Desert Forest
Celestial Star Sect’s escort consisted of six Body Severing Realm cultivators and four Spirit Severing Realm cultivators – Tian Budai included. The journey to the location of the chaotic formation took almost a day. Greeting them was an expanse forest neighbouring a desert.
“IS this not Desert Forest?” Greater Heaven Caster Lu asked of Tian Budai.
Desert Forest was one of the strangest forests on Third Continent. It was confusing to navigate and dangerous to explore. What truly made it earn the description of being strange wasn’t the fiend beast populace or size but the desert located at the heart of the forest.
Nobody knew how the contrasting desert formed, but everyone knew that not even Spirit Severing Realm cultivators could cross it given a month.
Tian Budai answered, “I shall not withheld information from you at this stage. Given your professions, you are obliged to protect the confidentiality of your clients, correct?”
“Fret not, Young Master Budai, your information is secure with us. We have the tact to discern what should be said and what should not,” Zhou Jinglin swore.
Greater Heaven Caster Lu nodded.
Tian Budai revealed a reassured smile. “After years of exploration, we have come to the conclusion that one of the fiend kings, Desert Eagle Fiend Wing, is sealed here.”
Greater Heaven Caster Lu and Zhou Jinglin both widened their eyes and extended their necks. The locations of the nine sealed fiend kings were kept secret; however, it didn’t prevent people from pulling together information to figure out where they were sealed. Tian Budai had to reveal the information as the four would’ve found out once they went in anyway.
“Yes, the king of the desert. We found this location after piecing together clues we came across. We coincidentally discovered a formation that we initially mistook as a defence formation. The Spirit Severing Realm cultivator and five Body Severing Realm cultivators we sent to investigate it have been missing ever since. The only thing we ever heard from them was ‘chaotic formation’. The rest is history.”
Greater Heaven Caster Lu spent a moment processing it, then inquired, “If Desert Eagle Fiend King returns, would the fiend race not come here to support his return? This is Third Heaven; they would not just send Primordial Infant Realm fiends. Would that not spell trouble?”
“What, you doubting Celestial Star Sect’s competence?” remarked Zhou Jinglin.
Greater Heaven Caster Lu glared back. “If they send several Body Synthesis or Ascension Realm adepts to back him up, you think we could get out unscathed? In my opinion, we need to plan this out first.”
“Worry not, Greater Heaven Caster Lu. Celestial Star Sect does not fight fights we are unprepared for. We have designs to fight off their surprise raids. You two need only to dismantle the formation and collect your pay. We will take care of the rest.”
Greater Heaven Caster Lu was sure there was more than one formation, but he was content to just earn his keep and leave since Tian Budai claimed he had it under control.
They arrived at the desert after flying another four hours. Unlike the cool forest, blasts of wind were quickly buried in sand dunes in the scorching desert. Celestial Star Sect knew exactly where to go. The stopped at a deserted place where there was sand and gravel.
It turned out there was an arched cave below the desert. The eight Spirit Severing Realm and Two Body Synthesis Realm cultivators greeted Tian Budai upon seeing him. Celestial Star Sect went as far as having people camp at the desert to fend off any fiends that might’ve attempted to bail their king out.
The numerous members Mu Yu met made him feel helpless. More precisely, they reminded him of how weak he was.
“Uncle Cheng, everything still good?” Tian Budai asked of Elder Tian Jiancheng, a Body Synthesis Realm Second Layer cultivator.
“All is well, Young Master. We have not heard from those who went in to explore; however, I would not assume they are dead. We need to defuse this chaotic formation as soon as we can.”
“Rest assured, Uncle Cheng. We shall leave it to our two Greater Heaven Stage specialists. We should let them defuse it before we enter to explore.”
Tian Jiancheng gave Lu Deyi and Zhou Jinglin a nod but frowned upon seeing Mu Yu. “What is a Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator doing here?”
“He is my assistant,” clarified Lu Deyi, courteously.
Tian Jiancheng gave Mu Yu a quick survey/ then turned back to the two specialists. “I suppose you are both informed of the situation. You will see a distorted formation barrier five hundred metres to the left from here. Thank you in advance.”
“No, it is this one’s honour,” said Zhou Jinglin.
Lu Deyi was cognisant of the fact they were being made scouts for Celestial Star Sect. If they went missing, Celestial Star Sect could’ve absolved themselves of all responsibility. Though the pay was enticing, he wasn’t going to hesitate to run with Mu Yu if they were at risk.
“Uncle Cheng, I assume you have been in there before,” Tian Budai guessed after the four were out of hearing range.
Tian Jiancheng watched the four leave and nodded. “I was forced out not long after entering. I saw the corpses of those we first sent there. Their deaths… I’ll stop there!”
“If the two of them really do have a solution, four million is worth it. If anything happens, we can absolve ourselves of any connection. As for my dead fellow disciples, I shall remember them to pay tribute to their contribution.”
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