Hundreds of miles away, the Wind Resonant Sect sat among mountains perpetually surrounded by singing winds.
Floating bridges connected its peaks.
Silver banners danced between enormous towers.
Formation bells chimed whenever strong currents passed through the valleys.
It was beautiful.
Peaceful.
The sort of place one might imagine righteous immortals discussing virtue beneath ancient trees.
Which made the conversation occurring beneath the main council hall considerably less appropriate.
“The engagement must end.”
High Elder Mo Xuesha spoke calmly.
He was an imposing man with long black hair streaked with crimson.
A perfectly respectable appearance.
If one ignored the name.
Mo Xuesha.
A cultivator named Xuesha insisting that everyone recognize his profound commitment to righteousness really should have generated more questions than it did.
Unfortunately, cultivation society had long ago stopped questioning dramatic names.
Across the chamber sat several elders.
Sect Master Yun Qinghe occupied the highest seat.
His expression was tired.
“We have discussed this.”
“And reached no conclusion.”
“Because Xuan Mei has expressed her intentions clearly.”
Mo Xuesha’s eyes hardened.
“She is young.”
“She is twenty years old.”
“Young.”
“She defeated Elder Han’s personal disciple last year.”
“Strength does not grant wisdom.”
Elder Han frowned.
“I fail to see why my disciple needed to be involved in that example.”
Nobody acknowledged him.
Mo Xuesha continued.
“Xuan Mei possesses the Pure Moon Sacred Physique.
She is one of the greatest talents our sect has produced in centuries.”
Several elders nodded.
“Orion Atlas possessed no spiritual roots.”
“Possessed.”
The word came from an elder near the right side.
Mo Xuesha turned.
Elder Lian continued.
“According to Elder Shen’s message, Orion Atlas has now awakened some unusual constitution and can absorb solar Essence.”
“A parlor trick.”
“One capable of strengthening his body without spiritual roots.”
“Which merely makes him an unusual cripple.”
A few elders frowned.
Sect Master Yun’s gaze cooled.
“Mind your words.”
Mo Xuesha bowed slightly.
“Of course.”
He did not sound apologetic.
“The boy is eighteen.”
He looked around the chamber.
“Even if he can cultivate now, he begins more than a decade behind his peers.”
That argument was considerably harder to dismiss.
“Xuan Mei is already at Meridian Foundation.”
Mo Xuesha continued.
“The greatest geniuses of her generation are progressing toward realms ordinary cultivators require decades to reach.”
His voice sharpened.
“What will Orion Atlas become?”
Nobody answered.
“At best, an average cultivator with an unusual body.”
Mo Xuesha leaned back.
“At worst, Xuan Mei will spend centuries protecting a husband who cannot stand beside her.”
Sect Master Yun sighed.
That was the problem.
Mo Xuesha was not entirely wrong.
His motives were another matter.
“What do you propose?”
A faint smile appeared.
“The Hundred Sect Concord Tournament.”
The room became quiet.
It would begin in slightly more than two months.
Held once every five years, the tournament invited younger-generation cultivators from righteous sects across the continent.
Nominally, it existed to strengthen alliances.
In practice, it was also an opportunity for sects to demonstrate exactly how superior their disciples were while pretending friendship was the primary goal.
Mo Xuesha folded his hands.
“If Orion Atlas intends to marry the foremost young disciple of the Wind Resonant Sect, he should demonstrate that he is capable of standing beside her.”
Elder Lian frowned.
“He only began cultivating.”
“Then surely his mysterious constitution should compensate.”
“Two months is absurd.”
Mo Xuesha smiled.
“Marriage to Xuan Mei is not an ordinary privilege.”
Sect Master Yun’s fingers tapped against his armrest.
“What condition?”
“Top ten.”
Several elders immediately began whispering.
Even Elder Shen, recently returned from Radiant Daybreak, stared.
“Top ten?”
“Among participants from potentially hundreds of sects?”
Mo Xuesha nodded.
“Precisely.”
“That is impossible.”
“Then the engagement ends.”
Silence.
Sect Master Yun stared at Mo Xuesha.
“You seem unusually invested in this matter.”
For the first time, Mo Xuesha’s smile faltered.
Only slightly.
“I am invested in the future of our sect.”
“Naturally.”
Mo Xuesha inclined his head.
“My son Chensha has also trained alongside Xuan Mei since childhood.
He understands her responsibilities.”
There it was.
Elder Lian’s eyes narrowed.
Sect Master Yun said nothing.
Mo Xuesha continued smoothly.
“If the engagement with Orion Atlas ends naturally, there are other appropriate candidates.”
“Such as your son.”
“Among others.”
Nobody believed the last two words.
⸻
Far beneath High Elder Mo Xuesha’s residence was a chamber no righteous cultivator had ever been invited to enter.
Blood-red formations covered the floor.
Black candles burned without producing heat.
At the center sat a young man.
Mo Chensha opened his eyes.
Dark red light flashed through them.
The corpse of a spirit beast lay before him.
Its once-powerful body had become gray and shriveled.
Every trace of blood Essence had vanished.
Mo Xuesha entered.
“The council accepted the proposal.”
Chensha smiled.
He resembled his father.
Handsome.
Sharp-featured.
And entirely too pleased whenever suffering was mentioned.
“Top ten?”
“Yes.”
“Generous.”
Mo Xuesha laughed.
“Do not underestimate him.”
Chensha raised an eyebrow.
“He couldn’t cultivate a week ago.”
“And now he can.”
“So?”
“So things that shouldn’t happen deserve attention.”
Chensha wiped a thin line of blood from his thumb.
“The Pure Moon Sacred Physique belongs beside me.”
His father’s expression became cold.
“Do not become obsessed.”
“I am not.”
“You are.”
Chensha’s smile disappeared.
Mo Xuesha approached the formation.
“Her physique is necessary.”
That was the truth.
The Blood Devouring Nether Art possessed one weakness.
Yang corruption.
The deeper one cultivated, the more violent the blood Essence became.
Eventually, it consumed its wielder from within.
But Xuan Mei’s Pure Moon Sacred Physique produced an extraordinarily refined lunar Yin Essence.
Combined through the forbidden Meridian Union Ritual—
It could suppress that corruption.
For Mo Chensha, marrying Xuan Mei was not simply desirable.
It was necessary.
“The engagement will end.”
Chensha looked upward.
“And if he reaches the top ten?”
Mo Xuesha smiled.
“He won’t.”
“You seem confident.”
“Accidents occur during tournaments.”
Chensha’s smile slowly returned.
“Father.”
“Hm?”
“Killing is prohibited.”
“Naturally.”
“We are righteous cultivators.”
“Of course.”
Father and son looked at one another.
Then both began laughing.
The corpse between them crumbled into dust.