Dimensional Keeper: All My Skills Are at Level 100 Chapter 1431 Rivalry between halls!
Previously on Dimensional Keeper: All My Skills Are at Level 100...
As Lady Virelila wrapped up her words, a figure drew near from the side, moving with purposeful, leisurely strides. A subtle aroma of smoldering incense trailed in her wake, while the surrounding atmosphere bore a piercing trace of contained fiery power.
Max shifted his gaze a bit and spotted another woman halting just a few paces from their group. She looked to be in her early thirties, with elegant features that held a chilling beauty, dressed in scarlet robes adorned with silver-threaded designs of twisting dragons.
The softness in Lady Virelila's eyes faded as they turned to the approaching woman.
"Elder Seraphina Vale," Lady Virelila greeted with steady calm.
The woman offered a smile devoid of any real kindness. Seraphina Vale served as the elder of the Twenty Third Hall, renowned for its bold cultivation approaches and its boast in forging fire experts. Her eyes scanned the disciples positioned behind Lady Virelila, pausing for a moment on Max before fixing back on Virelila.
"Virelila," Seraphina remarked softly, her voice silky yet laced with mockery, "it looks like you've assembled some talented recruits this round. Word is your hall scraped together only a handful of standout picks in the previous selection."
The phrasing came off courteous at first glance, but the underlying jab was obvious.
A slight smile tugged at Lady Virelila's lips in return. "It's surprising to hear your worry for the Thirty Third Hall. I wasn't aware the Twenty Third Hall had extra time to fret over rivals."
Seraphina's eyes tightened a fraction, but her smile held firm. "Curiosity is only human. Especially since the Thirty Third Hall hasn't exactly led the Path to Eternal Flames lately. I remember that in the last round, not one of your disciples made it past the sixth pillar."
A few disciples trailing Lady Virelila tensed up at the comment.
Seraphina directed her focus to Max and his companions. "The Path to Eternal Flames shows no mercy to the unprepared. It'd be a shame if your hall's followers again faltered just to keep their footing in the opening pillars."
The mockery rang clear now.
Max stayed quiet, watching the back-and-forth impassively, even as he picked up on the growing strain in the air around them.
Lady Virelila held off on replying right away. Her glance drifted instead to the cluster of disciples with Seraphina. Several young cultivators among them displayed obvious arrogance on their faces. One especially positioned himself a touch ahead, his energy pulsing subtly like he craved attention.
"It appears your Twenty Third Hall has opted once more for flashy show over solid grounding," Lady Virelila countered smoothly. "That one leading the pack looks eager enough. I trust his fires hold strong to surpass the fourth pillar this go-around."
A couple of muffled laughs bubbled up from Max's rear.
Seraphina's smile grew tauter. "You talk with confidence for a hall that's always trailed in the dust. My followers at least dare to charge ahead. Maybe the Thirty Third Hall favors safety over true skill."
Lady Virelila's gaze grew keener, yet her voice stayed even. "Safety guards those worthy of progress. Rashness sparks brief flares that die out fast. The Path to Eternal Flames honors stamina and insight, not mere bluster."
The feud between the halls hung openly now. It bore the burden of past clashes, where egos had suffered and standings clashed fiercely. The Twenty Third Hall reveled in fierce fire arts and sheer bursting force. The Thirty Third Hall stressed precise honing and profound grasp of draconic core.
"Why not stake a little wager?" Seraphina proposed casually, but the spark in her eyes showed it was far from offhand.
The air nearby grew heavier in a flash.
Lady Virelila's face changed. The mild poise in her stare turned to stern resolve. She knew Seraphina too well to dismiss this as light rivalry. Bets between hall elders never amounted to trifles. They could shake the power balance inside the Black Dragon Palace.
"What sort of wager?" Lady Virelila inquired steadily, her tone stripped of its prior ease.
Seraphina linked her hands at her back and edged forward gradually, dropping her pitch to foster a secluded vibe between them, though disciples close by could still feel the weight of the talk.
"It's straightforward," she stated. "We'll bet on which hall's disciples climb the tallest pillar in the Path to Eternal Flames this cycle."
A number of disciples from each side went rigid at her declaration.
Seraphina pressed on, her voice even and assured. "No need for overall scores. We'll judge by the top mark alone. The hall yielding the disciple who reaches the deepest pillar claims the win."
Max detected the quiet change in Lady Virelila's presence. It wasn't dread. It was assessment.
The Path to Eternal Flames proved fickle. Fire creatures, concealed chances, sudden force changes, and individual endurance all influenced one's progress. Even a robust cultivator might stumble in bad conditions. A bet on the best showing hinged solely on a single person's outcome.
Seraphina's smile stretched a tad as she noted Virelila's quiet.
"Naturally," she tossed in offhandedly, "a stake without risk means nothing."
Lady Virelila's stare intensified. "And what stakes do you suggest?"
Seraphina wasted no time. A faint glow from her storage ring appeared with a small gesture. Seconds later, a deep red item rested in her grasp. It was a rough-edged bone shard, about forearm-sized, its face etched with innate fiery motifs. Without touching it, an intense warmth poured out, paired with thick draconic essence.
"This," Seraphina declared composedly, raising it a notch.
Max's eyes narrowed on reflex as he felt the timeless power flowing from the item. 'If I can get this thing, I can increase my Draconic Essence and Dragon Scales to a high level and if that happens I can try to open the second vein of the Seven Divine Veins.'
His gaze turned somewhat covetous as he fixed on the dragon bone she held.