Spatial disturbances rippled across Rainbow Mountain like waves through reality itself. The phenomenon attracted immortals from across the human territories like moths to flame, including several King-level powerhouses who materialized in the surrounding void, their divine bodies radiating overwhelming pressure as they waited for the mountain's transformation to complete.
Though the alien races lacked humanity's Virtual Universe network, their communication methods proved equally effective. Within hours, King-level immortals from the Monster Race, Machine Race, and Insect Race began appearing in the airspace around Rainbow Mountain.
"The Tiger King of the Monster Race!"
"That's Robbery Blade King, one of humanity's rising stars!"
"Silver Monkey King from the Monster Race Alliance! He's a high-ranking King!"
"Have any Insect Race Kings arrived yet?"
"No Insect Kings so far, but the Machine Race has deployed four of their King-level units."
"The Hong Alliance sent representatives too."
"This is insane. So many King-level immortals gathering in one location... What could possibly draw this much attention?"
"A treasure, obviously. And judging by the turnout, it must be extraordinary."
Around Rainbow Mountain's perimeter, the four great factions maintained a tense standoff, each King-level presence creating invisible boundaries of power that none dared cross lightly.
Han Jue and his three companions, Hong, Lei Shen, and Han Xi, observed the gathering from a safe distance aboard their spacecraft, with no intention of departing despite the escalating danger.
Their goal was simple: fish in troubled waters and see if opportunity presented itself.
"Could a treasure really be emerging from Rainbow Mountain?" Lei Shen asked, his voice tinged with curiosity.
"Anything's possible," Hong replied calmly, his dark eyes tracking the movements of various King-level immortals through the viewing screen.
Dozens of Kings had already assembled, including several at the high level. Notably absent were peak-level Kings, though if a truly exceptional treasure manifested, even those legendary figures might be unable to resist the temptation. Some limit-level Kings might even make an appearance.
After all, many limit-level Kings didn't possess treasures of the highest caliber. Aside from disciples of Universe Lords and Universe Venerables who received such items as gifts, most Kings had to fight tooth and nail for every treasure they obtained.
"There are too many Kings here. We won't be able to intervene," Han Xi said, frowning as she observed the concentration of power through the ship's sensors.
"We don't need to intervene," Hong said evenly. "We just need to wait and watch."
The changes at Rainbow Mountain continued to intensify, building toward an inevitable climax.
A treasure was about to emerge.
"Whoosh!"
An arrow forged from crystalline ice pierced straight through the Mosquito Demon Deer's chest, causing the creature to screech in agony.
The Mosquito Demon Deer burned its divine power desperately, unleashing speed it had never before achieved in its attempts to escape. Yet the small white boat pursuing it closed the distance effortlessly, firing another arrow that struck true with contemptuous ease.
The hunter was clearly toying with its prey.
Rather than ending the hunt quickly, the pursuer seemed intent on letting the Mosquito Demon Deer run and escape in terror, only to catch up just as hope began to bloom, inflicting utter despair with each new wound.
The power behind each ice crystal arrow increased with every failed escape attempt.
It was as if the hunter were using the Mosquito Demon Deer as live target practice, honing their archery skills. The first arrow had destroyed only one percent of the creature's divine body. Now, each arrow annihilated roughly fifteen percent. Two more direct hits, and the Mosquito Demon Deer would fall into hibernation from severe divine power depletion.
"King Lijin, save me!"
A passing golden figure became the Mosquito Demon Deer's last lifeline, and it cried out desperately for aid.
"Ghost Wind Marquis? What happened to you?"
King Lijin halted mid-flight, hovering in the void as he regarded the Mosquito Demon Deer with confusion. He recognized the creature, it was a peak-level Marquis from the Monster Race, known as Ghost Wind Marquis. For such a powerful being to flee in terror was highly unusual.
"A King-level immortal is hunting me!" Ghost Wind Marquis exclaimed, terror evident in every syllable as it took shelter behind King Lijin's imposing form.
"King-level?" King Lijin scoffed internally.
As a high-ranking King, he didn't take ordinary King-level beings seriously. However, before he could voice his dismissal, the white boat materialized directly before him.
"Oh? Another unexpected prize?" A calm, almost amused voice drifted from within the vessel.
King Lijin's eyes narrowed as he examined the white boat carefully. His divine sense swept over it repeatedly, and his expression gradually shifted from confusion to burning excitement.
"A palace treasure!" King Lijin's face flushed with greed. "And not just any palace treasure, an extremely rare one!"
He had originally planned to investigate Rainbow Mountain to verify rumors of a emerging treasure, but now fortune had literally flown into his path without any effort on his part!
"Which race are you from?" King Lijin demanded arrogantly. "Surrender the palace treasure, and I might consider sparing your life!"
In his estimation, Han Jue had probably stumbled upon the treasure through sheer luck. The fact that he couldn't even kill a peak-level Marquis like Ghost Wind suggested he was King-level at best, and likely the weakest tier of King at that. Compared to someone like himself, who approached the peak of King-level power, this upstart was clearly no match.
"The Monster Race has never lacked fools," Han Jue observed from within the Crimson Light Boat, shaking his head slightly with a sigh.
With a flick of his right wrist, the Ice Erosion Longbow materialized, a ranged attack treasure that appeared as though carved from pure ice crystal, radiating an aura of absolute cold.
Han Jue drew the bowstring back.
The first layer of secret runes activated!
One hundred thirty thousand times the power of a World Master erupted forth!
"Boom!"
The arrow tore through space like a spear of primordial ice, or perhaps a frozen river descending from the heavens. Terrifying frost spread outward, instantly condensing the surrounding space. Han Jue's Flame Pool domain imprisoned King Lijin, who had attempted to teleport away. The King could only watch helplessly as the arrow descended upon him.
The projectile pierced King Lijin's divine body, instantly destroying more than thirty percent of it.
Taking advantage of the King's momentary shock and the disruption to his concentration, Han Jue struck.
Ethereal Soul Codex!
The nearly two thousand years spent training in Primal Chaos City hadn't been wasted.
Beyond creating his own secret techniques, Han Jue's greatest accomplishment was fully mastering the soul enslavement portion of the Ethereal Soul Codex. His soul enslavement technique could now bind even King-level immortals. While he might not match Luo Feng's eventual mastery, Han Jue's proficiency already rivaled peak King-level experts who specialized in soul arts.
The Ethereal Soul Codex could simultaneously enslave up to ten thousand peak-level Immortal Kings, or one hundred Universe Venerables.
"Master!"
Moments later, the soul enslavement succeeded.
King Lijin's eyes now burned with fanatical devotion. After being enslaved, he naturally developed an overwhelming fondness for Han Jue. Though aware intellectually that he was a servant and that his will had been overwritten, he felt no resentment whatsoever. His soul's very essence had been restructured to trust his master completely, naturally believing that Han Jue was benevolent and worthy of absolute obedience.
This was the nature of a soul slave.
Unlike slaves controlled by biochips, who despite their restrictions often harbored resentment and dreams of freedom, soul slaves possessed no such possibilities. The enslavement was total and absolute.
"Hmm." Han Jue nodded slightly. "Is there anywhere in this Sixth Battlefield with a large concentration of Kings?"
"Master, the location with the highest concentration of Kings should be the Lotus Continent. However, recently it seems a treasure is about to emerge at Rainbow Mountain, and nearly a hundred Kings have gathered there. I was actually heading there myself when we encountered each other," King Lijin reported, bowing respectfully.
Rainbow Mountain.
A terrifying fissure split across the colorful peak that stretched for hundreds of millions of kilometers, like a wound in reality itself.
Powerful auras lingered throughout the surrounding void. By this point, Han Jue's group had retreated to an unknown distance, wisely putting significant space between themselves and the concentration of King-level power.
Only Kings could approach Rainbow Mountain now.
Anyone else who attempted to exploit the situation had been driven away by the combined forces of the assembled Kings, their possessive territoriality ensuring no weaklings would interfere with their coming battle.
"Rumble~~"
Rainbow Mountain, which had stood unchanged for countless epochs, finally shattered.
Brilliant colorful light burst forth from within, illuminating the void for millions of kilometers in all directions.
"A treasure! A top-tier treasure!" a King exclaimed, unable to contain his excitement.
The hunt was about to begin.