"What?""Mr. Itou's katana is broken?""I…"The samurais were petrified. They weren't expecting Mr. Itou to fail to withstand even one blow from Nox. The moment his weapon broke, Mr. Itou screeched, "Spare… me…"Alas, the dragon bodied him, acting like a meat grinder whirring through flesh. Mr. Itou's body was shredded into bits of bones and meat. Chunks of Mr. Itou's corpse fell from the air.Nox killed the famous swordsman with just a single blow. As a result, Mr. Itou's entourage was stunned. Even Hitomi was shocked."What? H-He killed Mr. Itou with a single blow?""He isn't human! He's a demon!"Everyone looked at Nox with terror. After Nox killed Mr. Itou, he swung his arm and told the remaining samurais. "I'm taking your shrine down because you asked for it."It was the truth. Nox didn't want to kill these people, but they sent spies to Faeast and tried to hunt him down. The Great Lord of Faeast would not stand for this. Therefore, it was time for some deep cleansing.N
Hitomi could only sink weakly onto the ground as she stared at the sea of fire and lightning devouring the corpses mercilessly. Her mind had gone blank. "Why? Why must you do this?" She was crying tears of blood, looking at Nox with confusion.Nox came down and landed beside Hitomi when he heard her."Even if we did the wrong thing, you've killed everyone we sent out. Musashi, Kobo, Hokusai, and so many more! Why must you keep killing them? Why must you destroy the shrine?" Hitomi asked, still shedding crimson tears.She wanted answers. Too many died today. Some deserved it, but most of them were innocent. A lot of them were just regular disciples who only did as Ikkaku ordered. Yet, Nox took them all out without mercy.Nox stood tall and inscrutable. He looked ahead with his unfathomable gaze as he said coldly, "Because your people deserve this.""We deserve this?" Hitomi trembled."Yes. I didn't do this for myself. I did this for my country. For the grudge that has gone between
Nox hurled Hitomi to the center of the hall. Ikkaku didn't look at his daughter. Instead, his eyes were on Nox."You're the leader of this shrine?" Nox questioned."Yes," said Ikkaku."Good. I've slaughtered all your men. Now, it's your turn," said Nox mercilessly.There was no surprise on Ikkaku's face. He merely smiled sadly. "They're all dead, are they?" He looked at his daughter, who was crying tears of blood."I'm sorry, Father…" Hitomi sobbed.Perhaps Ikkaku hadn't heard her as he muttered, "This shrine has stood in this nation for more than seven centuries. It had thousands of disciples. Yet, you alone killed them all. Very well." He laughed somberly."And you, my daughter. Why did you betray me? Why did you betray the shrine?" Ikkaku looked at Hitomi again."I never betrayed you, Father. All I want to know is the truth. Why did I have an oni clone in my body?" Hitomi asked, still crying."Because I had someone plant it within you.""What? You…" Hitomi froze in shock,
Ikkaku swung the weapon as he leaped into the air, lunging at Nox. A bloodcurdling will-of-the-sword radiated from Kusanagi no Tsurugi.Nox raised his hand and swatted the sword away. The metal buzzed. Ikakku leaped into the air again when his attack missed, swinging his weapon a dozen times at Nox.Since he was the true leader of this shrine, his attacks were powerful and never-ending. Besides, he only gained more power the longer he held Kusanagi no Tsurugi. As a result, the energy behind his attacks was lethal.Ikkaku was at least a Beginner Legend Realm. The attacks rained on Nox's vitals. However, Nox simply slapped his hands together, allowing his palms to catch the sword energy.Ikkaku staggered backward while Nox stood his ground."Damn you, boy. You're a Legend Realm, indeed. Not many Faeastians can gain this power at this age. What is your name? Are you part of Faeast's Ancient Four?""I'll tell you when you're dead." Nox sneered."Insolence!" Ikkaku roared. He swung h
As the incantation went on, several runes appeared on Ikkaku's bloody face. They wriggled like tadpoles as they settled themselves on his skin. Evil energy rose around him like black snakes. Soon, the slivers of energy merged into a dark shadow behind Ikkaku."I will kill you, boy, even if this shrine's last member is killed," said Ikkaku cruelly. "Ancestors, I summon thee!" he roared and made a bizarre seal. Blood then poured out of his face. A dull thud rang out in the air as a silhouette came forth.The silhouette belonged to the previous master swordsman of the Yanagawa clan. He was the clan's strongest warrior. His name was Yanagawa Chiyu.Chiyu was revered across Eastsun during his time. He was the previous head of the clan as well as the master swordsman the country's military had hired as a coach. Many famous generals were his students. Some even claimed Chiyu was already one with the sword, and he was invincible.Chiyu was dubbed the strongest swordsman of Eastsun. Alas, h
Ikkaku couldn't believe the ancestor he summoned would escape in fear, but the fact remained that he did. Chiyu's actions only filled Ikkaku with despair. He paid the cost with his life to cast the spell. Yet, his ancestor ran away without even putting up a fight.Ikkaku sat there weakly, pale and almost lifeless. Time was ticking down fast for him. His life had started to wilt the moment he cast that summoning spell."You're the legendary Lord Nox? Perhaps I should feel honored that you're the one who will kill me." Ikkaku looked at Nox and laughed in despair. Blood trickled down the corner of his mouth."Father!" Hitomi ran up to her father, who was going to die, and she cried once more."I'm sorry, Hitomi," said Ikkaku. In the last moments of his life, he found a sliver of kindness within him. "I should never have sacrificed you," said Ikkaku, blood still spilling from his mouth.Hitomi shook her head. "I've never blamed you for that. Just… just tell me, why did you sacrifice m
"He committed too many bad deeds in his life, and the king of Eastsun was worried that his vengeful soul would haunt the grounds. So, the king hired more than 70 Yin Yang Masters to seal the tomb."Yet, even after a thousand years since his death, his soul continues to linger around. Furthermore, since so many years have passed, the Yin Yang Masters' seal has gradually weakened. In the meantime, Susanoo's spirit has only been growing stronger and stronger! "About 30 years ago, Susanoo's spirit finally released itself from the seal. However, due to the long years of being held captive by the seal, his soul required a human body in order for him to come back to life. After lengthy periods of searching, he finally found my daughter's body to be the best host for his soul…" Ikkaku's voice was filled with guilt as he told Nox all about the spirit that had been released from Eastsun.Nox didn't seem too shocked to hear this story. From the moment he laid eyes on the evil spirit in Hitomi
Ikkaku was dead. He wasn't the only one who died. The rest of the people in the renowned Kitagawa Temple also proceeded to drop dead within the next half of the day. Eventually, Hitomi was the only person left in the huge, desolate temple. She knelt next to her father's body as tears streamed uncontrollably down her cheeks. The lady of Kitagawa temple, who had a huge family with 700 years of history, hadn't expected everyone to be wiped out by Nox within less than half a day. She could practically hear her heart shattering as she stared at all the bodies in the temple."Your father wished for me to protect you before he passed. Will you be willing to receive my blessings?" Nox asked the woman with a blank expression on his face.Hitomi looked up to meet his gaze. "I don't need your protection.""Whatever you say," Nox muttered before turning around to leave. Hitomi was nothing more than a stranger in his eyes. Back when he was in Faeast, he should've already ended her life. If it
Nox felt choked by the sheer emotion he was feeling. Sometimes, even a thousand promises couldn't compare to the simple vow of staying together in life and death."Don't worry. There's no one in this world capable of killing me," he reassured her with a smile. All the talk about ruling the Nine States and Five Domains or becoming the emperor of the world paled in comparison to having the one he loved by his side.The destroyer ship made its way back to Faeast's inner harbor. Nineve eagerly led the group to the largest shopping mall in the area as soon as they disembarked.The marines quickly found themselves acting as her personal attendants, lugging bags upon bags of purchases. The spree lasted the entire day, only stopping when the mall finally closed for the night.Later that evening, Nox was watching a live news broadcast in the hotel.The screen showed an official spokesperson from Faeast addressing the issue of piracy on the high seas. The statement carefully emphasized the
As the Temple Lord of the Beast Temple, Kirin was none other than the auspicious beast Kirin itself.On the other hand, Mufasa, while known as the temple's guardian, was, in cruder terms, little more than a servant to the golden lion. His master, the golden lion, paled in comparison to the Kirin in both cultivation level and bloodline.Simply put, if the golden lion were present, it would have to kneel before Kirin."What now? Why'd you drag me out? Couldn't you deal with it yourself? You're so annoying! I was just having a great chat with my students," Kirin grumbled, clearly irritated.However, he immediately shut his gob after receiving a hard whack on the head from Nox."I called you out to ask if you could gather the beasts of the Beast Temple. Tell them to withdraw from Mystia and return to Faeast for the time being. I foresee a war with the path of the martial brewing soon, and I'll need a fully armed force of sacred beasts," Nox said, his piercing gaze fixed on Kirin."Ca
Faeast's rise was inevitable. This belief was absolute and unshakable!At that moment, Aphrodite came to a realization that so long as she and Nox had no romantic ties, their hearts could truly be in sync.Love brought complications such as resentment and division. But without personal emotions clouding their judgment, everything they did would be for the nation alone. Take this moment, for example. The intricate trap she had laid was no longer just a scheme. Rather, it had become a necessary move to safeguard Faeast. By nightfall, the destroyer arrived at the island where Voltaic resided. Before the ship even came to a stop, Voltaic stepped onto the water, striding across the waves with Mufasa by his side. With effortless grace, he leaped onto the bow, landing before Nox on the deck. "You old bastard, what's your deal? When I tried reaching out before, you acted like you were deaf. Now that I've shown up, you're all smiles and warm welcomes? What's that supposed to mean?" No
Just then, several pirate ships appeared on the horizon. They were from Capwave Island. Now, Nox had every reason to suspect that these pirates were nothing more than pawns, a smokescreen used by the elites of the island nations to cover their tracks. "Milord, those guys have their eyes on us. What's the call?" the captain asked. "My rule is simple. If they make a move, fire. Wipe them out. But you're the captain, so I'll leave the decision to you," Nox said. The university students onboard were all fired up, ready to take action without a second thought. The captain, mindful of the number of civilians on board, decided to attempt communication first. He picked up the radio to send a warning to the pirates.The deafening roar of jet engines ripped through the sky. A sudden transmission cut into their frequency. The voice on the radio was firm and unmistakable. "This is the Faeast Air Force. We have orders to escort your vessel. Stand by." Above them, fighter jets h
Nox first checked on Cassian. After realizing he was fine and had only collapsed out of exhaustion and loss of life essence, Nox turned to lead a group of men toward the port. The mystical artifact sealing off the island had been retrieved. The isolated island would finally see the light of day once more! Nox had just arrived at the port when he was surrounded by a pack of students. Somehow, they found out their savior was Lord Nox of Faeast. They were all insistent on meeting him. "We just knew Faeast would save us!""Our savior is actually Lord Nox! We will surely study hard to repay Faeast!"They were young and impulsive. In their eyes, Nox was sent to rescue them as Faeast knew they were in danger. Hence, they were overwhelmed with emotions. Nox stared at them with a guilty look in his eyes. He had not even known they were kidnapped. Due to that guilt, he agreed to take a group photo with the students even though he disliked appearing before the public eye. The enti
"Zeller, you'll be brought to justice!"With a twist of his fingers, thousands of swords appeared out of thin air and swung at Zeller.Without any techniques he could use, Zeller had to risk his life to block and dodge every blow sent his way. However, his body gave up after a few hundred strikes, and his body was torn apart.Shaken to his very core, Zeller tried to make a retreat."Where are you going? Quintuple Lightning, awaken the divine tempest!"As deafening thunder roared through the sky, countless bolts of lightning struck down at Zeller's dark spirit, killing him.One of the best evil cultivators died just like that.His death also sounded the death knell for the Celestial Ordinance's Abode that had been causing chaos in Faeast for centuries.The Marine Corps gazed at Nox with passionate excitement in their eyes.This was their lord, someone who was stronger than Cassian!Nox turned around to find the remaining elites crying in despair. Some of them had already lost
The energy erupted with a force that broke through the clouds. Zeller swiftly realized something was wrong. The staff inside the formation was trembling. Cassian was about to break through his trap. Nox's eyes lit up. "Oh? Grandpa broke through to the fifth-ring Minor Saint realm."As soon as he said that, the energy set the air ablaze, causing the demonic phantoms to melt away. When Cassian appeared in view, he was covered in blood while tightly holding on to the staff. With all his might, he pulled the staff out of the ground. The instant the staff left the dirt, the formation dispersed. Cassian collapsed onto the ground, having depleted his life essence. "Shoot!" Zeller instantly tried to get the staff back. However, Nox acted at the same time at a speed far greater than Zeller's. He first rushed over to Cassian and took the staff from him. Then, he struck out with a palm that sent Zeller's life essence dispersing from the immediate area. Zeller was sent flying away
"Watch as I break through your technique!"With a low roar, Cassian used his essence to draw out a talisman. The moment the talisman was complete, the stench of blood flooded the air.Blood energy was unable to dispel the demonic phantoms, but it was able to reveal Zeller from where he was hiding within the phantoms."Found you!"Cassian sent another punch swinging. The tables were turned.A series of loud bangs echoed from within the cloud of demonic phantoms. The Golden Fire Saint power surged. With one last dull thud, Zeller was sent flying out of the formation."Mousse, you're mistaken. I told you so. Cassian would win!" Nineve said with a scoff. It was so great to witness Aphrodite humiliated.Aphrodite shook her head with a soft laugh. "Princess, do you really think what you see is the truth?"Nineve was stunned. "What do you mean? Speak clearly!""You saw Zeller sent flying out of the formation, but that doesn't put his life in danger at all. If you were Cassian, you wo
"Ashura's Seal, Demonic Phantom Fury!"Zeller waved his staff. When he struck it against the ground, countless demonic phantoms appeared, surrounding him and Cassian and blocking them from view. Amid the demonic cloud of phantoms, golden fire could be seen flickering within. Cassian was trapped by the phantoms, and the Greenshade family's ancient martial style did no damage. He could not disperse the demonic phantoms. Under Zeller's control, demonic energy seeped into Cassian's body, slowly scrambling his mind. "This is bad. It looks like the trap has turned into a personal demon for Grandpa." Nox frowned. "Act if you must. Faeast needs a strong fighter of the previous generation like Cassian right now," Aphrodite said. Nox nodded. Still, now was not the best opportunity for interference. If Cassian could not get rid of his personal demon, his cultivation would suffer in the future. There were many cultivators at Saint Realm who practiced the soul techniques of the pat