https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-81-Lord-of-Armies-Above-and-Below/12529799/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-83-Countless-Years-Before-and-After-End-of-Prologue-/12529852/
Chapter 82: I've Been Waiting for You for a Long Time
Chapter 82: I've Been Waiting for You for a Long Time
Soon, Xu Chong met Lin Yuan.
Compared to the lofty and formidable aura exuded by the high-ranking soldiers, Lin Yuan gave Xu Chong a very ordinary impression. Even Lian Xu Wu Sheng, the Martial Saint of Refining Blood, paled in comparison.
If it weren't for Sikong Lun repeatedly emphasizing the importance of showing respect, Xu Chong might not have been able to resist the urge to look him up and down.
"Not bad talent." Lin Yuan nodded slightly as he regarded Xu Chong. In terms of mental fortitude, Xu Chong ranked among the top ten of those Lin Yuan had encountered.
'Those he had encountered' referred to the people Lin Yuan had met since his descent.
The cultivation system in this world solely focused on refining the physical body, with little to no emphasis on cultivating and strengthening the spirit and soul. Even the Martial Saint of Refining Blood, Sikong Lun, only had an abundance of qi and blood.
"This axe, the Splitting Heaven Axe, is yours now." With a slight movement of his thoughts, Lin Yuan summoned a palm-sized black axe and sent it flying toward Xu Chong.
Even before it was suppressed by Lin Yuan, the Splitting Heaven Axe was already a formidable dark artifact with a completeness of ninety percent. Over the years, Lin Yuan had collected the remaining fragments of the axe and pieced it back together.
Now that it was whole again, the Splitting Heaven Axe was no longer a mere dark artifact but a true divine artifact. Although it still couldn't compare to the Sun and Moon Spear and the other thirty-six divine artifacts, it far surpassed all other dark artifacts.
"What's that?" Xu Chong was caught off guard as he watched the black axe fly toward him, eventually imprinting itself on his forehead.
"Me?" Xu Chong felt a foreign presence within his body, as if a massive axe the size of a mountain was lurking in his mind.
"Get familiar with the power of the divine artifact as much as you can," Lin Yuan said calmly as he looked at Xu Chong.
Having comprehended the fundamental rules contained within the Splitting Heaven Axe, Lin Yuan saw no further use in keeping it by his side.
Of course, even though Lin Yuan had bestowed the axe upon Xu Chong, he could still reclaim it at any moment due to the fact that he had refined it. In a sense, Xu Chong was more like a vessel for Lin Yuan to wield the Splitting Heaven Axe rather than its true master.
"Divine artifact?" Xu Chong was bewildered. "Was that just now a divine artifact? I never imagined that the black axe was one of the legendary divine artifacts! And here I thought divine artifacts had their own consciousness and were high and mighty, not to be insulted. But now, you're just giving it to me?"
Ignoring Xu Chong's astonishment, Lin Yuan turned to Sikong Lun and said, "Next, I will be leaving this place."
Having cultivated the Sun and Moon Spear for ten years, Lin Yuan was on the cusp of breaking through to the fourth stage. During this crucial period, he wanted to follow in the footsteps of the ancient gods from a million years ago and traverse the rivers and the five great mountains, wandering through this world.
"Yes," Sikong Lun replied, his eyes reflecting his unasked question, but he ultimately bowed respectfully and said no more.
Lin Yuan could see the unspoken question in Sikong Lun's eyes and shook his head. "If you encounter anything insurmountable, just call out 'Emperor Yan' and I will hear you."
As the Great Emperor of the Yan Dynasty, Lin Yuan could indeed be addressed as 'Emperor Yan'.
"Yes," Sikong Lun breathed a sigh of relief. With Lin Yuan's assurance, he felt a surge of confidence.
"Emperor Yan?" Xu Chong whispered the name to himself, stealing glances at Lin Yuan and committing the name to memory.
Before setting out on his journey, Lin Yuan returned to the Great Yan Imperial Palace.
The Grand Emperor Liu Shi was in good spirits. After suppressing the Sun and Moon Spear, Lin Yuan had performed the Muscle Changing and Marrow Cleansing technique on him several times, revitalizing his entire being. It seemed like he would live for another hundred years.
"Yuan'er, whatever you plan to do, go ahead and do it boldly," Liu Shi said, looking at his most outstanding son.
In recent years, the world had been in turmoil, with the Reverse God Association and the thirty-five nations of the Central Plains constantly clashing. Yet, the Great Yan Dynasty remained quiet and untouched by these conflicts.
As the emperor for several decades, Liu Shi was naturally aware of the underlying issues and suspected that Lin Yuan might have come to an agreement with the Reverse God Association.
The Reverse God Association's goal of overthrowing the rule of divine artifacts put them at odds with the royal families of the thirty-six nations of the Central Plains.
Over the years, Emperor Liu Shi could never have imagined that his son was not conspiring with the Reverse God Association, but was in fact their mysterious leader, orchestrating the changing tides of the world.
Time passed.
Ten years later.
In the Central Plains, within the thirty-six nations.
The Great Qi Dynasty.
The Emperor of Qi wore a gloomy expression, his face darkening with anger.
"How dare they! How dare those remnants of the Reverse God Association!"
The Qi Emperor suddenly stood up and roared, causing the ministers below him to lower their heads, not daring to utter a word.
In the past ten years, the Reverse God Association had gained momentum and launched a frontal counter-attack against the thirty-five nations of the Central Plains.
Like a spark that could set a prairie fire, the Reverse God Association had initially been suppressed, but as time passed, their ideals spread, and the resentment of the people in the various nations boiled over.
In just ten short years, seven of the thirty-five nations had fallen to the onslaught of the Reverse God Association.
The guardian divine artifacts of these seven nations seemed to have vanished, never making an appearance to defend their countries.
And just now, the Qi Emperor had received news that the Great Mo Dynasty, bordering the Qi Empire, had fallen not long ago.
With the loss of the Great Mo, the Qi Dynasty was now directly in the line of fire.
In the Qi imperial court.
The Qi Emperor took a deep breath.
He then turned to the stern-faced middle-aged man beside him.
"What news do we have from the divine artifact?"
The Qi Emperor asked, striving to maintain a calm demeanor.
This stern-faced man was the Qi Dynasty's weapon master.
Eight years ago, the guardian divine artifacts of the thirty-five nations seemed to have coordinated their departure from their ancestral lands, disappearing to parts unknown.
According to the message they left for their weapon masters, they were taking a step towards their final transformation.
Now, eight years later, aside from the occasional communication between the weapon masters and the divine artifacts, no one else, not even the emperors of their nations, could sense their presence.
"The divine artifact has informed me that it is close to taking that final step and will soon return to the mortal realm."
The middle-aged man's voice trembled with excitement.
Although the divine artifacts had left a portion of their power with their weapon masters before departing, it was not comparable to the might they could wield directly. As a result, even the evil artifact users could stand against them.
"Good, good, good."
The Qi Emperor uttered the word "good" three times upon hearing this news.
These past years had been a struggle without the might of their divine artifacts, and they had been forced to retreat again and again by the Reverse God Association.
Fortunately, this difficult period was coming to an end.
The nation-protecting divine artifacts were about to reclaim their place in the world.
And as the rightful rulers, the Qi Dynasty and the other orthodox dynasties would return to their former glory.
"In that case..."
"I shall join forces with the other dynasties and engage the Reverse God Association in a decisive battle. Then, with the might of the divine artifacts, we shall wipe out their remnants once and for all."
Having ruled for several decades, the Qi Emperor immediately conceived a plan that would bring peace for the next several centuries.
The remnants of the Reverse God Association were like rats in the sewers, impossible to exterminate completely.
Now, with the association at the peak of its influence, they would undoubtedly unleash all their hidden cards.
If, at this critical juncture, they could crush the Reverse God Association and destroy everything they stood for, then it would be a long time before they could recover.
On the other hand, if news of the imminent return of the divine artifacts were made public, the Reverse God Association would surely be frightened into retreat, scurrying back to the shadows, where they would continue to plot against the thirty-six nations.
Given these two options, the Qi Emperor naturally chose the former.
In the heart of the thirty-six nations.
Across the vast Wuyue Region, a battlefield emerged, pitting the forces of the Reverse God Association against the remnants of the thirty-five nations, each side fielding uncountable numbers.
On the side of the Reverse God Association, Xu Chong sat on a chair, a large sword across his lap, a furrowed brow marring his face as he spoke, "Are the thirty-five nations truly so willing to engage us in a decisive battle?"
In the years that had passed, Xu Chong had matured from the ignorant youth he once was, tempered by countless battles, and had become a qualified commander. Wielding the complete Splitting Heaven Axe, he could even suppress the godly weapon users of the thirty-five nations.
Although those godly weapon users seemed unable to directly borrow the power of their divine artifacts, Xu Chong's formidable reputation was nonetheless renowned throughout the land.
"Could it be...?" Xu Chong's expression shifted slightly as if he had thought of something. "Are the divine artifacts backing the thirty-five nations back?"
"It doesn't matter," declared a voice from the main seat. "Since the thirty-five nations dare to engage us, then we shall fight."
The others immediately rose to their feet, their eyes fixed on the distant forces of the thirty-six nations, their gazes filled with battle intent and anticipation. They had waited far too long for this day.
On the Wuyue battlefield, the two sides clashed without hesitation. In a well-coordinated dance of death, the common soldiers fought against each other, as did the cultivators and the commanders.
"Die!" Xu Chong bellowed, brandishing the massive black axe in his hand and cleaving through the air. His attack forced several opposing commanders to retreat, and with a swift strike of his axe, he claimed the life of one of them.
This scene bolstered the morale of his allies. After all, it was rare for a commander from the thirty-five nations to fall, and even when the Reverse God Association had conquered eight of the dynasties, their commanders and emperors had fled before the battle's end. It was common knowledge that in other eras, the godly weapon users of the thirty-five nations were invincible.
The tide of battle turned in an instant, and the forces of the thirty-five nations began to falter under the surge of their enemies' renewed vigor.
Elsewhere, the emperors of the thirty-five nations gathered at the far rear of their armies, their gazes fixed on the distant battlefield. Despite witnessing their troops' retreat, their expressions remained unchanged.
"It's about time," one of them said. "The Reverse God Association has likely exhausted their tricks."
"Let the divine artifacts make their move," another added.
The Emperor of Qi exchanged glances with the others, and a decision was made.
On the battlefield, Xu Chong exclaimed, "How exhilarating!" as he wielded the black axe, channeling the power of the Splitting Heaven Axe.
Suddenly, the axe's consciousness warned him, "Beware! Those old fellows have arrived."
"What old fellows?" Xu Chong asked, taken aback. Before he could process the information, the realization struck him. "You mean the thirty-six nation-protecting divine artifacts?"
"Where are they?" Xu Chong scanned his surroundings, refusing to back down. Over the years, he had learned that the Splitting Heaven Axe in his possession had regained its completeness and could be considered a true divine artifact. He believed that it was not far inferior to those thirty-six nation-protecting artifacts. Even if he encountered them, he wouldn't be intimidated into a hasty retreat.
"How can they be so powerful?"
"We're in trouble now."
"They've taken that step."
The consciousness of the Splitting Heaven Axe trembled, sending out mental waves that conveyed its despair.
"Where are they?" Xu Chong stood his ground, unmoving, and no one dared to attack him.
"They are in the sky," the axe's consciousness managed to convey.
Xu Chong looked up, and there, in the clouds, stood an array of towering weapons—thirty-five in total—looking down upon the mortal realm.
The imposing presence of these thirty-five massive weapons was as vast as the heavens themselves. This was why Xu Chong hadn't noticed them; their aura was simply too immense. It was like trying to spot ships sailing upon an endless sea or tiny islands dotting its surface.
As for the sea itself, it was easily overlooked.
"Them... them."
Xu Chong's teeth were chattering as he realized with despair that even with his strength and control over the Splitting Heaven Axe, he would still be no match for the thirty-six divine artifacts, and the gap between them was vast.
But now, seeing the thirty-five divine artifacts with his own eyes, Xu Chong truly understood the immense difference between his axe and theirs.
As Xu Chong looked up at the sky, more and more people on the battlefield followed his gaze.
"It's a divine artifact!"
"The divine artifact of my Great Qi Dynasty!"
"And there's the one from the Great Chu Dynasty, too!"
"Hahahaha! The remnants of the Reverse God Association are doomed!"
Countless soldiers from the thirty-five nations were exhilarated, and some even knelt on the ground, welcoming the descent of the divine artifacts.
In contrast, the members of the Reverse God Association were filled with despair.
Especially the evil artifact users, who felt the immense pressure emanating from the cloud-shrouded divine artifacts, like the weight of the heavens bearing down on them.
At the same time, high in the clouds, the thirty-five divine artifacts emanated a powerful spiritual presence.
"So many flesh and soul offerings... simply delicious."
"And those failures... we can take care of them all at once."
"Although we succeeded in our transformation, our energy was greatly depleted, and we urgently need to replenish ourselves with flesh and soul offerings."
"Wait, why haven't we heard from the eighteenth artifact in such a long time?"
"Perhaps the eighteenth artifact is also undergoing transformation in seclusion. It hasn't completed its transformation yet, but never mind, I'm going to feast on these offerings first."
The thirty-five divine artifacts spread out, their terrifying aura enveloping the entire Wuyue Battlefield.
"Let the feast begin."
In an instant, one of the divine artifacts gently inhaled, and tens of thousands of soldiers from the thirty-five nations below turned into dry bones.
To the divine artifacts, whether it was the thirty-five nations or the Reverse God Association, they were all just food to be consumed.
Now that they had undergone their transformation and breakthrough, they needed to replenish their energy with flesh and soul offerings, and they certainly wouldn't discriminate against their own cultivated food.
"Ah?"
Xu Chong looked up at the thirty-five divine artifacts in the clouds, his heart filled with despair.
At this moment, with the thirty-five divine artifacts spread out and surrounding the battlefield, he knew that even if he wanted to escape, there was no way out.
"It's over."
Xu Chong felt hopeless, thinking that he had no chance of survival today.
In this desperate situation, Xu Chong's mind involuntarily began to review his life.
From his birth, to his parents, and his sister who had later been taken away by that storyteller... Unfortunately, he couldn't seem to recall her name. He remembered how they had resisted the rule of the divine artifacts, and for some reason, his thoughts drifted back to that fateful night ten years ago.
The night when Sikong Lun had led him into the underground palace, where he met the leader of the Reverse God Association, who bestowed upon him the Splitting Heaven Axe. Xu Chong's memory of that night became clearer, and he seemed to recall that the leader had told him that if he ever encountered an insurmountable situation, he could call out for 'Emperor Yan'.
And for some reason, Xu Chong found himself doing just that. He tilted his head back, stared straight at the thirty-five divine artifacts in the clouds, took a deep breath, and shouted, "Emperor Yan!!!"
To shout those two words, Xu Chong burned his qi and blood and even borrowed the power of the Splitting Heaven Axe.
In an instant, the words "Emperor Yan" reverberated throughout the Wuyue Battlefield, echoing in all directions.
The world fell silent.
"What's the holdup!"
Just then, another voice rang out.
Everyone looked up and saw a young emperor, clad in dragon robes, approaching with a calm demeanor. His eyes blazed with an intense gaze, and his aura exuded an air of authority.
The young emperor ascended into the clouds, rising to the same height as the thirty-five divine artifacts.
Lin Yuan hovered in the air, his eyes fixed on the divine artifacts before him.
"I've been waiting for you for a long time."
(End of Chapter)
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