Two figures walked down a corridor in a slow but steady manner, as if they had all the time in the world.
Their bodies were covered in rags and stained with dry blood, yet despite their poor appearance, they carried an air of charm and composure—one with pigtails, the other with a ponytail.
These figures were none other than Azrael and Uriel, walking down the passageway of the Central Manor, approaching their mother's garden.
Although the twins did not talk to each the silence between them spoke a lot of words that couldn't be described by letters alone
"Hmm"
Azrael halted his steps, his sharp ears catching fragments of a distant conversation. For a brief moment, he remained still, his curiosity piqued. Then, with a quiet determination, he moved forward, listening intently, drawn by the faint voices.
"The Radiant Oblivion Sect wants to recruit my children as legacy disciples but this requires them to sever ties with us, the Demiurge clan, meaning their lives are in your hands.
You decide what they eat, wear and date meaning my children are essentially your slaves. But I refused that offer, and we settled them on being outer disciples with Masters and proper resources on their bestowal if they have the merit to acquire them."
' That's my mothers voice, who is she talking too'
Azrael focused intently as he recognized his mother's voice, faint yet distinct despite being over two hundred meters away. Even without the aid of Qi, his exceptional hearing caught the subtle tones.
However, the moment he channeled Qi to enhance the clarity, the words became crystal clear, sharper and more vivid than he had anticipated.
"So... why are you still insisting that my son should be married to this little girl? You do know that although branch families of the Demiurge clan are free to marry who they choose, the main family is very picky on how one should marry,"
'is she trying to sell me off or something, first It was the Cold mountain, the sanctuary and the Ebonhold now this '
Although surprised by what he heard, Azrael quickened his pace, his movements suddenly more urgent. Uriel, caught off guard by his abrupt action, hesitated for a moment. However, instead of bombarding him with questions, she chose to follow silently, trusting his judgment.
The two of them continued their steady pace until they reached a wooden door. Without hesitation, Azrael placed a hand on it, and with a single push, the door creaked open effortlessly.
"As I was... oh my BABIES!" Haniel exclaimed, her voice filled with joy. Gracefully seated on a chair, sipping spiritual wine, she immediately abandoned her poise. Rising to her feet, she sprinted toward her children and pulled them into a bone-crushing embrace.
"Mmmm, so you do know we exist," murmured Uriel, her words muffled by the force of the hug.
Haniel ignored the complaints, tightening her hold. After five long years without seeing them, she had missed them deeply and wasn't letting go so easily.
"Mom, stop... who are they?" Azrael grunted, managing to slightly free himself from her grasp. His gaze shifted to the two figures seated at the table with his mother, their presence finally catching his attention.
Seated at the table was a stunningly beautiful woman with flowing white hair, cold black eyes, a flawless oval-shaped face, and a delicate celestial nose, exuding an air of ethereal elegance.
Beside her sat a teenage-looking girl with silver hair styled into elegant braids. She had a flawless heart-shaped face, glowing amethyst eyes, heart-shaped lips, and a delicate celestial nose. Her fit, well-trained yet curvy body added to her striking beauty. For a brief moment, Azrael felt his heart skip a beat as their eyes met.
"That is Elder Yang, the deacon of the Radiant Oblivion Sect, and the young lady is Alaha Wang, her disciple," Haniel explained, finally releasing them from her grasp and allowing them to catch their breath.
Azrael shot them a suspicious glance and asked, "What are they doing here? You never mentioned them before."
Though he already knew their purpose, having overheard their conversation earlier, he couldn't admit it. It was better to appear as if he was hearing it for the first time.
Haniel, catching his 'curious' expression, decided to oblige. "Little Yang and Wang are here to recruit you into the Radiant Oblivion Sect. And, as a good mother who doesn't want her introverted son and lazy daughter slacking off, I accepted on your behalf... cool, right?"
Her cheerful smile sent a shiver down Uriel's spine, while Azrael let out a resigned sigh. A single tear escaped his left eye, but he nodded nonetheless, understanding her reasoning despite his reluctance.
Sects are ranked from grade nine to grade one in descending order, with higher-grade sects having stricter requirements and greater prestige. With Azrael's current cultivation base, he could easily join a grade nine sect as an elder or a seventh-grade sect as an inner disciple, though not a core disciple.
However, the Radiant Oblivion Sect, being a fifth-grade sect, had far harsher requirements. For someone of his level to even be considered, extensive connections and proper channels were essential, as the sect typically only accepted highly gifted cultivators with extraordinary potential or proven accomplishments.
'Corruption is often condemned, but only by those who lack the means to benefit from it'
Elder Yang, who had remained silent until now, observed the twins carefully. The intense bloodlust radiating from their bodies was so dense it almost seemed tangible.
'This clan was never normal,' Elder Yang thought. 'Recruiting these two was indeed a wise decision.'
The relationship between Haniel and her children was peculiar, even by her standards. Many cultivators avoided openly displaying affection for their children, fearing it could be exploited as a weakness. Yet Haniel did so openly, a clear testament to one thing—she was strong enough not to care.
"Little Yang, forgive my rudeness, but my children need a bath and plenty of rest. Allow them a few days to recover before departing. If you need anything, my maids will attend to you," Haniel said warmly. Without waiting for a response, she picked up her children effortlessly and vanished from the garden.
Alaha, who had been silent until now, turned to Elder Yang and asked innocently, "If we need anything and can ask the maids… can I ask for wine, Master?"
"No."
"But—"
With a weary sigh, Elder Yang gave her a sharp look. "What happened the last time you drank wine?"
Alaha averted her gaze, her voice filled with shame. "I… robbed the outer disciples of the sect and stripped them of everything, including their dignity."
"At least you remember," Elder Yang replied flatly. "So, no means no."
...