(ATTENDANCE!)
"Call out!"
A figure transformed into a streak of light, tearing through the skies of the Eastern Region.
They crossed vast lands in an instant, rushing toward the very edge of the Eastern Region,
A remote corner.
Liu Jian remained silent the entire way. He gazed at the endless distance below, paths that once required flying magic treasures and journeys of tens of thousands of miles, now crossed in mere moments under Elder Chu's guidance. His heart was filled with awe, and at the same time, an indescribable excitement grew stronger the more familiar the road beneath became.
When they passed over a primeval forest, the doubts in his heart finally reached their peak. He couldn't help but ask,
"Master… are we going to…?"
"Tianyun Kingdom," Chu Xun replied with a faint smile.
Tianyun Kingdom.
Liu Jian's heart trembled violently.
Though the familiar scenery had already stirred vague guesses, hearing it confirmed still left him shaken. Tianyun Kingdom was nothing more than a tiny corner of the Eastern Region. Perhaps it felt special to him because he had grown up there, but Elder Chu was a giant of the Eastern Region. How could such a person pay attention to a place so insignificant?
"You'll know when we arrive," Chu Xun said calmly, offering no further explanation.
…
…
At the same time.
Tianyun Kingdom.
Imperial Capital.
An unprecedented catastrophe was descending.
Under a clear blue sky, the people of the imperial capital lived their lives as usual. Morning tea was enjoyed leisurely, melodies drifted from teahouses, and young students recited their lessons in academies. Everything appeared peaceful and prosperous. The citizens lived without worry, trusting their safety to a wise and capable emperor.
"Comfortable!"
An old man stretched lazily in a theater, listening to a tune with a satisfied expression. Such peaceful days were hard to come by, he even advised his grandson to cherish them.
Then,
Something changed.
Dark clouds began to gather in the once-clear sky. At first, the old man thought a storm was approaching. But gradually, an oppressive weight pressed down on everyone's hearts, as if dust had settled on their souls. One by one, people looked up.
"What's going on?"
"Why did it suddenly get so dark?"
"This feels… strange."
The people of Tianyun Kingdom sensed that something was wrong, yet few truly panicked. This was the imperial capital. Powerhouses gathered here. No matter what happened, surely nothing could go wrong.
However,
"Rumble!"
Within the dark clouds, a black dragon loomed.
Its enormous head emerged first, followed by pitch-black scales gliding through the clouds like forged black diamonds. Each scale reflected a cold, merciless light. The greed flickering in its eyes sent an involuntary shiver through every soul below.
"A dragon!"
"It's a dragon!"
Inside the imperial palace, the emperor, who had been cultivating on the dragon throne, was instantly alarmed. He rushed outside and saw the shadow of the black dragon. His pupils shrank violently, an ominous feeling flooding his heart.
"Jie jie jie!"
Moments later, a grotesque face condensed beneath the clouds, sinister, cunning, cruel. The strange laughter made the emperor's heart quake as he recognized it at once.
The Demon Cult.
Impossible!
These beings were born cruel, reveling in slaughter. They had vanished from the Eastern Region hundreds of years ago, annihilated by the top holy lands. How could they reappear now, here, in Tianyun Kingdom?
A sense of dread engulfed him.
The next instant,
Three figures descended from the clouds.
Black cloaks concealed their bodies, their faces completely hidden. Beneath the cloaks burned ghostly flames that filled onlookers with terror.
Dark light flickered in their eyes as one of them spoke cruelly,
"Tianyun Kingdom… billions of living beings. So fresh. So delicious. If we slaughter them all in a blood sacrifice, our cultivation will reach the level of half-saints!"
"Jie jie jie jie jie… More than that," another laughed. "If the three of us all break through to the half-saint realm, then after the saint of the Donglin Sect dies in a year, we can sacrifice the Donglin Holy Land itself. By then… stepping into the Saint Realm won't be a dream!"
Hearing this, the emperor felt his scalp go numb.
They intended to sacrifice hundreds of millions of lives.
Such a monstrous calamity was descending upon his country.
Suppressing his terror, he shouted,
"I don't know how Tianyun Kingdom has offended you, seniors. If we have wronged you in any way, please say it clearly! I am willing to pay any price!"
"A price?"
"Can you afford it?"
A cloaked demon let out a chilling laugh. From the dark clouds, a strange crimson cauldron appeared. Thick red mist churned within it, the condensed essence of human life.
As the cauldron emerged, the sky split into two colors.
Black.
And red.
Wisps of red mist drifted downward.
The people of the imperial capital fell into instant hallucinations, expressions dull, eyes hollow, as streams of life essence poured from the tops of their heads.
"No!"
The emperor's eyes turned red with anxiety. These were his people, how could he allow the Demon Cult to drain their lives so wantonly?
He activated the national protection formation.
A massive light shield enveloped the imperial capital, snapping the dazed citizens out of their illusions.
"Ridiculous."
Another cloaked figure looked down mockingly.
He didn't even move.
The black dragon in the clouds dove downward, swinging its massive tail.
Boom!
The formation, strong enough to withstand Venerable Realm attacks, collapsed inch by inch, shattering in the blink of an eye and exploding into nothingness.
"Puff!"
The emperor, standing at the center of the formation, suffered violent backlash. Blood sprayed from his mouth, terror flooding his eyes.
Just a single sweep of that tail.
It destroyed Tianyun Kingdom's ultimate defense.
He had no will left to fight, only endless regret.
Who had Tianyun Kingdom offended?
Why had such terrifying demons descended here?
The red mist from the cauldron spread once more.
At that moment, a place within the imperial capital erupted with sacred brilliance,
Tianyun Academy.
The strongest academy in the kingdom.
Even at the brink of annihilation, it stood to resist.
"Roar!"
The demon dragon roared, shattering the sacred light in an instant.
The final hope of the people was crushed.
Eyes dull, they watched helplessly as their life essence was drained and swallowed by the crimson cauldron.
The emperor fell into despair.
Even he could not resist.
As his own life force was drawn away, he realized there was no one left who could save them.
As an emperor, he was only at the Prince Realm. In a remote land like this, such strength was enough to rule, but the strongest cultivator he had ever encountered was merely a Venerable.
The black dragon before him was unfathomable.
He could think of no one who could intervene.
On the brink of absolute despair,
A name surfaced in his mind.
A peerless genius of Tianyun Kingdom.
A youth who had become a pillar of the nation at a young age.
In his eyes, that person had even surpassed himself.
Clutching at his final hope, the emperor cried out,
"Seniors! Tianyun Kingdom has a genius, Liu Jian! He is extraordinarily talented and has already entered the Eastern Region. He may even become a disciple of a great power! For his sake, please spare Tianyun Kingdom!"
Tianyun Academy.
The people of the empire.
Hope flickered in their eyes at his words.
They all knew Liu Jian, born with astonishing talent, the pride of Tianyun Kingdom. If he entered the Eastern Region, at the very least he could join a major sect… perhaps even one of the legendary six holy lands.
For his sake,
Could it make a difference?