"Elder Qian, have Elder Yang and Elder Mo and the others responded yet?" Among the three, a middle-aged elder in brown robes kept glancing around, lowering his voice to ask Qian Tong.
"No." Qian Tong shook his head slowly, answering with a worried expression. "I have no idea where they went. The communication compass can't reach them at all. What about Vice City Lord Ning? Have you managed to contact him?"
The middle-aged elder let out a long sigh. "Can't reach him either. I don't know where Brother Ning went."
The two exchanged a glance, each reading the anxiety and helplessness in the other's eyes.
The middle-aged elder was the City Lord of Green Water City on Cuiwei Star. Years ago, after Yang Kai departed from Cuiwei Star and returned to the Profound Continent, Qian Tong and the others—a group of five—had stayed behind, planning to participate in the Blood Prison trial several years later.
The City Lord of Green Water City was quite the smooth operator. Upon learning of Qian Tong and his companions' arrival, he had eagerly invited them to serve as Honorary Elders of Green Water City. To avoid misunderstandings—and because they needed somewhere to stay—Qian Tong and the others had agreed readily enough.
Over the past few years, everyone had gotten along reasonably well, with no real friction or disputes.
The moment the Blood Prison trial opened, they had entered together with the middle-aged elder and a vice city lord surnamed Ning.
All of them were Return Void Third Stage cultivators, and they had come here to gain insight into the mysteries of the Domain, hoping to glimpse the secrets of the Void King Stage. Naturally, they couldn't all stick together as a group of seven.
So they had split up.
A few days ago, the middle-aged elder had heard news of the Domain Stone Mountain's appearance and immediately tried contacting his companions through the communication compass. But only Qian Tong and Lin Yurao had made it here. Yang Xiuzhu, Chu Hanyi, Mo Yu of the Qiantian Sect, and the vice city lord surnamed Ning from Green Water City—all were unreachable.
With more and more cultivators arriving, Qian Tong and the other two were growing increasingly anxious.
Without overwhelming strength and numbers, there was no way to hold the territory they currently occupied.
Not far away, a pair of latecomers who had failed to secure good positions were casting malicious glances their way. But with only two of them, they naturally wouldn't act rashly.
Still, they were frequently channeling their spiritual senses into their own communication compasses, seemingly trying to reach someone.
Once they called for reinforcements, things could get ugly.
"Elder Lin, is there any response on your end?" The middle-aged elder turned his hopeful gaze toward Lin Yurao.
She shook her head slowly, worry written clearly in her lovely eyes. "Nothing either."
"This is terrible." The middle-aged elder fidgeted with unease. An enormous opportunity lay right before him, yet he had neither the time nor the chance to comprehend it—he could only stand here and wait. It was worse than being killed.
"Half a day more. We'll wait half a day more, and if Elder Yang and the others still haven't shown up, then we… we leave!" The middle-aged elder gritted his teeth and spoke in a low, forceful voice.
The appearance of the Domain Stone Mountain was a heaven-sent opportunity, but he wasn't about to sacrifice his life for it. The area around the Domain Stone Mountain was still relatively peaceful for the moment, but he was certain it wouldn't take long before things descended into chaos, with plenty of cultivators fighting each other over positions.
"Leave, huh…" Qian Tong's expression flickered uncertainly, his eyes filled with unwillingness.
No one from the Dark Star understood his longing to glimpse the mysteries of the Void King Stage better than he did.
If Yang Kai hadn't brought him away from the Dark Star and brought him here, he would never have broken free of that world's laws in his lifetime, never had the chance to touch the higher realms of martial cultivation.
Yang Kai had given him this chance. Now, with an even greater opportunity staring him in the face, being asked to walk away of his own volition—how could he possibly accept that willingly?
"Hmm…" Just as he was brooding, Qian Tong's expression suddenly shifted. He channeled his spiritual sense into the communication compass in his hand.
"Is someone coming?" The City Lord of Green Water City noticed the change on Qian Tong's face and asked eagerly.
Lin Yurao's eyes brightened as she turned her gaze expectantly toward Qian Tong.
Qian Tong didn't respond right away, continuing to examine the communication compass. After a long moment, he broke into a broad laugh. "Yes, someone's on the way."
"Who is it? Elder Yang? Elder Chu? Elder Mo?"
"None of them." Qian Tong shook his head slowly.
"None of them? Could it be Brother Ning?" The City Lord of Green Water City's expression shifted, and he nodded. "Brother Ning would work too. He's no weakling."
"Not Brother Ning either."
"Then who?" The City Lord of Green Water City was thoroughly baffled. Qian Tong's group was only five people—two were standing right here, and it wasn't any of the remaining three. He was completely confused.
Lin Yurao looked equally perplexed, eyeing Qian Tong with suspicion, having no idea what he was getting at.
Qian Tong chuckled and glanced at Lin Yurao. "Yang Kai is coming!"
Lin Yurao's eyes lit up, and she cried out in delighted surprise, "The Sect Master is coming? How is he here? Didn't he return to his homeland?"
"That's what I'm wondering too." Qian Tong chuckled warmly, looking thoroughly relieved. "Perhaps he made it back in time. When he left Cuiwei Star all those years ago, didn't he say that if he had enough time, he might come back?"
"Elder Qian, are you sure? You're certain that was the Sect Master's response?"
"How could I possibly mistake something like that?" Qian Tong shook his head vigorously. "I may be getting on in years, but I haven't gone senile to that extent!"
"This is wonderful!" Lin Yurao practically bounced with joy, her face alight with happiness. "Now that the Sect Master is here, everything will be much easier."