The moon drifted above Ian City like a silver lantern, its soft glow rippling across the riverbank where Nathan stood with his three disciples. The world around them was calm—too calm for what Nathan intended to do next.
He held the Sect Creation Token in his palm, feeling its cold, ancient weight. The strange carvings glimmered faintly, shifting as though alive.
Ash stared at it with wide eyes.
"Master, that thing looks… powerful."
"It feels old," Lia whispered, drawing closer. "Older than the city. Maybe older than the continent."
Cyril kept his gaze forward, but even he stole a glance.
"Should we begin?"
Nathan didn't answer immediately. The token pulsed once—a gentle heartbeat—followed by a whisper brushing Nathan's mind with silent clarity.
This way.
He turned toward the south.
The path felt right.
Familiar, even though he'd never walked it.
"Follow me," Nathan said.
They left the quiet riverbank, slipping into the open plains. Grass brushed their ankles as they walked, the cool night air carrying the faint scent of pine and damp earth.
After several minutes, Ash jogged up beside Nathan.
"Master… where exactly are we going?"
Nathan didn't break stride.
"There's a place calling to me. I can feel it."
Ash blinked.
"You can… feel places?"
"Everyone can," Nathan replied calmly. "Most just don't pay attention."
Ash accepted this with a slow nod, completely convinced.
Lia stayed close to Cyril, glancing around the dark plains.
"Master… is it safe to travel at night?"
"With me," Nathan said, "yes."
Cyril watched him silently, eyes narrowing with thought.
He had spent years training under strong cultivators, yet Nathan's confidence felt different—quiet, unwavering, instinctive.
After a few more minutes of walking, the land began to rise. Trees thickened around them, forming a natural forest border. A faint roar echoed in the distance.
Lia flinched.
"What was that…?"
Ash whispered, "A beast…?"
Nathan paused. The sound stirred something inside him—information sliding into his mind like memory: danger zone far ahead, but safe paths to the left.
He didn't question it.
He simply trusted it.
He pointed to a thin trail curving between two large boulders.
"We take that path."
Cyril frowned slightly.
"Master… this route leads toward Dawnshadow Mountain."
Nathan didn't look surprised.
"So this range has a name."
"Yes," Cyril replied. "Dawnshadow. There are beasts deeper inside, but the outer paths are generally safe."
Nathan nodded.
"Then we'll stay on the outer paths."
Ash looked relieved.
"Good. I don't want to be someone's midnight snack."
Nathan smiled faintly.
They followed the narrow trail, trees whispering overhead as if murmuring secrets to one another. The forest felt ancient, untouched by footsteps for years. Yet, strangely, the path ahead of Nathan felt open—welcoming.
Each step forward felt guided.
Not forced.
Not commanded.
Simply… right.
They climbed gradually, the land rising beneath their feet until the faint noise of rushing water reached them. Moments later, the trees parted, revealing a broad, elevated clearing carved naturally into the mountainside.
The waterfall glimmered in the moonlight, spilling into a calm pool to the right.
Ash gasped.
"Oh wow…!"
Lia pressed her hand to her chest, eyes shining.
"It's beautiful…"
Cyril surveyed the area.
"A natural plateau. Large. Secluded. This would be an ideal training ground."
Nathan walked forward, each step slower than the last, as if the ground were greeting him.
This was the place.
He stopped at the center of the plateau and opened his hand.
The Sect Creation Token glimmered softly—almost peacefully.
"Master," Lia whispered, "is this really where your instincts led us?"
Nathan nodded.
"It feels like this land has been waiting."
The token pulsed once more, sending a warm ripple through his palm.
Nathan inhaled deeply.
"Stand back."
Ash, Cyril, and Lia took a few steps behind him.
Nathan closed his fingers around the token.
There was no thunder.
No blinding light.
No sound for anyone beyond the plateau to notice.
Instead, a feather-light tremor passed through the clearing, subtle as a sigh.
Ash blinked in confusion.
"Did anything… happen?"
Lia frowned.
"The air… feels different."
Cyril slowly knelt, touching the soil with his fingertips.
"The earth just shifted. Not in shape… but in depth."
Nathan remained silent, letting the sensation wash over him.
A gentle warmth seeped into the ground, threading itself between roots and stone. The air shimmered faintly for a heartbeat—just enough to make the moonlight appear to bend.
The world held its breath.
Then—
Softly, soundlessly—the land blossomed.
The barren clearing smoothed itself, forming a stone courtyard beneath their feet. A wooden pavilion rose near the waterfall, its lanterns flickering to life as if greeting them.
On the left, three small houses took shape, each one shaped differently—reflecting their future occupants without anyone realizing why.
A larger residence formed at the center, modest but dignified.
The plateau expanded inward, subtly stretching without appearing unnatural.
Lia touched the railing of the new pavilion, tears brimming in her eyes.
"It feels warm… as if it's alive."
Ash spun in a clumsy circle.
"We have real houses! And—and A BRIDGE! There's a tiny bridge near the pond!"
Cyril stood quietly at the edge of the plateau.
"Master…" he whispered, "there is something here."
Nathan approached him.
"What do you sense?"
Cyril slowly extended his hand toward the forest below—but instead of touching empty air, his fingers brushed something soft and invisible.
"A barrier," he said in disbelief.
"Gentle, but… firm. Outsiders won't see this place. They won't sense anything. It's as if the mountain hides us on purpose."
Nathan nodded once, slowly.
"This plateau is ours now. Safe… hidden… and waiting to grow."
They returned to the center where an entrance archway stood, blank and pristine.
Nathan lifted his hand and placed it on the wooden beam.
The wood vibrated under his touch. Letters carved themselves into it—slowly, elegantly—each stroke glowing faintly before fading into natural color.
SUPREME VOID SECT
Ash stared in awe.
"It's perfect…"
Lia bowed her head, a soft smile warming her face.
"Master… this feels like a dream."
Cyril stepped forward and bowed stiffly.
"We will protect this place with everything we have."
Nathan stood tall, the moon casting silver along his white robe.
"From tonight onward," he said softly, "this is our home."
A breeze moved across the plateau, gentle and welcoming, as if the mountain itself approved.
The sect was born.
Quietly.
Safely.
Hidden.
Perfect.
And with it, a new era began.