Whilst it seemed like they were both talking to themselves like mad men, if one zoomed out to the extent that they could see a five mile ranged landscape, they would discover that as far apart as these two old men were from one another, they were both facing themselves from miles apart and speaking as if they were in front of each other…

Their voice wasn't loud and in fact someone standing beside any one of them might not hear what they were saying, but these two old demons could hear themselves as if they were only inches away from one another…

Then the moment they finished their conversation, they looked towards two specific directions and vanished instantly…

Meanwhile…

Deep within the Imperial Palace of the Dogon Empire…

"Father, you are back and safe…"

The crown prince of the empire rushed over to the middle aged man in front of him, but just as he was about to hug him, he paused, and then gave a curt bow which solicited a doting response from the man who ruffled his hair;

"Yang'er, how have you been?"

The middle aged man; Chu Zong; the current emperor of the Dogon Empire asked his most valiant and shrewd son…

"I have been well, and I think you should go see grandpa first…" The Crown Prince suggested;

"This kid is wise, he will truly do better than you have done for the empire…"

Chu Yang was shocked to the core as he staggered backward…

The only person he was currently talking to was his father, but just now, someone else's voice just spoke…

Then the space behind Chu Zong morphed and a figure clad in black loose robes and hood appeared in front of Chu Yang;

"Venerable Elder, please forgive my insolence for speaking in front of your overwhelming presence!"

Chu Yang retreated rapidly before falling down on one knee as Chu Zong nodded his head in satisfaction, before looking behind him at the expert who had just morphed out of nothing;

"What!?"

"You lost…" Emperor Chu Zong said smugly as the expert sighed in defeat;

"Alright, 20 years it is…"

"You promised 50 years!" Emperor Chu Zong blurted;

"Alright, Alright… Calm your nerves little one…"

"50 years is but days in my sight…"

"Let's go see your father and understand the current situation…"

"What do you mean?" Emperor Chu Zong asked;

"Come one!"

"You've been away for over five years now, do you think your disappearance would go unnoticed by those old ghosts?"

The hooded figure softly ridiculed, as they all walked together towards a certain room where some familiar guards stood as straight as the spears in their hands…

As they arrived, the trio; Emperor Chu Zong, Crown Prince Chu Yang and the mysterious expert all entered the chamber and saw their father with his most favorite maids…

One was sitting on his laps feeding him some little grape-like fruits, whilst another was massaging his shoulders, and the last was giving him some nice pedicure…

All in all, Patriarch Chu Huang was currently chilling, and the moment these guys came in, he was a little startled at first, but then he recovered when he saw the mysterious hooded figure;

"Venerable benefactor…"

Patriarch Chu Huang gave a simple nod which caught everyone else off guard as they tried to link the sick Chu Huang to the current Chu Huang but were unable to, no matter how hard they tried…

"So, it's true…"

The mysterious hooded figure walked around Patriarch Chu Huang seemingly diagnosing him…

"It was a lucky encounter, but I still believe your presence brought such good luck to our empire…" Patriarch Chu Huang uttered respectfully…

Just because he had been healed and even strengthened didn't mean he could speak to this hooded figure anyhow he wanted…

When this hooded figure had come to help him back then, he had displayed strength on the same power level as himself at his peak without breaking a sweat, which means the hooded figure was stronger than the patriarch at his previous peak...

But whilst he had received help from an ancient expert, though, he might grow to be stronger than this hooded figure in the future, but he had not reached his peak at the moment, and was still a 7 Star Saint Stage expert…

Thus, respect was apparent in his tone despite the fact that he had been cured and was now recovering…

Furthermore, he was now a sage from water and fire which meant anyone who tried to fight Patriarch Chu Huang using Water or Flame Dao would be delivering themselves for slaughtering…

"Father…"

Emperor Chu Zong broke into tears as he knelt in front of Patriarch Chu Huang with an exhausted aura…

He had toiled, truly toiled a great distance…

A distance fraught with danger at every breath one took…

He had battle several unique beasts he never believed actually existed, until he finally reached the cave where the beast with the cure resided…

But even after three solid years of battling it, they always returned injured and empty handed, and whilst he didn't get what he went in search for, he still had several lucky encounters and had improved on his abilities;

"Welcome home son…"

"Rest…"

"I have appointed your son as the Interim Emperor, who would become the true Emperor provided he passes his test…"

Patriarch Chu Huang said, and despite being taken slightly aback, Emperor Chu Zong didn't care…

So long as his father and the rest of his family is fine and healthy, he couldn't care less about any other thing…

"We should hang out daily… Enjoy such treatments and allow the younger generation to take on some responsibilities as well, whilst we assist them from the shadows…" Patriarch Chu Huang said after patting his son on the back;

"Does that mean they have begun to make their moves?" The mysterious figure asked;

"Yeah… As a matter of fact their patriarchs woke a while ago, but they don't know that you are back yet, and that I am already recovering…"

Patriarch Chu Huang replied with respect despite remaining in his enjoyment…

"As a matter of fact, I plan on announcing you missing, and myself dead in three days…"

"That would make them impetuous and give us three extra trump cards, should our venerable benefactor wish to stay with us a little bit longer and help us…"

"Oh, he would be staying… For a long time at that…"

Emperor Chu Zong spoke as if he was talking to his peer which made Patriarch Chu Huang almost choke on his berries, as he looked towards the mysterious figure to check if he could sense anger radiating off him, but to his utter surprise, the only thing he could sense from the hooded figure was a playful sneer…

"The eclipse was a mysterious phenomenon which was able to spur and improve my bloodline, but this blood moon was able to take over such a mysterious phenomenon to such an extent, I would like to know who is causing this, and I will need your help patriarch…" The hooded figure spoke;

"Anything you need, but what if the person we are about to pry on is way much stronger than we are?"

Patriarch Chu Huang spoke with the intention of protecting his interests;

"Hehe he, aren't the three of us dead already?"

"Who would be searching for three dead people which two of them are actually completely missing?" The hooded figure voiced out before adding;

"Don't worry I won't get caught, even if the person is an Immortal…"

Patriarch Chu Huang's body stiffened slightly, but his composure quickly set in as he nodded to the mysterious expert;

"Chu Yang would attend to whatever you need…"

The moment the Patriarch said this, the hooded figure simply placed his hand on Chu Yang's shoulder and they vanished like as if they weren't there in the first place;

"Come join me, son…"

Patriarch Chu Huang clapped his hands as three other maids with trays filled with spirit fruits came in;

"Tell me about your adventure, I want to know everything, and don't even think of keeping me in suspense or leaving out the smallest details…"

Patriarch Chu Huang said ecstatically as his son joined him and began to narrate the entire process of their quest to search for the ultimate cure…

Meanwhile…

Within the Sarcophagus…

Min Hong was still busy with his awakening and had even begun to sense something unusual about this awakening of his…

He had just surged the bloodline into the evil part of his soul which was now pitch black with a left eye billowing purple demonic flames and a blood red reptilian slit in the middle…

But the strange thing was, he had reached a bottleneck [Yeah, I know right!] But it was true, and this was because there seemed to be something attached to the end of his sinister bloodline, and this attachment felt more like an illusory veil than a blockade, but the annoying thing about it was the fact that, this veil was proving extremely stubborn to tear off…

Moreover, Min Hong knew the gravity of the consequences of not completely awakening his bloodline during this blood moon phenomenon…

Furthermore, the blood moon was already growing fainter in color, aura and presence as the third day gradually fell to a close…

No matter how much Qi he used or how much he urged this bloodline, it wasn't just budging in any way; the seemingly harmless, weak and fragile veil seemed to be stronger than the strongest barrier he had ever faced…

This continued on until the third day finally arrived, and a bright but not hot golden sun began to climb up from the horizon, seemingly chasing the blood moon away…