James was puzzled by their conversation.He looked at Quintina, who was standing in front of some guards from the Ancient Clan, and thought to himself, ‘Could she also be a Welkin Academy disciple?’“Sir Yoan, this way, please.”Quintina made a welcoming gesture, beckoning Yoan to enter.Yoan nodded, turned to James, and said, “Let’s go inside first.”Quintina led James and Yoan into the Ancient Clan’s domain. There was a towering mountain range in front of them, but as they advanced, they entered a paradise full of beautiful mountains and clear rivers.At the furthermost area in their vision were a number of Spiritual Fields.Many people were toiling in the fields.Ahead of them were several buildings. Their structure was nothing close to luxurious and rather simple. It felt like they had arrived in a small mountain village.Along the way, James asked softly, “Sir, who is Quintina?”Yoan whispered, “Ten years ago, she joined the Welkin Academy and became a disciple of our se
Quintina’s voice called out to him once more.Yoan returned to his senses. He looked at Quintina troubledly and said, “A-Actually, I’ve come here to ask for a drop of Ancient Blood.”“Ancient Blood?” Quintina stood up abruptly.She looked at Yoan with a strange expression and said, “Sir Yoan, I’m afraid there’s a bit you don’t know about the Ancient Blood. When our clan’s ancestor was on the verge of death, he used his entire life’s cultivation to create the Ancient Blood. It’s only beneficial to our clan’s disciples. If you’re not a disciple of our clan, the Ancient Blood is useless to you. The Ancient Blood’s power is exceedingly savage. You’ll explode and die instantly if you’re not a disciple of our clan.”James interjected. “It can’t be that bad, right?” Hearing this, Quintina glanced at James.Yoan quickly interrupted, “I’m sorry my disciple couldn’t control his mouth. Please forgive him.”Quintina gently waved her hand. She could not be bothered arguing with James, but s
Despite being composed of simple buildings, the Ancient Clan’s territory was enormous.James and Yoan’s lodgings were arranged in an independent courtyard.Meanwhile, Quintina left to report to her elders.Many mountains could be seen behind the village.A few buildings stood on the mountain peaks.Those qualified to stay in these mountains were prominent figures within the Ancient Clan.Her father was meditating in seclusion. As the Ancient Clan’s Elder, Thoryn Gideon was in charge of the clan’s affairs.Quintina ascended the mountain where Thoryn cultivated.A bearded man in his 70s sat on top of the mountain, playing with a cricket.“Elder Thoryn.” Quintina greeted him from afar.“Quintina.” Thoryn glanced at her, and picked up the cricket.Thoryn remained seated on the ground. He looked at Quintina approaching and asked, “What’s wrong? Did something happen?”Quintina looked at the slovenly elder with a helpless expression, saying, “It’s nothing serious. It’s regarding t
The next day, there was a knock on the door just before dawn.James stopped cultivating and went to open the door.An Ancient Clan disciple stood outside the door. With a respectful look, he said, “Sir, the competition for the right to enter the Pagoda of Flames begins today. The Young Lady has instructed me to bring you to Mount Trinvard.”“Alright, thank you.” James walked out of his room.As he stepped outside, Yoan also walked out of his room.“Sir.” James greeted Yoan.Then, the Ancient Clan disciple led the two out of the village toward a mountain.Mount Trinvard was the highest mountain within the Ancient Clan. It was also the residence of the Ancient Clan’s leader. Under normal circumstances, the clan’s disciples were forbidden to ascend the mountain.Today was an exception as it was an important event for the clan that took place every half a century.The disciples have trained for many years to prepare for this day and to win the chance into the Pagoda of Flames to b
Soon, a few more people appeared on the Ancient Clan’s Mount Trinvard with their disciples James did not recognize any of them.Yoan patiently told James all about them.“Did you see the person talking with Elder Thoryn just now? He’s the Infernal Emperor. He’s a transcendent powerhouse and is one of the top ten in the Ancient Realm.”“The man in gray clothes over there is Emperor Tamerlan.”James observed them from a distance and waited.Some of the Ancient Clan’s elders had left and gathered in a hall on Mount Trinvard.The person leading the gathering was Thoryn.Thoryn’s voice boomed, “Many outsiders are participating in the competition this time. We’ll have to make changes to the competition’s rules. My suggestion to make the participants go through the Mound of Sabers first. We’ll allow those who pass through it to participate in the competition, and the rest will be disqualified. What do you guys think?”“We’ll let you call the shots.”“Elder Thoryn, the Mound of Sabe
A shriek came from beyond, and a young man from the Ancient Clan scrambled out.James glanced over and saw that the young man had been injured by the powerful Sword Intent. He was bleeding all over, and his face was pale as a sheet. He was evidently in a bad mental state.James ignored the young man.Although the Sword Intent in the area was potent, it was still within tolerable levels for him.“James.”Suddenly, a voice came from within the Celestial Abode.After hearing Sophie’s voice, James replied to Sophie, “Yeah? What’s wrong?”Sophie said, “There are many swords and sword techniques here. They’re not particularly special, but they’ll come in handy for you. I can sense that each of these swords comes with a sword technique of its own. Since you’re focusing on your swordsmanship, you should acquire and learn these sword techniques.”“How do I acquire them?” asked James.“Keep going. I’ll guide you.”After listening to Sophie’s advice, James quickly advanced and crossed t
Under Quintina’s gaze, James entered the cave once more.After he entered the cave, he stood two meters away from the divine sword. The sword’s aura was potent, and its Sword Energy was savage. James felt like his body was being scorched by fire.Quintina followed him into the cave again. Seeing that James could stand unscathed close to the sword, she found herself murmuring, “This guy doesn’t seem that weak after all. He can actually withstand the Sword Intent within this cave.”James stood still, and a vigorous Spiritual Power came from within the Celestial Abode. It communed with the divine sword and forcefully snatched the sword technique recorded within it.A fiery red light sank into James’ forehead.At that moment, James’ head was filled with massive amounts of information.It was a complete set of swordsmanship skills, including the cultivation method and the sword techniques.The information felt like it had been branded by hot iron into James’ mind.Since the sword gl
James casually pointed to one of the Ancient Clan’s disciples.“I choose him.”After James selected his opponent, those behind him also began choosing theirs in order.Then, the contest began.Since James was the first to pick an opponent, the competition began with him versus his chosen opponent.His opponent was a disciple from the Ancient Clan.Outside the arena, Quintina looked at Yoan with a bright smile and said, “Sir Yoan, your disciple has a bad eye for opponents. The person he picked isn’t just some regular guy. He’s the eldest grandson of one of our eldersand had been personally tutored by the elder since he was a child. Although he’s young, he isn’t weak. He is already at the Immortal Ascension’s Fourth Stair.”Yoan smiled faintly and said, “Just sit back and wait to be surprised, then. I’m confident in James.”At that moment, the Ancient Clan disciple drew his sword. He pointed his long sword at James, and Sword Energy rippled through the air. He looked at James cal
The sky was a brilliant blue, accented by white clouds. Vast plains stretched out with rolling peaks, rivers, and seas crisscrossing the expansive land, while an aura of Spiritual Energy permeated everything. This was a new world, brimming with life and vitality, existing independently from the myriad realms.Countless cultivation resources awaited discovery here. Unending adventures beckoned the brave, and limitless opportunities awaited those with exceptional talent.This was the new world James had created, based on the Forty-Nine Daoisms and merged with his own Daoism, to resolve the Leere Tribulation and save countless beings across the myriad realms.In this world, there was no powerful Heavenly Path, no hierarchy of races, no strict rules or oppressions, and no fate governing everything. Instead, actions were judged by karma. Fortune and misfortune, as well as success and failure, were determined by karma.Though it adhered to the principle of survival of the fittest and res
“No wonder,” Lord Goyo finally understood after an extended contemplation.He distinctly remembered that back at the Yin’s Void, Jacopo, the incarnation of Waitara Path’s Soremsia, had abruptly ordered him to move all foundations out of the Dark World. In hindsight, everything now made sense. It was likely that Jacopo had foreseen all of this.Realizing this, Lord Goyo felt a chill run down his spine as cold sweat broke out on his forehead. Despite doubting Jacopo’s identity as an incarnation of Waitara Path’s Soremsia, he had followed his advice. Otherwise, the consequences would have been disastrous.Snapping back to reality, Lord Goyo looked down at the Yang governor and Gladwin from his elevated position.“You fool, do you realize your mistake?”The Yang governor and Gladwin looked up simultaneously, their faces full of fear.“Lord Goyo, I truly didn't notice this. I had no idea when the Dark World was separated.”“Lord Goyo, there is something fishy about this. If James has
At the peak of Mount One in the myriad realms, the Yang Governor, disguised as James, descended with Gladwin. Both looked deathly pale, as if they had just escaped a life-threatening disaster. They were filled with panic.They stopped simultaneously upon arriving beneath a massive platform in a grand dojo.“We need to sort this out first,” the Yang Governor glared fiercely at Gladwin. “Who's going to explain this later, you or me?”Gladwin swallowed nervously. “Of course, it should be you.”“Why should it be me?” the Yang Governor scoffed. “Haven't you always claimed to be Lord Goyo's top confidant and meddled in our alliance's affairs? Now you're chickening out when there's a major issue?”Gladwin's face twitched. “This has nothing to do with cowardice. It's your duty as the leader of the Path Guardian Alliance.”The Yang Governor laughed in exasperation. “You've always been the one gathering intelligence across the myriad realms, boasting that you're better than Yegor from Skyn
That was the first thing he asked after surviving a monumental battle. James patted his shoulder. "The twenty thousand men…" "As long as it's broken," Wyot interjected, staring into the emptiness. "It's a pity the Dark World is gone forever."James wanted to respond, but the other survivors gathered around them. After the battle and the aid of the path source, they had ascended to Path Emperors, becoming top powerhouses in the myriad realms.James nodded, then waved his hand, summoning a path pearl that gleamed with holy light. The light and aura it radiated were enough to make any living being kneel before it.Just as James was about to act, Wyot knelt on one knee, followed by his warriors.James frowned. "Wyot, brothers, you have the right to stand…""We will not be Deified until the Leere Tribulation is broken!" Wyot declared loudly, clasping his fists. His warriors did the same."We will not be Deified until the Leere Tribulation is broken!"Their voices were unified, echo
Then, the Formation of Perception shook violently. When he snapped out of it, he realized that the twenty thousand Doom Race warriors led by Xezal had almost all perished.Among the remaining ones, three were losing their bodies. Hastily, James tossed three path sources into the formation, but it did not stop their bodies from crumbling."Move them out, quickly," urged Zella. "They're under immense pressure inside."James waved his hand and broke the Formation of Perception.Xezal and his remaining warriors—just three of them—appeared in the void. They were tattered and covered in blood. Their hair was unkempt, and they were barely recognizable. These were heroes who had experienced hell.Though wobbling, they stood in battle stances. Their valiance and undying will moved James. He turned his hand and covered them with four path sources, then told them to sit and heal."That's the Doom Race for you. The fact that they survived this titanic battle says a lot about their talent," Z
"Fourth, I have left some treasures for the Yaneiri Clan. They should be enough to establish yourselves in the new world. Fifth, do not be Deified. Never, ever do that. You must keep the Yaneiri Clan safe."Wynton's body contorted, plunging him into further pain. Cracks spread across his skin. "You owe me, James! You owe my clan!" he roared for the last time in his life before crumbling into dust.The light strips that imprisoned him shattered as well, and purple flames lunged at James' light wall, the shockwaves splintering it into fragments before rampaging toward the inconsolable Zella.James flew to Zella, scooped her up, and they took off. The shockwaves from Wynton's self-destruction rapidly spread, obliterating the surrounding formations.But that wasn't the end. Once freed, the shockwave rippled across the Dark World, annihilating everything in its path. Countless universes met their demise.Meanwhile, James protected the remaining Doom Race warriors within the formation,
Wynton was hysterical, but James merely shrugged. “Wynton, they say the last act people do before they die is to be kind. I see none of that in you, and you lost to me.”“And so what?” Wynton roared. “You’re just luckier than me, James! You have a Yin governor as your wife, and she has your back all the time! You would never have come this far otherwise!”James smiled. “Keep going.”“I know you don’t want to owe me any favors.” Wynton glared at him angrily. “You gave me three free attacks to repay me for sparing you in the River of Time.“Now, I’ve given you your children’s past selves back, and you owe me once more. You’re waiting for my terms, aren’t you?”James looked resigned.“Wrong,” Wynton sneered. “I won’t ask for any promises, nor will I give you any chance to repay this debt. Now, you shall owe me a favor you can never repay!”James sensed something was wrong and was shocked. “Wynton!”Wynton, imprisoned, began to burn, flames flickering and licking his body. He roare
"That’s…" The sight of that token filled Wynton with shock. "Y-You’re working with the Shadowborns?""Will you give it to me?" James shot him a threatening look.Wynton shivered, taking a deep breath. Then, a flash of purple light burst forth, and a brilliantly shining mirror flew out from the top of his head.James released Wynton and grabbed the mirror. It resonated with the token, and both items shone blindingly, responding to each other.'It’s true,' James thought. 'The Shadowborn token the master gave me before he left can sense the Nothingness Path Mirror. But why?' Questions swirled in his mind."That mirror will do nothing for you," Wynton said. "I can’t control it, so you can’t either. The only one who can is the Yin governor."He looked at James. "And she’s cleaved in two. Unless you can merge them together, the mirror will not work. However, with just your wife’s half-self, finding Wuia’s current and future selves will be a nigh impossible task."James tucked the mirr
James remained silent. He couldn't muster a response. Now, he finally understood why the Leere Tribulation had been orchestrated and the role his wife played in it.He had initially thought that by destroying the past version of Wuia concealed within the River of Time, he could hurt Wuia. Even if he couldn't stop the Leere Tribulation, he could at least delay it.With more time, he planned to gather additional clues and eradicate all three versions of Wuia, permanently solving the problem. However, his conversation with Wynton had changed his plans.Wynton observed James standing in silence and smirked. "Of course, there's a way to do this."James furrowed his brow.Wynton, brimming with glee, continued, "Kill your wife and the Light Heavenly Path. If they vanish entirely, Wuia will never obtain the Void Spiral. Even if the Leere Tribulation materializes and he returns, his strength will be no greater than before his reincarnation. You'll have enough power to fight him."That was