Crack! Crackle!
Within a dark cave, three black robed figures stood with their hands stretched out. A pair of horns could be seen protruding from their hoods.
A small crack appeared in the space in front of them. It slowly enlarged until one could stick their hands through it.
On the other side, a vast grassland could be seen until...
"Ugh!"
A heavily deformed hand shot through the crack and the crack immediately closed up. The hand was sliced off cleanly from the rest of its body and writhed on the ground.
The middle figure spat a ball of dark blood onto the hand and it suddenly became engorged.
Tumor-like protrusions appeared on the hand and enlarged greatly in a short span of time. The hooded figures stepped back and soon, in place of the hand was a man with beastly features and rotting limbs.
Although its face is so heavily mutilated and hardly recognizable, a pair of feathery wings on its back gave away his identity.
Du Ze breathed heavily and pushed himself up on all fours. Raising his head, he looked at the hooded figures and a primal rage flashed in his now beady red eyes.
"Roar!"
Launching himself the way a beast would, he tried to tear apart the robed figures in front of him.
The figure to the left lightly waved their sleeve and rusty chains that once rested on the ground and along the walls shot forward, binding the crazed Du Ze. He struggled fiercely against his bindings and tried to get as close as possible, but the chains prevented his clawed fingers from touching the trio.
Despite the closeness of those claws, the three seemed relaxed and nonchalant. The rightmost figure spoke.
"It seems that this one's a failure"
The voice was male, but it contained an odd warble that made it difficult to remember.
The one on the left raised their arm. A projection of a handsome young man appeared. The youth was Sheng Tian who had thwarted Du Ze.
Du Ze, still in chains, roared and struggled with greater strength. Seeing the person who ruined him triggered a deep and unresolved anger in him.
A female voice that carried an illusory feeling came from that figure.
"It is he who possesses great potential and rendered years of planning useless. Unless we get rid of him or wait till he ascends, our plans might never come to fruition"
There was silence, save for Du Ze growling and rattling his chains, though from the way the two's bodies were tilted, they were looking at the middle figure who seems to be the leader of the group.
"This... is quite unexpected, though still salvageable"
The voice was deep but didn't carry any special effects like the other two. He reached into his robe and pulled out a vial.
"This...!"
The other two reeled back in shock at the sight of the vial. He nodded and uncorked it.
A bloody scent permeated the air and a small nine headed worm wiggled out of the vial. it hit the ground soundlessly but still made the other two step back in fear. Their leader however, didn't even flinch at the repulsive thing and picked it up with two fingers.
It writhed in his hands and with a slight flick, the worm was thrown at Du Ze.
"Argh!"
Du Ze's eyes rolled to the back of his head as the nine headed worm landed on his forehead and started to chew its way into his skull.
Whoosh!
"Hahaha!"
The leader raised both arms while his subordinates trembled at the sight before them.
"The Nine Turn Devil Worm that I've nurtured for many years is finally going to show its true value!"
Du Ze's already repulsive body ballooned. Eight infant heads protruded from his back, blood burst out and flowed like a river. Sixteen other arms ripped out from below his original ones and a black mist spread out, enveloping him in a dark cocoon.
The man turned around and took out five other vials and handed them to the other two robed figures.
"Take these to the other... 'Seeds,' and seal them in a cage before taking them to the capital"
There was only a brief hesitation before they took two vials each, leaving the leader with one.
The female hesitantly spoke.
"Are you... trying to overthrow the Xia Empire?"
Whoosh!
"Ugh- n-"
The leader gripped the female's neck. The speed at which he moved caused his hood to slip off his head.
He had pale white skin, dark red eyes, and short white hair. A corner of his face was pitch black and a pair of eye-catching horns adorned his head.
"Do as I say not as I do"
He then dropped her and she collapsed to the ground gasping for air. The man harrumphed and flicked his hands, letting a seal fly towards the dark cocoon before disappearing in a puff of smoke.
...
As the last bit of sand dropped, the hourglass shone with golden light.
The envoy stood and glanced at Mo Ling Gu but quickly looked away. His voice boomed over the cheering of the crowd.
"Congratulations to those who managed to get a place in the top ten"
He looked at Sheng Tian.
"And congrats to Sheng Tian of the Sky Sword Sect for getting first place. Your rewards will not be stingy"
He clapped his hands together, "And that concludes this gathering. The top ten can recuperate for a day before finding me for your rewards"
And with that being said, he turned around and left. Many of the powerhouses took their disciples and simply left without another word while others stayed for whatever reason.
Long Chen jumped down from the tall platform and landed next to Sheng Tian. Most of his injuries had recovered somewhat and Long Chen gave him a pill. He swallowed it without hesitation.
Long Chen smiled wryly, "That was way too risky-"
Sheng Tian held up a hand, "While that last move of Mo Tian's was indeed powerful, he had little chance to win either way. Anyways, lets go get my reward"
He started walking towards the exit. Long Chen looked at the domineering young man and sighed.
"You young people just can't take a break, huh?"