In the central Sky-Piercing Tower, various powerful cultivators, under the coercion of the Red Dust Pavilion, launched suicidal attacks against the monstrous natural disaster.
Within ten minutes of the engagement, over half of the cultivators from the major factions had fallen or been wounded. A Rank Eight cultivator had also perished, and the battle was exceptionally brutal.
Many cultivators were already harboring thoughts of retreat, but due to the bracelets the Red Dust Pavilion had placed on them, they could only press on.
"This cannot continue. If we aren't killed by the Red Dust Pavilion, we'll be devoured by that beast with a human face!"
A Rank Eight cultivator, narrowly dodging an attack from the natural disaster, exclaimed in shock.
At this moment, the natural disaster was not even fighting seriously. The cultivators from the major factions were like its playthings, manipulated at its whim.
The natural disaster would play with them longer if it was amused, and devour them in one gulp if it was displeased!
The Rank Eight cultivator who had just fallen had angered the natural disaster with a full-power strike, and consequently, it had devoured him in a single bite!
Now, everyone from the major factions understood that there were no treasures in this Sky-Piercing Tower; it was entirely a tomb for everyone!
Once that natural disaster became enraged, everyone present would perish!
"I'm not playing along anymore!"
Another Rank Eight cultivator, unwilling to wait for death, resolutely severed the arm wearing the bracelet and then fled rapidly towards the outside of the Sky-Piercing Tower.
However, before the Rank Eight cultivator could escape more than a few steps, the bracelet on his severed arm lit up with a soul-stirring black light. The bracelet then transformed into a small snake, which shot towards the fleeing Rank Eight cultivator like lightning and bit fiercely into the back of his head!
"Ahhhhhhh!"
The Rank Eight cultivator let out a piercing scream of agony, and then, under the terrified gazes of the other cultivators, he was dissolved into a bloody mist!
The aura of the Rank Eight cultivator vanished completely.
A deathly silence fell upon the central Sky-Piercing Tower.
At this moment, Yang Zhuo's voice echoed in everyone's ears, mockingly saying, "Esteemed colleagues, once you are bound by the Samsara Ring, it can never be removed. Your only choices are to defeat the natural disaster or be devoured by it. There are no other options."
"Good luck, everyone."
As Yang Zhuo's words fell, the expressions of the crowd gradually contorted, and endless fear welled up in their eyes.
Despair...
Filled the chests of every single person.
However, the natural disaster paid no mind to their predicament. While everyone was stunned, it went berserk again, opening its massive maw and devouring over a dozen cultivators in one gulp, blood splattering from its jaws!
The natural disaster began to consume people. The cultivators also reacted, realizing that their only path to survival was to fight with all their might. They all charged towards the natural disaster.
"Kill!!!"
A roar of battle cries erupted.
Ye Ling stood in the shadows, calmly observing the cultivators locked in a bitter struggle, and sighed softly.
The energy accumulated by the natural disaster was nearing its peak, and the mother body of the natural disaster was about to awaken. The cultivators present had no hope of victory.
Without paying further attention to the cultivators, Ye Ling vanished from his spot and exited the central Sky-Piercing Tower.
At this time, the energy from all the Sky-Piercing Towers within the ancient ruins was being channeled through the energy transmission devices at the top of the towers to the central Sky-Piercing Tower, and then poured into the mother body of the natural disaster through the central tower's interface.
The energy of the mother body of the natural disaster was almost fully charged.
Ye Ling glanced at the central Sky-Piercing Tower, then disregarded it, shifting his attention to the sky of the ancient ruins.
Due to the awakening of the mother body of the natural disaster, the seals placed upon the ancient ruins by the ancient sages had begun to manifest, preparing to erase this space.
"Something's wrong..."
Just as Ye Ling was about to act, the manifesting seal in the sky suddenly cracked, its aura rapidly declining, on the verge of dissipating at any moment.
"Roar!!!"
Before Ye Ling could figure out what had happened, a deafening roar suddenly emanated from the central Sky-Piercing Tower. Countless dark tentacles surged out from the tower, shattering the massive structure!
"The mother body of the natural disaster has awakened!"
Seeing this, Ye Ling no longer bothered to investigate the reason for the cracking of the sky seal. He immediately tore through the space before him, pulling Feng Ke, Wang Die, and Jiu Ling, who were still in the central Sky-Piercing Tower, to his side.
"Emperor!"
Ji Xue and Tian Yuan also noticed Ye Ling high in the sky and quickly flew to his side, their eyes filled with astonishment.
The aura emanating from the awakened mother body of the natural disaster from the Sky-Piercing Tower was truly terrifying. The immense pressure made everyone's hearts tremble!
That was...
Power that surpassed the divine!
Ye Ling said solemnly, "This place is no longer suitable for you. I will send you out first. Stay in my villa; it has my barrier, which can protect you."
Feng Ke asked Ye Ling, "What about you?"
Ye Ling replied, "The seals on the ancient sages' relics in the ancient ruins have been deliberately destroyed. If the mother body of the natural disaster is left unchecked, the casualties will extend beyond the cultivators in the ancient ruins."
"The first to be affected will be the real-world city of Shanghai."
Upon hearing Ye Ling's words, Feng Ke's expression shifted slightly. After a moment of contemplation, she took out a silver bracelet from her pocket and handed it to Ye Ling, saying, "This is for you."
Ye Ling took the bracelet and asked curiously, "What is this?"
Feng Ke explained, "This is a bracelet my master brought out from this ancient ruin last time. It was hidden in a small town near Shanghai. I specifically went to retrieve it before entering the ancient ruins."
"Xiao You's bracelet..."
Ye Ling looked deeply at the bracelet in his hand, then turned to Feng Ke and asked with a smile, "So, you came back all dirty this morning to get this bracelet?"
"What else?" Feng Ke shrugged. "Who would have thought the place where the bracelet was kept had become a monster's lair? It took me a lot of effort to steal the bracelet from there."
"My master told me this bracelet is a very important item from the ancient ruins. I thought it might be useful this time when I entered the ancient ruins."
"But with things having developed this way, I'm just a burden staying here. I can only give the bracelet to you! You must take good care of it!"
"You silly girl..."
Hearing Feng Ke's words, Ye Ling shook his head and smiled. Without saying more, he opened a spatial portal in front of him and said, "Everyone, go in. Remember... stay in the villa and don't wander around."
"You must remember not to lose the bracelet!"
Feng Ke added another reminder before being the first to enter the spatial portal, leaving the ancient ruins.
Tian Yuan and Ji Xue also did not hesitate. After bowing respectfully to Ye Ling, they went inside.
Wang Die, however, gave Ye Ling a deep look before leaving.
She couldn't understand why Ye Ling, who had abandoned half of Earth's population for his own goals, would now intervene to save Shanghai.
With her doubts, Wang Die walked into the spatial portal.
After everyone left, Ye Ling glanced at Jiu Ling, who was still standing in place, and asked in surprise, "Aren't you going in?"
Jiu Ling shook her head, staring at the bracelet in Ye Ling's hand, and said, "Emperor... I feel that bracelet... looks very familiar."
"I think... I've seen it somewhere before?"