The Gatekeepers around the Hall quietly pondered.

A Gatekeeper with fur all over their body, like some type of werewolf, with the ranking 99 said "As the saying goes one should keep their enemy close. How about we imprison him in the Flame Star Fortress? We give him a life sentence. That way we can keep him under our constant watch."

The Hall chattered at these words, some praising the Gatekeeper who made the suggestion.

When Mao Lu thought of Chàng Bo being imprisoned for life, his heart tightened and he felt more and more uncomfortable.

"d.a.m.n, this crush I have on him is too much. Just the thought of him being imprisoned makes me feel upset."

Mao Lu was about object to the lifetime imprisonment idea, but Argenti beat him to it by saying,

"Chàng Bo is only at the Dao Stage. My Flame Star Fortress resides in my Realm, Realm 1. The essence here is far too potent for him. Just coming here would kill him. Imprisoning him here is impossible until he reaches the G.o.d stage and I doubt that will be any day soon."

The Werewolf-like Gatekeeper looked like he'd had water poured over him. He'd appeared so smug and self-satisfied before and now he looked embarra.s.sed.

"You're correct Gatekeeper Argenti."

Argenti ignored him, "Any other suggestions?"

The Gatekeeper that looked like a floating rubix cube said, "If we can't imprison him here then we can just imprison him in another Realm, perhaps a Celestial Realm then?"

'I believe the entire idea of imprisonment may not work." Obsidian interrupted, "If this enemy can even go in and out of my Realm without me realising and steal an artefact from it, then imprisoning him will just make it easier for them. By keeping him in one place he's a living target, if they want to kill him they could find him where we've imprisoned him and kill him. We'd literally be presenting him to them on a pedestal."

A Gatekeeper with Time essences across their clothes, with skin made of gla.s.s, ranked 5th retorted "Don't you think you're overestimating the enemy?"

Obsidian looked at him and said, "Don't you think you are underestimating them?"

There was a pause.

"If we can't imprison him then what do we do then, because by your logic Obsidian, the enemy could find him and grab him whenever they want to." A Gatekeeper with the ranking of 3, who also had time essences across their robes, and hair made of orange flames pointed out.

"Not necessarily" Obsidian stated, "For the moment I don't believe the enemy knows where he currently is. When he used the key he was taken to a completely random Realm, and so far he's still alive and safe. Isn't that right Mao Lu?"

"Yes he's perfectly fine, and in better health now." Mao Lu quickly responded.

"I'm sure when he first came he wasn't in the best condition and took awhile to recover, yet he wasn't attacked, was he?" Obsidian asked.

"No he wasn't, nothing peculiar happened."

"So don't you see, the enemy doesn't know where he is, but if we move him there's a good chance they will find out. So I suggest we keep him in Gatekeeper Lu's Realm." Obsidian stated.

"I'm sorry but I can't help but object Gatekeeper Obsidian!" The fish-like Gatekeeper next to Mao Lu protested.

"Oh and why is that Dragon?" Obsidian asked.

"Dragon!" Mao Lu inwardly exclaimed. Wasn't this the Gatekeeper he'd indirectly fought with, the one that was friends with that Fang Hao character that had wanted to enter Mao Lu's Realm. That Gatekeeper Dragon?

"I object because he is a new Gatekeeper, not to mention his Realm is a mortal realm. Even if he is on the path of Time that won't change that he is currently the weakest here. Leaving Chàng Bo in his Realm is the same as giving our enemy a pat on the back and just letting him be taken.

Also all of this is based on the idea that the enemy wants to harm Chàng Bo, what if they don't. What if he's working with them. If that's the case then imprisoning him in a high level Realm would be much better."

Muttering spread across the hall again, many of them were agreeing with Gatekeeper Dragon.

"He is just a new Gatekeeper."

"Keeping Chàng Bo in his Realm is no different than handing him to the enemy."

"So what if the enemy doesn't currently know where Chàng Bo is, they can soon find out. It's only a small advantage."

"Yes keeping him on that mortal realm would be the worst option."

"Yes I absolutely agree, we still don't know if he's working with the enemy."

Mao Lu was angry. He knew he was a new Gatekeeper and he knew that he had no experience and his training was limited, but having this pointed out, and having everyone around him dismiss him as useless. Didn't sit right with Mao Lu.

"Gates, I don't want any of these Gatekeepers to have Chàng Bo. They believe he's working with this unknown enemy. They'll just stick him in a cage somewhere and if he's killed they wouldn't care." Mao Lu bitterly said.

"And you know he's not working with them? You will care if he dies?" Gates asked curiously.

"i know Chàng Bo is hiding something from me but I also know he's a good person. I can just sense it. And if he dies I would care, I'd care much more than them. I'd be able to take care of him much better."

"Is that your obsession with him talking, or is that your pride?"

"I'm not obsessed with him!"

"Really, because from my perspective it doesn't look that way. You have developed feeling for Chàng Bo." Gates a.n.a.lysed.

"Feelings? A small crush doesn't mean I have serious romantic feelings for him. I… I just don't want him to get hurt."

"Mao Lu usually you are very logical and rational. In these circ.u.mstances do you really think you can bear the weight of looking after him. What if this enemy comes to your Realm and causes chaos because you chose to keep him by your side. What if your friends are hurt because of this?

You have only just started on your path. You don't have the ability to properly protect anyone right now. Don't let your pride and romantic feelings stop you from seeing the situation at hand." Gates lectured.

Mao Lu paused and then breathed out gently and calmed himself. "I am not letting my romantic feelings or my pride get to me. But I still don't want to see Chàng Bo in an unfortunate position, if he were to die and I had the chance to stop it. Forever the guilt would consume me.

I'm not overestimating my own abilities, if there is any way I can help him I want to. My Mother taught me to be sincere, and I want to be sincere towards him. So if you know any way that I can keep him by my side and protect him then tell me now. Even if you don't, I won't drop this matter."

Gates could see that Mao Lu was being stubborn to the bone, actually he was always stubborn. That was one of the reasons Gates liked Mao Lu. He was calm, clear, controlled and determined.

Gates could see that Mao Lu really wanted to be the one to protect Chàng Bo.

He wasn't thinking clearly right now, but he was determined to do it.

Gates sighed, "This Chàng Bo honestly doesn't deserve you or your sincerity…Fine then. There is one way you can probably keep him by your side and protect him. But I'm not sure if you'll like it."

"Tell me." Mao Lu demanded.

"You can make Chàng Bo your Fate Companion."

"Fate Companion???"

"For pract.i.tioners a Fate Companion is synonymous to making someone your husband or wife. For Gatekeepers your Fate Companion is your eternal servant. Since Gatekeepers can't reproduce, if their Fate Companion is a different s.e.x, they're usually in a more platonic relations.h.i.+p with them.

Generally a Fate Companion must always accompany you, their Fate is tied to yours.

Your soul will be linked to theirs, they will no longer be able to keep secrets from you, no matter where they are or what danger they face you will be able to sense it.

In one way it is the perfect form of imprisonment, the best way for you to fully find out his connection to the key and his secrets. And the best way to protect him since you'll instantly know when he's in danger. And if you do this he'll stay by your side just like you want him to."

Mao Lu blushed "… M-m-marriage. This is the same as marriage?"

"Well if we are comparing it to the marriage culture on Earth then it is similar, and it usually happens between those with an attraction to each other, but just as I mentioned there are many differences."

"Marriage is a bit…"

"This is the only suggestion I have for you Mao Lu. You can take it or leave it." Gates said sternly.

Mao Lu's brain was all over the place, but not because he disliked the idea. On the contrary his brain was filled with all kinds of weird thoughts.

Just the thought of him being married to Chàng Bo made him feel very strange.

He tried to calm himself down and think rationally.

"It's not marriage it's just a convenient set up and marriage is between people that love each other. Chàng Bo doesn't love me. We only just met. I'm just doing this to help him out. Yh I'm doing this because it's the right thing to do."

Gates scoffed a little bit as it heard Mao Lu try to justify himself.

At that time a Gatekeeper, who looked like an oversized wasp, said "We don't have to kill him but we don't have to keep him alive. Why don't we extract his consciousness and seal it into an object. That way we can make him a puppet slave. It would be far easier to protect him and gain information from him that way."

"Do you think his Father would be happy about that?" Zither asked, "His Father is Chàng Xing, the Supreme Lord of Stars. One of the most famous, respected and powerful pract.i.tioners throughout the Celestial, Immortal and mortal realms. If his son became a slave puppet the repercussions of that would be vast. Our relations.h.i.+p with the public is already strained, do you want them to make a ma.s.s civil uprising whilst this unknown enemy is on the loose!"

"Then I have a suggestion." Mao Lu's voice cut through. "Why don't I make him my Fate Companion."

The room went completely silent.

"That way I can learn all his secrets and discover if he has a deeper connection to the key. I can sense when he's in danger and he wouldn't be able to leave my side.

In a way this would be the perfect imprisonment, and it wouldn't harm him so there would be no civil uprisings. That way I can find out if he's really working with the enemy.

And if not and they are after him, then keeping him by my side is the best option.

If the enemy really don't know where he is, then I can hide him in my Realm."

Argenti's eyes were wide. "You want to make him your Fate Companion?!"

Mao Lu looked at her calmly with a serious expression, "Yes."

Argenti didn't know how to respond.

This was the first time anyone had seen her so speechless. It took awhile for her to nod.

"It is a good suggestion, the best one yet, but… You do realise you can only have one Fate Companion for life, it is a permanent commitment, and it works both ways. You won't be able to hide secrets from him, the only secrets he won't know will be the ones pertaining your Gatekeeper abilities. But your overall privacy will be invaded, your fate and his will be intertwined.

Picking a Fate Companion is a serious matter. If he does turn out to be working with the enemy we may have to execute him.

If he dies you will be scarred deeply.

A Fate Companion isn't something you can just casually suggest.

You are new so I'm sure you're not aware, but Gatekeepers rarely take on Fate Companions. Our life spans tend to be longer than Pract.i.tioners usually, if your companion isn't another Gatekeeper you may end up lonely in the later years.

Also as Gatekeepers we are omnipotent figures we don't tend to involve ourselves with the Pract.i.tioners.

And… And if you don't love them, being forced to stay with them for eternity can be the worst form of punishment. You will suffer deeply.

Knowing all of this, do you still want to make him your Fate Companion?"

"It does sound like a lot of commitment but Chàng Bo seems trustworthy to me. I believe he has a very kind soul.

Even if he sees my secrets, I have nothing to hide. I don't care that he's a pract.i.tioner, I may live longer than him but he could very well outlive me. Death isn't fair to anyone or any relations.h.i.+p, that's just life.

And… And… I guess I've already taken a fancy to him, I don't think it would be bad overall. So yes, I'd like to make him my Fate Companion."

The Hall was silent.

"Does anyone have any objections or any better suggestions?" Obsidian asked.

There was a long silence in the Hall.

"Then let us do that then. Chàng Bo will become Gatekeeper Lu's Fate Companion." Obsidian concluded.

Argenti said in a dismissive voice, "Now that this decision has been made the meeting can now be adjourned. You all are dismissed, except for you Mao Lu. Stay here."

With those words everyone quietly left, many of them giving Mao Lu strange looks as they went and muttering under their breaths.

Mao Lu ignored them.

Soon in the Grand Hall there was only Mao Lu, Argenti, and Obsidian.

"Do you really wish for this, it isn't because you feel forced to due to the circ.u.mstances?" Argenti asked.

"I admit the circ.u.mstances are an element, but me being greatly attracted to Chàng Bo is also an element. And I don't want him to get hurt. I don't want him to be imprisoned. If this option can help him, then I want to do it. I want to be sincere to him." Mao Lu said honestly, these were his real feelings. "I like Chàng Bo."

Mao Lu realised he really did like him. He didn't know when the feeling had begun. Was it when they first made eye contact? Was it when he watched him sleep for two weeks and cared for him? Was it when he saw him in the bath? Or was it when they ate together and smiled together?

Mao Lu had never felt such a strong feeling of attraction, and desire for a person before. Even Zhao Detong had never ellicitated such feelings from him.

"What has he done to deserve these feelings and sincerity?" Argenti couldn't help but ask.

Mao Lu had a rather helpless expression, "All he did was smile, and talk to me normally… Nothing much but I… I still like him."

"I see. Then we will arrange the ceremony for you soon. When it is prepared we will inform you." Argenti stated.

Mao Lu smiled brightly "I will be waiting then."

"Before I dismiss you, I want you to know that the Key. The Gatekeepers key, the Judgment key, can distort reality. It can cause harm to your Realm. When Chàng Bo transported to your Realm the effects of the key may have done something to it.

You need to keep your eyes out for any irregularities, and you must cure these irregularities before they get out of hand, or else your Realm is at risk of collapsing.

I don't know what form these irregularities will take but you must keep your eye out for anything strange."

Argenti said very seriously.

"Thank you for the warning. I will keep an eye out." Mao Lu said with equal seriousness.

"Hmmm good. Mao Lu I notice you have a very good temperament and high potential on your path. If you ever need guidance or just a conversation, then please come find me."

Mao Lu stood up and bowed sincerely, "I will".

"Good." Argenti smiled. She was liking Mao Lu more and more. "Then you are dismissed."

Mao Lu bowed again to her and then exited the hall through a doorway that suddenly appeared.

As Gates pulled him through the air and he exited the Flame Star Fortress, it suddenly hit Mao Lu.

"What the h.e.l.l did I just do!!!??"