25 Chapter 25: Crossroads
As Sam finished explaining everything, Sophia initially looked at him skeptically, thinking he might be making it all up.
However, her doubts vanished when Sam summoned the codex and showed it to her. Seeing the codex's existence convinced her.
Sophia now understood that bringing Sam to the Hailstorm clan was the best course of action for the moment.
Despite possessing the codex, Sam's cultivation was still at the Foundation Establishment Realm.
Regardless of the benefits the codex offered, it couldn't directly increase his cultivation.
According to the laws of cultivation, he needed to cultivate like everyone else to raise his cultivation level unless he had some special means, of course.
Sophia knew about the immense potential and trouble the codex could bring to Sam. She understood the power it held and the dangers it posed. At the same time, she believed it would eventually propel Sam to the pinnacle of the cultivation world—it was only a matter of time.
While Sam was planning his next moves, other forces were also in motion, each pursuing their own goals.
...
A man respectfully bowed towards a woman who sat sipping her tea with grace. The woman acknowledged the man's arrival, setting her teacup down gently. She smoothed a strand of her white hair and fixed her bright blue eyes on the man.
Upon seeing her gesture, the man began to speak, "Respected Matriarch, I have followed your orders and kept a close watch on the young Miss."
The woman leaned forward, interest piqued. "And what did you discover? Did she encounter someone of significance? Perhaps even her mother?"
The man nodded, relaying the information, "Yes, young Miss ventured into the human world, where she indeed met with the first princess. Furthermore, the second princess, Lorraine, was also in her company."
A thoughtful smile tugged at the woman's lips. "So she did know where her mother and aunt were?" She sighed softly, her expression showing a mix of emotions. "My granddaughter, it's surprising that she never shared this with me. I could have personally gone to bring my daughters back home."
As the man contemplated whether to share this piece of information, he found himself taken aback by its significance. The hesitation was clear on his face, and the woman noticed it, her blue eyes narrowing with curiosity.
"What is it?" she inquired, sensing that there was something more to be said.
The man finally spoke, "There is one more thing..."
The woman's frown deepened as she waited for him to continue.
"There was a young man with them," he began, choosing his words carefully, "and he bore a striking resemblance to the first princess. He appeared to be very close to the young Miss."
Upon hearing this unexpected detail, the woman's eyes widened slightly. "A young man?"
"Yes, a young man," the man confirmed.
A particular thought crossed her mind, and she hoped that it wasn't just a cliché. "What did this young man look like?"
The man searched his memory briefly before responding, "He had crimson hair and blue eyes, much like your own, ma'am."
He hesitated for a moment before adding, "I also felt a strong reaction from my bloodline when I saw him."
If she had her doubts before, now she fully confirmed her suspicions.
A hearty smile formed on her face, "hehe...I have a grandson!!!. this must be the luckiest day of my life."
The man who was still bowing asked, "Should I continue watching them from afar?"
"Yes...but try to stay away from them as much as possible and don't compromise your presence, you understand?"
"Yes, ma'am." Saying this, the man disappeared from the place, leaving the woman thinking about what to do next.
"Ah, my daughter... it hurts my heart to think that you hid my grandson from me."
...
On the other side, Dorian Sterling, despite losing the codex and knowing it had already chosen a new master, didn't abandon his twisted pursuits.
No one could count the number of lives he'd taken since losing the codex. He remained relentless in his quest to discover the identity of its current master.
"Greetings, Miss Iridessa," he acknowledged a woman dressed in attire that concealed her face entirely, leaving only her striking purple eyes visible.
Even beneath her loose-fitting garments, her curves were unmistakable. However, in the presence of such a woman, Dorian Sterling displayed no interest. There was no trace of lust in his indifferent gaze.
"Mm... What brings you here, Dorian?"
"Miss Iridessa, given your abilities and your reputation, I assume you already know why I'm here."
Hearing his words, the woman named Iridessa narrowed her eyes but remained silent.
"Still, I want to hear it from you," Iridessa persisted.
"Someone stole something from me... I want to find out who has it so I can eliminate them and retrieve what belongs to me."
The woman rested her head in her hands on the table before her, "Belongs to you?... The codex belongs to no one; you can't claim it as 'yours'"
"Miss Iridessa, I'm not here to argue over what's mine or what's not mine. Use your ability and find me the person who has it," Dorian grunted, his focus unwavering.
"Fine, then have it your way," the woman agreed reluctantly.
She looked at the ceiling, her violet eyes starting to glow faintly. She possessed a powerful, albeit dangerous ability—one that was considered taboo in some parts of the cultivation realm: clairvoyance.
People with such abilities were exceedingly rare, and she was one of them.
Dorian waited impatiently for several minutes as she delved into her power. Eventually, the glow in her eyes faded, and a complicated expression crossed her face.
Seeing her expression, Dorian frowned, "Did you find out who it is?"
"No... as a matter of fact, there was no one."
"What do you mean?"
"The person you're looking for either has numerous fate lines or he... is dead."
"What? What the hell do you mean?" Dorian's composure was slipping, and it was almost a miracle that he had remained calm thus far.
"Listen closely, Dorian. When I try to peer into someone's life, my ability allows me to see their fate lines. I can deduce everything about them—past, present, and even future. However, when I attempted to do the same with the new master of the Codex of the Supreme Immortals, he had no fate lines."
"What does that mean?"
"It means either his fate lines are so vast that they are beyond my comprehension, or... he's dead."
Dorian remained silent for a moment before he turned towards the exit.
"Here's a word of advice," he heard her voice behind him.
"What is it?"
"Stay away from that person. I can see your fate lines fading away. If you don't wish for your demise, you should stop pursuing whoever has become the master of the Codex now."
Dorian stopped in his tracks, though he didn't turn back. "Thank you for your time, Miss Iridessa. You will have your payment by tomorrow," he said and continued walking, leaving those words behind.
"A new player has joined the show. The tides are about to collide... I wonder which side the new master of the Codex will choose," she murmured to herself.
