Mung Jun led the newly awakened Immortals into the Refinement Hall. The grand chamber was a sprawling, intricately designed space illuminated by the glow of countless formations etched into the walls and floors. The air smelled with faint scent of rare materials.
At the center of the hall stood two figures, their presence commanding immediate respect. Both were renowned for their Great Grandmaster-level refinement attainments. The first, Bai Linfeng, was a stoic man with long silver hair tied back in a neat braid. His piercing blue eyes radiated wisdom, and his hands bore faint burn marks. He wore robes lined with delicate patterns that seemed to shimmer as he moved. Known as the "Eternal Craftsman," his reputation was unmatched in the art of stabilizing volatile Gu refinement processes.
Beside him was Yi Mei, a woman of striking elegance and precision. Her sharp green eyes scanned the incoming group with a mixture of curiosity and calm confidence. Her short black hair framed her face, emphasizing her serene demeanor. Dressed in simple but pristine robes, she held a thin rod carved with intricate patterns—a tool she used to guide delicate refinement procedures. Yi Mei, often called the "Mistress of Harmony," was famed for her ability to balance conflicting energies during complex refinements.
Bai Linfeng spoke first, his voice deep and deliberate. "Welcome, seniors. Your Gu worms will be ready shortly. We just began the refinement for the Thunder Core Gu for Senior Lei Qian. While we handle that, please check on your Gu worms stored in the storage room."
"Thank you," they all said in unison before making their way to the storage room.
Upon entering, they were greeted by a vast collection of Gu worms and rare materials meticulously organized. Shelves lined the walls, filled with mortal and immortal Gu worms, each radiating faint traces of energy.
They proceeded deeper into the room until they reached the section dedicated to Rank 8 Immortal Gu. At the far end, they found the first Gu: the Earth Boulder Gu, belonging to Zhao Han, the Unyielding Boulder. Its presence was imposing, a large, crystalline structure resembling a chunk of solidified earth.
Zhao Han, upon seeing it, felt a surge of joy and anticipation. A rare smile crossed his usually stoic face as he stepped forward eagerly, his hand reaching out toward the imposing Earth Boulder Gu.
He was about to retrieve the Gu worms when Star Constellation's will began to materialize before them. Her ethereal form shimmered in the dim light of the storage room, but before the will could fully manifest, a sudden, ominous tremor rippled through the air.
The Earth Boulder Gu abruptly exploded.
Boom!
The detonation was cataclysmic, a shockwave blasting outward with devastating force. The storage room's very foundation trembled as walls cracked, shelves splintered, and precious materials were hurled into chaos. The explosion wasn't an isolated event. One after another, ten additional blasts followed in a relentless chain, each more ferocious than the last. The air grew thick with debris and acrid smoke, choking out the light and filling the space with chaos.
In the Refinement Hall, Bai Linfeng and Yi Mei were in the midst of their delicate work when the tremors reached them. The violent interruption destabilized their processes. The incomplete Gu worms they had been refining reacted violently, their unstable energies breaking down into volatile fragments.
Crack! Boom!
The fragments ignited, triggering yet another chain reaction. The resulting explosions engulfed the entire hall. Bai Linfeng and Yi Mei, despite their Great Grandmaster expertise, were unable to escape the cascading blasts. Their defenses, formidable as they were, crumbled under the overwhelming force. The once-pristine hall was reduced to rubble, its intricate formations and materials obliterated in an instant.
Back in the storage room, the devastation was absolute. Shelves toppled like dominoes, rare Gu worms and resources incinerated in the inferno. Star Constellation's will, though swift to act, could only shield a handful of survivors with her ethereal power. Her fragmented form struggled against the overwhelming destruction, and her efforts, though valiant, couldn't save everyone.
By the time the chaos subsided, the storage room was in ruins. The ground was scorched black, and the air was filled with the acrid scent of destruction. Petal Storm Princess and Zhao Han, caught in the inferno, perished despite Star Constellation's intervention. Their lifeless forms lay amid the wreckage, a somber reminder of the power unleashed.
The survivors, their faces etched with shock and despair, stood amidst the devastation. They exchanged solemn glances, the weight of their loss settling heavily upon them. What had once been a place of order and promise was now a charred wasteland, the magnitude of their defeat evident in every shattered fragment around them.
"Li Tiaaaaan!" Star Constellation's will shouted angrily, her ethereal form radiating fury as she turned toward the direction where Li Tian was calmly refining the Gu within the protective barrier near Emperor City.
Despite being merely a fragment of the great Star Constellation, her power as a Wisdom Path progenitor and venerable was undeniable. Her senses, sharp and precise, akin to a sixth sense, had finally alerted her to the unfolding disaster. Yet, the realization came too late—too late to prevent the calamity that had already taken root.
Li Tian, aware of the piercing gaze directed at him, chuckled softly. His expression was one of calm confidence, his demeanor unshaken by the overwhelming presence of the venerable's will. With a faint smirk, he turned his head toward the Heavenly Court's direction and spoke with a mocking tone, "Star Constellation, come and stop me if you dare."