Despite my desperate struggles, I found them utterly useless. This invisible force seemed to be binding me from within, restricting my every move.
I could only watch helplessly as I was submerged in this state.
Time trickled by, and the surroundings remained engulfed in darkness.
At a certain moment, a beam of light suddenly appeared before my eyes, and then I discovered that I was bound.
I was currently tied to a colossal pillar that reached into the sky.
There were others bound beside me.
These individuals were covered in wounds, yet judging by the fluctuations emanating from them, their cultivation was incredibly powerful!
"Where is this place?" I wanted to ask, but I found myself unable to speak.
"It seems this calamity cannot be escaped..." someone beside me weakly uttered, their face dried with blood.
I could clearly sense a trace of Shepherd's Power within them, attempting to heal their body.
However, as the Shepherd's Power emerged, the ropes binding them began to absorb it at an even faster rate.
"There's no way, the cycle of heaven's will, we cannot escape this tribulation..." another person spoke from the side, their condition also dire, their body covered in blood.
A gruesome gash marred their chest, revealing their internal organs. One could only imagine the agony they were enduring.
"This is our shared tribulation. Cultivators inherently defy heaven. Now, our excessive power has led to heaven's obliteration..." yet another person chimed in, a wry smile gracing their lips.
I surveyed my surroundings. Upon this towering pillar, various individuals were bound.
All of them were ensnared by golden ropes. I could clearly feel that they were all powerful cultivators, yet in this predicament, they couldn't even resist.
I desperately wanted to know what they had experienced, and how to escape this place.
But I was utterly unable to speak, only able to witness this scene.
"Perhaps what we did was wrong, but I don't believe there was anything wrong with our actions!" a person bound below slowly said.
"This is the world of heaven's will. If heaven wills our death, we cannot live. Ultimately, it's merely because we are too weak..." another person below stated.
The individuals bound to the giant pillar were all wounded and their auras were weak.
I used this time to look up at the towering pillar.
This massive pillar, I wondered what material it was carved from. It seemed to exude an incredibly terrifying pressure.
At the very top of the pillar, a colossal dragon was carved, appearing lifelike.
Even the patterns on its scales were exceptionally clear.
I lowered my gaze and looked downwards. Through the clouds, I could clearly see that the ground below was covered in blood. The entire land had been reduced to scorched earth.
Vast expanses of blood had soaked the entire landscape.
I could smell the thick scent of blood in the air, and I could also see scattered limbs and severed arms around.
One could imagine what kind of brutal battle had transpired in this place to result in such a state...
"But I refuse to yield..." suddenly, someone nearby roared, "Heaven's will is unjust! We who defy heaven do so only to bring justice to the world!"
"That's right! Why should heaven be the sole arbiter of right and wrong in this world? Heaven merely rules this land with its consciousness, but each of us has our own thoughts!"
"I merely wished to protect those around me in this chaotic world. I wanted them to live freely, happily, and safely. What wrong did I commit?"
Perhaps spurred by this, other voices began to rise in succession.
Within everyone's heart, it seemed a raging fire was burning.
Even though I couldn't speak, I could clearly feel the boundless rage.
As the clamor filled the air, the clouds in the sky suddenly tore open, and then, a colossal phantom appeared before me.
I strained my eyes to see, only to find an immeasurable power forcefully suppressing me.
I gritted my teeth, realizing I could not resist at all.
The situation for those around me was no better. They desperately tried to open their eyes, to lift their heads...
Sensing their determination, I also desperately opened my eyes and struggled to lift my head. I discovered that every slight movement I made caused me to endure excruciating pain.
This pain seemed to emanate from the depths of my soul. I gritted my teeth and channeled the Shepherd's Power from within my body.
The moment the Shepherd's Power appeared, it began to burn fiercely. The pain in my body lessened considerably, and I was finally able to lift my head completely!