In the Fifth Layer, Eldest Brother Yang and the other legacy students were fleeing into the Sixth Layer. Just when they were about to reach an entrance, a warship intercepted them. At first, they were surprised. Then, they became fearful. 

They each had the exact same thought: "Isn't this the same warship that the madman was battling? Holy crap, they lived!"

The backed up, only to find another warship behind them. They were blocked in the front and the back. "Hey, brothers, how about you let us go for this one? We're real sorry for what happened back there, but at least you guys are safe and sound. You see we're act-" 

"Hello there, fellow students." Yang Yang took of his clothing and greeted them. He jumped off his warship and onto theirs. "I am Yang Yang, a legacy student at the Ivory Royal Institute. I was assigned a mission to come rescue you out of the Arcane Abyss. I hope you will comply." 

Yang Yang put on a serene, charming smile. He acted as though the previous incident with the dark figure did not happen. 

Eldest Brother Yang was slightly taken back, and another student spoke up. "We see what you mean. However, we're actually still going around to search for the secret legacy that exist here. We understand your urge to complete your mission, but the Arcane Abyss is very important for us. Besides, we can’t leave this place. It would probably take us a few more years to reach half-step Wisdom King and become elders ourselves when we leave. So, how about this?" 

The student, Seventh Sister Jade, sent a stream of energy into Yang Yang's student medallion. "I sent a sliver of my spiritual sense into your medallion. You can leave the Arcane Abyss later and send it to our elders, who will be notified that we are safe. This way, you can at least earn partial rewards." 

Yang Yang continued to smile while shaking his head. "Partial credit? Pardon me, Senior Sister Jade. I am not the type of person to simply partially complete any task. I’m determined to rescue you. How can the legacy of a small ditch compare to the glory of Ivory Kingdom? Please come back, senior brothers and sisters. We all miss you dearly." 

His aura of life stealthily spread out around Seventh Sister Jade whose cheeks began to flush and eyes began to widen. Eldest Brother Yang, sensing something odd, stepped forward. "You say your name is Yang Yang, correct? Are you from the House of Yang?" 

Yang Yang looked up and down at this Eldest Brother Yang. Much like himself, the young man before him had black hair, but his eyes were brown colored. His looks were handsome, and he was even slightly familiar. Yang Yang was suspicious that he met this young man before he awakened his memories. 

"No, I am not. Only my surname is Yang." 

"Oh? That's quite rare for a legacy student to not be from the Noble Houses. You have my admiration, Junior Brother Yang." Eldest Brother Yang smiled sweetly. However, Yang Yang could sense something strange in those curved lips. “Say, Junior Brother Yang, may I ask what you are doing with the members of the Sacred Cult?” 

“Those three? No worries, I have them under a mind controlling spell so they will obey all of my commands. However, from what I interrogated out of them, this Sacred Cult is extremely dangerous and should be reported to the elders immediately.” 

“Oh!” Eldest Brother Yang’s eyes widened in shock. “That’s a very good spell. You’re absolutely right about this dangerous Sacred Cult. However, there are probably many stronger members of the cult lurking around these lesser layers. Junior Brother Yang, how about this? If you don’t want to leave without us, just join us. You can take whatever share you earn from our search. How about it? Your power is a little low, after all. Join us, and we’ll help you reach our level in less than ten years.” 

The rest of the legacy students looked at him expectantly. Yang Yang was not surprise at this offer. “So, he planned to entice me into going with them, but they’ll probably take up every spoil since they think I am weak. Little do they know, I can easily subdue them all. Even this Eldest Brother is only at the sixth-step Manifest Aspect. I don’t mind spending time searching this place with them, but there’s a ten year time limit I still have to worry about. Whatever, I’ll take your bait. Just be careful to have enough of it.” 

“Is that so? I think that would be great. You’re right, this is would be a great opportunity for me as well. This mission also has no time limit.” 

He came to an agreement with the other legacy students. They each retreated to their respective warship and took off into the Sixth Layer. Before he left the warship, Yang Yang placed a small tracker spell on the legacy students’ warship just in the case that they fled again. He could tell that the stream of energy that Seventh Sister Jade placed inside his medallion actually had a time limit before it dissipated. 

“This kids are so mischievous; I have to teach them a lesson on this journey. A few more years could easily translate to a few decades. Well, I find an opportunity to split from them eventually, and then I’ll explore this place. How great could the secret legacy possibly be? A Mahayana Lord? Perhaps an Enlightened Sage?” 

He sighed in his heart on the poor scheming of the younger generation before slowly recovering from his previous battle.

......

“What do we do about this kid?” 

“Eldest Brother, how could you have casually let him join us like that? He’s a Virtual Aspect magus! That ship is probably his main source of strength. Let’s just take it!” 

“Look, this kid doesn’t know anything about us after we entered this place. If the elders get further involved and send half-step Wisdom Kings to search for us instead, we’ll be dead. Dead! Everything we’ve done would be reduce to nothing. So here’s the goal.” 

Silence. 

“He’s an outsider, so he’s precious commodity. It’s best if we send him into there instead; we’ll be heavily rewarded. Were you all blind when you first saw him? Did you forget what he’s worth? Come, this is our time! We can also send in those three and be rewarded as well.” 

“Wow. Eldest Brother, you’re so right. It’s strange how nicely we treated him before. Right, Seventh Sister?”

“Huh? Oh, yeah...” 

“Good. Now let’s think of a plan.” 

Like snakes, seven pairs of eyes were maliciously plotting in the darkness, waiting to jump out and ensnared the vulnerable and unsuspecting prey. Even tigers can fall to the venom of snakes.