The Epic Tale of Chaos vs Order

Chapter 1565: Essence-Astral hybrid attack

The spectacle on the ground startled the forces gathered in the sky, and the truth was that Cain’s demeanor was truly out of character. Under ordinary circumstances, his willpower was so immense that impulsive emotions or anything else that might compromise his focus remained suppressed.

This ironclad composure was only strengthened further by the Power of Order, which practically nullified his emotional responses. Yet now that his Alter-Ego was sealed, the ego-driven aspect of his Eternal Path of Power exerted far less influence, allowing a surge of raw, untamed feelings to pour into him—feelings that fed directly into his thirst for battle and heightened his destructive might.

“BOOOOOMMMM!”

A pillar of Unified Origin Force erupted from Cain’s body, whipping Star Power and the Laws into a chaotic tempest around him. In the blink of an eye, he launched himself back into the sky, ascending so quickly that the air cracked from the sudden displacement.

Karun, hovering above with the remnants of his army, clenched his teeth when he saw the wild, almost joyous gleam in Cain’s eyes. That manic fervor was a far cry from the methodical monster Karun had expected. Nonetheless, the Inferno Daemon signaled for his man to attack, and nearly twenty thousand Divine cultivators rocketed downward, determined to crush Cain,

They had done this before—launched a coordinated assault on the young man who seemed more beast than mortal. But now, something about Cain had shifted. Rising higher, he gathered more and more energy into the Shooting Star Dragon Halberd. It vibrated ominously, swirling with a kaleidoscope of Star Power and Laws, as though it hungered for annihilation. Yet, instead of using this energy to engage Karun directly, Cain employed a different tactic.

Just as the distance between them shrank to only a few seconds of flight, Cain raised the halberd overhead in a sweeping motion. Veins of blazing light coursed along the weapon’s length, and an ear-splitting roar left his throat.

“Stellar Dragon Claw!”

All the power he had amassed in the halberd burst outward, coalescing into the shape of a massive draconic claw. It was larger than some mountains, its ethereal talons flickering with sparks of starlight and primal fury. In a single crushing motion, the claw tore through the sky, aimed at the concentrated ranks of Karun’s battalion.

Karun, caught off guard by the sudden Essence-Astral hybrid attack, raised his bastard sword in a desperate attempt to protect himself. He managed to channel his own Star Power and Gu-enhanced necrotic force into a protective aura around the weapon. When the claw slammed down, its sheer momentum drove Karun and several other Divine Transcendence Masters back through the air, their bodies trembling with strain.

But the less powerful Divine Transformation Masters fared far worse. Hundreds disintegrated on the spot, their blood vaporizing into red mist as the colossal draconic talons shredded all in their path. Many more were cast aside like broken dolls, spiraling helplessly away from the battlefield. Though not all were killed instantly, numerous fighters lay too injured to continue.

Shock flared in Karun’s eyes as he recognized the raw, unbridled might behind that single blow. It bore the sheer range of a large-scale spell yet possessed the durability and focused impact of an Astral Rebirth technique. Such a combination was exceedingly rare, allowing Cain to wipe out swaths of enemies effortlessly.

Losing their Divine Transformation Masters might have deflated the faction’s morale further, but Karun did not really worry about those losses. That outer layer of forces had always been expendable, mere cannon fodder in this battle. The real strength resided with the Divine Transcendence Masters still circling around him.

He also noticed another important detail: unleashing this technique had drained Cain of a significant portion of his energy. A spark of hope lit Karun’s eyes.

‘We just have to wear him down.’ The notion surged through his mind, filling the Inferno Daemon with renewed confidence. Even a body as formidable as Cain’s would eventually crumble if his energy reserves dwindled. Controlling his Gu Insect’s power, Karun rocketed back toward the fray with the Divine Transcendence Masters in tow, each one bolstered by the same grim determination shining in their leader’s gaze.

Cain watched them come, his smile broadening. He could sense the surge of their killing intent, the desperate spark in their eyes as they rallied behind the hope of draining his energy. Rather than cowering, Cain vaulted forward, utterly ignoring the hail of long-range attacks from the remaining Divine Transformation Masters. Lightning bolts, whips of flame, and compressed spheres of Star Power streaked past him, but Cain barely flinched, letting only a few shots graze his flesh without causing significant harm.

Within a heartbeat, Cain and Karun were again mere steps apart. This time, a golden gleam flickered in Cain’s eyes as he tightened his grip on the halberd. Karun swung his bastard sword down in a vicious arc. The halberd met the blade with a thunderous clash—except that instead of a direct test of strength, Cain twisted his body at the last second, turning aside the force of Karun’s sword.

Karun’s eyes widened, momentarily stunned by Cain’s impeccable martial finesse. Before he could recover, a brutal kick—infused with Star Power and destructive Laws—slammed into his chest. The impact reverberated through his entire frame, forcing blood from his mouth as he careened backward.

Not losing his momentum, Cain whirled around to face a group of Astral Rebirth Divine Transcendence Masters that approached from all directions. In a lightning-fast motion, Cain opened his mouth.

A roiling sea of shadow poured forth, engulfing the sky for hundreds of kilometers around them. Explosions rattled deep within the darkness, accompanied by anguished screams that made even the bravest cultivators blanch. In desperation, many Divine Transcendence Masters peeled away from the battlefield, struggling to regain their bearings. The swirling blackness sapped their senses, rendering them vulnerable to hidden attacks. However, not all could escape.

Emerging from that ocean of shadows, Cain hefted in each hand a Peak Essence Evolution Divine Transcendence Master. Gasps of disbelief rippled through the remaining battalion. How could one man so casually overpower two elite warriors who should have been able to hold their own?

Karun, grimacing as he floated at a safe distance, stared at Cain’s silhouette with building outrage. That was when he perceived the frantic fluctuations in Cain’s aura, signs that the young man was burning some precious resource. An unsettling thought gripped him.

“He’s… burning his life and soul force?” Karun shouted, his tone choked with confusion.

While the sudden burst of power could explain how Cain captured two powerful adversaries at once—especially while they were blinded in the shadows—it baffled Karun that The Monster would go to such extremes. The cost of tapping into one’s life force and soul was immense, often irreversible.

What Karun did not know was that for someone with a Royal Rebirth Mark, drawing upon life force and soul force wasn’t as dire as it would be for an ordinary cultivator.

Cain’s lips curved into a chilling smile. Energy filaments slithered from his torso into the meridians and Sacred Organs of his captives. Even as they struggled, these filaments drained their strength and sealed them in cocoons of dense shadow. With a flick of his wrist, Cain hurled the writhing forms into his spatial ring as if he were storing away precious loot.