CHAPTER 683: TO THE MAIN BRANCH OF THE SECT

Aldrian’s blue eyes looked directly at the woman’s face, which was turned in his direction with a calm expression. Her beauty was not inferior to any he had already seen, like Sylphia, but still, he continued walking until he entered the vessel.

As for the woman, she seemed to follow Aldrian with her gaze until his figure disappeared into her blind spot.

Many people would recognize this woman if she walked on the normal streets, because she was one of the most famous figures among many stars in this star cluster. A woman with her special sword, and from the biggest sect in her home star, the Arantes Star.

"I wonder who he is, that even made Vice Master Shin come to him personally," her friend—a woman beside her suddenly said, as she also looked outside before returning to her seat after Aldrian was out of sight.

The woman did not answer, but the woman beside her did not mind, as she was already used to her icy personality. Still, she could not help but smile as she looked at the woman who seemed to be following Aldrian’s figure with her eyes.

"It’s so rare for our sword maiden to take interest in something. Do you sense anything special from him?" her friend said.

The woman called the sword maiden finally opened her lips.

"He is strong."

Hearing the sword maiden say that, the woman was stunned. If her friend said that figure was strong, then that meant he truly was strong—and the strength here must have something to do with his swordsmanship.

Her friend, the sword maiden, had a special ability thanks to her unique physique, allowing her to sense any sword cultivator’s level of power. Her standard was extremely high because of her talent and strength, so the moment she said the masked figure was strong, it meant that he was someone with great swordsmanship.

Suddenly, she grew curious about that figure. Who was he, really?

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After entering the interstellar vessel, Aldrian was guided by Vice Master Shin to one of the cabins. For Aldrian, this was not just a cabin but more like a luxury room inside a mansion than a moving vessel.

The vessel continued its journey, slowly making its way toward the Central Continent.

Aldrian sat on the sofa in the middle, while Vice Master Shin sat across from him, looking at him curiously.

"May I ask where you came from, Aldrian?" he asked.

"Orian Continent," Aldrian answered. He was not lying when he said that, as he had just come from that place, and he did not need to explain his true origin.

"Have you ever visited the Central Continent, or are you a regular visitor there?" the vice master asked again.

"No, this is my first time visiting. I have to go to the Central Continent because there is something that makes me have to visit it right now."

Vice Master Shin nodded, but he continued to look at him with curiosity.

"Earlier, when you said you could be a demon cultivator if you wanted, what did you mean by that?"

"Well, just like I said, I could be a demon cultivator if I wanted," Aldrian answered, which made Vice Master Shin frown and take a deep breath. If not for this man’s strangeness, he would have killed him right then and there because of his mocking answer.

The only thing that prevented him from doing so was the strange resonance he felt—not just from his soul, but from his entire being—toward this person. It felt as if this masked figure possessed a high authority that demanded his respect, which truly made him feel ridiculous.

Why could this man trigger such a feeling?

Aldrian smiled behind his mask as he sensed the vice master’s irritation. He had been teasing him since earlier, but he decided it was enough. He did not want to create further misunderstandings or worsen his relationship with a member of the Piercing Heaven Sect.

After thinking for a moment, he began to realize what it was within him that had attracted Vice Master Shin since earlier.

Without saying anything, he stretched out his hand, making Vice Master Shin wonder what he was about to do. Suddenly, from Aldrian’s palm, an energy emerged.

The moment this energy appeared, Vice Master Shin’s eyes widened in shock. His gaze trembled as he stared at the greyish energy, and his very soul felt the urge to prostrate before it.

It was an innate feeling within his heart—that he must bow before this energy. It was without a doubt demonic energy, yet he had never felt demonic energy as pure or as strong as this one.

"What... what kind of demonic energy is this?" he could not help but blurt out.

Aldrian then withdrew the energy and looked at the vice master.

"This is the thing that attracted you, right?" he said. The only thing that could attract the vice master of the Piercing Heaven Sect and cause such resonance between them was the Heavenly Demon Energy—or at least, that was the only explanation Aldrian could think of.

He had not thought his golden energy would cause such an effect on Vice Master Shin, and the only thing he could think of was that the resonance came from the Heavenly Demon Energy he had comprehended and stored within his golden energy in his dantian.

However, a question arose in his mind.

Why could his Heavenly Demon Energy have such a strong effect on the vice master, or on someone here? As far as he knew, demonic cultivators like Sect Master Ryu in the Barisan Continent did not seem affected by it unless he revealed his Heavenly Demon Energy outwardly.

Yet this vice master claimed he could sense resonance with him even though he had not released any Heavenly Demon Energy.

After thinking for a moment, he shrugged. Perhaps it had to do with the vice master and a few others here who possessed high cultivation, which made them truly sensitive to the existence of Heavenly Demon Energy.

"So you are really a demon cultivator, but what is that energy? How come you have an energy like that?" Vice Master Shin asked.

"Well, I comprehended a demon cultivation technique, of course. Where does vice master Shin think I got something like this?" Aldrian answered, which made Vice Master Shin fall silent and frown at him.

He truly did not know what to do with this person. Logically, this stranger could be a danger, as he had no idea what kind of man he was dealing with. However, the energy this person possessed made him forget his logical reasoning, which only made him more wary.

This masked man’s origin was unknown, and with that kind of energy, even the sect master of the Piercing Heaven Sect would be affected by him.

He narrowed his eyes, thinking for a moment, before standing up and walking farther away from Aldrian. He left the cabin, while Aldrian simply let him go and smiled under his mask.

"Preparing for land, preparing for land. We have arrived at our destination," an announcement suddenly resounded in his cabin, also echoing across the interstellar vessel.

It seemed he had already arrived at the Central Continent.

A moment later, Vice Master Shin returned and looked at Aldrian.

"Aldrian, would you come with me to the Piercing Heaven Sect? There is someone who wants to meet you," he said.

Aldrian felt there was no harm in visiting the main branch of the Piercing Heaven Sect, and he already knew who wanted to meet him after he eavesdropped on the vice master. After all, he had just contacted someone using a communication artifact.

"Well, if Vice Master Shin invites me to the sect, I would truly feel bad if I refused. I am also curious about who wants to see me, and about the Piercing Heaven Sect itself. I can push my business back slightly," Aldrian answered.

Vice Master Shin sighed and nodded.

"Alright. Thank you, and you don’t have to worry, we won’t do anything bad. You have my word."

Not long after, the vessel finally landed and all of the passengers began to disembark. While Aldrian and the vice master were on their way out, they encountered the woman from earlier. Aldrian glanced at her for a moment, and the woman also looked at him.

She, who could see the blue eyes behind that mask, suddenly felt unsettled. It was as if those eyes could see everything, even the deepest secrets when they looked directly at her, which made her turn her head slightly to evade his gaze.

"Welcome to the Piercing Heaven Sect, Miss Meilan. My apologies, but I cannot escort you directly because an urgent matter has come up. There is no need to worry, as a grand elder will guide you through the sect grounds and to your accommodation. Please enjoy your stay, and if you need anything, just ask," Vice Master Shin said before walking ahead.

Aldrian followed him, but behind the mask he smiled. He had unexpectedly found someone interesting during his journey here.

The woman called Miss Meilan looked at Aldrian’s back as he continued walking behind the vice master, and her friend beside her could not help but comment.

"Who is that guy, really? To think that Vice Master Shin would suddenly place such importance on that person."

Meilan did not answer. Instead, she began walking as well to leave the vessel.

Outside the vessel, Aldrian stepped out from the hatch and onto the wide field designed for interstellar vessels to land. In front of him stretched a beautiful scenery of towering mountain ranges that pierced the clouds, surrounded by lush greenery.

"Welcome to the Piercing Heaven Sect, Aldrian," the vice master said with a smile.