Shrouding the Heavens: Starting by joining the Holy Land of Yao Guang

Chapter 314 Grazing

The asteroid where the Five-Colored Altar is located is basically inhabited by life, with all sorts of races living there. To reach the next location via the Five-Colored Altar, one must face attacks from these creatures.

This was clearly intentional, so that cultivators embarking on the path to heaven would all undergo trials of blood and fire.

Of course, there is also a selection process involved. Only those who are truly amazing can continue, while those who are of mixed quality will be eliminated. Otherwise, given the number of human beings, the ancient road probably wouldn't be able to accommodate them all.

Of course, the so-called trial path was meaningless to Li Yao.

However, it did serve the purpose of cultivating the God-Slaying Insects. Along the way, they swept through the land like locusts, and wherever they went, disaster was inevitable.

This was only because Li Yao was keeping them in check; otherwise, all races would have been completely devoured.

The Human Race Trial Path will continue to be trodden by other prodigies after him. If all these lives are devoured, then these trials will be rendered useless.

Imagine a proud young man, brimming with ambition, charging into the Trial Road, ready to be tempered by blood and fire, only to find utter desolation everywhere he goes. At that moment, he might even wonder if he'd come to the wrong place.

Is this still the incredibly difficult path of trials described in ancient texts?
Therefore, although Li Yao allowed the God-Slaying Worms to devour everything, he did so within limits. Each time they devoured about 40% of the life on the ancient star, he would stop them.

The rest will continue to act as gatekeepers, making things difficult for the next challengers.

However, this ancient star was an exception. When Li Yao arrived on this ancient star, he knew at first glance that the God-Slaying Insects could have a good feast this time.

This is an ancient star ruled by blood ants. Each ant is generally only the size of a fist, and the largest is no more than the size of a human head. However, their numbers are so numerous that they are terrifying. When they are lined up and spread out, they can cover the entire ancient star.

The ecosystem of this ancient planet has completely collapsed, and there are no other living things except for blood ants.

As an ancient planet inhabited by life, it was utterly barren, devoid of any vegetation, as it had all been eaten by blood ants.

Li Yao looked around and saw blood ants everywhere, fighting and devouring each other.

This was a choice made out of necessity, as they could find no food other than their own kind.

Thus, the God-Slaying Insects emerged in full force on this ancient star for the first time, a vast expanse of hornless dragons, roughly the size of blood ants.

Both sides have similar attributes, being both killer insects, but the outcome of the battle was one-sided.

Blood ants are indeed powerful, but their power is built on swarms, relying on sheer numbers to achieve victory.

On the other hand, although the number of God-Slaying Insects is far less than that of Blood Ants, each one is many times stronger.

This was a one-sided massacre; the God-Slaying Insects, blinded by rage, frantically devoured the Blood Ants.

Countless mangled limbs and broken bodies crashed to the ground. Some had been mostly devoured, while others had only their heads eaten before being discarded by the God-Slaying Insects.

The pungent stench of blood filled the air, staining the earth crimson; the scene was extremely gruesome, no less so than purgatory.

Li Yao sat upright on the back of the dragon horse, watching the great battle from afar, showing no intention of intervening.

During this period, the God-Slaying Insects held an absolute advantage, but some also perished, with many small dragons being devoured by blood ants.

However, compared to the two, the losses suffered by blood ants are definitely many times greater.

Among the God-Slaying Insects, the ten semi-saint level beings were practically unparalleled war gods. They pounced into the swarm of blood ants, opened their sharp mandibles, and devoured them one by one. Their bodies, which were only a foot and a half long, were like bottomless pits, devouring everything in sight.

This is also a talent of the God-Slaying Insect Clan. Their digestive ability is like a perpetual motion machine. While eating, they quickly digest the food and turn it into a torrent of energy to enhance themselves.

"Gulp!" Longma swallowed hard, finding the scene too horrifying—a true massacre of an ancient star.

Although we have seen the God-Slaying Worms wreak havoc before, there is no doubt that none of them can compare to this.

With every breath, thousands of lives are extinguished, and even the breath carries an overwhelming stench of blood.

The slaughter continued for seven days, with corpses piled up like mountains and blood flowing like rivers, making it no different from purgatory.

The blood ants have been killed down to less than 40%, but that is still a huge number.

From the initial fierce battles to the current rout, they are running around in disarray, their lives reaped by the God-Slaying Insects.

"It's about time to sheathe the sword." Li Yao took out a box made of five-colored iron essence, activated the Spirit Control Technique, and summoned it back.

"Buzz!"

Golden light danced in the sky, gradually gathering from individual particles into a vast, boundless ocean.

In this massacre, the God-Slaying Insects also suffered casualties, losing about 10% of their numbers.

The casualties were heavy, but the gains were equally significant. All the surviving God-Slaying Insects had become considerably stronger.

Li Yao activated the Spirit Control Technique to sense that thousands of God-Slaying Insects had all reached the edge of a breakthrough.

Among them, there were five more semi-saint level god-slaying insects, all of which had transformed during this massacre.

What was most surprising was that the four semi-saint god-slaying insects, whose magical power could no longer be suppressed, were now displaying their holy might.

This is a sign that the situation is about to become uncontrollable; a breakthrough must be made as soon as possible.

Li Yao did not put away the God-Slaying Insects that were about to break through, but let them undergo the tribulation on their own.

"Boom!"

Above the ancient star, which resembled a purgatory, a sky full of lightning tribulations descended, creating a spectacular scene.

Li Yao paid no attention to the other lightning tribulations; his attention was now entirely drawn to the tribulation of the four half-saint god-slaying insects.

The four god-slaying insects obtained from the Feathered Ancestral Temple, after accumulating killings over such a long period of time, finally brought about the great calamity of becoming a saint.

The four great tribulations of becoming a saint descended simultaneously, their destructive aura seemingly capable of overturning the heavens and earth, their power terrifying beyond measure.

But the four god-slaying insects showed no fear; on the contrary, they were extremely ferocious, roaming freely in the sea of ​​lightning.

Their shells are incredibly hard, comparable to divine metal, and lightning strikes on them are very difficult to break through.

Li Yao nodded slightly. Although the great calamity was not over yet, based on his estimation, the situation was basically stable.

Four Saint-level God-Slaying Insects—this is a formidable fighting force. If they were to attack together, it would be difficult for even a Saint to withstand their devouring.

The path of trials is filled with countless ancient stars inhabited by all sorts of races, making it a paradise for god-slaying insects.

Even if there are no more ancient stars like Blood Ants, little by little, they might be able to add a few more Saint-level God-Slaying Insects.

At that time, these god-slaying insects will be a force that the ancient prodigies will find difficult to deal with.

As time passed, the lightning tribulations became fewer and fewer. Of the thousands of God-Slaying Insects, nearly 30% perished in the lightning tribulations and were reduced to ashes.

Li Yao was not disappointed; the base number was simply too large, and such a situation was unavoidable.

He had anticipated this situation.

Putting away the God-Slaying Insects, Li Yao rode his dragon horse and descended upon a location on an ancient star.

This is a cliff face, blocked by array patterns. At the foot of the mountain, there is a five-colored altar.

The dragon horse carried Li Yao up to the altar, which was activated, and runes flashed, forming a Tai Chi Bagua gate.

With a flash of light, the people on the altar vanished, and everything returned to calm, as if this place had never changed since time immemorial.

Then came an endless journey.

The path of trials is truly long. Every ancient star with its five-colored altar is fraught with danger, and even the most talented individuals can perish. Over the years, countless geniuses have fallen on this path of trials.

Of course, this only applies to ordinary people; Li Yao is not among them.

His path of trials was uneventful, without the tempering of blood and fire, consisting only of daily activities such as herding horses, raising insects, and cultivating enlightenment.

The journey was fraught with bloodshed. Thanks to the abundance of flesh and blood, the God-Slaying Insects evolved at an unimaginable speed. The number of semi-saint-level God-Slaying Insects increased from eleven to twenty-five.

The number of Saint-level God-Slaying Insects has increased from four to six. One of the half-Saint God-Slaying Insects failed its tribulation, otherwise there would be seven.

Of course, the damage is also enormous.

Li Yao's method of raising insects was not to feed them, but to let them roam freely, allowing the God-Slaying Insects to hunt and kill on their own.

This means that death is inevitable, but those who survive become stronger.

The number of God-Slaying Insects has decreased by more than 30% compared to the beginning, but their overall strength has increased countless times.

This is excluding the Saint-level God-Slaying Insects; otherwise, there would be no need to compare. Those few Saint-level God-Slaying Insects alone would be enough to completely annihilate the previous God-Slaying Insect swarms.

During the Trial Path, not all beings were from other races; there were also ancient human planets.

These people are all outsiders. Because their ancestors' moral compass collapsed, they did not choose to turn back or continue on their journey, but instead chose to survive here.

Given the characteristics of the human race, once they establish themselves in a certain place, ruling an ancient star is not difficult.

Humans were born with intelligence, and their powerful reproductive and adaptability are the reasons for their rise from humble beginnings.

Humanity is truly a miracle. Races born with innate intelligence naturally exist in the universe, some even born divine, but because of this, their reproductive capacity is very weak.

Sometimes, having a large quantity can be an advantage.

It's only because humans like to play the game of division and infighting that they are invincible throughout the universe, and no other race can rival them.

For example, those native ancient stars know the truth about the Trial Road and use it to their advantage. They control the Five-Colored Altar, and to pass, one must pay the corresponding reward.

Not convinced?

Even if you disagree, you have no choice. Gu Xing, who dares to do this, must have at least one Saint King-level combat power.

Ordinary prodigies, when embarking on the trial path, at most possess the combat strength of a saint, and are unable to resist.

When Ye Fan embarked on the trial path, his cultivation level was only half-saint. At most, he could defeat a saint four or five levels higher. This was almost the limit. Unless he entered the forbidden realm of gods and broke the shackles, he could not defeat beings at a higher level.

But this is only on the surface. If the Ascension Cauldron is unleashed, even ordinary Saint Kings would have to give way.

To prevent such people from extorting too much, the natives didn't dare to demand too much, at least within their means.

In such situations, people usually pay a toll rather than get into a conflict with these individuals.

Li Yao's appearance was just bad luck for those people; they had kicked a hornet's nest.

He didn't kill those people, but he robbed them of all their savings, beat them half to death, and kept them alive to make things difficult for those who came later.

The ancient road enforcers must know what's going on on the trial road. Since they don't bother to eliminate these people, Li Yao naturally doesn't bother to do so either.

Gradually, as Li Yao moved forward, his fame grew, leaving behind a legend of a herdsman.

As many people know, a herdsman appeared on the trial road. He didn't fight himself, but his mount alone fought his way across the land and also controlled a powerful swarm of god-slaying insects.

In the cold, boundless darkness of the universe, a solitary traveler savors solitude in the desolate silence, alone on horseback, traversing one star field after another.

Having been tempered by blood and fire, Longma became silent, no longer like the impetuous young man he once was, but possessing a more reserved demeanor.

Often, when faced with a crisis, Li Yao would send Longma to meet the enemy while he observed from afar.

He would only release the Saint-level God-Slaying Insect to resolve the trouble if it far surpassed Ryoma's level.

Therefore, Longma has experienced many trials along the way, and even his physique, which is as strong as a dragon's tendons and a tiger's bones, is not able to withstand them.

And just like that, three years passed in the blink of an eye.

Three years of bloody battles, it was a fight to the death, a fight to the death, and Longma faced life-or-death crises several times.

Li Yao remained indifferent, making no move and coldly observing the dragon and horse's struggle to cross the river. In the most dangerous moment, the dragon and horse were only a hair's breadth away from death.

But in the end, they all survived, turned the tide of battle, and killed their enemies, transforming themselves by stepping on their blood and bones.

"When will this end?" the dragon horse murmured, its body covered in wounds. Even its scales, forged from phoenix blood and crimson gold, had become much more restrained. It silently carried Li Yao as they descended upon an ancient star, immediately surveying the surrounding landscape.

It knew that if it encountered danger, Li Yao would not intervene, but would instead watch it fight to the death.

Once, it had just landed on an ancient star when it felt a lightness on its back. Before it could react, an unknown semi-saint creature attacked it.

That experience made Longma extremely cautious, and he never dared to be careless again.

It's not even sure now whether Li Yao will make a move at the last moment if it really comes down to life or death.
At first, Longma thought he could, so when he encountered a formidable enemy, he was not worried. Since someone was there to back him up, he remained calm and composed.

But Li Yao remained unmoved during several brushes with death, and Longma finally gave up that idea.

Only when your own life is in your own hands can you feel safe.

"Another grave."

The dragon horse carried Li Yao to a small mound on this ancient star, where a stone tablet stood with a few words engraved on it in hasty handwriting.

"The Tomb of the God King Jiang Yue".

Such scenes are not uncommon. Along the way, there are countless solitary graves, and each simple mound of earth buries a great man.

These people are the withered bones of the trial path, but they are the destined protagonists who would emerge from their respective ancient stars and eras.

Yet, he fell on the path of trials, without even entering that ancient road.

"The God King of the Jiang family!" Li Yao felt a sense of desolation. Those who could get this far were probably only a hair's breadth away from becoming saints, yet they still perished.

"This is no trial, it's like walking through purgatory. The destination is not the human world, but an even deeper purgatory." The dragon horse spewed out a burst of flames and raised its head to the sky.

"Heh, you're already tired? Didn't you want to become the Demon Emperor? Now you're ready to give up, settle down on the path of a senior, and become the exclusive mount of a Great Emperor?" Li Yao mocked.

Longma remained silent. After all the fighting along the way, it was truly exhausted. Its body and mind were both tormented, and it realized the cruelty of the Emperor's Road.

However, it remained steadfast in its belief and declared resolutely, "Even if it's purgatory, I will climb to the last level and become the fiercest ghost."

"It's good that you have this awareness. Let's go, we'll be at the end soon." Li Yao looked up at the starry sky, his eyes filled with boundless light, as if he could already see the end of the road to heaven.

This is a solitary journey, and the vastness of the universe is fully revealed at this moment.

The man and his horse continued their journey, which lasted for two months. After crossing several small five-colored altars, they finally found a special path.

"I've made it! I finally did it!" Dragon Horse's entire body erupted in divine flames, and his voice was like thunder, shaking a small patch of starry sky.

After years of traversing star fields, they fought their way through a bloody path and finally arrived at the end, where a stone tablet guided them.

(End of this chapter)