beasts.
She didn't know yet how to raise her strength, especially since the energy and base rules of the world were different.
She would have to experiment, just like Sylas and Maverick.
She made a risky choice just because her lover had returned, even though he was fundamentally different.
One might say that her past with Albert was different from her current reality, but she trusted in their bond. Some might call her reckless, but she didn't feel like she was.
It was a major decision that she had to take, not only leaving her family behind but also her friends and the world she loved, all for her partner.
The emptiness that Albert's death had brought her changed her as a person, which resulted in a dependence on his existence after he reincarnated and appeared before her.
She knew that it was a bad idea to rely on her emotions, but she decided to follow her heart.
She was happy now and looked forward to happier days.
--------------------—
As the banquet came to an end, Rui sat alone on top of the roof, staring at the sky.
Jane had been escorted away by the female elders while their guests went to their designated rooms.
Rui breathed deeply, his mind in a haze.
Too much had happened to him in a very short period of time, so he took this moment to collect himself.
The system had yet to reboot, so all he could do was compose himself and go over everything slowly.
'First, let's start with the things I can do now."
Thinking of this, he called out to his crescent moon earring.
"Yue.."
"Yes master?"
Immediately, Yue responded with enthusiasm, prompting Rui to smile sweetly.
"Can you please tell me the locations of the remaining slips?"
Rui decided to use his ancestor's power to quickly acquire the remaining parts of the mantra.
He had a suspicion that once all the talismans were collected, something bad would happen, so he would rather get rid of a problem before it began.
He was going to kill with a borrowed knife.
Since the ancestor knew everything about him, he decided to see it as an advantage, especially since he was taken under his wing as a disciple.
Yue didn't waste any time and began giving details about the location of all of the jade slips. Rui roughly understood where they were located based on how far away they were from him and in which direction.
"Now all that is left is requesting ancestor to find them for me."
However, that was easier said than done, and Rui knew it well.
As he pondered his next steps, Rui's thoughts drifted to Jane. He wondered how she was faring among the clan elders and what they were discussing.
Despite his initial reluctance to involve Jane in the clan's matters, he knew that she was now an integral part of his life and would support him no matter what.
Feeling a sense of determination wash over him, Rui stood up and made his way back into the estate.
The night air was cool against his skin, and the stars twinkled overhead, casting a soft glow on the surroundings. His hair flowed with the wind, prompting him to close his eyes and enjoy the moment.
Breathing deeply, Rui found a moment of serenity, especially after the events he had been through over the past few months.
As he entered the hall, Rui noticed that most of the guests had retired for the night, leaving only a few lingering individuals who were engaged in quiet conversations.
Rui greeted them gently and made his way deeper inside the building, heading towards his living quarters.
The halls were mostly empty, with only a few attendants moving about. Rui knew that Jane would be waiting for him in their room, since the first night was important.
Rui's face flushed slightly just thinking of it, but it wasn't as if it was his first time. They already got married on earth; this second marriage was mostly to uphold the traditions of his clan.
Entering their room, Rui found Jane sitting by the window, gazing out at the moonlit landscape. Her presence alone brought a sense of calmness to him, dispelling any lingering doubts or worries.
"Hey…"
Rui said softly, his voice breaking the silence of the room.
Jane turned towards him, a warm smile lighting up her face.
"Hey, you're back."
Rui crossed the room in an instant and joined her by the window, taking in the tranquil view outside. The moon cast a gentle glow over the estate, illuminating the gardens below.
"I hope you had a good time tonight."
Rui said, his gaze shifting to Jane.
Jane nodded, her eyes reflecting the moonlight.
"It was... different, but I'm glad to be here with you."
Rui reached out and took her hand in his, intertwining their fingers.
"I'm glad you're here too."
He said with clear affection.
They sat in comfortable silence for a while, simply enjoying each other's company.
As they sat together, the air between them seemed to thicken with unspoken tension.
Rui's gaze lingered on Jane, tracing the curves of her face, the softness of her lips, and the gentleness in her eyes.
Jane, sensing the intensity of Rui's stare, leaned in closer, her breath warm against his skin.
The moonlight bathed them in its silvery glow, making the scene even more romantic.
Without a word, Rui reached out, cupping Jane's cheek in his hand, his touch gentle yet possessive.
Jane's heart fluttered at the contact, her heart racing in anticipation of what was to come.
Their connection was electric, a fusion of yin and yang, passion and restraint, desire and devotion.
Rui woke up early, wore his robe, and proceeded to meditate.
His cultivation stage had fully consolidated, so he could now focus on further increasing his rank.
The path of a rune master was arduous, and one had to take it step by step. Cultivation was, after all, a path towards ascension over heaven. An ascension that went beyond mortal limits. It was a denial of mortality.
As a third-rank rune master, all he had to do was absorb energy into his runic core until it was fully saturated. After saturation, he would then begin his advancement to the fourth rank, which was the rune soul stage.
Rui was sure it would take him a considerable amount of time to saturate his core, since his core was different from others. The amount of runic energy required for it to saturate was almost bottomless, which made him question the feasibility of it.
Without a lucky encounter, he was sure that it would take him years or maybe decades. This was the major hurdle after each advancement, since the strength increase wasn't incremental but rather exponential.
Rui felt the lack of progress despite the incredible amount of runic energy he was absorbing, and his hunger to learn a greater cultivation technique or upgrade his current level was subtly increasing.
After meditating for two hours, he decided to have a talk with the sword immortal.
He silently approached the bed and bid farewell to Jane with a kiss on her forehead. Smiling gently, his body vanished from the spot, not causing a single sound.
Rui made his way to the courtyard, where the Sword Immortal, still under the watchful eye of Lianhua, was sitting on a stone bench, looking somewhat dejected.
Approaching cautiously, Rui cleared his throat before speaking.
"Ancestor, I have a request."
The sword immortal looked up, his expression a mix of boredom and slight irritation.
"What do you want now, young one?"
Rui took a deep breath, gathering his thoughts before continuing.
"I need your help in locating the remaining jade slips of the mantra. Yue has provided me with their general locations, but I believe your abilities could expedite the process."
The sword immortal raised an eyebrow, still annoyed and not intrigued by the request in the slightest.
"Oh? And why should I help you?"
Getting an answer that he wasn't expecting, Rui stared blankly at the rune sword immortal.
His mind raced, trying to come up with a good way to get his agreement, but Rui knew he was nothing but an open book in front of his ancestor. The man was freakishly strong, to the point that he almost felt omnipotent and omniscient.
However, before Rui could even think of something to say, the sword immortal spoke first.
"Fine, I'll help you out. A clone should be enough to do the job anyway. Let's see, how about an eighth-rank clone?"
Before Rui could even register the situation, a second ancestor appeared in front of him.
"Eighth rank should be good enough to get everything."
Hummed the Sword Immortal, completely disregarding Rui's existence.
The clone soon vanished from sight, as if it were never there.
Rui stood there, utterly speechless. He couldn't believe how easily the Sword Immortal had agreed to help him, even going so far as to create a powerful clone to assist in finding the jade slips, despite the initial denial.
As Rui tried to process what had just happened, the Sword Immortal turned to him with a smirk, as if he could read Rui's thoughts.
"Surprised, aren't you?"
he said, his voice dripping with amusement.
"You thought I wouldn't help you? Please, I may be a bit of a troublemaker, but I'm not heartless. Besides, finding those jade slips will benefit both of us in the long run."
Rui blinks in astonishment, still struggling to find his voice. It was uncanny how the Sword Immortal seemed to anticipate his every reaction.
"But... but why deny it at first?" Rui finally managed to stammer out.
The sword immortal chuckled, crossing his arms over his chest.
"Why? Because you're my descendant, of course. And despite my antics, I do care about the future of our clan. Plus, it'll be entertaining to see what you do with the full mantra once you have it."
Hearing his words, Rui understood one thing: his ancestor was doing this for the sake of entertainment.
Lianhua also realized this, but she didn't say anything and only sighed. Her husband was too childish, despite his age.
The Sword Immortal's clone moved in a swift fashion, its face expressionless as it crossed hundreds of kilometers in a matter of seconds.
It had already gotten all the information it needed from its master, so it just followed orders; however, a slight hint of a popping vein could be seen on its forehead.
"That gremlin of a master is out there messing around, and here I am doing his chores again."
The clone muttered, its eyes getting colder just thinking of the true sword immortal.
Despite its inner grumblings, the clone maintained its focus, honing in on the locations provided by Yue with precision. It navigated through rugged terrain and dense forests, undeterred by any obstacles in its path.
As to how it knew the information without Rui having told the Sword Immortal, even the clone itself didn't know. The powers of the original were beyond its understanding.
Soon, it reached the location of the first jade slip, the academy library.
The clone frowned as soon as it entered the vicinity of the academy, sensing a presence it didn't like much.
Its figure flashed and moved inside the library without a sound, appearing in front of the glass jar that held the first jade slip.
Removing the glass lid, it swiftly took the jade slip before moving in the direction of the presence it had detected earlier.
It had sensed a familiar yet evil energy coming from this place, so it decided to investigate despite it being a clear violation of its orders.
Reaching near the energy, the clone saw an elderly man who was carrying a pile of old scrolls, neatly storing and organizing them on the shelves.
The elderly man was the librarian of the academy, Zhang Yun.
The clone instantly noticed something off with Zhang Yun, as a large amount of corrupted runic energy was permeating his entire body, despite the fact that he seemed frail and ready to collapse at any moment.
It recognized what the truth of the matter was with just a single glance and proceeded to eliminate a problem that was plaguing not only Zhang Yun but also the Illusive Empire's sage, Peng Liliang, for hundreds of years.
That problem was, of course, the possession of Zhang Yun by a demon. A demon that was too troublesome to eliminate even for the sage despite his cultivation stage.
But things were different for the sword immortal, even though it was just a clone of his.
Zhang Yun noticed a figure in the corner of his eye, which prompted him to turn in a hurry, surprised by the sudden appearance of a guest without his or the demon's knowledge.
The figure was that of a young man with long black hair and sharp red eyes. The atmosphere around the young man was intimidating and heavy, making his breathing cease for a moment.
"To think that a Mo clan demon has appeared here. I exterminated your clan just two thousand years ago, but I didn't expect so many seedlings to still be alive. You're the tenth I've encountered in twenty years."
The young man spoke all of a sudden, which made Zhang Yun even more confused. Suddenly, he felt the demonic energy in his body run rampant as the demon began gathering his strength.
"YOU—IT'S YOU! YOU MONSTER!"
A low and heavy-sounding voice came from the darkest depths of the demonic energy covering Zhang Yun's body.
The energy shivered, as if afraid of the person in front of it. The energy slowly gathered into one spot, forming an ethereal figure of a young demon with emaciated features.
The young man remained unfazed by the appearance of the demon, his expression cold as killing intent rushed out of his body.
"I don't have time to waste it on chatting with something that is already dead."
Said the young man as he extended two fingers forward and slashed in a relaxed manner.
The scene was majestic and at the same time awkward, as his move didn't contain any runic energy whatsoever.
Zhang Yun felt like nothing happened from this action; however, in the very next second, the space in front of him was split in half, and the corrupt energy in his body had completely disappeared along with the presence of the demon.
Realizing this, Zhang Yun understood that his life would finally end this way, since the energy and the demon's insistence were the only things keeping him alive.
"Relax; you won't die from this."
Said the young man at that moment. Zhang Yun's half-open eyes couldn't help but glance at him with hope as his body lay on the floor, weak and helpless.
The young man extended his hand and created an energy sphere.
"Although you won't be able to advance further than rank 5 for the rest of your life, you should be happy to still live after all that."
Saying so, the young man put the energy sphere inside his body, guiding it through his meridians and recovering his torn body to a state where he wouldn't die with just a single gust of wind.
Zhang Yun didn't feel a thing throughout the entire process, as he had passed out.
When he awoke, the young man was nowhere to be seen, and the demon was officially defeated, while he had survived despite thinking it was impossible.
It took the clone less than an hour to gather all nine jade slips.
Rui couldn't believe his eyes, seeing all the jade slips gathered in one spot. He thought it would take at least a week or two, but all those jade slips that were so far away and even those that were in the possession of someone were delivered to his hands in less than an hour.
He blankly stared at his ancestor's clone, which was standing there as if it were nothing.
"I think I made you too weak; it should have taken you less than twenty minutes."
His ancestor couldn't help but chime in at that moment, which brought him irritated gazes from both Rui and his clone.
'If it was so easy to find them, then why did it take you so long to find the whereabouts of your son and his descendants?'
Rui wanted to ask this but refrained since he knew he would be touching a sour spot.
He had already understood some things after the ancestral mother explained the situation of the clan. It was better not to dive into politics this early.
With all nine jade slips in his possession, Rui felt a sense of accomplishment and relief wash over him. But there was one major issue. He couldn't yet use them since the system was still offline.
He wouldn't risk it until he had confirmation of the system, since that was the sole reason he even wanted to acquire these jade slips. The skills and transformation of the [Heavenly Demon Mantra] into the [Heavenly Runic Mantra] were important.
As Rui pondered his next steps, he decided to focus on other matters while waiting for the system to come back online. With the jade slips safely in his possession, he could turn his attention to training and strengthening his cultivation.
Taking a deep breath, Rui turned to his ancestor and his clone, who were still standing nearby.
"Thank you for your help."
Rui said sincerely, acknowledging the assistance his ancestor and the clone had provided.
The clone simply nodded in response, its expression unreadable. It then vanished into thin air, while his ancestor only smiled as he made his way towards the main building.