Kayleen and Azreal finish their story, Great Elder Lu informs them to stay where they are, the Sect Leader and Great Elders are on the way. The next two days pass in a whirlwind of chaos and emotion as the Heavenly Root Sect reels from the loss of disciples and most of their major talents within the outer court. With the aftermath of the Lingxi Grove competition and the revelations of the Chosen Echo's infiltration.
Azreal, Xiara, Lilith, Darian, Kayleen, and Hong Jie are immediately taken and moved to the headquarters of the Heavenly Root Sect by the Sect Leader and Great Elders upon their arrival at the scene. In a private meeting hall, they recount their harrowing experiences, sparing no detail. The Sect Leader, Zhan Tianlong, his face stern as he listens intently, his eyes flickering with a mix of pride, concern and anger as he listens to their tale and the loss of disciples and bravery shown by each team member to stand and attempt to save those around them.
"You have done a great service to the Sect," Sect Leader Tianlong says solemnly, his voice full of emotion. "Your bravery and willingness to face the unknown for the lives of your fellow disciples will not go unnoticed. Each of you have undoubtedly saved many lives. But I fear this is only the beginning."
The Great Elders nod in agreement, their expressions differ, Master Juhee, sadness and anger, Great Elder Nilxan is calm yet a fire of rage bubbles beneath his eyes, Great Elder Lu, concerned for his granddaughter and the damaged disciples . They praise the outer disciples, but their words are tinged with a sense of urgency. Each knows that there is much to be done, and little time to waste.
Immediately, the Sect is placed on high alert. Disciples are recalled from the Lingxi Grove, their confusion and fear palpable as they are rushed back to the safety of the Sect. The clashing of swords rings out from the training grounds, the sound more frenetic, more desperate than before. Patrols march through the Sect, their numbers doubling, their vigilance unwavering. They peer into every corner, every shadow, as if expecting an enemy to materialise at any moment, taking away their life and destroying their beloved sect. Speculation runs rampant - who are the Echoes of the Forsaken? How deep does their infiltration go? Teams of trusted inner disciples and Elders are dispatched to scour every corner of the Sect, searching for any sign of The Echoes of the Forsaken and their 'vessels'.
In the headquarters of each Pavilion, the Elders work tirelessly, poring over every scrap of information, every whispered rumour and ancient text that might shed light on the The Echoes of the Forsaken and their Chosen Echoes. They send messengers and missives to allied Sects, seeking any knowledge or aid they can offer. The atmosphere is tense, the weight of the unknown threat hanging heavy in the air.
Amidst the chaos, there is also grief. The bodies of the fallen disciples, including Yan Renshu and Lilith's teammates among over one hundred other disciples. Over one third of all outer disciples that participated had been murdered by Ming Yue and Kollik, they are retrieved from the grove and prepared for the funeral rites. The ceremonies are short and charged with emotion, the scale of dead disciples unseen since the last Heavenly Wars, the air heavy with the weight of loss. Disciples, Masters, and Elders alike gather to pay their respects, their faces filled with sorrow and grim determination.
Yan Renshu's death hits the Sect particularly hard. He had been a shining star, a prodigy of the Crimson Sword Pavilion whose potential seemed limitless. His sister, a promising inner disciple, is inconsolable. Her sobs shatter the grim silence through the halls, a raw and powerful reminder of the price that had been paid. She approaches Azreal and the others, thanking them for trying to save him, she once again breaks down sobbing as she leaves the ceremony.
For Azreal and his team, the days pass in a haze of healing and introspection. They are given time to recover, but the scars, both physical and emotional, run deep.
Xiara, pushed to the brink of exhaustion by the prolonged battle and the constant use of her explosive concoctions and the creation of a link with Azreal, sleeps for almost a full day. When she finally awakes, it is to a body that feels alien in its weakness, her Qi reserves utterly depleted. She spends long hours in cultivation, coaxing her Qi and Soul Essence back to life, but the process is slow and frustrating.
Lilith, despite her miraculous survival, is haunted by the loss of her teammates. The vivid scar on her chest serves as a constant reminder of how lucky she had truly been, she was moments away from dying herself. In the solitude of her quarters, Lilith finally allows herself to crumble. The weight of her teammates and friends' deaths crushes her, and she sinks to her knees, a wail of grief pierces the area before she begins to sob. Tears stream down her face as she clutches at her chest, the scar an ever present reminder of her loss and near death experience. The guilt is suffocating, she is consumed by the thought that she survived while they perished, this thought eats at her like a festering wound. She pounds her fists against the floor, the physical pain a welcome distraction from the emotional agony. I should have been stronger, faster, better. I should have saved them. She had heard Azreal curse and swear these words. Never again. The thoughts churn in her mind, an endless cycle of self-blame and regret. In the darkness of her room, Lilith grieves, her sobs echoing in the emptiness, a testament to the void left by those she lost. Her mind eventually resolves itself to grow stronger, the only way to respect those who trusted her, she throws herself into training with a never seen before intensity, using training as a way to numb her pain and run from grief.
Darian's condition is of particular concern. The backlash from his Golden Titan Body Arts has left him weakened, his body wracked with a strange, lingering pain. The unnatural golden tinge in his eyes persists, the whites of his eyes slowly turning into a deep golden colour. The Sect's best healers, experts from the Spirit Heaven Pavilion, work tirelessly to stabilise his condition, but nothing seems to ease his pain and the golden colour continues to take over the whites of his eyes. It is clear that he will need time, patience, and great care to fully recover.
Azreal, though his physical wounds are healing, with the use of his Minor Regeneration, finds his mind in chaos, more so than any other. Azreal's mind is a whirlwind of chaotic thoughts as he tries to process everything that has happened. The power within him, the Heaven Defying Conqueror Physique, is like nothing he has ever experienced before, he can feel a bottomless well of power. It is intoxicating, but also terrifying, Azreal feels a mix of hatred and love towards this power.
Kollik's words, the way that bastard had looked at him with such hunger, it makes his skin crawl every time he thinks about him and the desire in his eyes for him to join their cause. What the hell does it all mean? What kind of fucked up destiny am I supposed to fulfill? I want to scream, to rage against the unfairness of it all. But I know I can't afford to break, not now, not after I have just strengthened my resolve to stop wallowing in my own self pity. My friends need me, the Sect needs me. I have to get my shit together and figure this out, no matter how much it scares the crap out of me.
And yet, amidst the fear of failure and the voice screaming inside his mind that he is not worthy, a sense of purpose grows deep within his mind and heart. The Echoes of the Forsaken have revealed themselves as a threat not just to the Heavenly Root Sect, but to the entirety of Heaven's Universe. Azreal knows that it doesn't matter if he wants to or not, he will have a role to play in the coming conflict.
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As the second day draws to a close, the Sect seems to breathe a collective sigh of relief. The immediate crisis has been weathered, but everyone knows it is only the beginning. The Echoes of the Forsaken have shown their first move, and with the little information the Heavenly Root Sect can find, they will need to be ready for their next move.
In a moment of quiet, Azreal sits with the survivors of the battle with Killok, taking in their faces, each of them tired, downtrodden, but determined.
"I believe we are all extremely lucky to survive the battle with Kollik, I hate how weak I am, how I couldn't fight with Kollik without him toying with me," says Azreal, as he lets out a heavy sigh, "but we survived, we need to steel ourselves and raise our cultivation and train harder."
Xiara, her body heavy and weary with fatigue, lets a small smile slip as she sits to the left of Azreal and glances towards him. The warmth of his presence, acting as a warmth and soothing tea, enlightening her weary spirit, a glint of her feeling can be seen to everyone bar Azreal as shadowed eyes reflect the comfort she finds in the presence of Azreal and her companions.
Kayleen, seated on Azreal's right, maintains a calm facade, her peaceful expression and perfect posture, hiding the well of thoughts and emotions that swirl beneath the surface. She can't shake the unease that has settled in her heart since witnessing Kollik's intense interest in Azreal.
What does that monster see in him? She wonders, her sharp gaze studying Azreal's profile. One look was all it took for Kollik to be consumed by a hunger for Azreal's potential. Kayleen knows, from her own experience, that Azreal's future is filled with vast, almost frightening possibilities. But the depth of Kollik's desire to claim him as one of their own troubles her deeply.
Across from Azreal, Lilith finds a semblance of peace in the presence of her friends as she sits next to Darian. The scar on her chest, and the recent death of her teammates still bleed, but the fierce expression on her face softens. I can never replace those who I lost, but I have to move on, my two friends would want me to live a longer life.
Darian, his weakened body highlighted by the unnatural golden hue that lingers in his eyes, sits tall and proud beside Lilith. Forcefully leaving the medical team of the Spirit Heaven Pavilion behind for this meet, against the wishes of everyone, including those he sits with, he forces himself to attend. He needs to be present when everyone meets once more.
"What do we actually know about these Echoes of the Forsaken?" Darian asks, his brow furrowed in frustration. "They've managed to infiltrate the Sect, they have some kind of twisted interest in Azreal, but beyond that, we're grasping at straws."
Kayleen leans forward, her eyes sharp. "The Great Elders are scouring the archives, looking for any mention of them in our history. But so far, there's been nothing concrete. It's like they've appeared out of nowhere."
"Or they've been hiding in plain sight all along," Azreal mutters, his mind churning with possibilities. "Kollik said something about a 'destined Physique,' but what does that mean? What are they trying to achieve?"
"And how do we stop them when we don't even know the extent of their reach?" Lilith adds, her voice tight. "For all we know, they could have agents in every corner of the Sect, just waiting for the right moment to strike."
Hong Jie, stands not too far from the group, "Now that we've agreed to have each other's back within the Sect and once we venture into the world, I think we should ensure this doesn't become widespread. Those who wish to hurt any of us will under prepare if they have no idea who is backing you," his words ring true in the minds of those present.
"Yes. As we discussed, we have zero idea who within the Sect is involved with the Echoes of the Forsaken, even the Great Elders cannot be assumed to be safe. The two inner disciples could only infiltrate the Lingxi Grove with the assistance of someone powerful within the Sect," says Kayleen, Darian's expression darkening, "It can't be Great Elder Lu, or Great Elder Juhee, leaving either the Sect Leader or Great Elder Nilxan," says Darian.
"No one apart from those in this room are free from suspicion, I advise everyone here to keep this a secret and investigate without drawing attention. Trust no one, unless you are certain they would never betray the Sect," says Kayleen, her eyes shooting to Darian, "I am investigating my Grandfather, Great Elder Lu, and if we are taking this seriously, each of you must not rule anyone out and investigate those around you," her words firm, a drive to root out evil burning in her heart.
"Great Elder Lu would never betray the Sect, " Darian says as his glare remains on Kayleen. "Darian, I understand your feeling, but the sooner we can clear him of suspicion, the faster we can get his help and let him in on our plans. Please Darian, we need to be certain," Azreal chimes in, his words swirling in Darian's mind. A minute of silence passes, each person at the table feels the tension in the air.
They are asking him to investigate his dead father's closest friend, the man who has looked after him since he was young. Each person understands why Darian is taking his time with this decision, how could he possibly suspect the most important father figure he has left?
"Argh, Fuck!" Darian stands, walks towards a wall and slams his fist against the stone walls of the meeting room. "Fine, I'll also investigate him, but I want it on record that I do not believe he could ever do this and I will prove it," he spits his words through gritted teeth, Darian knows the threat and risk is too large to not investigate everyone properly, and if he gets to choose a person, so does everyone else.
Can they afford to have six Sect members immediately cleared of suspicion? His answer is firm, if anyone here wants another person to go uninvestigated he will stand against it, so eventually, Darian's sense of justice wins against his sense of loyalty.
"Darian, I know this hurts, he is my grandfather. I do not want this either, but we must persist," Kayleen says with a clear sense of gratitude in her voice. "Okay, now that's settled, let's get to it. I am going to train myself and calm my mind for the next few days. If any of you need me, please ask Master Juhee," says Azreal, standing with Xiara and leaving the meeting room. Everyone eventually leaves the meeting room, intent on healing, improving their strength and investigating the Echoes of the Forsaken within their Sect.
Azreal, walking Xiara back to her dorm, can't shake the feeling that they are all in way over their heads. The Echoes of the Forsaken, whoever they are, seemingly have the power to be pulling strings all over the place. And for some reason, they have their sights set on him. It's like a damn puzzle, but half the pieces are missing and the other half are covered in blood.
What is their endgame? Why do they want me so badly? And what the fuck does it have to do with my physique? The questions keep piling in Azreal's mind.
They walk in silence, as they weave between the roads of the Sect and through Bedrock city. The tense atmosphere of the past couple of days feels lighter, yet those more anxious about the cult are still on high alert, examining every person that passes by their business or home.
Azreal becomes more concerned as Xiara's body begins to lean more and more onto his own, eventually he decides to stop and carry her, as it is easier to walk while carrying her than having her lean on him.
"Xiara, the link you created within the Lingxi Grove, is the flow of Qi and Soul Essence only one way, or can you draw from me as well?" Azreal asks, as he looks at Xiara's pale face and sunken eyes.
"It opens a bridge between souls, why?" Xiara responds weakly.
"I have pretty much recovered from my injuries and exhaustion. If you create the link again can you use my Qi and Soul Essence for yourself?" asks Azreal. Xiara raises her head and arches an eyebrow, "You're offering to give me your Qi? Azreal, what you're suggesting is not something that is randomly done, only cultivators with the utmost trust willingly allow others to interact with their Qi and Soul Essence. I only opened the link initially because there was no chance of victory and I trusted you, this time is different '' Xiara says, fighting her own fatigue to ensure she has a clear mind for this moment.
"Yeah, I took from you earlier so I thought I could help with your recovery," interjects Azreal, "I trust you, Xiara, I want to help.”