Aiden Hall was wrapped in silence.
The academy's grounds, once filled with chatter, now pulsed only with the sounds of cultivation. Students trained desperately, pushing their limits, for the fate of the Hall itself had been carved in blood. Everyone knew—the next storm would decide whether Aiden Hall endured or perished.
At the heart of the Inner Academy, the sky suddenly cracked.
BOOOM!
A rift of blue light split open, pouring waves of energy into the sacred stage. From within, two figures emerged—one, a black-clothed youth unconscious and bloodied, and beside him, a girl radiating a presence that made even the winds bow.
All the important figures were already waiting there.
Life Emperor Asthough stood at the center, her aura serene yet suffocating. Grey hovered close by, his eyes sharp, while Max leaned casually in the corner, arms folded. Regia sat nearby, pale but no longer as weak as before—her dragon seal faintly fluctuating, guarded closely by Kravon's spectral form.
The moment Regia's seal pulsed, her eyes widened. Her heart skipped as the unconscious boy's body appeared.
"Azren…" she whispered.
But before she could move, Grey shot forward recklessly, his aura blazing. His gaze locked on the girl who had appeared with Azren, and he cried out:
"Ayaa! Everything's okay, right? Did you… did you rescue him?"
The name struck like thunder.
It was revealed. The mysterious saviour girl—was none other than Ayaa.
Her presence was overwhelming, though her aura now seemed restrained, flickering only at Soul Illumination Stage. Yet, even this concealment could not hide the trace of unfathomable power that lingered around her.
Asthough's gaze fell upon Ayaa, her expression unreadable. In a tone calm yet absolute, she spoke:
"You've done your work. Leave him… and return to your training."
Grey turned sharply, his excitement bubbling over. "Ayaa, you… you're really worthy of being—"
But his words choked. His mouth froze, as if sealed by invisible force. His eyes darted around in confusion before he muttered bitterly:
"—being… no one of the academy. H-How could you… escape from a cultivator at the Essence Stage?"
The tension rose, but Asthough raised her hand, silencing him.
"Ayaa. Go. Quickly."
Without another word, Ayaa gave Azren one last glance. Her figure blurred, and in the blink of an eye, she vanished into the air.
The chamber grew still.
---
Moments later, Captain Lu arrived, his face grim. Azren had already been placed on a jade bed, his chest rising faintly with shallow breaths. Regia sat beside him, her crimson eyes locked on him without blinking.
Max smirked casually, breaking the silence. "Sis… you really caught a good one."
Regia's cheeks flushed crimson, her fingers tightening nervously around the edge of the bed. She turned her face away, but her dragon seal pulsed faintly, betraying her emotions.
The air shifted as Captain Lu stepped forward, bowing respectfully to Asthough. His words were heavy, each syllable weighed with urgency.
"Your Highness… Grey must be sent back to the City of Lights immediately. News has reached us… someone within the Tred Clan is not what they seem. A mysterious clan head has emerged—not the known Tred Clan Chief, but another. His cultivation level…"
Lu's eyes darkened.
"…surpasses even the Emperors. A level of power we believed long since locked away—has been awakened."
The hall fell into dead silence.
Even Asthough's calm eyes flickered.
The airship cut silently through the clouds, its vast hull glowing with runes. Inside the cabin, the air was tense, broken only by the faint hum of the ship's engines.
Asthough stood near the window, her eyes fixed on the horizon. Her voice was calm, yet carried an edge that silenced even the winds.
"I personally sent him there."
Grey's fists clenched. His tone, for once, was serious, stripped of recklessness.
"Your Highness… why did you hide it? Why did you let Ayaa be alone for so long? Isn't it too cruel for her?"
Asthough turned, her gaze sharp and absolute.
"I am an Emperor more than a mother. I cannot allow highs and lows to shake my continent. For its balance, I chose this path."
Her tone deepened, cold and unwavering.
"I did the same with Azren. He never refused it—he carried sorrow with him, silently. So Ayaa has no right to seek justice from me. She is my daughter… but above all, she is my responsibility."
Grey's jaw tightened, his chest heavy. His thoughts flickered back to the moment in the academy—when he almost blurted out the truth in front of Max and Regia. But his mouth had been sealed before the words could escape.
Now he understood.
That was not chance. It was Asthough's will.
The truth—that Ayaa was her daughter—was a secret buried deep, hidden even from Max and Regia for countless years.
Grey lowered his gaze, his voice dropping to a whisper.
"So that's why you silenced me… I was about to reveal what must never be revealed."
Asthough's eyes returned to the horizon, her face calm, unreadable.
"This secret remains between us. Speak it to no one, Grey. Not to Max. Not to Regia. Not to anyone."
The cabin fell silent, the weight of unspoken truths pressing down like a storm.
—
Azren's eyes fluttered open after a day of deep, dreamless sleep. His body felt heavy, but his spirit… strangely light. He stretched and let out a long, tired yawn. As his vision cleared, the world of the Inner Academy unfolded before him — a vast courtyard of white stone, trees shimmering with traces of essentia, and the distant hum of disciples cultivating in silence.
For a moment, he simply sat there, staring, memories washing over him like a tide. The battles, the roars of dragons, the sorrow of countless lives lost, and the golden light that had burst forth from his seal. His chest tightened. So this is the path I've chosen…
Before he could drown in thought, a familiar voice rang out.
"Azren! Are you awake!?"
Regia rushed forward, her eyes wide and trembling. Without hesitation, she wrapped her arms around him, pressing her face against his chest.
"You fool…" her voice cracked, muffled by his robe. "Don't you dare do something like that again. Don't go chasing things that can't be handled. Do you know how afraid I was of losing you!?"
Azren froze for a moment, his heart thundering, then slowly lifted his hand and placed it gently on her back. Her warmth, her trembling, her desperation — it all struck him harder than any dragon's attack.
He lowered his head and whispered, voice deep and steady.
"Don't be afraid of me, Regia. Even if I die, I'll still find a way back to you. I'll always come to you. Always."
Regia's shoulders shook, tears slipping down her cheeks, but her lips curled into the faintest smile. In that moment, the chaos of the world seemed far away. It was just the two of them — bound not by seals, but by something far deeper.
The Inner Academy's gentle winds carried their quiet embrace, as though even the heavens bore witness to their vow.
The quiet winds of the Inner Academy carried a serene stillness, but Azren's mind was anything but calm. He slowly opened his eyes wider, no longer content with sleep, no longer satisfied with silence. The questions that had burned in his heart since that night surged back like a storm.
Who saved me? Why? And why was I so powerless…
He placed his hands gently on Regia's shoulders, his grey eyes burning with determination.
"Regia… tell me. How did I come here?"
Regia, still close to him, drew in a soft breath. She hesitated — but she knew Azren's spirit would not rest without truth.
"It was Ayaa," she whispered. "She brought you back through a space tunnel. And the one who ordered her… was the Life Emperor herself. After that, Ayaa was sent on another mission."
Her words struck him like thunder. His chest tightened, his gaze darkened, and in his eyes, flames seemed to flicker.
"The Life Emperor…" he muttered, his tone edged with fire. His fists clenched.
Then he looked back at Regia, his voice firm and resolute.
"Regia, promise me this. When the time comes, when I stand against the Emperor herself… you'll be by my side."
Regia's heart skipped a beat. She stared into his eyes, and though her chest tightened with fear, she saw the unyielding resolve in him. Slowly, she nodded, her voice trembling but steady.
"Always. No matter where it takes us."
Azren gave a faint smile, but his mind churned. The path ahead was no longer just about strength — it was about answers.
Regia, sensing his silence, continued softly.
"And Grey… he's not here. The Light Emperor called him back, for his own safety. There are rumors spreading… that a mysterious cultivator has appeared within the Tred Clan. Stronger than anything we've ever seen."
Azren's expression sharpened, his eyes glowing faintly like molten fire. He stood, the wind swirling gently around him.
"So… my first answers… they all lead back to the Life Emperor. She is my master — and my test."
His voice echoed across the chamber, not loud, but heavy enough to stir the very air.
The next morning, Azren stepped out with Regia at his side. Max, though silent and unreadable, soon joined them. The three youths walked together toward the towering gates of the Inner Hall — the heart of Aiden Hall where permissions for great journeys were decided.
But as their footsteps echoed on the stone floor, a weight settled in their chests.
The City of Life.
An Emperor's city.
To dive into such a place with their current strength was nothing short of impossible. Even the smallest ripple there could crush them if they weren't careful.
Inside the Inner Hall, Master Erdi stood waiting. His eyes, usually stern but gentle toward Azren, carried an unfamiliar gravity today. In his hand gleamed a thin jade tablet, glowing faintly with runes of life.
He extended it toward Azren.
"The Life Emperor left this for you."
Azren accepted it with both hands, his heart pounding. The jade was warm, pulsing faintly, almost alive. He could feel… answers hidden within.
But Erdi's voice cut through the haze.
"Azren. The jade may guide you, but it will not carry you. You must find your answers yourself. Be strong enough… to become the person you are truly meant to be."
Azren stared at the jade, then at Erdi. A storm swirled behind his calm eyes. Slowly, he nodded.
"I understand, Master."
Behind him, Regia tightened her grip on her sleeve, silently vowing not to let him walk this path alone. Max, watching the exchange, gave nothing but a cold glance — yet even he could not hide the flicker of curiosity in his eyes.
The gates of the Inner Hall closed behind them. Ahead lay the City of Life… and the truths Azren had long sought.
—