Chapter 2681: Chapter 2681: The Mountain Viewing Province

The merit points of the warriors, who entered the Dragon City, would accumulate only once they reached the Other Shore Realm.

The Flag Masters usually brought their subordinates to the Dragon Shadow Pavilion for tasks.

The condition was that both the Flag Masters and their subordinates had to at least reach the Other Shore Realm. Those who didn't meet this criterion had to practice in or near the Dragon City.

Zen had been with the disciples of the Sword Light Palace in the Dragon City for a short time now.

Even the most outstanding disciples among them, like Beldene and Elgin, were still lingering at the periphery of the Sea of Truth. Therefore, they, too, were not qualified.

In the Dragon Shadow Pavilion, a lanky, middle-aged man looked Zen up and down for a while before placing a square board in front of him.

There were notes on the board with the various corresponding merit points.

"Twenty merit points for a one-star task.

Sixty merit points for a two-star task.

One hundred and eighty merit points for a three-star task.

Nine hundred merit points for a five-star task!"

Zen read out the instructions on the board and turned to Gant. “How many merit points do I need to become an Alliance Chief?”

“Nine hundred,” Gant replied flatly.

“I'd like to start with a five-star task,” Zen announced to the middle-aged man with a confident smile.

“Ahem!”

Gant and the middle-aged man coughed at the same time.

Zen looked at the middle-aged man suspiciously. The middle-aged man realized that he had been rude so he quickly became serious. “A five-star task is very difficult. Usually, only the Alliance Chiefs can fulfill it.”

In order to undertake five-star tasks, one had to be as strong as the one-star Oneness Guards.

“Are you saying that I am not allowed to undertake a five-star task as a Flag Master?” Zen inquired.

“You can, but...” the middle-aged man responded reluctantly.

“But what?” Zen stared at him anxiously.

He was not a fool. He could sense that some people were trailing him in the Dragon City, but since they had hidden themselves well, he did not want them to affect his judgment. Ṝ𝐀NɵᛒЕS̈

The middle-aged man was still hesitating but suddenly his expression became very strange. He smiled and said, “Forget it! You're free to undertake whatever task you want. It's just that the five-star tasks are very dangerous, and even the Alliance Chiefs get severely injured in the process. As a mere Flag Master, you need to evaluate the risks and think it over.”

“I have already thought about it,” Zen replied with conviction.

“Good,” the middle-aged man said as he waved his hand. A small magic array materialized, and then turned into a token that was as small as his palm. “The information about the task, the passing certificate and the transfer order are all within this token. So keep it safe!”

The Mountain Viewing Province was far away. Although transmission arrays had been built along the way, the security of the Oneness Sky Palace was very strict. If Zen lost the token, it would be difficult for him to move about anywhere.

After taking the token and walking out of the Dragon Shadow Pavilion, Zen looked at Gant, who appeared restless, and said, “It's not too late to change your mind.”

Gant clicked his tongue.

Zen had taken on a five-star task and it was very likely that he would get himself killed.

“Flag Master, can you tell me what your task is?” Gant asked.

Zen poured a strand of spiritual sense into the token. After reading it for a while, he said, “We are indeed going to the Mountain Viewing Province. Our task is to guard the Blue Cloud City.”

If it was any other place, this task would not be a problem but when Zen mentioned the Blue Cloud City, Gant's face turned white and his heart tightened.

Guarding the Blue Cloud City was a five-star task, which meant the city itself was perilous.

“Are you going there with me?” Zen asked doubtfully.

“Yes, of course!” Gant said, having made up his mind.

Zen studied Gant from head to toe and asked, “Do you have a history or a connection to the Blue Cloud City?”

Gant didn't reply.

Zen shrugged his shoulders. Seeing as Gant was unwilling to divulge any information, he didn't probe further.

There was a huge transmission array in the northern side of the Dragon City. The guards let Zen and Gant in after inspecting the token.

Long-distance teleportation in the Source World was a bit different from that in the divine land.

After attaining a certain level of cultivation, one could travel freely throughout the divine land. However, teleportation in the Source World was quite complicated. The provinces in this world were mutually independent. When one arrived at the edge of a province, they had to exit the transmission array. Only after crossing the barrier between the provinces could they continue with the teleportation.

Zen and Gant made their way to the north, passing the Bloom Divine Province, the North Unicorn Province and the Coral Province successively.

En route, they passed the past homelands of the human race, but no nonhuman creatures attacked them. The human race had built countless cities, forces and sects over time.

Looking at the provinces, Zen sighed inwardly.

The Nine Li race used to be a big force of the human race much like the Oneness Sky Palace, but their lands were destroyed in a terrible internal battle of the human race. His heart ached at this thought.

'It will take a long time to rebuild the Nine Li race, ' he thought to himself glumly.

“The Mountain Viewing Province is just ahead. The Oneness Guards will show you the way.” After the guard of the transmission array saw Zen's token, he allowed him to go with a warning, “It's much more chaotic in the Mountain Viewing Province than it is here. You must be careful.”

Zen and Gant weren't the only two people who were passing through the transmission array that day. There were many people waiting behind them.

Most of them came from the sects in the jurisdiction of the Oneness Sky Palace.

Athemar had set up several sects in other provinces, and tens of thousands of sects were under the control of the Oneness Sky Palace.

The Sword Light Palace had the Stinger Guards. Likewise, there were various types of guards for these sects. Zen had encountered many such guards along the way.

Of course, these guards were not as powerful as the Oneness Guards, and the forces, too, were following the example set by the Oneness Guards.

The sects and forces had a large number of guards who needed training too. They had to prove themselves to the Oneness Sky Palace, so they would send strong warriors to assist the Oneness Sky Palace.

Now that the Mountain Viewing Province was in trouble, a large number of people had showed up as volunteers for help.

When these guards saw the token in Zen's hand, they were filled with envy.

Zen was from the Dragon City; he wasn't one of the Oneness Guards. People from there were the only ones qualified to become the Oneness Guards and represent the palace.

“Thank you for the warning,” Zen said as he took back the token. After the guard checked the tokens, the others followed Zen and boarded a giant flying ship, which would take them away from the space barrier.

There were about a thousand people aboard the flying ship. Some were worried about their future, while others were very excited. As a result, there was a deafening din in the flying ship.

Zen and Gant stood speechless in the back of the ship.

Finally, an hour later, the flying ship passed through the space barrier.

Before everyone could witness the scene in the Mountain Viewing Province, a small black dot came into view. It flew from the distance.

Ripples appeared on the enchanted barrier of the flying ship as it got penetrated by the black dot.

Click!

The black dot landed right in the middle of the flying ship.

Zen's gaze landed at the black dot as he saw a three-legged black bird.

The bird's body was as black as night, and its three legs were as shiny as gold.

Zen looked at the bird and sensed that the energy within its body was quite violent, very similar to when the Ways-blending Energy exploded. His expression changed suddenly and he shouted, “Watch out!”

As he spoke, he grabbed Gant and retreated backwards to the tail of the giant flying ship.