CHAPTER 684: GREETING THE SUCCESSOR OF HEAVENLY DEMON

Aldrian looked at the scenery in front of him, and he couldn’t help but remember the Piercing Heaven Sect in the Barisan Continent. They had the same kind of environment and scenery surrounding their sect, which made him wonder if the Piercing Heaven Sect preferred this kind of environment when building their sect.

The difference was that this place was much vaster and more bustling, with more people in it.

A high mountain pierced the clouds, with sect buildings located along its slope. The harmony between nature and the man-made structures did not damage the beauty of the mountain range.

Instead, it gave a soothing feeling to anyone who stepped into this place, making them want to stay longer.

The vessel landed in a vast open field that could contain two large interstellar vessels at the same time. It was located on high ground, on an artificially flattened mountain slope.

As the passengers got off the vessel, Aldrian saw that they were guided by some elders of the sect to another part of the sect. Some of them glanced at Aldrian, who stood beside Vice Master Shin, wondering about his identity.

"This way, Aldrian. I will guide you to meet someone," Vice Master Shin said.

He then walked further into the sect grounds, and Aldrian followed him. But before he could go much farther, he felt the Sword Maiden’s gaze on him from behind.

He was truly curious about what she saw in him, because since earlier she seemed to always pay attention to him. He was also curious about her, as she had something rare within her that made him want to learn more about her.

But that could wait, as he still needed to meet someone first.

Vice Master Shin guided him through the sect, and after walking for more than fifteen minutes, he led him to a lonely mountaintop where a lone pavilion stood. Under the pavilion, a single table and a few chairs were already prepared, with a lone figure seated on one of them.

The figure was an old man, seemingly in the middle of enjoying a cup of tea. His long white hair and beard clearly showed the effects of the vicissitudes of time, yet at this moment his face appeared serene, as if it had become one with the surrounding nature.

However, although he appeared old, he was not to be underestimated, for his cultivation was enough to make him the strongest cultivator of the sect. This old man was at the peak of the pseudo-immortal stage, and Aldrian could tell he was nearing his ascension to the immortal realm.

Aldrian and Vice Master Shin finally arrived at the pavilion, and the vice master spoke to the old man.

"Sect Master, I have brought him here."

The old man, who was in fact the sect master of the Piercing Heaven Sect, looked at Aldrian intently. Aldrian could sense the old man observing him, and the old man seemed surprised, which made him let out a sigh.

"Truly, it is fate that someone like you exists in my time. I am truly glad you have come at this moment. Sir Aldrian, is that correct? Please, have a seat and make yourself comfortable," the sect master said.

Aldrian sat on one of the vacant chairs as the sect master poured herbal tea into the cup in front of him.

"I know you have some questions, but let me introduce myself. I am the current sect master of the main branch of the Piercing Heaven Sect, Han Jinho," the sect master said after pouring the tea.

The vice master, upon hearing the mention of the main branch, felt confused as to why the sect master needed to explain that part. Aldrian, however, smiled under his mask. It seemed the sect master had already learned a thing or two about him after observing at him just now.

"So, Sir Aldrian, would you show me your demonic energy? I just want to make sure that what I sensed is true," Sect Master Han said.

Aldrian, who had remained silent until now in front of the sect master, simply raised his palm and released his Heavenly Demon energy.

Sect Master Han’s eyes trembled, his heartbeat quickened, and his excitement surged.

"This is it... this is what it should be," he said with a slight tremble in his voice. At that moment, he felt deeply moved in his heart to see the person before him within his lifetime.

Aldrian, thinking this was enough, retracted his energy and placed his hand on the table. Sect Master Han sighed again as he looked at Aldrian differently, his eyes now showing reverence. Then, all of a sudden, he stood up and bowed toward Aldrian, causing Vice Master Shin’s eyes to widen in shock.

"Sect Master—"

"I greet the arrival of the successor of the Heavenly Demon. My apologies for my presumptuous request just now, as I only wished to confirm what I had sensed," Sect Master Han said.

Hearing the sect master’s words, Vice Master Shin trembled as he turned to look at Aldrian again. This man is the successor of the Heavenly Demon? How could that be? But if the sect master was already certain that Aldrian was indeed the successor of the Heavenly Demon, then it had to be true.

Although he still did not understand the entire situation, he also bowed toward Aldrian.

"I greet the arrival of the successor of the Heavenly Demon." the vice master said.

"Sect Master Han, why do you think I’m someone that great? Is my energy enough for you to act this way?" Aldrian asked.

Sect Master Han straightened his body and looked at Aldrian.

"That energy is exactly as described in the ancient records of the Heavenly Demon. The records speak of it as the highest level of demonic energy, one that demands the reverence and obedience of all demonic cultivators. Once this energy appears, all demonic cultivators must obey the one who possesses it," he answered.

The vice master, upon hearing this, looked slightly confused and turned to Sect Master Han.

"But Sect Master, there has been no sign from the ancestral hall that a new successor of the Heavenly Demon has appeared. Isn’t it said that when someone becomes the Heavenly Demon’s successor, there will be a sign in the ancestral hall?" he asked.

"Well, I do not know the reason," Sect Master Han replied, "but Sir Aldrian’s kind of demonic energy could only be exuded by the successor of the Heavenly Demon."

"If I may guess, Lord Aldrian is from the Barisan Continent, correct?" he added with a smile.

Aldrian nodded.

"Correct, Sect Master Han. I’m from the Barisan Continent, and I happen to have come to the Central Continent as I have business here," he said.

He was not surprised that Sect Master Han knew he was from the Barisan Continent. As the sect master of the main branch of the Piercing Heaven Sect, he would know that the Heavenly Demon Scripture was brought there in ancient times.

The successor of the Heavenly Demon could only appear there, as comprehending the scripture was the only way to become the successor of the Heavenly Demon.

Sect Master Han wanted to ask Aldrian more, but stopped himself when he saw Aldrian open his robe’s hood and then remove his mask. The moment his face was revealed to them, their eyes widened in shock, though for different reasons.

The vice master was shocked by how young Aldrian was, while Sect Master Han was shocked because he had already seen that face in the past. He had been among the many powers near the Barisan Continent when Aldrian fought Tarius, which allowed him to clearly see the giant avatar’s face, the same face as this young man.

Suddenly, everything clicked in his mind. The Barisan Continent, a man named Aldrian... this man was the one who had fought an immortal that day! But what confused him was that he was certain Aldrian had not been a demon cultivator during that battle, so why did he now have Heavenly Demon energy?

"Are you really the one who fought that immortal that day?" Sect Master Han suddenly asked.

"Yes, I am, Sect Master," Aldrian replied, giving an answer that left Vice Master Shin astonished.

This young man is the one who fought the immortal that day?

It was natural for him not to know about Aldrian’s avatar, as he had stayed at the sect to hold the fort and had not witnessed the battle directly.

"But how? I thought you—"

Before Sect Master Han could speak further, Aldrian stretched out both of his hands and released his golden energy and Heavenly Demon energy at the same time, one from each palm. This caused another wave of shock for the two men, as what they saw this time was utterly ridiculous.

Aldrian could wield different energies inside his dantian!

Finally, something clicked in Vice Master Shin’s mind after seeing this.

"That’s why he said he could be a demon cultivator if he wanted to! This man wields two different energies inside his dantian!"

Aldrian then retracted his energy, picked up his cup of tea, and took a sip. He enjoyed it for a moment before setting it down again.

"So, Sect Master, does that answer your question?" he asked with a smile.