"Are you a soldier as well?" Dom looked at Nox curiously. He was surprised that Nox knew he was a soldier just from looking at his saber, so he asked.Nox smiled, but he did not tell the old man that he was the one who created the Nox Army, nor did he tell the old man that he was the undefeated Lord Nox. He only nodded. "Technically, yes."Nox's answer made Dom buzz with excitement. "That explains your power. So, you are a soldier of Faeast!' Dom said happily. "You must be a general, then! Nox Army was a famous legion, especially the lord that made it. He was invincible!"The memory of Nox brought pride to Dom's face."Have you seen your lord, sir?" Nox asked curiously.Dom shook his head. "I never had the privilege. To be honest, I'm just a cook in the legion. I'm not even a Saber Squad member. People like me never had the chance to see the legendary lord.""Wait, I thought you said you were a member of the Saber Squad," Nox asked.Dom chuckled awkwardly. "I had to lie so these
Dom answered immediately, "I do. Are you heading there?""Yes.""I'll lead the way, then. It's been a long time since I was at the border anyway," Dom said excitedly."Thank you, sir," Nox said."Oh, it's alright. You saved our lives. Leading the way is the least I could do. Just give me some time to pack up, if you don't mind. We'll head to the border after that," Dom said."Sure."Dom started sorting out his tribe's business. While he was taking care of the villagers, the young boy approached Nox. "Mister, are you going to the border with my grandpa to beat up the bad guys?"Ever since the boy saw Nox descending from the sky to save his village, he thought Nox was a god. He was looking at Nox curiously.Nox smiled and crouched down. "Yeah.""Whoa. Can I come? I wanna be a soldier too!"Curious about the boy's reason to join the military, Nox asked, "Why do you want to be a soldier?""So, I can kill the bad guys, just like you and Grandpa did! Ever since Grandpa retired fro
"Got it," Nox said.Dom led the camel over to Buddy. "Buddy, I'm going out for a couple of days. Keep an eye on things back home. I'll get you some candy on the way back."The boy thumped his chest. "Don't you worry, Grandpa. Leave it to me!"Smiling, Dom bent over and kissed the boy's cheek. "See you, Buddy." Dom waved the boy goodbye.After that, Dom and Nox got on their camels and made their way to the depths of the deserted Darkbog Mountains. Dom told Nox that it would take two days to get to the border. Nox could have flown and saved a lot of time.However, he did not want to scare the old man, so he decided to ride on a camel with him. Darkbog Mountains was a desolate place covered in a blanket of chill. There was barely anyone here. Besides the eagles circling overhead, there were not a lot of critters scuttling about.Dom was a talkative man, and he spoke of the events that happened at the border over the last two years. After Nox's apparent death, Aphrodite disbanded the
Though Dom was wearing a thick mink coat, it still failed to fend off the biting winds. The winds howled and felt like cutting steel when they razed Dom's face.Dom was breathing heavily, staring at the darkening sky in the distance. "Bad news. A blizzard's coming. Maybe we should retreat for the night and set off tomorrow."Nox looked at the graying sky. "No need for that.""But the blizzards here are terrifying. They can freeze us to death if we run into one at night."Nox suddenly drew a rune in the air, and he raised his hand to tap it. An energy barrier covered Dom. "With me here, you just need to carry on with the journey. There's nothing else to worry about."As Nox spoke, Dom started to stop shivering. A golden barrier covered him, and the chill receded, replaced by a wave of warmth, as if he just moved from the arctic to stand under the sun.Dom could not believe that the barrier was giving him warmth. "Dear lord, this barrier can keep me warm? You're so powerful!" he gu
"We're here. Look, that's the encampment for Faeast's army." Dom pointed at the bright encampment with excitement."I see." When he was about thirty miles away, Nox could already feel the aura coming from Faeast's encampment, but he kept it to himself."I'll lead the way." Dom sped up on his camel. Though the winds were biting, and the blizzard was howling, the duo went faster and faster. It did not take long for them to arrive at the encampment.Dom said this was just an encampment for a company, so there were not a lot of people inside. At most, there were a few dozen units.Nox knew this. After he subjugated Snowground, he created a lot of temporary encampments, so it was normal that there weren't a lot of units here."God damn it, a blizzard again? This weather's gonna kill us! Don't just stand there, Miho! Warm up some milk brandy! We need some good stuff tonight!""Yeah, sure!"Rough voices came from the encampment. Nox's expression was colder than the blizzard."I'll tak
"They are still our soldiers. And with a blizzard, it's understandable that they want to find some warmth! Alcohol is one way to do it! Please, spare them!"Dom was a kind man, and he pleaded on the soldiers' behalf. Nox scanned the injured soldiers coldly and mused for a moment before saying, "Very well. For your sake, I can spare them."He asked, "Tell me, who is your leader? Who allowed you to drink?" He looked at the soldiers. Nox was a lord, and he knew that if soldiers were breaking martial law, then it must mean their leader condoned this. He must find out who was really behind this lack of discipline.A bleeding soldier said with a trembling voice, "Our leader is the lieutenant colonel of the cavalry, Salasor Elson!"Nox's mindsea rippled, and he was reminded of a traitor who conspired with Snowground—Salasor Elson. Before Nox killed Farma on Qustian Peak, the priest had told him about the generals who were working with them.Among them were Salasor Elson, lieutenant colon
The doors swung open, and out came eight uniformed soldiers. The one in the lead was Salasor himself. He was a muscular man with a handle-bar mustache. The moment he showed up, the injured soldiers quickly shouted, "Lieutenant Colonel, you're finally back!"Salasor looked at them coldly. When he noticed they were shivering in the cold and covered in snow, his face fell. "You fools. Why are you standing out here?"The soldiers shivered in fear, but they dared not talk."I'm asking you a question! Answer me!" Salasor demanded, taking offense at the silence.Suddenly, an icy voice said, "I made them stand outside."Stunned, Salasor turned to the encampment. Nox was sitting in his seat, unmoving. Having a stranger in his territory irked Salasor, and he looked at Nox darkly. "Who are you?" he asked sharply. "How dare you barge into the encampment? Do you want to die?"Nox slowly opened his eyes, and a wave of powerful pressure slammed down on Salasor and his entourage. Salasor and the
As Salasor's head rolled, Dom and the soldiers were in shock. After all, Nox just killed a lieutenant colonel of the cavalry, and that was a great crime in the military. The soldiers finally snapped out of it. They held their guns tightly, as if they would pull them out and shoot Nox the next moment.Yet, they were looking at Nox in fear. "Y-You killed the lieutenant colonel?"Nox did not even look at them. Instead, he said to Salasor's corpse, "He's a traitorous bastard. He deserved this.""B-But you have no proof! You can't accuse him of treason!" one soldier said."My name is Nox Greenshade, and my word is proof!"When Nox announced his name, everyone was stunned. No one knew he was the legendary lord, but they felt that the name was magical. The moment they heard it, they felt fear filling their hearts.None dared to ask more questions. Nox pressed, "Tell me, who's the commanding general of the border army?" The commanding general was the highest-ranking officer in this place
Three months later, Nox declared Faeast as the leader of all nations, ushering in a true era of peace and prosperity. Then, he abdicated the throne, passing the throne to Nineve. Nox proclaimed that this nation was neither the Greenshade nor the Limerent family's, but a world that belonged to its people.One year later, Nox and Queenie lounged under the warm sun on the sandy shores of the Ocean of Death, enjoying a rare moment of tranquility. The world had finally settled into peace, allowing them to take a well-deserved rest."Nono, what's Aphrodite up to?" Queenie asked, her brows furrowed as she leaned against Nox. "Is she planning something shady again? She's been building alliances all over like she wants to imitate the Three-Eyed Empress.""Death changes people," Nox replied calmly. "Don't worry about her. She knows exactly what she's doing."Old Aphrodite would've killed Jacques and run off to save herself without a second thought. Instead, she spared him, stripped his cul
The Nine-State Crucible hovered majestically over the heavens, drawing all the spiritual energy from the Nine States and Five Domains into itself. As the ultimate artifact of Faeast, the crucible was unmatched—a legendary relic that had never known defeat.The origins of the Nine-State Crucible were shrouded in mystery. No one knew who forged it nor why it disappeared over the ages. For centuries, many dismissed it as a mere myth. Yet now, it reappeared, proving its existence—and, by extension, the truth of all the ancient legends tied to it.The sight left every cultivator present in awe, bowing in reverence to the artifact."The ancient sovereigns of Faeast forged the Nine-State Crucible to safeguard the Nine States and Five Domains. "Its power ensures that Ascendants cannot interfere with the mortal realm. It has crushed even Ascendants in the past, and you, still merely a mortal cultivator, think you can stand against it? I promised to crush you, and I will!"With Nox at it
However, only Nox himself could sever the celestial providence. Only by cutting off the Celestial Lord's celestial providence could Faeast's providence be restored to its peak."Damn it! Nox Greenshade! Do you really think you can defy the heavens? I didn't want to damage my cultivation, but it seems I have no choice but to go all out! You think a one-ring Minor Saint can defeat me? I am the Celestial Lord—the apex of mortals, the Great Saint of Dao and Virtue, ordained by the heavens themselves!"The Celestial Lord's furious roar resonated across Mystia, drawing in vast waves of spiritual energy from the realm that converged upon him alone."Great Saint of Dao and Virtue? If the so-called heavens of the Transcendent Firmament made you, it only proves that even they have failures," Nox retorted coldly.Even the Celestial Lord, enraged as he was, could scarcely believe Nox's audacity—daring to disparage the mighty figures of the Transcendent Firmament."I am indeed a one-ring Minor
'What? Griffin was a sworn brother to Magic Mountain's founder?!'"That's right," confirmed the formation master. "He only told us recently."As the first to learn of this connection, he had shared it with the Saints of the Five Elements, ensuring they wouldn't betray their alliance. Using the promise of ascension as leverage, he managed to secure their cooperation. After all, the Great Saint of Fire had already reached the threshold for ascension.The risks were minimal, and upon ascending to the Transcendent Firmament, the Magic Mountain's founder would surely offer his guidance. For that reason alone, the five mentors had rallied to aid Nox.With such mighty forces gathered, morale on Nox's side soared. Meanwhile, the Whitefield family's spirits plummeted, crashing from the heights of hope to the depths of despair in mere moments. The mental strain caused several of their weaker-willed members to break completely.With dread settling over them, the Whitefields could only place
The Whitefields were getting cocky, but then they realized the powerhouses that came weren't responding. The aura was powerful, but there was no life in it. On closer inspection, they noticed that the leader of the group only had half a body left. His soul was missing. The quartet behind him was nothing but a pile of mincemeat.The portal buzzed again, and seven silhouettes came out. Five of them felt domineering, and they looked prideful. It almost felt like they were peerless. These people were none other than the Saints of the Five Elements.Four of them were Pinnacle Minor Saints. While one had an aura so strong, this place couldn't handle it."A Great Saint! Great Saint of Fire!" Fiery Ignis, Dominic, and Achille couldn't believe their eyes.It had been too long since Mystia saw a Great Saint, and he was Nox's mentor."So, he's the one who broke through first. But now he's already hit his bottleneck. The other four's power isn't enough. If the Sacred Beast Seal isn't upgraded
The Montgomerys and the Byrds decided to see Nox together, but they were refused. They were cursing Nox and calling him disrespectful, but then they saw Nox and his team taking a portal to the path of the ancient divine."What? He went right to them? Why? He's going to fight the Celestial Lord now?" The representatives were shocked.'How dare they!' they thought.Nox and his team went through the portal quickly and appeared right over the Whitefields' place. The Whitefield family was the newest member of the divine four and the real mastermind behind the Inkdarks' demise."Kirin, I told you I'd take you back here someday. I told you that when we come back, the Whitefields will be no more. If you can't do it, I can wipe them out for you." Nox looked at Kirin."Don't look down on me, milord. You don't need to dirty your hands for them. I'll do it!" Kirin summoned his avatar, and with Saint power infused, the avatar turned into a real beast. The sacred beast itself descended upon the
"Time to finish this. My lord's going to the path of the ancient divine next. You should decide who's going to take over after the Celestial Lord is taken down. That's all. Now let's talk about our personal business. Listen up, anyone who had a part in attacking my family, tell your clans that I'm coming for them. I'm killing all of you!"Bloodlust filled the air, and the representatives were shocked. "You killed your own family. Yes, we made them attack you, but we never wanted to wipe it out!" the Whitefields' representative said.Kirin flew into a rage. "How low can you go? You forced them to kill me, or you would wipe us out instead! You think I'm stupid? You'd have killed my family either way! I know how you guys function. You're crueler than any beast out there. Listen up, there's still time to plan for your funeral. You'd better make a good plan."Kirin chased everyone away. The families were going back to prepare for battle, but two remained behind. One was the Byrds' repres
Nox's Magick Sword crushed the enemy leader's soul. "I said I would cut you down, and I did. Now do you see who's the ignorant one?"The enemy leader realized that Nox was the man at the pinnacle. Perhaps the moment Nox became a faux Saint, he was already no match for him. "So what if you can kill me? You are Faeast's Sovereign, and you have a duty to push Faeast to power. But the Celestial Lord still exists. As long as he is around, your wish will never be fulfilled." He sneered."Is that so? Well, he's next on the list to be culled. If anyone tries to make an enemy out of me, I will destroy them and their families, even if they are from the path of the ancient divine!"Nox shattered the remains of the soul, and the path of the martial's leader was no more. The problem harassing Faeast for millennia could be solved at long last. Achille was stunned. It hadn't been that long, but Nox had surpassed him.Nox was better than him in every way. He was an even better swordsman than Achil
The enemy leader was waiting. One technique broken wasn't enough to take Nox out. He wanted to wait until Nox had cast all he knew and find an opening to take him down, but Nox wanted to take him down with the power of the sword."You're stubborn. Very well, this makes things easier for me. I'll kill you, or at the very least, wound you!" He'd be stupid not to take advantage of this. The enemy leader's avatar morphed into a gigantic fist and slammed into Nox's chest.The impact shot through his body and reached his soul. Nox spat blood, and his soul was injured.Achille couldn't stand by anymore. Nox just told him not to push himself, but he wasn't taking his own advice. Then, Nox's weak will-of-the-sword shone blindingly, and then Unto the Origin appeared once more."Even under my pressure, you can use this technique? You're strong, but you're as stubborn as your mentor. You've lost your chance! Die! You'll never get here in time, Achille! Shadowkill!"The enemy leader's avatar t