Chapter 22: Death and Glory
As the old man wandered through the bustling market of the Abyss Prison Realm, his fragile frame swayed unsteadily and his vacant gaze drifted aimlessly. The sound of chattering voices and vendors' cries mingled with the clinking of coins and rustling of robes. The old man was oblivious to the cacophony around him, lost in thought as he mulled over his next move.
Yet, in an instant, his eyes snapped into sharp focus, and he sensed a powerful presence from afar. The old man's heart quickened, and he slowly turned his head, scanning the crowd for the source of the disturbance. His eyes narrowed as he spotted a young man with long, gray hair, cackling with mad glee as he rampaged through the forest.
Despite his apparent derangement, the old man recognized the boy's fighting prowess and knew he was not to be trifled with. Still, the forest served as a veil for the entrance to the Ten Millennium Spatial Array, and the old man couldn't permit this crazed warrior to wreak any further havoc. Something about the boy seemed amiss, too. The old man couldn't recall ever having seen him in the Abyss Prison Realm. And how could a mere bronze-ranked fighter effortlessly dispatch silver and gold-ranked demons as if they were blocks of tofu?
As the old man approached him, the boy's mad laughter died down, replaced by a sinister smile. The old man's eyes flashed with suspicion as he tried to discern the boy's motives. In a fit of anger and frustration, the old man struck out at the boy, aiming for his face. To his surprise, the boy dodged the attack with ease, his movements quick and graceful. The old man jumped back in confusion, taken aback by the boy's agility.
The boy followed him like a bug, striking while he ran and blocking his path with exquisite movement. The old man was caught off guard by the boy's ferocity and speed. He didn't know what was happening, why he couldn't access his cultivation. His pride wouldn't allow him to run anymore, so he also attacked, showing the boy his endless years of effort to reach his place.
In the blink of an eye, rivers of punches and kicks were exchanged without a pause. The boy was adapting at an impossible rate. The old man couldn't understand what was happening. They hadn't even fought for a minute, but the boy was now pushing him back. His crazy smile and flaming red eyes were the look of someone beyond crazy.
"What's happening!" The old man shouted in horror. He didn't even know how to respond. He couldn't use his cultivation, merge with his demon spirit, or use his interspatial ring. All he could do was fight.
The old man ran with all his physical strength, but even that seemed to have weakened to the boy's level. He could see the demon kid chasing him with a crazed face. "Fuck!" Suddenly, the old man turned to run back at the Ten Millennium Spatial Array to escape. He didn't know what was happening, nor did he want to know. The only thing on his mind was to escape.
However, that thought was the last thing he had, as a little yellow chick appeared on his face and separated his head from his neck, killing the last successor of Emperor Kong Ming beside to nomad, who stopped before the lifeless body of the old man.
His eyes is closed as he clenched his fist, currently a boundless amount of cultivation force and knowledge flow from the old man into him, a process solely to those successor of emperor kong ming who has set for his successor to kill each other to gain his power and will and the old man has it all after killing the first Successor before him and now nomad gain him, which is stated by the will of emperor kong ming.
As Nomad stood there, he suddenly felt an overwhelming surge of soul force coursing through his body. The power was so intense that it forcibly halted the assimilation of the Immortal Snail into his being. Despite the temptation to drink in the old man's energy, Nomad remained steadfastly focused on his task, carefully directing the raw energy into the black hole that hungrily devoured everything in its path. He knew that the key to reaching the pinnacle of Martial Ancestor rank, or even achieving Deity rank, lay in refining and storing this potent force.
Nomad felt his body shrink and then gradually return to its original size, his hair growing longer and turning a snowy white as the transformation took hold. For three long days, he stood perfectly still as the process continued, immersing himself in the power of the old man. In order to protect himself during this vulnerable state, Nomad had to kill everything in his immediate surroundings, drawing the energy to himself and leaving no room for interference.
Nomad's ability to contain the old man's power was not merely a flimsy plot armor, nor some other trivial trickery. Rather, it was the result of a seal he created from the three invaluable pages from the Temporal Demon Spirit Book, which he had acquired from Xiao Ning'er, Ye Ziyun, and the Underground Palace of Emperor Kong Ming.
These same three pages had been used by the Sage Emperor to craft the Heavenly Dao Inscription Array of the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths, allowing him to achieve immortality and become impervious to all harm. Initially, Nomad had intended to dispatch the old man with ease, like a flightless bird, by restricting his every move. However, as he relished the thrill of combat firsthand, he opted instead to limit the old man's powers to match his own, so that he could enjoy the exhilarating challenge of a fair fight.
At first, Nomad was overjoyed at the opportunity to engage in a fierce battle with the old man, eager to learn all he could from the encounter. However, when the old man suddenly opted to flee, Nomad wasted no time in dealing the fatal blow, taking no chances with his own safety. It was a tragic end for the old man, as had he only held out a little longer in the fight, he might have lived to see another day. But alas, it was not meant to be, and he perished at the hands of Nomad.
With a satisfied exhale, Nomad spent several days plundering everything the old man had to offer. He relished his first solo adventure, basking in the thrill of taking down his first victim in this universe. While some might view his actions as shameless, Nomad knew that this was his reality and he refused to let anyone else dictate how he should live his life. He even gave the old man a fair chance to fight him on equal terms, but unfortunately, he met his demise. It was a pity, Nomad mused, as he buried the old man at the very spot where he had fallen. Despite his ruthless nature, Nomad was still human and held a deep respect for the dead, particularly for someone who was the successor of Emperor Kong Ming.
Surveying the dismal surroundings, Nomad vowed to return before the opening of the Nether Realm and bring about a change in this desolate place. With that in mind, he departed from the Abyss Prison Realm and made his way back home to Glory City.
—
Glory City
People from all walks of life, young and old, cultivators and non-cultivators alike, flocked to the heart of Glory City for the highly anticipated Auction Event. Hosted by the Hong Yie Family, the three-day affair was a chance for attendees to try their luck on the various items up for auction. The grand platform erected for the occasion had no seating arrangements, encouraging guests to mingle and socialize with one another. The crowd was a diverse mix, ranging from unknown families to aristocrats, nobles, and members of the major families. And now, with the Hong Yue Family's head and his wife achieving the illustrious Legend Rank, they too had earned a coveted spot amongst the major families.
The atmosphere was lively and festive, with food aplenty and colorful decorations adorning every corner. It felt like a grand celebration, one that everyone could revel in. In fact, the City Lord himself announced that this day would henceforth be commemorated in honor of the transformative changes that the Hong Yue Family had brought to Glory City. Numerous stalls had been set up in the vicinity, their wares tempting children to pester their parents for purchases, while adults chatted amiably with one another. Teenagers, on the other hand, saw this as a chance to find their soulmate or significant other. Meanwhile, the elders and family heads gathered around a massive bonfire, simply enjoying the occasion with no thoughts of politics or affairs of state, but rather, basking in the moment with their loved ones.
The reason why this event was made possible remains a mystery. Perhaps it was the unity displayed during the creation of the protective array, or the collaboration between the Snow Wind and Hong Yue families. It could also be attributed to the cultivation techniques being practiced by the family heads. Whatever the reason may be, the sight was truly a spectacle to behold, with people of all ages and backgrounds coming together to enjoy the festivities.
However, amidst the joyful atmosphere, a group of dark guild members lurked in a corner of an alley, their eyes fixed on the merrymakers with ill intent.
Gui Sha turned to Long Sha, perplexed. "What's happening? I thought we were here to rob an auction, not attend a celebration for everyone," he queried, prompting nods of agreement from their fellow guild members. "Shen Hong explained that the Snow Wind and Hong Yue families have altered the event to commemorate the creation of that colossal black structure in the center," Long Sha explained, gesturing towards a massive, polished pillar at the heart of the gathering.
"That thing? Pfft! I wouldn't even use it as a toothpick," Gui Sha scoffed, eliciting a chorus of nods from the rest of the Dark Guild members. "Don't get too careless, though. Even if it's worthless, everyone's gathered here, and Ye Mo himself is in attendance," warned Long Sha, gesturing towards Ye Mo, who was casually drinking with a young man by his side. "Oh, and I have a job for you, Gui Sha. I want you to kidnap the young man next to Ye Mo - he's the young master of the Hong Yue family, and he's managed to slip away from us before." Long Sha issued the order, seeking permission from a hooded figure who only gave a silent nod of approval.
"Indeed, we can use him as a hostage to seize everything that the Hong Yue family has acquired in that Golden Palace located in the Eastern Desert - from demon beasts to abilities and cultivation techniques, we'll take them all!" The hooded figure, who was none other than the Demon Lord and the leader of the Dark Guild, announced to the group, causing a wave of excitement to surge through the members. The Demon Lord had witnessed Shen Hong's remarkable progress in cultivation after he employed the Hong Yue family's technique, and even he had considered changing his cultivation method after witnessing its effectiveness. However, it was a shame that the technique was only suitable for those with Flame Soul Realm attributes, like the members of the Sacred Family who mostly used the same method.
Upon learning of the changes in Glory City and verifying the information, the Demon Lord ordered his followers to investigate the location where the Hong Yue family had obtained their treasures. They discovered that there was indeed a Golden Palace in the Endless Desert, but it had already been emptied. As a result, they decided to rob the Hong Yue family in retaliation, and the Demon Lord summoned every member of the Dark Guild to participate in the mission, except for a select few who were assigned to protect their headquarters in Black Rock City.
After several hours of waiting, the auction event finally began, with the Hong Yue family head, his wife, and son opening the proceedings and expressing their gratitude to everyone for taking part in a momentous occasion that would undoubtedly shape the future of Glory City. As the event commenced, the Demon Lord sneered with a wicked grin, relishing the prospect of finally crushing the city under his heel. "At last," he thought, "the day has come for this wretched city to fall before me."
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