Xenos looked at Aerum and asked, "Hmm... you have not seen the sect properly, have you? Let me take you on a tour."
Aerum smiled slightly. "Sure."
With that, Xenos led her outside the sect into the deep void—a core layer within the deeper layer of space.
The sect rested upon a massive, circular landmass floating within the void.
From one curvature of the circular land to the middle, a towering mountain range stood, sharply forming a V-shape that defined the landscape with its imposing presence.
The region not covered by the mountain was an expanse of barren land.Towering walls encircled the edges of this circular land, offering an additional layer of defense.
The sect itself was perched atop the mountain, its grandeur unmatched. The mountain reached incredible heights, with six distinct layers marking the sect's structure.
Surrounding the circular land was a massive, shimmering formation. Though colorless to the naked eye, its presence was undeniable.
The formation acted as a shield, protecting the sect from the harmful substances of the cosmos.
It also regulated the flow of time within the sect, creating an artificial sun and moon to mimic the natural cycle of day and night.
When morning arrived, the formation bathed the land in gentle, life-giving light, and when night fell, it blanketed the entire area in tranquil darkness.
This delicate balance sustained the inhabitants and ensured harmony within the sect's environment.
Seeing this, Aerum asked, "It's so big. I think even if all humans were transferred from Earth, there would still be plenty of space left."
Xenos smiled. "I know. I just wanted to create a sanctuary for humanity, a place where they could thrive. But perhaps I subconsciously made it too large."
Aerum furrowed her brow. "Hmm... but don't you think the barren land is too barren? What about food, water, or resources? If you transfer people here in the future, I don't think they can survive on spiritual energy alone."
Xenos nodded thoughtfully. "Well, I haven't given much thought to it yet. Since we don't need such things now, I've left it as it is. But in the future, I can use the heavenly laws to make the necessary changes."
After that, Xenos showed Aerum the entire sect. The mountain on one side of the circular land served as the sect's foundation, and it was divided into five distinct layers.
The bottom layer was the outer sect region, followed by the inner sect, then the core sect region, the elders' region, and finally the sect leader's region at the very peak.
Each region had its own specialized buildings, such as an alchemy tower, a forging tower, a beast hall, a library, and more.
However, since the sect currently only housed four disciples, one elder, and one sect leader, it felt eerily empty.
Seeing the vast, unused facilities, Aerum couldn't help but feel a pang of disappointment. She turned to Xenos and said, "I think we need to recruit more disciples."
Xenos nodded in agreement. "Yes, but this sect only recruits fated students. Since you'll be attending the tournament, you might find someone there who's worth recruiting as your disciple."
Aerum blinked in surprise. "Me? I have no idea about teaching cultivation. I don't think I'd make a good mentor."
Xenos chuckled softly. "No need to worry. You'll learn step by step. First, find a student who resonates with you. I'll guide you whenever you need help."
Aerum nodded hesitantly. Just then, Xenos's expression shifted as he sensed something.
He turned to her and said, "My disciples have returned. Let me introduce you to them. Since there are four months until the tournament, it would be good for you all to build some rapport."
Aerum nodded again, this time with curiosity gleaming in her eyes.
Xenos didn't directly teleport Aerum to his cottage to meet his disciples; instead, he flew alongside her, introducing his disciples along the way.
Xenos said, "Since I created the sect, I have recruited four disciples. My plan was to take on five, including you, but since you have your sister, you don't need me to guide you on the path of cultivation."
"Among the four, the eldest is Maximo. He's been through a lot. He was once a genius admired and flattered by many, but an accident involving his sister changed everything. He crippled himself to save her. Because of his decision, his family abandoned him."
Aerum frowned. "He's endured so much. How is he now?"
Xenos replied, "I helped him reforge his body, but he endured great pain to be reborn."
Aerum nodded solemnly. "He's a good kid."
Xenos smiled. "Yes. My next disciple is Kori. She was born with the Nine-Yin Nether Sword Body. Since childhood, she's had to endure the relentless coldness within her, with hours of icy energy erupting from her body."
Aerum's eyes widened. "That must be terrifying for a child."
Xenos nodded. "She's been through a lot, but the love and support of her family kept her from giving up."
Aerum sighed deeply. She recalled her own childhood and realized that others her age had also been fighting their own battles.
Xenos continued, "My third and fourth disciples are Valdir and Misaki, respectively. They're both good kids. Each is the only child of their parents, who are clan leaders. Burdened by family expectations and their perceived lack of talent, they've also faced the mockery of their people."
Aerum frowned again. "Why do all your disciples have such bad luck?"
Xenos explained, "It's the corruption of providence. You also had it, but your sister took the corrupted providence upon herself, giving you the chance to escape."
Aerum's expression darkened. "How did our providence become corrupted?"
Xenos sighed. "The source lies with beings from the Negative Realm. They initiated the events that led to the creation of space gates and the rise in spiritual energy."
Aerum's tone turned sharp. "Can't you do something about it? You broke the gate at Hazel Mountain, didn't you?"
Xenos nodded. "Yes, I could, but I choose not to. You see, as I've told you before, the plane we live in is the shadow plane of the true universe."
Aerum nodded, following his explanation.
"But the shadow plane is divided into three layers. The first is the Mortal Layer, also called the Forbidden Land due to its lack of spiritual energy. Our universe, along with many others, resides in this layer."
"The next layer is the Light of Dawn Plane, a realm where spiritual energy exists. Many races can be found there."
"The final layer of the shadow plane is the Immortal Plane, located directly below the true universe. It's filled with immortal energy."
"The reason I've refrained from breaking the space gates is to allow our universe to evolve. The gates connect to the Negative Universe, causing spiritual energy to leak into our realm."
"This spiritual energy aids our people in cultivation, but it's only a temporary solution. For true evolution, we need to steal the core of a spiritual plane and refine it within our universe."
"So my plan is…"
As Xenos speaking of the plan, after a while they finally arrived at his house. Inside the hall, his four disciples were already seated. As soon as they noticed their master, they stood to greet him. Their attention was immediately drawn to the figure standing beside him.
The moment they saw Aerum, an overwhelming sense of reverence washed over them, as though they were standing before an emperor. Instinctively, they felt the urge to bow.
Xenos noticed their reaction and smiled. "My disciples, this is Han Aerum. She will be the elder of our sect."
Hearing their master's words, the four disciples greeted her in union. "I, Maximo/Kori/Valdir/Misaki greet elder."
Aerum nodded and said "It is nice to meet you kids, I heard a lot about you from your master."
As everyone settled down, Xenos asked his disciples, "What do you know about the tournament?"
Misaki was the first to respond. "Master, the tournament is held every ten years. Each of the twelve hidden families takes turns hosting it. Last time, the Fitzgerald family organized the tournament. This time, it's being hosted by the Von Hohenberg family."
She added, "I'm not sure why, but for some reason, they've partnered with the Volkov family to jointly host this tournament. They've announced that the rewards will far exceed those of any previous tournament."
Xenos nodded and asked, "Are there any requirements to participate? How is the winner decided?"
Kori answered, "Master, the tournament is open to anyone aged 20 or younger. It's traditionally combat-based, but there's speculation they might alter the format this time."
Aerum asked, "Do participants come only from the twelve hidden families?"
Valdir replied, "Elder, usually only the twelve families take part. However, I've heard that this time they've invited disciples from loose cultivators and even the Four Pavilions."
Xenos frowned. "The Four Pavilions?"
Maximo explained, "Master, the Four Pavilions—Azure Dragon, Vermilion Bird, White Tiger, and Black Tortoise—are ancient Pavilions. They've existed since the dawn of humanity. They rarely interfere in worldly affairs and remain hidden in the shadows. Beyond that, we don't know much about them."
Xenos nodded thoughtfully. "Hmm... When I once divined the hidden strength of humanity, I couldn't find anything about them. Similarly, I found nothing about the Constellations. Even though I didn't use the full extent of my abilities, they shouldn't have been able to hide from me. Only way that can happen is when an extreme paragon is involved. Could it be for the revival of humanity? or for something else?"
Xenos asked, "So, are the Four Pavilions joining?"
Valdir replied, "We are not sure, Master."
Xenos nodded. "Prepare for the tournament. You will represent our sect, and Elder Aerum will accompany you as a representative. How do we register for it?"
Kori answered, "Master, the registration starts one month before the tournament. It can be done online through a separate dark web platform dedicated to cultivation. Anyone involved in cultivation knows about this and can register there."
Xenos nodded in acknowledgment.
Xenos looked at his four disciples and said, "You all need to get ready. After the tournament, you will travel to the Negative Plane along with Elder Aerum."
"So before the beginning of the tournament, make sure to reach the peak of your cultivation."
"I predict the journey will not be smooth, so I will personally train you in survival."
Xenos turned to Aerum and added, "Aerum, you will accompany them. There are some heavenly treasures in that land that could be invaluable. I will also train you and impart knowledge regarding that plane."
Aerum and the disciples nodded seriously.
Xenos then turned to Maximo and asked, "How is your sister?"
Maximo replied, "She's still the same, Master, but I feel less worried about her safety now that I've transferred her to the sect. She's in my room."
Xenos reassured him, "Don't worry. Nothing will happen to her. You remember what we discussed, right?"
Maximo recalled their conversation.
January 2, 3038
From the Author
I want to give a huge shoutout to ReadMyBook2023 for sending a power stone even while I was on vacation! You totally surprised me, and honestly, it warmed my heart—thank you so much!
Now that I'm back from vacation, I'm thrilled to share the new chapter with you all. I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it! Let me know your thoughts! 💖