Grand Return System

Storm Wings Over the Forsaken Domain

On this day, Leon left Amethyst Summit Division and headed to the Emerald Crest Division to hold a meeting.

Morning clouds drifted low over the Academy Premises, brushing the mountain ridges like pale silk. A wind moved through old pine forests, carrying with it a strange restlessness, as if the world itself had sensed something ominous before men gave it words.

Leon’s midnight robes stirred lightly as he walked the stone path alone.

His pace was calm.

Unhurried.

Yet beneath those composed purple eyes, thought moved quietly.

The unease he had felt for days had not faded.

If anything... it had sharpened.

By the time he arrived at Emerald Crest Division, several peak masters had already gathered.

The great hall, usually grand and solemn, felt unusually heavy.

Even the incense burning in bronze vessels seemed unable to soften the tension.

No one spoke loudly.

No one smiled.

Something had happened.

And everyone felt it.

In the main hall, Mike had a solemn expression. He looked at the letter in his hand and fell into deep thought.

His old fingers pressed against the bamboo slip as though it weighed a mountain.

That alone made the others uneasy.

Shera finally broke the silence.

"Sect Master, what happened? Why did you call us over in such a hurry?" Shera asked with a puzzled expression.

His voice held genuine concern.

Gone was much of the sharp arrogance he once carried.

Ever since that day, he had changed.

He was no longer as arrogant as before.

He became humble and reserved.

No longer that smug blade always half-drawn.

This sudden change still surprised the other masters.

Some had noticed it but never said it aloud.

Everyone understood that all his changes came from one person.

Leon.

A silent pressure.

A living lesson.

And yet the person in question seemed completely unconcerned.

Leon sat there silently and did not say a word.

One hand rested against the arm of his seat.

His expression unreadable.

Watching.

Listening.

Like a sword hidden in its sheath.

Mike looked around at everyone and said earnestly,

"This morning, our messenger sent news from the foot of the mountain that... a few Primal Ancient Magical Beasts suddenly appeared at dawn yesterday."

The hall went still.

Even breathing seemed quieter.

Mike continued.

"It was as if they were fighting over some mountain treasure. The battle caused the heavens to collapse and the earth to crack. The entire wasteland was in chaos and the people were struggling to survive."

His voice lowered.

"The flames of war spread outside Ashford City. All the villages scattered in the vast wilderness were killed without exception. Only a few villages that were further away retreated in time to avoid the calamity."

As soon as these words were spoken, the entire place fell silent.

Not ordinary silence.

The kind that follows horror.

Somewhere outside, wind scraped dry leaves across stone.

It sounded unnervingly loud.

Leon’s fingers tapped once.

Then stilled.

His gaze darkened.

Entire villages erased.

For cultivators used to life and death, even this carried cruelty beyond tolerance.

"Damn it! What kind of Beast is this? How dare he kill our people?" Maya clenched her fists and said angrily.

Her blue eyes blazed.

Mana trembled faintly around her sleeves.

It was not just outrage.

It was grief.

For nameless mortals no one powerful usually remembered.

Leon noticed that.

And inwardly approved.

Apart from anger, they were also very curious.

What kind of mountain treasure could attract the attention of these giant beasts?

For beings of that level to descend and fight openly...

It could only mean something extraordinary.

Something perhaps old as the Ancient age.

Mike shook his head.

"I heard that someone only saw a divine bird burning with flames above the sea of flames. It’s huge and extremely fast. According to the description, it should be an Inferno Swift Bird..."

"What?"

"Inferno Swift Bird..."

Everyone fell silent again.

This time even harder.

The name alone carried shadow.

Legends.

Massacres.

Ancient terror.

This was a huge bird with a fierce reputation.

It devoured everything and was notorious.

It had once eaten thousands of people in one bite.

Its cultivation was at least at the peak of the Sage Realm.

Perhaps... it had already reached the Pinnacle Realm.

The possibility alone chilled the room.

Even Shera, who had always worn recklessness proudly, tightened his jaw.

There was once a period of time when it was expelled into the uninhabited region by Cultivator Zeon alone with a sword.

It did not appear for a long time.

Unexpectedly... it appeared again this time.

The old legend resurfacing now was no coincidence.

Something had awakened.

Something pulling monsters out from ancient hiding.

Leon suddenly became interested after hearing about the Inferno Swift Bird.

A spark moved in his purple eyes.

Back then, his Teacher seemed to have mentioned this huge bird to him.

Fragments of memory surfaced.

A younger Leon seated beneath moonlight.

An old sword immortal speaking while drinking.

Warnings spoken half as stories.

He had said that the Inferno Swift Bird’s strength was extraordinary.

Even though it was only at the peak of the Sage Realm back then, it was not weaker than an early-stage Pinnacle expert.

Moreover, it was extremely fast and cunning.

Once it realized that its opponent was too strong, it would fly away and not bother with him.

A predator with intelligence.

That was always worse.

Back then, Cultivator Zeon could only expel it and not kill it completely.

Leon’s thoughts stirred.

If such a creature appeared now...

Was it merely for treasure?

Or drawn by something deeper in the Black Rift?

Ancient tomb.

Old turtle.

Crack in the wasteland.

His instincts quietly connected threads.

Interesting.

Dangerous.

His lips almost curved.

To others, such news was calamity.

To him... perhaps opportunity too.

Shera seemed to roughly understand, but he still frowned and asked,

"So, Senior Brother, why did you call us here?"

He leaned forward.

Wanting to hear Mike’s specific thoughts.

Others also lifted their eyes toward the Headmaster.

Even Maya’s anger cooled into sharp attention.

No one believed this gathering was merely to report tragedy.

There would be a decision.

Perhaps an expedition.

Perhaps war.

And under the hush of the great hall, with wind moaning faintly beyond ancient doors, everyone felt it.

Something larger than a meeting had begun.