Rise of The Abandoned Husband

I stepped through the ornate gates of the Celestial Apothecary Guild, my mind still replaying the haunting scene of Ms. Hayward dissolving into black mist before her son's eyes. Death wasn't new to me. I'd seen it, caused it, survived it countless times. Yet something about the casual cruelty of her execution left me unsettled.

The guards recognized me immediately, offering respectful nods as I passed. My status as both Elder and honored guest of the Pavilion Master afforded me rare privileges within these walls. Still, I couldn't shake the feeling that I was running out of time—that my enemies were merely allowing me these moments of reprieve.

"Liam!" Jackson Harding's voice boomed across the courtyard. The legendary master approached with his customary confident stride. "I heard you went into the city last night."

I nodded grimly. "Seeking information. Found more than I bargained for."

Jackson's expression grew serious, reading the tension in my posture. "Come. The Pavilion Master wishes to speak with us anyway."

We walked in silence through the Guild's sprawling complex. Morning light filtered through ancient trees, casting dappled shadows across stone pathways. It was peaceful here—deceptively so, given the turmoil brewing outside these walls.

"Have they announced Hayward's replacement yet?" I asked finally.

Jackson glanced sideways at me. "News travels fast. Yes, Emerson Holmes will assume her position."

I processed this information carefully. "Holmes. The Guild's puppet?"

"The very same. His appointment sends a clear message."

"They're consolidating their influence," I concluded. "Replacing anyone with independent thoughts."

Jackson nodded grimly. "Precisely."

When we reached Mariana's private study, the Pavilion Master was already waiting, elegant as always in her flowing robes. Her piercing eyes took in my appearance at once.

"You've had an eventful night," she observed, gesturing for us to sit.

I dropped into a chair, exhaustion suddenly catching up with me. "I witnessed an Elder of the Veridia City Martial Guild execute Ms. Hayward. Turned her to dust with some kind of death seal."

Mariana's expression darkened. "The Guild's enforcers are growing bolder. Executing someone of her status so openly..."

"It wasn't meant to be witnessed," I clarified. "Just bad timing on my part."

"Or good timing," Jackson countered. "At least now we know how far they're willing to go."

I rubbed my temples, fighting a building headache. "What I need to know is how to undo a spirit binding. That's what they've done to Isabelle."

Mariana and Jackson exchanged knowing glances.

"Spirit binding is one of their most closely guarded techniques," Mariana said carefully. "The method is kept within their Scripture Pavilion."

"Scripture Pavilion?" I asked.

Jackson nodded. "Their most secure location. Hidden within the Veridia City Martial Guild's inner sanctum. Only the eight senior officials have access."

"Then that's where I need to go," I said simply.

Mariana's laugh was sharp but not unkind. "Liam, even at your current power level, that would be suicide. The Scripture Pavilion isn't just guarded by people—it's protected by formations dating back thousands of years."

"I've invaded supposedly impenetrable places before," I reminded her.

"Not like this," Jackson said firmly. "Even I wouldn't attempt it."

I leaned forward, frustration evident in my voice. "Then what do you suggest? I can't leave Isabelle bound forever."

Mariana studied me thoughtfully before speaking. "Right now, you're protected by the Power of Martial Saint you absorbed. It's keeping the Guild from moving against you directly."

"But it's temporary," I acknowledged. "I can feel it fading already."

"Then we're dealing with a countdown," Jackson said grimly. "Once that power fades completely, they'll come for you with everything they have."

I nodded, having already reached the same conclusion. "I have two options: either find a way to escape with Isabelle before my borrowed power disappears, or..."

"Or reach the Half-step Martial Sage realm," Mariana finished for me. "A monumental task, even for someone with your talent."

"It's not impossible," I countered. "Especially with the Chaos Pearl and my dual cultivation method."

Jackson stroked his beard thoughtfully. "It would normally take decades, but your circumstances are... unique."

A knock at the door interrupted our discussion. One of Mariana's attendants entered and whispered something in her ear.

"Bring her in," Mariana instructed.

Moments later, a young woman was ushered into the study—the girl I'd rescued from the Second Mystic Realm. Lulu, they called her. She looked healthier now, though fear still lingered in her eyes.

"You wanted to see me?" she asked timidly.

"Yes," I said, softening my voice. "I need to know more about the Second Mystic Realm. About the Guild's operations there."

She swallowed nervously, glancing at Mariana for reassurance.

"It's safe to speak freely here," the Pavilion Master assured her.

Lulu nodded, clasping her hands to stop their trembling. "What do you want to know?"

"Everything," I said simply. "Start with who runs it."

"Lord Fairlight," she replied immediately. "Luke Fairlight. He's the strongest there—a Peak Form Martial Saint."

I raised an eyebrow. "You've seen him?"

She shook her head. "No one sees him. He stays in the central palace. We just... feel his presence sometimes. Like a pressure in the air."

I glanced at Jackson, who nodded slightly. Peak Form Martial Saint was indeed a terrifying level of power.

"And the others?" I pressed. "The Guild officials?"

"They visit sometimes. Conduct inspections." Lulu's voice grew quieter. "Choose which of us get... processed."

I deliberately kept my expression neutral despite the rage building inside me. "Did you ever see any of the senior officials? The eight who run the entire Guild?"

Her brow furrowed in concentration. "I don't think so. The highest I ever saw was one of the elders—like the one who chose me for... extraction."

Something wasn't adding up. "Hold on," I said, reaching into my pocket. I withdrew a small painting I'd acquired—a portrait of several Guild officials from decades ago. "Do any of these men look familiar?"

Lulu studied the image carefully. Her eyes widened suddenly, finger pointing to one figure. "Him! That's Lord Fairlight!"

I stared at where she pointed. The man was labeled clearly: Luke Fairlight, Vice-Guild Master, Fourth Rank.

"This can't be right," I muttered, mind racing. "If Fairlight is a Guild official, why is he stationed permanently in the Second Mystic Realm?"

Jackson leaned forward, his interest piqued. "Perhaps he's been demoted?"

I shook my head slowly as the pieces came together. "No. He's working for them."

"What do you mean?" Mariana asked.

"The Second Mystic Realm isn't their headquarters," I explained, excitement building as the revelation took shape. "It's just another territory they control. If Luke Fairlight—a former high-ranking official—is now just managing that realm for them..."

"Then the true Guild leaders are elsewhere," Jackson concluded, understanding dawning on his face.

Lulu looked confused. "I don't understand."

"The eight senior officials of the Veridia City Martial Guild," I explained, "they're not in the Second Mystic Realm at all."

"Which means..." Mariana's eyes widened slightly.

"There's another realm," I said, certainty growing with each word. "Possibly their true base of operations. A Paramount Mystic Realm, accessible only to the highest echelon."

Jackson exhaled slowly. "If you're right, we're dealing with something far bigger than we imagined."

I nodded grimly. "And if that's true, then everything we've faced so far—the Second Mystic Realm, the forces they've sent against us—they're just the outer defenses."

The revelation hung heavy in the air. If the Guild's true power base remained hidden in some higher realm, our understanding of their capabilities was woefully incomplete.

I turned back to Lulu, who looked increasingly uncomfortable. "One last question. Did you ever hear mentions of a higher realm? Somewhere above the Second Mystic Realm?"

Her eyes darted nervously around the room before she leaned forward and whispered, "There were rumors. The guards sometimes talked about 'above.' Said that's where the real power was. But anyone who asked too many questions about it... disappeared."

And there it was. Confirmation of my suspicions.

"Thank you," I told her sincerely. "You can go now."

After she left, the three of us sat in contemplative silence.

"A hidden world," Mariana finally said. "Controlled by the eight most powerful figures in the Veridia City Martial Guild."

"And if they're all at least at the level of Peak Form Martial Saint..." Jackson didn't finish the thought. He didn't need to.

I stared out the window at the peaceful Guild grounds, mind racing with implications. The scope of our enemy had just expanded exponentially. But strangely, I felt a sense of clarity rather than despair.

"Now we know what we're really facing," I said quietly. "The question is: how do we reach this hidden world?"

Neither Mariana nor Jackson had an immediate answer. We were venturing into territory beyond even their considerable experience.

But one thing was certain—the path to saving Isabelle had just grown longer and more treacherous than any of us had imagined.