Sacred Deity Sect…
In the dimly lit hall of the volcanic castle, carved in the vast volcanic mountain for secrecy…
An imposing gathering of the Clark family’s upper echelons sat around a massive obsidian table.
The air was thick with the scent of burning incense, which did little to mask the underlying tension. At the table’s head, Lady Clark, Kent’s mother, clad in her ceremonial black and gold robes, presided with an air of icy command.
All the members were silently offering prayers to their ancestors. Beside Lady Clark, her old father, the current patriarch of the Clark family, sat in solemn gaze.
Anjan, a towering figure with skin as dark as the volcanic rock surrounding them, approached quietly. He held a jade slip, the glow from its intricate carvings casting eerie shadows on his face.
“Lady Clark.” Anjan’s deep voice resonated through the hall as he bowed, presenting the slip with both hands.
Alma’s eyes sparkled with a rare intensity as she took the slip. As she read the message, a smile, both proud and enigmatic, curled her lips. The room fell silent, all eyes on her.
“What is it, Alma? Any good news?” her father, the venerable patriarch of the Clark family, asked. His voice, though aged, carried a heavy concern.
“Yes, father,” Alma responded, her voice reverberating with a mixture of triumph and foreboding. “I just found out my son has the divine elemental body, like his father. I need to allocate resources to nurture his elemental Dao.”
A murmur of excitement buzzed through the room. The patriarch leaned forward, his eyes gleaming with a mix of pride and anticipation. “That’s truly wonderful news! If we can protect him for another decade, he will become a powerful magus, capable of leading our family to new heights.”
Alma’s expression hardened, her gaze dropping to the jade slip in her hand. “Father, my son will never lead the Clark family,” she declared, her tone final. “He was born to avenge the wrongs done to us by the Quinn family. The Lionhearts of the 7th realm will tremble before him.”
A stunned silence followed her declaration. The room’s atmosphere shifted perceptibly, the earlier excitement turned into a palpable tension.
“Alma, I won’t stop you from pursuing revenge against the Quinn family, but do not engage in a losing battle. Our enemies are formidable.” Her father finally said, his voice a blend of concern and resignation.
“Father, the path I choose is not out of blind hatred, our preparations will not be in vain. Even if we need another 100 years, we will definitely strike the Quinn family when they least expect it.” Alma countered, her eyes alight with a fierce determination.
From a corner of the table, a young man with fiery red hair watched the exchange with a smirk. Edan, a distant cousin of Kent and the next rightful inheritor of Clark family, known for his ambition.
Edan’s father, who is handicapped and lost the right to become the patriarch, patted Edan’s shoulder with a meaningful look.
“So, are we going to empty the family treasury now?” Edan uttered to the person next to him, his voice dripping with mock pity. “How… tragic.”
His comment, although spoken softly, carried through the rest of the table. Alma’s gaze snapped to him, her eyes narrowing. “Edan, do you question my decisions?”
Edan stood, his smile unfaltering. “Not at all, Aunt. I merely ponder the fate of a child raised only for revenge. What will become of him if he succeeds? What will remain if he fails?”
“Enough,” the old patriarch roared with a fierce look. “Don’t forget that your Aunt Alma is the one who is filling the treasury of the Clark family. Without her, our enemies might have found our location by now, and we all might be lying in our graves. Edan, apologize to her before I lose my patience.” The old patriarch declared while standing up from his seat.
Edan shuddered in fear. His father immediately gestured for him to bow down as Edan crossed the line by questioning Lady Clark’s ambition for vengeance.
Edan hurriedly kneeled on the floor and kowtowed with a loud apology. Anjan, who stood by the side, smirked and followed Madam Clark, who had already begun leaving the hall, ignoring Edan.
_
The guardian sun is shining brightly in the middle of the sky, and peak master Porus, who is sitting at the edge of the cave, is drenched in sweat. But on the other side, Kent sat still without any movement.
Afraid of disturbing Kent’s awakening, Peak Master Porus sat silently while guarding the cave. On the other hand, he received a communication request from peak master Shreya asking for Kent.
After hearing that Kent is perceiving elemental Dao, peak master Shreya didn’t ask for any more details.
“This boy created a lot of headaches in one day.” Peak Master Shreya sat inside the administration hall while the old lady provided the list of people asking for Kent.
“Madam, I already sent the best of your disciples to treat those people. But some of them are asking specifically for Kent. The third concubine of the Mintleaf family offered 1000 spirit stones for Kent’s service. All these families were allies of our sect. We can’t deny their requests.” The administration lady replied in a worried tone.
Peak Master Shreya held her head in frustration. She cursed herself for not stopping Kent when he treated the first lady before her own eyes.
“Forget about Kent, he can’t be here now. I will make an exception and personally treat those ladies.” Peak Master Shreya declared, getting up from her seat.
“But, madam, I don’t think it solves the problem. They only want Kent.” The administration lady spoke in a hesitating tone, feeling shy to reveal the pleasure healer tag of Kent.
“What do you mean?” Shreya asked with a confused look.
But before the administration lady replied, a servant came and bowed before Peak Master Shreya. “Master, a family member of the Yang family came to visit you. He carried a letter containing the patriarchal seal of Su Yang the Seven.” The servant declared without lifting his head.
Worried that something might have happened to Amelia, peak master Shreya instructed the servant to quickly bring the Yang family member.