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117 - The Depths of Corruption

First- Previous- NextA sickly middle-aged man sporting long black-trimmed green robes walked down a hall. A thin mist of water vapour condensed on his skin, only to be pulverized by the qi emanating from his flesh, contrary to his weakened demeanour.The hall was made of intricately carved hard stone, depicting an art s...

116 - Setbacks and Regrets

First- Previous- NextQin Yun looked at the envoy with interest, only to be ignored. The man pressed a single palm onto the shimmering blue barrier, only to be repelled slightly. He sighed and began walking away, uninterested in the crowd that gathered and the three elders looking toward him as if seeking instructions. ...

035 - The Whims of Fate

“Does this happen often?” Ning Shan said as they travelled further within a bleak corridor, only a dim light covering them from the level above.The bustling mercantile street had been replaced with peace and quiet, almost as if they had entered another world entirely, despite the fact that they weren't alone. O...

115 - To Improvise a Scheme

First- Previous- NextThe rubble of a destroyed stone house shifted slightly as a soft breeze floated over it, only for an explosion to occur soon after. The explosion propelled stone and wood upwards, resulting in thick sand clouds that lingered for a moment before being blown away, revealing the old elder looking slig...

034 - To Step into the Abyss

Ning Shan's journey toward the nearest elevator was uneventful. Nathan regretted having to leave abruptly, yet he had no choice. Some matters required his attention, and he couldn't afford to stay any longer now that his location was known to the broader world.There were no teary-eyed goodbyes, however. Nathan ...

114 - Stepping into Darkness

First- Previous- NextSilence hung over the world as if time stood still. None of the countless individuals within the crowd dared to move as sweat poured down their backs and dread took root in their hearts. They could feel countless sharp objects pressed all over their skins, causing interminable goose bumps as if end...

033 - Conspiracy Brewing In the Dark

High above the ninth level was a large room close to the outside world. On one wall was an array of monitors, showing countless video feeds of the various levels of the Cradle. Facing them was a single chair with a young woman seated upon it.Her hair was as red as a flame reaching the crux of her back. Her features wer...

113 - Preaching to the Choir

First- Previous- NextDespite the storm raging on either side, the sky over the Frontier was clear. No cloud was in sight, only a warm breeze rustling over the dunes. Zou Lan looked above nervously, awaiting something that never came, as did some elders.An air of tension hung above the plaza where a large portion of the...

112 - Playing With Fire

First- Previous- NextAlmost all the Moonlight Sword Palace's disciples gathered in a secluded area of the city where an inauspicious small building resided. They numbered more than fifty. Yet compared to the number of active agents of the other sect, they were almost negligible. Too many had died in the recent conf...

032 - Forced Resolution

The woman with a child in her arms clung to Nathan's sleeve. She expressed her gratitude with tears in her eyes, only for Nathan to do his best to clumsily try and calm her down. By his side, his wife looked at her man with a gentle smile, looking pleased at the crowd's reception.Most were surprised to learn of...

111 - The Eve of a Festival

First- Previous- NextZou Lan remained silent, observing the intricate token in her hand. Despite her aloof outward appearance, her thoughts seemed lost in a maelstrom, swirling without resolution. No matter the angle she approached this problem, no path seemed to lead to the resolution she hoped for. She was caught in ...

031 - Revelation

The four drones buzzed slightly as they hovered midair. The crowd held their breaths; some even chose to look away. While most were rugged individuals, having spent most of their lives on the ninth level, they knew better than to pick a fight with the government. If given a choice, they would rather be thrown into the ...

030 - A Welcomed Intervention

“I can’t wait to get out of here,” the man Ning Shan was newly acquainted with said as his wife clung to his arm. He seemed much more relaxed than the other resident, almost as if he was intimately familiar with the hovering yellow drones—something that couldn’t help but draw Ning Shan’s interest.Still, it ...

029 - The Price of Defiance

A silent uproar rose from the crowd, yet none dared to offer any objections—none except for a single fool. A rugged woman with a large tattoo spanning half her face tried to hold her companion back, yet the fool took a few steps toward the assembled drones, striking away her hold.The man was large; his shoulders easi...

110 - The Alliance's Token

First- Previous- Next“Vice Patriarch of the Soaring Dragon Sect?" Zou Lan mumbled, her eyes narrowed as she calmed herself.Something didn't feel right. That man was merely in the Nascent Soul realm, while she knew the leaders of the four Immortal Beasts Sects were easily late-stage Soul Formation masters, if ...

109 - Waking the Dragon

First- Previous- Next“How long is your mistress intending to make us wait?" an old man said, his expression grim as he looked at the young woman serving him another cupful of tea.Despite the veiled threat and the pressure emitted from the old man, the young woman remained calm—at least on the surface—as she w...

028 - Concealed Stratagems

Looking out of a nearby window, Ning Shan saw small floating objects swiftly closing in. Not unlike birds, their approach was silent, cutting through the darkness without difficulty, yet he couldn't find any evidence of wings. If anything, they resembled the combat drone he encountered a day prior, yet they were mu...

108 - Meeting in a Ruined Garden

First- Previous- Next“I must say, I didn't expect things to end this way," Zou Lan sighed as she stood in a devastated garden.The luscious greens that used to cover the ground of the Moonlight Sword Palace's mansion within the Frontier had all been lost to the encroaching desert sand. The formation that u...

027 - A Breakthrough's Aftermath

Sera was bewildered by the sight before her. Never had she seen the concentration of red dust so high as to be visible to the naked eye. The only instances she could remember were when strong Dustborns were slain, and the red dust within their bodies spilled into the atmosphere. It only lasted for a moment before compl...

107 - Confrontation at World's End

First- Previous- Next“What do you have to say for yourself?”The ethereal image of a man stood within a devastated world disconnected from the main one as if the two dimensions had been ripped apart. Only a small unstable rift joined them together, threatening to break apart at any moment.Before him were three livin...

106 - Birth of the New Guardian

First- Previous- NextA flash of blue light spread within the underground chamber, bathing the world in its embrace. The disciples had no choice but to once again cover their eyes, unable to witness the subsequent events. Only Zou Lan and Qin Yun remained able to see what was happening.A look of pain appeared on Xu Weiz...

026 - To Bathe in Dust

“Sir! I’ve done as you asked.”Marquez sat within his team's compound on the tenth level. Before him was a large metallic table with many similar chairs spanning its circumference. In the centre was a dimly glowing orb that projected a small hologram onto the air itself. It was a rendition of a small Charles B...

025 - Welcome to a New Home

The doors opened, revealing a mystical sight that Ning Shan had never once witnessed. At least, that was what he foolishly expected, yet he was sadly disappointed by the grim reality.The streets of the ninth level weren’t unlike those of the cities of his previous world, except that the populace was scarce, and those...

105 - A Cultivator's Worth

First- Previous- NextBlood flowed from nonexistent wounds yet dissipated into ashes as soon as it came into contact with the blue flame, but even the ashes vanished until nothing remained. Still, Qin Yun looked unconcerned, too absorbed in the creation of the orb in his hand.It seemed akin to a world in and of itself, ...

024 - A Goal to Strive For

“What the hell just happened?" Sera frantically said, still shaken from having countless muzzles pointed in her general direction. "Ever since I met you, it's been nothing but hazards on my life!"She couldn't help but hold her arms, still shivering at the thought of what might have happened to the...

104 - Birth of a Pseudo Sword Domain

First- Previous- NextHer gaze was one of steel as she pushed his hand aside. The sharpness of her domain permeated the room, prompting everyone else to stop any movements for fear of being struck with its naked edge. Even Xu Weizhe was taken aback by the suddenness of her actions. Still, Qin Yun showed no indication of...

023 - Where Everything Began

Armed soldiers spilled out of the entryway as if floodgates had opened, only to leave the group stunned. They all turned toward Ning Shan in unison, only to see him shrug. Of course, he had no idea why they would seek to arrest him, seeing as this was the first time he ever set foot in this place, yet he also knew he w...

103 - An Impossible Choice

First- Previous- Next“I hope you’ll forgive me for my state of undress,” Qin Yun said as he turned to see a beautiful woman in a white dress emerge from the nearby corridor, a frown marring her exquisite features. While his clothes had long been evaporated by the raging power of the dragon vein, at least the blue...

022 - A Lighthouse in the Darkness

“Sir! Are you sure this is wise? We know next to nothing about him.”Charles Baxter stood in his office. Before him was a large glass pane that provided an unobstructed view of the world outside. His office consisted of a spacious room with many different seating arrangements and a rare mahogany desk that had surviv...

102 - A Bittersweet Victory

First- Previous- NextZou Lan hovered over the battlefield, her feet softly resting on her sword. She watched the outsiders' troops slowly recede into the distance, out of sight. Only the sound of rustling sand remained as it fell to the ground from the flickering formation.All others were still crushed under the pr...