Mystical Journey

First Elder and Third Elder's countenance changed slightly. They exchanged glances and saw that both were astounded.

"This old fellow's strength has improved!"

"Regarding the verdict this time, just do as I say..." Second Elder slowly opened his mouth.

"Teacher, this time you are wrong."

At this moment, a dull voice sounded.

Boom!!!

A violent gust of Level Four energy field ferociously broke out in the midst of the three great Non-Falling-Level energy fields.

It was Carthage!

His whole head of hair was faintly flaming as if there was a light-red flame ignited on his hair, but there was no temperature spreading out.

His energy field was tenaciously and firmly embedded in between the two elders' force field. Like the last weight on a scale, the original disadvantage had now tipped over to become an advantageous situation for him. It was compressing Second Elder's energy field bit by bit.

Second Elder's eyes widened at once and he gazed quietly at Carthage, the disciple he himself had trained. For the first time, this was the first time he could not understand this humble and polite child.

"Since every place has their own set of rules, Teacher, in order to not disappoint all the disciples, you should really listen to Great Senior Brother about Rainy's punishment." A calm figure suddenly appeared in the line of Three-Hearted and stood directly in the twelfth position.

This calm figure could actually open his mouth to speak up amidst the three Non-Falling-Level force. His voice traveled clearly into everyone's ears.

"Garen! You!" A white-shirted Aloran mustered up all her powers but barely managed to spread her voice. She was instantly stunned as she stared at Garen with his calm face.

Compared to the relaxed sound transmission skill of the other party, her strenuous effort immediately contrasted the skill gap between the two.

At this time, Garen was in the same Three-Hearted white clothes with a blue scimitar on his waist. He was looking calmly at his teacher – Second Elder.

He glanced below at the deadpan Rainy. A trace of guilt flashed through his eyes. Turning back, he and Carthage's eyes officially met for the first time.

Both the first genius and the second genius of Scarlet Snow Sect finally met formally for the first time. Both parties might have known each other more or less from different channels, but this was the first time they had met each other.

Carthage's expression was plain. He was not at all moved by Garen's showing up.

On the other hand, Garen was smiling slightly.

In the basilica, energy fields were violently rubbing, counteracting and colliding against one another. At every minute and every second, the three elders and Carthage were exhausting horrific power. Moreover, there was the Qi's Dynamic confrontation of Mirror-Level Martial Arts Realms.

Time ticked by bit by bit...

At last.

Second Elder closed his eyes tiredly.

Just when he retracted his energy field, First Elder, Third Elder, and Carthage also pulled back their own energy field, restoring calmness.

"Take Rainy down to the Heavy Water Prison."

The sharp voice of Third Elder sounded again. He looked admiringly at Carthage and Garen. "You are indeed Second Elder's disciples. You know how to bear the overall situation in mind and put the general interest above all. That's good, that's good."

Two white-armored guards appeared in a flash and took hold of Rainy. They immediately turned around and walked on.

Second Elder said nothing.

First Elder was so pleased that he laughed out loud.

This was the first time the two had won Second Brother in a direct confrontation.

As Rainy was taken away, some people sighed in pity, some gloated, but more were those who had nothing to do with this, whose horizon was widened by the scene of the big bosses engaging one another.

If the entire basilica did not have a muting light curtain, it would have already become a rowdy market.

After everything was settled, Second Elder disappeared silently from his seat.

The remaining two elders looked at Carthage and Garen.

"You two were very good. Hehe, hehe..." The chubby First Elder laughed, vanishing instantly.

Third Elder also disappeared from his seat.

Carthage nodded to Garen, turned around and flew away. He turned into a red ray of light in a trice, blazing and disappearing into the air.

Only the line of Three-Hearted was left on the spot.

"Garen, you ungrateful thing!!" The white-shirted Aloran darted at Garen and punched him in the abdomen.

Boom!

Her punch hit its target. A fist of intangible energy field broke through and emerged from Garen's back. The intangible force smashed the tray on one of the stone pillars in the basilica into two halves.

The chestnuts on it rolled down to the floor.

Garen let her punch at his lower abdomen and was motionless.

"How did Sister Rainy teach you back then?! How did Senior Sister Eva help speak kindly on your behalf! Who helped you to resolve the matter between you and Ron!" Aloran cried.

"Even if you don't have much gratitude, you shouldn't have harmed her!!" She wept out loud.

Garen took a deep breath. Blood was spilling out from the corner of his mouth.

"Senior Sister, this is no longer a personal matter..."

He could never stand on Rainy's side. When Garen heard this news as soon as he finished his cultivation, his heart also struggled for a long time before making this decision. He knew that this choice was doomed to be despised. But he could never give up his development in the sect for Rainy.

He was grateful to Rainy for guiding him and helping him to enter the sect, but this was not enough to make him give up some things and abandon his plan.

He noticed that the gaze of the people looking at him had become scornful and disdainful. Unable to distinguish between gratefulness and hatred, if such a person could give up a friend just for justice, he could give up the second time.

No one was willing to deal with such people.

Sigh...

With a sigh, Garen turned around and left slowly.

Rainy had given him guidance on the integration of Martial Arts Realm. He had just merged into his Resonance Crystal when he received the news of Rainy was to be tried. He was immediately shocked and quickly got out from his cultivation. However, he did not expect the consequence to be this serious.

*************************

Night –

Heavy Water Prison

In a single cell deep in the water dungeon-like prison, Rainy's hair was disheveled and her lower body was soaked in a pitch-black mercury-like liquid.

The liquid was extremely corrosive and was constantly eroding her power and body. The subtle buzzing sounds it produced gave people the creeps.

The faint moonlight shone through the only window overhead. Rainy stood in the beam of the moonlight and looked up at the night sky motionless.

"Senior Sister."

A voice suddenly traveled in from the window.

Garen's face appeared at the window and was peering down at Rainy.

"You have obviously broken through, why didn't you flee? Being at the peak of Inherited Level and adding on your Silver Mirror Martial Arts Realm, if you had wanted to escape, no one but the elders and Great Senior Brother could catch you."

Silence.

Rainy did not answer. She just lowered her head and stood calmly in the heavy water.

"Great Senior Brother sent people to hunt down the child to whom you gave the Frost Secret Technique to..." Garen spoke gently.

Immediately, Rainy's body shook slightly.

Garen shook his head helplessly. He opened the window softly and used a rope to let down a basket of food and fruits. After retracting the rope, he looked once more at Senior Sister Rainy.

Still motionless, without any response. The food basket was simply left to float beside her on the heavy water.

Closing the window, Garen turned and slowly walked out of the Heavy Water Prison, following the dark underground stone tunnel back up.

The large-stone tunnel was like the underground passage of a castle. There were torches that were lit up with a fire that could burn for a thousand years on both sides of the wall and the orange-yellow flames were constantly making a crackling sound. The yellow fire, which reflected Garen's shadow, kept on wavering.

The tunnel spiraled upwards and was without steps. It was an even slope for the convenient of transporting items.

Suddenly, two tall persons dressed in white approached from the top. Of these two, the left man wore a Three-Hearted Crystal Pauldron and a thick cloak drooped straight behind him. It was eye-catching.

Garen had already memorized all the information of Three-Hearted. He recognized who this Three-Hearted was at a glance.

He looked up slightly.

"For what purpose Senior Brother Mies is not at Third Elder's place listening to his teachings but have come here at such a late hour?"

It was the eighth-ranked Moonshine's higher-ups, Mies.

No one knew his surname. Everyone knew that he was called Mies. This long-faced man's character was exactly the same as that of Third Elder, sly and suspicious.

Mies smiled faintly.

"Being the disciple of the same sect together with Senior Sister Rainy, I came here to see her for the last time. But I do wonder what Junior Brother Garen is here for?"

He looked like a very thin and refined young man. But if it were not a few major events which made everyone aware of his true colors, no one would have expected him to be a cunning man. This face was the most deceiving.

"What you have come to do, I have come to do." Garen smiled and answered calmly.

The two passed by each other.

Suddenly Mies stood firm and turned his head slightly.

"I heard that a spy intruded into Scarlet Snow Sect on the night before yesterday. I wonder if Junior Brother Garen spotted any clues?"

"I've been secluded in cultivation and had just come out, but I didn't find anything," Garen answered with a faint smile.

"If there's any news, remember to inform me first..." Mies smiled. "As the law enforcement officer of the sect, a lot of things can be dealt with in a smooth and logical fashion. It's much easier. Don't you think so?"

Garen opened his mouth, but he suddenly felt a sharp force field rushing over from behind, like some kind of high-speed-flying hidden weapon.

Whoo!

His energy field operated behind him. A mighty intangible force field appeared in the moment, blocking that sharp force field.

Zzz...!

In the sharp friction sound, the two force fields slammed together, violently turned and rubbed against each other.

A mighty air flow broke out between Garen and Mies, abrading both sides of the wall and causing the fire of the torch to flicker non-stop as if it might be extinguished at any time.

Both of them did not directly make their move but instantly engaged with their Qi's Dynamic energy field from the integration of the Resonance Crystal Core and Martial Arts Realm.

Ah-woo...

A black, giant wolf gradually emerged beside Garen. It was not an entity but an inexplicable natural form formed by the Qi's Dynamic.

A black spider slowly crawled on Mies' shoulder. The corner of his mouth turned upwards.

The Qi's Dynamic between the two abruptly disappeared without a trace.

The pounding footsteps gradually went further away toward the bottom.

Garen stood on the spot and paused for a moment. The black wolf at his feet automatically broke apart and vanished. Garen's face was expressionless. He withdrew his smile and continued to head up.