Chapter 41: The Last Ten Minutes

In the next instant, they reappeared before the highest elevated seats overlooking the arena and gracefully took their places.

Their arrival immediately sent another wave of excitement through the audience.

"Every time I see them, I realize we’re practically looking at real-life goddesses!"

"Grand Elder Aveline... She’s like a heavenly fairy! I swear, her beauty alone could bring even the dead back to life!"

"And Grand Elder Eleanor... That cold expression of hers has a charm of its own. I wouldn’t even mind being punished by her!"

"You fool! Be careful what you wish for! Do you have any idea what happens to those who end up in the Disciplinary Hall?"

Murmurs of admiration and excitement spread throughout the stands as countless disciples whispered among themselves, unable to take their eyes off the two breathtaking women.

Meanwhile, the four Elders seated below immediately rose from their seats upon seeing the Grand Elders arrive.

Selena, Rowan, Kenji, and Shin all turned toward Aveline and Eleanor before respectfully bowing their heads in greeting.

Although they were respected Elders with considerable authority within the sect, their status was still beneath that of the Grand Elders, making such a gesture of respect only natural.

Aveline and Eleanor nodded in acknowledgment, after which the four Elders returned to their seats. Seeing that everyone had settled down, Elder Leo turned his attention toward the assembled participants and continued speaking.

"Since everyone is already present, including our respected Elders and Grand Elders, we shall wait another ten minutes before officially beginning this year’s Inner Court selection."

He paused briefly before continuing in a firm voice.

"After that, any participant who has failed to arrive at the Azure Battle Grounds will forfeit their chance to participate, even if they meet all the requirements for becoming an Inner Court disciple!"

A murmur spread throughout the audience upon hearing his announcement. However, no one found the rule particularly surprising. The sect had to maintain order, and making exceptions for latecomers would hardly be fair to the other participants.

Almost every disciple who intended to participate had already arrived. There was only one notable exception, and nearly everyone present knew exactly who he was.

Veyron Ignis.

The young man who had boldly claimed that he would reach the Spirit Adept Realm within three months had yet to emerge from seclusion.

However, despite the whispers spreading through the audience, no one dared to openly ridicule him. After all, his aunt, Grand Elder Aveline, was sitting right above them, and her face was filled with barely concealed anxiety.

Mocking Veyron in front of her would be equivalent to disrespecting the Grand Elder herself. No sensible disciple wanted to invite that kind of trouble.

Nevertheless, quiet murmurs continued to spread among the spectators, with many wondering whether Veyron had failed to achieve his goal.

At the far end of one row in the audience, Xialyn sat alongside the other female disciples of Jade Mist Peak. She had come here with a faint hope that, somehow, her Little Vey would miraculously appear at the last moment.

Even though she knew how difficult his breakthrough would be, a part of her still refused to give up hope.

However, as the remaining time gradually slipped away, her expectations began to crumble. Looking toward the entrance one last time, she saw no sign of the familiar figure she had been waiting for. Her heart sank.

"Looks like Junior Brother Veyron couldn’t break through in time..." one of the female disciples beside her murmured with a sigh.

Xialyn remained silent, her delicate fingers tightening slightly in her lap. She had known from the beginning that the chances were slim, but accepting the reality was far more difficult than she had imagined.

What saddened her most wasn’t that Veyron might miss the selection. Rather, she couldn’t bear the thought of how disappointed he would feel after spending three entire months in seclusion only to fall short of his goal.

She could only hope that he wouldn’t blame himself too much and would give himself another chance.

Meanwhile, on the elevated seats reserved for the Grand Elders, Eleanor turned toward Aveline. Seeing that her friend’s usual smile had finally faded, she let out a quiet sigh before speaking.

"Looks like your Vey couldn’t make it," Eleanor remarked. "Though, I suppose it was already impressive enough that he had the courage to claim he could break through to the Spirit Adept Realm within three months."

Aveline shook her head gently, her gaze still fixed on the entrance to the Azure Battle Grounds.

"I don’t know why, but my heart tells me he’ll make it in time."

Eleanor stared at her for a moment before shaking her head helplessly.

"Sigh... You and your endless affection for that baby of yours." She paused, a faint smile appearing on her otherwise cold face. "Very well, then. Let’s see whether your heart is right this time."

Normally, the selection of Outer Court disciples for the Inner Court was handled entirely by the Elders, without any Grand Elders needing to be present. However, things were different this time.

Following the removal of Elder Beric from his position as Vice Leader of the Disciplinary Hall, the sect had been left without a suitable person to oversee the selection.

Given the importance of the event, the presence of a senior figure from the Disciplinary Hall was necessary to ensure everything proceeded fairly and without any misconduct.

Unfortunately, Grand Elder Eleanor Rime no longer trusted anyone else to handle such matters. Having personally dealt with the consequences of Beric’s corruption, she decided to supervise the selection herself.

When news spread that Eleanor would personally attend the event, it immediately caused a stir throughout the sect. And when Grand Elder Aveline Amoria volunteered to accompany her, the excitement reached an entirely new level.

After all, it was rare for even one Grand Elder to attend the selection, let alone two!

This unexpected development made the event far more special than in previous years. Many disciples couldn’t help wondering whether they might catch the attention of one of the Grand Elders and be accepted as their personal disciples.

The mere possibility was enough to make countless young cultivators feel excited and nervous. After all, becoming the personal disciple of a Grand Elder was an opportunity that could completely transform one’s future.

However, while Eleanor had come to ensure the selection proceeded properly, Aveline had an entirely different reason for being there.

She had come because of Veyron.

Before entering seclusion, he had confidently told both her and Xialyn to believe in him. Although Aveline understood just how difficult his goal was, his words had remained deeply engraved in her heart.

Somehow, she simply couldn’t bring herself to doubt her beloved baby.

Perhaps it was a lover’s instinct, or perhaps it was the immense trust she had developed in him. Whatever the reason, her heart kept telling her that Veyron would not disappoint her.

Of course, there was another reason behind her unwavering confidence, their Eternal Bond.

The bond between them had reached its absolute peak, connecting them in a way that ordinary bonds could never achieve.

This deep connection made it difficult for Aveline to dismiss the feeling in her heart that Veyron would succeed, even when reason told her otherwise.

And so, she had decided to attend the selection herself, hoping to witness her beloved baby’s arrival with her own eyes.

**

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