Aksai landed gracefully in front of Nuya’s palace, his Lian Flying Sword disappearing with a shimmer.
As he approached the entrance, two of Nuya’s maids bowed deeply and welcomed him inside.
“Welcome, Lord Aksai,” one of them said, her voice respectful. “Lady Nuya is expecting you. Please, follow us.”
Aksai nodded, his expression calm, and followed the maids through the beautifully adorned corridors.
They led him to a spacious hall where a group of Spirit cultivators had gathered. The atmosphere was heavy with tension, and the expressions on their faces ranged from solemn to outright grim.
Dia Naya and Nimiya Jaram, co-owners of the Emerald Cove island, were among those present. They stood near Nuya, who sat at the head of the hall, her demeanor as poised as ever.
As soon as Aksai entered, the mid and late-stage Spirit Refiners stood and paid their respects.
“Island Owner Aksai,” they murmured, bowing their heads in unison.
Aksai acknowledged their greetings with a slight nod and walked towards Nuya, who gestured for him to take a seat beside her. A maid quickly served him a glass of Bacchus’ Blessing wine, a rich, aromatic drink that had come to be known as Emerald Cove’s specialty thanks to Aksai and Nuya’s joint efforts.
“Thank you,” Aksai said, taking a sip. The wine’s warmth spread through him, momentarily lifting the heaviness in the room.
‘Damn. Am I not a talented wine manufacturer?’ Aksai patted his own back in his mind. Of course, he didn’t say things out loud after reading the room’s atmosphere.
Jiren, another prominent figure in Emerald Cove, was also present. He stood near Nuya, his usual confident expression replaced with one of concern.
“Old man,” Aksai greeted Jiren.
“Lad, it’s good to see you,” Jiren replied with a nod. It seemed that Jiren had also gone with Nuya to try his luck in the expedition. However, he didn’t get anything worthy. Thankfully, he didn’t look injured.
Aksai was surprised to notice that Jiren had not teased him about sitting beside Nuya in his usual manner. It seemed that the old man was really not in the mood to have a casual conversation with him or Nuya.
As Aksai settled into his seat, Nuya began to speak, her voice carrying a mix of authority and concern.
“We have gathered here today to discuss the recent expedition to the Core Formation Lord’s cultivation cave,” she said. “Unfortunately, the outcome was not as favorable as we had hoped. Many of our low and mid-stage Spirit Refiners have perished.”
Aksai sighed inwardly. He had anticipated such a result but kept his thoughts to himself. He listened intently as Nuya continued, explaining the details of the expedition. Dia Naya and Nimiya Jaram added their observations, detailing the dangers they had faced and the losses they had suffered.
“It was a perilous trip,” Nimiya said, her voice trembling slightly. “We encountered traps and formidable guardians that we were not prepared for. Aram Talak did not return with us, and we fear the worst.”
Aksai remained silent, absorbing the information. He knew the risks of exploring ancient cultivation caves, where opportunities and dangers walked hand in hand. Yet, seeing the impact of these losses on his fellow cultivators made the reality of those risks all the more real.
“I am deeply sorry for your losses,” Aksai finally said, his voice steady and compassionate. “Exploring such places is always a gamble. We must honor those who have fallen and learn from this experience to better prepare for future endeavors.”
The room fell silent as everyone took in his words. Nuya nodded, her eyes reflecting a mix of gratitude and determination. “Thank you, Aksai. We will indeed honor their memories and strive to improve our strategies.”
As the meeting continued, Aksai listened attentively, offering his insights and support where needed. He refrained from saying, “I told you so,” knowing that it would only add to the weight of their grief. Instead, he focused on being a source of strength for his friends and juniors.
As the meeting began to wind down, Nuya approached Aksai, her expression one of curiosity and concern. “Aksai, how has the island’s situation been in my absence?”
Aksai met her gaze with a calm smile. “There were a few Spirit Refining troublemakers from Kalingoot who managed to sneak onto Emerald Cove. They tried to create some unrest, but I dealt with them swiftly.”
Nuya raised an eyebrow, a hint of concern flickering in her eyes. “Kalingoot? Did you use the existing Array Formation? Is there anything we need to worry about? What about the movements from enemy Foundation Building Experts?”
“So far things are under our control. I didn’t use the island’s formations because I didn’t think it was necessary,” Aksai replied smoothly, avoiding the details of his human experiments on the intruders. “They’re no longer a threat to us. I’ve ensured that the island remains safe and secure.”
Nuya nodded, relief washing over her features. “Thank you, Aksai. I appreciate your vigilance. It must have been challenging to manage everything in my absence.”
“It was a responsibility I was happy to take on,” Aksai said, his tone earnest. “We’ve had some minor incidents related to the delay of the shipments, but nothing we couldn’t handle. I’ve also been working on a giant defensive-type Array Formation. You guys must be aware of the gray fog surrounding Shamrock Peak, right?”
Nuya’s eyes widened slightly. “The gray fog… I had wondered about that.”
As one of the island owners, Aksai obviously guessed that Nuya was aware of the existence of the gray fog surrounding Shamrock Peak. Thus, he had deliberately raised the topic so she could feel at ease.
Aksai nodded. “It’s part of the formation. I’m setting it up to enhance the island’s defenses. It won’t harm anyone, and I’ve instructed my maids to calm any unrest among our people. If everything goes well, we’ll have a stable and working 2nd-order formation protecting the island in the future.”
Even the old man Jiren was impressed when he heard Aksai’s words. He finally returned to his usual demeanor.
‘Impressive. A man goes to any length to see his woman’s smile. Good going. Hehehe. Lad, I want to name the babies you and Nuya will have after you both get married in the future.’
He finally decided to contact Aksai secretly via a mind communication Spirit spell, teasing him about Nuya like usual.
‘This old man has already started seeing my kids in his dreams,’ Aksai sighed as he met Jiren’s winkful gaze with a neutral expressions.