Divine Replication System

Despite both being at the Martial Monarch Stage, the disparity between the late and early periods of this stage is significant, even more so than the gap between the Martial King Stage and the Martial Monarch Stage. Take Zhou Yanshun, for instance, who was also at level 1 of the Martial Monarch Stage, yet far stronger than me. He was utterly defenseless and met his end at the hands of another. It was a clear indication of the power difference.    

Therefore, I wisely referred to myself as a junior, not daring to overstep my bounds. What's more, the individual before me might not just be in the late period of the Martial Monarch Stage but could very well be a formidable being on par with a Sect Master from one of the six major powers on the Dongyuan Continent.    

"Senior, the man responsible is Elder Zhou Yanshun of the Devil Cloud Sect. He led a team specifically to slaughter the inhabitants of my Yi Chang City, aiming to exterminate all living beings and loot our treasures. Such heinous acts, targeting remote and secluded cities, have been frequent in the past few months by the Devil Cloud Sect. Had you not sensed the situation and intervened, both myself and the entire city's population would have perished at the hands of these Devil Cloud Sect warriors. On behalf of all the martial cultivators of Yi Chang City, I extend our deepest gratitude for your life-saving grace."    

With that, Mu Yi attempted to kneel on one knee to express his gratitude to Lin Xuan for the salvation he provided. Although he was in the early period of the Martial Monarch Stage, a high-ranking position on the Central Essence Continent, the one who saved him and the city's martial cultivators possessed an unfathomable level of cultivation and strength, far surpassing his own. Such a gesture was not shameful.    

Yet, he found himself unable to kneel, as if an unseen mighty force in the space below was holding him up.    

"There's no need for such formalities; it was merely a convenient action on my part. I bear a grudge against the Devil Cloud Sect and would never spare any of their martial artists," Lin Xuan responded calmly.    

"Saving you all was merely incidental."    

As those words were spoken, a cool, detached voice filled the air.    

It seemed as though the earlier annihilation of Zhou Yanshun and the hundreds of Devil Cloud Sect martial artists, leaving them as nothing more than desiccated corpses, was a matter of little significance.    

The voice then continued.    

"Update me on the current continental situation."    

Lin Xuan had been away for only a few months, not even a full year.    

In times of peace, there would be little of note to report.    

But with the Devil Cloud Sect igniting a war, the entire continent had been drawn into the conflict.    

Recent events were significant enough to have brought about considerable changes.    

The fact that Zhou Yanshun and other Devil Cloud Sect martial artists had traveled great distances to attack a remote city like Yi Chang City was telling.    

"Yes, Senior," Mu Yi respectfully responded.    

"Since the Devil Cloud Sect turned against us in Devil Essence City a few months ago, a massive war has broken out.    

The entire continent has been set ablaze by this conflict.    

Although the Devil Cloud Sect's deceitful tactics severely wounded several of the Emperor Level high-ups from the other Five Overlords, their foundations remained intact.    

Subsequently, the Devil Cloud Sect spread the war across the continent.    

The display of power has alarmed countless martial cultivators and factions.    

The number of Emperor Level Martial Cultivators they deployed was comparable to the combined forces of at least two of the other five powers.    

They even mobilized three peak Emperor Level Martial Cultivators.    

The other five overlords, including the previously dominant East Saint Sect, could not withstand their might.    

Moreover, there was considerable friction and longstanding grievances among the five overlords themselves.    

Despite the Devil Cloud Sect's formidable show of strength, they were not so much stronger as to completely obliterate any single overlord.    

Consequently, the five overlords opted to hunker down, consolidating most of their core martial cultivators and upper echelons within their headquarters, adopting a defensive stance.    

They also kept a watchful eye on the Devil Cloud Sect's subsequent actions.    

Curiously, the Devil Cloud Sect refrained from directly provoking the other five overlords.    

They steered clear of the Central Region near the headquarters of the five overlords.    

Instead, they unleashed a reign of terror across the continent, massacring and ravaging at will.    

For a time, the continent was engulfed in the flames of war and rampant slaughter.    

The five overlords observed with cold detachment.    

Mu Yi's voice betrayed a hint of dissatisfaction as he spoke. He found the indifference of the other five forces hard to stomach. Yet, his own power was insufficient to sway their decisions. There was little he could do, except ensure the safety of his family, friends, and acquaintances.    

Lin Xuan listened in silence, his expression unchanging. He had anticipated the stance of the five great powers. The Devil Cloud Sect had ignited conflict, yet their actions hadn't touched the core interests of the five great sects. The Devil Cloud Sect was merely terrorizing other major and minor sects and independent martial artists, potentially diminishing the five sects' reputation. Nonetheless, the Devil Cloud Sect's demonstrated power was formidable. Engaging them in battle would likely incur significant losses. Therefore, a defensive approach seemed more prudent, provided the Devil Cloud Sect didn't overstep.    

The Devil Cloud Sect, a faction of the Demon Force, was known for its brutality and ruthlessness, annihilating sects as if it were routine. Without the intervention of the five great sects, the other forces and individual cultivators would likely face disaster, with bloodshed on a massive scale. Such concerns, however, did not factor into the calculations of the five great sects. In any world, the true elite view those beneath them as expendable—like chives, quickly regrowing after being cut, impossible to fully harvest, and thus unworthy of concern. Accustomed to their lofty status, they no longer regarded the common folk as their equals.    

A chill settled in Lin Xuan's heart. Having only recently ascended from the lower ranks, he couldn't adopt such a callous disregard for life. Unless his own survival was at stake, he was willing to act, even without the promise of reward. Take, for instance, his current situation. The Devil Cloud Sect had committed atrocities that he could not ignore. Should he gain the strength, he was resolved to eradicate the Demon Aura Hall. He was no saint—if provoked, he would not hesitate to strike down an enemy or even annihilate an entire sect.    

He wasn't a saint; if provoked, he would annihilate his enemies without batting an eye, even to the point of wiping out entire lineages. Yet, he couldn't stand by and watch the wholesale slaughter of his own people. Nor did he entertain the notion of being so superior that he viewed all beings as beneath him.    

Mu Yi continued speaking without pause, his thoughts, however, were elsewhere. He suspected that this mysterious figure, likely one of the Six Great Overlords' Sect Masters, harbored a deep-seated enmity towards the Devil Cloud Sect. It was possible that in the future, this Emperor Level Expert would decimate the higher ranks of the Devil Cloud Sect. Such an act could potentially save many innocent martial artists and civilians. One could only hope.    

The other five Overlords, though puzzled, chose not to intervene. Then, a shocking revelation emerged from an unknown source. The Demon Aura Blood Spirit Pool—a closely guarded secret of the Devil Cloud Sect. This pool, which only the Devil Cloud Sect could create, was designed to be continuously replenished with materials to generate Demon Aura Blood. For Demonic Martial Artists, this blood offered incredible benefits. It could not only accelerate their cultivation but also alleviate bottlenecks, enhancing their training speed. The effects were significant even for Emperor Level Experts, akin to an extremely pure spiritual elixir. And the primary material used to fill the Demon Aura Blood Spirit Pool? The corpses of countless martial artists.    

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