May didn't have much option either, so she left the house, not knowing what to do with herself now. Could anything she said in any way comfort Kai, who had lost his wife and former friend, who had betrayed him not only physically but also emotionally? She knew very well that this was impossible for her, so she had to leave.

  When she walked out, she noticed a huge crowd standing in front of their house. Ze Yun and May were quite a sight in this town. They must have been eavesdropping on the whole situation. May pushed her way through the crowd.

  She wasn't sure what to think about the whole situation. She got involved in this case only because she thought it had something to do with Glendola's parasites. If it weren't for the possibility of Senlin and Wang Wang being in this city, she would never have taken such action.

  But hadn't it turned out for the best? The two murderers were dead. Justice had been served. At least, that's what she wanted to believe, but she was left with a bad taste in her mouth. The whole situation seemed wrong.

  Their guilt was evident, but execution on the spot? On Earth, May was not a supporter of the death penalty; on the contrary, she considered it dehumanizing. But did these values have any meaning in this world?

  It was true that she herself had killed someone, but that person had been taken over by a parasite, so she didn't consider it murder. Even though the parasite itself was an intelligent creature, she didn't feel bad about killing it. Here, however, she had doubts.

  Did they deserve to die? Probably. These two were the worst kind of people, they murdered a child and many other innocent beings.

  That's why May couldn't understand her own feelings. She shouldn't have had doubts, but she did. Maybe it wasn't about the act of execution itself, but how easy it was for Ze Yun?

  Yes... The way he talked about mortals, and how he cut off their heads without hesitation, just a minute after they confessed their guilt. Even if they deserved it, his reaction was not normal.

  May realized something very important. She couldn't like Ze Yun. She hated his indifference to the whole world and the lives of ordinary people. From the beginning, something about him bothered her, but only now did she understand her feelings towards him.

  He felt superior to others. He had a reason for that, he was the High Elder of the sect, did his power and position justify his behavior? In this world, probably yes. However, May subconsciously felt that his arrogance and indifference to the lives of other beings were the opposite of what she believed in.

  But was that really the reason, or maybe...

  Maybe it wasn't that she detested his attitude, but that she saw herself in him. The longer she stayed in this world, the more she became imbued with its values. Although she didn't want to think about it, she subconsciously realized that one day she might become just like him. Murdering another person would be nothing special to her, just everyday life. Did she perhaps resent him because she realized that she would eventually become like him?

  She had no idea, but pondering such matters would get her nowhere. She decided to go back and rest, as tomorrow their journey to Inner Court would continue. Then she would have plenty of time for her thoughts.

  She was walking back to the inn along a crooked and potholed road, hoping to get some sleep, although she didn't expect to fall asleep. Suddenly, in one of the dark and narrow streets, she heard a voice. She didn't even have to look to know who was actually addressing her.

  “You did better than I expected. Good job,” said Ze Yun. May did not smile at his compliment.

  However, she knew she had to treat him with respect. After all, who knows, maybe he would cut off her head for the slightest sign of insubordination.

  “It's all thanks to you, Elder.” She decided to kiss his ass. “It's only because of your ability to detect lies that everything went so smoothly.”

  He kept looking at her, an expression she considered unsettling, especially given the darkness and emptiness that now prevailed in the city. Finally, he waved his hand.

  “I don't have such ability; it was just a lie,” he said indifferently. “But it worked very well.”

  “What if they weren't lying and were truly innocent?”

  The man just snorted and leaned his back against the wall.

  “Then they would have sworn to God and insisted on being innocent. However, as soon as they heard my little lie, they immediately started blaming each other,” he said. “Mortals are like that. They never want to take responsibility for anything.”

  May didn't particularly feel like arguing with him about it, as she thought it wouldn't matter anyway, so she just nodded in agreement.

  “You can be proud of yourself,” he said. “You have a lot of potential. With every passing moment, I have less and less doubt that you would be a suitable disciple of mine.”

  “Elder, I...”

  “Don't say anything. It's not an immediate matter.” He moved away from the wall and began to walk away. “Go get some rest. We only have a few hours left before our departure.”

  ───── ??☆?? ─────

  As she had predicted, she didn't sleep much. She did manage to rest for a while, but soon after she had to get up because their journey had to continue.

  This time, the journey was to be the longest, as Ze Yun wanted to reach the sect's capital directly without stopping. In practice, this meant holding her urine for hours and a complete lack of sleep. At least there was no problem with food and drink, as May had prepared for this and packed some food.

  She admired the views from above. She had never seen much of the sect, knowing only a small piece of the remote area. Now that she was in the Inner Court, she noticed quite a difference.

  The Eastern Court was covered almost entirely by forests, and any settlements were rare. In the Inner Court, however, farmlands reigned supreme, and houses were numerous. Undoubtedly, in terms of food, the Eastern Court was completely dependent on the Inner Court.

  However, even here, farming could not have been easy. The steep slopes of the mountains were not an ideal place for planting anything, and the stony soil must have been a nightmare for the local farmers.

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  Despite the passing hours, she wasn't bored in the slightest. Watching the world from above didn't get any less interesting, especially since there was so much to admire. The Island Mountain Sect was, after all, known for its beauty and was a tourist hotspot for the entire continent. The lonely mountain peaks made an even bigger impression in Inner Court than they did in her hometown.

  Finally, she heard the words she had been waiting for for so long.

  “We're getting close,” said Ze Yun.

  May noticed that the density of buildings had been increasing for some time, but it still didn't resemble a typical city. She quickly realized that he was referring to the mountain in the distance. A mighty peak reaching up to the clouds. That had to be Mount Junlin, the highest mountain in the entire sect, at the foot of which lay the city of the same name, the capital of the entire sect.

  They were still far away, but even from hundreds of kilometers away, the sight of the mountain alone amazed her. A lonely mountain in the middle of small peaks. It was indeed the queen of this entire mountain range. Although they still had hours of flight time to go, she could already see the lights of the city illuminating the mountain.

  She swallowed hard. Regardless of what she decided upon entering this city, her life would change, whether Ze Yun became her master or not.

  Life in the Inner Court was a dream for many, with each child in the Eastern Court academy dreaming of how wonderful it would be to live in a city of millions, cultivate among the best, and have all the resources of the sect at their disposal.

  However, few realized these dreams. Each year, only a few people from all four Outer Courts were admitted to the Cloud Academy in the Inner Court.

  May was so close to what so many had dreamed of. Soon she would be standing on her own two feet in the largest city of the sect. She didn't know what awaited her, but she was excited, though slightly terrified.

  They were getting closer and closer. May had never seen anything like it before. The width of the mountain alone must have been several kilometers.

  Finally, they were just a few kilometers from the city itself. It stretched for dozens of kilometers from the summit of Mount Junlin. The city did not need walls, as the overwhelming mountains provided a natural defensive barrier for the entire sect.

  The mountains - a curse for the sect, with unfavorable land, harsh conditions, and extremely powerful monsters, but at the same time a blessing: natural defense against other sects, war with such sect would be a bloodbath, and also nice views.

  However, she had no intention of dwelling on the geographical aspects of the sect when she had the largest city she had seen in many years before her eyes. The buildings were quite small, with the largest ones having at most five or six floors, but the sheer size of the place was overwhelming.

  They began to land, and the little ants began to take on human form. Whole crowds of them. It was different from all the other cities she had seen in this world so far. It was a real city. Like on Earth. Well, except for the skyscrapers and the light sources in the form of lamps. And no advertisements.

  Nevertheless, the city was beautiful, built in traditional wooden architecture mixed with various stones and bricks. The people also seemed different. They had a spark of life in their eyes, a self-awareness that was lacking in people in other cities.

  In itself, the city may not have been that impressive, but the very fact that there was a higher form of civilization and comfort here comforted her immensely.

  “Everyone is impressed initially. First time in a big city, huh?” Ze Yun asked, descending to the ground. “From small huts to grand estates, I would like to know how it feels.”

  May nodded. Truth be told, she had seen more impressive cities in her previous life, and her impression stemmed from something else, but she had no intention of saying anything about it.

  “It's a very beautiful city, Elder,” she replied. “May I ask if we will be living in this estate?”

  The Golden Swan landed in the courtyard of a huge mansion with many marble pillars, decorated shutters, and several smaller buildings that were part of the complex. The palace was located on a modest hill and was separated from the rest of the city, rising proudly above it, which was probably meant to demonstrate the superiority of the building's inhabitants over others.

  “Yes... This is the Yun Clan's summer estate. It is usually inhabited by less important members of the clan, as well as guests such as yourself.”

  “The summer estate...”

  “Yes. It is the smaller and less important of the two estates. The winter estate is inhabited by the current leader of the entire sect. It would be inappropriate for you to live there. Of course, that is as long as you are just a guest and not my disciple.”

  In other words, as long as I agree to let him be my master, I can live in the same house as the current leader of the entire sect?

  The offer was truly tempting; the very fact alone spoke volumes about the amount of influence she would gain.

  Of course, this did not mean that it was an unambiguously good choice. The consequence would be joining the army, and thus a lack of freedom in cultivation. It would be difficult for her to call herself a patriot in relation to the sect, she was not thrilled with the idea of giving her life for this organization.

  Now, however, was not the time for that. They had to go to the estate.

  A whole group of people stood in front of the property. Judging by their clothing, which was quite modest but also comfortable yet practical, she concluded that they were the servants of the estate. There were over fifteen people of different genders who, as soon as they landed on the ground, rushed over and bowed low.

  “Glory to the Island Mountain Sect! Welcome back, High Elder!” The thunderous voices of many people welcomed him back in unison.

  Only now did May fully realize where she had ended up. It was the Yun Clan's estate, the family home of the current sect leader, the former sect leader Lin Yun, and also High Elder Ze Yun. She was in the home of the people at the very top of the sect, with no one standing above them.

  Ze Yun told them to stop bowing, and they all immediately stood up and lined up straight. Their discipline was commendable; they resembled a small army rather than servants.

  “Shui Gai, take care of this May Shang. She is a guest of this house, so treat her with respect. Take her to the Jade Section, to the Night Room. Let her settle in and rest there. It is also your duty to ensure that she learns the proper etiquette of the estate.” Ze Yun said, addressing the oldest-looking woman in the crowd. Her eyes were half-closed, her skin was wrinkled, and her body was covered with discoloration of various colors.

  Shui nodded and approached May. Although she was extremely old, she moved with great grace, like a model on a catwalk, and although her eyes seemed sluggish, May saw in them a calmness and intelligence befitting her age.

  She followed the woman into the mansion. Inside, the decor was no different from the outside. It was richly decorated with gold and wood. There was a pleasant smell here, which was a nice change from the stench of the city she had grown accustomed to.

  “Today, you will spend your time resting and cleaning up after your journey,” said the older woman. Her voice was much lower than one would expect and did not quite match her figure.

  She had a point; if it weren't for the item she had won in the lottery; Fragrance Ring, that allowed her to emit a pleasant scent, she would definitely stink from not having bathed in a long time.

  “However, in the coming days, your lessons will begin. You must learn the proper etiquette that befits a young lady like yourself,” she said, coughing from time to time.

  “Is there something wrong with my etiquette? I haven't said anything so far.” she replied, thinking she knew how to behave. She didn't think she needed any special teachings.

  The older woman just narrowed her eyes and shook her head.

  “You've been slouching since you arrived, not to mention what you're doing with your hands. You cross them and scratch your head. Your movements are awkward. One foot after the other, steady and smooth, that’s the correct way. You have a lot to learn, but don't worry, we'll fix everything.”

  May already felt that she would not like these lessons. She couldn't even scratch her head? What a joke. However, she did not respond to the woman, not wanting to make her sad. The older woman reminded her a little of her own grandmother from Earth. Despite her rather harsh words, she seemed to be a nice woman.

  Finally, after a few minutes, they reached her room. It was spacious, but also elegantly decorated. A complete contrast to the simple decor of her room in Eastern Court. But that was to be expected from the most influential family in the entire sect.

  She closed the door behind her and sighed. A new chapter in her life had begun.