Dual Cultivation: I Summon Villainesses of Mythic Era

Chapter 115: It’s our secret...

*Two days later.*

*Supreme Dao Sect*

The air at the summit of the sacred mountain was saturated with celestial Qi so dense it formed iridescent streaks between the jade pillars. Inside the sect leader’s private pavilion, silence was broken only by the occasional crackle of a soothing spiritual incense.

Xuan BaiShe sat with nonchalant elegance, one leg folded over the other, adjusting his sage’s monocle. His long silver hair, whose tips turned ink-black, fell over his shoulders.

Facing him, Pangu, the leader of the most powerful sect in the Upper Realms, stood near the window. His imposing stature of nearly two meters and his warrior’s musculature exuded a spiritual pressure that few cultivators could have endured without trembling. His eyes were hidden behind a blindfold, making his expression unreadable, while his Qi remained calm, like a bottomless ocean.

Beside them, Sun Wukong, the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, already seemed bored. His flaming golden-blond hair was disheveled, and his amber pupils stared at the ceiling. He held his staff, the Heavenly Pillar, casually propped against his shoulder, exuding an aura of anarchy that contrasted with BaiShe’s scholarly calm.

Pangu broke the silence with a deep voice that made the meridians of those present vibrate.

"BaiShe... Your rise to the rank of Overlord is remarkable for your age, but the trials awaiting you will not be satisfied with your raw talent."

The patriarch slowly turned toward the young man, though his blindfold prevented meeting his gaze.

"When you go to Immortal Grave, you must exercise absolute caution. It is a zone where Yin Qi is at its peak, a desolate place that even the greatest masters fear to tread. But the real danger is not the cold... It is The Ashura. He is powerful, dangerous, and his bloodlust is matched only by his hatred for those who serve the Dao."

BaiShe listened to these words with feigned attention, his face remaining a mask of polite neutrality. Internally, his Immortal Sage’s Heart analyzed every fluctuation in Pangu’s voice. Thanks to his extraordinary deductive ability, he perceived a slight dissonance, a hesitation that the sovereign authority of the sect leader tried to mask.

"I thank the Sect Master for this warning," BaiShe replied in a melodious tone. "This scholar never ventures into the unknown without first weighing the risks. However... are there other details you would wish to share with this humble disciple concerning this place or this entity?"

Pangu remained still for a moment, his hands clasped behind his back. The silence stretched, becoming heavy.

"No... That is all this old man wanted to say... I leave you to do your work as Dao Executor," Pangu finally declared.

BaiShe immediately sensed that the old man was hiding something essential, a truth perhaps linked to the mythical eras or to Ashura’s very nature.

But why hide it, if not a secret he deemed fit to keep.

Yet BaiShe said nothing, merely inclining his head slightly in acceptance.

’I will simply discover the secret myself, when the time is right.’

Wukong let out a mocking laugh, twirling his staff between his fingers.

"Warnings, more warnings! Pangu, you’re getting old. If that monster shows up, I’ll just crush him with my staff. That Xuan kid can stay behind me if he’s afraid of soiling his pretty robe."

BaiShe gave him an affable smile, ignoring the insult.

"You remind me why you’re there, Wukong? Only the Dao Temple and the monks of Mount Hua are allowed into Immortal Grave..."

"Well, who’s going to stop me from going?"

"Do as you wish... Your arrogance will be your undoing."

Pangu ignored Wukong’s interruption and changed the subject, his voice becoming softer.

"Let’s talk about Ling’er..."

At the mention of that name, a figure standing slightly apart in the shadow of a pillar flinched.

Xuan Ling, BaiShe’s adoptive sister, stepped forward slightly. Her shoulder-length black hair framed a face of jade beauty with striking eyes. Hearing her name spoken, she listened more attentively.

"BaiShe," Pangu continued, "I would like to know... how do you regard your sister? She is progressing quickly, and her role within the sect is becoming crucial."

Ling’er listened, making a small pouting face, her arms crossed beneath her chest, refusing to look directly at BaiShe. She seemed annoyed that they were talking about her, but still wanted to hear his answer, since BaiShe didn’t want her to become the sect’s heiress.

"Ling’er is the Xuan family’s treasure," he replied with gentleness. "She is talented, courageous, though sometimes a little impetuous. I wish for nothing other than her safety, even if due to the position she will obtain, she will be in the spotlight..."

Ling’er sniffed, looking away, her tsundere attitude poorly masking the turmoil caused by these words.

The discussion continued with Pangu and Sun Wukong for about thirty minutes before BaiShe asked to leave...

***

"Before the succession ceremony takes place for you, Ling’er, and I receive my official nomination as Dao Executor, we should enjoy a moment of calm," BaiShe suddenly declared.

He approached her with tranquil assurance.

"I invite you to go somewhere with me. Soon, you will be the Sect’s heiress and you won’t have a minute to yourself. I too will be drawn away from these simple moments by my new responsibilities."

Ling’er pretended to refuse, lifting her chin with feigned pride.

"Why should I follow you? I have my training to finish, BaiShe," she retorted in a sharp tone.

BaiShe did not drop his smile, but an undeniable gleam of authority passed through his silver eyes.

"This is not a suggestion, Ling’er, but an order. You are not yet officially the Sect’s heiress, and I am still your older brother. According to the filial piety laws of our clan, you must obey me."

The young woman remained silent, stunned by this sudden display of possessive dominance that she was beginning to see more and more often in him. She felt her heart skip a beat, a mixture of anger and a darker emotion she refused to admit.

She sniffed again to mask her embarrassment, her cheeks tinting with a discreet pink.

"Very well... since it’s an ’order’," she finally murmured, lowering her eyes. "But don’t think it pleases me. Where are we going, anyway?"

BaiShe adjusted his monocle one last time, an enigmatic gleam in his gaze.

"It’s our secret..." he murmured, allowing an uncertainty to hang that, he knew, would only heighten his sister’s obsession with him.