It was a shame, though — years of daily drinking with Silas had become the single best relationship he'd ever had within the Sky Burial Sect."Drink we shall, but let me remind you, Senior Brother — don't draw unnecessary attention once you're there. Keep your training low-key, avoid missions if you possibly can, or pay your way out of them with spirit stones. Your life matters more than anything else."Silas offered a few words of caution, though he didn't seem overly worried."Goes without saying, and I won't be alone this time either — Senior Brother Auric's coming along with me.""He's got a dispatch order too?""He's the grandson of a Golden Core elder — of course not. He just got bored sitting around the Sky Burial Sect and wanted to try his luck out in Cloudsea territory.""You may see Auric as the grandson of a Golden Core elder, but the Duskfiend disciples out there certainly don't know that. If he goes out looking for trouble, make sure you steer clear — otherwise you won't

A moment later, a handsome young man entered, a longsword strapped across his back, eyes sharp and piercing."Junior Brother Celeste — does this mean the sword-holding elder is willing to act?""He is not!"At this, the hope in Evander's eyes collapsed instantly into disappointment. "Then?""My master asked me to inform the Young Sect Master directly — he is solely responsible for watching over the Sky Burial Sect itself, and holds no concern for matters beyond it!"Celeste delivered the message without a trace of expression, then offered a slight bow and departed without further delay.Evander watched Celeste's retreating figure, his face turning livid with fury."Back then, the sword-holding elder refused to take on a single disciple. Now that the sect's in real trouble, suddenly everyone remembers he exists."Edmund Thorne sneered, clearly pleased to see Evander so thoroughly rattled."Elder Edmund, mind your words." A true gentleman surnamed Lysander said, clearly displeased."I'm

At the same time, in the main hall atop Zenith Peak."Still haven't arrived?" Evander asked, seated at the head of the long table.Standing beside him was a Foundation Establishment cultivator."Young Sovereign, Elder Edmund Thorne says he's currently in seclusion and cannot attend.""And the other elders?""Many claimed prior obligations and said they couldn't make it either."Evander's eyes turned cold, his voice tightening. "Did you make clear exactly what this meeting concerns?""I did, but I couldn't even reach most of the elders directly — their own disciples turned me away at the door every time."Boom!A true monarch slammed a fist against the table. "This is absurd. Do they no longer respect my Lysander family, or the Young Sect Master himself?"Beyond the several true monarchs bearing the Lysander surname, the hall also held numerous elders of other family names, one of whom spoke bluntly:"It's likely dissatisfaction with the Young Sect Master's recent decisions, if I'm bei

Glancing further out, he noticed the Qi training disciples usually stationed here on daily guard duty were nowhere to be found."Steward Sun, has something serious happened?" Silas asked, carefully."No use putting on an act in front of this old man.I've overseen the outer sect's personnel affairs for decades now. Every mortal corpse collector assigned to Skypillar Mountain has died one after another, without exception — yet you've lived here safely for years without incident."Steward Sun studied Silas carefully, marveling. "You're a mortal, sure — but you're clearly no ordinary one."Silas breathed a quiet sigh of relief — at least the man hadn't seen through his actual cultivation level."Sky Burial Mountain proper has fallen. Several Foundation Establishment cultivators have seized control of the main peaks there, and thousands of outer disciples have rallied to their cause.Fortunately, they've never thought much of little Skypillar Mountain here."The old man explained his reas

As Wes described this, a look of pure longing crept into his eyes.Truly powerful people really are different — he didn't even need to personally hold down Cloudsea territory. Just one visit to the Duskfiend Sect, and the results speak for themselves.I wonder how long it'll take me to reach that kind of level myself.He continued: "From what I've picked up through gossip and a few Duskfiend disciples themselves, it sounds like the sword-holding elder actually clashed directly with their headmaster — and apparently came out slightly ahead."Otherwise, there's no way the Duskfiend disciples would've suddenly gone this quiet and restrained."Sounds like Cloudsea territory should settle down now, then." Silas nodded — Evander had actually handled this particular matter well.Of course, the sword-holding elder had probably simply reached his limit with the whole affair — otherwise Cloudsea territory might have kept bleeding people for years on end, day after day.Sometimes Silas genuinely