“That’s enough! Bring out the heavenly framework, don’t you dare drop any if you do you will be sent down into the spirit stone mines!”

A group of United Element Sect members that had a symbol of a hammer on the back of their robes was transporting a new product that the sect had managed to produce. It didn’t look like much, just a bunch of hollow tubes of various shapes and sizes. They seemed to fit into each other and were now being connected before the large bridge between the empires.

With time the whole construction looked like a big flimsy scaffolding. Some of the sect members that weren’t informed wondered if their brothers would start building a wall there but in such circumstances where they could be attacked at any moment how could they start building?

Something strange happened after one of the frames that looked like a large tower was completed. From the outside, it looked like something made from toothpicks but suddenly the whole structure started growing. The thin rods that were combined with each other started filling out the empty space between them with something similar to gray concrete. The change was rapid and soon a whole tower made of sturdy stone was standing.

“Is this the new innovative building technology that was being kept secret by the building faction?”

Some of the warriors commented from the side while their eyes opened wider. Only about a day had passed since they had taken over this part of the border and some stragglers were out there. They even managed to kill a few that tried running back into their own lands back through the bridge.

“Patriarch, please this way.”

“It’s the Patriarch!”

Various sect members that were here instantly dropped what they were doing as their leader arrived. To them everything was made possible by this one man, their survival was tied to his steady increase in power. Many rumors were spread that he might have been some kind of reincarnated immortal that was hiding his true identity. It didn’t matter though, he had blessed them with his knowledge and now their sect was among the strongest in this Empire.

“I see that you have managed to keep your promise but will it hold?”

“You don’t have to worry Patriarch, it might not look like much but these walls won’t be easily breached.”

“Is that so?”

Everyone was holding their heads down as the leader arrived. They were sure to strain their ears to catch each word that he was saying as telling tales of meeting the Patriarch would be something worth mentioning at a family get-together.

“I’ll give it a small test then…”

What was this test the leader was talking about? They couldn’t fathom his true intentions but after a moment they heard a loud thumping noise coming from the direction of the gray tower that was quickly constructed. All of them quickly raised their heads in fear that their camp was being attacked but instead they saw a palm mark from which many cracks were coming out.

“Hm, it should be enough to deflect some cannonballs… good, go ahead and resume construction. Everyone go back to work and be vigilant! We ”

“Yes, Patriarch!”

Everyone shouted while Zhang Dong floated away towards the previously gloomy-looking castle. After the take over all of the dark mist had disappeared along with the miasma. Without the evil energy soaking, everything up the structure looked a lot more reserved.

….

‘The walls didn’t collapse after a punch so it should be able to survive hits from a lower realm nascent soul master.’

Zhang Dong was floating away while looking at the quick construction of the walls and guard towers. Two large ones would be placed on each side and then smaller ones would follow soon after. A large wall reaching up to the skies was going to be created and many defensive formations and weapons to defend this location would also be brought here.

‘I have this place's coordinates saved so I can return here at any point in time too.’

The battle was over and it was a sound victory. He had managed to use his forces to capture this place not even a year into the war. With this location secured he would be able to expand his influence further. That is if he could successfully use this base and counter any enemy attacks that might come.

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“You have kept us waiting long enough, where is he?”

“Hah, he will get there when he wants!”

“Why you …”

“Please lord Lucius be calm.”

“How can I be calm, my men have died and we still haven’t found the secret blade, what if he had tricked us into fighting his wars?”

His ears picked up an argument in the distance. Huo Qiang and a few other nascent soul elders were keeping the golden knights company. After the siege of the fortress, he was quite busy with making sure that everything went smoothly. There were still many strange items inside the castle so it was forbidden for anyone to go in before he did a sweep.

Argus along with Lucius had arrived half a day ago after defeating one of the demi-human leaders. All they wanted to do was to get their holy relic and be on their way. They weren’t convinced that it was actually here anymore. Their detection device was not picking up anything, thus they thought that Zhang Dong had lied to them.

They were only half right as the item was in his possession. The only reason that he didn’t present it to them was to not make it more suspicious than it already was. If he instantly pulled it out they would surely discover that he had it on him before they even attacked. Perhaps they would have forgiven him for his lie after receiving the item but it was better not to make a bad impression on the two. Perhaps in the future, he could ask them for more aid.

“Argus, Lucius there you are, I have been looking for you, I think that I might have found what you have been looking for.”

“There you are, you won’t talk yourself out of… you found it?”

After Lucius noticed that Zhang Dong appeared he was ready to give him some strong words but the moment he mentioned that he had the relic the knight was stunned.

“Of course, what do you take me for?”

“A …”

“Don’t answer that, here. I think this should be it.”

Before Lucius could start listing down Zhang Dong’s faults before his sect members, a large chest appeared on the ground. He had found it inside Valentine’s castle and it was perfect to hold the holy relic that was once part of a bed. The moment the chest appeared from within his spatial ring there was a change in the medallion.

“It’s reacting? Could this really be it?”

“Let me see my Lord!”

Argus could see that the medallion that Lucius was wearing was faintly reacting to the presented chest. In reality, the one that was blocking the holy energy from flowing outside was Zhang Dong himself. Only after lifting the chest outside of his range could their device react to it.

“This…”

The wizard held out what looked to be a part of a sword hilt with both his hands. They started to quickly shake after he activated various identifying spells that confirmed that this was the item that they were really looking for. Lucius moved the medallion closer and when it touched the relic it started giving out a strange chime.

“Is it the treasure that you were looking for?”

“It is… we have found the Holy Sword of legends!”

Lucius held the piece of the sword and almost instantly tried to activate it. The rise in holy energy caused the nascent soul masters to pull out their weapons. This in turn made the golden knights move forward with their own blades drawn. Only when Zhang Dong and Argus moved their hands up did they stop with their approach.

“It’s fine, stand back.”

“Please lower your swords knights.”

“I…”

“Lord Lucius, only the hero can awaken the holy sword, we must bring it back to the kingdom and await his coming”

“Yes Wizard, I do know the old legend…”

The swordmaster looked disappointed as even after he continued he could not make the relic budge. Even Zhang Dong whose understanding of the divine arts was much better could only slightly make the item move. It was something specially created for a different setting and thus probably locked away by the system. While he could try to get Bob to decode the problem there was no time.

‘I guess they will now retreat back to their kingdom, I probably can’t expect them to help me anymore from this point on.’

He was a bit disappointed as the knights were capable allies. After giving them their relic they would probably see him as a friend. Yet when they had received what they required there was no reason for them to stay here anymore unless they also wanted to push in to get more resources or land.

“Isn’t this a blessing Lord Lucius, now if we can find the Holy Aegis then we will be able to go back home!”

“The what now?”

A name that he was not familiar with was mentioned, was there another relic that these two were searching for that they didn’t mention? It seemed that he was not the only person withholding information.

“If you will allow me, Lord Lucius, I think Lord Dong has proven himself as a trusted ally…”

“That he did, you must apologize for my previous behavior Sir Dong but you must understand that I had to be careful. Go ahead Argus, you have my permission.”

The stern knight commander that found fault with him at various junctions was now bowing his head. He was mistrusting to the very end but now after they had reclaimed a part of the treasure, there was more trust.

“The holy sword is but a part of the treasured relic, there is another one in the shape of a shield. Only when the two come together will the hero of the legend be able to defeat the demonic king and bring peace to our world!”

“Is that so…”

With this revelation, he realized that his new friends wouldn’t be leaving just yet. There was another part to the puzzle that could have been anywhere. If the sword was at the golden palace then the other piece was probably somewhere in the enemy territory.

“Well then, I hope that we can also aid each other in the future.”

All in all, it wasn’t such a bad thing, with his relationship with these knights increasing he would gain strong allies. Perhaps they would even help him to capture the second demi-human fortress now.

‘This ended better than I expected…’