At the Demon Seal Alliance headquarters, an imposing silence hung over the grand hall.
At the head of the table sat Talcott, the leader, a man whose reputation inspired both fear and respect. Arrayed before him were over a dozen Ultimate Realm experts, their dark auras swirling ominously.
Ironically, the alliance that claimed to eradicate evil to maintain peace had itself become a refuge for Demonic Cultivators.
“Mr. Cabeza, share your findings,” Talcott commanded, his cold gaze fixed on Zayan.
Zayan, known more for his cunning than his cultivation, stepped forward. Despite being weaker than many present, Zayan’s role in orchestrating the alliance’s operations in the Ethereal Realm made him indispensable.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” Zayan began, his voice calm yet deliberate, “as you may have noticed, Demonic Cultivators have been vanishing across the regions. This includes those we’ve been monitoring closely.”
He paused, letting the weight of his words settle. “This has hindered our recruitment efforts and disrupted our plans. However, after a thorough investigation, I’ve determined that these disappearances are linked to Abbot Infinides. He appears to be taking these cultivators to a secret realm.”
The hall erupted in murmurs, the gathered Demonic Cultivators exchanging uneasy glances.
Talcott turned to a hunched figure seated to his right. “Mr. Gatlin, your thoughts?”
Gatlin rose to address the room. He had recently returned from an assignment in the eastern region, where he’d clashed with Jared and been thwarted by the intervention of Infinides.
“My trip to the eastern region was to support the Quinlan family,” Gatlin began, his voice gruff with age. “However, I didn’t anticipate encountering Jared. He had powerful allies, and my disciples were injured. I had no choice but to retreat.”
His admission of retreat drew sneers and mocking laughter from the others.
“Gatlin,” one master jeered, “with your strength, who in the eastern region could possibly force you to flee?”
“Indeed, there are barely any Ultimate Realm cultivators in the eastern region, let Ultimate Realm Level Four cultivators!”
“I bet you slipped back here because you didn’t want to make an enemy out of Jared, didn’t you? We all know your ways.”
As an Ultimate Realm Level Four cultivator, Gatlin wasn’t claiming to be invincible in the eastern region, but it was rare to find anyone who could challenge him. Yet now, he stood before the assembly claiming to have fled from a fight and returned. Something about his story seemed questionable.
Gatlin ignored the murmurs of the gathered cultivators. Many of them were staunch loyalists of the Demon Seal Alliance, but he wasn’t one of them. He had no illusions of loyalty, choosing instead to prioritize his survival, even if it meant begrudgingly bowing to the alliance’s authority.
“This time,” Gatlin began, his voice calm but firm, “when I crossed paths with Jared, he wasn’t alone. Abbot Infinides was with him. Even though it was just an illusory shadow, its power was far beyond anything I could handle.”
He let the words sink in before continuing, “Not only that but there was also a young woman with them, someone remarkable in her own right. She was connected to Abbot Infinides and possessed extraordinary strength. The two followers traveling with her were both Ultimate Realm Level Two Demonic Cultivators.”
Gatlin’s tone grew more serious. “I suspect this woman is tied to a city that disappeared thousands of years ago. Moreover, I believe Abbot Infinides has been sending those missing Demonic Cultivators to that city.”
As Gatlin finished, a ripple of unease passed through the room. The expressions of those who had been mocking him just moments ago shifted into thoughtful frowns.
“A city that vanished thousands of years ago?” someone asked, breaking the silence. “You mean Twilight Imperial City? There hasn’t been a word about it for ages. How could anyone from there suddenly reappear now?”
Talcott, seated at the head of the hall, spoke up, his voice authoritative. “Twilight Imperial City never truly vanished. It used the spiritual veins to create a secret realm. It has always existed in the Ethereal Realm, but we’ve been unable to see it.”
It was clear that Talcott had already received Gatlin’s report and had conducted his own investigation into Twilight Imperial City.
