Chapter 1119: The Real Black-Robed People
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Su Ming did not attack. He sat on the mountain on the seven-colored planet, and with sparkling eyes, he stared at the planet in the distance. With his level of cultivation, he could see everything on the battlefield clearly.
Most of the time, his gaze landed on the two black-robed people, and when he narrowed his gaze, great fighting spirit was hidden within it.
He had fought against their companion before, but that was in an illusion and not real. Back then, he had killed the black-robed man, but a lot of time had passed since then, and Su Ming had become much stronger. Because of it, he wanted to know just what would happen when he faced off against the black-robed people and the Ancient Gods with the seven stars at the center of their brows.
'I wonder would I get more from absorbing an Ancient God's life force and soul, or a planet's?' As brilliant light shone in Su Ming's eyes, and the fighting spirit in him grew even stronger.
The battle beyond the planet continued. Booming sounds echoed without end in space. The number of deaths on both sides was incredibly great. After all, this time, the cultivators of the War Chamber had to face off against another considerably large and powerful army from the Immortals' Union.
It had been formed by amassing the elites of all races.
In the mid of the rumbling, Su Ming could hear Wild Dog's enraged roars coming from the planet.
"Damn those hundreds of eyes from Phoenix Sect! With them around, all our actions can be seen clearly! Someone get over there and get rid of all those those eyes!"
The instant Wild Dog's roars echoed in the air, hundreds of cultivators charged forward from the warships. They were so quick that they instantly went past the battlefield.
Yet the instant they drew close to the eyeballs, dozens of Immortals flew out from the tower of the Immortals' Union. With a swing of their arms, countless Sun Destroying Lightnings charged forward. Booming sounds surged into the air, and the hundreds of cultivators from the War Chamber immediately coughed up blood and fell back.
At almost the same moment, three figures flew out from the platforms behind the War Chamber's warships. They charged toward the eyeballs with their ripples of power surpassing those in Mastery Realm. They belonged to those in Fate Realm.
However, right when they approached the area, a cold harrumph reverberated in space from among the cultivators of the Immortals' Union around the tower. Three ancient old men moved, exuding power that was equivalent to those in Fate Realm. They charged towards the trio from the War Chamber, and as loud rumbling sounds shot into the air, the six people fought against each other before rushing higher into the heavens to open another battlefield above the main one below.
"Damn it!"
Wild Dog growled, and his voice echoed in the seven-colored planet. Su Ming narrowed his eyes slightly. He had seen the hundreds of Sun Destroying Lightnings previously, and his heart instantly began pounding in excitement. At that moment, he stood up swiftly.
"I'll help you!"
When he said that, his voice echoed in the planet, a glint shone in the furious Wild Dog's eyes. By then, Su Ming had already turned into a long arc. With a loud whistle, he rushed out of the planet and charged towards the hundreds of Eyes of the Sacred Temple.
His appearance immediately caught the attention of the sharp-witted people on the battlefield, especially the man with a lackadaisical expression on his face who was currently on the tower belonging to the Immortals' Union. He had his hands placed behind his back, and there was a gigantic ball of light in front of him. In it was a reflection of almost every single corner of the battlefield, showing him everything that happened in it.
He cast a glance at Su Ming in the ball of light before a glint appeared in his eyes. His lips curled up into a cold sneer.
"A direct descendant of Morning Dao Sect…"
At the instant he was about to send his order, his eyes suddenly focused. When Su Ming moved, he instantly crossed an endless distance to appear right next to the hundreds of eyeballs.
This speed caused the man to frown.
"Kill that person!"
The instant he gave the command, the dozens of Immortals immediately sported a sparkle in their eyes. At the instant Su Ming drew close to them, they charged out, and when they raised their right hands, dozens of Sun Destroying Lightnings could be found on each of their hands. They threw all of them simultaneously.
It was nearly one hundred Sun Destroying Lightnings. Any one of them could injure a cultivator in Solar Kalpa Realm, and with nearly one hundred of them around, even those in Mastery Realm would have to dodge. They could not challenge them directly.
However, a ferocious smile appear on Su Ming's lips. He had been waiting for the Sun Destroying Lightnings all this while. The moment they came charging towards him, he raised his right hand and swung his arm. Ecang's presence erupted from him, and in a single moment, it enveloped all of the near one hundred Sun Destroying Lightnings.
There were no rumbles, no tremors, only the near one hundred Sun Destroying Lightnings fusing together to turn into drops of faint golden blood that merged together. Su Ming sucked them in with his next breath.
A loud bang came from his body. As he swiftly fused with the blood, his spirits lifted. While the Immortals were stunned, he swiftly moved forward, and he was so quick that he instantly closed in on one of them.
He then raised his right hand and struck the center of that cultivator's brows. His actions could not even be seen with the naked eye. With another move, he appeared in front of the second cultivator and did the same thing. After he disappeared and reappeared in a flash for a dozen times, only then did a loud bang raise into space. The dozen-something cultivators immediately withered and turned into ashes. Their storage bags also instantaneously vanished when a black ray of light shot past them.
The bald crane's excited expression was hidden in the black light. With a flash, it rushed towards another direction on the battlefield.
Killing a dozen something Immortals was as easy as breathing to Su Ming. At the instant they died, he raised his right hand and seized space. Immediately, the hundreds of Eyes of the Sacred Temple trembled, and numerous blood capillaries instantly showed up.
At that moment, a cold harrumph came from the camp which belonged to the Immortals' Union. The noise had been made in the distance, but the figure stepped in space to instantly appear beside Su Ming. It was a red-faced old man with a big and burly body. He looked incredibly sturdy and did not seem like an aged person. Based on his back alone, he resembled a strong and healthy man.
His hair was graying though. At the instant he closed in, the power of those belonging to Life Realm erupted from him, and it turned into a mighty pressure that charged towards Su Ming before pressing down on him.
"Kneel!"
The old man's voice was like a tidal wave. When it reverberated in space, it was deafening, but at the instant that mighty pressure attacked Su Ming, he did not pay any attention to the old man in Life Realm. Instead, with a glint in his eyes, he cast a glance at the two black-robed people beyond the tower of the Immortals' Union. They did not seem to intend to join the battle, or rather, the time for them to attack had yet to arrive. Su Ming narrowed his eyes, and a sinister smile appeared on his lips.
"Slaughtering my way in will be a little hard, but luring the both of you here… won't be difficult!"
The bald crane's eyes shone at that moment. Immediately, a black light that surged into the heavens erupted from its body as well as that of Su Ming!
Light of Extreme Darkness!
With a loud whoosh, the black light covered the entire galaxy and enveloped the old man. His expression changed drastically, and a chill went down his back that made even his heart tremble. But that was not all. Besides the chill, the old man also felt as if countless arrows had shot through his whole body. The intense pain made him unable to move his body even a single bit.
At the instant the Light of Extreme Darkness appeared, Su Ming moved. When he brought his right hand up, he did not attack the old man. Instead, he seized space, and as booming sounds reverberated intensely, the hundreds of Eyes of the Sacred Temple collapsed simultaneously. As each eyeball shattered, pained screams rang out, and a person flew out from inside. However, they did not manage to get far away before their bodies trembled. Their life force and souls were instantaneously extracted, and they were reduced to ashes.
"Good!" Wild Dog, who had been observing all along from the seven-colored planet, instantly shouted out with delight.
Without any hesitation, he swiftly issued a series of orders and had the army of the War Chamber to change their battle tactics. Using the most opportune time presented to them when the Eyes of the Sacred Temple had disappeared from the Immortals' Union, the cultivators of the War Chamber instantly changed their battle formation and executed an even stronger attack.
As for the Immortals' Union, their army was caught in a slight chaos. The War Chamber had grown stronger while the Immortals' Union became weaker, and for a short period of time, it was forced back repeatedly.
"Who is that?!"
The lackadaisical man had an extremely solemn expression on his face at that moment. Killing intent shone in his eyes, but just as he was about to send an order, his expression suddenly changed. He saw one of the two Grand Immortals [1], the black-robed people with noble statuses, move forward on his own.
The two black-robed people belonged to the core of the Immortals' Union, and they were Immortals who came from the Higher Realm. They had descended among them from the vast and eternal pillar of light in the boundless universe. They had noble statuses, and no one could order them around. Even the council of the Immortals' Union would not dare to do so.
They were allies, but the black-robed people had joined the war on their own accord and mostly observed the battles. Only when they believed that they should attack did they attack.
At that moment, when the man noticed that one of the black-robed people had moved forward, a smile appeared on his face. He knew that the direct descendant of Morning Dao Sect who had destroyed the Eyes of the Sacred Temple was no longer any of his concern.
He had once seen the Grand Immortals attack, and he could not forget their strength even up to this date. It was especially so in regards to their divine abilities. Once the Grand Immortals attacked, the universe would definitely change.
"Interesting, I didn't expect to see Sir Kong Mo's Light of Extreme Darkness in this place!"
With contempt on his face and an arrogant superiority of an Immortal who had descended to the mortal world, the black-robed man moved forward. As with space opening up a path for him, he rushed towards the Light of Extreme Darkness.
At that moment, the Light of Extreme Darkness vanished. Su Ming intentionally put on a look of panic and retreated, intending to put an even wider distance between him and the tower. As he moved back, the paralyzed old man in Life Realm roared. Just as he was about to force himself to chase after him, the black-robed man walked past him.
"Stand down. This is my prey." His voice was flat and with an air of superiority.
When the black-robed man walked past the old man to chase after Su Ming, the old man in Life Realm froze. His expression changed repeatedly before he forced himself to extinguish all the flames of anger in him. He turned around, and with a dark expression, he charged back to the tower without saying a single word.
Su Ming moved so quickly that he instantly left into the distance. The black-robed man behind him had a look of contempt on his face. With each step, he would cross a boundless distance, and with just three steps, he had already caught up to Su Ming, who was already a great distance away from the tower. They were already at the edge of the battlefield.
"You won't be able to escape. Be good and let me capture you, then I will search through your memories. I will know how a barbarian and a savage like you managed to practice and produce the Light of Extreme Darkness."
There was arrogance in the black-robed man's voice. He made it sound as if the moment he attacked, all the cultivators in Arid Triad Expanse Cosmos were not allowed to fight back, or else they would commit a heinous crime!
Translator's Note:
1. Grand Immortal: Mentioned in ISSTH Chapter 1087.
Chapter 1120: Which Number are You Among the Greatmasters of Five Fingers
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
This tone and this arrogant attitude was one that perhaps not even Dao Ocean would be able to imitate… It was why the black-robed man in the illusion had not said such words during Su Ming's trial.
Right then, once Su Ming heard it, even with his intelligence, he could not help but be stunned. That confident and forceful tone, that incredibly thick air of superiority, and the meaning behind the words implying that all the people in Arid Triad Expanse Cosmos were barbarians and savages and had to worship him and even immediately commit suicide if he so commanded or else they would be offending him… this was the first time Su Ming had met such a strange and bizarre person in his life.
"Would I be committing a heinous crime if I fought back?" Su Ming stopped for a moment, and when he turned his head around, he looked towards the black-robed man.
"It is not just a heinous crime. All those who fight back should have their entire families slaughtered. You ran when you saw me just now, and that is already a great sin!" the black-robed man said arrogantly after lifting his head. At that moment, his eyes, which were hidden under his black hood, shone faintly.
"Then what should I do now?" Su Ming could not help but smile due to the black man's words. It had been a long time since he'd heard something so amusing, and he could not help but ask another question.
"Hmph, destroy your own cultivation base, break your arms and legs, and kneel in front of me. Beg for me to punish you, be obedient, let me search through your memories, and then offer your soul to me. Then, your sins will be pardoned." The black-robed man put on a presumptuous expression and stared at Su Ming with an air of those who regarded themselves superior.
"Lowly barbarian, if you wait for me to attack, you will suffer a hundred times more. You do not know the difference between us. With a raising of my hand, I can turn you into ashes. Giving you a chance to kneel is already a great gift, now kneel!" the black-robed man placed said with arrogance, his hands placed behind his back.
Su Ming remained silent. He stared at the black-robed man without being able to understand this person at all. After some time, he shook his head. He had no idea what to say to such a strange person.
"You do not know what is good for you, you fool. Barbarians are barbarians. I gave you a chance, and you refused it. You're just asking for death!"
The black-robed man let out a cold harrumph and took a step forward, completely disregarding Su Ming's level of cultivation. He walked straight up to Su Ming and raised his right hand to grab his neck.
"I will let you know just how great is the difference between you barbarians and us Grand Immortals. I will let you know just what great reward were my words previously. Right now, even if you decide to kneel, I will not give you a chance."
The black-robed man's right hand instantly sank into air. A layer of ripples spread out from his palm, making it look like his palm had seeped through space. In an instant, it appeared before Su Ming and went to grab his throat.
"You made three mistakes," Su Ming said flatly.
At the instant the black-robed man had his right hand come forth to grab him, Su Ming, too, brought his right hand up and grabbed the black-robed man's wrist. With a shake, the destructive power from his body surged into the black-robed man's body. Booming sounds reverberated in space, and the instant the black-robed man's expression changed, Su Ming moved forward and rammed his shoulder against him.
"First, you should not have been so noisy."
When the black-robed man coughed up blood, his expression changed drastically. However, Su Ming's right hand held his wrist like a clamp.
At the instant the black-robed man coughed up blood, the vast suction force from Su Ming's Abyss Gate spread out with a bang through his right hand. The black-robed man immediately cried out in pain, and his body withered. A large amount of life force was instantly sucked into the Abyss Gate.
"Impossible! You… You… You're not in Mastery Realm!"
As the black-robed man screamed in pain, unprecedented fear and shock appeared on his face. At that moment, the other black-robed man around the tower in the distance spotted a change in his expression. Without any hesitation, he took a step forward and charged towards the place.
"Second, you shouldn't have gotten so close to me."
Su Ming released his grip, but in an instant, he seized the top of the black-robed man's skull. When he tightened his grip, the black-robed man's shrill screams of pain reverberated through the entire battlefield. As he trembled, wisps of white smoke surged out from his ears, nose, mouth, and eyes. All of them were swiftly absorbed by Su Ming's right hand.
"Third, you shouldn't have made me hate you so much."
The instant Su Ming said those words, he exerted more force with his right hand, and with a loud crack, he shattered the black-robed man's skull. At the same time, the final hint of life force and the final bit of his soul erupted and were all absorbed by Su Ming.
It was also at that moment that the other black-robed man closed in with a loud whistle. He lifted his right hand and pointed at Su Ming, but before he could cast his divine ability, Su Ming looked at him with a glint in his eyes.
With the first black-robed man in his grip, he quickly spread a hint of his soul and had it surge into the now empty corpse. When he pushed it forward, its cultivation base erupted with a bang, and the Light of Extreme Darkness spread out.
All of this happened in an instant. Immediately after, the divine ability executed by the other black-robed man when he pointed forward appeared in a shocking manner!
"Still!"
With one word, he could immobilize Su Ming's body. If Su Ming had not seen this Art in the illusion from the trial, he would have definitely suffered greatly, since it would have been his first time seeing it. However, since he had already experienced this strange divine ability before, he was prepared for it.
At the instant that one word reverberated in space, the Light of Extreme Darkness erupted from him. He pushed the black-robed man in his hand forward, and the divine ability was blocked.
The corpse Su Ming had pushed forward came to a swift halt in the galaxy, as if it had been frozen. It had attracted all the force of the Immobilization Art from the black-robed man.
The Immobilization Art locked down souls, which was why even if there were obstructions in the way, they could still freeze a person. However, Su Ming had first had a bit of his soul fuse into the corpse in his hand to pass off an imitation as his genuine self, which had lured the Immobilization Art away from him. Then, he had the Light of Extreme Darkness block the Art, causing him to perfectly defeat it!
All of this might seem simple, and the others might not even be able to find anything strange or astonishing about it, but it was because they did not understand the power of the Immobilization Art. However, the black-robed man who had rushed in and cast the Art showed an unprecedented and drastic change in his expression. Disbelief filled his eyes, and he instinctively took a few steps backwards while his pupils shrank.
He could not imagine that there would be someone from this primitive and barbaric Expanse Cosmos where all the cultivators still borrowed or created laws and where no one understood the power of the celestial origin who would be able to break his Art. This was especially hard to believe when the person had broken the Art by exploiting the weakness which was known by a few people even in the 180 Expanse Cosmoses of Saint Defier.
"Sir, who are you?!"
As the black-robed man retreated, his tone turned incredibly grim. He could not regard this person who had killed his companion and broken the Immobilization Art as a barbarian.
The Light of Extreme Darkness was still spread out, but Su Ming stared at the black-robed man. The other's face might have been hidden under the black robe, but at moment, it was clear that he was extremely on guard. Su Ming's eyes narrowed slightly, and a brilliant glint no one could notice shone in his eyes.
"Which number are you among the Grandmasters of Five Fingers?" Su Ming suddenly asked. At the instant he said these words, the black-robed man's expression immediately changed, and he was also momentarily stunned.
The instant he was taken aback and his guard was broken, Su Ming took a swift step forward, then raised his right hand and formed a sword with it before cutting down in the direction of the black-robed man!
"God Slayer Art!"
Piercing golden light instantly appeared on Su Ming's palm. At the same time, the power of cutting fate erupted with a bang from his body. Once it changed the laws in the galaxy around him, it turned into a power that would strike all of those he wished to strike.
All of this happened in an instant, and the price for the black-robed man's momentary pause was the golden light of the God Slayer Art on Su Ming's palm reflecting off his eyes. The black-robed man's expression changed, and he raised his right hand to swing his arm forward before he seized the space in Su Ming's direction with his withered right hand.
Loud rumbles surged into space. The power that would absolutely strike its target caused the golden light spreading out from Su Ming's palm to turn into a sword aura which could shock even the heavens. Once it clashed against the black-robed man's right hand, it turned into the third power contained within the God Slayer Art—rebound!
A loud bang shot up, causing the black-robed man to cough up blood and fall back. Since Su Ming had activated the Abyss Gate, all of his divine abilities gained an additional power, which was why the one slash containing three forms of power had a fourth change at that moment. The vast power of absorbing all forms of life force and souls rose swiftly, causing the black-robed man who coughed up blood to instantly wither a little, and even a portion of his soul had been forcefully sucked out of his body.
A glint appeared in Su Ming's eyes. Without giving even a sliver of a chance to the black-robed man, he yanked up the corpse of the other black-robed man in his hand and charged towards the one who had coughed up blood, moving so quickly that he instantly closed in on him. At the instant the black-robed man raised his right hand to cast the Immobilization Art again, Su Ming fought back against it in the same manner. He then brought his left hand up to strike the black-robed man.
The galaxy and the universe roared. A huge palm manifested in front of Su Ming, and as if it was pushing against the galaxy, it landed on the black-robed man's body. His robes puffed up. The black-robed man might have been able to resist this attack, but he coughed up a large mouthful of blood. His body fell back like a kite with its string snapped. Shock and disbelief appeared on his face. At that moment, when he retreated in haste, he suddenly remembered something.
After they had been sent to Arid Triad Expanse Cosmos, only one of them had died in a battle in that long period of time. That companion had been killed by Morning Dao Sect. He also remembered that even one of the Ancient Gods had been killed by Morning Dao Sect.
When all these memories came to him, the black-robed man immediately withdrew without any hesitation. At that moment, all forms of status or attitude belonging to those of the Higher Realm were forgotten. He raised his right hand, and as he fled, he formed a seal behind himself. All his power erupted from his body, and when a ripple of power spread out, a gigantic octothorpe [1] was formed.
This octothorpe surrounded Su Ming. At the same time, Su Ming's eyes sparkled. He raised his right hand. Without even forming a seal, he casually swung his arm.
"Time, turn back to seven breaths ago!"
The universe roared and changed. During that instant, time reversed, and the octothorpe around Su Ming disappeared. The black-robed man stopped fleeing, and instead returned to his previous location where Su Ming already waiting. He lifted his right hand and seized the black-robed man's neck!
Translator's Note:
1. Octothorpe: Means this #, the original is actually 井 (jing3), which LOOKS similar to the hashtag. Now 井 means well, so imagine that this guy is about to cast the well Art, but I guess his is a more advanced version, since the one previously formed a circle instead.
Chapter 1121: God
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Su Ming squeezed the black-robed man's neck tightly and asked by his ear, "Who was it that allowed all of you to descend to Arid Triad Expanse Cosmos?!"
"You barbarian, even if you've mastered the power that is nearly to the Third Step's completion, you are still a barbarian!" the black-robed man cried out shrilly. Once he had his neck seized by Su Ming, his cultivation base started disappearing swiftly before it was instantly emptied. His life force and soul were being rapidly sucked out of his body, and this feeling of weakness reminded him of the time when he was still a mortal.
"Who allowed you to descend to Arid Triad Expanse Cosmos?!" Su Ming asked again, and a strange glare showed up in his eyes. When the black-robed man saw this, he laughed fiercely, and his face filled with scorn.
"No one can search through our souls. Even if you are near the Third Step's completion, you are still unworthy of searching through our souls! You want the answer?! Haha! Then look for it yourself!"
As the black-robed man laughed, Su Ming suddenly smiled faintly. The third eye at the center of his brows opened, and the instant that strange and bewitching eye showed up, he said softly, "Thank you."
At the instant Su Ming said these two words, the third eye at the center of his brows shone with a mystifying and enchanting light. When he looked over, the black-robed man's eyes were instantly magnified endlessly. With a loud whoosh, the were magnified an unknown amount of times, and Su Ming saw a figure at the depths of the pupils.
The eyes were windows to a person's soul. A person's personality and soul could be seen through them. This was not any sort of divine ability. In fact, even some of the old mortals who had gone through many ups and downs in their lives could do such a thing.
Su Ming could do this even better. With his third eye, he could see the black-robed man's soul straight through his eyes. There was absolutely no need for him to perform a Soulseek. Even if the black-robed man had a seal to protect his memories, Su Ming did not forcefully perform a Soulseek or fight against the seal with brute force. He only observed with another method.
Because of it, he did not trigger any of the protections placed on the black-robed man's memories in his soul. He had repeated the same question twice previously not for the man to answer, but to have it serve as a lead!
Those words were just that, a lead. Su Ming needed it so that the answer would appear in the black-robed man's head subconsciously. He would then use his third eye to see through the other's eyes and find the answers he sought in his soul.
He saw a middle-aged figure. It was dressed in a long blue robe. He had a head of long black hair, and his robe was incredibly lavish. There was a strange pattern sewn on it, and it looked like it symbolized Yin and Yang.
The man was incredibly handsome, but there was a boundless, ancient air spreading out from him. A power that made Su Ming's heart tremble manifested around him as well.
The instant Su Ming saw the vision in the black-robed man's eyes, the figure, which should have only been an afterimage in the man's memories, suddenly shone with a blinding light. The afterimage seemed to also suddenly possess intelligence, for it looked at Su Ming in one swift motion before letting out a soft gasp of surprise!
"I can't believe that the primitive and barbaric Arid Triad would have a cultivator such as you. You actually managed to form a connection with me, Xing Ji Dao, in this manner? Interesting. Since you're already here, then you might as well stay."
A glint appeared in the eyes of the man in blue. There was a faint smile on his face, but a vortex appeared in his eyes. It instantly went on to try and absorb Su Ming, as if he wanted to dig deep into his soul through his gaze and drag it over.
But at that moment, the Seed of Life Extermination in Su Ming's soul resisted violently. As a loud rumble resounded, a brilliant light showed up in the eyes of the man in blue robes. There was also a hint of shock and ferociousness in him.
"Dark Dawn's power!"
Suddenly, the moment the Seed of Life Extermination fought back, the Abyss Gate in Su Ming's body let out a powerful force aimed to devour all things. It also lashed out madly. It sucked in a swift breath and devoured a small portion of the power that had spread out from the afterimage belonging to the man in blue. With this, it also cut off Su Ming's connection with him.
"Aura of Abyss… you… You are one of Arid Triad's Abyss Builders!"
A low growl that caused Su Ming's soul to shudder came from what remained after the connection was broken. The remnant of the man's presence was far stronger than all the powerful warriors Su Ming had met in his life. In fact, it was even stronger than Sui Chen Zi!
Boom!
Su Ming shut his third eye, and his gaze disappeared from the black-robed man's eyes. Everything that happened just then might have seemed to have taken a long time, but in truth, it was over in the blink of an eye. The strength of that person called Xing Ji Dao shocked Su Ming, but he also gained an even deeper understanding towards the 180 Expanse Cosmoses belonging to Saint Defier.
"What did you do to me?!"
The black-robed man whose neck had been seized by Su Ming shuddered. He could sense the drastic change in his body just then. It might have only lasted for a short period of time, but it left his heart in a state of shock.
Su Ming cast the black-robed man a glance before he said faintly, "Xing Ji Dao."
The black-robed man's expression instantly changed, but before he could say anything else, Su Ming tightened his grip, and with a bang, the black-robed man's body shattered. His soul and life force turned into wisps of white smoke that surged into Su Ming's eyes, nose, ears, and mouth, and he sucked all of them in with a single inhale.
At the same time, the Abyss Gate in his body let out a loud boom. The life force and soul from the two black-robed men had made it expand slightly, but that was it. What made the Abyss Gate let out the loud bang and let out a vast amount of Aura of Abyss to fill Su Ming's entire body was the small portion of the will in Xing Ji Dao's afterimage.
To the current Su Ming and the Abyss Gate, this was a great supplement that they had never seen before. It was a supplement that was far greater than the absorption of nine planets. As a jolt ran through Su Ming's body, he threw his head back and roared.
A loud boom rang out from his body, and the vortex of Aura of Abyss that was just like a bottomless pit turned into a crystal. It continued becoming larger, and when it occupied a small portion of Su Ming's body, it shattered, and a black gate appeared!
The Aura of Abyss spreading out from that gate was incredibly terrifying, and it was instantly absorbed by Su Ming's physical body. However, it seemed to be rejecting it, unable to absorb a lot of it. However, just absorbing a small portion had caused a loud rumble to rang out from Su Ming's body, and the strength of his physical body had increased exponentially!
Su Ming's physical body was incredibly powerful to begin with, and at that moment, it reached a level so powerful that it was terrifying. However, his right hand was even more frightening. It was the only part of him at that moment which could completely fuse with the Aura of Abyss and continuously absorb it!
If Su Ming's current physical body had reached a terrifyingly powerful extent, then if there was a need… his right hand could easily destroy enemies with this sort of physical body. As such, it could be seen just how powerful his right hand was after it absorbed the Aura of Abyss!
After all, his right hand came from his real physical body, and it could fuse perfectly with the Abyss Builders' inborn ability, thereby allowing the vast indescribable power of the Abyss Builders to erupt!
'The power of the Abyss Gate is not an inborn ability prepared to strengthen an Abyss Builder's physical body. It's true function is for us to create our own Abyssal World once we open the Abyss Gate!
'Strengthening the physical body is just a supplementary power… If I could seize my whole physical body back, then as I grew stronger, my physical body would become… imperishable!'
A brilliant light shown in Su Ming's eyes. During that moment, he suddenly lifted his head and stared at the spot where the tower belonging to the Immortals' Union was located.
The expression of the man who led the Immortals' Union from the tower distorted. Disbelief appeared in his eyes. He had just witnessed the two Grand Immortals in black dying at Su Ming's hands. The shock brought by this scene caused his breathing to quicken.
The hearts of all the Immortals around the tower also trembled while they stared at Su Ming in shock. In fact, his battle against the two black-robed men had already affected the situation on the battlefield.
The roars from the War Chamber had grown much stronger. As they continued fighting, they forced back the cultivators from the Immortals' Union continuously.
When Su Ming cast his gaze at the tower, he redirected his gaze to the space behind it. Over there, a huge Rune swiftly appeared, and the light from it went in all directions. A low growl came from that Rune, and it was so loud that it stirred up a rumble that shook the entire galaxy. With a mighty pressure that felt like lightning, it descended on the galaxy before turning into a powerful wave of impact that swept outwards.
Countless cultivators fell back. Their expressions changed simultaneously, because they saw a scene that would be difficult for them to forget for the rest of their lives. A huge outline could be seen within the gigantic Rune. It was several thousands of feet tall, and it a belonged to a giant. The person took a huge step forward, and when he walked out of the Rune, he threw his head back to roar.
There were seven stars shining at the center of his brows, and a savage, crazed presence spilled out from him without restraint. It was filled with violence and ferociousness. At the instant it filled the galaxy, he moved, and his body grew from thousands of feet tall to tens of thousands of feet.
When he raised his right hand, a greataxe appeared in it. Countless bolts of lightning swam around it. That lightning spread out and filled the entire area. Huge sparks that would require several grown men to surround them swept outwards, making the mighty pressure and presence spreading out from the giant to be unparalleled for a period of time.
After a short period of silence, all the cultivators from the Immortals' Union let out a strong cheer. As they cheered, they immediately moved back and cleared an empty spot in the galaxy. They crowded at the edges of the battlefield, their cheers shaking the entire galaxy.
"God!"
"God!!"
"GOD!!!"
All the cultivators from the Immortals' Union roared simultaneously, and their roars instantly filled the entire galaxy, causing all the cultivators from the War Chamber to turn pale. In shock, they stared at the giant of tens of thousands feet tall, and only one word echoed in their hearts at that moment, the one word that the cultivators from the Immortals' Union had shouted!
God!
"You! Do you dare fight against me, a God?!"
With a greataxe in his hand and a contemptuous gaze, the Ancient God looked towards Su Ming. He lifted his left hand and beckoned him over.
Chapter 1122: Saint Defier and Arid Triad
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
As the cultivators from the Immortals' Union spread out, the cultivators from the War Chamber also became intimidated by the powerful Ancient God. Under the orders of their commander Wild Dog, they gradually moved back and cleared an empty space.
This empty galaxy belonged to Su Ming and the Ancient God alone.
With an aloof expression on his face, Su Ming stared at the ten thousand feet tall Ancient God. He narrowed his eyes, and when he focused his gaze on the center of the giant's brows, he could vaguely tell based from the mighty pressure spreading out from the giant's body that he possessed power equivalent to the Almighties in Mastery Realm.
However, it was completely impossible to determine the combat abilities of those from Saint Defier based on their presence alone. After all, the two black-robed men did not even seem to have reached Mastery Realm. They appeared to be in Solar Kalpa Realm.
Yet with their offensive abilities, they could easily kill those in Mastery Realm, and even those in Fate Realm had to retreat when they saw them.
It was the same cultivation presence, but the difference between them was like the distance between heaven and earth. Su Ming would not have bothered if it was one person alone who showed this difference, but clearly, it was not something unique to a single individual. It was a fundamental difference between the cultivators of the 180 Expanse Cosmoses in Saint Defier and those in Arid Triad Expanse Cosmos.
This was telling enough that when it came to the use of their cultivation bases, while the cultivators in Arid Triad Expanse Cosmos might seem to have reached an incredibly powerful level, their strength was superficial. It was not the true power of cultivation.
'Immortals categorize their levels of cultivation into the Second and Third Step… the black-robed man mentioned that I was near completion of the Third Step, and the power I showed thenn wa equivalent to those in Life Realm. Based on this, could it be that this near completion of the Third Step is equivalent to the power of Life Realm in Arid Triad Expanse Cosmos? But isn't this a little too exaggerated? After all, while I can fight against those in Life Realm in Arid Triad Expanse Cosmos, it doesn't mean that I could win against the people who are near completion of the Third Step in Saint Defier Expanse Cosmos!
'Then what about Death Realm? Is it the so called great completion of the Third Step, or has it surpassed completion to reach another height in the cultivation system for the 180 Expanse Cosmosrs of Saint Defier?
'Then there's the Sublime Paragons as well. I wonder what is their equivalent in Saint Defier Expanse Cosmos, and there's also… Avacaniya!'
Su Ming's eyes sparkled. He remembered the Masters of Fate, Lives, and Death he ran into the past. Some of them were strong, and some were weak. He also remembered how he had manifested all five fingers of his palm in Mastery Realm while there were far too many people who had only manifested one or two fingers.
'I wonder… which Step do the two black-robed men belong to in Saint Defier Expanse Cosmos?' As Su Ming's eyes sparkled, he looked towards the ten thousand feet tall Ancient God.
"We can fight, but I want to know what level of cultivation do the two black-robed men I killed just now belong to in your world."
"You want to know? If you can withstand one of my attacks, then you will have the right to know."
The ten thousand feet tall Ancient God threw his head back and laughed. He took a swift step forward and instantly arrived in front of Su Ming. Then, he raised his left hand, and in the simplest manner, he threw a punch.
A brilliant light shone in Su Ming's eyes, but he did not use his right hand, which was the strongest part of his body. Instead, he brought his left hand up and threw a punch forward. Once his fist collided against the Ancient God's through space, a loud rumble that shook the entire universe resounded. Su Ming let out a muffled groan, and his body swayed. The Ancient God had also staggered a few steps back.
"Interesting. It's rare to see a powerful warrior who has mastered the Essence energy of Expanse Cosmos in this barbaric place. No wonder the two hateful cultivators from the Celestial Realm couldn't kill you. They didn't die in vain!"
The ten thousand feet tall Ancient God laughed at the heavens, completely unbothered by the fact that he had been forced back a few steps due to the rebound. His voice reverberated in space, and there was a tone in it that spoke of his desire for an exciting fight.
"Those two Greatmasters from the Celestial Realm were at the peak of the Second Step in my homeland. They were half a step into the Third Step, and as for you, even if you've mastered the Essence energy of this Expanse Cosmos, you aren't near the peak of the Third Step, as what they've said. This is also why I hate those cultivators from the Celestial Realm. Even if they die, they still want to trick other people. They only know how to scheme and plot against other people; they are not worthy of being known as warriors!
"Since you could withstand my attack, I will tell you a word of truth, the power you exuded is the exact same as the others with the same level of cultivation as you in my homeland.
"Your real level of cultivation is the Third Step's Nirvana Void! As for the old monsters who are near the peak of the Third Step, they would need just one finger to kill cultivators like you a million times!"
The words of the Ancient God shook Su Ming's heart. He had been wondering about his own level of cultivation previously and had speculated that the black-robed man had intentionally said those words with the goal of confusing him. Because of that, he would have a false impression of people's relative power, and it could very likely become the cause of his death in the future!
When he heard the Ancient God's words though, his head instantly became much clearer.
"How many Realms do you have for the Third Step in your homeland?" he asked again.
"If you can withstand my next attack, you will have the right to know that too."
The Ancient God's eyes were filled with fighting spirit. He took a step towards Su Ming once more. This time, when he lifted his right hand, he released the axe, and the seven stars at the center of his brows shone with a piercing light. A power that was several times stronger than before erupted with a bang from his body and was channeled to his right fist. With a fighting spirit to crush the universe, he charged towards Su Ming and threw a punch at him.
A glint appeared in Su Ming's eyes. When he saw the Ancient God closing in on him with a monstrous presence, he did not move back. Instead, he went forward. He once again did not use his right hand. He stuck with his left hand, but he did not counter with a punch this time, as he had done previously. Instead, the instant the Ancient God's right fist closed in on him, he turned around and used his back to fight back against the attack. At the same time, he struck his chest with his left hand.
BOOM!
A deafening boom surged into the heavens, shaking the hearts of all the cultivators who witnessed this scene. All of them retreated with their expressions changing drastically.
Su Ming moved. When he turned around, his expression was the same as before. Not a single change could be detected. However, a jolt ran through the Ancient God's body. He coughed up a mouthful of blood and was forced back. Only when he was pushed thousands of feet back did he lift his head. A ferocious expression appeared on his face, but a hint of shock was hidden under it.
"The Essence of tremors!"
"You still haven't answered my question," Su Ming said flatly.
"Even though you clearly have the aura of the Third Step's Nirvana Void Realm and there are plenty of other people who have the same aura as you do, all of them are not worthy of being known as being in that Realm. But you… you have the power that matches to what those in this Realm should have. I understand the reason behind it now.
"Your physical body can match up to those of my tribe, and your level of cultivation can match up to that of the Immortals. It is equivalent to you possessing the Essence energy of this Expanse Cosmos, which is why you can bring forth the power that surpasses your own level of cultivation!
"You might be in Nirvana Void Realm, but you can bring forth power that is close to those in Spirit Void Realm." The Ancient God wiped off the blood at the corners of his mouth. When he looked towards Su Ming, the fighting spirit in his eyes became tainted with madness.
"I don't see any problem in me telling you all this. In my homeland, there are four Realms in the Third Step. Nirvana, Spirit, Arcane, Tribulant [1] which correspond to your Mastery, Fate, Life, and Death Realms, even if their names are different!
"However, it seems like this Expanse Cosmos' Death Realm is slightly strange. It isn't a complete equivalent to the Void Tribulant Realm." The Ancient God kept to his promise and answered without withholding a single secret.
Su Ming felt his heart tremble. A huge storm was raging at that moment in his head.
'As expected, the Mastery, Fate, Life, and Death Realms correspond with the four Great Realms of the Third Step in Saint Defier. As for Death Realm… as the final Realm for the Mastery, Fate, Life, and Death Realms, it naturally has its own remarkable aspects!
'But the Masters of Fate, Lives, and Death need to possess the offensive powers that truly match with these Realms before they can really be considered as Almighties. No wonder the people from Saint Defier call us barbarians.
'It makes sense why all of them act so conceited and arrogant once they arrive here. In fact, when they kill Almighties, they even show very obvious glee. This is because when they are in their own Worlds, those who possess the presences of Almighties are all existences who make them tremble, and they have to bow down to worship them. But when they're here, even though there are plenty of people who possess the same presence, it's easy for them to kill them!
'If that's the case, then I can understand why I can bypass the levels of cultivation and kill Almighties. This isn't because I'm powerful, but because they are weak!
'Except for the small handful who truly possess combat abilities that match their levels of cultivation, most of the other Almighties in Mastery Realm are… only equivalent to those in the Second Step in Saint Defier Expanse Cosmos. In fact, it is the same for Fate Realm. This is why the black-robed men could kill those in Mastery Realm, but needed to be a little more serious when they came face to face with those in Fate Realm. In reality, those in Fate Realm who have not mastered this Expanse Cosmos' Essence energy possess the same level of cultivation as they do. However, if the black-robed people use their strange divine abilities, they could still gain the upperhand.
'And those in Life Realm who have yet to master the Essence energy of this Expanse Cosmos possess the same combat ability as I showed just now in Arid Triad Expanse Cosmos. They are in truth in Nirvana Void Realm, and are very close to Spirit Void Realm, which is why these black-robed people did not dare provoke the Almighties in Life Realm within Arid Triad Expanse Cosmos.
"It's all because they couldn't win against them! They were only half a step into the Third Step and hadn't yet become powerful warriors of Spirit Void Realm!
'How many Almighties in the Third Step do the terrifying 180 Expanse Cosmoses of Saint Defier have? Right now, they have only sent those who have not reached the Third Step, and they are already so strong…'
Su Ming narrowed his eyes. He thought of his own level of cultivation. He originally thought that he was very powerful, but right then, he came to a realization that while he could call himself a powerful warrior in Arid Triad Expanse Cosmos, he would only be at the bottom of the Third Step if he was placed in Saint Defier's camp. There were clearly quite a large number of old monsters above him, and they could easily kill him.
'But since that's the case, it'll be much easier to determine the levels of cultivation and the combat abilities of those cultivators from Saint Defier's camp. The Ancient God possesses the presence of those in Mastery Realm, so he's really in Mastery Realm, which is the Third Step's Spirit Void Realm for Saint Defier Expanse Cosmos. It is also the same as Life Realm of those who have not mastered the Essence energy of this Expanse Cosmos!
'He has the same level of cultivation as I do, but since he is an Ancient God, his offensive abilities are stronger… but he can't win against me in this battle because the power of my right hand can bring forth power that is practically above those in Life Realm who have not mastered this so-called Essence energy and are equivalent to those in the Third Step's Spirit Void Realm mentioned by the Ancient God!
'If I can think of all this, then the Ancient God must have figured it out a long time ago, which is why even if he had been forced back twice, he still dares to continue fighting against me…' A brilliant glare shone in Su Ming's eyes, and powerful fighting spirit rose in them.
"If you want to fight, then we will fight!"
At the instant fighting spirit surged in Su Ming's eyes, the ten thousand feet tall Ancient God tightened his grip over his greataxe and threw his head up to roar. His body grew tens of thousands of feet, and he took a step forward. The greataxe in his hand cut open the galaxy, and with a piercing whistle, he charged towards Su Ming.
Translator's Note:
1. Nirvana Void, Spirit Void, Arcane Void, and Void Tribulant: Mentioned in Renegade Immortal's Chapter 1275.
Chapter 1123: Replacement Plan
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Both sides closed in on each other in an instant, and a shocking boom resounded. Su Ming's right hand crashed against the Ancient God's greataxe.
In the mid of the rumbles, Su Ming's body jolted, and he took three steps back. In the meantime, the Ancient God shuddered, and his greataxe shattered. He took around a dozen steps backwards in succession, ending up pushed back tens of thousands of feet.
"Haha! How enjoyable! Come, let's do it again!"
The Ancient God threw his head back and roared. His body grew again, and as the seven stars at the center of his brows shone with a strong light, he charged towards Su Ming without any hesitation.
Far away from the battlefield was an empty space. No one noticed that there was a middle-aged man sitting there at that moment. He was dressed in a black robe. He had an apathetic expression, and not a single emotion could be detected on his face.
He sat there quietly, and his body looked as if it had fused together with the galaxy, causing all the others to be unable to tell the changes of aura in the place.
In fact, there was not a hint of life force on the middle-aged man. It was as if he was a puppet that sat there without moving. Only a dark light would occasionally flash in his eyes.
"I discovered Dao Kong. Should we execute the replacement plan?" he said as if mumbling to himself while staring at Su Ming fighting against the ten thousand feet tall Ancient God.
The instant he spoke, the dark light in his eyes flashed even more rapidly.
A gigantic pillar of light could be faintly seen connecting the heavens and the core of the Immortals' Union. It was shrouded by a thick layer of fog which had appeared all of a sudden many years ago. Once in a while, a figure would shine in it after it descended.
At that moment, there were thousands of Immortals surrounding the pillar while meditating. Among them, there were three who were much closer than the others.
One of them was an incredibly beautiful woman dressed in white. She had an aloof expression, but once upon time, she had spoke gentle, loving words to Su Ming with the intention of confusing him with that same expression… She was Bai Feng, the Sacred Lady of Phoenix Sect!
Standing beside her was a black-robed man. His aura drifted about and surrounded him like wisps of smoke. It looked as if he did not fit into the universe, but he had still forced his way in and stayed.
His appearance was similar to the other black-robed people that Su Ming had met, but his level of cultivation surpassed them by a lot. He also had a mighty pressure which the other black-robed men did not possess. It had naturally formed after remaining in a high position for a long time.
There was another person beside him, which was an old man. He had a head full of white hair and was dressed in a long gray robe. He might have appeared old, but if Su Ming was there, he would have definitely been able to tell at first glance that he looked incredibly similar to the Di Tian. However, by then, he had aged by a lot.
He was no longer dressed in an Emperor's robe, and neither did he have a crown on his head. However, when he stood there, he had an even greater and mightier pressure than the one spreading out from the black-robed man. He had a dignified face, and his gaze was so profound that the universe seemed to be contained in it.
At that moment, there were six scenes within the gigantic pillar of light before them. Three of them contained Dao Hua, Dao Lin, and Su Ming!
As for the other three, they showed three middle-aged men. They had unfamiliar faces, but based on the power spreading out from their bodies, all of them were incredibly powerful. Aside from Su Ming, the other five were currently with the armies of cultivators from Morning Dao Sect and were all engaged in a chaotic battle against the cultivators from the Immortals' Union.
Only Su Ming was fighting against the Ancient God.
"Three Dynasts who are known publicly to the world, and three Hidden Dynasts hiding in the shadows. Are these the six Dynasts of Morning Dao Sect?" The black-robed man spoke in a raspy voice. He sounded as if he was laughing, but it was filled with derision.
"Besides him, all the others are trash." The black-robed man raised his withered right hand and pointed at the pillar of light. Immediately, the scene belonging to Su Ming became clear and was shown to all of them.
"Once we control these six Dynasts, it'll be the same as controlling the entire Morning Dao Sect. Even if they are fakes released by Morning Dao Sect, it doesn't matter. At worst, we will only fail," Bai Ling said aloofly.
"Morning Dao Sect… Su Xuan, he's the one that stirs up great curiosity within me. What exactly is his goal? Is it his son's corpse? To turn the entire True Morning Dao World into a territory of the Abyss Builders? Or is he trying to stir up the war between Saint Defier and Dark Dawn?" The black-robed man shook his head.
"It's none of them. If he wanted the corpse, he could have taken it away many years ago before I descended. Turning this True World into the territory of the Abyss Builders… is not practical.
"As for stirring up the war… I'm very curious, if he's trying to stir it up, why did he make arrangements to destroy Dark Dawn's Relocation path so that only Saint Defier can descend right now?
"My old friend, forgive me for forgetting your name. I hope you don't mind if I call you Sublime Paragon Di Tian." When the black-robed man spoke in that raspy voice of his, he turned his head around to cast a glance at the old Di Tian in gray robes.
"It isn't a bad name," Di Tian said faintly.
"Then since Su Xuan Yi was your old friend and a remnant of the Abyss Builders who had married a woman of Dark Dawn and who along with his people belonged to Dark Dawn's camp, what exactly is his goal? I've been wondering about it for a long time, and I still don't understand him. He allowed us to descend at will previously, yet now he launched a full counterattack?" The black-robed man frowned.
"And is that Dynast Dao Kong who seized control over the fifth kiln Su Xuan Yi's descendant?"
"The Predecessor of Dao Ocean told me that he isn't. As for what Su Xuan Yi thinks… He's a lunatic. I might have fought against him for most of my life, but it's still difficult for me to speculate what a lunatic thinks. In the end though, it's all to make the Abyss Builders raise to power." Di Tian could only shake his head.
"Since the Predecessor of Dao Ocean said this… then that Dao Kong is a fake that Su Xuan Yi sent out to make us pay attention to him while he protects his real son.
"No wonder then that everything that Dao Kong did in Morning Dao Secs provoked so much discussion." The black-robed man shook his head.
"Are Su Xuan Yi's thoughts on the matter really that important? If Saint Defier sends down a Great Heavenly Sovereign[1], everything will be solved," Bai Feng said flatly.
"Arid Triad Expanse Cosmos' barrier isn't that easily broken. We've been invading and making preparations for many years, but the strongest people we can send are still only Almighties in Void Tribulant Realm.
"But if you can occupy the entire True World, you will greatly reduce the difficulty for those from Saint Defier descending into the land. In fact, the three Paragons of Saint Defier, those three supreme existences, are also quite interested in descending to this place." The black-robed man smiled faintly.
"Alright, since it's decided that Dao Kong isn't Su Xuan Yi's son and not an Abyss Builder, we will replace him along with everyone else, but our main focus will still be on him. I'm very interested in this person.�� The black-robed man swung his arm, and Su Ming's picture in the pillar of light became a mere illusion again.
"The physical body of Su Xuan Yi's son is lacking an arm right now. I've already gathered all of the materials you asked of me for our promise. When… will you help me change my Life?
"If I can become an Abyss Builder, Saint Defier's plans will go even more smoothly," Di Tian lifted his head and stared at the black-robed man while speaking calmly.
"It's a pity that the person I first chose was Sang. He was even more compatible with that physical body. But as a former Sublime Paragon, you have the right. The one descending three months later will be an Almighty of Saint Defier. His name is Xing Ji Dao, and he has the same status as I do. We are both Greatmasters of the Celestial Realm's Eight Paramount Daos.
"He will bring the supreme treasure that the three Paragons of Saint Defier had been merging for tens of thousands of years, and with the preparations you made previously, we will have a five-tenths of a chance to succeed in helping you change your Life so you would become an Abyss Builder!
"But you must also be prepared to fail," the black-robed man said faintly. With a single move, he walked into the pillar of light, and once he sat down, he remained still and unmoving.
Bai Feng's eyes shone. She lifted her pale hand and formed a seal to point at the pillar of light. Immediately, the six pictures within it shone with a dazzling light. When they surrounded the black-robed man, the eyes of a cultivator from Morning Dao Sect in the picture with Dao Hua shone before he collapsed to turn into a layer of fog that spread through the area. It caused chaos, and Dao Hua shuddered,. A strange glare appeared in his eyes.
Similar scenes appeared in the other pictures as well. Dao Lin and the three Hidden Dynasts faced all sorts of accidents in succession, and it was difficult for other people to notice that someone else seemed to have replaced them, because they instantly returned to normal.
No one in their surroundings knew that they… were no longer themselves. The unexpected change was so quick that they had been replaced in a manner akin to Possession, and the Flourishing Lotuses on their bodies didn't even have time to activate their protection.
The only picture in which nothing had happened was where Su Ming was fighting against the Ancient God. When it had come to the black-robed man, he hesitated for a moment.
"If an Ancient God dies in battle, there will definitely be Immortal Paragons who will communicate with the Ancient Paragons in Saint Defier. I'm far away in Arid Triad Expanse Cosmos, and there are plenty of things that I can no take care of all by myself. After all, when the cultivators in the Celestial Realm died, the only thing the Ancient Gods do is to stand by and watch, no?" the black-robed man mumbled, then raised his right hand to point at the Ancient God in the picture.
At the same time, a dark light shone in the eyes of the person who had an apathetic expression while he sat and meditated in the battlefield between the War Chamber and the Immortals' Union. His body disappeared into nothingness.
Soon after, when Su Ming crashed against the Ancient God, a loud rumbled resounded. The Ancient God coughed up a mouthful of blood. When he sent Su Ming backwards with the force from the clash, his body too moved back. However, an even greater fighting intent erupted in his eyes. He roared, but just as he was about to take a step forward, his body suddenly lurched forward as if there was a strange divine ability which had descended on his body in an unseen manner.
As he trembled, a bang rang out at the center of his brows. One, two, three… When all seven stars shattered, they turned into a destructive, explosive power. At the instant fear and anger appeared in his eyes, the seven-starred Ancient God… self-destructed!
Translator's Note:
1. Great Heavenly Sovereign: Mentioned in Renegade Immortal chapter 1640.
Chapter 1124: Under Space and Beyond the Universe
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
"Damn it! Ode of the War Chamber!"
The instant the seven stars of the Ancient God crumbled one after another. A destructive force emerged from it, and it was increasing exponentially in an indescribably fast manner.
An anxious and frenzied howl came from the War Chamber's planet. The middle-aged man named Wild Dog rushed out swiftly. As he shouted, he extended his arms, and at the instant all his power erupted from his body violently, dozens of figures dressed in armor immediately appeared beside him. All of them immediately began sending their cultivation base outwards.
In fact, at that moment, even though the millions of cultivators from the War Chamber did not know what was going on, their instinctive reaction towards the command to execute the Ode of the War Chamber had made them immediately bring out their entire cultivation base without any hesitation.
This was the War Chamber. It acted like the armor and the sharp blade of Morning Dao Sect!
It was precisely because of their nature which resembled that of an army that they had the power of their cultivation bases reach its peak as they brought it out at that moment. When their cultivation bases erupted from their bodies, Runes appeared under their feet. Hundreds of cultivators gathered together to form a gigantic Rune, and at the instant it appeared, the Ancient God exploded.
A loud bang shot up. The power of the explosion brought forth by all the stars at the center of his brows shattering could destroy everything. The moment the Rune formed by the cultivators of the War Chamber began Relocating, they were attacked by the destructive power, and in an instant, half of them died. However… the remaining half of the cultivators of the War Chamber had Relocated and left the area!
Since the War Chamber was an existence akin to an army, they had a uniform order. Every single one of their thoughts was formed around their commander, which was why there was not a single flaw in their reaction time, but it was different for the Immortals' Union.
They were a union and thus formed by various races merging together. They might have a commander, and while no weaknesses could be seen on usual days and they possessed powerful offensive abilities while fighting against Morning Dao Sect, but during critical moments when life and death could be determined in an instant, a unified will and a uniform mind was something that they lacked. That was why… they could not escape from area of the seven-starred Ancient God's explosion in such a short period of time.
When the seven-starred Ancient God exploded, a loud bang had surged into the skies and spread through the area. Everything on the side of the Immortals' Union, no matter if they were cultivators or even the tower, shattered at that instant. The people did not scream, and neither did they struggle. Everything… was reduced to ashes in an instant.
Su Ming stood in the spot where the explosion was the strongest. A powerful life-threatening sense of danger instantly surged through his body and heart. This feeling was something he hadn't experienced in a long time. His pupils shrank, and he raised his right hand swiftly. At the same time, the Ecang in him spread out its presence to cover everything about him.
The Immortals watched this scene through the picture provided in the pillar of light. At the instant they thought Su Ming was going to fight back, a black soul thread that no one else could see fused with the destructive power, and at the moment it charged towards Su Ming…
He did something that immediately caused these people's expressions to change.
Su Ming did not act as they thought he would and fought against the destructive power caused by the seven-starred Ancient God. Instead, at the instant the destructive power came swiftly towards him, he gathered all his power in his right hand and threw a fist at the space behind him. As his power erupted forth, the third eye at the center of his brows flashed and magnified the place.
Su Ming's fist landed on the weakest spot in space, tearing it apart, and it looked just like a piece of paper which had a hole torn right through it. Su Ming moved, and the instant the destructive power came charging towards him, he stepped into the crack in space and left into the distance.
This was definitely not something an ordinary cultivator could think of. In fact, some of the cultivators who had even higher levels of cultivation than he would find it hard to instantly think of this method. Only those who had an incredibly vast pool of experiences and had went through many unique challenges would be able to think of it!
The inspiration behind Su Ming action was the taming of the Resentful Wei when he was in Divine Essence Star Ocean. The Relocation spots he'd went into there looked as if they had sunken into space itself, and his travels in the strange world under space were behind him coming up with such a method.
Beneath space was another world. It contained countless unknown entities, and it was a place that seemed to be placed beyond the universe!
A loud boom shot into space. When Su Ming fled into the crack in space and entered the unknown area beyond the universe, the destructive power came charging towards the spot where he previously was, causing the crack in space to continue growing, and the area inside was immediately filled with chaos.
At the same time, the soul thread intending to replace Su Ming instantly crawled into the world in the crack to chase after Su Ming.
During that moment, Bai Feng's eyes sparkled while she sat beyond the pillar of light at the core of the Immortals' Union. Di Tian frowned slightly. The black-robed man in the pillar of light was momentarily stunned before a brilliant light shone in his eyes.
"An interesting lad. I didn't expect that he would think of this method. But… the world in the crack in space and beyond the universe is a region so dangerous that not even I would dare step into it carelessly.
"It is a chaotic world, and there are no lives in it. There is only a boundless, chaotic ocean which will crush all forms of will and life.
"It's a pity for that soul thread of mine. It is one which has inherited a part of my memories. Oh well, since it has already went after him and my connection to it has been broken due to that chaotic ocean, there's no need for me to pay any more attention to it.
"It's impossible for Dao Kong to continue living in there. He's already a dead man." The black-robed man shook his head and walked out of the pillar of light. With a swing of his arm, the picture which belonged to Su Ming shattered and disappeared.
The spot where the War Chamber and the cultivators in the Immortals' Union previously fought was empty. Not a single person was left behind. All those from the Immortals' Union had died, and half of the War Chamber had been Relocated. There was only a swiftly contracting crack in space. As it closed up and healed, the battle in the area came to a close.
Su Ming disappeared.
Flame Fiends' Progenitor, Zhu You Cai, the Abyss Dragon, and even the bald crane were not beside him. While by himself, he disappeared in the galaxy upon entering the unfamiliar world within space.
It was a place in which cultivators fell almost every year. However, over the course of countless years, no one had ever managed to walk out from it. All forms of lives in the universe who had fallen under space due to various reasons had died quietly there.
"Damn it, damn it… Darn it all, I hate those Ancient Gods the most! But… but it shouldn't have self-destructed so easily. It shouldn't self-destruct at all, much less by having all seven stars shatter!"
A layer of distortions appeared in the empty galaxy, and the bald crane showed up. There was anxiety on its face as it stared at the spot where Su Ming had disappeared. Soon though, it was replaced by madness.
��The area under space and beyond the universe is dangerous… very dangerous… DARN IT ALL!" The bald crane gritted its teeth and fused into space. With its divine abilities, it could enter the strange world under space and beyond the universe even without any cracks in space.
"Damn it, why is my life so difficult? I don't want to go to this place again, I don't want to… Huh? Have I have come to this place before?"
The bald crane was momentarily stunned, but when it entered the world under space and beyond the universe, and indescribable wave of air surged towards it with a bang, tearing apart its body in countless pieces before sweeping them away and disappearing.
After some time, those pieces merged together to turn into the bald crane once more. It cursed loudly and started searching the area.
Before it was a colorful world, and it shone with all sorts of lights. The light rays intersected with each other and acted like the waves of an ocean. They howled and charged forward constantly in this boundless world while they were swept up by balls of air that could rip apart all existences.
The air could sweep up light. This was something that the air in the world outside could not do so wantonly. In fact, it was completely impossible, because light was light. It had no form, and air could be detected. These were two completely different materials, and it was completely impossible for one of them to sweep up the other.
Yet in here, in this seemingly lawless world under space and beyond the universe, everything was possible.
This was the ocean of light. And it was full of various forms of light. When they fused together, they turned into an ocean, and the ball of air stirred up the power which destroyed everything. With that, it filled this world with destruction.
Su Ming coughed up blood. Waves of pain as if he was being torn apart shot up his body. Several days had passed since he had appeared in the strange world and was swept into the ocean of light.
Several days ago, to avoid the explosive power that destroyed the seven-starred Ancient God, he had torn open a crack in space and stepped inside. It had allowed him to avoid the destructive strike, but it had forced him through another form of destruction in the world under space and beyond the universe.
In fact, the moment Su Ming stepped into that world, he had a strange feeling that the universe was a shell, a gigantic shell, and the world under space and beyond the universe was the area outside the shell.
If he looked at it in this manner, the entire universe in Arid Triad Expanse Cosmos could be treated as a huge egg, and the place where Su Ming was located at that moment was the area beyond the eggshell.
The endless light there formed an ocean. The boundless air formed gusts of wind that could not be detected. They swept up the ocean of light and turned it into a brilliant, dazzling scene that could destroy everything.
There were countless rays of light. In fact, Su Ming had even seen the Light of Extreme Darkness among them!
His physical body had long since been torn apart and no longer existed. At that moment, the ocean of light had swept up his Nascent Divinity and his right hand. It alone still retained its physical form and could not be torn apart by the air.
In fact, if there was someone else in the place, they would have been able to see a gate exuding dense waves of Aura of Abyss in Su Ming's Nascent Divinity. They could even see a fragment that had mostly recovered in within it.
There were countless runic symbols flashing on that fragment, and it was… the Seed of Life Extermination!
Chapter 1125: Extermination, Parasitical
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
The ocean of light swept Su Ming up. In the mid of the intense pain caused by having his physical body shredded, Su Ming was continuously swept about in the boundless world under space and beyond the universe.
The destruction of his physical body and the destruction of his Nascent Divinity brought an intense pain that almost numbed Su Ming. If it was not because of the Abyss Gate in his body continuously releasing the Aura of Abyss to nourish and heal his Nascent Divinity, his body and soul would have been destroyed a long time ago.
It was quiet around him. The ocean of light moved about without any sound. There was only light, endless light.
In the silence, Su Ming continuously sensed the existence of the Abyss Gate and the Seed of Life Extermination in his body. He could only use this method to divert his attention, because while there were strong and weak lights around him, even the weakest one could cause damage his Nascent Divinity.
Thankfully, the pain did not come to him occasionally but was a constant presence. It numbed him. Since he was in extreme pain which had no comparison all the time, he forgot how it felt to not be in pain. This made it so that he no longer registered pain..
But Su Ming did not give up. He still retained a clear mind, because he believed that the bald crane would come save him. He believed in this firmly.
The bald crane had an unknown origin… and because of it, it could move through space to come to this place.
Back then, there had been no other method for Su Ming to avoid the attack from the seven-starred Ancient God. Even though his physical body was incredibly powerful, it would still have been impossible for him to fight against the explosive power that came from the seven-starred Ancient God when all seven of his stars as well as his body, life, Brands, and even his soul were destroyed.
Perhaps the fifth kiln could allow him to withstand that blow, but summoning it required time, and the Ancient God's self-destruction was extremely sudden. There was simply not enough time for Su Ming to make too many preparations.
In fact, even the power to reverse time could not be used because during that moment, the explosive power from the Ancient God's self-destruction was too great. Su Ming might not have executed his ability, but at that instant, he'd known clearly that it was impossible for him to reverse time.
He could either have his body and soul destroyed by that explosion or step into the dangerous world under space, and Su Ming chose the latter.
At that moment, he floated in the ocean of light and was swept forward by the waves. He had no idea how much time had passed or how far he had traveled. To keep his mind clear and so that he would not be in a continuous state of unconsciousness, he kept his full attention on the Abyss Gate and the Seed of Life Extermination. Besides these two things, he had nothing else to pay attention to.
This was not the first time he examined the Seed of Life Extermination, but it was definitely the first time that he observed, experienced, and sensed it with such rapt attention.
He noticed that the fragment Xiao Hong had given him in the past, the Seed of Life Extermination which had fused with his Nascent Divinity many years ago so that they could no longer be differentiated from each other, had been nourished by his soul and everything that he had experienced over the course of the numerous years he had lived. Through it all, it had grown a lot at its edges.
It looked like a statue which had grown to almost half of its full size. With just a little more, it would be half of a statue.
It could be vaguely seen that the statue was an ancient ship.
However, for some unknown reason, as Su Ming continued observing the Seed of Life Extermination, he suddenly had a very strange feeling. This feeling came from the recovery speed of the Seed of Life Extermination. It seemed to have become much slower compared to the first time he had observed it.
He would usually spend quite a lot of time observing the Seed of Life Extermination, but at that moment, he had a feeling that the Seed of Life Extermination could not reach a complete state.
Judging by its recovery speed, soon, half of the statue would be recovered, and then, it would no longer continue growing.
It was as if… even if it had already fused perfectly with Su Ming's Nascent Divinity, it would reach its limit once it grew to half of its full state.
This was the first time this guess appeared in Su Ming's head. It caused him to fall silent and sink into contemplation.
'Could it be that there's something lacking so the Seed of Life Extermination can't continue to grow?'
Su Ming could not find the answer. As he stayed in pensive silence, he cast all his attention on the Seed of Life Extermination again. While he observed this thing which seemed to be living in his Nascent Divinity as a parasitical existence, he suddenly saw veins stretching from the Seed of Life Extermination into his Nascent Divinity.
Those veins only appeared for an instant before disappearing. However, their sudden existence just then had caused Su Ming's heart to tremble.
This was the first time he'd seen such a bizarre scene. The veins were like a net when they spread out from the Seed of Life Extermination. They might have appeared only for an instant, but a chill went down Su Ming's spine. His first thought was that it was… a spider!
The Seed of Life Extermination was like a spider. It formed countless venous paths that stretched into his Nascent Divinity to form a huge net!
Su Ming forgot the intense pain from his Nascent Divinity being continuously torn apart and disregarded the feeling of the Abyss Gate ceaselessly healing it. All of his attention was placed on the Seed of Life Extermination.
'Something's not right…'
But no matter how Su Ming continued observing it, he could no longer see the veins. It was as if everything which he'd seen moments ago were just an illusion. However, Su Ming was certain that even with the intense pain he suffered, what he saw was definitely not an illusion.
After all, he was the Progenitor of controlling all illusions. He had that much confidence in himself.
'Then for what reason could I see it before but can't see it now…'
Su Ming's eyes sparkled. Suddenly, they focused, and he slowly turned his head around to look at the colorful lights around him. As the colors intersected with each other, they formed countless rays of differing varieties.
"It's light! That's right. It's the light here. When a certain type of light shines on my body, it can show me things I would usually be unable to see!" With a trembling heart, Su Ming immediately recalled what sort of light had appeared around him when the veins had showed up.
However, this was clearly an incredibly difficult thing. The lights around him were a constant. It was impossible to say which specific one had shined on him at a certain point of time.
Determination appeared in Su Ming's eyes. He had to understand just what was going on with the Seed of Life Extermination, because this might possibly be a secret that he would otherwise not discover his entire life. If he had not stepped into this place due to a stroke of luck, it would have been impossible for him to find out why the Seed of Life Extermination had caused his skin to crawl with what he saw even though it had fused with his Nascent Divinity!
A glint appeared in his eyes. As his Nascent Divinity continued being swept away by the ocean of light in the passage of frozen time, he moved. With it, the sensation of being torn apart became several times stronger. It made his Nascent Divinity tremble. If it was not because of the Abyss Gate sending out a large amount of Aura of Abyss, he might have immediately been torn into shreds.
Yet even this pain was unable to make Su Ming give up on his idea. His Nascent Divinity immediately started swimming about in the ocean of light. He endured the pain and pushed down the desire to roar at the sky to vent his pain since he had to keep all of his attention on the Seed of Life Extermination. If he went on to vent his suffering, his will would lax, and he would be unable to pay attention to the Seed of Life Extermination.
His Nascent Divinity continued swimming about, trying to have different rays of light shine on it. Time trickled by. After the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, Su Ming's Nascent Divinity had become incredibly weakened under the torture of the intense pain of being ripped apart, but at that instant, flashes of red and white swept past him.
Su Ming's Nascent Divinity shuddered. He saw the veins all around the Seed of Life Extermination which had spread from the fragment to all of his Nascent Divinity!
At the same time, he continued moving, chasing after the red-white light so the veins from the Seed of Life Extermination in his Nascent Divinity would remain clear in his sight. Gradually, a brilliant light shone in his eyes. He saw that the veins were black and that the Seed of Life Extermination had not fused with his Nascent Divinity as he had previously believed…
It was…
'A parasite!'
A glint appeared in Su Ming's eyes.
He was an Abyss Builder, and his understanding towards parasites and Possession was much greater than that of the others. With just one glance, he could tell that the Seed of Life Extermination had formed a very clear parasitic relationship with his Nascent Divinity.
Su Ming sank into silence. It was not that he could not accept the fact that he had become the host for a parasite, but that it was a lot different from what he had previously thought. As he pondered over this, a crack suddenly appeared at the center of his Nascent Divinity's brows. His third eye pushed through, and when it stared at those veins, they were instantly enlarged endlessly in Su Ming's vision.
When they were enlarged by an unknown amount of times, he saw a scene which caused a hint of ferociousness and disbelief to appear on his face.
He saw countless centipede-like threads on each vein once they had been enlarged endlessly. They had fused with his Nascent Divinity and were continuously tearing away pieces of it. Once they managed to take one, they would begin devouring it madly.
Devouring the blood of those from Saint Defier might have aided the Seed of Life Extermination's recovery and growth, but the greater reason for it was the amount of nourishment it had taken from Su Ming's Nascent Divinity.
The destruction of the Nascent Divinity could not be seen with the naked eye and could not be discovered with divine senses, but the damage was done constantly. In fact, Su Ming could immediately tell with his level of cultivation that if this process continued for another five hundred years, then even if he raised his level of cultivation, his Nascent Divinity would have irreparable damage.
If fact, if a whole thousand years went by, then no matter what sort of level of cultivation Su Ming possessed, he would still be unable to prevent his Nascent Divinity's death!
Since Seed of Life Extermination was a parasitic existence which suffered no backlash from his Nascent Divinity, it was a one-sided process of the fragment devouring him. In truth, it had responded to Su Ming's call to save him every single time because… it was a parasite protecting its host. It had yet to complete its growth, which was why it had to protect its host's life.
Anguish appeared on Su Ming's face, and he no longer chased after the red-white light. The veins in his Nascent Divinity about the Seed of Life Extermination soon disappeared and everything returned to normal. If he had not experienced the come to this place, then it was likely that he would have only come to know at the moment of his death that the one who snatched away his Nascent Divinity and destroyed him was the Seed of Life Extermination.