Two days had already passed since the accident at the Villa.

Jack was finally enjoying some moments of tranquillity, utterly oblivious to the furore that was happening inside the sect.

First to make the waves was actually news concerning himself. The infamous mortal not only didn’t perish in the azure realm but was now a 3rd Qi seeking realm cultivator. Not everyone was gullible enough to believe these gossips though, and some even disregarded them as a type of invention.

Then, there was the matter of the Grand Elder’s return. If rumours were anything to go by, the Grand Elder managed to achieve a minor breakthrough, increasing the sect’s overall power.

And lastly, there was the news of the century that had taken everyone by a storm, spreading like an unstoppable wildfire.

The once lost Ancient Divinity had returned. Not only that, but it seems that its bloodline was showing signs of awakening.

This was undoubtedly a major cause for celebration, the sect’s future being at its brightest ever. If the Ancient Divinity fully awakened, it would indeed turn into a terrifying existence. It wouldn’t be an understatement to say that not even the Patriarch would be able to defeat it then.

However, not everyone seemed happy with this development.

The state of the two leading Houses was particularly tense. Both leaders of House Shui and Tian summoned an urgent assembly almost simultaneously.

Apparently, the awakened Ancient Divinity had taken a strange liking to House Yu, making their headquarters its permanent residence. Although House Yu was the 3rd most influential House, it was now only a matter of time before it surpassed them in strength.

Although both Houses boasted of having prominent sect elders, once they had joined the upper echelons, they have become somewhat independent of them. Regardless, no matter how powerful these elders were or will be in the future, they will never be able to match the might of an awakened divinity.

As both Houses were preoccupied, House Yu was also undergoing drastic changes.

The first to be affected was the central administration hall, which had undergone quite the adjustments. The main seats of Master Yu and the five protectors were removed, instead replaced by a large red cushion in the middle.

Reclined over the cushion was the Creature, seemingly enjoying the best day of its life. Several gorgeous maids were taking turns in massaging and brushing its back.

Prostrated on the floor before the Creature, were Master Yu and his wife, and the five protectors.

“This place is much better than I expected. Your house isn’t complete garbage after all little Yu.”

Master Yu shuddered, producing a wryly smile. “Descendant of our great ancestor. Your honest words fill this old man with humility. I trust that you are satisfied with our hospitality?”

The Creature appeared thoughtful for a moment, then it itched its back. “Not bad, not bad. What about the items, though? Have you delivered them?”

Master Yu widened his smile. “Of course, of course. 80 Essence Attractor Pills, 4,000,000 silver coins and two foundation realm treasures of excellent qualities.”

These words sounded as serene as ever, but painful stabs occurred in Master Yu’s heart with every word he uttered. Half of the House’s riches were gone just like that.

“Little Yu, you keep impressing me. At this rate, it will not be long before House Yu becomes the main pillar of this sect. However, if one day you offend me...”

Master Yu seemed to forget about his predicament. “No, no, why should we ever offend you? We can’t stop thanking the heavens long enough for gifting us with such an honourable presence!”

The Creature appeared satisfied as it narrowed its eyes peacefully.

And it was at this very moment that Jack encountered a bizarre situation.

Several messengers arrived in succession, delivering different treasures with the utmost gallantry. This left him without words, especially when he learned that these messengers were from House Yu.

At first, he thought that this was some kind of trap, but after noting their insistence and the sincerity in their eyes, in the end, he decided to accept their offers.

Soon, his pagoda was filled with innumerable treasures, and Jack was already itching the back of his head on how he was going to protect this stuff. If word had to leak out, he would be in big troubles…

***

Unbeknownst to anyone, two figures had secretly entered the Azure Fiery Realm, their fast-moving shadows ramming straight towards the Archaic Billows.

“There was an interference in here. Somebody definitely messed with the mechanism. The damage is also quite severe.... it will take a large number of resources to fix this. Until then, nobody is allowed to enter this place without my authorisation.”

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The Grand Elder nodded, agreeing with the Patriarch’s trail of thoughts. “Could it have been the awakened divinity?”

The Patriarch frowned. “Strange things have happened since that man’s appearance. The matter of the 3rd Patriarch’s spectre is also quite odd. I feel that there is more to that story than I am aware of.”

It was then that a chuckle was heard.

“I have to say that some pleasant surprises did indeed happen here, but you are deluding yourself if you think that I will be cooperating with you scumbags. At least, that mortal brought temporary relief for this being’s boredom hehe...

“Alas, my good mood had to be ruined by your ugly faces.”

Both of them ignored the flame however as they beamed inside the secret chamber. The Patriarch immediately noticed an anomaly in the ground, using his spiritual power to excavate a buried corpse.

The Grand Elder suddenly felt a sense of uneasiness. “What, why is a freaking corpse buried in here? And why does it look like it is still fresh?”

The Patriarch remained thoughtful. “This place is a secret chamber left behind by the original Patriarch. Its entrance was interlinked with the Patriarch’s relict, and only the one worthy of being his successor would be allowed entrance. As for what was inside, I don’t know myself.”

“What!? Did that brat really comprehended that particular essence?”

“Comprehended? I can say with confidence that he even surpassed the founder’s understanding of the essence.”

The Grand Elder was shocked by this revelation. “Dai Jun did tell me that the kid possesses a powerful bloodline… but this is beyond my expectations! Could he be a child of a great clan?”

“A child of a great clan? Unlikely. However, his bloodline is surely unordinary. If we instruct him carefully, he will surely become a great asset for our faction. If he turns out unreliable, we can always eliminate him.

“For now, bring that corpse with you, maybe we can find some answers once we finish investigating it.”

The Patriarch brandished a talisman that cracked open a portal, then they dashed outside with a flash.

***

Faraway from the Sky Water Sect, a man was flying through a narrow corridor, knocking off some ornaments in the process. Sweat covered his face as he barged inside the Patriarch’s chamber, quickly dropping to his knees.

“Patriarch! Have you heard?! The descendant divinity of the Sky Water Sect, it is showing signs of awakening!”

A well-dressed man meditated in the central area. He was old, and yet his body was surrounded by an aura of youthfulness. Several swirling lights could be seen circulating around his pupils. “Hmm... that stupid-looking creature actually has some potential?”

He didn’t appear shocked at this revelation though. He actually seemed more at ease than one would expect.

“Our Blue Horn Sect has been the de facto Alliance leader since the great war. Even if you add an Ancestral Divinity in the mix, I don’t think it will be enough to shake our position in the long run. It may have awakened its power, but it will only grow into a treat after several more decades.”

“For now, keep an eye on the Sky Water Sect and report any anomalies immediately. You’re dismissed.”

As soon as the messenger left, the Patriarch’s expression turned grim.

The ancient war five hundred years ago had brought a giant catastrophe for the entire region. Two of the seven sects were totally obliterated, and five Ancestral Divinities had also perished.

The Ancestral Divinity of the Sky Water Sect had survived but was significantly injured, its life span shortened to a few hundred years. However, despite the poor reproductive rates of powerful spirit beasts, it was lucky enough to have a descendant at the end of its life. Unfortunately, this offspring was born stupid without any potential, only managing to survive to this date because of the race’s long natural lifespan.

In the end, all that was left was the Ancestral Divinity of the Blue Horn sect. This allowed the sect to flourish and consolidate its power as the alliance’s main force. However, with the atrocities of the great war deeply ingrained in everyone's hearts, the patriarch of that period refrained from using violence. Thus, the unification of the alliance never materialised.

However, the political situation changed once again when the last remaining Ancestral Divinity attained enlightenment a century ago, ascending to the upper realms. This has left the Blue Horn Sect, and the entire alliance, vulnerable to outsiders attacks.

The Patriarch’s biggest worry wasn’t about which sect represented the alliance, but more about avoiding an internal conflict at all costs. The coalition was already in a precarious situation, an internal conflict would just quicken their doom.

In the meantime, the Patriarchs of the other factions also received this piece of news. However, they were naturally more distressed, especially when their strengths could be said to be more or less equal to the Sky Water Sect.

Could it be that the alliance that has been stable since the great war, was about to experience significant changes?

The Patriarch of the Xianglu Sect seemed to agree with this notion.

He immediately departed towards a downward-arching staircase, arriving inside the sect’s dungeons. He appeared spaced out as he strolled through a never-ending maze of walls, then passed through a formation.

A forbidding atmosphere immediately greeted him, with scattered pools of blood emitting a rancid aroma to the point of suffocation. A thick green haze covered the tunnel, reducing visibility to a short distance.

The Patriarch appeared sombre as he carefully trailed along the irregular path. Along the way, he was accompanied by clanking and unintelligible sounds that didn’t originate from his feet, also unwillingly glimpsing his own demonic reflections over the opaque pools of blood.

After a long walk, he arrived inside a large chamber. Attached to the top left corner, on the opposite side, there was an enormous mass of flesh.

The amorphous creature opened its several eyes, with a disfigured head popping up from its belly. It was a heart-stirring abomination that would petrify many people on first sight.

“Ahh... Arghh...Is it time yet?! Has the promised time arrived?!”

A sepulchral voice greeted the Patriarch, clearly suffering from immense anguish.

“Not yet. But our plans are moving smoothly and accordingly to our original agreement. If we succeed, your revival is nigh, Ancestral Divinity. Not longer than two years.”

“Argh! Ahhhhh.... two years? Two years! This pain! This torment!”

Several veins bulged up, interweaving with each other. Tentacles of different thickness dropped from the roof, almost touching the Patriarch’s face.

“One year! No more! Ahhh…. I can’t wait anymore… Ahhh.... the pain...”

The living horror began calming down, seemingly entering into a hibernated state.

The Patriarch’s expression darkened as he headed back to his chamber. Sky Water Sect? Just an insect he could crush anytime. Blue Horn Sect? An old relic that has lived past its expiry date.

This alliance was like a pool of stagnant water. It was time for a change. It was time for a charismatic leader to appear and unite all sects.

It was time for him to ascend to his rightful throne.