Chef in the Apocalypse

Jayce and Elder Ji flew through the air silently, giving Jayce the time to finally get a good look at the Elder. Judging by the aura he was emitting, he could tell that this man was likely in the middle to late stages of the Core Formation realm.

Despite having the disadvantage in cultivation, Jayce did not feel that he would lose against the Elder should things go south. His body cultivation seemed to have reached a new realm after going through the baptism of Heavenly Lightning.

They continued on for around 30 minutes before Jayce finally saw a change in landscape on the horizon.

What greeted him was a grand mountain range, painted with trees and snow reminiscent of the alps back on Earth. The tallest peak pierced into the heavens, creating a grand and spectacular sight.

Yet there seemed to be something a little off, almost as if there was a hint of distortion blanketing the peak and its surroundings.

Jayce frowned for a moment, unsure of what he was seeing.

"The sect is just ahead. Usually guests would have to descend at the foot of the mountain and make their way up, however there is no issues if you’re accompanied by me. Elder Ji commented as they continued their approach.

It was then that Jayce suddenly felt as if he was being watched by someone or something. The feeling passed through his body, making him feel uncomfortable.

"Ah, don’t worry about that feeling. We just passed through one of the sects formation arrays. As long as you don’t hold ill intent towards the sect, there will be no issues."

Jayce nodded, however inwardly he was a little annoyed at the sensation. Yet he could understand why Elder Ji hadn’t notified him in advance. If he indeed held bad intentions towards the sect, he could have possibly hidden them upon finding out this information.

After all, while formations were great, they certainly weren’t infallible.

As they approached the mountain range, the distortion became heavier for a moment before disappearing altogether. Jayce’s eyes widened as his vision was suddenly filled with a sprawling city-like metropolis nestled atop the mountains.

"Welcome to the Vermillion Flame Sect, Mr. Jayce." Elder Ji said with a smile, seeing his guests expression.

Glittering lakes, tall pagoda’s, lush green forestry and waterfalls sprawled throughout the mountain range, looking as if it had come straight out of a fairy tale. The light from the two moons painted the scene with a resplendent glow, adding to the allure.

"It’s beautiful." Those two words were the only ones he could utter after taking in the sight.

"Thank you." Elder Ji took the sincere compliment with a smile before gesturing towards the top of the mountain. "Let’s head up to see the Sect Master."

Jayce nodded, however he suddenly remembered that he was currently half-naked.

"Err, perhaps I should change clothes first?" Considering he would be meeting the Sect Master in a foreign place, it would probably be best to make a good first impression.

"Ah. Good idea." Elder Ji said after a moment before pulling out a plain robe from his spatial ring and handing it to Jayce.

’He had this the whole time...’ Jayce didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

Despite his body cultivation, he was not at the point where he could ignore the heat and cold. He had braved the freezing air whilst flying towards the sect without a complaint, but now he just felt exasperated after being handed some clothing.

Elder Ji on the other hand had not found anything out of the ordinary. There were many eclectic cultivators, he had even met some who refused to wear a top, claiming that it hindered their cultivation.

He had merely assumed that Jayce was similar, therefore Elder Ji had not offered clothing for fear of insulting him.

Jayce put on the plain black robe, instantly feeling the bite of the cold wind subside. His taut nipples could finally have a rest after a stressful few hours.

The two ascended the mountain, only stepping foot onto the mountain when they were around 100 meters away from the pagoda towards the summit of the large mountain.

This pagoda did not have any additional extravagance compared to the ones he had seen further down the mountain, yet there was an aura surrounding it that made it hard to breathe.

Jayce could instantly tell that whoever was inside the pagoda was insanely strong. He could also understand why there were no houses or buildings nearby, as it would be hard to cultivate or even live day to day around the suffocating aura.

Elder Ji and Jayce ascended the small staircase at the front of the pagoda before stopping in front of the large double-doors. There were intricate carvings of dragons and phoenixes which winded along their outside, the detail made it seem as if they could come alive at any moment.

Being Chinese himself, Jayce could instantly recognize the artistry as something similar to that of his own country. This paired with the fact that the people he had met so far had also had Chinese names made him a little suspicious.

’Could it be that this is one of the worlds that those humans had escaped to after that battle?’ Jayce thought, his brow furrowing in contemplation.

He made a mental note to try gain some more information in the future. It could be possible that Earth’s allies may be on this planet. If this was the case, then he may be able to return to Earth with an army to assist his friends when the real invasion occurred in a years time.

Before he could think any further, the doors opened by themselves as if beckoning them to enter. Jayce looked at Elder Ji for confirmation, only to see him enter and gesture for Jayce to follow.

Jayce stepped inside, trying not to gawk at the traditional Chinese engineering which filled him with nostalgia. Everything from the pillars to the truss’s which were painted in a resplendent red, reminded him of China.

However, he tried to keep his composure, not wanting to seem rude in another’s house. It was then that they approached the end of the floor which seemed similar to a prayer room inside the pagoda.

Yet instead of a statue of Buddha, there was a throne. Perhaps throne was a bit too crass to call it a throne, but it was definitely a large chair, upon which a middle-aged man sat with a staff in his hand.

Elder Ji approached before going down on one knee.

"I greet the Sect Master."

Jayce inwardly panicked before deciding to follow in the Elder footsteps, bending his knee and repeating the phrase.

"I greet the Sect Master."