Solar Blood Masters (127)

Chapter 127 - Might Sky

“As you all witnessed earlier, Black Wind Territory FAILED to meet the required number of surviving members. This is… regrettable. A humiliation of EPIC proportions!”

Muburt’s booming pronouncements reverberated across the Grand Mound Arena, but beneath those words, there was a hint of amusement. He then shook the Red Ant Emperor’s banner gently.

“However… there is… another quota that MUST be addressed before their elimination is decided.”

“The points!” Coming to this realization, Raphael interrupted Muburt and tossed him the golden key. “The eggs are stored inside.”

“Hmmm?” Muburt used his spirit energy to glance inside. This was all he needed to do to count those eggs with his divine consciousness. Finished doing so, he tossed the key back to the bull and continued to mentally calculate the rest of the points.

He grinned, revealing his razor-sharp mandibles, then gestured towards the massive scoreboard above.

A new list materialized. It showcased the total number of Kepfu Eggs amassed by each territory:

…

Skydom - 1,238

Undying Valley - 1,349

Yunyin - 1,587

Kongming Mountain - 1,722

Ho Eastern - 1,933

Jingling Ocean - 2,045

Subterranean Gorge - 2,321

Desolate Huang - 2,899

Black Wind - 4,015

…

"WHAT?!"

“Those numbers…!”

"Black Wind?! FOUR THOUSAND?!”

The crowd erupted in shock, disbelief, and awe. They’d never witnessed such a disparity in scores. Even the Emperors upon their grand platform gaped in astonishment.

Muburt presented this perplexing dilemma to the audience:

"Black Wind Territory has amassed the HIGHEST number of Kepfu Eggs.

However…

They also possess the LOWEST number of surviving members… Which according to the rules… makes them BOTH… victors of the Desolate Sands… AND grounds for elimination.”

The crowd buzzed, they were unsure of how to react.

On Ho Eastern’s platform, Lu Ruby standing beside a sullen Hellphet and Splinter Roc, glared at those black flags with a venomous fury.

“Eliminate them! They CHEATED!” She hissed. “That BULL! He STOLE our eggs!”

Her desire for revenge was a flame that could burn even the coldest ice.

Lu Jade, witnessing his sister's fury, trembled. He quickly coiled himself around Raphael’s horns.

“Big Brother… What if… What if we're DISQUALIFIED?!”

“Don’t worry, Little Lu. We’ll be fine.” Raphael tried to sound reassuring, but even he wasn't sure. This situation was unprecedented.

Muburt continued. “The rules… they are clear. One quota for victory has been met. And given the sheer number of eggs Black Wind has amassed, this proves their capability! Therefore…” he paused for dramatic effect, “….Black Wind Territory shall NOT be disqualified from the Great Divine Tribulation!”

“YES!”

"BLACK WIND! BLACK WIND! BLACK WIND!"

The crowd erupted in cheers, their relief was as tangible as the wind.

Raphael’s team also celebrated.

“We did it, Grandma! We survived!”

Thienika nodded. A small smile appeared on her weathered face.

Those others on the Black Wind platform were also relieved that they wouldn't be eliminated. They let out whoops of joy.

"We're still in it!"

"Suck it, losers!”

Their celebration fueled Lu Ignis’s rage. He was smiling a minute ago, but now, he was bitter to the core.

“This is an OUTRAGE! Lala Zhen! Control your incompetent subordinate! Black Wind should be eliminated! They failed the member quota! They CHEATED! This is a travesty! A disgrace to the very SPIRIT of the Great Divine Tribulation!”

“Settle down, Lu Ignis.” Lala Zhen’s calm demeanor was as potent as his mandibles. “The decision has been made.”

But Lu Ignis wouldn't be silenced. He continued to rant and rave until…

WHOOSH!

A blue ray of light descended from the heavens and bathed the Black Wind platform.

It was beautiful and breathtaking!

“What is this light? It’s… WARM!”

“Woah, I can FEEL my energies increasing!”

“I… I’ve just broken through to the NEXT layer! This is incredible!”

“This… This light is AMAZING!”

Within the arena, only Black Wind was basking in the divine radiance.

The other platforms stared in shock and envy.

"What’s happening?!”

“That’s…”

Muburt’s mandibles clicked excitedly. He announced, "Congratulations, Black Wind Territory! You have received the ONE THOUSAND year blessing of Void Emperor Sindoll! This is your reward for emerging victorious in the first stage!”

He then explained, "This blessing, it shall heal your wounds, replenish your Solar Essence, and amplify your strength! For we in Yama Yaguai recognize those who strive for excellence, and our Void Emperor, she rewards those whose heart burn with a desire to dominate! Such is the way!”

Raphael felt a warmth spread through him. It was a soothing energy that mended his fractured bones, healed his scorched hide, and replenished his depleted Solar Essence. His cultivation level had also been boosted, a thousand years of progress in a mere blink. He felt invincible!

The other members of Black Wind also basked in the blessing.

“Ahhh… This is divine…”

“Such power!”

Even Gastaroid felt a surge of energy.

“Hmm… my stolen powers… a fraction has returned, I see… Though this is a mere THOUSAND year blessing, it has THIS effect on ME?”

He’d never experienced Sindoll’s blessing before. He clenched his fists, marveling at the amplified energies coursing through him.

“Hmmm… She’s known as the ‘Void Emperor Calamity’ for a reason, that much is clear! If I receive another blessing, I might be able to generate another ‘Bull Demon Pillar’ and regain my former strength! Peak Nightmare Calamity. Yes…”

He glanced at Raphael.

“Teaming up with that bull… it seems it isn’t without its benefits. Hmmm, I should delay his execution… for now.”

…

"This is unfair!"

Lu Ignis glared at Qi Hawk. "That bull… He should have been eliminated! But instead… You’ve tricked the system and now… they’ve been BLESSED by the Void Emperor?! I know it was all your doing, Hawk. You might be able to distort the reality perceived by these other Emperors, but you can’t deceive me.”

He couldn’t tolerate this injustice!

“Again I say beware, my fellow Emperors! That bastard Qi Hawk is up to something! Do not be fooled by that closed eye! He is using his Void Eye. I’m certain of it!”

Every Emperor present focused their gaze upon Qi Hawk. They observed him closely, for a trickster he was, that much was obvious from how efficiently he’d manipulated the rules earlier and earned his territory those blessings.

Qi Hawk simply shook his head. "Hmph, such paranoia…. I grow weary of your foolishness, Lu Ignis.”

…

FLASH!

The blue rays of Sindoll's blessing finally faded.

Muburt surveyed the arena with a satisfied grin.

"Once again, congratulations to the victors of the 'Desolate Sands'! Your tenacity is impressive. However, your true challenge lies ahead! Prepare yourselves for the SECOND stage!"

He raised the Red Ant Emperor's banner.

BOOM!

The image above the stage shifted. Gone was the desolate expanse of the Desolate Sands. Now, a breathtaking, ethereal landscape filled their vision.

It was an expansive sky, painted in hues of azure and emerald.

A magnificent forest of trees, with roots anchored in the very clouds themselves, stretched as far as the eye could see. Vines draped down like glowing curtains. Colorful flowers bloomed, releasing intoxicating fragrances. It was a truly spectacular sight!

And amidst this sky-bound forest, hundreds of circular platforms, large and imposing, hovered in an organized formation that resembled a beehive. Each platform was covered by a pale-white dome.

"This is… ‘Might Sky’!" Muburt announced.

The crowd erupted with anticipation.

“Now then, for the rules of this stage. UNLIKE Desolate Sand, this stage won’t be a territory battle. Rather, it’s a TEAM battle!”

He watched as this statement was met with puzzled expressions and a few groans.

“A TEAM battle?”

“Seriously, Muburt?! You’re messing with us, right?!”

"Hmmm…"

He then chuckled and continued:

“Each team shall ENTER Might Sky and select their chosen platform. Upon each platform resides… a RANDOM Emperor Calamity!

These Emperors are all at 1st Layer! However, underestimate them at your peril! For even at this stage, their might is considerable. I learnt this from experience! Hahaha!”

This recollection of his ass getting whooped by an Emperor Calamity back in his youth, didn’t need additional details.

The rules were then presented, “There are THREE ways to claim victory, Each team must defeat their assigned Emperor Calamity, or force it out of the platform’s boundaries, or… simply survive for THREE hours within the ring.

Should an Emperor Calamity defeat their opponent, or force them out of bounds… That team will be ELIMINATED from the Great Divine Tribulation!

Choose your platform wisely, my friends, for your fates are now intertwined! Good luck!”

Raphael felt a wave of anxiety wash over him. He recalled those stories Lu Jade had shared about the various Emperor Calamities.

And his own terrifying encounter with Lu Ignis, the Bronze Serpent Emperor.

“An Emperor Calamity at the 1st Layer…?” He gulped, picturing those molten blasts and icy winds.

“Even with Gastaroid on our team… this is not going to be easy. It’s good they’re giving us THREE HOURS to last in the ring, otherwise… there wouldn’t be many left!”

His thoughts were interrupted by a booming voice,

“The NEXT stage… begins… RIGHT NOW!”

“WHAT?!”

“ALREADY?!"

“We just finished a brutal battle in those sands! Surely we’re entitled to a few minutes to rest and recuperate!?”

Many of the contenders were outraged. Their bodies ached, their Solar Essence reserves were depleted, and some were even sporting nasty wounds they hadn’t had time to heal.

However, the same could not be said for Black Wind. Their wounds had been healed, and their Solar Essence replenished by Sindoll's blessing. They were at peak condition, ready for the next challenge!

This unfair advantage ignited a chorus of protests.

"Muburt! Please! Just a few minutes to rest…!”

“Give us time to heal!”

“We're exhausted!”

But Muburt was unmoved. "The Void Emperor’s decree is absolute! NO DELAYS! Now… ENTER!”

He slammed his staff onto the platform.

BOOM!

Immediately, lights flashed! Those 2,077 contestants standing upon those nine platforms were enveloped. And then…

They vanished!

…

WHOOSH!

Raphael materialized. He stumbled slightly as his hooves touched a solid, yet springy surface.

“Where…?”

He looked around.

He was standing on a platform crafted from a massive cloud. It radiated a gentle warmth and a sweet aroma. Around them, trees with silver bark and leaves that shimmered with a rainbow of colors, rose from the clouds. And in the air, hundreds of tiny, iridescent insects flitted about, leaving trails of glowing dust that sparkled in the air, it was a breathtaking sight!

“This place is… beautiful…" He murmured as a cool breeze caressed his fur.

Lu Jade slithered over to the edge of the platform. "Thissss isss Might Sky, Big Brother. A realm where dreams are born. And crushed. It isss sssaid to be a neutral ground, a place where even the Emperor Calamities dare not unleash their full wrath.”

“But those platforms…”

Raphael stared at the hundreds of floating platforms scattered across the expanse. Each one was covered by a pale-white dome that radiated a faint, yet potent energy.

“So many…? I never knew there were so many Emperor Calamities in Yama Yaguai!”

“Hahaha, you lived under a rock, BULL!” Gastaroid roared with laughter. For a truth, he or rather Shao Jin was living under a rock in seclusion for thousands of years.

QI Fenwei, also couldn't help but chuckle at Raphael’s naivete.

“There are many Emperor Calamities at the FIRST layer, bull, MANY. But to transcend beyond this stage, to reach the mid-levels, even the peak… it is an arduous task that takes millions of years!

Most simply give up on ascension and become content with their current power. However, they are still far more powerful than Nightmare Calamities! This is why only those nine territory rulers have managed to reach the higher echelons of the Emperor Calamity Stage."

“Hmmm.” Raphael nodded as he remembered Lala Zhen’s earlier speech about the legendary Kong Bai.

“A human, reaching the 2nd layer… I can’t even fathom that kind of power.”

"That’s why Void Emperor Sindoll… is ssso… powerful, Big Brother, ssshe’s at the Void Emperor Calamity Sssstage.” Lu Jade hissed excitedly. He loved these stories about powerful entities.

“Enough of this history lesson.” Qi Fenwei grew tired of their chatter. "Follow me. I’ve found a suitable platform.”

She didn’t wait for their response and flapped her wings as she soared through the air.

They followed behind her, a team of mismatched yet strangely unified creatures.

As they traversed Might Sky, Raphael observed the other teams. He watched as they entered the domed platforms. Some with grim determination, others with excited chatter, and a few with looks of sheer terror.

As soon as a team entered a platform, the dome's color changed from white to a pulsing purple, signifying it was occupied.

“The domes are obscuring the Emperor Calamities inside, Little Lu. Why?”

"It’s to prevent CHEATING, Big Brother! The organizers must have foreseen that some Calamities may have… let’s just say… ‘connections’… And they wouldn’t want to show any favoritism, would they?”

“That’s smart.”

Then Raphael noticed a peculiar sight, for near a few of the occupied platforms, other teams lingered, they were waiting, watching.

“What are they doing?” he asked.

"Those pathetic WEAKLINGS!” Gastaroid snorted. “They’re waiting for those teams to TIRE out the Emperor Calamity. When they FAIL… those cowards will swoop in and try to claim an EASY victory. Despicable! Truly a disgrace to the warrior’s spirit!"

He glared at them with disgust and spat on a cloud below. His saliva burnt through it and set several trees ablaze.

“True strength is not simply about survival! A real warrior, a true Calamity, embraces challenges head-on! With courage! With might! And with a burning DESIRE to conquer!"

He paused, his molten eyes softened a bit. He then glanced at Raphael.

"Remember that, bull, if you value those horns you call yours.”