I alone am the Honoured One!

A few more days passed-

In the past few days, Zhao Tian mostly spent time in the Imperial palace with Lan Shuqin and Zhou Hanyue or coming back to the Sect to spend some time with Velnorah or Yao Jing.

"Hmm... I have already noticed that the vampires and even the evil sect Coven of Black Hearts are on the move."

Sitting on the couch in the chamber of the Sect's main hall, Ji Shuang spoke as she glanced at Zhao Tian and Yao Jing, who were sitting opposite her.

"I've already noticed their presence around our star. If they haven't struck yet, it's only because they're waiting for the right opportunity."

"And even if we find these evil sect members within our sect, it would be hard to completely exterminate them."

Ji Shuang had a thoughtful look on her face as she spoke "So with the vampires on cahoots with the Evil sect... I think they are aiming for our Sect after all."

Hearing this, Yao Jing was quite confused "But why are they targeting the Sect? If they want to take over our star, they would aim for the Jade Emperor and destroy the capital first."

With a shake of her head, Ji Shuang spoke with a bitter smile "Our sect indeed has some history with the Vampires."

Yao Jing blinked her eyes in confusion "Eh?"

Nodding her head, Ji Shuang spoke, "Decades ago... my father, the previous Sect master of this sect went on a rampage and hunted the vampires relentlessly."

H-Huh? Yao Jing was taken aback "Why..."

Ji Shuang's expression darkened. "Because my mother was killed by a vampire. A high-ranking one. She was drained of life in front of my father's eyes."

"After her death," Ji Shuang continued, "...my father didn't stop at mere vengeance. He went further, killing not just the one responsible but countless others, including the Patriarch of the Vampire High Star at that time."

"And during that rampage, he took something... a weapon of immeasurable value to the vampires. A weapon they would give anything to retrieve: Brynnhilder."

Zhao Tian's gaze narrowed "Brynnhilder?"

Ji Shuang glanced at him, "Brynnhilder is no ordinary weapon. It was forged from the core of a dying star by the ancestors of the vampires... a relic of their greatest age. It grants its wielder power over pure astral energy, an energy that borders on divine."

Yao Jing raised an eyebrow "Why would your father take it, Sister Shuang?"

Ji Shuang's expression grew cold. "To deny them their strength. After the death of my mother, he vowed to sever the vampires' power at its roots."

"Taking Brynnhilder was the final step. But its loss left a wound that has festered for decades. And it seems like they've returned, seeking to reclaim what they lost."

Zhao Tian had a contemplative gaze hearing all of this.

With a sigh, Ji Shuang spoke "What makes it worse is that Brynnhilder isn't just a weapon. You can say... it's the life core of the vampires."

Hm? Zhao Tian raised an eyebrow "What do you mean by that.. Sect master?"

Ji Shuang spoke with a dry smile "I said the Brynnhilder was forged from the core of a dying star, right? It was the first star the vampire race originated."

"The star's core is essential for the longevity of the vampire race."

"But since the star was dying, the ancestors of vampires destroyed that star and created the Bryunnhilder with that core as they moved to a different star."

"Without the core, their lifespans have begun to dwindle. Entire noble houses are withering away."

After hearing this, Yao Jing asked "But if the Brynnhilder is this dangerous, why not just destroy it? Surely your father must have considered that."

With a shake of her head, Ji Shuang replied "No, its just simply powerful that my Father couldn't even destroy it."

Ji Shuang's gaze flickered over to Zhao Tian as she continued "But there's one other thing you should know."

"There's a second component to Brynnhilder... a sigil. It's known as the Key of the Hemlock Graven. My father hid it separately from the weapon, to ensure no one could ever fully unlock Brynnhilder's power."

Yao Jing tilted her head. "And where's the sigil now?"

Ji Shuang hesitated, then said slowly, "It was entrusted to the Jade Imperial Family."

Yao Jing's gaze squinted "So if they ever attacked, the vampires and the Coven wouldn't just target the sect. They'll target the Imperial Palace as well."

Ji Shuang nodded. "And the sigil's location is even more perilous. The last records indicate it was sealed within the palace's Sanctuary... a chamber that requires the bloodline of the Emperor to unlock."
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With a thoughtful nod, Zhao Tian asked, "I wonder why the evil sect is allying with the vampires. What benefits do they gain from destroying the sect? Do you have any personal grudges against them?"

Ji Shuang shook her head. "No... maybe the evil sect just wants to see the destruction of our sect? Or maybe they want to plunder the resources within our sect."

Yao Jing let out a deep sigh "So we don't know when they will attack us."

"They might attack us anytime and we always need to be on guard."

"Yeah, we always need to be cautious."

...

*woosh* Yan Zijin moved first, closing the distance with a burst of speed.

Her palm shot out toward Zhao Tian's chest, a feint that quickly turned into a sweeping kick aimed at his ribs.

Zhao Tian sidestepped, narrowly avoiding the blow, and countered with a sharp jab aimed at her shoulder.

She twisted her body to avoid his strike, catching his wrist in one hand and pulling him off balance.

With a flick of her foot, she aimed for his shin, but Zhao reacted quickly, leaping backward and freeing himself from her grip.

"Not bad," she remarked, resetting her stance.

"But your footwork is sloppy. Keep moving or you'll become a stationary target."

As he attempted a roundhouse kick, she ducked low, spinning beneath it and delivering a sharp elbow strike to his side.

The impact made him stumble, but he quickly regained his footing.

She suddenly switched from defense to offense, her movements blurring as she attacked.

A rapid series of punches drove Zhao Tian back, forcing him to block desperately.

She followed up with a spinning kick aimed at his temple.

He ducked just in time, the wind from her strike brushing against his ear.

"Too slow..." she admonished, her voice sharp as she closed the distance.

Her fist shot out toward his stomach, but Zhao twisted his torso, letting the punch graze past him.

He grabbed her wrist, attempting to lock her arm, but she countered by dropping her weight and twisting free.

In one fluid motion, she swept his legs out from under him.

*thud* Zhao hit the ground hard, but before she could capitalize, he rolled to the side and sprang to his feet.

With a nod of approval, Yan Zijin spoke in her usual indifferent tone "Even though in the past few days, I could only give less amount of training... you are catching up very quick."

"And is it after two days that you are going to the great Tianhe forest?"

Zhao Tian nodded his head "Yeah..."

Yan Zijin's gaze squinted upon hearing this "Mhm, once you return, I will check your physique's refinement."

"Now, go to the cave."

Zhao Tian smiled dryly and nodded his head "Yes, Master."

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I hope you guys liked this chapter!