Joye and Shu Bi Suan quietly followed behind them as well. Master Zu Gushion and the other instructors kept shouting for them to stop, but it was no use...no one's feet paused for even a second.
Yet, they still carried a responsibility on their shoulders. They couldn't simply walk away now. Eighteen more days of a long ritual were still left...essential for the new students. Master Zu felt helpless; he could neither inform Master Chang Shi and the chief Grandmasters of the urgent matters, nor could he abandon the ceremony. He was completely bound by duty, and for now, the ritual took precedence.
The atmosphere had become disturbingly strange. A moment ago, an ancient white serpentine dragon had appeared, and now some of the students had walked away mid-ceremony. This had never happened in the last two hundred years. The once beautiful and divine ambiance now felt eerie and unsettling.
Everyone stood still in shock, as if the words themselves had locked themselves back into the pages of the ancient book. No one spoke a word. Silence hung heavy in the air. But the sweat dripping from Master Zu Gushion's forehead revealed just how grave his concerns were.
Evening was falling, and the sacred rite had to begin. In a cold yet thunderous voice, Master Zu finally spoke:
"What has happened will be fully investigated. We will do our utmost to uncover every answer. For now, I ask you all to leave this matter in our hands..the time for our next ritual is upon us."
Black blindfolds were gently tied over everyone's eyes. Carefully, they were guided into a hidden ancient forest. The entire forest was filled with sandalwood trees, their scent spilling into the air. The students' senses could tell...each step brought them closer to the heart of something sacred.
In the middle of that forest lay a vast meadow of soft, green grass..so immense that if you stood at its center, it would feel as if nothing else existed in the world but this endless field.
The grass was tender, comforting to the touch. It took a little time, but eventually, the students were brought to the very center of the meadow.
And the moment the blindfolds were lifted from their eyes, they found themselves standing in the middle of a wide, heavenly field.
Far and wide, there was nothing but towering mountains in the distance, encircling this paradise and keeping it hidden from the world.
The air was drenched with the divine fragrance of sandalwood....so strong that it began to flow through their very veins. Even their breath felt scented now, as if their souls were inhaling beauty itself.