When she looked at all those individuals, Caizhi noticed that every single one of them was exuding a pressure on her. That could only mean that every single one of them was at least at the Mana Control Realm. 

She also noticed that there was a thin purple haze aura around each one of them, realizing they were probably from that Illusive Ethereal Sanctuary, a sect that her master had told her before. 

They were one of the strongest groups of people living on a very secluded part of the mainland and certainly one of the most mysterious ones as well. 

Right in front of that strong group of individuals, there was a middle-age man donned in a purple vest. His attire and his aura were completely different from the rest of the other individuals and everyone looked at him with utter respect and a bit of fear. 

That man was the Sanctuary Master, the leading figure inside the Illusive Ethereal Sanctuary and the most loyal servant under the Illusive Ethereal Goddess’ command. He was the one that gave Caizhi the strongest impression, but beside him, there was an old man that seemed to be strong as well. 

That old man, was none other than the Grand Elder of the Illusive Ethereal Sanctuary, a man named Chuanli. He didn’t know yet, but his fate was closely tied to the massive operation they were doing, under the orders of their goddess. 

The Illusive Ethereal Sanctuary rarely left their hidden sect grounds area, but at that day, they were actually making their way to the Glazed Lake Sect doorsteps. Marching towards a conflict that not a single one of them agreed to, but had to take part into it, since it was their supreme goddess’ orders. 

Actually, they would never defy their goddess and the semblance of fear and resolution in their faces was the undeniable proof of that. Most of them were already prepared to die, to trade their lives for whatever the Sanctuary Master ordered them to get. 

Such a group of fearsome practitioners, had just arrived before a huge crystalline lake. A lake that held many mysteries; many more mysteries than what they thought it was possible. 

When that group of practitioners reached the margins of a certain crystalline lake, every single one of them stopped and stared at those clear waters. The expression of fear and tension on their faces, could be seen by all of them, since it was being reflected in the water. 

Not a single one of them dared to step inside that lake; they knew what laid behind those waters. Truth be told, they also knew some of them might not return home after this operation started, but they lived for their sect and if it was necessary, they would die for it too. 

The Sanctuary Master looked far into the distance and realized that not a single soul seemed to be anywhere near the lake. Probably all the patrolling disciples must have been warned to come back inside their sect territory. 

“Chuanli…” The Sanctuary just called for the Grand Elder’s name and he quickly understood what he had to do. 

The Grand Elder Chuanli was glad that the Sanctuary Master had permitted that his son could stay behind at the sect and not take part in the upcoming battle. He was told that his son was going a secluded cultivation session, after receiving some of the Sanctuary Master’s private instructions and he wouldn’t be participating on this operation. 

For the Grand Elder Chuanli, it meant that his son wouldn’t be taking any risks, staying safe and sound. That’s why he wanted to perform really well at this particular battle. However, he was horribly wrong about the seemingly “good intentions” of the Sanctuary Master.

Chuanli looked at the other elders and disciples, and started urging them to begin with the preparations. 

A total of thirty-six elders went very close to the margins of that huge lake and each one of them, took a purple pillar out, from inside their spatial rings. Those pillars were almost two meters tall and made out of a very strange material. That material seemed to be composed of purple energetic particles and from time to time, a purple light was being emitted from it. 

Not waiting for second instructions, every single one of those thirty-six elders ran to a distant part of the shore, pinning their pillars inside the shallow parts of that clear and crystalline lake. 

When the preparations were completed, those elders got a bit farther from those pillars and waited for new instructions. However, it was not time for them to do something anymore, it was the moment for the Sanctuary Master to act. 

After seeing everything was perfectly done, the Sanctuary Master twisted his right hand and a purple orb suddenly appeared in the air, right in front of him. It hovered there, like it was a mystical item. 

Without the need of him doing anything, the orb started to shine with a dark purple light and the purple pillars started to shine in that same color. They were resonating with the orb and being activated. 

The water entering in contact with the bottom part of those pillars suddenly started to change. From its bright crystal-clear coloration, it was thoroughly dyed in purple. The pillars started to contaminate the lake and change its properties really fast. 

From inside the Glazed Lake Sect, the Lake Mother was able to feel the properties of the lake changing and fissures opening on their spatial formation. She was inside her simple house, just waiting for the right moment. And it has arrived. 

She swiftly used her connection with the formation and a water vortex appeared right underneath her feet, swiftly swallowing her inside. 

The lake kept changing colors, until half of it was already infected by that strange purple energy, but suddenly, its advances came to an abrupt stop. 

Right where those two different waters were meeting each other, a figure suddenly emerged from inside the lake.. At that moment, every single cultivator from the Illusive Ethereal Sanctuary, felt an enormous pressure surging together with that new person’s silhouette.