Chapter 23: Gabriel’s shocking return

7th mountain peak, Grey mountain sect, Main hall

Within the dark passage of the cave, a dusty figure sat on a platform at the end of the cave, two undying torches lit the room dimly. If there were another cultivator within the cave, they would be able to sense a vortex of world qi being absorbed by the dusty figure.

These vortexes of qi were absorbed, nourishing the body, strengthening the meridians and his dantian. His meridians and his dantian weren't like the ones from the past, the once weak and fragile meridians had turned tough, vibrant, and healthy!

The dusty man opened his eyes, his inky black eyes flashing a dim light. His handsome visage, partially obscured by the layers of dust and grime, held an otherworldly allure. Gabriel's face was chiseled with high cheekbones and a strong jawline, giving him a look of refined strength. His skin, though covered in dirt, had a natural pale olive tone, hinting at the vitality coursing through his veins.

His eyebrows were dark and well-defined, arching gracefully over his eyes. Those inky black eyes, deep and enigmatic, sparkled with a hidden light. His nose was straight and noble, leading down to full lips that could curl into a charming smile that his disciple loved to admire.

Gabriel's hair, though matted and dusty, was a thick cascade of black waves, framing his face and falling to his broad shoulders. It added a wild, untamed element to his otherwise immaculate features, making him look like a warrior.

As he rose from the platform, his body pulsated a high pressure qi, blasting the dust and grimes away from his body. Last month his figure was lanky and thin, however, now his figure is tall and had a well-proportioned physique!

He stood tall, bearing his regal and reserved confidence. Gabriel, who once had a terrible strength and cultivation to prove and protect himself has now transformed completely into someone that can be depended on! His aura radiated an intimidating form, giving his skin a hue of white and black aura, signaling his advancement on refining his body with his Yin-Yang Harmony Ascension Technique!

[System Updating…]

[System now rebooting…]

[…. …. ….]

[System restarted! Due to user having upgrading his fated talent new features in the system have been added!]

Gabriel's brows raised, looking at the system panel with interest. He didn't expect that his system could be updated as well!

[First new feature added, the user can now choose what type of items can be rolled for through RNG rolls. Techniques rolls now have sub selections, Cultivation technique, Body refinement technique, Offensive technique, Movement technique, Defensive Technique, the prices of these selection still the same! However, due to specific selection the chance rate of getting highest tiers of cultivation technique have now been lowered! 2nd feature added User now can geolocate where your disciples are no matter where they are in the universe! To use this feature, click the map icon on the system panel!]

Seeing the new improvements in the system, Gabriel sighed in relief. These updates were very useful for him!

"Hmm, I wonder where my disciple at?" He clicked the map icon on his system panel, a map appeared in the screen, at the center of the map a blue dot is sitting where Gabriel's at, the map is focused on 7th mountain peak in the Grey Mountain Sect. Then at the side of the map panel, there's a disciple lists: With only Serana Stark name in there.

He clicked the name of his disciple and that map moved! It moved towards north!

"Hm? My disciple is outside the sect?"

After the map kept scrolling towards the north, it then stopped at a moving two dots going south! The center of the map stopped at blue dot while at the side of the blue dot is a red dot.

"So that's my disciple? Hmm I wonder who's she with?" Gabriel stared at the map with his hand pinching his chin. "The speed of these two are fast, are they heading back at the sect?"

"hmm?" Then Gabriel noticed something, multiple red dots are scattered around the map! All of them are going south in a haste manner!

"What's going on outside!?"

He had been focusing on cultivation and refining his body with 3 part pills he receive from the system. So, he had no idea how long have he been in this cave.

He stretched his hands, and the symbols on both of them seemed to glow dimly, a result of his increased refinement of his body.

"System, show my status."

[User: Gabriel Smith]

[Age: 18] [Talent: Very High]

[Disciples: 1. Serana Stark]

[Rank: Samsara Revelation (Late stage)] (rank 6)]

MP: 300 GMP: 180

[Clone Stats:]

[Gabrielle: Yin] [Absolute Zero: Ice Emperor Technique][(Frozen Star Sword Art: Mastered: Master class techniques] [Ethereal Transcendence Mid stage (rank 7)]

[Serana Stats:]

[Age: 15] [Talent: Unlimited]

[Absolute Zero: Ice Emperor Technique (1.9% learning progress)]

[Rank: Elemental Infusion Peak Stage (5th)]

Seeing the stats within the panel, Gabriel's smile crept into a proud look. That's right—his strength had increased so much that it shook him to the core when he made constant breakthroughs after completely absorbing his three-part pills! Not only that, but his talent had also been upgraded from damaged to very high! Although he wasn't as talented as his disciple, it didn't matter.

With the system by his side, talents didn't matter that much. Talent increases the speed of cultivation and better comprehension, but it's something that pills and his GMP points can accomplish as well.

What's more exciting is that his clone had also benefited from his talent, allowing Gabrielle to increase her strength to rank 7! This meant his clone was probably the strongest within the sect! Not only that, she had gained the ability to fly, enabling her to travel anywhere in the world faster than any mode of transportation!

Once Gabriel is able to break through to rank 7 as well, he'll be able to separate his clone from his body! When that happens, he'll be able to cultivate properly while his clone can be with his disciple all the time. Gabrielle would truly replace him as Serana's master. Thinking about it, it seemed appropriate because both his clone and Serana cultivate the same techniques.

He will also be able to increase the number of his clones, both yang and yin clones, increasing his clones into 6 available clones! Gabriel decided to only use Supreme immortal grade body refinement techniques for his clones, thus they will all be top quality clones! He would also make them focus on each different paths.

After appreciating his own success in cultivating, Gabriel noticed that his little disciple had actually been able to reach peak rank 5! Her strength is the same as the elders within the sect!

"System, how many days have I been cultivating?" Gabriel asked his system, as he wondered how fast his disciple reached peak stage already.

[User have been cultivating for 1 month and 1 ½ weeks]

Gabriel was shocked how long he stayed in the cave, but such period shouldn't be enough for Serana to be able to increase her strength so much? What the hell happened?

"It's time to go out and find out what's happening," Gabriel decided, ending his long cultivation session.

He still hadn't consumed the Heaven Tribulation Pill yet. If he consumed it, it would take a long while to finish cultivating to safely use the tribulation lightning as his elemental affinity. Thus, for now, he decided to stop and see what was happening outside.

When the door of the cave opened, his sharp spiritual senses picked up something ominous. "What is this death qi?" His eyes widened as he detected the dense death qi within the sect.

Thinking of his disciple, Gabriel quickly ran outside and looked around. "What the hell…" The moment he stepped outside the hall, he couldn't believe what he was seeing! From where he stood, he could see gloomy, wine-red skies in the northern distance, and the death qi was so dense that it spooked him.

So much death! What is happening?!

He was shocked—such a drastic change in the atmosphere had occurred in only a month!

After breaking through to the 6th rank, his senses had reached a level where he could see and sense life and death qi. To be able to break through to rank 6, a cultivator must comprehend the cycles of life and death, the samsara. That's why rank 6 is called Samsara Revelation.

Because Gabriel is a reincarnated soul, he easily broke through that path without trouble, having seen and experienced and knew what it meant to live and die and enter the samsara, he's able to enter rank 6 easily.

Seeing the thick and dense death qi within the distance of the sect, Gabriel knew something bad is going to happen.

"Damn, I'm worried about Serana." Thinking of his disciple and remembering the map showing her retreating towards the sect at a fast pace, Gabriel knew something must have happened!

Realizing this, Gabriel immediately transformed into Gabrielle and leapt off the cliff.

…

Swoosh

A fiery flash burned through the path as it flew past many retreating cultivators from the battlefield. The rank 7 and 8 demons had stopped chasing them, but the lower demons continued to pursue, slaying retreating and injured cultivators.

Asher, hugging Serana in his arms, sped through the retreat. His qi burned as his mind focused solely on escaping the monstrous demons. Those demons terrified him, shattering his confidence in dealing with them for now as his strength and cultivation were lacking!

In the past, he hadn't considered cultivating seriously despite his talent. His peers couldn't catch up to him even when he cultivated casually. With little effort, he matched his peers, even among divine body holders.

But now, experiencing such terrifying strength from a demon, he never wanted to face such a thing again. His mind raced with calculations on how to increase his strength further.

"Ah!" Asher felt his qi drying up. His escape technique burned out, and the two crashed and tumbled on the ground.

Serana felt the pain as her body rolled onto the ground. She panted, exhaustion visible on her face. She sat up and looked over at Asher, who was panting even more heavily. She tried to stand but almost collapsed again. Crawling towards Asher, she took her remaining pill and put it in his mouth.

Feeling the pill in his mouth, Asher accepted it and swallowed. A high-quality healing qi shocked him. His eyes widened as he looked at Serana. An Earth-grade pill!

When did the Grey Mountain Sect start producing such pills? Did they buy it?

Even his sect, a high-tier sect, was stingy with giving out Earth-grade pills like this, and yet Serana had one?

Asher's thoughts dwelled on Serana. Her background had confused him since they met. Her strength, capabilities, and talent were something a low-sect wouldn't be able to afford or cultivate. This was especially true when he looked at the other disciples of the Grey Mountain Sect. They were average at best and didn't impress him at all.

But Serana was like a flower among weeds; she stuck out like a sore thumb—mysterious and intriguing.

"Hurry up and heal. I have to go back to the sect," Serana's voice was soft and comforting despite her distressed look.

"I have to inform my master to leave the sect while we have time." Serana had no hope for this battle. They'd lost so much earlier. Although not all top experts in the kingdom were present, the huge number of experts who had lost their lives weakened the country's strength to defeat the demons further!

Especially that rank 8 demon. She exuded a terrifying aura, her strength too profound for Serana to comprehend. Even the first elder of the Celestial Phoenix Sect, a peak rank 7 cultivator, was powerless against her!

Asher looked at Serana. "With your talent, skill, and strength at rank 5 peak stage, you're probably the strongest in your sect right now. Why do you care so much about the sect? You could leave and join my sect instead. Your potential is great. It's something a low-sect can't nurture properly."

Serana stared at him, her eyes flashing with coldness. "You don't understand. The Grey Mountain Sect means nothing to me, what's more important for me is for my master's safety! The only person I cared about."

Asher stared, confusion evident in his expression. "Is your master capable of nurturing you?"

"…" Serana didn't know how to answer that, as her master is the most strangest person she had met in her life, despite his strength and cultivation, her master seemed to hold a secret that he's not disclosing to her. After being in the sect for a while now, she knew a lot more about the cultivation world, and with that knowledge she finds her master mysterious because he's able to bring out shocking treasures, even her cultivation technique shouldn't exist in this mortal world, her Supreme Immortal grade body cultivation technique is both refinement and cultivation technique!

Such technique shouldn't exist in this world, yet her master is able to bring it out and casually taught to her. His master also had a clone that cultivates the same as her, yet despite her having a higher strength than Gabriell at that time, she had been confused on how her master able to comprehend both Absolute Zero and her Frozen Star techniques.

Her Master's mystery is something that she had been curious for a long time but didn't dare nor bothered to ask about it, as any person had a secret about themselves. But despite her curiosity she believes that her mastered cared about her, thus she believes that her strength would still increase with her master's teaching…

Asher thought she agreed that her master would not be able to taught her any further, Asher continued, "Staying with your master limits you. You could grow so much more if you joined a stronger sect. Think about your potential, Serana."

She shook her head firmly. "My potential means nothing if I can't protect the people I care about. You don't know what I've been through, without my master I wouldn't been here."

Asher's expression softened slightly. "You're right, I don't. But I do know that you won't be able to protect them if you don't get stronger. And you won't get stronger if you stay in a sect that can't support your growth."

Serana sighed, the weight of his words pressing on her. "I know you mean well, Asher. But I can't leave master. Not now, not ever."

Asher looked at her for a long moment, then nodded slowly. "Alright. I won't push you. But you have to think about it. Your life is important too, your potential is no greater than mine, thus we have to work together in the future to remove these demons in this world."

Before Serana could respond, an extremely cold aura passed through them like a cold wind, even for Serana, despite her high resistance to cold was able to feel chilly, making her skin crawl with goosebumps, a shadow passed overhead.

The two stood up and prepared to defend themselves, the aura that swept through them was a rank 7!

Serana looked at the skies and soon her eyes were wide open as amazement flashed on her usual cold face.

Gabrielle floated gracefully above Serana and Asher, her presence both serene and commanding as her pressure pressed the surrounding area. Her ink-black hair flowed like a cascade of midnight, framing her face and contrasting sharply with her pristine elder robes of the 7th peak of Grey Mountain Sect. Her eyes, obsidian in color, held a depth that seemed to pierce through the very souls of those she gazed upon. Her beauty was ethereal, almost otherworldly, an embodiment of grace and power that Serana admired yet had not yet reached.

Her figure was nothing short of divine, with curves that were both alluring and dignified. She possessed an elegance that made her seem almost untouchable, a goddess among mortals. The robes she wore were a deep, rich blue, adorned with intricate silver embroidery that marked her esteemed position within the sect. They clung to her form just enough to hint at the strength and femininity beneath, but remained modest, befitting her status.

What shocked Serana even further was the strength she revealed, her master actually had the strength that exceeded her! What happened? Did her master make a breakthrough? But that seemed to be impossible, she's only at 3rd rank when she trained with her, but now she's rank 7! That's a lot of ranks to climb in a month!

On Serana's side, Asher's eyes were wide opened and speechless when he had seen the woman floating above, he was stunned locked, and his heart couldn't help but beat faster. The woman above, is like a divine goddess that descended in the land of mortals!

He had never seen such beauty in his entire life!

"M-master!" Serana finally called, shocking Asher on her side, Master?! His head sharply turned to look at Serana, you mean this divine beauty is your master!?

'No wonder…' Asher finally understood as to why Serana had such strength. To be a disciple of this divine lady, it seemed to answer his previous confusion about Serana. But now, his mind is asking, why her master is an elder of Grey Mountain Sect? a low tier sect with to little to no reputation in the kingdom? Is the sect hiding their strength all along?!

His thoughts wonder, meanwhile, Gabrielle finally seeing her disciple released a sigh of relief, she then descended on the ground. With a light step onto the ground, the freezing pressure coming from her body instantly vanished.

"Sera, I'm back," Gabrielle softly smiled at her disciple.

Seeing her beautiful master up close, Serana's tense emotions, which she had been holding back for more than a month, collapsed. Her walls crumbled, and tears flowed freely as she ran towards Gabrielle and tightly hugged her, crying onto her bosom.

"Master… it's been hard," her cries were silent, audible only to the two of them. Hearing this, Gabrielle felt her heart break. Seeing her normally strong, reserved disciple turn into this vulnerable, weak lady touched her deeply.

Gabrielle hugged her back, gently caressing Serana's silky black hair as she tried to calm her down. "Don't worry, your master is here. You can lean on me now, I'm very strong now," she whispered reassuringly.

Serana silently nodded, pressing her head deeper into Gabrielle's embrace as if she wanted to melt and become one with her master. Her emotions finally found release, and her cold heart seemed to thaw in Gabrielle's warmth.

"Tell me what happened, what's happening right now," Gabrielle calmly asked, continuing to stroke her hair.

Lifting her face from her bosom, her eyes and nose were red from crying, she explained everything what happened in a month and told how she lost a precious friend, how she felt lonely, and fought hard with the demons almost every day and how she promised to avenge her friend who passed away.

Gabrielle listened to her silently as she wiped Serana's face with her handkerchief.

After grasping Serana's explanation, Gabrielle had a clear understanding of the situation in the region. "A demon invasion. That's a very problematic matter to solve," she muttered to herself. Gabrielle looked toward the north, observing the red wine skies and the dense death qi in the air, indicating a recent fierce battle. Many casualties were human cultivators who lost their lives against demons, especially those of 7th and 8th ranks.

For Gabrielle, fighting 7th rank demons was not difficult. Even in group battles, her Frozen Star Sword Art allowed her to deal with a wide range of attacks. Having mastered the master class techniques, she felt invincible at her rank stage, regardless of the enemy's skill level, unless they exceeded rank 8. Against higher ranks, she couldn't guarantee victory but could still put up a strong fight.

Her black ice qi made that possible, as black ice tends to be more powerful than regular ice qi, and the coldness of it multiplied every time her rank increases.