Chapter 8: Demonic Banners and Broken Promises

Sunridge Realm is a top-grade great realm, one of the three thousand small worlds under the Heavenly Command, with thousands of small realms below, no boundary barriers—with enough resources, one can cultivate to Heavenly Immortal.

But such great realms generally have close ties to the Immortal Realm. Most top families have intricate connections to the Immortal Realm, and some talented ones are sent to major immortal sects or families as soon as their innate roots are detected.

After arriving in Sunridge Realm, Ethan and his team took out the Demon-Seeking Disk, which points to the densest demonic energy. Just follow the pointer to find the demonic cultivator.

Everyone has their own story, and this demonic cultivator was no exception. When his spirit was pierced by the standard spear, the extreme pain didn’t make him beg for mercy—only a smile of relief. This smile, Ethan was very familiar with.

Through the Demon-Locking Disk, the Heavenly Soldiers wore down the demonic cultivator’s spirit, and saw his admirable life. From a small realm, step by step to the Immortal Realm, endless opportunities, extraordinary talent, a main character’s template life. Upon arriving in the Immortal Realm he was like Ethan back then—full of himself, thinking it was nothing.

But reality taught him a lesson. He married into a small Immortal Realm family, suffered humiliation, was lured by demonic cultivators, made one mistake after another, joined them to destroy the family that took him in, then fled here.

The smile was real, and pure.

"Captain, there are many living souls in this demonic banner. Should we hand them to the higher-ups or release them here?"

Ethan thought for a moment, nodded, "Release them here. I’ll cast the spell, you recite the Rebirth Prayer."

He stepped forward three steps, pointed seven stars, walked the eight trigrams, and a Taiji shadow slowly appeared. The demonic banner spun on the shadow, shooting out points of living souls.

The souls were weak, about to dissipate, when the ten Heavenly Soldiers sat in the four directions, chanting the Daoist Rebirth Prayer, protecting the souls from dispersing. The souls, confused, were taken in by the Taiji shadow, sent to the underworld.

After casting the spell, Ethan guarded, in case of trouble, when suddenly his eyes froze, and he captured a soul in his palm.

That soul was none other than the Black Madonna he met three thousand years ago in the lower world.

Ethan sent a wisp of immortal energy, and the Black Madonna slowly opened her eyes. Seeing Ethan, she was stunned, then burst into tears.

Kneeling at Ethan’s feet, just like back then.

For a moment, she was a scared kid again, hiding from storms in her grandma’s basement, praying for someone to save her. Now, here he was.

"Why are you here? Ascending from Maple Heights Small Realm should have brought you to Silver Hollow Great Realm. How did you come to Sunridge Great Realm?"

The Black Madonna seemed to let down all her guard, crawled forward a few steps, lay at Ethan’s feet, sobbing: "Immortal, seeing you again in this life is more than I ever dreamed. After you gave me the magical treasure, the major sects in Maple Heights Realm took it and harmed me. While fleeing, I found an ancient teleportation array, somehow arrived here. To avoid bringing you trouble, I treated people kindly, was sincere, cultivated to Spirit Transformation here. Unluckily, I met this demonic cultivator, who wanted to take me by force for my beauty. I refused, was killed, and taken into his demonic banner, suffering endless torment."

She cried even more, so pitiful that no one could bear it.

Ethan clearly felt the chanting of the Rebirth Prayer around him become distracted.

"Rise."

The Black Madonna stood up involuntarily, still sobbing.

"What’s your name?" Ethan asked.

"My real name is Callie." More sobbing.

Ethan couldn’t help but sigh in his heart. Why is karma so hard to break?

A storage ring flew from his sleeve, slowly landing before the Black Madonna.

"Here are some resources I don’t need. Cultivate well in this realm. If you become immortal and enter the Immortal Realm, you can come find me."

How hard it is to become immortal, Ethan knew well. He didn’t believe this little Spirit Transformation cultivator could become immortal. Sending some resources, making a promise, peacefully ending karma was best.

A moment later, Ethan led the ten Heavenly Soldiers back to the Heavenly Command.

The Black Madonna looked at Ethan, secretly vowing, Immortal, just wait, I will definitely come find you.

Wait.

"Immortal! Immortal! You haven’t told me your name!"

In another life, maybe this would have been a scene at a small-town train station—the battered runaway pressing a hand to the glass as the only person who ever helped her disappears into the fog. Callie clung to that ring, hope burning in her chest, the promise of something more than survival on the horizon.