Reunion
By all rights, these sects should have been consumed by a thirst for vengeance, driven to reckless action by the need to recoup their shattered dignity. That they instead retreated into an almost meditative calm defied all expectation, hinting at machinations far beyond the ken of ordinary cultivators.
It was on this day, as the sun cast its warm glow upon the city's ancient walls, that a seemingly young man of extraordinary presence made his way through the gates.
His youthful appearance was a stark contrast to the aura of power that emanated from his very being, a fact that immediately caught the attention of the Exalted Emperor gate guards.
As he approached, their eyes narrowed in a mixture of suspicion and awe, for it was exceedingly rare for one so young to have attained the exalted rank of Emperor.
The guards, their armor gleaming in the sunlight, moved to question the newcomer, their hands resting on the hilts of their weapons.