novelraw Chapter 992 - 991 - 2 Riders
Chapter 992 - 991 - 2 Riders
At the heart of Kun City, there was a facility near the defunct teleportation array. It was a massive stone arch inscribed with grade 7 refinement. It was made of kukan stone. Quite literally, space stone.
It was from a massive mountain that had actually come from a Ruin. When the barrier broke down entirely, the mountain settled on the layer and all found the wonderful stone.
It had no name or reference even the Radiant Tiers could give so it was named for its effect.
It allowed cultivators to study the Laws of Space quite effectively and production masters learned by leaps and bounds by experimenting with it.
When the Corruption spread, it was one of the few materials left unaffected. Refiners at the peak of grade 7 found they could create spatial gateways Immortals could still use to travel quickly but at extreme expense.
It took 3 Immortals to simply activate a gateway and at least 1000 Immortal Stones to go the distance of 50 kilometers. With such a severe cost, only ancient Clans and powerful kingdoms could pull it off on a regular basis.
There were 2 heavily cloaked riders waiting in the short line for the Gate. Unlike the teleportation arrays, it required constant adjustments to work each time. As opposed to connecting to a network, each gate could only connect to a single other one.
It had to be reset each time.
The 2 riders were on Thunderhooves. A decent horse but the realm was quite low on both. No more than the Iron Tier.
Still, the guards did not look with disdain but approached them as they would each petitioner. The worst was the penalty fee of 2000 Immortal Stones the prospective customers had to pay.
"Welcome to the Kun City gate. May I ask you to prove your realm please?" A simple black box was presented in their hands. The 2 did not even pause as both placed their hands on it.
A firm glow of blue came out and the guards nodded. It proved the 2 were Immortals. Aside from that, it told them nothing.
"Welcome Immortals. May we know your destination?" The shorter of the 2 turned to the taller. They moved forward and placed a stone tablet in the guards hands. The guards were not surprised.
Speaking aloud could be heard by Immortals easily and traveling could be monitored that way. The tablet, on the other hand, was a service many businesses could offer for Immortals to imprint a destination that only the controls could interpret. Even the guards would not know where they went.
It was marked with the official seal of the City Lord's office so it was legitimate.
The guards bowed and inserted the tablet into an open slot near their station. The instant they did that they turned back to the Immortals. This time, it was the shorter one that handed over 5 sticks of glass.
The glass rods were gold in color to indicate their worth. It was over 10,000 Immortal Stones per rod! Just where were these Immortals going?!
The guards resumed their duty by inserting the rods into slots for them as well. It was a way to be more efficient but still consumed the massive amount of Qi stones to make them.
The artifacts could also not be used to cultivate as they required the apparatus of the controls to be extracted.
The Gate began to hum and lit up instantly. Space was torn open like opening a door! On the other side was their destination but the 2 riders simply walked through it with their horses and vanished.
The Gate closed instantly.
The guards were about to resume their posts when the Gate hummed once more. It was someone incoming! It was lucky that the pair had gotten through before that happened.
A large contingent of men and women with deep crimson robes, almost the color of blood came out of the Gate.
The living flame on their banners identified them instantly. The guards launched a signal flare followed by the effect of a firework with a crimson flame. It was a system created when many basic functions had been lost or became too costly in the corrupted world.
The lead guard approached the envoy of the group who separated. He was a young man who looked down his large nose at the guard.
"You will take us to the Golden Vermillion Inn now. The Master of the Eternal Flame Sect has come for his bride!" The words took a moment to process but the guard did not react the way the envoy wanted.
"I welcome the Eternal Flame Sect to Kun City. If you have an appointment with the Golden Vermillion Inn, you must wait for their guide." The slim young man glared at the guard. His beady eyes would have been more funny if not for the vast array of powerful cultivators behind him.
Still, the guard had no fear. There were strict rules even a sect as reviled as the Eternal Flame Sect had to abide by.
"Do not be impertinent. We will wait." A voice came from a carriage but the guard felt a tremor in his soul. Actual sweat broke out on his back but soon one of the administrators of the city showed up.
It was a middle aged man with silver in his brown hair. The aura of a low Sliver Tier came from him and the guards bowed low.
"I welcome–" The man barely got 2 words out when a searing flame shot out and killed him! The guards were shocked but dared not move as a man emerged from the carriage.
"Things are becoming tedious. Move aside for our group or be consumed by my flames." Pure black eyes stared at them but the guards could not move. They had their duty and could not abandon it.
The small squad of 3 assumed stances to attack despite being outnumbered. An amused expression came from the black eyed man but then a powerful aura swept over them all.
Aside from the black eyed man, everyone else was slammed into the ground. The 3 guards were also left alone.
"You should know better, young man, not to act up outside your territory. Kun City is not the Eternal Flame Sect's to play with." An old woman with pure white hair and rather wild eyes walked up the street.
Her opponent actually seemed to be disturbed by her arrival.
"I did not expect to meet you here fellow–" He was interrupted as the aura increased! The guards were shocked and afraid. A confrontation between Immortals could only end badly!
His smooth face seemed to ripple like a liquid. He could not resist her!
"Your sect may retain the 'Eternal' label but we both know what you have done and sanctioned. The Convocation has already made it clear you will be ejected at the next meeting. So, unless you do not wish to see that meeting, please keep acting in a suicidal manner." Despite the commanding tone, the guards had the distinct impression the Eternal Blossom Sect Master wanted a fight!
The black eyed leader held up his hand in surrender and the aura slowly retracted. A look of disappointment was clear to all on her face!
"My business is with my bride. I will be gone once I have reclaimed her." A curious tilt to her head showed she had no idea what was talking about.
"You are not after the Triple Maester, Taren Cord?" Now it was his turn to be confused. What Triple Maester? Any such being would be well known to him no matter how far away they were!
He had heard rumors but confirmed no such man existed!
"I do not know what con the man played, but I assure you, no such Triple Maester exists with that name." His serious tone now gave pause but the guards were still ready to fight. The smoking pile of ash reminded them things were still not good!
"I swear to you, he had the skills and demonstrated them. His badges were also real. I verified them myself as well as confirmed with others they verified them." The conversation was veering into a tangent when yet another aura flared but with 2 Crystal Tier Immortals present, it was scattered easily.
A fit young man with blazing orange eyes was riding a bull covered in golden fur. The Sun Bulls were known for their stamina and loyalty so they were quite popular with nobles.
"WHO DARES TO–" Whatever he was about to start shouting died when he saw the old woman. He bowed low and then saw the black eyed man and frowned deeply. The guards ran up and reported the events which made him look enraged.
"Why did you kill my subordinate?!" A tired sigh escaped the Eternal Flame Sect Master. He just wanted to get Delenn and leave. It should not be that complicated!
He was about to speak when all of them felt something wrong. They looked up to the Gate and saw it was creaking! What was going on? Since they had been created over 900,000 years ago, not even a peak Crystal Tier could put a scratch in them!
Yet now, with all 3 of them as witness, they saw the inscriptions begin to shatter and fail!
"OPEN THE GATE BACK!" The Eternal Flame Sect Master screamed at the guards but the materials and Qi stones were not inserted at all. In fact, they were just recently consumed. They tried to examine the Gate but a massive crack formed before it completely collapsed!
"How is that possible?! It will take decades to build a new one!" The young Immortal shouted in rage but the Eternal Flame Sect Master was just as angry. Even if he captured Delenn it would take at least 5 years to get to the nearest Gate!
Only the Eternal Blossom Sect Master was not confused. A knowing look came into her eyes as she recalled seeing the strange pair ride off into the Gate. She had come to see why Maester Cord had seemingly vanished but could not find him in the line.
That pair went last and used a massive payment as well. If anyone alive could break a Gate, it would be Taren Cord!
She stayed silent on the matter as the vile man was an enemy. The City Lord was appointed by the upstart kingdom that rose in the chaos. She had no real alliance with them, plus it was not her problem to begin with.
She sent a thought of good luck to Taren Cord and left the now quickly filling square. A small smile was the only hint of her amusement as she made plans to head back to her sect. The world was becoming an amusing place again!