Yinling's eyes shimmered with tears, the weight of Jun's request settling like a stone in her heart. "Your help? But how?" she whispered.
Observing the turmoil across her face, Jun felt a profound warmth spreading through his chest. It was a moment of vulnerability, of shared dreams and fears. He took a step closer, his gaze locking with hers, a well of determination and tenderness in his eyes.
"Yinling, for this new cultivation system I have created, it requires me to abandon the cultivation I have," he confessed, his voice steady yet imbued with an undercurrent of excitement and apprehension.
The horror that flashed in Yinling's eyes was palpable, her voice a mere breath.
"You... you're asking me to do it?" she murmured, disbelief and fear mingling in her tone.
Jun's heart clenched at her reaction, but the warmth of her concern only deepened his affection for her. "Don't fear this Yinling" he soothed, reaching out to caress her cheek, his touch as gentle as a feather.
"You won't be causing me harm. On the contrary, the benefits we reap would be unimaginable if we succeed."
Yinling's gaze fluttered away, unable to bear the intensity of his stare, her voice a fragile whisper. "But... I can't bear the thought of hurting you," she admitted, the idea alone tearing at her soul.
Jun's presence enveloped her, his proximity sending a tremor through her body. He leaned in, their breaths mingling.
"Yinling, please look at me," he implored softly, the depth of his plea reaching out to her. "Believe in me, in us. This isn't about harm; it's about helping us become stronger... can I count on you to help me to the other side?"
Yinling lifted her eyes, locking onto Jun's with an unspoken understanding shimmering between them. A gentle smile played on her lips, softening her features.
"I promised to be there with you every step of the way, didn't I?" Her voice was a tender whisper, wrapping around Jun like a warm embrace.
Jun's heart skipped a beat at her words, a rush of affection swelling within him. With a playful smirk, he leaned closer, the space between them charged with anticipation. Their lips met in a swift, electric kiss, sealing their silent vow.
"I knew I could count on you," he murmured against her lips, his voice laced with gratitude and a hint of awe. The moment was brief, but it was a promise, an acknowledgment of their bond that needed no words.
--
Dozens of miles away from the place Jun and Yinling were staying, a high-level meeting with important people was taking place. A square table was in the middle of a room with dim lighting.
Dominating the head of this table was a figure of imposing stature, cloaked in robes that flickered like living flames. This was the patriarch of the Scarlet Sect, a man whose mere presence could overwhelm even seasoned Gold Core Experts.
To the world, he was known as a formidable practitioner at the peak of the Gold Core's realm. However, veiled from the public eye was his recent ascension into the Purple Palace Realm, a feat that thrust the Scarlet Sect into the echelons eligible for recognition as a 7-star sect by Sky Palace.
Upon breaking through, he immediately applied to become a 7-star sect to Sky Palace.
The transition from a 6 to a 7-star sect wasn't merely symbolic; it signified an influx of resources, techniques, and acknowledgment from Sky Palace itself. This elevation stemmed from the Heavens Eternal Alliance's directive to nurture and reward the promotion of sects and cities, ensuring the flow of wealth and knowledge to those who surpassed their thresholds.
This is why the sect master of Scarlet Sect instantly applied. The approval arrived just an hour ago confirming their status as a 7-star sect but would take time to spread the news or resources. Not even the elders knew the Scarlet Sect had been promoted to a 7-star sect.
In the meantime, they received a new state-of-the-art technology that Sky Palace was only recently rolling out.
As the patriarch settled into his solitude at the table's end, the room's stillness was shattered by the activation of 12 holographic screens. These screens flickered to life around the table, each heralding the virtual presence of the core elders of the sect.
Quickly there were sounds of disbelief coming from the light screens.
"My God... they weren't lying about this" exclaimed Zhen, a battle-hardened elder with a spear always at his back, his eyes wide with wonder.
"This technology... it's like something out of this world" mused Mei, a youthful-looking elder whose beauty belied her centuries of experience, her voice tinged with amazement.
A weary sigh came from Chu, the oldest among them. "The world spins faster than I can keep up."
The room's attention subtly shifted toward the notably silent Elder Lili. Xian, a young elder known for his directness, couldn't help but probe, "Elder Lili, you're as quiet as a shadow today. What's on your mind?"
Elder Lili, lost in thought, offered no reply, her silence thickening the air.
"It's clear this technological marvel isn't the sole reason for our gathering. Patriarch, has something important occurred?" Lan, always the voice of reason, steered the conversation back on course.
The patriarch, a majestic figure in fiery robes, whose presence alone commanded respect, nodded solemnly. "Indeed. The reason for convening you all today goes beyond marveling at Sky Palace's latest innovation."
Hearing this, everyone quieted down, and the patriarch continued.
"As you may know, I have recently broken through to the Purple Palace Realm and applied to Sky Palace to become a 7-star sect"
The patriarch looked around at the holographic curtains, assessing their facial expressions.
"It is with great honor that I announce as the 57th patriarch of Scarlet Sect, we have officially been accepted as a 7-star sect"
"What!" roared the oldest elder among them.
"Father-- no, Patriarch is this true?!" exclaimed the beautiful Mei.
Cheers erupted, the elders momentarily abandoning decorum in their excitement. The patriarch allowed himself a rare, small smile of satisfaction before regaining his composure.
Soon everyone's cheers died down.
"As you all are aware," the patriarch's voice cut through the cheery atmosphere of the council chamber, "a recent, inexplicable event has unsettled the lands surrounding us. Elder Lili, with her disciples, ventured forth to investigate this anomaly."
The room's attention shifted towards Elder Lili, who, until this moment, seemed unusually withdrawn. The weight of the collective gaze seemed to press upon her, drawing her deeper into her seat.
"Yes, I led the investigation," Elder Lili began her voice a mere whisper compared to her usual firm timbre. "The desolation we encountered... was beyond anything imaginable," she confessed, her gaze flickering down, haunted by the memory of an empty city and, though she did not voice it, the shock of witnessing an unprecedented learning ability of Jun.
Hearing this, all the elders focused on her words seriously.
"Elder Lili, we urge you to elaborate," the patriarch prompted, sensing the gravity of her hesitation.
With a measured breath, Elder Lili recounted the eerie stillness of the city, the absence of life, and the disturbing sight of clothes without owners littering the streets—each detail meticulously noted.
Even when she visited the city lord's mansion, she saw the exact same thing, servants' clothes littering the inside and even warm tea which indicated it happened not long ago.
"It was as if the inhabitants vanished without knowing they did" she concluded, a statement that bore the surface-level horror of the scene.
Everyone's facial expression was filled with horror and fear hearing Elder Lilis recount. Who could blame them? That city alone could easily surpass their sect dozens of times, and the current cause of this is still roaming the wild as they speak.
Currently, that explosion with unknown origins is the only possible explanation. As for the treasures of that city, who cared about them when their lives were at stake.
But even knowing the cause, it did nothing to calm their raging minds, that explosion could easily happen again, even right next to their sect and they wouldn't be able to do a damn thing about it.
"Everyone calm down!" The patriarch yelled.
"Concerns about the unknown are natural, but we must be careful to not pry into things we can't handle" he stated, a beacon of stability in the face of uncertainty.
"This threat is unknown and the only explanation for it is the explosion, that being said, I want you all to be wary but not investigate it further, Understood" The patriarch's tone left no room for doubt, his gaze sweeping across the room, challenging anyone to contradict him.
Silence affirmed their agreement, and the patriarch smoothly transitioned to the next agenda item.
"On to the next news" The patriarch spoke taking out two pieces of paper, each sporting the words "Alive only".
"Sky Palace has informed us to be on the lookout for these two women" spoke the patriarch showing two beautiful women in sketch.