‘Wow. Even I can’t help but be amazed at this place. All of this was hidden in the Center Circle? I didn’t think this sect could hold anymore secrets but it seems that I was wrong.’ A male stood in the Center Circle gazing at the palace in front of him.

This male wore grey-colored robes and covered his face and skin. Only his deep blue eyes could be seen. An eerie aura emanated from this person. From this aura, it made others who looked at him feel as if their mind was collapsing. That was why none of his group members gazed upon his figure. This person was precisely Fang Zuwa.

The door to the palace was open so after looking at his surroundings Fang Zuwa walked in the palace along with his group. Upon entering and seeing the huge city he was even more amazed. He didn’t get to view it for more than five seconds before a voice transmission came into his head.

“Meet me at Red Cloud Palace Hall.” The voice was smooth and anyone that heard it would feel honored to comply with any demands that it gave. Fang Zuwa was no exception. Especially after he noticed that it was Sect Leader Fu’s voice.

Without delaying, using the map that he was given in his mind, he hurried to Red Cloud Palace Hall. Upon entering and meeting with the Sect Leader, he was told of the secrets of the sect and was shocked upon hearing that he was selected to complete the Sect Leader’s goal. He happily and seriously accepted the goal.

After accepting the goal he was awarded an Ancestral Awakening Pellet and thus had his bloodline traced back as far as it could go. Sect Leader Fu told him some more things such as Akata, Peizhi Xiuying, and Huihe Ji becoming Dragonknights. Fang Zuwa was slightly dejected after hearing that those three became Dragonknights, but then his mind started to flicker.

‘Why are their three Dragonknights? Shouldn’t there only be two? And why would she be telling me these things?’ His mind was going through countless thoughts and his heart started racing.

“It’s as you have thought. I plan on making you a Dragonknight as well. My original goal of having two Dragonknights of the Cloud Corps has been altered a bit. Instead, I will still have two Dragonknights as captains, but I will also have to Vice Dragonknights. I won’t decide who is who so you all can decide for yourselves.

Since you are becoming a Dragonknight you will have to take on a new name; that name will be Mindlife. From now on, while on a mission, you are not to go by any other name. Akata and the others have only been here for less than hour. So you haven’t missed too much. However, before you go meet with them, I want you to do a small mission for me. Once you complete this mission I’ll lead you to where they are. But if you fail, I’ll kill you.” Sect Leader Fu spoke indifferently.

With that, how could Fang Zuwa reject? He accepted the mission and after being briefed on it he set out to complete it. The mission shocked Fang Zuwa, but since his life was on the line, he had no other choice to complete it.

After leaving Red Cloud Palace Hall, Fang Zuwa went to a building that was on the other side of the city. It was the place the other disciples were gathered at, the Red Cloud Gathering Hall.

Although the Red Cloud Gathering Hall was a gathering place for the disciples, It wasn’t a hall at all. It was more like an enormous living complex. It’s size alone took up a quarter of the city. The gathering hall was the place the disciples would stay in the city. It had shops, training grounds, meditation areas, medicinal buildings and the like. It was like a city within a city.

The disciples were split in the groups that they were in before and separated into different parts of the gathering hall. Fang Zuwa went to where his group was living at.

“Oi! Fang Zuwa, come have a toast with us!”

“Ah… I wonder where those people that were suddenly summoned went? They could’ve been partying with us.”

“Hahaha! Who would’ve thought this place was so spectacular!”

“Right! This dump of a sect is actually so great!”

“All these years we could’ve been living in luxury but those stingy elders and Sect Leader kept this all to themselves.”

“Bah! They’re nothing but trash in my eyes. Give me enough time I’ll be able to stand over all of them.”

The whole crowd burst into joyous laughter as they talked about the sect. Hearing the crowd, Fang Zuwa’s face became more and more unsightly. However, nobody could see it as his face was covered. He walked over to the group and with a light jump, landed on a table that was in the middle of the group. Seeing this, the group quieted down as they figured Fang Zuwa had something to say.

After everyone was quiet he started speaking. “For your crimes of slandering the name of the Red Cloud Sect and your devious actions behind the back of the sect, on behalf of Sect Leader Fu, you are hereby sentenced to death.” Fang Zuwa spoke softly and coldy.

“What are you talking about Fang Zuwa?” One person spoke out seeing that the situation turned awkward.

“My name is Mindlife. On behalf of Sect Leader Fu I have been tasked with eliminating you all.” As he spoke, he waved his hand and a boundless grey mist covered the surroundings and the people within. He pointed at the person who just spoke and a beam of light shot out from his finger and pierced the throat of that person, killing him instantly.

The people no longer laughed after seeing Mindlife start to attack. They all got up and started to either counterattack or attempt to escape.

“Wha… What are you doing?! We’re a team!”

“Stop! Why are you killing us Fang Zuwa?”

Cries rained out constantly but it was all to no avail as Mindlife didn’t respond to their words at all. It was as if he was a demon who came to reap their lives and came for nothing else.

Mindlife was obviously the strongest in his group so there was nobody who could match his might. The grey fog constantly corroded the bodies of the people within and his attacks were precise and fast, always landing a killing blow. Like this, Mindlife eliminated all of the people in the area.

After looking at the lifeless bodies and seeing the blood splattered everywhere, his eyes started to tear up and he fell to his knees. This was his first time taking another person’s life. And he didn’t just take one, he took many. He was scared, scared that his hands were filled with human blood. That he took away so many people’s futures. They would no longer be able to walk on this planet in this life. And he… he was the one that caused this.

He looked at his hands. Although they were clean and not the slightest speck could be seen on them, in his eyes all he saw was a bloody mess. A weapon that took the life of another. He was a killer now. No different from these people.

When the Sect Leader had formed this group she had put together the worst people in the sect in this group. She had planned on eliminating everyone in this group eventually, even Mindlife himself. But, she wanted to be a bit benevolent, so she gave them all a chance to live. This chance was the trial in the Misty Forest. To pass this trial, one had to be benevolent to another in times of danger.

Sect Leader Fu paid close attention to this group and purposely made many obstacles for them. This lead to the group suffering disaster after disaster, in the end, five members ended up dying by the end of the trial. But some passed the trial. These were people that risked their lives to save another, before Mindife came, they were “summoned” to do a task for the sect. The remaining people were still seen as cruel to the Sect Leader so she tasked Mindlife with eliminating them.

The reason why Mindlife was spared was because of his efforts in saving Akata in his time of need. Coupled with his talent and dedication for cultivating, Sect Leader Fu grew fond of him. Thus she wanted to improve him further. With that, she gave him one more task. To kill these treacherous people.

At first, Mindlife didn’t know how these people were so bad that they deserved to die. But then the Sect Leader sent him some images and scenes of their crimes. In these visions he saw these people raping, killing, crippling, stealing, and doing more atrocious acts to fellow sect members and regular mortals in Purple Sky City.

Although Mindlife himself was on the death list, it was only because he had stolen some cultivation resources from a few sect members. It wasn’t at the level of messing with regular mortals and especially killing and raping. Thus, after learning this he was naturally shocked and even angry.

After hearing all the words that they spoke once he saw them, he became enraged. He had no more sympathy for them and started a massacre. But once everything became silent, all he could think about was how tainted his hands were. He was broken at this moment. As he kept looking at his hands he became disgusted and even threw up.

“Mn. That’s the way. You could’ve been apart of this group laying before you but you have changed your ways. I’ll let you go through this on your own. Once you’re done I’ll come find you and bring you to the others.” Sect Leader Fu was still on her throne and looking at the events of Mindlife slaughtering his fellow disciples. She spoke to herself and after speaking she closed her eyes and started meditating.

After a few days of sulking and blaming himself for the lives lost, Mindlife got himself in order. He straightened out his clothes and looked to the sky. He wasn’t in the gathering hall at this moment but instead at a random shop he found after wandering. He looked down from the sky and saw a beautiful figure in front of him.

“Sect Leader Fu.” Mindlife respectfully greeted the Sect Leader.

“It seems that you have finally gotten yourself together. This event was inevitable. They were going to die anyways. Either by your hands or someone else's. This is life, it is filled with death and destruction. Since you are now a Dragonknight it is better to become used to it.” Sect Leader Fu spoke bluntly and didn’t even try to comfort him.

At her words Mindlife nodded firmly. He knew her words were right and for his own benefit.

Seeing that he nodded, Sect Leader Fu turned around. “Let’s go meet up with Akata and the others.” She waved her hand and the both of them disappeared.

‘Eh? What are they talking about? Wait are they exchanging secrets?” Sect Leader Fu appeared within a desert and instantly saw Akata and the other two discussing secrets.

She listened in closer when Akata started speaking. “Not only that but I have two runes that…”

“Akata, Peizhi Xiuying, and Swordlife.” She was furious. Akata was telling his secrets to others. This was absolutely a disgrace that could not be allowed. But she soon composed herself. After speaking some words to them she left. But what the three didn’t know was that she brought and left somebody with her, Mindlife.

Mindlife watched the three battle furiously and he was in awe the whole time. Even his battle intent started surging forth. He was ready to join in as well. Seeing the three attacking each other he couldn’t help himself anymore. He charged his own attack and sent it forth as well.

The resulting clash between the four attacks didn’t resound in a loud explosion, but instead, utter silence.