Chapter 421 (1/2)

”How could this be?”

”The demonic mist, it has all vanished… look elders… the demonic creatures, they are dying…”

Cultivators from the Heavenly Crane Sect looked on from behind the protective formation as the golden light subsided. When it did, they could see the old landscape and the creatures that roamed it. Now without the demonic Qi swiveling around, they were succumbing to the holy Qi instead.

”This strange spiritual energy… it really was the Golden Dragon…”

The elder that arrived after Zhang Dong's appearance was now scratching his long beard. At first, he didn't believe his junior and thought that the man that went inside must have been an impostor. Now, on the other hand, he wasn't that sure.

”This complicates things, the blasted Azure Emperor probably sent him here to clear out the sect and take all the knowledge and treasures for himself, this won't do, we must investigate!”

”But Senior…”

One of the other nascent soul elders called out but the main elder just raised his hand.

”I know, we will not engage in anything stupid as a battle with the Emperor's sworn brother, this doesn't mean that we will relinquish all of the knowledge and treasures that was left over by the Soaring Dragon sect, he is but one man, even if its the Golden Dragon he can not possibly go through something as large as the Soaring Dragon Sect.”

”Ah, Senior is wise!”

Everyone started nodding at each other. It seemed that the Golden Dragon did most of the work for them. The miasma was gone and the monsters inside were dying. They were human cultivators so the holy energy inside would not hurt them, it would be the opposite it would actually invigorate them instead.

”My brothers, it has not been long since the one called the Golden Dragon came here. This grand purifying magics that he has used has probably drained him of most of his Qi. While he rests we will come and take the treasures for ourselves yet, if you meet this Emperor's Brother do not engage him in battle, even if he is weakened we don't know the true extent of his might!”

With so many people on their side, they hoped to quickly go through the rubble and take some of the Soaring Dragon Sect's secrets with them. Manufacturing techniques of fabled artifacts, pill formulae, and maybe even some hidden techniques that they could make their own.

…

”Whew… that took more out of me than I thought, good that I absorbed all of those dead souls beforehand…”

Zhang Dong was floating up in the air while looking at a giant hole in the ground. Now that the miasma was gone he could see the entire sect or at least what was left of it.

The hole in the ground was truly deep and even with the thick mist gone, it was hard to see the bottom. It made it seem that the explosion was in the shape of a column instead of one that went equally in all directions.

'It's as if it was stuck in a different dimension or something…'

While gathering his strength he started looking around. His system map was brought up as he was interested if he would be able to see a blacked-out spot. Regretfully he didn't, which told him that there was no dimensional cube here.

It seemed that Wang Long was not directly transported here. From what little he knew, Wang Long had started out as a young master but not one that was favored over the other ones quite yet. Only after he took the spot of his character and used the system did he start rising in the ranks. Thus it was possible that his arrival spot was at some branch city.

He achieved what he came for, Wang Long's energy signature was implanted in his system. Before leaving though he took up the lotus position and started spreading his spiritual sense in all directions. This would help him check if there was something that he had missed and also allow him to rest momentarily.

'I seem to have some visitors in the distance… still have some time until they arrive.'

The first thing he noticed was the large energy signatures that were coming from the direction that he arrived. It was clear to him that the cultivators from the other sect were here to check things out. The Heavenly Crane sect was somewhat on the same standing as the Long Clan, so he would not be able to talk them down with his newfound status.

'...This is…'

While searching for possible pockets of spirit stones he discovered something else. A faint life signal that was quite hard to make out. When he prodded more and double-checked with his system map it was clear that there were survivors there.

Without thinking much about it, Zhang Dong popped a few recovery pills that he took from his sect and descended towards that area. Where there were people there could be some treasures but also maybe other answers to where Wang Long had gone.

A golden light surrounded his whole form and quickly changed to a drill. This allowed him to burrow underground to reach an open cavern.