Chapter 559: Slaughter and Calamity

On a wasteland ravaged by war, the sky was overcast with dark clouds, thunder and lightning flashing.

Cracks flickered in the heavenly canopy, like gates to another world.

In this apocalyptic scene, a huge black shadow slowly emerged, a mecha composed of countless mysterious runes and unknown metal, emitting a terrifying power fluctuation.

This mecha is called the Netherworld Envoy; its existence seems to be for bringing destruction amidst chaos.

Its appearance is ferocious; every inch of its armor exudes a cold, ruthless aura.

The mecha's eyes were like two burning stars, emitting a dark blue flame, as if they could see through all secrets of the world.

The cultivators gathered around an ancient altar, tightly holding the Myriad Source Mother Essence—a mysterious crystal containing endless energy.

The cultivators circled the Myriad Source Mother Essence, chanting ancient incantations, attempting to use its power to achieve their goal.

However, at the moment they were about to succeed, the Netherworld Envoy descended like a ghost.

Its mechanical arms suddenly elongated like steel pythons, snatching the Myriad Source Mother Essence from the cultivators' hands with lightning speed.

The mecha's movements were swift and precise, with no wasted motion, obviously having undergone countless drills.

The cultivators watched in horror, their eyes filled with disbelief.

Their speed and reactions seemed utterly insignificant before this mecha.

Every move of the mecha was filled with destructive power; each attack was like heaven collapsing and earth splitting.

After seizing the Myriad Source Mother Essence, the Netherworld Envoy lingered not, its silhouette tracing afterimages across the sky before vanishing into the dark clouds, leaving only chaos and despair.

The cultivators gazed toward the direction the mecha vanished, their hearts filled with doubt and fear—who built this mecha, and what is its purpose?

Rumble...

As the Netherworld Envoy disappeared, the cracks in the sky began to slowly close, as if the suffocating pressure were being sealed away together.

The cultivators looked at each other, their hearts filled with loss and unease.

The loss of the Myriad Source Mother Essence was not only a loss of their power, but also the shattering of hope.

In the ruins of the altar, an elderly cultivator slowly rose to his feet, his eyes flashing with determined light; his voice, though hoarse, was full of strength.

"We cannot give up now; the power of the Myriad Source Mother Essence is too great—if it falls into the wrong hands, the consequences are unimaginable."

The other cultivators were encouraged by his words, nodding in agreement.

They knew they must act, pursue the Netherworld Envoy, and reclaim the Myriad Source Mother Essence.

Thus, they began to gather, collecting all clues about the Netherworld Envoy—including its time of appearance, location, and direction of disappearance.

They also studied the properties of the Myriad Source Mother Essence, hoping to find a way to use its power against the mecha.

During their preparations, they discovered some ancient texts recording an ancient ritual said to summon a Guardian to fight powerful foes.

Although the ritual is complex and dangerous, with no other choice they decided to try it.

On a night of dark moon and high Heifeng, the cultivators began the ritual on the altar's ruins.

They gathered around a huge magic circle, holding various Dharma Implements in their hands, murmuring incantations.

As the ritual proceeded, magical energy in the air began to gather, forming a huge vortex.

Suddenly, a blinding light burst from the vortex, and a huge figure slowly emerged.

It was a being composed of pure energy, its body radiating a soft glow, yet its eyes burned with the fire of battle.

Its existence seemed to be the embodiment of the purest power between heaven and earth.

"Guardian, we need your help," said the elderly cultivator, stepping forward respectfully.

The Guardian nodded, his voice thundering in everyone's heart: "I feel your sincerity and resolve. I will go with you to reclaim the Myriad Source Mother Essence."

The cultivators and the Guardian crossed towering mountains and vast seas, finally arriving at a mysterious island shrouded in mist.

Here they sensed the stealth aura of a new mecha, as well as the unique energy fluctuation of the Myriad Source Mother Essence.

Battle erupted instantly; the cultivators fought side by side with the Guardian, lightning cracking in the sky and flames shooting up from the ground.

Meanwhile.

In the Tianji Shengyu, the news of the Myriad Source Mother Essence spread like a fierce wind, sweeping across the entire Universe Cultivation World.

This mysterious crystal is said to contain the primordial power of the universe's birth, able to help cultivators break through the Heaven Realm and reach the legendary Myriad Dharma Realm; for countless cultivators stuck at a bottleneck, it is undoubtedly a great boon.

As soon as the news came out, the tranquility of the Universe Cultivation World was completely shattered.

Whether reclusive masters, elite disciples of major sects, or even lone wandering cultivators, they all began to stir.

They knew that the appearance of the Myriad Source Mother Essence might be their only chance in life to break through their shackles and reach a higher cultivation level.

As the news spread, more and more cultivators began to practice God-Soul Embodiment—a state where one's soul and true essence coalesce into a mass, forming an existence between substance and void, capable of traversing space to enter the Tianji Shengyu.

Cultivators in this state cannot exert their full strength, but they are extremely fast and hard to detect.

The Tianji Shengyu bustled with activity.

In the sky, streaks of light flashed—these were the traces left by cultivators after they entered God-Soul Embodiment.

They came from all directions, some alone, some in groups, but their sole goal was the Myriad Source Mother Essence.

Among these cultivators, several stood out—they were the top experts of the Universe Cultivation World, each possessing earth-shaking power, adding more variables to this contest.

"Heavenly Secrets Old Man" is one of them, a cultivator skilled in heavenly secrets calculation, said to be able to predict the future; his appearance made everyone feel a hint of unease.

His intentions are unfathomable to anyone, but his strength is universally acknowledged as great.

"Burning Heaven Empress" is another awe-inspiring presence. She commands the fire law, said to be able to summon heavenly fire that burns everything to ashes.

As soon as she appears, the sky is dyed a layer of fiery red.

Also there are the "Void Walker" and "Thunder Venerable", etc., each a leader in their respective fields; their arrival has made the atmosphere in the Tianji Shengyu even more tense.

As more and more cultivators joined, the struggles in the Tianji Shengyu became increasingly fierce.

Some cultivators chose to lurk in the shadows, seeking opportunities; others struck directly, trying to overcome skill with force, but whichever way, it was full of danger.

As time passed, the battles in the Tianji Shengyu grew ever more intense.

Each clash could trigger heavenly and earthly anomalies. Some cultivators fell in battle, while others broke through in combat, reaching a new realm.

But regardless of the result, the temptation of the Myriad Source Mother Essence made it impossible for anyone to halt their steps.

This battle for supremacy is not merely a contest of strength, but also a test of wisdom and courage. Every cultivator taking part fights for the slim hope of a breakthrough.

On the battlefield where countless powerhouses clash, it seems as if even heaven and earth tremble in anticipation of the impending bloodbath.

On the ground, mountains collapsed, rivers flowed backward, and the might of nature appeared insignificant amid the experts' duel.

Amid this chaotic battlefield, the silhouettes of countless powerhouses intertwined—some flew on swords, some rode divine beasts, some cast spells, each displaying their divine abilities.

A massive golden dragon swooped down from the clouds, its claws gripping a cultivator of profound cultivation level.

This cultivator wore golden armor, wielded a long spear, and his eyes flashed with unyielding light. He engaged in fierce combat with the golden dragon, each clash causing heaven and earth to change color.

On another side, a group of cultivators surrounded a powerful female cultivator.

She wore colorful robes and held a jade flute; each note released a powerful sonic attack that sent nearby enemies reeling.

However, the enemies were numerous, launching fireballs, summoning ice spikes, or waving sharp sword qi, continually assaulting the female cultivator.

At the battlefield's center, cultivators from the two great sects engaged in a life-and-death struggle.

The Shadow Sect excelled at assassination and concealment, moving like ghosts across the battlefield, each appearance accompanied by the shadow of death.

The Light Sect specialized in light arts, capable of healing allies and unleashing powerful light beams to strike enemies.

In a remote corner of the battlefield, the duel between two powerhouses drew many gazes.

The Thunder Venerable, who commanded lightning, struck with each blow accompanied by thunderous roars, electrocuting foes to a charred black.

The Wind Walker, who mastered wind, moved with extreme speed like a gust across the battlefield, each appearance able to take an enemy's life.

The entire Tianji Shengyu had become a great furnace, where countless powerhouses burned their own lives, fighting for the faint hope of a breakthrough.

Their blood dyed the earth red, their roars shattered the sky.

At the heart of Tianji Shengyu, the Myriad Source Mother Essence emanated a faint glow from every corner, as if mocking the cultivators who had gone mad for it.

On the battlefield where cultivators slaughtered each other, the sky was painted in iridescent hues by the light of various arts, while the ground lay in utter ruin, strewn with the scars of combat.

An old man wearing a ghost-face mask stood upon a lone peak, his eyes seeming to pierce the void and perceive all.

He did not rush to act, but waited for the optimal moment, for the power of the Myriad Source Mother Essence was too great; any rash move could invite disaster.

He held an ancient copper coin, constantly tossing it; each landing produced a clear chime, as if foretelling some unfathomable fate.

Around him, some cultivators had already begun to slaughter, either wielding flying swords or unleashing mighty arts, each attack brimming with destructive power.

A barefoot girl, the green copper bell at her ankle emitting a soul‑capturing chime, darted through the endless sea of fire.

Her long hair fluttered in the flames, her eyes blazing with endless fury; her target was clear—the Myriad Source Mother Essence—and any cultivator blocking her would be consumed by her wrath.

"Those who stand in my way die!" the girl's voice thundered across the battlefield as she swung her flame whip, each strike taking several lives.

That flame was not ordinary fire but heavenly fire capable of burning souls; even the mightiest cultivators dared not touch it lightly.

A mysterious cultivator cloaked in black robes concealed his form in the void, his body seeming to merge with the surrounding space, undetectable even to the keenest perception.

Amid the chaotic battlefield, he moved like a ghost, his body flickering in and out of the void, each appearance claiming a cultivator's life.

Boom—

An old man surrounded by countless bolts of lightning, each breath triggering thunder in the sky.

His eyes brimmed with fighting spirit.

"Those who stand in my way die!" the old man's voice boomed like thunder across the battlefield, a massive lightning storm forming around him, consuming any cultivator daring to approach.

At the same time, atop the towering walls of Liehu City, Longling stood in the wind, his robes rustling loudly.

His gaze pierced the chaos of Tianji Shengyu, coldly observing those cultivators gone mad for the Myriad Source Mother Essence.

His eyes held no sympathy, no pity, only a deep understanding of the world's cruel law: the weak are prey, the strong reign.

The Golden Peng King, Tiger King, Great Sage Monkey King, together with the abbot of Xiguangsi and Daoist Qingxu, stood beside Longling, their gazes equally resolute and calm.

They fully grasped Longling's intent, realizing that direct participation in this contest would exact too great a cost.

Each cultivator's fall weakened the Longyuan Immortal Sect's strength; having just established the sect beyond the heavens, its foundations were unsteady and could not withstand such losses.

"Such is the world: beneath great temptation often lies the price of life." Longling's voice was calm yet powerful, his words revealing deep reflection. "We must not let immediate gains blind us, forgetting our true purpose."

The Golden Peng King nodded, his eyes flashing with sharp light: "Our goal is to protect Earth, not petty gains; though the Myriad Source Mother Essence is good, compared to Earth's safety it is mere clouds."

The Tiger King clenched his fists, power surging within, but he knew this was no time for impulsiveness: "Every drop of a cultivator's blood is precious; we cannot let them sacrifice themselves in vain here."

The Great Sage Monkey King scratched his head, wisdom and cunning glinting in his eyes: "Let our mechs launch a sneak attack instead of direct engagement; that would reduce our losses while securing the Myriad Source Mother Essence for us."

The abbot of Xiguangsi pressed his palms together, softly chanting a Buddhist invocation: "Amitabha, we must not let our disciples die in vain; we seek the greatest benefit at the smallest cost."

Daoist Qingxu stroked his long beard, a hint of approval in his eyes: "By avoiding direct conflict, we can still secure the maximum benefit for our earthly cultivators."

Longling turned to them, his eyes flashing with resolute light: "The Myriad Source Mother Essence is fine, but compared to Earth's safety it is mere clouds."

Our mechs will operate in the shadows, silently seizing the Myriad Source Mother Essence, while we will stand by and watch developments.

As Longling's words fell, the disciples of the Longyuan Immortal Sect began to act.

They did not join the melee in Tianji Shengyu, but instead gathered strength in secret, awaiting the optimal moment.

Their gaze pierced the battlefield's smoke, seeing a farther future; only by keeping a clear mind and sufficient strength could they secure a place for Earth in this grand cosmic chessboard.

Longling's gaze once again turned to the battlefield, his eyes flashing with the light of wisdom.

This battle was not merely a pursuit of power, but also a trial of the cultivators' hearts and morals; they gradually began to lose themselves in the abyss of power, while the Longyuan Immortal Sect would be that clear stream, maintaining clarity and reason.