She never expected betrayal to come so quickly.

And from someone of the same sect.

"Oh?"

Dame's lips curled slightly as he looked down from above, his gaze locking onto the woman in white.

"Liana?"

His tone was almost gentle, as though he were greeting an old acquaintance.

"Come over."

He stretched out his palm.

In that instant, Liana felt an invisible grip clamp around her throat.

Her breath stopped.

All the strength in her body vanished as if drained by an abyss. Her limbs went soft, her consciousness swayed, and her body was dragged upward into the sky by an overwhelming force.

She couldn't even scream.

"Liana!"

Edwin roared in fury and despair, leaping into the air.

But he had not risen even ten feet when a terrifying pressure crashed down on him.

Bang—!

The sound echoed like thunder.

Edwin was smashed back to the ground, stone shattering beneath his body. He struggled up on trembling arms, blood spilling from his mouth, eyes blazing with grief and rage.

Just as he tried to rise again—

Boom!

The pressure descended once more.

Edwin was pressed flat into the ground like an insect beneath a mountain, coughing up another mouthful of blood. He lay there helplessly, staring at the sky, despair etched deeply into his face.

"Let her go!"

Lyralei's expression turned icy. She shot into the air, red flame sword energy roaring as she slashed forward, attempting to sever the suction force binding Liana.

The crimson sword light was fierce, filled with the will of a newly ascended Supreme.

But before it could even touch Dame—

"Too weak."

Dame sneered.

He waved his hand casually.

A strand of black sword energy tore through space itself, ripping apart Lyralei's flame sword energy like paper. It crossed the distance in an instant and appeared before her eyes.

Lyralei raised her sword instinctively.

Clang—!

The sound was sharp and cruel.

Her body was blasted backward, crashing into the ground dozens of feet away. Her sword stabbed into the stone, carving three long ravines as she was dragged back before barely managing to stop herself.

"Cough… cough…"

She knelt on one knee, gripping her sword with one hand, the other clutching her chest. Blood seeped from the corner of her mouth, her aura chaotic and unstable.

Absolute suppression.

Not even resistance.

…

Ten minutes earlier.

Echo Lake.

Seraphina arrived like a streak of blue light, landing lightly on the lakeshore.

Mist rolled across the water, quiet and cold.

She scanned her surroundings.

Nothing.

No figures.

No fluctuations.

She released her perception, sweeping across the lake inch by inch.

Still nothing.

Seraphina took a deep breath, cupped her hands, and spoke clearly into the mist.

"Is there an ancestor of my Azure Origin Dao Sect cultivating in seclusion here?"

Silence answered her.

She swallowed and continued, her voice carrying urgency and resolve.

"The sect is on the verge of destruction. If there are seniors present, this disciple Seraphina—the thirty-sixth generation saint of Azure Origin Dao Sect—begs you to come out and save the sect!"

She knelt down on one knee, closed her eyes, and waited.

One minute.

Two minutes.

Three minutes.

Nothing.

When she opened her eyes again, despair flickered across her beautiful face.

So there truly was no ancestor here.

Or perhaps… whoever once cultivated here had long since left.

She sighed softly, straightening her back.

Now was not the time to wallow in disappointment.

Seraphina turned to leave—

Then her feet trembled.

Her expression changed sharply as she spun around.

A brilliant blue light erupted on the shore not far away.

Ancient, complex formations surfaced from the ground, spinning rapidly.

Seraphina stared in disbelief as a towering curtain of blue light descended from the sky.

Moments later—

The light curtain fell.

Five figures appeared.

Her breath caught.

A miracle.

The light dispersed.

Seraphina stared at the newcomers.

Three men.

Two women.

"Five people…?"

Her heart raced.

Could it be that more than one ancestor had been hiding here?

Five Supremes?

If that were the case, Azure Origin Dao Sect might yet survive.

She immediately spread out her perception, probing their realms.

Then—

Her heart sank.

Three of them were only at the peak of the Tribulation Transcendence realm.

No stronger than ordinary elders of the sect.

Useless against Supremes.

Yet she forced herself not to give up.

Because she couldn't see through the other two.

One was a young woman whose aura burned like blazing fire—clearly cultivated a powerful flame technique. Her realm was higher than Seraphina's.

As for the man—

He looked utterly ordinary.

No cultivation aura.

No spiritual fluctuations.

Like a mortal.

But Seraphina knew better.

No one who could appear through such a teleportation array could be ordinary.

This was perfect concealment.

Absolute control.

She withdrew her senses as the mist over Echo Lake slowly dissipated.

The five figures became clear.

Then—

Her pupils shrank.

All five were wearing masks.

Ghost masks.

Identical.

Her breath faltered.

She had seen this mask before.

Ten years ago.

In Sun Moon City.

The man who wore it was called Aether.

A physical cultivator.

A monstrous genius.

A wanted person of Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets.

And now—

Five of them.

All wearing the same ghost mask.

Seraphina steadied herself and cupped her hands.

"May I ask… are you seniors of my Azure Origin Dao Sect?"

"So what if we are," a calm voice replied, "and so what if we are not?"

Her gaze locked onto the masked man who spoke.

Beside him, a young girl tilted her head, eyes bright with curiosity.

"Dad," Solara asked softly, "are we there yet?"

"Yeah," the man replied calmly.

That single word—

That voice—

A buried memory exploded in Seraphina's mind.

Sun Moon Lake.

That same voice.

That same calm indifference.

Her breathing became unsteady.

"Impossible…"

She shook her head instinctively.

Still, she asked, almost whispering, "Are you… Aether?"

"Your memory is pretty good."

Ethan answered simply.

His gaze had already shifted toward the distant sky, where terrifying fluctuations shook the heavens and the Origin Formation struggled against invading Supremes.

"Is the strongest only the Intermediate supreme?" Ethan thought in his mind.

According to what Sister Uga said, the people from the secrets of Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets also came, and among them was a powerful Upper supreme.

He haven't shown up now, I guess he hasn't arrived yet.

A/N:

Extra chapters

100 power stones - 1 Extra chapters

200 power stones - 2 Extra chapters

Massage Chair - 1 Extra chapters

Luxury Car - 2 Extra Chapters

Dragon - 5 Extra Chapters

Magic Castle - 15 Extra Chapters

...

Thanks for the Magic Castle: @Zunsin

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