Yao Shen calmly observed as the massive stone disk guarding the entrance to the Earth Division’s inner sect rolled back into position after the last of his contingent stepped inside the cave entrance. Runes flared to life upon its surface as the stone disk seamlessly melded with the Divine Mountain, now indistinguishable from its bedrock hewn interior. Worry flashed upon one of the Flame Division Elders’ visage, but Yao Shen was unconcerned as he directed Patriarch Kang Long to lead the way.

Of course, Yao Shen did not reproach the Elder for his wariness— a closed off environment entombed by tons of igneous rock on all sides was a nightmare for a Flame Cultivator and the ideal environment for an Earth Cultivator to engage in combat. Were it not for his understanding of the Major Dao of the Earth, even Yao Shen would be hesitant to step inside the Divine Mountain. Even though his prowess in the Dao of Earth may not equal Patriarch Kang Long, he reserves far exceeded, even dwarfed them by a significant margin— enough to supercede the fear of any ambushes they might attempt, though he found the possibility unlikely.

The first oddity that Yao Shen noticed was in the air— instead of the stale, damp heaviness he’d come to expect from venturing underground, he was greeted by a pleasant warm breeze that was evocative of spring’s first gust, blowing back the bitter cold of the winter as it heralded the season of growth and renewal. A cloud of silence hung over the wide, well-illuminated passage, disturbed only by the sound of their own footfall echoing out— their dreary journey lasting for twenty long minutes, winding past bends and forks in the path until they could hear the distant murmur of civilization. Turning a final bend, a warm light shone upon them, signalling that their underground excursion had come to an end.

The tunnel they had traversed across spilled out into a vast cavern and Yao Shen was only the second after Kang Long to see what lay beneath them. A fleet of amber in a sea of glittering gold, the Inner Sect was a magnificent vista, it’s resplendent beauty only amplified by natural sunlight cascading from the sky. Yao Shen’s gaze naturally shifted upwards, unsurprised to see greater rune-script carved a little below the mountain’s peak, concentric circles spiralling downwards until about the half way point. These formations hadn’t been visible from the Divine Mountain’s exterior, but the fresh air had to come from somewhere if the Earth Division had sealed all the other entrances.

A layer of soft sand carpeted the hard bedrock that was concealed beneath it, the reddish-yellow granules shimmering as sunlight washed over them. An intimidating fortress lay nestled in the heart of the Inner Sect, it’s immediate surroundings barren; making it an anomaly in the otherwise tightly packed town. The amber fortress overlooked the rest of the town, comfortably seated above a large motte— it possessed no crenellations or bastions that one would expect from a medivial era fortress, the T-shaped structure instead enveloped by hundreds, if not thousands of stone lances that jutted out menacingly. Even the large earthen mound the fortress was situated on could be utilized by the Earth Cultivators within to aid in their defense, the only visible entrance a portcullis that seemed to be cast of blackened bone that even from afar, exuded an oppressive, chilling aura.

The Serenity Mountainhold might sound like a peculiar name for a structure that was so offensively inclined, but like most historical landmarks, its present iteration concealed a tale of mystery and intrigue. Two centuries ago, a rogue demonic path cultivator had successfully infiltrated the Earth Division utilizing some forbidden techniques, laying low until the Patriarch and most of the Elders’ had left the sect. The Serenity Mountainhold’s purpose remained much the same till this day, serving as the Patriarch’s residence, the treasury and the armory all in one— but it also used to be an assembly area for Inner Sect disciples, a place to freely discuss pointers and once every fortnight, listen to the Patriarch’s Dao sermons.

It had been a bloody night, that one; as the Demon tore through the defences, disarming, if not killing all that stood in his path. Many disciples, atleast a guardian and one Elder had lost their lives as he tore through the feeble defenses left behind— for never had the Masters of the Earth thought that the incursion they had been preparing for would come from within.

To this day, the Earth Division had remained silent on what was stolen from them, though when the then Patriarch had heard, he was furious enough to storm the Nayun Forest in hopes to recover it— an effort that ultimately proved to be futile.

“How magnificent,” Yao Shen complimented, in a moment of pure appreciation for the town’s beauty. There was something romantic about living in the heart of a mountain, conveying a devotion to the Dao that Wind and Flame Cultivators could not replicate. For Earth Qi was not just a Dao, not just a power to be harnessed— Spiritual Qi played an essential role in the growth of plants, but it could not dictate it. The same way that one could water a plant, make sure it got plenty of sunlight and back on earth, even sprinkle pesticides; but the ultimate decision as to whether it lived or died would still fall on Mother Earth.

Part of the reason Yao Shen had chosen the Dao of Earth to be improved to the Major Dao stage as a boon was because he had always believed that it masked a far greater dao, a superior truth that few, if any at all, could glimpse upon in their lifetimes. How ecosystems linked the smallest and most insignificant of organisms to the survival of mighty creatures, the potential for life to evolve and even thrive in conditions considered hostile and unlivable a few milleniums ago— back on his home planet, he had always wondered if there was a greater force at work that slowly, meticulously perfected biomes and here, on Eliria, he knew that realization to be true.

“The Earth Division is honoured by your generous words,” Patriarch Kang Long replied, his temperament a little more relaxed now that he found himself back in familiar territory. “Would you like to explore first, or shall we head to your accommodations?”

“Hm, I suppose it has been a long day. Let us disperse for the day, take some time to stretch our legs and approach matters with a fresh mind tomorrow.”

“Very well, Grand Patriarch.”