Wrestling with the Heavenly Dao

Three million points may seem like a lot, but in reality, it’s barely enough.

For Chen Yi, it’s just a meager snack.

After all, his cultivation level is extremely high, yet the tasks assigned to him are of low difficulty, so the rewards naturally feel insignificant.

It’s like a max-level powerhouse grinding beginner quests—effortless to complete, but the rewards are practically useless, or at best, barely worth the effort.

Exchanging three million points for twenty Immortal Yuan Stones isn’t even enough to evolve a single one-star clone into an immortal body. He still needs to take on those high-risk, high-reward missions.

The fiercer the storm, the more valuable the catch. Unfortunately, he joined the group too late and missed the "Dark Calamity" mission.

That one offered three billion points—equivalent to a whopping fifteen hundred Immortal Yuan Stones, enough to evolve fifteen one-star clones into immortal bodies!

And the required combat power was only eighty million. For Chen Yi, whose one-star clones each possess nine hundred million in combat power, it would’ve been another easy task.

What a missed opportunity!

But luckily, there’s still hope. Though the unlucky soul who triggered the last Dark Calamity mission is gone, he’s stumbled upon Fang Zheng.

Once he completes this advanced mission and tosses Fang Zheng into that so-called "Forbidden Zone of Life"... heh heh...

"Where’s the Wang Clan? Point me in the right direction!" Chen Yi asked calmly, his hand itching for action.

"Uh..." Fang Zheng hesitated for a moment before replying, "Northwest, at the heart of Yunzhou, atop the Crimson Mist Mountain where the spiritual energy is most concentrated!"

The moment the words left his mouth—

Chen Yi raised his palm, and the clear sky darkened in an instant!

A colossal hand, vast enough to blot out the heavens, descended from the void, pressing down slowly. Turbulent winds howled as a terrifying shockwave swept across all of Yunzhou!

The horrifying phenomenon sent mortals into panic, while cultivators trembled in fear, their courage shattered.

"Ahhh!!!"

"What’s happening?!"

"That enormous hand... which ancient monster from the Forbidden Zone has lost their mind again?!"

"Wasn’t the last Dark Calamity less than a thousand years ago? Another one already?!"

"Half the population died last time—I barely survived! This time, I’m done for!!"

"Mom, I’m gonna die..."

At the same time, deep within the Forbidden Zone of Life, eerie movements stirred.

Pairs of aged, decaying eyes slowly opened, their gazes filled with shock and uncertainty as they looked toward the sky.

"Such oppressive pressure... has another Great Emperor emerged?"

"No, not a Great Emperor. I only achieved Dao Severance less than a millennium ago, and the Heavenly Dao’s imprint hasn’t even reformed yet. This person... he’s suppressing the Heavenly Dao with his own power!"

"Who is he? His aura feels unfamiliar, as if he’s not of this realm. Could he be an Outer Realm Demon?"

"Hmph, if he were an Outer Realm Demon, the Heavenly Dao would’ve already awakened to suppress him. How could it allow such arrogance?!"

"For some reason, I feel an inexplicable unease. The arrival of this unknown Great Emperor may not bode well."

"Tch, pointless fear. How many lofty figures have ultimately fallen to the ravages of time and self-destruction? Since ancient times, it’s always been the same. One man alone can’t shake the Forbidden Zone!"

"If he knows his place, fine. If not... a Great Emperor at his peak is worth the essence of hundreds of millions of lives. Even if we must briefly ascend to our ultimate state, we can replenish our losses!"

"Ascending to the ultimate state comes at too great a cost. If we can’t recover, it’ll be disastrous. Let’s hope this Great Emperor has some sense..."

"..."

The ancient beings hiding in the Forbidden Zone whispered among themselves.

Meanwhile, beneath the colossal hand, the Wang Clan’s territory echoed with screams of despair.

"It’s over! Everything’s over!!"

"Our clan’s Quasi-Emperor artifact shattered! The protective formation collapsed in less than a breath! We’re doomed..."

"Why? Why has such calamity befallen our Wang Clan?!"

"For tens of thousands of years, our clan has coexisted peacefully in Yunzhou, never making enemies lightly. We have no feuds—so why must we face annihilation?!"

"We must’ve failed to eradicate our enemies completely. I remember now... the clan head from two generations ago once mentioned an infant from a fallen imperial clan that went missing during their extermination. They searched for years but never found the child. Even on his deathbed, he kept muttering about it. None of us took it seriously... It must be him. The last descendant of the Nine Suns Great Emperor has returned..."

"Heaven has forsaken us..."

"..."

BOOM—!!!

As the massive hand pressed down relentlessly, the obscured Heavenly Dao of this realm finally sensed something amiss and rumbled in protest.

This power far exceeded the limits of the world’s natural laws—it was something no native being could ever achieve!

Therefore...

This was the work of an Outer Realm Demon!

Realizing this, the Heavenly Dao intervened at once. Dark clouds churned as its overwhelming might clashed with the void-born hand, halting its descent!

Its resolve was absolute—it would never allow an Outer Realm Demon to slaughter its subjects!

[WARNING! Your actions have exceeded the concealment capabilities of the Chat Group. The Heavenly Dao of this realm has detected you. Return immediately?]

"Took you long enough to notice. But trying to stop me? Not a chance."

Chen Yi smirked, ignoring the Chat Group’s warning. With a forceful push, his hand pressed down harder, locking in a fierce struggle against the Heavenly Dao’s power.

BOOM—!!!

The collision of these two overwhelming forces shook the heavens and the earth!

"Oh no, it really is an Outer Realm Demon!"

Dozens of withered figures within the Forbidden Zone rose to their feet, their expressions grave as they gazed across mountains and seas toward Yunzhou.

At the same time, the Heavenly Dao, unable to overpower Chen Yi outright, resorted to underhanded tactics.

The roiling dark clouds gathered directly above Yunzhou, crackling with bronze-colored heavenly lightning, ready to strike at the source!

Beside Chen Yi, Fang Zheng trembled uncontrollably, feeling as if an invisible hand had seized his throat. A suffocating pressure, like a python coiling around him, forced his mouth open as he desperately gasped for air.

This was terrifying—utterly terrifying!

Just being near the Group Master felt like melting. Any closer, and he might explode!

He wanted to run, but escape was impossible. An unseen force had frozen the surrounding space—he couldn’t even speak.

As the heavenly lightning circled above, a chilling sensation crept over his scalp, as if a bolt was about to strike him at any moment...

Thankfully, the Chat Group still worked. Desperate for reassurance, he quickly tagged the Group Master.

[I Really Don’t Want to Be a Sacrifice: @TMD The Tribulation Is Still Chasing Me, Group Master, please retract your divine power! I’m about to explode! (shivering.jpg)]