Age of Adepts c1-1513

by Zhen De Lao Lang, 真的老狼

  If even actual arcane towers were so fragile, it was only worse for the more simplified security towers.

  To deal with this fearsome starbeast that had entered their floating city, many arcanists charged out of their arcane towers and floating fortresses in mighty arcane golems. They surrounded the starbeast and began attacking with all their might.

  The parasites that lived on the surface of the starbeast’s body also swarmed forward to fight against the arcanists and the golems under the starbeast’s command.

  The powerful starbeast unleashed thick energy beams of various colors from its mouth, carving large swathes of death zones onto the surface of the floating city. Meanwhile, it twisted with its body and crawled towards the majestic hall at the center of the city.

  Buildings collapsed, and the ground cracked wherever it went.

  Moreover, when the purple blood from its wounds landed on the ground, it would quickly gather into vicious and wild Bloodthirsters. These creatures were ferocious and powerful, almost as powerful as Second Ring arcanists.

  A Second Ring arcanist was considered a well-respected scholar, even in the Arcane Empire! However, for this gigantic beast, a single drop from its body combined with substance from the material plane was enough to form a fearsome Second Grade monster.

  It was evidence of the power and terror of a starbeast!

  And this was only a Sixth Grade starbeast!

  If this was outside the planar barrier, the massive Arcane Empire could have relied on their large number of Great Arcanists and their immeasurably mighty pseudo-planar fortresses to tear this monster to pieces. However, now that this Sixth Grade starbeast had broken into the plane, it was a completely different matter. Its offensive power might have been suppressed to the peak of Fourth Grade, but its massive size and incredible Physique made it an undying monstrosity.

  Even the two Eighth Grade Arcane Emperors were hesitant to strike against such a massive creature.

  Naturally, with their power, they would have no problem killing this starbeast.

  However, it was precisely because of how overwhelming their power was, that even the slightest of shockwaves generated by their attacks would inflict even more horrendous damage to the planar world and the floating city!

  It was this reason that caused the Great Arcanists to be hesitant in their movements. They were helpless in this situation.

  The starbeasts could ignore the tremendous damage dealt to the planar world by its reckless fighting, but they could not do the same!

  After all, Morrian Plane belonged to the Arcane Empire. It belonged to the arcanists and Great Arcanists. If they destroyed their own home with their reckless attack, what where they supposed to use to fend off those powerful enemies waiting outside the plane barrier?

  …………

  Truth’s Light. A floating city.

  As the largest and most powerful floating city in the Arcane Empire, Truth’s Light had a pivotal function in Morrian Plane.

  At the center of Truth’s Light stood a large, majestic arcane palace of ornate design. There were ten levels to this palace. Every level was over a hundred meters in height. Scattered all over its broad and flat platforms were arcane academies, public libraries, arcane research centers, academic promotion centers, observatories, arcane laboratories, and a significant number of golem workshops.

  Administrator Garcia, one of the only two Arcane Emperors of the Arcane Empire, had turned Truth’s Light into the Arcane Empire’s one and only center for economics and politics.

  Unfortunately, in this great crisis, Truth’s Light had also become the main target of the many foreign enemies. The two Arcane Emperors were fending off the waves of powerful opponents outside the plane barrier. Meanwhile, a Sixth Grade star devourer had entered Morrian Plane and was brazenly attacking Truth’s Light.

  It seemed like its intention was to break into the floating city’s control center and cause Truth’s Light to crash from the sky. With the scale and size of Truth’s Light, it would not be able to take off into the skies again for the next hundred years if it crashed to the ground.

  Moreover, if Truth’s Light were to crash, the pseudo-planar fortresses outside the plane’s barrier would lose their energy supply. When that happened, the frontline that was relying on the pseudo-planar fortresses to hold back the enemy would be at risk of an instantaneous collapse.

  The arcanists had to exterminate this star devourer regardless of the cost. They had to stop the enemy’s plans!

  There were three Sixth Grade Great Arcanists gathered in the arcane palace, furiously debating amongst themselves.

  “Activate the Light of Annihilation. We must activate the Light of Annihilation. Otherwise, what are we supposed to use to stop the star devourer once it breaks into the control center?”

  “No! The Light of Annihilation is too powerful. It will burn out the energy core. Do we still have the resources to fix the energy core once it’s damaged?”

  “What should we do then? Watch as our citizens die before our eyes? Watch as our home is ravaged and torn to pieces? We can’t do this. We can’t do that. Why not just let this old man charge out there and fight to the death against that giant beast! I don’t believe a Sixth Ring Great Arcanist’s self-destruction wouldn’t be enough to kill it.”

  The three arcanists continued to argue furiously, but no one was capable of convincing the others. The atmosphere of the hall was filled with frustration and urgency.

  The star devourer had moved forward by another hundred meters while they were arguing.

  Every building in its way had been knocked down and crushed to pieces, and every living person in them slaughtered and killed. The energy pillar it fired from its mouth had shot down an arcane tower from the sky, causing it to crash into the city as thick, black smoke continued to rise into the air.

  “No. I cannot wait any longer; I will go hold back that star devourer. You two just keep talking!” The oldest arcanist of the three tapped the marble floor loudly with his walking stick, his eyes red with frustration.

  At this moment, an unusually gentle voice rang out in the hall.

  “Nigel, you are still as impatient as ever. You don’t have to go. Leave this wicked fellow to me!”

  As the gentle voice sounded in the air, a large arcane array suddenly lit up in the center of the hall. Countless mysterious runes and arcane light shone in the sky, outlining the silhouette of a majestic arcanist.

  The arcanists looked like an old man in a simple arcane robe. He had a bright white arcane staff in his hand and a stern and handsome face. It was like there were two blinding, miniature suns glowing in the depths of his eyes beneath his white eyebrows.

  He looked like an extraordinarily ordinary arcanist!

  If there was anything that set this man apart from the average arcanist, it would be that arcane crown upon his head. Visible waves of arcane flux radiated from the crown, faintly maintaining an intimate connection with this floating city and the entire plane itself.

  However, the arcanist seemed to be glowing with bright arcane light. It seemed like this wasn’t a human’s body, but a humanoid projection formed of arcane energy.

  The three Great Arcanists hurriedly bowed and paid their respects when they saw the projection.

  “You are the pursuer of the arcane truth. You guide us on our path forward. We—”

  “Alright, alright. Look at what time it is, and you people still want to repeat these meaningless and pointless greetings. Protect the arcane palace. I will go deal with that creature.”

  Having said that, the humanoid projection flickered and appeared above the arcane palace.

  Chapter 1104 - Chaotic Battlefield

  As a large and powerful beam of energy from the energy core connected with the humanoid projection, the energy aura from the projection began to rise in intensity and power.

  “Energy Spear, Arcane Phantom, Filiast…Truth’s Light!”

  As the projection shouted, a three-mete
r-thick beam of white light shot out of his hand and landed on the star devourer’s head.

  Strangely enough, while other energy beams and arcane blasts would be distorted, refracted, or dissipated by the star devourer’s defensive forcefield, this did not happen to the white beam. It was almost as if it did not belong to any elementium attribute. It ignored the star devourer’s defensive forcefield and its tough scales, and instead pierced straight into the star devourer’s head without any difficulty.

  The star devourer that had been marching forward with unstoppable momentum stopped almost immediately. A massive hole erupted from its forehead, and a tall pillar of pungent blood spewed forth like an active volcano.

  The star devourer lifted its head and let out an earthshaking roar upon receiving this grievous wound. Its ghostly green eyes that were over a dozen meters in diameter quickly locked onto the strange human projection hovering a few kilometers above the arcane palace.

  One of the two Arcane Emperors of the Arcane Empire. It was the terrifying Administrator Garcia!

  No, it wasn’t him. It was just one of his energy clones.

  Though the star devourer instantly recognized his identity, it was facing off against an Eighth Grade Arcane Emperor. A clone of his, at least. Even a starbeast, widely feared as the most frightening creature in the world, had to step back.

  After all, the massive difference in power between the two of them couldn’t be any more obvious.

  The star devourer would not be afraid no matter how many ordinary Great Arcanists appeared in front of it. That was because, constrained by the planar laws, the limit of their arcane attacks was the peak of Fourth Grade. Attacks of this level could kill most creatures, but they were not lethal to a space creature like the star devourer.

  It was precisely because it understood this that the star devourer had so brazenly charged into Morrian Plane and invaded this floating city.

  Unfortunately, its luck was terrible.

  Who would have expected Arcane Emperor Garcia, who was busy fighting in space, to divert a portion of his powers at this key moment and project it back into the plane as an energy clone? That was obviously beyond the star devourer’s expectations.

  Other people might not be able to kill the star devourer, but an Arcane Emperor like Garcia most certainly could!

  Using the planar laws he had mastered, and taking advantage of the powerful arcane energy provided by the floating city’s energy core, Garcia had instantly weaved a tight arcane web around the starbeast. This web allowed him to temporarily cut off the energy limits imposed by the planar laws. In doing so, his attacks would no longer be limited at the peak of Fourth Grade.

  The next moment, that non-elemental beam of energy formed from tens of thousands of arcane spears penetrated the star devourer’s defenses and created a massive gaping hole on its head. Moreover, as a sea of arcane energy surged into the wound, the star devourer’s flesh, tendons, and bones were blown to pieces.

  Aooooo!

  The star devourer raised its head, reared its neck, and let out a deafening roar.

  All the arcanists who were bathing in blood above the floating city had to clasp their ears. They started to crash from the skies as well. Purple-black blood trickled out of their eyes, ears, nose, and mouth. Their minds had been shaken considerably, causing them to lose any ability to fight instantly.

  However, this roar was the star devourer’s final act of madness!

  After the roar, the star devourer’s colossal body began to explode and fall to pieces. A horrifying amount of blood splashed and poured onto the city. Its serpentine head also fell limply to the ground, crushing a small arcane tower into rubble.

  The Bloodthirsters that had formed out of its blood also fell apart at the same instant. They collapsed into pools of blood and some pungent, black, mysterious substance.

  Sensing the death of the Sixth Grade star devourer, the strange creatures that were fighting in the skies above the floating city quickly scattered. Naturally, the arcanists would not let them off easy. They sent out large groups of security towers to chase after the bird creatures and shoot them down.

  Both parties continued fighting even as the retreat went on.

  Soon, the fires of war reached the nearby human cities and villages!

  These scattered otherworldly beasts might not be the match of the arcanists, but they were a calamity upon the human settlements that were unprotected by arcane powers.

  Any single Second Grade beast could easily destroy an entire human town. Meanwhile, even human cities protected by low-grade arcanists and arcane apprentices were not safe. Should a vast horde of these monsters invade, a city would be reduced to ruins, even if they arcanists managed to drive out the enemies.

  The number of citizens that died to the invasion of disaster creatures and starbeasts was innumerable. Only rural regions farther away from the floating cities had a chance of living in peace.

  However, as more and more holes appeared in the planar barrier, more and more powerful monsters and enemies entered the plane. There were very few regions left in Morrian Plane that were still at peace.

  Truly, there were no uncracked eggs in an overturned nest!

  Morrian Plane faced an invasion by so many powerful races, and trying to stay intact in this apocalypse was now an impractical delusion.

  Dying while standing, or dying while seated. This was no longer a question. It was simply destined Fate!

  …………

  Rian Province.

  Three hundred kilometers to the west of Reisin Garden, next to a small village by a mountain and a stream.

  Greem’s body was clad in a layer of golden flames, invisible for most people. He silently watched a pack of otherworldly beasts overrun the village in front of him.

  The village was not big. It only had a population of sixty to seventy people. Most of the buildings were old, wooden houses. Green vines and plants had grown all over these houses, making for rather peaceful scenery.

  However, a pack of otherworldly beasts had taken over the place. They were wildly slaughtering the unarmed villagers.

  These beasts had the wings of eagles, the head of a serpent, and the body of a lion. Their whole body reeked of the revulsive smell of bloodline reconciling agent!

  There were about seventeen of these creatures, each of them around First or Second Grade.

  Naturally, there was no way that these creatures were elites of the World of Disasters. At the very best, they were cannon fodder and errand lackeys. However, these creatures were already terrifying, invincible demons to the civilians of the village.

  “What do we do? Circle around, or kill them all?” Adept Holly, who had consumed a Potion of Invisibility, asked nonchalantly.

  “Kill them all!” Also invisible using her mental powers, Cherisha suggested with a cold, gleaming light in her eyes, “Those disaster creatures are our competitors as well. It’s best if we can weaken them, even by a little!”

  Adept Holly snorted at Cherisha’s suggestion.

  It was important to note that she and her brother had been keeping a low profile since the start of the battle. They had seldom provoked a fight. Now they were going the opposite way instead! To think they would dare to poke the hornet’s nest of disaster creatures!

  Was the two-headed adept so benevolent as to want to help the natives of Morrian Plane?

  Of course not.

  The reason Cherisha had given such a suggestion was because she had seen through what Greem was thinking. She was merely suggesting what coincided with his thoughts. Cherisha had been retaining control over the body. It had been a long time since Mangus was the conscious personality.

  The implications behind this were…interesting!

  “We have completed most of the mission tasks handed out by the main party. We have attacked seven of the ten target locations. Reisin Garden should not be much further from here.” Greem paused for a moment here. “At this point, I think it’s best for us to take a r
est first. If we kill these beasts, we might be able to obtain some information on the disaster creatures from their minds.”

  “Leave it to me!” Cherisha immediately became overjoyed when she saw that Greem had accepted her suggestion. “You two go look for a place to rest. Leave these little critters to me!”

  Greem agreed with a soft grunt. He was the first to dispel his flames and reveal himself as he walked towards the village. Adept Holly shrugged and revealed himself as well, following closely behind Greem.

  After the battle of Maple Forest Town, both Holly and Cherisha had acknowledged Greem’s power and status as the team leader. They became very obedient after that.

  However, Adept Holly was only respectful. He did not behave like Cherisha, desperately trying to earn the good graces of Greem.

  The beasts immediately sensed the presence of the two adepts when they revealed themselves. They looked at the human figures from a distance. They then screeched and took to the skies, anguished humans still clinging to the tips of the metal spears in their hands.

  “Human…flesh…death.”

  These otherworldly beasts muttered some strange, meaningless phrases as they flapped their wings and dived from above. They were charging ferociously at the two adepts.

  However, before they could arrive in front of them, an invisible mental wave brushed across the sky. These beasts quickly halted their movement and ran into each other instead.

  For a moment, countless green and gray feathers filled the air as the bloodied and contorted bodies of the beasts crashed to the ground.

  The First Grade beasts had snapped their necks and crushed their organs on impact. Not one of them got up from the ground again. The only four Second Grade beasts struggled to get up and remained stunned on the spot even when they did. They had lost all their ferocity and courage from before.

  Greem and Holly walked past and across the black pools of blood and entered the village.