Waydale City, one of the cities under the Oland Kingdom, thrived even under the moonlight, with bustling streets filled with cultivators.
Here, first-stage and second-stage body tempering cultivators were as common as cabbage. To gain a foothold in this city, one must possess at least the cultivation of the fourth-stage body tempering realm.
Waydale City was home to three major forces: Lord Mansion, Song Clan, and the Blue Wind Sect. These forces were shaken by the recent news they had received. Each force had deployed personnel to monitor the Endless Forest, as they could not afford to be caught off guard.
The Endless Forest was known to be the home of monster clans. Although the region had enjoyed relative peace and had not witnessed a beast tide in the past hundred years, caution prevailed. The major forces remained vigilant, understanding that they could not let their guard down.
Waydale might be situated in a barren area, but compared to other places where towns and villages were annihilated almost daily, it was considered a safe haven. The people of Waydale considered themselves fortunate.
In Lord Mansion, Xenos, a middle-aged man, was interrupted while admiring the magnificent sight of the two moons hanging in the sky by a sudden knock on his door.
"Knock-knock."
"Come in," Xenos responded.
Shortly after, a burly middle-aged man entered the room.
"Commander Fax, what brings you here?" Xenos inquired.
Fax was one of the three commanders under Xenos' command, and each commander possessed at least a building base realm cultivation. Fax himself had reached the second-stage building base realm.
"My Lord, I have received a report that a pillar of white light was spotted in the forest," Fax informed Xenos.
Hearing this, Xenos's face changed, betraying his concern.
"Do you know what it is?" Xenos inquired.
"Yes, My Lord. According to the report, it appears to be a one-story tower resembling a pagoda. Furthermore, the report contains an astonishing claim," Fax replied.
"What is it?" Xenos asked, intrigued.
"My Lord, the report states that the tower's entrance is a massive teleportation portal."
"What? No, that is impossible!" Xenos exclaimed, his eyes widening in shock.
Even within the Oland Kingdom, there were only three teleportation arrays. Moreover, these arrays were not reliable and prone to accidents, which led to limited use by the royal family. Over time, the teleportation arrays became symbols of status, as not all kingdoms possessed them. The common people knew only about the existence of three teleportation arrays in the kingdom but were unaware of the specifics.
"Are you certain about this?" Xenos questioned.
"Yes, My Lord. Additionally, the observer reported seeing six individuals emerge from the portal, and to his surprise, he recognized one of them from a village near the forest."
"Those villagers are truly courageous, venturing into unknown territory... Have you learned anything about what lies inside the tower?" Xenos inquired.
"Yes, my men attempted to question them, but as soon as my soldier approached, he was met with cold and unresponsive faces. It was as if they hadn't heard him at all. Considering the group consisted of second-stage body tempering cultivators and the rest were first-stage, he didn't press the matter," Fax explained.
"Interesting, a village with six Body Tempering cultivators," Xenos mused.
"It is indeed peculiar, My Lord, as most villages do not have cultivators," Fax agreed.
"Very well, I entrust this matter to you. Remember to report any findings immediately," Xenos instructed.
If he could, Xenos would have gone to investigate personally.
However, he could not leave the city as he had important tasks to attend to the following day.
Similar situations unfolded within the other two forces, with each dispatching building base elders to investigate.