Sect Leader Twinheart looked the same as when I last saw him, back when I first broke through to the Foundation Establishment realm: a pale-skinned man with beautiful features, dark eyes, and long black hair, which he kept loose. He wore a set of black robes, as well as a few pieces of jewelry, which gave him an elegant and noble air. A gentle smile adorned his face as he looked around the plaza.

  None of the disciples reacted to his arrival at first. Everyone was still too dazed by the sudden appearance of the Dawnfire, the massive flying ship that hovered in the air above the plaza. However, the elders of each hall stepped forward and saluted Sect Leader Twinheart.

  “Greetings to the Sect Leader!” They all said in unison, their voices ringing out.

  This snapped the disciples out of their daze, myself included. We all gave Sect Leader Twinheart a martial salute.

  “Greetings to the Sect Leader!”

  The sound of thousands of people speaking at once roared across the plaza.

  “Greetings, everyone.” Sect Leader Twinheart said.

  He spoke at a normal volume. Despite this, I had no trouble hearing him. It sounded as if he were speaking right next to me.

  “We don’t have much time,” Sect Leader Twinheart said, “So, I shall keep things short and simple.” He gestured to the crowd of disciples assembled on the plaza. “All of you are gathered here to attend the Rising Heroes Tournament, which will begin in three weeks’ time. Most sect leaders would make some rousing speech about bringing honor to the sect, or to at least avoid bringing shame.” He paused. “I will do no such thing.”

  I stared at Sect Leader Twinheart, unsure of how to react. The other disciples felt the same way, based on the expressions on their faces. We all looked at each other with questioning looks on our faces. Even a few of the elders seemed confused.

  “Instead, I will remind you all of what matters the most.” Sect Leader Twinheart said. “Prestige and glory are all well and good. However, they pale in comparison to what truly matters: the pursuit of immortality. The Rising Heroes Tournament is an opportunity for every one of you to learn and grow, regardless of whether or not you participate in the tournament itself. For those that are going to participate, remember that even a loss can become an opportunity to learn. It is simply another step on your journey. Never forget that.”

  A sinister laugh broke out as soon as he finished speaking. It sounded like horrid screeching and sent shivers running down my spine. I wanted to strangle whoever was laughing, if only to get them to stop.

  “Of course,” a voice rang out, “Winning is always better.”

  A black figure emerged from Sect Leader Twinheart’s shadow and hovered in the air next to him. At first, its form was blurry and indistinct. However, a few moments later, its visage grew clearer. I blinked with surprise when I saw the figure’s appearance. It, or he rather, looked almost exactly like Sect Leader Twinheart. To be more accurate, the figure looked like an inverted version of the sect leader.

  His skin was like the darkest shadow and seemed to swallow light, while both his eyes and his long hair were pure white. This gave him a strange and supernatural appearance, like some kind of specter or ghost. The figure wore a set of white robes that, except for their color, looked exactly like Sect Leader Twinheart’s. Also like the sect leader, he wore jewelry. However, instead of elegant and noble, he seemed sinister and malicious.

  ‘Sect Leader Twinheart’s heart demon.’ Big Sis Sidra explained to me through telepathy. ‘Before becoming the sect leader, he was an elder of Black Heart Hall. Their arts and techniques focus on heart demons and the like. Their signature cultivation technique, Heart Demon Incarnation, allows them to cultivate their heart demon into a second incarnation of themselves.”

  I glanced at my eldest sister, before I focused on the black Sect Leader Twinheart. Cultivating one’s heart demon into a second incarnation of oneself sounded powerful. While I imagined there were serious risks involved, the rewards more than made those risks worth it, at least in my mind.

  A part of me wondered if that was what my mother’s main soul had done. It seemed possible, given what I knew. According to Big Sis Sidra, our mother’s main soul still lived. The question was, did my mother escape her main soul’s control or were the two still connected? Assuming that I was right, of course. This was all mere speculation on my part, but I believed that I was on the right track.

  “What my main soul neglected to mention,” the black Twinheart said, his horrid voices grating against my ears. “Is that the more effort you put in, the more you receive. The Rising Heroes Tournament is an opportunity to learn and grow for all of you, yes. However, unless you do your very best, you might as well as stay here and not bother coming. Slackers will only stagnate and die.”

  Sect Leader Twinheart rolled his eyes.

  “Alright,” he said, “That’s enough out of you.”

  He snapped his fingers. A suction force pulled the black Twinheart back into the sect leader’s shadow.

  “Fight and win!” the black Twinheart shouted. “Show those bastards the might and strength of the Daw-…”

  The black Twinheart disappeared into the sect leader’s shadow before he could finish his sentence.

  “Now then,” Sect Leader Twinheart said, acting as if nothing had happened, “It is time for us to depart. Disciples will board the Dawnfire in order of hall.” He pointed to a group of disciples from Celestial Warrior Hall. “We will start here and move from there.”

  Everyone glanced at one another, but no one mentioned anything about what just happened. Sect Leader Twinheart was both powerful and had high status. If he was going to ignore his heart demon’s sudden appearance, and subsequent disappearance, everyone else should as well.

  Under the guidance of their elders, the disciples of Celestial Warrior Hall started boarding their flying magic tools, before heading over to the Dawnfire. As I watched them go, I caught sight of two familiar figures. The first was Cultivator Aneira, a friend of mine and someone I looked forward to facing in the Rising Heroes Tournament. Her long hair shimmered like a silver waterfall as she flew up.

  The other person, however, was someone I had almost forgotten about: Byron Gold Flame.

  Years ago, Cultivator Byron took an interest in Cultivator Aneira and pursued her. She rejected him multiple times, yet he persisted. It grew to the point of harassment. I intervened and challenged him to duel, both to help my friend and to secure a Foundation Breakthrough Pill from him. After we fought, and I won, Cultivator Byron disappeared. Cultivator Aneira and I soon put him out of our minds.

  Cultivator Byron was at early Foundation Establishment, so it appeared that he hadn’t suffered too much in the years since I last saw him. Maybe he got his hands on another Foundation Breakthrough pill, or maybe he never needed one in the first place. Still, my mood soured when I realized that he would also be participating in the Rising Heroes Tournament. I made a mental note to avoid him as much as possible during this trip.

  Hall by hall, the disciples of the Dawn and Dusk Sect flew towards the Dawnfire and boarded it. Since Flame Fiend Hall was at the other end of the semi-circle, we would be the last ones to go. I looked around with a frown.

  ‘Eldest Sister,’ I said, glancing at her, ‘Where is… Mom? I thought she would be accompanying us.’

  A small smile flashed across Big Sis Sidra’s face for a brief moment.

  ‘She’s here.’ She said. ‘However, she decided to hide herself for now. The only ones who know that she’s coming with us are the immediate members of our family.’

  I furrowed my brow.

  ‘Why?’ I asked.

  Big Sis Sidra took a moment before responding.

  ‘There is a small, but influential, group of elders who oppose our family.’ She said. ‘They’re the ones that called for your punishment after the incident with the Ancient Blood Sect. We believe that they will try something to sabotage us before the Rising Heroes Tournament. Rather than prevent this, we want to catch them in the act, which will give us the justification we need to punish them.’ She glanced at me. ‘We believe that you are their target.’

  I frowned at my eldest sister.

  ‘So, you and Mom are using me as bait?’ I asked.

  ‘Yes. However, while this group of elders opposes our family, they won’t do anything to harm you. There are lines that they won’t cross, which is why we haven’t destroyed them.’ She paused. ‘Do you dislike the idea of acting as bait?’

  ‘A little.’ I grumbled. ‘I’m more annoyed that you and Mom made this decision without consulting me.’

  Big Sis Sidra let out a telepathic snort.

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  ‘I’m telling you now, aren’t I?’ She said. ‘If you don’t like it, we can try something else. However, our chances of success will be much lower.’

  I rolled my eyes.

  ‘You don’t need to try and coax me, Eldest Sister.’ I said. ‘I received much from our family, and it’s only right that I do my part, even if that means acting as bait. Next time, just make sure to tell me beforehand instead of at the last moment.’

  Big Sis Sidra nodded.

  ‘What do you think this group of elders will do?’ I asked. ‘And when?’

  My eldest sister shook her head.

  ‘I don’t know what they’re planning,’ she said, ‘Just that you’re their most likely target. However, I doubt that they will try anything after we arrive at North King City, since that would damage the reputation of our sect. Our foes seek to curtail our influence, but they are still loyal members of the sect.’ She paused. ‘I suspect that they will somehow try to prevent you from participating in the Rising Heroes Tournament. Make sure to remain on your guard.’

  I took a moment to digest all this.

  ‘What about Big Sis Estelle and Big Sis Astra?’ I asked.

  ‘Estelle and Astra are staying behind to keep watch over Flame Fiend Hall in our absence.” Big Sis Sidra said. ‘With both the hall master and the vice hall master gone, we need someone to hold down the fort.’

  I nodded, before I gave Ellen and Elliot a brief summary of my conversation with Big Sis Sidra. Since they were also my bodyguards, on top of their other duties, I thought it was best to warn them about any potential danger we may face. They glanced at each other, a sharp look in their eyes.

  ‘Would you like us to deal with any trouble before it comes your way, Darian?’ Ellen asked.

  Through our telepathic connection, I sensed her killing intent. It felt like a sharp knife running down my spine.

  ‘No,’ I said, ‘We want to catch them in the act. I just wanted to warn you two ahead of time, in case something unexpected happened.’

  ‘Very well, Darian.’ Elliot said. ‘However, if something endangers your wellbeing, we will act. Mistress Nova and Young Mistress Sidra’s intentions mean nothing to us compared to your safety.’

  Ellen nodded, her eyes filled with a strange intensity.

  ‘I expected as much.’ I said, smiling at them both. ‘Thank you.’

  Soon enough after that, it was our turn to board the Dawnfire. When everyone was on board, the massive flying ship sped off into the distance, heading towards North King City.

  The Dawnfire was more than large enough to accommodate the thousands of people heading towards North King City. To curtail any potential trouble, each hall was assigned its own deck. The disciples participating in the Rising Heroes Tournament were the young elites of the Dawn and Dusk Sect. They were talented, skilled, and competitive. Otherwise, why would they be here?

  When a group of hot-blooded and competitive people were confined together in a small and enclosed space, conflict was bound to erupt. By placing the disciples of each hall in separate decks, the leadership of the Dawn and Dusk Sect hoped to prevent this, or at least mitigate it.

  The crew of the Dawnfire consisted of outer disciples of the Dawn and Dusk Sect, and disciples of Myriad Treasures Pavilion. The former handled menial labor, while the latter operated the massive flying ship itself.

  As we, the disciples of Flame Fiend Hall, boarded the Dawnfire and headed to our assigned deck, I looked around. The interior of the Dawnfire was as beautiful as the exterior. I didn’t know what materials it was made out of, but they seemed precious. The white and gold color scheme was pleasing to the eyes, rather than glaring or blinding. My footsteps made little noise as I walked through the Dawnfire’s passageways.

  The floors and ceilings were smooth and unblemished. Intricate carvings were etched into the walls. At first I thought that these carvings were just decorative. However, when I took a closer look with my spirit sense, I realized that they were comprised of countless arcane runes that were too small to see with the naked eye.

  The carvings were part of a massive array, one that I suspected ran through the entirety of the Dawnfire. I didn’t know the purpose of this array, but it must’ve been a powerful one, given its size and intricacy.

  As a core disciple, I ended up with a sizable cabin. While it wasn’t as large as my bedroom back home, it was more than enough to suit my needs. The furniture, while plain and simple in appearance, was all sturdy and well-made. My cabin even had a small meditation chamber with a qi gathering array, so I could cultivate during the journey.

  There were side rooms for any servants I brought along, Ellen and Elliot in this case. Not that Ellen needed a side room, since she and I would share the same bed during the journey. Unfortunately, since Willow was participating in the Rising Heroes Tournament as a disciple of Five Divine Pillars Hall, she would stay with them for the duration of the journey. There were no exceptions to this for anyone, even though the two of us already considered each other husband and wife.

  After we settled in, a part of me wanted to explore the Dawnfire. It was one of our sect’s sacred treasures, and I was curious about it. However, I curtailed my curiosity. There was an important matter that I wanted to deal with first: Sister Jasmine. I wanted to check in on her and make sure she was alright. I would feel ill at ease until I did.

  Accompanied by Ellen and Elliot, I left my cabin and searched for the deck assigned to Restless Grave Hall. On my way out, I passed by a few of my fellow disciples from Flame Fiend Hall. None of them attempted to talk with me, and instead eyed me with uncertainty, as if I were a stranger. While this suited my needs at the moment, I knew that I needed to change this state of affairs sooner rather than later. As the hall master’s son, I should at least have some presence among my fellow disciples.

  It took some time to reach my destination, since I didn’t know which deck was assigned to Restless Grave Hall. I ended up asking a member of the crew that I met in passing. After she gave me directions, I gave her a spirit stone as thanks. Joy suffused her expression, and she thanked me profusely. This baffled me, until I learned the reason why later on.

  It turned out that most inner disciples and core disciples treated outer disciples with either indifference or contempt. Few treated them with kindness. While outright abuse wasn’t allowed, everything else was tolerated. Since all outer disciples were at Qi Condensation, while most inner disciples and core disciples were at least at Foundation Establishment, there wasn’t much the former could do about the situation.

  This saddened me, but that was how things were. In the world of cultivation, the law of the jungle reigned. Power mattered the most. The strong trampled over the weak. All the latter could do was bear it as best they could, until they became strong themselves. I experienced it myself, before Big Sis Astra rescued me from Mt. Wind Dance.

  Even so, while I couldn’t change the world, that didn’t mean I had to make things worse. Treating others with kindness cost me nothing, and I saw no reason to bully those weaker than me. Well, not unless they deserved it somehow.

  After I parted ways with the outer disciple who helped me, I continued towards my destination. When I arrived at the deck assigned to Restless Grave Hall, I found it replete with ghost qi. The chill of the grave filled the air. I let out an amused snort. Our journey had just begun, yet Restless Grave Hall had wasted no time settling in.

  I didn’t know which cabin was Sister Jasmine’s. However, since she was Hall Master Bonefire’s disciple, she would have one of the better ones. I searched the deck. The passageways were empty, so I encountered no one. I assumed that everyone here was shut away in their cabins, readying themselves for the Rising Heroes Tournament. The emptiness and silence, along with the abundant ghost qi, gave the area a desolate atmosphere.

  The ghost qi grew thicker, and the temperature grew colder, the deeper I went in. It nipped at me, trying to steal my warmth and vitality, but I braced myself against it. After my experience in the Valley of the Misty Grave, I learned some tricks to deal with ghost qi. Thankfully, the divine fire that burned within me gave me an advantage here.

  I glanced back at Ellen and Elliot, worried about them. As snake spirit beasts, I feared that they were more sensitive to the cold than humans. While they were warm-blooded in their human forms, that didn’t change their fundamental nature. However, I needn’t have worried. They both seemed fine, though I kept an eye on them just in case.

  When I neared the area of the deck where I believed the core disciples and elders were located, I slowed down. What now? Did I just knock on random doors and hope for the best? Perhaps coming here without a plan, other than finding Sister Jasmine, hadn’t been the best idea.

  As I meandered about, pondering what to do, the door to one of the cabins opened. A woman wearing the uniform of Restless Grave Hall walked out. She had long black hair, which she kept tied up in an intricate style. Gorgeous jewelry and accessories adorned her body and accentuated her beautiful features.

  However, her pallid complexion gave her a corpse-like appearance, which I found off-putting. If I hadn’t sensed her warmth and vitality with my spirit sense, I would have assumed she was an undead like Hall Master Bonefire. She had a Nascent Soul cultivation base, meaning she was an elder of Restless Grave Hall.

  The woman paused when she noticed me, before frowning.

  “Who are you?” She demanded. “And what are you doing here? This deck is reserved for Restless Grave Hall!”

  She had dark eyes, which reminded me of an empty and desolate abyss. I felt like I would sink into them just by looking at her. However, I still had the presence of mind to give her a martial salute.

  “Greetings, elder,” I said, “My name is Darian Wind Dance. I am here to see a friend of mine, Sister Jasmine.”

  The woman snorted.

  “So, it’s you.” She sneered.

  From the way this woman spoke, it appeared that she was familiar with me, or she at least knew of me. I wondered if she was part of the group of elders that opposed my family. Damn it. I should have asked Big Sis Sidra for names when I had the chance.

  “Do you think that you can intrude wherever you want?” The woman said in a sharp tone. “You don’t belong here. Leave!”

  As she spoke, the woman released her aura, stirring the ghost qi in the area. The pressure forced me to take a step back and made it difficult for me to breathe. The sound of howling spirits filled the air and the surrounding temperature dropped, to the point where even my soul felt cold.

  Ellen and Elliot fared worse. They stumbled back, and grew even paler than usual. However, I couldn’t help them. It took all of my strength just to resist the woman’s aura. I didn’t have any to spare.

  I circulated divine fire qi throughout my entire body. While this didn’t get rid of the chill that pervaded my body, it mitigated it somewhat. This also allowed me to breathe easier.

  The woman’s eyes widened when she saw this, before she narrowed them at me. However, before she could say or do anything, another aura pressed down on us both.

  “That’s enough, Elder Petrina.” Hall Master Bonefire said, his voice coming from everywhere and nowhere at once. “I will tolerate your games as long as they remain just that: games. However, if you incur the Frenzied Fiend’s wrath, don’t expect me to protect you.”

  The woman paled when she heard this, before nodding.

  “Yes, Hall Master.” She said, her voice trembling, before withdrawing her aura.

  The ghost qi around us settled down again and the temperature returned to normal. Well, normal for this area.

  “As for you, brat,” Hall Master Bonefire said, “Come here, before you cause another disturbance.”

  One of the cabin doors opened. I gave the woman, Elder Petrina, another martial salute before heading towards the open door. Ellen and Elliot straightened themselves out and followed me, though they still seemed pale. She glared at me, but nodded and walked off in the opposite direction.

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  This chapter was edited by Radriel7