Chapter 397: Western Continent

Chapter 397: Western Continent

The scorching sun burned overhead, while a gray mist hung at the border, spreading through the mountains.

Suddenly, a radiance shimmered in the air, and a figure slowly took shape.

Lu Ke opened his eyes, glanced at the distant misty barrier, and looked down.

The Western Continent was starkly different from the other three continents, giving the impression of a sudden shift from Western fantasy to Eastern immortal or martial arts style.

Earthen huts were scattered sparsely, the thatched roofs tattered by the wind, and moss grew along the walls, with dried wild grass stuffed into the cracks.

Wherever he looked, the fields were barren, the earth cracked, and the crops were struggling. Several sun-tanned men, bare-chested and dressed in coarse linen, were sweating as they worked the fields with oxen.

Inside the houses, women in similar coarse linen clothing wore wooden hairpins. Some were nursing and soothing infants, while others were sewing shoes or cooking. Some were even working the fields alongside their husbands.

Every face bore a hint of worry due to the prolonged drought.

This was the influence of the City of Calamity.

The City of Calamity, once absorbed by the Primordial God, is the only one of the seven Essences in the Western Continent without a spokesperson, having been drained and controlled by other higher powers.

As a symbol of all disasters, the City of Calamity continuously brings various calamities, making all living beings more combative and causing droughts, floods, locust plagues, and other disasters.

Lu Ke withdrew his gaze, lost in thought. The difficulty in technological development here was likely related to the pollution from the seven Essences, making the laws more chaotic than in the Godforsaken Lands.

The Western Continent lacked an Extraordinary Trait. Instead, they found an alternative by blending the spirit imprints of Martyrs into the Essences, extracting their power through Ordination.

However, even with generations of Martyrs sacrificing their lives, they could only alleviate the pollution's impact, making the Essences slightly more manageable.

In essence, Ordination was a slow, sacrificial death.

"An immortal has come! An immortal has come!"

A voice of immense joy and excitement rang out. A man resting in the fields looked up and noticed Lu Ke, floating in the air, wearing a Celestial Master's Robe, his aura like a celestial being, and immediately shouted in surprise.

The villagers, startled by the cry, all looked up, bowing in reverence and fear, their hands continuously clasped in prayer and prostration.

They called out in their muddled dialect, "An immortal has come!" "May the immortals bless us!" "Please, immortal, grant us rain!"

Lu Ke did not pay much attention to the villagers, turning his head to focus on a particular direction.

The Conqueror Extraordinary Trait sensed Convergence, which originated from the City of Calamity.

He turned and left, casually waving his sleeve, disappearing into the void.

Dark clouds rolled in, blocking the sun.

Thunder roared, accompanied by lightning, and a torrential rain poured down, quickly moistening the parched earth and washing away the villagers' frowns, making them smile with joy and even greater reverence and excitement.

...

A towering spire stood majestically.

"Gathering the strength of the world, sacrificing half the heroes, we bind the Wicked Dragon here, thus eliminating the calamities of the human world."

Reading the inscription on the stone tablet, Lu Ke slowly turned his gaze to the ancient well hidden in the darkness.

He saw the moss-covered stone slabs, the iron chains extending from the slabs deep into the well, and the Wicked Dragon bound by those chains.

This was the embodiment of the City of Calamity, known as the Wicked Dragon in the Western Continent.

Direct absorption was too dangerous. After a moment of contemplation, Lu Ke smiled, and behind him, layers of concentric rings composed of an unknown substance appeared, channeling immense divine power from beyond the stars.

Boom!

A terrifying aura rose, shaking the entire Western Continent and causing all higher powers to open their eyes, their expressions abruptly changing.

At the same time, a clear and peaceful yet unyielding voice echoed in their ears.

"The 66th Celestial Master of the Zhengyi Sect of Dragon Tiger Mountain has come to pay respects to all fellow Daoists. Please meet me at the Dragon Lock Well!"

For a moment, the heavens and earth transformed, presenting various strange scenes.

There were grand palaces atop layered clouds, a wilderness shrouded in thick mist with several figures wandering, a dark and profound river of the dead, shadows entangled with countless desires, and a world of glittering light and crystal...

Lu Ke stood his ground, waiting for the higher powers to arrive.

The first figure slowly emerged, wearing a blue robe and a classical high hat, holding a duster, with a face like a piece of jade but gaunt in appearance.

The current Celestial Master, the Executor of the Wilderness of Knowledge.

The Celestial Master placed one hand over his chest, his eyes scrutinizing Lu Ke, a mysterious light in his gaze, as if verifying Lu Ke's true identity.

Lu Ke was not at all worried. The "Xenoman" Divine Blessing of his main body came from the "Xenoman Lu Ke" with the golden finger buff. That Lu Ke eventually succeeded the old Celestial Master, becoming the new Celestial Master.

His identity was not in doubt.

As expected, the "Celestial Master" retracted his scrutinizing gaze, acknowledging that Lu Ke was indeed an "ancestor." He placed a hand over his chest in a respectful salute.

"The current Celestial Master of the Zhengyi Sect of Dragon Tiger Mountain greets..."

He suddenly hesitated, unsure whether to address such a high-ranking "ancestor" as "Ancestor", "Senior", or "Taoist Brother."

Seeing Lu Ke's overly youthful appearance and exceptional demeanor, the "Celestial Master" found it difficult to choose the right form of address.

Lu Ke smiled gently, his tone warm and welcoming.

"We can simply call each other Taoist Brother. As fellow members of the Daoist community, we value spontaneity and don't need to rigidly adhere to seniority."

The "Celestial Master" bowed respectfully, the wrinkles on his face smoothing out.

"Taoist Brother, your cultivation is extraordinary, and I, a junior, am far inferior."

As he spoke, two more figures materialized beside the "Celestial Master."

One wore a yellow monk's robe and a red kasaya, with a bald head and burn marks, a round and amiable face, and a long white beard that reached his chest. He always wore a warm, friendly smile.

The other was draped in a dark, heavy robe adorned with strange patterns, with a pale face devoid of any color, and eyes so dark they seemed to absorb light.

The spokesperson of the "Key of Light", the avatar of the Western Continent's "Buddha", and the leader of the Haoli Lineage, the spokesperson of the "River of Eternal Darkness."

Seemingly hearing their conversation, the two figures, both part of the righteous path, bowed to Lu Ke, the "Celestial Master" from a distant era, showing their respect.

At the same time, the sky above lit up.

Above the layered clouds, a palace faintly appeared, its gates guarded by a massive figure wearing an imperial crown and a veil of courtly ornaments.

"The 'Heavenly Emperor' cannot leave the 'Jade Emperor's Palace' and can only send his gaze", the leader of the Haoli Lineage explained calmly, his voice carrying a sense of nothingness and desolation, a result of the influence of the "River of Eternal Darkness."

The "Jade Emperor's Palace" above the Thirty-Three Heavens was the "Realm of Chaos", the "Essence" that the "Lamp Spirit" in Lu Ke's possession yearned to reclaim.

The avatar of the "Buddha" patted his belly and looked at the approaching shadow, his smile not reaching his eyes.

"He can't come, but the excess person has arrived."

The shadow condensed into a human form, clad in a wide black robe, with long, black-and-white hair, a gaunt face, and silver temples. His smile was warm but tinged with a hint of evil.

"This senior has invited all of you, Taoist Brothers. If you can come, why can't I? If it comes to it, we can have a little showdown first, then talk about other matters."

The leader of the demonic sect, the "Master of the Dark Hut", the spokesperson of the "Shadow Realm" Essence.

His words heightened the already tense atmosphere. The "Celestial Master", the leader of the Haoli Lineage, and the avatar of the "Buddha" all turned their gazes toward the "Master of the Dark Hut", as if ready to attack.

Lu Ke raised a hand to stop the conflict and smiled at the "Master of the Dark Hut."

"Guests are to be treated with respect. I will treat all guests with courtesy, but if you provoke me one more time, I will have the 'Dark Hut' choose a new spokesperson."

His tone was calm, his voice low, but the pure, icy killing intent made the "Master of the Dark Hut's" smile freeze.

The "Ordination" system of the Western Continent did not clearly define strength, but overall, the spokespersons of these Essences had powers between Sequence 1 and Sequence 0, capable of temporarily bursting to Sequence 0.

For Lu Ke, eliminating one of them was not difficult.

The "Shadow World" torn from the "Tree of Desires" was the embodiment of desire. As its spokesperson, the "Master of the Dark Hut" could wield the power of desire but was also dominated by it. The intense "survival instinct" made him close his mouth and remain silent.

Seeing the "Master of the Dark Hut" back down and everyone present, Lu Ke sighed with a smile, about to inform the others of his intention to integrate the Essence, when he suddenly frowned.

A clear, melodious voice, like a mountain spring, rang out, dreamlike and enchanting, with the playful and cunning charm of a young girl and a bewitching allure.

"Red Dust is a prison, all beings suffer, the cycle of rebirth never ends, and troubles never cease. Pity the world, a divine being descends, the Mother of the Void, the True Vacuum Homeland!"

The last to arrive was a girl with a face that seemed otherworldly, her skin like snow, her figure graceful and slender, her waist so slim it could barely be clasped. Her beauty was breathtaking, and she appeared almost as beautiful as the "Primordial Witch", and she was a pure woman.

Lu Ke was momentarily stunned. The girl before him was extraordinary, her beauty almost matching that of the "Primordial Witch."

The "Celestial Master's" face darkened, his withered features tightening as he slowly called out the newcomer's name.

"Rogue of the Luo Sect."

The "Mother of the Void", the avatar of the "Nest", had evolved into a sect on the Western Continent. This girl, the closest to the "Mother of the Void", was the spokesperson of the "Nest."

"You call her a ‘Holy Maiden,’ but you stinking Taoists never know how to address people properly."

The beautiful laughter of the demonic woman from the Luo Sect was as clear as silver chimes. Her eyes, more beautiful than the moon, turned to Lu Ke, and upon noticing his handsome face, they took on a watery sheen, her tone softening.

"This ‘Celestial Master’ predecessor is truly handsome. It seems my luck is good today."

Lu Ke’s eyebrows arched at her words, his gaze turning to the ‘Celestial Master.’

The ‘Celestial Master’s’ withered face showed a look of shame, as if he found it hard to face his ancestors.

"Many years ago, our sect’s ancestral temple was once breached and occupied by the Luo Sect. Since then, many ‘Celestial Masters’ have had romantic entanglements with the women of the Luo Sect, and even... had children..."

A familiar tactic of the demonic women luring the leaders of the righteous path.

Although Lu Ke knew this was a result of the ‘Nest’ polluting the ‘Wilderness of Knowledge,’ affecting the representatives on both sides, he couldn’t help but inwardly sigh.

The ‘Hidden Sage’ must have been activated during that period. After all, the ‘Nest’ is the essence of the ‘Fallen Mother Goddess,’ honored as the ‘Great Mother,’ symbolizing ‘New Life.’

However, what did the ‘Nest’ want by sending this demonic woman of the Luo Sect? Killing the ‘Hidden Sage’ could be considered a ‘blood feud’ of sorts, right?

Lu Ke frowned, only to see the demonic woman’s eyes darting seductively, her gaze particularly inviting.

"Would the ‘Celestial Master’ be willing to share this night with me? I am willing to prepare a bed and study the profound mysteries of the Dao, the vastness of the heavens, and the boundlessness of the universe together with you."

If only you had asked for a private time?

Lu Ke sighed inwardly, his tone indifferent, "Will you leave on your own, or die here?"

The demonic woman blinked, seemingly surprised by his rejection, then bit her lip shyly.

"I am still a virgin, and I wish to offer my first night to the ‘Celestial Master.’ Let us spend a wonderful night together, enjoying the bliss of intimacy, to prove my sincerity..."

Her words were cut short by a ghostly white long sword, the force of which, representing the end of all things, made the demonic woman, who symbolizes ‘New Life,’ change her expression.

Lu Ke’s pupils turned the color of black iron, and he slowly raised the ghostly white long sword in his hand.

The overwhelming sense of inevitability and impending death made the demonic woman’s face pale. She bit her lip, stomped her foot, and disappeared from the spot.

Only a sigh remained.

"The ‘Mother of the Void’ wants to have a child with you!"

Upon hearing this, the gazes of the other high-ranking individuals became quite peculiar, only easing when they saw Lu Ke’s face remain unchanged.

On the surface, Lu Ke appeared calm and composed, but he was also quite helpless.

If the woman were beautiful and only belonged to him, he wouldn’t mind having a child.

But having a child with the ‘Nest’ and the ‘Great Mother’ was a different matter entirely! It was hard to say whether it would be her giving birth or him!

The ‘Fallen Mother Goddess’ and the ‘Nest’ could make men, not just men, but even plants, stones, and even electronic components, give birth!

Give it a 5090 graphics card, and it could produce several 4090 cards. The ‘Mother of All Things’ was truly terrifying.

With the troublemaker gone, Lu Ke explained his intentions, also providing some knowledge to the high-ranking individuals of the Western Continent, who could only faintly perceive a little information from the other side.

The knowledge from the other side, distinct from the ‘Ordination’ system, made the eyes of the ‘Celestial Master’ and others glow with a hint of light, followed by a sigh.

"Extraordinary Traits, uniqueness, advancement ceremonies... if we had these things, we wouldn’t have lost so many people in vain..."

After a moment of silent reflection, the ‘Essence’ representatives all turned their gazes to Lu Ke.

"I wonder which ‘Essence’ you plan to accommodate, as you put it."

Lu Ke turned to look at the tall tower and the well inside it.

"The Wicked Dragon? Very well... it has brought too much disaster and needs to be eliminated sooner. However, I thought you would be more interested in the ‘Wilderness of Knowledge’ restrained by the Zhengyi Sect."

Even though he had anticipated the answer, the ‘Celestial Master’ still felt a bit disappointed, and the other representatives shared similar expressions.

They had been bound to the ‘Essence’ for far too long, enduring torment for far too long. Representatives were not powerful beings; they were merely sacrifices. All of them yearned for liberation.

Noticing this, Lu Ke smiled and shook his head, "Not just the ‘City of Calamity,’ but more than just the ‘City of Calamity.’”

What did he mean?

The ‘Celestial Master’ and others exchanged puzzled glances, seeing the same confusion in each other’s eyes. When they turned back, they saw Lu Ke walking into the tower, heading towards the ‘Dragon Locking Well’ and the ‘City of Calamity’ within.

"I am about to accommodate it. Please lend me your support."

His clear voice echoed slowly, resonating in the air.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end