“My name is Lu Yun and Cloudexit City shares the same ‘yun’ character for cloud… It looks like we have some shared destiny.” Lu Yun inspected the city as he strolled down the streets.
It was a similar size to Starcloud City and both hovered in the air like a massive star. However, Cloudexit City was an important border city for Cloudruin Region. Defensive formations and restrictions bristled everywhere, far exceeding what was installed at Starcloud and Redbud City.
All Cloudexit defensive formations were fully active. Nothing bearing the presence of death would be able to come within one billion and three hundred million kilometers of the city.
Citizens rushed to and fro on the streets—there was no one in the common or inferior realms to be seen. Troop contingents comprised solely of superior realm cultivators roamed the city to prevent any unrest.
The vicious ghosts threatened the border and war was about to break out.
……
“Who are you?!” suddenly demanded a black clad soldier. His squadron swiftly surrounded Lu Yun. “Cloudexit’s Demonward Formation started operating a month ago and isolated the city from the rest of the region. It’s impossible for anyone new to enter.”
The soldier in black armor was the leader of the squadron; keen light glittered from narrowed eyes set in a frosty expression. He was a half step king with a dense streak of blood and gore in his aura. Plainly, he often toed the line between life and death and killed others in the battlefield.
“All superior realm cultivators have been entered into the city records over the past month, but you’re an unfamiliar face! Speak! Who are you and how did you get inside?!”
The soldier’s aura was sharp, but not overly threatening. His words were logical as opposed to unreasonably domineering.
“Are you sure that you’ve recorded every superior realm cultivator?” Lu Yun raised an eyebrow with a chuckle.
“There are eighteen kings in Cloudexit City and His Eminence the Earthmartial King is a third step king. Do you think there’s any possible room for error?” the soldier snorted.
“Very well then.” Lu Yun nodded. “Champion Duke, Multitude Region.”
“Multitude Region?!” Shocked gasps flurried through the squadron of eighteen soldiers.
Multitude Region was a top ten region in the Hongmeng. Its kings were too numerous to count and sixth step kings could be seen everywhere. Meanwhile, Cloudruin King of Cloudruin Region was just a fifth step king.
Cultivators from Multitude Region were much stronger than Cloudruin cultivators. In the eyes of Cloudruin citizens, those from Multitude Region were nobles of the realm and far more blue-blooded than any of them.
The stranger in front of them called himself the Champion Duke! Apart from some premier good-for-nothings, anyone who could call themselves a duke in the Hongmeng was someone with real strength. The Purpleclad Duke of Starspace Region and Bloodclad Duke of Multitude Region were prime examples!
No one would dare offend a duke from Multitude Region, not to mention all of the miracles that’d occurred from that area lately. The Supplemental Convention, mountain of Earth light Magneticus, Pills of Creation, Immortal Pagoda, Immortal King, and Haotian Tower were on everyone’s tongues. Though Cloudruin Region was far weaker than Multitude, it wasn’t a remote backwater of the Hongmeng.
Many of those events had affected them as well, particularly the clash between the Immortal Pagoda and Haotian Tower. In the few short days since supplemental dao was freely distributed, supplemental dao showed signs of revitalizing throughout the Hongmeng.
Cloudruin Region had also purchased many supplemental treasures from Multitude Region to fight the vicious ghosts.
“What proof do you have that you’re a Multitude cultivator?!” shouted another soldier in black armor.
Lu Yun displayed a medallion with a flip of his hand.
The Trueriver Sect!
“So the gentleman is a disciple of the Trueriver Sect from Multitude Region…” The squadron finally believed Lu Yun when they saw the medallion. The Trueriver Sect had been famous of late.
Haotian Tower had taken their enterprise in Multitude City, then the Immortal King of the Immortal Pagoda compensated them with nine thousand premium crystal veins, ten king grade formations, and others.
Just those resources alone were sufficient to help the Trueriver King break through to peak sixth step kinghood.
Now face-to-face with the sect’s token, the soldiers stifled their blazing auras and looked respectfully at the stranger.
“Since it is an honored visitor from the Trueriver Sect, please follow me to enter your name in the city records. The vicious ghosts of Starspace Region can imitate our aura and walk among us. Please bear with us as these are special circumstances.” Their leader nodded at Lu Yun.
“It’s no matter.” Lu Yun waved off the explanation and followed the soldier to a designated spot, leaving an imprint of his aura in a book.
The book was a special treasure that could discern the various auras of different people, thereby preventing ghostly entities from imitating them.
Lu Yun fully obtained Cloudexit’s trust and gained full freedom in the city after completing this step. As for how he entered Cloudexit in the first place—no one asked for clarification.
Ordinary cultivators couldn’t find entrance, but it wasn’t a difficult task for Multitude Region cultivators to use items from the Immortal Pagoda or Haotian Tower to slip through the city’s formations.
……
There were eighteen kings in residence at Cloudexit City. Apart from its city lord, the Dawn King, all of the other kings came from nearby locales. The strongest of them was the Earthmartial King. At peak third step kinghood, he wasn’t far from fourth step.
The catastrophe of the vicious ghosts was a perfect tempering opportunity for many cultivators. Breakthroughs were easiest during struggles of life and death. Therefore, kings from major regions around Starspace had mobilized to fight the vicious ghosts.
If they’d known that the enemy’s leader was a horrifying ninth step ghost king, that might’ve changed some minds.
“Champion Duke?” The eighteen kings were gathered in the skies over Cloudexit City, looking out at Starspace Region. Some looked back into the city when they noted Lu Yun’s presence.
“Anyone with the right to be a duke is a half step king. Why have we never heard of his name before?” The Dawn King frowned at the young man.
“This Champion Duke is indeed a disciple of the Trueriver Sect, he practices their ‘Skyriver Nirvana’ method.” The Earthmartial King swept a noncommittal glance over Lu Yun. “He’s probably someone that the Trueriver King hid away. Now that their foundations have been claimed by another, he’s sending out this hidden genius to revitalize the sect’s name so that others won’t laugh at them.”
“That’s probably the case. The Trueriver King received a massive fortune and treasures from the Immortal King in compensation for losing their territory. If this Champion Duke is here with some of them…” The Dawn King’s gaze turned ardent.
“Starspace Region is territory that belongs to the Enforcer Alliance. The vicious ghosts have slapped their face this time, I’m sure they’ll respond.” Earthmartial ignored his counterpart and frowned at the vast Cloudruin Region. “Their venerated enforcer is yet to be a titled king. Maybe he’ll come.”
