Chapter 1083: Earthquake Disaster

This was an exceedingly ancient world. The land was permeated with desolation, rugged boulders were scattered across it, and in the distance, impossibly tall mountains stood like giants. High above, an incomplete sun hung, yet its rays carried a faint chill.

Wild winds howled between heaven and earth, sweeping up stones and sand. The entire world seemed like it was just beginning to form, an age of primeval chaos.

However, amidst this desolation, the space here suddenly twisted violently, eventually forming a massive spatial gate. The gate pulsed, and in the next moment, countless streaks of light, like swarms of locusts, surged out from within.

These countless streaks of light were, of course, the main contingent from Hunyuan Heaven. The forces from various factions emerged from the spatial gate and descended upon the desolate plain.

The desolation was instantly replaced by a wave of vibrant activity. Countless gazes curiously surveyed the ancient world, and a buzz of whispers erupted continuously.

On a part of the plain, Zhou Yuan landed and glanced at Qin Lian, who was right behind him. "Count the people and stay vigilant," he instructed. Qin Lian nodded, promptly relaying the order to gather and tally all the scattered forces from Tianyuan Region.

As his forces gathered, Zhou Yuan's gaze also turned to this unfamiliar, ancient land. He first sensed the concentration of Origin Qi in the environment, and his brows involuntarily rose. He found that the Origin Qi here was several times more abundant than even in the Tianyuan Cave Heaven.

Moreover, and most importantly, the Origin Qi here possessed an ancient, primal essence. Immersed in this Origin Qi, Zhou Yuan felt his Divine Dwelling vibrate subtly, and the Origin Qi within him surged with a joyful excitement—a distinct yearning and desire for this world's Origin Qi.

"Rumor has it that Guyuan Heaven was formed from a fragment of the Ancestral Dragon's birthplace. Now, it seems that rumor is indeed true," Zhou Yuan mused. He thought of how much effort his master, Cang Yuan, must have expended to create a blessed land like Tianyuan Cave Heaven for the Tianyuan Region. Yet, compared to Guyuan Heaven, it paled significantly. In a place like this, even without any specific fortuitous encounters, simply cultivating in seclusion would bring substantial benefits.

Meanwhile, the forces from various factions also sensed the unique quality of the world's Origin Qi, and countless excited voices rang out. "The Origin Qi is so rich!" "I feel a slight increase in my internal Origin Qi just from breathing it in!" "What a treasure trove!"

Some couldn't resist the urge, immediately sitting cross-legged to absorb the world's Origin Qi. For a moment, the scene became quite chaotic.

Among the Tianyuan Region's contingent, some rogue cultivators also began to stir. Their usual cultivation conditions were not ideal, and if even the Nine Regions' elite were tempted by such a sacred cultivation ground, how much more so would they be? But just as some were about to sit down and cultivate, Zhou Yuan's stern gaze swept over them. "Guyuan Heaven is fraught with danger," he sharply called out. "This is not the time to seek quick gains!"

Though somewhat displeased, the rogue cultivators didn't dare defy the order and reluctantly put aside their intentions. Their expressions, however, clearly showed their dissatisfaction. As Zhou Yuan noticed their looks and was about to speak, his spirit perception suddenly detected a subtle tremor. *That tremor... was it coming from underground?*

"Careful!" Zhou Yuan's pupils constricted as he shouted sharply. The very instant his warning left his lips, the plain began to shake violently, as if an earth dragon was thrashing beneath. Then, to everyone's shock, the once firm ground transformed into a muddy swamp. The swamp formed a massive vortex, instantly engulfing those figures who had been absorbing Origin Qi on the spot.

From within the swamp, countless tiny, sharp tendrils seemed to extend, piercing directly into the bodies of those entangled by the mire. Piercing screams erupted. Then, to everyone's horror, those figures began to decompose, ultimately turning into scattered ash. From the swamp, strange, dark, muddy figures, massive and resembling stone golems, began to leap out. They charged frantically, slaughtering and devouring the crowds around them. Anyone consumed by these creatures was instantly reduced to nothing, their bodies rapidly consumed and converted into the purest Origin Qi.

The sudden turn of events shocked everyone. "It's an Earth Calamity!" Zhou Yuan exclaimed, his face grave as he watched the chaotic scene. The so-called Earth Calamity was one of the most enigmatic and unpredictable dangers within Guyuan Heaven. Legend had it that the land itself possessed an innate consciousness, instinctively seeking out powerful Origin Qi presences, then devouring and decomposing them into pure Origin Qi to nourish Guyuan Heaven.

Therefore, any terrain could change in the blink of an eye: plains could become swamps, mountains could turn into abysses. Once trapped, one could be rapidly decomposed. This was the dreaded Earth Calamity. It was so unpredictable that you could be cultivating safely in a cave one moment, and the next, that very cave would become your burial ground—no, in Guyuan Heaven, even bones were decomposed. Truly, every step here was fraught with peril.

Earth Calamities could also spawn Earth Beasts, which were the bizarre, stone-golem-like entities they were now facing. These creatures had no sentience, only an instinct to devour living beings exhibiting Origin Qi fluctuations. Earth Calamities were incredibly terrifying; a single misstep could ensnare even beings as powerful as Zhou Yuan. Fortunately, the Earth Calamity causing the current chaos did not appear to be the most fearsome type.

The chaos triggered by the Earth Calamity did not last long. After the initial panic, the forces from various factions gradually regained their composure, fleeing the vicinity of the massive swamp vortex. Then, barrages of Origin Qi attacks roared forth, pulverizing the emerging Earth Beasts into muddy pulp. After roughly half an incense stick's time, the huge muddy vortex gradually receded, and the ground returned to its normal state. Someone, still disbelieving, launched an Origin Qi attack at the spot, only to kick up dirt and create a small pit. The preceding horror seemed like a mere hallucination. Yet, the lingering terror on countless faces made everyone realize the brutal reality. This sudden, perilous incident finally sobered many: while this place was indeed a cultivation treasure ground, it also harbored deadly dangers. Here, losing vigilance meant one was likely not far from death.

"It was likely because too many of us suddenly appeared here, causing the Origin Qi fluctuations to become excessively strong, which then drew the Earth Calamity," Zhou Yuan stated, casting a faint glance at the rogue cultivators who had previously attempted to absorb Origin Qi. Facing his gaze, those cultivators looked ashamed and dared not meet his eyes.

More than that, the awe in the eyes of many as they looked at Zhou Yuan deepened. "It's thanks to you," Qin Lian also sighed. In that brief moment, it was likely hundreds from various Hunyuan Heaven factions had perished, but fortunately, Zhou Yuan's timely warning allowed their group to swiftly evade the Earth Calamity's reach.

Zhou Yuan's Spirit cultivation was exceptionally strong, and spirit perception was far more sensitive than Origin Qi perception; even Qin Lian hadn't detected the incoming Earth Calamity before him. Zhou Yuan waved his hand, then observed the vast crowd on the plain. He saw several signals ascend into the sky—the rendezvous signals for the Nine Regions' forces.

Zhou Yuan waved his hand and strode forward, leading the way towards the center of the plain, his voice carrying clearly: "Let's go, we need to link up first. The most urgent task now is to establish a base and quickly construct the 'Origin Qi Observation Platform'..."