Consuming Earths, Devouring Skies

"A golem based off an Asura?!" Pinaka's startled voice resounded.

"What? A golem?" Looking at the dual-sword wielding, deep-red golem who stood there as if sleeping, he couldn't help but be shocked in his heart. A golem was similar to a puppet, but it was more of an armament than an object. A golem required a spirit form and special formations. This spirit form could be bestowed conceptual laws, can wield other armaments, and be set down to act as a long-term guardian!

Many forces, even today, had golems who defended special areas of their forces. Seeing one, he knew why no one took any further action. This was likely the second obstacle presented by the Asura Phantom Palace.

"An Asura Golem…" Guàn Cui's tone was dense with vigilance. There were nearly ten thousand experts here, in their realm, they stood at a high peak, but before this man-sized golem, they were unwilling to take a single action.

"That door likely leads to the first floor halls." Tang Li commented. The others' eyes flickered with even more vigilance, looking at the others. If Tang Li could make this assumption, so could nearly everyone else. Even if they could overcome the golem, the real battle will happen in the corridor. At that time, everyone will be fighting for benefits.

However, this presented with a strange question, who will try to proceed first? The group that does will likely be severely injured in the battle even if they win, and their ability to gain benefits in the first hall will be immediately shattered. However, if they send only a weak group to combat the golem, it's likely they'll all lose their lives as a result.

Returning them to square one.

"The first floor of the Asura Phantom Palace was known for cultivating their outer disciples. If by normal estimates, it's likely those disciples were at the Qi Unification Realm at minimum." Tang Li once more commented, his mind spiraling with various thoughts. The first floor held outer disciples, the second floor held inner disciples, the third floor held outer elders, the fourth floor held inner elders, the fifth floor held core disciples and core elders, sixth was the upper-echelons quarters, while seventh belonged to the Palace Master himself.

This only considered residences. On each floor, there were rumored to be gardens hosting all sorts of herbs, training grounds and libraries for arts and cultivation, an alchemic hall for pills and elixir gathering, and even a forging center filled with materials. Similar to the Anima Syndicate, the Asura Phantom Palace had status and titles, therefore, each floor contained those with a higher strength.

As for outer, inner, or core, they weren't the exact statuses or titles, but they were close enough.

"Go!" Shockingly, someone gave an order. Seven individuals in brown unified martial attire, bursting with half-step True Essence cultivation bases exploded forwards in a manifestation formation. Immediately, they formed into a giant brown warrior wielding a grand buster blade. A sharp light filled with a mountainous aura erupted from the blade.

SWISH!

Decisively, the giant warrior slashed downwards. The sheer pressured felt like it could crush the heart alone.

BING!

The Asura Golem's eyes lit up with a crimson light. It moved slowly, its two blades cutting the very space, leaving lasting lacerations visible to all. It was like space itself was sliced in this motion. Without an ounce of fear, it took a step forward. Like a ghost, it shimmered out of existence leaving a ghostly afterimage. The giant sword that felt like a living mountain slammed heavily into the ground, missing its target. The ground itself violently quaked as if a mountain was dropped upon it.

"What?!"

Everyone's eyes widened in shock, but before anyone could locate the Asura Golem, the giant manifested from powerful qi-essence lurched to a stop.

"Wait! Retreat!" The powerful voice that screamed out earlier shouted once more. His voice filled with urgency as he felt a profound sensation of crisis. He had an average-appearance but a deep-brown outfit with symbols that signified his respective force.

His warning was far too late. Several blood-red lines revealed itself on the giant.

BOOM!

The formation collapsed instantly, but before the others could react to the backlash, a sword appeared from the spatial void, slicing violently at them with unprecedented speed. The first to go didn't even have time to spew out a blood from the backlash of the formation shattering, his entire body was instantly turned into mincemeat by the Asura Golem's blade. If one looked closely, it was like he was turned into spaghetti covered in tomato sauce and meat.

However, the Asura Golem didn't cease after dispatching of the single expert. In a blink, the rest suffered the same fate. They weren't even given the right to react to the death of their companions.

"..."

An odd silence permeated the air.

"SHIT! RU-!" Someone tried to exclaim, but a blade pierced into his torso. A surge of crimson light erupted from his pores as if he had a sun beneath his skin. He expanded like a balloon as the light intensified. Before long, he exploded like a bomb comprised of flesh and bones. Some of it landed on the nearby experts. Witnessing this, everyone's scalp tinged with a profound sensation of danger.

"It can use spatial void shifting! It can also evade both qi and spiritual sense!" Yan Zaizen deduced with a startled gaze. Without hesitation, he stepped back towards the stairs. He wasn't the only one. The others quickly followed, some even before him, their pupils constricted, and their minds trembling with a profound sensation of crisis.

The Asura Golem's rampage didn't stop at that. It continued to swing its blade viciously, aiming for the weakest and slowest of the group as if on purpose. Those at the Origin Core Realm held no hope of survival. The Asura Golem would shift to their side from the spatial void and with a single swipe of its blade, they'd turn into mincemeat, but for those stronger, they'd be pierced through silently and explode as if a bomb detonated inside their bodies.

Several seconds passed.

That's all the time passed since everyone decided to retreat. However, over a hundred individuals from various forces were slain within that very brief period of time. Many tried crushing their talismans by the Xiantu Emperor when they were targeted, but doing so at that time was simply too slow. Luckily, as long as they retreated to the stairs, the Asura Golem didn't strike. As if it was outside its range of action.

Tang Li's brows were drenched in cold sweat. He could've sworn that the Asura Golem only needed to glance at him to kill him. "What the hell?! How strong is that thing?!" He shouted out, his voice suffused with intense panic.

Guàn Cui's eyes were filled with fear, looking at the surrounding individuals to see many, even those stronger than her, filled with the same intense fear.

"It should be at the peak-True Essence Realm! Not to mention, it has been bestowed a concept of space and sword. Also, this entire room is like a formation amplifying its strengths. In here, I'd imagine it could rival a newly ascended first-floor Heavenly Genesis expert!" Pinaka informed Yan Zaizen. Law of Space? Law of Sword? It seemed to be true; a golem could be bestowed various conceptual laws.

"Wow...this is only the first floor yet its guardian is exceptional!" Yan Zaizen muttered in disbelief. It seems the Asura Phantom Palace wasn't considered a second-level heavenly-tier force for nothing.

"You're wrong," Pinaka stated, "this Asura Golem is likely its most powerful defense. Typically, the strongest form of defense would be left at the first level of breach. This is to dissuade others from pursuing further or touching a single bit of their treasures."

Oh?

If that's the case, it made sense. As long as they could overcome this guardian, wouldn't they have free reign over the rest of the treasures? Despite this, many didn't take action. They slowly deliberated, and the peak forces discussed amongst each other. It seems they also realized what Pinaka did.

With nearly ten thousand experts in the stairs, everyone simply patiently waited. Some cultivation in meditation, others studied their arts or looked at references, while most discussed means and methods to combat the Asura Golem.

Days turned to weeks.

Weeks turned to months.

Finally, after eight months, a valiant looking young man dressed in light-blue armor stepped upwards in front of everyone. Despite his youthful appearance, his cultivation was at a staggering late-True Essence Realm!

"Some of you may know me, but for those who don't. My name's Wu Kun! We've come up with a plan to overcome this Asura Golem! However, we'll need everyone support in this endeavor. For those who are willing, please stay, but for those who aren't, please leave!" He gestured towards the exit, his actions and words were very domineering. Many felt discontented by those words.

Who made him king?

"Why should we leave?!" A half-step True Essence expert stepped out, looking discontented by being forced to help someone else in some godforsaken plan they knew nothing about.

Wu Kun simply smiled, his eyes suffused with an arrogant gleam, "Simple. We'll be passing this floor with certainly, but for those who wish to take advantage of our hard work, they don't deserve a piece. Let me see, do you not wish to help?"

"How will you pass the golem?!" The expert questioned, many murmured behind him in agreement of his question. They should at least know what they'd have to do before risking their lives. For all they knew, this person wanted to use their very lives to achieve that goal. Who would be willing to do such a thing?

Wu Kun chuckled lightly, "Simple! We'll-" His voice thundered with pride, as if the world was in his hands.

"Wait!" Someone shouted, "Where's the golem?!"

"..."

All gazes were instantly drawn to the room guarded by the Asura Golem. Within this room was a vast empty space with a large door at the other end, but no golem.

...Where's the golem?