Susanoo smiled. "As the Heavenly Dao has forbidden us from attaining immortality, we have no choice but to seek another path.""You are but a wandering spirit, and yet you dare dream of immortality?" Nox sneered."Why should I not? Time takes all. Even the most alluring blossoms wilt and turn into dust. Immortality is an aspiration many wish to attain. Is that not true for you as well?" Susanoo continued, "A thousand years ago, I saw what your land had to offer, and I must say, it is a far more fertile place than the place I call home."I have witnessed how your emperors spent mountains of coins and put their people to hard labor just to create an elixir of immortality. I have seen the people of Mystia and the godly people who live there. I have asked for a path to immortality."Alas, time is a cruel mistress. Any Legend Realm who wishes to go further will find it nigh impossible to step into the realm of the Earthly Deity, no matter how powerful they are." The oni sighed.Nox sai
"Perhaps lesser men will fall for your deception, but not me," said Nox proudly.Susanoo's expression darkened. "I have extended a hand of friendship to you, Faeastian. Do not test my patience!""Is that what you think? Well, to be a god that people revere is a tempting offer. Many Legend Realms would have shaken your hand," said Nox honestly. To keep one's soul alive forever and be reborn after centuries was an allure too big for most people to refuse.Drago, Musashi, Ikkaku, and a lot of Nox's past enemies would've taken the offer, but Susanoo apparently underestimated Nox's personality and strength. Nox swung his arm. With pride, he said, "I know what you're getting at. You want me to be your worshipper so you can usurp my body, aren't you?""Hm?" Crimson mist filled Susanoo's eyes. "You know?" He found this unbelievable.The moment Susanoo saw Nox, he'd been eyeing his body. After all, Nox was a young and handsome Legend Realm. The oni wished for nothing more than to take over
Susanoo would not stand for Nox's insolence. 'He wants to take my soul?'"You brute! You could've had the honor to be my puppet, yet you wish for death! Very well, then I shall take over your body and destroy your soul! I will take your memories and everything you have! You will be taught a lesson for this impudence!"After Nox exposed his true intent, Susanoo tore off his facade. He was nothing more than a malevolent spirit, after all. He could only survive by possessing a vessel.When Nox showed up, Susanoo couldn't hold back his desire for flesh. He wanted to take over Nox's body and life.Then, ribbons of crimson shot from his eyes, and pillars of blood energy shot into the air all around him. He raised his hand and gripped the air.A gigantic phantom hand was conjured. Possessed by blood energy, the hand hurtled toward Nox."A spirit calling itself a god. How laughable." Nox harrumphed and made a sword seal with his right hand, then swung his hand in a slashing movement.Th
"Damn that brat. He humiliates the Shinogawa Temple and challenges Lord Susanoo? He will die for his transgressions!""A mere mortal like him is no match for our master! We should've taken him down when we had the chance!" a lanky Yin Yang Master said.Shinichi answered, "The master has his reasons for inviting the brat."A portly Yin Yang Master narrowed his eyes. "Could Lord Susanoo be after his body?"Shinichi chortled. "Perhaps so. He leveled Kitagawa Temple and took out Ikkaku himself. If I'm right, that brat is at least a Legend Realm. It is natural that the master wishes to usurp his body."The Yin Yang Masters laughed."Mr. Chihiro is right. That brat thinks he can lord over us, but our master is beyond any Legend Realm!"A moment later, the air was rattled by an explosion, and the temple's entrance, which was nearly a foot thick, was smashed into pieces. Indescribably powerful lightning bolts flew out, and then the Yin Yang Masters saw a figure clad in blood energy barr
This was Susanoo's true self. The two-horned, double-irised rakshasa opened its maw in a sneer, and it stepped forth. The monster doubled in size, then it took another step, and its body ballooned.The monster took seven steps, and in the end, the true form of Susanoo was revealed. He was a fifty-feet tall rakshasa. The skies over Shinogawa Temple were drenched black, as if the heavens were startled by this creature's appearance."You might be a Legend Realm, Faeastian, but do you really think you can defeat me?" Susanoo bellowed with laughter. "You ignorant fool! I will usurp your body, capture your soul, and burn you within the flames of hell for a hundred years!"Susanoo swung his bloody axe down on Nox. A crimson crescent moon rained down on the battlefield.Nox stood tall and sneered. "You put yourself on too high of a pedestal." He grabbed the air, and the lightning around him turned into a saber.It was a lightning saber, the amalgamation of thousands of lightning bolts. Th
'He wants to fight me head-on?' Nox thought, smiling."Very well. If that's what you want, then I shall fight you head-on. From now on, I won't use any spells. We will duke this out with martial arts," said Nox proudly.The Yin Yang Masters heard that, and their eyes went wide."Is he mad? He wants to fight the master with martial arts? Doesn't he know Lord Susanoo is undying?" Shinichi was perplexed.They thought Susanoo would lose if Nox kept up his spellcasting onslaught, but now Nox wanted to relinquish his advantage and fight Susanoo head-on. That was foolish.Like they thought, Susanoo was wary of Nox's spells, especially the fiery lotuses Nox cast. Fiery Lotus Golden Eye was a terrifying spell that was the culmination of mindpower. That spell was a phantom killer, and Susanoo was a phantom.Though he had lived a thousand years, he was still a phantom. That was why he shivered when Nox cast his fiery lotus, but fortunately, Nox wasn't going to use that anymore. He roared wi
"That brat defeated the master? Impossible…"The Yin Yang Masters were in awe. Even Shinichi's face was twitching. Nox was too powerful. He thought Susanoo could easily kill off Nox once he transformed into his true form, but Nox was more powerful than anyone thought.This was unacceptable to both the Yin Yang Masters and Susanoo. The latter quickly got back up, still covered in blood energy. With fury, he looked at Nox. "You're the strongest enemy I've met until now, but this is my turf!"This place is made by my grudge! This temple is under the control of my soul! You might be strong, but you cannot take me out in a single blow!" Susanoo laughed smugly.He was speaking the truth. This place was where Susanoo was buried alive. This land was possessed by his grudge that'd lasted for a thousand years and the fallen souls of the children he'd consumed. As long as he stayed here, he could quickly heal up and remain undefeatable.Nox only sneered. "What about ten blows, then? A hundre
Then, Susanoo's soul started to heal, as if he wasn't hurt at all."You're undying, huh? Then let's see how I break that!" Nox's gaze turned icy. He slammed his hands together and roared, "Nine Dragons Connect!"More dragon roars came from within Nox. Nine roars, to be exact. The moment those roars started to echo, the temple started to shake, and what was left of it quickly crumbled. Even the mountains were shaking violently.Debris the size of millstones and boulders as big as trucks rolled down, crashing into the temple ruins and the Yin Yang Masters. The debris fell like an avalanche and crashed into the believers and worshippers of the temple."Nine dragons, go!" Nox flew into the air, and nine dragon silhouettes appeared behind him, bathed in golden light. The temple was covered in the shadow of the dragons. "Die!"Nox barreled down like a meteor, his fist ahead of him. The nine dragons converged and formed a gigantic fist. The moment it showed up, everything was annihilated
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