Ten thousand years ago

Valerian, Caelum, and Darian entered the demon king's palace, while the ten guards who had accompanied them from Golangane stood at the door. The door closed behind them, and the demon king regarded the unexpected guests.

"Greetings, King of Demons," Valerian respectfully bowed, but the king couldn't bear to see the crown prince bow to him. He approached Valerian and urged him to stand, gripping his arms firmly.

"Please, rise, Your Highness," the king said, and Valerian complied, with the others following suit. "What brings you here, Your Highness?"

The king released Valerian and resumed his throne, gesturing for them to speak.

However, Caelum stepped forward to address him instead.

"We've been sent on a mission by the Emperor to assess the conditions in the demon realm. We hope this doesn't inconvenience you," Caelum explained.

The king smiled. "Why would I? After all, it's an order from the Emperor, and moreover, it's a must to carry out  checks and balances. Even as the head of the demon realm, I understand the importance of not concentrating power, just as the Emperor does..."

Valerian and the others exchanged surprised glances. How did the king know so quickly?

"How did you know it's checks and balances? Were you already informed by the Emperor?" Darian asked, his curiosity evident. He couldn't help but wonder if he had just revealed a crucial piece of information by asking this question too.

"Aye, it's a common act taken by the High Emperor. You're not the first. Sect leaders always undergo this process," the king explained. "I have been worried before this time, maybe the Emperor will check balance or not. I fear there are some improper events in the demon realm and I fear it will be dangerous for the three realms. At least, demons of the demon realm and fairies of Golangane can fight to protect themselves; what about the humans?"

Valerian nodded his head and loudly whispered, "You're right. Not only in the demon realm are improper acts rampant, but also in Golangane. I will inform  father about this when we get back home."

"Alright, you should make sure!" said the demon king. "The princess will lead you to the palace armory to check our resources."

"Yes, King!" Darian, Caelum, and Valerian said as they were about to leave.

Later, in the palace hallway, as the three were heading out to meet Amara, the demon princess, Darian whispered a word of curiosity.

"Do you think the demon king's words were genuine?"

Caelum stopped walking and whispered back, "This mission could be dangerous for us, so don't trust anyone, Darian. His words may be the truth, but we can't ignore the possibility of hidden motives."

Valerian added, with a sigh, "We must be careful in the dungeons. The demon princess may be the bait to lead us into the trap at the armory...."

"No, Princess Amara can't harm us. She's a good person," Darian said to the prince. "We were in hiding together at the Bloodstream Cave, and the brief time we spent together, I knew she was good-hearted. Being a demon doesn't make someone evil."

Valerian nodded, and crossed his arms. "That may be true. But the most important thing is not to let our guards down."

"Yes, Your Highness!" Darian and Caelum bowed before him. And then, they walked down the long hallway.

Meanwhile, Thorian stood at the balcony of his chambers, his hands behind him.

His mind lingered on what Elion had told him, and he found himself increasingly bothered, even though he knew obtaining the ancestral treasures was impossible.

"But it's him. He seems to be more extraordinary than I anticipated," he thought.

Thorian found this mountain god to be distinctive from others. Even as a mountain god, he shouldn't have survived when his magical stone had been lost.

"Merrick may not be his match if he can obtain those treasures. And obtaining them means the Heka sect will rise in ranks once more, just like ten thousand years ago..."

At the Heka sect, Lysander stood on the stairs outside of his chamber.

Coincidentally, he and Thorian were thinking alike.

He remembered the most painful day of his life. He thought he had forgotten it, that he had betrayed his own master. "I will never forgive myself for what I had done...ten thousand years ago."

*Flashback...*

A man kicked open the palace door. His originally blue dress had turned red, stained with blood.

His white hair had roughened. His hands were dripping with blood, clutching a sword in his hand.

The sword in his hand continued to clatter on the palace's floor as the man staggered towards the emperor. His pupils glowed, with red light orbiting around them.

"I won't allow you to kill the emperor like you killed everyone in the palace!"

Another man in armor shouted from the back and rushed toward the first man with his sword.

Then, at one point, his body froze, and he collapsed before reaching the man, who was still approaching the emperor in anger.

The emperor released a milky white ring, which pushed the man backward, but he was determined to kill the emperor. He flashed forward, this time stopping just a meter away from him.

"Get back to your senses, Master Jang!" A voice yelled from behind, causing the man to halt.

He glanced back and was disappointed to see the person he didn't want to witness his bloody face.

"What are you doing here, Lysander?! You aren't supposed to be anywhere around here!" The man questioned, his voice soft because of whom he had seen.

He knew his young student would be disappointed in him, seeing him doing such a bloody thing. Nevertheless, he said, "I don't regret doing this. I just can't watch a villain rule us!"

"But you don't have to do this, Master! You can still be forgiven a bit if you stop now," young Lysander pleaded. But the smirking expression on his teacher's face took him aback.

The teacher then said, "I know the gravity of what I have done, which is why I will end my life immediately after I end this villain too! He's only a selfish person... who can kill a thousand just to achieve his goal! He wiped out the entire Zeraphar just because he craved control over all other realms! I won't stop, unless I end his life!"

Young Lysander continued to try to stop his teacher. "You always told me never to become a bad person because of another bad person, Master. Don't do this."

"Yes, I told you. And I know I mustn't kill because someone killed," he said. Then he dropped his sword on the floor.

The wild expression on his face subsided immediately, and Lysander sighed in relief.

He then said,

"But you have to know this: there is a time when a good person will become a bad one."

"Please stop, master!" Lysander begged.

"You know why I put away my sword?" Master Jang asked, smirking. "The saying goes that one who kills by the sword will die by the same weapon. But I won't do that. I will be more merciful by killing him with my hand and not my sword."

"Making you the royal astronomer was a big mistake. I fed you, and now you have the gut to go against me?" The emperor yelled at Master Jang. Then he turned to Lysander,  "I will reward you abundantly if you protect me."

Master Jang's body glow with reddish hue, the blood on his cloth clearing off instantly.

The emperor activated his cultivation too, realising the man wasn't ready to stop.

Lysander didn't know who to support: should he protect the emperor against his life saver or go against the emperor because he also knew the great sin he committed? 

He thought, while watching the tension between the men ahead. "I think I have made a decision now. Attempting to kill the emperor is a treason."

"Either me or you will die at this rate!" 

The figure in red hue was about to release his magic when suddenly felt a sharp object pierce his back.

Pain welled through him. Grimacing, he turned, shocked to see it was Lysander's doing.

"You...." He wasn't able to complete saying that when blood gushed from his mouth and he fell to his knees.

"I am sorry, teacher!" Lysander said apologetically.

Few seconds later, five armies chained Master Jang and began to drag him out.

"You have made a costly mistake, Lysander, and I shall never forgive you."

Lysander's tensed shoulders rose, and he was agape.

"Lock him in the Thunder Eluding Prison!"ordered the emperor.

Two days later, the palace was cleaned, and the emperor called the attention of all officers of Golangane along with the sect leaders, announcing the Heka sect as the greatest for all eternity while Lysander knelt in the middle of the two rows formed by the attendees.

"Everyone here should bear witness. The Heka sect has achieved greatness under its leader, and thus, the sect now holds authority among all. Just as Golangane is the head of all realms, Heka is the head of all sects."

Murmurs of astonishment and rejoicing rose in the palace among the officers of Golangane, the Baksu, and Songwan sect leaders, except Thorian, whose eyes remained inscrutable.

The emperor continued, "Additionally, I grant Lysander the title of Elasander Stormwaden. You will protect the realm from now on."

Amidst the unending noise, the Songwan leader whispered, "Why doesn't Immortal Lysander seem happy about his rare achievement?"

The Baksu leader sighed, "How could he? He just betrayed his own teacher. Given Master Jang's cultivation level, he won't last a month in the prison."

"What a condescending jerk Lysander his!"the Songwan sect leader said, gritting his teeth afterwards.

(Present day)

"Teacher won't forgive me even now that he is dead. His son won't forgive me either after he finds out the relationship I had with his father and the role I played in his father's path to death. Because I was the greatest reason that got him possessed at that time," said Lysander.

Thorian thought about the consequences of the mountain god obtaining the treasures, so he called Seraphis, "Get the mountain god's clothing from the Heka sect. I will use his attire to manipulate his actions. It's time he knew his boundaries!"

"I am on the way, my lord!" Seraphis said and teleported to the backyard in the Heka sect. He would use his special ability to locate the god's room afterward.

Liora's voice echoed in Arion's mind. He was in the forest, not awake, but he was able to hear her voice in his sleep. It felt as if he was dreaming, only that he heard only her voice. He heard her saying,

Who are you? Why are you trying to break into the room?

Arion got goosebumps as he dreamt of Liora being approached by an unknown person with a sword, just as he had fought against her magic.

The man approached while she flinched back. The dream felt real to Arion. He shook in his sleep, sweating, and then he teleported in front of Liora.

Dust rose momentarily.

Cough....

...

"How come you are here?" asked Liora, surprised to see Arion there.

At the same time, she was pleased he came back in time.

Seraphis believed this was the mountain god in question, and he began to approach again after pausing earlier.

"You don't have to worry. I will deal with him."

The two men exchanged glances, the sword in the other one's hand shining brightly.

Arion didn't know how he had appeared out of his own will when he realized Liora could be in danger.

"What's this? Why did my power activate involuntarily?" he thought. "Could it be fate has brought us together? I am clueless."