A massive aura swept over everyone in the temple, causing them to involuntarily kneel, with only one thought in mind, "The might of God is as vast as the sea, as imposing as a prison."
Even the elders, each harboring their own schemes, felt a trace of fear. After all, the power of the True God truly existed, and if this being were to unleash their wrath upon them, what would they do?
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The few exchanged glances, knowing there was no room for retreat, that the arrow was already notched and they must let it fly. The young Curse Master nodded slightly.
"The great lord shall awaken today and cast his radiance upon humanity, yet we need a grand blood sacrifice to greet the return of our lord, You are the master of fate, the origin of all things, and the ruler of this land." The Great Elder placed the scepter in front of the Divine Statue and began to pray.
Sometime afterward, the prayer concluded, and he instructed everyone in a weak voice to bring up the offerings.
However, a commotion was heard from outside, and a flustered Curse Master ran in, exclaiming in panic, "Great Elder, it’s bad; the captives for the sacrifice have all escaped!"
Upon hearing this, the Great Elder showed no sign of disturbance, but simply nodded calmly to acknowledge the situation, his gaze piercingly fixed on the elders below. He was well aware that these people had played a role, but now that he had obtained the Essence Blood, he felt confident and patient enough to wait.
The Second Elder and a few others felt uneasy. This seemingly frail old man appeared too composed, and it was uncertain whether he was bluffing or truly confident.
The Great Elder then slowly stood, scepter in hand, smiling at those below, "I know you all await my demise, but unfortunately, you’ve miscalculated."
As he finished speaking, he raised the scepter into the air; a massive force instantly filled the temple, and channels suddenly appeared on the flat ground, quickly filling with red blood.
This was a grand Array; at its center were the Divine Statue and the Great Elder. The moment it filled with blood, the Array emitted a red glow, tinting the entire temple in scarlet.
"Stop him, quickly!" the Second Elder shouted, already charging toward the Great Elder.
By then, the Great Elder was laughing madly, "Too late! Today you will witness the arrival of a True God, ha-ha! I’ve awaited this day for so many years, and finally, it has come."
With the activation of the Array, the mysterious aura lingering on the Divine Statue surged crazily into the Great Elder’s frail body.
His body began to crack, emitting dark purple light from these fissures, just a faint glimmer that made everyone in the temple feel an indescribable pressure.
"Is this the power of a god?" the Great Elder muttered to himself, his voice no longer weak but instead full of vigor.
Soon, as the cracks burst open, a figure emitting dark purple light appeared. It was the young Great Elder; his once deep wrinkles were gone, his full head of white hair had turned completely black again, his stature was restored, and his clean face bore a sinister smile.
"Feeling young is truly wonderful!" the Great Elder said as he lifted his palm and meticulously examined it, unable to help exclaiming. Having said that, with a gentle point of his finger at the advancing Second Elder, he instantly sent him flying.
The Second Elder hit the ground, fresh blood spouting from his mouth, and then he discovered in horror that his body was visibly aging at an alarming rate.
His already aged hands now completely lost their color, pale as white skeletons, and his silver-and-black hair turned snow white in a short span of time, as if time itself sped up on his body, causing him to scream in terror.
The scream was harrowing, as though it echoed in everyone’s hearts, making their hearts involuntarily beat faster. Everyone looked at the glowing Great Elder with fear in their eyes.
"Did you see that? This is the power of a True God. To oppose me is to oppose a god. From now on, I am the sole Divine Spirit of Curse Mountain." After proving his power, the Great Elder could no longer hide his ambition, laughing excitedly.
"I have painstakingly managed this for many years, and finally succeeded. I am no longer a mere mortal; I am the Divine Spirit of Curse Mountain, the master of the fate of all things." The Great Elder roared loudly, and the scepter in his hand also emitted boundless radiance.
"All of you, attack together. Have you forgotten his methods? Will he let us off if he completely controls this power?" the dying Second Elder shouted out loud.
Perhaps his words had an effect. People in the temple, each with their own thoughts, unified like never before, all employing their unique capabilities to attack the youthful Great Elder. No one wanted to see such a person ascend to godhood; to them, this was their last chance.
Innumerable cursing techniques poured down on the Great Elder like rain. These attacks flickered with ominous energy, but just as they were about to touch the Great Elder, he gently grabbed the air and caught all these energies in his hand. Then, opening his mouth, he gently sucked in, and the myriad energies were absorbed into his stomach, his face showing an intoxicated expression.
"It seems you’ve forgotten where your powers come from. Do you really think you can use my power against me? How laughable," the Great Elder said mockingly.
Then he floated upwards, his ethereal voice emanating, "Since I have ascended to the Divine Position, a grand blood sacrifice shall welcome my arrival."
No sooner had the sound of his voice faded than screams echoed throughout Cave Heaven. The people living in Cave Heaven discovered in horror that their bodies were aging, all their life force seemingly drawn out, turning into beams of light that converged into a torrent of life, flying toward the Great Elder in the sky.
The entire Cave Heaven was enveloped by his powerful aura; at this moment, he truly appeared as he claimed, like a deity descending to the earth.
Just then, a bright sword light flashed, striking the Great Elder with the speed of lightning, causing a momentary pause in his absorption of life force.
"Who is it?" the Great Elder roared.
"Mount Shu, Yan Dan." A robust voice came from outside the temple.
"I thought to leave outright, but still, my resentment lingers.
Dragging this battered body to see my sect mates would be a humiliation if not for a Divine Spirit’s head, which would certainly be splendid." Dressed in a white robe and holding a treasured sword that glowed radiantly, Yan Dan now had the appearance of a middle-aged man, his aura stable, taking firm steps as he walked into the temple hall.