Chapter 530: Chapter 530
Hovering a few meters above the ground was a man with long black hair and eyes that gleamed faintly red. His presence was heavier than the others', his Qi sharp and suffocating. Han Yu immediately recognized the difference, this man was a Nascent Soul cultivator.
The elder's gaze narrowed slightly. "Do you think this is the time to stroll? Hurry up and join the others. Fly, fool."
Han Yu lowered his head, concealing his expression.
"Yes, Elder!" he replied curtly.
He didn't feel any Eight Emotions Energy coming from the Elder, which assured him that the man didn't think much of him nor did he suspect him.
He channeled his Qi, summoning his halberd, which shimmered with faint spiritual light. With a push of energy, he lifted himself off the ground and flew toward the hill's side, joining the nearest group of disciples who stood silently in formation.
The air there was thick with tension.
No one spoke. The gathered cultivators stood in eerie silence, their eyes fixed on the beacon above. The only sounds were the faint crackle of energy and the occasional hiss of the burning sigils.
Han Yu kept his posture straight and his aura steady, doing his best to match their calm hostility.
Inside, his spirit sense stretched outward, probing discreetly at his surroundings. He noted the positions of the stronger cultivators; the Nascent Souls hovered close to the formation, maintaining its stability, while the Core Condensation disciples stood in ordered rings below.
"Hundreds of them…" Han Yu thought quietly. "And that light… it's still growing."
The realization made his stomach tighten. Whatever they were gathering for, it was not simply a report. The beacon pulsed faster now, its rhythm synchronizing with the heartbeats of those nearby. It felt alive, almost sentient.
Han Yu exhaled slowly. He had walked into the den of beasts.
And yet, his eyes remained calm, even curious.
If this was where the Slaughtered Moon Divine Blood Sect gathered their power, then it was also where he would learn their secrets.
So he stood there in silence with the others, the red glow reflecting in his eyes, and waited for the elder's orders to come.
The crimson beacon burned brighter as more figures arrived, the pillar of light swelling until it pierced the clouds above. The faint hum that once rippled through the air had turned into a deep, resonant vibration that made the ground itself tremble.
Han Yu stood amidst a sea of black and red robes, his expression calm, his spirit sense quietly observing the multitude around him.
It was then that he realized the sheer scale of the gathering.
Thousands of members of the Slaughtered Moon Divine Blood Sect stood beneath the hill, their ranks stretching far into the distance. From the lowest to the highest, the power that emanated from them was staggering.
The weakest among them, Han Yu could tell, were at the Core Condensation realm, their Qi firm and disciplined.
Above them were hundreds more, each one exuding the pressure of the Nascent Soul realm. And among the gathered crowd, he could sense several Dao Shell realm experts whose presences warped the surrounding air like invisible whirlpools.
Han Yu's heart grew heavier with every passing second.
In his own sect, a Nascent Soul realm cultivator was already considered an Elder unless they were admitted into the Core Court. But here, in the Slaughtered Moon Divine Blood Sect, those same cultivators were merely Inner Court disciples.
The hierarchy was immense, and the implication clear... the sect's power stretched far beyond what he had previously imagined.
He quietly studied their robes, noting the subtle distinctions.
The Core Condensation realm disciples wore black robes with a single crimson sash that hung from their waist, simple yet uniform.
The Nascent Soul cultivators, on the other hand, wore garments patterned with intricate red sigils embroidered along the sleeves and collar, signifying their place in the Inner Court. Their Qi was refined, sharp, and their killing intent palpable even when restrained.
But what truly caught Han Yu's attention were those at the Dao Shell realm. Thıs text ıs hosted at novel※fire.net
Their robes were not black and red like the others. Instead, they were black trimmed with deep purple, and faint traces of spiritual light rippled along the fabric as if alive. The energy they exuded was oppressive, and even standing at a distance, Han Yu could feel the weight pressing against his chest. These were individuals whose cultivation alone could annihilate small sects.
Yet he could not tell if they were Elders or something else.
If Nascent Soul cultivators were Inner Court disciples, then what rank did these Dao Shell cultivators hold?
Were they the sect's Elders?
Or were they still considered Core Court members, beneath an even higher echelon that he could not yet see?
The thought sent a chill through him.
The Slaughtered Moon Divine Blood Sect's standards must have been beyond reason.
Han Yu's eyes flickered toward the hilltop. The beacon's glow revealed several silhouettes hovering near the pillar of red light. They did not move or speak, simply floating above the gathering like silent sentinels. Their presence was suffocating.
He could not determine their cultivation levels, but instinct told him that none of them were below the Dao Shell realm.
If these were merely the ones showing themselves, then what of the ones who had not yet appeared?
'What the fuck is this strength...?' Han Yu swallowed hard.
There was no way even the combined might of the orthodox and unorthodox sects could contend against this force. Not unless the Patriarchs and ancestors themselves descended.
His thoughts drifted briefly to the two Peak Heads who had entered the inner realm: Sword Peak Head Jian Wuhen and Spear Peak Head Fang Tian. Both were cultivators at the Dao Treading realm, beings of extraordinary power.
Yet among the thousands gathered here, Han Yu saw no one with that level of cultivation.
The question burned in his mind: were they still alive? Had they escaped? Or were they perhaps locked in battle elsewhere, facing foes of equal strength?