Sun Xiao watched the world's end atop the mansion: no more merchant or servant districts, no more Infinity Sea on the horizon. Just a strange jungle stretched out in front of him. To the west, the Elder glimpsed yellow fields and odd buildings piercing into the sky—definitely not from Eternal Wind. To the south, mountains hid whatever lay behind them.

Eyeing the east, Sun Xiao could see the evil god behind all this mess. A bizarre mountain sat on the horizon, spewing fire into the sky as if swallowing the atmosphere. Purple, yellow, and orange ruled the sky. He wondered if anyone was watching them and thinking the same; they were now sitting in a font of power. The elder could feel the heat of Qi dominating the whole building.

The God’s message was clear. They were locked there for the next three and a half days, just like the timer in his eyes showed. God's voice had told them to wait, and so they waited. All cultivators from Eternal Wind were gearing up for whatever was coming next. A war against the gods? I was not expecting to live this day.

Sun Xiao was jolted from his thoughts, feeling the sword cut the air close to his ear. Quick to the left, he knocked the blade aside.

"Too loud, too slow," he muttered, facing Sun Li.

"Apologies, Master," Sun Li lowered his head, then retook his fighting stance. "I'll do better next time."

"You're the clan's future, Sun Li. Once all this is sorted, you'll sit in the Clan Leader's chair," he said, meeting the youth's gaze and putting a hand on his shoulder. “The time for apologies is over. Do you understand?”

Sun Li tensed slightly, his mouth twitching like he wanted to argue or say more, but the youth knew better.

"Understood, Master.” His voice was resolute. "Teach me to make the sword blaze with cultivation?"

"Certainly," Sun Xiao said, a grin forming on his face.

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The elders from all Sects assembled behind the oval table, flanked by the clan leaders. Every single one was present; none had gone missing. As far as Sun Xiao knew, only Sun Tie had vanished, along with the servants and non-cultivators. Are you alright, son? Are you still alive?

The room's eyes fell on Sun Xiao, expecting him to lead the meeting. Prepared for the role, he held seniority and was the most experienced in matters of war. This was not the first time he'd been asked to take charge, though he hoped it would be the last.

As Sun Xiao cleared his throat, the room fell silent.

"How are the searches for survivors going?" He looked around, directing the question to all and none. One of the leaders answered.

"We've combed through every house within the invisible wall's reach and found no one." Worry lined the man's face—a sentiment shared by all. Sun Xiao felt embarrassed at how these strong men and women seemed so reliant on their servants. He wouldn't be surprised if more than half didn't even know how to draw their bath.

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

"And the perimeter?" He continued.

"It's well-defined, Elder Sun Xiao. Three house blocks in every direction from the mansion we're currently in. From the ground to the sky, there's no breach, no end," one of the clan leaders reported.

The boundless power of this god annoyed Sun Xiao. They had never dealt with entities as potent as this one before. And the elder suspected that being trapped for five days was just the beginning—more surprises likely awaited them.

"And the training?" He inquired further.

"Every man and woman not in this room is in training as we speak," Elder Zhao Xuei responded, then added, "You're already aware of all this, Elder Sun Xiao. What about our plans to defeat this god? Do we stand a chance?"

Sun Xiao sighed internally. He didn't know if they could do it, but he wouldn't show any signs of weakness.

"Your lack of faith deeply disturbs me, Elder Zhao Xuei. We are more than capable. We're the formidable force of the Eternal Wind continent. When the time comes, we will ascend to the horizon and bring down this evil god. Then we will study how to restore everything to its original state," he declared, hiding his uncertainty behind a wall of conviction. And I’ll find you, Sun Tie. I promise.

Murmurs of agreement rippled through the room as Sun Xiao concluded his remarks.

"We have no more time for second guesses, doubts, or questions. All you Elders and Leaders can do as you please, but what I suggest is deep meditation and preparation. When the timer reaches zero, we'll fight to save the world, regardless of what lies beyond the invisible wall."

The room fell into silent agreement.

"Any more questions?" When none were raised, he added, "Then continue your training, get stronger, and prepare for anything."

As Sun Xiao stood to leave, his brother’s hand tightened around his arm.

"Can we speak, brother?" Sun Chen's face wore an expression of concern.

"Of course we can," Sun Xiao responded, reassuringly smiling.

"Privately," Sun Chen emphasized.

They moved to a corner of the room as everyone else filed out, including Sun Li, smiling as he chatted with the other cultivators.

"What's the matter, Sun Chen? You look worried," Sun Xiao asked, releasing his hand from his brother's grip and giving him his full attention.

"You know I'm grateful for all you've done for the family. You're a great elder and leader. After Sun Li's father brought shame to the family, I thought—"

"No need for that, brother. We're family. We help each other."

"I know, I know, but I can’t shake this feeling out of my heart. What you did was wrong," Sun Chen said, bowing his head. Sweat glistened on his bald scalp, revealing his immense stress. He locked eyes with the other Elder. His gaze filled with worry. "And I'm very concerned about Sun Tie, brother."

"I did nothing and I'm just as concerned as you are, if not more," Sun Xiao replied sincerely. His grandson had occupied his thoughts ever since this ordeal began. Sun Chen's eyebrows drew together as if questioning the sincerity of Sun Xiao's words.

"Are you, brother? I watched the duel closely—"

"And you saw my grandson lose and disgrace our family, just like his father did before him. I still love him, but he was on the verge of exile. As far as I can tell, exile is exactly what happened when the god's voice boomed across the realm."

"I know, but Sun Li—"

"I'll tell you what I said to your grandson: The time for apologies is over. Do you understand?" With each word, Sun Xiao saw a growing fear in his brother's eyes that gave him no satisfaction.

"I do, brother. I’m thankful for what you did for Sun Li. He’ll be a great leader, I promise."