Chapter 37: Company

Jun's senses, now extended by his divine sense, felt the approach of a group of 10 people within its 100-mile span. This range was extraordinary, dwarfing those who finally had a high enough cultivation level to unlock this ability.

30 miles is the highest record distance when awakening their divine sense after reaching such a high cultivation level. Yet here is Jun, breaking the record by 3x more at only the foundation establishment realm.

Yinling, just like Jun also awoke her divine sense and had exactly the same range as Jun. 

"They seem to be headed this way," she said, a hint of concern coloring her tone. She could sense their cultivation levels, with the highest being an intermediate Gold Core cultivator. This was a slight threat – higher than what she was accustomed to handling.

If it were a beginner Gold Core expert, she could deal with them going all out after a few minutes, but this was beyond her capability. Luckily, Jun was here with her and if they teamed up, they should have no problem defending themselves.

It was already amazing enough for her to be able to match a Gold core expert at merely a foundation establishment realm, this alone could qualify her as the number one genius from the known past present, and future.

"They don't know we're here. We should sneak out," Jun suggested, his voice low and steady.

Yinling nodded and was set down by Jun after being pinned against the wall in their fiery passion. 

"Let's take the northern exit" spoke Jun as he grasped her hand. They sprinted together, their footsteps light and urgent.

Above them, a group of men and women hovered, their expressions a blend of awe and disbelief. The city below lay eerily silent and empty, a stark contrast to its former vibrancy. A young girl in the group, her eyes wide and filled with confusion, broke the silence.

"Mas- master, what happened here?" Her voice quivered with the weight of the scene before them.

Leading the group was a striking middle-aged woman dressed in a form-fitting dress that accentuated her curves. Even in the face of such mystery, she exuded an aura of poise and power.

They had come seeking answers as scouts for their sect about a mysterious blue glow in the sky, but nothing could have prepared them for the desolation that greeted them in Blue River City, once a bustling hub of life and activity.

Catching her breath, the woman's eyes scanned the empty streets. "I... I don't know," she replied, her voice betraying a rare hint of uncertainty. "Let's go to the city lord's mansion," she commanded, regaining her composure.

Everyone solemnly nodded and went to check the city lord's mansion. On their way, they noticed clothes scattered haphazardly as if the city's inhabitants had vanished mid-stride. The sight sent a chill down their spines.

One of the males in the group, seeing such a sight suddenly started to panic, his breaths coming in quick, shallow gasps. 

"What's wrong Yu Zhu?" asked one of the women in the group who noticed his strange behavior.

The beautiful middle-aged woman seeing this knew the reason but knew there was nothing she could do to fix this. 

If she remembered correctly, she had recruited Yu Zhu from this specific city which meant his family was likely among the missing. She moved to his side and enveloped him in a comforting embrace, her arms wrapping around him in a protective shield.

"Ma- mast..." Yu Zhu, overcome by grief and shock, could barely speak. His tears flowed freely as he was held by his master, his body shaking with each sob. The others, normally envious of such closeness, could only offer silent support, understanding the depth of his loss.

Yu Zhu was the latest disciple recruited by their master, at the age of only 18 years old, he managed to achieve the intermediate spiritual pillar realm, making him the second most talented out of the entire group.

Minutes later, the group landed at the entrance of the city lord's mansion, Yu Zhu still cradled in the woman's arms being caressed by the woman's beautiful soft hand. His heart ached, but her presence provided a semblance of solace.

Yu Zhu felt his mind calm down and felt fortunate to have met his master in this life. He felt his feelings for her as a mother figure grow when being held tightly. 

"Thank you, master," he managed to whisper, his voice barely audible.

She responded with a gentle smile, her teasing remark lightening the heavy atmosphere. 

"You little rascal, you sure did enjoy being in that position for so long" She teased her disciple.

"Master!" Yu Zhu yelled embarrassed that his master would call him out like that in front of his brothers and sisters.

Shaking her head at her disciple's reaction, she walked forward with a sway in her hips and entered the city lord's mansion which caught her off guard, why were the doors opened already?

"Could someone have already come here?" She thought.

"Everyone," she called out, her voice firm and authoritative. "It seems we aren't alone. Get into formation."

Everyone hearing this immediately went into the formation they had practiced since joining their master's peak and took out their weapons. Their master is one of the 12 core elders of the Scarlet Sect which equates to a 6-star city.

Being one one of the 12 core elders, she has managed to reach the Gold Core level making her one of the top experts in her area, commanding billions of people under her. 

They slowly stepped into the home and saw clothes scattered on the ground, some of them were servants and butlers while occasionally more expensive clothing.

A beautiful girl with an observant gaze broke the silence. "It appears deserted," she noted, her voice carrying a mix of curiosity and concern.

The muscular man, gripping his spear, added a hint of caution to his deep, steady voice. "Sister Bai might be right, but let's stay vigilant."

The serious man, known as Ye Lu, with a demeanor as sharp as his intellect, spoke with authority. "Exploration first, conclusions later." His cold, calculating eyes surveyed the surroundings, missing nothing.

A cute but small girl at the front, her voice laced with unmistakable respect, chimed in, "Ye Lu's strategy has never failed us."

Their exploration was abruptly interrupted by a putrid smell, so overpowering that it felt like a blaze in their sinuses. Instinctively, they covered their noses and turned toward the source.

They found themselves at the entrance of a once-grand library, now reduced to chaos. Black sludge and torn papers littered the area, a stark contrast to the elegance it once held.

The middle-aged woman's eyes widened in shock. "What could have caused such a mess?" she wondered aloud.

Just as she was about to step forward, a faint noise reached her ears, indiscernible to her disciples but clear to her heightened senses.

With astonishing speed, she moved towards the sound, leaving her disciples in awe of her abilities. One moment she was among them, the next, she had vanished.

Arriving at the scene, she saw the most handsome man she had ever seen with his foot on the ledge of a window and an almost ethereal beautiful woman outside helping him cross over.

Upon noticing her sudden arrival, they both turned in shock. The handsome male swiftly assumed a fighting stance.

"Who are you!" he asked warily but deadly focused.

The beautiful female seeing this re-entered the room and stood firmly beside the man, ready to face this new challenge together. Their united front spoke of trust and readiness to confront whatever came their way.