Chapter 174: At The Gate

We crossed through the pathways of the underwater sect, going back through the main pathway we came from, and while we were going through the tubes, I saw the One-Eyed Kraken, who was smashed against one of the domes, visibly shake and move its limbs. It appears that it will be regaining its consciousness shortly. Before that's done, we'll have to move out of the sect and away from the Palace of the Deeps area.

As we were moving about, I threw several of my explosive talismans all over the place.

"What are you doing?" asked Wu Di.

"Oh, making excavation a huge pain for anyone else. Once the Sea Beasts hear the commotion here, they'll come investigating making every cultivator who comes here think twice about chasing after us and more about surviving."

"Oh, that's rather evil."

"One has to do what they must to survive," I replied in a grin.

Our group easily made it back to the elevator, and thankfully just in time, as the moment we went into the elevator, a group of ten Nascent Soul cultivators dove into the water.

Then penetrated it with massive speed going towards the massive cracks on the domes. Also, the One-Eyed Kraken seemed to be on the verge of waking up.

"Well, all the rats are inside the trap." I said as I grouped my index and middle finger together, "Explode." I chanted as the elevator doors closed.

Immediately afterward, a chain explosion surged from within the palace of the deep sect, blowing up the glass making the tunnels. While at the same time, the sudden surge of pressure within the domes that we passed through caused the air inside them to expand and break the dome from the inside.

Water surged inside the domes as the flood gates had opened, and the view using divine sense was amazing.

Water surged inside the domes and through the tunnels, submerging the many chambers of the Palace of the Deep while the Nascent Soul cultivators were trapped and sucked into the domes due to the change of pressure.

Then came the second reaction. Water can transmit sound far better than air, and within the waters, the talismans exploding sounded like the first hail of artillery, and every beast in the vicinity began moving like mad sharks drawn by blood to the palace of the deep.

Once we were outside and above the small island, we could see the shadows of the beasts surging from all over the place, enough that even I got a little overwhelmed.

"Wow, that's too many beasts you drew…" Huang said.

"I know, I didn't expect this effectiveness, anyway, let's move out, I'd advise we go up above the clouds anything below it might easily expose us," I said and we each hopped on our respective flying treasure.

Soon, all four of us burst through the clouds and were far above the sea.

"Good, now we'll need to head to the Tian Ji Sect." I said.

"But, I don't think we have enough materials to cure everyone." Said Wu Di.

"… I have a plan," I said but I earnestly didn't want to use it.

"What do you mean," asked Wu Di.

"I have a good plan, but I need something from you all and it's not gonna be easy," I asked.

"Whatever brother Shen Bao askes, I'm ready to give if it is in my power," Huang said.

Seems like his aloof disposition changed after I saved him from the brink of death.

"Here too, if it's anything within my power, I'm more than certain to help." Hua Yue said.

"You don't need to ask anything from me, Shen Bao, for even if you want my lowly life I'll gladly give it up."

Then they all swore a Heavenly Oath, that if they reveal my identity, that heaven's punishment may befall them.

"Good then," I said as I pulled a round a faceless white mask.

"What's that?" asked Wu Di.

"What I'm about to do, will cause a huge mess, and it's best if my identity remains unknown," I said then placed the mask on my face.

"But a porcelain mask won't be much help against divine sense." Said Huang.

"Then try it," I replied.

The moment Huang used his divine sense, he immediately recoiled back, fear gripped his heart as his face turned whiter than ash.

"…What in god's name was that?"

"Oh, it's just something from my memory, anyone who tries to use divine sense on me will have that very same image after them, I doubt anyone below Ascendant can suppress the feeling of fear and oppression," I replied.

"Though it was terrifying I don't think that Nascent Soul cultivators will be frightened with just that…" said Huang.

"That's because what you saw was only a fraction of the real illusion I have on this mask. If I had you face the real thing, you would have either fainted which would have been the best scenario, or outright lost your mind." 

Because having to face that thing, if one was not steady of heart, and ready for it, then I'm more than certain they'll outright crumble from devastation.

The mere appearance of the Primordial Dragon Snake is frightening, and if I added the same Aura I felt the first time I faced it, then anyone with regular Qi would outright be mentally destroyed.

As I've discovered from some earlier studies, it seems that the higher a being's cultivation level, the higher the suppression they cause on lesser beings. Though I had my doubts and questions on why the first sight of the Primordial Dragon Snake didn't outright kill me, it seems that being an otherworldly reincarnated being, and also having no Qi to suffer through the Qi suppression from the Primordial Dragon Snake helped me survive that encounter. 

I also deduced that the same conditions were the ones that allowed me to leave Zhang Tian's domain. As if I was something that couldn't be ruled and subjugated by the 'Primordial Laws of Cultivation' as I like to name it.

Within this world, there is a set of Worldly Laws. Not the Cultivation Laws, but more like laws of physics, that affect the begins themselves.

A longer lifespan is one of them, the presence of Qi, reincarnation, and rebirth are all things that we didn't have back on earth. But they also come with disadvantages, namely the Qi suppression and the subjugation and total servitude to the Heavenly Law.

But for me, I apparently don't fall under the Heavenly Law's subjugation. Which is something I still need to study more. I didn't fully finish the books in the Lord of Lords library, but I'm sure once I'm done, I'll have a better grasp of my identity and how I identify within this world.

"How did you even meet something like that… its mere size was bigger than the globe we're on…"

"It's a long story, but don't worry about it for now, anyway, let's head forward. We don't have much time," I said.

"Right, follow me then," Wu Di said and our small group dashed through the skies back towards the county of Zhou.

Several days later, we were at the rims of the Concaved Desert, and at the peripheries of the Tian Ji Sect.

We had to cross a few mountain ranges before we were above the Tian Ji sect which looked to be in disarray.

Weed was growing all over the green lands, contesting the resources of the formerly beautiful flowers, as apparently, the wilted look of the roses and flowers at the massive entrance of the sect was a clear show that the battle over the nutrients was being won by the weeds.

"Not even the caretakers of the fields are able to work as it seems." Wu Di said in a sight.

As we came down and stood in front of the sect's closed gate, a disciple, who looked to be barely able to stand up on his feet looked at us with almost wilted eyes and a face as green as the very weeds he was standing on, "W-what's your business…huf…with the Tian Ji…huff…sect."

"It seems that the situation is far worse than I expected…this is not good," I said.

Wu Di approached the kid and said, "It's me, do you remember me, Son Fi?"

"Ah, Ah,! Brother Wu Di! You look so well!" the kid's eyes lit up as if hope has been injected back into him granting him a second breath.

"Yes, I'm back. So tell me what happened during my absence."

"Ah, a few sect masters came in… they tried to get the Sect Master to give up the sect… a lot happened, a few elders died due to the battle that happened a few days ago…"

"Kid, you're being inconsistent, tell us in detail what happened."

"He can't," said another voice.

Looking at him I immediately remember the man. Lao Yan, the very man who asked Wu Di to help me in the demon lands.

"Go and rest Son Fi, go back and rest…" Lao Yan said, his face looked slightly better than the kid's, but that didn't mean it was okay.

"Seems like you found the cure." Lao Yan said.

Wu Di shook his head, "No, I only found a temporary solution."

Looking at the group, "Ah, I could assume that this masked gentleman is related to such a solution?"

"Y-yes," replied Wu Di.

"Great Master! Please save our sect, we'll be willing to give you anything in within our power if you grace us with your aid."

"I've already been paid," I said, with a different pitch in my voice than the usual, it caused my group to take quick glances between each other but then they tacitly decided to not talk about it.

Lao Yan looked at Wu Di, and the latter nodded at him.

"Then Please follow me, we'll have a cup of tea ready for you to rest after your travel," Said the elder

"Seeing the severity of the propagation of the Emrodite Plague, I doubt it will be wise to waste time drinking tea. Round up everyone afflicted within the sect in your main hall. I'll need to start working soon because by my estimation, that kid that was guarding was probably not the worse off the bunch otherwise he wouldn't be guarding, and even that kid barely had a couple of days left in him…"

Lao Yan grit his teeth, "Yes, many disciples are on their death beds. I'll round them up, please Wu Di, take the great master to the main hall, I'll address the sect master and notify him, then we'll start gathering the disciples." Lao Yan said and moved as fast as he could towards the main sect buildings.