Chapter 53. What Cannot Be Hidden.

Present Day.

Not far from the top of the fire mountain, an active volcano, at an altitude of several kilometers, there was a giant, monumental building. Its majestic appearance was a stark contrast to the minimalist and unassuming style of most surrounding sect structures. The walls of finely fitted red stone were inscribed with glowing blue ancient symbols, and the windows were made of nearly transparent volcanic glass shimmered with a multitude of colors in the light. The dome was supported by colossal columns shaped like armored warriors, crafted so skillfully they seemed ready to step down and fight at any moment.

But this beautiful exterior paled in comparison to what was inside. The walls were coated with a layer of Red Gold, one of the best metal conductors of Qi, and the ceiling was adorned with lamps made from thousands of spirit stones arranged into intricate patterns of mythical creatures. The floor was covered with carpets depicting ancient battles, woven from silk not inferior in strength to iron. And to complete this magnificent, expensive painting, precious artifacts and even treasures were on display everywhere.

In the sect, this pinnacle of architecture and wealth was known as the Sect Master's Palace. However, it was not merely a massive residence for the powerful head of the Fire Dragon Sect. It also served multiple functions, such as being one of the main administrative centers where dozens of people worked day and night, issuing decrees that governed the sect and its lands. The palace was a place where the most important guests of the sect were welcomed: cultivators at the Nascent Soul stage and above, high-ranking imperial emissaries, and envoys from other great sects.

In addition, the palace was also used for meetings of the sect's supreme hierarchs, if necessary, to discuss something together and resolve some issues. Usually, such gatherings happened once a year or even less frequently. Today, however, was a special occasion. The sect needed to make several decisions and also greet uninvited guests who announced their arrival at the last minute. Therefore, just hours before the envoys' arrival, the sect master summoned a significant part of the sect's leadership. Those who were close enough to reach the palace in time.

Within a couple of dozen minutes after the sect master sent out the summons, around fifty people entered the main hall, where the sect master awaited them. The leader of the Fire Dragon Sect, a young man of rare beauty with massive curling horns adorning his head, sat at a huge table which was a three-dimensional moving map of the surrounding lands. With keen eyesight, one could even see birds flying in the sky and people moving on the ground.

Most of the sect members who entered the hall bowed deeply to the young man before standing respectfully at a distance. However, a few individuals merely nodded slightly to the sect master sitting on the throne at the head and calmly took seats prepared for them at the table.

The first of these "special" individuals was an elderly man, almost an old man, short and slightly stooped. His face was wrinkled, and his very long white hair nearly reached the floor. His name was Ryuk, one of the oldest members of the sect. The second was an extremely beautiful young maiden of very small stature, who appeared no older than sixteen. Only her blue eyes, filled with coldness and a hint of disdain for most things, betrayed that she had lived much longer. Her name was Kaina.

The third and fourth were two tall and physically strong men in their prime. What was unusual was that everything about them — from their clothes to their height, musculature, facial features, and even their aura — was almost identical. In the sect, they were known as Farash and Garash, twins who were so similar that few could tell one brother from the other.

The fifth person stood out significantly among the others. And it was unsurprising, given that he was over three meters tall, with a body rippling with muscles covered in red dragon scales. His head sported elaborate half-meter-long horns, making his figure even more imposing. But the most incredible fact was that he was the younger brother of the sect master, appearing monstrous compared to the seemingly tiny head of the sect. His name was Kirhul, and he was feared by all enemies of the sect.

Each of these five was a magister of the Fire Dragon Sect. They were cultivators at the Nascent Soul stage, legends, role models for younger generations, and a force that gave the sect its power and greatness. The people standing on the edges of the hall were the sect's elders, cultivators at the peak of the Core Formation stage, including Byron, Edard, Royden, and Melkor, among many others. Outside this hall, they were powerful figures capable of altering the fates of hundreds or thousands with a single word, but here, in the sect master's palace, they weren't even allowed to sit or speak without permission. All they could do was listen silently.

When everyone needed had arrived, and the magisters were seated, the sect master, sitting at the head of the table, said:

"It seems everyone who should be here has already arrived. The meeting can begin."

"Will the Great Elder, as well as magisters Sando and Genrin, honor us with their presence today?" magister Ryuk immediately inquired.

"The Great Elder is still busy preparing for the breakthrough, and magisters Sando and Genrin are currently unable to leave the sect's grounds, so no," replied the sect master Elendil.

Almost immediately after the sect master's response, a slightly dissatisfied voice from magister Farash sounded:

"I'm more interested not in who and why is absent, but why we are interrupting our cultivation and gathering here for the second time in a couple of months when the annual meeting is still far away. What happened this time? Has the emperor changed again?"

"Hahaha, that would be nice, since they say this one is even more despicable than his predecessor. Somehow, he reached the False Immortal stage, and now he's full of himself," laughed the sect master's brother, Kirhul.

"Yes, I heard that our 'resurrected' emperor even gave himself a new title: 'The First Under Heaven,'" agreed Farash.

"In some sense, his arrogance is justified. For tens of thousands of years, no one has reached this stage in the known lands, and no one can oppose him now, at least not alone. His battle with the previous emperor is proof of that. Incredible talent, peak Soul Transformation stage, the best treasures and techniques, and yet Armand still couldn't withstand him for long and was eventually beheaded," Garash joined their conversation.

"If Armand hadn't been betrayed and was allowed to use the palace and city's defensive formations, I'm sure even the False Immortal stage wouldn't have helped Morgrand... The ancestors of the imperial family are real bastards," Farash expressed his opinion.

It seemed they enjoyed discussing this topic, and the three relatively young magisters could continue it for a long time, but at this moment, the sect master, who had not gathered them to chat in vain, made them all fall silent with a single word:

"Enough." The magisters immediately ceased their conversation, and the hall plunged into silence, as even powerful Nascent Soul stage cultivators didn't dare directly contradict the sect master's order. Silence reigned for a few seconds, emphasizing the authority of its cause, before the sect master continued:

"This time we will not discuss the internal conflicts of the imperial family; that is not our concern. Today, we are here for a completely different reason. The ancient Minor World, the enclave we recently discovered, which has the potential to elevate our sect to a higher level. Information about its existence has become known to the empire and the Heavenly Sword Sect."

For most of the elders, this news was like thunder on a clear day, but the magisters were not surprised at all.

"The empire found out about it sooner than we anticipated. Indeed, the more people involved, the harder it is to keep secrets for long. Especially when something so valuable is at stake," noted the old man Ryuk. And the sect master agreed with him:

"That`s true. It's good that we didn't really try to keep this secret, as we would have had to inform the empire about the discovery eventually. That's part of our ancient agreement, and neglecting it would be akin to declaring war on the empire, leading to our destruction given the disparity in power. As we've decided, even a Minor World isn't worth that risk. Though it would have been better if they found out a bit later. The only consolation is that we expected this to happen. Kaina, did you find out who leaked this information to our suzerain without permission?"

"I did. Two elders who learned about the Minor World at our last meeting disregarded the prohibition and informed outsiders via long-range communication artifacts. One of them tried to leave sect grounds and flee immediately after, but my people intercepted him. Unfortunately, we couldn't extract any information because he committed suicide to avoid capture."

"Your people allowed him to commit suicide? How unprofessional... I hope you've punished them sufficiently for it. What about the second one?" Garash asked, prompting an immediate response from Kaina:

"The second one is right here among us. Isn't that right, elder Mortimer?"

At these words, all eyes in the room turned to the young-looking elder Mortimer.

"What do you have to say about this, Mortimer?" the sect master immediately addressed him.

"I, I, I... Sect Master, I don't understand what magister Kaina means. I've always been loyal to the sect and never betrayed it. Besides, the oaths placed on me are still intact, which means..."

"Active oaths are good, but you know as well as I do that there are ways to circumvent them. I trust magister Kaina's judgment, especially since she has kept me informed throughout the entire time. But I will give you a chance to prove your innocence. All you need to do is allow me to search your soul unobstructed, to verify everything for myself."

The elder's face turned white instantly, terror filled his eyes, and he began to tremble slightly.

"But, but, sect master, I know you're very skilled in this technique, but even with your mastery, my soul would be irreparably damaged in the process..."

The sect master didn't want to hear his excuses:

"Don't worry about that. If you are innocent, the sect will provide you with the best pills for recovery."

Realizing he wouldn't be allowed to argue, the elder seemed to make a decision. He sighed heavily, then abruptly stopped trembling. The fear in his eyes vanished, and his face regained some color. Then he said loudly:

"So, I have no choice left, but at least I will take some of you with me to..."

As he finished speaking, monstrous streams of Qi began to emanate from his body...

But before he could enact his plan, the three-meter giant Kirhul, the sect master's brother, who had been sitting at the table a second ago, appeared behind him. Without wasting time on words, Kirhul struck with his clawed hand just below the elder's stomach. His hand pierced Mortimer's strong body without encountering any resistance, and magister extracted an object from within.

A second later, the elder, not comprehending what had happened, turned and saw Magister Kirhul holding his golden core. Immediately, excruciating pain overwhelmed him, making him want to howl and scream, but for some reason, he couldn't even open his mouth. Unable to withstand the torment, Mortimer quickly began losing consciousness, but before he succumbed to merciful oblivion, he heard Kirhul's words:

"Little traitor, your suffering is just beginning."

As soon as the incident concluded and several people dragged away the former elder, the sect master praised his brother:

"Well done, Kirhul, for preventing him from exploding his core. Kaina, I leave the interrogation of our former elder to you."

"Understood, sect master."

"The guests will arrive soon, and we still need to address a few matters, so let's hurry."