"We're finally here," Master Rain spoke as the group arrived in the solar system where Planet Suso was in.
Looking at it from afar, several vessels were leaving the planets, and among them was the Black Tower.
"I guess we're right in time, the Fire Lord's army has yet to arrive, so most cultivators who have the ability are leaving right now," Zhang Tian said.
"As for the weak, the mortals, and those who cannot do anything but watch, only death awaits…" Meng Hao said, reminiscing about what happened to his home planet, and how it turned into nothing but a wasteland.
"Planets contain a great deal of energy, mind you, not habitable ones, even remote and barren planets still contain an immense amount of untapped energy, what the Fire Lord is doing is about the same as I use to do, only I only ate barren planets that didn't host lives. This is slightly more revolting," Dao Shen said.
"We'll have to hurry down, little cabbage you can go back to the academy for now," Master Rain said as everyone dismounted.
The bull soon trotted through space, heading to the academy, without the same haste and speed it would take it a couple months, but it was in no rush.
"That destroyed moon, we can use the floating debris to hide ourselves from being spotted, the Fire Lord's army should arrive within this week. And only when the path is clear can we enter the planet. For now, many vessels are leaving, we might get spotted and reported," Zhang Tian said.
"No need to worry about that," Master Rain replied as he waved a hand creating a spherical formation around the group.
"This formation will keep our presence hidden unless the Fire Lord himself comes, no one can see through it, let's move," he said.
Soon, the group of four flew toward the planet, among the ships and vessels that were abandoning it, hundreds of thousands of ships moved carrying millions of lives. But compared to the many that were still on the planet, those who left were no more than a drop in a bucket.
Soon, the group entered the planet. And unlike planet Si Xue, this planet didn't have a single one protecting it, no cultivator tried to save it and defend it. All ran away with their tails behind their backs, afraid of the Fire Lord.
The rulers of the planet were the first to leave, followed by the higher cultivators, no one but those at the weaker cultivation levels, or those of mortal origins remained.
Yet, though the group moved through the planet's atmosphere, they saw villages and cities, full of mortals going on about their day, unknowing of what is to come.
Mortals had no idea of what was about to happen.
"No matter what, you cannot allow your emotions to get the best of you," Master Rain said.
"What do you mean?" asked Meng Hao as he realized that the advice was pointed at him.
"What you're going to see is nothing short of a mass massacre, many will die and perish, and more will be captured and tortured, you can do nothing but watch and follow the orders of those who capture you. If you try and save anyone, it will reveal us and our goal, so you must not try and help even if you can," Master Rain spoke solemnly and drearily.
"I'll keep it in mind," Meng Hao committed himself to do what must be done.
The group of four landed on a faraway mountain, away from mortal cities and villages.
"Why are we so far away?" asked Dao Shen, "Don't we need to be captured fast?" he asked.
"We do, but if we're captured too fast, some of the Fire Lord cultivators might have some awful ideas of having fun, you don't want to be their plaything. And if you fight back, we'll be revealed." He said.
The group then waited on the mountain, calmly waiting, day after day, as they watched the skies slowly drying off ships.
No more ships left the planet on the fifth day, and that meant that everyone who was able to leave had done so.
"They're here," Master Rain said.
And just as his words ended, the skies above began reddening. The planet-encompassing formation was being erected. And hundreds of thousands of cultivators were coming down, mowing down the cultivators that tried to protect themselves and fight back, and capturing those that submitted or were too weak to fight.
The world's atmosphere began darkening as the power of death Qi began suffocating the entire planet.
It took five days to discover the location of the group.
"Here are some rats!" a cultivator spoke.
And just as he said that master rain nodded, and the group dispersed everyone running to a different location.
"Fucking runners! Capture them!" the man in red robes spoke.
Soon enough, a bruised and bloodied Zhang Tian, Master Rain, Meng Hao, and Dao Shen who had a sword cut on his thigh were grouped up and gathered.
"Dam bastard had us following them all over the mountain, did you honestly think that you could escape!" the man in red said as he slapped Zhang Tian on the face.
"I apologize great lord! Please spare me!" Zhang Tian said pleading.
It was so convincing that even Master Rain was shocked.
'The Immortal Scholar, with the power to eradicate this entire fleet was begging, hah…'
"You old man, you're pretty fast for a fossil, I'd have killed you on the spot, but you seem to have some energy, you might be useful to the lord. Grab all of them, they're cultivators they can be sent to the mines," the leader spoke.
With that, all four were handcuffed with Qi sealing shackles and were sent to the camps where many other cultivators and mortals were hosted.
The mortals were dying just because of the deadly atmosphere created by the formation and the fumes coming from the Soul Burning Incense. As for cultivators they used whatever meager Qi they had to protect themselves.
In captivity, the four were grouped up in one cage. And they saw atrocities too vile for the mind to speak of or think of.
"Meng Hao…reign in your killing intent," Master Rain spoke as he noticed Meng Hao's eyes were about to burst from fury.
"I apologize," he said and calmed down.
What was happening in front of them was just too horrid to describe, but they could do nothing but watch.
"It makes one think, is the life of one person worth it, how many could we have saved if we acted now… but my greed and selfishness is stopping me from taking revenge on the people being abused here and killed, just for the sake of saving her… Shen Bao would have done better…" Meng Hao spoke.
"You and Shen Bao are different. Don't judge yourself based on others, he isn't you, and he isn't someone who had his beloved captured, just hold it in. Our goal isn't to simply save one life, our goal is to prove that the Fire Lord isn't infallible. Once we break through his enclosure, and save the people, his weakness will be revealed to the world. Once that is done, many would fear him less, and that is a victory in the grand scheme of things, just be patient…" Zhang Tian advised.
This 𝓬ontent is taken from fre𝒆webnove(l).𝐜𝐨𝗺