Shriek! Shriek! Shriek!
Across the clear sky, immortal cranes pierced the clouds, wheeling endlessly, their cries bright and clear.
The splendid sight was almost exactly as the legends described an immortal realm.
Yet across the vast Eastern Wasteland, it could be seen in only a handful of places.
The White Crane Region was one of them.
Within this region stood a Nascent Soul Upper Sect called the White Crane Sect. Its inherited Cultivation Method, Crane's Cry Pierces the Nine Heavens, was complete from Qi Refining through the Nascent Soul Realm.
After reaching Foundation Establishment, every disciple was bestowed an immortal crane.
Disciple and crane cultivated together, making a formidable pair in battle.
Upon reaching the Nascent Soul Realm, a cultivator could even ride their companion crane across the Nine Heavens and roam the Azure Nether!
Of course, under ordinary circumstances, so many immortal cranes would not be flying over the White Crane Region.
Now that the five regions had joined forces against the Demon Race, they had released the cranes to keep watch against a sudden assault by the demon army.
Suddenly!
The flocks of cranes overhead stopped short, their sharp eyes turning as one toward a palace deep within a mountain.
From there, a powerful, blade-sharp aura spread without the slightest attempt at concealment.
Several cultivators were gathering there.
In a distant Fourth-Order Cave Mansion, a lean, vigorous old man with white hair and beard slowly opened his eyes.
"The Teleportation Array on the Dongyang Sect's side... Which fellow Daoist has come at a time like this?"
As he pondered, he drifted out of the cave mansion.
The moment he stepped into the air, a white crane flew beneath him as naturally as could be and bore him toward the teleportation palace.
Before long, he arrived.
As soon as