Lauren and Dante first went to Hogwarts, then took the teleportation array to Shadowfen, and from there to Moonlit Sect.

  After handing over their invitation, they were received with polite ceremony and guided up the mountain.

  Two of Immortal Master Herbert’s disciples were about to be married, and nearly every major righteous sect had sent representatives to offer congratutions. Lauren and Dante arrived ter than most, and by the time they reached the main hall, it was already full.

  When a disciple announced the arrival of guests from Thunder Sect, the noise in the room quieted instantly. Everyone turned to look toward the entrance.

  At the sight of two young figures walking in, murmurs spread through the hall.

  “Why are there only two juniors?” someone whispered.

  Normally, out of respect, a sect would send one senior of Herbert’s generation, accompanied by one or two juniors close to the bride and groom’s age.

  But Thunder Sect had sent only two young disciples.

  Timothy, standing beside his master and greeting guests, froze when he saw who it was.

  Lauren.

  His expression soured immediately. She’s here? Is she pnning to make trouble?

  Lauren, calm as a mountain, acted as if she hadn’t seen him at all. She stepped forward with Dante, bowed, and said with a bright smile, “Senior Brother Herbert, my master asked me to convey his greetings.”

  The man who’d just been muttering about Thunder Sect’s rudeness blinked in surprise. Master?

  Wait—seven years ago, hadn’t Immortal Drake taken in a new apprentice?

  So this was her?

  And in just seven years, she’d already reached the Great Perfection of the Core Formation stage.

  Drake’s eye for talent really was unmatched. Then again, for someone who only accepted disciples with mutated spiritual roots, the standards were bound to be sky-high.

  Herbert’s face split into a genial smile. “Ah, Lauren! Please, have a seat. How is your master doing these days?”

  Lauren smiled. “Master’s well—just a little bored tely. He’s been constantly nagging you instead of coming to visit.”

  Herbert’s smile faltered.

  Of course he’s bored.

  Drake, a Mahayana cultivator with an almost endless lifespan, could afford to waste his time however he pleased.

  Not so for Herbert. His own lifespan was running out. Once this wedding was over, he pnned to enter seclusion. If he couldn’t break through, death would be his next visitor.

  He forced a polite chuckle. “Hahaha, that sounds like him.”

  Lauren gestured, and Dante stepped forward with a wrapped gift. “This is from our headmaster—a small token of appreciation. Please don’t refuse it.”

  Herbert’s eyes brightened immediately, his smile widening like a blooming chrysanthemum. “Ah, how could I refuse such thoughtfulness? Please, thank Mr. Drake for me.”

  Lauren then produced a letter. “And this is from my master—he said to give it to you personally.”

  Herbert took it with both hands. “From Mr. Drake?”

  “Yes.”

  He examined the envelope—sealed with a thunder-shaped sigil that could only be opened by a cultivator at or above the Spirit Transformation realm. His expression grew solemn as he carefully stored it away.

  “Please, sit,” he said warmly.

  Lauren took her seat, while Dante remained standing behind her with respectful posture, just like the other attendants.

  As Lauren scanned the hall, she noticed how many curious gnces were drifting her way. Then she suddenly understood her master’s real intention.

  So that’s what he meant by ‘a deeper meaning.’

  Starfell Summit had been quiet for too long—so long that the younger generation barely remembered its existence.

  Her master probably wanted her to make an appearance, to remind the cultivation world that Thunder Sect still had its future.

  And what better pce to show her face than at a grand wedding attended by all the most powerful sects?

  Defying the will of heaven wasn’t something one person could achieve alone. It required allies.

  Lauren took a breath and began mingling—smiling, bowing, addressing people as “Senior Brother” and “Senior Sister.”

  Who could dislike such a polite, pretty girl with just the right mix of shyness and confidence?

  By the end of the introductions, everyone in the hall had formed the same impression:

  Thunder Sect’s Lauren was nothing short of remarkable.

  The wedding banquet wasn’t until the next day. That night, they settled into the guest quarters. Lauren took the main room in the courtyard, while Dante stayed in a side room nearby so they could look out for each other.

  With some rare quiet time to herself, Lauren began painting talismans.

  She had prepared the materials ahead of time, having asked Elder Zane to help her collect them.

  Tonight’s focus was a fifth-grade talisman. Naturally, the higher the grade, the rarer and more expensive the required materials.

  Because the art of talisman-making had declined over the centuries, most high-grade materials had simply piled up, unused. As a result, cultivators were now using superior ingredients to make basic talismans—a ridiculous waste.

  She decided to start with the practical ones: Explosive Spirit Talismans and Armor-Breaking Talismans. They were always in demand, and the materials were easy to find. The more Explosive Spirit Talismans she carried, the safer she felt.

  Beyond those, there were the mid-tier functional talismans: Avatar, Phantom, Illusion-Breaking, Clear-Minded, Earth, Water Prison, and Fire Talismans.

  Sebastian had once combined the Avatar and Phantom Talismans during battle, overwhelming his opponent completely. That was worth learning from.

  She also noted down a few others she might craft soon—Thousand Mile Talismans, for example. They could be lifesavers in emergencies.

  Then there were the rare, higher-level ones: Ten Thousand Miles Talismans, Calming Talismans, and Vajra Talismans.

  Even more interesting were the sinister types—like the Body Control Talisman, which could manipute another’s movements. That one definitely caught her attention.

  The Escape Talisman, too, was worth making. For cultivators under the Spirit Severing stage, it granted short-term invisibility.

  But what truly fascinated her was the Boundary-Breaking Talisman, said to shatter dimensional barriers. Unfortunately, it was far beyond her current skill level, and the materials were practically mythical.

  At the very top stood the Substitute Talisman.

  The only Ninth-Grade Talisman in existence, it could deceive the very Will of Heaven itself—repcing a person’s destiny and resisting the suppression of boundary forces.

  Its key component? Memory Beads—crystals capable of sealing one’s memories.

  It wasn’t something that could be mass-produced. Each had to be crafted for the individual user.

  Lauren frowned slightly. She had never even heard of Memory Beads outside of ancient texts.

  When she returned to Thunder Sect, she’d have to search the top floor of the library. Maybe there, she’d find something useful.

  A noise from the next room interrupted her thoughts.

  After completing another talisman, she heard someone call for Dante. A moment ter, he left with them.

  He was from a noble family—unsurprisingly, he had plenty of connections in the cultivation world.

  Lauren didn’t pay it any mind. She just continued working, her brush steady and focused, as faint golden lines bloomed under the mplight.