Desolate Era

by RWX

  The Godking had an extremely high status amongst the high-level major powers of the Seamless Gate. In addition…the still-slumbering presence had only taken on a single apprentice; the Godking! This made the Godking’s status quite transcendental; so long as he didn’t commit a major error, the Godking would usually remain in control over the full forces of the Seamless Gates.

  “The current master of the Grand Xia is a member of the Primordial Imperial Clan, Xiamang Sun. This Xia Emperor’s power is quite formidable,” the Godking said. “Azurefox commanded her forces to clash against the Xia Emperor numerous times, but at present she is losing!”

  “Losing?”

  All of the Immortals and Fiendgods looked towards Azurefox. They all knew that Azurefox was completely devoted to the Godking. Amongst the individuals present, some were fanatically loyal while some had been seduced by the great power the Seamless Gate had to offer, which was why they had joined. Even those, however, were afforded tremendous respect by the Seamless Gate, due to their own power.

  “The reason why she is losing is because a new variable has emerged on the side of the Grand Xia’s Xia Emperor; a variable named Ji Ning,” the Godking said. “The Heaven Punisher he commands is incredibly powerful. As for exactly how powerful…spend some time chatting with Azurefox, and you’ll all understand.”

  “Understood,” they all assented.

  “I’ve summoned you here in such a cautious way because…I want you to launch a sneak attack.” The Godking’s eyes flashed with lightning.

  “Sneak attack?”

  Everyone present began to ponder.

  “Right now, the Grand Xia is most likely celebrating their great success. I trust they are planning to completely wipe out Azurefox’s forces,” the Godking said. “After you all assemble at the world of the Grand Xia, stay in hiding; just accompany Azurefox and the others as they fight. When the time comes…all of you are to appear simultaneously. Wipe out all of the forces of the Xia Emperor. Leave no survivors!”

  “Yes!” The Immortals and Fiendgods all grew eager.

  An ambush?

  An unexpected surprise. Given their power, they were indeed overwhelmingly more powerful and would indeed be capable of utterly crushing and slaughtering the Xia Emperor’s forces.

  “The most important aspect to this ambush…is to be careful. No matter what, do not let this information leak out,” the Godking said solemnly. “Some of the major powers within the Nuwa Alliance are able to watch the entire Three Realms. That Subhuti in particular…he is Ji Ning’s master, and is most likely keeping an eye on the war for the Grand Xia. He’s also capable of using his [Dream of the Three Realms]…one he finds out, our ambush will fail.”

  “So Ji Ning is Subhuti’s disciple.” All of the Immortals and Fiendgods were secretly surprised, and they grew even more wary of him.

  This was because Daofather Subhuti was legendary for his ability to teach and train disciples.

  “You have to be careful. For now, gather and remain in the Void beyond the Three Realms,” the Godking instructed. “That way, Subhuti will not be able to discover you. Then, go into hiding and have the two Jueming Immortals use their Protocosmic spirit-treasure to tear a hole to the Void, bringing you straight into Azurefox’s Seamless City. That way, even if Subhuti discovers the two of you, he’ll only think that you are there to provide reinforcements.”

  Everyone below the throne nodded. Indeed. Right now, Azurefox’s Seamless Gate was losing. If she asked the Godking for reinforcements, and the Godking hadn’t decided to initiate a Realmwar…sending out the two Jueming Immortals as reinforcements was indeed his original plan. Thus, this sort of arrangement made sense and didn’t have any visible flaws.

  “Remember. The most important component of this ambush is for it to remain a secret,” the Godking reminded them once again.

  “Understood,” they all acknowledged.

  All of them were quite eager. They would first wipe out all of the Xia Emperor’s forces, including the one named Ji Ning. Then, they would engage in a battle against the army of Daofather Crimsonbright. If they were able to wipe out the Xia Emperor’s forces, the Realmwar would be easier for them to win.

  ……

  The Xia Emperor’s forces naturally were completely oblivious that the Godking was summoning his forces within the dreamworld.

  The Eight Dragons Cloudcity.

  The Xia Emperor was filled with complete confident right now. He stood in midair as he said in a loud voice, “Everyone, we are extremely close to victory. We need to seize this chance to kill more of the Immortals and Fiendgods of the Seamless Gate. We are going to expel them from the Grand Xia and make it so that they never again dare to invade. If they choose to fight to the death…then we will wipe them all out!”

  “Kill!”

  “Kill!”

  “Kill!”

  The countless gathered Immortals and Fiendgods all roared loudly. Their morale was at an all-time high…and the Xia Emperor was filled with confidence as well.

  The entirety of Whitepole Commandery was trapped within his formation. Not even Greater Teleportation would allow anyone to enter this place. The only possibility was if someone forcibly tore a hole through space…but if that was to happen, he would definitely notice! Once he saw any signs that the Seamless Gate was being reinforced, he would ask Daofather Crimsonbright for help. Daofather Crimsonbright had promised the Xia Emperor that if the Xia Emperor was able to force the enemy to call for reinforcements, he would definitely help out.

  “Let’s head to the Seamless City!” The Xia Emperor ordered.

  Instantly, many grand formations began to take shape within the Eight Dragons Cloudcity.

  One massive, towering Heaven Punisher after another began to take form, as well as the even more massive Pangu War-Formations. Although some Fiendgods had perished, most were still alive. The two remaining Pangu War-Formations had lent the destroyed one some of their forces, and so they were still able to form three of the Pangu War-Formations! That massively powerful Raindragon swam about in the air above them as well…and the Empyrean God golems were all activated.

  The most powerful aura of them all, however…belonged to the Heaven Punisher that wielded two massive swords in its hands!

  “KILL!” Military morale was at a peak as the mighty, awe-inspiring army suddenly vanished into thin air, having teleported outside the Eight Dragons Cloudcity.

  * * *

  Book 18, Chapter 28 - Daofather Crimsonbrights Reinforcements

  A short while later.

  Ji Ning and the others returned to the Eight Dragons Cloudcity.

  “Back already? Didn’t you just go out to fight a short while ago?” They were back in the military camp, and Yu Wei was looking towards Ning in surprise. The Immortals of the Darknorth Army had been sent back to their respective residences. As they returned, they were all chattering about how ‘the Seamless Gate was so cowardly that it was unwilling to even fight,’ and how ‘it seems as though the Seamless Gate recognizes that it is about to lose’.

  Ning walked into his room, sitting down by a desk. He poured himself a glass of wine, then said with a smile, “The Seamless Gate is feeling nervous now. We were shouting for them to come fight for a long time, but they refused to come out.”

  “If they are going to just hide there…then what should we do?” Yu Wei was worried.

  “If they aren’t willing to fight, that’s a good thing.” Ning laughed. “Ideally, they’d never come out to fight again. So long as they don’t fight, the Grand Xia will remain the Xia Emperor’s, and the karmic luck of the Grand Xia will remain on our side.”

  Yu Wei nodded gently.

  “The Seamless Gate has two paths ahead of it right now,” Ning said. “The first path sees them abandoning their designs on the Grand Xia. The second path is for them to summon even more of their forces to take it by force. I hope they take the first path.”

  Although Ning was filled with a desire to d
o battle, his wife was pregnant; he wanted to calmly and peacefully accompany her and watch his child be born.

  “The Seamless Gate probably won’t just admit defeat like that,” Yu Wei said softly, thinking back to the world of darkness and the Godking within it.

  Ning nodded. “Right. I’ve only killed True Immortal Crimsonjoy; the Seamless Gate hasn’t really been hurt yet. For them to admit defeat right away? The chances of that are very low.”

  Ning reached out to gently stroke Yu Wei’s protruding belly. He couldn’t help but smile.

  No matter what storms and tempests awaited him…there were some things he absolutely had to protect.

  ……

  Within the Void beyond the Three Realms, on a shattered, destroyed planet that was covered in countless scars.

  The scars had been left behind by a battle between two major powers. Atop this shattered planet, twenty nine Empyrean Gods and True Immortals had gathered, with more on the way.

  “In this Realmwar, we will be following the three Diremonster Gods.”

  “I’ve heard long ago of their power. This time, we’ll have a chance to see it for ourselves.”

  The various figures began to chat with some of the more powerful Immortals and Fiendgods, paying the most attention to the ‘Three Diremonster Gods of Mount Dragoneater’. These three Diremonster gods were shockingly powerful, and were considered by their fellow Empyrean Gods and True Immortals as being nearly invincible. Each of the three were more powerful than the Xia Emperor or True Immortal Whitepole!

  Their decision to join the Seamless Gate had utterly enraged the Nuwa Alliance upon the Nuwa Alliance finding out. Alas, there was nothing the Nuwa Alliance could do; both sides were doing their absolute best to recruit the powerful Empyrean Gods and True Immortals of the Three Realms to their respective sides.

  In the past, the Three Realms had been at peace. Many Empyrean Gods and True Immortals were free and unaffiliated with any organizations. Now, with the storm having come, they had to choose a side. Only the most supreme of powers, such as Old Man Yuan’s faction, were still able to watch and wait.

  “Everyone’s here.”

  “All of our fellow Daoists have arrived.” Two Immortals who looked very similar to each other laughed. Both had large faces and were fairly chubby. One was dressed in white robes, while the other was dressed in gray robes that were loose enough to reveal his bare chest. These two were the exceptionally famous ‘Twin Jueming Immortals’.

  “Fellow Daoists, please enter this gourd first.” The white-robed Immortal took out a gourd, opening its stopper.

  This was merely an Immortal-ranked magic treasure; the Empyrean Gods and True Immortals present were more than capable of forcibly breaking their way out of it if needed.

  “Alright.”

  “Let’s go inside.”

  “Let’s go.”

  Instantly, one streak of light after another flew towards the mouth of the gourd. Afterwards, the white-robed Immortal plugged the gourd again, then slung it over his shoulders. Smiling, he said, “Elder brother, let’s go to Whitepole Commandery of the Grand Xia.”

  “Right.” The gray-robed figure nodded, then immediately used a spatial technique to teleport straight to the world of the Grand Xia.

  Next, the gray-robed figure took out a black Protocosmic spirit-treasure that looked like a ruler. He sliced it through the air, carving out a spatial corridor. Through the spatial corridor, one could see that the other side was connected to a location where a massive, towering black citadel lay hanging in the air. This was the Seamless City.

  “Let’s go.” The two Jueming Immortals immediately flew into the corridor.

  ……

  Within Whitepole Commandery. The hovering Seamless City. A spatial tear appeared in the air above the levitating city, and two chubby Immortals came out from the spatial tear, flying towards the Seamless City below.

  “Our two fellow Daoists have arrived.”

  “Fellow Daoist Jue and fellow Daoist Ming.”

  Gatemaster Azurefox and True Immortal Whitepole all immediately went forward to greet the two, the other Empyrean Gods and True Immortals right behind them. The likes of the Hallmaster, Empyrean God Beastleave, and Empyrean God Venomsong all called out in a very familiar manner. “So it’s the two Jueming Immortals. Now that you two have arrived, fellow Daoists, our side’s chances of gaining victory have increased greatly.”

  “With your spells by our side, we’ll no longer have to fear the Grand Xia.”

  Azurefox and Whitepole exchanged a few glances with the Twin Jueming Immortals. They didn’t even send any mental messages. All of them were being extremely cautious, for fear that the Nuwa Alliance would find out. If the Nuwa Alliance found out, they would lose their chance to ambush their foes.

  ……

  The walls of the Eight Dragons Cloudcity.

  The black-robed Xia Emperor was upon the walls, gazing at the vast wilderness outside and the distant Seamless City as he reflected quietly.

  Suddenly…

  Space trembled. The Xia Emperor’s grand formation had taken complete control over the surrounding million kilometers of space. Upon the Twin Jueming Immortals forcibly tearing a path to the Seamless City, the Xia Emperor immediately noticed.

  “Eh?” The Xia Emperor frowned as he looked towards the spatial tear. Upon seeing the two chubby Immortals fly out from the spatial rift, the Xia Emperor immediately understood. “The Twin Jueming Immortals? It’s actually the two of them? The Seamless Gate really views me quite highly. Although these two Immortals cannot compare to Ji Ning’s Heaven Punisher, their spells are quite formidable. With their spells supporting an army, the Seamless Gate’s total combat power will have risen by an entire level. If we continue to fight against them…it’s hard to say who would win!”

  ……

  The seat of enlightenment of Daofather Crimsonbright.

  The Daofather was seated upon his throne, with dozens of Empyrean Gods and True Immortals standing before him. They were all staring at the battle-scene that was playing out within the round mirror of light in midair. This was the Realmwar that was occurring within the Winesun Realm.

  “Realmwars truly are vicious. This is the third time I’ve seen a Realmwar, but I still shudder at what I am seeing.”

  “More than twelve of our Empyrean Gods and True Immortals have died within the Winesun Realm. The Seamless Gate has only lost seven!”

  “The golems of the Seamless Gate truly are unequaled within the Three Realms. If they didn’t have so many terrifying golems, the Seamless Gate would’ve lost ago. Now, however…it’s Daofather Winesun’s side which is at a disadvantage.”

  The Empyrean Gods and True Immortals were all watching worriedly.

  Although this war was going on within the Winesun Realm, Daofather Winesun and Daofather Crimsonbright were in the same alliance, after all. They all hoped that Daofather Winesun’s forces would gain victory; in fact, some of them itched to personally charge into the fray as well. However, they understood that it was up to the Daofathers to decide when they would join a battle.

  The Daofathers would at most send a few Empyrean Gods and True Immortals as reinforcements. If Daofather Crimsonbright sent all their forces…then once a Realmwar exploded within the Crimsonbright Realm, what were they to do?

  The flames of war had spread across the entire Three Realms, after all; the Winesun Realm was merely one part of it.

  “Miserable.”

  “What a miserable sight.”

  All of those who were watching the Realmwar take place felt their hearts shudder. Almost none of them had ever experienced such a catastrophic, miserable war.

  “Master,” the Xia Emperor’s clone said respectfully.

  “Mm?” Daofather Crimsonbright looked towards the Xia Emperor.

  “Your disciple just discovered that the Seamless Gate’s branch in the Grand Xia has just received reinforcements. The Twin Jueming Immortals are now with them,”
the Xia Emperor said.

  The Empyrean Gods and True Immortals who had been watching the Winesun Realm’s Realmwar all immediately turned their heads. No matter how important that war was, they still cared the most about the events within the Crimsonbright Realm.

  “The Twin Jueming Immortals?” Daofather Crimsonbright nodded gently. He pondered a moment, glancing downwards. “Who amongst you is willing to go aid the Grand Xia and your fellow disciple, Xiamang, in defeating the Seamless Gate?”

  “I am willing!”

  Everyone replied in chorus. In the face of this great tribulation, no one could shirk back at all.

  Daofather Crimsonbright smiled as he looked carefully at his host of Empyrean Gods and True Immortals. Some had their own major worlds to protect, while others had only sent their clones to this place. Soon, Daofather Crimsonbright’s gaze turned towards two solitary figures. “Snowdance, Evergreen, the two of you shall head to the Grand Xia and assist your senior apprentice-brother Xiamang.”

  “Yes.”

  Sword Immortal Evergreen and Fairy Snowdance naturally wouldn’t dare to disobey, and so they immediately assented to the order.

  Both of them were solitary figures who were not attached to any worlds. They could be sent to any place where they were needed.

  Suddenly…

  Space itself began to grow blurry, especially the space around Daofather Crimsonbright, which became opaque and misty. There was no way at all one could see past the blurred space. This caused the Xia Emperor and the others to feel completely amazed; why would their master, Daofather Crimsonbright, suddenly unleash this sort of a formation?

  ……

  Daofather Crimsonbright stared at his surroundings, puzzled. The space around him had already become completely twisted, and within the twisted, distorted space appeared a bearded old man dressed in Daoist robes. It was Subhuti.

  “Subhuti,” Daofather Crimsonbright said in surprise, hurriedly rising to his feet. “Why’ve you come to my place? The last time you sought me out, it was for the sake of your disciple, Ji Ning. This time, you’ve come to speak to me again…is there something you need me to do? However, your disciple is doing well right now. The Heaven Punisher he commands has extraordinary power; he doesn’t need my help.”