The first to notice the sudden appearance of this ancient city were the villagers from the nearby mountains. While they were out for the market, they spread the news, which quickly circulated around. Hearing of this, martial artists eager to seek their destiny and escape their mundane lives flocked to the vicinity of the ancient city. Soon after, local military forces and practitioners from various cultivation sects also arrived. The presence of these powerful forces turned the previous confrontations between the martial artists into mere jokes, as the true standoff began between the state and the cultivation sects.
Dong!
“Focus on your work; do not let external matters affect you.” Upon hearing the sound of this bell, the words of a Gold Core cultivator, who had been speaking, abruptly stopped, as did the movements of the thousands of soldiers, martial artists, and cultivators around him. They all stood frozen in place.
Soon, disputes arose. The first batch of martial artists who gathered at the ancient city’s gate quickly fell into conflict over their interests, resulting in a chaotic battle. After the skirmish, various factions left behind bodies of their fallen comrades, leading to a tense confrontation right at the gates of the ancient city.
Once again, the bell tolled, its sound silencing the Gold Core cultivator mid-sentence once again. Nearby, the thousands of soldiers and martial artists stood still, unable even to answer the cultivator's questions. He withdrew his gaze, paused for a moment, and then turned to another Gold Core cultivator, tentatively suggesting, “Then we…”
Half a day later, the thick fog dissipated, but the ancient city was nowhere to be seen, as if it had only existed in a dream. To prevent more powerful sects from eyeing this sudden occurrence, and to avoid possible intervention by the Righteous Dao Alliance or the Demon Sects, following some urgent discussions, the ruler of this country and several sect leaders reached an agreement. They decided to jointly explore the ancient city, with the rewards from their findings to be divided proportionally.
The ancient city was first detected by the local villagers, who reported it during market day. As the news spread, martial artists seeking opportunities and wishing to rise above their ordinary identities hurried to the vicinity of the ancient city. Following them, the local military forces and some cultivators from nearby sects joined in, adding to the complexity of the situation. The tensions at the gates shifted from the martial artists to a confrontation between the state’s forces and the cultivators’ sect representatives.
Yue Qianlian, maintaining a serious demeanor, pointed out, “Look at your companions around you, those who do not even greet one another. For us at the Forging Cloud Workshop, as well as for myself, greetings matter less than the quality of the artifacts you are shaping in your hands.”
“Yes!”
Moments later, the second bell rang, jolting the previously stiff crowd into action. Yet, their eyes seemed lost, and they moved in a slow but synchronized manner, as if they were puppets controlled by invisible strings, devoid of their own thoughts.
In the workshop, many disciples paused their tasks to pay respect to Yue Qianlian as he walked through. But a few remained focused on refining their artifacts, controlling the flames of their furnaces or diligently inscribing runes onto the metal molds.
“Respected leader.”
Anxiously, the disciples recounted, “It is not just the soldiers of Dongling Country that have gone missing; several cultivators from nearby small sects also disappeared, alongside curious martial artists and onlookers who had rushed to the scene. Everyone present when the ancient city appeared has vanished alongside it.”
Dong!
Hearing this sound, the Gold Core cultivator who had been speaking faltered, and all nearby—the soldiers, martial artists, and cultivators—were held in place.
Yue Qianlian deepened his gaze, then drew a disciple aside, asking, “Explain carefully—did the soldiers and protectors all disappear?”
Half a day later, when the fog cleared, nothing remained of the ancient city, leaving an eerie feeling.
“Crush the Azure Emperor, and establish a new Holy Dynasty!”
Just as the disciples dispatched messages to the Righteous Dao Alliance, a heavy toll sounded from the heart of the ancient city. It soon became clear that the ancient city did not merely vanish; it held secrets probably unfathomable to those merely seeking wealth or glory. Even as urgency rose, Yue Qianlian felt a hint of dread lingering in his heart, a sense of foreboding he could not shake off.
The ancient city's gates soon swung open with a rumble, revealing a dark interior seemingly indifferent to the affairs of the outside world. As the last figure stepped into the shadows, the door slowly closed behind them.
Thus, the journey into the unknown began, with the fate of all who dared to enter uncertain.