"We have been in this place for so many years, through countless generations, guarding the core area of the Everlasting Silent Forest. I know that many of you have the desire to go out into the outside world, to venture, to gain experience. But because we have a responsibility, we must abide by it. I’m truly thankful that all of you have followed this path without much complaint," Patriarch Xin shouted.
"Today, the devils’ activities outside have shown that they intend to repeat what they did three million years ago—a great war that devastated the continent and took the lives of countless people."
"We are lucky to be among the survivors of that war. But do you think we can forget what the devils did back then?!"
"NO! We will not forget!" everyone shouted in unison.
"We will not forget what they did. We have built our strength since that ti. All this while, we have remained hidden from the world, unknown to outsiders, because we guard the forest—to uphold the ancient agreent made by the divine dragon and phoenix," Patriarch Xin continued.
"But our task of guarding the forest is now complete! At last, the destined one has appeared—the one who has unraveled the mystery of the land where the divine dragon and phoenix reside. He is the one who will lead this continent toward salvation!"
"Now is the ti for our family to reveal ourselves to the world. A war with the devils is coming—the sa devils who once brought misery to this continent, who destroyed our fellow guardian families in the past, and who brought humiliation upon us!"
"Uwoo!" The roar of thousands echoed into the distance. Their auras flared, and the combined pressure of so many made even the air tremble. The spirit of each person could be felt from afar, all of them like wild beasts ready to be unleashed.
However, there were many who did not et the criteria for war, and disappointnt showed clearly on their faces. They longed for action too, but their cultivation had not reached the required level. Regret filled them for not having enough cultivation.
"For those who have not yet reached the Earl stage, do not be discouraged. You are still important. We need you to remain on standby—there may co a ti when we will need every one of you. So do not be disheartened."
"Alright, move quickly! Once your preparations are complete, all of you who et the criteria for the war, gather here again!" Patriarch Xin shouted one final ti before the crowd dispersed to prepare everything they needed to bring. Their artifacts, talismans, elixirs—anything required for the war.
Hearing Patriarch Xin’s speech, Aldrian was astonished. The patriarch had actually changed the Xin family’s long-standing policy of guarding the core area in accordance with the agreent made with Feng Xuanyan and Long Shentian?
He had assud they would maintain that policy. All he had needed from the Xin family was a helping hand. Adding manpower should not have required such a drastic shift. And yet, they had gone so far as to change it. For what? For him?
He looked at Xin Haotian, who, sensing Aldrian’s gaze, returned it—and smiled.
Aldrian figured that Xin Haotian must have known all along. It seed they had already decided on this course of action beforehand.
"We’ve already thought about it. When you arrived in the core area, we realized our task was complete. It seems the divine dragon and phoenix created that place for soone like you," Xin Haotian’s voice transmission ca to him.
"Now, the one they have been waiting for has arrived. Traveling together made us realize that we were ant to guard the core area until the right person ca—and that person is you."
"So, we believe it’s ti for change. The Xin family should begin blending into outside society, like other families. Even after the prophesied ti passes, we will no longer remain hidden. Our ti as a secret guardian family is over."
Aldrian was stunned, but he sighed and gave a quiet nod of understanding. He knew the Xin family had suspected his connection to Feng Xuanyan and Long Shentian. He also knew there was truth in Xin Haotian’s words. The guardian families seed to have existed to aid Feng Xuanyan and Long Shentian in protecting the core area—until he arrived. Everything they had done must have had aning, and this was one of them.
The preparations did not take long. In less than fifteen minutes, over three thousand people had gathered. All of them were already dressed in white and yellow robes, bearing the Xin family’s symbol on their backs.
Patriarch Xin had given instructions to a few elders who would remain behind to hold the fort, while the rest would head to the front lines.
Once everything was ready, Patriarch Xin, the other elders, and Xin Haotian joined the assembled mbers. The patriarch looked at Aldrian and gave a nod, which Aldrian returned. He then turned to the thousands before him.
"I will teleport all of you near the border of the devil territory, from the Doria Empire’s side. You will join the other forces there. Let Xin Haotian, who knows the outside world, guide you," he said.
Aldrian turned to look at Xin Haotian.
"It’s better for you et with the Rivas family and stay close to them during this war. I hope you can offer them help if they need it—the situation might descend into chaos, and the devils could target them, since they are my mother’s family, after all." Aldrian sent the voice transmission to Xin Haotian.
Xin Haotian responded with a simple nod, but for Aldrian, that was enough.
Aldrian then closed his eyes for a mont, searching for a suitable place to teleport the thousands of people. After a few monts, he found a large gathering, and within seconds, he spotted the Rivas family camp.
He decided on a location nearby that, fortunately, had enough open space to receive the arrival of thousands.
Without further delay, thousands of people suddenly vanished before the eyes of many, leaving them shocked. They did not know how Aldrian had done it—no one saw him use any technique or create a formation for the teleportation. They looked at Aldrian in awe, but then he too disappeared from his place, already teleported.
--------------------------------
At the hall where the stone tablet was located, Aldrian appeared again. He looked at it for a mont before raising his gaze to the ceiling, as if he could see sothing beyond the roof of the palace. He took a deep breath and then exhaled before walking toward the teleportation formation.
He stood in the middle of the formation and injected his own energy into it. Monts later, the formation lit up with a bright light, and in the next instant, Aldrian’s figure vanished.
Aldrian appeared again in a new environnt. He observed his surroundings for a mont before focusing on what lay before him. The area was a beautiful garden adorned with decorations and fountains. The divine energy here was the strongest he had ever felt, far more potent than the divine water he sensed when they encountered the golden river during his journey here.
He was standing on top of a special teleportation platform on the floating land. Connected to the platform was a wide paved road, wide enough for ten carriages to pass side by side. The road led directly to a grand palace not far from where he stood.
The grand palace was one he had never seen in his current life but had often appeared in visions from his past life. In that past life, he visited this palace frequently because it served as one of his "rest areas."
The palace was truly grand—vast and enormous. There is also a towering building inside the palace area stretched toward the heavens, so high that even he could not see its tip.
Nostalgia washed over him as he gazed at the palace for a few monts, but he did not allow himself to linger too long. The calling he felt was growing stronger now that he stood right in front of the palace. Yet, he was slightly confused because there were two separate callings from where he stood. One ca from inside the palace, and the other from sowhere beneath it.
Perhaps because he had arrived near the source of the callings, he could now feel two different sources here.
After observing the palace for a mont, he finally took a step forward. After so thought, he decided to follow the calling from beneath the palace, even though the one inside the palace felt much stronger.
He continued walking until he arrived at a massive pair of closed double doors. He studied them for a mont before touching the doors and injecting his golden energy. The doors glowed briefly, then emitted a chanical sound as they slowly creaked open, revealing to Aldrian what lay inside the palace.
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