An extraordinary and devastating phenomenon began to unfold. The swirling crimson-black mist erupted with sudden ferocity, expanding in a terrifying and uncontrollable manner. Its dark tendrils extended in all directions, enveloping the surroundings and causing every plant and living creature to wither and die.
Witnessing the swift and merciless destruction caused by the expanding mist, Liang’s eyes flickered with curiosity. In an instant, he vanished from his previous location, reappearing high above the planet’s surface. From this vantage point, he witnessed the horrifying sight of a massive black and crimson vortex, swirling and devouring the life force of everything it touched. Humans, devils, demons, even the smallest insects were unable to escape its grasp.
As the mist continued to spread its wrath, the planet’s once-lush and vibrant environment transformed into a desolate graveyard. An intense aura of death saturated the air, with nearly all forms of life on the planet succumbing to its suffocating grip.
Amidst the darkness, despair, and death, a ray of dark green light descended upon the planet, casting an ethereal glow. The light shimmered and condensed, taking the shape of a middle-aged man with dark green hair and piercing green eyes.
The middle-aged man exuded a palpable aura of sadness and melancholy as he surveyed the grim surroundings. A heavy sigh escaped his lips, his gaze momentarily fixating on the central source of the crimson-black mist. After a brief pause, he lifted his head and directed his eyes towards a specific direction, as if seeking something or someone.
Liang’s eyes widened in astonishment. Despite his best efforts to conceal himself within the void, this mysterious man had somehow sensed his presence. Although Liang’s cultivation had been stripped away, leaving him vulnerable, he still possessed a sliver of void essence.
In general, cultivators with law essence possessed extraordinary power, capable of overwhelming those who had yet to tap into their own law essences.
Following the dao cultivation system, Liang had acquired the void dao essence, albeit in a small quantity. However, even in its limited form, it held immense potential.
As one progressed in cultivation, the number of law essences obtained would multiply.
Yet, even though the middle-aged man appeared as nothing more than a soul projection, Liang felt an inexplicable sense of trepidation. The man’s eyes flickered with amusement as he spoke, his voice tinged with a hint of both curiosity and menace. "Interesting," he mused. "Both of you possess a similar yet separate life signature, but..." His voice grew grim, his words cutting through the air like a chilling wind. "That does not give you the right to destroy my world."
The man’s words hung in the air, heavy with chilling malevolence that sent a shiver down Liang’s spine. A terrifying killing intent, like a weighty fog, wrapped around the man, suffocating everything in its grasp.
"Mark my words," the man’s voice resonated with visceral venom. "The day you try to ascend will be the day you die." As the words left his lips, the killing intent surrounding him condensed, taking the form of a dark green mark. Splitting in two, one part surged towards the heart of the swirling mist, while the other surged directly at Liang’s position.
Liang’s eyes widened in horror as he desperately tried to evade the mark, but it was futile. The mark pierced through him, searing its presence into his being before vanishing without a trace. As the mark disappeared, the man’s figure dissipated, leaving Liang alone with a mixture of fear and confusion.
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Closing his eyes, Liang carefully searched his body and soul for any remnants of the mark. But there was nothing to be found. It was as if the mark had imprinted itself directly onto his life essence. Frustration welled up within him, but he quickly suppressed it, his gaze hardening with resolve.
"It doesn’t matter," he murmured to himself, his voice laced with determination. "Ascend? Such trivial matters are of no concern to us now."
His gaze shifted to the swirling vortex that now engulfed the entirety of the planet. It was as if the planet itself was being devoured by the malevolent mist. Cracks began to form on the planet’s surface, spiderwebbing across its once-pristine facade. Piece by piece, the world crumbled into fragments, disappearing into the void, leaving only the ominous crimson-black mist in its wake.
As the mist condensed once more, taking on a humanoid form, a figure emerged. White hair cascaded down, yellow eyes glinted with iciness, and an aura of cold, detached emotionlessness surrounded the being. It was none other than Kai. With a single flick of his finger, a black robe materialized around him, completing his dark and enigmatic appearance, gracefully draping over his body.
The wisps of the robe still swirling, Kai vanished and reappeared beside Liang, his lips curling into a sardonic smile. "It seems we’ve caught the attention of a formidable enemy," Kai remarked, his voice laced with amusement.
Liang’s voice turned cold as he responded, "Just a more powerful individual. Let us forget about him for now."
Curiosity gleamed in Kai’s eyes as he asked, "What about the mark he cast upon us?"
Shaking his head, Liang replied, "If I’m not mistaken, it was directed at our life signatures."
"Life signatures! Mi Ling mentioned that term too!" Kai exclaimed, his amusement deepening.
Liang’s eyes flickered with a mix of concern and determination. "That is all the more reason for us to take her seriously."
"Now what do you think we should do?" Kai asked, his voice filled with a mixture of curiosity and concern.
Liang pondered the question for a moment, his gaze fixed in the distance. After contemplating the options, he finally responded, his voice laced with determination, "First and foremost, we must restore your cultivation. To achieve that, we will require an immense amount of sin qi and souls, as prescribed in the Unholy Soul Refining Scripture."
Kai’s expression turned skeptical as he shook his head, voicing his apprehensions, "But won’t the Devi Court immediately notice any significant activity on our part?"
A mischievous smile tugged at the corners of Liang’s lips as he replied, "Who said anything about conducting the restoration within the Devil Realm?"
Kai’s eyes narrowed in curiosity and intrigue, his anticipation growing. "Where then? You know I won’t be able to cultivate without the potent Yin essence of the Yin Region."
Liang nodded in agreement, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "Exactly. We must seek out a place where we can both exact revenge and reap plentiful benefits."
Liang nodded, his expression filled with confidence. "Somewhere we can exact revenge and reap benefits simultaneously," he replied, his voice dripping with cunning.
Kai’s eyes lit up, understanding dawning upon him. "You mean... the Starry Sky Alliance?"
Liang affirmed with a nod, his confidence unwavering. "Precisely. It is there that we shall find the opportunities we seek."
Kai, still apprehensive, voiced his doubts, "But we have no cultivation now. How can we succeed in such a venture?"
Liang’s smile widened and a vibrant, seven-colored rune materialized on his forehead, illuminating the uncertainty.
Kai’s smile grew wider as he responded, "I see."
Liang nonchalantly explained, "The Rune grants me a spiritual power equal to that of a cultivator in the Seventh-order Realm."
Across the vast domain of cultivation, various systems existed, prompting the need for a classification that could unify cultivators at similar stages. This classification aimed to facilitate communication and understanding among practitioners.
The classification encompassed a range of realms, starting with the First-Order Realm, which aligned with the Spirit Awakening Realm and the Soul Refinement Realm. As cultivators progressed, they could reach the Seven-Order Realm , which correlated to the Void Transformation Realm and the Soul Alter Formation Realm.
Thus, this hierarchical system provided a framework for measuring and comparing the cultivation progress of individuals, allowing cultivators from different systems to comprehend and acknowledge each other’s achievements.
Kai’s curiosity burned brighter as he listened to Liang’s words. "Then what about your cultivation?" he asked, his voice filled with genuine interest.
Liang’s expression turned heavy, a hint of complexity flickering across his eyes. Shaking his head dismissively, he replied, "It’s very complicated. Trust me, you don’t need to concern yourself with that."
Kai’s brows furrowed. "Well, where do you think we should begin then?"
Liang’s smile returned, softened by fond memories. "If my memory serves me right," he began, his voice filled with malice, "the Alliance headquarters can be found in a solar system called Astral Way System."
Kai’s eyes lit up with excitement as a sinister smile curled on his lips. "How many planets are we talking about here?" he asked eagerly.
Liang pondered for a moment, contemplating the scale of their upcoming endeavor. "Probably around a hundred or so," he replied, sharing Kai’s enthusiasm.
Kai’s eyes gleamed even brighter, fueled by the potential prey. "Then let’s waste no time. We mustn’t keep them waiting."
Nodding in agreement, shortly after, a brilliant and shimmering space portal materialized in front of them. Without hesitation, the pair stepped forward, disappearing into the ethereal void.