章節 52: Audiences - Towards the Future.

A single young man walked slowly up a set of stone stairs that spiralled long up the side of a mountain, from where he was standing you could barely see the world below as the clouds were obscuring the view, he breathed steadily, tasting the thin air as he closed on the summit.

He doesn't usually come to this location, mostly because of one simple fact-

It was the usual resting place of his sect master, someone who doesn't like to be disturbed by pointless things, yet today he had to make a visit, his senior brother had insisted on him to report it when he returned.

He greatly looked up to his senior brother, yet he couldn't help but feel a little annoyed that this job had fallen to him.

His footsteps echoed out across the rocks, shattering the peaceful silence that had rested on the area for who knows how long, he didn't make an attempt to hide his footsteps or his presence, for one it was pointless trying to hide from 'her', and two he might as well make himself known.

He had been walking for almost an hour now, even at the pace he was walking it still took a while; he couldn't use his Qi either here, this mountain peak was the highest in the sect and was known as 'Summit of Trials', it supressed your cultivation base, meaning you need to use your physical body to approach the top, and as you get higher the weight you'd feel multiplies, it's similar to an increase in gravity, yet it was more of a mental than physical effect.

He was sweating, feeling like he was carrying a small mountain as he approached the summit, he could see the grand sign engraved in the rock that was next to the summit entrance just head.

Steadily, step by step he managed to stop on the last step before the arched entrance, he took a minute to gather his strength before he knocked on the large stone gate.

*Knock* *Knock*

The sound was oddly silent, yet it pierced the quiet atmosphere easily.

"…"

But there was no response, though he fully expected this.

He instead clasped his hands in a bow and spoke as loud as he could.

"Forgive me for the intrusion, Inner Disciple Bai Shun has returned from his mission and, on request of Senior Brother Chao Shi, has information to give to the Sect Mater!"

His voice filled the peak of the mountain, disturbing some birds that were resting nearby.

"… Enter" A woman's voice answered from inside, and the gates began slowly dredging themselves open dragging along the rocks.

Bai Shun kept his head lowered as he entered the summit.

It wasn't a desolate place that one might think it was, instead there was a lot of greenery with small gardens here and there, along with a stream running through it, it resembled a picturesque area for relaxation.

But it was really anything but that, the weight Bai Shun felt was many times more than just a few steps outside, he wouldn't be able to remain here for long, so he quickly moved to talk.

"Bai Shun greets the Sect Master!"

"Un" The woman in front replied, she rose up from the comfy position she was laid in and turned to a sitting position facing Bai Shun, she had long silver hair and jade eyes, a mole underneath her right eye accented her mature beauty, yet it wasn't quite right to state it so simply, she could be more accurately described a fine shimmer on a well-crafted blade, a hidden lethalness just beneath the surface.

Bai Shun wouldn't underestimate her for even a second, after all she was casually resting in this area he was barely able to talk while standing in! He had never seen her fight, but he knew she'd earned her position as sect master rightfully, he glanced to the side of her, staring at the sheathed saber rested on the edge of her seat, it was a size bigger than one would expect, and he'd heard its weight was beyond normal.

This was Rong Jia, the sect master of the Titanic Steel Sect, and one of the strongest cultivators in the country!

"So? What has that brat Shi told you to tell me?"

Bai Shun almost felt his words choke in his throat, he'd heard that Chao Shi was acquainted with the sect master, but he hadn't heard exactly how close they were.

"A- Ah there was something that came up in our mission that he told me needed to be reported, it had to do with a substance that was used by a mortal".

Rong Jia's eyebrow perked up out of curiosity "Go on". She picked up a pipe that was next to her and put it to her lips, conjuring a small flame to light it as she listened.

"Well… Chao Shi didn't explain in detail to me, but he said to tell you that a tincture of "World Devouring Elixir" had been used, the source is unfortunately unknown."

'?!' For a second, Bai Shun felt a chill down his back, a sense of deadly crisis was reported by his instincts making him flinch, yet a second later everything was fine, his eyes darted around the area but found nothing out of the norm.

A few ashes fell from Rong Jia's pipe.

"I see… and he's sure of it?"

"H-he said it was confirmed" Bai Shun answered, still bewildered.

The was a period of awkward silence as the sect master tapped her pipe into a rock dish to the side.

"Then, well done in reporting this, you'll be sure to be rewarded."

"! Thank you sect master for your generosity!" He bowed his head deeply thinking that at least he got something out of doing this chore for Chao Shi.

He was waiting to be dismissed, to return down the mountain yet it seems Rong Jia wasn't done, she laid back lightly as she puffed on her pipe.

"Speaking of which, I read the mission report that came back before you…" She spoke casually yet Bai Shun felt his heart clench the moment the words left her lips.

"Yun Hua died?" The words he didn't really want to hear were spoken.

"… Yes she passed away" He said, trying to prevent his voice from cracking.

A soft sigh was heard, breaking some of the tension in the room.

"I'm not going to blame you, you know?" She spoke.

Bai Shun looked up with a hint of surprise without saying anything.

Rong Jia looked off into the distance, the sea of clouds expanded far from the summit, it was a beautiful sight with the sun setting in the distance.

"…Not you, nor Chao Shi, I'm sure he's beating himself up right now, thinking it was his fault that she died, the idiot".

She sighed again.

"That girl was too stubborn, she was so scared of her own shadow she wanted to become someone else, I'd told her many times before to give up the sword and return to her roots, that she had so much potential, and now she died because of it… she was a fool."

Those words irked Bai Shun slightly.

His relationship with Yun Hua… it was a weird one, at first they were bitter enemies, yet as they both ran along in Chao Shi's footsteps they became something like rivals, to him, maybe there was something more…. Yet those memories would now turn to dust, become slowly forgotten in the streams of time.

"Love can blind people in the end, you should remember this".

He paused for a second, feeling like she had read his mind but then shook his head, it was obvious who she was talking about.

She said she used a sword because she loved the beauty of its style, yet was she in love with that, or the person that wielded it? To others, it was painfully obvious, yet to the person themselves, they can become as oblivious as required to believe a sweet lie.

"It's truly a pity you know, I was considering making her my direct disciple if she had taken up the saber again".

"Huh? Really?" Bai Shun was so surprised to hear that he stood up with eyes wide.

'Direct Disciple! Most members of this sect would kill for that position' He thought, before he realised he was being rude and bowing his head again.

"Hahaha, don't worry I'll forgive that one… I was just speaking my mind, unfortunately it's in the past now… but Bai Shun you're not too bad yourself, work hard and I'm sure you'll be promoted to core in no time".

"Yes, I'll work as hard as possible! Thank you Sect Master!"

"Good, you're excused… I have something to do now."

Bai Shun bowed his head as he left, the stone door scraping shut behind him.

As soon as the doors shut, a dull expression filled Rong Jia's face and she reached over on the rock near her and rung a bell, all of a sudden a figure appeared behind her, cloaked in pure white with a cloth covering their face with the symbol for 'Iris' inscribed appeared.

"Prepare the long-distance communication" She ordered, and soon after the white figure disappeared once more.

She couldn't help but sigh once more.

"I hope this doesn't become something big…"

…

Only a couple of days later, somewhere far-far away.

Deep in a large hall that was tall enough for giants to walk through, an audience was about to be held, the stone of the grand archways was pure white that glimmered with every colour of the rainbow.

The walls were lit with bright shinestone lamps of the greatest purity, there were no other decorations as if they'd destroy the sanctity of this area.

At the very end of this long hall there was a great crystal throne, just the sight of it shocked people with awe as its beautifully carved and formed shape was perfectly symmetrical and precise, the sheer pleasure of its beauty could make even the weakest of connoisseurs faint from joy.

Yet there was a person seated upon such a throne, a figure that sat just as neatly as the throne himself as if it was made solely for him, he wore ceremonial robes that were pure white with a multitude of patterns of every colour swimming through the threads, his face was obscured with a veil so one could not make out any features, yet two eyes swirling with the colours of the rainbow pierced through, their crystalline appearance made one feel that they were being watched by something inhuman.

Four figures appeared from the end of the hallway, walking in a steady yet precise pattern towards the throne, as soon as they reached a designated position they fell to one knee with their head lowered.

"We four Sages greet the Emperor!" They spoke in unison, revealing themselves.

Each and every one was an older person, their hairs white and their skin wrought with wrinkles and marks, two male and two female, yet their eyes were filled with power and their stance held nothing of the expected frailness of one with their appearance.

"Hm…. Why have you called for this audience?" The 'Emperor' spoke, his voice sounding far younger than one might have expected, yet the four 'sages' were not surprised at all.

Three of the sages looked toward one of the others, who stepped forward and began to speak.

"Yes, the other day we received a message from Rong Jia of the Titanic Steel Sect, in it there were details of a forbidden drug being used, its name was "World Devouring Elixir"" As the old man spoke his expression darkened, he clearly knew about the effects of this drug.

"What?! That's not possible!" The 'Emperor' broke character and leaned forward on his throne.

*Ahem* he realised his slip up and regained his composure.

"You're sure it's that elixir?" He asked.

"We asked the same question, according to Rong Jia her sect disciple still has the evidence vial"

"So, it's not guaranteed?"

"No, she said she would confirm it herself when he arrived, but she believes his judgement so it should be correct".

"That woman…" The 'Emperor' wanted to complain, but he decided to bite his tongue.

"We need to crack down on these black sects that have been popping up… we left them alone long enough, now they're pushing their luck, even more so if they have any more of 'that' elixir"

He looked towards the four.

"Move the sects and all forces, there will be no tolerance for any sect not registered anymore, any large groups gathering without notification or officiation shall be redacted".

"YES EMPEROR!"

The four quickly disappeared, setting off to carry out the orders they were given.

After they had left, the Emperor groaned slightly as he shifted the veil slightly to rub his face, light blonde hair and a young face peeked out of the gap.

"What should I do?.. I need to find out where they got the damned things from, sure the effects are scary, at least the known effects…. The secondary effects are what we care out the most though… if enough of them are used…"

He felt a headache coming on.

A future in which the emperor himself would move, wasn't too far away.

…

Outside of the carriage, the rain pattered against the sturdy wooden frame as the wheels dredged through the muddy path of the road, the two horses pulling the carriage were working ceaselessly as their hot breath resembled a train's smoke trail, their bodies emitting a hot mist from continuous work, the coachman sat at the front quietly watching the road with his hat tipped forward at he laid back to escape the rain.

Inside however, two men and one boy were sat talking, they had only set off half an hour ago, yet they'd been having a bit of small talk to break the waters, eventually Gang Bo woke up to the chatter of the two, making Shu He decide it was time to ask what he really wanted to.

"So, why are you two going to Orefine City anyway? I'm going to attend the Sect there, but wouldn't it have made more sense to go to Rockfell? It's far closer…" He said, sending a questioning glance to the two.

"Hoho, well that's certainly a good question" Old Yun laughed, he was without a doubt the one most out of place here due to his age.

"I was planning to do just as you said, move to Rockfell and set up small shop there selling some of my more unique crafts, I'd have enough money to get by you see but something that, uh, sir? Chao Shi said to me made me change my mind".

"What was it?" Shu He was genuinely curious.

"It's not too late! He said my craftsmanship skills are valuable and that I should come to his sect, I was worried about my age but then he said it's not too late to start cultivation!" Old Yun said with quite a smile on his face.

'That guy might as well work as a damn salesman!' Shu He retorted in his mind before remembering something.

"Come to think of it, he did say to me he was over 100 years old, so he'd be older than you".

"No way!" Gang Bo said with his jaw open wide in disbelief.

"Hohoho! That's great news, if he looks that young when he's older than me then I must have a chance!" Old Yun spoke, looking at his two hands.

"You see, I was so obsessed with my crafting skills that I forgot about everything else, by the time I had reached mastery in my craft all my old friends were married and had kids, even grandkids, and yet I carried on, in the end by the time I realised it, it was too late, I couldn't find a partner let alone have children, so I had no heirs to teach what I learned…"

He clenched his first "But now, I have a chance!"

"That's great!"

"Right?" The old man chuckled.

Shu He looked over to Gang Bo, a little more confused.

"What about you? I thought you had a mercenary band that you were part of… with the rewards they gave out I thought you'd retire somewhere, you always complained about your work when you came to pick up the medication."

"Well…" Gang Bo tried to speak, but a depressed expression filled his face.

"What's wrong?" Shu He asked, finding it unusual to see him like this.

"Of our band.. It's only me and one other left, actually none now since we disbanded".

"Ah-… I'm sorry" Shu He apologised; he immediately knew that they had died in the attack on Greengate Village.

"No, you don't need to apologise, we were mercenaries so we knew whatever we got in to, our lives would be at stake, we just lost that gamble this time, that's all there was to it… Me and my friend split the rewards between us, so we have plenty of money but…" He stopped and looked up at Shu He.

"But?"

"I was going to do what you said, but then I overheard that you were going far away right after losing your parents, and I felt kind of… bad…" He twiddled his fingers as he spoke.

Shu He's jaw hung open as he tried to process the image in front of him.

"Okay, I'm touched, but can you stop twiddling your fingers like a woman!" He couldn't help but blurt out.

"Ah! Also I thought you'd want to start up the medication business again and thought you might need some help!"

"Isn't that your real reason?" Shu He couldn't help but retort before he sighed.

"I'll probably do so at some point yeah, but I'll need to find my footing first".

"That's fine! That fellow said I could try take the test for the sect as well anyway!" Gang Bo blurted out almost causing Shu He to fall over in the cabin.

"Does that guy try to recruit literally anyone?!"

And so, Shu He set off with two companions, his journey had finally begun.

Towards a distant future.