The gates of the Cutie Sect had remained close to the outside world for a year, making them very mysterious to the people outside.
Within this year of seclusion, the rumors of the dramatic fall of the once-mighty Heavenly Beast Sect began to swirl around the world and immediately sparked curiosity among the people around them.
This rumor began to circulate because the news of the fierce attack led by the Crystal Fist had already spread around the world.
Even the news of the betrayal of Theron and Caius had already circulated, and the fact that they were from the Roaring Tiger Sect had already spread.
But still, some of them were true, because the mighty Heavenly Beast Sect had indeed fallen, but it was not because of the rumors above but instead because of a reformation.
The people didn't know that the Heavenly Beast Sect had changed hands and that the sect name had changed from "Heavenly Beast Sect" to "Cutie Sect.".
Meanwhile, in the grand hall of the Roaring Tiger Sect, Theron and Caius were now standing before the sect leader. The sect leader, with his beastly gaze, leaned forward. He was now asking about the heavenly genius of the Heavenly Beast Sect.
"How formidable is this heavenly genius from the Heavenly Beast Sect?" he inquired, his voice echoing slightly in the spacious room.
Caius, with a mixture of respect and a hint of defeat in his eyes, responded, "He's remarkably powerful. After awakening his heavenly talent, his strength surged beyond my reach. In a direct confrontation, he overpowered me with ease."
The sect leader's brow furrowed in concern, his frown deepening as he processed Caius's words. "It's unsettling to know that his power has reached such heights, and yet, we know so little about him," he mused aloud, his voice laced with a mix of wariness and contemplation.
He leaned back, the shadows playing across his features reflecting his growing unease. "To complicate matters," he continued, his tone turning grave, "their sect has also closed its doors to the world. This makes gathering any further intelligence on him virtually impossible."
Theron leaned forward, a confident glint in his eyes, as he addressed the sect leader's concerns. "Fear not, leader," he assured, his voice steady and resolute. "I've positioned our people strategically around their sect's perimeter. The moment they open their doors, we'll be the first to uncover their secrets."
The sect leader nodded approvingly. "Excellent," he responded, the determination clear in his tone. "Gathering intelligence on them is crucial. It will allow us to strategize effectively and stay one step ahead."
Meanwhile, in the somber halls of the Crystal Fist Sect, a sense of urgency enveloped the air as the sect leader paced restlessly. His face was etched with concern as he turned towards the gathered elders, and his voice was laced with an unmistakable edge of panic. "Do any of you have news of the Heavenly Beast Sect as of late?" he inquired, his gaze piercing through the room in search of answers.
The elders exchanged uneasy glances, the weight of the situation bearing down on them. One by one, they solemnly shook their heads, their expressions grim. "We've been cut off from any updates," one elder finally said, his voice reflecting the collective frustration. "The Heavenly Beast Sect's sudden closure has left us in the dark, unable to search for any information about their current state."
The sect leader paused, his expression darkening with contemplation. "To think that they immediately closed their gates after the awakening of a heavenly talent among their ranks," he mused aloud, the gravity of the situation evident in his tone. He cast a scrutinizing look over the assembly of elders, a strategic glint in his eyes.
"Now, we stand at a crossroads," he declared, his voice steady and commanding as it echoed through the council chamber. "We face a choice: to relocate from our current position, thereby avoiding a potential confrontation with them, or to remain in place, shrouded in ignorance about their capabilities and intentions."
Then a murmur of dissent began to rise from the ranks of the less battle-hardened elders, those who had never stood toe-to-toe with Vargus. One of them, his voice carrying a mix of defiance and nostalgia, broke the silence. "We cannot simply abandon our home," he asserted, his eyes reflecting a deep-seated connection to their ancestral grounds. "These halls have sheltered us for decades, bearing witness to our history and triumphs."
Another elder, bolstered by the first's courage, chimed in, "What threat could a single newly awakened heavenly genius pose that could force us to relocate?" His question, rhetorical yet laden with skepticism, challenged the room. "Our roots run deep in this land, and our strength has been built over generations. It's unthinkable to desert it based on the unknown capabilities of one individual."
The council room, already tense with the division of opinions, shifted palpably as the elders who had firsthand experience with Vargus raised their voices. One elder, his voice carrying the weight of his encounter, cut through the murmurs. "Those of you who haven't faced him can't possibly understand the threat he carries," he declared, his eyes wide with the vivid memory of the battle.
Another elder, bearing the scars of his confrontation, added gravely, "Upon awakening his heavenly talent, he wasn't just strong; he was a force of nature. He could stand toe-to-toe with me as if it were nothing."
The conversation took a somber turn as yet another elder chimed in, his tone laced with a deeper fear. "A heavenly genius might not usually stir such fear in us, but one who could immediately match us in combat is a different story entirely. It's been a year, and the thought of how much stronger he might have become... it's genuinely terrifying."
As these testimonies filled the room, a hush fell over the elders, who had previously voiced their reluctance to leave. Their confident postures began to falter, their faces turning downward in contemplation and perhaps reconsideration.
Observing the intense exchange among his council, the sect leader sought to bring the debate to a decisive end. "Let us make our choice now," he announced, his voice cutting through the tension. "Those in favor of departure, please, raise your hand."
The room fell into a momentary silence as the elders looked around, gauging each other's reactions. After a brief pause, only three hands tentatively rose into the air, a clear minority among the gathered council members.
Seeing the outcome, the sect leader nodded, his expression a mixture of resignation and determination. "It appears we have our answer. We shall remain," he stated firmly, locking eyes with each elder in turn. "Let us hope, for our sake, that their sect does not grow any stronger than it already is."
His words, laced with a hope tinged with apprehension, echoed in the chamber, marking the council's collective decision to face whatever the future held from the grounds of their ancestral home.