As soon as the whale returned, he ordered everyone to rest and sleep that night, recovering from the extreme stress they had been through. Everyone was confused but didn’t question it. The youngsters were mentally at their limits after fighting day and night for several weeks straight.
For the remainder of the day, no disciples attacked. Something significant had clearly happened, and their clans had ordered them to stop. By nightfall, Alm and Bruno knew the demons wouldn’t invade the planet and attack. All their connections within the sect and the planet had been cut off, and they couldn’t act openly without cover.
’We’ve got a few weeks left until the sealed world opens. I’d love to see that bitch’s face now, after losing countless disciples and four Empyreans. Now we’ll be free and rested. All her effort to wear us down until now was in vain,’ Bruno commented lightly.
Alm snorted dryly. ’With no connections on the planet to help her, she won’t be able to covertly invade the planet. She’ll up the ante and attack within the sealed world. She’ll probably move every contingent in the Divine Origin Realm that can enter, and find a way for all of them to invade the place to get us.’
Bruno agreed. Now that that branch had lost so much, they had to play big. All sealed worlds, in theory, hold unique treasures. The Yinblood sect owns the sealed world called Veiled Dunes, and only its disciples can enter it. But with the connections of the vast main sect, there must be many methods for them to invade with their disciples.
The demoness would have a good excuse to give to her counselors. They would end them and still use their disciples to steal everything inside the world. If all the Yinblood disciples die there, there will be no evidence of the invasion.
Days passed slowly, and no new attacks occurred. Finally, they had free time to train properly in the forest. Unfortunately, the new earth vein with Yinblood jewels appeared only every fifteen days or so. Everything they had achieved before was burned to get in touch with the leader.
It wasn’t worth it for the group to go out looking for crumbs. So everyone trained, preparing for the sealed world, while Liumi and Rehvka sought new beasts to incorporate into the group.
A week later, Ambry, Kisala, and Ruri entered the whale’s cave, and the two Feys looked tense. Ruri placed them seated near the whale and stood behind them.
"Sir, our two clans have sent an urgent message," Kisala spoke seriously. "The leader of both clans and the vast majority of the elders have been captured and tried, accused of treason."
The whale nodded, already expecting this outcome, so Ambry continued. "This happened days ago. Now they’ve informed us of the worst: their actions were confirmed, and all of them were sentenced and executed by the sect."
Both took a deep breath, and Ruri gently caressed them. It took a few seconds before Ambry continued.
"Our clans have informed that all those who can fight must return to defend our home. They’ve lost practically all their most powerful cultivators overnight... our current strength is worse than that of most small clans. These small clans knew about it, and they are attacking and invading furiously. All resources are being slowly looted."
"If you wish to help, you may go," the whale said gently.
"I don’t intend to go back, sir," Kisala replied immediately. "I was taught to always, whenever possible, step on them to put them in their place. But I’ve always confined myself to mistreating them with words and tried to avoid contact so as not to have to do that kind of thing. However, the suffering caused to them over time must be immeasurable. The small clans must harbor immense hatred, and my clan is paying for the karma it built up. Even when they invaded Idris’ clan and killed innocents, everyone in the clan knew and no one tried to stop it; now they are experiencing it firsthand."
Kisala finished and took a deep breath. Ambry continued, clenching her fists. "Everyone in the clan old enough to cultivate is a disciple of the sect. Those who don’t want to die can simply stay in the sect and won’t be forced to return."
"Things should calm down over time, but both clans lost everything material; even their core techniques will be taken." The whale spoke softly. "Survivors typically try to rebuild, but within a few centuries, they’re completely destroyed. The small ones full of hate won’t let them rise. But... if you wish to revive them, that depends on your efforts."
The two listened and nodded, taking deep breaths. They didn’t cry; it seemed they had grown mentally now. Alm and Bruno noticed a different gleam in their eyes. Their Dao Hearts had been forged and solidified, and this avalanche of problems and revelations had taught them more than they had imagined. The whale glanced at Ruri, who nodded back.
Ruri moved and opened her arms, embracing the two sitting there. They froze, completely surprised. Seconds passed as they began to tremble, until Ruri spoke softly.
"Don’t let the world’s cruelty take away your joy or harden your feelings. We’re here; when you’re with us, you can let everything flow without hesitation. No one will judge you,"
They understood the message but still hesitated... their gazes settled on the whale, who simply observed them lightly without expressing anything. Bruno thought to say something, but suddenly, without him understanding the reason, they allowed themselves to express all the sadness and collapsed.
The whale nodded, not knowing exactly what had passed through their minds, but he was satisfied. Ruri had shaped them similarly to how they had done with her in the past. They had learned to trust and could live freely alongside people they trusted, who didn’t suppress them.
The next day, the whale sent Quirio to collect a batch of Yinblood jewels. By late afternoon, they were on top of the mountain, observing the new group of draconic beasts that had formed. Now, they numbered almost five hundred.
Liumi recruited them, and all these beasts had a peculiar relationship with her. She took the form of a small purple domestic cat, while the beasts were gigantic, giving her an impression of weakness in the eyes of the beasts. Liumi, to complete, conversed with them in a friendly manner; but when someone provoked her, the spear trembled and Liumi alone could seal and suppress a beast.
All the beasts quickly came to respect her, but at the same time, they couldn’t fear her; she became something unique to them, someone they could trust. Runula, on the other hand, was the strict and brutal leader and trainer who regulated them with a firm hand. Both understood the needs of the beasts well and knew how to deal with them, something Alm and Bruno didn’t have the time or patience for.
They were growing and becoming more powerful and efficient in battle every day. The beasts were directed to fight and rise on their own, but Runula completely changed this concept and trained them to fight in groups. Once weak and considered trash among their kind, now, together, the first group of beasts could take down even the most talented draconic beast.
"How long are you going to stand there watching?" The whale spoke softly from the mountaintop.
"Hm? You managed to sense me... how strange." Mistie appeared in a mist, and a light voice sounded next to the whale. Then, a small Fey a few inches tall floated and landed gently on the whale’s shoulder.
"Why are you wasting resources on these beasts? They aren’t even official sect members," Mistie spoke lightly.
The whale sighed and spoke without turning to her. "If you saw Feys who just want to live and hide in the forest, but everyone hunts and kills for nothing, would you leave them to die?"
She was a bit confused. "Hm? They’re beasts, not Feys. They think and live differently from humanoids. The law of the jungle is what matters; only the strong can live."
"That’s just an excuse to avoid problems and responsibilities. What does their way of life have to do with you? If you have the power to help even a little, why not do it?" Bruno responded calmly.
She scoffed. "You’re saving a few; that doesn’t change anything in the world. In the universe, all lives are suffering..."
"For the world, maybe not, but for these few, it changes everything. They’ve learned the way, and most will do the same for others in the future. In the end, this help will spread and endure, helping many others. What other way besides this do you think can truly make a difference? Finding a convenient excuse to do nothing, and that won’t make a difference," the whale spoke dryly, leaving Mistie silent and pensive. After a few seconds, Alm concluded.
"Well, I also have two companions who can handle them and make them be on my side. It’s not like I’m doing this for free. My enemies are knocking on my door, and it’s good to have reliable allies to use and, if necessary, sacrifice."
The Fey listened silently, then looked at the whale and found it strange. He clearly said something that didn’t match his thoughts; completely changed his way of speaking, aura, and mannerisms.
"Humans are so strange, changing personality so quickly... before I even thought you were a good person, now you seem like someone twisted who doesn’t admit your true intentions," she murmured.
The whale narrowed his eyes, and Alm spat, "What the hell are you doing here?!"
The small Fey covered her mouth and chuckled controlledly like a bell, seems like she hit the nail on the head. When Alm was about to lose his patience, she stopped and spoke.
"You must already know that everything has been done, I had to come and thank you. I read the memory of all, they all did hidden things far worse, even I wasn’t aware of some of them."
The whale snorted, and she continued. "The Shadow God branch is already moving around the entrance of Veiled Dunes. My sect officially owns the place, but in reality, the true Shadow God is the one ruling everything. They granted us our three sealed worlds a long time ago, and there are no records of why. In short, the branch can use their connections to invade the place; it’s very dangerous for you to enter. I will give you special permission for your group not to enter..."
"No. If you want to thank me, do the opposite. Deliberately give them openings to bring in as many people as possible, ’covertly’," the whale cut in lightly.
The Fey retorted, "Are you insane? That Demoness is consumed with hatred and wants to kill you at all costs. If I give an opening, she will send all her disciples to kill you. Not to mention she will probably want to kill everyone from my sect, to leave no evidence."
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"Don’t worry about that. Sending one or a thousand makes no difference, I assure you that your disciples won’t be killed," the whale replied, and Mistie looked at that round face seriously in silence. There was no doubt in him; in fact, it seemed like that would help him a lot. He exuded a confidence she couldn’t quite comprehend.
"What the hell... well, screw it, I’ll bet on you. I don’t think the sect will have a future if I don’t support you. It will be a great loss if the red disciples die, but it won’t be something that..."
She suddenly stopped in the middle of her sentence, feeling a deadly chill enveloping her. The Fey turned around and saw a pair of eyes staring at her sternly. Ruri was watching that Fey on the whale’s shoulder, exactly where she used to be, and it seemed like a vein was about to burst on her forehead; she was clearly taking deep breaths to contain herself.
The Fey chuckled lightly, "She is indeed jealous, but why the shoulder? You must have a very peculiar taste."
The whale narrowed his eyes, but before he could say anything, Mistie flapped her wings and turned around, waving provocatively at Ruri and conveying ulterior motives. Ruri smirked sarcastically, almost spitting fire. But the Fey disappeared shortly after, like mist dispersing in the wind.