"Caw-caw-caw."
A mighty golden sun crow surfed through the clouds faster than the speed of sound, passing over mountains in the blink of an eye.
Though it was nighttime and cold, the moonlight illuminated its majestic figure, breaking the stillness of the night.
On top of the golden sun crow, Uriel slept peacefully, undisturbed by anything but her own thoughts.
Meanwhile, Elder Yang gently massaged Azrael's temples, her fingers subtly weaving small strings in an intricate, mysterious pattern as she worked.
"Is it wise to mess with his head without his consent, Master?" Alaha asked as she approached, her frown deepening while she observed the process.
Elder Yang glanced at her disciple with a wry smile and replied, "I have no choice. His mind didn't just break it shattered entirely. Some of his memories are like a void;
I can't see or alter them. So, I only removed everything that happened after leaving the garden."
Alaha looked at her master with a gaze of disgust,altering someone's memories was a line she refused to cross, as it violated the free will of the individual.
From her perspective, Elder Yang was trampling on Azrael's autonomy.
"Hahhh, sometimes you're very judgmental without understanding the full context of a situation," Elder Yang sighed, her voice tinged with frustration. "His mind is too strong.
If he had experienced a single episode at a time, he might have been fine, but he experienced everything at once and couldn't handle the pressure, so it shattered.
I'm piecing together every tiny fragment of his memories, from when he was born.
But the void memories that prevent me from seeing everything are making this process very difficult... It's a temporary solution for now, but it will damage him in the long run. I'll have to do something when I reach the sect."
Alaha paused for a moment, studying her master before replying softly, "I understand."
Seconds turned into minutes, and minutes stretched into hours as Elder Yang meticulously mended Azrael's mind with calculated precision and unwavering patience.
"Urghhh," Azrael grunted as he slowly opened his eyes, his gaze settling on Elder Yang, a single thought crossed his mind: 'Damn'
Azrael's body tensed as he regained consciousness, his heart pounding as warmth surged through him.
Blood rushed through his veins, heat spreading to his core and igniting a primal tension in his lower abdomen.
His breathing quickened, his thoughts muddled as he struggled to suppress the unfamiliar wave overtaking him.
Alaha looked at him with a mix of confusion and concern. "Are you okay? Your face is red do you have a fever?" She paused briefly before adding, "Us cultivators aren't usually affected by diseases... are you a special case...why are you carrying such a thick... ohhhh"
"Hehe "
Elder Yang silently chuckled at Azrael's flustered expression, her amusement growing as she noticed Alaha's face turning red as well.
"What am I doing here? The last thing I remember is leaving the garden and..." Azrael began, trying to shift the atmosphere, but he paused, his expression turning confused. "I can't remember."
Alaha looked at Elder Yang with a gaze filled with a lot of implications that made her sigh in defeat.
"Alaha knocked you out by mistake...so yeah" Elder Yang replied with a hidden smirk that made Alaha's lips twitch
"Alaha, why would you knock me out? There's no conflict between us, so it doesn't make sense," Azrael said, his voice edged with confusion. His eyes flicked toward Uriel. "Her breathing is steady she fell asleep naturally, not from being knocked out. It doesn't add up."
He paused, his expression thoughtful before turning to Elder Yang. "What really happened?"
"This and that, with a little bit of that and that," Elder Yang replied with an expressionless gaze that made Azrael frown. From his perspective, it was clear she was avoiding giving him a proper answer.
Elder Yang looked at him for a brief moment before asking, "Is that all you remember, or is there something else?"
Azrael remained silent, but a single thought crossed his mind:
'What are they hiding? Is it something dangerous? ...Perhaps not'
"I... remember a dream no, perhaps a sensation," Azrael began hesitantly. "I felt as if something foreign was invading my mind. It was an odd feeling, but then I saw the silhouette of a white horse... and I woke up."
He paused, his gaze shifting to Elder Yang. "Is that normal? What really happened to me?"
' What a strong and perceptive mind. Is he about to activate his spiritual sense before reaching the Foundation Establishment realm? Interesting'Elder Yang thought, a flicker of awe briefly appearing in her eyes as she observed Azrael.
"I... I did knock you out... I was drunk," Alaha muttered shyly, poking Azrael's shoulder while avoiding his gaze. Deep down, she knew that taking the blame might earn her a favor from her master later.
"Ohh!!!, as long as you acknowledge your mistake and own up to it we are cool" Azrael replied with a nod brushing the whole thing aside.
"Cool???"
"Yes"
Azrael paused for a brief moment, then turned to Elder Yang and asked, "Where are we? I can see blurred shapes of mountains beneath the clouds."
" We are passing through the Green valley but we will soon open a jump point" Alaha replied
"A jump point? How long will it take us to reach the sect?" Azrael asked, raising an eyebrow. The term was unfamiliar, but he chose not to press further.
Elder Yang sighed lightly. "Of course, you don't know what a jump point is. Normally, it would take us months to reach the sect, but opening a jump point reduces the journey to mere minutes."
She continued explaining, offering just enough detail to help Azrael grasp the concept without overwhelming him.
Elder Yang began to explain: The Golden Sun Crow possesses both the fire and space attributes.
One of its techniques allows it to open jump points using spatial Qi. Essentially, a jump point enables the bypassing of long distances.
Rather than traveling from point A to point B, then C, and so on taking months or days
the Golden Sun Crow can create a direct path from A to Z, reducing the travel time to mere minutes or even seconds.
"Ohh it's time"
Instantly, the atmosphere began to shift.
The Golden Sun Crow's feathers, once a fiery golden-red, transformed into a striking golden-purple as it became enveloped in spatial Qi.
With a single flap of its wings, the crow's aura expanded rapidly.
Initially, the flap covered only a short distance about a kilometer but as it continued, the distance covered increased exponentially.
In the span of that one flap, it moved from a single kilometer to hundreds of kilometers, its speed accelerating with every motion.
Within seconds, a small portal began to form before it, the crow entered the portal, vanishing from one place and reappearing in another.
The surroundings shifted, revealing floating islands surrounded by dense clouds, the atmosphere thick with Qi.
...