Chapter 6: Half Emperor Denise Lyson Enters Skysoar Sect!

Outside Skysoar Sect's mountain gate, a young woman in cyan robes tipped her chin up and stared at the three characters carved above the entrance. Thoughts churned behind her calm face. "I never expected this," Denise Lyson murmured. "A dignified Half Emperor… reborn in the end." A cold laugh slipped out. "Fine. You dog of a man, you cheap woman. You'd better live long, both of you. I'll grind your bones to dust with my own hands." She drew a slow breath, letting the air fill her lungs. "The Spiritual Power here is rich. If I cultivate in seclusion for twenty years, I'll step out invincible." Denise had once ruled another continent as a Half Emperor. Then her closest best friend and her Dao companion joined hands and murdered her. Fate, however, tossed her into a new life on the Mystpeak Continent. While she was still piecing it together, a woman in red appeared at the gate as if she had always been there. "Come in." The voice was unhurried, tranquil enough to make people lower their guard without realizing it. Denise's heart tightened anyway. *Huh? That bearing… it doesn't lose to my past life at all. This isn't an ordinary person.* *To find someone like this in a backwater…* On the surface, Denise bowed with perfect respect. "Yes." Adelynn Cougle gave her a light, indifferent glance, then turned and walked ahead at an easy pace. The instant Denise crossed the threshold- Buzz! A vast tide of spiritual energy slammed into her face, thick and overwhelming. In a blink, countless traces of the world's laws seemed to rise before her eyes, and a few elusive streaks of radiance flickered around her body before vanishing. Denise was certain of one thing: if she had cultivated in a place like this in her previous life, she would have proved the Dao and become an Emperor long ago. "This place… could it be the legendary immortal realm?" The former Half Emperor stood rooted to the spot, mind blank. *Is this even real?* *This is supposed to be a low-grade continent?* *This is the remote region near the East Sea?* *Even the sacred land I founded back then… compared to this, it was nothing special.* Adelynn's crimson lips parted. "Stop spacing out. Follow this elder." "The Sovereign Lord has given an order. You're granted entry as a personal disciple. All sect resources are at your disposal." Denise blinked once. Then blinked again. *What?* *I step through the gate and I'm already at the peak?* *Straight into the Sovereign Lord's personal line?* *Resources, unlimited?* *So this is what a reborn, cheat-code life feels like? If I'd known, I would've reincarnated sooner.* She followed Adelynn deeper into Skysoar Sect. The farther they went, the more Denise realized just how absurd this place truly was. Saint Rank fruit trees and Sacred Medicine were practically everywhere. As if that weren't enough, every building in the sect had tiny runes carved into its structure. Those runes linked together into one killing formation after another. A chill crawled up Denise's spine. *With formations on this scale… even with my Half Emperor cultivation from my past life, I wouldn't last the time it takes an incense stick to burn. I'd die and my Dao would scatter.* And that still wasn't the most terrifying part. The most terrifying part was that, aside from the elder in front of her, Denise only sensed the aura of a single cultivator. A sect with this kind of foundation should have experts everywhere. So why did she only feel one presence in the Veinflow Realm? There was only one explanation. Everyone else had reached a realm beyond her ability to perceive. Just like the woman ahead. By Denise's judgment, she was at least a Great Saint. Even though Denise was only at the second level of Energy Condensation, her experience as a Half Emperor meant that anyone below Saint Rank should have been obvious to her unless they deliberately concealed themselves. "Elder," Denise finally said, unable to hold it back, "this disciple has a question." "What is it?" "I've walked for so long. Why haven't I seen anyone else in the sect?" Adelynn answered flatly, "Skysoar Sect, as it stands… counting you, there are only four people." She added as an afterthought, "Oh. And a mutt." Denise froze. *…What?* *A sect this monstrous has four people? Four, including me, the newcomer?* *Then what was all that 'experts everywhere' nonsense I imagined?* *Strange. Truly strange.* Not long after, the two women reached the main peak. By coincidence, Nathaniel Urwin appeared, holding a jade slip of the Supreme Celestial Art. "Nathaniel, good timing," Adelynn said. "From today on, she's your junior sister. By the Sovereign Lord's order, she's granted the status of the Sovereign Lord's personal disciple." Then, as if something had just occurred to her, Adelynn turned back to Denise. "Right. What's your name?" Denise's mouth twitched. *Unbelievable. What kind of sect is this? They make me a personal disciple without even knowing my name?* "It's Denise Lyson," she said. "Mm. This is your Eldest Disciple, Nathaniel Urwin. The two of you should get along." "Nathaniel, take your junior sister to find a place to stay." Nathaniel put away the Supreme Celestial Art and bowed. "This disciple obeys." Denise walked beside him and probed carefully, "Senior Brother, how many years have you been in the sect?" Nathaniel scratched his head. "In the sect… in Skysoar Sect, you mean? About half a day." "Though I've been under master for three years." "Half a day? What does that mean?" Seeing her confusion, Nathaniel explained, "This sect was left to master by our grandmaster…" He gave her the rough story of Byron Cutmore, and Denise finally relaxed. *Good, good.* *Master is a cripple. Senior Brother is a complete innocent with nothing going on in his head.* *Only the Grand Elder looks unfathomable. If that's the case, I can really make a name for myself in Skysoar Sect.* She studied her bargain-bin senior brother again. *Three years of cultivation, Sixth Level of Vein Connection. Decent talent, but in my eyes…* *All I can say is, Senior Brother, you still need more practice.* In the end, Denise chose a residence on the very edge of the main peak, far from the bustle. She wanted no one disturbing her cultivation. Once everything was arranged, she finally sat down to cultivate. But just as she was about to begin, an aura abruptly spread across the main peak. "Hm? He broke through to the Seventh Level of Vein Connection?" "He must've been stuck at the Sixth Level of Vein Connection for a while." Before Denise could settle her thoughts, another aura burst outward. "Oh? Eighth Level of Vein Connection? Senior Brother's talent isn't bad." "But even so… in an environment like this, I'd only need ten days to reach the peak of the Veinflow Realm." "Little Senior Brother, you're still far behind." The very next moment- Thump! Another surge came from Nathaniel's direction. Denise smiled, almost pleased. "Ninth Level of Vein Connection. Not bad, not bad." "If it were me, breaking through three minor realms in a row wouldn't be any-" She didn't finish. Boom! Nathaniel broke through again. The smile vanished from Denise's face. He hadn't just leapt three minor realms in succession. He had crossed an entire major realm in one breath. His cultivation had reached Spirit Spring First Level. A fine sheen of sweat beaded on Denise's forehead. She stood there, stunned. "Breaking through five minor realms, I can accept!" "But you jumped a whole major realm!" "Even in my past life, I wasn't this freakish!" "I already got reborn. You can't play me like this!"