Chapter 1558: One vs tens of thousands
Chapter 1558: One vs tens of thousands
A vast contingent departed from the Freezing Peak, comprising a formidable assembly of cultivators. At a glance, it was apparent that the force contained tens of thousands of Apotheosis Masters, over three hundred Divine Ascension Masters, fifty Divine Transformation Masters, and ten Divine Transcend Masters—two of those at Late Divine Transcend and one at the Peak Divine Transcend level. By any standard, this was a tremendous army. One might assume such a gathering intended to besiege an enemy stronghold, but their objective proved far more puzzling.
At the head of the battalion stood Dominguez, a Peak Divine Transcend Master from the Abyssal Clan. He was one of Core Elder Karun’s most trusted subordinates, known for both his strength and reliability. His obsidian skin glistened with a faint glow of Star Power, and the solemn light in his eyes betrayed his burden. Instead of a mission to conquer or pillage, Dominguez had been tasked with an investigation.
The problem at hand was simple yet deeply unsettling: for the past two months, anyone from Core Elder Karun’s faction who left the Freezing Peak had failed to return. Under normal circumstances, losing a few cultivators to wandering enemies or other hazards would be no surprise, given the Gu World was essentially a battlefield. Every faction targeted every other faction, and the mortalities were staggering. Yet, no survivors returning was too suspicious to ignore. It pointed toward something far more sinister.
With no concrete information and no intact communication channels—since messages never made it back—the only remaining option was for Dominguez and his legion to visit the regions where their missing comrades were supposed to have gone and search for clues.
As it turned out, they didn’t have to search long. Roughly three hours after emerging from the fortress, the very cause of all their troubles revealed himself.
High in the sky, some thousands of meters ahead, a single figure manifested—a young man with white hair and nebula-like eyes. He stood as though perched on thin air, arms at his sides, his gaze direct yet disturbingly calm. There was no disguise, and his aura and soul force flared openly. Even from this distance, it was obvious who he was.
“Cain Laurifer!”
The cry tore through the battalion like a shockwave, provoking a ripple of horror. Despite their numbers—tens of thousands strong—and the significant boost provided by their own Gu Insects, every soldier in that legion felt a tight knot of fear.
They knew well the legends of the Monster: a Soul Master rumored to have held his ground against a Prima Deity, dismembering her in battle. Worse, stories told of him triggering the release of a Tier 9 Astral Supremacy Star in the middle of the Everlife Continent. The fact that he alone stood in their path—completely unafraid—only made the sense of dread more profound.
Their first instinct was to run. But before anyone could take so much as a single step backward, Cain’s voice resonated across the silent air.
“The first one who tries to run,” he said, “I assure you, no matter how this ends, you will die.”
Those simple words struck the battalion like a lance. People exchanged frantic glances, hearts pounding. If any of them fled, that individual would definitely become Cain’s primary target. And since no one felt altruistic enough to draw his wrath upon themselves, nobody moved.