Chapter 38: Two Days Until the Selection

Zorath despised his elder brother more than anyone else. And his hatred extended even further toward the man’s son, Veyron, who was still alive despite everything.

How dare she suggest that the brat still belonged to their clan? The mere thought of it was enough to ignite his fury all over again.

Zorath released Lana’s face and let out a heavy sigh, struggling to control his temper. After taking a moment to compose himself, he turned away from her.

"Stop pampering that useless bastard, or I’ll kill you first and then him. I still have other sons and wives, so losing the two of you wouldn’t matter to me."

With those cruel words, Zorath walked out of the room without looking back. Lana remained on the bed, trembling and crying, while Jason lay unconscious among the shattered remains of the table.

Zorath left the room and emerged into a spacious courtyard. He walked toward its center before stopping, letting out a heavy sigh as he clutched his head in frustration. His expression was dark, and the anger he had been suppressing earlier still lingered in his eyes.

A moment later, a man dressed entirely in red ninja-like attire appeared before him. His outfit concealed his entire body, leaving only his eyes visible. He stood respectfully before Zorath, waiting for permission to speak.

"My Lord, it’s true that he has entered closed-door cultivation. We won’t be able to do anything until he emerges three months from now."

He paused briefly before continuing in a cautious tone.

"Things will be even more difficult now that Grand Elder Eleanor Rime has taken control of the situation. Our informants are too afraid to make any major moves."

"Is there any way?" Zorath asked coldly, without even looking in the man’s direction.

"The only way to deal with him is to wait until he leaves the sect. Alternatively, we could arrange for someone to challenge him to a life-and-death duel, but that would only be possible after three months."

The man hesitated before adding, "Besides, we know he won’t be able to reach the Spirit Adept Realm. It’s practically impossible for someone who has only just repaired their Spirit Veins to break through so quickly."

Zorath fell silent, contemplating the situation. He understood what the man meant, but he wasn’t entirely convinced.

He wouldn’t have cared much if Veyron had remained crippled. After all, he had allowed the boy to live for twenty years without considering him a threat.

But now that Veyron had regained his ability to cultivate, everything had changed.

Zorath was the kind of man who never underestimated anyone, no matter how insignificant they appeared. He had learned that lesson from his elder brother, who had once been weaker than him but had eventually surpassed him in power.

The memory alone was enough to make Zorath wary.

Veyron his brother’s son might be insignificant now, but who could predict what he would become in the future?

The boy had already defeated his son without showing any fear of the Ignis Clan. Worse still, he had the support of Aveline Amoria and possibly Eleanor Rime as well—two powerful figures whose involvement would make dealing with him extremely difficult.

Zorath’s expression grew colder as he considered the implications. If Veyron continued to grow stronger under their protection, eliminating him would become increasingly difficult.

He couldn’t afford to make the same mistake twice.

He needed to seize any opportunity that presented itself and eliminate the boy before he grew any stronger.

....

With that, time passed swiftly. Days went by as the Inner Court disciple selection drew closer and closer, and now only two days remained before it began.

Disciples who had reached the Spirit Adept Realm had already registered their names and were preparing to participate.

Some were attempting the selection for the second time, others for the third, while a few had tried even more times without giving up.

After all, reaching the Spirit Adept Realm was only the minimum requirement to participate in the Azure Sky Sect’s selection.

It didn’t automatically make someone an Inner Court disciple. Every candidate still had to prove their strength and abilities to earn that position.

Although many disciples participated in the selection, only a small number managed to pass. This was precisely why so many remained Outer Court disciples for years, repeatedly trying to overcome the challenge.

Nevertheless, being a disciple of the Azure Sky Sect in the Sunmoon Empire was already something worth taking pride in. The sect’s reputation alone was enough to earn respect and make others think twice before offending its disciples.

However, those with exceptional talent and sufficient strength continued to push forward, hoping to become Inner Court disciples and eventually rise to the ranks of the Core Disciples.

After all, the higher their status within the sect, the greater the resources they could obtain for their cultivation. The sect also invested more heavily in promising disciples, giving them better opportunities to grow stronger and reach greater heights.

Coming back to the present, only two days remained before the Inner Court disciple selection, yet Veyron was still in closed-door cultivation.

By now, many people throughout the sect, particularly those on Jade Mist Peak, had been keeping track of his situation. As the selection drew closer, more and more began to wonder whether he would emerge in time.

Some believed he had underestimated the difficulty of his goal and would miss the selection altogether.

After all, cultivators who entered closed-door cultivation could remain in seclusion longer than they had initially planned. Most continued cultivating until they achieved a breakthrough or encountered a bottleneck, rather than setting a strict time limit.

However, Veyron had only three months to reach the Spirit Adept Realm if he wanted to participate in the selection.

This also became a topic of discussion among the disciples. Could he really accomplish such an almost impossible feat in such a short period?

Most believed he couldn’t. After all, Veyron had only recently repaired his Spirit Veins, and expecting him to break through to the Spirit Adept Realm so quickly seemed unrealistic.

Many were convinced he would miss the selection, though most didn’t care enough to pay much attention to his situation.

Despite being the nephew of Grand Elder Aveline, Veyron hadn’t yet demonstrated enough ability to earn their admiration.

The sect had plenty of other geniuses worth watching, and most disciples were far more interested in seeing how those talented individuals performed.

Still, there were a few people who couldn’t help but worry about Veyron and whether he would manage to achieve his goal in time.

....

Inside the Lecture Hall of Jade Mist Peak...

Aveline sat at the front of the lecture hall, teaching her disciples as usual. All the female disciples sat attentively before her, listening to every word she spoke.

However, something was different today.

Their usually cheerful and ever-smiling Grand Elder wasn’t smiling at all. Although she continued her lecture without neglecting any of her responsibilities, the faint worry on her face was difficult to miss.

She was clearly concerned about her Vey.

The thought of him still being in closed-door cultivation with only two days remaining before the Inner Court disciple selection weighed heavily on her mind.

She tried to focus entirely on her teaching, but her worries kept creeping back.

**

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