Hearing the Gatekeeper’s question, Zuo Lv and Hei Ao exchanged a look.

Though they were quite uneasy, fortune favors those who dare.

They were, after all, people who had weathered great storms; after living through the night Tianyuan Town was wiped out, what could be more terrifying, more despairing than that?

That night, they lost everything, and now, they were going to use their own hands to slowly take everything back.

"Reporting to my lord, we fled here from Tianyuan Town. By sheer luck we once received help from a master of the Absolute Sect. They said if we were ever driven to a dead end, we could bring this item and seek refuge under the Absolute Sect’s protection."

"...Wait a moment."

The Gatekeeper exchanged a glance with the companion beside him.

He had thought they were just ordinary newcomers, here to take the Absolute Sect’s entry-level assessment—he hadn’t expected this...

The Gatekeeper quickened his steps.

This was a disciple Token from Lord Tang’s faction.

But Lord Tang’s line, because of Lord Tang’s mysterious disappearance, had already been utterly crushed in the struggle.

The ones who now held power over the Absolute Sect were the Absolute Kill Sect, who advocated exterminating every last demon under heaven.

Their creed could not be compared with those weaklings’ beliefs at all.

And even so, Lord Tang was still the most revered Elder of the Tang Sect, one of the most exalted existences within the Absolute Sect.

Any information pertaining to Lord Tang could not be ignored.

The Absolute Sect’s internal strife was its own business—never a reason to let outsiders bully them!

With a clear path all the way, the Gatekeeper successfully brought the Token to the current Sect Leader.

"You may withdraw."

The Sect Leader uttered the three words flatly; faced with this Token, he felt neither sorrow nor joy—there wasn’t even a ripple of emotion.

The Gatekeeper hesitated and asked, "Then those two who delivered the Token..."

"Accept them as Outer Disciples."

"Yes!"

The Gatekeeper withdrew.

In the vast great hall, the Sect Leader lightly stroked the Token in his hand.

Seeing the object, he thought of the man.

"Junior Brother..." 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

The Sect Leader’s gaze turned toward the distance.

The clash of ideals was only a difference in thought.

The friendship of their school days had never been false in the slightest.

Even after standing opposed for so long, that bond had never diminished.

"That day we agreed, no matter who won, the loser would devote himself wholeheartedly in support. Junior Brother, in the end, you still broke our promise."

He clenched his hand, and the Token was crushed into powder, scattering from his palm.

Step.

Step.

Step.

Just then, a woman bearing an enormous half-moon curved blade on her back walked out from the rear and came to his side.

"Lu Lu."

"Sect Leader."

Sect Leader, is it...

In the end, they had grown distant.

The little girl’s innocent face from the past was still vivid before his eyes.

Yet standing before him now was already a cold, icy face.

After all, she had killed so many fellow Disciples, slaughtered so many from his Junior Brother’s faction.

But if he hadn’t killed them, how could he have unified the Absolute Sect, how could he have gathered their strength, how could he ever slaughter every last demon in this world—kill them all!!

"You’ve done well. The remaining people of my Junior Brother’s line have all been persuaded by you and are willing to surrender and submit."

"...It is only because the Sect Leader’s guidance is wise."

"In front of me, you don’t need to pretend. I too am heartbroken over my Junior Brother’s death. One day, I will personally settle this debt with Lan Yuhe! But not now... I still bear the future of the Absolute Sect on my shoulders. You must understand, I am no longer alone. I carry on my back..."

The Sect Leader’s words were cut off as Lu Lu interrupted him directly.

She spoke in a tone as firm as nails driven into wood.

"Lan Yuhe will be slain by my own hand!"

"..."

The Sect Leader said nothing more; he only sighed and changed the subject.

"From now on, those who surrendered from my Junior Brother’s faction will all be under your command. The Absolute Sect belongs to everyone. If they had not fought to the bitter end and refused to yield, things would never have gone this far."

Many had died, but at last, unification was achieved.

From this day on, this Absolute Sect would heed only your word.

But don’t ever give me the chance...

Otherwise, I will sit on this throne and take your place!

Lu Lu lifted her head and looked at the Sect Leader, her eyes blazing.

She held the relic Lord Tang had left behind.

That Buddha’s Heart—won at the cost of Lord Tang’s Life—was her final trump card, her last capital for overturning the board!

But before she had finished studying it, she still needed to lie low; she had to preserve the people of Lord Tang’s line, even if it meant the humiliation of surrender—she would not hesitate.

Even toward demons, Lord Tang had wanted integration, to dismantle the enemy from within, from the very root.

Then for people like the Sect Leader and his lot, the same principle applied.

Disguise, integrate, and then find the flaw!

Lord Tang was the Absolute Sect’s true leader! Lord Tang’s ideals were the Absolute Sect’s true direction for the future!

With you alone, with slaughter alone, the Absolute Sect would only continually Repeat the old path of its previous Sect Leaders, never able to achieve... a world with no demons!

Lu Lu clenched her fist and said in a low voice,

"Sect Leader, I heard someone say that they saw a Senior Brother hastily come up the mountain carrying the Token of our lineage. Could it be that new survivors of our line have returned to the sect?"

The Sect Leader shook his head.

"Just two outsiders who brought a Token. I’ve already arranged for them to be accepted into the Absolute Sect; they can enter directly under your name."

"...Everything will be as the Sect Leader arranges."

Lu Lu withdrew.

Girl, you’ve grown up, but you’ve also grown distant and cold...

Watching Lu Lu’s departing back, the Sect Leader’s expression was complicated—there was heartache, and there was also coldness.

As Sect Leader, he truly could not drive them all to extinction; that would completely lose the people’s hearts, and the Absolute Sect would suffer devastating damage to its Primordial Energy.

One must know, even internal strife to the current degree had already cost the Absolute Sect dearly, forcing them to recruit Disciples on a large scale to make up for the losses. Let alone if the infighting continued—what would become of the Absolute Sect then?

A commander with no troops could never realize the grand ambition in his heart.