The demonoid launched his attack, and everything would die. A dark demon descended and engulfed Azure Dragon. His energy disappeared, and his aura was gone. Then, demonic aura spilled forth, and vengeful phantoms killed the cultivators on the mountain.The cultivators were vaporized. Even the elders were destroyed as well. Mount Martial was once an iconic place for Faeast's martial arts world, but now it was a place littered with death. Weirdly enough, not even a trace of the dead was left behind. It was almost as if no one was here .Even Nox frowned. Cultivators of the path of humanity would either become saints or demons. Most became demons. Without Nox's guidance, even the Four Great Generals might become demons in the future."I have taken your underling, Greenshade. Yet you still try to save him?" The silhouette stared at Nox. Nox was his only target all this time.Nox sneered. "Let him go. I know you never wanted to kill him, but I wouldn't thank you. I know your lot all too
The truth hurts. The silhouette was infuriated, and black energy rose. The stench of evil wafted hundreds of miles away. His aura changed the whole landscape, and Mount Martial was a dead land. "How dare you, Greenshade! Fine, you may know my name, but the weight might kill you! I am the vice president of the Sect Alliance, Skye Dogson!"The demonic energy came crashing down on Nox in the form of a towering shockwave. This shockwave could tear through Azure Dragon's earlier technique, but Nox laughed. The guy's last name was funny enough."Dogson? Wait, wait, so you're literally a son of a bitch? No, wait, given your lineage, that's an insult to man's best friend!" Nox laughed and made a golden talisman. With the power of truth, he cast infinite truth unraveled.The golden talisman slapped the incoming shockwave, and flames roared. A sea of fire burned the battlefield and ignited the shockwave. Nox's skill with spells alone outstripped Azure Dragon's techniques."That's the lord fo
Nox's face fell. 'Fair fight?'Skye was confused. "What, you have a problem with it?"Nox held back his fury. "You think this is a sparring session? I don't spar with filth. I kill them."Skye gasped, and his face fell as well. 'He's that arrogant?'"I thought Faeastians say that Sovereigns accept everything, but you're a narrow-minded one. You might be an enemy, but I respect you." Skye frowned.It was true. He thought Mystian's best and most talented were nothing more than maggots. Only Nox could gain his respect. Cultivators were always confident no matter what they faced. They always go into battle thinking they would win, but looking down on their enemy would be their downfall."I am not looking down on you, but you have no right calling for a fair fight. The alliance has been the source of Faeast's problems all these years. You are the reason some dynasties rose and fell. When the nation was in disrepair and its people insulted, what were you doing? Fighting for power."Yo
Skye's eyes flared with passion. "Wonderful attack. That's on par with the Master of Swords! Not many can reach that level, but you are clearly one of them. I am no match in swordsmanship, but I can break this technique!"Skye injected his aura into his spell and summoned lightning bolts from the skies. They turned into chains and wrapped themselves around the energy, then they crushed the attack.Azure Dragon was worried. He knew how powerful this attack was, and it had never failed, yet Skye destroyed it easily. Nox, however, wasn't worried at all. They were both cultivators of the path of humanity. If they were cultivators of the Heavenly or Earthly Dao, the spell's destruction would backfire on him.Of course, if they were that kind of cultivator, their spells would be stronger."You have Eight Techniques, while I have the Holy Demonic Arts! They can destroy any weapon this world has to offer! It is the perfect counter for your techniques and any artefact, so the Fourteen Sword
Skye thought Nox could be bloodthirsty and soft. They were two different extremes, and someone like him could never go far in life. He was about to mock Nox, but then he noticed the change around him. The natural energy gathered on the mountain was of the Yang element, and it shone brightly like the sun."What are you doing? Trying to use the Heavenly Dao to kill me like the other cultivators?" Skye narrowed his eyes. He didn't think Nox would be so naive."The Heavenly Dao sees everything as equal. Faeast, however, has the path of humanity. I shall protect its people, and I do not allow demons like you to invade it. We have righteous energy with us. This mountain is in the lands of Faeast, and it will return to what it once was!"Skye laughed and pointed at Nox. "You're an interesting man. You believe in the righteous energy bullshit? Good and evil are subjective, and people's minds are fickle. I won't argue with you. You can't even break my spell, and you're already trying to chan
"Saintly Technique of Arts!"Talismans only needed a bit of their user's energy, and they could function well by themselves. Spells required seals and a continuous source of energy. If the user's energy ran out, they would have to use natural energy, and more so for Forbidden Arts.A towering wave leaped into the skies behind Nox. Azure Dragon's waves were nothing compared to this. It almost felt like Nox had summoned a whole river's worth of water to attack the mountain.Skye did not look happy at all. Though he could use all elements for talismans, he couldn't do so for spells. Talismans were usually one and done. Once they were made, they needed no further maintenance, but spells were like programs. Even if they were up and running, they needed constant maintenance, or they would break down.If the cultivators from Heavenly or Earthly Dao lost their focus and their spells broke down, the backlash would hurt them severely enough, and that was before a fight could begin.Skye mas
Skye was more than irritated. 'That bastard! This is not honorable at all!'"Are you stupid? Did you forget that the lord managed to mess with your portal even when he was fighting you?" Azure Dragon cursed.Skye's fury mounted. The portal was already sabotaged. Skye had two options left. One, destroy the portal. Two, let the water flow into Mystia. Neither choice was good, but he had to pick one, and eventually, he destroyed the portal.Once the portal was destroyed, the amassed energy exploded, and the air shook. Even the mountain trembled a little. Most of the water was already in Mystia, while the rest was sent flying into the air. Black rain fell out of the skies and dyed the ground black.Then, Skye's demonic aura grew stronger. Nox managed to rile him up. "I wasn't expecting this from you, Greenshade. You just made me mad. I'll kill you, I swear! I won't hold back anymore!"Demonic energy raged, and most of the western part of Faeast cowered under his darkness.Nox sneered
"Pity he's not on the mountain. Wonder if he'll avenge you if you're dead."Skye thought something was off. Nox was setting something up, he thought. 'Or maybe he's not after me at all!'"What are you trying to say? Explain yourself!" Skye was feeling a little uneasy now. He wondered what Nox was planning."Didn't I make it clear? I came for your head. Your master and the alliance will fall! Mount Martial isn't the only place. All your Faeast and foreign branches will be taken out!" This was Nox's goal. Mount Martial was only one of them. Before he came, Nox told his men to investigate.Magic Mountain's people joined forces with the Nox Army, Hidden Dragon Guards, and Shadow Division for this operation. Nox guessed they must be close to success, and his fight would be the last of it. "It's getting late, Skye. Say good night. Heaven's Demise, slay the demon!"Nox cast a Saintly technique and multiple Forbidden Arts, after which he used his eyes' power to set up a barrier around Mou
'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
"He couldn't even kill Nameless, and he only became an Ascendant through the Heavenly Dao's blessing. However, I can already summon the High Heavens' spiritual energy! How will you cut me down now?" With the spiritual energy he summoned, the enemy leader stirred the clouds, and Nox's will-of-the-sword was getting haywire.Nox scoffed. "The Heavenly Dao's blessing? You think he managed that because of a blessing? And you call yourself the leader of the path of the martial. You know nothing.""And why do you say so?" the enemy leader asked solemnly.Nox took a deep breath and stared at the enemy leader. "The heavens gave me glory, and not even I would say I am blessed by the Heavenly Dao. The founder ascended to save Faeast's people. He wanted someone from the High Heavens to kill Nameless. Answer me this: if you don't have enough power, would you challenge the Heavenly Dao for your faction?"Nox challenged, "If you fail an ascension, you will be destroyed, and that includes your sou
"So, your student's here. If he was one moment later, you'd be dead," the black-robed man said, sneering.Achille did not look happy at all. He looked at Nox with chastise in his eyes. Nox was worried about him. If he didn't show up, Achille would die."This is no sparring session, master. This is about the people of the world. If you want to spar with someone, Dominic and Voltaic are your real rivals. If you want to fight them after this, I won't stop you," said Nox.That managed to calm Achille down. He felt ashamed. "Heavens, my mindset was a mess just now. I thought I could face death calmly, but…""Every living being will try their best to survive, you told me that. We only sacrifice ourselves if the outcome is worth it. Now that I'm here, sacrificing yourself is just being stupid," said Nox.Achille sighed, but he was glad that his student could be so understanding about so many things. It was his honor. "Very well, then we shall kill this leader. You're right. This is no sp
Black Tortoise was stunned. 'So, they're serious?'He stared at the enemies and asked coldly, "Is this offer serious? You'd better not be lying to me.""You think we'd lie? We could trample you easily if we wanted to, but your damn lord is on his way back here!" The captains wanted to surrender immediately, or they might actually die.Black Tortoise was a little hesitant. If Nox was on his way back, he'd never give these people a chance to surrender. That could only mean one thing. The battle was inconclusive, but Aphrodite's plan worked. At least the powerhouses were taken down.The ten powerhouses were the path of the martial's true pillars. The enemies were surrendering without any one of them here, however. That could only mean that something had happened to them."Very well, I accept your terms and offer to surrender. But you'll have to tear down your defenses while the sacred beasts set up a formation," said Black Tortoise.The captains hesitated, but the powerhouses urged