As the news reaches the Blue Tyrant Dragon Sect, the grand elder hall's ancient bells tolled across the vast mountain complex, their deep resonance echoing through the valleys and peaks that had been home to the sect for countless generations. The sound carried a weight of urgency that hadn't been heard in many years, causing cultivators of all levels to pause in their training and look toward the majestic hall that crowned the highest peak. The massive structure, with its sweeping azure-tiled roof and towering dragon-wrapped pillars, stood as a testament to the sect's ancient power and prestige.
The grand elder hall itself was a marvel of cultivation architecture, its walls embedded with arrays and formations gathered over millennia. Azure-decorated pillars soared toward the vaulted ceiling, where intricate dragon motifs had been painstakingly carved by master craftsmen of previous generations. Each scale and claw seemed to catch the light differently, creating an almost living texture that rippled across the ceiling. The air within the hall thrummed with the residual energy of countless powerful cultivators who had gathered here throughout the ages.
Gradually, the hall filled with the sect's most powerful figures, each elder carrying themselves with the dignity earned through centuries of cultivation. Their robes, marked with various ranking insignia of the Blue Tyrant Dragon Sect, whispered against the polished floor as they took their traditional positions. The atmosphere grew increasingly tense as the three title doulou arrived, their powerful auras creating an almost suffocating pressure within the hall. Even the most seasoned elders found themselves unconsciously adjusting their breathing to cope with the overwhelming spiritual pressure.
At the center of the gathering stood the title doulou who had witnessed the recent clash. His face, usually stoic and controlled, showed subtle signs of disturbance as he prepared to deliver his report. The hall fell into complete silence, the kind of quiet that seems to have physical weight, as he began to speak. His voice, enhanced by internal energy, carried clearly through the vast space as he detailed the shameful defeat of the Spirit Hall, the capture of Lion Doulou, and the shocking revelation of nine super doulou from the Red Thunder Dragon Family.
As the words echoed through the hall, the assembled elders' faces transformed through various stages of shock and disbelief. Some of the younger elders - though young being a relative term for cultivators who had lived for centuries - actually gasped audibly. The news struck particularly hard because the sect had prided itself on its intelligence network, yet they had only known of two recently disclosed title doulou from the Red Thunder Family, with merely suspicions of one hidden title doulou. This revelation shook their confidence in their information-gathering abilities and raised uncomfortable questions about what else they might have missed.
The hall buzzed with suppressed discussions as the elders processed this information. The spiritual energy in the room fluctuated with their emotions, causing the defensive arrays in the walls to flicker visibly. Several of the magic treasures displayed around the hall resonated in response to the disturbance, their gentle hums adding to the tense atmosphere.
After several moments of controlled chaos, one of the elders rose from his seat. His long white beard, a symbol of his centuries of cultivation, quivered with emotion as he spoke. His voice, tempered by wisdom and experience, was measured as he suggested they should not think badly of the Red Thunder Dragon Family. The elder's hands, marked with the calluses of countless years of weapon cultivation, moved in gentle gestures as he reminded everyone of the generations of marriage ties between their families. His words carried particular weight as he emphasized that the current patriarch of the Red Thunder Dragon Family was the son of an elder's daughter, making their family the closest allies among all sects.
The grand hall's ambient light seemed to dim slightly as another elder stood to speak, his face deeply lined with age and wisdom accumulated over centuries of cultivation. His proposal that they should request the Red Thunder Family to share the truth about their numerous title doulou immediately charged the atmosphere with tension. The reaction from the three title doulou present was swift and fierce, their anger manifesting as visible disturbances in the air around them. The magical formations in the hall's walls flickered more intensely, automatically responding to the surge of powerful spiritual energy.
The patriarch, seated upon his throne-like chair carved from ancient spirit wood and inlaid with precious materials that enhanced spiritual energy, spoke with barely contained frustration. His voice, though controlled, carried undertones of rebuke that made several elders lower their heads in shame. "Do you really think we have the power to even question them?" he asked, each word weighted with significance.
The elder who had observed the clash then stepped forward again, his expression grave as he reminded everyone of the true extent of the Red Thunder Dragon Family's power. His description of their least powerful title doulou, already at level 96 with combat power ranking at the top among all level 96 practitioners, caused several elders to pale visibly.
The mention of the Azure Poison Dragon Doulou brought a palpable chill to the air, as many present had either witnessed or heard detailed accounts of the horror at Spirit Hall City. The elder's voice grew solemn as he emphasized the progression of power - from level 88 during that infamous incident to the current level 98. His words about how this single individual could devastate their sect to its core hung heavy in the air, causing several of the magical treasures in the hall to dim their glow in response to the collective anxiety of the gathering.
As a heavy silence fell over the hall, the massive doors, carved with scenes of the sect's founding, creaked open with a sound that seemed to echo the weight of history itself. The figure that appeared commanded such immediate respect that the movement of all elders bowing deeply created a wave of motion through the hall. The former patriarch, a level 97 title doulou known to be on the verge of breaking through to level 98, entered with measured steps that belied his tremendous power.
His presence alone caused the spiritual energy in the hall to settle into perfect harmony, a testament to his mastery over the cultivation arts. Making his way to sit beside his son, the current patriarch, his movements, though aged, carried an unmistakable air of power that reminded everyone present of why he had led the sect through one of its most prosperous periods.
When the former patriarch spoke, his voice carried not just the weight of authority, but the wisdom of countless years of experience. The hall seemed to grow both smaller and larger simultaneously as he declared, "We do not have to worry about them if we do not disrespect them and do not harm their clan members." The elders nodded in agreement, though one brave or foolish soul dared to voice the question of why, his voice barely disturbing the relative silence of the hall.
The former patriarch's eyes, which had witnessed the rise and fall of numerous powers throughout the cultivation world, swept across the gathering. Their depth seemed to contain countless untold stories as he explained, "I have known their family from when you were not born." His voice carried memories of bygone ages, each word carefully chosen to convey the weight of his personal experience. "They will not harm anyone, and they do not like wars. They have only shown their power to avoid being harmed by the winds of change flowing through the continent."
He paused, allowing his words to sink into the consciousness of every person present. The magical formations in the hall's walls pulsed gently in rhythm with his words as he continued, "As all elders should have noticed, something has changed in the continent. Everyone can feel that a great disaster or change may happen in the future." This statement caused subtle ripples of agreement through the gathering, as many had indeed sensed disturbances in the natural energy flows of the world.
Rising to his full height, spiritual energy unconsciously gathering around him, the former patriarch made his announcement. His voice, carrying the weight of absolute authority, resonated through the hall as he declared, "Now I will announce this - nobody is allowed to offend the Red Thunder Dragon Family." The power behind his words caused the defensive arrays in the hall to activate briefly, creating a shimmer of blue light that rippled across the walls.
He then revealed his intention to visit their family, accompanied by the elder who was the father of Han Jisoo's mother, the current patriarch of the Red Thunder Family. The mention of bringing appropriate gifts was understood by all present as a necessary gesture of respect and reconciliation.
His final words carried the sharp edge of past pain and warning as he looked at the assembled elders, his gaze seeming to pierce through their accumulated years of cultivation to their very cores. "Due to all your elders' pride, I have lost my grand son, leading to him running away. Then Liu Erlong also came to hate our family. You old fossils should not do anything in your pride or ego that will hurt us."
With these words, the meeting concluded, leaving the elder hall in contemplative silence. The weight of their decisions and the implications of recent events hung heavy in the air, mixing with the residual spiritual energy that had been stirred up during the gathering. The dragon motifs carved into the ceiling seemed to watch over the departing elders with ancient wisdom, silent witnesses to another crucial moment in their sect's history.
As the elders filed out of the hall, the magical formations gradually returned to their dormant state, and the spiritual energy settled back into its natural flow. Yet there remained a tension in the air, a sense that the cultivation world was indeed changing, and that the decisions made in this meeting would echo through the years to come. The Blue Tyrant Dragon Sect, like all others, would need to navigate these changes carefully to ensure their survival and prosperity in the uncertain future that lay ahead.