Chapter 1606 to Chapter 1612

Chapter 1606: Tracking With A Secret Art

After breaking with Imperial Prince Huo and Warden Ding, the three houses began to take a more aggressive route. They no longer avoided formations and traps, destroying any that stood in their way.

It increased the speed of their advance by a considerable amount, but carried the risk of notifying those that they pursued.

"My fellow daoists Xuan Zan and Xue Yi. Please hear me out." After two hours, Kuang Han began to think that their current method was too blunt. He extended a request for communication to the other two houses.

They gathered together once more.

"What do you think about all this, Daoist Kuang Han?" Xue Yi asked.

"I've been thinking about Warden Ding's words. His attitude wasn't good, but he had a point. This place just might be a forbidden place from an ancient heritage. Given our numbers, we'll suffer a loss we can't afford to if we just charge in blindly."

The eight houses were visiting the Rejuvenation Isles with only elites, which meant they hadn't brought too many along. Each house had brought maybe several dozen people, which included seniors, young geniuses, and their personal guards.

Altogether, they numbered a hundred and a bit. They lacked the ability to perform a carpeted search of the Blackwraith Mountains and couldn't possibly cover the entire area.

They had been able to employ that kind of method before because of the combined presence of men from the Rejuvenation Isles, Winterdraw, and Winterdraw's various factions. This had afforded the mixed group a significant numbers advantage compared to their task.

Now that they had massively reduced manpower, it was unrealistic to do the same as what they had done before.

"You're right, fellow daoist. We don't have nearly as many men as we would like. Plus, those two scoundrels are wily indeed. They haven't left any traces of their passing."

"That's right. I'm beginning to wonder myself: did we make an error in judgment somewhere? Maybe there's no murderer in the first place?"

Kuang Han frowned. "Impossible! There must be a culprit."

Xuan Zan nodded as well. "The one pretending to be Xuan Rui certainly killed him. Someone saw him disappear into the Blackwraith Mountains. He can't possibly have vanished into thin air!"

Xue Yi inclined his head in concession. "Alright. What do you think we should do now, fellow daoists?"

"We can't allow selfishness to get the better of us. We need to put some real skills on the table," Kuang Han declared coldly. "I have a secret method for pursuit. It costs a great deal of mental effort, but it captures all traces of consciousnesses within a thousand miles. I can't keep it up for long, so I need your help."

"Oh?" Xuan Zan became interested. "How so?"

"I can keep up the secret method as long as you channel your mental energy to me. If we collectively put power into it, we can use it for as long as we need. As long as we lock on to our opponent, we can take down a mere great emperor upstart. So what if he can rival an empyrean expert? Can he survive an onslaught from all of us combined?"

Their most pressing concern wasn't killing their opponent, but finding him in the first place.

Once that was done, killing a young great emperor was no harder than wringing the neck of a chicken. Alas, they hadn't been able to find him at all over the past few days.

Xuan Zan and Xue Yi traded a look. Evidently, they'd been ruminating over the same issue. After a few moments, they seemed to come to the same decision and both nodded.

"Daoist Kuang Han, we will do as you say. Are you sure your secret method is reliable?"

"If it wasn't, do you think I would waste my time and consciousness on it?" Kuang Han retorted icily.

The two other men agreed after brief consideration.

"Then, please do. We will assist you. Perhaps we'll instantly find where that kid is, eh?"

"Yes, yes. We must trouble you then, Daoist Kuang Han."

Kuang Han was the most angry one out of the three. All three geniuses of his house had perished, forcing his hand on the matter. He sat down cross-legged, beginning the initiation of his secret method.

A violet haze rose from his body. Ripples of the same color radiated outward from his head.

"We depart!" Kuang Han suddenly stood up. The secret method didn't prevent him from moving.

"Let us clear the way and protect Daoist Kuang Han!" Xue Yi and Xuan Zan made a show of their support by taking the initiative.

...

Jiang Chen was sitting cross-legged as well. Four hours had passed in the blink of an eye, and in a rather peaceful and undisturbed way too.

In fact, the lack of disturbance had been rather astonishing.

After four hours, he opened his eyes once more. The rest period had allowed him to recover roughly eighty percent of the strength that had been lost through two days of grueling expenditure.

"I haven't exactly gone fast over the last few days, but the Blackwraith Mountains span tens of thousands of miles. I should be halfway by now at least, no?" Jiang Chen guessed that he must be nearing the mountains' heart.

Calling his Goldbiter Rats back to his side, he prepared to set off again.

It was at this time that his consciousness felt something odd in the air. An indistinct wave formed by another's consciousness was radiating in his direction. He didn't have time to retract his own before he made contact with it.

There was a slight exchange midair; he felt an indescribable pressure on his chest.

"Not good, a consciousness sweep!" Jiang Chen instantly realized that something was awry. He retracted his consciousness without another word, leaving in the same breath. If the sweep was this close, his pursuers couldn't be far.

"They're so quick!" Mildly upset, Jiang Chen didn't pause for a single moment underfoot. He sped up as much as he could, hurtling deeper into the Blackwraith Mountains.

Even if eighteen layers of hell awaited him within, he could do little else but press on. He certainly couldn't turn back. His pursuers weren't going to give up easily now that they'd chased him all the way here. Death alone awaited him if he retreated.

...

"Got one!" Kuang Han was overjoyed. He hadn't expected a response in only an hour. "He's six or seven hundred miles out. He's a pretty quick runner. Why's he so far ahead of us?"

It wasn't a relevant amount of distance in the outside world, but the Blackwraith Mountains had different rules. Here, each mile was as difficult as five to seven.

"Did you really find him, Daoist Kuang Han?" Xuan Zan was exuberant as well. "One or two?"

"Just one for the moment!" Kuang Han replied in a low voice. "He's in this direction. Make no mistake about it. Hurry up, everyone! After him!"

"Daoist Kuang Han, why not have us three go first? Let the men behind us catch up," Xuan Zan proposed. They were the three houses' leaders on this trip and thus the strongest among their expedition. They had a bigger advantage in the chase.

"That's right," Xue Yi assented. "We should go on ahead and cut that kid off. We can't let him escape our control again!"

Kuang Han thought about this for a moment before nodding. "Alright, it's so decided. Everyone else, follow as quickly as you can. We three will serve as the hunt's vanguard."

Finding their mark was a large boost to their motivation and fighting spirit. They wanted to catch up to their target right this very moment. All three were mid empyrean experts. Once they had a clear target, they moved at drastically different speeds from the large group behind them.

...

Though Jiang Chen was accelerating as well, he could clearly sense the threat behind him rapidly approaching. Moreover, his life was clearly in danger. He pushed himself to his absolute limit.

Thankfully, his speed and consciousness rivaled an empyrean expert's. This allowed him to maintain a reasonable gap that wasn't reduced too quickly. Nevertheless, the danger behind him also approached inexorably.

"Why are my pursuers coming so quickly?" Jiang Chen was quite bothered. "Did they send their elites ahead alone?"

Remembering the clash of consciousnesses made him uneasy. Someone who could send his consciousness out so far had to be a terrifyingly strong empyrean expert. It was very likely that the same man had come for him.

Jiang Chen didn't think it possible for him to fight toe to toe with an expert like that. Perhaps he could have outmaneuvered a the other one on one, but he would only choose to run from two. If there were three, his hopes were slim even for escape.

"I can't let them close too quickly. Otherwise, I'll be done for." Jiang Chen hadn't encountered a situation as risky as this since he'd first entered the world of martial dao. He felt the blade at his neck closer than ever.

The pressure his pursuers exerted on him from several hundred miles out was a crushing mountain that hung over his head. The mere sight of it was enough to bring a man to his knees.

"Stop struggling, kid! You can't get away!" A tyrannical voice echoed forth from the air. It came upon the consciousness, attacking Jiang Chen's own like a flood wave.

He was well-protected from such intrusions by his chain seal, but the presence of the voice in the first place meant that his enemies were near.

"I'd like to see the person who dared kill Polylore's geniuses. You think the Blackwraith Mountains will hide you from us?" The voice carried overwhelming authority, filling heaven and earth with power. It appeared the secret method's master wanted to use it to defeat him preemptively.

Though Jiang Chen felt a heaviness on his chest, his feet were totally unaffected. He wasn't bored enough to argue with his pursuers. Instead, he charged ever forward.

Chapter 1607: Using the Concealing Talisman

Kuang Han harassed Jiang Chen ceaselessly with his secret method. He could sense that they were closing in on their prey. Even though it wouldn't cause any physical harm, it was imperative that he instill terror in the target.

"Fellow daoists, I can say with utmost certainty that he's the murderer," Kuang Han stated while giving chase.

"Why do you say so?"

"What makes you so certain, Daoist Kuang?"

"Simple. That brat wasn't affected at all by the pressure of my consciousness and continues to run without slowing down. Have you ever seen a genius of this caliber in the great emperor realm?"

The two other daoists fell into deep contemplation with the countered question.

"That's true. How can that brat be immune to your mental assault? Not even Xuan Rui or Kuang Rong can withstand our combined attacks, even from several hundred miles away."

"I can't believe there's such a formidable monster on Winterdraw Island. Is it possible that he isn't even part of the trial, but an empyrean master that slipped in somehow?" Xue Yi's imagination ran wild.

The theory was a slight shock to Kuang Han and Xuan Zan. No wonder so many geniuses had died to that person. Their deaths wouldn't be unwarranted if met with this kind of opponent.

"No matter! Even if he has limitless talent, he's going to die today!" Kuang Han yelled resolutely. If this had been some other incident, perhaps he might spare the genius and take them as a henchman. Unfortunately, a blood debt could only be paid with more blood; there was no room for compromise.

His life on the line, Jiang Chen had no choice but to push himself to the absolute limit. However, that still wasn't enough to shake off his pursuers. In fact, they inched closer with each passing second.

Damn it! If this continues, it won't be long until I'm surrounded. Must I really activate the spacetime seal and return to the human domain?

He felt extremely indignant. If he returned to the human domain, all of his hard work during this past period would go down the drain.

Moreover, he might not end up on this island again if he tried to come back. Who knew exactly how the teleportation array worked? He didn't want to use the spacetime seal until absolutely necessary.

At this rate, they'll close the distance to a hundred miles within a day. My every move and action will be difficult to escape their eyes then.

A good counterplan was needed, and quick.

Suddenly, an inexplicably powerful force emerged directly in front of him. He had no choice but to slow down his footsteps and move cautiously. He glanced ahead with the God's Eye. An eerie, dark, and impenetrable forest was ahead of him; one could just make out an ancient and mysterious building deep inside.

A field of formations and traps was laid outside of the forest, stretching far beyond what the eye could see, blocking his path.

"What in the world is this place?" Jiang Chen was completely taken aback. The path in front was blocked while his pursuers were quickly encroaching from behind. It felt like he'd been pushed into a dead end.

Does this mean I have no choice but to use the spacetime seal? He smiled helplessly at the mysterious formation field in front of him.

"Haha! Brat, why have you stopped running?" The pursuers at the back had also sensed the formations blocking the path ahead and Jiang Chen's predicament.

"Ran out of places to run, have you? Time to meet your maker!"

"How dare you kill our geniuses?! You've got some balls alright!"

Like rolling thunder, an endless stream of dignified voices exploded around Jiang Chen's head and entered his consciousness. The three empyrean masters clearly wanted to destroy him through the sheer force of their combined consciousness.

The person in question could sense that they were getting closer. Four hundred miles… three hundred miles… two hundred miles… they'd covered those distances in merely a few breath's time. However, Jiang Chen quickly regained his composure.

He stared deeply into the formation field with the God's Eye in an attempt to uncover a weak spot. Every formation had a weak spot that was overlooked in some way or manner.

Impenetrable formations did exist, but this was very unlikely to be one in front of him. He could sense that this formation was likely from a very distant era. Though it was incredibly powerful, he still felt he had a chance. However, finding its weak spot in a short period of time was no easy feat.

If he failed to find its weak spot and rushed in headlong, he'd be attacked by the restrictions and ground to dust even if he was made of metal. He couldn't afford to be so brash. He focused his attention and began to observe it.

However, this wasn't something that could be completed in such a short amount of time. The empyrean masters had already reached the two hundred mile mark.

Without delay, he took out a talisman that he'd obtained from Shu Wanqing's storage ring, the empyrean concealing talisman. It was one of the most valuable talismans in his possession. Upon activation, it allowed the user to vanish into the void without a trace and unable to be sensed by the eye, nose, consciousness, or any of the other senses. One would meld completely with the air.

Without any hesitation, he activated the talisman and applied its effects onto himself. After a bright flash, Jiang Chen's body rippled away from sight. His figure became blurrier and blurrier until he vanished altogether.

The three empyrean masters arrived in just a few breaths.

"Where is he?" Xuan Zan immediately asked upon landing.

Xue Yi cackled sinisterly and started to search around. "Brat, do you really think that hiding will of any use? The place is only so big. Let's see where you can run off to!"

Kuang Han's eyes glinted. His target had disappeared right beneath his eyes. This greatly perplexed him. There seemed to be no movement within the formation either. Did the brat scamper his way into the formation? Doubts filled his mind.

"Fellow daoists, let's split up and see if you can find any trace of the brat." He'd become the de facto leader between the three, while the other two had taken a slightly more supportive role. Without so much as a murmur, they split up and began their search.

Hiding within the void, Jiang Chen was just three hundred meters away from the empyrean masters. To minimize his presence, he stood under a nearby tree without moving a single muscle and observed the formation with complete focus.

Focusing one's thoughts during such circumstance was an incredibly difficult feat. However, it was during such times when Jiang Chen's Boulder's Heart showed its strength. Even though the three were moving within his line of sight, his heart remained as immovable as ever.

The formation field is extremely complicated. It's an amalgamation of many smaller formations stacked on top of each other, from deep to shallow, and from simple to complex. It's fortunate that I didn't rush in headlong. If I were attacked by it, I wouldn't be able to escape even with the spacetime seal.

Jiang Chen silently heaved a breath of relief. After a moment's observation, he began to gather some leads.

To infiltrate the formation, I'll have to master every single minute detail. It's clear that time has taken a toll on the formation as it's integrity has begun to falter. This is a very favorable situation. I wonder what opportunities can be found inside?

However, he didn't have the time to think about such things. Right now, all he could think about was escaping from his pursuers by entering the formation.

"You must be kidding me! The brat disappeared!?"

"Did he enter the formation without a care of the consequences?"

"Impossible. There isn't any movement within the formation."

The three were completely caught off guard. The fact that their prey had vanished into thin air only made them more frustrated.

"Daoist Kuang Han, what should we do?"

Kuang Han muttered, "This is extremely suspicious. Let's take a closer look and see if there are any weak spots in the formation where the brat might've slipped into." He couldn't think of any other reasonable explanations.

The three had no choice but to observe the formation meticulously. There were a few weak spots here and there, but no sign of any holes or movement. Their fruitless search went on for almost an hour.

"Can the brat really have escaped?" Xuan Zan gnashed his teeth.

"Even if he can fly or tunnel into the ground, there's no way he can escape from my field of consciousness. His mind ripples suddenly vanished into thin air. I can only think of two possibilities.

"First possibility is that he's entered the formation. Perhaps he's extremely familiar with formations. This explains why he could navigate his way through the mountains and arrived at this place with pinpoint accuracy. Second possibility is that he's used some kind of secret method to conceal himself from our consciousness. If it's the second one, he's probably still nearby." Kuang Han growled deeply.

Xue Yi suddenly interrupted. "I recall that there's a concealing talisman that allows the user to hide his presence.

"A concealing talisman?" Yu Kuang had an epiphany. "Daoist Xue Yi might be right. If the brat has concealed himself, we won't be able to locate him with our consciousness. However, he won't be able to use to run away either because the talisman will immediately lose its effect. Since he has to run on foot, it's unlikely that he's made it very far. We can't to see him with our eyes, but he can't escape from our range either. We'll sense it if he uses any arts."

"Does that mean that he might still be in the vicinity?" Xuan Zan suddenly asked.

"Yes. Since there are two possibilities, let's try to rule out the second one first." Kuang Han answered coldly.

Chapter 1608: The Enormous Stone Formation

Xuan Zan blinked. "How do we smoke him out?"

Xue Yi was just as confused and looked at Kuang Han.

Kuang Han harrumphed. "A concealing talisman can hide his position in the air, but it doesn't allow him to simply disappear. He'll be revealed if we unleash an omnidirectional attack on this patch of space!"

Xuan Zan and Xue Yi were both overjoyed. The idea didn't sound complicated, but they hadn't thought of it in their haste.

"We'll go with that," Xuan Zan smiled cruelly. "We'll each be in charge of a subdivision."

"No rush," Kuang Han replied coolly. "Our men are about to arrive. Have them lock down a hundred miles of space. I estimate it's impossible for him to flee past a hundred miles if he can't fly or otherwise transport himself!"

"Heh, allow me to demonstrate." Xue Yi suddenly cackled. "House Xue has a method that is perhaps especially suited for this purpose."

Kuang Han's eyes lit up. "Are you speaking of the Demonhowl Zither?" he inquired happily.

"Exactly." Xue Yi's smile was so very odd. He pulled out a zither with a strange aura from thin air. Various sinister designs were engraved upon it, and its strings glowed with an eerie light that reminded one of hell.

"Fellow daoists, you should be able to resist this with your skills, no?" he asked, still grinning.

"We'll be fine. Use it to your heart's content. We're in the open and our enemy is concealed. As long as your Demonhowl Zither causes him to make the smallest of movements, he'll have nowhere to hide!"

"Quite right. Do as you like."

Xue Yi nodded. "I'll get to it then."

He suspended the demonic zither in the air, placed both hands upon it, and began to play it. The first note from the instrument was like throwing open the gates of hell. Infinitely shrill howls of beasts and ghosts came from within.

Jiang Chen wasn't even five hundred meters from the trio. The demonic song resounded in his ears. However, he had nothing but smiles for their adopted method.

Not a bad plan, but their reaction was quite slow. If they had done this upon first getting here, perhaps they would've succeeded. Now that I'm beginning to find clues about how this set of formations operates, who can possibly touch me?

Thinking this, he turned into a bolt of lightning that blasted into the sky.

Spatial ripples caused powerful air currents to kick up. Jiang Chen raised a hand casually to direct them, dispersing large doses of the Soulless Powder of Wind and Cloud all over the place.

"He's finally come out. After him!" Kuang Han reacted the quickest. As soon as Jiang Chen moved, he sensed the movement of the air currents. He pounced with the quickness of an eagle.

Whoosh whoosh whoosh!

Three figures collapsed onto the revealed direction almost simultaneously. The air roiled. Fallen leaves and dust gathered up into an enormous wave, blasting toward the trio's direction.

"Hmph. How dare a great emperor ant dare act like this?" Kuang Han didn't consider a young genius of such trifling achievement worth much at all. In his point of view, the culprit would be as good as dead if he revealed himself.

However, he felt a flickering premonition of danger when the air blast neared. Pushing outward with both hands, he created a more powerful one to counteract the onslaught.

Boom!

The collision of two forces obliterated all plant matter present. The terrain itself was leveled.

"Hold on!" Kuang Han waved to stop the two others from approaching. His eyes glittered with a keen light. "He is a devious one, alright. There's a poisonous powder in the air."

"What? Poisonous powder?" The other two colored at the revelation. They warily stopped breathing, closing up their pores as well.

"Hmm. The powder is tasteless and odorless. I have a feeling that it's very powerful besides that. I would estimate it to have been instrumental in the kid's killing of Kuang Rong and the others." Kuang Han affixed his eyes upon the formation as he spoke. "He's a decisive one for sure. I didn't expect him to charge right into the formation, nor to use this poison powder as a diversion for his escape."

"Hmph. Does he think we won't be able to do anything to him once he goes into that formation?" Xuan Zan was furious. A repeated lack of success was evidently quite frustrating for him.

"No rush. This formation is very complicated. Even if he goes in, it'll take more than a while for him to get out." Kuang Han calmed down instead. He'd realized that even though they were mid empyrean realm masters, they couldn't underestimate an opponent like this.

Perhaps the youth couldn't present a life-threatening danger to them, but it no longer seemed impossible for him to escape with his life intact. Thus, calmness at this critical juncture was absolutely crucial.

"After the poison in the air subsides, we'll head into the formation." The addition of something to fear made Kuang Han rather more guarded.

"We have abilities to disperse the poison powder, no?" Xuan Zan said.

"The poison powder outside is easy enough to get rid of, but that kid was pretty slippery. He put down a lot of the same stuff just inside the formation's entrance too. If our arts try to disperse it, it'll trigger the restrictions into attacking us."

Dispersing the poison wasn't hard, but if that activated the traps hidden in the formation and caused its restrictions to fire full force against them, that would be quite troublesome. Despite their status as mid empyrean experts, they didn't want to become the targets.

After entering the formation proper, Jiang Chen was able to proceed onward step by step by utilizing what he had learned during observation.

The formation was truly intricately constructed. Each link was tightly connected to the next through almost an almost mystical connection, allowing all the links to create a harmonious whole.

Though the array of formations had loosened somewhat, it still wasn't nearly safe enough to simply barge in. Jiang Chen navigated it much like an acrobat on a tightrope. Caution was required, lest he trigger the restrictions and be attacked himself.

He couldn't go as quickly as possible despite pursuers outside. Instead, he had to apply the utmost circumspection. read Sovereign of the Three Realms novel at ReadNovelFull

His current position allowed a closer look at the formation's intricacies. The knowledge from his past life ensured that he wouldn't make any mistakes. He passed through several multi-layered gates to get closer and closer to the formation's core.

The closer he drew to it, the more extraordinary he found the formation to be.

"There's no way this place was ordinary in the past. None of the formations I've seen before have had this kind of scale. The only one I can think of is the Great Formation of Heavenly Soul Confinement."

Jiang Chen had learned many formations from the Ancient Crimson Heavens Sect, but none had rivaled this in size. This was no longer a singular formation, but a perfectly arranged array of them.

Thankfully, he was a master of formations and could always find the weakest points in the individual formations that made up the larger whole. Moreover, he could find the best passages through the connecting points between the formations. This allowed him to travel along time and time again without actual danger.

"This is my eighth jump from formation to formation. How many formations are there in here? What secret does the core hold?"

Jiang Chen had almost forgotten that he was being pursued. He was entirely devoted to traveling between the formations. Each jump held terrifyingly great danger.

Any little indiscretion would lead to a slow, abrasive death in the pockets of space between the formations; much like what happened to substances between two grindstones.

"Oof, that's another jump." Jiang Chen completed his ninth jump. God's Eye looking onward, he saw an ancient complex of buildings not far off.

These buildings didn't look residential in nature. Rather, they looked altar-like and ritualistic.

The seemingly haphazard arrangements held an indelible order to them. Ancient stones stretched out in every which direction to create an ancient formation. Various primordial glyphs were engraved upon them.

Jiang Chen halted several hundred meters out from the giant stones. He had a feeling that the structure formed by these giant stones contained a great secret. The raging air around them proved this formation's status as the entire formation's core.

"Am I finally here?" He took a deep breath, taking in the stony constructions around him. His heart was filled with questions. Even he could not immediately spot any clues as to the formation's nature.

He noticed only that there was hidden principle in every apparently mislaid stone. As for what that principle was, he couldn't say.

In this moment, he forgot about the pursuers behind him. He had no other choice. The boulders that blocked his way weren't something to rashly venture into. Without understanding it fully, he didn't dare brave them.

Jiang Chen's intuition told him so. He had a strong hunch that if he charged in without thinking, he would be disintegrated on the spot. Thankfully, the three mid empyrean experts behind him had not caught up yet. He had more than enough time to observe the stony formation.

The formation of boulders was different from any that he had seen before. This wasn't a sealing formation, nor was it defensive or offensive.

The only thing he could glean so far was that it contained boundless energy and a forbidding aura. It would certainly not hesitate to unleash potent offensive energies on an unwitting trespasser!

Chapter 1609: The Door in the Void

Jiang Chen focused all his knowledge and faculties on observation. He was perpetually struck with a feeling that he didn't quite understand the whole.

"What's this formation doing here?" He was wracking his brains trying to figure out its purpose. "If this were a sealing formation, wouldn't it have the characteristics of one? But it doesn't. If it was an offensive formation, why would it be located in the depths of the mountains? And what would it be defending if it's a defensive one?"

Jiang Chen's brain brimmed with various thoughts and hypotheses. Sadly, none of them satisfied him. His mind whirred into action. "A formation is made for a singular purpose. Those Winterdraw people care a lot about the forbidden grounds, which means this formation must be even more important than I thought. But what is it used for?"

He couldn't understand. The formation was virtually impenetrable. This was the first time he'd experienced this; the memories from his past life had been more than sufficient to clarify everything up until now.

"Must I use the spacetime seal to return to the Six Palaces of Heritage?" He gazed at the boulder formation in a depressed daze. The troubles he'd experienced after coming to Winterdraw flashed through his head. Had it all been for naught?

Jiang Chen would not resign himself to it. His calculations put him most of the way through the Blackwraith Mountains. If he could pass through this area and head onwards, he had a good chance of getting through the entirety of the mountains altogether. He would be on the boundary of Winterdraw then!

That would give him a good shot at escape.

Suddenly, a rather specific image made its way into his head. During one of his days in Sin City's library, he had studied Winterdraw's map. A spark of inspiration lit in his heart. It hovered before him, tantalizingly within reach. His heart beat faster, and he projected the God's Eye toward the formation once more.

The formation was laid out with a great variety of depths and heights. The more he looked at it, the more it became familiar to him. It overlapped with the map he had reviewed back in Sin City!

"Can it be? This formation is based on a map of Winterdraw?" Jiang Chen was astonished and began to scrutinize it more closely.

The secret hidden in plain sight almost made him shout with excitement. The stony formation was a model map of Winterdraw Island itself!

"What's the point of having a formation structured in the same way as the island's geography?" Jiang Chen wanted the truth.

"Can it be…" A daring thought appeared in his mind, heating his blood. "Can it be that the formation controls the entirety of the island? And all the formations on it too?"

This possibility was rather exhilarating. The more he considered it, the more likely he found it to be. All the details were pointing to this conclusion.

Jiang Chen had seen this kind of formation before. He would've remembered if he'd searched his memory a little more.

There were many powerful formations in ancient times that could exert their control over a large region, resulting in a colossal area of effect. The core of any such formation was generally very well hidden.

The core of a formation was its eye, a place where all the formation's levers could be tweaked. If the core failed, so did the rest. This stony formation was at the heart of the Blackwraith Mountains. Furthermore, it was touted as forbidden grounds – no entrance was allowed from anybody. What did that signify?

Winterdraw didn't want this place to be revealed to anybody's eye.

"It must be like that." Jiang Chen was all fired up. His heart pounded as he perused the formation of boulders again. "If I can destroy this formation, wouldn't all the restrictions over Winterdraw lose their effect? It will no longer have the ability to hold back its prisoners from escaping. The millions and tens of millions here… all of them would be able to escape!"

A maddening impulse drove at his heart.

"When Winterdraw's experts discover that the restrictions on its borders have lost their strength, it will be a great help to my own flight. I would be merely one among countless others."

Winterdraw didn't have nearly enough men to pursue all the prisoners – or defeat them at all,in fact.

The island's authority had been established under the precondition that no one could leave of their own volition. Because of this, no one dared oppose the chief warden and his men.

Once someone did, he could easily be held culpable for his crimes as he wouldn't be able to disappear somewhere else. Thus, Winterdraw inspired awe through its restrictions alone. Who cared about the chief warden if the restrictions were gone?

The crazy idea ate at Jiang Chen's heart, fermenting itself into irresistible action. He began to consider whether it was possible. Now that he knew the mystery behind the boulders, it was possible for him to try to figure out a way to demolish them. Where was he to start?

He carefully considered what he could see from the outside. He needed to find a flaw or loophole of some sort within the formation. Without it, breaking in was virtually impossible.

In fact, he could very well prompt a backlash from the formation. Given the level of the formation, such an attack would disintegrate ten Jiang Chens on the spot. He didn't have the luxury of being hasty.

I must think and plan everything through before I do anything.

But now that he knew the entire thing was based off a map of Winterdraw, he found some clues as to where to begin. Exactly which places were more or less dangerous to dive into, for example.

"Although this formation was set up long ago, it's continued to run ever since then. There must be something supporting its foundations."

Formations didn't run on nothing. They uniformly required energy – either from spirit stones, a treasure of some sort, or simply drawing it from heaven and earth.

Jiang Chen began to go through the possibilities one by one. He could rule out the last instantly. There was no gathering of natural energies here.

A supply of spirit stones was impossible to maintain for such a long time. They would be inevitably used up and expended. Although the formation was positively ancient, it didn't appear to be decaying. Thus, Jiang Chen could eliminate that one too.

The last of the possibilities, and the most likely, was that the formation drew its power from a potent treasure.

Jiang Chen remembered the Earth Bodhisattva Orb he had obtained. In ancient times, the Earth Bodhisattva Sect had been able to rely on the orb to claim the title of foremost formation sect. Even the Ancient Crimson Heavens Sect had been considered slightly inferior. The overpowering strength of the orb had been its entire basis.

"Could this place hold a treasure like the Earth Bodhisattva Orb?" According to his estimations, that seemed like the most likely conclusion.

Jiang Chen tried inching closer to the formation.

He began a painstaking search. As long as he could find where this treasure was located and figure out how to get it out, the formation would crumble by itself. The formation was partly dimensional in nature. If a bumbling fool ventured in, certain death obviously awaited him.

Jiang Chen however, was gradually able to detect the formation's underlying principles. He became braver and more inspired as he did so, grasping more and more of its mysteries. It took a while, but he was able to move inward without triggering the restrictions.

"Very good. Just as I thought, this is a dimensional formation. There are many pieces of profound mysteries within, all of them relating to Winterdraw's secret. The formation is the reason why Winterdraw exists. I doubt that it was a prison island long ago. Instead, it seems to have been some sort of fort."

He could make no final judgments on the island's antiquated purpose without further archaeological research. He didn't need to know much else though. The boulder formation absolutely served as the control point of the entire island.

"I have to find the formation's core. There will indubitably be an amazing treasure there, the one that sustains this entire structure." Jiang Chen had no room to turn back now.

Destroying this formation and consequently the island as a whole was part of his plan. He needed to disable all the restrictions anywhere they may be.

His consciousness inspected the formation very carefully, not allowing a single detail to escape him. His footsteps halted, eyes were affixed on a place that they'd just passed over. The stones were arrayed in a particularly impressive way here, and they seemed to almost be giving off a signal.

In fact, the corner looked rather gate-like, though empty space appeared to occupy both sides.

Jiang Chen sank into deep thought.

In the next moment, he heard a voice in his consciousness that urged him to pass through the boulder gate. Without another word, Jiang Chen leaped through the door in a flash of lightning.

Whoosh!

A burst of white light was the only manifestation of his journey elsewhere.

Chapter 1610: The Ultimate Secret of Winterdraw Island

The dimensional gate appeared to be rather ordinary. But as a traveler within, Jiang Chen felt an unbidden sense of wonder. He found himself landing in a completely separate patch of space.

The place looked like a residence, though a rather empty one. A lone obelisk stood in the most eye-catching place, a slate wall not far behind it.

Jiang Chen stood before the obelisk, which slowly began to glow with a faint light. The light scattered in a sedate manner, making the surface of the obelisk as smooth as a mirror.

In the next moment, a figure flickered into existence upon it.

"O ye of future generations… if you have come before this obelisk, you share a fated destiny with me. I am Pei Xing, a veteran and survivor of the ancient demon-sealing war. I came to Myriad Abyss Island, but did not wish to commingle with those cowards. I stumbled upon this deserted island and made a home for myself here…"

Jiang Chen was slack-jawed at the discovery of this information.

Just as he thought, Winterdraw had its own origin story. However, it wasn't a run-of-the-mill story. The first master of Winterdraw had, in fact, been a cultivator who'd participated in the ancient demon-sealing war! Senior Pei Xing had been unwilling to live alongside the deserters of the war he'd fought so hard in. That was why he'd created a home for himself on the then-wild island.

This was how Winterdraw Island had come into being.

"My life's knowledge is split thus: seventy percent in formations, thirty percent in the martial arts. I was one of the three masters responsible for the Great Formation of Heavenly Soul Confinement. I worked alongside two masters from the Earth Bodhisattva Sect and the Ancient Crimson Heavens Sect…"

Jiang Chen was even more bewildered. He hadn't expected such illustrious history from Winterdraw's ancient master. One of the three masters behind the Great Formation of Heavenly Soul Confinement! He'd borne a third of the responsibility for the construction and planning of the formation.

The other two in the same role had been representatives from the two most famous ancient formation sects. Pei Xing on the other hand, appeared independent. Someone who'd been on the same level as two of the greatest formation sects was more than worthy of Jiang Chen's respect.

"No wonder there were formations strewn about everywhere on the way here. Restrictions upon restrictions, each linked to the next. They were pretty hard to keep up with! But considering their creator, it makes sense." Jiang Chen breathed out in admiration when he realized the truth.

"I poured my heart and soul into refining this obelisk. It protects the land's fortunes and feng shui. All of Winterdraw's formations are beholden to it. Whoever obtains this obelisk… obtains the island."

Following this, images flickered upon the obelisk's surface that showed how to refine and utilize to control the island's restrictions. Only excitement remained in Jiang Chen's heart.

"Just when I thought I'd come to a dead end, a new path reveals itself before me." He wanted to crow with laughter. "I can't believe Senior Pei Xing's Winterdraw Island would hold a secret like this!"

It was clear that no one before him had trespassed. No one had understood the formations or entered the dimensional gate. Which meant of course, that no one before now had seen the obelisk.

Jiang Chen was the first man lucky enough to enter this place after Pei Xing's creation of the obelisk. The young lord seemed to always have had an affinity with formations.

He'd received the Ancient Crimson formation heritage, including everything within its forbidden grounds.

Though he hadn't found the site of the Earth Bodhisattva Sect, he'd obtained its crowning treasure.

And now, he had gotten his hands on Senior Pei Xing's heritage.

Jiang Chen memorized the steps required to refine the obelisk. Finally, the figure upon the obelisk sighed. "I was too heavily injured in the ancient demon-sealing war. It's hopeless for me to attain any breakthroughs to greater heights. Alas and alack! I've nothing to leave behind, besides this Obelisk of Containment. Aside from that, there is an airboat I used to use. All that I've learned in my life is contained in that vessel. After you pull the obelisk up out of the earth, the floor will crumble below you. You may find that vehicle beneath."

How fortuitous! Senior Pei Xing had left him an airboat as well. This was invaluable considering his present circumstances. Jiang Chen was exuberant. He realized that he could finally break free of his shackles and escape from Winterdraw.

It was at this moment that the surface of the obelisk emitted another bright light. The image on it turned to the world outside. The three mid empyrean experts had reached the stony formation's outskirts via following his trail. Kuang Han was in the lead.

"Those three wily bastards! They're hounding me far too closely! I must've left traces of my consciousness and energy as I made my jumps. How would they've understood these formations' mysteries so easily otherwise?"

Jiang Chen didn't believe it possible. So what if these three men were mid empyrean realm? He had plenty of reason to disdain their formation skills. He solidly maintained that the trio had followed him inside rather than using their own skills.

This was a bit regrettable, but there was nothing to be done. He'd been nearly perfect, but he hadn't been able to avoid leaving no traces whatsoever during his jumps through the formations. Unless he surpassed those three in strength, it was difficult for him to remain untraceable with so little time.

Thankfully, they were very conservative about the way they were proceeding. They walked to and fro outside the formation of stones without barging in.

"This formation is very odd. What think you, Daoist Kuang Han?"

The other two now saw Kuang Han as the de facto leader of the expedition.

The man who had been asked the question glowered. "That kid is the odd one. Every time we think he's out of options, he manages to escape from our clutches yet again."

"Is he using his concealing talisman again?" asked Xue Yi.

"Perhaps." Kuang Han gritted his teeth. "But where could he possibly hide in this small a space?"

"Shall I try him again with my Demonhowl Zither?"

"No. This place is too strange. If your song triggers the formation here, we'll be in a great deal of trouble. It's better not to risk anything at the core of all these formations. This may be an opportunity of sorts for us! I didn't expect a place as insignificant as Winterdraw to hide so great a secret as this." Kuang Han paced slowly around the stones, scrutinizing their details.

Xue Yi backed off uncertainly at Kuang Han's opposition.

Within the residence, Jiang Chen began to refine the Obelisk of Containment as quickly as possible according to Senior Pei Xing's instructions.

Refining the obelisk meant taking it away from the core of the formations. Once it was removed, all of the formations on Winterdraw would lose their effects.

"The three of them are already outside. When I refine the obelisk, the dimensional formation that places me here will fail as well. Perhaps I may directly come face to face with them for a moment. But according to the senior's instructions, the space here will collapse upon itself when that occurs. I will be dropped underground into the airboat called Starfate. I hope the senior hasn't deceived me…" Jiang Chen had no other choice.

Thankfully, Pei Xing hadn't placed any particularly difficult problem in the process. As a master of formations himself, Jiang Chen had a superb advantage. This allowed him to be quite efficient in the refinement of the treasure.

In no time at all, he was eighty percent done. His attention was occasionally split in order to monitor any changes in the circumstances outside. He had to guard against the trio entering the same gate that he had entered. That would put them right here.

Outside, Kuang Han and company searched all about, but to no avail. However, Kuang Han did begin to find a few clues that led him into the boulder formation. The peculiarly constructed gate was suspended in midair before them.

"This is where the trail ends." Kuang Han gazed at the cryptic passage above him, lost in thought.

"Can this be an actual doorway that leads to somewhere?" Xuan Zan guessed.

"It must be a dimensional gate, but it's hard to say whether we'll find safety or disaster beyond." Xue Yi had an opinion as well.

Kuang Han glanced at his companions. "We don't have another way forward, you two. Either we enter or we return. What do you think we should do?"

"If we return now, won't everything have been for nothing?" Xuan Zan didn't sound accepting of that option. "We'll have wasted our time. Even Winterdraw's fools will laugh at us. I won't suffer that indignity!"

Xue Yi gnashed his teeth as well. "Daoist Xuan Zan is correct. We three houses will lose all our face if we go back now!"

Kuang Han chuckled. "Then, you mean to…?"

"We're going in!" Xuan Zan was absolutely certain. "If not you, then I will go alone! Although if there's anything good inside, it'll be mine as well."

"What an absurd notion. I'm going too." Xue Yi volunteered.

"If we're of the same mind," Kuang Han sighed, "then we shall embark together. Whether blessing or curse, we'll shoulder it together!"

"Alright!" The trio nodded, exchanging a mutual look of understanding, then readied to charge into the dimensional gate.

It was at this moment that the fabric of space before them shivered violently. In the next moment, all of the boulders suddenly crumbled. It was as if the plane that had supported them had also been demolished.

The astounding tumult shook both heaven and earth. Apocalypse seemed to descend. Everywhere the eye could see, countless lights soared away from the formations. Rocks toppled left and right. All order seemed to disappear in that moment.

"What's happening?"

Even men as experienced as mid empyrean experts were left agape at this incredible sight. For a few moments, they completely forgot about their decision. They leaned on each other in a triangular formation for the sake of self-defence.

Boulders toppled all around them, smashing into the earth before their feet. The men were buried in the ruins. Thankfully, the three were too skillful to be fundamentally hurt despite being buried. They used their methods to escape.

The area above was now empty. Aside from a spreading destruction, where was there a shadow of anything?

Chapter 1611: Order Collapses

"What's that?" Rising out of the rubble, Xuan Zan's pupils contracted violently. He pointed at a meteoric light that shot into the indistinct distance. It was so fast that it was impossible to see clearly with the naked eye.

Kuang Han and Xue Yi both looked in that direction. The light left behind an afterimage, but it had already become a point in the vast horizon.

"Bah, have we let him escape?" Kuang Han gritted his teeth, his expression full of incredulity. "What are you hesitating for? After him!"

Xue Yi emitted a sound of surprise, thenyelled. "All the restrictions around here are gone? I thought that the Blackwraith Mountains has a powerful one that prevents flight? How did that kid…?"

"The restrictions are broken. After him!" Kuang Han waved a hand.

The three mid empyrean experts all rose into the sky. They chased after the light with incredible rapidity, working themselves up into a frenzy. Clearly, they couldn't accept what had transpired under their noses. This was the height of disgrace!

...

In the precise moment Jiang Chen had finished refining the Obelisk of Containment, Winterdraw's foundations shuddered. Countless formations and restrictions lost effect. As they crumbled, their energy roiled everywhere, causing a myriad of natural and supernatural phenomena to manifest.

The sky that had been near dusk was abruptly brighter than it would've been at midday. Innumerable beacons of light streaked across it, like thousands of lightning bolts snaking to and fro in the clouds.

The air currents whipped up by the disturbance rippled outwards, kicking up ever more powerful turbulence. The water on Winterdraw's coast formed into rising tides rivaling a tsunami's.

Oddities shook the island.

Countless people swarmed from their homes into the streets. The destructive visions all about them were absolutely shocking.

"What's going on?"

The streets were shaking. They seemed to be standing on a wavy surface rather than solid ground. Surprise and bafflement was written on faces everywhere. However, most didn't seem afraid. Evidently, Winterdraw's inhabitants were uniformly a strong-minded bunch. They didn't even fear death, much less a few strange sights.

Very quickly, shouts rang through the avenues. "The restrictions on the borders are loosening!"

"What do you mean, the restrictions are loosening?"

"Yeah, that's got to be it. Winterdraw's foundations are breaking! Haha, this is our chance to escape!"

"Haha, freedom is now! If you don't want to be trapped here for the rest of your life, hurry up and run!"

So it was everywhere on the island. People driven into a frenzy swarmed into the open. The quickest to react didn't even pack any bags; they made for the border at the earliest opportunity. Everyone wanted in on this golden opportunity.

On the outskirts of the Blackwraith Mountains, Imperial Prince Huo and Commander He instantly noticed that something was awry. All the changes originated from the mountains nearby.

The chief warden's expression looked the worst of all. His gaze was glued to the pillar of light from deep within the Blackwraith Mountains, the shaking of the earth. and the unnatural color of the sky.

"Has something happened? Has something truly happened?" he murmured to himself.

He didn't know the island's secret either. He and his predecessors had merely been in charge of making sure this place was an adequate prison for exiled undesirables. In light of that, he was only an official with incomplete knowledge.

What he was seeing reminded him of a few rumors he'd heard. He sank into stupefied silence.

"What does all this mean, Old Ding?" Imperial Prince Huo was utterly lost.

The chief warden sighed. "Your Highness, the Blackwraith Mountains' forbidden grounds are rarely entered even by my own men. Whenever we enter, we refrain from blindly rushing in. Rumor has it that Winterdraw's fundamental roots lie within, and it seems that current events verify that rumor."

"You mean… someone has shaken Winterdraw's foundations?" Imperial Prince Huo colored.

"I think so." The chief warden sounded conflicted. "I wonder if it was the two contestants or the three houses…"

"What happens if the foundations are shaken?" asked Commander He.

A chain reaction was set off by the changes in the mountains' core in the midst of their conversation. The restrictions on the island's boundaries began to crumble and self-destruct.

The chief warden was completely purple. "This isn't good. If the foundations are loosened, the entire island's defense system will be neutralized. This is the worst situation possible!"

The prince and the commander grew somber when they heard the declaration. "Exactly how serious is it?"

"Very. If the island's cultivators find out that the border defense system is broken, it'll cause a mass stampede. The whole of Winterdraw will be defenseless then, and its natural order will be no more…" the chief warden was not exaggerating at all.

"Commander He!" The imperial prince instructed hurriedly. "Please, take the bulk of the men and lock down all the important docks. At the same time, send a messenger to ask the imperial family for assistance. Old Ding, do you have confidence in the ability of your troops to defend all the choke points?"

"There's no use to doing that, Your Highness," the chief warden smiled wryly. "If the defenses are down, the crazed prisoners might not even go to the choke points in the first place. They will be able to leave from anywhere."

"There aren't any boats elsewhere, or airboats for that matter. They wouldn't be able to get very far!" Imperial Prince Huo was still hanging on to false hope.

"Not necessarily. They'll try to swim. They have no hope in staying on Winterdraw regardless. Why would they not give everything up for potential freedom? Though it may result in their deaths, they will take the desperate gamble for the very small chance at life!" Warden Ding knew the people he spent time with far better than the imperial prince.

"What should we do, then?" Imperial Prince Huo looked blank. "Winterdraw is huge and bordered by ocean on all sides. We can't hope to encircle the entire thing – nay, not even a hundredth of it."

"We can only hope that no one notices. When the first man does and incites everyone else to action, the island will plunge into chaos!"

"Your Highness, I think that Winterdraw's affairs should be solved by the locals. The three major factions and second-rate ones under them have sway over most of the people here. If we have them keep the order, perhaps…"

Imperial Prince Huo glanced toward Xie Wushang and his peers. "Old Ding, call them over."

The faction leaders were ushered over straightaway.

The imperial prince spoke gravely, his expression grim. "Friends, Winterdraw has seen a disastrous change. Now is when your loyalty is put to the test. You are all local bosses and most of the inhabitants here are under your control. I would like you to return to your territories and maintain stability. Are you confident in this mission?"

Xie Wushang and his fellows traded thoughtful looks. They had noticed the momentous occurrence as much as anyone else. This was the best of opportunities for them to escape! The very thought of it shook them to the core.

The imperial prince's expression darkened at their hesitation. "What, do you have second thoughts as well?"

"You are the faction leaders of Winterdraw," the chief warden declared sternly. "It's not to your benefit that it should devolve into anarchy. Your rule can only be upheld through law and order. What say you to that?"

The faction leaders remained silent.

They had some position and authority here on Winterdraw, but the chief warden was liable to take it away at any moment. All of it was largely an illusion. Thus, they thirsted for freedom much more.

They would rather give up all they had in order to leave the island. After all, they had no future, hope, or freedom on Winterdraw. They could only stay on the island their entire life under the hand of one or another. If they lost control over their own subordinates, an upstart would inevitably rise up and slay them. Such was their fate.

Indeed, their own rises had been mixed with replacing the last generation of rulers. The replacement had naturally been of the violent sort. They didn't want to go on like this.

"Your Highness, we can maintain order, but we do need a promise from you."

"What promise?" Imperial Prince Huo inquired coolly.

"We need our freedom. Please grant us freedom after everything is said and done here, and let us leave Winterdraw Island. Even if we are to roam the world as a wandering cultivator, we would be more than willing." Xie Wushang made a daring request.

The lord of Nether Vale nodded in agreement. "Yes, this is my only request as well. As long as we are given freedom, we will do everything in our power to make things settle down."

"What about you?" Imperial Prince Huo swept his gaze toward the others.

"We want our freedom too. Please give it to us, Your Highness!"

"Yes, everything else is pointless without freedom."

Liberty was universally desired among the prince's audience.

The imperial prince didn't reply. Instead, he looked to the chief warden for his opinion. "Do you think that's feasible, Old Ding?"

The chief warden sank into thought for a moment. "If things become peaceful again, their departure will only be met with the ascension of new leadership. After we cultivate the next generation a while, everything should go back to normal. But the final choice is yours, Your Highness. I don't dare make it for you."

Imperial Prince Huo considered this for a moment, then nodded himself. "Alright, I will accept your condition. If you can restrain the rioting people and calm the worsening crowd, I swear on heaven and earth that I will restore your freedom to you afterward. You will leave Winterdraw Island honorably!"

Everyone was overjoyed upon hearing this.

"His Highness has spoken," the chief warden stated coldly. "So you should be satisfied, no? If so, go perform your side of the bargain. Time is of the essence. If there's further delay, it will be much tougher to quell the rebellion!"

"Let us return immediately. Please await our good news, Your Highness!" Xie Wushang and company were extremely enthusiastic. They hurriedly set off on their journeys back.

Chapter 1612: Starfate

Insecurity crept into Prince Huo after the faction heads had left. He couldn't help but glance in the chief warden's direction. "Old Ding, are they really reliable? They seem dutiful on the surface, but what if they're just voicing words we want to hear? Won't they run away if they get the chance to?"

The chief warden shook his head. "I can't say for sure, but I've already planted a few pieces that can be discarded." He made a throat-slitting gesture.

Prince Huo nodded. "Very good. You've done well. But I'm still worried. Under these circumstances, can their men really stabilize the situation?"

"Hmph! we'll just have to wait and see! They don't deserve their positions if they can't even handle a small incident like this!" The chief warden snorted coldly. He snuck a glance at the five aristocratic houses and transmitted a mental message to Prince Huo. "You Highness, the five houses seems very satisfied with our hospitality. Perhaps it's a good time to ask for their help?"

After thinking about it briefly, Prince Huo walked towards the aristocrats. "My dear guests. please pardon the intrusion."

"There's no need to be so courteous, Prince Huo. What's happened? Why does it seem like utter chaos has befallen Winterdraw Island?"

"Somebody's barged into the forbidden area at the Blackwraith Mountains and tinkered with the island's formation core, destabilizing its foundations. So… umm…" The prince stuttered and stammered before continuing with a thick skin. "This is difficult for me to say, but the situation has grown beyond our control. I plead for your kind assistance. The Rejuvenation Isles will be eternally grateful for your help."

"You're a decent fellow, Prince Huo. Speak. How can we help you?"

"Indeed. We can consider helping as long as the task isn't too burdensome."

The prince heaved a sigh. "I'll start from the beginning…"

He explained the situation at Winterdraw once again. Naturally, he placed emphasis on the island's importance and the disaster that would occur if the convicts were allowed to escape. Thus, he needed their help to slay all those who attempted to.

"Someone destabilized the island's foundations?" exclaimed someone. "Who? House Kuang? This is really out of line"

"Agreed! We're highly satisfied by the hospitality you've shown us. Our trip here has been mostly up to par."

Prince Huo could only laugh wryly. He'd felt that the other three houses had gone overboard as well, but he was in no position to say that.

The five houses had every right to say whatever they want about the other three, but the same couldn't be said of the Rejuvenation Isles and Winterdraw Island. These aristocrats weren't anyone he could afford to offend.

"Alright, enough chatter. Let's hear what plans Prince Huo has in mind for us, we'll help where we can. However, do note that we won't be able to help if the entire island rebels."

Winterdraw's population was simply too big. Even with their abilities, there wasn't much they could do if an uprising occurred.

"Thank you kindly for the aid. If the situation wasn't so grim, I'd never trouble you with our matters. Things are still under control for now. With your help here and there, I'm sure the issue will be resolved soon." The prince was royalty after all. He had a knack for politics and remained gracious even in the midst of an emergency.

First, he reinforced defense at various spots. Then, he stabilized the situation in all areas and formed an all-encompassing web to prevent any escapees from reaching the border. If a large group of cultivators was spotted, it was to be reported immediately.

Prince Huo wasn't the fastest at responding, but he was incredibly resourceful during emergencies.

…...

Jiang Chen was currently in the airboat called Starfate. After spending some time with it, he'd gotten familiarized with the controls and operation. It wasn't particularly spacious and could probably fit only two to three hundred people. However, there was an enormous library filled with various scriptures and Senior Pei Xing's lifetime learnings.

Jiang Chen quite admired the senior. This was a great formation master with the purest of obsessions. No fame or glory was intermixed with his belief. His love for the dao of formation was unrivalled.

Many formation masters spent their entire lives researching formations, but most strived for even greater success in martial dao. Pei Xing wasn't like that. He'd dedicated most of his life to formations, while only thirty percent of his knowledge was martial dao.

The airboat was frighteningly fast. Before long, Jiang Chen had already flown across the Blackwraith Mountains. It hurtled across the sky like lightning. From above, he noticed that cultivators were lying in ambush at every exit.

However, like a flash of lightning, he was gone with the blink of an eye.

He continued to observe the changes in the outside world. Upon reaching the border, he noticed that chaos had also befallen the area as well. The formations surrounding the border had completely disintegrated. Torrents of turbulence lined the border, tearing everything into pieces.

"Haha! As expected, the restrictions lining the island are all invalid after the obelisk was completely refined! The traps have all been disarmed as well! It'll be smooth sailing from now on!"

The airboat was truly shockingly fast. It was faster than any he'd had seen before. He glanced behind him and noticed the three figures that were still chasing after him.

"The three stooges that don't know when to give up!" He smiled coldly. There was simply no way they could catch up to the boat. Since it was so incredibly quick, he decided not to leave and had the boat fly around in circles instead.

With the advantage in speed, he flew to every corner of the island and informed everyone about the current situation at the border with his dragon roar art. Now was a great opportunity to flee!It was incredibly effective. The violent outlaws immediately swarmed the borders as though they'd caught the scent of blood.

Flying the airboat was as easy as a stroll in the park for Jiang Chen, but the three behind him were completely exhausted. He slowed down on purpose when needed so they could barely catch up to the vehicle. This frustrated them greatly.

They'd caught on that maybe Jiang Chen had obtained a heaven-defying treasure and that they might no longer be able to catch up. However, they refused to give up.

After a few rounds of this, Jiang Chen eventually found himself circling over Sin City. He swept his consciousness across the city frantically. He was looking for the Tong father and daughter and Commander Yong. They were all excellent people. If they were willing, he wouldn't mind taking them along.

It wasn't long before he found Xing Hui and his daughter among the scrambling crowd. He immediately sent Long Xiaoxuan to them. "Brother Long, bring them onto the boat. Don't alarm the others."

Jiang Chen had a great deal of trust in Long Xiaoxuan's capabilities.

Xiao Hui and his daughter was soon brought onto the airboat. They were elated when they saw Jiang Chen. They'd considered escape after receiving news that the seal had been destroyed.

However, Xing Tong was simply too weak. Xing Hui was a mighty cultivator, but his wounds had yet to recover. Their chances of escape were simply too low. They were stunned when they saw Jiang Chen at the helm of the airboat!

"Big Brother Jiang! We meet again! H-how do you have an airboat?" Xing Tong's eyes were full of life when she saw Jiang Chen.

The person in question laughed. "It's just a coincidence. The restriction at the border has been destroyed. This is our chance to escape. If you're willing, I can bring you along for the ride."Xing Hui nodded without a second's hesitation. "But of course! Sir Jiang, we will forever be indebted to you for bringing us along!"

Starfate arrived at Yong Peng's neighborhood in the blink of an eye. Jiang Chen was quite fond of the loving couple. If they were also willing, he'd bring them along as well. But since Yong Peng was the city lord's commander-in-chief, it'd be understandable if he'd chose not to come.

Jiang Chen quickly located Yong Peng with his consciousness. The person in question was at home and frantically packing his bags.

"Old Brother Xing Hui, do you mind saying a few words to Yong Peng?" It wasn't convenient for Jiang Chen to go down himself.

"No problem." Xing Hui assured.

Today was Yong Peng's day off. When he received news of what'd occured, escape was the first thing that flashed through his mind. He wanted to go see the world!