Just as they speculated, many forces placed their attention on what happened in Vrislorin. After all, it was quite the important to event to the big forces. An attack on the rules imposed the lower continents was not a joke.

It was only thanks to the restriction that was created on the lower continent that they, from the higher continents, could enjoy so much spiritual energy. Enough of it to be able to reach the 76th stage and try to ascend while going to the 77th.

If the spiritual energy was equally divided between the whole world, it would be impossible for anyone to reach such a state.

Resources were limited.

Some people had to be sacrificed so that others could reach a higher point.

…

In the Empire of 22 Suns, a princess received the news a mere day after the event took place. She did not hesitate to order her men to go and bring her some of the witnesses.

It would not be too difficult as many low-level sects under their jurisdiction had branches on the lower continent.

There should at least be one who had people that had been there.

The men moved efficiently and found two sects that met the criteria. There was the Wind Slash Sect and the Great Growl Sect. Both of these were third-rate at best and could not ever hope to resist the demands of the Empire.

Hilda and Fren were two cultivators of the 49th stage belonging to the 22 Suns Empire. They had been tasked to get to the Wind Slash Sect and bring back witnesses.

As they arrived, they were directly welcomed by the Patriarch who was also at the 49th stage. He was a man that would never be able to get the resource required to cross over the 50th stage.

The reception was extravagant and they were treated like VIPs. When they brought the subject about taking the witnesses back with them, the Patriarch did not even frown and agreed wholeheartedly.

He could not afford to even offend a mortal butler from the Empire’s factions much less two envoys of cultivation similar to his.

Ning, Jin’s sister, had witnessed everything that happened that day.

She was still frightened silly about it and kept having nightmares. On the very day shit went down, the sect mobilized to help defend the Capital. It was a bad decision. At least, afterwards, she believed so.

She saw death.

And so many times.

She survived only because she remained at the far back. She did not dare to go forward and fight. She did not even send a single technique out throughout the battle.

It had been too scary.

She saw Jin, her brother, going madly on a rampage. It scared her. She did not recognize him, not this version of him but it had been him. She knew it. She simply had difficulties admitting it to herself. She did not want to believe it.

She was forced to since it was the truth.

But not yet.

For now, she watched as the entire branch of the sect was packing up and moving onto the spiritual boat that would take them back home.

Too many died.

And the area became too dangerous for them. There were too many top powers that entered the area these days, it was no longer safe to stay. So, they quickly made the call to depart.

She looked at the buildings that would soon be abandoned.

She lived here for a while and enjoyed her time here. She would miss this place.

She boarded the ship and not long later it departed.

As she looked from the window at the clouds, she caressed the spiritual ring given to her by her brother.

Did he die?

She did not know.

When the immense amount of water crashed onto the land, he was in that area. No one survived she was told.

She still hoped he was alive.

Thoughts of all kinds came and went inside her head.

They reached home only a few days later.

Their spiritual ship was not the best for sure but it was decent enough. It brought them back to the mainland fast enough. As it landed, she glanced back to the sky. It was as if everything that happened was already long gone.

Such was the past.

She sighed as she slapped her cheeks a few times, trying to uplift her mood. It did not quite work but it would have to do.

She expected to be received warmly by her sect mates. She did not expect to be received by the Sect Master himself. He had two people next to him and they were robes of a different color. She recognized those robes as belonging to the twenty-two suns empire. Why would people from the top faction be here upon their return-

Oh.

As she just guessed, the Sect Master spoke first: “Welcome back everyone! Let me introduce you to our two esteemed guests from the 22 Suns Empire, Fren and Hilda. They came all the way here to-“

“Thank you, Sect Master” interrupted Hilda: “We will take it from here”

Fren told the group: “We are here on orders of Her Highness the Princess to bring back those of you who witnessed the war in the capital. Please come up here”

Everyone in the group frowned. This certainly did not sound like a friendly invitation.

The three Elders moved out of the group and one of them said: “Only the three of us went to help and witnessed the War, Sir. We left our disciples at the sect so as to make sure they remained safe”

The other two nodded.

Fren and Hilda were no fools. They understood that it was a lie and a bunch of those kids hiding behind the three old weaklings had been there. Then again, they did not need a thousand witnesses.

Regardless of how many witnesses there would be, what happened was the same. Three people was enough.

Fren coldly stated: “The three of you shall then come with us to meet Her Highness. Let us make haste, she has waited long enough already”

The three elders nodded with a fake smile upon their faces. They were quite clear of what would happen next.

They would die.

But it was fine if the kids could be safe. They nurtured them for years and they were like their kids in their hearts. As long as they were safe, it was fine.