Travelling to the Meeting Spot

Right after coming back to the temple the next day, Teacher Xiu organized his students and gave them a schedule while he's away.

Her classmates congratulated Mu and told her good luck.

Mu replied a warm smile and cheerfully waved back. However, behind that warm smile on her face were cold sweat. Thinking what could happen over the test.

Last night, her uncle, Teacher Xiu, filled her in about the Sacrifice which is the setting for the test.

The Sacrifice was the largest active volcano in the Western Continent, not only in a simple region. No monsters were actually sensed around the Sacrifice which disturbed the thoughts of many experts.

Nobody will dare to go where the high-ranking monsters don't dare to until now. The Patriarch took noticed and felt weird fluctuations of energy coming directly from the Sacrifice.

The terrifying part of the Sacrifice was that its history was unknown. Only its name was passed down through generations. It was told that a disaster will befall to the world if they went near to the Sacrifice. Although an urban legend or simply a rumor, nobody actually dared to go inside.

Even brave youngsters or little daredevils know how dangerous the path to the Sacrifice, at least they were not suicidal. The people who have the power to easily enter the Sacrifice were only making their way to their current positions, the Thirty-Five Powerhouses.

However, never did they once took notice of this place or rather, they don't have time to. The Two Saints have their own jobs. The Thirteen Guardians won't do anything until something does happen. The Four Rulers: the Three Emperors and the Empress have their own responsibilities to watch over their own continent. Who has time to look at an urban legend? The Nine Sages were always under the Four Rulers so they will not act unless their Ruler says so.

The Seven Patriarchs are the only one who took notice. More accurately, the Legacy Families near the Sacrifice. Behind a risk is an opportunity, behind a great risk is a great opportunity.

They've been taking a watch of this Sacrifice ever since peaceful times have settled in Elpi. No major war was happening anywhere in the world, therefore, they entered a peaceful decade. The Demon Race was not as active after settling in the Eastern Continent.

Each Legacy Family were not exactly enemies to each other but instead, friendly rivals. They would rather help each other than not. Nobody was too greedy or vain. They knew right from wrong and if they did disrupt these peaceful times, there are other Thirty-Four Powerhouses which they cannot mess with even if they team up with others.

Now that strange energy fluctuations were spreading coming from the Sacrifice and now is the time to learn what is going in that place. This is also an opportunity to let youngsters grow so each branch can let put one member to participate if they do think that person is suitable.

Right now, the branch of the Lei Family, a family that has a bloodline of a Thundering Wolf in Region 3 of the Western Continent chose Lei Mu, the treasured talent, a fourteen-year-old girl. The Elders are the main forces in the expedition and if possible and necessary, the Patriarchs will take part too.

Two days later...

Mu took her traveling bag which was wider than her twice and nearly covered her upper body from the back's perspective. She looked at the sun rising from behind her as she waited for her uncle and elder.

Her eyes wavered in worries but her expression showed determination after she resolved herself in these two days. She herself was confident with her talent but still couldn't help but be anxious at what will happen. Elder Min still had not said what was the requirement to pass the test. Actually, what was the test? Is it to reflect after the expedition? Kill some beast? Survive?

She was still unsure of what she needed to do to enter the main family but still, she strengthened herself.

After having some thoughts, she didn't notice Elder Min and Teacher Xiu who was behind the Elder, walking towards her. Elder Min's pace wasn't slow and it wasn't fast. Teacher Xiu could overtake the Elder but he didn't.

Mu walked towards them and bowed in front of the Elder which the Elder smiled in response and whispered to himself which was heard by the two

"Let us go."

Mu looked at the Elder with a puzzled look. Elder Min does not have anything on him. This was not to be a short journey so why would the Elder not bring anything? But after she noticed this, she also noticed Teacher Xiu was the same so she questioned him instead as they follow Elder Min and exited the village surrounding the branch.

This village successfully gained protection under the Lei Family or rather, the branch more specifically. Since the moment they decided to settled near the branch no one messed them or no one dared to mess with the Lei Family even if it is only a branch.

"Uncle Xiu, why did you not bring anything with you?", Mu asked softly. She called Teacher Xiu as uncle now since there are no classmates nearby and its only them and Elder Min.

"Ah, we have everything we need within this ring?", Uncle Xiu explained, "This ring was enforced with spatial magic which was a technique lost from ancient times. It is basically a storage bag."

"If it was lost then how are you able to have one?", Mu was amazed as she moved closer to clearly hear the rest of the explanation but for her, it was a story.

"Well, we have found a few Spatial Rings from ruins.", Teacher Xiu gladly continued his explanation cheerfully, "Then using another ancient item. We were able to replicate it into a cheaper version of it. This ancient item that can replicate objects are treasured and thus, only someone like the Powerhouses can hold of. The only one I'm sure who have this replication item is the Guardian of Earth.", his eyes shone in reverance as that words exited his mouth. He then looked at Lei Mu, "And although it can be replicated, it was still very rare and only a few thousands do a whole continent have so less than ten thousand pieces of Spatial Rings are there in the whole world."

Mu wrinkled her forehead and was not amused.

"What? Is it not incredible that I have one?"

"Hmmm, but ten thousand pieces are too many."

"But the world is too big that even a million of it, it will still be considered rare.", Uncle Xiu laughed.

"Is the world really that big?", Mu scratched her head in doubt.

Uncle Xiu nodded in reply, "Yes, only the strongest person can go around the whole world once in their life?"

Sparkles showed in Mu's eyes, "Even the strongest person?"

"Yes"

"Even Elder Min?", Mu asked in enthusiasm but immediately covered her mouth when she realized what she had said. Elder Min was the strongest person she had ever met so she subconsciously associated the Elder to their conversation unintentionally.

When the topic derailed to being strong, Lei Mu will subconsciously be enthusiastic about it.

"Yes", Uncle Xie was quiet and did not speak a word. Elder Min was the one who replied, "Even after reaching the Heavenly Realm, I couldn't possibly go around Elpi even once."

Mu didn't expect for Elder Min to answer like that. She saw an Elder as something a domineering status and she can never be casual with them.

However, instead of staying silent, Mu forced herself to ask; "Elder Min... what do I need to do in the expedition?"

Uncle Xiu was surprised to see that Mu asked this herself. Before, she was even too nervous to see an Elder but now, she can already ask him a question, 'I guess, she also has the talent to grow and adapt?", he laughed inside.

"I will give you a task if I see necessary and appropriate that you have to do with a passing mark.", Elder Min explained after a brief silence, "It all depends on me but don't expect me to go easy on you.", he gently smiled but Mu can only see the Elder's slender back.

After hearing this, Mu felt even more resolute, "Yes!"

Uncle Xiu was happy to see Mu this determined and was glad when he saw her smile after that.

After that, their conversation went easy as they traveled through the forest at a steady pace. Mu didn't expect their travel to take a month. In that time, she gradually became attached to Elder Min to the point of casually talking to him like she was talking to her Uncle Xiu.

She learned a lot from trivial conversations and learned how to live in the wild before finally, over the horizon, the peak of the Sacrifice revealed itself and along the way, she saw more and more people on the road. Just like them, they consisted of an Elder, a youngster, and a guardian with a few exceptions with only an Elder and a youngster. Along the way, Elders greeted each other as they were happy to see their old friends after how many years.

She saw that there are only two families there. One was their Lei Family, wearing azure clothing and the other was the Yun Family, having the bloodline of a Sky Serpent and wore white clothing.

Even though the people on the road were increasing as if it was planned by the Elders to meet in that place, it stayed quiet. After some time, they finally entered a grassy plain where the Sacrifice was only a few kilometers away and one could see how big it was.

Mu was surprised to see that the people they met on the road were the only people that were on the grassy plain. There where only fourteen pairs of them as she counted and exactly seven pairs from the Lei family and seven pairs from the Yun Family. However, it could not compare to the surprise she got when she saw two domineering men in front that even the Elders bowed to them.

The Lei and Yun Family's Patriarch.