Chapter 1748: Turmoil in Cloud City
Han Li was rather surprised to see this. He knew that the probability of making a breakthrough was significantly higher in the Vast Glacial Realm, but it was still quite astonishing that two of the eight people who had returned thus far had made breakthroughs.
Thankfully, the Vast Glacial Realm only opened once every 10,000 years. Otherwise, there would most likely be more Body Integration Stage beings on the Thunder Continent than the other two continents combined.
However, Han Li was rather perplexed about why his group had returned first. Was it merely a coincidence?
Unbeknownst to Han Li, this was actually related to the Profound Heavenly Fruit in his arm. As a treasure that was imbued with the power of laws of another realm, even though the Profound Heavenly Fruit had been sealed in his arm, it was still rejected more vehemently by the power of laws of the Vast Glacial Realm which was why he had been teleported back first as the owner of the fruit.
All of the Heavenly Cloud beings that had just returned from the Vast Glacial Realm were stunned by the scenes unfolding around them. They had only left for about a year or so; how had the Jiao Chi beings already reached Cloud City?
However, everyone who had managed to return alive from the Vast Glacial realm was very powerful and experienced in battle, and they knew that this wasn't the time to be asking questions. Spiritual light began to flash from the bodies of some of the more short-tempered Heavenly Cloud beings, and they all released their treasures as they prepared to join in on the battle.
However, right at this moment, a ball of red light suddenly descended from above, appearing in the air above the two formations after just a few flashes. This was a benevolent-looking elderly man in a suit of blue armor.
"You're finally back. All of the elders are facing the high-grade beings of the Jiao Chi Race, so none of them are here. However, prior to Senior Weng's departure, he instructed me to tell everyone to head to the sentient fortress of the Myriad Ancient Race as soon as you all return," the elderly man yelled in an urgent manner before tossing a badge down toward them, then rose up into the air again.
Crimson lightning was released by the elderly man toward a Jiao Chi being who was flying toward him, and the Jiao Chi being let loose a loud roar as he also released balls of white flames in retaliation.
Thus, the two became engaged in a fierce battle, and Han Li and the others were left staring at one another, wondering how to proceed.
The badge was drawn into the hand of the middle-aged who had just progressed to the early-Body Integration Stage, and he carefully assessed it using his spiritual sense before tossing it toward Fairy Yue in the other formation.
Fairy Yue also carefully inspected the badge before concluding, "There's no mistaking it; the badge is real. I also recognize the fellow Daoist who brought the badge to us; that's Fellow Daoist Yu of the Azure Race. He's a guard at the panel of elders."
After a brief moment of hesitation, the middle-aged man said, "Alright, then let's do as we're told. I'm sure Senior Weng has his reasons for issuing this instruction to us."
He was speaking as if he were issuing orders, and it made sense, seeing as he was now a holy race being. Even so, Shi Kun and the others were still rather disgruntled to be ordered around like this, but they didn't have any reason to disagree, so everyone nodded in response.
Thus, everyone in the formations rose up into the air and flew toward a certain part of Cloud City.
Along the way, they occasionally encountered some Jiao Chi beings who attempted to stop them, but this was a group consisting of two early-Body Integration Stage beings and six late-Spatial Tempering Stage beings, so they naturally had no trouble at all brushing aside all of the obstacles in their way.
After flying for a while away from the formations, Cloud City was still in a state of turmoil, and the number of Jiao Chi beings had clearly increased.
There were Jiao Chi Race battle arks, battle beasts, and armored warriors littered throughout the entire city, and Han Li even caught sight of a super puppet that was close to 100,000 feet tall lying on the ground in a completely stationary manner.
Its body was originally smooth and pristine white as jade, but it now resembled a jagged mountain, and there wasn't a single part of it that had been left unscathed.
Han Li was quite startled by the sight of this puppet, and he quickly recalled the 12 massive balls around Cloud City. It was undoubtedly the case that this puppet had been manifested from one of those balls.
These puppets were said to possess early-Body Integration Stage powers, so the fact that it had been felled was a clear testament to the powers of the Jiao Chi Race army. It was most likely the case that the fall of Cloud City was inevitable. What was even more disconcerting was that they still hadn't seen a single holy-grade being yet. It was as if all beings of that caliber from both sides had vanished from the city.
Could it be that all of them were engaged in battle outside the city?
Han Li silently flew along as these thoughts raced through his mind.
Along the way, neither Liu Shui'er and Shi Kun spoke to him, acting as if Han Li were a complete stranger.
Aside from Fairy Yue, who had verified the authenticity of the badge, no one else had uttered a single word. During this time, she had cast an occasional glance toward Han Li, but she merely smiled and refrained from speaking to him or transmitting her voice to him.
Han Li didn't think much of this; he was much more concerned about the tumultuous state that the city was in.
The Jiao Chi Race army had breached the defenses of Cloud City, and he didn't know if that would impact his plan to use the super teleportation formation here.
The group continued onward without encountering any holy-grade beings, and they quickly arrived at Eight Cloud Mountains, destroying several battle arks and over 100 battle carriages along the way.
When they reached this place, there were no Jiao Chi beings to be seen, and instead, there were many groups of Heavenly Cloud beings, all of whom were wearing suits of armor.
Spiritual Qi was also erupting into the heavens from the Eight Cloud Mountains, forming layers of powerful restrictions.
There were even massive puppets of different colors and azure copper battle carriages that could be seen within the nearby cloud and mist, creating quite a tense atmosphere.
Han Li and the others were all quite surprised to see this, yet before they had a chance to ask any questions, a group of over 100 armored warriors rushed toward them.
They were being led by a burly man with a dark complexion, and he seemed to recognize them. A smile appeared on his face as he said, "Welcome back, fellow Daoists; Elder Weng is waiting for you in the sentient fortress. Please come with me."
The burly man's aura was rather peculiar, and even Han Li was unable to ascertain his cultivation base. He could only sense that this man seemed to possess a certain type of special ability that was extremely fearsome.
Fairy Yue and the middle-aged man who had just reached the early-Body Integration Stage were quite startled to see this burly man, and they hurriedly stepped forward before extending respectful salutes. "Greetings, Senior Bing; my sincerest apologies for making you wait for us."
Everyone else's expressions also changed drastically as they extended respectful salutes, and Han Li appeared to be the only one who didn't recognize this man, but he also cupped his fist in a salute.
"There's no need for such formalities, fellow Daoists; the two of you have already reached the holy grade, so you can regard me as an equal. Follow me and I'll take you to Senior Weng," the burly man said with a nonchalant smile.
"Senior Weng is in the fortress?" The middle-aged man was rather taken aback to hear this before an elated look appeared on his face.
Everyone else also heaved sighs of relief.
With this Grand Ascension Stage powerful being present, the situation surely couldn't be all that bad.
The burly man smiled and nodded in response, but didn't say anything further as he flew directly toward a certain mountain.
Han Li and the others naturally followed along, and all of the other armored warriors split up into two groups to escort them on either side.
Moments later, everyone passed over a huge mountain before a fortress that spanned several kilometers appeared before their eyes.
The fortress was enclosed within tall sturdy walls, and there were series of silver statues situated atop those walls. Some of the statues were of beasts while others were humanoid in form. The largest of them were over 1,000 feet in size, while even the smallest ones were around 70 to 80 feet tall. All of them were completely stationary, but there was an indescribable baleful aura emanating from them.
There were rows of halberd-wielding azure armored warriors situated on top of the city walls, yet all of them were completely devoid of life force fluctuations, clearly indicating that they were nothing more than humanoid puppets.
There were a dozen or so metal puppets that were thousands of feet tall near the fortress, and all of them were also standing completely still with different weapons in their hands.
In the air above the fortress were five or six strange light formations, each of which was over 100 feet in size and flashing with spiritual light. Han Li couldn't help but wonder what purpose they were meant to serve.
This was none other than the Myriad Ancient Race fortress that Han Li had visited once before, and it was also where the Myriad Ancient Race's Cloud City headquarters was situated. However, there were currently many streaks of light flying in and out of the fortress, and these were beings of all races, so the fortress had clearly become a temporary command base.
Han Li and the others descended in front of the Sentient Hall behind the burly man, and they then entered the hall under the scrutiny of the two white-robed guards at the entrance.
There were only three people in the hall, one of whom was sitting on a chair in a calm and collected manner. This was none other than the Grand Ascension Stage being, the young man with the Weng surname.
The two people standing beside him were only at the Spatial Tempering Stage, and they were both listening to instructions from him in a respectful manner.
"We pay our respects to the grand elder!"
Fairy Yue and the middle-aged man immediately led everyone else over to him to extend respectful salutes.
"Welcome back. Looks like two of you have ascended to the holy race; that's not bad at all. You may all rise," the young man said with a faint smile on his face.
Fairy Yue and the others naturally complied and rose to their feet.
Only then did the young man cast his gaze over everyone, and Han Li didn't know if it was just a figment of his imagination, but he felt as if the young man's smile had widened further at the sight of him than in response to Fairy Yue and the middle-aged man's breakthroughs.
He then thought back to how the young man had bestowed that Heavenly Astral Seal upon him for no reason, and he was left feeling a little uneasy.
Thankfully, the young man's gaze only lingered on Han Li for an instant before he waved a hand toward the other two Spatial Tempering Stage beings present, and they immediately exited the hall.