The Grand Elder's announcement was swift and concise, and no further elaboration was given to the disciples who had just left the realm. Almost all the disciples of the sect had been within the Thunder Realm, and so no one knew what was going on.
"I wonder what it is?" Adam spoke up, breaking the brief silence.
"Who knows," John replied calmly. "There's no use speculating on it, so we'll find out in two days what this is all about."
"I suppose you're right," Adam replied, his mood not dampered at all. He was still in quite a good mood from his time in the illusion city.
"Hey, I'm starving…you guys want to grab some lunch? None of us have had a good meal in two weeks," Adam exclaimed after his stomach started growling.
By absorbing the heavenly Qi of the world, cultivators could go weeks and months without food. Once reaching the Heaven Tribulation Realm and shedding the mortal coil, one could go indefinitely without food. However, all cultivators still ate, as it replenished their energy reserves quicker, and also provided an enjoyable experience of tasting delicious food and drink.
"I'll have to pass," John replied quickly. "My body's damage will take quite some time to heal, and it seems as though I don't have much time before whatever this announcement is. I need to head back to my house and focus on healing as fast as possible."
"Ah, I suppose you're right," Adam replied quickly as he had completely forgotten about John's grave condition when his stomach had grumbled out in protest.
After some additional brief discussions, the group split up, each agreeing that it was in all their best interests to recover and prepare for whatever was to be announced in two days' time. John walked down the mountainside and towards his mansion several miles away. Almost every person John passed by couldn't help but look at him and his condition, which resulted in a mixture of reactions, from shocked, to intrigued.
John ignored these gazes as he arrived at his home sometime later and entered immediately. The several attendants of the house were going about their business keeping it as neat and orderly as possible, and the first to notice John couldn't help but jump in fright as they saw his condition.
"Good heavens. Are you alright Young Master?" the attendant, a middle-aged woman, cried out. She rushed towards John and quickly inspected his wounds.
"You need a healer and medical attention. I'll head to the Healing Ward immediately to get you a healer," the woman exclaimed, but John waved his hand against the idea.
"It's quite alright, you don't have to do that," John replied calmly.
"But…" the woman replied, a look of worry on her face. It was her job and duty to ensure that John was taken care of, and she didn't want to neglect that duty the sect had given her.
"These wounds look worse than they are, and I heal quite quickly. I'll be fine in a few days, as long as I have a good place to heal. What's the best place to heal in this house?" John asked.
The woman didn't seem too convinced, but didn't argue as she could tell John had his mind set. "The best place to heal would be the Healing Sauna. It gives off a faint medicinal mist that seeps into the pores and heals from outside, while breathing in the medicinal mist heals you from the inside as well. It's quite good, but not as effective as employing the help of a healer…are you sure you don't want me to-"
"The sauna will be fine," John replied with a calm smile. He quickly asked the woman to lead him there, who guided him there without hesitation.
"Thanks for the help. I'll be all set in here for the next two days," John said to the attendant as he entered the sauna. The woman nodded and quickly left, while John closed the door to the sauna and disrobed.
The sauna, which seemed to be active at all times, was indeed filled with a fragrant medicinal mist. The steamy mist soaked onto his skin, and John took a deep breath to test its medicinal effects. The medicinal steam was quickly absorbed by his body both externally and internally and stared to slowly but surely repair his wounds.
A satisfied smile appeared on his face as he sat down and stretched his burnt and aching muscles. A high-quality healing pill appeared in his hands as he threw it into his mouth and swallowed, helping the healing process even more.
"Ahhh, this is just what I needed. With the help of this sauna, some medicinal pills, and my natural recovery rate, I should be good to go in two days. Thankfully the damage was all lightning damage, which my body is best at healing due to the Celestial Lightning Script. If it was this badly damaged by something other than lightning, it would most likely take me over a week to recover…"
Kirii suddenly appeared from John's soul space, slightly surprising him. Kirii quickly found a spot to lay down and began to absorb the medicinal steam, appearing completely relaxed as well. John laughed lightly at the sight before he reached out and picked up one of the buckets of fragrant medicinal water located next to the heated rocks in the center of the sauna, and doused the rocks. The medicinal steam quickly thickened, as John felt himself fall asleep within the sauna, completely at ease and relaxed for the first time in weeks.
…
Two days later, the door to the sauna opened and a thick steam escaped from within. John stepped out quickly after, his body shining with a fresh luster. The charred flesh and muscle from before could no longer be seen, and only fresh lustrous skin was visible. A satisfied smile lingered on John's face as he walked to his washroom, washed up, and donned a new robe.
The attendant from two days before managed to spot him leaving the washroom, and couldn't help but be shocked at his recovery rate. John noticed her presence and smiled and nodded at her, before he decided to waste no time at all and set out.
After walking through the luxurious lobby of his mansion, he arrived before the large front doors and parted them open. The fresh morning breeze washed over him as John took in a deep relaxing breath.
Before him, the sun was starting to rise over the distant mountains, bathing the sect before him with a warm, soft glow. John took in the sight for a moment before he set out from his mansion and towards the sects gathering auditorium.
The gathering auditorium was located in the center of the sect, and was a massive building over a mile wide and long, and nearly half a mile tall. It contained nearly a million seats within, as it was used for both internal sect gatherings, as well as hosting the numerous members of other allied sects when they would occasionally show up.
A buzzing atmosphere filled the sect this morning, which John quickly took note of as he listened to the excited discussions of the other disciples walking towards the same destination.
While walking next to a group of second years, a particular conversation caught his attention.
"Did you hear?" one of the disciples, a girl with long black hair and a pretty face, who appeared to be eighteen, asked her nearby friends with an excited tone.
"Hear what?" another girl of the same age, with shorter brown hair replied.
"Apparently while we were all in the Thunder Realm, there was another development with the Talent Testing Steps," the girl replied with great enthusiasm.
"Again? What happened this time?" another in the group asked, their curiosity piqued.
"A new name appeared on the tablet, and at the very top section!" the girl replied.
"The top section? You mean…?"
"Yes…a new name appeared…and they reached nineteen steps!"
"Nineteen Steps! That ties them with the Jade Dragon-God Emperor!" one of the girls exclaimed.
John's eyebrows raised upon hearing this, as he had been there as well. Getting past the eighteen step had been incredibly challenging, and he was not surprised that only one other person in history had been able to step on the nineteenth step. However, it seemed as though another had joined that elite realm, which was something John was not expecting to hear.
"Just what is going on these days? First this "Asura" gets twenty steps, now another person gets nineteen steps? Has the world gone mad?"
"Seems like it," another replied, before asking another question. "Hey…what's the name of the person who got nineteen steps?"
"Hmmm…what was it?" the first girl who had spoken thought for a moment, before her face lit up in remembrance. "Ah…yes…the name was…'Soul-Sage'."
"Soul-Sage? Another mysterious name. I wonder what power this Soul-Sage belongs to?" one of the girls mused.
Upon hearing this, John's surprised face turned into a smiling one instead, as he immediately knew who that was.
"So…you've arrived on the Divine Martial Continent after all, and seem to have improved your power greatly since we last met…Miko!"