Desolate Era

by RWX

  “The [Fogstone Apocalypse].” Ning was secretly surprised by what he saw. “And he’s using the third stage of it.”

  The third stage of the [Fogstone Apocalypse] involved transforming the entire body into stone. It would allow the user to become tremendously more powerful, with the body becoming comparable to a Dao weapon in toughness. However, this sort of explosive technique resulted in a rapid consumption of divine power. Once the divine power was used up, one would transform into a true statue forever. Thus, this divine ability generally wouldn’t be used until things were truly dire.

  The Starlord had clearly grown nervous upon seeing that the five of them were at such a disadvantage.

  “He truly has reached full mastery of his skills.” Immortal Abyssus sighed in amazement and nodded. “The Starlord hasn’t trained for very long, but this divine ability alone ensures that he is a master-class World God.”

  “Master-class?” Ning was puzzled.

  God Emperor Blacklotus was now being completely suppressed by the Starlord’s attacks. No more black lotuses were appearing around Ning and Abyssus. Clearly, the God Emperor was now focused on his own defenses.

  “Yes.” Immortal Abyssus nodded and smiled. “There are differences in power amongst World-level experts, and they can be divided into several rough categories.”

  “The first level is the level of brand new World-level experts. They are young, inexperienced, and quite weak. They can be described as having just barely reached the World-level threshold.”

  “The second level is the ordinary level which most World-level experts are at! This is a level which every single World-level expert can reach after they spend a bit of time in training.”

  “The third level can be described as the elite level! Blackmist, for example, is at this level, thanks to the fact that he has the body of a World God and is skilled in the offensive Dao of the Sword. I’m actually at this level as well, but I have a few more tricks up my sleeve than he does, which is why I’m a bit stronger than him.”

  “The fourth level is the level of full mastery! Both the Starlord and God Emperor Blacklotus can be described as master-class World Gods.”

  Ning nodded. “Are there any higher levels?”

  “There are. If either of them had an Eternal weapon, they could be described as supreme World Gods,” Immortal Abyssus said. “This is a fairly widespread classification system used in these Endless Territories. As for why they are classified in this manner…once you reach the World level, you will understand.”

  Ning nodded.

  He wasn’t a World God yet. He naturally didn’t understand the cultivation mysteries of World-level experts.

  Based on Immortal Abyssus’ classifications…World God Northrest was most likely a supreme World God! As for the deceased slave he had seen in that house by the lake inside the Windsource Ruins, he was probably a supreme World God as well.

  “Are there any who are more powerful than even ‘supreme’ World-level experts?” Ning was curious.

  “There are.” Immortal Abyssus nodded. “But you won’t possibly be able to understand why those World Gods are as powerful as they are. Some are World Gods who have unleashed the full power of their Eternal weapons, while some have cultivation paths that we can’t fathom. Perhaps they might have gained some particularly incredible legacies! However, those figures are nothing more than legends. I’ve wandered through many territories, but I’ve only seen just one of those terrifying figures. In our Badlands Territory, not a single one of them exists. Thus, to be a supreme World God is already quite incredible.”

  Ning nodded secretly to himself. No wonder World God Northrest was such an incredible figure! Alas, in the end he had still fallen.

  * * *

  Book 24, Chapter 45 - Eternal Weapon

  The morale of the Fogstone Dominion was soaring.

  “Break for me!” His entire body a grayish-white color, the Starlord of Fogstone waved his hand, unleashing streams of astral sword-light against the enormous black lotus, causing it to begin to crack apart and crumble. God Emperor Blacklotus continued to stand atop the black lotus, allowing this to happen. He murmured softly, “I heard that the [Fogstone Apocalypse] is just something derived from fragmentary records of an ancient technique. And yet, it is this powerful? I wonder how powerful the true, complete technique was.”

  Quite a number of Fogstone’s supreme techniques were incomplete.

  [Dust of the Mortal World] was one.

  [Fogstone Apocalypse] was another.

  Ning’s own [Nameless] sword-art was just a fragment of the true, complete technique as well.

  The reason why so many techniques only existed in fragmentary parts was because they were simply too profound. There was no way to completely memorize them! Daoist Three Purities had an incredibly high level of insight into the Dao, but it still took him countless years before he was able to completely memorize the Nine Chaos Seals, which Ning had already merged together into one.

  However, techniques like [Dust of the Mortal World] and the [Nameless] sword-art were ancient techniques which even Daolords would sigh with amazement upon seeing. There was no way a World God could possibly have the ability to completely memorize such a technique; the could at most just memorize part of it.

  Thanks to a stroke of tremendous luck, World God Northrest had been able to view the [Nameless] sword-art, but he was only at a level where he could memorize its first seven stances. He wasn’t able to memorize any of the rest of it at all.

  “Against you? It’ll be enough.” The Starlord surged with a killing intent.

  “You overestimate yourself.” The God Emperor looked at the Starlord coldly. “I didn’t want to use this treasure. I thought I could defeat you just by using a few secret arts…but it seems I’ll still be forced to activate it. It’s been a long, long time since I’ve truly fought someone.”

  God Emperor Blacklotus stretched out his right hand. Whoosh. A crystalline scimitar that seemed to have been carved out from a block of ice suddenly appeared in his hand. The scimitar was roughly three feet long.

  Whoosh!

  An unspeakable aura instantly filled the entire city. In fact, the aura spread out past the city and covered an enormous region beyond it as well.

  The entire battlefield fell silent.

  Cold!

  Every single cultivator, be it the Elder Gods, the World Gods, or the Chaos Immortals, felt an icy cold feeling in their hearts.

  “Is that…” All the cultivators turned their heads to stare at the origin of this feeling of icy terror. They saw that frozen crystal scimitar in God Emperor Blacklotus’ hand, as well as the glimmer of azure light flowing over its surface. Every single cultivator felt their hearts shudder when they merely looked at the scimitar.

  “What is that?” Ning’s heart was shaking as well.

  “That is an Eternal weapon.” The nearby Immortal Abyssus had turned completely pale. “That’s an Eternal weapon. I’ve seen the power of an Eternal weapon before, and this gives me exactly the same feeling. When you see an Eternal weapon, you’ll immediately lose all your courage.”

  “An Eternal weapon.” The faces of World God Blackmist, Immortal Skyram, and the others all changed as well.

  “How could he have an Eternal weapon?”

  “How could God Emperor Blacklotus be this powerful?”

  Everyone was dazed.

  Eternal weapons were just legends to most World-level experts! The number of World-level experts in the entire Badlands Territory who possessed Eternal weapons could be counted on one hand. They either had incredible luck or had been bestowed it by a Daolord! It must be understood that most Daolords used Eternal weapons, and so for them to bestow one on a World-level expert was incredibly rare.

  Whooooosh. An invisible, freezing intent filled the hearts of every single cultivator present.

  “I’m also wielding an Eternal weapon, but none of the World-level experts paid it any attention. But now that God Empe
ror Blacklotus has taken one out, he has stunned the entire battlefield.” Ning couldn’t help but sigh. This was all because his attainments in the sword were simply too low. He was only able to unleash just a tiny fraction of the power within Violetjewel’s quintessence core, so little that no one even paid attention to it.

  If he was as powerful as World God Northrest, who was able to unleash thirty to forty percent of Violetjewel’s quintessence core, he’d be able to inspire terror in other World-level experts just by standing there with the sword in his hands.

  “A supreme World God. I never would’ve thought that God Emperor Blacklotus is this powerful.” A frantic look was in Immortal Abyssus’ eyes.

  “Blacklotus.”

  The Starlord withdrew, slowly stepping backwards as he looked at God Emperor Blacklotus.

  “Why are you retreating?” God Emperor Blacklotus asked calmly.

  “I admit defeat,” the Starlord said in a low voice. “I’m willing to pay a high price to stay your hand and quell your rage, God Emperor Blacklotus.”

  As a cultivator, one had to know when to advance and when to retreat. To continue the battle when there was such a large disparity in power was just suicide.

  “Hahaha…” God Emperor Blacklotus laughed. “A high price? As far as I’m concerned, the Fogstone lineage is worth nothing! Oh, wait. I actually rather like the planet of Fogstone itself. Hand over the planet and I’ll let you leave.”

  “Impossible. God Emperor Blacklotus, you should know that the planet of Fogstone is a legacy treasure of the Fogstone lineage. Someone who is not of our lineage cannot bind or control it,” the Starlord said.

  This was the truth.

  In the past, the Fogstone lineage had actually been completely wiped out by enemies before. However, once the major powers of the Fogstone lineage who were out exploring in other territories returned, they would generally take revenge and retake their legacy treasure, resulting in the lineage continuing to be passed down. Starchild’s own father, the previous Starlord, was someone who had gone out exploring as well.

  This was the custom of the Fogstone lineage. Once they reached a certain level of power, they would leave and go out adventuring in the primordial chaos. After a few dozen chaos cycles passed, they might eventually return to Fogstone, ensuring that its lineage would remain unbroken.

  Their most important legacy treasure was the planet itself, and one had to have mastered certain core techniques in order to bind the planet. These core techniques were never taught to outsiders.

  “I’m willing to offer treasure that is worth three thousand cubes of primordial chaos,” the Starlord said hurriedly.

  “Do you think I care?” God Emperor Blacklotus lifted the scimitar up.

  The Starlord’s face turned even uglier.

  “When I journeyed through the primordial chaos, I passed through many territories and took on many masters. And yet, in the end I remained unable to take that final step to the next level. I no longer hold any hope of becoming a Samsara Daolord.” God Emperor Blacklotus said softly, “And so I returned to the Badlands Territory. It had changed significantly since my departure from it. In fact, when I was born here, it wasn’t even called the Badlands Territory…”

  “I simply chose a random location and set up a little empire for myself, intending to rule over it in peace…and yet, trouble chose to come knocking on my door.”

  “It seems that I’ve been too…benevolent.”

  “To tell you the truth, I had a nickname when I roamed the primordial chaos. ‘Daoist Blacklotus’,” the God Emperor said.

  “Daoist Blacklotus?” Immortal Abyssus sent mentally, “Careful, I know who he is now! He’s a true fiend, a demon who delights in slaughter and who walks the path of evil. Don’t put too much faith in his promises. He’s an extremely temperamental person who has killed many World-level experts. Its been a long time since anyone has heard any news regarding him. I never would’ve thought that he had actually come to the Badlands Territory and set up an empire for himself to rule over.”

  “Daoist Blacklotus?” None of the other World-level experts, including the Starlord, knew what this name and title represented.

  However, the Starlord and the others knew what they had to do.

  God Emperor Blacklotus shook his head. “Still, I’m willing to be benevolent one final time. I’ll give you two choices.”

  “The first choice is for all of you to hand over all of your treasures, including the planet of Fogstone and the treasures and techniques it contains,” God Emperor Blacklotus said. “I’ll spare your lives.”

  “The other choice is death.” God Emperor Blacklotus had a very calm look in his eyes. The lineage of Fogstone truly was an ancient one. Perhaps it held certain techniques that might be of use to him. Although he didn’t really feel that he would be able to make any more breakthroughs, he was still willing to give it a try.

  “The planet of Fogstone? All of the treasures and techniques it holds?” The Starlord’s skin once more transformed to become grayish-white. He couldn’t possibly hand those things over, because he had sworn a lifeblood oath upon joining the lineage. If he violated it, the lifeblood oath would immediately take his life. It was impossible.

  “Attack!” The Starlord’s entire body had turned grayish-white, and his eyes were filled with a murderous frenzy.

  “I’ve already taken revenge for Yi, so let’s have a good fight. I want to see just how powerful an Eternal weapon is!” The Starlord charged forwards in a frenzy.

  As he did so…

  “Run!”

  “All of you, run!”

  “I’ll hold him down. The rest of you, go hide within the planet of Fogstone. He won’t be able to do anything to you once you go inside!” The Starlord’s voice simultaneously rang out within the minds of Ji Ning, Immortal Abyssus, World God Blackmist, the other World-level experts, and the minds of the many Elder Gods as well.

  Rumble…

  The enormous planet which had been hanging in the sky suddenly came crashing downwards.

  Ning and the others all understood that the planet of Fogstone was definitely filled with formations and protective spells that were far more powerful than the ones which had been protecting the imperial capital of the Blacklotus Empire. If they could make it inside, they would be safe! The Starlord of Fogstone was the most powerful person on their side; he was the only one who had a chance of stopping God Emperor Blacklotus.

  “He wishes to stop me? To hold me down?” God Emperor Blacklotus held that enormous crystal scimitar in his hands as he strode forward, his voice echoing in the ears of every single cultivator present. “You really do have a fine Starlord. A pity, though…he won’t succeed. All of you will die.”

  * * *

  Book 24, Chapter 46 - Shield You From the Wind and the Rain

  God Emperor Blacklotus showed no mercy at all as he struck out with the giant crystal scimitar. Whoosh! A streak of icy saber-light shot out through the air, carrying an aura of extreme coldness as it flew towards the Starlord. The Starlord’s body was now completely grayish-white, and he hurriedly shot out streaks of astral sword-light to defend.

  Boom!!!

  The Starlord was knocked flying backwards as the saber-light slashed past his chest. Fortunately, his body was as tough as a Dao weapon and so he was able to endure the blow.

  “You can’t stop me. In a head-on fight, you have no chance of stopping me at all.” God Emperor Blacklotus smiled coldly.

  The Starlord was beginning to panic.

  He truly was a blessed child of the heavens! His father had been the previous Starlord, while World God Blackmist had supported him and guided him. Even though he hadn’t been particularly diligent in cultivating, he had still been able to easily overcome his tribulations. After his beloved Yi had perished, he had begun to work hard and improved at an even more astonishing speed, becoming a World God. He then continued until he reached his certain stage, resulting in his divine body reaching the
stage of full perfection! He was now the most powerful expert of the Fogstone lineage.

  His path had always been a path that led straight upwards! Thus, his most powerful sword-arts were all focused on offensive attacks, making him somewhat weaker in defensive skills. The Starlord had always believed the old maxim that the best defense was a good offense! When he used the [Fogstone Apocalypse] his body was rendered comparable to a Dao weapon. Why, then, should he waste his time and effort on mastering defensive sword-arts? Only when he focused his efforts in the right area would he be able to more quickly reach a higher level of power.

  But now…

  He had encountered someone who was so superior to him that his vaunted attacks were useless! At a time like this, only someone tremendously talented in defensive sword arts would be capable of dealing with such a difficult foe.

  Boom! The airborne Starlord was smashed downwards towards the ground.

  “Let’s go.”

  “Let’s get out of here.”

  Quite a few Elder Gods immediately began to flee, not hesitating in the slightest. They all soared towards the skies, obeying the Starlord’s orders to flee.

  However…the Starlord had misjudged one of them.

  “Starchild.” World God Blackmist looked at the Starlord, a gentle look in his eyes. “You want me to flee?”

  There was no way he would flee.

  The previous Starlord had shown him great benevolence, which was why he had chosen to help take care of Starchild! At first, World God Blackmist had only done so in order to repay the old Starlord’s kindness, and so Starchild had called him ‘Second Uncle’. He had watched as the child slowly grew up, while the old Starlord himself had actually spent very little time with his son.

  In the end…

  It was World God Blackmist who spent virtually all of his time by Starchild’s side. He had watched as Starchild grew up, had shielded him from the wind and the rain, ensuring that he would live a carefree life! As for the death of Starchild’s Dao-companion, there was nothing that World God Blackmist could do about that. All he could do was silently support his young ward, hoping that this tragedy would encourage him to grow up even faster.