The tension outside the sect was palpable, a heavy silence hanging over the gathered crowd. Not a single soul dared to utter a word, even the elite members of the top factions held their tongues.
It wasn't the appearance of soul beasts or any anomaly of the portal that caused this unease, but the arrival of nine figures cloaked in black attire adorned with a striking golden dragon and phoenix emblem on the back, unmistakably marking them as emissaries of the empire.
Their proclamation that the portal would fall under the jurisdiction of the empire sent ripples of dissent through the crowd, some adamantly refusing to yield, bracing themselves for resistance.
Yet, their defiance was swiftly quelled by the imposing presence of a tall figure clad in pristine white, his snow-white hair cascading like a waterfall around his composed visage.
