Forty Millenniums of Cultivation, page 464
They were not as terrified when they learned that 'Hellsword' got away, when they discovered that 'Apollo' was dead, or when they realized that the Mist Plan was merely a smoke grenade tossed out intentionally by the Temple of Immortals.
They had never expected that they would be faced with one of the most horrifying catastrophes for every sector: the extraterrestrial devils!
Through researching the manipulation and utilization of spiritual energy, human beings had realized the existence of a type of energy that was entirely different from commonly-seen spiritual energy a long time ago. It was known as 'tenebrum energy'.
However, debates remained unabated as to the essence of the tenebrum energy even to this day.
However, there was one well-accepted theory.
Mankind was not the first dominator of the endless sea of stars. Before the civilization of human beings was established, countless prosperous civilizations and kings emerged in the boundless cosmos.
The strong prehistoric species addressed by the ancient people as 'deities' or 'devils' failed to resist the deterioration of time and gradually went extinct over billions of years.
However, although the prehistoric civilizations were doomed, the thoughts, or the will, of the experts of the civilizations sometimes lingered on like ghosts.
Such thoughts that contained infinite anger, horror, desperation, regret, and brutality would wander here and there in the space.
Most of the thoughts would gradually diminish as time went by until they completely vanished in the end.
However, some of the thoughts would combine with spiritual energy by accident, or rather, corrupt the spiritual energy, by turning the pure, steady, and mild spiritual energy into a vastly different form that could be extremely violent.
That was tenebrum energy.
Moreover, when endless tenebrum energy was concentrated, the apparitions from the past civilizations could develop self-awareness again.
Such apparitions often gathered in somewhere mysterious in the endless sea of stars.
Nobody knew their purpose. But when they came, the only thing they brought was always betrayal, slaughter, and destruction.
They were the extraterrestrial devils!
Chapter 692: Enough Is Enough! |
Since human beings evolved beyond the primitive phase and started exploring the mysteries of spiritual energy, tenebrum energy had existed in the world of Cultivators like a shadow.
The demonic Cultivators who were willing to be corrupted by the tenebrum energy and practice the arts of the devils for fortune, strength, ambition, or grudges had been all Cultivators' mortal enemies since the era of the ancient Cultivators forty thousand years ago.
The fall of the glorious Star Ocean Imperium could mostly be blamed on the extraterrestrial devils, too.
When Li Yao was little, the teacher in his school had told him that the demonic Cultivators were all monsters without any humanity who knew nothing expect killing.
However, on second thought, such an assertation was too simple and rough.
If they were really senseless monsters who knew nothing except killing, how could they have set up so many delicate traps that brought about the doom of the expedition army of the imperium?
Besides, when Li Yao was in the Heaven's Origin Sector, he had met a young man who practiced the tenebrum energy and yet maintained his rationality and self-awareness.
Therefore, Li Yao estimated that the demonic Cultivators should be similar to the demon race.
Low-level demonic Cultivators were slaves of the tenebrum energy. Just like low-level demons, they knew nothing but havoc and destruction.
In the meantime, the high-level demonic Cultivators, such as the leaders or the kings, were perhaps similar to the silver-blood demons and the saint-blood demons, who not only boasted unparalleled wisdom to concoct impressive schemes but could also conceal their features to make themselves appear exactly the same as normal human beings.
The Heaven's Origin Sector was a small world with few demonic Cultivators. Catastrophes such as the arrival of the extraterrestrial devils barely happened in history.
The extraterrestrial devils were entities of pure energy. Therefore, they could only launch mental attacks. The more horrified a man was, the more intense his mental waves would be. The extraterrestrial devils would come at them like flies that had smelt fresh blood.
All Cultivators and ordinary people in the Heaven's Origin Sector lived on the same planet with their feet against the solid ground and their heads below a blue sky. Everybody worked together and fought together. Even deaths in a battle were not very scary for them.
Since they were peaceful and in high spirits all the time, their souls were extremely solid. Even ordinary people who had no Cultivation would be as vigorous as a burning torch. Naturally, the extraterrestrial devils had barely any chances to take over their minds.
But things are different in the Flying Star Sector.
Although this sector had an extremely large territory that covered dozens of space zones, the total population of the sector was similar to that of the Heaven's Origin Sector. Most of the land was scarcely resided.
Most people were scattered in the sea of stars.
For some of the space zones, they might only have ten to twenty million people despite their enormous size. The residents in those space zones were like dozens of ants on a dry leaf that was floating on a boundless ocean.
Staying in the bleak, vast universe all year long, one might find it difficult to keep their mental stability.
Li Yao had once heard a word called 'claustrophobia'.
He had once imagined that if he were living in a gloomy, narrow, and thin starship all his life with a cold, dark universe outside the window, he would be prone to the scourge of a cosmic storm at any time. A tiny accident on the starship might mean the destruction of the entire town.
In such a living environment, even though the Grand Illusionary Land could soothe anxiety, it was still very easy for the mental deterioration of the group to take place.
This was the best land for the extraterrestrial devils to demonstrate their power.
In the Flying Star Sector, the arrival of the extraterrestrial devils was as common as the beast tide outbreaks in the Heaven's Origin Sector.
During their thousands of years of struggle against the extraterrestrial devils, people of the Flying Star Sector had accumulated abundant experience in dealing with them.
Many large space towns had deployed special barriers around themselves to keep the extraterrestrial devils away.
Inside the town, 'Mind Clearing Spell', 'Mind Easing Spell', and 'Soul Pacifying Spell' would be played at certain hours during the day. The rain-making rune arrays in the space towns were also added with sedating water.
Well-trained Meditation Healers and therapists would also examine the residents regularly to monitor their mental health.
Heavenly Saints City, as the biggest city in the Flying Star Sector, naturally had the most advanced rune arrays and magical equipment to resist the extraterrestrial devils.
Theoretically speaking, it was impossible for extraterrestrial devils to arrive on a large scale.
However…
If someone who had ill intentions had snuck into the tenth space ring of the Heavenly Saints City and established 'Extraterrestrial Devils Altars' through which they summoned the extraterrestrial devils with blood sacrifices while all the Cultivators were gathered in the three inner rings to participate in the 'Mist Clearing Operation', it would be an entirely different matter.
As of now, Li Yao did not know that the relationship between the Immortal Cultivators and the demonic Cultivators yet.
Although Huangpu Shiyi claimed that deities and devils were the same, that was only his own theory.
But one thing was certain.
Immortal Cultivators and demonic Cultivators were both enemies of Cultivators and humanity!
"The great explosion in the tenth space ring is still going on, and a large-scale riot is taking place. Everybody is panicking. Several monitoring sites have reported that the mental pressure of many ordinary people has surpassed the limits. They are likely already possessed by extraterrestrial devils!
"Extraterrestrial devils have appeared in the third district, the fifth district, and the sixth district. Countless ordinary people have been possessed by the devils and turned into aggressive lunatics!
"The intensity of the extraterrestrial devils' outbreak is the worst in the last hundred years!"
One message after another was passed on to Cai Qi's crystal processor.
Every message was like a burning saber that was slashing every Cultivator's face time and time again.
In a moment, gold streams of information popped up on Cai Qi's crystal processor and poured down like a heavy rain.
Cai Qi glanced at it and suddenly stood straight. For a moment, he seemed ten meters taller. The crescent flying swords around him suddenly accelerated and turned into blurred silver shadows, wreathing him in a fatal veil!
The intimidating aura of a Nascent Soul Stage Cultivator was fully exuded!
"The Mist Clearing Operation has now been declared a failure.
"It is confirmed that the Mist Plan was merely a disguise for the Temple of Immortals, whose real purpose was the tenth space ring of Heavenly Saints City. They are planning to raise a large-scale riot inside the tenth space ring!
"Now, all the battle-type Cultivators will be divided into two roles. Some of the Cultivators will stay and protect the ordinary people and the non-battle-type Cultivators in the three inner rings, while the other battle-type Cultivators will march toward the tenth space ring immediately to settle the riot and destroy the devils!
"The mission will be very risky. The arrangement of the Immortal Cultivators is quite thorough. They must have prepared something more than just the arrival of the extraterrestrial devils!
"It is most likely that many experts of the Temple of Immortals, including the top assassins such as the 'Eight Blades of Black Spider', are now hiding in the tenth space ring among the ordinary people who have been devilized. They will find opportunities to assassinate us while we are rescuing the ordinary people!
"If we go to rescue them, the Cultivators will definitely suffer a lot of casualties.
"But if we don't, the catastrophe will only get worse. All of the tenth space ring will be mired in the swamp of devils. Tens of thousands of innocent citizens will die. The ordinary people will lose faith in Cultivators forever!
"I am not the leader or supervisor of most of the Cultivators here. Therefore, I cannot demand you to do anything. What you do next is all up to you!
"Whoever is willing to go to the tenth space ring, just step forward. We will gather in the No.3 temporary port and depart for the tenth space ring to slay all the devils!
"Those who are not willing to take the risk, stay here and protect the ordinary people and the non-battle-type Cultivators—which is an equally important task!"
All the Cultivators were silent briefly. There was no telling who was the first to step forward. They seemed to be in exactly the same location, but the distance between was much shorter.
Including Li Yao, every Cultivator made a step forward. A big step.
"Great!" Cai Qi roared. "Maybe the Temple of Immortals have won the battle for now, but as long as one last Cultivator is still breathing, we will not stand by and watch ordinary people to be savaged by them!
"Fellow Cultivators, please set the reception sensitivity of your crystal processor to the highest. The command center is drafting new battle plans according to the terrain and the real-time pictures of the tenth space ring. They will be sent to your crystal processor shortly!
"Better late than never. Let's go!"
Cai Qi waved his hand. Everybody cheered and followed him.
His face red, Ye Hongfei said to Li Yao in a low voice, "Master Sand. Thank you for helping us out."
In his eyes, Li Yao was from Iron Plateau. The catastrophe happening in Heavenly Saints City should not have been his concern.
Glancing at the ragged 'Sky Scorpion Armor, Universe Strengthened Version' on Li Yao, Ye Hongfei could not help but observe, "However, your armor…"
Cai Qi glanced at Li Yao, too. With a hint of appreciation and admiration, he said softly, "Fellow Cultivator Sand, thanks for your generous help. But do you need new armor? If it is inconvenient for you to look for a replacement right now, I think we can find you a spare crystal suit when we arrive at the temporary dock. But I'm wondering whether or not you can wear them."
"That will be unnecessary."
Li Yao narrowed his eyes. The muscles on his face were twitching. Solemnly, he tore the broken Sky Scorpion Armor off and threw the pieces to the ground heavily.
"I have no other options now. With everything reaching this point, this must be when people say enough is enough. There's a secret that I have to make public now!"
Li Yao sighed and cleared away the remnants of the True Qi armor in a few moments. He pressed his forehead with his fingers softly.
The Cosmos Ring on his index fingers emitting orange brilliance. Countless light streams flowed out and covered his body slowly like a brook!
When the orange brilliance gradually solidified, Ye Hongfei, who was standing next to him, exclaimed in shock, "A crystal suit!"
"Exactly!"
It took Li Yao ten seconds for him to summon the crystal suit from his Cosmos Ring and cover it on his body without a gap.
He smashed his breastplate hard with a crisp sound.
Li Yao said seriously, "Fellow Cultivators, truth be told, I've made huge improvements in the arts of crystal suits under the enlightenment of Fellow Cultivator Ye Hongfei over the past two months. I'm now perfectly capable of wearing the 'Green Wolf Battlesuit', a beginner-level crystal suit!
"The gold crystal suit that I'm wearing right now is modified by Master Xue Yuanxin, the well-known expert of crystal suits. Because I do not know much about crystal suits, he has simplified the operation system of the common Green Wolf Battlesuit and added a lot of powerful magical equipment and high-level skill cards. It is the evolved version of the 'Green Wolf Battlesuit'—the 'Gold Wolf Battlesuit'!
"After Master Xue's modification, it has turned from a beginner-level crystal suit into a main-force crystal suit that boasts tremendous capability!
"Therefore, you don't need to worry that I might drag you down in the fierce battle.
"After I am equipped with the Gold Wolf Battlesuit, I am unimaginably strong!
"This is my secret weapon!
"When 'Hellsword' came over just now, I planned to put on the new equipment, but he was too fast and got away before I had the chance to wear the crystal suit. What a shame!
"If I had put on the Gold Wolf Battlesuit earlier, I might have been able to stop 'Hellsword'!"
All the Cultivators were dumbfounded.
It had been forever since the Core Formation Stage Cultivators and Nascent Soul Stage Cultivators last saw such a rudimental crystal suit like the 'Green Wolf Battlesuit'.
The crystal suits that they were wearing were at least twenty times as valuable as the Green Wolf Battlesuit.
But the 'Gold Wolf Battlesuit', which was an 'evolved version', might be slightly better than the original.
However, when Cai Qi thought of the poor performance of the 'Sky Scorpion Armor, Universe Strengthened Version' just now…
Cai Qi opened his mouth and held back his words after thinking for a moment. He patted Li Yao's shoulder softly and said, "Fellow Cultivator Sand is indeed reliable and loyal to friends. You truly deserve to be the best warrior of the six tribes of Iron Plateau! I do appreciate your help.
"Nobody will question your capability and bravery, but…
"The environment of the tenth ring is much more complicated than that of the three inner rings. When we are on the battlefield, it will be best if you can be cautious and stay with us instead of fighting by yourself, Fellow Cultivator Sand."
Chapter 693: Heroes After Death |
The No.3 temporary port had originally been prepared for the abnormally large number of tourists during the Edge Sharpeners' Meeting, but it had turned into a military port.
Due to the unexpected accident, the space port was a hive of activity. Not enough crystal warships were found in the hurry. Therefore, shuttles and civil carriers between the space rings had all been expropriated.
The weight-carrying vehicles of the six sects of Heavenly Saints City moved the battle magical equipment stored in the sects to the space port.
Those crowding the space port mostly consisted of fully-armed Cultivators in crystal suits. Most of the Cultivators were furious enough to volunteer to go to the tenth space ring. In the end, the crystal processor had to draw lots to decide who was to stay and protect the central area.
On the giant light beam floating in the sky, information streams that looked like a surging ocean appeared. They were connected to all the Cultivators' crystal processors and guided them to different areas where the Cultivators were allocated special magical equipment to deal with the extraterrestrial devils, before they went separate ways and boarded different starships, marching toward the battlefield.
The space port was full of people but not chaotic. The Cultivators had freed themselves from the frustration of the failure of the 'Mist Clearing Operation' and dedicated themselves to the new battle.
In the somewhat intense atmosphere, everybody ground their teeth hard. No one was shouting or yelling. The only sound that could be heard in the vast No.3 dock was the occasional collision of crystal suits.
"Master Sand, the command center has assigned us to the same team. When we arrive in the tenth space ring, you must follow me closely and do not act recklessly."
Glancing at the 'Gold Wolf Battlesuit' on Li Yao's body, Ye Hongfei hesitated before continuing. "Extraterrestrial devils and demon beasts are different. We cannot deal with ordinary people who are possessed by the devils by killing them directly. Most of the devilized people are actually recoverable. Therefore… you must follow my lead. Do you understand?"
