NOVPUB
Chapter 89: The Meeting Started
The Flower Garden’s forest served as the gateway to the Thorny Flower Garden. At this moment, Aldrian was traveling along a dirt road through the forest. The silent, dark atmosphere, amplified by the setting sun, gave the path an eerie feeling. The horned horses galloped at full speed, yet the carriage remained steady, a testament to its remarkable engineering.
The journey was peaceful, without any hindrance. Even as the road gradually ascended, the horses maintained their pace. The sect, located atop the hills and surrounded by high cliffs, gave the impression of a hidden retreat.
As they neared the sect, Aldrian passed through a field of flowers. He could see various types of flowers in bloom, and their fragrance filled the air, tickling his nostrils. Both Eleine and Sylphia enjoyed the scenery, especially Sylphia, who had a fondness for plants. The fresh scent of the flowers provided a refreshing experience and eased their minds.
A few moments later, they arrived at the front gate, but to their surprise, the coachman bypassed it, leading them to another side of the sect.
"We have to disembark on the other side, so as not to attract the attention of the disciples," the coachman explained.
They finally understood, and this arrangement was also good for maintaining secrecy. Not too far from a high cliff, there was another gate, quite ordinary, with no one guarding it but they stopped there. After they exited the carriage, the door opened to reveal a beautiful woman looking at them with a serene expression.
Aldrian recognized the woman immediately, so he smiled and walked closer.
"It’s nice to see you again, Elder Lee Seo-Yeon," he greeted, cupping his hands. The elder returned his gesture.
"Welcome to the Thorny Flower Garden, Young Master Aldrian, and esteemed guests. Please, come in. We’ve prepared all the necessary accommodations, and the meeting will begin once all participants have arrived," she said, gesturing for them to enter.
Aldrian then made his way to his room. Along the path, he admired the beautiful scenery, with towering cliffs surrounding the sect. The Thorny Flower Garden was vast, spanning six square kilometers, including the cliffs.
The buildings of the sect were scattered, some located atop the cliffs, while the main hall where the sect leader and elders usually gathered was nestled at the base of the cliffs, flanked by rock formations.
After Aldrian reached his room, a spacious chamber with a large bed, tables, chairs, and other furnishings, he sat in one of the chairs and began to initiate his failsafe plan. With his low Earl stage cultivation, he could create a domain spanning two kilometers outside the center of faith gathering, enough to cover almost all of the Thorny Flower Garden. And for now, that was sufficient.
Half an hour later, a knock on the door, followed by a voice asking him to be ready, indicated that the meeting would soon begin. Without delay, Aldrian left the room and walked toward the meeting location. As the main guest of the evening, it was obvious that he had to attend, though the presence of others was optional.
However, Xin Haotian, Eleine, and Sylphia decided to accompany him. They were escorted to the meeting room, and when Aldrian arrived, it was already filled with the voices of several people. The room was large, with a giant long table at the center and many chairs arranged around it.
As soon as the people inside noticed the newcomers, the room fell silent. Most of them were astonished to see the young man who had reportedly uncovered the devils’ plot in the Dual Peak Horns city. There were nine people present, but three of them stood out with the most formidable presences.
Even while seated, their sheer presence made the atmosphere heavy and stifling. When Aldrian entered, the three of them looked at him with interest. Aldrian, however, glanced at them only briefly before taking his designated seat. He had been given a seat in the middle, opposite the others, while Xin Haotian and the rest chose to stand at the side, observing the meeting.
Sylphia frowned at the arrangement. From her perspective, this wasn’t an ordinary meeting—it felt more like a trial, with Aldrian seated in the middle, distanced from the others, as though he were being judged for his actions. Aldrian, however, remained unconcerned, calmly waiting for the meeting to begin.
"Now that we are all here, let’s begin our emergency meeting," said the person sitting at the center of the table. She was a beautiful woman radiating authority, the kind that naturally demanded obedience from others. Her presence embodied a mature beauty, combined with the aura of a true leader.
"Baek Ha-Yoon, the sect master of the Thorny Flower Garden," Aldrian thought to himself.
"Wait, Baek? The same as that girl from earlier? Is she her daughter or something?"
Before Aldrian could think further, the Thorny Flower Garden’s sect master spoke again, breaking his train of thought.
"Before we dive deeper into our discussion, I want to extend a warm welcome to our special guest, the one who successfully uncovered the devils’ devious plot, Young Master Aldrian."
Aldrian looked at Baek Ha-Yoon and smiled. "Sect Master Baek is exaggerating. It was merely my duty as a cultivator to prevent the devils from spreading misery and destruction."
"Your actions in Dual Peak Horns were truly inspiring," Sect Master Baek replied. "Even some of our sect members, though they still don’t know who you are to this day, were moved by what you did. That was no simple duty. Even when the three great sects joined forces, we couldn’t fully grasp the devils plan, until you became involved."
"Let’s just say fate brought me to the devils, and they reaped what they sowed. But what they harvested this time was divine judgment," Aldrian said with a smile.
"So, are you saying you were sent by Heaven or something like that?" one of the three leaders chimed in suddenly. Aldrian turned his gaze toward him.
"Kang Doo-Hoon, the leader of the Black Dragon Pavilion," he thought.
"If fate brought me to the devils, you could say that," Aldrian replied calmly.
"No wonder you made such bold demands in your negotiations. You think of yourself as Heaven’s messenger, huh? You expect us to agree to your terms, let you do whatever you want, and still have our support? And if we refuse, you don’t care, is that it? You don’t even seem to acknowledge the three great sects!" Kang Doo-Hoon’s voice grew sharper, his aura focusing directly on Aldrian as he attempted to intimidate him.
"If someone like you keeps appearing, our demonic cult will become a laughingstock!"
Xin Haotian remained wary from his position, ready to take the girls outside if things turned for the worse. As for Aldrian, he believed this monster could handle the situation on his own. From the sword intent in Balin to the events in Dual Peak Horns City, Aldrian’s power had grown significantly. Besides, Aldrian was the special guest of this meeting, so Xin Haotian didn’t need to involve himself in their conflict.
Sylphia and Eleine, on the other hand, had been tense ever since they entered the room. The presence of the three leaders made them deeply uncomfortable. Their oppressive auras were overwhelming for those unaccustomed to standing before such high-ranking demons. Now, with Kang Doo-Hoon intentionally exuding his aura, the two women felt their bodies weaken, the pressure almost unbearable.
Suddenly, their bodies were enveloped in a warm, golden energy, making them feel comfortable and at ease. Sylphia and Eleine exchanged glances before looking toward Aldrian, who was calmly transferring his energy from his seat. They then shifted their gaze toward Kang Doo-Hoon, whose face had twisted into an ugly scowl.
"You can question me all you like, but don’t disturb them. You’re making my friends uncomfortable." Aldrian said.
The others in the room, apart from Aldrian’s group, were astonished. They watched as Aldrian easily dispersed the intimidating aura, lifting the oppressive pressure without breaking a sweat. They could sense his cultivation level, Low Earl stage. But the energy he was wielding was unlike anything they had encountered before.
Though it carried the essence of an Earl, its suppressive properties were unique. Their own energy within their dantian reacted to it, though only as a subtle, tingling sensation.
After spending so much time in demon territory, Aldrian had reached a clear conclusion, he had to assert his dominance if he wanted these demonic cultivators to listen to him. He couldn’t afford to show weakness, nor could he let them trample over him. Now, he no longer hesitated to reveal a part of his power—better to establish his authority than let them push him around.
His pride refused to let others look down on him, and something deep within him stirred uncomfortably at the thought. Aldrian knew that if he let this feeling get the better of him, it could lead to trouble and disaster, not only for him but for those he cared about.
With a long, deliberate breath, he tried to suppress that burning pride, grounding himself once more.
"I apologize for my insolence, but let’s continue, I trust the esteemed leader of the Black Dragon Pavilion will refrain from involving my companions in my own arrogance." Aldrian said calmly.
His words were polite, yet the way the others now regarded him had changed. Their expressions grew solemn.
They had heard the reports from their envoys about Aldrian’s absurd abilities and the strange energy he wielded, but hearing about it and experiencing it firsthand were entirely different matters. Now that they could feel their own energy reacting to his, it became clearer. They were thinking about this term, the similar situation but not entirely the same, which had only occurred among the beast races, and that was...
Bloodline suppression.
It was the same situation when the beasts with higher level bloodlines imposed on those with lesser ones. Could it be that Aldrian’s golden energy held a higher level than the energy cultivators had known since ancient times?
