CG C127: This Upgrade Better Be Worth It

"Formation Alpha!" Elder Hu barked to his fellow elders. To the Boundless Earth Sect members, he called, "Support us however you can. We must work together to survive this!"

The three Crimson Phoenix elders took up positions around the purple construct. Elder Hu stood directly in front of it, while the flame-haired woman and the scarred man flanked it on either side.

"Crimson Phoenix Triad Formation!" Elder Hu roared.

Immediately, all three elders burst into flames. The fires surrounding them grew and took shape, forming three massive, fiery birds. Elder Hu's phoenix was the largest, its wingspan easily matching the purple construct in size.

The young man's voice echoed from within his qi armor, sounding almost bored. "Oh, is that all? I expected something more impressive from a Peak Nascent Soul cultivator."

Elder Hu's eyes narrowed. "You'll soon learn not to underestimate the Crimson Phoenix Sect, boy. Now!"

At his command, all three phoenixes screeched and dive-bombed the purple construct. The heat they generated was so intense that the very air seemed to waver and distort.

Meanwhile, Elder Song saw an opportunity. "Quick!" he shouted to his disciples. "While he's distracted!"

The Boundless Earth cultivators began a series of complex hand signs. The ground beneath the purple construct suddenly liquefied, turning into a deep pit of quicksand.

For a moment, it seemed their combined strategy might work. The construct sank up to its knees in the quicksand, while the phoenixes battered it from all sides.

But then, a chilling laugh emanated from within the purple armor. "Is that really the best you can do? I'm disappointed."

With a casual swipe of its massive hand, the construct batted away two of the phoenixes as if they were nothing more than annoying insects. They crashed into the walls of the purple domain, their fires sputtering out.

As for the quicksand, the construct simply stepped out of it.  With each step, the earth hardened beneath its feet, leaving perfect footprints in the once-liquid ground. "A valiant effort," the young man's voice mocked, "but ultimately futile."

Elder Hu, still in his phoenix form, circled warily. "Who are you?" he demanded. "What do you want from us?"

The construct's helmet retracted, revealing the young man's face. He was smiling, but his eyes were cold. "Who am I? Just another cultivator seeking power. As for what I want..." He paused, cocking his head as if listening to something. "Ah, yes. I need to kill you all to gain credits. So, nothing personal, you understand. It's just business."

With that, the helmet snapped back into place, and the construct charged forward with frightening speed. Its fist, larger than a man, swung towards Elder Hu.

The Crimson Phoenix elder barely managed to dodge, the massive fist passing so close that he felt the rush of air. "Impossible," he muttered. "Such speed at that size..."

The other cultivators weren't idle. The Boundless Earth Sect members had recovered from their earlier shock and were now fully in the fight. Elder Song slammed his palm into the ground, causing sharp stone spikes, each as tall as a person, to erupt beneath the construct's feet. At the same time, Dong Xin wove a complex pattern in the air, creating a swirling vortex of sand that engulfed the purple giant.

For a moment, it seemed their attacks might have an effect. The construct stumbled, its movements slowed by the sand and stone.

But then, a pulse of purple energy burst outward, shattering the stone spikes and dispersing the sandstorm. “I'm afraid you'll have to do better than that,” the young man's voice boomed.

The construct's arms suddenly elongated, stretching to impossible lengths. They shot towards Elder Song and Dong Xin with terrifying speed.

Elder Song's eyes widened, but his centuries of cultivation didn't fail him, he quickly slammed his palm into the ground. A thick wall of solid rock erupted from the earth, rising between him and the approaching hands.

Simultaneously, he shouted, "Dong Xin, move!"

But Dong Xin was only a Core Formation cultivator, he wasn’t fast enough. A massive hand wrapped around him, lifting him high into the air.

The other hand smashed through Elder Song's hastily erected barrier. Chunks of rock flew in all directions as the wall crumbled. Elder Song leaped back, narrowly avoiding the grasping fingers.

"Impressive reflexes, old man," the young man's voice echoed. "But how long can you keep it up?"

Elder Song's hands flashed through a series of complex seals. The ground beneath the construct began to churn and rise, forming into a giant stone fist that matched the construct's own in size. It swung upward, aiming for the construct's chin.

However, the purple giant simply caught the stone fist with its free hand, crushing it effortlessly.

Meanwhile, Dong Xin screamed in agony as purple energy flowed down the construct's arm, enveloping him. His qi was being forcibly extracted from his body.

"Dong Xin!" Elder Song cried out, his face contorted with anguish. He flew forward but before he could reach his disciple, the construct's other hand finally caught him mid-air, wrapping around his torso.

Elder Song struggled fiercely, his Nascent Soul cultivation allowing him to resist the draining effect far longer than Dong Xin. He managed to free one arm, slamming his palm against the construct's fingers. Cracks appeared in the purple armor, spreading rapidly.

For a moment, it seemed he might break free. But then the young man's voice rang out, "Enough of this!"

The purple energy intensified, becoming almost blinding. Elder Song's struggles weakened, his face paling as his life force was rapidly drained.

"Stop this madness!" Elder Hu roared, diving towards the construct in his phoenix form.

But he was too late. By the time he reached them, Elder Song and Dong Xin were nothing more than withered husks, all of their life force drained away. The construct casually tossed their remains aside, where they landed with dull thuds among the debris of the battle.

"Ah, much better," the young man sighed. "The Nascent Soul cultivator's qi was particularly... invigorating."

The female Boundless Earth member fell to her knees in shock. "You... you monster!"

The construct turned towards her, its featureless helm somehow managing to convey amusement. "Monster? I prefer to think of myself as... efficient."

The remaining cultivators regrouped, their faces dark. They knew now that they faced no ordinary opponent. This was a battle for survival.

Elder Hu addressed the other elders. "We must use our trump cards. It's our only hope."

The flame-haired woman nodded. "Agreed. Though it may cut off any chance of advancement…"

The scarred man cracked his knuckles. "Better to burn out in a blaze of glory than be drained like those poor fools."

Their only option was to use a forbidden technique that would burn up their very essence for a moment of ultimate power.

As one, the three Crimson Phoenix elders began to chant causing the air around them shimmered with heat, and their bodies to glow with an inner fire.

The young man in the construct seemed to realize what they were planning. For the first time, a note of concern entered his voice. "Oh? What's this now? System, analyze their technique!"

But before he could react further, the three Crimson Phoenix elders completed their chant. Their bodies erupted into pillars of white-hot flame, so bright that it was painful to look at directly.

When the light faded, where the three elders had stood now hovered a single, massive phoenix. Its feathers were made of living flame, and its eyes burned with the combined will of the three cultivators.

The phoenix opened its beak and spoke with the blended voices of the elders. "Now, abomination, face the true power of the Crimson Phoenix Sect!"

The massive firebird dive-bombed the purple construct, its talons extended. This time, when they clashed, the construct was actually forced back, its feet leaving deep furrows in the earth.

"Impressive!" the young man's voice called out, sounding genuinely excited for the first time. "Now this is more like it! Show me what you've got!"

The battle that followed was nothing short of cataclysmic. The phoenix and the construct traded blows that shook the very foundations of the earth. Each impact sent shockwaves of qi rippling through the air, scorching the ground and uprooting trees.

Without the purple domain surrounding them, the collateral damage would have leveled mountains.

For a while, it seemed that the phoenix might actually win. Its relentless assault pushed the construct back, step by step. Cracks began to appear in the purple qi armor, and the young man's voice grew strained.

"System!" he shouted. "I need more power! Divert all non-essential functions!"

Whatever response he received seemed to satisfy him. The construct's eyes flared with a brighter purple light, and its movements became even faster, more fluid.

The tide of the battle slowly began to turn. The construct's blows landed more frequently, each one chipping away at the phoenix's fiery form. The great firebird's attacks, while still devastatingly powerful, began to slow.

Finally, with a mighty two-handed swing, the construct smashed the phoenix into the ground. The impact was so great that the female Core Formation cultivator observing the battle was thrown off her feet, despite being at the edge of the clearing.

When the dust settled, the phoenix was gone. In its place lay the three Crimson Phoenix elders, their bodies broken and burnt almost beyond recognition. They still lived, but only barely, their chests rising and falling with shallow, labored breaths.

The construct stood over the fallen Crimson Phoenix elders, its purple glow dimmed but still intimidating. The helmet retracted once more, revealing the young man's face. He was breathing heavily, and a thin trickle of blood ran from his nose.

"Well," he panted, "that was certainly exciting. You actually made me work for it. I'm impressed."

He looked down at the fallen elders, a hint of respect in his eyes. "It's almost a shame to finish you off. You'd make excellent training dummies." He paused, tilting his head as if listening to something. "What? No, I'm not getting sentimental. I'm just saying... fine, fine. I'll end it quickly."

The construct's massive foot rose, hovering over the helpless elders before it came crashing down. There was a sickening crunch, and the once-mighty Crimson Phoenix elders were no more.

The young man turned his attention to the female Boundless Earth Sect member, who stood frozen in terror. Her robes, once a pristine brown with green trim, were now stained with dirt and the blood of her fallen comrades. "Your turn, lady. Any last words?"

The woman's eyes darted frantically, searching for an escape that didn't exist. Her mouth opened and closed, but no sound came out. Her gaze was fixed on the purple giant looming over her, its power beyond anything she had ever encountered.

"No?" the young man said with a malicious grin. "Well, that makes this easier."

The construct's hand shot out, faster than the cultivator could blink. In an instant, she found herself engulfed in a sickly purple glow. A scream caught in her throat as she felt her qi, her very life force, being drained away. She tried to struggle, to summon her qi, but it slipped through her control like sand.

In a few moments, all that remained of the once-proud Core Formation expert was a withered husk, her face frozen in an expression of horror and disbelief. The construct casually tossed her remains aside, where they landed with a dull thud among the bodies of her fallen sect mates.

With all the cultivators defeated, the young man dispelled his construct. The purple qi receded, leaving him standing alone in the devastated clearing. He surveyed the carnage around him, a satisfied smile on his face.

"Mission complete," he announced to the empty air. "Now, let's see about those rewards."

His smile quickly faded, replaced by a frown. "What do you mean, the rewards are lower than expected? I just took out multiple Nascent Soul cultivators! That should be worth a fortune in XP!"

The young man began to pace, gesticulating wildly. "This is ridiculous! Do you know how much effort I put into this mission? And you're telling me the payoff is subpar?"

"Yes, yes, I know you promised there'd be a lot more rewards if you get an upgrade," he said, rolling his eyes. "But how am I meant to find this other system user? I already used up the Resonance Compass, and that was my last one!"

He kicked at a pebble, sending it skittering across the blood-stained ground. "If you want me to find system users, why are you so stingy with giving me items that find them? It doesn't make any sense!"

The young man's voice rose in frustration. "And what's with all these rules you have to follow? These arbitrary limitations? They just hold us back! We could be so much more efficient if you'd just... what? No, I'm not questioning your superiority, I'm just saying there's room for improvement!"

He continued his rant, gesticulating wildly at the empty air. To any observer, it would have appeared as if he was arguing with an invisible entity. His behavior was erratic, almost manic.

"It's strange, you know," he mused, his tone suddenly contemplative. "These rules you have to follow... they seem like they were designed to create conflict, to drive the plot of some cosmic story." He shook his head, chuckling darkly. "But that would be absurd, wouldn't it?"

Finally, the young man seemed to deflate, his shoulders sagging in defeat. "Fine," he sighed. "I'll save up more credits and buy another Resonance Compass soon. But this upgrade better be worth it, System. I'm getting tired of these wild goose chases."

He cast one last look around the clearing, his eyes devoid of any emotion as they swept over the bodies of those he had so casually slaughtered. "What a waste," he muttered. "All this power, and not a single system user among them."

The ground beneath his feet began to liquefy. The young man sank into the earth as if it were water.

"This upgrade better be worth it."

And with that, he was gone. The soil sealed seamlessly behind him, leaving no trace of his passage.