Everyone was shocked as they had just finished greeting their sect mistress. That was a requirement but who was it that dared to laugh especially during such a crucial moment.
Their heads turned one by one as they looked at Lyren who was now staring at the burned palm. It was obvious for all to see that he was no longer in the same world as them at the moment.
They wanted to start cursing at him but they could not dare. They had seen just how great the potential of their seed was. He was actually very worthy of being their sect master and that alone placed him far above each and everyone of them. Still, they thought he was disrespectful. He had not even been paying attention when they greeted their sect mistress.
The lady shook her head when she saw their reaction and it was justifiable. After all, they were very aware of how much the power and respect the sect head carried. She clapped her hands drawing everyone's attention including Lyren's whose neck jerked towards her direction after he felt a chill down his spine. A cold sweat on his forehead.
"It is the first time we shall be having a sect master who has nothing to inherit from us apart from our knowledge. We wanted to give you this gift of the awakening ceremony which has not been done for thousands of years. Our sect might have faced extinction had we not found a successor but now, we can all rest easy knowing that our legacy will get carried forward," the sect mistress spoke and the two elders nodded at her words while everyone else was awed.
"Greetings sect mast…"
Lyren raised his hand when he saw everyone was about to bow to him. Him? A sect master? He was only thirteen. That was responsibility and a burden he was not willing to carry for the rest of his life. He could accept everything apart from titles. What use were titles when the sect no longer existed? There was no backing at all!
"Stop right there!" Lyren almost shouted and this drew very shocked gazes from the crowd. "I am not your sect master and I am not planning to be one. Don't get me wrong or think that I am ungrateful but I would like you to think about it. I am only thirteen years old and I think that it is too soon for you all to crown me as a sect master." Lyren started and he could already see disappointed and detached gazes as he continued.
"I am not rejecting your goodwill or anything but I think I am not worthy, yet. This place has taught me about my unworthiness and I feel that I lack in all factors required to lead. I need experience which I don't have yet. That is why I am not going to accept the title sect master."
The sect mistress pulled a long face as she had expected this from the very beginning. Lyren was not the kind who seemed to enjoy being responsible. He was even willing to sacrifice his soul to the pattern so that he would keep getting stronger.
"Are you sure about this? The privileges that one receives by being a sect master are very sumptuous. Are you sure that you do not want to consider?" She asked but she already knew the answer and her enticement was just not enough. Lyren sighed as he spoke.
"First of all, I am not looking down on your sect or anything but I just can't. You might have very powerful techniques or even legacies there but as I have said, it is just that I don't feel worthy of it at the moment and that's why I am rejecting it. what I mean is that I am not going to accept the name of sect master until I have rebuilt the sect.
"As I am now, I am no more than a fly to be swatted. What would happen if your tormentors learned that you have a sect master? Would that not bring an end to all your efforts to continue your sect? That's why I will accept everything else but not that title.
"I am Lyren, the only disciple of the sect who aims to bring the once prestigious sect back once again!" Lyren's final declaration was like a lighting bolt that struck everyone right at their hearts. What he had said was more important than saying that he was going to be the sect master of a non-existent sect.
It was a sight to witness as both men and women, boys and girls all shedding tears looked up at him with reverie. The fact that he wanted to rebuild the sect made their hearts swell as this was more important to them than even their lives. The lives they had given up in an attempt to save their sect.
Even the sect mistress who had thought she had a clear read of Lyren realized that she did not know a thing about this boy who had stumbled into this place in his desperation to live. That desperation was what was going to make their sect live once again. She could not stop the tears that seemed to fall freely as a sweet smile formed on her lips.
Lyren's eyes once again smoldered with flames as he looked at each and everyone of them memorizing their faces starting from children to adults so that he would always carry them with him wherever he went.
"I have one more parting gift for you and also, I should tell you the function of this array and how it can be used. The array is used to absorb the Elyria in the surroundings. Our students would always come to this place to cultivate. It will be a great method of improving your strength in your cultivation journey." She said and everyone nodded.
She then placed to fingers on is forehead and a stream of golden light was sent towards his mind's eye and there it rested as another ball of condensed light. Lyren was so engrossed that he had no even see that the crowd was disappearing one person at a time.
They turned to golden dust that seemed to levitate and as more dust rose and merged, they started to dim the glow of the surroundings as everything seemed to start getting back to normal.
Lyren was confused as to what was happening because this was the last thing he was expecting. He had thought that they would interact for a longer period but they were already leaving?
He saw the old man start crumbling from the feet and he let an aged smile plaster his lips telling Lyren that he knew what Lyren did. Lyren was left stretching his hand trying to reach them but his body had frozen. This was the first time he was seeing such a huge crowd disappearing right before his eyes.
He felt the sect mistress' palm on his cheeks and he looked at her with shining eyes that were threatening to start tearing up. He did not even seem to notice the tear that rolled down his left cheek.
"Good luck," said a guy who had once looked down at him.
"We are rooting for you from the other side."
"Don't fail, alright?"
"Become the sect master, okay?"
"I wished we could have competed…"
"Don't get too arrogant or you will fall."
"Hey Ryan! Don't jinx him!"
The youths showered him all sorts of encouragement as they also turned to the golden dust. Lyren looked at each of them burning this memory in his mind because this was going to be his starting point.
"You heard them, make sure you reach the peak. You certainly can," the sect mistress said as her legs also started dissipating.
"Don't forget to enjoy our show young man," this voice was masculine and the speaker disappeared before Lyren looked at him.
"A show?" Lyren wondered as he saw the last one of them turn to dust…