Arrival

With a full week before the portal would finally be opened, the Mo Clan's first team which included the Shu siblings came up with a decision to spend the remaining days in the plataeu.

So when the group reached 'The Hunters' Plateau' after days of training in the Darkwood Forest, Qai immediately looked for his older brother.

"Big brother," he called

Immediately thereafter, Qai took the thousand-year Coriander stalk from his spatial ring.

Shu Wu's eyes evidently grew larger upon seeing the herb. It was unfortunate for him that utilizing two Supreme grade Qi Gathering Pills in the past days weren't enough to help him breakthrough to Sage realm.

"Big brother, get sister-in-law to concoct this for you..," Qai said, "..I'm pretty sure you'll be a Sage before the Wasteland opens.."

"Little brother..," Shu Wu reluctantly replied, ".. this.. this is too valueable for me to accept.."

"No no," Qai immediately answered, "in fact, big sister has her own present for you.. she is now trying to haggle the same Sage skill scroll Father equipped.."

Qai was obviously referring to the rare Sage grade 'Sludge' skill that Mo Clan gifted his father more than a year ago.

"She's right there dealing with one of the walk-in merchants in the trading area," Qai added while gesturing his right hand towards the trading area.

Shu Wei felt embarrased with the generosity of his younger siblings.

He had already accepted the fact that two were way better than him in terms of strength and that Qai was way better than him in terms of wits and ability. So he felt uncomfortable having to rely with his younger siblings—but as the whole family had already surmised, the young members of the Shu family were obviously the foothold of the family's future with Qai at the helm.

And so when Shu Wu received the gifts from his siblings, he immediately went his way to his house to commence his closed door cultivation.

***************

A day later..

A giant 'Spirit' Teratorn was seen rushing its way in the sky towards the plateau.

Everyone was in awe when somebody yelled and pointed at it.

"Look," the cultivator shouted, "the Purple Mist Sect is here."

When the 'Spirit' Teratorn reached the area, it hovered around the plateau as it flopped its stretched wings.

As that scene occured, disciples and elders of the Purple Mist Sect suddenly started to jump from the giant 'Spirit' bird's back and landed one by one on the plateau. The presence of the sect instantly covered the entire plateau with an overbearing Qi aura.

And after each one of them landed—which numbered around 30 or so—an elder of the sect made a sudden gesture with his arms.

'Poooof.'

The 'Spirit' Teratorn was all of sudden gone.

'An Emperor grade skill!?' Many thought to themselves.

Everyone who saw the miraculous scene instantly realized that it was the sect elder's skill. And that explained why the 'Teratorn' looked different from a true demonic beast—it looked ferocious but it didn't look like it was made of flesh and feathers.

Whether it was a common, rare or divine class, everyone who witnessed the scene was filled with awe. Everyone, eventually, started to dream of reaching the Emperor realm fast.

**************

"Ho ho ho," a loud laugh among the sect cultivators reverberated in the air.

It was the Sect Master, Emperor Void. And he was chuckling as he looked around.

"Good.. good," he said. "Looks like the villager cultivators did an impressive job."

The village heads and Shu Wei who were seen rushing towards the area immediately kowtowed upon reaching the front of the Sect Master.

"Greetings Sect Master Han," they said in chorus.

"Welcome to 'The Hunters' Plateau'," Shu Wei instantly followed their greetings.

"Ho ho ho," the Sect Master once again chuckled and then turned his face to look around the cultivators present.

"Rise my friends," the emperor said, "if it weren't for you, we would have overestimated our own preparations."

The three leaders stood thereafter and invited all the members of the Purple Mist Sect who came, to the main manor.

***************

"I wonder how my little friend is doing," the Emperor Void inquired in jest.

Shu Wei was embarrased to answer, especially in front of the sect elders and the elite disciples.

The sect disciples who would participate in the Wasteland numbered around 20 and they were divided into 4 groups—all of whom were at half-step Sage realm.

The rest of the sect members present were either elders or the elite disciples promised to help maintain the security of the area.

"Little Qai and his group, Esteemed Emperor..," Shu Wei softly spoke, "..they just arrived yesterday from training in the Darkwood Forest."

"Oh," the Sect Master remarked, "I'm particularly interested to see how he would fare inside the Wasteland."

The other elders had no idea who was the Emperor Void referring to. They had not heard anything about his so-called 'little friend.' So they also began to get curious about Qai.

***************

As days went by, many of the clan and family patriarchs, elders and disciples had also arrived.

Instantly, the 'The Hunters' Plateau' was in festive mood.

The trading square was the busiest spot of all. Unfortunately, some altercations here and there due to misunderstandings were unavoided—but with the presence of the Sect's elite disciples and Mo Clan's guards, no major fights occured.

And when only a day before the designated time of the event arrived, the Purple Mist Sect Master finally made the announcement.

"It's time."