Mont felt as though he had had a very long dream.
In the first half of that dream, he had felt himself falling into an abyss, sinking endlessly through boundless darkness.
Then, at some point, a ray of light suddenly tore through the darkness and illuminated it once more.
Mont had run desperately toward the light, but the darkness behind him had clung to him like a shadow, trying to drag him back into the abyss.
Yet through sheer force of will, Mont broke through the darkness' obstruction and reached out to touch that light.
In the eyes of those present, this process meant that Mont's body had recovered, his cultivation had gradually returned, and the green divine mark on his body had slowly been overlaid with a layer of deep black.
The jet-black divine mark formed wing-like patterns similar to Lorraine's, spreading across Mont's back.
When his cultivation recovered to the first stage of the Blood Pattern Realm, Mont awoke. He looked at everyone in a daze, his gaze finally settling on Daggus.
"Fa... Father."
That soft call made Daggus, already brimming with tears, burst into tears of joy. He stepped forward and embraced his child.
The sight of father and son weeping in each other's arms moved everyone present.
"Mont, hurry and pay respects to the Venerable Lord. He bestowed his blessing and healed you!"
Mont turned at those words and looked toward Yang Yuanhong, seated high above. Filled with gratitude, he bowed deeply.
"Thank you, Venerable Lord. You freed me from endless torment. Mont swears here and now to pledge his loyalty to you!"
Yang Yuanhong nodded, then said to Daggus, "Daggus, Mont possesses exceptional talent and will. I want to keep him by my side. Is that acceptable?"
"Of course!"
Daggus nodded repeatedly. "It is Mont's