Chapter 041
Chapter 41: Uplifted
Ming Zhao turned in shock and ran, but Wang Jie kicked a stone that pierced Ming Zhao’s body, leaving him to forever remain in this land.
With their blood, Wang Jie opened the storage rings and took all the cataclysm materials. Only then did he leave.
He found that there was nothing special in the trial takers’ rings—probably a requirement of the trials.
Looking out, he saw the earth receding swiftly.
Inside the spacecraft, the atmosphere was silent.
Old Nine leaned against the window, “A beast tide killed one hundred thousand. I don’t know when it happened, but humans have become mere numbers.”
Qing Zheng patted Old Nine on the shoulder, “Don’t be so sentimental. We’re all the same. Who knows if we’ll die in the next moment.”
Old Five looked at Wang Jie, “Boss, do you think we’ll really be sacrificed?”
Before things truly happened, the emotions weren’t as deep. Even when someone died before their eyes, it only brought shock, not pain.
Wang Jie watched the setting sun, “No.”
Old Five laughed freely, “Even if we are, it doesn’t matter. Brothers die together, what’s there to fear? We should have died years ago when that fire broke out.”
Qing Zheng laughed loudly, “Exactly, what’s there to fear?”
Old Nine smiled.
The oppressive atmosphere dissipated, replaced by the sight of them doing exercises.
As Wang Jie did his exercises, Old Five and the others silently looked out the window, unable to say anything.
Still absorbing seal power during his exercises, the power flowed through his body, sweat dripping onto the ground.
Wang Jie bent his fingers, fifty times.
His internal power increased from thirty-two times to fifty times, no longer growing exponentially. It wasn’t that the seal power he absorbed had diminished, but that the strength he could increase at his current level was gradually reducing. The next absorption might only reach sixty times, or even less, until it reached its limit.
The physical limit of the Eight-Seal realm?
Was it the limit of humans, or the limit for all beings at this realm in the universe?
Wang Jie was curious about just how far this limit could go.
The spacecraft landed at Tianfu Base, the cataclysm materials were unloaded, and Wang Jie and the others went straight to sleep.
A beam of sunlight pierced his eyes, and the next day arrived.
Constantly, more spacecraft landed, bringing cataclysm materials and trial takers. Among them were the twenty-some trial takers imprisoned in Upper Capital City, all brought here. These trial takers looked at Bai Yuan and the others with unfriendly eyes, but they were suppressed.
Yun Lai could suppress everyone.
All contradictions would wait to be resolved after Shu Mu Night.
Meanwhile, Wen Star Ru and the others continued absorbing seal power, maintaining their peak state.
In two days, an insect tide was detected. A massive insect tide was heading toward Tianfu Base.
Insect Xuan appeared, and he met with Insect Ruo Ruo, who was on her way.
Meanwhile, someone was always watching Shu Mu Night. The pits in Mountain City had long been filled and were now stacked, over ten meters high. He had said before, that when the corpses were piled a thousand meters high, it would be the moment of bridge building.
It would also be the moment Blue Star was buried.
The trial takers kept their peak status, and some Eight-Seal cultivators from Blue Star were also given the opportunity to absorb cataclysm materials, striving to break through to Nine-Seals and become a force against Shu Mu Night.
It was worth mentioning that Wang Jie was being ignored.
Because last time, during the siege of Shu Mu Night, he hadn’t made a move. Wen Star Ru’s reluctance to speak to him didn’t mean they overlooked this matter.
In their eyes, any cataclysm materials given to someone like Wang Jie would be a waste.
Three days passed.
The insect tide arrived.
The mutated insects moved quickly, and since Insect Xuan and the others weren’t far from Tianfu Base, three days was enough to reach it.
The people at Tianfu Base had never seen such a magnificent sight.
Insects.
A sky-darkening mass of insects painted the heavens and earth in every color.
This was far grander than any beast tide.
Insect Ruo Ruo alone could gather the insect tide to surround Upper Capital City Base, not to mention adding a stronger Insect Xuan.
Insect Xuan was a chosen prodigy who, along with Mo, Qi Xue Yin, and others, had been temporarily added to deal with Shu Mu Night. He was far beyond Yun Lai.
“We’ve already fought him once. The gap is huge. We need to use your insect tide,” Wen Star Ru said to Insect Xuan.
Insect Xuan was a pale-skinned, ordinary-looking youth. At first glance, he seemed unremarkable, except for a black tattoo of an insect on his face.
He looked at Mo, “Lord Mo from Three Chan Heaven is here, Insect Xuan pays his respects.”
Mo glanced at him, nodded, and went back to playing with the cataclysm materials in his hands.
Insect Xuan didn’t mind Mo’s attitude and looked around the group, “Who is Wang Jie?”
At this moment, the strongest trial takers and Blue Star cultivators had gathered, and Wang Jie was naturally present.
“That’s him.” Insect Ruo Ruo jumped out, pointing at Wang Jie, proudly lifting her head.
Insect Xuan looked at Wang Jie, “You’re the one who beat Ruo Ruo?”
Wang Jie replied, “It was just luck.”
Insect Xuan admired, “It’s not easy to escape under Ruo Ruo’s insect tide, let alone capture her. You’re very impressive.”
Insect Ruo Ruo’s expression changed, and she whispered in Insect Xuan’s ear, “Elder brother, I asked you to teach him a lesson, yet you’re praising him?”
Insect Xuan laughed, “You chased him for days, but he didn’t do anything to you. What’s there to teach? You should thank him for not killing you.”
Insect Ruo Ruo bared her teeth and snorted.
Yun Lai interjected, “This person didn’t even have the courage to make a move against Shu Mu Night. What’s the point of being impressive?”
Insect Xuan furrowed his brow, looking at Wang Jie in surprise, “Are you afraid of death?”
Wang Jie answered calmly, “Observing.”
Yun Lai scoffed.
Insect Xuan nodded, “I hope so.” Then he turned to look outside the base, “My insect tide is still not large enough. We all know who Shu Mu Night is. The previous siege was too hasty. The most effective method is to use the insect tide and beast tide, along with a sea of people to wear him down, exhaust his star force, and force him to fight. Then we can strike.”
“It’s embarrassing, but he’s Shu Mu Night.”
Wen Star Ru agreed, “Right. That’s what we plan to do as well. You rest for now. When the insect tide is ready, we’ll attack.” She turned to Bai Yuan, “It’s best if your five bases send more cultivators. Don’t be afraid of casualties. The more die now, the better chance there is for the rest to survive. It’s better than having Blue Star be sacrificed entirely.”
Bai Yuan remained silent.
No one dared to agree to such a thing.
Wang Jie, however, recalled the ordinary people of River City who had resisted the beast tide, his mood conflicted.
Wen Star Ru didn’t push further, giving Bai Yuan a few days to think it over. They needed to approach Shu Mu Night with the best tactics, gathering all the strength Blue Star had.
Even so, in the end, it would only be a gamble.
The plan seemed good, but Shu Mu Night didn’t give them much time.
In just a few days, the Mountain City sacrificial altar had already risen a hundred meters. Shu Mu Night stood atop the bloody altar, looking toward Tianfu Base, stepping through the void and moving closer.
Drones immediately transmitted the image back.
Everyone was shaken.
“Not good, Shu Mu Night is here.”
“Insect Xuan?”
“He’s still outside gathering the insect tide.”
“Tell him to hurry back, the war has begun.”
For them, using the word “war” was normal when referring to one person.
On the Tianfu Base wall, all the trial takers, Bai Yuan, Wang Jie, and the others looked toward the north, gradually seeing a small black dot. Under the vast clear sky, that figure walked forward without obstruction, his eyes calm with a smile, looking down at the world.
Mo gripped a tree branch, a broken sword.
Qi Xue Yin radiated an icy coldness.
Wen Star Ru’s palm vibrated, and mountains seemed to form in the air.
Powerful auras shot to the sky, pressing toward Shu Mu Night.
Shu Mu Night gazed at Tianfu Base, a smile tugging at his lips, “Should I take it that the fifty-eight of you are challenging me?”
At this moment, on the wall facing the north were fifty-eight people, fourteen Blue Star cultivators, and forty-four trial takers, all above the Eight-Seal realm. They were the only ones directly confronting Shu Mu Night.
Wen Star Ru’s expression was solemn, “Yes.”
Shu Mu Night nodded, “Then let’s see if you can stop me. I now want…” He lifted his gaze. “To use the lives of everyone in this base to build the altar.”
Wang Jie’s gaze contracted—Tianfu Base?
One of the five major bases, with at least hundreds of thousands of people inside. He wanted to massacre hundreds of thousands?
Bai Yuan gripped his broad-bladed sword, speechless.
Tang Jie, Hong Jian, and the other Blue Star cultivators suppressed their breath—it was the prelude to an attack.
Wen Star Ru furrowed her brow. Insect Xuan hadn’t returned yet. They had to use the insect tide to exhaust Shu Mu Night’s star force before doing anything. Until then, nothing could be done. Thinking this, she looked at Bai Yuan, “Don’t act rashly. One base’s destruction is better than Blue Star’s total destruction.”
Hong Jian glared at Wen Star Ru, “You want us to watch as the people of Tianfu Base die?”
Qi Xue Yin spoke coldly, “In the universe, destroying a planet, the death of billions or even trillions is normal. These hundreds of thousands are just numbers.”
“You can attack, but if you die, who will protect Blue Star’s people in the future?” Wen Star Ru added.
High above, Shu Mu Night raised his arm, and under the watchful eyes of everyone, waved it casually.
The earth was cut with a deep, unfathomable scar. Then, he shifted position, moving west, cutting the earth repeatedly.
“What’s he doing?”
“Cutting the earth. He doesn’t want to move Tianfu Base to Mountain City, does he?”
“How could that be?”
“He can’t kill hundreds of thousands at Tianfu Base and take them away, so he must be moving the entire base.”
“That’s impossible.”
The crowd followed Shu Mu Night’s movements, like puppets on strings. It looked absurd.
Shu Mu Night continued to cut the earth, circling Tianfu Base, separating the foundation and surrounding earth, then descended in the east, his body sinking lower and lower, eventually lifting the earth.
Tianfu Base shook.
The people inside the base had no idea what was happening outside, only feeling the sky and earth tremble. Was it an earthquake? The air grew increasingly hot, boiling, and an indescribable panic gripped everyone, making them hold onto nearby house pillars. Hundreds of thousands of cultivators helplessly looked around.
The base was lifting into the sky.
Shu Mu Night appeared beneath Tianfu Base, and somehow, he was lifting the entire base.
Wang Jie watched in shock. How could this be possible? There was no way he could do this with just his power.
“Star method,” Mo whispered, his tone filled with suppressed horror.
Wen Star Ru and the others felt their scalp go numb. “Senior brother Mo, are you saying Shu Mu Night used the star method?”
“Jump.” Mo leaped down.
The others followed, jumping off the wall.
Bai Yuan and the others did the same.
The fifty-eight landed, surrounded by the vast insect tide. The mutated insects also screeched nervously, but none of them made a move.