Wayfarer

Many Immortals flew in and out of an Immortal sect on an island situated on the Eastern Sea.

In the main hall of that sect, the most important cultivators of the sect had convened to discuss a serious matter.

"Is there more news available about that ancient draconic palace?" one robed man asked.

"Just like the Eastern Sea draconic palace, it's easy to enter, but near impossible to get out," another cultivator said.

"Hmm? Strange, isn't it? If people can't get out, why have there been so many rumors circulating about the countless Immortal relics that are within? It looks like someone's deliberately luring us inside," the first robed man said.

"You're quite right, Sect Master. Some of our disciples' avatars entered and discovered a large number of cursed slaves and Immortal relics within. Many managed to obtain relics of their own, but they're facing cursed slaves of particularly advanced cultivation. This palace is extremely dangerous."

"Sect Master, it's clear there are cursed effigies within this ancient draconic palace. Perhaps it's a scheme laid by one of them."

"Many of the sect's disciples have already entered, and a large number have significant potential. If they were to die within, we'd suffer tremendous losses."

The cultivators all expressed their opinions as they looked toward the robed man.

After a moment, the man asked, "Are the other Immortal sects facing the same situation?"

"They are. The rumors that started spreading not too long ago lured many of their disciples within. These other sects are about as large as ours," one cultivator said.

The man frowned. "The ancient draconic palace is sinister, and this may be a scheme against our sect. However, it's likely that an incredible opportunity lies within. Not only do we have to save our disciples, we can't miss out on the opportunity, either."

"But if we head there to investigate, what if we fall deeper into the trap?"

"That's why we can't head there alone."

"Sect Master, you mean to form an alliance with the other Immortal sects?"

"I do. Cursed effigies are no trifling matter; their presence heralds disaster. That said, we have no need to fear it. Invite the other Immortal sects to send a delegation to the ancient draconic palace together. We'll split profit and risk," the sect master said.

"A wise decision, Sect Master!"

"Understood!" everyone replied.

A few days later, in the ancient draconic palace, a group of cultivators attacked a group of cursed slaves, intent on claiming the Immortal relics that one of them possessed. After a drawn-out fight in which both sides were injured, a cultivator finally managed to seize the Immortal relic.

"These cursed slaves have all decomposed to an incredible extent. It's a waste for them to still carry Immortal relics—but now the relic is mine, haha!" the cultivator crowed.

Suddenly, the image of a dragon manifested from the relic, coiling up the cultivator's arm and toward his mindscape. The dragon darted within, and the cultivator froze stiff.

The other cursed slaves suddenly rampaged, shielding the cultivator from sight.

After some time, when another cultivator defeated a cursed slave, he shouted, "Senior Brother, are you alright? Was something wrong with the Immortal relic?"

The cultivator who held the Immortal relic suddenly unfroze. His expression changed, as though he were someone else entirely. He took a deep breath. "I'm alright. There's nothing wrong with the Immortal relic. Would you like to take a look?"

He passed the Immortal relic over to his junior brother. Another image of a dragon manifested and darted into his junior brother's mindscape, who likewise froze. The first cultivator began to guard his junior.

This sort of situation repeated time and again throughout the ancient draconic palace. Before long, the cultivators all seemed to have become entirely different people, and the cursed slaves in the vicinity suddenly stopped attacking them. They rolled their necks and twisted their limbs, as though attempting to get used to their new bodies.

"What do you think?" one cultivator, their leader, asked.

"They're far weaker than we used to be a hundred years ago."

"If you're dissatisfied with your body, pick out a new one later. Feel free to forge your current body into a cursed slave. There's a large group of cultivators entering the palace, so you're sure to find one suitable for you," the leader replied.

"Understood!" everyone shouted.

The 'cultivators' launched themselves at the other battlefields all around them.

These cultivators had clearly been taken over by cursed effigies, but this was only the beginning. The cultivators that had entered the ancient dragon's palace were all being possessed. There seemed to be countless cursed effigies without physical bodies of their own; the cultivators were like sacrifices for them.

A few days later, all the cultivators that had entered the ancient dragon's palace had been possessed by cursed effigies.

Within the ancient dragon's palace, the cursed effigies didn't fight. They gathered together and discussed their brand-new bodies. Suddenly, one of them cried out, "Something's happening outside the palace. Look!"

The cursed effigies looked up at the barrier around the palace.

"So many Immortals! If we can possess them, our strength will advance by leaps and bounds."

"I want that one!"

"That body is mine!"

The cursed effigies pointed excitedly at the Immortals beyond the barrier.

"Something's wrong. What are they doing? That's not an entrance into the palace. What happened to the seawater? Are they trying to break the barrier?!" one cursed effigy shouted.

Over two hundred Immortals had gathered by the surface of the sea. As they dropped and activated Immortal relics all around them, they formed a huge formation that isolated the region of the sea from what lay beyond it.

The Immortals struck, causing waves to surge as they extracted the seawater from the isolated region. The sea grew visibly shallower and shallower there, revealing the gigantic barrier around the ancient dragon palace.

The two hundred Immortals had gathered in ten groups. They were brimming with energy, and their auras radiated en masse.

"Before we came, one of my disciples reported that his avatar found that all the cultivators in the ancient draconic palace had been possessed," one Immortal said.

"These damned cursed effigies! Return my disciple's life to me!" the Immortals roared.

One of the Immortals in the lead said, "Everyone, we'll strike simultaneously and break the barrier surrounding the palace. Using the seawater, we'll clear them out in one fell swoop."

"Understood!" the other Immortals replied.

"Now!" the leader cried out.

The two hundred Immortals activated their Immortal relics in a flash of rainbow light. Two hundred attacks of massive proportions struck the palace's barrier at once.

The resulting shockwave formed a titanic tempest that surged into the air. The barrier around the palace shattered as the countless cursed effigies below blanched.

"The barrier's about to break!"

"These bastards! The barrier has been inactive for a long time, and its foundation and energy reserves are lacking. Otherwise, they would hardly be able to succeed with such paltry attacks!"

"We have to stop them!"

The cursed effigies rushed into action.

Beyond the barrier, the Immortals saw that their attacks were having a noticeable effect. They shouted as they launched another barrage of attacks at the barrier.

The barrier shattered where the attacks struck them, forming a huge hole overhead.

"Dispel the formation!" one Immortal cried out.

The formation keeping the remaining seawater at bay disappeared. An incredible flood surged toward the hole in the barrier, into the ancient draconic palace.

"We have to repair the barrier immediately!" one cursed effigy cried out.

One Immortal outside the barrier shouted, "Tear apart the hole in the barrier as the water surges in. We can't let them repair it!"

"Understood!" The Immortals struck at full force again.

The hole in the barrier grew larger as more and more water surged into it. The barrier was crumbling wholesale; the entire palace seemed about to be washed away.

"We don't have time to repair the barrier. Let's get rid of these Immortals first!" one cursed effigy cried out.

"Understood!"

The cursed effigies, leading a large horde of cursed slaves, shot out of the barrier and began to attack the Immortals.

"You think you can take me on after possessing my grand-disciple's body? Die, you insolent fool!" one Immortal cried out.

The Immortals and cursed effigies began to fight above the surface of the sea, which lit up in fire and wind.

On an island some distance away, Xiao Nanfeng stood clad in a black robe that hid his ever-changing outfit in red and blue. He stood with his hands clasped behind his back; You Jiu stood beside him. They were watching the fight unfold.

"Your Majesty, it looks like Mr. Wen intends to take down the cursed effigies within the ancient draconic palace," You Jiu said.

"Did he induce all of this?"

"He did, Your Majesty. He started by luring ten Immortal sects' worth of disciples within, then secretly spread the method for breaking the barrier and the location at which the barrier was weakest. Otherwise, these Immortals would never have succeeded."

"Mr. Wen's plans are incredible—and they barely leave any traces behind. These Immortals are likely unaware that all their actions are within Mr. Wen's control," Xiao Nanfeng sighed.

"Mr. Wen's currently watching the fight unfold on one of those islands over there. Should we meet him, Your Majesty?" You Jiu asked.

"There's no need. He's prepared this formation and a lethal strike at the palace. Let him make his move first, or he'll be unsatisfied."

"Understood!" You Jiu nodded.

"Is there any news regarding Ao Zhou, Croak, and Warble?"

"Not yet."

Xiao Nanfeng frowned. "They surely entered the ancient draconic palace."

At the same time, on another island, Mr. Wen was watching the Immortals fight the cursed effigies.

"Master, everything is proceeding according to your plan. Can these Immortals take on the cursed effigies within?" his student asked Mr. Wen expectantly.

Mr. Wen's eyes flashed with cold light. "They should be able to do just enough damage to lure out the Dragon Yanluo."

"It's been a century. I wonder how much it's recovered since then? Master, with this grand formation you've laid out, we'll draw blood for blood." The youth gnashed his teeth.

Mr. Wen smiled wryly. "Let's hope it's sufficient. Otherwise, I'll have to owe Xiao Nanfeng a huge favor."

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