The Heiress’ Return: Six Brothers at Her Beck and Call (Wynter Quinnell) novel Chapter 1826

Mt. Lunther had made a complete fool of themselves. If they really apologized to Wynter, they would risk losing their standing as the world's leading sect. Once word got around, their reputation would be in shambles.

But Isidore was always prepared. He gazed at Wynter and voiced his doubts. "He's innocent—fine. But what about you? How could an average disciple change so much in just a few days? What have you done to pull this off?"

It turned out Isidore had been setting the stage for that very moment. Wynter lifted her head, but just as she was about to respond, Ailithir spoke first.

"That's enough. I know my disciple. In the end, the spiritual roots are nothing more than a construct created by the sects. One doesn't necessarily need remarkable spiritual roots to attain enlightenment. Moreover, the Mirror of Truth is harmful to the human soul.

"Wynter is my disciple. When the Velmorian royalty entrusted her to me, you all reaped what you desired. She brought your disciple back from danger, but instead of offering a word of concern, you hound her like this. This is simply unjust.

"What's your intention? Do you seek to eradicate all cultivators just to dominate the cultivation world?" Ailithir refuted, stepping toward Isidore and meeting his gaze.

Isidore never expected the good-natured Ailithir to stand so firmly by Wynter's side. As expected, Ailithir would do anything for his disciples. However, his speech sent a ripple through the crowd. Feradach and his peers even stood behind Wynter in solidarity.

"There's nothing wrong with Wynter. Ever since she brought us back, all Mt. Lunther did was interrogate her. If you truly seek to dominate the cultivation world, wouldn't it have been simpler to leave us to die?" Feradich boldly retorted.

The hall was thrown into uproar at those words.

Isidore hadn't foreseen such a turn of events. Knowing the sects' characteristics, none of them should've cared about Wynter. Despite her royal lineage, she had been too unremarkable for the cultivators to befriend.

And yet, many cultivators now stood by her side. As for Ailithir, he was nearing the end of his days but still as troublesome as ever.

Confident that Ailithir wouldn't recognize his true identity, Isidore stepped forward in an attempt to diffuse the situation. "I understand there are many misconceptions about Mt. Lunther, but we have never sought to dominate the cultivation world.

"However, there have been troubling events within the sects, and demons have become increasingly rampant. Recently, a sect elder had his soul devoured. The young disciples might not know this, but the sages are aware. We must remain vigilant and consider every potential threat."

Judging from the sages' reaction, it appeared that he was telling the truth. As Wynter processed his words, she never took her eyes off Isidore.

He was extremely sly, concealing himself beneath layers of deception. Whether outside or within the formation, Wynter only had a rough guess of his true identity. Pinpointing him was difficult, let alone explaining the evidence she had on him. After all, he always knew how to slip through suspicions.

As Wynter pondered how to steer the conversation in her favor, Isidore pressed on.

"I agree the Mirror of Truth is harmful to the human soul, so I propose a solution that works for both sides. Mt. Lunther's Requiem Pillar has the ability to detect all souls. Instead of testing her spiritual roots, we'll assess her spiritual skills.

"If Mt. Nxyvarn agrees, we will raise no further doubts. Additionally, I promise that she may claim any golden encounter bestowed upon her before the pillar."

"The Requiem Pillar was a gift from the heavens! For Mr. Camron to offer such an opportunity, I doubt that Mt. Lunther is truly discriminating against other sects," someone exclaimed.

"Claiming the golden encounter before the Requiem Pillar guarantees at least ten years' worth of spiritual skills. Mt. Nxyvarn is really scoring big time!" another echoed.

Needless to say, Isidore's offer was quite tempting and convincing. He understood the sects better than anyone else and knew exactly how to shift the tide in his favor.

It didn't matter if Mt. Lunther's disciples were lacking. What mattered was that Wynter would be branded as suspicious if she refused.

Casting her eyes down, Wynter flashed a smirk. "Sure, I'll give it a try. I've heard the Requiem Pillar only acknowledges an honorable soul. If I pass the test, I have a question for Mr. Camron."

"I will answer only if you're acknowledged," Isidore replied, believing that Wynter posed no real threat.

"Very well. Let's go, then," Wynter stated coolly. Beside her, Ailithir watched in silence.

For a fleeting moment, Wynter wondered if Ailithir had realized she wasn't truly his disciple. Yet, he simply raised a hand before letting it fall.

"You haven't changed since you were a kid, always searching for answers. That's one thing where I can never match," he said with a smile.

Instantly, Wynter found herself drifting back into childhood memories. She remembered Ailithir holding her hand, while her face was covered in blood. She was scorned as something worse than a demon.

"Mr. Glaisne, am I a monster?" she asked.

Wiping her bloodied face, Ailithir questioned back, "Why would you say that? You're not a monster. You're a princess."

The young Wynter pouted. "The others called me a monster. They wouldn't play with me and said I'm a freak. They even told me to get out of the mountains."

"They didn't play with you because they have yet to attain enlightenment. I was thoughtless. This isn't our place, after all. Once we return to Mt. Nxyvarn, no one will ever bully you again." Ailithir patiently comforted Wynter. As he wiped her hands, he secretly transferred the resentful energy to him.

Wynter nodded at his comforting words. "Darwin will play with me. He let me sleep on his shoulders last time. Even when I got in the way of his woodcutting, he didn't get mad."

Ailithir gave a smile. "Why would he? Everyone in Mt. Nxyvarn will always protect you. Even if the world rejects you, we'll always accept you."

Wynter didn't understand his words back then, but now, realization dawned on her. Ailithir had always been skilled in fortune-telling, and that talent was passed on to Topher.

Wynter turned to Ailithir, wondering if he had foreseen her fate. When she recalled the precognitive dream upon entering the formation, she clenched her fists as her gaze darkened.

She understood everything that happened within the formation was a past set in stone—a lingering attachment that could never be rewritten. Even so, she still desired to change all of that.

As if sensing her distress, Dalton looked toward Wynter. He couldn't help but wonder why she had entered the formation, even going as far as to openly challenge Mt. Lunther. Did she not fear being condemned by the world?

Regardless of her reasons, he had no intention of letting her leave easily. Dalton averted his gaze and hid his presence. He then silently followed the others toward the Requiem Pillar.

The Requiem Pillar was a relic of great history. Long ago, demons rampaged, and the six realms were in chaos. The heavenly law sent down the Requiem Pillar, restoring balance to the world.

From that moment on, every being was clearly defined and bound to their respective domains. No longer were the golden encounters and fortunes reserved solely for demons and gods. And the mortals, having attained enlightenment, refused to be oppressed.

It was thanks to the Requiem Pillar that Mt. Lunther had risen to become the world's leading sect. Otherwise, Mt. Dragon would have been the greater one.

For many cultivators, it was their first time laying eyes on the legendary Requiem Pillar. Those from other sects could only have a glimpse of it if they possessed remarkable spiritual roots.

Suddenly, Jervis exclaimed, "Look! Her natal light is fading!"

Isidore smirked at the sight. How dare a loser challenge him? She thought too highly of herself.

Little did Isidore know that not all cultivators relied on their spiritual skills to unlock a gate. Some did so through merits alone, and Wynter was the prime example of that.

…

In the real world, Stuart and his technical team had occupied a plain office building in Colifernia. Their office was situated on the 23rd floor, with every window obscured behind curtains. The faint glow of monitor screens illuminated the otherwise dim room.

The technicians, fully concentrated, tapped away at their keyboards, sending lines of codes and data streaming across the screens.

"Boss, we've successfully hacked into the surveillance network of Cascadia's energy system. After planting the virus, we'll be able to cut off their power supply on the fateful day," a technician with glasses reported.

Stuart gave a pat on the technician's shoulder. "Excellent. This is a solid start. It seems like we have overestimated Cascadia's technical department."

"Should we plant the virus now, Boss?" the technician asked, adjusting his glasses.

"Now's not the time. If the virus were detected, the Cascadians would surely tighten their defense," Stuart said, shaking his head.

After assigning the tasks to his team, he approached a man holding a briefcase. "Are you the agent?"

When the agent nodded, Stuart stated casually, "I'm sure Ghost has briefed you on your role."

"Yes, he did. He told me to sell off large quantities of stock on the fateful day to create unrest," the agent affirmed.

Stuart handed him a bottle of water. "Exactly. The day when we spark chaos in Cascadia is the day you make your move. I guarantee you'll rake in profits. As for how much, well, that depends on you."

Pursing his lips, the agent gave his assurance. "I won't let you down, sir."

Stuart was pleased to hear that. "Great. Be careful on your way back home."

Hearing that, the agent took his briefcase and rose from his seat. "Understood. I'll be on my way."

As Stuart watched the agent head to the exit, a menacing smile tugged at his lips.

Project Eclipse was only in its infancy, but they had made a significant leap by breaching Cascadia's energy system. All that was left was staging a few accidents—including planting the virus—and Cascadia would descend into utter chaos.

With that thought in mind, Stuart took out his phone and dialed a number. The line beeped a few times before being answered.

"Have you started on your plans yet, Healer?" Stuart fired the first question.