Jack carefully looked at all the interweaving lines that made up the Magic Formation as if trying to memorize it. The more complicated a Formation was, the more elements were added to it and researching a Magic Formation like that would be a very good eye opener.

As Jack studied the Formation, Shadya appeared next to him and said, “That crystal ball is the Core of Virbeth’s Formations.” As she said that, she pointed towards the crystal ball hovering in the middle of the Magic Formation. Jack raised his head and asked, “I just have to send my Energy into the Crown and it will open a path to the Core for me?” Shadya nodded her head. She had explained to Jack how the binding process of Virbeth exactly worked. This Magic Formation itself was a defence mechanism that did not allow any unauthorized personal close to the Core. Without the Crown, the moment you step on Magic Formation that was inscribed to the ground, someone of Jack’s level would die in less than an instant.

Jack seriously looked at the Core as he focused on sending Energy to the Crown in order to make a connection to the Core. At first nothing happened but after a moment passed, some brightly lit runes rose up from the Formation on the ground. The hovered above the Magic formation as if they were little stepping platforms. Jack looked at Shadya and Shadya in return nodded her head.

After seeing the nod, Jack took a deep breath as he stepped on one of the runes. He felt relief wash over him when the expected death did not come. The Formation acted as if he didn’t even exist there and Jack quickly jumped from one rune to another and made his way to the middle of the Formation, where the Core was.

When he reached the Core, he took a deep breath before gently putting his hand on the crystal ball. After putting his hand on the ball, he simultaneously sent his Energy through his palm to the Core and into the Crown of Desolates. He kept pouring his Energy into the two as the two started shaking slightly, forming a resonance with each other.

After a few minutes passed, Jack suddenly felt himself connected to the Core. That exact moment, all the dim lights that were inscribed into the ground slowly started lighting up one after another. Some of the lines were as thick and wide as grown man’s pinky finger, however some were like a strand of hair.

When the Formation fully lit up, the whole City knew that something had happened. The Energy density in the City immediately quadrupled and also, the Energy far purer than before. Also, above the city walls, a dome like light screen formed and at the seven city entrances all lit up with a different colour. Everyone were exceedingly flustered about what was happening but what happened next shocked them even more.

As the gatehouses lit up, a majestic roar of a dragon echoed out through the world. From each of the gatehouses a dragon of energy flew up into the sky and converged at the highest, centremost point of the dome of light.

The sight of seven majestic dragons with a suffocating aura merging into the light screen as if they were the city’s eternal protectors, standing guard over Virbeth until the end of time, was deeply inscribed into everyone’s heart and Soul.

***

In a luxurious office, a plump man was standing by the window, looking at the magnificent sight. There was a hint of smile on his face as he murmured, “Well, he was able to bind it even faster than I thought….”

Although he had a smile on his face, in his eyes, there was a nostalgic gaze. “Divine Protection of the Seven Dragons….” As he murmured that, he looked at the seven dragons that had just reached each other.

***

In the northern district of Virbeth was a luxurious mansion that occupied a huge piece of land. Underneath the mansion, a mummy like old man was sitting cross legged. The moment the light screen started forming, the old mummy that lacked all signs of life, suddenly opened his eyes.

They were venomous as he stared directly at the centre point of the Dome. “Seems like our plans have complicated themselves.” As he murmured that, anger was evident in his tone as he fished out a Communication Seal and immediately used it.

***

Similar scenes played out in all of the major Clan’s mansions as they had been eyeing Virbeth for quite a long time already. Normal people might not know the situation behind Virbeth and believe that it was firmly in Dragon Cross’s hand, however, all these major Clan’s and Sect’s had their ways of finding out about the truth behind the facade. Ever since they learned that Dragon Cross couldn’t actually bind Virbeth, they all set up a base here in hopes of being the ones that manage to do it.

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Currently, the main reason Merchant Hall was situated here was entirely to keep the Clans and Sects in line. However, too long has passed and the Clans and Sects have managed to firmly root themselves into the City, making it hard for even Dragon Cross to keep them in line. Virbeth was a City left behind by Raelag, a City that held an enormous amount of fortune, so the greedy eyes that targeted this plump sheep were many.

A few more decades and it would have been very hard for Dragon Cross to keep control of Virbeth without going into a full out war with the Clans and Sects. Usually, it would not be a problem but currently, Dragon Cross couldn’t afford to hold a war. This was the main reason Zhi sent Jack here, he believed that he would be able to bind the City and take full control of it.

That’s why they also sent Shu and ten Origin Realm experts here, to make sure nothing serious happened. As for the Blood Immortal Conclave, it was like a headless chicken.

Blood Immortal was dead, every higher up was either dead or captured by Dragon Cross, their Headquarters were destroyed, so they posed no danger at all. Everyone that could even be a relative threat to Jack was dead, so there was no need to station such a big force here.

Every major power knew that but if they voiced it out loud, it would earn the ire of Dragon Cross and all of it’s allies. If they moved some of their own Origin Realm Expert’s here, it would be the same as picking a fight with Dragon Cross, so that was also not an option.

Their only option left was to grit their teeth and try to find a way to lure Jack to their side.

***

After the binding of the Core was done, Jack opened his eyes as a cold glint passed through it. Probably no one else, even Zhi and Shu didn’t know, that Virbeth was one giant Magic Formation. Since Jack was now connected to the Core, he was directly connected to the City, he knew exactly what was going on where. He knew all about the various Clans and Sects that were eyeing the Core and how they were all currently making plans on how to lure him to their side or if he refused, how to kill him.

Jack let out a cold smile as a hundred pointy eared slender men appeared before him. They all gave a salute and waited for the order. Shadya opened her eyes wide but before she could ask anything, Jack gave an order to the hundred men, “Thoroughly research the background of all of the major Clans and Sects. I want to know who exactly stand behind each power and how strong they really are.” Jack’s voice echoed out in the stone room as the hundred men suddenly gave another salute and disappeared into thin air without making a sound.

These hundred pointy eared men were the Dark Elf Scouts. They specialized in sneaking around and collecting information, so these guys were the perfect men for the job.

Jack’s voice had been as cold and ruthless as the time he was working for Hidden Dragon. He had never been afraid of fighting anyone else, especially if they wanted to kill him. He did not care about the circumstances but all these Clans and Sects were making plans on killing him, so it would be a joke to just stand aside and let them carry on as they please.

Especially in Virbeth, this City was something his Master had left behind for him and no one else in the Cosmos had the knowledge or means to bind this City. Back when he was in Hidden Dragon, he had not been afraid of offending people and powers stronger than he himself was, why should he be afraid now that Dragon Cross was firmly standing behind his back.

Even if Dragon Cross didn’t stand behind him, he still had Shadya and Veyer alongside the Troops, so survival wouldn’t be a problem. There were times to rely on yourself and there were also times when you needed to rely on your backing. Jack himself wouldn’t be enough to fight all the Sects and Clans eyeing Virbeth but Dragon Cross was.

This City was completely under Jack’s control and if anyone tried to do anything to him inside the City, death will be their only road left. This wasn’t Jack being arrogant or condescending but rather this City was something his Master left into the care of Dragon Cross until his successor came. Even if it had been someone else, someone from the other Clans or Sects, Zhi and the rest would not have stopped the person that obtained Raelag’s Legacy from binding the City. It is a crime for a beggar to treasure a jade ring….

It didn’t matter who was right and who was wrong, the winner is King and the loser was the Thief. Since they want to pick a fight with Jack on his home turf, he wasn’t the kind take it lying down. Inside the City, they people that were currently here were no problem to deal with, however, Jack needed to know how stronger their backing was and how big of a headache this was going to be.

Depending on the strength of their backing, he might just expel them from the City with some random excuse or even go as far as killing them. Some people were worth more alive than dead and there were many ways of dealing with major Clans and Sects. After giving the order to the Scouts, Jack briefly explained the situation to Shadya and Veyer.

The two of them also had grim face on as they were enraged by the attitude of the major Sect and Clans. Veyer said, “Seems like just because Dragon Cross is currently conserving strength for the Planar War, some ant’s think that Dragon Cross is a tiger without fangs.”

The anger in Veyer’s voice was obvious but what piqued Jack’s interest were the words “Planar War”. Jack immediately asked, “What is the Planar War? What’s Dragon Cross’s role in it?” Veyer’s face fell as he realized that he had said a bit too much. He thought about it for a moment and then sighed, “Ask about that from the fat man Shu or what his face was. We have only heard of it, we have never taken part of it, so he would be able to give you a better explanation.”

Jack nodded his head slowly as he made a mental note of asking about this Planar War from Shu when he saw him next time.