Between the Outer and Middle Ring, a colossal and awe-inspiring gate loomed, constructed by none other than the realm lord of the Devil Realm, renowned as the legendary founder of the Devil Court.
This majestic gate served as a formidable barrier, effectively separating the two distinct regions with an air of impenetrability.
In the midst of this formidable presence, a figure cloaked in black emerged mysteriously within the vicinity of the gate. With an ethereal aura surrounding him, his piercing cold yellow eyes fixated sharply on the multitude of devilish cultivators yearning to cross the gate and gain entry into the Middle Ring.
At the Outer Ring, where the less fortunate resided, securing passage into the bustling Middle Ring was no easy feat. Only those who had attained the Radiant Core Realm were even eligible to attempt such a transition. Nevertheless, attaining the Radiant Core Realm alone did not guarantee entry. A thorough background check-up was mandatory, ensuring that only those with an untainted past could progress further. This scrutiny aimed to maintain the integrity and security of the Middle Ring, safeguarding its inhabitants from potential threats or infiltrators.
Moreover, aspiring entrants had to possess a considerable number of Devil Stones—an essential form of currency within the Devil Realm—to satisfy the gate guards stationed at the entrance. However, the exact amount of Devil Stones varied, dictated solely by the gate guards and their arbitrary discretion.
Amidst this backdrop, a young and handsome individual stood before the gate.
A deep voice boomed from the guard, his tone tinged with a hint of impatience, "Huh, brat, I’ve made it clear before - the cost of passage to the Middle Ring is one thousand middle-grade Devil Stones."
Indignation flashed across the youth’s face, his brows furrowing in protest. "That’s unfair! The person in front of me only paid one hundred Devil Stones for their passage," he exclaimed, hoping to reason with the guard.
However, instead of relenting, a cold glint appeared in the guard’s eyes, betraying his steely resolve. Without a moment’s hesitation, he brandished a gleaming spear, his movements swift and fierce, aimed directly at the youth as a stark warning.
The youth, donning a determined expression, swiftly drew a gleaming sword from its sheath, which hung steadfastly on his back, and skillfully blocked the guard’s incoming spear. The clash of their weapons echoed through the air, showcasing the youth’s formidable skill.
As the guard observed his surprise attack being effortlessly countered, an expression of frustration marred his visage, contorting his features into a displeased grimace. The unexpected turn of events did not bode well for the guard.
Feeling ashamed and humiliated by his previous defeat, the guard unleashed the full extent of his cultivation. Every muscle in his body tightened, his aura intensified, and his veins pulsed with power.
As the youth assessed his opponent’s cultivation, a sense of dread washed over him, and his face twisted into a pained expression. The realization of the vast gap in their abilities caused an unsettling feeling to settle deep within him.
A profound discrepancy was evident between the guard and the youth. The guard was a formidable expert in the Soul Illumination Realm, while the youth was nothing but a minuscule peak Radiant Core Realm cultivator.
Despite the fact that the youth only needed one step to reach the Soul Illumination Realm, the magnitude of this difference appeared insurmountable.
Despite the overwhelming odds stacked against him, the youth refused to be disheartened. He drew a deep breath, allowing his energy to gather within him, and muttered quietly to himself, "Forbidden skill, Blood Ignition."
With those words, an overwhelming surge of dark, devilish energy enveloped the youth. The atmosphere around him grew heavy as he underwent a startling transformation. A single horn appeared menacingly on his forehead.
Simultaneously, sharp spikes suddenly emerged from various parts of his body, mimicking the dangerous ferocity that lay within him. Every vein in his body bulged with power, pulsating with a ferocious determination that seemed capable of toppling mountains.
With an earth-shattering roar, the transformed youth launched himself at the guard with alarming speed. The ground trembled beneath his feet as he closed in, ready to confront the guard head-on.
Terror flashed through the guard’s eyes as he bore witness to the youth’s awe-inspiring transformation. The guard’s confidence faltered, his heart pounding with the realization of the impending danger he now faced.
Forbidden skills are extraordinary powers granted to exceptional cultivators of the Devil Race by the malevolent energy known as Devil Origin Qi. These supernatural abilities manifest when an adept Devil Race cultivator successfully unlocks their ethereal channels, with only a select few blessed with the rare and coveted Forbidden skill.
These Forbidden skills are not static nor stagnant; rather, they possess an inherent ability to evolve alongside the cultivators who wield them. As these Devil Race cultivators progress further on their arduous cultivation journey, their Forbidden skills acquire newfound potency and intricacy, granting these exceptional individuals even greater prowess.
The guard, though he is an expert in the illustrious Soul Illumination Realm, had only recently broken through to this level. His advancement was merely the result of consuming an excessive amount of resources and pills, lacking the true cultivation and mastery that should accompany such a high rank. It became clear that he had been chosen as a guard solely due to his ability to acquire and consume these external aids rather than through his own innate talent or skill.
Just as the youth’s sword was about to make contact with the guard’s head, an ominous, dark ray of light materialized out of thin air. It pierced through the air with chilling speed, heading straight for the youth’s head. In an instant, it found its mark, piercing through the youth’s skull and obliterating his very soul. It was as if the dark ray had the power to eradicate even the concept of life itself.
The brutality of this attack did not stop there. As the guard’s attacker fell lifeless to the ground, his very body began to disintegrate, slowly fading away until there was no trace left of him as if he had never existed.
An echoing silence fell upon the scene. Yet, amidst this stillness, a hauntingly cold sneer sliced through the air, causing the hearts of all present to feel trampled upon.
"How can such a despicable ant dare to act brazenly in front of the gate?"
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The contempt in that single sound seemed to pierce deep into the core of their being, awakening a sense of insignificance and dread.
The guard’s gaze instinctively lifted, seeking the source of the mocking sneer. His eyes widened with a mixture of awe and fear as he beheld a figure clad in regal purple robes standing proudly atop the gate. It was none other than the gate lord himself, a renowned expert in the Ethereal Manifestation Realm. The guard’s heart sank, now fully comprehending the magnitude of his own insolence.
At that moment, the weight of the gate lord’s presence crushed the spirits of all the cultivators present. The collective consciousness of everyone in attendance grasped the gravity of the situation, causing them to immediately kneel, some even prostrating themselves against the ground. This overwhelming display of reverence and subservience was an instinctual response to the mere presence of an Ethereal Manifestation Realm expert.
An Ethereal Manifestation Realm expert was considered a godlike being in the Outer Ring. They possessed the ability to tap into the intricate connection between heaven and earth and see through the Origin.
After the cataclysmic event known as the Great Catastrophe, the Soul Cultivation System underwent a profound transformation. Unlike the Spirit Cultivation System, which had remained relatively stable, the Soul Cultivation System experienced tremendous changes to adapt to the new reality.
In the face of these drastic changes, the new generation of soul cultivators had to revolutionize their entire system. They undertook extensive research and experimentation, seeking to separate their cultivation practices from the conventional path of the dao.
Through exhaustive efforts, they succeeded in detaching the soul cultivation system from the ancient dao principles that had long guided their practices. In its place, they integrated the concept of origin, recognizing the profound connection between the soul and the Origin.
The successful implementation of this new system patching proved to be an extraordinary feat, considering that the number of ascenders in the Yin Region is nearly double that of the Yang Region. While the devil cultivation techniques may seem unique, they ultimately belong to the Soul Cultivation System at their core.
The purple-robed man then directed his cold gaze towards the guard, only to see the latter looking at him with horror and disbelief.
Feeling confused, he opened his mouth to speak, but to his horror, no sound escaped his lips. It was as if his voice had been stolen from him.
Confusion and panic etched across his face as he glanced at the crowd beneath him. Their expressions varied from shock to terror, all reflecting the same bewilderment that filled his own mind.
And then, he felt an excruciating pain coursing through his body, causing him to stagger backward. He looked down at his chest only to see a hand penetrating his robes, blood flowing from the wound.