Theron smiled at Lyra.

"Hello, senior sister. I took advantage of some loopholes in the rules to get here, I hope you don't mind."

Lyra blinked and then she suddenly smiled sweetly, fluttering over. Though she was quite petite and still a head shorter than even Theron, who wasn't very tall to begin with, she was still in her twenties. Seeing Theron's polite manner and humble words, not to mention the gentle tone of his voice, she couldn't help but immediately take a liking to him.

She landed in front of him and scanned Theron up and down.

"How cute," she said with a bright smile, quickly taking Theron's arm. "The Core Sect is full of nothing but old curmudgeons. Who thought I'd get such an adorable junior brother?"

To the side, Peak Elder Lotus was a bit speechless. He had expected Theron to continue being as arrogant as before. Was it just because he was in front of a pretty woman?

Thinking to that point, Peak Elder Lotus was quite accepting of the explanation. Youths were always chasing after beauties, and Lyra was the number one beauty of their Sect.

It was said that Sadie had the potential to far surpass Lyra, but she had been much too young to be on anyone's radar in such a way. So the title was firmly held by the strongest of the Core Disciples.

There was another beauty that many knew of, the number one disciple of Matriarch Macie, Andra. But she was technically powerful enough to be a Core Elder of the Sect, and only waited on the Matriarch out of filial piety.

She didn't appear before the Sect often, so Lyra was the first in mind when it came to the opinions of the public.

"I'll handle the introductions, then, Peak Elder Lotus. It's been dreary around here for a while anyway."

Peak Elder Lotus blinked for a moment and then nodded. Technically speaking, Core Disciples were superior to himself in terms of status and power in the Sect, so there wasn't anything too inappropriate about this, though Lyra was much younger than himself.

He handed over the keys to Theron's Immortal Cave and then descended the peak.

"Come, come. Tell me, my newest little junior brother, how did you manage to sneak into the Sect?" she said with a bright smile.

"There's a rule that says if you make it through the Nightingale Forest on your own beneath the Gold Mancy Realm, you can directly join as a Core Disciple."

Lyra blinked, and then a sudden recognition came over her. She had been in the Sect for so long, so of course she had read the rule book. It was just that these obscure rules were things easily glossed over.

"Hehe, did you cheat?" Lyra tugged on Theron's arm, whispering into his ear as though in an attempt to fluster him.

"I was just a bit lucky." Theron rubbed his nose a bit, looking a hint embarrassed.

Lyra's smile grew brighter. It was rare she got to tease anyone, and the recent stress was weighing heavy on them all. She wasn't lying about wanting to take Theron around just to take her mind off things.

"You are a bit old…" Lyra said after a while. "… Well, it's fine. I don't know if the Sect will last very long after this anyway. Unless we can perform very well…"

Her voice trailed off, seemingly not wanting to continue to think about such things. This was supposed to take her mind off things, not thrust her right back into the depression.

"Won't last for long?" Theron asked.

Lyra sighed. "The Sect took quite a big blow in recent weeks. Our Patriarch is missing and may very well be dead, and we were robbed blind. The effects won't show immediately, but in another year or two, without the foundation of those resources, we'll decline steeply."

Theron's gaze flickered. "I see… I did hear about some of this, but if I'm honest, I thought they were mostly rumors."

"Forget it, let's not think about such depressing things. Just rely on your seniors and we'll get back the resources you need to grow," she said with a bright smile. "So, junior brother…"

"Theron. Theron Galethunder," Theron finished for her.

"Oh? What an interesting name… where do you come from with a name like that?"

Theron chuckled. "I'm an orphan, I've just been wandering here and there on my own. My last name is just one I gave myself. It sounds cool, doesn't it?"

At first, Lyra was a bit sad to hear Theron's words before she suddenly sputtered with laughter.

Galethunder really did sound like a name a little boy would give himself to sound strong and imposing.

"Why are you laughing?" Theron pouted.

"I'm sorry—I'm sorry!" Lyra choked on her laughter, wiping the tears away.

Lyra finally came to a stop, grinning at Theron as she pointed with an arm, looping around Theron's with her other.

"See here. This is your Immortal Cave."

"You're trying to change the topic," Theron said pointedly.

"Hasn't anyone ever told you to let women win? Don't worry, your senior sister here will guide you properly. Soon you'll have all the little girls swooning with those sparkling eyes of yours."

Theron looked at the circular stone rolled into a path of greenery and lush flowers. There was actually a small stream of black passing overhead as though directly embedded into the hill, radiating a dense Dark Mana.

"Little girls? And what if I want senior sister to swoon instead?" Theron looked over with a wide smile.

Lyra laughed. "You'll have to be a lot stronger than this first. You can't expect a small woman like myself to protect her own husband, right?"

Theron blinked and then nodded seriously. "You're right. Then senior sister, please teach me to be stronger. Honestly, I'm not very familiar with Dark Mancy."

"Not familiar?" Lyra looked at Theron with a tilt in her head, wondering how you could make it to Silver Mancy like that. Unless, Theron was just lying to spend more time with her.

Before Theron could reply, there was a sudden rush of wind behind the two and a new figure appeared.

Second Core Disciple, Kaelen.

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