49 Voyage
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"I can't believe that I would see a legendary existence like this in my entire life! I could die happy now!" One of the few disciples who were gathered said im fervent ardor.
"This is a good omen from the heavens!"
"Is it going to attack us?"
"What pressure! I can't even look at it in the eyes."
As they saw how awe-inspiring the Blue Luan just floating there, seemingly disdaining everything that it sees, representing what a real legendary existence is like, their hearts were filled with fear, amazement and awe.
Sieg's heart is pumping with excitement as he looked at the Blue Luan. According to legends, a Blue Luan is an evolved beast not from a snake of a lizard, but a different type of beast who's identity is a mystery still. A fully grown Blue Luan could easily wrap itself around a whole empire and encapsulate it in ice. The Blue Luan in front of them must a be a young one, even though this is the case, it's awe-inspiring presence still struck them deeply.
Mu Qingyin's voice echoed again: "Inner Disciples and Core Disciples. Step inside this platform, we will begin our journey now."
Then one person after another stepped inside the platform that appeared in front of them. Anyone who stepped in the platform would disappear and be teleported inside a large and transparent formation that's built at the back of the Blue Luan. This formation is called Clear Sky Defense which is used as a defensive formation, no attacks under Void Realm could penetrate it's defense, it also has a built in stealth system which prevent anyone under Core Formation Realm to sense it. This formation need a titled 'Inscriptionist' to be fully arranged which also makes it incredibly expensive to afford.
As Sieg arrived at the back of the Blue Luan, he instantly felt wonderful. This is the first time he experienced flying, though it isn't using his own power, it still felt incredibly awesome. He tried venturing further on the back of the beast but he felt an invisible barrier preventing him from doing so. He instantly understood that they might be inside a powerful formation that's completely beyond him as of now, so he went around to find his companions.
It didn't took very long until they found each other, they then decided to sit beside each other while also enjoying the view.
It also didn't took long before all of the people was teleported on to the back of the Blue Luan. The beast emitted few grunts and then started flying. The three pairs of wings started flopping up and down, cold gusts of air covered the entire mountain and the large frame of the Blue Luan took off with blinding speed towards it's destination.
"At first I was terrified when the Sect Director announced that we are going to the Gray Crags, but riding on the back of a Blue Luan is so worth it." Gwen said while gazing at her surroundings.
"I couldn't agree more. It is said that Blue Luans and Vermillion Birds are polar twins, one represents ice and one represents fire." Ji Potian said informatively.
"Blue Luans are said to have a potential to be a Divine Beast, that's 4 realms above the Demonic Beasts! How scary." Zhu Fang said while feeling the soft fur of the Blue Luan.
Sieg remained silent, he also knew that above Demonic Beasts, are Lord Beast, King Beast, Saint Beast and Divine Beast. A new born Blue Luan is already at the Demonic Beast Level, paired the fact that it has a noble bloodline, the potential inside it's body could really push this beast to become a Divine Beast, which is a strong as a cultivator who entered 9 Transformations Realm.
The only problem that these types of beast would encounter is the scarcity of resources. Beasts also needed to consume resources to evolve, this is one of the reasons why most of the rare resources are being guarded by strong beasts. It's not because it was born with it or someone ordered them tl do so, it is because they wanted those resources for themselves.
"But seriously, I didn't think that I would see majority of the Core Disciples today." Ji Potian said.
As Sieg heard this, he weird expression appeared in his face as he asked: "What do you mean?"
"Well, it's more like, we didn't expect them to still be here. After all, these people should've been sent already to the main branch." Ji Potian answered Sieg question.
"Maybe they are also waiting for this event before going, after all the stronger they are when they arrive, the easier time they would have inside the main branch too." Gwen guessed.
The three nodded slightly, Gwen's hypothesis sounds reasonable. They can faintly imagine what it's like inside the main branch. If the competition inside the branch sect are already this fierce, it goes without saying that it would be the same for the main branch if not, even fiercer.
"Hey you, step aside. I want to sit on there." One Core Disciple said to an Inner Disciple, the person only lowered his head and allowed the Core Disciple to take his previous spot, not even daring to say anything back.
Many people saw this happen, all of them just pretended not to see anything and paid attention to their own conversations.
Sieg frowned, while Gwen, Zhu Fang, and Ji Potian could only smile wryly and avoid eye contact.
"Who's that?" Sieg asked in a low voice.
Gwen answered him by saying: "Sun Tao, Core Disciple for about a year now. He's pretty fierce, he clawed his way out from being an Service Disciple to Inner Disciple using only 3 years. The sect noticed his talents and decided to make him a Core Disciple, after that his path even became smoother, he's already at Earth Foundation Realm he's not even 25."
Sieg nodded, he remember his name in his heart, this person might be one of his future competitors.
"See that girl over there?" Ji Potian said and pointed towards his left. Sieg followed where his fingers is pointing and saw a woman also covered in a veil radiating a serene and ethereal aura.
Ji Potian then continued by saying: "Her name is Ying Yue, she entered the sect as an Outer Disciple and only used 1 year to become an Inner Disciple. Don't look down on her just because she is in early Earth Foundation Realm, rumors said that she can take down someone at Heavenly Foundation Realms if she wanted to."
Sieg was a bit startled, her aura and the informations Ji Potian said were complete opposites. He couldn't believe that this woman is such a fierce character despite of her appearance.
"Anyone else that I need to pay attention to?" Sieg asked, he wanted to know as much as possible so that he will be prepared for what's coming next.
"Let me." Zhu Fang said and smiled, his 'know-it-all' face emerges once again and he started pointing along with his introductions: "His name is Lei Xu, Core Disciple for 2 years, he is one of the people who is always out of the sect for missions. He recently came back after finishing a SS-class mission."
"Huo Renzhuo, one of the Elder's personal disciple. 20 years old but already a peak Heavenly Foundation Realm, he only needs one lucky chance to step into half-step Core Formation or even Core Formation directly." Zhu Fang pointed somewhere again and as usual Sieg's attention followed him: "Ma Xiaolong, crowds favorite. 22 years old, peak of Heavenly Foundation as well, but he cultivates one of the most overbearing Ki Manuals of our sect, the Cold Moon Peak Ki Manual."
This caught Sieg off-guard, he looked at the person while smiling wryly and asked Zhu Fang: "Cold Moon Peak? Really?"
"It's true." Said Zhu Fang while also looking at the back of the figure he described, "Many people were present when he exchanged for that Ki Manual, it is said that the technique killed tons of people now, but anyone who manage to successfully cultivate it, stood on top of the world. He is one of those people.
Sieg just smiled, in his mind he is a bit skeptical about Zhu Fang's information, nonetheless it isn't his place to doubt someone so he just let it go.
Zhu Fang introduced almost all of the Inner Disciples to him, Sieg made mental notes about everything he said and no longer bothered about the Inner Disciples.
His attention was focused about the view below, the Blue Luan is flying at high speed but not so much that the surroundings are becoming blurry. He wanted to remember as much landmarks as possible in case of emergency.
***
A day and a night passed since the Blue Luan took off, Sieg had his eyes closed in meditation. Most of the people are either talking to each other, sleeping or eating their breakfast. Zhu Fang, Ji Potian and Gwen already had their fill and is talking about something. They did not disturbed Sieg on his meditation but was curious about it.
They just noticed that they really never saw Sieg slept before, that is what they're talking about right now.
It didn't took long before Sieg opened his eyes, stood up and stretched out for a bit. His joint made a slight popping sound starting from his neck downwards. He looked at the beautiful sunrise at the distance, feeling quite refreshed from his meditation, he took a decent meal out of his storage bag and started chowing down.
After they saw him finish his meal, the three approached him and went into a conversation. This talk didn't last very long before they heard a loud grunt from the Blue Luan followed by a cold and ghastly aura that swept all over them.
All of the hairs on their bodies stood up, their instincts were shouting a grave danger causing most of them to panic and hold tightly to their weapons.
"Calm down people." A loud and majestic voice echoed on the back of the Blue Luan, this voice seemed to have a mysterious power that calmed everyone down and caused them to lower their guard. "We are just 1 kilometer away from the Gray Crags, we will arrive at the entrance shortly so prepare yourselves."
After the loud commotion, people started sitting back down, some even went straight in to cultivation to calm their nerves. Sieg just stood there with a solemn face.
Because of the elevation, Sieg could more or less figure out that the Gray Crags is incredibly massive, he could feel a strange atmosphere inside, this atmosphere is different from the cold and ghastly one that they felt earlier. It belonged to a completely different thing. But no matter how hard he tried, it seems that he couldn't find out what it is.
After flying for some more time, the Blue Luan landed at the 'entrance' of the Gray Crags. This entrance was made out of dead trees, the trees formed a massive arching gate and instead of doors, there was a blurry vortex at the middle of these arching dead trees.
"Everyone." The same voice they heard earlier echoed again, it swept all over them and gathered their attention to a one, frail and old looking man. "This old man just want to tell you few things before we move on, once you step inside this portal, your should would be separated from your bodies. The Gray Crags doesn't allow any living beings inside."
As his words fell, the whole crown descended into loud commotion.
"Silence!" His majestic voice echoed again, once everyone was quiet, he continued: "As I said, you will only be in Soul Form upon entering the Gray Crags, your real bodies would be safe, but remember, once you got devoured inside, then your bodies would become empty vessels. Whatever happens inside would depend on your decisions. Now! Everyone enter!"
