“Damn it! I have cast this so many times, but it’s still saying the target is right here!” 

“Maybe we should retreat for now. If they can hide from our tracing magic, then they might be much more powerful than us.” 

“I agree. We should head back for now.”

“Fine….”

The figures in black robes quickly turned and ran off in the direction they came in. Below inside the base, Delia looked up towards the ceiling with a cold gaze. “It seems the new generation is not too powerful yet…..”

“Delia, is this right?” Yuki called out. In front of her was a flickering rune that looked as if it would go out any second now.

“Yuki! You did it!” Delia, of course, would praise Yuki’s hard work. In truth, she was actually quite amazed that Yuki was able to do it so quickly. It took her a long time to even write her first rune but here Yuki was with one already written out after a single day.

“Delia, how is mine?” Selene asked. She, too, had a rune in front of her, flickering away.

“It’s okay. Work harder.” Delia's unenthusiastic remark made Nana and Silvia chuckle while Yuki turned her head, trying to hold it in.  

Selene glared at Delia but felt proud of herself. As she admired her work, a hand landed on her shoulder, causing her to turn her head. What entered her eyes was Yuki’s smiling face. “We match. Hehe.”

Selene couldn’t help but chuckle. This girl was always finding the good things in everything. Unable to control her own smile, she said: “It seems we do.” 

After another two days, Silvia and Nana both created their first runes as well. Yuki and Selene were slowly getting better at stabilizing their runes but still had a long way to go. While they were working hard, the outside world was still changing. 

Battles were springing up all over the place between the Roaring Thunder Sect and the Heavenly Cloud Sect. It was mainly fights between disciples at this time and only when they ran into each other while on missions.

Currently, a meeting is being held on the main peak with all elders in attendance. “What are the numbers?” Yuki’s sect master’s expression was not looking good.

“From what we know at this time, fifty-two are dead, and sixty are injured. We also have five crippled.” An elder replied in a solemn tone.

“There is no way that old bastard’s disciples are that much stronger than our own. He has to be playing some kind of trick. Or else, how are we losing so badly!?” Elder Nishikawa just did not understand. The disciples were being beaten so easily that it was not even a joke anymore. This was really starting to make her wonder just what tricks he was using.

“Are there elders involved? Pinning down the juniors with spirit pressure and making them unable to fight back?” Another elder asked.

“Normally, I would say no since this is the code of the cultivation world, but that old man is not right in the head anymore.” Yuki’s sect master rubbed the spot between his brow. “From now on, an elder will go out with select groups. Disciples are no longer required to take on missions every month. They can do so if they wish, but only if they have an elder as an escort. We can not let our disciples keep dying without knowing how.”

“I have an idea….” Elder Nishikawa hated to rely on the damned cat, but she had no choice in this situation. “I will go ask her if she is willing to assist with keeping an eye on our disciples. She has the means to do so and even investigate what is going on. I do hate to admit it, but she is the best option for this.”

    “Then I will leave it to you, but do be careful. There is no knowing who is responsible for all of this.” Yuki’s sect master also did not wish to rely on this girl, but it seemed they had no choice at this time.

“I will. I am more worried about ending up fighting with that girl than fighting with some unknown enemy.” Elder Nishikawa stood up. “I will take my leave.”

After Elder Nishikawa left, the other elders looked at Yuki’s sect master with questioning gazes. “Sect master…. Who is this person Elder Nishikawa spoke of?”

“You do not need to worry about this. It is also best if you do not know, or you might end up losing your life. Just know the person is very powerful. Even if all of us stood together and fought against them, we would instantly lose.” Yuki sect master was not exaggerating. The old monster of the demonic beast race was not someone he wanted to get involved with since she was completely crazy. But for some reason, she was attached to Yuki at the hip. He did hope she could help this time around, though.

The other elders looked at each other, wondering just how powerful this person was, but did not dare to ask more since it might truly cost them their lives. They all still had a chance to improve before their life force gave out on them. They did not wish to risk it for some unknown person, but this did not mean they would not put their lives on the line for the sect. They were all loyal elders of the sect and would fight to the bitter end to keep It safe.