CHAPTER 91 — Return of the Living, Silence for the Dead
The battlefield that had once burned with clashing armies was now quiet—eerily quiet.
Smoke curled from shattered hills.
The ground was carved by deep trenches where Lin Xuan's spear and solar system manifestation had torn apart the land.
The Abomination King was nothing more than drifting flecks of corrupted qi, dissolving into the wind.
Yet the price paid was written everywhere.
Corpses of Cloudsky disciples lay alongside the bodies of demonic cultivators.
Broken weapons.
Shattered talismans.
Banners torn in half.
Victory had come, but it had come bleeding.
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1. The Return March Begins
Lin Xuan stood at the forefront of the group, Bai (spear) at his right, Mu and Wen behind him, and Bai (dragon) soaring overhead with his aura dimmed out of respect.
The surviving Cloudsky disciples gathered behind him—bloodied, tired, but determined.
Someone whispered:
"Senior Brother Lin saved us…"
Another voice answered:
"He didn't just save us. He saved the world."
Lin didn't turn, didn't acknowledge the murmurs.
His gaze remained forward, sharp and heavy.
Wen stepped beside him.
"You look like you're carrying the sky on your back."
Lin exhaled through his nose.
"So many died today. Elders, disciples… people I should've protected."
Bai (spear) clamped a hand on his shoulder.
"You protected countless more. Focus on the living, not the dead."
Lin nodded—slowly.
"I know. But the dead deserve justice. The demonic sect won't get a second chance."
Dragon-Bai overhead gave a low rumble of agreement.
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2. The Sect Gates in Ruin
By dusk, Cloudsky Mountain came into view.
The disciples gasped.
The once-proud outer gates were blackened and cracked, one stone pillar broken clean in half.
The grand staircase leading upward was scorched, several steps missing or shattered.
Protective formations flickered weakly, barely hanging on.
Cloudsky Sect had survived… but only barely.
Lin clenched his fists.
Bai (spear) muttered grimly,
"They hit us harder than we realized."
Mu swallowed.
"This wasn't a raid… This was a declaration."
As they approached, guards recognized Lin's group and ran forward.
"Lin Xuan! Elder Bai Wenqing! Mu Ningxue! You're alive!"
One guard dropped to his knees, trembling with relief.
"When the Abomination King appeared, we thought—We thought none of you would make it back!"
Lin's voice was quiet but steady.
"Call the surviving elders. We need to report what happened."
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3. Inside the Ruined Great Hall
The great hall—once a place of ancient majesty—was damaged heavily.
Half the pillars were cracked, the jade floor marred by scorch marks, and the statue of the first Cloudsky Patriarch lay broken across the floor.
Inside, several elders sat or leaned against walls, bandaged and exhausted.
Sect Master Yun Haoyang sat at the center, pale but conscious, the effects of the Celestial Healing Pill still stabilizing him.
The Flower Pavilion Sect Master stood behind him, maintaining a protective flow of spiritual energy.
As Lin entered, all heads turned.
Yun Haoyang's eyes softened with pride.
"You've returned."
Lin bowed deeply.
"Sect Master. Elder Pavilion Master."
Shengyuan followed behind, offering a brief salute.
The room fell silent as Yun Haoyang spoke:
"Tell us everything."
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4. Lin's Report — A Storm in Words
Lin recounted the battle:
The demonic tides
The assassins
The corrupted beasts
The sudden arrival of the Abomination King
Shengyuan's near-fatal blow
The coordinated ambush on Cloudsky's disciples
Lin's solar ascension
Dragon-Bai's awakening
The death toll
And the final annihilation of the Abomination King
When he finished, silence hung like a heavy stone.
An elder wiped away tears silently.
Another bowed his head.
The Flower Pavilion Sect Master whispered:
"I sensed the heavenly lightning from afar… I did not expect it to be Lin Xuan."
Lin lowered his gaze.
"I am sorry I could not save more."
Yun Haoyang raised a hand gently.
"Do not apologize. Without you… Cloudsky would have fallen entirely."
Shengyuan added:
"And without the dragon's awakening, the Abomination King might have grown even stronger."
Dragon-Bai preened slightly, puffing his chest in pride before shrinking into a smaller form and curling around Lin's shoulders like a golden serpent.
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5. A New Threat Revealed
Then an elder from the intelligence hall stepped forward.
"Sect Master, while Lin Xuan battled the Abomination King, we intercepted communication talismans from the demonic sects."
The room tensed.
"What did they say?" Lin asked.
The elder grimaced.
"They mentioned this was only… the first wave."
Murmurs—fear, anger, disbelief—spread like wildfire.
Another elder stood shakily.
"They spoke of… 'the awakening of the Abyssal Ancestor'—a figure even above the demonic sect leaders."
The Flower Pavilion Sect Master's expression darkened.
"If the Abyssal Ancestor rises… this entire continent will drown in darkness."
Lin's eyes narrowed.
"Then we kill him before he wakes."
Everyone stared.
But his voice held no arrogance.
No recklessness.
Only cold certainty.
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6. Cloudsky's Political Tension
The sect master leaned forward.
"For now, we must strengthen our alliances. The demonic sects struck multiple orthodox sects simultaneously. We are not the only ones bleeding."
Another elder added:
"The Flower Pavilion sect stands firmly with us. But others… hesitate."
Wen scoffed quietly.
"They fear us."
Someone else nodded slowly.
"After witnessing Lin Xuan destroy the Abomination King, rumors claim Cloudsky may become too powerful. Some sects… worry you may become a threat."
Lin frowned.
"I saved them. Why would they fear me?"
The Flower Pavilion Sect Master gave him a patient smile.
"Power intimidates, child. Even righteous power."
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7. Private Conversation — A Proactive Lin
After the meeting, Lin stayed behind with the sect master.
Yun Haoyang studied him.
"You intend to take the fight to the demonic sect?"
Lin nodded.
"The defensive path cost us too many lives.
We strike first.
We eliminate their leaders.
We burn their roots before they regrow."
The sect master exhaled softly.
"That path is dangerous. Risky."
"So is waiting for the next Abomination to appear," Lin replied.
After a long pause, Yun Haoyang nodded.
"Then I will support your plan. But we must gather intelligence first."
Lin nodded.
"We'll be ready."
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8. Lin, Bai, and Bai
Outside the hall, the two Bais waited.
Spear-Bai smirked.
"So? What did the old men say?"
"They want us to prepare for war," Lin answered.
Dragon-Bai flicked his tail and grinned.
"War means snacks. I approve."
Mu walked up behind them and flicked the dragon's snout.
"Do not eat demonic cultivators. Your stomach isn't ready."
The dragon huffed indignantly.
"I can digest anything!"
Lin patted his head.
"Not yet. Your time will come."
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9. Preparing for Tomorrow
Cloudsky disciples gathered around Lin, some bowing, some thanking him, some simply staring in awe.
Lin didn't bask in it.
He walked through them quietly, Bai and Bai behind him.
Mu jogged up to his side.
"Where are you going, Lin?"
"To cultivate."
Mu blinked.
"Already?"
Lin's gaze hardened.
"We don't have time to rest.
The demonic sect is preparing for another wave.
We need to get stronger—now."
Spear-Bai grinned wickedly.
"Then let's get stronger."
Dragon-Bai roared.
"LET US TRAIN!!!"
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