Chapter 129: Return

It was an Epic-Grade Cultivation Art.

But it was not an orthodox method.

It was a demonic technique that involved slaughtering living humans, extracting their blood essence, and refining it to rapidly increase one’s cultivation and physical strength.

Rhain finally understood.

This was how a minor faction in a remote valley had managed to produce two Core Formation Realm experts.

The Iron-Blood Valley hadn’t just destroyed Declan’s sect out of simple territorial disputes.

They had slaughtered countless innocent mortals and minor cultivators to harvest their blood essence, feeding this demonic art to fuel their own power.

Rhain’s expression turned utterly disgusted.

He was ruthless to his enemies, and he wouldn’t hesitate to employ schemes to destroy those who stood in his way.

But to indiscriminately slaughter ordinary, innocent mortals simply to use them as cultivation resources?

"Abominable!" Rhain muttered.

With a wisp of blood red fire, the scroll instantly burst into flames, turning to ash within his palm.

"Such sects deserve to be erased from the world, regardless of whether there was any prior enmity or not."

Rhain turned around.

"We are done here. Let’s go now."

With a powerful screech, Kiki lowered its massive wings, allowing Rhain, Seris, Vulcan, and Declan to climb onto its broad back.

Their next destination was Greymist Town.

High above the clouds, Kiki’s speed as a late-stage Core Formation beast was absolutely incredible.

When Rhain and Seris had first traveled from Greymist Town to Mirravele City on Ironmane Chargers, the journey had taken them a full, grueling day of continuous riding.

However this time, including the entire hour they had spent destroying the Iron-Blood Valley, the return journey took a little more than three hours.

Soon, the familiar, towering mountain peaks of the Greymist Beast Mountain Range appeared on the horizon.

And nestled securely at the foot of those mountains was the Azure Cloud Sect.

"Kiki," Rhain ordered. "Descend toward the main training ground, and land gently. Do not scare the people below."

Kiki let out a resonant cry, banking smoothly as it descended toward the sect’s main entrance.

_____________

Ever since the sect’s explosive rise to power, the security had been meticulously tightened, and the guards were always on high alert.

Down below, the guards stationed at the gates of the Azure Cloud Sect felt the sky suddenly darken.

The sun was shining brightly, but all of a sudden... the light vanished.

"How could it suddenly be night? It was scorching noon just a second ago!"

They looked up, and their faces instantly drained of all color.

"W-WHAT IS THAT?!"

"A flying beast! A massive flying beast is descending on our sect!"

"Sound the alarm! SOUND THE ALARM!"

The sect guards, mere Essence Awakening Realm cultivators had never seen such a huge bird in their life.

Their faces had gone bone-white at the sight of the colossal blue eagle blocking out the evening sun, its wingspan casting a shadow that swallowed the entire main gate.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

The grand bronze bell of the Azure Cloud Sect rang frantically, its urgent rings could be heard through every corner of the mountain.

Deep within the sect’s main hall, Harmon Torin, Silas, Amos, Thorne, Maren, all of them abruptly shot up from their seats.

"This aura... It’s Core Formation Realm!" Harmon spoke in a dreadful tone.

Beside him, Torin’s hands clenched tightly around his weapon, "Has the Ashvele Clan finally discovered the truth about Hayden? Have they come to exterminate our sect for revenge?"

Elder Maren drew her sword, her eyes flashing with a suicidal resolve. "If they have come to kill us, then we will make them pay in blood! We will fight to our last breath!"

"Let’s just pray that it’s not Ashvele Clan!" Harmon spoke solemnly, as he rushed out of the main hall with his elders closely following behind him.

When they burst into the open courtyard, the sight above them made their hearts stop.

A colossal blue eagle was hovering over the training plaza of their sect.

its sapphire feathers completely blotted out the sky.

The oppressive might of a late-stage Core Formation beast was entirely unbearable to a small faction in Greymist Town.

They all looked up, entirely convinced that today would be the final day of the Azure Cloud Sect

But as the massive eagle descended closer to the ground, Harmon’s eyes suddenly widened.

Standing at the very front of the eagle, with his dark robes fluttering gently in the wind and his hands clasped casually behind his back, was a remarkably familiar young man.

Right beside him stood a graceful girl with striking silver-blue hair.

"Rhain!!!" Harmon gasped, "And Seris!"

Swoosh!

Kiki folded its massive wings and descended with surprising gentleness, landing squarely in the center of the massive training ground.

Despite its careful landing, the sheer weight of the beast caused the ground to tremble slightly.

The hundreds of disciples and elders took a collective step backward instinctively, looking at Kiki with wary, and fearful gazes.

Rhain and Seris hoped down from Kiki’s back.

He looked at the wide-eyed faces of Harmon, Torin, and the other elders, and a helpless, embarrassed look appeared on his face.

Sect Master Harmon, Elder Torin, Elder Maren," Rhain greeted them, his dark grey eyes sweeping over the drawn weapons. "It seems my return has caused quite a commotion."

Harmon hurriedly put away his weapon, his chest heaving as he let out a massive sigh of relief.

"Rhain! You nearly scared the life out of us!" Harmon wiped a thick bead of cold sweat from his forehead. "We felt the aura of a Core Formation beast and thought the Ashvele Clan had finally come to take their revenge."

Torin also sheathed his sword, chuckling nervously as the adrenaline slowly left his body. "To think it was just our Supreme Elder returning in such an earth-shattering fashion! But Rhain... you were only gone for a few days!"

Rhain smiled faintly. "The matters in Mirravele City were resolved faster than I expected."

At this moment, Harmon’s cloudy eyes finally shifted past Rhain, locking onto the two unknown figures who had just hopped down from the eagle’s back.

His gaze first landed on the elegant, middle-aged man in slightly blood-stained robes.

And then his locked at the muscular giant standing beside him.

Both of them possessed auras that were far stronger than any of them.

Seeing the panic rapidly returning to their faces, Rhain casually raised a hand.

He turned his head, glancing at Vulcan and Declan.

"Don’t be nervous, Sect Master," Rhain said, "These are a few friends I made during my time in Mirravele City."

He gestured to the towering giant. "This is Vulcan. And the blue eagle is his companion, Kiki."

Rhain then pointed to the blood-stained man. "And this is Declan."

While Harmon and others were looking at the two unknown people, Vulcan and Declan were also openly measuring the Azure Cloud Sect.

Declan was calm, for he already knew that Rhain belonged to the Azure Cloud Sect.

But Vulcan was thoroughly stupefied.

Elders who were barely at the early and middle stages of Essence Condensation Realm?

Even the Sect Master standing before him was only at the sixth level of the Spirit Manifestation Realm!

How could a supreme, reincarnated Grandmaster Alchemist—an entity capable of destroying top-tier clans and refining flawless Epic-Grade pills like candy—belong to such an unimaginably weak and remote faction?

But he had already seen exactly how Rhain valued his sect and the people he cared about.

If these people were respected by his Master, then they were entirely worthy of his respect as well.

Vulcan stepped forward, cupped his massive fists and bowed politely to Harmon and the elders.

"Greetings, Sect Master Harmon! I am Vulcan. Please, forgive my companion Kiki for frightening your disciples! It doesn’t really know how to suppress its aura well!"

SCREEECH!

Kiki let out an apologetic coo, lowering its massive feathered head and gently nudging the stone ground as if trying to look smaller.

Declan also d forward, offering a courteous bow.

"Greetings, Sect Master. I apologize for my unseemly appearance," Declan said, his emotions already controlled, "We encountered some... minor troubles on the road. Please pay it no mind."

Harmon, Torin, Silas, Amos, Thorne, Maren, and all other elders, and disciples were utterly astonished.

These men clearly possessed cultivations that could flatten Greymist Town with a single wave of their hands, yet they were acting so polite and humble!

Harmon hurriedly cupped his hands and bowed deeply in return.

"Seniors are too kind! It is an honor for the Azure Cloud Sect to welcome friends of our Supreme Elder, Rhain!"

The eerie tension that had gripped the training ground finally dissipated.

"Thank the Gods," Maren murmured, smiling warmly at Rhain and Seris. "We really thought the Ashvele Clan had arrived for their revenge."

Rhain looked at Maren, a calm unbothered smirk appearing on his handsome face.

"You don’t need to worry about the Ashvele Clan ever again, Elder Maren."

Maren blinked in confused. "What do you mean, Rhain?"

"As I had said before, the matter has been completely resolved," Rhain replied with a chilling light in his eyes, "There is no Ashvele Clan anymore."