Chapter 2209: The Fall?
On the way, Davis took out a messaging talisman and contacted the Mystic Ice Sect's Sect Master Bing Luli, for he didn't possess the talismans to contact the Heaven Mandate Emperor and Karmic Guardian Emperor. The main body had that.
"Emperor of Death, we don't know what happened, but it came from the east. Fairy Myria went to investigate it!"
His call was instantly answered as a melodious, yet slightly panicked voice echoed.
"Alright, thanks."
Without saying anything else, he broke past the layer of dark fog and reached the next Territory, making his way east at incredible speed. Once he got out, he tore the spatial layer and appeared on the other side, breaking through the dark fog before he did the same.
Finally, he rushed past the Mystic Ice Sect Territory and appeared in the Astral Light Sect Territory.
Extending his senses, he noticed that the frightened people were looking in the direction of southeast, where the Territory Gate to three other Territories lay.
Davis narrowed his eyes, knowing that it was the by far the largest Territory Gate as four gates were interconnected, connecting the Astral Light Sect Territory, Grand Viridian Beast Mountain Range Territory, Heaven Mandate Temple Territory, and the ruined Vast Sky Emperor Palace Territory.
Moreover, not only was it the largest Territory Gate, but it was also the presumed center of the Grand Formations known as the Fifty-Two Territories, making Davis's expression turn a bit unsightly.
He no longer contemplated and rushed through the skies. Even before he appeared halfway there to the perceived destination, he sensed a lot of powerhouses having already gathered, including Myria, whose undulations felt slightly disturbed.
Davis almost instantly arrived between those powerhouses, turning to look at Myria.
Although Myria didn't have an avatar, she still had a soul body that she could use, but unlike avatars, soul bodies could only operate in the presence of the main body. If detached, they would have a certain time limit before becoming expired, fading away. However, for Myria's soul body, it would probably take years before it disappeared unless it completely expended its energy at once.
Nonetheless, her expression seemed cold, and her eyes seemed to hold or suppress something.
He sensed an ominous atmosphere brewing around her before turning to look at the Territory Gate as a white-robed man exited from it and flew towards them. Not exactly them, but to another person who was beside them.
"Reporting to the Starnova Emperor! Approximately four million people have died while traversing inside the Territory Gate!"
"…!"
The Starnova Emperor's expression changed, his face becoming unsightly.
When the ray of light fell, the entire Astral Light Sect Territory was shaken to its very core. The blinding ray of light had instantly covered them, making them feel that they had already died, not to mention the tremor that truly rocked their hearts.
Many had fainted from pure fear, but the rest who opened their eyes became wry, thinking that they were going to die. However, powerhouses like him quickly found the source of the fading ray of light through each other's input using messaging talismans and came to check the Territory Gate connecting the four Large-Sized Territories.
To their shock, the people who were traveling inside those Territory Gates were all dead, regardless of whether they were at the First Stage or the Ninth Stage!
Even Davis and Myria were shocked beyond compare.
They knew that the Territory Gate in front of them connected to three other Territory Gates and that it was a massive trade route that had millions of people traversing inside it all day long. The Large Territories had populations of hundreds of billions of people, so four million wasn't significant, but the number of lives lost at this moment single moment was mind-boggling, making it a case of pure tragedy as all of them were most likely innocents who didn't deserve to die.
Considering the silent attack, they had probably died without even knowing how they died.
Everyone's complexion became slightly disturbed or pale, but the powerhouses were more worried about what the Calamity Light had brought into the center of the Territory Gate if that attack could be described as spatial teleportation that caused an immense quake to utterly destroy the people inside.
As they waited for further reports that were being gathered by their disciples or elders who bravely headed inside to check, many powerhouses were constantly pouring in to look at the aftermath.
Whatever came out, they might have to unify to stop them. It felt like it was the first time the righteous path had united once in a while amidst the many centuries.
Nonetheless, another white-robed, white-haired elder exited from the Territory Gate as he went on one knee and reported.
"Starnova Emperor! There was nothing found inside the Territory Gates except the bodies of the dead."
*Sigh!~*
A collective sigh could be heard, no, felt from the atmosphere as they heard that elder's words. Fortunately, there were no terrifying beasts inside.
However, feeling confused, Davis headed inside the Territory Gate. Myria followed him inside, and they both looked at the extreme amount of dead bodies lining the pathway, causing Davis's stomach to churn instead of giving him the happiness to comprehend Death Laws, perhaps because the energy here was still somewhat chaotic that he couldn't perceive as much as he could.
Nonetheless, he certainly wasn't in the mood to take advantage of this matter, nor did he have time to sit and comprehend Death Laws, wanting to find out what had happened or couldn't rest at ease.
However, no matter how they searched inside the Territory Gates, they could not find anything, not even a hint of a hidden entity like feeling the presence of an ominous gaze.
Feeling confused, Davis turned to look at Myria as he opened his mouth, "What do you think happened?"
Myria pursed her lips, shaking her head.
"I can't say for sure, but to attack the center of the formation is useless as that would be where the defense is also the highest. However, I'm not sure about this massive formation. It could be where its weakness laid, and if that bastard had successfully attacked it on purpose, then he must be planning something..."
"Like…?"
"I don't know. Those Vacuous Beasts could not directly be summoned here. Otherwise, that bastard would've already done it like he tried to do before..."
Davis's mouth slightly parted as he saw Myria acting strange.
Clearly, her mentality was disturbed because of this massacre. Was she blaming herself?
In that case, was this a planned attack on smoking out the Saintess?
However, Davis had his eyes narrowed when he heard those Vacuous Beasts could not be directly summoned here. Was it because of the defensive power of this so-called Grand Formation? In that case, the next move to make would be to weaken the Grand Formation.
Is that what precisely happened?
Davis subsequently felt more worried, opening his mouth.
"Alright, let's go check the corners of the Fifty-Two Territories like we once did. We might perhaps find a clue."
Myria paused the exploration, turning to look at the departed people as her eyes radiated a somber hue.
"Fine."
She nodded lightly, unknowingly following his lead as they exited the Territory Gate and shot towards the west together.
The Starnova Emperor watched the Emperor of Death, and Fairy Myria leave. He could simply blame everything on Fairy Myria because she was the presumed source but looking at her, willing to face the calamity, he really couldn't say anything, shaking his head.
He returned his gaze towards his people and raised his hand.
"Note the identities of the departed. Contact their people and hand over their bodies. Don't delay it."
"Yes!"
A resounding agreement echoed from the thousands of disciples and hundreds of elders. With them heading into the Territory Gate one by one to collect the bodies, including spatial rings, it would only be a matter of time before they were given to their rightful subsequent owner, as the Astral Light Sect was rich enough to not covet the spatial rings of these people.
Similar things were happening on the other three Territory Gates.
The Starnova Emperor once again shook his head as he turned around and left, making it back to his palace. Once he arrived at his throne, he sat on it and slumped like a slug that had lost its strength, appearing slightly tired and quivering over the Calamity Light's second activity, unsure of the dangers that it would bring.
"Starnova Emperor…"
Just as he went deep into contemplation, a youthful voice called out, causing his eyes to widen as he shot above, hovering as he raised his hands, his expression becoming cautious.
"Who!?"
He bellowed out, his Peak-Level Law Rune Stage undulations that were actually two levels above radiating with sharpness, light blades appearing around him as they revolved.
"Still don't recognize me? It's me, your great grandfather."
Hearing that voice again from nowhere, the Starnova Emperor's blood churned.
"You dare to mock me!?"
*Bzzzz!~*
Just as the Starnova Emperor moved his hands to unleash an area of effect attack, oppressive undulations, one that was even stronger than his, spread like wildfire, causing the Starnova Emperor to freeze. The next moment, he saw a white-robed handsome man with similar features as him manifest from a ray of light.
"A-Ancestor Crimson Starchild…"
The Starnova Emperor's jaw fell, wondering how his ancestor, who was supposed to have ascended many thousand years ago present here!
What's more, the other party was an immortal, releasing immortal might that completely subdued him!