Burning Phoenix Ridge.

Outside a massive crimson palace in the center of the mountain ridge, three people walked side by side as they arrived at the entrance. Their eyes fell on the patterns of the burning phoenixes etched into the exterior of the palace, especially the mold of the wings and the burning crown. Whenever their eyes fell on it, reverence swelled in the hearts along with the eager feeling of wanting to meet the person who ruled this massive crimson palace.

However, it wasn't the same for one man out of the three because he didn't belong to the Burning Phoenix Ridge.

Thick black hair fell to his waist, dazzlingly flowing in the air. He had his hands back, his eyes closed, but the air surrounding him told the people around him that there wasn't any opening around him. He exuded an expert's demeanor as he simply followed the two in the front while floating, not having a smile nor possessing coldness in his expression.

"This way, Honorable Elder Aemilian Weaver..."

A crimson-robed stern-looking man invited the man with his eyes closed inside the palace, seemingly garnering a simple nod from him.

The crimson-robed stern-looking man and the other crimson-robed man who was a bit away from his side didn't seem to take offense by the lack of response to their proud selves.

"Grand Elder Claus Strom. Isn't it a pity?"

Instead, the other crimson-robed man looked at the stern-looking man with a languid smile on his face, seemingly bordering with a provoking intent.

Grand Elder Claus Strom didn't reply. He kept his strict look as he floated deep into the crimson palace, followed by the others.

"My apologies, Grand Elder Artur Schatz..."

An unapologetic voice echoed from the blind-looking black-haired man, causing Grand Elder Artur Schatz's expression to become a bit awry as he turned to look back, shaking his hands.

"Oh no, Honorable Elder doesn't need to apologize. We are well aware that we failed to obtain anything of significance, not even a single bit of hair from the perpetrator. If anything, we are rather ashamed of our own incompetence to protect one of our top disciples. However, ever since that, our defenses have become more invulnerable. I, Artur Schatz, assure that there would be no deaths of our top disciples!"

"That's good to hear..."

Honorable Elder Aemilian Weaver lightly smiled before his expression returned as if he was unmoved. Grand Elder Artur Schatz saw the former's expression, but he wasn't offended by his emotionless face or fake expressions that looked as if they had no regard for him.

After all, he was aware of who this person was, a Mystic Diviner who trains in one of the three great orthodox methods of divination known to the world, Blind Heavens Scouring Divination. To practice in this cultivation manual, one must not use their eyes for the most part and not engage with their emotions to be able to become better in interacting with the divination, garnering answers from the heavens themselves.

For all he knew, it may be an exaggeration, but he also knew that it is said that having their eyes closed would help them feel the karmic intent roaming around in space and time to garner the path that living beings might take. However, comprehending this manual was extremely difficult since it required restraint and order, which goes against the nature of a cultivator.

It was the same for other divination techniques, but this orthodox manual is said to be practiced by the least of the Heaven Gazing Sect Disciples.

Yes, the man behind them, Honorable Elder Aemilian Weaver, was none other than a Mystic Diviner, a Ninth Stage Powerhouse at that!

The two Burning Phoenix Ridge Grand Elders only felt a reverent type of awe towards him, not wanting to offend him or the sect behind him in any manner.

Soon, they reached the higher floors, where there seemed to be two beautiful Burning Phoenixes in their female human form guarding the door. Their undulations were at the peak level of King Beast Stage, but they let them pass as if they already knew that they were coming beforehand when they saw the incoming entourage.

The grand burning phoenix patterned door opened, revealing a spacious hall that looked even more luxurious than the architectural compartments they have passed through before. The three of them floated to the phoenix throne situated at the end. It was more elegant and majestic than the one placed in the colosseum where the top disciple battles took place, adorned with the skeletal wings of a true peak-level Emperor Beast Stage Burning Phoenix!

Its essence seemed to be still preserved, its aura immensely benefitting the one who sat on it, and at this moment, a crimson-eyed beauty sat on it. Her facial features were hidden as she wore a deep crimson veil, but that just served to accentuate her beauty more as only her beautiful and captivating crimson eyes were visible.

"Although it is late, welcome to my Burning Phoenix Ridge, Honorable Elder Aemilian Weaver. Please sit..."

"Greetings, Sect Master Lea Weiss."

Honorable Elder Aemilian Weaver clasped his hands and bowed slightly, seemingly unperturbed while having the same, indifferent expression on his face.

However, his heart was a bit perturbed from hearing her vibrant yet authoritative voice, while the blazing aura of her burning phoenix blood subconsciously helped him shape her gorgeous image in his mind. He shook it away, moving to sit in the luxurious seats present before the throne while the two Grand Elders remained standing beside him.

Sect Master Lea Weiss sat in a lotus position on the throne, seemingly indulging herself in cultivation until these three people appeared. Her eyes seemed to be contemplating before her crimson brows rose.

"I wonder what exactly is the current divination about the Calamity Light and the danger it poses?"

Honorable Elder Aemilian Weaver shook his head with his eyes still closed.

"All we know is that it spells certain doom for this current era. Perhaps, there might be a burst of heaven and earth energy, bringing in an upheaval that reorganizes the consolidated powers of our Fifty-Two Territories, or it might even be the ascended Immortals descending on as spoken in many myths and stories."

"No one can tell, but if it is the latter, I assume we will all be enslaved to serve the egotistical powerful people without a doubt."

"I see..." Sect Master's Lea Weiss crimson eyes narrowed, "That truly is unfortunate for us denizens of the Fifty-Two Territories, although it would be rather ironic for Immortals to descend on us when we're trying to ascend by becoming Immortals."

Honorable Elder Aemilian Weaver couldn't help but smile.

"Sect Master Lea Weiss is humorous than I expected..."

"I'm not a cold-hearted woman."

Sect Master Lea Weiss slightly floated before she moved her legs to sit in a comfortable position, crossing her legs as she adopted an imperious posture.

"I just like to keep people at a distance, just like how I keep other powers from poking into my power, and that includes all righteous powers, including the Heaven Gazing Sect. However, as a person seeking the truth, I have now requested the Heaven Gazing Sect's help to identify who exactly could've killed Top Disciple Lauren Zucker and hope that you, Honorable Elder Aemilian Weaver, could give an unfalsified verdict using your divination skills."

Honorable Elder Aemilian Weaver kept his indifferent expression towards her doubt.

"Unfortunately, I am destined to disappoint you, Sect Master Lea Weiss."

Sect Master Lea Weiss's brows frowned as the silence began to fill in the space that did not have any sound, only solemness.

"So the genius Mystic Diviner, Honorable Elder Aemilian Weaver who managed to even find evidence of Soul Emperor Hadrian Cross's wrongdoings is unable to find the mere existence of a killer who secretly killed a top disciple? Excuse my ignorance, but is Honorable Elder Aemilian Weaver trying to say that the person who killed our power's top disciple is powerful than Soul Emperor Hadrian Cross?"

Her voice resounded with a bit of sarcasm.

"Not necessarily..."

Honorable Elder Aemilian Weaver shook his head, "There are many ways to avoid being traced, and that person merely seems to be cautious and took certain steps to ensure from being tracked. When I performed divination on the gathered ashes of Lauren Zucker, all I could see was that his expression went dull before he committed suicide, uttering Valerian's name before his burning phoenix reacted in response to avenge its master."

"However, that doesn't constitute a reason, not because of the lingering doubt of manipulation using karmic intent but because my divination spell should've also traced the person who was responsible for Lauren Zucker's death, but no such projection of the past appeared in the Divine Heaven Mirror Water I used. It just strangely burst apart as if someone had cast a precise counter technique to obstruct my divination before my divination's prowess could even near them."

"I want to ask. Does Sect Master Lea Weiss think the most powerful Grand Elder of your Burning Phoenix Ridge is capable of such a karmic technique to kill, even using a potent karmic technique to counter my divination before it could even begin seeking the culprit? Unless this person possesses the Karmic Guardian Physique like our Sect Master, I doubt he is capable of something like that."

Hearing Honorable Elder Aemilian Weaver's thoughts, Sect Master Lea Weiss descended into a few moments of contemplation before she inwardly sighed.

With that indifferent expression and closed eyes, she really could not see through this man's intent.

Whether if he was saying the truth or lying was something only the heavens would know. Still, she herself had no intention of forcefully prying the truth because if this elder wanted to hide something from her, she knew that it would cost her steeply to uncover, and even that wasn't promised as she might return empty-handed.

Furthermore, she couldn't risk offending the Heaven Gazing Sect, which would undoubtedly be a severe blow to her sect, and even the power balance in the internal factions of her Burning Phoenix Ridge might tip towards Valerian's side, which she absolutely abhorred to even think if it might happen in her lifetime.

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