Although both the Sect and Coastal Hill City were inside the glyph's radius, the distance from each of them towards Wu Guang's location was very different.

Coastal Hill City was just 15 or so miles away by using the nearby West tract, while the sect was more than 200 miles away as one would need to either travel to Coastal Hill City first or go the other way around via the Flowing Leaves City.

Still, Wu Guang's decision was logical as Elder Chen could be said to be the one closest to him, as well that except elder Yanshi, there was no one else in Coastal Hill City. After all, if Elder Di was currently fighting, he would be not present in the city and the glyph would miss its target.

In any case, the glyph was already sent, and thinking about what-ifs would be dumb. Judging from the distance, Wu Guang would need to wait for at least four hours for Elder Chen to arrive, so he decided to spend the time by doing something useful. As for what he would do, he had decided to break through to the 6th level of the Spirit realm.

The process itself wasn't very hard as the requirements were to connect one's acupoints to the circulation system. Still, for doing so a lot of qi would be required and normally cultivators spent a few days on the process. But in his case, he had no need. After all, he would be using one of the two wood essence drops for it.

Initially, this wasn't his plan, but considering that he decided to follow the plan of being injured and wanted to reach the Soul realm as quick as possible... then using the wood essence would help him in both objectives.

Taking out one of the drops and absorbing it did not take more than a moment. Afterward, Wu Guang simply released the natural energy from the essence and started connecting to each of the 361 acupoints a human body had.

It took him about three hours to do so successfully. And so after this time, when he opened his eyes and stood up, his cultivation was of a 6th level Spirit realm. The wounds he had previously inflicted on himself were healed thanks to the wood essence healing effect, but the robes were still destroyed and had blood on them, so now he could easily deceive anyone about how serious were the injuries.

After the breakthrough process as normal for all the Yellow realm, his dantian was empty, but he decided to let it recuperate naturally. After all, he had used several methods like the Two-colored bulbs and water essence to improve his acupoints and now that they were fully connected, it was obvious for him to be interested in the result.

Still, before he could do so, he sensed someone's presence near him. And in a moment with a loud whoosh, a figure dressed in white robes with red details appeared before him. Wu Guang could easily sense one's approach from farther if he had his senses activated, but they were blocked because of his breakthrough.

Thankfully, the figure was not an enemy, although Wu Guang would be not in danger anyway, as mind power could be used even during cultivation if one's consciousness was trained enough.

"Young friend Wu Guang"

"Palace Master Zhen! Why would you arrive here?" Wu Guang was a bit surprised to see that the person that arrived wasn't elder Chen.

"Oh, it's normal for you to be surprised. It's just that I was the nearest to this place and so when your glyph reached the sect, Senior Chen notified me. Speaking of which, let me inform him that I have arrived" After saying the last words, Zhen Gan took out a message glyph and after infusing it with a message sent it out.

"Still, the glyph that I received did not contain a lot of details, could you explain to me what happened? And who was the one to... attack you?" Zhen Gan grew a bit confused when asking about the attack as Wu Guang was covered with blood and his robes were practically destroyed but his senses did not show any injuries.

"I was exploring the coastline by Elder Mo's instruction and met a few escaped criminals. A fight ensued and I was wounded, thankfully I was given a pair of wood essence drops by Elder Chen and so healed myself by using one of them"

"Hmm? So that would also explain your sudden increase in cultivation? Weren't you two levels below when leaving the sect?"

"Palace Master is half right. I made one breakthrough on the road towards Coastal Hill City and my second one is indeed thanks to the wood essence"

"I see. Then could you explain in full what happened? Start from your arrival to the city for me to judge my next actions"

In response to this question, Wu Guang explained everything that happened from the moment he had arrived in the Port District. The only change was about what happened in the cave, as he had already prepared a story that would be believable.

After hearing the explanation, Zhen Gao grew pensive for a few minutes before asking

"So you were refused with the inheritance matter?"

"Neither this one nor the Elders could make head or tails of the matter. We had agreed that when all the tasks were finished, I would attempt to take possession of the seemingly already passed to me manor"

"Understood. Then let's return to the city. If head Elder Di was attacked, he would either continue searching for you or return to the city first. If it's the former, he will return to gather the others to help him in any case, so most probably we will meet him there"

"Understood, but..."

"Hmm? Go ahead"

"While I was fighting with the 'Inverted Tower' escapees, they mentioned an inner elder of our Sect. This can't be right, after all, Elder Di is disguised as an outer elder"

"Could they have been mistaken?"

"I don't think so, they boasted about how this Lord Liao would easily take on a simple inner Elder with his high Soul realm cultivation. Considering that they were so sure of that..." The words of the escaped prisoners were bugging Wu Guang and so he even added a few details to make Zhen Gao think about the matter.

"In such case, I don't know what to think. After all, the only known inner elder in the zone is the 'Three Waves' mansion caretaker. In any case, let's return to the city"

"Understood. Before that, Palace Master, what do we do with this cave and its entrance?"

"Hahaha, don't worry, I have already thought of it" With these words Zhen Gao took out several talismans. Talismans could be considered portable runes with a limited lifetime, and so the ones Zhen Gao took out would have the effect of sealing, concealment, and alarm rune sets. After setting them on the trapdoor, he turned again towards Wu Guang to say

"Done, we can leave now"

But as these words left Zhen Gao's mouth, a loud explosion sounded behind him, Theis explosion came from the trapdoor he had just sealed, and so could only mean that someone had attacked it from inside.

"Wu Guang, get back!" Zhen Gao reacted instantaneously and after shouting reached towards the imposing glaive he carried on his back.

Wu Guang could not fully unleash his senses at such a moment as a Soul realm cultivator would sense them, but he could use the senses themselves and so after retreating for a few feet turned towards the now destroyed trapdoor.

Initially, he had done to observe who would appear and decide on what to do next, but as his eyes distinguished the person that appeared from the debris and dirt cloud provoked by the explosion, he shouted

"Palace Master wait!"

Such a shout was only because Wu Guang noticed that Zhen Gao had no intention to let the new arrival reveal itself, and was prepared to unleash a technique right away.

But right at this moment, the cloud of dirt and debris started to set down and Zhen Gao found that the person who had forcibly broken through the sealing talismans was no one other than Head Elder Di.

The latter was also surprised to find that Zhen Gao was currently standing with his weapon prepared to strike.

Thankfully neither of the parties had initiated an attack, and so no tragedy happened. After both the Palace Master and the head Elder recovered from their respective surprise, the situation was cleared up.

It turned out that one of the Elite disciples had found a slight trace of an unknown aura around the 'Three Waves' mansion. Seeing that this aura was far stronger than his own, he had no other choice than inform Elder Di of the matter right away. The latter was at that moment leaving the city to follow Wu Guang, but decided to return as someone in the Soul realm could be a real danger to everyone in the mansion. Still, he could not leave Wu Guang without protection and so after returning, he asked the inner elder present to go towards the beach and recall Wu Guang. Normally he would send someone from their men, but because of the need to maintain their disguise and the impending need to use his cultivation to track the aura, Elder Di decided to create a small backstory about another good to be received. And so using such reason, requested the assistance of this inner elder. Thankfully the latter was a decent man and had did not put airs towards someone of lower standing, and left right away.

After examining the aura, Elder Di concluded that this was done by a 4th level Soul realm cultivator, and so activated the emergency signal to make everyone return. This was done quickly and in order, so there was no issue, but even so, Elder Di started worrying about Wu Guang's and the caretaker elder security and so leaving the mansion in Elder Yanshi's hands, went to search for them.

As he arrived and started examining the cape and its beaches, his worries grew stronger. If the inner elder had followed his instructions, even if Wu Guang had moved forward for a few miles, they still should have already met and started to return.

So Elder Di continued forward alongside the coastline. As his senses were being activated to the extreme, he easily noticed the cave's entrance and inside, Wu Guang's traces. So by following them, he reached the room where Wu Guang had fought and found the trapdoor. So after making sure that Wu Guang was not inside, Elder Di tried to continue his search. But the trapdoor could not be opened, and so he used his full power to blast his path forward.

After this explanation, Wu Guang proceeded to retell his part of the story. Including the part that after arriving outside, he sent a glyph to the sect asking for help, and so Palace Master Zhen had come in response.

"Hmm, wait, young friend Wu Guang... You mean to say that you never saw Tan Wen, the elder in charge of the mansion?"

"Elder Di is correct"

"Then what would happen to him? I did not find any traces of him on my way here..."

"Wait! Wu Guang mentioned that the person behind this, some Lord Liao, had left to attack an inner elder of our sect" Zhen Gao interjected

"So you mean..."

"It should be so. What is Tan Wen's cultivation?"

"2nd level of the Soul realm"

"Huh... Let's hope that he had escaped then. In any case, I think Wu Guang and you should return to the city. As for me, I will remain here"

"Do you intend to ambush this Lord Liao?"

"If I have the chance. Anyway, I will ask my brother to come and investigate the cave with their methods"

"Seems to be right"

"Oh, and Wu Guang, consider the mission completed. As for tomorrow, wait for my arrival so we can sort out the matter behind your inheritance"

"Thank you, Palace Master"