I Become Sect master In Another World

Chapter 219: Chapter 219 — The Perfect Disguise

The Dark Pearl sailed silently through the night sky.

Moonlight reflected across its dark hull while countless clouds drifted beneath the vessel like a silver ocean. The Sanatan Flame Sect had long disappeared beyond the horizon, leaving only endless mountains, distant stars, and the cold winds of the upper heavens.

The Dark Pearl sailed through the night sky beneath a sea of drifting clouds.

Cold winds swept across the deck while moonlight reflected from the vessel’s dark hull. The mission team had gradually gathered near the center platform, where Shaurya stood silently with his hands behind his back.

For a few moments, nobody knew what he was doing.

Then—

Ding.

A familiar system notification appeared before his eyes.

[Purchase Successful.]

[-15,000 Dharma Points]

Ding.

[-20,000 Dharma Points]

Ding.

[-25,000 Dharma Points]

The numbers continued falling.

Again.

And again.

And again.

Shaurya’s face gradually became darker.

The system watched quietly.

Another purchase completed.

[-15,000 Dharma Points]

The total remaining balance finally appeared.

[Remaining Dharma Points: 5,000]

Silence.

The wind blew across the deck.

Shaurya stared at the number.

The number stared back.

For several long seconds, neither side moved.

Then Shaurya slowly grabbed his chest.

"...It hurts."

The system immediately replied.

[Host, you approved every purchase yourself.]

"One hundred thousand points..."

His voice sounded hollow.

"My beautiful Dharma Points..."

[You spent them.]

"I know."

[Then why are you acting like a victim?]

Shaurya looked toward the heavens.

"Because reality is cruel."

The system window flickered.

[You purchased an entire identity.]

"You don’t understand."

Shaurya placed a hand over his heart.

"Do you know how many milkshakes that money could have bought?"

[Unfortunately, yes.]

The pain was genuine.

His disciples couldn’t see the system conversation, but they could clearly see their Sect Master staring into empty space with the expression of a man attending his own funeral.

Lu Fang eventually leaned toward Lee Bie.

"Should we be concerned?"

Lee Bie thought for a moment.

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because this happens regularly."

That was somehow reassuring.

Shaurya exhaled slowly before raising his hand.

Then he snapped his fingers.

A deep vibration suddenly travelled through the Dark Pearl.

The deck beneath their feet trembled.

Everyone immediately looked around.

"What was that?" Lu Fang asked.

Before anyone could answer, golden formation lines ignited across the entire vessel.

The change started from the outer hull.

Ancient runes hidden beneath the black surface lit up one after another, spreading across the ship like rivers of molten gold. The massive Sanatan Flame Sect banners hanging from the masts dissolved into countless particles of light before reforming into completely different symbols.

A giant sword piercing through clouds.

The emblem of the Celestial Sword Sect.

Lee Bie’s brows furrowed.

"Master..."

He didn’t even finish the sentence.

The ship continued changing.

The black armor plating covering the vessel shifted position with a low metallic rumble. Sections of the outer hull folded inward while others extended outward. Decorative carvings disappeared. New structures emerged. Even the shape of the bow gradually transformed until it no longer resembled the Dark Pearl they knew.

The spiritual aura surrounding the vessel changed as well.

That was perhaps the strangest part.

The Dark Pearl normally carried an ancient and oppressive presence that made weaker cultivators instinctively nervous.

Now that aura disappeared completely.

In its place appeared the clean and disciplined spiritual fluctuations associated with the Celestial Sword Sect.

The transformation continued across the Dark Pearl.

Golden runes flowed through the vessel like streams of liquid light, spreading from one end of the ship to the other. Wherever the energy passed, the appearance of the warship changed. The black hull gradually shifted into polished silver-white metal, while the banners bearing the Sanatan Flame Sect insignia dissolved into countless particles before reforming into the symbol of the Celestial Sword Sect.

Even the formation lights changed.

The warm golden glow vanished and was replaced by layers of blue, silver, and white radiance that danced across the deck like flowing moonlight.

Auntie Muo slowly turned her head.

First toward the mast.

Then toward the distant hull.

Then toward the newly transformed banners fluttering above them.

Finally, she looked at Shaurya.

"...Did our ship just become another ship?"

Shaurya nodded as though this were the most ordinary thing in the world.

"Yes."

The answer was delivered so casually that nobody knew how to respond.

Lu Fang stared at the vessel for several seconds before pointing toward the surrounding deck.

"How is that possible?"

"Money."

Lu Fang blinked.

"What?"

"My precious Dharma Points."

The disciple waited.

And waited.

Then waited some more.

"...That explained absolutely nothing."

Shaurya chose to ignore the criticism.

Instead, he admired the transformed vessel with obvious satisfaction.

Nearby, Cheng Fang rested a hand against the railing and frowned slightly.

"The spiritual aura changed too."

That immediately caught everyone’s attention.

He was right.

The ship no longer felt like the Dark Pearl.

The aura surrounding the vessel had become cleaner, sharper, and more refined, perfectly matching the cultivation style associated with the Celestial Sword Sect.

Even Elder Hua looked impressed.

"Most disguise techniques only change appearance."

Auntie Muo nodded.

"This feels completely different."

"Because it is different."

Shaurya crossed his arms proudly.

"The system doesn’t believe in doing things halfway."

The final strands of light gradually faded from the hull. The formations settled, the runes disappeared beneath the surface, and the transformation finally came to an end.

Silence spread across the deck as everyone took another look around.

The vessel before them no longer resembled the Dark Pearl in the slightest.

Every banner.

Every formation.

Every architectural detail.

Everything matched the style of the Celestial Sword Sect perfectly.

There were no flaws.

No obvious signs of disguise.

No suspicious inconsistencies.

If a disciple from the actual Celestial Sword Sect saw the vessel now, they would probably salute it without hesitation.

Lu Fang slowly rubbed his chin.

Then he looked toward Shaurya.

"Master."

"Hm?"

"If this thing can become another ship..."

A dangerous smile appeared on Lu Fang’s face.

"...can it become a restaurant?"

For the first time since the transformation began, Shaurya seriously considered the question.

Elder Hua continued examining the transformed vessel, her gaze moving across the deck, the formations, and the newly altered banners fluttering overhead. Even after several careful observations, she couldn’t immediately find a flaw.

That alone was alarming.

Eventually, she turned toward Shaurya.

"How long have you been preparing this?"

A mysterious smile appeared on the Sect Master’s face.

"A while."

The answer somehow made everyone even more suspicious.

Before anyone could question him further, a flash of light burst from his storage ring.

Something landed on a nearby table.

Then another.

And another.

Within seconds, robes, jade slips, identity tokens, official seals, travel permits, supply manifests, and stacks of unfamiliar documents began appearing one after another.

The pile grew so quickly that Lee Bie actually stopped speaking.

For several moments he simply watched.

A robe appeared.

Then an identification token.

Then another robe.

Then a seal.

Then several more documents.

His gaze moved from the growing pile to Shaurya.

Then back to the pile.

Then back to Shaurya again.

The process repeated so many times that Lu Fang eventually noticed.

"Are you broken?"

Lee Bie ignored him and pointed toward the table.

"...What is all this?"

Instead of answering, Shaurya casually picked up one of the folded robes and tossed it through the air.

Lee Bie barely managed to catch it.

A second robe flew toward Lu Fang.

A third landed in Cheng Fang’s hands.

Elder Hua received one next.

Even Auntie Muo found herself holding a neatly folded set of Celestial Sword Sect robes before she fully understood what was happening.

The confusion aboard the ship immediately intensified.

Lu Fang unfolded his robe completely and stared at it.

The quality was excellent.

The craftsmanship looked authentic.

Even the sleeve carried a beautifully embroidered departmental insignia.

He turned the robe over several times.

Then looked at Shaurya.

Then at the robe again.

Then back at Shaurya.

"What exactly are we doing?"

Nearby, Cheng Fang was studying one of the identity tokens.

The more he examined it, the more unsettling it became.

The spiritual engravings looked genuine.

The sect markings were correct.

Even the identification sequence appeared legitimate.

"This can’t be fake."

Shaurya looked pleased.

"Thank you."

"I wasn’t complimenting you."

Auntie Muo meanwhile looked between her robe and the Sect Master several times.

Every passing second made her increasingly nervous.

"Should I be worried?"

"Probably."

The answer arrived instantly.

Auntie Muo closed her eyes.

"That is not comforting."

"It wasn’t meant to be."

Elder Hua ignored the conversation and picked up one of the jade slips from the table. The moment her spiritual sense entered it, a flicker of surprise appeared in her eyes.

"This contains a complete identity profile."

The others immediately looked toward her.

"What?"

Elder Hua continued scanning the contents.

"Name."

She turned a page.

"Position."

Another page.

"Department assignment."

Another.

"Background records."

By the time she finished, even her expression had become slightly strange.

Slowly, she raised her head and looked at Shaurya.

"You prepared entire identities?"

Shaurya nodded.

"Correct."

For a moment, nobody spoke.

The realization was beginning to settle in.

This wasn’t a disguise.

This wasn’t a simple infiltration.

Shaurya had apparently prepared enough paperwork to fool an entire sect.

Everyone immediately turned toward him.

Finally.

Answers.

Instead of explaining, Shaurya folded his arms and nodded toward the robes.

"Get changed first."

The entire group blinked.

"What?"

"Why?"

"You want us to wear these?"

Questions immediately flew toward him from every direction.

Shaurya remained completely unmoved.

His expression didn’t change in the slightest.

"You’ll understand in a minute."

The smile on his face widened slightly.

"Once everyone looks like members of the Celestial Sword Sect, I’ll explain the plan."

The atmosphere aboard the Dark Pearl instantly became more suspicious.

Unfortunately, everyone present had travelled with Shaurya long enough to understand one universal truth.

When the Sect Master wore that smile, resistance was usually pointless.

And when he said, "You’ll understand in a minute," the situation was almost certainly about to become much worse.

Several minutes later, the mission team gathered once more near the center of the deck.

Nobody looked particularly happy.

Lee Bie repeatedly adjusted the collar of his new robe as though personally offended by its existence.

"I hate this."

Lu Fang nodded immediately.

"The sleeves are wrong."

"The color is wrong."

"The entire robe is wrong."

Auntie Muo tugged at her sleeve and frowned.

"Why does this thing have so many layers?"

"Because rich sects enjoy suffering."

Nobody knew whether Lu Fang was joking.

The concerning part was that he sounded serious.

Nearby, Cheng Fang examined the embroidered insignia stitched onto his shoulder.

"It feels strange wearing another sect’s uniform."

Elder Hua adjusted her sleeve and sighed.

"That’s because it is another sect’s uniform."

The conversation gradually died down as Shaurya stepped toward the table.

Moonlight washed across the deck while the transformed vessel continued gliding silently between the clouds. The silver-white formations of the disguised warship cast a pale glow over the gathered group, making the entire scene feel strangely unreal.

Shaurya picked up one of the identity tokens and rolled it between his fingers.

The casual smile he had been wearing all evening slowly disappeared.

Everyone immediately noticed.

Whenever Shaurya stopped smiling, it usually meant something important was about to happen.

His gaze swept across the group.

"We are not attacking Cloud Peak Sect."

Nobody interrupted.

"We are not stealing their supplies."

Lee Bie frowned slightly.

Lu Fang’s brows furrowed.

Even Auntie Muo looked confused.

The mission was becoming harder to understand.

For several seconds, Shaurya allowed the silence to linger.

Then a grin slowly appeared on his face.

"We’re joining them."

The deck became completely quiet.

Lee Bie blinked once.

Then again.

Lu Fang stared at him.

Auntie Muo looked between Shaurya and the identity documents as though hoping reality would correct itself.

Unfortunately, reality appeared perfectly comfortable with the situation.

Only Elder Hua seemed to understand where the conversation was heading.

Her eyes narrowed.

The jade slip in her hand lowered slightly.

"You intend to infiltrate them."

Shaurya immediately pointed toward her.

"Exactly."

A few identity tokens slid across the table as he pushed them forward.

The small metallic objects came to rest in front of the group.

"This mission begins now."

His finger tapped one of the documents.

The sound echoed softly across the deck.

"From this point onward, none of us belong to the Sanatan Flame Sect."

The words instantly erased the remaining amusement from the conversation.

No one laughed.

No one complained about the robes anymore.

The reality of what they were about to do finally settled over the group.

Shaurya picked up another document and held it up.

"We are members of the Celestial Sword Sect."

Lee Bie lowered his eyes toward the identity token resting before him.

Lu Fang glanced at the official seals.

Cheng Fang studied the forged records.

Even Auntie Muo found herself looking at the documents with a different expression.

For the first time since boarding the Dark Pearl, the mission no longer felt like one of Shaurya’s bizarre plans.

It felt dangerous.

And judging by the smile slowly returning to Shaurya’s face...

The truly insane part of the plan hadn’t even been explained yet.

Shaurya picked up the stack of jade slips and glanced at the gathered group.

"Time for your new lives."

The statement immediately made several people uncomfortable.

Without waiting for questions, he selected the first jade slip and flicked it across the table.

It landed neatly in front of Cheng Fang.

"Cheng Fang."

Cheng Fang picked it up.

"You are now Zhao Min, an inner disciple of the Celestial Sword Sect."

His spiritual sense entered the jade slip.

A moment later, his brows rose slightly.

The identity contained years of background information.

Birthplace.

Cultivation history.

Training records.

Personal habits.

Even the names of instructors and fellow disciples.

After reading a few pages, Cheng Fang nodded calmly.

"Understood."

The response seemed to satisfy Shaurya.

Another jade slip flew through the air.

This one landed before Lee Bie.

"You are Han Lei."

Lee Bie looked down.

"Inner disciple?"

"Senior inner disciple."

"That’s better."

He immediately seemed happier.

Lu Fang rolled his eyes.

"You were disappointed for half a second."

"Status matters."

"You literally complained about robes ten minutes ago."

"That was different."

"It wasn’t."

Ignoring the argument, Shaurya tossed another token toward Lu Fang.

The disciple caught it smoothly.

"You are Zhou Ren."

Lu Fang scanned the contents.

A grin appeared.

"Squad leader."

The grin widened.

"I knew I was important."

Shaurya didn’t even look up.

"You’re responsible for inventory reports."

The grin disappeared.

"What?"

"You count boxes."

"What?"

"You supervise cargo records."

"What?!"

Several people immediately laughed.

Meanwhile, Elder Hua had become completely absorbed in the documents resting before her.

The further she read, the more impressed she became.

These weren’t simple disguises.

Every fabricated identity contained an entire life.

Names.

Family records.

Sect assignments.

Cultivation histories.

Department affiliations.

Known acquaintances.

Places they had supposedly visited.

Even common conversations and rumors they were expected to know.

If somebody asked a casual question, there was an answer.

If somebody investigated further, there was more information.

The deeper she looked, the more complete everything became.

Slowly, she lifted her head.

"These aren’t identities."

Shaurya smiled.

Elder Hua glanced back at the jade slips.

Then at the tokens.

Then at the forged records spread across the table.

"No."

Her voice carried genuine admiration.

"You didn’t create disguises."

The mission team looked toward her.

Elder Hua held up one of the documents.

"You created people."

For the first time since the briefing began, nobody laughed.

Because after seeing the amount of detail contained within those records, they all realized the same thing.

These identities were fake.

Completely fake.

Yet if someone handed the documents to a member of the Celestial Sword Sect, even they would likely believe the people described within them had existed for years.

Shaurya folded his arms and smiled.

"Exactly."

The smile on his face made everyone slightly nervous.

After everyone finished reviewing their assigned identities, Elder Hua closed the jade slip in her hand and looked toward Shaurya.

"How did you obtain all this information?"

A smile immediately appeared on his face.

"Trade secret."

A golden system window instantly materialized before him.

[Translation: Dharma Points.]

Shaurya pretended not to see it.

The system immediately pretended not to care.

Neither side was fooling anyone.

Eventually, Shaurya’s expression became more serious as he picked up a silver identity token resting near the center of the table.

"My role is the most important."

Everyone’s attention shifted toward him.

He raised the token.

"Elder Xu Ren."

The silver surface reflected the moonlight as he turned it between his fingers.

"Head of the Celestial Sword Sect Logistics Department."

Cheng Fang immediately understood.

His eyes narrowed slightly.

"That explains everything."

Shaurya nodded.

"It explains why I possess transport records. It explains why I know supply routes. It explains why I travel alongside military resources and why nobody questions my involvement with logistics."

He tapped the token lightly.

"Most people make the mistake of creating complicated lies."

Several members of the team nodded in approval as they reviewed their documents. The identities were remarkably thorough. Every detail connected naturally to the next, every background explained itself, and every role fit its owner perfectly. The entire arrangement felt so convincing that even careful investigation would struggle to uncover a flaw.

A faint grin appeared.

"The best lie is one that answers questions before they’re asked."

Moonlight reflected across the Celestial Sword Sect banners fluttering overhead.

Then he spoke.

"Our target is not to destroy the supply fleet."

The group listened carefully while Shaurya expanded the spiritual map above the deck.

Eight glowing markers appeared across the projection, moving through the western trade routes in a tight formation.

Lu Fang studied the map for a moment before asking,

"So what’s the target?"

Shaurya shook his head.

"There isn’t one."

Several confused looks immediately appeared.

"We are going to save them."

Several people blinked

Auntie Muo looked even more confused.

"How exactly do you save someone before they’re in danger?"

Shaurya smiled.

"By creating the danger first."

Silence.

The team stared at him.

Elder Hua sighed.

"Now it sounds like your plan again."

"It is my plan."

That somehow made nobody feel better.

Shaurya ignored the reactions and continued.

"We create a crisis."

His finger moved across the map.

"A storm."

Another point appeared.

"A monster attack."

The final marker illuminated.

"And a rescue."

Understanding slowly appeared in Elder Hua’s eyes.

The physician immediately saw where this was heading.

"The monster doesn’t exist."

Shaurya pointed at her.

"Exactly."

"It will be an illusion."

"Exactly."

Elder Hua nodded thoughtfully.

Now she understood her role.

"The Silver Mirage Poison."

"Can you do it?"

A faint smile appeared on her face.

"Easily."

The others finally started piecing things together.

Lu Fang’s eyes widened.

"Wait."

He pointed at Shaurya.

"You mean we’re going to trick them into believing we saved their lives?"

"Correct."

"And then they’ll willingly bring us into their fleet?"

"Correct."

"And then we’ll travel directly into Liu Tong’s camp?"

"Correct."

A pause followed.

Then Lu Fang slowly grinned.

"...That’s actually evil."

Shaurya looked proud.

"Thank you."

"It wasn’t a compliment."

"It sounded like one."

Ignoring him, Shaurya looked toward the dark clouds gathering in the distance.

"Everything depends on timing."

Shaurya walked toward the front edge of the deck.

The wind immediately swept through his coat as he stared toward the horizon.

Far beyond the sea of clouds waited the Cloud Peak Sect supply fleet.

Far beyond those same clouds marched Liu Tong’s army.

And somewhere between the two rested the first step of his plan.

For several moments, he simply stood there.

Then he slowly raised one hand toward the sky.

The disciples exchanged curious looks.

Nobody understood what he was doing.

At first, nothing happened.

Then the wind changed.

The gentle currents surrounding the vessel suddenly became violent. The air pressure shifted so abruptly that several disciples instinctively grabbed the nearest railing.

Above them, clouds began gathering from every direction.

What had been a clear night sky only moments ago was rapidly swallowed by darkness.

The moon disappeared behind layers of black clouds.

Lightning flickered deep within the forming storm.

Thunder rolled across the heavens.

The entire atmosphere transformed within moments.

Lu Fang stared upward.

His mouth slowly opened.

"What in the world is happening?"

Lee Bie didn’t answer.

He couldn’t.

The storm continued growing larger.

Clouds twisted together like enormous whirlpools.

Bolts of lightning surged between them.

The pressure alone was enough to make weaker cultivators uneasy.

Even Elder Hua’s expression became serious.

For a brief moment, everyone looked toward Shaurya.

The same thought appeared in every mind.

Did he do this?

Standing at the front of the vessel, Shaurya folded his arms behind his back and allowed a mysterious smile to appear on his face.

The timing was absolutely perfect.

Unfortunately...

The storm didn’t belong to him.

A gigantic shadow suddenly moved within the clouds.

Everyone froze.

Another flash of lightning illuminated the sky.

For an instant, an enormous wing became visible among the storm clouds.

The next flash revealed gleaming golden scales.

Then the entire sky erupted with a thunderous roar.

The sound shook the heavens.

Countless bolts of lightning exploded outward as a colossal beast burst through the heart of the storm.

Arcarine.

The Legendary Thunder Fenrir.

The Guardian Beast of the Sanatan Flame Sect.

Its massive form raced through the storm clouds while lightning followed in its wake like loyal servants. Every leap stirred the heavens, drawing fresh thunder from the gathering storm, and each movement sent ripples of lightning across the night sky.

The group stared upward as Arcarine bounded through the storm clouds. Lightning flashed across the heavens while thunder rolled endlessly through the night.

For a few moments, nobody spoke.

Then Lee Bie slowly nodded.

"That’s actually incredible."

Lu Fang agreed immediately. "I know, right? Look at that storm."

Even Auntie Muo looked impressed.

The storm covered half the sky.

Thunder echoed continuously between the mountains.

Lightning danced through the clouds like a living sea of silver.

Then Lee Bie’s expression suddenly changed.

His gaze shifted from the storm above...

To Shaurya.

Then back to the storm.

Then back to Shaurya again.

"...Wait a second."

Shaurya smiled proudly.

"Hm?"

Lee Bie pointed upward.

"Arcarine is the one doing all that."

The smile remained on Shaurya’s face.

"Correct."

"And you’re standing here."

"Also correct."

Lee Bie folded his arms.

"So why are you looking proud?"

The smile instantly stiffened.

Before Shaurya could answer, Lu Fang joined the attack.

"He’s right."

Cheng Fang nodded calmly.

"This appears to be Arcarine’s achievement."

Even Elder Hua looked toward Shaurya.

"I was wondering the same thing."

Auntie Muo blinked.

"Then who exactly are we supposed to be impressed by?"

Shaurya pointed at himself.

"Me."

"Why?"

"Because Arcarine works for me."

The deck fell silent.

Nobody looked convinced.

Not even slightly.

Shaurya’s eye twitched.

Lu Fang rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

"That feels like praising the sect kitchen because Auntie Muo cooked the food."

Auntie Muo immediately nodded.

"Exactly."

The attack landed perfectly.

Shaurya stared at them for several seconds.

Then he slowly rolled up his sleeves.

"Fine."

A dangerous smile appeared on his face.

"You want to see something impressive?"

Shaurya’s eye twitched.

"I’ll show you what’s impressive."

Before anyone could react, a deep vibration spread across the deck.

The atmosphere changed.

Instantly.

The casual expression on Shaurya’s face vanished as spiritual energy erupted from within his body.

BOOOOOOM!

The Dark Pearl trembled.

A violent shockwave burst outward from where he stood, forcing robes and banners to snap wildly in the wind. The disciples instinctively took half a step backward as a pressure descended upon the deck that felt heavy enough to crush stone.

The surrounding clouds churned.

The storm overhead responded as though something had awakened.

Crackling arcs of violet lightning raced through the black sky while thunder rolled endlessly between the mountains below.

Behind Shaurya, five enormous violet-black spirit rings emerged one after another, revolving slowly around him like ancient celestial halos. Each ring radiated a terrifying aura that distorted the surrounding air, causing ripples to spread through the heavens themselves.

Spirit Lord Realm.

Fifth Level.

There was no need for him to announce it.

Everyone present could feel it.

The pressure pouring from his body was overwhelming.

It wasn’t directed at them.

It wasn’t even hostile.

Yet merely standing nearby made it impossible to ignore the gap that separated him from ordinary cultivators.

The clouds above twisted into a gigantic vortex.

Lightning multiplied.

Thunder exploded across the night sky.

Even the storm Arcarine had created seemed to become more violent beneath the influence of Shaurya’s spiritual power.

High above the clouds, the legendary Thunder Fenrir lowered its head and glanced toward the deck.

For a brief moment, beast and master stood beneath the same storm.

One controlled the heavens.

The other commanded the beast.

Lu Fang slowly lowered the finger he had been pointing at Arcarine.

The confidence on his face disappeared.

Beside him, Lee Bie swallowed unconsciously.

A few moments ago they had been joking.

Now they were being reminded exactly why the man before them was the Sect Master.

Shaurya folded his arms while the five spirit rings continued revolving behind him.

A faint smirk appeared on his face.

"Well?"

For several seconds nobody answered.

Then Lu Fang cleared his throat awkwardly.

"...Alright."

Lee Bie nodded immediately.

"That one was definitely you."

Only then did Shaurya look satisfied.

"Exactly."

The pressure gradually receded.

The spirit rings faded.

The storm calmed slightly.

Yet the silence lingering on the deck remained.

Because everyone had just been reminded of a simple fact.

Their Sect Master might behave like a lunatic.

But he was still terrifying.

Nearby, Elder Hua calmly stepped forward and removed a small jade bottle from her sleeve.

Lu Fang immediately looked over.

"That’s the poison?"

Elder Hua nodded once.

"The illusion poison."

She loosened the stopper.

The moment the bottle opened, a stream of pale silver liquid floated into the air. It didn’t fall. It drifted upward instead, carried by the powerful winds circulating around the Dark Pearl.

Lee Bie frowned.

"That’s all?"

Elder Hua glanced toward him before gently raising a finger.

The silver liquid trembled.

Then it burst apart.

Countless droplets scattered into the storm and instantly transformed into an enormous layer of mist.

The change happened so quickly that even Cheng Fang’s eyes widened slightly.

The winds created by Arcarine seized the expanding fog and dragged it across the sky.

Slowly.

Silently.

Relentlessly.

Everyone watched as the silver haze spread through the darkness below.

Shaurya walked to the railing and looked down.

Beneath them, Redfall Valley stretched between two mountain ridges like a giant scar carved through the earth.

The mist descended toward it.

It rolled across the cliffs.

Flowed between the rocks.

Filled the narrow passages.

Within minutes, the entire valley disappeared beneath a dense silver fog.

Lu Fang leaned over the railing.

"If I didn’t know better, I’d think that’s just ordinary mist."

Elder Hua recorked the bottle and slipped it back into her sleeve.

"That is the point."

Auntie Muo looked toward the valley and then back at Elder Hua.

"And once they breathe it?"

A faint smile appeared on the physician’s face.

"Then they will start seeing exactly what we want them to see."

Understanding finally appeared on several faces.

Lee Bie slowly turned toward Shaurya.

"So first the storm forces them down..."

Cheng Fang finished the thought.

"...then the mist blinds their judgment."

Lu Fang looked at the valley below and laughed.

"And then Master appears as the hero."

Shaurya grinned.

"Now you’re learning."

Far ahead, beyond the mountains and hidden beneath the night sky, the eight Cloud Peak Sect supply ships continued their journey completely unaware that the valley waiting for them had already become part of somebody else’s plan.

To Be Continued....