Ascension of the Silent Guardian

Lian Ziyue's tribulation could be heard throughout the entire Mythical Realm. The terrifying sounds of thunder echoed in the sky, creating an atmosphere of tension and power. Tian Ling, sitting in his dwelling, could feel the intensity of the tribulation from a distance. He opened his eyes for a brief moment and reflected, "I passed through this tribulation with the system's help... Will she also be able to transcend? It can't be easy without direct aid."

Lian Ziyue was facing the dreaded celestial tribulation of the perfect state of cultivation in the Foundation Realm. Unlike Tian Ling, who had the invaluable support of the system during his tribulation, she relied solely on her own strength. Over the past ten days, she had faced great difficulties trying to advance, fighting every second to survive the heavens' relentless blows.

After finally overcoming the tribulation, exhausted but victorious, Lian Ziyue wasted no time. She immediately headed to Tian Ling’s palace. Upon entering, her eyes shone with a mix of pride and respect. Without hesitation, she knelt before him and said:

"Thank you so much, Tian Ling. I managed to break through thanks to your help." Her voice was respectful, but inside, she thought, "That young boy I helped enter the sect is now the one helping me break such a crucial barrier..." She felt proud of herself for having had the foresight to recognize Tian Ling's potential back then.

Tian Ling looked at her with a gentle smile and replied:

"I should be the one thanking you. You were the one who chose me back then. This is the least I can do for you now."

After a brief silence, he carefully observed her and asked:

"And now? What do you plan to do from here?"

For a moment, Lian Ziyue was disoriented. She knew what she wanted but hesitated to speak. She wanted to continue cultivating here, in Tian Ling’s Mythical Realm, where the spiritual energy was much denser and purer. However, she feared that her request might offend him. "Will he allow me to stay here? Or will he think I’m being intrusive?" With her lips trembling slightly, she finally mustered the courage, biting her lips lightly as she spoke:

"I would like to stay and continue cultivating here... if you would allow it." Her voice was soft, and she lowered her head in respect, feeling her heart race in anticipation of his response.

Tian Ling observed her from above, in silence. Secretly, he was pleased. This was exactly what he wanted. "If she stays nearby, I’ll be able to complete the system’s mission more easily." However, a concern crossed his mind. "What if she leaves and gets killed by accident? The mission would fail." He sighed, frustrated by the system’s lack of direct answers, but quickly made his decision.

"Alright," he replied with a firm tone. "I prefer to cultivate alone, but you can create a dwelling close to the palace and cultivate in peace." He nodded, signaling that she had his permission.

Lian Ziyue nodded in agreement, clearly relieved. It was evident that she was grateful for the opportunity. However, before she could fully settle in, Tian Ling spoke:

"Let's return to the sect now. It seems the demons are becoming quite active lately."

Lian Ziyue looked at him, surprised, frowning slightly.

"Demons? How do you know?" she asked curiously. There was a tone of doubt in her voice since he had been in deep cultivation the entire time.

Tian Ling gave a faint smile, quickly responding:

"I can sense the area around the portal." Of course, this was a lie. In truth, he knew everything from the system’s monitoring, but he didn’t want to reveal this ability to her. The only thing he could actually sense was when someone approached the portal, but that didn’t need to be mentioned.

Without asking more questions, Lian Ziyue simply nodded, and together they stood up and headed for the portal to return to the Misty Serenity Sect.

As they crossed through the portal, the sect looked almost the same as always. The islands were serene, and the familiar environment surrounded them. The only visible difference was that the reconstructions from the previous attacks had finally been completed. Everything seemed to have returned to its normal state, at least on the surface.

It’s worth noting that, during these years, the Misty Serenity Sect’s victory over the Dark Sect had almost been forgotten. The truth was, the Dark Sect wasn’t grand enough to hold the attention of other factions for long.

They walked quickly to Elder Mei Lianhua’s palace. Upon arriving, they were warmly welcomed, and the elder soon waved for them to sit.

"It seems you’ve finally broken through, congratulations, Lian Ziyue," said the elder, carefully observing her newly attained cultivation level.

Lian Ziyue smiled shyly and replied:

"Yes, all thanks to Tian Ling." Her voice was sincere, but inwardly, she thought, "If Tian Ling didn’t mention anything about my cultivation to the elder, he must have his reasons. Better not reveal too much."

Elder Mei Lianhua raised an eyebrow, surprised by the revelation.

"Tian Ling’s Mythical Realm was enough to help you break through the bottleneck?" the elder questioned, with evident curiosity.

Lian Ziyue hesitated for a moment but soon answered cautiously:

"Yes, the spiritual energy there is much denser than here." She averted her gaze, mentally reinforcing her decision not to reveal more than necessary.

Sensing the shift in the conversation, Tian Ling decided to change the subject:

"Master, how are things in the sect lately?" he asked, knowing full well about the continued demon attacks but unable to expose his knowledge without revealing the system.

The elder sighed deeply before answering:

"It’s not good at all. The demons are at war with each other, and many mortals, as well as cultivators, are being affected by this bloody battle."

Tian Ling narrowed his eyes, surprised.

"Demons at war? But aren’t they all from the same race?" The question was quick, but his tone reflected genuine confusion.

Mei Lianhua nodded.

"Yes, they are from the same race. However, they’re fighting for the title of Demon King. From what I’ve heard from the sect master, two powerful demons from the Perfected Soul Realm are at the center of this dispute."

Tian Ling’s concern grew.

"Will this war reach our sect?"

"It shouldn’t... But the demons are attacking the sect’s borders with increasing frequency. Their war is drawing dangerously close to us."

"And what is the sect master’s order?" Tian Ling’s voice was serious, evident in his tone.

The elder shrugged, disheartened.

"We can’t get involved. You were lucky to defeat Bai Jian that time, but the Green Demon has been in the Perfected Soul Realm for many years. If we make any reckless moves, they might unite and attack our sect. How would we resist?"

Tian Ling fell into a deep silence, lost in thought. He could only reach one conclusion: he needed to become stronger, and fast.

"Don’t worry, Master. If this war reaches us, I will definitely protect the sect." His voice was firm, filled with determination.

After that, they talked for a while longer, discussing the nuances of the situation. However, both Tian Ling and Lian Ziyue knew they couldn’t waste any more time. Tian Ling had a clear goal: to become stronger quickly. Even though he wanted to help his friends at the border, he knew it didn’t make sense to go now. His priority was cultivation.