Alm and Bruno asked about the contents of the golden box they had both absorbed. They explained that there was indeed a kind of law alongside the Qi, and that, back then, it immediately fused into their core.
After this process, their core changed shape, but they couldn’t precisely describe how. It was clear that this was a step toward everything being merged with their souls later on.
’So, it’s a cycle with multiple stages to create a true Divine Inquisitor, and eventually, an immortal cultivator,’ Alm reflected. ’First, the souls reincarnate in the empires, gradually learning to master the primitive bloodline and Anima cultivation. Absorbing one of the treasures from the golden box means they passed the test.’
’The second stage seems to be merging the core’s power with the soul and being reborn on this planet with much more power. That way, they eventually become Divine Inquisitors again; we just need to find out what happens next,’ Bruno added. ’Luckily, we have Leafar, who can tell us what comes after.’
Alm agreed. Leafar still needed to fully trust them, but the big picture was becoming clearer. They needed to visit the mountains of the other two sects, investigate what happened in the next stage, and also resume their cultivation. Unfortunately, their rune was still at 97%; they needed a bit more time.
Bruno then looked at the two of them, who had worried expressions. "It’s been 22 thousand years here. But I caused a huge mess, killed all the Divine Inquisitors, and since then, the whole planet has gone downhill. Neither the queen nor the heroes have done anything yet."
The two nodded. They were already on this planet when the event happened. Remembering their lives, there was no reaction from the outside world after something so big.
"When everything went down, the Divine Inquisitors didn’t have time to report to the outside world, and I killed them way too quickly; but that doesn’t justify the lack of investigation," Bruno mused, considering the possibilities.
"The most likely explanation is that in this micro-universe, time flows differently from the queen’s universe. Out there, there were only mediocre heroes, with no power to investigate properly. If not much time has passed outside, they’re probably still looking for me since the events at the Nine Star Tree Sect. What happened here is secondary; the Heaven-Defier that showed up and ran away is the priority."
For there to be no reaction in the last ten thousand years, that was the only plausible explanation. The time difference between universes could be minimal or extreme. Twenty-two thousand years here could be less than a century elsewhere.
"I still need to fully recover. As for Leafar…" Bruno said, looking straight at Ervly. "He’s the one who advanced the most in cultivation but lost a lot in return; I can even feel a heavy karma around him. Anima cultivation means ’cultivating the true Self,’ and Leafar got lost in his character, drifting away from his essence."
Ervly swallowed hard and asked, worried: "H-How... how can I help him?"
"He’s now a stubborn old man who’s done a lot of questionable things in the past. Before that, he probably had a great time on this planet; the karma surrounding him isn’t subtle. Anyway, he’s become so hardened that he couldn’t even feel the connection with me, but he felt it with you." Bruno explained calmly and sighed.
"Pain is the greatest teacher. Ignore him completely and treat him in the worst way possible. If a proud old man like him accepts his flaws and lets the feelings of his soul speak louder, he has a chance to reconnect with his true self."
Ervly nodded, clenching her fists. Leafar must have gone through a lot to get to where he is. Sometimes, life shapes someone into a dark path, but that doesn’t mean he can’t recover.
"That’s not necessarily a bad thing," Bruno added. "In every light, there’s a shadow. When he reconnects with his old self, that shadow of the past will bring wisdom and learning to him. There are many paths to the top; one of them is reaching the extreme and then coming back."
Ervly nodded, determined to help him. Bruno then turned to Sesel: "You now have the Chromaraic bloodline, and that mountain just attracts all laws, causing all that pressure. Choose some young disciples from here and take them to the mountain. You’ll train your control over the laws while protecting them from death, and they’ll strengthen their wills, just like you did before."
"Now that you’re back, use all the knowledge you have and advance in cultivation. Soon enough, we’ll have to start the chaos here, and we need to be ready for anything." Bruno concluded, and the two nodded with determination.
***
In the following days, Sesel gathered the most promising young ones from the sect and set off with them to the divine mountain. Meanwhile, between Ervly and Leafar, anyone who saw them together would feel the tension in the air.
Ervly took it upon herself to be cruel to the extreme, treating the old man like just a simple employee and speaking to him in the coldest way possible.
That old man, for his part, had realized that he irrationally loved that woman; he just couldn’t understand why she treated him so poorly.
After two months, Sesel returned with the disciples. The goal wasn’t to climb high up the mountain, but to gradually improve their control over the laws and strengthen their will. It was a joint training, as she still couldn’t do what Alm and Bruno had accomplished in the past.
The disciples returned to the sect after training their will and control over the laws, and now they were advancing in their cultivation. Soon, the entire sect felt an intense transformation in them. After a month of rest, they returned to the mountain, repeating the training cycle every two months.
And so, half a year passed.
That day, another person arrived at the courtyard. As he approached the house, he paused, taking a deep breath, feeling determined; it was the Sect Leader.
After six months, the change in the young disciples was obvious. Those who trained with Sesel had become terrifying geniuses, and even the others, who trained under the old man, were advancing a thousand times faster than before.
No Elder had any doubts: this was the sect’s chance for rebirth, a heavenly opportunity. Swallowing his pride, the Sect Leader walked up to the wooden house and, with great respect, bowed:
"This junior was blind, and our sect let itself be carried away by mediocrity. Please forgive us, Senior." And, with sincerity, he added: "My cultivation has stagnated and is full of flaws. I ask you to give me one or two pointers."
He bowed deeply toward the unknown man, who was visible through the window. But he continued sleeping in his wheelchair, unresponsive. Still, he remained kneeling there, knowing that gaining guidance from a master wasn’t easy and required true sincerity from the heart.
The day passed without a response. Ervly then asked the Sect Leader to leave.
This failure, however, didn’t demotivate him. Every day, he returned to the courtyard to greet the sleeping figure, bowing and asking for help, even openly discussing his doubts and difficulties. Of course, this was unnecessary since Alm and Bruno could see everything around them.
Persistent, he kept this routine for many days until it became a daily habit. He started delegating the sect’s tasks to the High Elders while tirelessly kneeling in front of the house.
Six months later...
"Idiot." He finally heard a response.
"Senior!" The Leader reacted with joy, as if it were the voice of a celestial fairy. With complete reverence, he asked: "Please forgive my insolence. I’m confused about my laws…"
"Your pure Yin law was horribly formulated, a result of your master’s teachings and your mediocre understanding." Alm replied without even opening his eyes. "Go away, don’t bother me anymore."
The Leader heard this and trembled with frustration, but he didn’t move and bowed again, willing to stay there for as long as it took. Alm snorted dryly, then made a gentle gesture, and a rune shone, hitting the Sect Leader’s forehead, flooding his mind with an ocean of knowledge.
Minutes later, he woke up, embarrassed to realize that what he had learned in the past was filled with flaws, resulting in a faulty foundation from the very start. His current situation, without the proper knowledge, made it impossible to advance.
"I’m deeply grateful for your guidance, Senior." He bowed deeply in thanks.
Alm, of course, didn’t react. The Leader didn’t dare to be greedy; just that little bit of knowledge was enough for a lifetime. So, he left.
It wasn’t long before a group of people began kneeling in the courtyard—almost all the Elders and High Elders came this time. Only a few, as they approached the house, felt Sesel’s murderous gaze, which, for their misfortune, was resting and cultivating. So they backed off, not daring to get closer.
These were the same ones who had previously suggested his death at all costs. In the meeting, almost everyone agreed, but only half a dozen of the most powerful imposed that decision. The less influential didn’t dare to oppose.
Of course, the others weren’t innocent either, but she couldn’t be too radical. The fault lay in how mediocre they were; they simply let themselves be swayed by influence and greed. As for those who truly incited it, they didn’t deserve forgiveness.
It turned out that after the Leader received guidance, his cultivation slowly started progressing again. Soon he would level up, and the sect’s future looked promising. So, the Leader called the elders again to inform them that this was a once-in-a-million-years opportunity.
A wise master was staying at their sect, and it was time to seek his guidance. So, everyone was kneeling, wishing for his advice.
However, Alm and Bruno didn’t seem moved at all. Days passed without a response. They showed their sincerity by staying kneeling in the same spot all day. They only left when they needed to sleep but returned shortly after.
Six months... a year... a year and a half... two years...
Since the Leader had only taken six months, after so much time, most had given up. Staying there all day for two years without a response was just too frustrating. Only three Elders, the weakest in the sect, remained until the end, willing to stay for as long as necessary.
Until, after another six months... he finally opened his eyes.
"Senior, please help us," begged an Aberrant woman, alongside a Deepmonster man and a Fiendgod man. The three most persistent were from the beast races. The others accepted that they would be mediocre forever.
"Do I have to teach a bunch of old folks step by step? Go ask that other old bastard for help. Tell him I allow him to teach you a little. Come back with real questions if necessary, and don’t expect to gain something for nothing."
Bruno said dryly. The elders exchanged glances, thought about what he said, and nodded, thrilled. This was indeed the best chance of their lives.
"Thank you for your guidance."
The three moved away, heading to the heart of the sect, where the old man was training some young ones. The old man spent some time helping the young ones, but he didn’t teach any techniques and refused to help the older ones.
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Now, even though he wasn’t the master who would teach them directly, he could point them in the right direction.
After that, Ervly, who had just finished cooking, moved to bring the man in the wheelchair. When she arrived, she saw the scene she had been waiting for: Alm and Bruno standing up from the wheelchair, and their aura was completely stable again.
"Finally, we’re healed. It’s time to start the show," Bruno murmured excitedly.