The voice belonged to Elanor, who was standing behind Draven. Just as she was about to rush toward Valdis, she was suddenly stopped by Draven.
His actions made her stop and look at him with questioning eyes, but he didn't turn toward her and said,
"He's fine, he's just in the process of bonding with the weapon."
Hearing this, Elanor's face relaxed a bit, but then she remembered something and asked, "How did he initiate the bonding process without the bonding ritual?"
Her question stunned Draven. She was right. Unlike normal weapons, which only needed a drop of blood from the owner, soul weapons required not just blood but also a piece of the owner's soul.
This made the bonding process more complex, as it involved drawing many runes to connect the individual and the weapon, creating a medium through which the soul piece could be transmitted from the person to the weapon.
The entire process was delicate because of the soul's sensitive nature.
Draven, having no answer to her question, turned to the Third Ancestor, redirecting it to him.
But before the Third Ancestor could answer, the First Ancestor cut him off and said in a serious tone,
"We were under an illusion just now, all of us."
His words stunned everyone in the hall, and they turned to look at him with confusion due to how unbelievable his statement sounded.
Excluding Malrik, Isolde, and Valdis, the weakest person in the room was Elanor, a first-stage saint, while the most powerful individuals were at the Immortal Ascension Realm.
So for the First Ancestor to claim that they were all under an illusion without realizing it was hard to believe.
Seeing their reactions, the First Ancestor sighed.
"You idiots need to start using your brains. How do you expect to explain the fact that, despite all the power present in this room, an eight-year-old evaded our senses and walked toward the most sensitive object without us noticing? The only reason we broke free from it was because Malrik screamed."
His words brought silence to the room, finally making everyone realize that none of them had noticed Valdis move from his position.
The First Ancestor then turned briefly to Malrik and continued,
"And I think I know who put us under that illusion."
Hearing this, everyone's focus returned to his shadowy figure.
"Sometimes, I feel like you people don't use your brains to think," the First Ancestor said.
"I think he's talking about Nyxaria," Elanor said. This was the first time she spoke since the meeting started.
"But she's in the weapon. Isn't her soul supposed to be dormant until she finds a partner?" Mircalla asked.
"That's normal for soul weapons, but this weapon is different. Her soul isn't an integral part of the weapon but a stabilizing component. Being part of the weapon shields her from Heaven's detection, keeping her alive. It also allows her to act on her own, though she can only use the laws she has mastered," the Third Ancestor explained.
"So Nyxaria mastered illusion laws?" Isolde asked, surprised, because she knew Illusion Laws had never been mentioned among Nyxaria's abilities.
"Every fox-type beast, regardless of bloodline, has an innate connection to Illusion Laws because they are descendants of the divine beast, the Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox. The variations among fox-types come from powerful foxes mating with other species, giving rise to the diversity you see today," Mircalla replied.
"While these offspring inherit innate connections to various laws, it dilutes the original celestial fox bloodline, leaving most foxes with faint links to the Illusionary Laws. Nyxaria was no exception from the divine realm. Although her understanding of the Illusionary Laws isn't profound, she's a divine realm warrior, and innate laws develop regardless of the individual's focus," Arkan added.
Isolde nodded upon hearing this.
This discussion helped her understand how terrifying the power of a divine realm warrior truly was. Even the Ancestors at the Immortal Ascension Realm could be fooled.
Elanor turned to the Third Ancestor and asked, "What will happen to Valdis now?"
"He'll be fine," he reassured her. "He just fainted because of the strain the bonding process put on his soul, which is still in the Body Refinement Realm. If he were stronger, he'd have only a mild headache. But you need not worry—there are only advantages, no downsides."
"What advantages does the weapon grant?" Arkan inquired.
The Second Ancestor quietly answered all their questions:
"Once he fully bonds with the weapon, it will increase his soul power."
"This weapon grants an increase in soul power!" Mircalla exclaimed.
"Yes, but that's due to Nyxaria's soul giving him a slight boost," the Second Ancestor said.
Afterward, he sighed.
"It seems Nyxaria was tired of waiting for someone to come to a conclusion and simply lured her chosen wielder to her and bonded with him right away," Elanor said as she approached Valdis's collapsed body.
When she reached him, supported by Malrik, she bent down and ran her hands through his hair.
Then, she looked at Malrik.
"My son, give Valdis to me. I'll take him to his room," Elanor said.
Malrik saw her worried expression, exhaled softly, and released Valdis.
Elanor then lifted Valdis and carried him toward the door.
"When he wakes up, I need to teach him how to create and use his weapon," the Second Ancestor said.
"He'll need your guidance on how to use his new weapon," Mircalla asked.
"It sounds like your new creation will be very special," Arkan remarked.
"Of course it will be—it's my creation," the Second Ancestor replied before vanishing from the hall.
Soon, everyone left the Crimson Hall one by one, until Draven was the only one remaining.
He sat on his throne and sighed, gazing up at the ceiling of the Crimson Hall.
"Why do I have a feeling that my little boy will stir a bigger storm than his elder brother did?" he murmured.
As he said this, he rubbed his temples.
"Why can't they be like Isolde? Aside from the occasional troublesome report, she's a perfect child," he mused.