In the distance, the herb farmers tending the medicinal garden and pulling weeds as usual each day heard the tremendous boom. They paused, then looked up.
All they saw in the distant sky was a huge explosion cloud slowly rising, orange-red flames and gray-black smoke tangled together. Against the blue sky and white clouds, it looked especially terrifying.
"What... what was that?!"
A farmer's voice trembled. Before he could recover from the shock, he saw three streaks of light flash across the sky.
The streaks, two in front and one behind, shot toward the air above the explosion site at astonishing speed.
The first to arrive were two middle-aged men, one burly and the other composed.
Behind them came an old man with graying hair and beard, a gaunt face, and a hunched frame, seated in an elegant wheelchair.
It was Mu En.
Mu En raised his withered hand and swept it downward.
Golden Soul Power surged forth like a tide, sweeping away all the smoke and flames churning below and revealing the crater in its entirety.
The crater was nearly a hundred meters across and more than thirty meters deep. The ground around its edge had been vitrified by the intense heat, reflecting a faint light.
Mu En's gaze swept over the crater, and he quickly confirmed one thing.
No one was injured.
No one was dead.
And there was no clue that could establish what had happened here.
Whoever had caused the explosion was exceptionally skilled, having erased every trace that could be followed.
Mu En's expression turned slightly grave. Then he looked toward the other two figures by the crater's edge, his gaze sharpening a little.
"I was not aware that the Clear Sky Sect's First and Second Sect Masters had come to Shrek City."
His voice was hoarse, with a hint of caution.
Though Shrek Academy and the Clear Sky Sect had once shared a good relationship ten thousand years ago, the sect had remained hidden from the world for millennia, and their bond was long past what it had been.
Now an explosion had suddenly occurred not far from Shrek City, and the Clear Sky Sect's First and Second Sect Masters just happened to be here.
How could anyone not suspect that the two were connected?
Da Ming looked at Mu En's cloudy yet piercing eyes and replied calmly,
"I admit, it was discourteous of us not to inform you in advance. But we only need to stay in Shrek City for a while on some business."
Da Ming paused, then spoke with complete frankness. "I can swear in the name of Sea God Tang San that my brother and I came to Shrek City with no ill intent. As soon as we've taken care of our business, we'll leave."
Mu En froze.
Why had he gone straight to swearing in the name of Sea God Tang San?
Mu En didn't know what to make of it.
He had only hurried over to investigate after sensing an extremely powerful energy fluctuation erupt near Shrek City.
On the way, he had seen Da Ming and Er Ming heading there as well. Naturally, he'd grown wary, which was why he had asked that question.
But who could have guessed that the other man wouldn't even give him a chance to ask anything else, and had gone straight to swearing an oath...
Mu En fell silent for a moment. In the end, he decided not to press further.
After all, everyone knew that Sea God Tang San had twin Martial Souls: Blue Silver Grass and the Clear Sky Hammer. He had even nearly become the Clear Sky Sect's Sect Master back in the day.
Da Ming had sworn in the name of Sea God Tang San, which clearly showed his sincerity. It would be discourteous to keep questioning him.
Mu En shook his head and prepared to ask if they had discovered anything.
But the next moment,
A suffocatingly powerful presence descended without warning!
Almost at the same instant, Mu En, Da Ming, and Er Ming all changed their expressions.
Their bodies shifted from relaxed to guarded, Soul Power surging rapidly through them, ready to strike at any moment.
Nearby, space split open like torn cloth, forming a pitch-black rift.
A figure strode straight out of it.
He wore a black robe embroidered with gilded dragon patterns. Broad-shouldered and imposing, he had a stern, commanding face and a pair of golden, vertical pupils that swept indifferently over everyone present.
Mu En's expression turned slightly grave.
"Di Tian..."
Di Tian gave Mu En a cool glance but said nothing.
His golden pupils lingered on the three men for a moment, then turned toward the enormous crater below.
Di Tian raised his hand and seized the air.
A wisp of golden energy, so faint it had nearly vanished, was drawn from deep within the crater. It writhed and struggled at his fingertips like a tiny golden snake, then finally fell still.
In the distance, Mu En, Da Ming, and Er Ming all recognized the nature of the energy. Mu En was the first to reach a conclusion.
It was at least an Ultimate-level light attribute, and it carried an intense aura of divinity and purification, far beyond the level he had reached!
Di Tian lowered his eyes to the wisp of gold at his fingertips, then looked up and glanced over the three men in turn. His gaze came to rest on Mu En, lingering as he scrutinized him before finally moving away.
He had come here for a simple reason:
He had sensed the presence of Gold of Life.
Years ago, a hundred-thousand-year Golden Hawksbill had disguised itself as a Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beast, entered the Lake of Life, and stolen a piece of Gold of Life right under his nose.
He had searched for years but found nothing.
Yet today, he had suddenly sensed the presence of Gold of Life erupting near the edge of the Star Dou Great Forest.
He had thought he had finally found that cunning Golden Hawksbill. Who could have guessed that it seemed to be a stranger instead?
And this stranger was extremely careful. Every trace had been wiped clean by the power of Ultimate light.
Di Tian's fingertip twitched, and the wisp of golden energy vanished into the air.
He raised his head, his golden vertical pupils fixing on those present. His tone was cold and commanding.
"Do you know what happened here?"
His voice carried an unmistakable note of interrogation.
Er Ming frowned at once and opened his mouth to speak, seemingly about to tell Di Tian to get lost.
But before he could, Da Ming reached out and stopped him, then spoke neither humbly nor arrogantly.
"Lord Di Tian, we came only after sensing the explosion. We haven't discovered anything yet."
Di Tian did not respond.
His gaze fell on Da Ming and Er Ming. He sensed the divine-level power concealed deep within the bodies of these two so-called "kin" and fell silent for a moment.
Without a word, Di Tian turned and stepped into the spatial rift, disappearing completely.
Since he had found nothing, there was no need to stay.
After all, when the Master had suddenly awakened recently, she had solemnly warned them to avoid Shrek City as much as possible, and not to go near even some areas along the edge of the Star Dou Great Forest.
If he had not suddenly sensed the presence of Gold of Life, he would never have come here.
Once the suffocating dragon Wei had completely disappeared, the tension on everyone's faces eased somewhat.
Da Ming turned to Mu En and said slowly,
"Since we haven't found anything, my brother and I will take our leave as well."
He paused, then added calmly,
"If Pavilion Master Mu still can't put your mind at ease and wants to speak with us,
"then come to the newly opened blacksmith shop at the end of Blue Silver Street in Shrek City. My brother and I will be delighted to welcome you."