NOVPUBHumeyin looked at the crystal in confusion.
There didn't seem to be anything special about it. She stared at it for a few moments, then looked up at her father, her brows slightly furrowed.
"What is this, Father?" she asked softly.
But the Blackblood Lord just smiled. It wasn't the smile of a man holding onto secrets with power—it was a gentle smile of someone who wanted to leave behind something meaningful.
"Just do what I say," he said, patting her head with the same hand that once led armies and crushed enemies. "Trust me on this."
Humeyin held the crystal close to her chest for a second, as if trying to feel something from it, then gave a small nod.
"I will," she whispered.
She then carefully stored the crystal away, not knowing what it truly held… only that it was her father's parting gift for a day that hadn't come yet.
The Blackblood Lord felt satisfied, feeling content as if he had already secured her daughter's future in the right hands. He then turned to Aksai.
"Thank you, boy," he said, his voice calm but full of sincerity. "You've saved me twice. Once in the Holy Land Torel and second time here at this point. I am grateful."
Aksai didn't say anything right away. He simply nodded lightly, showing his respect.
The Blackblood Lord looked at him for a moment longer before speaking again. "I wonder if I could ask you for one more favor."
Aksai straightened up slightly and gave another nod. "Of course, Master Blackblood. Please speak."
The Blackblood Lord took a deep breath and glanced at Jina, who stood quietly by the side.
"After I pass… the Blackblood Sect will face unrest. It's unavoidable. Even with Haitin taking charge, some of the elders might act out before he can fully control the situation."
His gaze turned serious. "Jina may become one of their targets. She doesn't have many strong backers, and after our marriage contract is officially gone, some might think she has no protection left. I don't want her caught up in the chaos."
He paused, then looked Aksai in the eyes.
"That's why I ask you—can you arrange for her to live on Emerald Cove in secret for a while? Just until things settle down. It's the safest place I can think of right now."
Safest place? Don't you have Haan Di?
Aksai thought to himself. He found the Blackblood Lord's arrangement a bit weird. However, he nodded without hesitation in the next moment. "I understand. I'll make sure she's well-protected."
He turned to Jina and gave her a small, reassuring smile. "Expert Jina, don't worry. You will like living on Emerald Cove. It might not be as grand as the Blackblood Sect estate, but it has a natural charm that can soothe one's soul."
Jina looked at him quietly for a few seconds, then smiled slightly back and nodded. "Thank you," she said softly.
Aksai gave another nod, this time more to himself. He knew that once the Blackblood Lord was gone, things were going to get messy. He might attract some strayed and rebellious sect members from the Blackblood Sect if the fact that he was providing shelter to Jina were to get exposed.
But if there was something he could do to honor the man's last wishes, even in small ways, he would do it. The Blackblood Lord had already done many favors for him. And if things went according to plan, Aksai might have to refer to him as his father-in-law after his death as well.
As such, Aksai agreed—despite his personal policy to avoid attracting trouble to Emerald Cove.
Of course, since he was the one who had taken on this responsibility, he couldn't expect Nuya and the others on Emerald Cove to share his burden. He needed to deal with these potential problems himself.
"For the next few hours," the Blackblood Lord said, "I want to speak freely with all of you. There are things you should know—things that are not written in scrolls or passed down in meetings."
He paused, letting the silence settle before continuing.
"You all know the Big Five sects of the righteous faction," he said. "But what you don't know is that each of their Core Formation Lords has their own ambitions—some more dangerous than others."
The Blackblood Lord then started speaking about all the things he knew about the righteous faction's Core Formation Lords as well as their respective sects. It was confidential information that only he was privy to as the fellow Core Formation Lord.
After a while, he paused, then gave a sharp look to all of them. "The righteous faction's Lords are no saints. But the biggest danger… is still the Yaksha Lord. Especially here, in the Wild Devil Lands."
A brief chill ran through the chamber.
"He has consumed the One Thousand Deaths Poison but it's all just a smokescreen in all likelihood. Don't trust anything that comes from his people. No alliances, no favors, no trades. If possible, avoid him completely.
However, the Blackblood sect has signed a peace treaty with the Yaksha sect. So don't go breaching that treaty with your own violation either. Just remain neutral for the time being.
If you notice some external interference in the Blackblood sect, only act to contain the problem in a tactical way. There's no need to dig too deep because we already can guess who is behind it.
Little Meyin, you need to stay hidden until the Yaksha Lord or any other Lord for that matter makes a move. You don't need to worry about ordinary matters that concern the Foundation building elders and other sect members. Leave those things to your brother Haitin."
Everyone nodded, the mood turning more serious.
After some time, the Blackblood Lord leaned back and let out a long breath. He looked tired now, his eyes softer but still sharp.
"That's all I can tell you for now. These matters must be handled with care. n𝚘𝚟𝚙𝚞𝚋.𝚌o𝚖
If you rush, you will lose. If you hesitate, you might still lose.
So keep your minds clear and hearts steady.
I… I predict that in the upcoming times not only the Blackblood sect but the entire Dadangar Subcontinent is bound to face a period of unrest it has never seen in the last few centuries."
