Inside the resplendent inner hall of the Heaven-Fire Pavilion, Sect Leader Huo Liang sat on a crimson jade throne, draped in ceremonial robes of scarlet and gold. Before him knelt his trusted emissary, Fang Zhu, who had just returned from the Celestial Sect with the first response to the controversial marriage proposal.
Huo Liang's eyes gleamed with ambition as he sipped warm spirit tea. "So... they haven't declined yet?"
Fang Zhu bowed. "No, Sect Leader. The elders are divided. Some protest, but others... they seem swayed by the offer of alliance and resources. As expected, they fear extinction more than disgrace."
A low chuckle escaped Huo Liang's lips. "A dying sect must cling to something. And that Yun Qian girl—such beauty and talent in that forgotten corner of the stars. My son Wei Jun may be a fool, but his marriage to her will bind the Celestial Sect to us, body and soul."
He paused, then narrowed his eyes. "Have you found out anything about their Sect Leader? This Yuan Xian... there are too many gaps in his history."
Fang Zhu's voice lowered. "That is the strange part, my lord. Even among his own elders, very little is known. He rarely appears in public, speaks only when necessary, and even during council, his aura is hidden. Some of the older records hint that he arrived suddenly two hundred years ago—no origin, no clan."
Huo Liang tapped his fingers on the armrest. "No background? No affiliations? This smells of secrecy... or danger."
A wave of spiritual pressure rippled through the room, and the golden serpent emblem of the Sky Serpent Palace glowed subtly on the wall behind him.
"We are not alone in this move, Fang Zhu. The Sky Serpent Palace supports our plan—silently, but fully. In exchange, we offer them access to the mining veins within Celestial Sect territory after the marriage is finalized."
He leaned forward, voice dropping to a whisper.
"Do you know why Sky Serpent Palace is truly interested in the Celestial Sect?"
Fang Zhu shook his head.
"It's not just about land or spirit veins," Huo Liang said, eyes gleaming with hunger. "Even after their fall twenty thousand years ago, the Celestial Sect holds knowledge—ancient techniques, blueprints from the First Civilization, hidden archives... and many sealed realms that even supreme forces failed to open. Yes, many treasures were looted during the war, but the core secrets? Still buried, still waiting."
He rose from his throne, robes flowing like flame. "Sky Serpent Palace believes Yuan Xian may know how to access them. That's why they're backing this move. If we get the girl, we get the key. Through her... we find the path to that forgotten glory."
Fang Zhu's expression turned serious. "And if Yuan Xian resists?"
Huo Liang smiled coldly. "Then we prepare for blood. Silent, precise... and final."