When Ye Xian reached the academy, he saw guards at the entrance doors telling everyone to go to the main hall. Students and teachers had already gathered there, and everyone looked tense and worried.
On the stage, he could see three important elders standing in front of the crowd.
He recognized the first one as the academy's principal—an old man with a serious face, commanding presence, and gray hair that showed his many years of experience in cultivation.
The second was the head of the academy's discipline department, famous throughout the school for being strict about rules and having a strong sense of justice.
The third elder was completely unknown to Ye Xian. This mysterious person wore clean white robes decorated with detailed moon patterns that seemed to glow with their own light.
Students whispered to each other, trying to figure out why such important people had come to the academy so early in the morning. The air was thick with curiosity.
Ye Xian saw Reiner waving at him from across the hall and walked over. Reiner quickly pointed toward the elder in white robes, lowering his voice to an urgent whisper.
"That elder there—he's from the Moonlight Sect!" Reiner said, his voice mixing excitement with nervousness. "Look at those moon designs on his robes. I've heard stories about them..."
Other students nearby had noticed the same thing, and quiet conversations began spreading through the crowd like ripples in water.
"Do you think they're here to find new Disciples?" one student whispered hopefully.
Another student laughed quietly and shook his head. "Do you know what their requirements are? They only accept students who can reach the Elemental Disciple realm before turning 18, and even then, you need at least A-grade talent. The standards are incredibly high."
A third voice added doubtfully, "If they were just looking for new disciples, why would an elder come here personally? Something else must be happening."
Before anyone could guess more, the principal stepped forward and raised his hand, getting everyone's attention immediately. The hall became silent as all eyes turned toward the stage.
The principal gestured respectfully toward the white-robed elder, who looked even more impressive up close. The elder had long, flowing white hair that reached past his shoulders, and an equally impressive white beard that went down to his chest, giving him an almost otherworldly, wise appearance.
"Students and faculty," the principal began seriously, "I present Elder Chen from the famous Moonlight Sect."
Elder Chen stepped forward, his presence immediately earning respect. When he spoke, his voice carried the weight of authority and decades of cultivation experience.
"I am Chen Weilong, an elder of the Moonlight Sect's Outer Court," he announced, his sharp gaze looking over the gathered crowd.
"I have come today on urgent sect business—matters involving ancient evils and approaching threats."
The elder paused, his expression becoming serious as he prepared to tell a story that every cultivator knew but hoped never to face.
"Ten thousand years ago, there were three great continents—the Human Continent where we live, the Fiend Continent to the east, and the Ghoul Continent to the north. For countless years, these three worlds maintained an uneasy peace, each staying in their own territories while being unwelcoming to outsiders from the other continents."
Students leaned forward, fascinated despite knowing this history. Elder Chen's voice took on the tone of someone telling legends that had shaped their world.
"Then came the day when a being of unimaginable power appeared—a cultivator who had reached the absolute peak of cultivation, the legendary Sovereign level. But this was no ordinary Sovereign. This monster called itself the Red Wizard, and didn't care about the boundaries between Human, Fiend, or Ghoul. The Red Wizard killed without mercy, seeing all three races as nothing more than insects under its feet."
The hall had become completely silent, with even the youngest students understanding how serious this was.
"The Red Wizard's power was so overwhelming that it forced something that had never happened before—the three continents united for the first time in history. Fifteen Sovereigns, the greatest powers from all three worlds, joined forces in a desperate alliance to stop this cosmic threat."
Elder Chen's voice grew heavy with the weight of sacrifice. "The battle that followed shook the very foundations of our world. Mountains fell, seas boiled, and the sky itself bled. Yet even with all their combined strength, the fifteen Sovereigns found they couldn't defeat this monster. The Red Wizard's power was beyond anything they had ever seen—they couldn't even hurt it enough to kill it."
The elder's expression became increasingly serious. "In the end, seven of our greatest heroes made the ultimate sacrifice, giving their lives to create a single moment of opportunity. Only through their deaths could the remaining eight Sovereigns accomplish what seemed impossible—not victory, but sealing the Red Wizard away. It was the only choice they had."
Sounds of awe and sadness rippled through the crowd as students thought about such a great sacrifice and the terrifying fact that even fifteen Sovereigns working together couldn't truly defeat their enemy.
"However," Elder Chen continued, his tone becoming darker, "the Red Wizard was not alone. Seven powerful witches served under its command, and though their master was sealed, they escaped that final battle. These Red Witches have continued their master's work for ten thousand years, building a cult that passes down their corruption from generation to generation."
The moment Elder Chen mentioned "Red Witches," the entire hall erupted in gasps and frightened murmurs. Students instinctively moved closer to each other, their faces pale with terror. Even the teachers looked visibly shaken.
"The followers of the Red Witches are known as Witch Spawns," Elder Chen said seriously. "They can be humans, monsters, or even ghouls—anyone who has fallen under the Red Witches' control. These Witch Spawns sneak into towns and villages, slowly stealing the life force of innocent people, all to serve one purpose—freeing the Red Wizard."
"Which brings me to why I'm here today," Elder Chen said, his voice cutting through the fearful whispers. "One of these Witch Spawns—one we had successfully captured—escaped from us twelve years ago. Since then, we have been following its trail across countless cities and regions."
The elder's expression grew grim. "This particular Witch Spawn is extremely dangerous because it has a Core Skill that has made tracking it nearly impossible. Additionally, it carries an earth-grade artifact that allows it to create false spiritual trails, leading our tracking teams on wild chases while it escapes in completely different directions."
The mention of both a Core Skill and an Earth-grade artifact in the hands of a Witch Spawn sent waves of fear through the entire assembly. In Azure Sky City, no known cultivator possessed a Core Skill—yet now, a dangerous Witch Spawn with such power was hiding among them. Students instinctively clung to their friends for comfort, and several younger ones looked as though they might bolt at any moment.
A Core Skill is a very rare and special power that someone is born with. It cannot be learned or gained through hard work—it's like a gift. It lives deep inside a person's soul and grants a powerful skill from the start.
Some people don't even realize they have a Core Skill, or they might not know what kind of power it holds. Even the most talented cultivators might never possess one. But while it's a great blessing, it also comes with risk—if the Core Skill is destroyed, the person will lose that special power and also forget any skills they learned through it. In some cases, it can even stop them from cultivating ever again.
"For over a decade, we have chased fake trails and empty leads created by this cursed artifact. But our most recent information has brought us here, to Azure Sky City. One of the false trails it left has led us to this region, and we believe it may be hiding somewhere in this area while it recovers from injuries sustained in our last fight."
Elder Chen raised his hand as panic began to spread through the crowd. "While this situation is indeed serious, there is no need for immediate panic. According to our analysis, this Witch Spawn was severely wounded. It should be in a weakened state and looking for a secure location to heal."
This information provided some relief to the terrified students, though fear still lingered in their eyes.
"However," the elder continued sternly, "we must remain extremely alert. Witch Spawns are masters of deception with abilities that go far beyond what most expect. We will be conducting thorough investigations throughout the city, starting with this academy."
Elder Chen gestured toward his students who had positioned themselves around the hall. "All students and faculty will form orderly lines and approach my disciples for questioning. Each person will also receive a detection marble for your protection."
The hall immediately filled with nervous chatter as students began organizing themselves into lines. Ye Xian found himself in a line with Reiner and several other classmates, all of them exchanging worried glances as they slowly moved forward.
When it was time for Ye Xian's interview, one of the Moonlight Sect disciple approached him with an intense, examining gaze. The questioning was thorough—had he noticed anyone acting strangely, any new faces around the academy or in town, or anyone whose aura or ki felt unnatural?