The Quantum Path to Immortality-Chapter 194 - 193: Aftermath and Acknowledgment 1

Chapter 194: Chapter 193: Aftermath and Acknowledgment 1
[Epochal Ascendance Academy - Main Grounds]
The dimensional portal opened directly onto the academy’s central plaza—a space that could comfortably accommodate thousands of students, currently occupied by maybe three hundred cultivators who’d been going about their normal routines.
All of whom immediately stopped what they were doing when Elias Vance stepped through, followed by his family and five slightly disheveled-looking students.
The whispers started instantly.
"Is that—"
"Elias Vance. The anomaly."
"Why is he here? I thought he left to explore the realm."
"Look at those students with him. Aren’t they first-years from Aria’s trial group?"
"They look like they’ve been through a war."
"Did you feel that dimensional disturbance earlier? The one that made the entire realm shake?"
"You don’t think—"
The speculation rippled through the crowd like wildfire, but no one dared approach. Elias’s aura, even at rest, radiated a presence that made most Master-level students instinctively give him wide berth.
Aria’s teammates looked around nervously, suddenly very aware that they were covered in spatial dust, their robes torn in places, and standing in the middle of the academy’s most public area with literally the most famous cultivator in the current realm.
"Should we... to the Mission Hall?" Torin asked uncertainly. "We did technically complete our assignment before everything went sideways."
"I’ll handle the Mission Hall," Sarah said. "You five should rest. Your bodies are restored, but your minds have been through trauma. Take the next few days off. I’ll ensure your mission completion is properly recorded."
"You don’t have to—" Marcus started.
"I insist," Kaelen interrupted gently. "You protected my daughter. The least we can do is handle some paperwork."
Before any of them could argue further, a spatial distortion appeared directly in front of the group—not aggressive, but unmistakably powerful. A figure materialized from the fold with the casual authority of someone who could appear anywhere in the academy at will.
Vice Dean Yara Starweaver stood before them, her Peak Sovereign aura radiating controlled power. Her expression was carefully neutral, but her eyes swept across the group with sharp assessment.
"Master Elias," she said formally. "How unexpected to see you return so soon. I trust your exploration of the realm was... productive?"
"Productive enough," Elias replied, matching her formal tone. "Though I had to cut it short. Family emergency."
Yara’s gaze shifted to Aria, taking in the girl’s depleted but stable condition. Then to the five other students, noting their recently-restored cultivation bases and the lingering traces of severe injury that had somehow been completely healed.
"I see," Yara said slowly. "And this emergency required your intervention?"
"Someone threatened my daughter," Elias said simply. "I dealt with it."
The casual way he said ’dealt with it’ made several nearby students take another step back. Because everyone had felt that realm-shaking disturbance. If Elias was acknowledging he’d been involved...
"The Hierarchy?" Yara asked, lowering her voice slightly.
"Was involved, yes," Elias confirmed. "Past tense. They won’t be a problem anymore."
Yara’s eyes widened fractionally—the most emotion she’d shown so far. "You... dealt with The Hierarchy? The entire organization?"
"Most of it. With their three leaders death, some sovereigns escaped, but without infrastructure or resources, they’re effectively neutralized." Elias shrugged as if dismantling a billions-year-old secret organization was routine. "They won’t target academy students again."
Yara stared at him for a long moment, clearly trying to process the implications. Then she heard a voice transmission and relayed the message.
"The Dean would like to speak with you," she said. "At your earliest convenience."
"Of course. I’ll visit him within the hour."
"And these students?" Yara gestured to the five.
"Completed their C-rank mission successfully," Sarah said. "Killed a Sovereign-level Void Devourer in Sector Eleven. I recommend upgrading the mission’s difficulty classification—it was significantly more dangerous than initial assessment suggested. They should receive appropriate contribution point bonuses."
Yara’s expression suggested she suspected there was far more to that story, but she simply nodded. "I’ll review the mission . Students, you’re dismissed to your dormitories. Rest. We’ll conduct formal debriefing tomorrow."
The five students bowed respectfully—to Yara, then to Elias and his family—and fled toward their respective dormitories with obvious relief.
As they left, Aria heard Mira whisper to the others: "Did that really just happen? Did we really fight alongside Aria against a thousand Sovereigns?"
"And an Infinite cultivator," Jin added quietly.
"And survived because her father killed three Infinite cultivators in four seconds," Torin finished.
"I’m never complaining about difficult training again," Marcus said. "We don’t know what ’difficult’ even means."
Their voices faded as they moved out of earshot.
Yara watched them go, then turned back to Elias. "I assume you’ll want to ensure your daughter is properly settled?"
"Actually," Kaelen interjected, "I’d like to take Aria for a proper meal and some rest. She’s been through enough for one day."
"Sarah’s already planning the menu in her head," Elias added with slight amusement, glancing at Sarah, who was indeed mentally cataloging ingredients.
"Someone needs to make sure this family eats properly," Sarah said defensively. "Left to their own devices, they’d optimize nutrition into pill form and forget that food is supposed to be enjoyed."
"I resent that," Elias said without heat. "I enjoy food."
"You enjoy efficiency," Kaelen corrected. "Food is secondary."
"Can we argue about father’s dietary habits later?" Aria interjected. "Preferably after I’ve had a bath and changed into clothes that aren’t shredded?"
"Fair point," Kaelen conceded.
Yara observed the family’s banter with something that might have been amusement. "Very well. Aria, you’re excused from classes for the next three days. Use the time to recover and process today’s events. Master Elias, the Dean expects you in his office—" she gestured toward the central administrative tower "—within the hour, as you said. Don’t keep him waiting."
"Wouldn’t dream of it," Elias replied.
Yara nodded once more and vanished through another spatial fold, likely returning to whatever administrative nightmare this incident had created for the academy’s leadership.
The crowd of students that had gathered—now numbering several hundred—continued staring at them with varying expressions of awe, curiosity, and fear.
"We’re attracting attention," Sarah observed.
"Let them look," Elias said. "We haven’t done anything wrong."
"You dismantled an ancient organization and killed three Infinite cultivators," Kaelen pointed out.
"They attacked my daughter first. Self-defense by proxy."
"I don’t think that’s how jurisdiction works."
"Whoever has the strongest fist wins, its the law of the jungle."
Aria listened to her parents’ familiar back-and-forth and felt tension she hadn’t realized she’d been carrying finally drain away. This was normal. This was safe. This was family.
She’d been fighting for her life less than an hour ago. Had pushed herself to breakthrough mid-combat. Had watched her friends nearly die protecting her. Had faced an Infinite cultivator in desperate battle.
And now her parents were arguing about legal jurisdiction while Sarah planned dinner.
Somehow, that jarring contrast was exactly what she needed.
"Can we go?" Aria asked quietly. "I really would like that bath."
"Of course," Kaelen said immediately, her maternal instincts overriding everything else. "Sarah, you have our quarters prepared?"
"Already sent a message ahead," Sarah confirmed. "Hot bath, comfortable clothes, and a meal that will help restore spiritual energy while actually tasting good."
"Then let’s go," Elias said, beginning to create another dimensional fold.
"You could just walk," Kaelen hit his outstretched hand and said. "The exercise might be good for you."
"Walking is inefficient when spatial folding is available."
"Elias."
"...Fine. We’ll walk."
He closed the half-formed portal with obvious reluctance.