Chapter 424 (2/2)

With the old Dark Palm Sect lands in their grasp now, he could revisit that secret ground again. He wasn't sure if he would need to go through the test phase again but there were probably some secrets remaining there that were worth looking into. His sect had enough people to easily go through those tower defense stages now he believed that they would be able to get through it with minimal casualties.

After he ended the call with Zhi he continued with his chase, even though he knew where his opponent was going now this didn't mean that he didn't decide to go elsewhere. Maybe if he was lucky he could get to Wang Long before he vanished into the dark criminally underbelly of the empire. Tracking his demonic Qi in that sea of evil energy would also be harder even with the help of the system.

But the journey there was long and even with his top speed, he would need another week to reach the border. So his journey continued and with it more affected people that Wang Long had gone through. With the constant slowdowns, a few more days were added to his journey.

Finally, he was now at the last large settlement closest to the demonic lands. This area was ruled by one of the more morally ambiguous sects. It wasn't that evil sects were banned from existing on the entire continent, only when they gorged themselves too much on the evil arts were there actually problematic.

”Wait honored Golden Dragon let us guide you to the evil lands!”

Just like with the other places this one was somewhat affected by Wang Long's evil Qi. After such a long journey Zhang Dong was feeling somewhat tired. Even though at his level he didn't need to sleep at all, the stress from the impending doom was getting to him. At the question of one of the cultivators he just nodded, with them in tow he headed for what was supposed to be the entrance to the land ruled by evil and corruption, the Eternal Dark.

He wasn't really sure about this small group of cultivators that were coming with him, but they were probably just trying to kiss his behind as always. To them, the brother of the Azure Emperor was a nice ticket into a higher position. Regretfully for them, Zhang Dong had no time for politics. While they were talking he just continued to mumble and nod while just looking at his system screen and preparing for the coming battles.

”So, this is the desert?”

Finally, after some time had passed they arrived at the first barrier, the desert.

”Yes my lord, this is the Evil Desert of the Damned, various demonic beasts and spirits wonder about these dead lands. Are you sure you wish to go beyond it?”

”Evil spirits? That won't be a problem… but what's that…”

While looking at the vast empty land that was covered with sand and storms, he spotted something. At first he thought it was just a regular storm but it looked somewhat strange by how it remained stationary.

”Does the senior need an explanation?”

One of the random cultivators that he picked up along the way asked him after seeing Zhang Dong starte into the distance. With a nod of confirmation, the man continued to speak.

”The maps aren't very detailed but this place is very close to the northern edge of the empire. That torrent of dark energy in the distance is the great divide, no one knows what is beyond it but some speculate that it's just another zone created by the evil cultivators.”

The man continued with the explanation but Zghang Dong knew well what was behind this wall of energy. One of the other empires was there but for now, they remained behind the barrier. Wang Long had taken one of the more roundabout paths towards his destination as he needed to go to the northeast if he wanted to reach his true destination now.

”I will take my leave then, you can go.”

He didn't really have time to thank these people, he already cured some of their own so he didn't feel like he owed them anything. The people just bowed while slowly floating back but as he was about to plunge himself into the desert he felt something.

His eyes were drawn back to the barrier between the empires. It wasn't much but he felt a decrease in spiritual energy and the storms filled with a mish-mash of elemental energies started to die down.

”No… it couldn't be…”

This didn't look good but he thought that there was more time. To check he opened up his system map to look for something. His visit to the Azure Emperor gave him knowledge of the spots where some of the bridges should appear. He quickly overlayed these spots against his map and to his dismay this was one of the locations where a link between Empires was supposed to be formed.

”What is that… this has never happened before…”

The small group of cultivators that were with him spotted the change in the storms as well. The wall of energy that would even mangle up a nascent soul master started to subside. It was as if the sea of energy was parting in the middle to create a path.

”Shit… I can feel something… it's approaching.”

He looked at the group of people that was with him, they were still staring at the phenomenon taking place. Zhang Dong on the other hand knew that there was a potential war battle ahead of him.. Thus he checked his spatial ring and brought out his sword which he placed on his hip for now, first he needed to see, maybe if he was lucky these invaders wouldn't be bloodthirsty.