Returning from the Immortal World

Europe, Poland.

Wroclaw is the fourth largest city in Poland and the second-largest financial center of the country after Warsaw. Located in the southwest of Oder River’s bank, the city holds its important status in Poland due to its economic, cultural, and transportation developments.

Northeast of Wroclaw is an area containing a black castle with roads surrounding it, though the landscape itself is somewhat bleak with sparse towns and people. The only distinctive feature of the land was the majestic castle which is famously known by Wroclaw’s denizens as the residence of a famous big family in Poland.

Deep inside the castle was a room with gray-toned interior design, decorated with various antiques and furnishings, giving off a very elegant and classic style. Sitting on a European-style sofa was a solemn-looking Wyjątkowy Soloch, holding an ancient record in hand, comparing it with a map drawn on a sheepskin roll. Two black-robed decrepit old men stood still nearby like human skeletons wrapped in robes.

BAM…

The door was fiercely pushed on from the outside as a graceful and handsome youth with a pale complexion came running inside. He panted as indignance betrayed his face, shouting at the angry-looking three men, “The Life Crests of Clan Elders Wykres Soloch and Wznieść Soloch just shattered. They… they are dead.”

“WHAT?”

Wyjątkowy Soloch’s complexion changed instantly and the other two old men were petrified in that instant, glaring incredulously at the young man. Killing intent burst out from the three men, locking on the youth.

“SAY THAT AGAIN!” roared Wyjątkowy Soloch.

The young man gulped down but hurriedly said, “The Life Crests of Clan Elders Wykres and Wznieść Soloch just shattered and their wisp of souls dissipated, indicating that they passed away. The Ancestral Hall Elder ordered me to report it to the Patriarch and the two Clan Elders.”

Fists clenched tightly, Wyjątkowy Soloch’s eyes were filled with killing intent as he spoke with a heavy voice, “The two Clan Elders just sent the news that they were on an island in the Pacific Ocean. We can know their exact location through the use of our witchcraft. But if they died, we don’t have any means to pinpoint their location at all. What exactly happened to them that could claim their lives? They are among the 20 strongest people in our clan!”

“The message from Clan Elders Wykres and Wznieść Soloch before they were killed said that the island is not far from the main landmass,” interjected the black-robed old man with murderous intent in his voice. “But there’s no such island at all on the map we’ve collected, nor do we have the exact coordinates of their location. How can we find it?”

“I don’t care how difficult it is. We must find the location of where they were killed! And whoever killed them, they must pay a terrible price!” replied Wyjątkowy Soloch with a chilling voice, “Summon Grand Elder Wartość! Tell him to take some clan elders and form a team to immediately scour the Pacific region. They must find the specific coordinates of the last message and find the murderers of our clan members.”

“Affirmative!”

The two black-robed old replied and left immediately.

****

Nine Dragons Island.

Tang Xiu chatted with the six young disciples from the Whole Unitary Sect for a long time and learned a lot about the situation in the cultivator community. It was Tang Xiu’s first time to find out that there were also some other sects aside from the Whole Unitary Sect that still passed down their inheritance. The number of sect members was few, but they still existed. However, most of them were living in seclusion in some mountains, islands, or other small worlds.

According to Jin Chanzi’s story, the Nascent Soul Stage was considered as the peak realm among cultivators on Earth, with around five people on Earth reaching such a realm. Those who had reached the Golden Core Stage, however, probably amounted to less than 30.

“It seems that the number of Daoist cultivators, as well as those who practice other cultivation systems, is much larger than I had thought. But I’m curious about something. How did you guys advance to the later stage of Foundation Establishment in such a small period of time, given the fact that the Earth is short of resources for cultivation and the Heaven and Earth spiritual qi is so thin nowadays?” asked Tang Xiu curiously as he looked at the six youths.

“You may know something else, Big Brother Tang. Our Small World is very rich in Heaven and Earth energy, several folds denser than the outside world,” said Jin Changzi with a smile. “One other aspect is the fact that our Sect cultivates many herbs, many of which are more than 1000 years old, while we also keep planting them to substitute our consumption rate. Other than that, we also gather precious medicinal herbs everywhere, so we are not in short supply of cultivation resources.”

Jin Chanzi’s explanation enlightened Tang Xiu immediately. It was essentially the foundation of the cultivator and Daoist schools and sects. Those cultivator sects with thousands of years inheritance were highly likely to have deep foundations just like the Whole Unitary Sect.

Suddenly, Jin Chanzi said, “Brother Tang, there’s something I’d like to ask you.”

“Ask away,” replied Tang Xiu.

“It’s about the Lightning Art you used previously. Its might is amazing, so I arbitrarily took a decision and told Xingzi to inform our Master about it,” said Jin Chanzi. “My Master also excels in this art; she is even extremely obsessed with it. I think she’ll be ecstatic after hearing about it and will immediately catch up with us so she can ask you about the Lightning Evoker Art.”

This made Tang Xiu’s face slightly changed. Although he didn’t know how high of a cultivation level Jin Chanzi’s Master was, knowing that such a powerful cultivator would come soon was far from good news for him.

It was because Nine Dragons Island would become his future base. He was instinctively unwilling to let other powerhouses come over in case they were able to discover the island’s secret, as well as to prevent any incidents where others had greedy thoughts to occupy it.

He hadn’t yet figured out on what side of morality this Whole Unitary Sect belonged to. He had seen countless sects with decent disciples who posed as people of high morals, yet committed disgusting deeds regarding their interests. What’s more, he didn’t even know what kind of person Jin Chanzi’s Master was.

This being the case, it was rather urgent for him to arrange the array ahead of time, so as to avert any accident before it was too late.

While looking at the calm faces of the six youths, Tang Xiu said without flinching, “Since some seniors will be coming soon, I’ll naturally welcome them. I’ll also compare notes with your Master when she arrives, in hope of our mutual progress.”

Tang Xiu spent some time chatting with the six youths before excusing himself to tend to some other issues. He left in a hurry and came to the third floor of the palace, where Mo Awu, Mo Awen and the other men had already converged.

“Have you disposed of those two Celestial Wizard’s experts?”

“It’s been done and no traces can be found Boss,” reported Mo Awen.

Nodding at him as an answer, Tang Xiu then shifted to Mo Awu and said, “Contact Xiaoxue and tell her to pass my message to Tang Guang and Tang An. Their task is to protect Singluen and then head over with them to Nine Dragons Island secretly. Kill any group sent by Singkuo should this guy make a move on them. Also, transfer all the remaining core members of our Everlasting Feast Hall here.”

“But what about the other members on Clam Island, Boss?” asked Mo Awu, hesitating. “Do you want them to be transferred here too?”

Tang Xiu was silent for a short while before shaking his head and said, “Those assigned to Clam Island don’t need to come over for now. But the construction project on this island will be finished soon, and they will escort the talented children who have been carefully selected to this island by then.”

Mo Awu nodded, but whispered shortly after, “Boss, I kinda have a hunch that a storm is brewing. Are we going to battle these wizards and shamans from this Celestial Wizard Clan soon?”

“I can’t say for sure. But given the fact that their two experts have died here, it’s highly likely that they won’t let this matter go,” sneered Tang Xiu. “The battle with the Celestial Wizard clan is inevitable, but we still have to be on guard against cultivators from the Whole Unitary Sect regardless.”

“Is that the sect of those six youths?” asked Mo Awu.

“Yeah.” Tang Xiu nodded and said, “From what they told me, this sect has some Nascent Soul Stage experts and several others at the Golden Core Stage. If all of the disciples of this sect were to attack us, I don’t think we can fend them off unless Yan’er or Ji Chimei came over to deal with them. It’s unlikely that we can obtain any benefits even if all of our Everlasting Feast Hall’s people come over.”

With a changed complexion, Mo Awu felt that the more he progressed, the more he became aware of the gravity of the gap between cultivation levels. There was no need to speak about the arrival of those at the Nascent Soul Stage, as he and the others would probably be unable to fend off the arrival of some experts at the Golden Core Stage.

The resourceful and quick-witted Mo Awen had eyes sparkling upon overhearing the conversation between Mo Awu and Tang Xiu. He interjected, “Boss, if we’re really going to have a battle with the Celestial Wizard clan or the Whole Unitary Sect, I think it’s best not to set up the battlefield on Nine Dragons Island. You just said that this island is going to be our main base in the future, so I’m afraid that if we have a battle here, our place will be ruined after the battle. Carrying out the construction project here is very intensive, so we must set up the battlefield elsewhere since we have the initiative.”

Tang Xiu’s expression shifted and he asked, “Do you have a suggested location?”

“There are 16 small barren islands around our Nine Dragons Island,” said Mo Awen. “The nearest island is about 50 nautical miles away, while the furthest is about 200 miles. I recommend setting up a monitoring station on these 16 islands. That way, we can spot the enemies as early as possible no matter the direction they come from. We can use choppers to transport our men on the other islands and use ships to carry the troops on Nine Dragons Island. This way, we can set up the battlefield on those barren islands.”

“But we don’t have many helicopters now, while the signal at sea is also quite bad. It will be even more difficult to send a message should any stormy weather occurs,” said Tang Xiu. “If such a situation does occur and the enemy arrives, it’s gonna be us who’ll fall into a passive situation.”

“We can purchase the choppers immediately if there’s not enough, Boss,” said Mo Awen. “I have the means to buy at least 10 of them in a short time. As for the environmental issues, I don’t think it will affect our ability to communicate, Boss. I think you forgot our identity…”

Our identity?

Tang Xiu stared blankly.