Part 1: The Plundering of the Fallen
Smoke slowly dissipated in the Valley of Mist, revealing the fresh ruins of a battle won with blood and fire. The bodies of the Valois army lay scattered like broken pieces of a cruel game. For the Morningstars, the reality of the loot was overwhelming: they had gone from utter misery to abundance in a single stroke.
Samael ordered in a firm, weary voice:
"Gather everything. Armor, swords, rings, boots… If it shines, it's ours. If it doesn't shine, it's ours too."
The disciples, still trembling from the battle, obeyed with a mix of disbelief and euphoria. Some laughed nervously, others wept as they picked up weapons more valuable than they had ever dreamed of owning.
"Is this real…?" one whispered, caressing the shining edge of an armor.
"Now it is," Kael replied, half-smiling, his ribs bandaged.
Elders and young ones worked side by side. The air smelled of blood, metal, and renewed hope.
Loot gathered:
50 Sets of Mortal-High and Earth-Low Grade Armor and Weapons.
50 Storage Bags filled with pills and spirit stones.
Samael gathered the 37 disciples in the shattered plaza. Elders Marcus, Livia, Torian, and Sela supervised, their newly acquired Transcendence Stage 1 auras vibrating with power and responsibility. Lilith, Samael's aunt and Great Elder (Transcendence Stage 4), watched the perimeter, her presence a silent promise of protection.
Samael inhaled deeply. For a moment, he felt the weight of every gaze upon him: hope, fear, blind faith, and doubt. "Can I guide them? What if I fall now…?"
But doubt was drowned by determination.
He activated the Patriarch System.
"All this equipment goes to the Morningstar Clan's treasury for immediate use."
[DING!] [Massive Investment Detected.] [Recipient: Morningstar Clan (Disciples).] [Multiplier Applied: x50 (by quantity and critical need).]
[Congratulations! Patriarch's Reimbursement:]
Clan Installation: "Gravity Training Pagoda" (Blueprints and Formation Core).
Effect: Training under 2x to 10x gravity pressure. Ideal for strengthening the body and consolidating cultivation realms quickly.
A golden aura enveloped the disciples and the plaza. Some fell to their knees, laughing or crying, as they felt the dense, revitalizing energy of the pagoda. The collective spirit soared higher than ever before.
"This… this is a miracle," whispered one of the youngest, looking at Samael with absolute devotion.
For a moment, everyone truly believed the future could be theirs.
Part 2: The Wind General
In the main cave, Kael sat, pale but with eyes burning with pride and pain. His last defeat against Silas still ached in his soul.
Samael approached, holding the shining orb taken from the general's corpse: the Wind Essence (High Earth Grade).
"Don't dwell on it, Kael. Silas had years of advantage and dirty tricks. You have talent… and this."
He handed over the orb.
"Refine your Spiritual Root. What's coming will demand a perfect foundation."
Kael held the orb; the power inside was torrential, like a barely contained storm. A shiver ran down his spine.
"Thank you, Patriarch. I won't let you down."
[DING!] [Rare Resource Investment Detected.] [Recipient: Kael Morningstar.] [Critical Multiplier: x100.]
[Congratulations! Patriarch's Reimbursement:]
Special Item: "Seed of the Void Wind Law"
Description: Can be fused into the Sea of Consciousness of Samael or Kael. Allows sword attacks to be imbued with the "Space-Wind Slash" property, making cuts more lethal and swift.
As Kael felt the seed fuse, an invisible breeze swept through the cave, making the shadows dance. Some disciples looked at him with respect and a hint of envy, knowing the clan would never be the same.
Part 3: The New Transport
Samael and Seraphina inspected the captured Valois Warship, now in their possession. The Empress—now at Qi Sea Stage 3 thanks to training and the valley's energy—examined the ship with a critical eye.
"Standard Valois model. Sturdy and fast, but its cannons only scare the weak," she pronounced.
Samael placed his hand on the black wooden hull, trying to upgrade the artifact with the System, but the option wasn't available yet.
"It will serve us. Not for fighting, but for moving quickly. Clean it up and paint the Morningstar emblem on it. From today on, it's our mobile home."
In the background, some disciples exchanged glances of amazement and fear. Were they really about to leave the valley and sail the world as a true force?
Part 4: The Reality of Power
That night, the Morningstar family held a war meeting. Samael spread a map of the continent over an improvised table.
"We won a battle, but the war is far from within our reach. The Valois are a Grade 7 Family. Their Patriarch is a Semi-Saint," he said frankly, hiding none of his exhaustion.
Lilith added, her voice grave:
"Alaric is backed by the Blood Sword Sect. A Saint Ancestor, two Semi-Saints, dozens of Origins… If we go north now, we'll die before crossing the border."
A heavy silence fell over the room; the disciples felt the magnitude of what they faced. Some clenched their fists, others bowed their heads, overwhelmed.
Elder Torian broke the silence:
"We can't stay here. When Silas doesn't return, they'll send a real army."
Samael stabbed his dagger into the map, right over the Desert of Dragon Bones.
"We have the ship and time, thanks to the confusion Silas's death will cause. We're heading… to the Desert of Dragon Bones. It's neutral territory, full of beasts and ruins. No one will look for us there. It's the ideal place to disappear… and train."
Lilith frowned, her gaze fixed on the map.
"That desert consumes entire clans. There are remnants of ancient wars and things even the System can't predict."
Samael nodded.
"That's why we have to go. We'll set up the Gravity Pagoda there. No one leaves until every disciple is Transcendent and the Elders break their limits. I'll look for a way to break the barrier to the Origin Realm."
Kael asked anxiously:
"The Twins…?"
Samael looked toward the tent where Violeta and Eris slept, still unconscious but clinging to life.
"They're coming with us. That desert is dangerous, but also holds ancient secrets. Maybe we'll find something to awaken their Destiny… without killing them."
In the shadows, the System whispered in Samael's mind:
[Warning: Presence of ancestral beasts and chaotic energy fluctuations in the Desert. Probability of lethal encounters: 78%.]
Samael smiled, the pressure of leadership burning in his chest, but with a defiant glint in his eyes.
"Then we'll have to be more lethal than the desert itself."
In the tent, one of the Twins, Violeta, frowned in her sleep. For an instant, her eyelid trembled, as if she sensed the edge of fate brushing her soul.
Part 5: The New Oath
At dawn, the clan gathered before the ship. The disciples, now armed and equipped, looked up at Samael with a mix of respect and fear, seeing him not only as a leader, but as an emblem of victory… and risk.
"Today, we stop being a hunted family," declared Samael. "Today, we sow the seeds of our return. No one will give us glory: we'll reap it with our own hands."
Lilith, resolute, raised the newly gained War Banner.
"For the Morningstars!"
A cry rose, a young but determined roar. The ship set sail to the south, leaving behind a valley of ashes… and a future forged in fire and will.
In the northern shadows, the wind carried echoes of war drums. The true enemy was already watching.