He raised three fingers.
"First, the Prison Valley. A sealed region where thousands of powerful criminals and rogue cultivators are trapped. Many of them are former sect leaders, generals, and bloodline warriors—abandoned or betrayed. If they are subdued, their strength would be invaluable."
"Second," he added, "the Netherstone Basin. That place is a forbidden battlefield, filled with remnants of an ancient war. Evil Spirits, golems, lost souls, and guardian puppets still roam there, bound by old contracts. If one can assert dominance over its soul, those bound entities would follow."
"And third..." he hesitated, glancing at Igaris, "The Wandering Beast Graveyard. It’s a place where dying magical beasts go to slumber. But the graveyard is alive with vengeful spirits, half-undead chimera, and beast monarchs that resist death. If your ability truly allows resurrection or submission, then they might become part of your army."
Igaris absorbed each word, his gaze sharpening with interest.
"Where is the Prison Valley located?"
Jian pulled out an ancient scroll and placed it on the stone table nearby.
"It’s southeast, approximately 300 miles away from here. But it’s sealed by six layered formations. Even Legendary cultivators dare not trespass lightly."
"Perfect," Igaris muttered, a cold glint in his eyes. "Then that’s where we’ll start."
Shirley, standing beside him, frowned slightly. "Are you really planning to recruit from a prison full of criminals?"
He turned to her with a half-smile.
"They’re not criminals to me. They’re weapons. All they need is a master worth following."
Founder Jian bowed slightly.
"Then I will make arrangements. But we have to be cautious. Those in the Valley are desperate. And not all can be tamed."
"Let’s see who bends. And who breaks."
Igaris said calmly, the air around him beginning to ripple with quiet killing intent.
As they were preparing to depart from the sect, several young men and women approached Igaris and Shirley.
The group of four that came forward wore luxurious ornaments and equipment. Their weapons and artifacts shimmered with spiritual energy, and though their faces were fair and attractive, the arrogance in their eyes was unmistakable.
"So, you’re the Dao Child of the Soaring Dragon Sect? Nice to meet you. I am Yang Huo from the Misty Phoenix Sect," said a young man as he stepped forward with a noble air, concealing a cunning smile beneath the facade of a gentleman.
Igaris raised an eyebrow, his gaze cold. "Oh?"
"What’s with the attitude, Dao Child?" scoffed one of the young women, her beauty radiant like a blooming flower. "We’ve come from such a long distance. Shouldn’t you at least show us some hospitality?"
Igaris gave a faint smile. "And who might you be?"
Gasps echoed around them, as if he had uttered something truly outrageous.
"Wow! I didn’t know Dao Child Yuhan was so ignorant as to not recognize the famed Dao Child, the goddess among goddesses—Fairy Hua from the Thousand Lotus Sect. Truly, you’re an embarrassment," mocked another young man, his presence oozing with a deadly green poison.
"I see... You must be the infamous Dao Child Mu Chen. I’ve heard a bit about you," Igaris replied calmly.
Mu Chen cracked a sinister smile. "Then I should be glad, Dao Child Yuhan. After all, we have an old debt to settle."
"So you’re somehow connected to the bandits who tried to rob us along the way. Am I right?"
Mu Chen didn’t deny it. He revealed a wicked smile instead. "Yes. The bandits you slaughtered were under my command. But it appears you haven’t heard the latest news yet. Perhaps you should check on the old man’s whereabouts first."
"You mean Elder Hao? What have you done to him?"
Mu Chen’s smirk deepened as he stepped closer, his venomous aura subtly pressing into the air.
"What have we done?" he echoed mockingly. "Nothing much. Just gave him a taste of what happens when someone crosses the wrong people. Of course, he’s still alive... barely. But I doubt he’ll be walking around freely any time soon."
Shirley’s expression turned cold in an instant. "You attacked an retired elder of our sect? Are you courting death?"
Fairy Hua chuckled lightly. "Oh my, so fierce. But I suppose that’s to be expected from a woman clinging to a man who’s far out of her reach."
Igaris narrowed his eyes. "You’re all really bold to threaten me so openly in another sect’s territory."
Yang Huo stepped in, feigning diplomacy. "Come now, Dao Child Yuhan. We’re not here to start a war. We simply came to exchange some pointers and test our strength. Isn’t that what the Imperial Championship is all about?"
"A test?" Igaris said, his tone flat. "Is that what you call after ambushing someone’s guardian? Interesting logic."
Mu Chen laughed coldly. "Logic is for those who play fair. And in the real world, power rewrites the rules."
Igaris smiled faintly. "Good. Then I’ll show you a new rule of my own making. Try not to cry later on."
The air grew heavier, spiritual pressure rising, as both sides stood inches away from open conflict.
But Igaris turned away calmly.
"We’ll finish this at the tournament," he said.
Mu Chen sneered. "We will. And you’ll kneel before me before this ends."
Igaris didn’t care about their ramblings. He refrained from attacking them outright because their sects could bring unnecessary trouble to the Soaring Dragon Sect.
"You handled it perfectly, Lord. Better than I could have, haha..." Jian said with a chuckle.
"I heard you were quite unruly back in the day, Old Jian," Igaris replied, shifting the topic as they headed toward the medical hall.
"Yes, I was. At that time, I bullied all the sects across the continent by defeating their prodigies one after another."
"I see. But do you know how the Dragon Ascension stairway came to be?" Igaris asked, voicing a question that had been bothering him for a while.
"I don’t know. In my era, it didn’t exist at all," Jian replied with a shake of his head.
"So it was established afterward. I’ll have to ask Sect Master Fang later on."
Just then, Igaris noticed Shirley walking unusually quietly, her head slightly lowered and her footsteps slow.
"Shirley?" he called gently.