Desolate Era (Book 22 - Book 24)

[Dust of the Mortal World] was one.

[Fogstone Apocalypse] was another.

Ning’s own [Nameless] sword-art was just a fragment of the true, complete technique as well.

The reason why so many techniques only existed in fragmentary parts was because they were simply too profound. There was no way to completely memorize them! Daoist Three Purities had an incredibly high level of insight into the Dao, but it still took him countless years before he was able to completely memorize the Nine Chaos Seals, which Ning had already merged together into one.

However, techniques like [Dust of the Mortal World] and the [Nameless] sword-art were ancient techniques which even Daolords would sigh with amazement upon seeing. There was no way a World God could possibly have the ability to completely memorize such a technique; the could at most just memorize part of it.

Thanks to a stroke of tremendous luck, World God Northrest had been able to view the [Nameless] sword-art, but he was only at a level where he could memorize its first seven stances. He wasn’t able to memorize any of the rest of it at all.

“Against you? It’ll be enough.” The Starlord surged with a killing intent.

“You overestimate yourself.” The God Emperor looked at the Starlord coldly. “I didn’t want to use this treasure. I thought I could defeat you just by using a few secret arts…but it seems I’ll still be forced to activate it. It’s been a long, long time since I’ve truly fought someone.”

God Emperor Blacklotus stretched out his right hand. Whoosh. A crystalline scimitar that seemed to have been carved out from a block of ice suddenly appeared in his hand. The scimitar was roughly three feet long.

Whoosh!

An unspeakable aura instantly filled the entire city. In fact, the aura spread out past the city and covered an enormous region beyond it as well.

The entire battlefield fell silent.

Cold!

Every single cultivator, be it the Elder Gods, the World Gods, or the Chaos Immortals, felt an icy cold feeling in their hearts.

“Is that…” All the cultivators turned their heads to stare at the origin of this feeling of icy terror. They saw that frozen crystal scimitar in God Emperor Blacklotus’ hand, as well as the glimmer of azure light flowing over its surface. Every single cultivator felt their hearts shudder when they merely looked at the scimitar.

“What is that?” Ning’s heart was shaking as well.

“That is an Eternal weapon.” The nearby Immortal Abyssus had turned completely pale. “That’s an Eternal weapon. I’ve seen the power of an Eternal weapon before, and this gives me exactly the same feeling. When you see an Eternal weapon, you’ll immediately lose all your courage.”

“An Eternal weapon.” The faces of World God Blackmist, Immortal Skyram, and the others all changed as well.

“How could he have an Eternal weapon?”

“How could God Emperor Blacklotus be this powerful?”

Everyone was dazed.

Eternal weapons were just legends to most World-level experts! The number of World-level experts in the entire Badlands Territory who possessed Eternal weapons could be counted on one hand. They either had incredible luck or had been bestowed it by a Daolord! It must be understood that most Daolords used Eternal weapons, and so for them to bestow one on a World-level expert was incredibly rare.

Whooooosh. An invisible, freezing intent filled the hearts of every single cultivator present.

“I’m also wielding an Eternal weapon, but none of the World-level experts paid it any attention. But now that God Emperor Blacklotus has taken one out, he has stunned the entire battlefield.” Ning couldn’t help but sigh. This was all because his attainments in the sword were simply too low. He was only able to unleash just a tiny fraction of the power within Violetjewel’s quintessence core, so little that no one even paid attention to it.

If he was as powerful as World God Northrest, who was able to unleash thirty to forty percent of Violetjewel’s quintessence core, he’d be able to inspire terror in other World-level experts just by standing there with the sword in his hands.

“A supreme World God. I never would’ve thought that God Emperor Blacklotus is this powerful.” A frantic look was in Immortal Abyssus’ eyes.

“Blacklotus.”

The Starlord withdrew, slowly stepping backwards as he looked at God Emperor Blacklotus.

“Why are you retreating?” God Emperor Blacklotus asked calmly.

“I admit defeat,” the Starlord said in a low voice. “I’m willing to pay a high price to stay your hand and quell your rage, God Emperor Blacklotus.”

As a cultivator, one had to know when to advance and when to retreat. To continue the battle when there was such a large disparity in power was just suicide.

“Hahaha…” God Emperor Blacklotus laughed. “A high price? As far as I’m concerned, the Fogstone lineage is worth nothing! Oh, wait. I actually rather like the planet of Fogstone itself. Hand over the planet and I’ll let you leave.”

“Impossible. God Emperor Blacklotus, you should know that the planet of Fogstone is a legacy treasure of the Fogstone lineage. Someone who is not of our lineage cannot bind or control it,” the Starlord said.

This was the truth.

In the past, the Fogstone lineage had actually been completely wiped out by enemies before. However, once the major powers of the Fogstone lineage who were out exploring in other territories returned, they would generally take revenge and retake their legacy treasure, resulting in the lineage continuing to be passed down. Starchild’s own father, the previous Starlord, was someone who had gone out exploring as well.

This was the custom of the Fogstone lineage. Once they reached a certain level of power, they would leave and go out adventuring in the primordial chaos. After a few dozen chaos cycles passed, they might eventually return to Fogstone, ensuring that its lineage would remain unbroken.

Their most important legacy treasure was the planet itself, and one had to have mastered certain core techniques in order to bind the planet. These core techniques were never taught to outsiders.

“I’m willing to offer treasure that is worth three thousand cubes of primordial chaos,” the Starlord said hurriedly.

“Do you think I care?” God Emperor Blacklotus lifted the scimitar up.

The Starlord’s face turned even uglier.

“When I journeyed through the primordial chaos, I passed through many territories and took on many masters. And yet, in the end I remained unable to take that final step to the next level. I no longer hold any hope of becoming a Samsara Daolord.” God Emperor Blacklotus said softly, “And so I returned to the Badlands Territory. It had changed significantly since my departure from it. In fact, when I was born here, it wasn’t even called the Badlands Territory…”

“I simply chose a random location and set up a little empire for myself, intending to rule over it in peace…and yet, trouble chose to come knocking on my door.”

“It seems that I’ve been too…benevolent.”

“To tell you the truth, I had a nickname when I roamed the primordial chaos. ‘Daoist Blacklotus’,” the God Emperor said.

“Daoist Blacklotus?” Immortal Abyssus sent mentally, “Careful, I know who he is now! He’s a true fiend, a demon who delights in slaughter and who walks the path of evil. Don’t put too much faith in his promises. He’s an extremely temperamental person who has killed many World-level experts. Its been a long time since anyone has heard any news regarding him. I never would’ve thought that he had actually come to the Badlands Territory and set up an empire for himself to rule over.”

“Daoist Blacklotus?” None of the other World-level experts, including the Starlord, knew what this name and title represented.

However, the Starlord and the others knew what they had to do.