Between Sects [3]

"I'll attempt to speak with that sect, and if they decide to fight, I'll allow them to attack me without retaliation," Lucas said, his voice firm and resolute.

Thomas gasped, his eyes wide with alarm. "Why would you do that, Senior Lucas?" he asked, his voice tinged with worry. He tried to stand but was forced back to his bed by his frail body.

Lucas raised an eyebrow and looked at Thomas. "To be heard, one must show sincerity. And I am sincere. Besides, I understand why he acted the way he did. Tell me, is it true that you planned to kill his son?"

Thomas recoiled, his eyes wide. "No, we had no reason to do that. Killing his son wouldn't have benefited us. He was stronger in cultivation than I was. If it were true, it would have been suicide," Thomas explained, his voice laced with conviction.

Lucas nodded, his expression thoughtful. "I see. Well, I must be going now."

As he was about to leave the room, Lucas suddenly recalled something and returned to Thomas's side. He sighed, then raised a hand, conjuring a light above Thomas, which left him confused.

As Thomas watched his body glow, he couldn't fathom what he was feeling. His body felt light and refreshed, as if he had rested for days. The uncomfortable throbbing he had endured was gone, replaced by a sense of ease that allowed him to breathe freely.

'He's healing me?' Thomas thought in amazement.

After Lucas had finished healing him, Thomas quickly climbed out of bed and knelt before Lucas. "Thank you so much, Senior Lucas!" he exclaimed, his voice filled with gratitude. His heart was warm, and he didn't know how else to react. It felt like a new beginning.

Lucas simply nodded, a small smile on his lips. "If you're grateful, remember not to interfere with others' lives. You'll learn the importance of this as you grow older," Lucas said as he turned to leave the room.

He wasn't afraid of making enemies, but he was afraid of causing harm to innocent people. This was something he had learned from his experience as an immortal. In his first few years, he believed he could maintain close relationships with mortals but soon realized it was a mistake. He didn't want to repeat the same errors, so he preferred to let the flow of time dictate his relationships with others.

Lucas spoke these words of caution to Thomas, hoping to impart some wisdom as a leader. After all, the members of his sect were not his possessions, and he wanted to leave a lesson behind for them. Though uncertain if his words would achieve their intended effect, he was content knowing he had offered something potentially useful to others.

The representative followed closely behind Lucas, making him slightly uneasy. He turned to the representative and asked, "What's your name?"

"Kin Yang, Senior Expert," came the reply.

Lucas returned to his thoughts, trying to predict what would happen if he entered the Heavenly Demon Sect. He knew nothing about their ways, so he couldn't make any assumptions about their behavior. All he had to go on was the general nature of cultivators.

Despite this uncertainty, he needed to carefully plan his move to avoid further misunderstandings between the sects.

"Where is the location of the Heavenly Demon Sect?" Lucas asked, his tone serious.

Kin hesitated for a moment before answering, "It's near the Great Cliff, in the eastern part of the northern region."

Lucas nodded, absorbing the information. He was already in the northern region, so visiting the Heavenly Demon Sect meant traveling eastward.

Despite aiming to ascend to the higher plane with the rest of the immortals, Lucas still had to think about his immediate future and plan accordingly. Before he could visit the Immortal Heaven, he needed to build up his strength—not just physically, but also in terms of knowledge and strategy. Arriving there as a novice who had just advanced through the realms of cultivation would put him in grave danger. To survive in Immortal Heaven, he needed to be at his absolute best.

With these thoughts in mind, Lucas decided that he needed to learn how to navigate the world as an immortal. The dangers of Immortal Heaven were not lost on him, but he was tired of living a repetitive life. Perhaps a change was exactly what he needed.

He took to the skies, flying straight toward the eastern part of the northern region. As he observed the cities below, he chose a place to land. Uncertain of the exact location of the Heavenly Demon Sect, he decided to ask for directions.

Lucas descended into a forest near the city to avoid drawing attention. He then ran swiftly towards the gate, a feat easily accomplished by cultivators.

"Five silvers," the guard demanded.

Lucas had prepared for the toll but didn't have any small change. He took out a gold coin.

"Excuse me, do you have change?" he asked politely, one hand resting behind his back.

The guard looked confused and shook his head. It was customary for travelers to bring the exact amount to expedite the transaction.

"I'm sorry, we don't. Could you please pay the exact toll?"

Lucas felt a wave of frustration but maintained his composure. He had no choice but to hand the guard the gold coin.

"Here you go. I hope you can take silvers from your pocket to pay my toll. You can keep the gold," Lucas said with a respectful smile.

"Really? Thank you very much, Senior!" the guard exclaimed gratefully.

Although Lucas appeared younger, he brushed it off with a chuckle and moved on. Unbeknownst to him, his actions had drawn unwanted attention, despite it being common for the wealthy to act generously.

Behind him, a carriage observed the scene. The young man inside watched Lucas with a stern expression, almost disgusted by the display.

The young man loathed those who acted pious but were not. His disdain for Lucas grew, and he ordered his men to follow him.

When Lucas arrived in the city, he immediately began asking people on the street for information. After a few hours, he had gathered enough to continue his journey.

Though the information he received was vague, Lucas wasn't discouraged. "I didn't think there would be so many places around the Great Cliff. I thought the sect was the only one nearby," he thought to himself.

Lucas then went in search of an inn to stay for the night. He felt he could afford a break from cultivation and a good night's sleep, as it had been several days since he last had a chance to rest.

Lucas strode into the inn and approached the counter. He reached into his pocket, where he kept a handful of gold coins, and placed one on the counter.

"Keep the change," he said, a hint of uncertainty in his voice. "Ah, wait, can you at least give me some change? I don't think I can continue giving gold coins away."

The innkeeper gave Lucas a reassuring smile. "No need to worry, sir. I can certainly give you some silver coins for your change if that would make you feel more comfortable."

Lucas breathed a sigh of relief. "Yes, that would be much appreciated. I think it would be easier for me to use silver coins at some of the shops around town."

The innkeeper nodded and counted out a handful of silver coins, which he handed to Lucas. "Here you are, sir. And thank you for your generous payment."

Lucas took the silver coins and thanked the innkeeper before making his way to his room for the night.

However, little did he know that the young man who had been keeping an eye on him was observing his every move. The man watched as Lucas changed his mind and asked for his change back, and a scowl crossed his face.

"I knew it. Acting kind, huh? Make sure to kill him secretly, right now," he whispered to himself, his fists clenched in anger.