Chapter 630: A Wild Young Master Appears!
— Meanwhile, New Atlantis —
While Daniel was testing the weapon in the Sultanate of Aqaba, an important report reached both Albert and Cao Cao. They read the document carefully before discussing how to proceed. The file contained data about a newly arrived group of mages who had entered New Atlantis under the banner of the Ming Federation.
Now, Cao Cao was on the phone, speaking with Zheng Tianming, the Zheng Clan patriarch and leader of the Ming Federation.
"Mr. Zheng… let me be clear. You legitimized the identities of these individuals. Does this mean you're vouching for them? Can we take your word that, while they are here, they won't cause any trouble?" Cao Cao asked, his tone serious.
"Yes, Lord Cao. I've already briefed them on the rules and who holds power there, including Lord Emberweave's authority. I even provided them with photos of the individuals they must not offend, particularly members of Lord Emberweave's family," Zheng Tianming replied.
Cao Cao listened, nodding slightly, though his stern expression remained. It was evident he wasn't fully satisfied. "Then… despite your precautions, just in case they are foolish enough to cause trouble… will you still vouch for them and be prepared to bear part, if not all, of the consequences?" he pressed.
"Yes, Lord Cao. I vouch for them and will bear the responsibility to compensate New Atlantis should any incidents occur," Zheng Tianming affirmed.
"Remember your words, Mr. Zheng, because you might come to regret them. I also hope I'm wrong this time, but based on my judgment, when I looked into their eyes, I don't believe following the rules is their strong suit," Cao Cao said, his tone firm. After exchanging a few more pleasantries, they ended the call.
Cao Cao turned to Albert, who was seated beside him in the command center. "Mr. Zheng has vouched for them, Mr. Worseley," Cao Cao stated.
"You seem highly skeptical… I'll assign a few people to keep an eye on them," Albert replied.
A group of strangers had entered New Atlantis through legal channels, equipped with legitimate identities and passports bearing the official seal of Long Xin Island, part of the Ming Federation—a close ally of New Atlantis.
What made this group stand out was their status as high-ranking mages from the Ming Federation. Upon their arrival, they were met with incentives, prestige, and a warm welcome, anything that would satisfy this group's vanity.
However, such distinguished guests inevitably drew the scrutinizing gaze of both Albert and Cao Cao. The only reason this group was permitted entry was because Zheng Tianming had personally vouched for them and committed to bearing any consequences if something went awry.
Also, both Cao Cao and Albert didn't want to start a war on two fronts. The two knew that this group actually are not mages, but they are the people from the Immortal Realm
The newcomers found themselves in the newly built tourist district, an artificial island floating alongside the main island. This district boasted a mix of luxurious hotels, entertainment complexes, and a vibrant night plaza, catering to tourists and New Atlantis citizens looking to unwind during long vacations.
In one of the few luxury resorts on the newly built island, a group of young men lounged under the sun, indulging in the exclusive VIP program reserved for a select few special guests. Whether it was free drinks, gourmet food, or even women, every service was offered on the house.
"Young Master, this is incredible. I never thought the Mortal Realm could have a place like this. It's fortunate we were assigned the mission to investigate the disappearance of the Heavenly Palace and ended up here," one of the men said to a younger man, who exuded an air of nobility and authority.
"Hahaha, don't you know the real reason our sect sent us out here to investigate?" the young man replied, his tone amused as he addressed the speaker.
"What? What's the sect's reason?" asked the same entourage member, curiosity etched on his face.
"They wanted us to test the waters in the Mortal Realm," the young man explained. He stood and waved his hand, signaling to the working women and waitstaff to leave them. They obeyed immediately, dispersing without question.
"Test the waters? Why? Is the sect planning to expand here? But didn't they say the mana here is thin and not worth the effort?" another entourage member asked, confused.
"Apparently, there's an organization called the Order of Ember that has created a secret realm teeming with magical creatures. They produce ingredients we can use to refine pills and hold many heaven-and-earth treasures. These resources are enough for us to produce a battalion of geniuses, elevating our sect's power significantly.
And from what I've learned, this place is the headquarters of the Order of Ember," the young man explained.
"But Young Master, didn't we promise that mortal, Zheng Tianming, that we wouldn't cause trouble here?" one of the entourage members asked.
"Oh? I didn't think any of you valued that mortal enough to seriously consider keeping a promise with him," the young master teased, a smirk playing on his lips.
To Cultivators, mortals were nothing more than tools—beings born to serve and be ruled over. It was their birthright as denizens of the Immortal Realm to use and dominate mortals. This was their deeply ingrained worldview and common sense.
"Besides," the young man continued, "we're only here to observe and pinpoint the location of the secret realm the Order of Ember has created. Once we identify the exact spot, we'll return and report to the sect elders. That's our duty here. And while we're at it, we can enjoy all the privileges these mortals shower us with. Think of it as a vacation outing," he added with a confident smile.
"Young Master is right. Zheng Tianming even provided us with pictures of the people we should avoid. I think this really is just a vacation outing, as Young Master said," one of the entourage members said submissively.
At this moment, another entourage member chimed in.
"What nonsense are you spouting, idiot? Young Master doesn't need to memorize anyone's face. No one in this place is worthy of being a threat to him! From the airport to here, the strongest among them was merely at the Foundation Establishment Stage, while our Young Master is a Nascent Soul cultivator!
If anything does happen, it'll be a swift and decisive massacre. Our Young Master will emerge victorious in no time!" said the entourage member, clearly attempting to curry favor with his Young Master.
"HAHAHAHA! Excellent, excellent! Well said! Truer words have never been spoken!" the young master laughed arrogantly, rewarding the speaker with money and some cultivation pills.
After that the group laugh out loud revel in their vanity and self importance. None of what they spoke had enter the watcher ears as the young master use his cultivation to create a sound barrier to prevent their sound from being heard, thus, in the watchereyes that Albert sent to keep an eyes on this group of people, they just saw that a group of men are laughing and enjoying together which didn't earn any suspicious.
— Morning —
In the morning, the Young Master and his entourage left their resort and began touring New Atlantis, acting like ordinary tourists. Their casual demeanor significantly lowered the vigilance of the watchers, who assumed the group was simply here to enjoy themselves.
While it was partially true that they were sightseeing, the watchers were unaware that the Young Master was constantly using his spiritual sense to scan the areas they visited. To his surprise, he discovered several locations generating an absurd amount of mana.
These locations varied greatly: churches, abandoned houses, warehouses, smithy workshops, haunted houses, and even a regular zoo. There seemed to be no common thread connecting them, as they were scattered throughout New Atlantis.
What the Young Master didn't know was that none of these places contained the secret realm he was seeking. Instead, all these locations were sites where Daniel had used Location Conversion Cards to transform them into mana-generating hotspots making these places to become the resources to fuel his spell.
"We've identified several locations that fit the search criteria. Let's split into three teams to investigate them," the Young Master suggested, dividing his entourage into three smaller groups.
After delegating the tasks, he chose one of his most loyal followers to accompany him to one of the sites—a zoo. As the Young Master entered the zoo, he hoped to uncover evidence of the secret realm. However, his investigation left him disappointed; it was nothing more than an ordinary zoo, albeit one that inexplicably produced a large amount of sacred mana.
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While the Young Master concealed his frustration, his attention was drawn to a striking woman walking hand in hand with a red-haired child who appeared to be around six or seven years old. The woman possessed the refined, ethereal beauty often seen among saintesses from other sects.
"Mama Xingyun, let's go see the pygmy hippos next!" Little Sylvana exclaimed excitedly, tugging at Tian Xingyun, who had accompanied her to the zoo.