Ronan's pupils turned into slits, like a viper's. Demonic light shone brightly as a big blob of black energy shot into the skies, reaching Nox in moments. Ronan became excited upon seeing the energy corrupting Nox and trapping him in the air. 'Got him!' he thought gleefully.The warden cursed, "You bastard! You said this is only a battle of swordsmanship! You're cheating!" He couldn't believe this was happening."You fool. Victory is the only thing that matters! Your nation came up with that philosophy!" Ronan roared and turned all the spirits he had into saber energy. Jet-black saber energy charged at Nox. If it landed, even a Pinnacle Legend Realm would die."Look out, Nox!" The warden was getting really anxious. He desperately prayed that Nox could stop this attack.Although the attack was closing in, Nox didn't budge an inch. It was as if he was truly trapped in the spell."This is Eastsun's Forbidden Art. It can only trap him for three minutes, but it's enough for me to kill
"Even if you managed to kill me by some sort of miracle, did you really think Mystia's denizens would let you get out of this prison alive?"Ronan snapped out of his trance, cursing Mystia and the Mousses."You do not have the right to curse Mystia or the Mousses. Now get down and repent!" Nox pushed his palm down. Nox could easily take Ronan down, even during his prime. With how weakened Ronan was after using that skill, he naturally couldn't fend off Nox's attack. As a result, he was promptly smacked to the ground."Don't kill me! You want vengeance, don't you? I know what the Mousses are up to! The bastards wanted Eastsun to invade Faeast after they killed you! It's a trap! Aphrodite already controls half of Eastsun's military!"Ronan pleaded, "She's trying to take two enemies out at one go! She'll kill you and come after me next so she can steal Eastsun's fate! Spare me! I'm a Pinnacle Legend Realm! I can help you!"That was not what Ronan said a while ago. Nox snorted coldl
A fierce god had awoken as violent energy began its rampage. The world around them changed. They could see the skies outside through the hole in the ceiling, and they were blotted out by black clouds.The black clouds turned into a four-legged beast that filled almost the entirety of this realm. "It's coming." Nox smiled. The warrior did not let him down.A silhouette about six feet six came out of the cave. He was green all over, and his muscles were taut. It was as if they were made of indestructible metal. Just the sight of the man was terrifying enough. However, he looked handsome and clean. His hair was so long that it reached his waist, and he had an almost effeminate air.The silhouette fell from the 300-feet cliff. When he landed, the ground rattled, and a crater was left in his wake. Most people would've been a bloody pancake from the fall, but the man came out unscathed. Instead, he was striding ahead as winds howled around him.The violent energy he radiated was suffoc
"If anyone's at fault, Black Tortoise, it's me. I told you to keep an eye on the South. I gave you the order not to leave your post no matter what happens," Nox said sternly.The warden was listening, and he knew Nox was trying to assuage his comrade's guilt. It was unbelievable that Nox would do this. Even though Nox tried his best, Black Tortoise refused to budge.In the end, the resigned Nox could only speak solemnly, "I now rescind your position as colonel general. Atone for your crimes." Nox narrowed his eyes. Then, he asked lowly, "How about that? I'm the boss, aren't I? Work with me here."Black Tortoise nodded and got up. He was smiling. "That's the only way to set the nation's matter aside and actually help you, milord."Without his position chaining him to his duties, he was now a free man. If anything were to happen to Nox again, he would tear the perpetrators apart."Yeah, yeah, I know." Nox patted Black Tortoise's shoulder and pointed at Ronan. "That's your first targ
While they were on the way to the formation, the warden joked, "That general of yours is one hell of a man, sir."Nox raised his eyebrow. "And what's that supposed to mean?" Nox had a feeling the warden was laughing at him.The warden quickly waved his hands. "I'm not mocking you or anything. I'm saying that Black Tortoise is built like a truck, but he has a… beautiful face. It's kind of weird looking at him."Nox shook his head and sighed. "Mystians. You guys are born on silver platters, so you have no idea what most people have to live through. Black Tortoise was abandoned since he was born. His folks threw him into the trash bin."He continued, "Some kind folks found him and sent him to foster care. He was adopted a while later, but his foster parents either used him as manual labor or abuse targets. He was taken by more than one family, but none treated him kindly."A good one took him in, finally. They were businesspeople and well-off. They treated him like their own, but the
"Yeah. Black Tortoise shares the deepest connection with the royal family among my generals. It's not surprising that Sariel saved him. "If I did die in the Ocean of Death, the royal family would only have Black Tortoise helping them out. They have no power over the other three." Nox nodded."I see. Honestly, Black Tortoise is a lucky man. Well, equally unlucky as well, but that's beside the point. "Sariel taught him and made him a Supreme. He then showed him everything he knew when Black Tortoise was imprisoned. The old man gifted Black Tortoise the fruit of his life's work and made him an Advanced Supreme." the warden clicked his tongue.They came to the formation's area. The formation was made up of hundreds of artifacts and connected by tens of thousands of talismans. The moment Nox stepped inside, he knew the formation's aura was off. It was corrupted by evil energy.Nox observed it for a moment and realized what was going on. "Huh. The Mousses broke through the formation b
Winter had arrived, and the endless mountains on the border of Faeast were in lockdown. Aphrodite was sitting on top of a mountain, holding a zither, and she was reminded of her past.She was called Faeast's most evil and conspiratorial woman, but now there was tenderness in her eyes. Jacques came to her, snow squelching under his feet. He draped a white robe over his granddaughter.Jacques said with concern lacing his tone, "It's getting colder. Stay warm." Aphrodite said nothing. Her mind wasn't here. He looked at the zither and realized what was going on. He sighed."You're thinking about him again? You can't forget him, can you?"Aphrodite snapped out of her trance. "He gave me this. I was a staff officer in charge of the anti-Eastsun invasion operation back then. I was the one suggesting plans for the emperor. "He was just promoted to colonel and was nothing but a regimental commander. You called on him, too. You told him that he had to be at least a general to marry me."S
"I deserve this, Grandpa. Even if he shrugs my betrayal off, the fact that I framed his comrades and killed so many of them means he'll never forgive me.""Talking about the past is useless. Let it stay in the past. Reminiscence is nice, but obsession is not. He must be in Heaven's Cage now. That means he'll have killed Ronan at this point.""Good. Ronan killed Sariel, so what Nox did was just vengeance. With a villain who harmed Faeast dead, Sariel can rest in peace now." Aphrodite's eyes shone darkly. Everything was going according to plan.Jacques was speechless. This plan made Nox a hero again. "My dear, it's taking the phantom cultivators their all to keep the Defender Lord of the North at bay. His army is slaughtering them like they're nothing. "Even if Mystia sends in their men, they wouldn't know how dangerous things are unless you're holding a gun against their head. Their men will only die."Aphrodite sneered. "I have arranged for a suicide squad member to go in. Even i
The talismans were Magic Mountain's Forbidden Art, and Nox had fused them with Ultimate Sun Dragon Manual. Nox's mentors back in Mystia had taught him the Sovereign Seal earlier than expected.Their goal was simple. If Nox became the Sovereign, he could use the seal to command all the natural energy around him. If he didn't become the Sovereign, he would teach the Sovereign how to use the seal.The Sovereign Seal was a Saintly technique and the most ancient technique around. It was stronger than a Celestial technique.A golden seal brighter than the sun slowly rose into the air. It was the Sovereign Seal.As it appeared, natural energy gathered around it. The energy flew into the relics Brundela took from Faeast. Within a museum not open to the public, a bronze sword started to tremble as natural energy flowed into it. That got the attention of a professor."That sword belonged to Faeast's Emperor Elijah! What is going on?"A silhouette came out of the sword, and his aura was maj
Back in the navy command center, Fergus got the drone footage of Brundela's latest development. There were a few generals from the Nox Army with him. They could see that the monsters in the capital were far stronger than the ones they took out."It's a pity the capital is too densely populated. We have the weapons, but we can't use them." Fergus slammed the table in frustration. Even if the capital were to fall into enemy hands and the people torn apart by the monsters, Fergus could not order his men to fire at the capital, or things would be bad for them.Fergus could only open fire if the monsters were in a no man's land."Commander Parrish, the lord has orders. We are to keep the waters guarded. Once the capital's crisis is over, we are to make our way to the port and give humanitarian aid," a Nox Army general said telepathically. He just got Nox's orders."Is that so? Then Nox can stop this crisis." Fergus' eyes shone. He had no idea what Nox was planning, but he was the Sovere
Demons were walking the lands of Brundela. Legendary creatures were roaming the streets as if the end of days were here. The resurrected monsters were causing chaos everywhere. When the Titans showed themselves, despair washed over Brundela.There were too many monsters running around. Even after the Twilight Order and Ice Temple cultivators sent out everyone they had, it still wasn't enough to stop these creatures. The monsters went straight to the council hall, and so did the Titans.The Ice Temple Lord created a Magic Ice Formation and kept using Forbidden Arts and mystical artifacts to fend off the enemies. He had already done his best."You have to do something, Nine-State Lord. I can't hold on much longer!" the Ice Temple Lord said telepathically.Though monsters were about, they were not a threat to the Ice Temple Lord. he could leave anytime he wanted, but he had a deal with Nox. If he were to desert the battlefield, he would face a hell far worse than he could imagine late
Their targets were the relics around the altars. The moment the whirlpool showed up, the black energy conjured black walls and kept Brundela on lockdown, cutting off all communications.Possessed by evil spirits, gods from ancient civilizations came back to life. In the underground graveyard, the dead came bursting out of their coffins, and skeletons with phantom flames flickering around them charged at the holy knights and James' secret agents.Nothing more needed to be said. The holy knights' leader led the charge. The other knights resolved to fight to the death as they battled the skeleton gods.James and his secret agents fired off at the enemies, but the bullets did nothing to the skeletons. All they managed was to light a big spark. Only grenades and howitzers could deal damage to them, and even then, the damage was light.The battle was fierce. Though the knights did not fear death, they were still weaker than the prehistoric gods. These skeletons were nigh invincible, and
Nox was hovering higher than the Ice Temple Lord, and he got everyone's attention."Who's that?""It's a Faeastian!""My God, it's the Nine-State Lord!" Nox was known throughout Faeast and the world. Brundela's council members had recognized him the moment he showed up. They had nothing but fear for gods, yet Nox was the strongest man in the Mortal World, so they respected him.The clouds in Brundela's skies were hanging heavily over the ground, and the icy aura they radiated was making everyone shiver. Winter seemed to have come early for Brundela. The temperature was dipping fast.Back in the control center, intelligence agents were watching the surveillance footage closely, and they noticed the altar. The Twilight Order and Ice Temple cultivators were there, strengthening the altars' seal the best they could. There were soldiers guarding the altar as well.For some reason, the secret agents had a feeling something bad was going to happen. Murphy's Law, as they said.Suddenly,
A sliver of energy flew out of the puppet and gathered natural energy around it. Then, the temperature rose at a blistering rate. Fortunately, Bard's reminder came just in time, and Vermilion Bird was prepared for this. She led her team away from the spot.A pillar of fire engulfed the building, and heat waves shot off in every direction, lethal and deadly. The light eventually faded, and all buildings in a few hundred yards were razed to the ground.If Vermilion Bird had killed the puppet without thinking just now, she would have lost all her men and suffered serious injuries. "That bitch! I'm going to make her into a human swine one day! I'll give her hell!" she cursed.Bard gasped. 'Yeah, women can be really terrifying.' Not one General was a normal person.This incident didn't escape Nox, of course. He saw it through his divine sense. "Heh, you can't fight the flow of history? You say that, Aphrodite, but you've done the same thing more than once. Schemes and plots when your ey
Aphrodite was a master manipulator. She knew the weaknesses of Nox's underlings, and she praised Bard, "At least you know where you stand, Bard. You never overreach. Though we failed to make you one of us, I still thought it'd be a shame to kill you."Bard smiled. "Oh, you're such an actor, Ms. Mousse. You know why we don't like you? Queenie is a genuine lady, just like our lord. You're far inferior to her. And don't flatter yourself. Of course, I know where I stand. I can't even reach the pinnacle of martial arts, let alone cultivation."No matter how smart I am, my lack of talents holds me back. I can never be made an important leader." He was only spared because he couldn't become a threat to the Mousses.Nox didn't use schemes because he didn't need them. Absolute power could trump any plot.Vermilion Bird clenched her teeth. "What is the meaning of this? The lord knows that the bitch is here?"Bard shook his head. Vermilion Bird was a smart woman, but Aphrodite made her lose
Aphrodite felt nothing but sorrow, and Vermilion Bird burst into laughter. "I expected nothing less from these people. Your men are just like their employers. Hey, knights, you guys want to find out more about Faeast martial arts? See those Mousse guys? They're masters. Deal with them."Vermilion Bird gave her orders. She knew these people would escape the moment she showed up. The knights flew off, going after the escaped Mousses. The Mousses were a family of warriors, while these knights were cultivators, to an extent. They wore mystical artifacts, and the Mousses' guys didn't have something like that.The battle was fierce but short. The Mousses' powerhouses were taken out, and the rest were dealt with by the Shadow Division."And now only you're left. Interesting, isn't it? Karma always bites you in the ass. You betrayed my lord, and now your men betray you. You deserve this," Vermilion Bird cursed."Yes, I deserve this, but as long as he wants to be the Nine-State Lord, then w
'The beating heart of this land?' The woman's underlings looked grim. They were supposed to be the master tacticians here. Yet, Nox played them like a cheap kazoo. 'He's a far better tactician than we expected!'Nox began his counterattack not long after the Ocean of Death incident. This woman was none other than Aphrodite, Nox's old flame. When she saw Brundela's fate stabilizing, she knew right then that things had gotten out of her hands."Tell the Mousses in Eropa to retreat right away. There is no need to stay here any longer. He's not attacking us because he's waiting for us to do the same. The moment our men try to start anything, he'll swoop in and take them all out. "No one can beat him if he decides to go all the way. Not even me," said Aphrodite.Suddenly, the Mousses' powerhouse noticed something. "I sense bloodlust. Who goes there? Show yourself!" The powerhouses unsheathed their weapons and stood around Aphrodite, protecting her.A group of black silhouettes appeare