Departure

The sun slowly rose from behind the mountains as the blue dream and the moons grew dim. The day had come...

[+500 EP] [+500 EP]

Ling Tian who was farming EP in his usual training spot stood up and flew away. He had given up on sleeping since the incident with the little beast. He didn't use spirit stones to cultivate in order not to attract attention since all he had were Top-grade ones that would cause a commotion if seen by others.

Other Cultivators of the Dao sect also gathered in the middle of the camp. Among them were Lian Qiu, Lian RuXue, and many others...

Ling Tian landed on the ground near Lian Qiu and inspected the people. Most were young and by the looks of their robes and badges, they were inner disciples. Their cultivations varying from early Xiantian to the early Inner Heaven realm.

He saw some unfamiliar faces that belonged to middle-aged and old men. He had not seen them during the week he was training. Their cultivation levels were all either in the Inner Heaven realm or Heavenly Awakening realm. They stood near each other which made it clear they were the elders of the sect. Inner Elders and core Elders...

Standing on a stage was the wood heavenly king. He saw that all the disciples had gathered, they numbered in hundreds, and he began talking.

"Today we set off to the war, The Devil Empire took us by surprise and invaded our homeland and slaughtered the Holy Dao city. The war that you have all heard of has been reignited but this time, we have no allies like the one many years ago...

The enemy has demons and ghosts, they are merciless and evil so don't hold back. Some of you have not killed yet but you must do so now. If you hesitate you will die. Don't give them mercy because they won't give you any.

Remember, if we fail and our sect falls. The people of this empire that are our people like the good villagers behind you will all die. The men will be enslaved and the woman raped. The children...

Devil Cultivators only care about advancements and would commit any act to further their power. And if they defeat us, no one can stop them. We stand between them and the world.

For those that harbor thoughts of fleeing the battle. If we lose and you survive this, you will be forced to live in a world dominated by evil monsters like them. A life like that is torture in its own way.

Our allies abandoned us due to their fear of the Devil Emperor but we are not afraid. The Dao Emperor will defeat him and we will destroy his forces or die trying because that is the right way. Because dying to protect one's home is an honor. And this land is our home.

We will go to Eastern Dao land's sky city and get it back from the enemy. Go pack your belongings, we leave in 1 hour..."

The wood heavenly king calmly said and vanished. The crowd dispersed and began preparing for the war. Some put on armor, some inspected their weapons and some checked their pills...

The Camp was slowly vanishing as the elders and disciples took their items back into their storage rings. Ling Tian saw Lian Qiu leave and decided to follow him. He was prepared from the night before with his trump cards ready so he had nothing better to do.

Surprisingly, Lian Qiu was ready as well and did not talk much. His face was serious as he approached Huo Bing's temporary residence.

Ling Tian felt a little guilt, 'I was so busy thinking of plans and strategies in order to survive in case we failed that I forgot about saying goodbye...'

Huo Bing seemed to know about them going since she was waiting in front of the house in a gloomy mood.

Lian Qiu's serious face turned haughty the moment he got close, "Little midget, we are going to war and you have to keep waiting here like a good little girl and pray. If you do so diligently, I will bring back a gift for you, reluctantly of course."

Huo Bing stuck out her tongue, "Hmph! Who prays for old men like you? I will ray for big brother Ling Tian. If I see you again I will take my revenge!"

Lian Qiu snorted in annoyance, "You... Who needs it anyway! Don't forget you started it!"

Ling Tian kneeled till he was the same height as Huo Bing and patted her head gently, he was feeling a little guilty since he almost forgot about everything due to fanatically training, "Be careful, eat well, don't talk to strangers and keep yourself safe."

Huo Bing's eyes turned a little red as tears appeared in them, she suddenly hugged Ling Tian. He could feel her small heartbeat since she had so tightly hugged him. "Big brother, I am scared..."

She began crying...

"Big brother, I am afraid of being left alone..."

"Big brother, I am afraid you will never return and join daddy..."

"I want to come with you..."

Ling Tian hugged her back. He felt a little attached to her as if she was his little sister, he said gently, "Don't worry, you saw how I killed that big demon right? Who is my match? No one... Don't be afraid..."

He exchanged points for a peak XianTian sword in the system and brought it out, the sword was very beautiful covered in red and pink designs of petals. It barely cost him anything. Its name was Crimson petal, it could shrink to the size of a pebble or expand to the size of a small house.

The sword shrank in his hand and he fastened a thin thread to it and created a necklace out of it.

He gave it to her with a faint smile of reassurance, "If you feel afraid, just hold onto this and remember I will always be watching over you through it."

He left a small piece of his divine sense in it. He would know if she was in danger. One of the many things he had learned from the wood heavenly king in the past week.

She put it around her neck and nodded as she stepped back and stopped crying. He stood up and sighed and before he could go, she stopped him once again, "What about me teaching me how to be strong like you?"

Ling Tian glanced at her with a raised eyebrow, "You want to cultivate?"

She nodded with determination. Ling Tian remembered the massacre he had done on Dark Demon city and the painful memories and hesitated.

'Does cultivation really bring calamity?'

He wondered and saw the determination in her eyes. 'It's her choice.'

The Cultivation technique of the system was firmly planted in his head even though he didn't need to do it himself, he had memorized it. He had written the Houtian part down on a piece of paper in this world's language to test his writing skill. He gave her the paper.

'The Houtian part is not that different from other cultivation methods that I saw this past week, I won't be giving anyone Xiantian level and above so it should be okay. But just in case...'

"Memorize the contents of that paper and burn it later. No one but you can read it, understood?"

She nodded and took the paper and held it tightly.

He continued, "Good, After you complete the practices written there, you have to find your own path. If we meet next time, you will be my disciple, how is that?"

She smiled, "Good. I will practice hard."

He left without looking back. He felt a little melancholy but such was the life of a cultivator who sought the immortal way, one would meet many friends and companions on the way but always be alone at heart.

Ling Tian knew that so he left decisively for how could he aim higher without a determined will?

Lian Qiu turned around to leave as well, Huo Bing suddenly said, "You better return old man, I won't be able to take revenge if you don't..."

Lian Qiu snorted as he walked away, "Little Brat, I told you, I am not done with you yet for that prank. Prepare for the punishment when I see you again. Goodbye."

When the duo had walked a little farther away, Ling Tian turned to look at Lian Qiu and abruptly said, "You lowered your dignity and treated her like an equal all this time, annoyed her and exasperated her to distract her from the harsh reality of her situation. She has no one and nobody but herself in this world... You helped her overcome that even if she didn't notice it. I respect that."

Lian Qiu sheepishly scratched his head, "You look into things too much... Anyway, let's go."

This time Ling Tian didn't go to see the villagers because he had realized something from his meeting with Huo Bing. He didn't like goodbyes.

They returned to the camp and several minutes later departed. The wood heavenly king flew on a wooden spear on the front with the elders and the rest of the disciples behind him.

Hundreds of cultivators on various forms of flying treasures set off toward the Eastern Dao Land to take back the sky city. Ling Tian among them with a confident smile.

His hair flowed with the wind as he stood on his flying sword. He looked very much like a sword immortal.

Lian Qiu was on his fan and watched the land, his youthful and handsome face looked serious.

Ling Tian briefly glanced at his friend and wondered, 'I wonder when we will part ways?'

Huo Bing burnt the paper as she had memorized the contents. She looked at the horizon with determined eyes, her fiery crimson hair reflected the light of the sun.

"I will grow stronger..."