643 Two Formations
In a secluded valley near the very edge of the Jade Dragon Empire trial lands, a lone youth was standing amidst a sprawling formation that had been etched into the ground. The ground had been smoothed away, leaving a flat and smooth surface of bare rock.
On that surface, thousands of intricate formation runes had been carved, forming a large circle of mesmerizing patterns. At dozens of nodes within the formation circle, even more intricate and profound formation disks had been placed. The disks were clearly on a level far beyond the large formation circle, and was something only the most skilled of formation experts would be capable of creating.
Surrounding those formation disks were piles of spirit crystals. Each pile not only numbered in the hundreds of thousands of crystals, but each crystal was a high grade spirit crystal, far more valuable than a normal spirit crystal. If the value was to be converted to normal grade spirit crystals, it would be in the tens of billions of spirit crystals, if not more.
The lone youth inspected a jade piece in his hand, and compared it to the formation sprawled out before him. After checking it for hours to make sure not a single rune was out of place, a satisfied look appeared on his face as he put the jade piece away.
“After three fucking weeks of this troublesome work, it’s finally done,” the youth said to himself with great satisfaction while his gaze shifting to the piles of spirit crystals. “It’s such a waste though. Myself alone is more than enough to ensure the item is retrieved, but I’m sure my Master has something else in mind. If nothing else, the entertaining carnage to come should slightly make up for this luxurious waste. I suppose the chaos that’s to come will make it easier for me to obtain the item. Still, it better be worth it.”
Wasting no more time, the youth walked to the very center of the formation circle, where a central node and formation disk was visible. A star shaped crystal appeared in his hands, one that emanated an incredible aura far beyond comprehension. It was as if the star shaped crystal contained the power of a world within.
He placed the star-shaped crystal into the formation disk, which had a slot that perfectly fit the crystal. As soon as the crystal entered the disk, it flared with incredible power, and the entire formation circle came to life. One by one the formation runes were lit, and the formation disks flared to life as they quickly absorbed the piles of spirit crystals nearby. The entire circle lit up in unison, followed by an awe inspiring power that emanated from the central formation disk; one that seemed to bend the very fabric of space itself.
…
Gahhhh!
Agonized cries of pain boomed out within a dark chamber that glowed dimly, while rivers of blood could be seen coursing through the edges of the chamber.
The four-armed figure, the one that had summoned the elites of the Forbidden Alliance, Monster Race, and Barbarian Race, sat on his throne. His gaze lingered on three figures seated before him, who also ignored the agonized cries of pain in the distance as if they were no more than birdsong.
Unlike the previous cultivators that had spoken with the four-armed figure, the three cultivators before him were much less fearful. While all could tell they were guarded and ready to pounce at a moment’s notice, they did not fear the creature as the others had. Clearly their strength was something they could rely on, even in the face of the hellish creature.
In fact, it seemed as though the three seated before the nightmarish creature were having a casual conversation, a sight far removed from what had previously happened in these chambers.
“The last of my youths have arrived,” a feminine voice echoed lightly within the chamber. The one who had spoken was a woman who appeared to be in her fifties, but was clearly far older than her age indicated. She had blood red hair that stopped at her shoulders, and a face so sharp and cold that it seemed like it could freeze hell itself. She wore an elegant red and black robe that was like a hybrid between a dress and a robe, making her look beautiful but reserved.
“With the Ancient Elder’s Forbidden Alliance finally arriving at full, that should put our numbers at five hundred,” a figure seated to her right said afterwards, his voice tinged with slight displeasure. The figure had pitch black skin and vertical yellow pupils. His teeth were like sharp fangs, and bat-like wings were folded behind his back.
“You act as if the late arrival of my youths are putting our plan in jeopardy, Monster King,” the Ancient Elder replied with equal iciness. “Unlike your Monster Race that does nothing more than feed and fuck, our human race has other things to take care of occasionally…some of these matters take time handling.”
Clearly there was slight animosity between the two powerful cultivators. They did not treat each other like true enemies, but neither friends. The relationship between the Forbidden Alliance and Monster Race was one of mutual benefit, and neither would hesitate to turn on the other if it was in their best interests, as they put the importance of their own powers over all else.
“Tch, why argue like children,” a deep voice boomed out, its power shaking the chamber, “if you have issues with each other, just fight it out to the death. Why use words when you have fists?”
The Ancient Elder and Monster Race King glanced to their left and gazed at a massive hulking figure that was three times larger than them. The figure appeared like a human, only it was slightly hairier and far larger than a normal human. Its muscular body emanated incredible might, and the figure’s gaze lingered on the shadowed creature before the three of them as if it wanted to take its own advice and start fighting the creature at a moment’s notice.
“Hah,” the Ancient Elder laughed and scoffed lightly. “You call us children, and yet you gaze at our host as if you want to rip his heart out, for no other reason than his body is clearly stronger than yours. Who’s the true child? If anything, your Barbarian Race is nothing but brute headed children who only seek to fight and feed…although I suppose that’s slightly better than the Monster Race.”
“What did you say?” both the Barbarian Warchief and the Monster Race King boomed out loudly, their gazes of fire staring at the Ancient Elder as if they would kill her on the spot. The Ancient Elder scoffed dismissively, as if she were speaking to mere children who were quick to temper.
Her gaze shifted to the shadowed creature before them, who had sat in silence as his blood red eyes stared at them. Clearly he was not one for making small talk.
“You said your temporary teleportation formation can transport five hundred youths into the Jade Dragon Realm lands,” the Ancient Elder addressed the creature. “I still don’t see how that’s possible. The formation barriers surrounding that trial land are beyond powerful and profound. Even we would not be capable of breaking through in such a manner, at least not without spending a fortune so large that it would no longer be worth it at all. Are you sure you are capable of doing what you said you can do?”
As if answering the woman’s question, a light suddenly appeared in the middle of the chamber behind the four figures. The creature’s gaze locked onto the light, while the three other powerful cultivators turned to look at it. The light quickly spread to all sides, and soon a sprawling teleportation formation had appeared on the ground, its profundity beyond compare.
The Ancient Elder’s eyes widened slightly, as she could tell the mechanisms powering this formation were not only incredibly profound, but would also eat through spirit crystals like they were nothing at all. Clearly the creature was sparing no expense at all in regards to entering the realm, for reasons they had inquired about but received no answer.
“All this just to kill that ‘Asura’?” the Ancient Elder spoke up again, her tone questioning.
“Summon your youths,” the creature’s voice boomed out, “it is time for them to enter the realm.”