.
The air in this place was heavier and darker, with traces of demonic energy everywhere, continuing to fuel the contamination of the lands that stretched far from this location.
The roots had already been set deep, and what was visible on the surface was only a taste of the final result of the corruption brought by the demonic energy.
It was no exaggeration to say that the frozen lands at this point had already fallen completely, and given the events of the past year, even those beyond the mountain chain, the lands of the three empires, were beginning to feel the effects, a clear sign that now it was their turn.
The surface hordes of beasts, guided by those corrupted creatures, served only to accelerate the process. Yet, even if they were defeated, without eliminating the source of the problem, the corruption would only have slowed, not stopped.
This was sothing his old self had understood, and after the encounter he had had with that entity, he also realized that he had to prepare for the future.
Now the decisive mont had finally arrived. The results of his past planning had allowed him to return to power so quickly, in such a short span of ti, and today he finally had the chance to set things right.
Today was the day of reckoning. Depending on how it went, this plane of existence would either survive,
or perish.
Zhu Rong's arrival was sensed by the being before him, and the reaction of the purple crystal made it clear.
It shone with a faint light that grew increasingly intense, pulsating like a heartbeat that accelerated more and more.
As this happened, the air around also beca denser, to the point that if a cultivator of the mortal realm had been there, they would have been crushed by the imnse pressure forming from the awakening of that being.
Yet such pressure did not seem to affect Zhu Rong, who remained suspended in the air, sensing the consciousness of the other awakening.
Not much ti passed before it fully awakened, and as soon as it did, a voice arose, rough and ancient, calm yet resonant across the surrounding space.
"Blood demon, your insistence on obstructing is truly unpleasant.
We are of the sa species, born of the sa being.
We have no reason to clash among ourselves, so why do you continue to stand in my way?
Do you really wish to be suppressed once more by ?"
Its words were calm, yet they seed to carry a mystical effect, as the surrounding space appeared to vibrate and distort to a certain degree.
Both beings present had reached the apex of what was possible on this plane of existence.
Every small action of theirs could, to a certain extent, influence the plane itself.
A simple movent of a finger, a small breath, or even just speaking normally could beco dangerous for the beings of this plane if their powers were not restrained.
Such was the power in the hands of these two individuals, yet neither of them seed concerned with all this.
"Interference, you say?"
"What right do you have to complain about my interference?"
"You invaded this small world fully aware that I was already here, and yet you speak of my interference?"
"If I did not know the truth of things, I might think it was so cruel twist of fate that led us to cross paths.
But we both know that is not the case."
"So do not waste my ti with such empty words.
You have already made your move. There is no point in pretending anymore."
Zhu Rong spoke with a deep gleam in his eyes as he faced the titanic being before him.
At first hearing, his words might have sounded arrogant, yet toward the end, strangely restrained, almost respectful. But the truth was far removed from such impressions.
His gaze did not linger on the colossal entity.
Instead, it traced the surrounding space, as though addressing more than what stood before him.
Monts later, another change swept through the surroundings.
The very fabric of space began to twist and fold at several points, rippling like disturbed water.
"It seems we have underestimated you."
The voice ca from nowhere, neither loud nor soft, yet it resonated clearly across the warped space.
Soon after, three spatial fractures tore open, two to Zhu Rong's sides, and one directly behind him.
Each was separated by a asured distance, yet the violent spatial fluctuations they released were impossible to escape from his perception.
Zhu Rong showed no sign of surprise.
He remained calm, his expression unchanged, as multiple unfamiliar presences began to erge from within the fractures.
To his right, a figure stepped out first.
He appeared human at a glance, a tall man clad in plain robes, his posture relaxed, but sothing about him felt profoundly wrong.
His eyes were mismatched, one a deep, starless black, the other shimring with a faint golden hue, like that of a predatory beast observing its prey. Subtle markings traced his temples and disappeared beneath his hair, resembling neither tattoos nor scars, but sothing more ancient.
The air around him carried a faint scent of iron and wild earth, and though he stood still, an air of barely restrained power clung to him.
To Zhu Rong's left, space parted once more.
A woman erged, her appearance flawless, almost unreal.
Her features were undeniably human, yet there was an otherworldly quality to her beauty, too perfect, too distant. Her skin carried a faint pearlescent glow, as if it reflected light that did not exist in this world, and her eyes shimred with colors that subtly shifted, never settling on a single hue.
Though she wore no visible ornant, her presence alone bent the ambient Qi, drawing it toward her like a silent tide.
Behind Zhu Rong, the final fracture stabilized, and a man stepped forth.
He was unmistakably human in appearance, black hair, calm eyes, an unassuming expression, but unlike the others, he radiated an oppressive stillness. The surrounding space seed reluctant to touch him, as if instinctively avoiding his presence.
He carried no visible weapon, yet standing there, he felt like a sheathed blade, restrained, precise, and infinitely dangerous.
Zhu Rong slowly turned his head, his gaze passing over them one by one, the faint gleam in his eyes deepening, not with hostility, but with quiet acknowledgnt.
"I was wondering who you could be… and to think it would be the three of you."
His gaze first fell upon the figure to his right.
"Tian Zhen of the Crimson Lotus Sect," he said, his voice steady.
Then his eyes shifted to the figure on his left.
"Luo Feng of the Verdant Fang Clan," he continued.
Finally, his gaze lingered on the being behind him.
"Yue Ling of the Ebon Star Assembly," he finished.
As he spoke each na, his eyes traced their forms in turn, absorbing every detail,
the subtle aura that marked their origin, the hints of power that did not belong to this plane, the way the mortal air seed to bend slightly around them.
Even now, despite their calm deanor, Zhu Rong could sense the imnse power they carried, power that had already begun to warp the space around them.
They were beings of a higher plane of existence, and their presence here was clearly placing this mortal plane under imnse strain.
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