"Not a single one? How is that?"
While it was common knowledge that when one reaches the realm past Foundation, they will immediately ascend up to the Earth Realm. This does not apply to unintelligent beasts however, and unless they can somehow gain intelligence, the Heavens won't recognize them.
But if not a single Earth Beast has been nurtured, then where did all these eggs come from?
"Sigh"
The Second Pillar rubbed his temples in frustration and the others were no different.
"These eggs were procured from decades of hard work and the sacrifices of many men," the Second Pillar started, "After we discovered a secret realm which contained a great number of Earth Beasts"
'A secret realm containing Earth Beasts. How did anyone who went in there even survive?'
While he was suspicious, Sheng Tian decided to continue listening to the Second Pillar's explanation.
"-When our soldiers first entered, they were thoroughly massacred. However, the Fourth Sword who had entered the realm managed to send us a message before falling as well"
"He had sent us an image of a huge stone tablet, left behind by whoever had created that place. The message told us that the entire place is a breeding ground for their beasts, and that the formation controlling everything inside the realm was at the very center"
"It took many years, and even more men, but we finally managed to sneak a Formation Master to the center of the realm"
"The moment the Formation Master stepped into the core of the realm, it activated some mechanism that killed all of the beasts before destroying itself. The only thing left were some rare herbs and quite a large amount of eggs"
"So that's where they all came from"
"Yes... the realm was closed off soon after and left aside, and despite our best efforts, all the beasts that hatched from the eggs either died mysteriously or couldn't advance one bit. So it was better to not bother wasting materials nurturing a guardian beast"
The Second Pillar pointed at Sheng Tian's egg, "I recommend you wait until you ascend before hatching that egg. We still don't know the reason why Earth Beast's can't be nurtured yet"
"...I'll keep that in mind"
'Master, is there a reason Earth Beasts can't grow here, or are they lying to me?'
'They are telling the truth. As for the reason, I don't know'
The First Pillar took out the portrait Yue Ling'er had drawn. It was the devilish woman who had attacked her with the curse.
"Sect Leader Long Chen had come over and handed over this portrait. Using my vast resources, I've managed to locate 3 records which involved similar looking people"
"However, our forces are still investigating the connection these people might have. If worst comes to worst, we might be looking at some kind of cult that has hidden away for a long time, only to surface now and cause a great deal of chaos"
Sheng Tian leaned back in his chair and tried to piece everything together. Du Ze and the Xuan Beasts, the curse, the black pearls they call Devil's Hearts, are all connected in some way. It was unlikely that all these events are a coincidence and more like the doings of some hidden force.
"What does the empire want to do about this situation?"
The previously silent Third Sword was the one that answered this time.
"We'll just have to see how things play out and respond appropriately"
Sheng Tian nodded, it seems that the empire have their own plans on how to handle this.
"Sigh," Sheng Tian stood up and cupped his hands, "Since it's getting late, I won't be wasting any more of your time then. We all will simply have to wait"
-
At the same time, deep underground in an unknown location, a huge altar surrounded by 6 circles glowed with an eerie red glow. 3 robed figures stood outside the formation, with half a dozen pale corpses behind them. The corpses were emaciated and cold, but still somehow twitched from time to time.
"Go"
One of the 3 figures stepped forward and lifted his hood, followed by the other 2. The leader 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.
The other man had deep purple skin. His head was bald and eyes pitch black. But the most eye-catching of all was the extra pair of arms right under his first pair.
The last person was a woman, who looked suspiciously like the woman depicted in Yue Ling'er's drawing. However, with a robe covering the rest of her body, it was hard to tell what features she had.
"Set the blood seed idols," said the pale man in an eerie tone.
The other 2 quickly moved and did not question a thing. It seems that they were quite afraid of the fanatical man.
The duo walked to opposite sides of the ritual and their leader quietly stepped onto the center altar. The subordinates took out 3 jars each and used their qi to carry them into one of the circles.
The pale faced man smiled with all his teeth as he kneeled and placed his right hand squarely on the indentation on the center altar. His left hand held a sinister dagger, while he himself stared straight up at the ceiling...
Where a copper mirror hung amongst the stalactites, beaming down light with the reflection of the sky. It swung innocently with the cool breeze of the cave.
"Now-"
The pale man's voice warbled in an odd manner as his eyes glowed crimson.
"We wait for the right time..."
As if they were statues, the 3 people didn't move in the slightest. The only sounds that were in the cave were breathing and the occasional wind. The only movements were the swinging of the mirror that showed the current sky and the twitching corpses.
The pale man stared without blinking as the sun went down and the skies darkened. Soon, the moon entered the mirror and was getting ever closer to the center.
"Break!"
Crack!
The sound of 6 jars cracking apart reverberated across the cave.
BOOM!
Unable to handle the pressure, the jars exploded and sent shrapnel all over the stone walls.
"Grr"
"Howl!"
"Roar!"
6 unholy abominations broke out of the jars, growing in size until the circles they were in glowed with crimson light.
Weng!
The light restricted the beasts, allowing for a better visual at the repulsive things.
"He he he he..."
The pale faced man's smile grew wider and wider as the moon approached its zenith. He raised his dagger just as the moon reached its peak.
"Let the Crimson Night envelope the world once more!"