Chapter 30: Chaotic battle against Demonic beast 4
The battlefield outside the demonic cave was a furnace of rage and destruction. Silver-tier warriors fell like rain, their screams snuffed out beneath the overwhelming aura of the rampaging Gold Tier 1 Demonic Beast. The ground trembled beneath its monstrous steps, and its roars echoed like cannon fire.
But just as despair threatened to drown the forces of the four major sects, four auras streaked across the sky.
One from the Night's Light Devouring Church, one from the Fighting Brawlman Sect, one from the Iron Fang Sect, and the last from the Bright Brilliant Blade Sect—each disciple stood tall, cloaked in the shimmering aura of a Gold Tier 1 cultivator.
With no words exchanged, they surged forward in unison, weapons gleaming and Ki radiating like miniature suns. The battlefield held its breath as the four experts clashed with the Demonic Beast, shaking the heavens. With a final combined blow, they forced the beast back into the cave, its body crashing against the stone walls with thunderous force.
In the wake of this assault, the tide turned.
Seven Silver Tier 5 Demonic Beasts were swiftly slain, the way to the cave now cracked open like a ripe fruit. Cultivators poured in, their eyes filled with greed and ambition.
Deep within the cave, Prince Hunter limped through the darkness. His robe was torn and dirtied, his skin marred by light cuts and bruises. Yet his posture remained noble, and his focus was razor-sharp.
Flanked by two disciples from the Bright Brilliant Blade Sect, he moved like a shadow in the gloom. The trio was tense, until a sharp growl shattered the silence.
A Silver Tier 5 Demonic Beast lunged from the darkness. Prince Hunter didn't flinch. With a flourish of his sword, he danced forward, his blade a blur. The demon's head hit the cave wall before its body even dropped.
The Bright Brilliant Blade Sect disciples gave him an admiring nod, and together, they stepped into a large chamber littered with treasures. There were no chests, no guardians, just relics, herbs, and enchanted stones scattered across the floor as if a great hand had spilled the contents of a vault.
They grabbed what they could, fast and efficient.
"We move," Hunter said curtly. "There may be more rooms and more dangers."
Elsewhere, a figure drenched in blood burst into view. The Peak Silver Tier 5 Demon, body riddled with wounds, roared as he tore through the field.
He had hunted down three disciples of the Night's Light Devouring Church ending them in gruesome fashion. He finally got at least half of his revenge on those foes that killed his brother and their subordinates.
His fury unquenched, he stumbled toward the cave, trailing blood and laughter, dragging his near-broken body forward. He would have his revenge or die with their bones in his jaws.
The scent of treasure drew flies.
Rogue cultivators swarmed the area like vultures, each driven by desperation or ambition. Some fought through beast and rival to find reward. Others met their end within minutes, necks snapped or bodies trampled.
Still, more poured in, and the cave became a battleground within a battleground.
On a distant ridge, a shift in the wind.
Two figures arrived—Gold Tier 1 Demons Cloaked in malevolence, they grinned as they looked upon the chaos, ready to unleash more.
But a single man appeared before them—a Rogue Gold Tier 1 Cultivator whose identity was recognized immediately. The Demons froze.
Before they could react further, four more Gold Tier 1 experts landed: one from each major sect.
The five cultivators exchanged respectful nods. No words. No alliances.
The Demons, realizing the odds, sheathed their bloodlust and followed silently into the cave.
This was no longer just a feeding ground.
Unnoticed by most, the ground began to tremble. A soft, rhythmic pulse beneath the feet. At first faint, like the breath of something immense.
A few paused, brows furrowed, but most charged deeper in, drunk on dreams of glory.
Whatever slumbered beneath the cave had yet to awaken. But its dreams were dark.
And soon, they would no longer be dreams.
Elton and his group entered a seemingly abandoned passageway nestled between a broad rocky valley. The jagged cliffs loomed on either side like ancient sentinels, silent and watchful. As they passed through the valley and cautiously entered the gaping maw of a nearby cave, their eyes scanned every corner for signs of lurking predators.
Christy speculated in a low voice, "Most of the Demonic Beasts have probably been drawn to the chaos in the central battlefield."
Everyone nodded in agreement. It made sense. That battle was a magnet for destruction and for opportunity.
Venturing deeper into the cave, they came upon scattered nests with eggs and baby Demonic Beasts wriggling and crying. Without hesitation, they destroyed them all in passing. Mercy had no place in a world where the weak grew to become threats.
Suddenly, Elton felt an intense vibrational pull in his body, as if his very blood resonated with something deeper within the cave. He wandered further, his feet moving on instinct more than thought.
There it was.
Before his eyes, embedded in a strange green glittering rock, stood a long, gleaming blue sword. Its surface shimmered with starlight-like motes that danced across the blade. Just beside it, a matching scabbard was stabbed into the same rock—elegant and ancient.
The room was filled with an array of scattered treasures and weaponry. Cedric's eyes caught something first which was a magnificent dagger glowing with a golden hue. "This… it's a Gold Star-Ranked weapon," he said with awe, replacing his previous flaming dagger in an instant.
Zoro was drawn to a tattered black scarf lying near the wall. As he picked it up, the cloth seemed to awaken and wrapped itself naturally around his neck, mouth, and shoulders. His energy subtly surged. "It feels… like it's part of me," he muttered.
Christy's gaze was fixed on a faintly glowing gem embedded in a small formation on the same green rock that held the sword. The moment she laid eyes on it, a vibration stirred within her. Something inside her recognized it.
She moved closer, and so did Elton. Both were mesmerized, barely noticing the gradually growing tremors.
Elton reached out toward the sword, but Christy halted him. "If you touch that now without protection, it could kill you."
Without hesitation, she began weaving complex hand signs. Her body radiated Arcane energy, and her palms glowed with chaotic brightness. The Aka Boshi Tengan in her eyes flared to life. Slowly, she reached for the gem.
The moment her hand touched it, the gem erupted in blinding, distorting light. A series of cracking sounds echoed through the cave as ancient inscriptions etched into the walls burst into fragments.
The seal was broken.
Elton stepped forward and placed his hand on the hilt of the blade. A surge of vast energy flooded his body. Time seemed to slow. After two grueling minutes, he pulled the blade free. As he did, a new meridian blossomed within his body, pulsing with raw power.
The scabbard floated gently into his other hand.
While Elton and Christy were caught in the moment, Zoro and Cedric collected as many treasures as they could. But their celebration was short-lived.
A massive quake shook the cave, knocking loose entire slabs of stone. A chorus of monstrous roars unmistakably from Gold Tier-level creatures echoed from the depths. Explosions resounded like thunder.
From far inside the cave, the sound of a monstrous stampede approached like a tidal wave of death.
"RUN!" Cedric shouted.
They bolted.
As they neared the rocky valley they had entered from, they turned back. A group of rogue cultivators that were bloody and beaten fled in terror. One screamed before a massive flaming explosion consumed them all. The blast caused a massive rockslide, sending boulders crashing into the valley's entrance.
The quake only grew stronger.
With no time to spare, Elton and his companions sprinted, their hearts pounding, as the earth tore apart behind them.