However, perhaps due to the numerous restrictions, the items inside were all intact, unlike those outside that would turn to dust with a mere touch.
"Ancestor's blessings, thankfully nothing inside has decayed," Luo Yingying breathed a sigh of relief.
She then tenderly caressed each item, as if they were filled with memories.
"Come here. This is a portrait of our Flying Immortal Sect's ancestor. After paying respects to the portrait, you will be a true disciple of the Flying Immortal Sect," Luo Yingying said, leading Ning Beichen to a painting.
"Do I really have to bow? Actually, I think..." Ning Beichen said reluctantly.
"Stop babbling and come pay respects to the ancestor." Luo Yingying cut him off before he could finish.
Ning Beichen could only grudgingly go forward, bow three times to the portrait, and then stand obediently to the side.
"Ancestor, above all, the Flying Immortal Sect has met with a great calamity. This disciple is incompetent and unable to protect the sect, leaving me as the sole survivor. I willingly take on the role of Sect Master to rebuild the Flying Immortal Sect. In this life, I will surely slay the demon and avenge those who perished in the Flying Immortal Sect. I implore your blessings to protect the safety of our Flying Immortal Sect..." Luo Yingying solemnly swore before the ancestor's portrait. Ning Beichen's eyelids twitched uncontrollably, and he couldn't help but mentally grumble. He, Ning Yanwang, had no desire to be bound to some Flying Immortal Sect. This woman was mad. This place was deserted, with not even a ghost in sight. Rebuilding the Flying Immortal Sect? This was a joke! As for avenging the demon... Well, revenge was only right and proper, Ning Beichen had no complaints about that. However, since that demon could so easily destroy an entire realm, avenging them wouldn't be easy. Ning Beichen even suspected that the blessed lands he had visited might have met their ruin because of this demon. Otherwise, there was no explaining why those blessed lands had all turned into ruins.
After paying respects to the ancestor's portrait, Ning Beichen's eyes lit up when he saw Luo Yingying open a chest and take out a few items. Among them, he spotted a thin bronze sheet.
"These are the precious treasures collected by the Flying Immortal Sect throughout the ages. In the past, only disciples who had made significant contributions to the sect had the chance to receive them. Now, the Flying Immortal Sect has no one left, and you are its sole disciple. You even eliminated the destruction of the Holy Land. Therefore, you may choose one of these treasures," Luo Yingying told Ning Beichen.
"Can't I take them all? Since the Flying Immortal Sect has no one left anyway." Ning Beichen blurted out. But immediately, he received a death glare from Luo Yingying and quickly corrected himself. "I was just joking. I can only choose one, right? After I choose, will this item belong to me? Can I do whatever I want with it?" Ning Beichen asked her. "Yes, once it's given to you, it's yours," Luo Yingying replied. "Then I choose this one." Ning Beichen unhesitatingly picked up the thin bronze sheet. He had already glimpsed what looked like a cultivation technique within it.
"You choose this?" Luo Yingying looked at him strangely and asked.
"Is there a problem?" Ning Beichen's heart skipped a beat, and he quickly asked.
"There's no problem, but the origin of this bronze sheet is unknown, and it's been stored here for a very, very long time. Are you sure you want this? I suggest you choose this one instead. This is the Lanxi Sword, considered one of the better weapons in the Flying Immortal Sect," Luo Yingying said, pointing to an ancient-looking sword.
"No need, I'll take this one." Although Ning Beichen hadn't seen the cultivation technique inside the bronze sheet, he trusted his intuition. His gut told him to choose it.
"Alright, as you wish." Luo Yingying no longer tried to persuade Ning Beichen. Little did she know, Ning Beichen already possessed a mysterious ancient bronze sword and had no interest in other swords. It was a shame he could only choose one. If he could have chosen two, he might have taken the Lanxi Sword to give to Liu Yilin.
Ning Beichen put away the bronze sheet and, after some thought, said to her, "I plan to give this bronze sheet to my woman. This shouldn't violate the sect's rules, right?"
"This is not a Flying Immortal Sect technique, so it doesn't violate the rules." Luo Yingying gave him a meaningful look, a woman flashing in her mind – it was Sū Sū from the camp earlier.
"That's good, thank you, Sect Master." Ning Beichen said immediately. When he benefited, calling her Sect Master was nothing. If she gave him a few more items, he wouldn't mind calling her Mother.
Ning Beichen put away the bronze sheet, but his mind wasn't on how to serve the Flying Immortal Sect, but rather on how to escape.
"Sect Master, how do you plan to rebuild the Flying Immortal Sect?" Ning Beichen asked her cautiously.
"I... I don't know." Luo Yingying had only been a disciple of the Flying Immortal Sect. Such matters had never been her responsibility before, so how would she know what to do? Ning Beichen felt a bit speechless, though he had to admit she had courage.
"Sect Master, I think rebuilding the Flying Immortal Sect isn't urgent. What we need to do first is understand the situation of this world, see if there are any surviving humans or other sects..." Ning Beichen had to offer her some advice. As he spoke, he noticed Luo Yingying staring intently at him, making Ning Beichen feel a little guilty. "What I mean is, if there are no survivors in this world, is there still a point in rebuilding the Flying Immortal Sect?" Ning Beichen intended to guide her to think about practical matters and not be solely focused on rebuilding the Flying Immortal Sect.
"What you say makes sense. Starting tomorrow, you and I will investigate the situation of this world together." Luo Yingying said. The idea was Ning Beichen's own, so he had no choice but to agree.
Soon, the next day arrived, and Ning Beichen accompanied Luo Yingying to inspect the former sect sites. However, the results were not beyond Ning Beichen's expectations. If even the Flying Immortal Sect couldn't survive, other sects fared no better. Everywhere they went was a wasteland, without exception.
"Damn it!" Luo Yingying angrily swung her sword, a fierce sword energy striking a distant mountain peak, emitting a deafening roar. The mountain peak's summit was directly sheared off by her sword energy.
Not long after, they arrived at an uninhabited small mountain village. However, it was already desolate and empty, devoid of any signs of life. They even found remnants of destruction.
A few days later, Ning Beichen and Luo Yingying returned. Throughout the journey, Luo Yingying remained silent, appearing utterly despondent, with a cold and passive demeanor. Ning Beichen could only sigh deeply, unsure how to comfort her. The reality was simply too brutal.