Far away in a mountain range.
Sounds of battle echoed. Weapons collided fiercely as each individual clashed with a burning desire in their hearts.
On a nearby cliff a red gem was embedded in a large black stone. It continuously emitted a faint light as it tempted each and every cultivator there.
That was Red Sapphire.
In this world of cultivation each sought wealth, power and fame. In their pursuit of supremacy they killed, plundered, bathed in blood of their enemies and battled their way to the top. But to be on top, you needed strength. And the most reliable and famous method was cultivation itself. Although the cultivation resources weren't easy to obtain with each passing year, many still dreamt of their own palaces and future wealth.
As such they would go to any lengths to even catch a glimpse of that. And a top grade resource like Red Sapphire was bound to ignite a fiery storm of blood and gore.
As soon as it appeared countless cultivators flocked towards its location hoping to acquire it in the midst of chaos and ascend to heavens in a single step. But how could this thought be rare in a cultivation world? Everyone had the same train of thought. Thus when they met a bloody battle ensued. If some sly fellow tried to take it unnoticed they would immediately be under the joint bombardment of everyone present. Hence the stalemate continued.
" Old Meng! Just die already. What could your old bones hope by achieving the Red Sapphire? It would be a waste of a heavenly treasure on you. " A robust voice said with disdain.
" Hahaha. Even if it's for the descendants of my Meng family, I will acquire this Red Sapphire. But what about you? You do not have talent yet you still fancy the treasure. How ridiculous! " A hoarse voice filled with mockery said.
Boom!
The conflict in the atmosphere intensified as each hoped to distract their opponent with mind games. It looked like the battles would not end anytime soon. This thought arose in every cultivator's mind. And they felt anxious as they increased the intensity of their attacks.
Because…!
Whoosh~
Winds intensified, leaves rustled, ground trembled as a giant shadow enveloped the battlefield below. Countless cultivators immediately became fearful and stopped their attacks. They stared at the massive flying shop in the sky with dread and despair.
Atop the flying ship a flag fluttered in the wind with symbol 'A' carved in a unique design.
"It's… it's the Ander Kingdom!"
"What are they doing here?"
"Isn't it obvious? They also want a piece of the cake."
"Just a piece? They are definitely here to take the whole bakery rather than just a piece."
"Ahh… Aren't they ever satisfied? They 'stole' every opportunity under the banner of claiming it was their own. Now they also want to do the same away from their territory? Aren't they underestimating us?"
"Yeah. We also have a giant behind us!"
"But would they offend Ander just for a top-grade item?"
Swish~
A young man flew out from the deck of the ship and came in front of the crowd. He had a smile on his face as he looked at everyone present with an amiable gaze.
"Fellow friends, it's a pleasure to meet you. We, the Ander, thank you for protecting Red Sapphire with all your might. We will definitely remember your kindness. Now if you may, please." His voice was very humble and he looked as if talking to his friends.
After his words, everyone fell silent and could only speechlessly stare at him.
They are at it again.
The same old line. The same old trick.
Amidst the incredulous gaze of the crowd, the young man nonchalantly walked over to the giant black rock. He released his spiritual energy and gently unearthed the whole rock. Then with a swift motion kept it in his storage ring and turned around.
He wore a wide grin as he cupped his hands lightly.
"Thanks for your cooperation everyone. If any fellow friend would like to have a word they can come to Ander. We will welcome you to the best of our ability."
The crowd was left in a daze. They didn't recover until the huge shadow above them had vanished.
"Sigh…"
"What a pity!"
"It's over…"
"Even Red Sapphire is under their hands…"
"Why didn't our kingdom send someone?"
"Yeah. Moreover, why didn't another force come?"
"Sigh. You may not know but the Ander King already has the Red Dew Flower…" an old man spoke as he sighed. He looked to be a veteran among the group of cultivators as he gazed in the direction of Ander Kingdom with emotion.
The other cultivators looked at the man in anticipation as they hoped for him to continue.
"Red Dew Flower is also a top-grade item. It's mainly used to boost the spiritual energy of a cultivator. But many don't know that it also has another hidden ability. With Red Sapphire being one of the materials needed for that…" Old Meng spoke as he took a seat on a nearby boulder.
Cultivators gathered around and looked attentive as they felt excited. In the world there were too many secrets and tales. To know every detail even if one spent their whole life learning them it would not be enough. Moreover it was a common form of entertainment among masses. So they didn't wish to miss out on an opportunity to take a break. Cultivators were also human. This was also the reason why so many luxuries and entertainment existed for cultivators.
"Ander King has been securing such materials over the years to unlock that ability. It's a rather open secret. But what it does exactly is something only the top forces or figures in the world would know. Though one thing is certain, whatever it does, it would make the Ander Kingdom rise to a new height." Old Meng continued to speak as he thought about the tale his elders had told him when he was young.
"On the fated night, cries and moans will flood the ears, rivers of blood will swallow the land, rage of heart will burn the world, a betrayal unimaginable in history will give rise to an unparalleled, accompanied by the world dominating roars of the moon."
His solemn voice echoed in heaven and earth as silence enveloped the venue. He looked reminiscent as he recalled the tales told to him in his youth. He looked at the listeners who seemed to be in a dream as they imagined and tried to decipher the contents. He wore a light smile as remembered his trance the first time he heard those words.
After a long while.
"What does it mean? Will the world end?" A confused cultivator asked.
His question prompted others to contemplate and led them to voice their own guess.
"Maybe?"
"Cries…blood…rage… it pictures a great battlefield."
"Doesn't this story seem like the fabled stories of the protagonist of the world?"
Old Meng didn't reply to the comments. Everyone had their own thoughts. Even he thought it was just a story made up by his ancestors to keep the young of their family curious. If it were true, it would have been true hundreds of years back then. Why wait till now? In any case, he wasn't sure himself so he didn't give a response.
"But that doesn't explain why no one else came?" a cultivator among the crowd asked. His question caught everyone off guard and forced them to snap out of their reverie.
Right.
They wanted to know the reason for today's absence of other forces.
They could travel back but it would be far too time consuming, till then they might become outdated.
They could also call their friends back home but for some reason they didn't get a response. In desperation, they could only hear the old man speak his thoughts.
Old Meng stared at the starry night for a long time. It looked as if he didn't have the intention to speak any further. His state made other cultivators have a bad feeling.
He then continued, "It's already over."
"What is?" A cultivator asked anxiously.
Just then, everyone got a response back from their friends back at home. They readily read the message and their expressions changed.
How… How could this be!?
Gone…!
Everything was gone!
"The battle is already over." Old Meng finished his words slowly. His each word made them realize the truth.
It was not that no kingdom wanted to stop Ander.
It was because they had already been stopped!