บท 78: Greetings.
*WANGGG*
In front of Su Min who stood without expression, a towering gate opened in a flash of light. A constant and striking creak blew sibilant air, and as it opened, a booming voice resounded into his ears.
"We've been expecting you. So welcome to the Divine Sect!"
Wen Mian frowned as she found that noise to be rather irritating, though it didn't last long as that booming voice caused her thoughts to pause.
'Powerful!'
Her face got tinged with a slight paleness as a faint aura billowed onto her. She doesn't know who these people are, what they want, and why they are even taking her in. Her master sorted all this out, but now that he is gone, a feeling of unsafeness seemed to want to swallow her whole...
"You just going to stand here?"
Su Min grumbled as he nudged Wen Mian out of her dazed expression.
"W-... No..."
She didn't know what to say and could only walk forward with Su Min, who was yawning.
'He doesn't feel anything..?'
It was rather perplexing to not be tense at the moment of entering an unknown, a thing you'd naturally fear. But, as she gazed at his eyes, they didn't quiver, shake. No, they stood still; like a listless lake...
But, nevertheless, this somehow made her a feel a tad more relaxed.
"So you must be the All-powerful Overseer's daughter?"
Though that voice once again resounded as a simple dirt plain revealed itself. Su Min halted with a sudden pause, causing Wen Mian to bump into him.
*THUD*
"Hey..?"
She was about to say something, but she stopped as she watched Su Min's eyes narrow, causing the air to chill. She was attentive to people's eyes, unnaturally so.
Of course, she knew that the eyes of a person told a lot more than most would believe... One of desire, emotion, and power.
A man soon revealed himself and smiled as he gazed at Su Min and Wen Mian. He wore an elegant demeanour with his handsome face and pristine shirt. The only word that could describe him would be a fine gentleman.
He paused as he saw Su Min, and eventually asked.
"And you're..?"
Su Min's eyes blazed a silent light as he spoke, examining this gentleman.
"I'm Su Min, Miss Wen Mian's guard sent by the overseer. I'm sorry, but I'll be in your care for the foreseeable future..."
Su Min, however, removed such a gaze as he smiled before shaking the man's hand. The man smiled as well as the air seemed to tighten around them for a second; like a bomb was going to explode.
"Nice to meet you, Su Min. I am Shen He and I hope that you enjoy your stay..."
Shen Hu laughed as he shook Su Min's hand in a tight grasp that seemed a little too powerful. Su Min frowned and hardened his own grasp as a dull pop thundered out of their palms.
Shen Hu face turned a light pale as he quickly withdrew his own palm and shook it a bit.
"You sure have a tight grip, hahaha..."
'What is this atmosphere..?'
Wen Mian shivered as she felt a strange feeling shroud her, but this soon faded out of existence as Su Min returned to her side with a blank expression.
Shen Hu's face, still remaining all smiles, turned to Wen Mian.
"My... You sure are as beautiful as the rumours stated!"
His eyes seemed to burn with a faint desire as Wen Mian went a little white. Su Min seemed to notice this as a flashing thought entered his head.
'He aggravates me...'
Shen Hu then strolled up to Wen Mian and kneeled down, gesturing for her hand. Wen Mian paused for a second as her face grew uncomfortable, but she eventually lifted her palm.
He caressed her palm, and in a pause, he kissed it. He stood back up, then bowed.
"It's my pleasure to be at your service, Miss."
"...Yes."
Wen Mian spoke with a minute tremble as she felt the need to take a slight step back, but she clenched her teeth and remained still.
Shen Hu smiled and gestured for the two of them to walk towards a suspended floating object behind him.
"Miss Wen Mian, you must need some rest, so this way please."
...
...
...
*Wooosh*
"Although I don't want to delay the journey Miss Wen Mian, you must at least want to know about the ranking system! Nobody has been notified of your status just yet so you can of course rest for now, but tomorrow will be the day where we will announce your arrival!"
Within a speeding ray of light, three people flew atop a thin sheet of white. They travelled upwards as the two peaks blitzed past, but it was obvious that they weren't even close to reaching the top.
In fact, it would take roughly an hour with the dazzling speed they were moving to reach it, for the two peaks pierced high in the skies.
"Mhm!"
Wen Mian replied as a faint fighting spirit blasted in her eyes. Although her body was tense, she is still the overseer's daughter, and thus she should beat every single person in this sect!
It's her pride, and she felt that she needed to prove her worth with power! She hated this feeling of weakness, and because she has always been shadowed by the overseer's protection it has only begun to kick in.
Su Min pondered as interest flashed, he could guess that resources would be involved with his martial cultivation, and seeing that he would have to guard Wen Mian for a year, simply going to another sect and stealing their resources would be difficult.
He hasn't ruled out destroying this sect he was in, but he doesn't want to ruin her training for his own gains, otherwise, he may disappoint the overseer who is paying him! It was just that he felt that this place carried a certain vibe he disliked.
He is also severely weakened, so doing so was an impossibility at the moment!
"Well, here we are!"
Shen Hu laughed as a great fogged area emerged into view. The fog was encased in an ethereal glow, giving it a divine atmosphere. Within this fog were two towering pillars of stone that were a couple people wide.
These pillars were next to each other, but done so that a gap that resembled a gate had formed between them. Behind these two was an area shrouded in even denser fog, and every so often, a couple cultivators would walk in and out of this gap between the two pillars.
The pillars themselves had a long list of names engraved on them, though these names seemed to carry a surreal vibe that made them wriggle occasionally and swap places.
The three stopped just before they entered the foggy zone and leapt off the sheet of white. The pillars seemed to become a touch larger as they viewed from the ground; as if they were gazing at two massive beasts.
"The ranking is based on points you gain by doing sect tasks and missions. You can also gain them by fighting another cultivator in a monitored match, and if you win, you get to take half of theirs. Though they must agree first to the match."
Wen Mian's eyes blazed even further as she walked up to the massive pillar that made her look like an ant.
' #1 Xia Xuegang: 102.3 Million Points
#2 Chang Hui: 75.5 Million Points '
Though only the top two places seemed to be interesting in her eyes as if the others weren't even worthy of mentioning. Shen Hu noticed this and laughed.
"As expected, quite a fierce fighting spirit indeed! But you'd need to be at least at the 6th Step of the Heavenly Condensation to have a chance against them..."
His eyes flashed as a hint of pride tinged his voice, but Su Min shook in return.
'The heavenly and martial have the same names for cultivation..? Then why is my ancient one so confusing... Well, at least these geniuses are weak according to this creepy guy. Though, can I even participate?'
He pondered for a while, but seeing that nothing else could be gained from staring at this massive pole of stone, he was about to speak. But, as he thought about his role, he decided against it.
'I am a guard after all. It also seems that the overseer wants her to become independent...'
Wen Mian, in return, didn't move for a while as the fighting spirit continued to blaze. Nobody interrupted her as she just stared at the pillar, where it didn't take long for her to say something to break the silence.
"I... Guess we should get going, so please send us off."
She seemed to not be used to commanding others, as her master would always do these things for her. It felt a bit odd so to say.
"It's my honour, Miss Wen Mian."
Shen Hu smiled as a mysterious glint flashed in his eyes, causing that grin to drift towards something a little disconcerting.
'It is indeed as they say, where the pampered princess shouldn't be let out into the wild... But this guard is an unaccounted variable. It seems that the overseer doesn't trust us that much.'
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