88: The Lord of Etherburg appears

The three of them dispersed and returned to their respective Immortal Caves.

Life returned to normal once more, and in the blink of an eye, seven days had passed.

On this day, around the time of the fifth watch, a cacophony of noise woke Yao Yian from his meditation on his Cultivation Technique.

Just as he was wondering what was happening, the voices of the Execution Squad rang out from outside the door.

However, this time they weren't urging everyone to go on a mission, but rather informing them that today was a collective day of rest and that the Immortal Cave fees were waived.

"Great!"

"Finally, a break. Dismembering corpses all the time, I'm practically going insane."

"Rest, rest! I'm dying of exhaustion. With my cultivation suppressed, I can't resist the sleepiness at all."

The crowd cheered for a while and then all lay back down together.

Yao Yian was no exception, of course. However, just as he was about to continue contemplating his Cultivation Technique, another voice rang out.

"The mute from Corpse Dismemberment Cave Number Seven! Fellow Daoist mute from Corpse Dismemberment Cave Number Seven!"

"If you hear this, come out immediately. Come out immediately."

"Me?"

Yao Yian frowned, but he walked out nonetheless.

As soon as he stepped out, two Cultivators from the Execution Squad immediately approached him, bowing and scraping.

"Boss Xu sent us over."

"He said we need to bring you there right away."

Yao Yian nodded and followed them along the path.

On the way, he saw many others walking alongside him, and there were even a few he actually recognized.

This was because those people were the trusted Cultivators of the managers of other Corpse Dismemberment Caves, essentially the Coral Fortress's "own people."

Looking at the grand scale of the situation, he guessed that something significant was about to happen.

The group moved forward, and before long, they arrived at the large plaza where everyone had first entered the Coral Fortress.

At this moment, the grand plaza was luxuriously decorated and resplendent.

Many neatly dressed male and female attendants were scurrying about, clearly preparing to welcome someone important.

The perimeter of the plaza was lined with fully armed members of the Execution Squad and the Capture Hall, holding spears and swords, guarding the entire grand plaza tightly.

What's going on?

Yao Yian's heart stirred as he vaguely sensed something.

Various signs indicated that this matter was likely related to that mysterious Aether Coral Fortress Master.

"Brother, come over here."

Xu Yimo waved toward Yao Yian and pulled him over to the Execution Squad's side.

He was particularly different today, fully armed with both a sword and a blade, and his entire demeanor was somewhat solemn.

"Brother, are you curious about what's going on?"

"I'll tell you, but you must never tell anyone else."

"Oh, right, I forgot you're a mute, brother."

Yao Yian couldn't even be bothered to retort; if you don't know how to speak properly, then don't speak at all.

But soon, he received the news from Xu Yimo's mouth.

That was—today, the Aether Coral Fortress Master was returning to the Coral Fortress and wanted to meet his "own people"!

The five Hall Masters took this extremely seriously, having arranged a warm welcome scene early on.

Yao Yian looked toward the plaza and saw that on the steps in the very center...

...a massive throne had appeared, with five smaller thrones below it.

An existence capable of subduing five Middle Stage Spirit Manifestation Cultivators and controlling over fifty Spirit Manifestation Realm Cultivators...

...would not have low cultivation, and their methods would be top-notch.

Such a person was very likely one of those so-called Epoch Battlefield Prodigies.

Suddenly, Yao Yian realized a problem.

If his cultivation level were to leak, would he be seen through by that Fortress Master on the spot!?

He was wearing a collar yet could exert power far exceeding the First Level of Kai Guang Realm; there was no way to explain that.

A single slip-up, and everything would be lost.

Yao Yian didn't dare gamble that the other party wouldn't investigate everyone individually, as the price of being discovered was more than he could bear.

Since the matter was of great importance, Yao Yian immediately delegated control of his body and entered the space within his Sea of Consciousness with his awareness.

Inside the Sea of Consciousness, the twin star mirror was floating quietly.

Yao Yian rushed over and fell to his knees with a thud.

"ancestor, save me."

"This lowly one is in mortal danger, I beg ancestor to act quickly!"

Yao Yian moved forward on his knees and pulled the twin star mirror into his arms.

"What are you doing? Let go of this Young Miss, you're so annoying."

A speechless voice came from within the twin star mirror.

Yao Yian explained his purpose: a powerful Cultivator was about to appear and might investigate everyone.

He hoped the twin star mirror would help him hide his cultivation.

"I know, I know."

The twin star mirror swayed gently, and a red radiance instantly bloomed from its surface, falling straight into Yao Yian's Sea of Consciousness.

As this light descended, his Sea of Consciousness was instantly transformed into a magnificent red world.

Correspondingly, the true aura of his Dantian was suppressed to the level of someone who had just entered the Eighth Level of Kai Guang Realm.

As long as he didn't encounter a Silent Spirit Realm Cultivator, no matter how others investigated, they wouldn't be able to discover the truth.

"Thank you, ancestor. This lowly one will take his leave."

Yao Yian sensed the changes within his body and was instantly overjoyed.

As expected, with the support of a Divine Artifact, it felt incredibly refreshing!

Time passed quietly, and soon, a crowd began to gather on the plaza.

By a rough count, there were as many as five thousand people.

Cultivators who could enter the Epoch Battlefield were no pushovers; these five thousand Cultivators were all, without exception, experts at the Late Stage of the Kai Guang Realm.

Among them, there were even many outstanding individuals at the Peak of the Ninth Level, just one step away from the Spirit Manifestation Realm.

It could be said that they were all Spirit Manifestation Realm seeds.

Furthermore, those who could come here all shared a common characteristic: they all held a certain level of status within the Coral Fortress to some degree.

Though they were still equivalent to slaves, their treatment was much higher in Rank than those considered consumables.

"I heard the Fortress Master is coming to the Coral Fortress today," people whispered in the crowd.

"To be able to control such a massive Coral Fortress in the Chaotic Land, the Fortress Master must be extraordinary."

"Sigh, I heard that the Fortress Master..."

"Shh, shut up! If you say another word like that, even Manager Chen won't be able to save you!"

The person next to him hurriedly interrupted, fearing he would be implicated.

"Yes, yes, I'll shut up."

Before long, the five Hall Masters arrived at the plaza one after another.

And Yao Yian also saw the Master of the Hundred Treasures Hall for the first time. She was an exquisitely beautiful young woman, wearing a milky-white robe with her hair tied up with a red string, giving her a bit of a heroic air.

However, she seemed somewhat sickly or even frail. The moment he saw her, four words popped into Yao Yian's mind.

—The Ailing Fairy.

Soon, the Aether Coral Fortress Master appeared.

In the distance, a group of Cultivators approached, riding on Flying Swords.

Dark clouds pressed down, grand and powerful like a rainbow.

When the leader finally appeared before their eyes, the atmosphere on the scene suddenly froze. Everyone held their breath as if time had paused at this moment.

Before his figure even arrived, a sense of pressure surged like a tide, causing an involuntary, invisible fear to arise in the hearts of every Cultivator present.

His face was fair, his skin as delicate as jade. He wore a magnificent brocade robe and had a warm smile, appearing both noble and elegant.

A golden ribbon was tied around his waist, and he wore a black feather crown on his head.

It swayed gently in the breeze, like a dazzling light surrounding him, carrying endless majesty.

His posture while flying on the sword was extremely elegant, light, and slow.

Yet, it invisibly emitted a powerful pressure, making everyone want to look up, but they didn't dare to stare directly because of that majesty.

Among the many followers behind him were sickly old men, muscular female Cultivators, and seductive, beautiful men... Gliding through the air on his sword, he landed gracefully before the throne. His followers landed at the edge of the plaza, standing silently like still statues.

He swept his robes and sat down.

Immediately, a chorus of shouts rang out in the plaza.

"Greetings, Fortress Master!!!"

"Salutations, Fortress Master!!!"

"Long live the Fortress Master!!!"

The plaza was suddenly a sea of black as everyone knelt on the ground.

"Rise."

His voice was as clear as spring water, with an irresistible tenderness within its indifference.

However, those who stood up involuntarily lowered their heads, their gazes not daring to meet those of this Aether Fortress Master.

The next moment, an incomparable ripple suddenly spread out, sweeping across like a tidal wave.

The Aether Fortress Master's Divine Sense was like an invisible giant hand, sweeping over every Cultivator present, causing the five thousand Cultivators to be enveloped by this aura, unable to move an inch.

Enveloped by his true essence, an indescribable sense of pressure suddenly arose in everyone's hearts, making it hard to breathe.

Fear, extreme fear, as if their lives were in his hands, sending a chill through their hearts!

As expected of a Prodigy Cultivator capable of leaving a name on the Epoch Battlefield; this power truly left them all trembling.

"Not bad. As servants, you are all qualified!"

He smiled slightly, a smile filled with a hint of playfulness and confidence.

"Although many of you have already met this Fortress Master..."

"...this Fortress Master still wants to introduce himself. I am ranked eighty-third on the Epoch Battlefield Top Cultivator Ranking."

"You may also call this Fortress Master—the Daoist of Extreme Yin!"