CHAPTER 159: THE SECOND RELIC APPEARS... THE STRENGTH OF GOD REALM CULTIVATORS...

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

Each of the six fist strikes thundered forward, crashing through the air with unrelenting momentum. They targeted Luka’s remaining afterimages, aiming to obliterate them completely and without mercy.

Sensing the rising pressure behind him, Luka remained calm. His expression showed no panic, only focus.

All six afterimages continued moving forward at the same pace, unfazed by the looming attack. The air trembled as the fists approached, their force warping the space around them.

Seeing this, the purple bronze man sneered, his face twisting into a condescending smile. He made no attempt to restrain the attack. On the contrary, more mana surged into his arms. The energy flowed chaotically, transforming the attack into a destructively unstable force that shook the surrounding platform.

The cultivators watching from afar glanced toward the unfolding conflict. None of them intervened. Instead, they held their breath, eager to witness the outcome of the battle.

In the blink of an eye, the furious punch reached Luka.

Boom!

With no resistance in its path, the destructive force struck. The explosion echoed across the battlefield, sending shockwaves that blew dust and debris in all directions. All eyes focused on the impact.

A terrifying weight had crushed down upon Luka’s figure, and in the next moment, all of his afterimages shattered into pieces, vanishing like mist under a burning sun.

The crowd’s expressions turned into wide-eyed surprise. Murmurs rippled among them.

"It seems that young man is doomed."

"Indeed. He can’t possibly survive such an attack."

Many sighed in astonishment, their minds reeling from the raw power displayed. Even imagining themselves in Luka’s position, surviving such a devastating blow seemed utterly impossible.

Only someone with monstrous strength or a divine defense could have hope of living through it.

However, the young man who had launched the attack frowned. The relic—his true objective—was nowhere to be seen. His eyes narrowed. Confused, he expanded his senses to scan the surroundings.

Normally, when a cultivator died, their relic would be released and appear not far from their body. But now, the relic had completely vanished from his field of perception.

"Except..." The man’s eyes sharpened. A possibility occurred to him, and he quickly spun around, looking in a particular direction.

There—he spotted Luka, sprinting at full speed, completely uninjured and charging into the distance without a care in the world.

"I thought I killed him?" The man stood rooted in place, stunned. But even in his shock, he reacted quickly. Channeling his mana, he summoned his pseudo-world once more. Condensing it into his fist, he formed another attack.

With no hesitation, he hurled a ferocious punch toward Luka.

Luka noticed the oncoming blow, but once again chose not to dodge. The same scene repeated itself—his figure shattered under the impact, only for him to reappear elsewhere, unharmed.

The purple bronze man growled in frustration. He could not touch Luka no matter how hard he tried. He clenched his fists but eventually exhaled deeply and gave up the chase.

He needed to conserve his strength for the remaining relics that would soon appear. Being outwitted twice was already enough humiliation.

Coming to a decision, he cast one final glare in Luka’s direction and snorted, turning away with clear disdain.

Kathryn, who had been standing at the side, sighed in relief. As expected of Luka. There was no need to intervene or offer help.

Though she was slightly surprised by his deception, Kathryn appeared as though she had anticipated this outcome. She smiled faintly, pleased. They had secured a relic without suffering any real cost.

Kranos also stopped in his tracks, eyes fixed on Luka’s retreating form. He hadn’t expected him to be so fast. More than that, he sensed that the heavenly movement technique Luka wielded was far beyond what he was revealing on the surface.

A few thoughts passed through Kranos’s mind. He realized that Luka’s comprehension of the movement technique had grown significantly.

To his surprise, Luka also glanced back at Kranos. After all, Kranos had managed to follow him, even if only slightly.

Sensing a familiar resonance in Kranos’s aura, Luka’s eyes lit up. He hadn’t expected Kranos’s affinity to have advanced so much.

"Kranos, about those—"

Just as Luka was about to ask about his real affinity, a loud noise erupted from the distance, instantly capturing everyone’s attention.

All the cultivators turned their heads in unison toward the source of the sound. Without hesitation, they located a new relic emerging from the void.

This one emitted a blinding light, its glow so intense that it seemed to devour everything around it. The air twisted under its presence.

Kathryn’s eyes sparkled with excitement.

This treasure was special. It was one of the key components suitable for repairing the starship, primarily because it contained an extremely condensed amount of starlight energy.

Kathryn understood the importance of obtaining this relic at all costs.

She turned quickly to Kranos and Luka.

"This treasure is more valuable than the last. Do your best to secure it, but be careful. The battles from here on will only grow more brutal."

As she spoke, she turned to the side, casting a glance toward a group of God Realm cultivators nearby.

The pressure shifted.

The God Realm cultivators also looked in her direction, but their eyes didn’t settle on her. Instead, they were fixed on Luka, who had claimed the first relic.

Without warning, three of them moved.

In an instant, the skirmishes scattered across the platform halted.

Everyone turned toward the three advancing figures, their eyes wide with disbelief. But none dared stop them. A heavy pressure descended upon the battlefield, silencing all noise.

The pressure of a higher realm filled the air.

The three God Realm cultivators simultaneously channeled their mana. In an instant, the surrounding mana spiraled out of control. The battlefield trembled under the onslaught of their power.

The cultivators who had been fighting closest to the relic barely had time to react before their bodies were crushed into pulp, their life force extinguished like flickering candles in a storm.

The entire platform stared at the three figures. Their strength was unimaginable. It was a gap that none of the others could hope to bridge.

The God Realm cultivators remained calm and unconcerned by the crowd’s awe.

Turning to each other, the young man among them spoke first.

"Young friends, why don’t you let me have the relic this time? In the next battles, I will personally assist you in obtaining the relics you desire."

He bowed politely as he spoke, his tone respectful but firm.

The two others remained silent, their gazes flickering thoughtfully as they weighed the offer.

After several moments, a woman among them responded.

"Why don’t I take the relic this time and help you both in acquiring the next two?"

Her voice was calm, but her distrust of the other two was evident in her expression.

The two men exchanged glances. After a short pause, the third man spoke.

"Let us each unleash our strongest attack. The one who kills the most cultivators wins the right to claim the relic. The winner must also help the others obtain the following relics."

The suggestion seemed fair and direct. The others nodded without argument.

Immediately, the air shifted. Their auras surged, and the surrounding space grew unstable.

The first man moved instantly. A deafening crack echoed through the surroundings as the earth beneath them split apart, fragments rising into the air.

His strength was awe-inspiring.

Not to be outdone, the woman released her mana. Ethereal petals materialized in the air, their movements slow but deliberate. A sweet fragrance spread, filling the battlefield with an intoxicating aroma.

Kathryn’s eyes narrowed in alarm.

"Cover your nose and do not breathe in the air. Wait until the scent disperses," she advised quickly.

Kranos and Luka obeyed immediately, covering their noses with their sleeves.

Aurora, noticing their reaction, followed suit without hesitation.

Meanwhile, the third man raised his hand, summoning a long spear. Wind mana churned violently at its tip, green energy spiraling and rotating faster with each passing second.

The breeze evolved rapidly into a raging storm.

The sheer power of their three attacks distorted the space around them. Energy twisted and collided, threatening to collapse the fabric of reality.

"Is this the strength of a God Realm cultivator?"

"Just standing here feels like death is hovering over me!"

The other cultivators around the platform shouted in fear. Without delay, they scattered in all directions, fleeing as far away as they could from the inevitable collision.

All three attacks continued to rise in strength, their energies growing wild and uncontrollable. Then, finally, they collided.

Bang!

A thunderous explosion rang out, shaking the entire platform. For a moment, it seemed as though space itself had shattered.

Many lower realm cultivators covered their ears, grimacing in pain. Though they were cultivators too, the intensity of the sound was beyond what their bodies could endure.

A dense cloud of dust filled the battlefield. Everyone stared into the haze, trying to discern the outcome.

After several tense seconds, the dust began to settle.

As the battlefield cleared, everyone’s eyes widened in disbelief.

At the center of the collision, three glowing petals floated gently in the air, spinning slowly around one another. They emitted a radiant red light, soft yet overwhelming.

The two men stared at the woman, stunned.

Her attack was the only one that remained. She had won.

She smiled at them, nodding respectfully before shifting her attention to the relic.

But as her gaze landed on the location of the treasure, her expression twisted with fury. Her aura surged, sending a wave of pressure crashing over the surroundings.

"Which brat dares to touch my relic?" she thundered.