by RWX
Back on the ground, Ninedust and Ning exchanged a glance, then smiled. Ninedust said with a cold laugh, “You want to kill me? Give me your best shot and show me what you have.”
“I wanted to give you a way out of this. Oh well. If this is what you choose…” The swordsman golem sighed and shook his head, then said in a cold voice, “Let’s kill them, brothers!”
“Attack!”
“Let me go first!” The six golems moved in unison.
Ning, however, let out a cold snort. Boom! The heartworld projection that had been covering this entire planet instantly shrank down to merely cover an area of a million kilometers, causing its power to skyrocket! It pressed down upon the six golems, causing all of them to feel their bodies stiffen. At the same time, Ning allowed nine energy dragons to fly out of his body, forming into the Yin-Yang Sword Domain and sending the pressure of the domain out towards the golems as well.
“What a powerful binding spell.”
“Why do I feel this heavy?” Upon being suppressed by the heartworld projection and the Yin-Yang Sword Domain at the same time, the six golems were just barely able to stay afloat. They felt as though trillions of mountains had just come crashing down upon them, weighing them down immensely.
These Emperor-class golems had been around for an extremely long period of time and had encountered both supreme Daolords and Heartforce Cultivators. However, the local ‘supreme Daolords’ had always been limited to this fairly small region; there was simply no way for them to find the materials necessary to create truly powerful secret arts! Thus, Ning’s combination of his nine novessence arts and his heartworld projection constituted the most powerful bindings which the Emperor-class golems had ever encountered.
“Heavy.” The six golems exchanged glances.
“Kill him!” one of the golems bellowed, leading the way with a charge.
Crack! A streak of golden lightning lashed out through the skies, instantly appearing before Ning. Ning was quite surprised as well; this attack was incredibly fast! The speed of this golden lightning had completely surpassed the ‘normal’ limit of a hundred times the speed of light, almost instantly appearing right in front of Ning. Within the streak of golden lightning, a sharp saber could be seen chopping straight towards Ning with incomparable speed and savagery.
“Beat it.” Ning didn’t back off in the slightest. A streak of mist-formed sword energy clashed against the saber. Boom! The golden lightning was knocked flying backwards, reforming into a humanoid shape off in the distance. The creature was dressed in golden armor and had jade green eyes; it was the ‘lightning golem’ of the six golems.
Ning glanced sideways at the lightning golem. Judging from the clash, the lightning golem was roughly on par with ordinary supreme Daolords; its main strength came from its speed. Ning’s own sword-arts were also incredibly fast, allowing him to crush this golem.
“Move!”
“Attack!”
“Join forces to kill him!” The other golems began to strike as well.
Boom! An awesome flood of flames manifested, then condensed into a flaming serpent that slithered towards Ning. It suddenly opened its mouth as if about to hiss, sending a black whip coiling straight towards Ning.
“A flame golem?” Ning used his Omega Sword Dao – Blood Drop yet again. His sword was fast enough that defeating enemy techniques was fairly easy, unless the attacks contained a ridiculous amount of power. It was clear that the whip-strike from the flame golem was merely on par with that of a supreme Daolord, and so Ning’s mist-formed sword energy was able to easily disperse it.
……
Aside from the lightning golem and the flame golem, there was also a strange mist golem that was able to block detection via heartforce or godsense. Fortunately, Ning’s heartworld projection and nine novessence arts were not affected. The supreme Daolords of this world rarely had powerful secret arts or heartworld projections, and so once the mist surrounded them they wouldn’t be able to see what was happening around them. As a result, they would be easily defeated and slain.
There was also an extremely deadly eight-armed knife golem. The knife golem had eight arms, and each of its arms was like a deadly knife. It was fast and furious in battle, and each knife-arm struck in an extremely unpredictable manner. When all eight knives struck together, even Ninedust wasn’t able to overcome the attacks in a head-on fight. However, Ning was a sword cultivator who was incredibly skilled in close combat, allowing him to easily defeat the eight-armed knife golem.
There was also a barbarous and dominating golem whose skin was like stone. This stone golem was massive in size and had six arms, with each arm sculpted like a statue. It possessed incredible strength and powerful defenses and was able to take on Ning’s Omega Sword Dao – Blood Drop without being forced back. Its six arms smashed out like giant maces, and it was the physically strongest golem.
Still, Ning was able to use the Omega Sword Dao – Heavenbreaker. Now that his Northbow swords had absorbed so much of that deepfire blackstone, the power of this stance had skyrocketed to a shocking new level, allowing him to defeat the stone golem head-on as well.
The final golem was the leader of the group, the swordsman golem. The swordsman golem transformed into part of an enormous sword when using its sword-arts. The sword pierced through the skies with absolutely terrifying power, and it was the most dangerous attack Ning had to face. Despite all that, it was still staved off by Ning’s Omega Sword Dao – Blood Drop.
The difference in power between the two sides was quite apparent. The six golems each had their own special abilities and were all comparable to supreme Daolords; if they were to work together against the likes of the Radiant King or Daolord Dreamlore, they would’ve won with ease. But against Ning? Clearly, they weren’t enough.
……
Although the above battle took time to describe, the attacks from the six golems and Ning’s counters all happened almost instantaneously. Ning matched each of them blow for blow and defeated them all.
“Daolord Darknorth is much stronger than any other supreme Daolord we have ever encountered. Brothers, attack simultaneously to defeat him!” the swordsman golem shouted mentally to the others.
“Join forces.”
“Same as always.” These Emperor-class golems were quite familiar with each other, and they had a joint attack they used. They almost instantly began to move in unison.
Whoosh. Whoosh. Whoosh. A dazzling streak of golden light, a flaming serpent, and a ribbon of mist coiled around each other, forming a tri-colored rope that then swirled towards Ning. As for Ninedust, he transformed into a vast sea of water which the golems were completely unable to do anything to.
The three great clans did have some techniques they were able to use against supreme Daolords who had invulnerable forms, but these six Emperor-class golems didn’t view Ninedust as being that much of a threat. The real threat was Darknorth, and he was their principal opponent in this fight.
“Damn.” Ning immediately could sense how troublesome this tri-colored rope was. He used his sword-arts to cut through the rope, but the flames, lightning, and mist joined together once more to reform the rope. Ning’s strikes didn’t have any effect on the terrifying binding power of the tri-colored rope at all. Ning had no choice but to amplify the effects of his novessence arts and his heartworld projection upon the tri-colored rope, but he was still only able to partially weaken their power.
“This thing really is quite difficult to deal with.” Ning had been completely surrounded by the lightning, mist, and flame-forged rope. Because these things were noncorporeal, Ning was still able to move about and fight, but his combat power had clearly been affected.
If the rope had been corporeal, this would’ve been much easier. Ning’s sword-arts would’ve sent the rope flying long ago.
“Catch him, Stone!”
“Give’m a big hug.”
“Make it so that he can’t fight back!” the other golems called out as the
six-armed stone golem came bounding straight towards Ning. Its six arms grew incredibly thick and long as it reached out, seeking to grab Ning! Ning knew just how strong this stone golem was; it had been able to endure Ning’s Omega Sword Dao – Blood Drop without even having to stagger backwards at all. If it really did manage to grapple Ning, Ning wouldn’t be able to break free at all.
* * *
Book 34, Chapter 15 - Captured
The tri-colored rope coiled around Ji Ning, affecting and encumbering all of his movements.
“I did this in the past to others. Now, the same is happening to me. I can at most unleash 70% of my full power.” Ning was secretly stunned. This was despite the fact that the fire, lightning, and mist were being weakened by his heartworld projection and nine novessence arts. If it hadn’t been for the latter two, he would probably be weakened even more.
“Beat it!” When Ning saw the stone golem bound towards him and seek to grapple him, he immediately used his Omega Sword Dao – Heavenbreaker. BOOM! The stone golem was sent flying backwards.
“What? Even when we bind him, he’s still able to send Stone flying?”
“How can he be this powerful?” The other Emperor-class golems were all stunned.
“Stone, try again. You have to be able to grab him. We’ll help you!”
“If you can grapple him, he’ll be dead for sure.”
“Alright. I will try again.” The stone golem once more bounded forwards. This time, the swordsman golem also transformed into a single sword that hovered above the eight-armed knife golem. The eight-armed knife golem charged towards Ning as well, with the sword ready to strike at any moment. As for the stone golem, it also charged forwards at the same time.
“Need my help, Darknorth?” The Ninedust Sectlord was still in his oceanic form, but he wasn’t in a hurry to intervene just yet.
“No need,” Ning sent back. “I’ll feign weakness for now. Wait for a critical moment before intervening.”
“Alright,” Ninedust replied.
……
The tri-colored rope coiled towards Ning as the swordsman golem, the eight-armed golem, and the stone golem attacked simultaneously.
A fierce light flashed through Ning’s eyes. “This is the right moment.” Swoosh! Ning flew straight towards the eight-armed knife golem and the swordsman golem. The two golems naturally struck out at him, sending streaks of mysterious knife-light and sharp sword-light slicing towards him.
Boom! Boom! Ning responded with just two streaks of mist-formed sword energy; this was his Omega Sword Dao – Heavenbreaker.
This stance seemed clumsy and straightforward, but it contained the profundity of his Omega Sword Dao and his other stances, allowing him to easily strike his foes head-on.
These two strikes from his two Northbow swords contained power that was comparable to that of the eight lords of the Sacred Cities. The eight-armed golem and the swordsman golem were both sent flying backwards. It must be remembered that even the strongest golem, the stone golem, was unable to withstand this stance. How could these two possibly do so?
“Now come here.” Ning’s lips split open into a grin as he faced the stone golem that was charging towards him, arms spread wide. The swordsman golem and the eight-armed golem had already been knocked flying backwards; for the next few moments, they wouldn’t be able to assist the stone golem.
Whoooosh. Ning’s sword-light drifted out in an ephemeral, mysterious fashion. This was his Shadowless stance!
Although the tri-colored rope were slowing him down, preventing his sword-light from being truly traceless and shadow less, it was still incredibly unpredictable. Although the stone golem was extremely strong and ferocious, it had major flaws as well; namely, its speed and agility! When Ning executed this Shadowless stance and infused the [Heartsword] arts into it, the stone golem was only able to block a single one of Ning’s swords with its six arms. It was unable to withstand the others.
Swish! The Northbow swords furiously and rapidly began to coil around the stone golem like a soft rope, tying dozens of knots around it.
“No!” the stone golem let out a furious bellow. It had wanted to grapple Ning, but instead it had been captured.
“Get in here.” Completely bound, the stone golem was unable to fight back at all as Ning sent out his will, forcefully drawing the golem into his estate-world.
“Ninedust, move to block the swordsman golem.” Ning turned, focusing his gaze on the nearby eight-armed golem which was once more seeking to charge at him.
“Alright.” Ninedust was excited as well. The other five Emperor-class golems, however, began to panic!
Ning’s initial clashes against them had been nothing more than probes designed to help him understand what the golems were skilled in, so as to prepare a proper battle plan! The initial clashes had let him understand that the flame golem, lightning golem, and mist golem all had abilities that were similar to ‘invulnerable forms’; there was nothing he could do to them at all. Thus, Ning turned his attention to the other three golems.
The stone golem had seemed to be the strongest and most ferocious, but its flaws were also the most obvious. In the end, it was the easiest one to deal with.
“Not good.”
“Stone’s been captured.”
“This Daolord is too powerful.”
“Master commands us to retreat immediately!”
“Master has commanded a retreat.”
“Withdraw!”
The three clan leaders had immediately received word that even though their six Emperor-class golems had assaulted Daolord Darknorth in unison, one of them had ended up being captured. They immediately issued an order to withdraw! The loss of every single Emperor-class golem, to the three great clans, was quite painful.
Swoosh! Swoosh! The eight-armed golem and the swordsman golem immediately began to flee.
“You aren’t going anywhere.” Ning’s heartworld projection and nine novessence arts were completely focused on suppressing the eight-armed golem and swordsman golem.
Ning’s first target was the eight-armed golem, and he charged towards it by himself. Both sides were being slowed and restricted, but Ning was faster than the eight-armed golem to begin with! The difference between them in power was apparent.
“Run! Run!” The eight-armed golem was panicking.
“You aren’t running anywhere.” Ning caught up, then used his Omega Sword Dao – Shadowless to once more launch an unpredictable sword-art attack against the golem.
The eight-armed golem was clearly quite agile, and its eight arms set up a mysterious defensive pattern to defend. As for Ning, he alternated between the Shadowless stance and the Heavenbreaker stance, sometimes also switching to the incredibly fast Blood Drop stance! Just three breaths of time later, the eight-armed golem’s defenses had been penetrated. One of Ning’s swords wrapped directly around the eight-armed golem’s waist, the Northbow sword having transformed to become long and soft as it wrapped itself around the golem like a ball.
“Come here.” Ning drew the eight-armed golem into his estate-world as well.
“How can this be happening?”
“How can this Daolord be so powerful?”
“Daolord Darknorth, you really are courting death!” The three golems which made up the tri-colored rope were howling furiously, but they were even weaker than the eight-armed golem in close combat. When used to bind and slow Ning, they were quite effective, but once they stopped doing so and Ning was able to unleash his full power… their defeat would be swift and sure.
“Ahahaha! None of you are escaping!” Ninedust transformed into a sea of water as he furiously battled against the swordsman golem. The water coiled around the golem, with Ninedust’s upper body visible as he used his longstaff to batter the swordsman golem at will. Given that the swordsman golem was being affected by both the heartworld projection and the nine novessence arts, Ninedust was able to completely dominate it. It had no chance to flee at all.
&nbs
p; “No, no, NO! Get the hell away from me!” The swordsman golem was furiously struggling but unable to shake off Ninedust. Finally, Ning arrived. With Ning and Ninedust fighting together the swordsman golem was caught in literally a single second, then drawn into the estate-world.
The three elemental golems realized that there was nothing they could do. They had no choice but to quickly flee and retreat.
……
Tianello, Maji, and the others hadn’t moved too far away. They were able to watch this fight from afar. Truth be told, their situation was quite grim; they were terrified that the three great clans would view them as being a party to this and blame them, and thus they didn’t dare to move too far away.
“How terrifying.” They stared at the battlefield, the Cranesoar Mountains having been reduced to rubble long ago. The few mountains that remained were covered with the vicious scars of battle. All of this had been caused by the shockwaves generated from the earlier clashes. It must be remembered that this was a planet the Sithe had created and placed within the Stone Hellephant Wall. This planet was extremely stable and sturdy, but the shockwaves from this battle alone had been enough to annihilate most of the nearby mountains. This was more than enough to terrify Tianello and the others.
“Those two Daolords actually won. They actually won. They beat the three great clans.” Tianello, Maji, and the others could hardly believe it.
……
“Ahaha, we actually acquired three Emperor-class golems.” Ninedust said delightedly, “How absolutely wonderful. I hope they send a few more over for us to capture.”
“Don’t get cocky.” Ning had a serious look on his face. “Even though I had my heartworld projection and my nine novessence arts active, the restrictive effected generated by just three of those golems was enough to drop me to 70% of my maximum power. I doubt the three great clans sent their full forces against us. If they were able to drop me to 40% of my full power, things will get dangerous.”