The next day, Igaris and Shirley returned to the Martial Sanctuary.
On the other hand, Evernight remained behind to oversee and defend the Overlord’s territory during his absence. She was not alone, however. Alongside her stood a formidable force of 6000 Acquisition troops and 5000 newly subdued World Divers, now bound in loyalty to Igaris.
Shirley, standing beside Igaris as they before a Dimensional gate, found herself once again stunned.
"So You’re saying that you can move between Dungeon Worlds freely now?" she asked, blinking charmingly.
Igaris gave her a sideways glance and a small smirk. "More or less. It’s a new ability... and it’s made things easier."
Shirley didn’t respond immediately. Her heart was already accustomed to racing whenever she was around him, but now it seemed she needed to build an entirely new threshold for shock.
As their feet crossed the Dimensional gate to the Martial Sanctuary, Igaris and Shirley instantly synchronized with their surrogate bodies—Yuhan and Tian Yue.
A faint ripple of soul resonance passed through the realm as Igaris’s essence reclaimed the warrior frame of Yuhan, while Shirley’s consciousness flowed smoothly into Tian Yue.
The world had changed since their last descent. The atmosphere seemed heavier, more watchful, as if aware of the one who dared to defy fate and return.
And yet, neither of them hesitated.
They had come back not just as challengers, but as Sovereigns bearing a new purpose.
However when they were about to leave the seclusion room, they found that the heavy metal door was still locked. There were dents on it, as if someone had tried to force it open.
This instantly made Igaris alert.
’Did those two awaken? But it’s fine. They shouldn’t remember anything that happened over the last fourteen days.’
While thinking this, he knocked on the door.
"Old Jian, open the door. It’s us!" he said calmly, yet with authority.
From the other side, the reply came swiftly.
"Lord, is that really you this time?" Founder Jian asked.
"Yes, it’s me. Now open the door," Igaris said firmly.
The heavy metal door groaned faintly in response, but it didn’t open right away. There was a long pause. Behind it, they could hear faint murmurs, followed by the shifting of metal bolts.
Then, finally, the door cracked open, revealing a slightly disheveled Founder Jian standing with a cautious expression.
His eyes widened the moment he saw Igaris and Shirley stepping forward, both of them exuding an aura that was faintly divine, saturated with the afterglow of their synchronized awakening.
"So it truly is you," Jian muttered, blinking as if he still couldn’t believe his eyes.
"Who else would it be?" Igaris stepped out with calm authority, his gaze scanning the hallway sharply. "What happened while we were gone? Why the dent on the door?"
Jian lowered his head slightly in respect, then gestured toward the metal.
"There were attempts to break the door open when I refused to unlock it as per your order. But they said some strange things."
"Oh? What kind of strange things?" Igaris asked, his eyes narrowing sharply.
Founder Jian Longchen answered hesitantly, "They said some foreign souls had taken over their bodies. And they begged me to inform the Supreme Elders immediately."
Igaris’s face twitched. He clenched his fist behind his back.
’So they somehow recovered their memories. But how did that happen? Was it an error in the process, or has the future already started deviating from the original timeline because of my interference?’ he guessed.
Shirley looked worried too, though she tried hard not to show it on her face.
On the other hand, Founder Jian, noticing the faint ripple of frustration in their expressions, asked suddenly, "My Lord and Lady, you are from another world, aren’t you?"
Shirley’s heartbeat spiked.
But Igaris met the man’s gaze calmly, his eyes like still water concealing a brewing storm.
"Yes. We came from another world. Are you thinking of betraying us now?"
He asked coldly, his voice low and edged with danger.
Jian Longchen did not flinch. Instead, he lowered his head further, then dropped to one knee.
"Never, my Lord. I swore loyalty to strength, not origin. The moment I witnessed your might and vision, I decided to follow you—no matter where you came from."
Shirley exhaled softly, the tension in her shoulders easing.
Igaris studied him a moment longer, then gave a small nod.
"Good. Because the road ahead will shake even gods. If you stay, you stay until the end."
"I understand." Jian raised his head. "And I will walk that road with you."
Next, Founder Jian explained the current state of affairs while they were away.
Ren Wen was participating in the preliminary rounds to earn a spot in the Grand Imperial Tournament, and he was practically dominating every match through sheer brute force.
There were only two days left before the final ten contestants would be announced for the Imperial Champion Competition. Of course, Igaris, as the Dao Child, was already on the list. Some people were dissatisfied with this, but they could only grumble in private since Sect Master Fang had made the decision personally.
In the meantime, a few guests had arrived—Dao Children from other sects. They had come to meet with the Dao Child of the Soaring Dragon Sect. Some of them had even come to challenge him, hoping to crush his spirit before the tournament began.
After absorbing all the information, Igaris simply nodded. He had no interest in these so-called Dao Children. To him, these so-called favored sons of the heavens were like children playing at war.
Instead, he focused on a far more important goal. The reason he had returned.
"Jian, do you know of any place where I could gain a massive number of allies?" he asked, his voice steady and focused.
Founder Jian folded his arms, brows furrowed in thought as he processed Igaris’s sudden question.
"Massive number of allies?" he echoed. "If you’re speaking of recruiting en masse, then... there are a few possibilities."
Igaris said nothing, merely waited.
Jian continued, "In the deeper zones of the Martial Sanctuary, there are three potential targets."
He raised three fingers.