Looking at the fallen Blazing Fire Mastiff, Shi Yi felt a surge of relief. Fortunately, the cultivator who had entered had not been particularly strong. Had a Venerable or a Divine Fire Realm cultivator come while he had no attention to spare, he would most likely have been in mortal danger.
It seems word of my appearance has already spread through the Cave-Dwelling World. The Wind-Thunder Leopards or the White Ghost Race probably leaked it. Those two races have had the most contact with me so far. The Heavenly Wing Race I encountered earlier shouldn't have discovered my identity. I'll have to be more careful from now on. Judging by the time, their schemes should all be nearly ready. They'll probably make their move soon. It's time to head out, Shi Yi mused. He extended his divine sense and advanced cautiously, avoiding everyone he might encounter. He was also deeply grateful for the Heaven-Refining Grand Array. Without it, someone would have detected him with divine sense long ago.
Looking into the distance, he saw more and more cultivators gathering. Divine Fire Realm cultivators had already appeared openly, and even the weakest present were in the late Array Formation Realm. These people belonged to various factions, though some had come with other intentions hidden in their hearts.
They're here, Shi Yi thought. Looking into the distance, he saw scorching laws of the fire path gathering continuously above the Sun Flower, while fierce energy fluctuations filled the air. As the laws converged, the sky gradually turned scarlet, as though flames were burning within the clouds. Before long, an enormous passage faintly emerged amid those fiery clouds, seemingly connecting to another world.
The passage gradually stabilized, and a scorching aura washed over them, as though even the air had caught fire. Then six or seven Divine Fire Realm experts stepped out. They radiated heart-palpitating pressure, as though they could burn everything to ashes with a casual gesture. More than a dozen Venerable Realm members of the Heavenly Wing Race followed closely behind, dazzling wings spread across their backs. Every feather seemed forged from flame and shone with brilliant light.
The appearance of these Heavenly Wing clansmen instantly sent the surrounding temperature soaring, as though even space had warped beneath their auras. Their gazes were cold and imposing as they surveyed their surroundings, seemingly searching for a target.
The Sun Flower swayed slightly beneath this scorching power. The light on its petals seemed to grow even brighter, as though resonating with that force. Tension and oppressive pressure filled the scene, as though a great battle were about to erupt.
The arrival of these Heavenly Wing clansmen instantly shattered the delicate balance that had existed before. The seemingly tranquil world was about to face a tremendous storm.
A Divine Fire Realm member of the Heavenly Wing Race stepped forward. "Everyone, our Heavenly Wing Race discovered this Sun Flower first. It is of tremendous use to us, so we hope you will relinquish it. You are also welcome to witness the magnificent spectacle of our Venerables advancing to the Divine Fire Realm."
The Heavenly Wing clansman's words immediately stirred an uproar among the cultivators below. Some felt this was how an overlord ought to act, avoiding pointless slaughter. Others thought the Heavenly Wing Race was far too overbearing, seeking to claim every good thing for itself. Still others expressed indifference. No matter how the factions fought over it, it had nothing to do with them; they were merely spectators.
"Hahaha! The Heavenly Wing Race is as overbearing as ever. Do you think everything in this Cave-Dwelling World belongs to you? As the saying goes, treasures born of heaven and earth belong to the virtuous. Everyone should have an equal chance."
The voice suddenly rang out between heaven and earth, earning the agreement of several cultivators. Everyone looked around, searching for its source.
Gentle breezes quietly gathered between heaven and earth. At first, they stirred softly, like invisible threads weaving through the air. As time passed, however, those breezes gradually converged into a raging tornado. The winds grew increasingly fierce, sweeping dust across the sky, as though all the power between heaven and earth had been drawn into them.
The tornado swept through Flame Valley, gathering the flames within it into a towering pillar of fire that pierced the clouds. Scorching flames intertwined with the raging storm, creating a magnificent yet terrifying sight. Wherever the storm passed, enormous boulders were effortlessly sliced apart and ground to dust, while deep trenches were torn into the earth.
Facing such heavenly might, the cultivators' expressions changed, and they struggled to keep their footing. They swiftly unleashed their Treasure Arts, some forming shields and others employing movement techniques, fighting with all their strength against the ravaging storm. Its power was so overwhelming that even cultivators with profound cultivation had to give their all merely to steady themselves.
After an unknown length of time, the storm finally began to disperse, and a brief calm returned to the world. Yet at the center of the dissipating storm, a heart-palpitating sight emerged: four Divine Fire Realm Riftwind Eagles and more than a dozen Venerable Realm Riftwind Eagles stood proudly in place. Powerful auras radiated from them, as though they had just been born from the storm, carrying boundless pressure.
The appearance of these Riftwind Eagles made the cultivators of every race tense inwardly. Renowned for their speed and wind-based divine abilities, Riftwind Eagles were exceptionally difficult opponents. Clearly, this storm had not formed naturally; it had been their handiwork.
Although they had anticipated this, the members of the Heavenly Wing Race still looked grave before such formidable strength. The cultivators of the various races exchanged glances. Some were utterly shocked that the Riftwind Eagle Race dared challenge the Heavenly Wing Race, while others wore amused smiles, and still others looked furious.
Scorching heat and the storm's lingering might still filled the air in Flame Valley. The cultivators of every race knew that the coming battle would be even more dangerous than the storm.
"Riftwind Eagles, your race has done well indeed. You have repeatedly opposed us, piling crime upon crime until even heaven can no longer tolerate you. Are you ready to bear our race's wrath?" said the man at the front of the Heavenly Wing Race. "Heh, there's no need for your Heavenly Wing Race to pin such a towering accusation on us. Do you think your race is heaven itself, administering guilt and punishment in heaven's stead? You truly don't know your own limits.
"Speaking of crimes, over these endless years, all the bamboo in the world would not suffice to record those committed by your Heavenly Wing Race. You have exterminated more than ten races. To prevent other races from rising and suppress those who oppose you, you have secretly ambushed Divine Fire Realm experts with the potential to advance, killing more than anyone can count. Whenever a spiritual treasure of heaven and earth appears, you seize it by force, even breaching other races' ancestral grounds in the process. Tell us, who is truly guilty?" the leading Riftwind Eagle said, his tone three parts mockery and seven parts disdain. After he finished, the scene descended into an exceedingly awkward silence. These were not stories fabricated by the Riftwind Eagle Race; the Heavenly Wing Race had truly done all these things. Moreover, they had acted with great fanfare, never bothering to conceal anything. Almost every race present had suffered their suppression. Even some races that depended on them had not escaped, yet they had only dared seethe in silence.
"Hahaha! Brother Wind is right. All the bamboo in the world could not record your Heavenly Wing Race's crimes. Your hypocrisy knows no bounds. The creatures of the entire Cave-Dwelling World have suffered under you for too long. We can endure it no longer, so today we have decided to rise in resistance and punish the Heavenly Wing clansmen, making them pay for their atrocities!"
Just then, a deep, booming voice rang out. As the words fell, the cultivators raised their heads toward the horizon and saw a white Flood Dragon breaking through the clouds, faint mist curling around his body. Within that mist, many more Flood Dragon silhouettes flickered in and out of view, like immortals descending into the mortal realm.
The leading Flood Dragon had a powerful, supple body, his scales gleaming silver-white beneath the sunlight, lending him a majestic and mysterious air. Within a few breaths, he had flown before the cultivators of the assembled races. His enormous body circled in the air, stirring a cool breeze. The scorching temperature in Flame Valley seemed to fall considerably in an instant, bringing a refreshing sense of relief.
The Flood Dragons slowly stopped in midair, revealing their figures. They, too, had brought three Divine Fire Realm cultivators and more than a dozen Venerables. The Flood Dragon who had spoken first addressed everyone in a clear, resonant voice. "Our Ocean Flood Dragon Race has come to attend this grand gathering."
The cultivators of the various races marveled inwardly at the sight. The Ocean Flood Dragon Race had always been mysterious and rarely appeared on land. Their coming in person today clearly showed how seriously they regarded this matter. Their arrival made the atmosphere in Flame Valley even heavier. Everyone understood that the situation ahead would be more complicated still.
With the arrival of the Flood Dragon cultivators, even the flames in Flame Valley seemed to subside somewhat, as though awed by this power from the deep sea. Everyone harbored their own calculations as they waited to see what would happen next.
"The Flood Dragon Race-I never expected you to meddle in affairs on land as well. Aren't you afraid of bringing needless disaster upon your race?" a Heavenly Wing clansman stepped forward and said. "Hmph, disaster? Every day your Heavenly Wing Race continues to exist is a disaster for this world! When one of our clansmen was breaking through to the True God Realm, your ambush killed him. You have also suppressed our race's geniuses, and most died before reaching their potential. Ask how many races you have suppressed through such methods! Your Heavenly Wing Race will stop at nothing to become the overlord. If we do not resist now, are we supposed to wait until you have exterminated us?" another Flood Dragon roared. Their race had ruled the seas for countless years, with innumerable geniuses, each possessing astonishing combat strength. Yet far too many of those geniuses had died young. Only after extensive investigations had the Flood Dragon Race discovered that the Heavenly Wing Race was behind it.
The Heavenly Wing Race had been secretly hunting down their geniuses. Most importantly, when a clansman finally managed to survive those assassinations and was about to break through to the True God Realm, bringing them to the brink of becoming another overlord race, a sneak attack by the Heavenly Wing Race had killed him. Even boiling the ocean dry could not erase such hatred. Thus, they had come, bringing fury that towered to the heavens.
Watching the forces of these two races arrive, the Heavenly Wing Race showed no sign of panic. Several figures flew out from different locations and gathered behind them, including members of the Wind-Thunder Leopard and White Ghost races, whom Shi Yi knew well. Every one of them radiated an astonishing aura. Powerful pressure erupted from their bodies, sending faint ripples through space. Clearly, they were all Divine Fire Realm experts.
"If this is all you are capable of, then I'm afraid you will all perish here today," the leader of the Heavenly Wing Race said with a smile. "Hahaha! A gathering like this-surely there has been only this one in all these countless years?"