154] – [Hope]

A faint light escaping his body, Alexander ignored it. His mind shut down from the world, his cultivation soaring more each decade.

It had been countless years he could not fathom. However, he felt a slight tinge of happiness. Right now, his might had surged once again.

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.

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Above the ground, within the Lured Cloud Sect, a tournament was about to be held. All three sects of the sect world along some wanderings experts and lower leveled sects would gather at their territory.

A giant set of arenas spanning a million square kilometers tainted the scenery of turquoise grass and sparse mountains.

The teal sky was covered with ominous clouds, rain pouring down. Some artifacts kept the water away from the bleachers, transparent shields flickering each time a droplet hit them.

From the Chaos Dream Sect and Diamond Sect, powerful elders and disciples had arrived. As the sect masters and peak elders were busy, the lower ranking ones, still very strong when comparing all elders, took the juniors to be escorted. There even was one peak Calamity Enduring Realm elder per sect.

"This Ivan greets the elders and disciples from all around the sect world. Please enjoy your stay." His attitude praiseworthy, each visitor felt welcomed. This greatly increased the Lured Cloud Sect's standing.

Through the weeks, hundreds of people from a myriad races arrived. Some had clashing history, resulting in some fights. But with the presence of the three most powerful sects, none dared to raise too much of a fuss.

From the Chaos Dream Sect, a cold lady of pale blue hair and eyelashes, like ice, arrived. She was being escorted by an older woman, similar to her. Yet, they were not related.

Noticing them, Ivan's eyes trembled.

'What are they doing here?'

"Ivan greets senior Uchgon and the little princess Elizabeth!" Seeing him show such a smile, both were happy with him.

"Junior Lugoff knows how to welcome guests. I hope that my sudden visit did not bother you too much."

"Haha… Junior would not dare disrespect the elderly." Seeing a vein on her forehead throb, he swiftly shut his mouth. Watching the show, Elizabeth giggled behind her fair hand.

"Junior should be careful with his words! While I am not stronger than you, talking about my age like this…"

"Junior understands! Please think of them as a slip of the tongue, a wrong choice of words."

"Hmph! That better be the case!" Floating away, they left Ivan behind.

'That Clara..! So what if I address you as an elder? You're no young maiden by now! Some people really have delusions…' Gazing at the rainy sky, Ivan felt a chill creep up in his heart.

'I feel that something might happen. But what can I do? I'm not going to annul the tournament for so little.' Dismissing his instincts, he was not the only one to do so.

With all powerhouses present, even having the Lured Cloud Sect's sect master, absolute elder as well as the Chaos Dream Sect's sect master, the lively tournament would not receive too many problems.

Just Ivan Lugoff and Clara Uchgon alone should be enough to deal with most issues. Therefore, none were too worried.

Sensing the strange feeling, Clara especially told her disciple to not seek trouble.

"Listen Elizabeth, do not go too far, alright? Also, with this feeling I have, let's postpone our matter."

Raising a brow, Elizabeth pursed her lips.

"If you say so…"

'Are we really not going to see him? I didn't come here to watch some stupid tournament. Unless there are fights at our level, little kids at the Law Immortal Realm and below would not be fun to check out. Even those core disciples are boring, only talking again and again before fighting. If you are not going, then I will!' Keeping close to her master, she would soon find the opportunity to sneak out. Excuses were easy to make after all. Was she going to follow her disciple to the bathroom? So what if she did not need it? Private matters were private.

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And so, in the middle of the tournament, the dark clouds rampaging far above, she made an excuse and left. Coming across people was not rare, all of them discussing or partying with cheers. The entire Lured Cloud Sect was very lively.

'Master got news that a demonized human was sealed deep inside the Lured Cloud Sect. I'm not going back without seeing it!'

Without too much issue on her journey, Elizabeth had been pampered as expected from a powerful master. She was no exception even though she did not really enjoy it. She was curious about the hardships of others. Her master never wanted to tell about hers, so she was left with no other choice. The boring life of random people was not exciting nor too insightful. But the ones of abnormalities most definitely were.

'Apparently the spy left the way to enter near it.' Said spy was an elder of the sect, in cahoots with them.

As if lost amidst the structures, she steadily ran left and right. For others it would appear as if she was omniscient.

In less than three hours, she arrived near the sect's center. There was a house among many. Sneaking in one, she disarmed the arrays, inviting herself in.

The house empty, as it should be, a trapdoor hidden behind many arrays of beautiful colors was left for her to explore.

Going outside, she looked around before finding a patch of grass. Digging up the soil along the use of her Celestial Sense, she used Origin Energy to force a crystal token to reach her hand.

Using it next to open the arrays, she descended into the trapdoor.

Spending only half an hour, she flew down, reaching the end soon. There laid a thick metallic door. Using the token, she made it open itself. Behind it was a giant and vast room of metal.

Entering, the door closed shut behind her.

Not panicked in the slightest, she slowly advanced, her Celestial Sense very restricted in here.

'The arrays are very high quality. Only master could walk around unimpeded.'

Her vision adjusting, the darkness was lifted.

There she saw, a thin young man, as if malnourished, impaled on a thick metal slate. He was crucified with profoundly designed stakes, six statues oppressing him on a constant basis.

'Hehe!' Her elegance when meeting Ivan was left behind. Her curiosity was aroused.

Hesitating on whether to speak or not, she decided against it for now. Therefore, she only stared at him, examining his condition.

'His cultivation… didn't the report say he was in the Law Immortal Realm? So why…' Gulping, she could not accurately tell his cultivation level, only that it was slightly above her at least.

'He's not in the Heaven Surpassing Realm, right?' Dryly laughing at her own thoughts, she could not help herself prevent some cold sweats from forming. She was like ice being melted.

And after a few days of observation, she garnered the courage to speak to him.

"Hello?" Her voice echoing multiple times due to the room's structure, her brows twitched slightly.

Not receiving a response, she was lost.

"Hello? Mister? Are you there?" She was still far away, near the exit, looking up at the haggard youth high up near the ceiling.

'Why doesn't it work?' A sudden light strangling her heart, she crouched in pain.

'What's going on?!' She was appalled. Was she being attacked from somewhere? Was there danger nearby? She could not see nor sense any of it!

And after recuperating, she slowly regained the confidence to look back at him. At that moment, her heart began to beat faster. She did not know why, but a sudden influence forced her to feel this way. She could only blame the strange happening from just before.

Prior to this, she had never felt such a sensation. But she knew what it was. She had been struck by lightning, metaphorically. When she saw his face, his body, her heart could only beat faster, an electrifying sensation coursing through her skin. Butterflies blossoming deep inside her stomach.

But why? She could not find the reason. She was fine just before, so why? He was handsome, sure, but would she be fazed by this? Definitely not.

Attempting to ask, just as her words left her mouth, she sensed a warm current flow from them.

"What did you do-" This current was unknown to her, but known to him. As her words reached his closed heart and shut ears. His eyes moved.

"Hiii!!" Falling on her bottom, she knew to have made a mistake.

Had she awoken the sleeping tiger? The hidden calamity?

Without the ability to think any further, a mighty pressure bore down on her. On the entire room.

The metal creaked loudly, the stakes flickering incessantly.

The seal was loosening up!

His silver and black eyes slowly shutting themselves, ignoring the six statues on the verge of hitting him with various weapons, his forehead twitched.

The pattern of silver and black suddenly glowed, a slit opening right in the middle. Supremacy and despair fighting to ascend above the other, converging on one spot.

An oppression countless times the one from before unleashing itself, forcing all statues to stop moving, an eye of silver and black mixed together opened on his forehead.

His strength began to wreak havoc, the metallic stakes and countless arrays around him flickering without stop. The golden light from them gently lit the room, a panic still impaling Elizabeth.

The stakes shivering, they trembled as if a hurricane was attempting to blow them away. And at last, one after the other, they flew far before crashing down with loud clangs on the floor.

His body falling down, Alexander landed on the floor beneath, his bent figure straightening up. His aura erupted throughout the room, sending shivers down Elizabeth's back. The wails of ghosts clashed with ones of divinity. Screams from his aura alone deafening to the ears.

'Peak Calamity Enduring Realm!! Not only that, but his strength isn't average either!' She felt threatened, almost as much as when angering her master.

'Don't tell me… half-step Heaven Surpassing Realm?!' To confirm her guess, she saw a familiar blue light dance around him. His flesh suddenly burst, now regaining its vitality. Plump and powerful muscles covered by rich and supple skin. His formerly sunken cheeks becoming rounder.

With a wave of his arm, six titans of metal and stone exploded into smithereens.

His closed eyes helped by the one open on his forehead, they slowly revealed themselves as well. Black veins like slithering snakes climbed up, a silver and black pillar of light attempting to obliterate the earth.

Wondering why, Elizabeth suddenly felt relieved. It was unknown to her what had happened. But her heart did not want to listen.

"H-Hello…"

"You can call me Liz?" Tears threatening to fall from her eyes, she introduced herself with a wry smile. Somewhat.