Chapter 633 - Crystal Emperor, Star Horn God!

It had originally been pitch dark in an underground cave on Eternal Island, with only large patches of mutant moss on the cave walls emitting a faint green glow. Now, however, it was brightly lit, with wall lamps hanging everywhere to illuminate the surroundings. One could see man‑made chisel marks all over the cave walls and even roads carved out.

Some buildings built in the Hongli Federation style stood tall, with cableways linking various points. Golem Sect had controlled Eternal Island for some time, and many elites had come to the underground cave to lay the groundwork. After Black Rain Manor's revival ended, the world's major calamity forces had suffered heavy blows.

Shipload after shipload of corpses had been sent to Eternal Island to be made into top-tier bait made of human flesh and imbued with pure essence of calamity. Few dark creatures in the World of Calamity could refuse them.

They were constantly lured over and constantly slain, gradually widening the inter-world passage to a size fit for a Holy Fist and an Ultimate Dark Form to pass through.

On the Golem Sect's side, powerhouses were regularly sent through to clear the remains on the other side and erase traces so as to avoid arousing vigilance. With operations running around the clock, the inter-world passage had grown many times larger and nearly occupied the entire cave wall.

Gust after gust of gloomy wind blew through from the opposite side, carrying a deeply unsettling aura of calamity and evil. However, all those calamity forces were devoured entirely by the tall figure blocking the passage mouth. A vortex of invisible Qi shrouded everything and filled every corner with domineering intent. The Golem Sect disciples ferrying materials back and forth felt at ease just seeing that back.

Even though the black tunnel covered nearly half the cave and exerted extreme oppression, so long as the Golem Sect's master was around, he'd even hold the sky up single‑handedly!

Hoo... hiss... hoo... hiss...

The sound of wind from the inter-world passage dominated the cave's main rhythm. Aside from that, there was a barely audible faint rustling noise.

Whoosh!

Suddenly, a figure streaked by. A humanoid shot through the giant passage mouth like a waterbird, so fast that a trailing afterimage burned behind him. The light in the cave flared, revealing the figure of Demon Dog Simone.

His clothes bulged as strands of powerful black Qi poured from his pores. Simone's eyes were also jet‑black, and his aura many times stronger than usual. Clearly, he had activated the Golem Seed and was using Cassius's energy.

He had originally been presiding over the Federal Combat Championships but once the tournament got on track, it only needed to proceed as per the plan. Hence, Simone handed the job to the other Golem Sect commanders and came to Eternal Island to follow Cassius.

The other commanders gladly accepted, since it was basically free merit. But Simone had other calculations in mind. Ever since joining, he had upheld one principle. The only things that warranted effort were what Golem Sect's master deemed important. What he didn't care about, no matter how grand or noisy, likely wasn't major merit even if they were completed.

From recent events, the inter-world passage at Eternal Island was something Cassius cared about greatly. In contrast, he merely displayed his strength on day one to awe the Covert Martial Arts world at the Federal Combat Championships, then left East Sea City to sit here.

Thus, Simone chose to come to the island as well. Thus, he was entrusted with a heavy responsibility. The environment in the World of Calamity was extremely perilous, with dark creatures everywhere ruling the land.

The Golem Sect, or rather Cassius, needed scouts to gather intel in real time. They needed to judge the overall situation over a wide area around the passage and thereby decide the quantity and timing of laying bait. They even had to watch for signs that an Ultimate Dark Form was being lured, laying traps step by step.

Cassius couldn't pass through as the Qi of a Holy Fist was too vast to get through the passage. As such, he could only choose others, preferably with at least a combat artist's cultivation, a nimble mind, and the capacity to handle emergencies. They also needed ample courage to brave danger.

Demon Dog Simone played precisely that role. He frequently traversed the passage, bringing back useful intel. One could say he greatly aided Cassius's entire plan.

This time, Simone had brought back crucial information! He hurried over, stopping beside Cassius to report respectfully. "Master, I discovered traces of an Ultimate Dark Form due north of the passage mouth, around one hundred and fifty kilometers away..."

The Dominator Fist Qi on him from Cassius could sense the aura of nearby Ultimate Dark Forms and give special warnings.

The tall figure sitting cross‑legged like a statue suddenly opened his eyes. His azure pupils were like the endless sea. He stopped cultivating and slowly stood.

"The prey... has it finally come?"

Broad shoulders and a vast presence seemed to lift the whole space. Something in the air seemed to come alive.

"Report the details," Cassius said, looking at Simone.

"Yes!" Simone immediately recounted his hours inside the World of Calamity.

Cassius quickly concluded that an Ultimate Dark Form was slowly approaching the passage, hunting while advancing.

"Gluttonous? Or wounded and needing to recover, hence the gluttony. Either way, my bait should be extremely tempting to it. If it smells it, it will definitely hurry over..." Cassius pondered, already making a decision.

His eyes shifted to the loyally waiting Simone. "Come over here."

Simone looked up, then walked over. Less than a meter away, his vision suddenly blurred. A blurred black arm enlarged rapidly before him, too fast for even a combat artist to react.

Tap.

A forefinger touched Simone's forehead. The next second, scalding Qi poured into Simone's body. His muscles quivered, almost spasming, as if his cells vibrated. He felt as if he were soaking in a warm and comfortable hot spring as filth and fatigue were swept away. The pleasure beyond any sex made him clench his fists, wanting to moan aloud. Luckily, he held back and did not disgrace himself before the master. As a grown man, to moan so lewdly before the ever‑austere master... How could he keep his face after that? Simone's persona was always cold and tough so he endured, not releasing that ecstasy.

As the finger withdrew, Simone stood there, savoring the afterglow. His Will swept through his body, feeling vibrant and powerful. Even potential hidden deep within his body had been raised by that hot flow. With a slight thought, he rallied his Qi and a river‑like torrent swept through.

Simone clenched his fists with an ecstatic heart. He had actually reached top‑tier combat artist! Following the master to this place and working diligently was not in vain. One could say that he had profited hugely. Nothing in the world could be more worthwhile.

Breaking through from veteran to top‑tier combat artist was explosive in the Covert Martial Arts world. After all, a top‑tier combat artist was a pillar of force for decades to come. In the current declining age of Covert Martial Arts, such status was even more significant. In just four days, he had placed one foot into the top ranks.

Simone was overjoyed and marveled at the master's might and generosity. The gift that made him several times stronger in an instant was, in the master's eyes, a trifling reward. In any case, he had chosen right. Abandoning the easily gained credit at the tournament was the correct choice.

After collecting himself, Simone bowed respectfully. "Thank you for the reward, my lord!"

"Call everyone in the cave here. After receiving the rewards, leave the cave at once. Don't stay on the island, return to East Sea City instead. I alone am enough here," Cassius ordered coolly. He already sensed a great battle was imminent.

"Yes!" Simone clasped his fists together and strode off. Soon, all Golem Sect disciples who had toiled there received extremely satisfying rewards.

Cassius was not stingy. He split off a small portion of the life vibration energy gained from the masses of dark creatures slain from the bait. People needed incentives, especially those working for him. Their strength was Golem Sect's strength.

Of course, Cassius also needed reserves of life vibration energy. Though it could no longer raise his strength, it could heal his injuries. He would never open the floodgates of life vibration to crazily boost his people unless absolutely necessary.

In the cave, the clearly stronger Golem Sect disciples packed up and, led by Simone, left the ancient ruin. Only Cassius remained in the brightly lit depths. He would handle everything that followed alone.

Several hours later, a brilliant blue starlight blanketed the gray plain near the inter-world passage in the World of Calamity in a truly gorgeous sight. Sparks of starlight drifted gently like falling snow. They sprinkled the ground and on the dark creatures on the plain.

The starlight was like paint, soaking a large area. The dark creatures' skin quickly mottled and turned into blue semi‑transparent crystal statues at visible speed.

Thump thump... thump thump...

A series of muffled and massive footsteps came faintly from afar, growing louder. As time passed, each step shook the ground like thunder.

Boom! Crash!

The blue crystal statues shattered, becoming a carpet of transparent stardust. Soon, the whole plain was blanketed in a thick layer of crystal powder.

Whoosh!

Suddenly a huge suction came from the southern plain. The stardust reversed course, flying at great speed toward a vortex. In the process, it formed a dreamlike blue milky way that looked incomparably splendid. Finally, the river fell into an open mouth, like an endless abyssal throat.

A crystal behemoth roamed the gray plain, wantonly hunting dark creatures. Nothing could resist it, for it was an Ultimate Dark Form.

A Crystal Emperor, Star Horn God.

In Crystal Sand Sea, the origin of the crystal race, there was a race collectively known as Crystal Emperors. Crystal Emperors were Ultimate Dark Forms, and this was one of them, known as Star Horn God.

The thin daylight of the World of Calamity revealed its massive form. By human standards, Star Horn God looked like a massive crystal insect. Specifically, it resembled a rhinoceros beetle, yet differed. It wasn't rounded and its surface wore rock‑like, sharp edged armor, like a snapping turtle's shell. It looked visibly ferocious.

The vast energy of stardust flowed within the semi‑transparent shell, forming giant vortices. Most eye‑catching were its two horns, raised skyward, occupying a third of its body. Blue halos swelled at the horn tips, sprinkling flickering stardust to form a vast domain around it. Crystalline rain fell within the domain, annihilating all non‑crystal races. After the dark creatures died, Star Horn God devoured them to mend the huge crack on its body that was on the verge of closing.

One could see a fine crack running through its body along the side of its crystal armor. It was clearly a grievous wound from a terrifying strike. However, it was near healed, replenished by ceaseless calamity energy.

Crash... crash...

Stardust was swallowed and finely chewed. However, it was not satisfied. Its massive head tilted, gazing toward the west of the gray plain. There, a mountain gorge exuded a tempting scent.

Moments later...

Thump! Thump!

The crystal behemoth squeezed into the gorge, scraping the cliff walls. Its target was clear—the inter-world passage deep within.

In the dark unknown, a magical voice murmured and echoed.

"Come, come, a little closer... Become a part of me, to forge my foundation of the Golem... You will be the second Ultimate Dark Form I kill and devour..."