Monarch Of Time

Chapter 1057 Shadow over Iron Dawn

The space rippled soundlessly at the western entrance of Iron Dawn, and a breath later, Shun Long had already stepped through the space rift and emerged outside the towering walls of the city.

He’d just arrived, and yet, a cacophony of shouts quickly entered his ears.

”Move aside!””Formation unit three, cover the western barricade!””Check the sky! I saw something shift near the third watchtower!”

Shun Long looked around him in surprise before his eyes narrowed slightly.

Hundreds of armored soldiers were patrolling the outer perimeter of the city, each one emitting the aura of a Dao King. The city walls loomed behind them like a fortress carved from some kind of black stone that resembled obsidian. One could even see the formation engravings that shimmered faintly under the sun rays, reflecting a cold steel hue across the open ground. Even the air itself felt rigid and thick with tension in this place.

Looking at the hundreds of soldiers patrolling the area around the city, those manning the city walls, and even the dozens who were responsible for the western entrance alone, Shun Long could tell how different things were.

It was almost as if this city was preparing for war!

On second thought, though, Shun Long realized that this made sense. After all, according to the information he had gotten from Xingyi, Iron Dawn was the city closest to Amber Dawn, and the one most tightly under its influence.

So how could the Sovereign of Iron Dawn take the security of his city lightly? It was impossible when two assassin guilds loomed over his head like a pair of grim reapers.

”Get complacent and you would soon become the second Amber Dawn, huh?”

Shun Long shook his head and looked around for a moment, before he began making his way towards the western entrance, just a few hundred meters from where he stood.

He was pleasantly surprised with how accurate his space rift had been this time, too. He only had a general idea of Iron Dawn’s location, but he’d managed to arrive right outside the city.

...

The guards manning the western entrance looked even grimmer and stricter than those of Amber Dawn. Their gazes swept every incoming cultivator like knives ready to fall.

And yet, no one made a sound out of place. There were no complaints. No arguments. Just pure discipline.

Shun Long queued up just like everyone else, and half an hour later, it was his turn to enter the city.

The middle-aged guard, a peak-stage Dao King, asked for his identification and the reason he wanted to enter the city, and once he heard that Shun Long was ’an alchemist who was simply looking to buy some herbs’, he nodded and let him through. He did emphasize though, that he only had a week he could stay in the city with this temporary pass he was issued, and should he not renew it or leave in time, the city guard would become aware and quickly hunt him down.

Shun Long supposed it made sense and calmly nodded at the man.

He didn’t know exactly what kind of formations Iron Dawn was surrounded by, but he could feel the faint spiritual qi bouncing off the city walls the moment he passed by the western entrance.

...

Shun Long walked with slow, deliberate steps as he let the city slowly unfold before him.

Surprisingly, despite the heavy military order that was present, Iron Dawn was no ghost city. In fact, it was the exact opposite. The place brimmed with life!

The wide stone streets were lined with colourful banners advertising auctions, rare pill trades, and sect recruitment drives.

Merchants stood outside their shops hawking spirit herbs, beast skin, and even rare ores, while carriages covered in numerous protective formations trailed spiritual beasts through the crowds.

This was definitely a sight that couldn’t be found anywhere in Amber Dawn. Just the number of spiritual herbs and star-rank pills Shun Long had seen for sale here far eclipsed anything the city of the Amber Dawn Sovereign could offer.

Shun Long glanced toward the towering spire near the city’s heart—a dark iron tower surrounded by black thunderclouds. That was probably where the Sovereign of Iron Dawn lived.

He lowered his gaze and continued walking, his lips turning into a grin. Compared to the ruler of Iron Dawn, it seemed that the Amber Dawn Sovereign was a bit more modest. At the very least, Shun Long had no idea where the man lived... or what he even looked like, for that matter. Of course, whether that made his plan of taking over the two assassin guilds easier or harder remained to be seen.

But Shun Long wasn’t overly worried. Everything would change the moment he broke through to become a Dao Emperor.

But for now, he had to focus on this mission.

In the end, he didn’t head for any inns or pill shops. Although he was somewhat curious about the alchemical ingredients he could find in this city, Shun Long had to admit he was more excited to face off against an actual early-stage Dao Emperor.

So after asking around for a bit, he quickly found his target.

...

The Ma family’s estate was easy to find. Not because it was grand or ostentatious, but due to its peculiar location. It was located on the slope of a low ridge near the heart of the city, bordering the only river that coursed through Iron Dawn.

But Shun Long didn’t head for it right away. Instead, he walked towards a quiet teahouse a few blocks down, one that offered a view of the Ma compound from its upper balcony and waited.

He wasn’t an assassin the same way Xingyi or Bai Longtian were. He wasn’t going to silently ambush his target.

Although he was confident in coming and going unnoticed, this wasn’t the way Shun Long wanted to fight. No, first, he had to obtain some information on the patriarch of the Ma family. Then, he was going to see the man!