Wu Yuan forcibly suppressed the grief and resentment in his heart and addressed the old vine respectfully. "Lord Sacrificial Spirit, all the disciples who came from the various clans to study have been sent home. We have also made preparations to send the pavilion's prodigies away in secret."
"We have already sent pleas for aid to the disciples of our Heaven Mending Pavilion who have completed their training and ventured into the Great Wilderness."
The old vine nodded, its aged voice drifting out. "Send them away quickly. Preserve the embers of our Heaven Mending Pavilion."
"You two youngsters should go with them. Leave the Heaven Mending Pavilion to us old fellows to defend."
Listening nearby, Li Dao frowned. After bowing to the old vine and Wu Yuan, he said, "News of the Sacrificial Spirit's condition reached the outside world so quickly. There must be spies among us. Sending all those embers away might instead deliver them straight into someone else's trap."
Wu Yuan's expression changed at those words. Divine light flashed through the old vine's roots hidden beneath the earth, slowly sweeping across the entire Heaven Mending Pavilion as though to expose every lurking demon and ghost.
The other elders exchanged glances. Clearly, Li Dao's words had laid bare their greatest concern.
"We have little time left. It seems we can only send those prodigious disciples into the major tribes."
Wu Yuan sighed and said no more, preparing to discuss the matter further with the other elders.
At that moment, an elder stepped forward and spoke sorrowfully to the old vine. "Lord Sacrificial Spirit, please leave behind a Divine Seed. Once the Heaven Mending Pavilion survives this catastrophe and one day returns to the Great Wilderness, you will be able to manifest your divine presence in this world again!"
Hearing