Back at the Black Paradise Sect, Matriarch Shi presided over one of her routine morning meetings in the grand Matriarch's Hall. The Core Court Elders were slowly settling into their seats, exchanging the usual greetings and polite formalities. These meetings typically dealt with sect logistics, minor disputes, and updates on cultivation progress. It was a time for maintaining order—not shaking it.
Supreme Elders, with their vast responsibilities and powerful influence, rarely attended. But when they did, their presence carried weight. They were granted the closest seats to the Matriarch, reserved for only the most revered within the sect.
Matriarch Shi's eyes shifted to one of those seats. "Supreme Elder Song," she greeted with a calm smile. "I heard you paid a visit to Jadepeak City recently. How did it go?"
Supreme Elder Song sat with perfect posture, her hands folded elegantly in her lap. "I went to find someone—a disciple by the name of Long Wang."
