Apotheosis

The fall of the Ethereal Spirit Sect was a piece of grave news for all of Central Region.

The Heavenly Evil Sect had emerged victoriously in the siege of Ethereal City, completely annihilating its entire population through a direct massacre.

Before the city's siege, all the martial artists had left to fight and protect the Ethereal Spirit Sect. Only a few warriors remained and the majority of the people within the city were ordinary, non-martial artist residents.

The sect battle did not concern them too much. The result of the fight between the Ethereal Spirit Sect and Heavenly Evil Sect would only serve to change the banners that hung on their city's walls. The winning sect would rule Ethereal City and they were willing to blindly follow.

They were so sure that they wouldn't be touched by the war outside their walls. How wrong their assumptions all were.

The Heavenly Evil Sect had no need for blind followers. After the breach of the city gates, the independent warriors that comprised of Eddie's forces immediately set out to burn and pillage everything in sight. They left nothing and no one behind.

The Cloud Hall's elders, upon receiving the news, naturally felt depressed and hopeless.

Zen felt pity especially for Margaret with the drastic change that this piece of news entailed for her.

A steward entered the meeting hall to report. "The Xi Clan of Ethereal City requests a meeting!" he announced.

"Let them enter Cloud Hall and bring them to me," Letitia ordered.

Margaret quickly wiped her tears away. Just how many of their people survived? Did Brent survive? How about her father?

Not long after, several people entered the meeting hall. The one in the lead wore the black robe of the Ethereal Spirit Sect. He clasped his hands in greeting, "Greetings, Master Ning."

Margaret swept her gaze at the newcomers but could not find the ones she was looking for. "Didn't they say that the Xi Clan would come? You're all elders of the Ethereal Spirit Sect. Where are the members of my clan? Where's my father? Where are my uncles? Where is Brent, Jacob?"

She was right. The ones in front of them were not members of the Xi Clan but were instead members of the Ethereal Spirit Sect.

The one in front was Jacob Qiu, a member of the Ethereal Spirit Sect who had a good relationship with the Xi Clan. He had managed to reach the Virtual Tribulation Realm in his thirties and would be soon promoted as an elder.

He was also one of Margaret's pursuers.

Once, for her birthday, he scoured all of Central Region's mountains to gather Radiant Light Grass seeds as a p

y harm my sister."

"Are you Zen Luo?" Jacob asked though, judging by his tone, he was pretty sure he was Zen.

Zen nodded in confirmation.

"Even so, we must save our leader!" Jacob insisted.

"Yes, we need to rescue our leader first! Zen, our leader's life is more precious than your sister's!"

"Your sister will only lose her virginity. Eddie might not kill her!"

"Agreed. The Lustful Demon Array is also good for girls. She won't suffer anyway!" a warrior of the Ethereal Spirit Sect chimed in.

Zen was quick to pin him down. "Your leader is very important to you, huh?" he said viciously. "To me, my sister is the most important, while your leader is worthless. Do you understand?"

Without any warning, Zen dealt a hard punch to the warrior's chest. The warrior was already at the Virtual Tribulation Realm but couldn't withstand a single blow from Zen. The punch sent him flying through the air and crashing onto the meeting hall's wall.

The expressions of the members of the Ethereal Spirit Sect instantly darkened.

"You're being unreasonable!" Jacob shouted in anger. "Is this how you bully others?"

Letitia and the elders of Cloud Hall remained silent, while Zen sneered at Jacob. He had no plans wasting his time to reason with a warrior. To him, his sister's safety had always been the top priority.

Margaret felt her heart flutter at Zen's actions. He had defended her at such a critical moment and she was thankful. Also she had realized that she no longer had any reason to retreat. Her back straightened as she glared at Jacob. "Actually, Zen also has a third reason!"

Zen knew just what she was about to say, but the words were already out before he could even stop her. "I'm no longer a virgin!"