The lead Gate Keeper, a woman whose calm authority seemed as ancient as the forest around them, finally broke the silence. She gave a slight, formal bow. “I am Lin Mei, an Elder of the Gate Keepers. These are my companions, Elder Shan and Disciple Jia.”

After the initial introductions, some small talk was exchanged. Lin Mei expressed her admiration for the beauty and vitality of the Radiant Dawn’s headquarters, and Lysander graciously thanked them for making the long journey. The atmosphere was polite, but an undercurrent of tension remained.

Jian Xuan then stepped forward to formally introduce his delegation, his voice filled with a warrior’s pride. “I am Jian Xuan, Second Grand Elder of the Golden Shell Guild. This is our Guild Master, Kui. Our esteemed Elder, Cyra.” He then gestured to the three standing behind them. “And these are our Guild’s Generals, Zhong, Kael, and Bai Yan.”

Finally, he gestured to Li Yu, his tone respectful. “And this is Li Yu. He is the personal disciple of our esteemed First Grand Elder, currently on a journey to see the world and expand his knowledge.”

As Jian spoke, the two Gate Keepers behind Lin Mei, Elder Shan and Disciple Jia, made their own silent assessments. They had some thoughts of their own. ‘So this is the famous swordman from the White Tiger Continent, Jian Xuan,’ Elder Shan thought, his eyes narrowed as he felt the man’s razor-sharp aura.

‘His power is just as Theron described. A true warrior. And the Guild Master, Kui… his cultivation isn’t that impressive, but his bearing is that of someone with a sharp mind. A politician, then. A dangerous combination.’

The younger disciple, Jia, was more focused on the Generals. ‘Three peak Core Formation experts, just standing as guards? This Guild’s foundation is deeper than we thought.’ They both skipped over Li Yu entirely, not thinking he was anyone of too much note.

To them, he was just the powerful and reclusive First Grand Elder’s student, a young genius perhaps, but ultimately just a tagalong on a political field trip. He was definitely strong for his age, but nothing else stood out about him to them.

Lin Mei’s eyes lingered on Li Yu for a moment longer before she spoke again, her voice a calm, melodic chime. “We are surprised by the full extent of your Guild’s power. Theron of the Radiant Dawn told us that your Second Grand Elder was a 4th stage Soul Formation expert, so your presence, Elder Jian, was expected. He also spoke of your First Grand Elder, a being stronger even than himself, who was instrumental in saving this continent from the recent demon invasion. But to see such a deep foundation beyond that… it is impressive. An organization of this strength, existing mostly hidden on this continent, is a rare thing indeed.”

She continued, her expression turning solemn. “The Gate Keepers are not only tasked with guarding the ancient arrays between continents; we are also tasked with protecting the overall continent. This does not mean we involve ourselves in the daily conflicts of sects or the squabbles between clans. It means we watch for continent-ending threats. We were the ones who first detected the Hegemony and notified the Forest of the Radiant Dawn of the impending demon invasion for them to come to help.”

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A flicker of regret crossed her face. “Our intelligence suggested a threat that, while significant, was within the capabilities of the Forest to handle. We did not know that a demon of such terrifying power would come, or we would have helped to reinforce Theron’s group directly. For our miscalculation, we are deeply sorry.”

She then looked at them, her gaze direct and sincere. “On behalf of all those who live on this continent, I thank the Golden Shell Guild for stopping the demon crisis. Your intervention prevented a catastrophe of unimaginable proportions.”

Jian simply waved his hand, his response pragmatic and devoid of false humility. “It was no problem at all. Our goals at the time aligned with yours so we were also acting for our own benefit. After all, we live here too. A continent overrun by demons is bad for business.”

Lysander then gestured towards the main hall. “Please, let us move inside where we can speak more comfortably.” They moved into a private, secure chamber deep within the Radiant Dawn’s headquarters. The room was simple and elegant, with a large, round table made of ancient, petrified wood. Lysander, Lin Mei, Jian, Kui, and Cyra took seats at the table. Behind them, everyone else remained standing, a silent, powerful audience to the historic meeting.

Once they were settled, Lin Mei explained the creed of her organization in greater detail. “Our primary tasks are to keep order and peace across the continents, and to guard the pathways between them. We fight when needed, but our doctrine dictates that we preserve the bulk of our forces for truly massive, world-altering threats. For most dangers, we notify other powerful forces that do battle with such groups, like the Forest, for them to take care of. It has been our way for millenniums.”

Lysander gave her a wary look, thinking that it would be helpful if they acted more often as well. However, he understood that they were a last line of defense and had to preserve their forces. Theron had told him of a time where they did act, saving the Southern Continent at great costs to themselves.

She then looked at the Guild’s representatives, her gaze intense. “Our group only comes into contact with organizations of a certain level, those with the power and stability to help bear what we call the ‘burden of the strong.’ It is a responsibility that not everyone is willing to accept.”

She paused, letting the weight of her words settle in the room. “There is a reason our existence has remained a secret for so long, known only to a select few. It is because we have a method to ensure that secrecy.”

She looked at each of them in turn. “We require that everyone we bring into our confidence agrees to a seal. It is a powerful, soul-bound pact, a technique that has been passed down through our group for generations. Once made, it becomes impossible to reveal any information about the Gate Keepers to weaker forces, whether voluntarily or through force. It is the cornerstone of our security.”

Her gaze softened slightly. “I did not have you make this pact before telling you all of this. I chose to trust in the word of Theron, and in the honor of your allies, the Forest of the Radiant Dawn. They have fought for the lives of countless beings through their history as well. However, before anyone leaves this room today, you must all enter into the seal.”

It was then that Jian spoke, his brow furrowed in thought. “Honored Elder Lin,” he said, his voice respectful but sharp, “the seal technique you describe… it sounds remarkably similar to the methods used by the Human and Beast Factions to protect their high-level secrets. We have ran into that particular method before while dealing with them.”

The moment he mentioned those two factions, her face soured. The calm, authoritative mask of the ancient Elder cracked, replaced by an expression of deep, profound shame and anger.