The weaker cultivators gathered around the perimeter immediately felt their chests tighten, as though an invisible mountain had been placed upon them.Some struggled to breathe, while others were forced to circulate their Qi merely to remain standing.The earth beneath their feet groaned and buckled as hairline cracks rapidly spread across the stone platform.Then..BOOM!A streak of pale yellow light descended from the sky and slammed into the ground directly before the ranking monument.A violent shockwave erupted, blasting dust and debris in every direction and forcing the surrounding cultivators to retreat.The entire crowd fell silent.As the dust slowly settled, a towering old man emerged from within the crater.His long hair whipped wildly behind him, while his robes fluttered violently beneath the pressure of the Earth Qi surrounding his body.His face was twisted with unrestrained fury, and his bloodshot eyes swept across the gathered cultivators like those of a predator sear

Inside the pocket dimension, Liu Kang, Bai Yu, and Fan Kang sat cross-legged inside one of the chambers of the Sovereign Abode.Dense, ancient spiritual energy surged through the chamber like a whirlpool, continuously flowing toward Liu Kang and being absorbed into his meridians with every cycle of his cultivation technique.The battle to forge Heavenrend, followed by the lightning tribulation, had completely drained his reserves. Yet that extreme exhaustion had also pushed his foundation to its limits, allowing him to break through the invisible barrier that had been restricting his cultivation.As pure Qi flooded through his body, the bottleneck separating the sixth and seventh stages of the Innate Realm finally shattered.Boom!A powerful wave of crimson and golden Qi erupted from Liu Kang's body and spread throughout the chamber. The carved stone pillars of the Sovereign Abode trembled and hummed in resonance, while the air became heavy with the sharp, metallic aura of sword inten

The moment the enormous creature emerged from the pond, the entire underground garden fell deathly silent.The only sound that remained was the water cascading from its enormous body.The Earth-Spine Salamander slowly raised its head. Its body was massive. Even with only its upper half exposed, it towered over the ancient spiritual plants surrounding the pond.Thick, mud-colored scales covered its body from head to tail, and each scale was reinforced by dense earth-element energy. Several jagged, bone-like protrusions grew along its spine, resembling the peaks of ancient mountains.Every time the creature breathed, a heavy wave of earth-element pressure spread throughout the garden.Boom!The ground beneath Liu Kang's feet trembled violently.Fan Kang's expression became extremely solemn."Earth-Spine Salamander..."He tightened his grip around his crimson spear."This thing has probably been sleeping beneath this pond for tens of thousands of years."Liu Kang's eyes remained fixed on

The divine pillar of light did not stop after shattering the cavern roof or piercing through the sky of the Sovereign Abode.Its radiance continued upward, rupturing the space-time boundaries of the pocket dimension itself.Outside the ancient entrance to the Sovereign Abode, high above the pocket dimension, the sky suddenly tore open.A column of pure, blinding golden light cascaded down from the void, bathing the surrounding mountain ranges in brilliant crimson-gold hues.At the same time, a primordial dragon-like roar echoed through the heavens.The sound resonated directly within the souls of every cultivator present.On the enormous floating platforms surrounding the portal, thousands of sect elders, patriarchs, and high-ranking clan leaders stood up in unison."The Earthen Dragon Essence..."An elder from the Heavenly Sword Sect gasped.His long beard trembled as he felt the overwhelming pressure leaking through the dimensional rift."The rumors were true! The Sovereign Abode ac

Liu Kang hesitated for a brief moment when he suddenly sensed danger.A cold breeze brushed against the nape of his neck.His instincts screamed.Before he could fully turn around, a dull-red dagger appeared behind him and slashed toward his neck.Slash!The dagger struck, but at the critical moment, a faint layer of lightning Qi condensed around Liu Kang's neck.The blade tore through the protective lightning Qi and left a shallow cut across his skin. The force of the impact pushed Liu Kang several steps backward before he managed to steady himself.“Oh?”A surprised voice echoed through the surrounding space.Everything suddenly became eerily still.Fan Kang and Bai Yu immediately moved toward Liu Kang, their eyes sweeping across the surroundings as they searched for the attacker.Liu Kang raised his hand and touched the back of his neck. When he pulled his fingers away, a trace of blood stained them.His expression gradually turned cold.ROAR!A low, resonant growl escaped Little R