Mystical Journey

Alice was mysterious, but it was highly likely that she had Non-Falling Level power. Out of the Three-Hearted Disciples, there were already eight Inherited Levels, aside from the late Rainy, Carthage, White Night, and the mysterious young man Prismatic Light.

And of the Great Supervisors, the four of them present here were already the strongest four. Other than them, there were thirty-five other Inherited Levels who were scattered across the planets, either living in seclusion or managing the sect's various operations, returning only once every fifty years to hand in their report. This was also a huge asset for them. Apparently, some of these Great Supervisors had even started their own branch sects, and some of their disciples were Inherited Levels too, adding up to an astronomical number.

A rough estimate calculated that the entire Scarlet Snow Sect would have at least more than sixty Inherited Level powerhouses and two Non-Falling Levels. This would have been unimaginable to his Black Flood Party from back then, this was equivalent to all the power in the Blackboard Region. In fact, it was even stronger! Once you put it that way, it could be said that an Inherited-Level Energy Machinist could fight with at least two Inherited-Level pilots of the same level.

"…" The Second Elder exchanged glares with Alice for a while, but his bark was worse than his bite, and the situation slowly calmed down.

"Since Alice is the one pleading for them… I guess I'll spare them for now."

The two white-armored guards finally released the two of them, and by then, the duo was already dripping with sweat. They had practically put one foot in the coffin, so they were still not over the shock, their hearts beating wildly.

"Alright, alright." Only then did Garen step out, and speak with a smile. "Every Inherited Level is a precious asset to our Scarlet Snow Sect, how could Master execute such elites so casually? Wouldn't that hurt the hearts of the Great Supervisors stationed outside?"

"Stop pretending!" said Eva coldly. She could already tell that there was something wrong with the Second Elder, and it was not just her, every Energy Machinist here was an elite. After living for so long, they could deduce a lot of things from just the tiniest clues.

But to Eva's surprise, the Second Elder changed from his previous impulsiveness, and actually nodded very gently now, as though fully approving of Garen's words.

"Garen's right, I was being too rash just now."

"Alright, time to get to the main point." The Second Elder grew solemn. "The main reason I called this Courtroom Meeting was to hand over the rights to the Sect. From now on, all the Elders' rights, as well as the rights to manage and mobilize the Sect, will be handed over to the Three Hearted Disciple Garen!"

These words were like another bombshell that instantly exploded within the Courtroom, shocking everyone's minds into a blank.

"Put Garen in charge of all matters!? Master, are you joking!?" Eva finally lost it, yelling loudly. Her almond eyes widened, as though she had never thought that her master would give such an order.

Surely! Surely he had been controlled by Garen! Even back then, Garen was already so terrifyingly powerful, now he must surely be working with Carthage. He must have taken Master off-guard, and then controlled him with some unknown method, that must surely be it!!

When she thought of that, the hatred rose straight to her head, and her glare at Garen was almost burning in its intensity.

"Why would you put Garen in charge!" yelled Aloran too, as he stepped out. "He's ranked further than number ten! Even if you want to put some in charge of the whole Sect, that person should be Senior Sister Alice, right!?"

"Although Junior Brother Garen is talented, I believe he has yet to reach the level where he can be in charge of everything, no?" Alice spoke too.

A cold air blew through the Basilica. It was not just the Three Hearted Disciples, but Great Supervisor Ice Fox, Hong Guo, and the others all began to murmur softly. There were also other onlookers, the higher-ups brought by each of the Three Hearted Disciples. Even though they did not have the right to speak and join the meeting, and could only watch from the sidelines, they still began to whisper among each other in spite of themselves.

In that instant, the Basilica became a mess, the rowdy buzz of conversation lingering around everyone's ears like a swarm of bees.

"Are you… doubting me?" The Second Elder's expression darkened, and instantly, the Non-Falling Light spread everywhere again. It suppressed the auras of everyone present.

"Second Elder, are you trying to get your way by brute force!?" Alice took one step forward, emanating ice-blue Non-Falling Light from her body, with a whoosh, shot into the sky in the form of a blue pillar of light.

It directly split the Basilica into two, one side white and the other blue.

To everyone's surprise, even though he was the strongest among the Elders, the Second Elder was losing ground. His Non-Falling Light no longer had that strange ability to gather into a snowstorm, and it instantly disintegrated the moment it made contact with Alice's Non-Falling Light.

The two powerful Non-Falling Lights suppressed everything else, those who had not reached Non-Falling Level yet could not do anything but watch. The Non-Falling Light was significantly stronger than the Inherited-Level force field, and someone who was not at the same level could not hope to join the conflict.

"Second Senior Sister, are you trying to disobey your master?" Garen took one step forward as well.

"You have no right to speak here!" said a voice suddenly.

Psst!

A white ice crystal abruptly shot at Garen's head, but he shattered it with a flick of his finger. The ice crystal shattered in mid-air, reduced to countless twinkles of white light.

"Is that so?" Garen smiled slightly.

Boom!!

A most terrifying Non-Falling Light exploded from his body, surging madly in all directions.

Eva, who had shot out that ice crystal, turned pale. She took more than ten steps backward in a hurry, until her back was pressed against a huge ice sculpture, as she gasped for breath. There were despair and disbelief in her eyes.

"How's that… possible!? Non-Falling Level!!?"

King Cat and the others looked shocked as well, he was just at the peak of the Inherited Level, and now he was at the Non-Falling Level!? Even Carthage had not been this fast back then, right!?

"M-Monster!" Aloran's eyes were full of fear as he stared at Garen, this had gone beyond merely being a prodigy.

The three powerful lights fought and resisted each other in the Basilica, but it was not a three-way battle. Instead, it was just Garen single-handedly suppressing the Second Elder's and Alice's Non-Falling Lights.

"Before he left, the Senior Brother left everything to me. I have received Master's trust and support, and since the two fates of the Elders are currently unknown, who is more suited to bear this responsibility than me?" Garen smiled as he looked at the Three Hearted Disciples, who were too heavily suppressed to say a word, and then at the managers and higher-ups around them.

The cold wind howled, making his robes billow in the wind. His gentle yet ice-cold smile sent a chill down Eva's and Aloran's spines, and even the Second Elder looked faintly fearful.

Boom!

A huge power landed on Alice abruptly.

Alice's body was instantly sent flying, and she was embedded into the ice statue behind her with a bam, sending down a storm of crushed ice and snow.

The air had solidified, the huge and terrifying fist pressure instantly pressing down on the surface of Alice's body as though it were truly air pressure, rendering her unable to break free.

"You…" She opened her mouth with difficulty, but an even stronger pressure attacked her suddenly, forcing her words into her throat. If it were not for the fact that just recently reached this stage… A hint of furious shame flashed past her eyes.

"Anyone else has any opinions?" Garen looked around him.

The Basilica was completely quiet, no one dared to say anything.

Even Second Senior Sister, who was a Non-Falling Level, was being suppressed, so who dared to say anything else?

"Very good." The Second Elder retracted his Non-Falling Light, and smiled in satisfaction. "Looks like everyone's perfectly fine with my suggestion. In that case, from now on, Garen is our Scarlet Snow Sect's Highest Supervisor, after this I will propose to the Lord Guardian that we make him our Sect Master as well!"

Sect Master!!

The Three Hearted Disciples below all had strange expressions, Sect Master? How many years had it been since someone held that position? A Sect Master had to be agreed on by all the Elders and the Guardian before they could accept the Frost Hell's Willpower test.

"No need for that." Garen smiled slightly. "You don't need to propose anything to the Guardian any longer…"

As everyone watched in confusion, he walked up straight to the highest point in the Basilica.

With every step he took, a white chill spread from his body, turning into white light that surrounded him.

The white light grew in volume, as did the white air.

Phew…

Garen raised his arms, and a pair of sharp jade-white arm armors appeared on his arms. Pure unadulterated chill emanated from the armor.

"That's…!!" The Second Elder's pupils diluted abruptly.

Step by step, Garen slowly stepped up into the air, as though there were invisible stairs beneath his feet, holding him up as he walked toward the air above the highest point in the Basilica.

With every step, another piece of clear ice armor appeared on his body.

When he reached the very top, and stood level with the statue, he was already wearing a full suit of luxurious white armor made of ice, with a sharp horn poking out of its scabbard.

Psst…

A giant helmet that was as fearsome as a crescent moon appeared out of nowhere above Garen's head, covering his entire face.

Countless chills gathered in the air to form a Throne of Ice that floated in mid-air.

Garen turned around, and slowly sat on that empty chair.

Bzz…

The Basilica began to tremble slowly, and all the ice statues, several dozen meters tall, began to shake.

Garen, wearing his Armor of Ice, had already transcended what a normal Energy Machinist could understand, his power spreading through the whole area. To everyone here, Level Nine and Level Seven were both beyond their reach, they were both untouchable, overwhelmingly strong, and hence they were practically the same.

Baroom!!

The originally clear skies rumbled with thunder, and countless black clouds appeared out of nowhere, spinning and roiling in the sky right above Garen.

Garen looked down at everything beneath him, the Three Hearted Disciples were flushed red under the pressure of his power. Eva, Aloran and the rest were still holding on, but King Cat, Demon Spirit and the rest had already succumbed without resisting, just looking at Garen with unprecedented respect in their eyes.

The Second Elder had already stood up, his expression respectful. Clearly, he had thrown all pretenses to the wind. When faced with ultimate power, everything else was arbitrary.

As for the remaining Great Supervisors and those who were here as witnesses, they could not even raise their heads to look at him. The difference in power was far too large, if they saw just a little bit of his white light now, they would feel a piercing and irresistible cold, and they might even be instantly frozen.

"From today onward," Garen's voice spread throughout the entire Scarlet Snow headquarters, "I, Garen, will officially be the Scarlet Snow Sect's sixty-ninth Sect Master."

Nobody dared to say anything, and no one could say anything. The chill emanating from Garen had instantly sealed everyone's mouths.

"While the Sect is on the brink of danger, I, Garen, will continue the battle, and bring more glory to the Sect than has been seen in the last thousand years!"

And thus, I will prove that the highest realm of my Living Secret Technique will not lose to mechs!!

Garen secretly added in his heart.

"All disciples, this is an order!" The Second Elder immediately understood, and ordered loudly. "Bow!!"

He actually took the lead, bowing first.

The followers under his faction immediately bowed as well, showing their allegiance. Most of the people who had been shocked by Garen's power also bowed, to them, as long as it was someone in the Sect who was strong enough, anyone could be Sect Master.

Only Alice, Eva, and Aloran clenched their teeth and continued to hold on. However, they could no longer affect the bigger picture, everything was settled now. The Second Elder was in the lead, the other two Elders were missing, the Guardian was nowhere to be seen, so nobody in the Sect could fight against Garen.

This is the reality, the stark truth!!