Chapter 436: The Bronze Sect No Longer Exists |
'If I tell them the truth, will they beat me to death?'
That was the Bronze Ancient King's current worry.
'Probably not. After all, they still haven't figured out why the Bronze Sect remains unscathed. But these fellows will definitely feel unbalanced inside.'
His brow furrowed tightly as he put on an uneasy expression and said, "Wait..."
Before the Xuantian Ancient King could speak again, his form twisted abruptly. An alloy shell covered the surface of his flesh, transforming into the angular mechanical true body.
The energy core in his chest hummed, and a blazing white pillar of light surged forth, plunging straight into the central hub node.
Such a conspicuous pillar of light immediately attracted the attention of quite a few people below, who looked up with doubt and uncertainty.
Where the beam struck, the metallic ground cracked open. Communication equipment buried underground was forcibly raised to the surface, arcs of electricity crackling across it as metallic particles undulated like waves, continuously reinforcing the structure.
His pupils blazed with brilliant light. He was going to try to contact the Bronze Sect.
"The situation in the Dust Star Sea is even worse than I imagined..." During the channel-hopping process, he discovered that many regions had already entered a state of complete lockdown.
Star Gates closed, external communications severed. Given the vast distances between star systems, this method was indeed an effective means of survival.
He could only keep trying, and finally managed to connect to the main channel of the Eight Great Relay Hubs. "Good. The Eight Great Relay Hubs haven't been shut down."
He quietly breathed a sigh of relief. With that, things became simpler. Before long, he had connected to the Bronze Sect's channel network.
He possessed the highest access level. In an instant, a torrent of data flowed in, and he quickly retrieved the information he wanted to know.
"Master, the matter you instructed has been carried out. As you predicted, people from the Abyssal Void indeed came knocking. I also brought out what you left behind, and it turned out to be Daoist Lord Lingxiao..."
"...High Heaven, Bronze Heaven... This kid..." The Bronze Ancient King stared in astonishment at Su Chen's message. Though the entire thing was framed as a report, it was remarkably detailed, including the specifics of how they had joined and the construction of the Heavenly Gate and so forth.
But he had never instructed any of this. He didn't even know who this Daoist Lord Lingxiao was. Su Chen was clearly feeding him lines to get their stories straight.
"So that's how it is..." The Bronze Ancient King continued searching. Using residual data footage from surveillance probes and information exchanges among sect members on the internal network, he roughly pieced together what had happened.
"The Immeasurable Buddha suddenly descended, intending to replicate what happened to the Royal Court, and Su Chen somehow summoned Daoist Lord Lingxiao from somewhere, forcing the opponent to retreat..."
'This kid...' The Bronze Ancient King sank into silence. He truly hadn't expected that upon his return, the mighty Bronze Sect would have just become part of High Heaven like that.
This was, after all, a legacy passed down through generations.
But when he looked up at the other Ancient Kings, all wearing expressions as though they'd lost their parents, he couldn't help feeling fortunate.
Based on the information he'd captured, no one had anticipated that the Immeasurable Buddha could descend so quickly. All the high-ranking core members had been gathered in the Bronze Core — it was practically a clean sweep.
But he still had some questions in his mind, which would have to wait until he met Su Chen in person.
"No news?" The Xuantian Ancient King's eyes flickered slightly as he pressed.
The others gathered their thoughts as well, all turning to look. It wasn't that they truly cared that much about the Bronze Sect — they just wanted something to make themselves feel better.
The Bronze Ancient King's mind raced. The matter of joining High Heaven absolutely couldn't be revealed right now — it was inexplicable, and would easily provoke collective outrage.
Although the reason Xuantian and Star-Firmament had managed to escape was thanks to the Bronze Sect's early warning.
But at the moment, he couldn't prove that point. He couldn't win over Xuantian and Star-Firmament — at least not until they had reunited with their own disciples.
He retracted his true body's form. A trace of sorrow surfaced on his wooden face. "Thankfully..."
The Star-Firmament Ancient King offered consolation. "Though the Starfire was an accumulation of ten thousand years, being able to preserve the lives of your disciples and followers is already a blessing."
Clearly, he had subconsciously assumed the Bronze Sect's situation was similar to his and the Xuantian Ancient King's.
"Indeed." The Bronze Ancient King nodded along and sighed. "Thankfully... thankfully..."
The others didn't think much of it, but the Zhenwu Ancient King couldn't help his disappointment and said coldly, "The only reason you managed to escape was thanks to my fallen disciples."
Seeing that no one pressed further, the Bronze Ancient King secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
After all, this secret could only be kept for a short while. This group would soon learn that the Bronze Sect still stood.
If he lied now, it would only ignite greater fury later. Playing word games was already pushing the limit.
He glanced at the others but said nothing, simply speaking up, "The Dust Star Sea is in chaos now. We should reunite with our disciples as quickly as possible."
"About that..." The Zhenwu Ancient King had a different opinion. "The people from the Abyssal Void — whether Great Heaven or Buddha Land — what they want probably isn't just the destruction of our sects. They want us too."
"The news of the Sovereign of the Purple Zenith's position falling into their hands might need to be kept secret. They may well use our disciples to set up an ambush."
Several faces shifted. The Zhenwu Ancient King made a valid point, but the Sacred Cauldron Ancient King let out a long sigh. "Even so, we can't just abandon our disciples."
The attack had targeted the core zones, but there were still many people remaining in other areas. Some might have even escaped. In the end, they had to shoulder the responsibility of being Ancient Kings.
The Zhenwu Ancient King gave a cold snort but said nothing more.
Only the Bronze Ancient King knew that the so-called information lockdown was already a thing of the past. His eyes shifted as he turned to the Vast Sea Emperor. "Vast Sea, before the Immeasurable Buddha made his move, King Peng was already on his way to the Bronze Sect with the Galaxy Throne and the Radiant Moon Spirit."
"They should be safe. You should contact King Peng as soon as possible."
This was information he had obtained moments ago while reviewing the Bronze Sect's internal records.
"The Galaxy Throne, the Radiant Moon Spirit..." The Vast Sea Emperor's heart trembled, but he couldn't help exhaling in relief. "Thank heavens!"
The Bronze Ancient King withdrew his gaze, pondering silently. The Sacred Cauldron Ancient King was an amiable person, so he didn't need to worry too much there.
Once the Vast Sea Emperor reunited with King Peng, purifying the Radiant Moon Spirit in the short term would still require coming to the Bronze Sect, so that relationship wouldn't deteriorate either.
As the only remaining sect-level power in the Dust Star Sea, with the other sects having suffered devastating losses, it would be easy to become the target of all arrows.
Especially the three who had suffered the heaviest losses. With Buddha Land far away in the Abyssal Void and no outlet for their resentment, they might well turn their eyes toward the Bronze Sect.
If they were determined to cause trouble, the headaches would be considerable.
However, after careful consideration, the only one he truly needed to worry about seemed to be the Zhenwu Ancient King.
Upon hearing that the Royal Court's two most important assets were safe and sound, the Zhenwu Ancient King's face darkened immediately. He could only hope his subordinates were smart enough not to get swept up in one fell swoop.
No one spoke further. The Bronze Ancient King forcibly activated the Star Gate channel at this hub node, and they filed through one by one, each eager to reunite with their own disciples.
"Yuan Shuo..."
The Xuantian Ancient King watched as the Star-Firmament Ancient King stepped into the Star Gate.
Now only he and the Bronze Ancient King remained. He stopped and did not enter, his gaze deep and searching.
"What is it?" The Bronze Ancient King's heart skipped a beat.
The Xuantian Ancient King had remained silent throughout, but now he stared intently at the wooden-faced figure before him. "What's the real situation with the Bronze Sect? Why were you being so evasive?"
"You don't trust me?" the Bronze Ancient King countered.
The Xuantian Ancient King sighed. "Yuan Shuo, we've known each other for many years. I understand you well enough. If the Bronze Sect had truly suffered some disaster — even if it had been emptied out like my Xuantian — you wouldn't have simply said 'thankfully' and left it at that."
"Besides, you said nothing at all. What exactly am I supposed to trust?"
The Bronze Ancient King felt helpless inwardly. This Xuantian was an old fox through and through. The others had all been rattled and thrown off-balance by the sudden news, yet this one still had the presence of mind to observe him.
"As I suspected..." Seeing his reaction, the Xuantian Ancient King frowned. "It shouldn't have been breached. And it shouldn't have been an evacuation like Xuantian or Star-Firmament either. If you're still holding on, there's no need to hide it... What exactly—"
The Bronze Ancient King glanced at the Star Gate. He shut it down first to prevent the others from coming back, then met the Xuantian Ancient King's gaze and said deliberately, "The Bronze Sect no longer exists."
"No longer exists?" The Xuantian Ancient King didn't believe it. If the Bronze Sect had been destroyed, Yuan Shuo couldn't possibly be acting like this.
Then the Bronze Ancient King continued, "Now, there is only the Ninth Heaven of High Firmament — Bronze Heaven."
"High Heaven?" Even the Xuantian Ancient King couldn't process it immediately, staring at his counterpart in shock.
The information density in that single sentence was considerable. He understood at once, his expression turning incredulous. "When did you establish a connection with High Heaven?"
Ever since entering the Flare Realm, the few of them had been together the entire time until just moments ago.
Before entering the Flare Realm, there had been no talk of any Abyssal Void or any Taixuan Hong. So how had the Bronze Ancient King managed to contact High Heaven?
The Bronze Ancient King was deliberately vague. "I have my methods."
The Xuantian Ancient King couldn't contain himself. "So the Bronze Sect is still perfectly intact?"
"Correct." The Bronze Ancient King nodded.
"You..." The Xuantian Ancient King's expression was complex, as if he were seeing this old friend for the first time.
All four Great Sects and the Royal Court's Starfire had been extinguished, disintegration imminent — yet the Bronze Sect remained unscathed.
The Bronze Ancient King elaborated further. "I don't possess the ability to foresee the future. Before entering the Flare Realm, I had no idea any of this would happen. The means to communicate with Daoist Lord Lingxiao came to me by chance. I did not sit by and watch the other sects fall."
Then he emphasized, "Furthermore, the reason Xuantian and Star-Firmament were able to leave early and avoid being swept up was because Chu Lingyuan and Qing Cang warned them in advance that the people from the Abyssal Void possessed the ability to traverse vast interstellar distances in a short time."
"You'll learn about this naturally once you've reunited with your disciples."
After a moment of silence, the Xuantian Ancient King finally said, "Of course I trust you."
The Bronze Ancient King remained noncommittal. He and Xuantian had known each other since long ago. In their youth, they had truly been the closest of friends. But ever since they had each become Ancient Kings, they had gradually drifted apart.
It was precisely because the other understood him so well that he always had to keep a few cards close to his chest when dealing with this fellow.
"Bronze Heaven — what a fine path that is." The Xuantian Ancient King remarked with emotion. "With that, there's no longer any need to fear Great Heaven hunting us down."
"A move born of necessity. Would you like to join as well?" The Bronze Ancient King extended the invitation.
"I'll pass." The Xuantian Ancient King chuckled and shook his head. "The Bronze Sect's structure is still intact, so it needs protection. But my Xuantian's Starfire has already fallen. The territories under our control will soon be swallowed by the Nether Mist — as good as gone. Why submit to someone else's authority?"
"Then what will you do next?" the Bronze Ancient King asked.
The Xuantian Ancient King considered. "Go back and assess the situation. If nothing unexpected happens, I'll probably take my people to the Abyssal Void as well, to see what it's like."
"The Dust Star Sea is extremely far from the Abyssal Void. If you truly want to travel there, you could use the Bronze Sect as a waypoint," the Bronze Ancient King offered.
"A waypoint... You have a direct route to the Abyssal Void?" The Xuantian Ancient King was astonished once again.
"Yes." The Bronze Ancient King nodded. Constructing the Heavenly Gate required an enormous amount of materials. If he wanted to build it quickly, he would naturally need to solicit contributions from these people.
"Understood." The Xuantian Ancient King let his emotions churn for a moment before saying, "Open the Star Gate. I need to go as well."
The Bronze Ancient King raised his hand. The Star Gate opened, and he watched the Xuantian Ancient King vanish into it.
After waiting a while longer, he redirected the Star Gate, and only then stepped through himself.
.........
[The High Priest refined the Nether Realm Spirit from the contaminated Morning Star Embers, along with the Devour-Eerie, the Mist-Prober, and the Eerie-Refining Master, as well as a portion of Evil God primal source, fusing and metamorphosing them into a Holy Class — Eerie Spirit.]
[Ability Acquired — Spirit Body: Gain a tenfold psionic power enhancement. When entering the Nether Realm, you will be unaffected by chaotic rules. Neither the Nether Realm nor the Nether Mist will have any effect on you.]
[Ability Acquired — Devour-Eerie: You can devour Nether Realm Creatures, suppressing them within your body to assist in combat. You can also take on their forms. Note: Devouring too many Nether Realm Creatures may affect you.]
In the training room, Su Chen's eyes snapped open. He stared at the panel that had suddenly appeared, his body already reacting as psionic power gradually surged to a boil.
"That was fast. It metamorphosed directly into a Holy Class without any additional conditions." Su Chen examined it carefully.
This Holy Class clearly specialized in the Nether Realm. The baseline psionic power enhancement was a welcome bonus. Being unaffected by chaotic rules likely meant he no longer needed to rely on something like the Nether Tower to anchor his entry point into the Nether Realm.
As for the second ability, it was probably the core of Great Heaven's power.
Su Chen muttered, "No wonder Great Heaven has a bad reputation. Devouring Nether Realm Creatures — how could that not be unsettling?"
[Eerie Spirit feels a bit peckish and hopes you'll devour some Nether Realm Creatures soon, or your body will grow increasingly restless.]
Hm? Su Chen's brow furrowed. Then he truly felt a faint craving stirring within his body — still very weak for now.
"That sinister?" Su Chen was surprised. This Holy Class actually pushed its user toward devouring Nether Realm Creatures.
The people of Great Heaven were probably compelled to devour them as well. The more they consumed, the greater the influence.
Su Chen narrowed his eyes. He could devour them, but he refused to be pushed into it. Great Heaven's people might not be able to deal with the Eerie Spirit, but in his hands...
[Solar Marrow Calamity-Transcending Heavenly Venerable opened his eyes. A bolt of lightning struck the Eerie Spirit, which let out a wail, trembling and shivering, no longer daring to feel peckish.]
Su Chen nodded with satisfaction. The slight craving that had risen in his body vanished without a trace.
He didn't think this ability would add much direct combat power, but being able to transform into a Nether Realm Creature could probably prove extraordinarily useful in certain situations.
After all, Evil Gods were a type of Nether Realm Creature too.
Much like the ability to disguise himself as a Believer — the role it had played was far from insignificant.
His psionic power, amplified by the enhancement, churned restlessly. Su Chen temporarily withdrew the elemental forces around him and pulled up the virtual screen for a glance.
Only seven or eight days had passed since the Immeasurable Buddha's arrival, yet the entire Dust Star Sea had already undergone its most cataclysmic upheaval in ten thousand years.
Four of the Five Great Sects had fallen, and with the Royal Court as well, it amounted to total collapse.