Chapter 736: Earth Ranking Returns

In the outer reaches of space, several blurred figures appeared, each emanating a terrifying aura. When their eyes opened and closed, they reflected scenes of collapsing starfields and falling celestial bodies.

These were gods, ancient beings worshipped at the altars of various cosmic races, veteran cultivators at the "Reflection of Heavens" level!

The Sacred Master was right. The defeated were unwilling and resentful. They had been utterly routed by a lost monster, their forces scattered, blood staining the cosmos, their defenses shattered. They wanted to return and witness the situation.

These individuals were all supreme powerhouses, some even ancient relics and living fossils who had lived for vast stretches of time. They naturally understood that Yaoyao's grandfather was in an unstable state, likely suffering severe after-effects, which might present an opportunity for them.

The Sacred Master sensed their presence but was fearless. At this juncture, with Yaoyao's grandfather having emerged and the Sacred Master himself having found a life-extending medicine, he was prepared to commit to a full-scale battle if necessary.

While they might not yet be able to directly confront all their past enemies head-on, if they were to secretly target each orthodoxy one by one, no single one would be able to withstand the assault!

The only regret was that Yaoyao's grandfather was mentally unstable, which remained their biggest weakness.

"Will the Celestial Race be pushed out of the top ten?" The Sacred Master smiled faintly. With a hand, he parted the magnetic field clouds near Purple Gold Mountain, his gaze fixed on the outer domain.

His casual demeanor made the expressions of some in the outer domain shift uneasily.

Some rejoiced, while others felt a pang of shared sorrow, fearing their own race would be next to suffer a heavy blow, especially given their past harsh actions against Earth.

"Sacred Master, are you truly so confident that you're not worried I might wipe out your home planet with a single palm strike, destroying all life here?!"

An elder spoke, concealed within the chaos, yet his eyes were terrifying—like boiling magma, intensely bright and intimidating, reflecting boundlessly across the outer domain!

This was horrifying, as his eyeball was comparable in size to Earth.

The Sacred Master calmly retorted, "Purgatory resides on this planet. Do you dare to destroy this place? If you truly possess such audacity, then try it. It's not as if no one attempted to obliterate Earth back then; didn't they all flee in the end?"

At these words, the outer domain fell silent. Purgatory was on Earth, and if it were to be shattered again, who knew what consequences would unfold? Major problems had arisen from such attempts in the past.

Some great beings at the "Reflection of Heavens" level had almost perished because of it.

Fortunately, they had halted their actions in time and did not proceed further.

The Sacred Master spoke again, "Your audacity in threatening me is, in fact, a reminder: provoke us, and we will visit your star domain, demolish your foundations, and shatter your home planets. Then we'll see if you still dare to be so arrogant!"

From the Netherworld Race, an ancient monster riding a bone dragon had also arrived. Upon hearing these words, his body instantly stiffened; his race was the most apprehensive.

The Netherworld Race had been one of the primary forces during that time. If retaliation came now, they would undoubtedly be the first to suffer its impact.

As for the Celestial Race, with their profound heritage and ultimate weapons rumored to be among the top ten in the universe, a desperate struggle would undoubtedly be terrifying.

The ancient Netherworld monster, with a grim expression, declared, "Yichen, if you act recklessly, I will not hesitate to fight to the death, even if it means being consumed by Purgatory's backlash for shattering this planet!"

"Those who dare to threaten this planet, we will visit each one of them, and one day, all old debts will be repaid," the Sacred Master responded calmly.

This seemingly simple exchange sent shivers down the spines of the peak powerhouses in the outer domain. The Sacred Master was delivering a subtle lesson and threat, but also negotiating, addressing everyone present.

The powerhouses from all sides became wary and even somewhat anxious.

No one had anticipated that the planet, once decimated in an ancient war, would today display such inexplicable power. The emergence of a monster, coupled with the Sacred Master's arduous survival and attainment of the "Reflection of Heavens" level, cast a gloom over those in the outer domain.

This battle, in particular, was destined to have far-reaching consequences, rewriting the existing power dynamics!

People realized that the Sacred Master's recent words carried profound meaning; they were not uttered casually or as mere threats. Even his statement that the Celestial Race would likely fall out of the top ten was a clear warning to everyone, implying that boundless bloodshed and chaos might ensue!

For if any of the top ten were to fall, it would undoubtedly be a terrifying event. Would some ancient orthodoxies and top-ranked races seize this critical moment to deploy forces and carve up the Celestial Race!?

Undoubtedly, races that had once been among the top ten possessed incredibly vast accumulations of natural treasures and cultivation resources, inciting envy in all.

If a race were to suddenly decline overnight, its strength no longer commensurate with the star systems it controlled, then the divine medicines, supreme scriptures, and other treasures it possessed would likely be lost. Such a scenario could lead to a bloody massacre and the usurpation of their assets!

"Everyone, the storm is approaching. Are you ready?"

The Sacred Master spoke casually once more. Previously, people might have been dismissive and indifferent, but now they were all cautious, having fully grasped the gravity of the situation.

Following today's battle, the circumstances of several races were bound to change.

Consider the Spirit Race: after the demise of their ancient ancestor, do they still possess any "Reflection of Heavens" level powerhouses?

Or the Celestial Race: their Great Celestial God was slain, and although they had another powerhouse, that individual was gravely wounded by the Sacred Master in a battle months ago, causing their cultivation realm to plummet. Had they recovered? If this race lacked a more formidable ancient monster to oversee them, they... might be targeted by a pack of hungry tigers!

Indeed, the universe was no longer calm. Major orthodoxies and prominent platforms were abuzz with discussions about the rankings of the various cosmic races!

Today's battle was utterly unexpected, and many cultivators knew that the rankings of several powerful races were about to shift.

"Can the Netherworld Race truly maintain its eleventh position? They are certainly going to drop. Will that spot be returned to the descendants of the ancient Earth cultivators?!"

This became a heated debate among countless individuals.

"Everyone, I believe the Celestial Race faces the greatest challenge. They could potentially be divided by the Dao Race, the Primordial Demon Race, and the Monster Race. Should the Quasi-Immortal Race and the Buddhist Race also intervene, they would certainly face a cataclysm leading to their extinction!"

Such discussions invariably caused a sensation!

"The Spirit Race must be stunned. They were so ostentatious, and now their Spirit Ancestor has been utterly annihilated, body and soul. Forget being ranked among the top, they likely won't even hold a place in the top hundred!"

At this very moment, countless individuals were convinced that even though Earth was still in recovery, after this battle, it was destined to rejoin the ranks of the powerhouses.

The Sacred Master had undeniably prolonged his life and could continue to exist, and Yaoyao's grandfather had unexpectedly emerged. Both represented unimaginable high-tier combat power!

Some estimated that, even with the most conservative ranking, Earth could return to within the top fifty!

The factors tempering this ranking were the uncertainty of how long the Sacred Master could prolong his life, and Yaoyao's grandfather's lost state, with no guarantee of him regaining lucidity.

Otherwise, their ranking would be even higher!

As expected, it wasn't long before the oldest cosmic consortiums, such as Black Blood and Heavenly Wormhole, had their rating agencies re-evaluate Earth, causing its ranking to skyrocket.

Their preliminary assessment placed Earth within the top fifty.

Their assessment was quite comprehensive, considering Earth's generational gap and lack of mid-tier cultivators. While it boasted two unstable ancient powerhouses at the apex of its power pyramid, it suffered from a significant absence of core strength from many intervening eras.

This announcement caused a tremendous sensation!

"Ancient Earth is recovering, rising from its desolation, and its ranking has made a comeback!"

This became the most trending topic.

Although it had not yet reached eleventh place, its reappearance on the leaderboard and ability to reclaim a position was already remarkable, especially as it happened overnight, which was nothing short of miraculous.

People were also awaiting to see if the Celestial Race, Netherworld Race, Spirit Race, and others would drop in rank. Some terrifying, ancient "predators" were quietly awaiting a crisis to befall them!

"ROAR!"

Suddenly, a disturbance emanated from deep within Earth's core. Iron chains clanged incessantly within that miniature world. Yaoyao's grandfather was in distress, attempting to break free.

Even the powerful Sacred Master's expression shifted; he could no longer maintain his composure!

Yaoyao was exceedingly worried, fearing something might happen to her grandfather, whom she had only just reunited with. Should any mishap occur, she would be unable to bear it.

"It's alright, the old man has already defied the heavens; there won't be any danger," Chu Feng whispered comfortingly.

The Sacred Master spoke, "We are not concerned about the old man himself; his life indicators are unbelievably robust. My fear is that he might lose control and inadvertently affect Earth."

The next moment, the Sacred Master, Yaoyao, and Chu Feng plunged together into the depths of the Earth's core.

In front of Purple Gold Mountain, a group of great demons also stirred. Though baring their fangs, their expressions were solemn, fearing a mishap with Yaoyao's grandfather. At this critical juncture, the old man simply could not afford to encounter any problems.

Otherwise, a pack of ferocious tigers in the outer domain was poised to tear them apart at any given moment!

CRACK!

Underground, the ancient coffin exploded. Yaoyao's grandfather burst forth with crimson eyes, simultaneously overturning the bronze sarcophagus the Sacred Master had left there.

He low-growled, attempting to break out of this miniature world!

The Sacred Master was overwhelmed; even his face paled. If Yaoyao's grandfather were to rampage on the planet's surface, it was likely that very few would survive.

He considered using field manipulation techniques to transport Yaoyao's grandfather off Earth, but realized this could invite an ambush from outer domain powerhouses, leading to an unavoidable life-or-death struggle. He sensed the old man's condition was precarious and potentially dangerous.

"Grandpa, please wake up!" Yaoyao pleaded, her voice laden with emotion, repeating it again and again.

Finally, her grandfather halted. The crimson glow in his eyes significantly receded, replaced by a light deep within his pupils that flickered, alternating with his fierce, blood-red glare.

"My granddaughter, Yaoyao..." he low-growled, but then he abruptly surged out of the miniature world, breaking free.

The Sacred Master was aghast; he truly couldn't stop him this time. His field manipulation had failed, and Yaoyao's grandfather had simply forced his way through. Fearing a major catastrophe outside, the Sacred Master pursued him relentlessly.

Yaoyao and Chu Feng naturally followed quickly to the surface.

"Where is he?"

"Kunlun! He's heading towards Kunlun!" The Black Ox, Ouyang Feng, and the others were terrified. The aura emanating from him moments ago had been so immense it made them tremble, feeling as though they would explode.

Chu Feng let out a long breath, realizing that Yaoyao's grandfather hadn't completely lost himself and was still capable of controlling his energy fluctuations. Otherwise, if he had truly unleashed his power, countless lives would have been lost.

"What is he doing in Kunlun?" Ouyang Feng muttered.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh...

Yaoyao and Chu Feng sped towards Kunlun, with a group of great demons following close behind.

In the outer domain, someone smiled, a look of anticipation on their face.

Powerful as they were, they could naturally perceive the situation on the ground, hearing Yaoyao's grandfather's roars and knowing his physical state was dire.

"Let him succumb to madness. Hopefully, we'll have a chance to eliminate him!" someone voiced.

At this moment, the number of supreme powerhouses in the outer domain swelled; they sensed a rare opportunity might have presented itself!

The crimson killing sword flashed. Even the grievously wounded, dying ancestor of Ci Tianqiong, reduced to just a head, had returned. He had regenerated from a drop of blood, his body now restored, though his vital energy was severely depleted. Carrying his ultimate killing treasure, he lurked in the shadows, awaiting an opportunity.

The supreme powerhouses from other races were, of course, already present!

In Kunlun, Yaoyao's grandfather charged directly towards the "Gate of Hell," that peculiar place where lightning strikes frequently occurred.

Earlier, when Chu Feng first arrived at Kunlun Mountain, he had been tricked by the Purple Gold Woodpecker King into the Gate of Hell, where he endured a barrage of lightning attacks.

Later, when Chu Feng escaped through a spatial rift in Purgatory, he found that one exit path led directly to the Gate of Hell.

Now, Yaoyao's grandfather plunged headfirst into the Gate of Hell, breaking through to the underground. This caused the Sacred Master to frown; he knew the nature of this place and followed him inside.

Upon arriving, Yaoyao and Chu Feng eventually followed the lingering aura and also ventured inside.

Indeed, Chu Feng's suspicion was confirmed: Yaoyao's grandfather had actually charged along that path towards an ancient mine shaft, which was connected to Purgatory!

Chu Feng's expression changed, for the ancient mine shaft was terrifying; when he had traversed it himself, he had been severely tormented.

However, he believed that Yaoyao's grandfather certainly wouldn't fear those specters, nor the strange and ominous. Yet, if the old man were to simply charge in like that, he would directly enter Purgatory, and who knew what might occur!

To this day, Chu Feng still hadn't fully comprehended the secrets within Purgatory; there were undoubtedly many terrifying aspects he remained unaware of.

Eerie sounds began to emanate...

Ghostly wails echoed, followed by footsteps and cries, filling the ancient mine shaft.

"Hmm, this is not simple. There is definitely something unimaginable hidden within this terrain!" The Sacred Master identified a significant problem.

"ROAR!"

Yaoyao's grandfather entered, barging into the ancient cavern. With a mighty roar, he caused the ancient and eerie mine shaft to tremble, and all the ghostly sounds instantly vanished.

"Give me... immortal medicine! I must save Yaoyao!"

The old man was low-growling, his voice muffled, but the intention was clear: he had come here to demand immortal medicine?!

Chu Feng was startled. He recalled Yaoyao's grandfather's origin from the Yang Realm, a place outside this universe. Perhaps he knew Purgatory's ultimate secret.

In fact, Chu Feng had long suspected that to enter the Yang Realm, one might have to follow the path of reincarnation within Purgatory. Whether through rebirth or some other method, it was likely connected to the very end of the cycle of reincarnation.

Now, Yaoyao's grandfather had rushed here and was roaring. Was he demanding immortal medicine from some unknown entity? Chu Feng's mind was reeling, utterly astonished.