The mountains were strange and beautiful, the waters clear; range upon range of green peaks thrust up into the heavens. That familiar domain of peaks had appeared before his eyes once more. Now that he had returned to the territory under Soaring Heavens Palace's jurisdiction, the mountains were still the same, but they were no longer the bustling places they had once been, with spirit birds flitting about, spirit beasts roaring, cultivators coming and going to cultivate, and markets and the Servants Hall teeming with activity.
The domains between the peaks had once been filled with vast fields of spirit herbs and spirit trees. But after nearly two hundred years of warfare across the cultivation world, most of those with any value had been harvested. The outskirts of Soaring Heavens Palace also seemed to have suffered some damage, and the lingering auras of many Golden Core cultivators remained.
Among them were quite a few violent strands of lightning-elemental mana. It seemed that not long ago, a great battle between Foundation Establishment cultivators had taken place here. The flames of war had actually reached Soaring Heavens Palace.
Only the white mist drifting between the peaks remained as it had always been.
"Stop! Who are you, to dare trespass in Soaring Heavens Palace?"
Although most of Soaring Heavens Palace's forces had gone to Sky Sword Mountain to join battle against the enemy's main forces, with only a small number of cultivators left to guard these dozens of peak domains, the patrol cultivators still quickly spotted Lu Xiaotian's group, who made no attempt to conceal their presence.
The two wore spirit armor and had summoned their weapons. They watched Lu Xiaotian and the others warily.
"Lu Xiaotian of Azure Lotus Peak Domain has returned to Soaring Heavens Palace. Who is in charge now?"