Rise of Humanity

by <unknown>

  Xin Huo was helpless without any other options, and could only concede to his decision.

  ....

  Tens of days passed, Zhong Yue had finally found the lone island, and he arduously boarded the island. On the island, Shui Zian’s grave remained untouched ever since he left. Zhong Yue bowed to Shui Zian and the next moment, he launched his power and opened the grave, unveiling the scenery below which, tossed him into a state of disbelief.

  Shui Zian who was buried in the grave was gone!

  The grave was empty!

  “This….”

  Xin Huo scratched his head, he was baffled and mumbling, “I’ve definitely sensed the disappearance of his breath, he is dead for sure, how is the grave now empty? With his prowess, he can’t possibly deceive me, could the body have been eaten away by wolves? But there aren’t any living beings here … or could it be that he had been reduced to ash by the spells of the gods, but that’s impossible too, the island was unscatched … Ah! I know already!”

  The little flame turned stern and solemn as he said to Zhong Yue, “This Elder Shui of yours, he has turned into a zombie!”

  However, Zhong Yue heaved a breath of relief and replied, “There is no need to investigate further whether or not he had turned into a zombie or if he was just feigning his death. Probably, when we’ve returned to Swords Gate, we will meet with a living Elder Shui who would be jumping and hopping around.”

  While Xin Huo mumbled on the side, “He is dead for sure, even his Yuan Shen was crumbling, let alone his heartbeat, and yet, how can he not die? It must be it, he must have turned into a zombie! Brat Yue, when you see him in Swords Gate, you must chop his head off, or else, he would start to eat people. This kind of expert cultivator will be extremely dangerous if he turns into a zombie….”

  Zhong Yue strode away from the lone island and headed towards the Lian Yun Mountain Ridge.

  In the deeper rim of the Divine Battlefield, an old man placed his hands on his back as he gazed at Zhong Yue leaving, the air of death wreathed all around him.

  “Headmaster, this Zhong Shan Clan member is concealing a large secret in his heart, but he is not an enemy of the Swords Gate.”

  Behind the old man was another old man with severe injuries, gasping for breath he said, “He has the pure and innocent heart of a newborn and he risked his life to save mine. I was planning to just die in the swamp and yet, he came forward, putting his life at stake to carry me in hope of saving my life. I had to crush off the last surge of life force in me so that he would leave. If it weren’t for you coming in time and digging me out from the dark abyss, I’d be dead for sure, I even nearly disintegrated my Yuan Shen….”

  Chapter 196: The Battles, Are Just Starting |

  “Junior Martial Brother Shui, you are already a dead man, from now on, you shall be hidden away from the world.”

  The old man wreathed in death sighed and said, “After your ‘death’, comes mine.”

  The wounded old man said smilingly, “That traitor is here too, aren’t they? The plot to kill me is a notable event, the traitor will definitely come, and if he comes, you will surely know who he is, right? All this effort in feigning my death ... other than preparation for that event to come, it is also to lure the traitor out! I’ve leaked the news about the safe passage in the Divine Battlefield to let him know that I’ll definitely take this path, so that he would come after me.”

  “Indeed, he came….”

  The dying old man’s eyes were filled with grief, his heart ached in pain as he mumbled, “Why … why does it have to be him … why….”

  “It can only be him.”

  The wounded old man was panting heavily as he replied, “You’ll have to be decisive in spite of the reluctance in your heart. But this Zhong Shan Clan member is really out of my expectations, what a smart brat he is to come back and check my grave. A smart guy will die faster but if he is incredibly smart, then it’ll be hard for him to die. This Zhong Shan Clan member is nearly as smart as me … *Cough Cough*!”

  Zhong Yue traipsed through the endless Divine Battlefield, he was like a changed man when compared to the last few days, “The smart ones die early because the enemies are afraid of them, that’s why the enemies will do their utmost to eliminate them as soon as possible. One can only escape this from overwhelming intelligence to slip through their enemies’ fingers and to escape death, that’s why they are hard to be killed. Shui Zian, what an incredible man … I cried for and mourned your ‘death’, and gave you a token, this was the first token I’d ever handed out in my whole life….”

  Zhong Yue was between laughter and tears; Shui Zian was an honorable elder of Swords Gate, and yet, he had managed to trick a little disciple like Zhong Yue of a token. From this, it wasn’t hard to infer that this Elder Shui had also tricked countless tokens from many when he traveled the world.

  After all, one might be a nobody today, but a magnate tomorrow. These were opportunities that Shui Zian wouldn’t dare to miss out on.

  The Divine Battlefield was extremely dangerous, even if there was Xin Huo guiding Zhong Yue along the way, he still could not let his guard down. He had spent more time than he thought in this dreary swamp. Unbeknownst to him, it had already been a month’s time since he was trapped in the Divine Battlefield.

  The map given to him by Shui Zian was now useless to him, he had to find a new safe passage to thread through the chaotic spells, lingering realms, shattered weapons, and broken godly bones.

  What a pity, I’ve left the Yin Yang Realm too early, or otherwise my Yuan Shen would’ve been able to open the third form already.

  Zhong Yue was lamenting in his heart, he was on the verge of opening the Yuan Shen third form of the sun and moon spirit — the three-legged Golden Crow celestial and the six-eyed Star Toad celestial respectively.

  If he had the Yang Qi and Yin Qi in the Yin Yang Realm of the fallen god, it would be immensely easy for him to open the two Yuan Shen third form; but now, as he had left the realm, he had to cultivate step by step on his own.

  However, he was only half a step away from opening the two third forms, all he needed was just some time and he would surely open them!

  Another half a month went by, Zhong Yue had finally arrived at the outer rim of the Divine Battlefield, and before him was the Lian Yun Mountain Ridge. The magnificent mountain ridge stood like stationary sea waves, surrounding the west side of the Great Wilderness like a barrier that separated the Great Wilderness and West Barren.

  This was where the human ancestors shook off the pursuers of the celestials, fought for their lives and instilled fear into the West Barren. This was where they forced the celestials to end their pursuit. This was also where the human ancestors ventured into the habitat of the demon god Tian Myriad Mother to sweep away the demons in the Great Wilderness to establish the holy land of humanity—Swords Gate!

  After the battle, the first headmaster, a man that represented the summit of power for humanity before he died in the heat of battle; his place inherited by the second headmaster.

  It was an age of darkness and chaos, but within this darkness emerge a small spark of hope for humanity to rise to stand staunchly on their own feet.

  Zhong Yue heaved a breath of relief as he finally walked out of the Divine Battlefield; walking the paths where his ancestors’ blood once splattered. It felt as if he was also there with them, vicariously experiencing the same sadness and sorrow that drove them to the insurrection that made the state of humanity as it was now. Under the command of their great leader, his ancestors fought with their lives, some dying in the revolt so that the others could survive. Pursued, trapped, surrounded ... they had made it through all the way until here, where they had successfully exited the territory of the celestials.

  It was this place where their hearts were replenished with hope, and they breathed the air of liberty. Tears soaked their clothes as they were no longer the slaves and livestock of the celestials, they were finally … free!

/>   “But this is not the end of my journey….”

  Zhong Yue hiked the Lian Yun Mountain Ridge – it was steep and arduous. Even the most agile monkey could not climb it and the strongest bird could not fly past it. Anything above the mountainside from the middle would be colored in white by the frosty snow.

  While hiking his way up, Zhong Yue could sense the celestial Qi Practitioners on the top of the mountain, clearly, there were some celestial Qi Practitioners waiting for his arrival on the summit of this snowy mountain of the Lian Yun Mountain Ridge, preparing for the last battle to stop him!

  Hu——

  He exhaled a breath of hot air which eventually condensed into a patch of cloud about a mu in radius. As his mortal body continued to strengthen, his breath also grew stronger and longer.

  White downy snow fluttered down, Zhong Yue stepped on the snow and climbed higher, every step he took, his feet would precisely land on a piece of snow. He continued to scale the snowy mountain as such.

  The last battle of the West Barren.

  He thought to himself, Before this, Elder Shui was here to protect me, but now, I can only rely on myself to fight my way through them!

  He cast his gaze forward, the mountains were linked together like the wavy back of a dragon, glimmering brightly like jade rocks when the sunlights shone onto them, reflecting white and cloudy rays into the air.

  On one of the summit tops, there were a few figures standing right there as they radiated godly rays forming into auspicious clouds thirty feet above them. It was the air of the celestials.

  The monster Qi Practitioners would have demonic clouds above them while the celestials would have auspicious clouds.

  “Aooooohhh——”

  All of a sudden, a loud cry reverberated the air, incurring an avalanche on the top of the snowy mountain. The avalanche grew stronger and larger as it continued its descent down the mountain summit. The sounds of snow rolling down rumbled like thunder and sounded like millions of horses galloping at the same time. Zhong Yue was followed by the white snow as they snowballed down larger and larger, becoming ever more terrifying. The avalanche incited a huge hurricane that roared in the air. Along with the avalanche, they struck over in the direction that Zhong Yue was at!

  The scenery in his eyes was as if heaven and earth were crumbling down!

  He could vaguely perceive a huge figure in the billowing avalanche— its body was covered in rock and engraved with natural totem patterns, four-armed with an eye in each of its palms glaring like fire in the snow!

  Qi Practitioner of the Shan Shen celestial race!

  Zheng zheng zheng——

  There were sounds of Yuan Shen opening coming from the avalanche, light wheels emerged one after another on the Shan Shen celestial’s back. They cast all five realms and slammed down onto Zhong Yue along with the avalanche!

  The Wu Xing Wheel, Wan Xiang Wheel, Shen Cai Wheel, Yin Yang Wheel, and Dao Yi Wheel were blasting with multicolored rays, glimmering onto the whitish snow, forming a marvelous-looking scene!

  The Shan Shen celestial pounced down from the top to bottom along with the mighty impact force of the avalanche. Clearly, he was planning to leverage the force of the avalanche to slay Zhong Yue in one strike!

  Meanwhile, on the mountain summit, there were a few celestials that followed behind the avalanche and the Shan Shen celestial. Even if Zhong Yue was able to survive the first strike, he would still not be able to escape death as they would ambush him after the avalanche!

  The sounds of snow rumbling down drowned out the sounds they made when they opened their realms. The avalanche before his eyes cloaked the celestials from his sight, he would never see them coming! There was a gray-haired elderly Qi Practitioner who morphed into an old Pan Ao; a Qi Practitioner that transformed into a one-eyed giant; and another two Qi Practitioners that showed their true forms. They were Awakening Qi Practitioners of the other celestial races!

  Zhong Yue strode forwards and embraced the avalanche without the slightest modicum of fear lingering in his heart.

  “Human livestock, how arrogant!”

  The Shan Shen celestial Qi Practitioner laughed in the avalanche, his laughter was like thunders rumbling, “Zhong Shan Clan member, do you think you are invincible in the level of Awakening just because you’ve defeated Xiao Jin? Xiao Jin was only a half-blood in the Xiao Mang Celestial Race, and she had only opened the five realms even without opening the Yuan Shen third form! But I’m different, I’ve opened the third form!”

  Krong!

  Abruptly, the avalanche changed, the image of a mountain god emerged behind the Shan Shen celestial Qi Practitioner, it was the third form of his Shan Shen Yuan Shen! His aura billowed up to become even more barbaric. It seemed like he would be able to move a mountain on his own, and augment the power of the avalanche!

  “Die!”

  The avalanche slammed down onto Zhong Yue while the Shan Shen Qi Practitioner extended his arms, out with only one of the four eyes opened, to send it clashing into Zhong Yue!

  Loud and muffled booming sounds came from within the midst of the avalanche. They were let out when the Shan Shen Qi Practitioner moved his body. The Shan Shen celestials’ mortal bodies were as strong as mountain rocks. Their sheer strength could be listed as the top three among the celestial races. And as he had casted all five realms and opened the Yuan Shen third form, this was made even more terrifying!

  Along with the augmentation from the avalanche, the Shan Shen celestial Qi Practitioner had fueled his strengths to over the brim, to a point far past his ordinary peak!

  The next moment, when the avalanche clashed with Zhong Yue, he only did one thing — raising his left hand up, and instantly, the avalanche that was slamming down stopped all of a sudden in mid-air.

  The immense force acted on his body, and the impact blew away all the snow around him to reveal the mountain rocks that had hitherto always been buried under snow. Even the rocks were swept away by the hurricane along with the snow!

  Krong——

  The fist of his right hand clashed with the Shen Shen celestial Qi Practitioner's punch, the Shan Shen celestial Qi Practitioner was holding a dreadful and savage face as he launched another two fists aiming at Zhong Yue’s head and stomach. However, before his fists even reached Zhong Yue, his face contorted in pain as the punch that met with Zhong Yue’s fist was crushed away. His whole arm was torn off, and the mountain rock that enforced his skins crumbled away while his flesh was minced into mashed meats!

  His whole arm was torn away from his shoulder, sent flying away by the immense impact force from Zhong Yue’s fist!

  How can he be so strong? My strength should be even stronger than Xiao Jin….

  Just as he thought about it, a pair of marvelous wings emerged out form Zhong Yue’s back, fluttering violently and slashing over at him. It lacerated the Shan Shen Qi Practitioner into diced meat and crushed rocks!

  The Shan Shen celestials have blood and flesh, the surface of their body was only covered in rock due to the cultivation technique they practiced. Practicing the Shan Shen celestial cultivation technique would cause the ancient rock totem patterns to emerge on their skin, covering their bodies with rocks and augmenting them with the power of the mountains. However, beneath the rock, they were still flesh and blood bodies!

  The downy snow was still fluttering in the raging wind; one after another, celestials pounced on him as Zhong Yue continued moving forward. Strong and powerful after impacts swept the snows away and ravaged the mountain; spells and skills clashed with one another concomitant with the growls and hollers of battle; the wind blew violently in the air, glutting the ears of the cultivators while vaguely, they could hear sounds of weapons slicing into their skins and through their bones.

  A few moments later, the havoc has finished, the snows settled onto the ground and the winds stopped blowing; Zhong Yue walked in the white snows and continued hiking the snow mountain, while behind him, the remains of the celestials
and the reddish blood were slowly buried away by the snows.

  The young man cast his gaze away, there were countless silhouettes that flipped over in the snowy mountain ridge.

  “The battles, are just starting.” he mumbled softly.

  Chapter 197: Frontal Combat, Reaped like Grasses |

  The Lian Yun Mountain Ridge would be the celestials’ last hope, once Zhong Yue climbed over the mountain and reached the other side, he would be in the land of Great Wilderness. Hence, they would have to kill Zhong Yue and the other human Qi Practitioners before they manage to cross the mountain ridge.

  However, the Lian Yun Mountain Ridge was tens of thousands of miles long, no one could foresee the path that Zhong Yue and the other human Qi Practitioners with Feng Shouzhu would take through the mountain ridge. This was why celestials were stationed all over the mountain tops throughout the whole mountain ridge.

  However, Zhong Yue had been entangled in the Divine Battlefield for one and a half month’s time. By now, Feng Shouzhu and the others would have long trekked past the Lian Yun Mountain Ridge to return to the Great Wilderness.

  In other words, all these celestials guarding over the Lian Yun Mountain Ridge were not waiting for Feng Shouzhu and the others, but Zhong Yue.

  Clearly, they were told of the death of Shui Zian, hence, only the cultivators at the stage of hall masters and Awakening Qi Practitioners came after him instead of the elder priests or magnates.

  The ones he had encountered and killed were the celestials stationed by various races on this mountain top. Although it ended quickly, the but the activity of the battle were vigorous enough to be noticed by the celestials stationed on the other mountains.

  Sure enough, the celestials nearby were alerted of the battle and were rushing over.

  “A lone man in the face of countless celestial elites, what a stimulating challenge this is!”

  Zhong Yue laughed out loud, in the midst of the snowy weather, he strode forward to the top of the mountain. The were many mountains in the Lian Yun Mountain Ridge, in order to enter the Great Wilderness, he would have to hike past one mountain after another; and he was now only starting his journey.