After walking past the lake, the dragon begins falling into a state of deep contemplation. In the meantime, the System has already notified of the cleared objective in this dimension.
[The Alternate Timeline of 3200 has completed its objective.]
[Calculating... Main Dimension is no longer at risk of dimensional warfare and can be entered again.]
"This is... it seems my duty in this dimension is already completed.
Perhaps it was something that I wouldn't have realized if I didn't enter this dimension.", the Sovereign breathed a sigh of relief.
"The whole objective of temporarily retreating to this timeline was to stabilize the main dimension, although my memories of how I arrived here were obscured by something unknown."
As the Sovereign analyzed this new occurence, he simultaneously started preparing a technique to return by creating a formation spell.
"Now then, I remember the events of the magic talisman channel that caused a shift in energies across dimensions to have been the last known catalyst of the main dimension before I was sent here.
I have merely spent a few weeks in this bamboo forest, however, that means I was also absent in the original dimension.
If I am not mistaken, one of my clone bodies would have gone out of stand-by in the eastern caves in the central plains to inform everyone at the Heavenly Court that I will be entering secluded self-cultivation."
This was one of the Sovereign's hidden cultivation techniques, to create clones, although he has not used them before, he crafted an emergency back-up plan in case he traveled to another dimension, or alternate timeline in this case, to not cause chaos within the Heavenly Court.
"By activating my ultimate formation technique to travel between dimensions, I will then use this to return to the main dimension.
The side effects would be that my meridians and core would need to be fixed after using the technique, since using the Reversal of Heaven Defying Core Spirit Travel technique would shatter the body of every cultivator who did not possess the one in a billion Heavenly Granted Yang Physique.
Therefore, after returning, I would need to take a few months of secluded cultivation to restore my core to its fullest extent."
After having calculated his return to the main timeline, the Sovereign activated the last barrier to the formation technique.
The whole bamboo forest lit up in a purple-blue light as the light filled the entire sky.
A beam of light teleported the Sovereign to the main dimension.
A moment passes quickly, and soon the Sovereign finds himself no longer in the bamboo forest, but in one of the cultivation halls of the Heavenly Court.
...
In the main dimension, a sudden surge of energy is felt across all living beings.
The strongest effect was in the Heavenly Court where the Sovereign had arrived.
The highest ranking members, one of them being Venerable Light, quickly noticed his arrival.
"Junior Sovereign must have arrived... peculiar, where could he have been all the time? The primordial void orb was...", Light thought to himself.
Before he could give it much more thought, the system interface of Venerable Light popped up.
[Ding!]
[System notification to Venerable Light]
[CRITICAL SYSTEM WARNING: REJECTION OF THE QUEST WILL RESULT IN YOUR HEART STOPPING IN 0.000000001 SECONDS.] [DO YOU STILL WISH TO DENY?] [Y/N]
"..."
"Accept Quest...", Light mumbled to himself.
[Side quest: Usurp the throne of the Northern Plains Kingdom]
[Objective: Take control of the country affairs by force and await the next Quest.]
[Sub-Objective: Contact the member of the nobles Earl Zuwei as an ally to obtain 1000 year old ginseng x1]
[Warning: failure will result in death of the host.]
"I wonder why the system acts in such mysterious ways, alas I will have to see this to the end", Light thought.
At the same time, the Sovereign was deep in thought.
"It seems that the price to use this dimension travel technique was heavier than expected..
Still, I have to close the dimensional rift created using my accumulated karmic merit.
This process will take another few weeks... I have no reason to leave the cultivation halls early."
For now, the objective of the Sovereign was simple, to close the dimensional rift and to recover his spiritual core.
Although this process would take a few months, he sat calmly in the highest cultivation halls of Heavenly Court and started cultivating once again.
As Venerable Light prepared to depart to the Northern Plains, another person registered the presence of the Sovereign.
It was Daoist Doffwy, who had been laying low in the dimension of the Dharma-Ending phase.
Recently, after following the advice of her Alter Ego System, she had advanced to the dimension of the Heavenly Court - the Age of True Dharma Dimension in which Venerable Light and the Sovereign were active.
[Daoist - Ego has registered an extremely strong presence, calculating risks...]
"Ego, cut to the chase... what is it this time?
I am focused on finding traces of that shadow poison faction you mentioned in this dimension."
It seems that in the meanwhile that after ascending to this dimension she has also been busy completing missions.
[Calculation complete - The Sovereign's presence has been registered.]
[Locating source of energy... Highest cultivation halls of Heavenly Court.]
[Daoist, you must seize this rare opportunity once you complete the objective of infiltrating the factions of the demonic sect!]
"The great Sovereign appeared again?
It was said that he entered secluded cultivation in an unknown dimension...
This time, I want to hear what the contents of that Heavenly Oath was all about.
But alas, for now I shall focus on the current mission."
[Correct, Daoist. In recent developments, the demonic sect has grown too strong for the righteous sects to defend them alone.]
[Reminding Daoist - you must complete the first sub mission of joining that very demonic sect!]
After confirming the newest events, Daoist Doffwy continued using her Qi astral projection to scan hersurroundings for further traces of the demonic sects activities...
The traces quickly lead her towards the central plains and finds a mysterious place full of dark, grey Qi.
"Is this the entrance to the shadow poison faction of the demonic sect?", Daoist thought as she activated her second layer of the concealment technique.
As she hid near the entrance, many low ranking cultivators passed by.
After a while, her Alter Ego system warning activated..
[Registered an Anomaly - Danger level: 55%. Tread with caution, Daoist.]
The demonic cultivators near the entrance greeted an elderly figure.
"Greetings, Sect Elder Demon of the Star Constellation Kuang!", the two guards said.
With the flick of his fingers, the elderly man devoured the two guards with a nether device.
"Wrong. The correct title of this Demon is Sect Elder Nether Demon of the Star Constellation, Kuang, former disciple of the Star Constellation Immortal Venerable..."
Just as the Daoist was watching and thinking how peculiar his actions were, Kuang suddenly turned around towards the direction of her.
Even though she had an advanced concealment method active, she felt the immense danger coming.
The elderly demon took a small step in her direction with a smirk forming on his face..
...
In the meanwhile, Northern Plains Kingdom, in a luxurious castle.
Earl Zuwei was inspecting his spiritual herbs when he remembered the magic talisman device.
Just a few hours ago, he had received a direct transmission request from a person named Venerable Light.
"Hm, another one of the stalkers? Let's see, what does he want from me..", Earl Zuwei thought as he opened the magic talisman device.
[Earl Zuwei, I know you are searching for the 1000 year old ginseng.
The nobles of the Northern Plains Kingdom will never have it since that ginseng only grows in the central plains. Luckily for you, I just returned from an expedition there and have some clues that may or may not surprise you...
Earl Zuwei, find me in the desert outskirts bordering the capital.]
As Earl Zuwei read this message he was very surprised. He did not expect others to know he was searching for this specific spiritual herb, so Earl Zuwei was cautious and responded.
[Central plains, I have already been there, only to suffer a defeat. In my defense, an Earl ought to lose a few times to win in the long run - some Lunar Yin maiden once said.]
Unexpectedly, Venerable Light answered very quickly and even mocked the Earl.
[As a Duke myself I haven't lost battles before, it's a matter of perseverance and intelligence.]
At this point, Earl Zuwei, after a long day of work, started to become irritated.
[Are you doubting the intelligence this Earl holds? A common Barron like yourself shouldn't overstep his boundaries.]
Venerable Light quickly countered.
[I clearly said I'm a Duke not a Barron, ask the court physician to examine thy eyes next time you visit the capital.]
After hearing this, Venerable Light, who was still traveling towards the Northern Plains had laughed out loud, knowing that his plan would succeed in using Earl Zuwei to complete his grand quest.
Soon, Venerable Light had arrived at the designated area in the desert outskirts in the Northern Plains.
However, a large amount of cultivators forming an array is also present.
Leading them was the Crown prince Jialong of the Northern Plains Kingdom.
Before Light could react, the soldiers of Jialong encircled him, Light chose not to fight for now and see what this was about.
It was a total of 100 imperial solders who were present, each with crimson red armor, they formed the Iron-Blood Garde.
Just as he was about to ask the reason for these actions, he noticed the figure of a man next to him who was also trapped.
[System Notification: Objective to team up with Earl Zuwei is complete.
Next objective loading in 59m...]
"... How did the quest objective get triggered?! Could it be... this man next to me is none other than... Earl Zuwei, the one I am supposed to contact?", Light thought to himself.
[CRITICAL SYSTEM WARNING - STAGE 8 CULTIVATORS SHOWING HOSTILITY - INCREASING DANGER]
Before either of the two could speak, Regent Jialong held out an obsidian chest with unknown contents in the air and shouted loudly.
"Hahaha! A duke and an earl, plotting against my greatness taking over the throne! I shall do you bold ones the favour of sending you to the underworld for this treason!"
[SYSTEM ALERT: REGENT JIALONG HAS DEPLOYED THE IRON-BLOOD DOMAIN BOUNDARY. FORMATION COMPLETE. COOPERATION UNAVOIDABLE FOR SURVIVAL.]