King of Ten Thousand Years

This was the greatest victory the Dongchen Continent had ever known.

The tide had turned on every battlefield across the four domains, culminating in a resounding victory!

It all happened so suddenly.

When some people heard the news, they simply shook their heads in utter disbelief.

’Do you take me for a fool?’

’The Dongchen Continent has always been on the back foot. How could we suddenly turn the tables?’

But it was the truth.

Even those who had experienced it firsthand could hardly believe it.

Now, the Dongchen Continent was mustering all its strength to hunt down the Cyan Armor Race, attempting to eradicate them root and stem and eliminate the threat for good.

The Cyan Armor Race, however, continued to resist stubbornly.

An old evil dies hard, and the Cyan Armor Race was far from that point. The slightest carelessness on Dongchen’s part could allow the tables to be turned once more.

But at least for now, the Dongchen Continent was relatively peaceful.

「Black Iron City」

Luo Tian was temporarily residing here, while the two Mu Family Elders had joined the army to hunt down the Cyan Armor Race.

But Luo Tian’s days were anything but peaceful.

In the short span of a few months, visitors arrived daily. Some, unable to meet with Luo Tian, would persistently return a dozen times or more.

At first, Luo Tian would entertain a few, but he soon grew tired of it and began refusing everyone.

”Three months have passed since the last major battle. The Cyan Armor Race is proving to be a real pain...”

Luo Tian muttered, pursing his lips.

He didn’t realize, however, that no one else shared his sentiment.

In the context of such a momentous war, three months was a very short time.

The major powers of Dongchen were relishing the opportunity to hunt down the Cyan Armor Race, finally able to unleash their long-suppressed fury.

”Sir, someone has come to visit. He says he is Nangong Yu.”

A maidservant had suddenly walked in.

”Nangong Yu? Let him in. You are dismissed.”

Luo Tian instructed.

Soon, a handsome young man with a face as fair as jade and an old man with a full head of white hair walked in.

”It’s really you.”

Luo Tian couldn’t help but smile.

He and Nangong Yu had entered the Sun Chasing Holy Mansion in the same cohort. They had looked out for each other within the Holy Mansion, and Nangong Yu was one of Luo Tian’s few friends.

Nangong Yu was a bit reserved at first.

After all, Luo Tian was now a hero of Dongchen, a living legend who had achieved great military merit and slain several Celestial Level Martial Artists.

But Luo Tian’s warm demeanor and lack of airs gave Nangong Yu a familiar feeling.

”Brother Luo, your return this time truly took me by surprise.”

Nangong Yu couldn’t help but smile and began to speak more freely.

”After the Celestial Pride Conference, I didn’t hear a word from you. What have you been doing recently?”

Luo Tian asked.

”...I’ve been on the battlefield this whole time.”

Nangong Yu sounded a little awkward.

His current cultivation had reached the Peak of the Earth Element Realm’s Third Layer, making him a renowned genius in the Eastern Domain.

He had fought valiantly on the battlefield, and his reputation had spread far and wide.

And yet, Luo Tian had clearly never heard of him.

Nangong Yu knew this was because the gap in their respective levels was simply too vast.

From Luo Tian’s current standing, the achievements Nangong Yu prided himself on were trivial matters, news of which would never even reach Luo Tian’s ears.

Nangong Yu couldn’t help but lament that, without him even realizing it, such a vast gulf had opened up between himself and Luo Tian.

”I never imagined the Sun Chasing Holy Mansion could produce a figure like you.”

The old man beside Nangong Yu remarked with emotion.

This man was Nangong Yu’s grandfather, and he had also once been an Elder of the Sun Chasing Holy Mansion.

The Nangong Family was one of the continent’s Ten Hidden Families, but they ranked at the very bottom and had been severely weakened by the war.

After learning of Luo Tian’s deeds, the Nangong Family became intent on forming a relationship with him.

But having heard that Luo Tian was refusing all visitors, Nangong Elder hadn’t been sure it would work and was surprised they had succeeded.

Luo Tian saw through Nangong Elder’s intentions but didn’t feel any aversion.

Helping the Nangong Family would be a trivial matter for him.

”We were classmates, after all. Consider these items some... special souvenirs I brought back from the Outer World...”

Luo Tian casually picked out a few Spiritual Materials and handed them to Nangong Yu.

”These are...!”

Nangong Yu’s gaze froze.

His grandfather’s eyes widened even more, unable to look away.

With his vast experience, he could just barely recognize them as Ancient Spiritual Materials that had long since vanished from Dongchen—all of the highest quality and worth a fortune!

With these Spiritual Materials, Nangong Yu’s cultivation would surely advance by leaps and bounds.

”Hurry and thank Lord Luo,”

Nangong Yu’s grandfather urged.

A thousand emotions welled up in his heart. He had always pinned the hope of reviving the family on Nangong Yu.

Yet, in the end, it was a single, trivial favor from Luo Tian that gave the Nangong Family immense hope.

”Thank you,” Nangong Yu said.

After Nangong Yu and his grandfather left, a thought occurred to Luo Tian.

’I returned just in time to salvage the situation during this crisis.’

’But who could say whether Dongchen would face another crisis?’

’I have abundant resources now. I can help my old friends and relatives improve their strength, allowing them to live better, more stable lives.’

’Of course, the recipients of my aid would have to be highly talented geniuses with great potential, like Nangong Yu.’

Luo Tian made a mental note to do so when he had the chance.

”I’m going into seclusion. Refuse all visitors.”

After giving the instruction to the maidservant, Luo Tian entered a secret chamber.

He had never been lax when it came to his cultivation.

’The next goal is the Celestial Pool Realm!’

Luo Tian thought to himself.

There were only about ten Celestial Level Martial Artists on the entire Dongchen Continent.

They were legendary figures who stood at the very pinnacle of the continent!

He thought back to his days cultivating at the Sun Chasing Holy Mansion and the Yunxiao Sect.

The Celestial Level—how impossibly distant it had seemed!

Now, Luo Tian was only a single step away from becoming a Celestial Level Martial Artist.

It was a massive step, however.

Many people never managed to cross this threshold in their entire lives!

The Dongchen Continent had many cultivators at the High Tier Earth Element Realm, but only a handful in the Celestial Pool Realm.

Even for the geniuses of the three Overlord Level powers in the Broken-star Realm, it took at least three to five years to advance from the Peak of the Earth Element Realm’s Ninth Layer to the Celestial Pool Realm.

Most of them would first break through to the Half-step Celestial Pool Realm, then attempt to reach the Celestial Pool Realm to increase their chances of success.

But Luo Tian possessed a Divine Vein, cultivated the Celestial Destiny Creation Technique, and was blessed with great fortune!

His foundation was solid, and he cultivated the Martial Venerate Level Technique, the Celestial Essence Water Condensation Technique.

’I will break through to the Celestial Level in a single step!’

Luo Tian was highly ambitious, and he began to prepare for this goal.

...

Meanwhile, the armies of Dongchen were relentlessly hunting down the Cyan Armor Race, who scattered and fled in a sorry state.

「The Fringes of the Western Domain」

In a desolate forest, a troop of the Cyan Armor Race, four or five hundred strong, lay hidden.

Their faces were etched with bewilderment, despair, and panic...

Zhou Yuquan was also in this troop.

”How did it come to this...”

Zhou Yuquan sat dazedly on the ground, murmuring to himself.

Originally, Dongchen’s defeat had seemed inevitable, and the Cyan Armor Race was on the verge of ruling the land.

Until Luo Tian returned.

Everything changed!

He had become a stray dog, fleeing from the Eastern Domain to the Northern Domain, then to the Western Domain. He followed Jin Haiwei in his escape for a while, then left his group and continued to flee on his own.

’When will these days ever end?’

Zhou Yuquan was suddenly filled with regret.

The moment he started regretting, his head began to ache; there were simply too many things to be sorry for.

”KILL!”

Suddenly, a battle cry roared from the distance.

The Cyan Armor Race troop, like birds startled by a bowstring, shot to their feet. With faces full of panic and fear, they scrambled to retreat.

”There’s no escape!”

Zhou Yuquan sighed.

Not long ago, a Celestial Level member of the Cyan Armor Race in their troop had abandoned them and fled alone.

And at this moment, a Celestial Level Martial Artist was personally overseeing the pursuing Dongchen army.

Zhou Yuquan had once had the dubious honor of seeing this person before. He was a major figure from the Celestial Ring Alliance.

”Kill them all!”

The Celestial Level Martial Artist’s aura pressed down on the entire battlefield!

Under the pressure of this Celestial Level expert, the Cyan Armor Race troop felt true despair.

”Lord Sun, spare my life! I was threatened by the Cyan Armor Race into joining them!”

Zhou Yuquan knelt and pleaded with the Celestial Level Martial Artist.

But the Celestial Level Martial Artist’s expression was cold as he shot Zhou Yuquan a look of disgust.

”You traitor! I will eliminate you with my own two hands!”

He snarled coldly.

’Zhou Yuquan is Luo Tian’s enemy. If I take care of him, Luo Tian will surely be grateful.’

But suddenly...

VWOOM!

The Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi began to tremble violently.

A spatial rift appeared above the desolate forest, rapidly spreading and expanding. A turbulent void current gusted out, annihilating everything in its path!

Many members of the Cyan Armor Race were instantly shredded into bloody chunks by the void current.

”Fall back!”

Everyone scrambled to retreat.

Within the Dongchen army, several high-ranking officers stared at the rift with grave expressions!

Suddenly, a dark-cyan Void Ship shot out from the gaping hole in space.

”A Void Ship of our race!”

A member of the Cyan Armor Race cried out in shock!

”Retreat!”

The Celestial Level Martial Artist from the Celestial Ring Alliance’s expression changed drastically as he roared.

He never expected to encounter Cyan Armor Race reinforcements from the Outer World here!

This was simply awful.

Just then, a dozen or so figures emerged from the cyan Void Ship.

The Celestial Level Martial Artist from the Celestial Ring Alliance glanced back. The reinforcements didn’t seem to be very numerous...

But then he saw a wizened old man with hair as messy as straw. His eyes, however, were like the cold depths of Hell, chilling one to the bone!

”Clan Leader!”

”Greetings, Clan Leader!”

THUD! THUD!

One by one, the members of the Cyan Armor Race knelt, their faces respectful and their hearts filled with joyous surprise!

”What is going on here?”

the wizened old man asked in a hoarse voice.

Why were the Cyan Armor Race troops in such a pathetic state, with every one of them injured?

The Cyan Armor Race Leader glanced at the fleeing Dongchen army. His expression darkened as he bellowed, ”Where do you think you’re going?”

WHOOSH! RUMBLE!

With a wave of his hand, every tree within a several-hundred-meter radius was torn from the ground and launched toward the Dongchen army!

It was like a sky-blotting volley of arrows descending upon them.

Only this volley was far too terrifying!

Seeing such a method, the Celestial Level Martial Artist from the Celestial Ring Alliance was utterly dumbfounded!

”Aaargh!”

”Help me...”

Agonized screams rang out all around.

In the blink of an eye, ninety percent of the army was dead or wounded from the wizened old man’s single attack!

By the time the Celestial Level Martial Artist from the Celestial Ring Alliance came to his senses, the wizened old man was already before him, looking down with terrifyingly and utterly indifferent eyes.

The wizened old man extended his palm, in which a ball of flashing cyan and red light pulsed!

POP! POP! POP!

The next instant, the veins on everyone in the Dongchen army bulged, their faces twisted into hideous masks, and their bodies exploded!

”Don’t kill me! Spare me!”

This Celestial Level Martial Artist also felt the blood and True Essence within him fall into chaos, rampaging like wild beasts. It felt as if his body was about to explode!

A cold, mocking smile appeared on the wizened old man’s face.

POP!

The Celestial Level Martial Artist also exploded in an instant, turning into a cloud of blood mist.

The entire pursuing army had been annihilated in an instant!