Bai Qi extending his aura as soon as he was out was nothing else than instinct, one from his true life, during which he had seen a fair amount of attacks and assassinations as soon as one left an Astral Gate.

Not that he expected one at this moment, with the Emperor sharing all that he knew about the 'Sky Tear' plane and the city around the gate. That explanation also made Wu Guang connect the points, and so when he directly asked if the Empire cultivators had traveled to other planes to get stronger, the Emperor did not negate it at all. Indeed, every promising genius of the Empire, at least before the Islands war had been sent out to train in other planes. And from the ones that returned, two of them were currently alive and could be said to be the strongest cultivators on the plane. One, it was the throne protector that Wu Guang had never had met. As for the other one, it was the Emperor himself, who had trained in a plane called 'Ancestral Dragon Nest', one where he had traveled to before.

This small explanation allowed Wu Guang, at least as the Empire knew him, to understand the reason behind the power of the Emperor. Indeed, if he had trained in a higher tier plane, then he could have achieved a level higher than the limit of the plane! And so, even if he was limited by the plane where he had assumed his position, his true strength would still allow him to be unchallenged between his equals.

In any case, that was not truly important for the moment, as Bai Qi's aura allowed him to sense the formation that enclosed them.

"So it is indeed as the Emperor said, when someone arrives unannounced, they are restrained and questioned" As he thought, Bai Qi immediately sent a qi transmission to everyone in his group

"We will be bound by a formation to be questioned. Answer truthfully but only say that we are here to train, and for that, refer to me as the leader. And call me out as Chen Guang, the successor of the 'Three Hills Sect'!"

Blatant lies would be quickly discovered, and so Bai Qi had prepared a story, one that the Emperor had agreed upon. They would reveal their origins, but neither the astral Coordinates nor the name of a plane did serve for much, with the impossibility of reaching the plane without the latter having a working formation. At least not without having convened a date for the Emperor to activate the gate on the other side. Still, revealing the objectives of their journey, wasn't a good idea, at least not until getting a feel for the situation. So for now, the legend of them being here to train along with a mostly true explanation about the plane they came from should be enough. All while their ages and cultivations served as proof that they were sent out to train, and not for hidden objectives.

________________________________________________________________________

Deng Guiying had been a member of Shuomen's city hall for over a hundred years. The second half of which he had been serving as the Gate Guard. Both his cultivation, one that surpassed most of the people that arrived on the plane or to the city itself, and his other position as an advisor to the City Lord made him one of the most respected cultivators in the area. So respected that a lot of people had been trying to guess while he even remained the Astral Gate guard. Not that they could understand his reasons, even if he proclaimed them openly. "I want to meet people from other planes. I want to be the first to see what or who the Astral Road brings to us. I want to be the last person to say farewell to our cultivators leaving the plane" He always told, and whatever people thought, it was the truth. Deng Guiying was simply curious about new arrivals, and extremely attached to the idea of being the last face that locals leaving the plane to see.

Deng Guiying had fought in dozens of skirmishes, battles, duels, and even wars during his long, almost three hundred years life. And contrary to most of the cultivators, who preferred to treat or hide the scars, marks, or even years, he took pride in his battered, scarred, and old body.

A little shorter than six feet, Deng Guiying retained a muscular build that did not get along with the darkened and spotted skin that peeked from the sleeves or collar. His straight back did not get along with his face either, one of a very old man, with wrinkles and half-closed eyes. His grayed hair, one that he never bothered to cut and so allowed to grow until it practically touched the ground, only complemented his image of an old cultivator, one so old that he did not care for his visage but still retained his strength.

One could probably think that such a description belonged to any one of the elders that willingly stepped back from combat to train a new generation, but it would be a mistake. A mistake easily dispelled by closer observation, one that would allow seeing the dozens of scars, both new and old. Like the recent one that went from his mouth, down his neck, and then disappeared under his robe. One that would allow seeing the still present flame of combat behind the half-closed eyelids. One that would allow sensing his still powerful aura, one that even during peaceful interactions reeked of blood and battle.

And such a man was currently standing in the twenty feet wide closure created by the formation he activated. Facing the people, at least seven of them, that stepped out of the gate.

"Youngsters, what does bring you here to our plane?"

***

Bai Qi's, or Chen Guang's as he decided to introduce himself, reminder turned out to be not needed. As except him, no one, even Kass Shaa'r could brace themselves enough as to answer the seemingly easy question. Well, one made while they were being in the presence of someone so strong, and whose aura filled up the entire formation.

Even though the aura wasn't targeting them, the sheer pressure coming from a Warrior Emperor, someone two realms above the strongest cultivator they could have met in their life was enough to overawe. Not that it did apply to Bai Qi, who albeit not able to resist a targetted aura of such a level, felt no awe for any cultivator, at least below the Divine realm that he was so close to during his past life.

"Senior, please excuse my companions, we are from a low-tier plane, so it's pretty hard for them to speak under the pressure of such level"

"Hmm? And what about you then?" Deng Guiying perfectly knew why the others were silent, but his curiosity was aroused by this peak Soul realm cultivator, one that looked like the youngest of the group but at the same time was unfazed when speaking.

"I feel that Senior's aura isn't threatening me" Making an impression of being awed, respectful, and not scared was hard, but it wasn't anything impossible. At least if one was truly not scared and understood the scale of strength. "My current self would not even resist a random breath of a Warrior Emperor, but cowing before one?" His thoughts aligned with his acting, Bai Qi was sure that the other party will notice it.

And he was right, as the old cultivator recalled his aura after closely examining everyone but only directed his words at Bai Qi.

"So what does bring you and your friends to the 'Sky Tear Plane'? What reasons did you have to leave your own?"

"If Senior excuses me, I gathered a few companions and with the permit of our Sovereign departed the plane for training"

"Training you say? Hmm, I see. But why this plane?"

"It was the only plane higher than ours that His Majesty knew the coordinates of" Probably it was a lie, as the Emperor had called the name of another plane, but it was also the truth, at least as Bai Qi and Xue Ru knew of.

"And I suppose this royalty of yours knew of our plane as he visited it before?" Deng Guiying immediately asked, trying to find out if these youngsters had any connections to the plane. If they did, then the matter would be settled by contacting the respective power and them vouching for the group.

"Regretfully no, the Astral Coordinates were left by a traveler that visited our plane before I was born"

"Oho?"

"This same traveler was the one that brought the explanations of the tiers and different planes, as to say the truth, our plane had no true contact with other planes" Bai Qi went with the most believable response. Astral Coordinates could be found easily with a formation, but it required a Formation Saint, someone who no lower-tier plane could even hope to have.

"Do you know the name or sect this traveler hailed from?" Deng Guiying followed with a tricky question. Tricky for Bai Qi, as telling the truth would mean revealing at least part of their true objective.

Thankfully, the Emperor had some information about this plane, and Bai Qi had enough experience to add the details required by the situation.

"The only details shared by the person himself was that he hailed from a power called 'Magnificent River Palace' and that he was a senior disciple of it. As for the name, we only know of his family name, Xiong" This palace was a minor power that the criminal, who remained unnamed even by the Emperor, had destroyed before coming to the 'Seven Islands Plane', so it was safe to assume that no one could deny or confirm the existence of someone surnamed Xiong. As for the matter of him using the Astral Gate, if it was recorded, well, who says that the person did say the truth to the locals?

"The Magnificent River Palace? I know of that place, but it was destroyed at least three hundred years ago"

"What!? But the traveler visited us less than a hundred years ago!" Bai Qi shouted while making the most natural surprised expression he could.

"You come from a minor-tier plane, so you don't know about the different time flow, do you? What has been three hundred years for us would probably be far less for you" Deng Guiying began explaining, while inwardly using this time to think. The youngster in front did not seem to lie, at least about what he said. Intuition told that this visitor hid something, but probably it would be related to his circumstances, as until now he had not revealed anything more than the basics. Still, Deng Guiying's job was to find everything out before informing the City Lord and the Great Forest Sect Elder assigned to the city.

And so he would do, one way or another.

________________________________________________________________________

"They are taking a long time" Zan Lan said to the Seven Strokes Hall Instructor that had practically affixed himself to her.

"They sure do. Maybe there is some kind of issue?"

"Or they probably just came here without having any idea of where they arrived" Zan Lan did not truly believe in such, but it was the only thing that came to mind considering that the formation remained active for over four hours already without any noticeable incident. After all, if the visitors were dangerous enough to threaten that old monster, then it would be swarming with City or Sect cultivators. And if they could not fight against the former but were undesirable, then they would have been already kicked out and the formation dispelled.

***

"Look, the formation is being dispelled!" Someone amid the public exclaimed. Speaking of which, no one had moved from the spot, now even more interested by the reason behind the almost five hours it took for the process.

"Huh? What's the meaning of this?" As soon as the small formation was dispelled, the bigger one did not activate, which was strange enough, but the reason for the questioning was because there was no one near the gate! Neither the nine new arrivals nor Deng Guiying, who practically never left his post!

*Swoosh*

Right at this moment, a figure dressed in the clear blue colors of the Shuomen City Palace landed near the gate.

"The newly arrived visitors are just a group of young cultivators that arrived from their plane, a low-tier one called 'Seven Islands' to try and find a place to train" The announcement was curt, and an invitation to disperse. One which most of the young cultivators that still hoped to get a place in some power followed, something that could not be said about the Elders and Disciples of the powers that had come here to recruit. Any cultivators, however weak their plane was, deemed good enough to travel outside were usually the best of the best, and so, even the 2nd tier powers wanted to know about their identities, ages, and cultivations. Especially now that it was declared they had arrived here to train.

"Oi, what's the meaning of this then? If they came to train, then why they were taken from here?" A tall, lean elder dressed in the fish embroidered robes of the 'Fish Gazing Sect' rudely asked. The power he represented was one of the strongest in the area, and so he could permit himself to use such a tone. Especially when asking a simple member of the City Palace.

"Elder Cheng, if I am not mistaken?" But seemingly the young-looking second-level Warrior Lord wasn't someone easily cowed, as he asked in an even tone.

"Yes, that's me, and what?"

"If you want to ask such a thing, then go and speak with Revered Elder Deng"

"Huh?"

"Revered Elder Deng has deemed them in need of explanations and so decided to host them until they know enough as to make any decisions"

"WHAT?!" A dozen or more surprised exclamations were heard. And even Zan Lan would have done the same, if not for being simply too shocked.

Why did an old monster like Deng Guiying, someone on the same level as a powerhouse like the Fish Gazing Sectmaster even look at some random youngsters? Not to mention host and explain things to them?

***

In truth, Bai Qi and his group had the same question. As their talk progressed the old elder suddenly decided on it after Bai Qi gave out a slightly tailored explanation of what had happened on their plane, as well as the reason for him to travel along with a few close friends and followers in search of a place to cultivate. Being that he had been named successor of his sect after a war, and so could not return without reaching at least the Warrior Lord realm.

Initially, Bai Qi suspected foul play, but it turned that he was mistaken. Deng Guiying was indeed questioning them, but he was as well sincerely curious about a plane he had never heard of. Though mostly he was about Kass Shaa'r. After all, it was unheard of for a Beastman to appear on a plane where there was not a single one!

________________________________________________________________________

Three hours later, a private lounge of the 'Persimmon Tower'.

"Hohoho, so you say that you were declared a successor for a single deed, but everyone agreed to it?" Deng Guiying asked while drinking a full chug of spirit wine in one gulp and laughing at Bai Qi's words.

"Senior is right, and so I have no other choice to show that everyone's decision is the right one" Bai Qi, who was growing tired of having to constantly tailor the explanations and to monitor that the others, who were still nervous and could say something unnecessary, responded.

"A good goal! And one that I see most of your followers have in mind as well"

"Thank you, Senior"

"Now that we are done with that, let me explain the rules and laws, as well if you forgive this old man for doing so, give you a few recommendations"

Bai Qi did not mind hearing all of this, and not that he didn't appreciate the old man's kindness, but...

This Deng Guiying was an almost 300 years old Warrior Emperor, and he was someone of great renown, at least judging from the attention he was granted as soon as he whisked them away from the Astral Gate square and reached a peach-colored, twenty stories high tower that turned out to be a restaurant.

So why did he still have so much interest in a group whose strongest member was just a 1st level Saint beast? Especially by now, when all the origins and details were revealed? Why go so far out as to provide explanations and information in place of just shooing them off as it should be?