A dull rumble rose from deep within the earth. The ground heaved like waves, as though a colossal beast were thrashing beneath it. Suddenly, the earth split open, enormous cracks spreading like a spiderweb as rubble flew and dust billowed. Cultivators from every race hurriedly employed their movement techniques to dodge, some leaping into the air, others darting backward. For a moment, chaos reigned.
Just then, several enormous figures burst out of the ground amid low roars. They were cultivators of the Earth Dragon Race, their bodies as massive as small hills, their scales gleaming with a metallic luster. Every inch they advanced made the earth tremble. Behind them followed more than a dozen Earth Dragon experts, all bristling with menace. Clearly, they had come prepared.
The Earth Dragons were dozens of meters long, their bodies covered in fishlike scales with a metallic sheen. They had no feet, heads like camels, no horns, eyes like eagles, and ears like oxen.
"Our Earth Dragon Race finally made it. We aren't too late, are we?" Standing alongside the Riftwind Eagles and the Flood Dragon Race, the Earth Dragon leader stepped forward with a hearty laugh. Their race, too, stood against the Heavenly Wing Race.
"Heavens! The Riftwind Eagles, the Flood Dragon Race, and the Earth Dragon Race are the three strongest races apart from the Heavenly Wing Race. Now that they've joined forces, are they really going to challenge the Heavenly Wing Race's supremacy?" exclaimed a rotund member of the Porcupine Race below. "This is a major event. One wrong turn, and it could become a storm that sweeps across the entire world. Is the peace we've enjoyed for so long about to shatter?" a cultivator from another race said pessimistically. A nearby Fire Lion scoffed at those words. "Peace? I'd call it living on your knees. When the Heavenly Wing Race is pleased, they toss you a bone. When they're displeased, they slaughter you on the spot. They hold the power of life and death and wield it however they please."
The Fire Lion's words struck a chord with some of those present. Many of their races had suffered oppression at the hands of the Heavenly Wing Race, but their weakness left them no choice except to bury that hatred in their hearts. Only the truly feeble races escaped suppression, yet even those races were bullied.
"Earth Dragons, so you've decided to meddle too. Do your three races really think these people are enough to drag ours down from its divine pedestal? You're courting death!" the Heavenly Wing leader said grimly. "Hmph! Who dies today remains to be seen. Do you think you can still dominate the entire Cave-Dwelling World by relying on your true one realm ancestor? Go on, summon him. He must be close to death by now. How much strength could he possibly have left?" the Riftwind Eagle leader retorted with a cold snort. Those words were like a stone cast into a tranquil lake, stirring up towering waves. Every race began discussing what was going on.
"What? The Heavenly Wing ancestor is dying? Judging by the time that's passed, their heavenly one realm ancestor should still have a very long lifespan ahead of him!" a Feather Crane cultivator exclaimed. "Exactly. Could something else have happened?" a Black Snake cultivator added. The other cultivators all clamored among themselves. Only Shi Yi remained hidden in a corner, his brow furrowed. Things have become troublesome. It looks like these races don't care about the sacred medicine at all. The three races want to use it to draw in every race with even a little strength. They must be afraid someone else will pluck the peaches of their victory.
Shi Yi surveyed his surroundings and thought, They might not care about the Sun Flower, but I can't afford not to! My cultivation depends on it. If I'd known this would happen, I should have seized it by force earlier. Now cultivators from every race are gathered here. The moment I show myself, they'll all turn on me. Looks like I can only wait until they start fighting, then find the right opportunity.
"Hmph! Utter nonsense. Our ancestor is alive and well. If you want to know whether that's true, come test us yourselves. I advise you all to think carefully. Your own deaths would be a small matter-don't drag your entire races into disaster as well," the Heavenly Wing cultivator said with a trace of anger. "Everyone, we have reliable information that the Heavenly Wing ancestor failed in his attempt to reach the heavenly god realm, leaving him with a Dao injury that cannot easily be healed. He is already on the brink of death, with less than a tenth of his strength remaining. Without reliable information, our three races would never have acted rashly," a Riftwind Eagle cultivator stepped forward and declared. Once again, the gathered cultivators erupted in an uproar. They truly had suffered persecution at the Heavenly Wing Race's hands. Whenever experts or prodigies emerged within their races, some would mysteriously disappear or die. A few of the stronger races had followed scattered clues and uncovered parts of the truth, but that truth only left them seething in silence. In the end, nothing ever came of it.
"Countless elders and prodigies of our Fire Lion Race have died at the Heavenly Wing Race's hands. They brazenly wield our inherited Treasure Arts. Through endless years, we have endured it, but we've had enough! Today, our race refuses to endure any longer. Even if we are wiped out, we will rise and fight back. The glory our Fire Lion Race once possessed cannot be trampled!" roared a divine fire realm Fire Lion expert. "That's right! The Heavenly Wing Race has acted against all righteousness. Today, we shall carry out Heaven's justice and knock them off their divine pedestal. We will suffer their humiliation no longer!" a Night Crow cultivator agreed. "Yes!" "Yes!" "Yes!"
As those voices rang out, several more divine fire realm experts from other races soared into the sky, their bodies radiating boundless might. They, too, joined the army assembled against the Heavenly Wing Race.
Several divine fire realm experts chose to join the Heavenly Wing Race's camp, presumably believing that even without its ancestor, the race might still win this war.
Within Flame Valley, a few divine fire realm experts remained motionless, their expressions conflicted. They did not want to choose a side and hoped to remain neutral, but both camps had locked onto them, forcing them to choose. If they tried to flee now, both sides would surely attack them together.
After soft sighs, three of the remaining races chose to join the force opposing the Heavenly Wing Race, while the other two sided with it.
"Do you see? This is the consequence of your race's unrighteous deeds! Which of us divine fire realm cultivators from other races did not grow up beneath your oppression? Our hatred for you could boil the four seas dry. We long to devour your flesh and drink your blood!" the Earth Dragon patriarch roared bitterly. "Heh, so what? Our Heavenly Wing Race has never sought reverence. We demand fear. That is why, after countless ages, we remain this world's sole overlord, while you merely crawl beneath our feet, clinging to your last breaths. Even gathered together, you only have two more divine fire realm cultivators than us. Do you think you can rival Heaven's heights? Laughable!" the Heavenly Wing leader replied. Just then, the sky turned red. Fiery clouds gathered, lightning flashing within them as terrifying energy radiated outward. The flickering lightning illuminated three figures. There was no need to look closely to know they belonged to the Heavenly Wing Race, for theirs was the only race in this world with human forms. That was also why they had so many experts: a human form naturally allowed faster cultivation than the forms of other races.
The Heavenly Wing cultivator spoke again. "See? You thought
a few extra people would give you the advantage, never realizing that our race's reserves are far beyond your idle guesses!"
"Everyone, don't listen to their nonsense. So what if they belong to the Heavenly Wing Race? They're nothing but guttering candles in the wind. Whether they win or lose this battle, they won't live afterward," the Flood Dragon leader sneered. "Why waste so many words on them? Fight!" a Riftwind Eagle shouted, unleashing his race's Treasure Art as he charged toward the Heavenly Wing Race.
In the sky, the Treasure Arts of the various races intertwined into a dazzling, deadly battlefield.
The Riftwind Eagles' Wind Blades sliced through the air like invisible knives, unleashing piercing whistles. Wind Whip and Wind Feather Wings transformed into countless fierce attacks that bore straight down on the Heavenly Wing camp.
The Heavenly Wing cultivators refused to give ground. Light Feather Thrust streaked across the sky like meteors, Holy Light Fist blazed with searing radiance, and Judgment Divine Light descended like Heaven's punishment, crashing fiercely against the Riftwind Eagles' attacks.
The Flood Dragons' Treasure Arts stirred the water elements between heaven and earth. Rain transformed into countless blades of ice, their cold gleam flashing as though they would freeze every living thing.
Under the assault of the ice blades, the Heavenly Wing cultivators swiftly mounted their defenses. Light Feather Thrust and Holy Light Fist shattered blade after blade, but many cultivators were still struck. Their bodies froze in an instant, and they plummeted from the sky.
The Earth Dragons' strength-based Treasure Arts were even more terrifying. Every attack made the earth quake. Their earth-element Treasure Arts split the ground, sending enormous rocks rising from below to smash into the Heavenly Wing camp.
Although the Heavenly Wing cultivators concentrated their strength, they still struggled against the Earth Dragons' savage attacks. Many were struck by rocks, their bones shattered as screams rose one after another.
The Fire Lion Race, the Cold Nether Race, and other races also joined the battle. The Fire Lions' flame Treasure Arts raged like a wildfire sweeping across the plains, scorching flames engulfing the sky, while the Cold Nether Race released icy cold in an attempt to freeze everything. Within the Heavenly Wing camp, the lightning Treasure Arts of the Wind-Thunder Leopard Race and the White Ghost Race proved no less fierce. Lightning wove a net across the air and bombarded the enemy ranks with devastating force.
The battle grew ever fiercer. Treasure Arts collided and weapons clashed in the sky, erupting in deafening booms.
Cultivators from every race fought high in the air, with figures constantly falling from the sky and blood staining the earth red. Though the Heavenly Wing Race had fewer fighters, their strength was concentrated and their fighting spirit unwavering. Surrounded by numerous powerful enemies, they continued to resist tenaciously.
This battle was destined to be a brutal slaughter, its outcome impossible to predict.
Shi Yi stood far away, concealing himself to avoid being spotted by cultivators from the other races. Watching the scene in the sky, he felt profoundly shaken. His gaze was complicated as he recalled the many savage battles in the original story, and his resolve to become stronger only hardened.
The battle had only just begun. He waited, biding his time until the fighting reached a fever pitch. That would be his moment to take the Sun Flower, when none of the races would spare any attention for a single sacred medicine. For now, he used his double pupils to study the formations on each race's Primitive Treasure Bones. He coveted the Treasure Arts of several races, and if anyone blind to their own peril crossed his path then, he would show no mercy.