Gravis arrived inside the Sect.
Liran had already left, leaving the Sects in the hands of his two Vice Sect Masters. Gravis didn't know if the Vice Sect Masters had been informed or if they had already gleaned some details from the situation, but that wasn't important.
The survival of the Unrestrained Sect was no longer of Gravis' concern.
A couple of years ago, he would have given his all for the Unrestrained Sect. After all, he had joined them, and he had thought that they all wanted freedom more than anything.
However, all of these illusions had been broken down by reality. Instead of chasing freedom, everyone was acting like they already knew freedom. Usually, knowing suppression made it easier to comprehend freedom, but in this case, it made it even harder. When someone thought they knew something, they often were blind to signs of something else being true.
Liran had disappointed Gravis more than once, and he had not done anything when another Sect Master broke the rules and wanted to kill Gravis. Liran had all the power to break down the Formation Array and protect Gravis. What was stopping him?
Indecisiveness.
So what if he broke the Formation Array? In the worst case, Liran could have simply paid for a new one. Sure, such Formation Arrays weren't cheap, but creating one was definitely within the budget of a Sect.
As the most powerful person of the Sect and its Sect Master, it had been Liran's responsibility to protect his disciples against enemies that were too powerful for them. No one would join a Sect that couldn't or wasn't willing to protect them.
Gravis looked one last time at the Sect from above. When he had arrived, he believed this place to be his new home for a long time, but that was no longer the case.
This was the house of a stranger, and Gravis didn't like this stranger one bit.
If the Sect Master wasn't willing to protect Gravis, Gravis wasn't willing to protect the Sect.
Their death had absolutely nothing to do with him anymore.
He wouldn't fight for the Unrestrained Sect's survival but for his own tempering. Fighting an Immortal King as a Late Major Circulation Immortal was just perfect for Gravis. His Will-Aura was not powerful enough to suppress the Immortal King, making the fight risky but winnable. The incoming fight would probably be about as hard as his fight against Samantha.
Gravis had already prepared some appropriate sabers and spears for his fight.
Where did he get these resources from?
From Samantha and that one spying Peak Immortal.
Samantha had been the most powerful Major Circulation Immortal of the Sect Alliance, and when Gravis killed her, he had gotten a lot of wealth from her. The Peak Immortal also had some wealth, but not as much as Samantha.
Stella had no use for the wealth of the spy. She was one of the Core Disciples of the Nine Elements Sect, and her wealth easily eclipsed the wealth of a Sect Master from the Sect Alliance. This little bit of wealth from the spy was nothing to her.
On the outside, Gravis only appeared to be in the Early Major Circulation Immortal Realm. He only showed this body so that the enemy might not suspect anything. If the enemy knew that Gravis could be a real danger to them, they might abort the attack or get reinforcements. After all, the attackers didn't come here for tempering but to complete a mission.
Gravis looked around the Sect and found Surem sitting in the training ground, happily talking with others. His strength hadn't increased, but that wasn't anything unusual. After all, only around seven years had passed since they had met. Seven years to an Immortal was nothing.
In actuality, it was insane that Gravis became a Late Major Circulation Immortal in just seven years. With enough wealth, everyone could do that, but no one would. After all, completing five breakthroughs in just seven years would massively impact one's Battle-Strength. Even someone that was above average would become weak.
'It seems like the middle Heaven's tales of father's cultivation journey have infected me,' Gravis thought with a smirk. 'Father violently fought and then took humongous breaks for his Laws. Seems like I am now cultivating similarly to him.'
SHING!
Gravis teleported away and appeared in front of Surem.
"Hey, Gravis!" Surem said with a smile as he drank some wine. "Haven't seen you in a while. Everything alright?"
The other members didn't recognize Gravis. They had heard about some supreme Ascender, but they had never seen him. This was Gravis? They thought him to be bigger. Based on the tales of his power, they had imagined a humongous beast with six arms or something. Instead, he appeared like a normal guy.
Sadly, they didn't know that they were right on the money. Gravis' true form actually was quite humongous, and he truly had six arms.
"Surem, we need to talk," Gravis said with even eyes, "alone."
The couple of people were surprised, but then their eyes narrowed. Who did that guy think he was? They were having a nice get-together, and this person they didn't even truly know talked to the son of the Sect Master like he was some servant.
"What's going on?" Surem asked.
Instead of answering with words, Gravis transmitted something to Surem. "Follow me, or you might not see the next day. This is not a threat."
Surem's eyes widened in shock. What was Gravis talking about!?
The others noticed Surem's reaction and glared at Gravis. Gravis had obviously said something disrespectful to Surem.
"I don't know who you think you are," a guy said as he stood up. He was in the Late Major Circulation Realm as he glared at Gravis, "but you act like-"
WHOOOOOM!
And the guy fell over, unconscious.
Gravis didn't even look at him. These were strangers, and he didn't give a shit about them. The only reason why that guy didn't get a kick in the gut was that Gravis was still technically part of the Unrestrained Sect. That guy had unleashed his Will-Aura threateningly, which was provocation enough for Gravis to, at least, kick the guy.
The others jumped back in shock. Gravis had just made someone two levels above him unconscious!
"It's okay!" Surem shouted as he released a sigh. "He's not here to do something to me, but it seems to be something important. Just wait here while I talk to him."
The others only nodded meekly as Gravis and Surem teleported away.
They reappeared outside the Sect.
"So, what was that about me not seeing tomorrow?" Surem asked.
Gravis told Surem about what would most likely happen soon.
"What!?" Surem shouted in shock. "How is this possible!? We are in the Sect Alliance! The Sect Alliance specifically exists to stop something like this from happening!"
"No, it exists to create a seemingly fair battlefield to get resources from others," Gravis said. "It's simply a community of old people that vie for status and resources. As soon as you pay them enough resources, they are willing to band together against any other Sect."
Then, a discussion between Surem and Gravis ensued, but Surem found all his arguments countered.
After some minutes, Surem only gritted his teeth and fists. "So, that's why you are here? To protect me from danger!?" he asked with anger.
"Exactly," Gravis said with crossed arms. "You have nearly sacrificed your life for me before. That's something I value deeply. This is not a fight you can fight in. This will be a swift assault with multiple Immortal Kings. One stray thought, and you will die."
Surem's teeth gnashed with incredible force as his frustration reached a never-before-seen peak. He felt like he was abandoning his home! An enemy was about to attack, and he was just supposed to look away!? No!
"I won't flee!" Surem said with steely conviction in his eyes. "I can't look away as my home is under attack! If I die, so be it!"
Gravis noticed the difference between Surem and Liran. In comparison to Liran, Surem actually had conviction.
However, conviction didn't magically grant one an instantaneous burst of strength.
"Then don't do it for yourself but for your father," Gravis said.
Surem wasn't deterred. "Father will understand my will to protect the Sect!"
"He understands it, yes," Gravis said, "but he informed me so that I may protect your life. Even if you want to die, your father will want to find someone to blame, and that blame falls on me. Your father will think that I have failed and will go against me."
"And when he does that, I will kill him," Gravis said.
Surem was taken aback as he heard Gravis' brutal words.
"As long as your father doesn't go against me, he still has a chance to survive, but as soon as he does, his death is certain," Gravis said coldly. "So, even if you are fine with your own life ending, are you fine with your actions pulling your father down with you?"
"Don't get me wrong," Gravis said. "If your father doesn't go against me, I don't care. We might as well be strangers, but if he does, his life will end. Think of your father's conduct and how he has acted. Then, ask yourself how your father will act."
Surem knew his father very well, and even if he didn't want to admit it, his father would probably really act this way.
For the first time, Surem became frustrated with his father.
Why did his father leave!?
If his father simply stayed here and fought with them, none of this would happen!
After some minutes, Surem grunted. "Fine! I won't fight!" he shouted.
Gravis nodded while Surem became frustrated at his father.
His father's weakness was stopping Surem from doing what he wanted. Surem wanted to fight for his home! However, because of his father's mental weakness, Surem couldn't even do that! Surem was forced to betray his Sect and flee so that his father might not die to his own indecisiveness.
'I never want to become like you, father!'