Chapter 0719 – Dark Star

"Just one stalk feels too plain. Since it's meant to be a garden, it should become a whole bamboo grove. Let it be a unique scenic spot within my imperial palace."

As Yi Tianxing witnessed the manifestation and marveled at the immense power of the heavens and earth, he couldn't help but frown. A single bamboo stalk could never display the grandeur of an entire grove. With a thought, he had the corpses of various ferocious beasts quickly delivered into this newly formed garden.

As the bodies fell to the ground, a terrifying scene unfolded.

From the soil—created naturally by the palace treasure tree and rooted in the palace itself—strange roots burst out like spirit serpents, quickly burrowing into the flesh. In the blink of an eye, bamboo shoots sprouted from the corpses.

Each corpse gave rise to only one bamboo shoot.

Bamboo propagates through its roots. The roots can produce new shoots and grow into stalks. A single stalk can indeed give rise to an entire forest—this was not an exaggeration but a solid truth.

The bamboo shoots grew at speeds visible to the naked eye, frantically absorbing the essence from the blood and flesh. Flesh, bones, everything—all became nourishment for their rapid development. In mere moments, the shoots transformed into fully grown bamboo stalks, section by section. The stronger the corpse, the faster the growth and the more segments formed—some had five, others six.

Each stalk stood tall and straight, exuding a sharp sword intent. Sword qi surged. Countless bamboo leaves carried a crisp, melodious sword hum in the breeze. These were Jadebone Sword Bamboos—each segment over a meter long, resembling the blade of a battle sword, evoking awe at first glance.

Thanks to the dense pile of corpses, the bamboo multiplied like a storm after rain. In the blink of an eye, what was once a single stalk became an entire Jadebone Sword Bamboo Forest, shimmering with a white jade-like sheen. Swaying in the wind, it became a nearly perfect scenic marvel.

A Jadebone Sword Bamboo Forest!!

"Again!!"

With another thought, four Demon Crystal Cannons materialized, each appearing in one of the four cardinal directions of Xuanhuang City. Once placed, they fused seamlessly into the city's structure.

Heaven and earth's power was constantly tempering Xuanhuang City.

Before long, a startling transformation occurred—the spirit snake statue let out a hiss, glowing with brilliant divine light. Countless spirit runes entwined and began to draw in innate vital energy, which surged out continuously. The influx of innate essence into Xuanhuang City accelerated, resonating with the iron ox statue.

What is an Innate Spirit Vein?

The moment they were born, the Iron Ox and Spirit Snake became Innate Spirit Veins. They are the veins, and the veins are them—there is no distinction.

The second Innate Spirit Vein was born.

Yi Tianxing rejoiced inwardly.

"Indeed, such wondrous treasures can give rise to Innate Spirit Veins. Buying them from Jin Xiangyu was a massive win."

This was a monumental gain.

"From now on, I must focus on collecting more of such treasures. Two Innate Spirit Veins are great, but the more, the better. Every additional one boosts the concentration of innate energy, accelerating cultivation. The hidden benefits are countless."

He began contemplating plans to acquire more such statues—each might hold untold secrets.

Unnoticed, Xuanhuang City shuddered slightly.

Xuanhuang City has ascended to Peerless Rank.

Xuanhuang City has been promoted to a Royal City!!

The sensation was magical—Yi Tianxing could clearly feel the foundation and tier of the entire city undergoing a massive transformation. The power it contained was truly world-altering.

Standing within Xuanhuang City, he felt like its supreme master, wielding divine power that could enforce his will with a word.

That power was far beyond imagination.

He knew clearly—if he ever had to fight against such a divine city, he would be shattered in an instant. The might was unstoppable.

"One more thing—I'm still missing a core of origin for the Supreme Artifact. For now, I'll substitute it with the Abyssal Pool of Destruction."

The power of a Supreme Artifact was frightening, but activating one wasn't easy. Without the core, even using it once or twice could drain him dry, possibly killing him instantly.

The core of origin was the true power source of a Supreme Artifact.

Though Xuanhuang City had now become a Supreme Immortal City of Peerless Rank, it was still incomplete. Its creation was recent and it had faced many battles—it lacked its artifact core, the true heart of the weapon. Fortunately, the Abyssal Pool of Destruction could temporarily serve as a substitute to support the city's operation.

Still, this needed to be resolved quickly. Without the core, it was like a body without a soul—unable to operate perfectly.

"Wonderful. We've finally become a Royal City."

"Xuanhuang City is now a Royal City! In the past, that meant being the capital of an entire dynasty—its status is irreplaceable."

The citizens were overwhelmed with joy. They instinctively sensed that Xuanhuang City had risen in tier—its status in this chaotic era now shockingly high.

"Well done, Yi Tianxing. You dared climb over my shoulders to ascend. That's bold—not the mark of a mere mortal. A Royal City… So Xuanhuang City has reached this tier so quickly. Impressive foundation."

From afar, King Behemoth Huang Ji, who had withdrawn from the battlefield, looked toward Xuanhuang City. His gaze carried anger, solemnity, and complicated emotions.

Xuanhuang City's ascension meant Humanity had taken the lead.

"But let's see how you handle the next catastrophe. Every step up in destiny invites disaster. I'll use this to observe how Royal City-level tribulations unfold."

Behemoth King had built villages and cities from a Village Creation Token, so he knew that each promotion triggered a calamity. Previous ones were trivial—but not this one.

A Royal City meant a fundamental transformation, and the tribulation would be far more terrifying.

He wanted to watch and learn, to prepare for his own future ascension.

"My lord!!"

Lu Shi and Jia Xu immediately saluted. "The ascension is complete. Now the true tribulation will likely begin. We don't know what it'll be, but a Royal City's tribulation will surely dwarf the previous ones."

No one dared underestimate this coming danger. It could bring horrific calamity.

They still remembered vividly when the city faced undead legions and even the Reaper himself casting lines to reel in souls.

"It's already here," Yi Tianxing said, taking a deep breath.

He could feel it—a wave of invisible murderous energy spreading in the air.

The people of the city didn't relax. Many had experienced such tribulations before. They knew—the moment the promotion was complete, the tribulation would strike.

Above Xuanhuang City in the sky...

Invisible black mist began to gather, emanating a terrible ominousness. Suddenly, a pitch-black vortex appeared without warning.

As it formed, it began to rapidly expand, revealing itself to the entire city.

That vortex carried a terrifying aura that made all who saw it feel instinctively agitated and disgusted—as if facing their destined nemesis.

Peering into it, one could glimpse... another world.

"What is that? Why do I feel like I saw a terrifying dark realm inside that vortex?"

"No, I saw it too—monsters slumbering, more being born. Is that another world? Or just a hallucination?"

"I saw it too… A demonic god slumbering in there—something terrifying and catastrophic."

The people were horrified.

Yi Tianxing also saw it—a strange scene flashing deep in the vortex. It burned into his mind.

"What lies beyond that vortex? Is it truly another world? Every tribulation brings this black mist—what is it? Why does it feel familiar?"

A thought darted through his mind.

"Every promotion triggers a disaster—but what's the truth behind it?"

Even Lord Hollow was pondering deeply. His questions were no fewer than anyone else's.

Whoosh!!

Within the vortex, black light surged. Suddenly, a massive dark meteor shot out from it, enveloped in black flames, as large as a roc, crashing down toward Xuanhuang City.

It wasn't falling freely—it was accelerating with terrifying force.

This was the tribulation—a catastrophe hurtling directly at the city.

"That meteor is huge! If it hits us, Xuanhuang City will be destroyed!"

"This is a calamity—a disaster! That meteor is half the size of the entire city! It'll obliterate us!"

Panic erupted. Countless civilians and cultivators were filled with terror.