"State your name and affiliation."
An aged voice boomed the instant Alexandra regained her senses, almost directly bursting her eardrums.
"Agh!" She exclaimed as she covered her ears.
"State your name and affiliation."
The voice rang out again. Blood gushed through the cracks in Alexandra's fingers, spurting onto the floor around her.
Thud!
Alexandra collapsed to her knees. Her head was ringing, she couldn't form a coherent thought, the world around her was spinning uncontrollably, and it felt like any movement she made would kill her.
She closed her eyes and clenched her teeth in an attempt to muffle her voice and endure the pain. Just as she did, the ancient voice rang out again.
"Sta—"
"Stop."
A second voice rang out instead, quelling the furious power of the first.
Alexandra collapsed to the ground convulsing.
"Look what you have done. How do you expect her to answer your questions in this state? How have you lived for so long and remained the same brainless man?"
The second voice, that of a gentle woman, admonished the first as it grew closer to Alexandra.
"Girl, forgive him for his actions. He is an impulsive idiot who doesn't know how to think properly. He only gained his elder seat through brute strength."
A warm hand approached in the darkness. The woman placed her palm on the convulsing Alexandra's forehead and inserted a stream of gentle mana into her body.
Alexandra's convulsions immediately stopped. Her body began to heal as well, even becoming stronger than it was before.
She opened her eyes with a slight struggle and looked up, only to be faced with the most beautiful woman she'd ever seen.
"S-senior! Thank you for saving me!" She immediately exclaimed, bowing her head.
The woman smiled. "No need for thanks. As that idiot Third Elder injured you, I have provided you with some compensation. Now, can you tell us who you are?"
Alexandra immediately nodded, completely ignoring the Third Elder who'd brought her to the ground in the first place.
"Senior, I am Alexandra from the Arcadia Guild. Today, I have come to deliver a message to the Ancient God Clan Elders."
"Oh? And the message is from…?"
"The message is from a friend of mine named Xinyue. From what I know, she is also the Young Master of your Ancient God Clan."
The woman nodded. "Indeed she is. Is she the one who told you that code?"
"Yes, senior, however, she did not tell me what it means."
"I see…" the woman said with a sigh, "Third Elder, are you ashamed yet?"
"What nonsense." The Third Elder harrumphed, disinclined to interact further.
The woman shrugged her shoulders and turned her attention back to Alexandra. "Was there anything else Xinyue told you?"
"Yes, Xinyue had an additional message. She told me to tell you, 'Enter the golden palace to find the answers we seek.'"
"Golden palace…?" The woman muttered. "So that mysterious expert is the Ancient Codex Violation? It seems Xinyue has found something interesting."
"Miss Alexandra, you may leave now. The message had been received."
Alexandra hesitated for a bit, but in the end, she retreated. However this matter proceeded, it had nothing to do with her anymore. This much was already far above her pay grade.
Within the Ancient God Clan camp, the woman sat silently, a group of Elders around her.
"Madam, why did you let her go? We have no way to verify her intentions, it is not wise to let her loose." An elder said.
"Indeed, Madam. This is against how we usually conduct ourselves. Especially in the face of an Ancient Codex Violation, we cannot act so lax!" Another elder agreed.
"Are you all of the same opinion?" The woman asked as she panned her gaze across the elders.
Several of them avoided her gaze, making their tacit agreement known.
The woman sighed. "Has our Ancient God Clan been raising fools all these years? You are only focusing on one part of Xinyue's message while ignoring the rest. How can I trust you with the clan if you act so recklessly?"
"Listen, Xinyue specifically categorized the violation as Blue Grade. Along with that, she has told us to enter the golden palace ourselves. Does anyone here doubt Xinyue's loyalty to the clan?"
"Absolutely not! It is impossible for the Young Master to turn traitor!" An elder exclaimed. His words were followed by numerous murmurs of agreement.
The woman smiled seeing this. "If Xinyue is not a traitor, then why has she categorized our most supreme violation as a mere Blue Grade?"
The elders went silent.
There were several codexes and scripts that the Ancient God Clan followed. Only the Ancient Codex encompassed those rules of the ancestors, mainly the harsh rules in place for the All-Seeing Eyes.
If Xinyue specifically stated an Ancient Codex Violation, it meant that she'd found an outsider with All-Seeing Eyes.
However, along with the several codexes, the Ancient God Clan had a different system to label the severity of a crime.
Blue Grade was second only to Purple Grads. Assigning a Blue rating meant Xinyue thought the outsider was extremely powerful and needed to be carefully confronted.
However, it also meant she didn't think the problem was worthy of being Purple Grade.
For Ancient Codex Violations, Purple Grade was essentially guaranteed.
"When was the last time there was a change in the Mist-Piercing Mirror?" The woman suddenly asked.
Immediately, every elder's eyes widened into saucers.
Right, how could they forget?
The Mist-Piercing Mirror that could be used to locate any trace of Ancient God Clan bloodline and the All-Seeing Eyes in the universe hadn't budged in several thousand years.
No member of the Ancient God Clan had violated their doctrine, and no existing threat remained in the universe.
If so, then how did this person get their hands on the All-Seeing Eyes?
"This must be the question Xinyue hasn't been able to answer. By the fact that she was able to easily send a messenger to us, it is clear that the other party is not hostile. I suggest we peacefully confront him before resorting to more unscrupulous means."
"Does anyone have any objections?"
The woman's eyes panned over the elders once more, lingering on the few who'd tried to educate her a moment ago.
There were no responses to her question.
"Good, then I will personally take a delegation with me to the golden palace after this heavenly material squabble ends. Until then, you are to regard the golden palace and its owner as distinguished guests of our Ancient God Clan. Any action against him will not be tolerated. Understood?"
""Understood!"" The elders responded in unison.
The woman nodded and sent them out of her residence.
Left alone, the woman sat in silence for a moment.
Suddenly, her eyes curved into crescents.
Her body shuddered as if she was holding back something big.
'Is it you? Have I finally found you?' She wondered inwardly.
It had been so many years that she'd almost forgotten her identity and purpose.
The current Ancient God Clan was nothing like its previous self.
She had been numb to emotion for so long trying to keep the clan surviving, but today, she felt a rush of emotion that almost capsized her.
Her heart palpitated in curiosity and anticipation.
'Young Master, have you finally come?'
