Time passed swiftly— in no time, a few hours had gone by.
By then, Kai's body had absorbed the entire Jade-like liquid marrow.
But the present view is horrifyingly strange...
In a dimly lit underground lab, a mysterious sphere floated eerily in the air, while nearby, a bloody mass hung suspended like a dark crimson orb, spreading outward and extending four or five meters around it.
On the floor, a mercury-like metallic liquid filled the room up to two meters high, glistening ominously in the dim light.
From an outside perspective, the once-mighty metallic behemoth had now been reduced to little more than shattered ruins—broken concrete and twisted remnants barely holding their shape.
Beyond that, the outside world had undergone dramatic changes.
Though the meteorite falls had ceased for now, the sky remained choked with smoke and dust, cloaking the landscape in a haze of chaos.
Across the planet, a strange mist began rising into the atmosphere, and clouds slowly gathered overhead.
Only hours ago, those once just isolated dark clouds—visible only in a few areas—now spread relentlessly, merging until the entire sky was veiled beneath them.
The temperature crept higher, and the air grew heavy with dampness that filled the atmosphere.
Gradually, wind currents swept across the globe, accelerating the formation of clouds and deepening the stormfront, causing these clouds to roll and swell as they swallowed the sky whole.
….....
Far to the north of the Kingdom of Luseria, to be exact, within the East Domain—outside the territory of the Yunfeng Empire.
There lies a legendary mountain range known as Daxuan Mountain Range. It is hidden beyond countless mountain passes and ancient forests.
At its center rises a towering peak, tens of thousands of meters into the sky, commanding the landscape below.
Such an amazing view, even if it wants to be hidden, it's not an easy feat.
Only the endless clouds around its peak could assist in shrouding it from the visuals of external eyes.
The mountain stood like a silent pillar of stone, its summit piercing the clouds, while at its base stretched a vast and immensely broad valley shrouded in mystery.
That valley was perpetually shrouded in drifting mist and pale smog throughout the year. Because of this, it came to be known simply as Mist Valley.
This place is unreachable to ordinary travelers—
Not because it lay within the dangerous outskirts of the Ancient Calamity Forest, but because this sacred land belonged to a renowned yet deeply reclusive martial sect—the XuanDao Palace.
At its center, and also its highest peak, lies Mount Daxuan.
This overwhelmingly grand mountain is adorned with countless palaces and grand halls.
Their jade-tiled roofs glimmered faintly through the mountain fog, while stone stairways wound along the cliffs like ancient dragon paths.
Even the surrounding mountains were dotted with elegant pagodas, training grounds, and secluded pavilions where disciples cultivated beneath the quiet gaze of the heavens.
From the palaces high above, a clear stone path descended through the mountains, eventually leading down into the mist-veiled valley below and further outward toward the distant world.
Mist Valley itself formed the outermost domain of the sect's territory and is a part of this ancient heritage, serving as the residence of the Outer Sect disciples.
These disciples live and train within the valley's fog-covered courtyards and modest halls.
Beyond the valley lies a vast, open land stretching to the four borders. Small villages and farmland were scattered across this land—
This territory is home to most of the common folk—relatives of Outer and Inner Sect disciples, as well as families formed over generations by retired disciples.
Though they lacked martial arts talent, these people were still considered part of the XuanDao Palace's domain.
They tended livestock, cultivated rice and wheat, and maintained the daily supplies needed to support the sect.
For centuries, life here had followed a quiet and steady rhythm beneath the protection of the mountains.
But that peace had shattered! The sudden catastrophe—
The rain of meteorites that had fallen across the world had brought devastation even to this secluded sanctuary.
Fields once green with crops were now scorched and broken.
Entire villages had been reduced to smoldering ruins as fire spread across the plains....
Although this area is a covert zone that had been spared the worst of the celestial bombardment, with only a handful of meteorites striking the area, the destruction they caused was still overwhelming.
Across the land lay a horrifying sight to behold....
Bodies were scattered among the shattered homes and burning fields—
Some charred beyond recognition, others twisted and broken, their limbs torn away by the violent impacts.
The once-peaceful outskirts of the sect had turned into a silent graveyard.
Mist Valley, where the Outer Sect disciples resided, had also suffered considerable damage!
Several buildings had collapsed, and the valley's courtyards were filled with debris and smoke.
Fortunately, strangely enough, whether by sheer fortune or perhaps due to some unseen protection, the core region of XuanDao Palace was spared from the devastation.
The palace high upon Mount Daxuan remained completely untouched.
Amid the destruction that ravaged the land below, the ancient halls of the sect still stood silently above the clouds, as though guarded by forces beyond general understanding.
At present—
Within the most majestic palace carved deep into the heart of Mount Daxuan, the forbidden core of the XuanDao Palace sect lay in solemn silence.
The palace itself was an ancient marvel. Entire halls had been hollowed from the living mountain, their towering pillars sculpted from dark jade stone veined with faint spiritual light.
Golden lanterns hung from the high ceilings, their flames flickering gently despite the still air, while intricate dragon carvings coiled along the walls as if guarding the sanctum.
Beyond the grand halls, the palace opened into a quiet inner courtyard built upon a cliffside terrace.
From here, one could look far beyond the mountain peaks and down into the distant lands below.
But today, the scenery carried none of its usual tranquility!
Smoke drifted slowly across the horizon.
Faint embers still glowed where fires had spread across the plains. Even from this height, the scars of destruction were painfully visible.
Standing quietly at the edge of the courtyard was an old man dressed in simple black robes.
His figure was straight and dignified despite the weight of age. His hair, white as winter frost, flowed down his back, and his long sleeves swayed faintly in the mountain breeze.
There was something otherworldly about him, as though the surrounding air itself bent subtly to his presence.
Yet at this moment, the old man stood motionless with his hands clasped behind his back, gazing silently into the distance.
A deep sorrow lingered upon his face.
Behind him, a few meters away, stood another man.
He appeared to be in his early forties, tall and broad-shouldered, with sharp features and a powerful build.
Though dressed in formal palace robes, the aura surrounding him resembled that of a restrained beast—ferocious, heavy, and overwhelming.
This man was Li Chengming, the current Head of XuanDao Palace.
His gaze followed that of the old man, fixed upon the devastated lands far below.
His fists tightened slowly at his sides, the knuckles whitening beneath the tension.
Yet no words came.
The courtyard remained silent for a long time.
At last, the old man slowly withdrew his gaze from the distant destruction and turned his head slightly.
"Xiao Ming…"
His voice was calm and gentle, but the faint tremor within it betrayed a deep exhaustion.
"How are the casualties...?"
The question hung heavily in the air.
For a brief moment, Li Chengming closed his eyes. Grief flickered across his stern expression, but he quickly suppressed it.
Taking a slow breath, he steadied himself before speaking.
"Reporting to the Supreme Elder…"
"All available disciples and elders have been dispatched to determine the real situation and assist in rescue, atleast fr whatever could be done now."
He paused briefly before continuing.
"As of the current reports, the losses are severe!"
"Among the Outer Sect disciples, nearly thirty percent have either perished or suffered serious injuries."
"The Inner Sect disciples have fared somewhat better. However, the shockwaves from the meteorite impacts caused internal injuries for many. Only those who have reached the Martial Master stage or above remained largely unaffected, though even they suffered minor discomfort."
His voice grew heavier as he spoke.
Then he hesitated.
"As for the outside valley…"
Li Chengming instinctively glanced toward the Supreme Elder before continuing.
"The disciples are currently evacuating the surviving villagers and residents to the inner valley."
"But… according to the latest reports…"
He clenched his jaw slightly.
"A total of two thousand, three hundred and twenty-one people have died!"
Just the moment these words came out of his mouth, there was a long pause as the courtyard fell completely silent.
"Hiss—"
The Supreme Elder inhaled sharply.
Even though he had long prepared himself to hear grim news, the number still struck him like a silent blow.
For a moment, the old man said nothing.
His posture remained steady, yet his eyes dimmed with a depth of sorrow that could not be hidden.
"More than two thousand lives… lost just like that…"
His voice was barely more than a whisper.
Far below, smoke continued to drift across the plains. After a long pause, the Supreme Elder slowly lowered his head.
A bitter smile appeared on his aged face.
"Alas…This old man truly is useless."
"So many people have died, and all I could do was stand here and watch."
He let out a soft sigh that seemed to carry decades of weariness.
"What was the point of cultivating for all these years… polishing my strength… pursuing the martial path…"
"If, in the end, I cannot even protect those living beneath our sect's banner!?"
Standing behind him, Li Chengming's expression hardened. The towering palace, the sacred mountain, the countless years of cultivation—
At this moment, they all felt painfully insignificant.
The wind swept softly through the courtyard, carrying the distant scent of smoke.
And above the silent halls of XuanDao Palace, the darkened sky remained heavy with gathering clouds as if rain would fall anytime, adding another touch of sorrow.