NOVPUBAksai and Jina exchanged a brief glance.
Knowing that it was time to leave, they both stood up and bowed.
"Thank you, Master Blackblood," Aksai said. "Regarding Expert Jina, I'll take care of everything as you asked."
Jina added softly, "I… I will also take my leave. Take care, Lord Blackblood."
The Blackblood Lord gave them both a nod. "Alright."
With that, Aksai and Jina quietly left the chamber, leaving the Blackblood Lord alone with his two children.
Once the door closed behind them, the old man turned his gaze to Humeyin and Haitin. His expression changed slightly—less formal, more fatherly.
The Blackblood Lord talked with his kids for hours on end, only stopping when the day was about to end.
***
A few days passed quietly.
Then, just as the sun was beginning to rise one morning, Aksai heard the news.
The Blackblood Lord had passed away.
The words struck him like a silent blow. Although he had expected it, he was still surprised. A Core Formation Lord could indeed die. A powerhouse could be brought down from his pedestal.
It was like learning that a famous celebrity has died. Even though we know they were humans and not immortals, one's subconscious would not be ready to accept their mortality quickly.
No loud cries followed after the Blackblood Lord's death. No immediate chaos. Just a heavy silence that settled over the entire sect like a thick blanket.
The atmosphere changed quickly. The Blackblood Sect, which had always felt firm and steady with the presence of the Core Formation Lord, now felt hollow and cold.
A sense of gloom filled every corridor, every hall, every courtyard. Disciples walked around with lowered heads and quiet steps. Even the wind seemed to carry a stillness that refused to leave.
But underneath that silence, another force began to stir.
Whispers started. Discussions behind closed doors. Looks exchanged between elders. Everyone knew what was coming.
The question of who would become the next sect master had already begun to brew. While Haitin had the support of most elders and his position seemed certain, a few grand elders had different ideas.
They didn't challenge Haitin openly, not yet. Instead, they began making quiet moves, pulling in allies, forming small groups. Their eyes gleamed with ambition, each one hoping to rise above the rest.
For now, those factions were busy watching each other, waiting for someone to make the first mistake. But it was clear that when Haitin finally acted, they would put aside their differences and oppose him together. The real power plays would begin from that moment.
Still, the factions had been created. And all of this had started within just a few hours of the Blackblood Lord's death. Aksai could already see how hard the coming weeks would be for Haitin and those who stood by him.
As for Aksai, he had stayed in the sect only to pay his final respects to the Blackblood Lord. If not for that, he would have left for the Duya Forest days ago.
But now that the funeral had been announced, he made his way to the main square of the sect where the procession would begin. People gathered in silence. Elders, disciples, servants—everyone had come.
The body of the Blackblood Lord lay on a raised platform, wrapped in a black and gold shroud. His face looked peaceful, as if he had merely gone to sleep.
Sect members lit incense sticks and placed them around the platform. There were no wails, only the quiet rustling of robes and the sound of breathing.
Aksai stood at a distance, his eyes fixed on the shrouded figure.
He didn't speak or move needlessly. He simply stood there, letting the weight of the moment sink into him.
'Without Immortality, all of us are just as helpless,' Aksai thought and sighed.
As brave as he was, he felt that he needed to put even more effort in his cultivation paths as he watched the Blackblood Lord's funeral. It was motivating him to work even harder than before.
He also prayed for the Blackblood Lord in his heart. Even though he was Hayaat's disciple-in-name, the fact that he had acted as a mentor for Aksai briefly was heartwarming.
Aksai had always thought that the world of cultivation was cruel and the hearts of those who pursued Immortality were as barren as the forsaken deserts. However, he was proven wrong by the Blackblood sect master.
Hayaat Blackblood was not perfect. He might have done very horrible things to get to where he was. Still, he was good to Aksai and all those he considered as his own. He was still a human trying to pursue Immortality and failed in the process.
As such, Aksai had to show his respect to the Blackblood Lord.
***
A short while later, the procession began. Sect elders and important members moved in line, offering their last respects.
Haitin stood near the body, surrounded by a group of elders, his expression hard to read. He looked calm, but Aksai could see the tension behind his eyes.
Once the ceremony was complete, and the crowd began to disperse, Aksai quietly made his way to Haitin.
The two stood in silence for a moment before Haitin gave a small nod.
"Thanks for coming, brother-in-law," he said softly. Of course, Haitin made sure that nobody else heard him calling Aksai as his brother in law as his younger sister's existence was still a secret.
Aksai was a bit shocked when he heard the term brother-in-law from Haitin's mouth once again. He wanted to correct the man for a split second. However, he decided it was not the right time or place to do such a thing.
In the end, the Spirit farmer simply returned the nod. "He was a good man. Even when I barely knew him, he still helped me more than he needed to."
Haitin looked down for a moment, then back at Aksai. "He saw something in you. He wouldn't have done any of that if he didn't. And I trust my father's vision and his instincts."
