Chapter 134: Greetings!

Sofia could not help but close her eyes as they entered the portal, it felt like a cool breeze, but at the same time like a warm breath clouding over her body as she walked past through it.

And without even realizing it, the texture of the ground they were previously stepping on changed. From the cool breeze of the fields they were in, to the warmth of a chamber.

Sofia slowly opened her eyes, and all around her were gold. Enough to blind her eyes.

She then felt the grip on her hand tighten.

For Viel, the place was almost unfamiliar to him, when they were here, this spacious golden hall was filled with purple vines. It was as if he was almost returning to a different world… or maybe he was?

"Ah!"

A loud scream suddenly echoed through the hall, both Sofia and Viel quickly looked towards the direction of the voice.

There, a guy holding a broom was pointing at them, his eyes unusually wide.

"It's you, g-golden hair!", the man pointed at Viel���s golden hair, "I will call for the Sect Master immediately! P-please wait here!"

The man then threw away his broom as hastily ran outside the corridor.

Sofia and Viel could not help but look at each other as they shrugged their shoulders. Sofia then once again looked around the vast golden hall.

"This… is almost bigger than the castle itself", Sofia commented in awe.

"Hm?", Viel raised his eyebrows, "Oh, I think it was their… training ground?"

"This is a training ground?", Sofia widened her eyes, "...Amazing", she breathed in as she dropped her bag and retrieved a notebook from it.

While she was doing that, Viel slowly walked around the hall, as if trying to find something. And after a few seconds, he stopped as he looked at the floor beneath him.

He took a long breath as he kneeled on the floor, gently tapping it as he slightly bit his lip.

"...Vi?", Sofia, who noticed this, immediately closed her notebook and approached Viel.

Seeing Sofia approach him, Viel let out a wry smile. "A friend of mine died here", he said in a soft voice, "...Have I told you about it already?"

Sofia immediately shook her head. Sofia remembered Viel telling her about the destruction of the Golden Pavilion, but never a mention of a friend dying here.

"I… killed him", Viel released a sorrowful sigh as he looked at the ground, "It was an accident, but still, I was the one who killed him. A treant was taking over his body, you see…"

Hearing the word treant, Sofia slightly felt a sense of guilt as she slightly looked away with a short sigh.

"Sofie, I have already told you", Viel revealed a short smile, "It is not your fault…"

"Then it is not your fault as well", Sofia quickly replied.

"No…", Viel sighed as he slightly raised his eyebrows, "It is. I have already accepted that.

If only I have met you before it happened, or I just tried to atleast learn how to control my powers..."

"Vi…", Sofia slowly raised her hand to place it on Viel's shoulder. But she stopped as soon as he heard Viel's whisper.

"He died because he was weak", Viel muffled.

"V-viel?", Sofia squinted her eyes as she stared at Viel. None of the previous warmth in his tone could be heard from the whisper.

"Viel...you...What did you just say?", Sofia asked hesitantly.

"I said, if I only tried to learn how to control my power...then none of this would have happened", Viel repeated his words, the warmth in his voice back to how it once was.

Sofia could not help but let out a slight gasp. Was… Viel unaware? This is the second time that it has happened already. What… exactly really was happening to him?

"Viel, you-"

"Master Viel, welcome!"

Before Sofia could even ask Viel again, a loud voice echoed through the room as several footsteps could be heard coming from the corridor.

It was Sect Master Li Xue, who now looked totally different from when he was in Sofia's world.

His previous disheveled and drunk look was gone. He was now adorned in a golden robe, his hair tied neatly into a ponytail.

Behind him, were a few of the Elders that Sofia and Viel have met during the… rescue.

"Welcome back, Viel!"

The Elders behind Li Xue also bowed respectfully as they saw Viel.

"We came here to thank you personally for opening a way home for us!", Sect Master Li Xue stepped forward as he continued to bow. But he blinked his eyes a couple of times as he saw Viel looking behind him, as if trying to find someone.

"If it is the Matriarch you are looking for, then she has immediately went back to secluded cultivation", Li Xue said, "Weird letters popped up in front of us and gave us these little magical artifacts"

Li Xue removed a silver trinket from his pocket, "If we wear it, our qi has an obvious increase, The Matriarch is currently studying it now"

"I...I see", Viel slightly look down, his tone dejected, "I wasn't really trying to find her or anything"

Sofia, who noticed Viel's slightly red face, could not help but pinch his cheek, "Oh? Is our little Vi having a little crush now?"

"Ow! Ow! W-what crush? Pft…", Viel scoffed multiple times, "I don't have anything like that"

"Well, that old woman really is beautiful, I can't blame you", Sofia continued to elbow Viel's arms.

"Pft. I-I didn't notice", Viel looked away.

"Master Viel!"

Li Xue interrupted Viel and Sofia's banter, "We will prepare a feast as celebration for all of our return! Please join us!", Li Xue said in a proud voice.

Hearing this, Viel looked at Sofia, as if asking her if she wanted to join the feast. But Sofia just shrugged her shoulders in response, telling Viel that it was his choice.

And with a sigh, Viel said answered,

"No. I wish to go back to Taizhou immediately"