Still, Sarah did not dare question her openly.

"So… are you going to leave now?" Sarah asked after a short pause.

Elizabeth noticed how Sarah kept glancing at Neo as she spoke.

Her brows furrowed slightly.

This girl…

It was obvious.

Sarah was uncomfortable because of how close Elizabeth was to Neo.

She likes him.

It was so clear that even someone with no understanding of emotions could tell.

Elizabeth shot Neo a sharp glare, as if asking why he was letting someone who had feelings for him stay so close.

Neo looked away.

"I will leave soon," Elizabeth said evenly. "And I will be taking Neo with me."

"W-What?" Sarah exclaimed.

"His parents were my friends. Unfortunately, they had no talent for martial arts, so I couldn't help them much. But Neo has talent. In their memory, I will take him as my disciple and take care of him until he grows up."

Sarah's eyes widened.

Her mind went blank.

A Sect Master.

A disciple.

Neo leaving the village.

Everything was happening too fast.

Elizabeth turned and headed toward the exit.

"I will have a short talk with the village head before leaving with Neo."

"W-wait!"

Sarah called out before she could stop herself.

Elizabeth paused and looked back.

"Ca— can I come with Neo?" Sarah said hurriedly, then corrected herself. "No, can I join your Sect, Sect Master?"

The hut fell into an awkward silence.

Elizabeth's expression changed.

The warmth she had shown earlier disappeared, replaced by a calm, distant coldness. Her gaze lingered on Sarah for a brief moment before shifting toward Neo, who was still standing inside the hut.

She did not say anything.

She did not need to.

Her eyes made it clear.

Deal with her by the time I'm done with the village head.

Neo understood the signal instantly.

He nodded without hesitation.

He already knew how dangerous witches could be.

And in his current state, where he was no more than a mortal, he had absolutely no intention of getting on her bad side.

Elizabeth turned and left the hut, the cloth door swaying gently behind her.

The moment she was gone, Sarah's composure crumbled.

Tears welled up in her eyes, and before Neo could even say anything, she rushed forward and grabbed his sleeve.

"Neo, don't go," she said, her voice shaking. "Please. Stay here with me."

Neo let out a quiet sigh.

"Sarah," he said gently, "listen to me for a moment."

She shook her head.

"You're leaving me behind," she said, her grip tightening. "You promised you'd stay. You said we'd take care of the village together."

"I didn't promise that," Neo replied softly.

She shouted at him after that.

She accused him of abandoning her, of forgetting about his parents, of choosing power over people who cared about him.

Neo listened.

He did not interrupt.

He did not argue.

All he could do was smile bitterly and speak in a calm, steady tone, trying to ease her emotions without dismissing them.

Time passed slowly like that.

Eventually, the cloth door was pulled aside again.

Sarah's parents entered, followed closely by the village head and his wife.

The moment they saw Sarah crying and clinging to Neo, they understood what was happening.

"Sarah," her mother said firmly. "Enough."

She tried to pull her daughter away, but Sarah resisted, grabbing Neo even tighter.

"No!"

"Sarah," the village head said, his voice stern. "You're embarrassing yourself."

With some effort, they finally managed to pull her away.

She struggled the entire time, shouting Neo's name, telling him to stay, telling him not to leave her alone.

Neo stood there silently, his hands clenched at his sides.

He did not chase after her.

He did not call her name.

Soon, they dragged her out of the hut, her sobbing fading as they moved farther away.

Elizabeth returned shortly after.

She stopped in front of Neo and looked at him with an unreadable expression.

Her gaze was closed off, sharp, and slightly displeased.

"I just thought of her as a little sister," Neo said quickly.

"She clearly didn't think the same," Elizabeth replied flatly.

"She's just a child. It's normal for her to confuse familial affection with something else," Neo said.

Elizabeth snorted.

Without another word, she grabbed his hand and slashed the air with her other.

Space tore apart as if sliced by an invisible blade.

Before Neo could react, the scenery twisted.

The hut, the village, and the mountains vanished.

They stepped through the tear and appeared far away, the wind brushing past them as if they had crossed an immeasurable distance in a single step.

Neo steadied himself.

By preparing the process properly, they began moving toward the hidden location where Elizabeth and the others were staying.

The journey took time.

They moved through isolated paths, hidden spaces, and regions where normal beings would never think to look.

Throughout the way, Elizabeth barely spoke to him.

She gave him a cold shoulder, answering only when necessary and keeping her distance.

Neo did not push the conversation.

He knew better than to provoke her when she was clearly annoyed.

It was only on the second day that she finally began talking again.

"This place is called the True Blessed Lands. Here, the rules are different."

Neo listened carefully.

"In this place, Elemental Gods and Divinity Gods are no different from mortals."

Neo frowned.

"Even Supremes?" he asked.

"Yes. Even Supremes become mortals here."

Neo slowed his steps slightly.

"That's… extreme."

"Only Realm Divinity Gods (Extreme Gods), and Heavenbreakers (Cultivators) can use their powers normally. Everyone else is suppressed."

Neo recalled his own condition.

Previously, he had a Stage Eight body.

That alone had made him absurdly strong.

"If I weren't a Heavenbreaker or a Realm Divinity God, and was instead an Elemental or Divinity God, even my Stage Eight body would've been suppressed to mortal levels?"

Elizabeth nodded.

"That's right."

Neo exhaled.

The information surprised him more than he expected.

"Authorities still work here. So Supremes aren't completely helpless. And they can also use Spirits, the same kind many demigods and awakeners rely on."

"Spirits…"

"They're born from Elemental Seeds," Elizabeth explained. "Each Elemental Seed exists because of a Supreme's involvement. They're inferior versions of Technique Spirits."

Neo understood.

"So even if they're weaker, Spirits can still function here."

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