In the aftermath of the fight, all the disciples stared at each other, looking over their Interfaces with astonished eyes. Never before had they summoned so many into a battle, so they hadn't noticed the difference. But with both Cain and Luna having the experience enhancements of a Puppet Master, the twelve thousand-strong might of the Seraphim armies had provided an incredible bonus to their battle.
Every cultivator that was defeated by the army gave them the experience points of over a thousand regular fights, and the incoming wave of notifications had left them nearly stunned, in the way that Luna had heard about from Neffie, the payment for being power-leveled.
The Red Scorpion Sect seemed to be calming down now that they realized that they weren't going to lose their home, though they lost their Sect Master and their senior Elder after the battle due to the shame of having started a fight they couldn't win.
They would also be under supervision for a decade or more, but that was a small price to pay to keep their Sect intact with all its treasures.
The Elders back at the Sect Compound were not going to be happy about this outcome, though. Even if it was described to them, many were unlikely to understand just how lopsided the battle was. Even bringing the last two thousand members would not have saved them from their fate against that monster and his five disciples.
Surely he must be some sort of mythic creature in disguise. Even if a damaged core explained the difference between his knowledge and his power, such a Skill was not the sort of thing that any mortal was meant to have access to. The Seraphim Host did not just show up because any random stranger called their name, and with the power of the Holy Light that they had faced, the Red Scorpion Sect was convinced that his version of the skill did not call a mimic but the actual Seraphim themselves.
Even among the crowd, most were shocked into stunned disbelief by the outcome of this battle. The Alliance of Light Sects protected the region and kept the peace, at least on a large scale, but could they even face off against such an army? That one man, Sect Master Cain, could walk into any of their Sects and annihilate it before anyone could even arrive to reinforce them.
He seemed to be on the good side of the Light Sects, though and having called Seraphim suggested that he was upright and righteous. Even if his disciples called demons most of the time, surely the noble Seraphim would not betray the cause of righteousness so badly?
Cain heard all those thoughts, as did the Seraphim and the Demons Cain was merged with, making them all stifle their laughter except Oath Breaker, who was laughing uproariously in Cain's mind.
[If only they knew what the Seraphim were really like, they would have a whole new outlook on what they would be facing once they reached the Divine Planes.] Oath Breaker chuckled.
[Are you saying that we are not Moral and Virtuous? Damnable demon, always bending the truth. It's not our fault that humans are too stupid to follow the rules.] The Seraphim mentally answered.
Cain had heard this argument many times before. After spending time with Evangeline, it was clear that the Seraphim version of moral virtue was very different from what the humans thought it was, which was the primary cause of the confusion. For example, their views on nudity. Since they didn't feel lust, they didn't see anything wrong with going nude whenever the weather was nice, but they got highly offended by signs of lust, as would inevitably happen when a human saw them nude.
While mediating the argument between the demons and Seraphim in his mind, the Violet Eyed man flew over to Cain and surveyed the battlefield.
"It looks like your journey has been good to you. Tell me, how is that method working out for the people of your world?" The cultivator asked with a sly smile.
"Quite well, I would say. The first few centuries were a bit chaotic since everyone expected it to only apply to humans." Cain replied, testing how much the man knew about the Laughing God and the System.
"To everyone, you say? Well, that is unexpected. I really should pay more attention to current events, but these idiots are just so entertaining that I lose track of everything else." The man sighed, then brightened up as he remembered something.
"Before I forget, Nyarla told me to let you know that your wife is halfway through her term, thanks to the difference in time flow between realms. That shouldn't have changed much. This realm moves through a year for every day where she is, so you don't need to rush to get back. You won't miss the birth."
"You have been in contact with Misha then? I do hope her health is holding up, all things considered. Do you have a way to bring me there?" Cain asked before the man could disappear again, as he was liable to do.
"Do you think that the baby-obsessed Nyarla would let anything happen to her? She is pampered beyond all sense of decorum and in perfect health. I can bring you there, but not now.
Once you are finished up and ready, I will come looking for you again or the day before the twins are due, whichever comes first." The violet-eyed man informed Cain with a smile.
"Well, if we keep up like this, I don't see a reason that I won't make it on time. That last fight was a huge benefit to my progression."
The immortal nodded. "To your disciples too. Twelve thousand stacks of experience bonus is a little overkill for disciples at their level, and they will need advice on advancement again and some skills to get them back on the right path for their cultivation.
You have a lot of work ahead of you to get them all the things that they need, even if it is just hours and hours at a desk writing up books."
"I suppose that simple and mundane wouldn't be right for my Disciples. I will see to it that they are on the right path to achieve their goals." Cain agreed.
"Good choice. Everyone is watching you. I mean everyone. Even the Lycans are looking forward to meeting you after seeing how much fun you can be. But I need to go again before someone comes to bother me. Good luck."
With a wave, the black-robed Immortal with violet eyes disappeared, leaving behind a hint of dark energy that Cain hadn't noticed before and a Quest Notification.
[Additional Quest: Reality Television] progress your Disciples on a path suitable to entertain and impress those watching from other Planes.
With him gone, Cain turned to his Disciples. "Don't pick a new class option yet. I will help you with skills to get you on the right path, so you can easily transfer to Immortality."
Tena looked startled. "Is it that important to do that now? I saw one that looks pretty good."
Cain nodded. "It is even more important than you think. Some paths look good, but they are actually dead ends and don't lead to anything powerful enough to keep progressing. You get stuck moving sideways until you have moved through enough that you get to one that has a forward advancement path.
So we will make sure that you get on the right path and into a path that perfectly suits you."
The tiny human nodded in understanding, then sighed as she gave up on whatever path she had chosen.
"What path were you thinking of anyhow?" Cain asked.
"Prismatic Dragon Monk. It adds new abilities to all my skills." She explained.
That was pretty good, but they could do better than just a new layer of buffs on existing skills.
"Just wait, we can do better, and if we can't, then you can pick it after we have failed to find a faster growth path." Cain offered.
"It sounds like you have big dreams for your Disciples." Elder Ling asked, approaching the group with a few medics from her Sect, including the one Cain had taught a healing spell to earlier.
"Disciples are like our own children. Who wouldn't want the very best for them? I know you would do the same for your personal disciples, even if others felt they were getting an unfair advantage." Cain replied.
"You have me there. I pamper my own disciples much more than most do, though I rarely take one under my wing. Only the ones with the drive and potential to grow to deserve the honor. It would be wasted on a slacker or someone with bad character." Elder Ling agreed.
"You hear that, ladies? Now you know what you need to do to earn Elder Ling's consideration. Work hard and show her that you have the potential to be outstanding among your peers, with actual good character. That doesn't mean popularity, for popularity often comes with ego and bullying the weak. That won't get you anywhere, but working hard for yourself and others might get you a spot as a personal disciple." Cain told the Lotus Blossom Disciples with a wink.
"Why do I feel like I've been had?" Elder Ling muttered, then addressed her disciples.
"It looks like they are all fine, so there is no need for healing. But he is correct. That is the way to impress any of the Elders in the sect. Don't think for a second that we don't notice who smiles in your face and stabs you in the back. There is a reason that sort of acolyte is still in the outer Sect. You need to be better than that if you want to become an Elder or even an Inner Disciple."
The girls bowed politely at her lecture, and smiled at Cain, who had gotten the usually secretive Elder to open up about what the true path to advancement was.
