Chapter 418: Them [4]

While Elena was struggling with her complicated inner thoughts, Rose finished telling the Sect Master everything about Damien.

"What a man. You aren't thinking about eloping without introducing him to me, are you?"

"Ehh? Why would I do that? I know you won't believe me until I properly show him off to you."

"Okay, okay. What about you then, little Elena? What's your man like?" The Sect Master shifted her attention.

"He—"

"Didn't I just describe him?" Rose interrupted. She knew Elena's personality very well by now. Until Damien told her outright, she would continue to act as if the two of them didn't have any relationship at all.

But Rose wouldn't allow that. She had taken a liking to Elena when they had first met, and the past year they spent together only made them closer. She wouldn't accept a future where Elena wasn't her little sister.

This time, it was the Sect Master's turn to be surprised. "You're saying..."

Rose nodded her head in affirmation, causing Elena's blush to deepen.

"Haa..." the Sect Master sighed in exasperation. "To think that the two Heavenly Fairies of my sect actually belong to the same man! Now, I must meet him. I need to see whether he's truly worthy of such fortune."

The two girls and the Sect Master chatted a bit longer before separating. Tomorrow, they would set off for the Empyrean Dragon Realm opening.

And there, they'd finally meet the person they had been thinking about so much.

"Tch." Rose snorted. "That damn bastard. Now that the day of our reunion is so close, I can't think of anything other than his face. How am I supposed to train like this?!"

Rose fell backward onto her bed and covered her face with a pillow. As darkness encroached upon her vision, an illusion spawned in front of her.

It was just an old memory of hers, nothing special. Just another time when she and Damien would sleep together while cuddling. It was such a common occurrence back then, she felt a bit sad that she had grown used to having a whole bed to herself.

She allowed the illusion to continue playing, putting herself in the position of her past self. She stimulated touch using the same method, but it just didn't feel the same.

It was so close. After a year of parting, it was finally time for the subsequent reunion. She had thought the same phrase multiple times over, but her head couldn't think of anything else.

'I'm obsessed.'

She realized it extremely late. She was well aware of how in line she was with him. She had fallen in love with him on that fateful day on Godspark Mountain. However, it took a year of separation for her to become obsessed.

His scent, the scent that used to be so familiar to her, she couldn't remember it anymore. She wondered how his face had changed, how much more powerful he had become, if he would bring another woman back...

'That guy goes around seducing beauties everywhere he goes. If he doesn't bring a beauty back with him, I'm willing to abandon all my cultivation.' She joked to herself.

Slowly but surely, the thoughts in her head vanished one by one, leaving only her desire to reach the Empyrean Dragon Realm as soon as possible in her head.

***

At the arrival of a new day, the twenty women who filled the quota of the Supreme Fairy Paradise, the Sect Master, and a group of elders boarded a flying boat artifact.

It wasn't just them. The opening would happen sometime in the coming week, although the exact date was unspecified, and to be there as soon as that moment arrived, all powers would congregate as soon as possible.

***

Within the Celestial Star Palace, another group boarded a flying boat. Along with the Sect Master, Tian Yang and a few other elders were also present. As for the disciples, naturally, Long Chen had earned himself a spot.

"Xun'er, why worry so much? You are coming with me, are you not?" He spoke to a woman in front of him.

She had beauty that only fell short of those on Ruyue's level. Her body proportions were perfect, and the sword on her hip only served to add a valiant and charming air to her overall look.

"Still, little Chen, I can't go with you into the secret realm. How can I be sure you'll be safe? If only it wasn't for my status..."

The woman sighed. Never would she have expected that she, who spent her whole life married to the sword, would feel such a way for a boy so many years younger than her.

Even she had gone through such training experiences in her life, yet even while knowing Long Chen's strength, and the fact that the experience was necessary for his growth, she couldn't help but feel hesitant.

Looking at the relationship between the two, it was obvious that they weren't just simple acquaintances. What was even more unexpected, though, was the fact that the woman Long Chen was calling "Xun'er" so endearingly was actually an elder of the sect, and the one who had taken him as her disciple.

The way their relationship progressed wasn't something either expected, nor was it something they had plans to publicize. Whether it be elder and sect disciple, or master and personal disciple, romantic feelings between the two were heavily taboo.

Long Chen sighed as he saw people approaching them. "Relax. I'm confident enough that nobody in the younger generation can harm me anymore."

'Unless it's...'

Long Chen suddenly thought about the brat who he was forced to call Boss for a week and clenched his teeth. His blood boiled at the thought of their last clash.

'This time...let's see how I make you lose face when we fight.' A beastly grin lit up his face.

The treasures of the secret realm? Sure they were great, but the resources of the Long Clan and the Celestial Star Palace had been heavily focused on him recently, so he wasn't particularly interested.

As for his competitors, he had heard of their feats before. Other than those on the level of the two Heavenly Fairies from the Supreme Fairy Paradise, the rest didn't have enough strength to interest him.

But there was one guy, a guy who had already won against him twice. That guy had gone missing on a mission for the past half a year or so, and there had been no news of him. Whenever he asked the Grand Elder about it, the only response he got was that they'd meet again at the Empyrean Dragon Realm.

So Long Chen was extremely excited.

To fight someone who was the same age as him, yet far more talented, to overcome that hurdle that stopped him from being the best in his generation.

That was the goal he had in mind as he boarded the flying ship.

***

While the outside world was busy clamoring over the Empyrean Dragon Realm, the people in the Sanctuary finally found some semblance of peace.

Although it wasn't much, everyone at least had a residence now. And with all the beast corpses that were left over from the massacre earlier, they had enough food to last a while.

Damien exited the Sanctuary and looked off into the distance. 'Judging by the time, he should be calling soon...'

A transmission talisman appeared in his hand as he patiently waited. While he did so, he touched upon the formless essence in his surroundings and worked on perfecting his domain.

It wasn't a process he was anywhere close to completing. He didn't just want a space domain or a time domain, he wanted to combine them into an absolute area where he dominated space-time. Such a task wasn't simple at all.

Even the beginning stages of creation that he was in now granted him massive power, so he couldn't even imagine what it'd be like when he reached perfection.

A few hours passed with Damien meditating and forming his domain. And finally, the transmission talisman lit up like a beacon.

Damien opened his eyes and poured his mana into it.

"Yo, old man. It's been a while, hasn't it?"