Dorian soared through the sky, returning to his Sect after a tense discussion with Aelina. Thoughts of their conversation filled his mind as he flew. Little did he know, the dark clouds that hung ominously in the sky above his Sect.
As he approached, he squinted his eyes, a bad feeling spreading out from the pit of his stomach. The familiar silhouette of his Sect was illuminated, not by the soft glow of the sun or the faint lights from the buildings but by towering flames.
His eyes widened in disbelief. His Sect, his fortress, the Toxic Blade Sect, was engulfed in a fierce blaze, lighting up the sky like a malevolent sun.
The once mighty Sect, known for its treacherous and potent poison techniques, was reduced to a hellish inferno. The structures that had stood tall were now crumbling, consumed by the relentless flames, and the trees that had lasted for several millennia were burning.
Dorian's heart pounded in his chest as he watched the destruction unfold before his eyes. His hands clenched into fists, and he felt his blood boil with rage.
"Aelina..." He hissed through gritted teeth. He couldn't help but think of the Battle Maiden Sect. The timing was too convenient; it screamed sabotage. Yet, he knew, with the lack of tangible proof, pinning the blame on Aelina would be hasty, if not outright foolish.
He landed amongst the chaos, his feet crunching on the debris. Elders and disciples alike were scrambling to salvage what they could, their faces reflecting the flames and, along with it, their despair. The beautiful and powerful Toxic Blade Sect was in ruins, its resources stolen, and the identity of the perpetrator unknown.
While they had managed to stop a lot of the destruction, protecting the more essential parts of the Sect and resources, the blow to their pride was worse than anything else.
Elder Jaxon stood amidst the chaos. His face was hardened, eyes reflecting the flames and the rage within him. As Dorian approached, Jaxon turned to face him.
"Sect Master..." His voice was a hoarse whisper, filled with a sense of defeat.
"Who did this?" Dorian's voice was icy, filled with suppressed rage.
"We... we don't know," Jaxon admitted, his voice heavy with regret. "The attack was sudden, and the assailant... or assailants, concealed their identities well."
Dorian clenched his jaws, his mind working furiously. Who could have done this? Was it really Aelina and the Battle Maiden Sect? Or was it another one of the unorthodox Sects, seizing the opportunity to weaken a potential rival?
He had come to Aelina on his own volition, wanting to cause trouble, and she had been in the middle of a war. It seemed unlikely for her to orchestrate such a massive attack in her current situation. However, he couldn't entirely rule out her involvement either.
Someone as long-lived as her knows how to play the long game. She could've been waiting for a day similar to this for years. Not to mention, she had a motive for doing so.
Some of his disciples had allied with the Crimson Slayer Sect, causing countless Battle Maidens to die from their poisons. He certainly wouldn't think fondly of him or his Sect if he were in her shoes.
'It could be one of the other Unorthodox Faction Sects looking to take me down a peg while I'm distracted. Or… maybe, the Beast Clans are involved.' He thought. The Basilisk had disappeared not too long ago from the Forbidden Forest, so maybe that had something to do with these.
'Regardless, I will find out who's behind this and make them pay!' Dorian vowed internally, his eyes blazing.
***
An hour or so later, Rayna, upon arriving at the Sect, was led directly to Aelina.
The leader of the Battle Maiden Sect was deep in conversation with some elders when Rayna walked in. The elders' conversations paused as she entered, and all eyes turned toward her. She wasn't famous within the Sect, even amongst the Elders, but she had a reputation that preceded her.
"Ah, Rayna, you're back." Aelina greeted her with a slight nod, her eyes instantly drawn to the Spatial Ring in Rayna's hands.
"Yes, Sect Master. I've accomplished the mission," Rayna responded indifferently, walking up to Aelina and presenting the ring.
Aelina grabbed it, her Divine Sense sweeping through it briefly. She could recognize all of the items - potent poisons, rare herbs, secret manuals - all signature assets of the Toxic Blade Sect.
"Excellent," Aelina finally said, breaking the silence. "To be honest, you stole more than I thought you'd be able to. The original plan was just to set fire to the place and steal a few rare herbs, but you took it a step further. With this knowledge, we can even set up a Poison Department. Well done, Rayna!"
A shadow of a smile appeared on Rayna's face. "I simply took advantage of the chaos, Sect Master. It was an opportune moment."
"Regardless, this is a tremendous achievement." Aelina's eyes shone brightly as she glanced once more at the ring's contents. "Make sure to rest and recover. I'll make copies of all the manuals and return them to you. I will summon you if anything else is needed."
Rayna nodded, exiting the room and leaving Aelina and the elders to their discussion. Once the door closed behind her, a collective sigh seemed to reverberate throughout the room. Aelina's lips curled up in a satisfied smile, her mind already turning over the potential uses for their newly acquired resources.
***
Back on the battlefield, the survivors of the war were busy dealing with the aftermath. The bodies of the fallen Battle Maidens were carefully collected, their faces covered with white cloths, their hands clasping their weapons. Each was a hero in her own right, and they would be given a proper send-off.
However, their bodies weren't immediately taken back to the Sect. The Battle Maidens had established a camp on the fringes of the battlefield where they gathered, a temporary refuge amidst the carnage.
Conversely, they showed no such reverence for the fallen enemies.
Stripped of their spatial rings and any valuable resources, they were then hauled to a pyre. The flames reduced the bodies to ash, leaving an odd, deathly scent in the air.
The recovered spatial rings of the fallen Maidens were handled with meticulous care. The personal belongings they contained would later find their way back to the grieving families. The resources and weapons, meanwhile, held the potential to fortify the Sect further, turning loss into a bitter kind of strength.
The Battle Maidens worked diligently to cleanse the battlefield, sifting through the detritus of war, salvaging what could be useful, and eradicating what could not. It was a slow, painstaking process, but it was necessary, a means to both physically and metaphorically clear the remnants of the bloody conflict.
Once the battlefield was adequately cleaned and looted, a procession of Battle Maidens, led by the Elders, began their journey back to the main Sect. The survivors, many from branch Sects, walked with heavy hearts and weary bodies. Their ordeal had earned them access to the main Sect, an honor that came with its own set of challenges and expectations.
It was the dream of almost all the women here to enter the main Sect someday. It was there that they could reach the limits of their potential. Although it took them going through an entire war and losing many sisters in the process, they couldn't help but feel a sense of anticipation for the future.
The procession moved steadily toward the Sect, the shuffling footsteps and whispered conversations punctuated by the occasional mournful sigh. Among the people who fought, there was one who held the collective attention - Mira. Her reputation had grown in the aftermath of the battle, her deeds whispered like awe-inspiring tales, and her name carried an air of respect.
"Did you see Mira during the battle?"
"Yeah, she killed that Dragon guy that had been terrorizing us as soon as she arrived. How amazing!!"
"...I don't know. The way she killed everyone was… bone-chilling."
Her fame spread not only within her Sect but throughout the continent, with various powers now turning their attention to her.
Meanwhile, Mira had already left as she needed to digest the Qi she had absorbed from all the people she had killed.
***
[A/N: I know this chapter was a bit fast-paced, but there were a bunch of things that needed to get written that didn't need to have entire chapters dedicated to them. I'm trying to work on my pacing, as I know my natural tendency is to make things slow-paced. So, if any of you feel like I've missed or skipped over something, let me know, and I'll make the proper adjustments. There are a number of things I've left out a shortened as I felt like they weren't needed, but if you guys want more information, I can go back and add more. Thank you for the support!]
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