Jinao Island.
Inside Saint Mother Jin Ling's cave abode, all was silent.
She looked at the junior brothers and sisters gathered before her, as well as her own disciple, Wen Zhong. On every face was sorrow and bewilderment that could not be brushed away.
"Junior brothers and sisters, have your injuries all recovered?"
Saint Mother Jin Ling's voice broke the stillness.
"Senior Sister, we are all fine now."
Saint Mother Wudang was the first to speak, and the others nodded one after another.
"Our injuries have healed."
"Thank you for your concern, Senior Sister."
Saint Mother Jin Ling swept her gaze around the room, from San Xiao to Zhao Gongming, and then to Saint Mother Guiling. Each of them was one of the Jie Sect's last remaining fruits, its hope for the future.
She took a deep breath.
"Since your injuries have all healed, then we... should go to the Heavenly Court now."
As her words fell, the atmosphere inside the cave abode instantly grew even heavier.
Go to the Heavenly Court.
Those three words were like three great mountains pressing down on everyone's hearts.
Once upon a time, they had been disciples of a lofty Sage; Myriad Immortals Come to Court—what splendor that had been.
In their eyes, the Heavenly Court had been nothing more than an empty shell Dao Ancestor Hongjun had casually established.
But now, everything had changed.
The Myriad Immortals Formation had been broken, their master had crippled his own Saint position, and the Jie Sect's orthodoxy had withered almost to nothing.
They, the survivors, were no longer disciples of a Sage.
Falling from the clouds into the mire—such a tremendous drop made every proud and arrogant Jie Sect disciple feel humiliated and helpless.
But they could not refuse.
This was Dao Ancestor Hongjun's command, and