CHAPTER 227: 6 MONTHS LATER...

Chapter 227: 6 months later...

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Zhu Rong and Yuan Lan exchanged a brief glance, then began.

The formation around the earth core activated with a muted glow, wrapping fully around the luminous sphere like a gigantic living seal.

Yuan Lan slowly lifted the heart of the dead star; its radiance was still present, though suppressed by the restraints placed upon it, yet the density it gave off made even the air tremble.

With a gentle motion, she sent it upward, making it float.

Once suspended, as if drawn by some invisible force, it drifted toward the world’s core, at a specific point of the formation, its shape presenting a circular hollow space about one meter wide, as if waiting to be filled by something,

And that something was the heart of the dying star.

The moment it entered, something changed instantly.

The entire small world seemed to hold its breath, and then,

The core of the small world unfolded like a flower of light, and the heart of the star was dragged into it before being swallowed whole without the slightest resistance.

As soon as it happened, a blinding radiance burst out from the world core, a light so strong it made the previous glow seem dull, followed by a wave of spiritual energy with an astronomical concentration of Qi.

The formation bent, quivered, then stabilized the internal fusion that seemed to be occurring within the world core, and Zhu Rong, who had erected the formation and had been waiting for this exact moment, didn’t waste any time and acted, channeling all the power he had to contain the impact and direct it the way he wanted.

He used the wave of spiritual energy emitted by the earth core to further fuel the runic formation, which demanded an enormous energy source, and that was exactly what he provided.

As soon as it absorbed it, the formation stirred, no longer contained as before, and seemed to exert an invisible pressure on the core of the small world.

In the innermost layer of the small world, nothing dramatic seemed to happen...

but the same could not be said for the surface.

On the surface, the world reacted violently.

Mountains trembled.

The ground tilted.

Waves of energy bounced from one pole to the other, sending tremors rippling through the entire small world like underground thunder.

The three girls, already warned by Zhu Rong, had taken refuge on the mountain, protected by a formation.

It would isolate them from the repercussions of what was about to happen, keeping the mountain area relatively safe and peaceful.

Then came the second shift.

First a whisper, then a torrent, and finally an overflowing surge that filled the air with a density of pure spiritual energy never seen before.

It felt like breathing liquid spiritual energy.

Tree roots vibrated, rivers bubbled, the very ground seemed to quiver beneath that newfound richness.

And then the world broke.

Not in a destructive sense, but like a shell that had grown too tight and finally gave way.

Luminous fissures spread across the land, and from the cracks came not magma, but pure energy.

Space itself stretched, widening with slow, steady inevitability, almost as if the world were growing, expanding beyond its previous limits.

From the mountain, the three girls watched the entire process in awe.

Ye Ning in particular stood with her mouth wide open the whole time, witnessing what looked like pure destruction followed by a series of natural phenomena that were anything but natural.

They watched the sky change color in waves, watched the landscape stretch, breathe, shift beneath their eyes.

Every minute brought a new transformation, more intense than the last.

The small world was becoming something else.

Something larger.

Something alive.

And as the fusion continued, unstoppable, no one spoke.

There was nothing to say. Only watch.

In the end, the blinding glow dimmed.

The tremendous vibrations faded into a steady pulse, like the heartbeat of a giant creature settling into its new body.

And so, slowly but steadily, the small world of Zhu Rong’s secret realm evolved into something completely new,

something that surpassed the external world by several levels.

***

The news of the grand expedition carried out by none other than the three emperors shocked many and sparked all sorts of discussions and reactions throughout the three empires, but with time everything began to calm down.

And finally, after a brief period of calm, though for many it was anything but peaceful, six months passed, and the day of the expedition finally arrived.

It was the great day, the day in which history would be made, a day unforgettable to say the least.

The three emperors had agreed to meet directly at the foothills of the mountain range, and since the human empire was the one with borders closest to one of the few safe and traversable entrances to the mountains, everyone gathered there.

It was midsummer, yet the plain at the foot of the mountains had a colder climate, almost as if winter were about to arrive.

In this place often avoided by wandering cultivators and ordinary mortals alike, the armies of the three empires gathered.

At the meeting point, a scene worthy of legends unfolded across the plain.

A massive united army stretched across the terrain, humans, beastkin, and elves standing side by side, each group led personally by its own emperor.

And yet, despite the forces gathered being impressive, only a portion was visible to the naked eye.

A considerable number had already been withdrawn into a separate space, created specifically by the Three Emperors thanks to their limited understanding of the Laws: a small pocket world meant to make the journey less tiresome and avoid unnecessarily wearing down the troops.

Not that much could tire them out, honestly.

Everyone present represented the best of the best of the three realms.

There were experts of every kind, but their levels were anything but low.

From those whose cultivation base began at the early stages of the fifth stage, up to its peak.

And beyond them, numerous Spirit Realm experts, gathered in elite groups of three to five for each race, carefully chosen, battle tempered, and without a doubt the most reliable fighters the three empires could deploy.

Naturally, this was not the entirety of the military power of the three nations.

But it was definitely their sharpest blade, the ones entrusted with this dangerous mission, while the rest of the military remained in their respective empire in case of need, as well as a precaution against any issues or disorder that might arise in the emperors’ absence.

The very air seemed to tremble under the pressure of so many powers gathered in one place.

Whispers, murmurs, and a barely restrained murderous intent blended into a single heavy atmosphere...

The greatest expedition in recent history was about to begin.