Three weeks had gone by in the outside world while Shen Bao was comatose. And a lot happened there and then.
The skies above the city of Muyang were dark and red, and they have been like that for weeks now without anyone knowing the reason. It felt like a Divine Heavenly tribulation that was waiting to pour down hell and hail from above.
While many cultivators went to inspect the reason and find out what, the most they could do was associate the phenomenon to someone going through a rise in their cultivation base, but at the same time either failing to succeed or suppressing himself.
Waves of divine sense washed over the city without figuring out the reason or the person responsible, and since the heavenly tribulation was just waiting, and didn't act, the reason was soon forgotten for an even bigger issue.
The black tower had received some visitors who have to happen to obtain a golden insignia, yet the tower denied them exit, for that the owner of the Insignia was not with them.
Shen Bao, who was unconscious couldn't leave the Lord of Lord's pagoda to confirm the Sect Master of the Purple Cloud Sect's 'claim' of getting the insignia fairly. Not only was she denied, when she tried to present the small jade that would confirm Shen Bao allowing them to leave through the Black Tower, a man, in his 'rage' at the unfairness of why others can leave and they couldn't, managed to land a blow in his madness on the jade, breaking it and thus eliminating any chances of the Sect Master and her disciples leaving.
Without the proof, and Shen Bao's disappearance, the Sect Master was in a huge pinch, especially after she figured out that the man who acted that way was actually an elder of the Three Legged Raven Sect.
This meant that not only was their cover and location blown, their only way of exit is exposed, and they couldn't even get to Shen Bao to ask him for direct assistance. Since he was unresponsive, and the Purple Cloud sect couldn't enter the Lord of Lord's pagoda without getting to Shen Bao. And to make it worse, the Black Tower had denied the Purple Cloud Sect entry to the manor where Shen Bao was at. Which just placed them in the most dangerous position they could be in.
Worse of all, even with the Purple Cloud Palace in the Sect Master's hands, she couldn't deploy it, and have it ready for the incoming assault, not that it would have mattered. The purple cloud palace was already heavily weakened, and the Sect never had the opportunity to fix it or repair it, and even if it wouldn't have mattered because all the Three-Legged Raven Sect, sect master, brother, and son. Han Chuzi, Yan Chuzi, Zhong Chuzi, were all heading towards Muyang where the events happened.
The only thing the Sect Master could do was pull all the strings she could all her favors and get several chambers within the Black Tower for her disciples. And now, they have been trapped inside the Tower unable to leave, or move. Stuck as the Three-Legged Raven Sect had made its way into the city and now only waited for the opportunity to get their hands on the Sect Master, to appease some of their shame for having been ridiculed for having a low tier sect escape entirely from their grasp, without anyone figuring out how.
While this was going on, in the other space, from the south was a surging powerful force coming in at maximum velocity. The army of the Fire King moved about, though they were far less in numerical and cultivation quality, they were, for the planet of Xi Son an incoming nightmare.
Two hundred Ascendant warriors came into the outer space of Xi Son, they all had a token on their chest signifying their allegiance to the Fire King, and this very token was suppressing more than two-thirds of their Qi allowing them to not be ejected by the suppression of the Qi quality of the barren lands.
The barren lands, where Xi Son, the planet where Shen Bao was on, was a vast unclaimed area in the massive vast expanse. However, the moment a cultivator reaches ascendant status, they are forced to leave, otherwise, they'll destroy the balance of power, or be hunted by the heavens, for it wishes not to have whales swim in a pond.
The majority of these Ascendant cultivators were carrying a pot with a single-lit incense. It gave off a rotten smell that smelled like putrid burnt flesh, but they carried it with reverence and pity as if they were carrying the holiest of things.
The cultivators moved until they arrived at the rims of the planet and stopped. While the other cultivators who didn't carry these pots had crimson bags in their hands that they opened up.
The crimson bags then unleashed massive numbers of cultivators that shot down towards the planet. Twenty of them were Half Ascendants, and the rest were a mixture of Soul Transformation, Soul Formation, and many other Nascent Soul cultivators, there was a severe lack of any cultivator below the Nascent Realm not because the Fire King didn't have them, but because they were pointless in taking over a planet.
The weakest were Nascent Souls, which were very powerful and had an amazing destructive ability on their own.
The whole group came from the bags and sat looking down on the planet. Though they were here far earlier than anyone expected they couldn't attack. By the decree of the Planetary Covenant, though the Fire King's army can approach the planet they cannot take residence in it until the time allowed of two months is over. Which was fast approaching its deadline.
The three Half Ascendants that the Planet of Xi Son had, were currently grouped up, in a palace deep in one of the highest mountain ranges of the planet Xi Son.
"Damn, they're already here," Hei Gua fu. Her lustrous and voluptuous body seemed to sigh along with her as she looked up to the skies.
"Seems that our days are numbered, what do you think, old fools, should we give up and find a chance to join the Fire King? This planet is doomed." The bald monk said.
The last, oldest, and hooded Half Ascendant of the three scuffed as he said, "Do you think the Fire King will accept anyone of us? We're far too weak for his army, and basically, we're not even worth it in his eyes."
"Old Yue, why did you decide to remain? Why not leave?" asked Hei Gua Fu.
"I've spent many years here, child, I don't wish to escape and see the world I lived in destroyed and turned to a graveyard of souls to be harvested then discarded like beast excrements after everything here is dead. I'd rather die than leave and give up my hometown, my lands, and my world."
"Seems that you didn't fully severe your emotions and attachment for this world, wouldn't this be the very reason you couldn't ascend?" asked the old monk.
"Once you have lived the same as I did, you'll understand." The hooded figure spoke.
"Hah, at least your sense of humor is still good, how the heck do you think we can survive this," the old monk sighed.
"I heard that a man with a golden insignia from the Black Tower appeared." Hei Gua Fu said.
"Yeah, same, I heard that too, but he'll definitely have bailed out by now." The monk said.
"Apparently, he gave it to someone else to leave, but right now he is away and no one knows their location, he goes by the name Shen Bao if I remember." Hei Gua Fu said.
"Hmm, someone is rather generous, even us three never got the chance to get one of those insignias. Anyway, it doesn't matter, old man, when will the planetary inscription be ready?"
"It should take two more months." The old man said.
"Damn, they'll already be here by then. Shit, we can use it to trap them, but can we survive for two months?"
"Highly doubt it." the old man replied.
"That's cold, direct, brutally honest, and very accurate. Seems like you're as blunt as always," the old man sighed.
"Anyway, let's just hope for the best, there is nothing else we can do." Hei Gua Fu said and the three just sighed at the same time.
The fate of Xi Son seemed Bleak, and they didn't have any way out of it.
While back in the Lord of Lord's pagoda.
More than a year had gone by while Shen Bao was unconscious. And for the first time in a long, long time, Shen Bao's hand moved, and he shuddered as he opened his eyes.
Taking a deep breath for what seemed to be the first time, Shen Bao's first words were,
"Holy shit, I need to take a piss so bad...."