The Dao's voice rang down, and everyone in the Spirit Sect froze.
Wasn't their sect's Holy Son named Shichen?
They all turned toward the sect leader, their eyes full of alarm and uncertainty.
Noticing their reaction, the golden-armored figure swept his gaze across the crowd and asked gravely:
"Do you have some clue?"
The Spirit Sect Leader's heart lurched, but his expression did not change. He shook his head almost without hesitation and cupped his hands.
"No! It's just... the name Shichen sounds familiar. Perhaps we've heard it somewhere. Rest assured, honored envoy—if we find any clues, we will report them!"
The golden-armored figure stared at him for several breaths, his gaze sharp enough to see through him. At last, he nodded slowly.
"The two Heavenly Emperors issued this decree themselves. Keep it firmly in mind!"
With that, the golden light above the heavens withdrew.
The vast pressure vanished, and the people of the Spirit Sect finally let out a long breath. Cold sweat had already soaked many of their backs.
A sect elder approached the leader with a grave expression and whispered:
"Sect Leader, our Holy Son is named Shichen. Why didn't you report it? If the Heavenly Court learns we knew and kept silent, we may incur heaven's wrath!"
The Spirit Sect Leader was silent for a long time.
He gazed at the sky, now calm again. A trace of conflict flashed through his eyes before he finally sighed.
"The Holy Son has been with the sect for thousands of years. You know what kind of person he is. Every honor our sect enjoys today came from his efforts."
He paused, then spoke with resolve.
"I want to ask him what happened first. If it's good news, I'll report it at once. If it's bad..."
He drew a