Martial World (Web Novel)
chapter-2008

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Within the Divine Realm, Soul World, or universes that the saints resided in, one could often see giant mainlands floating in the vast nothingness of space. These mainlands weren’t like bare wooden planks, but were surrounded but layers upon layers of infinite nebulous space. From the outside, they often had the shape of ellipsoid domes, like unbelievably large eggs.

As for the nebulas surrounding these central mainlands, there were innumerable planets that dwelled within, most of them even larger than the Sky Spill Planet. From this, it could be seen just how vast the area of these mainlands was.

The Divine Realm’s 3000 great worlds each had at least one such central mainland. And, without a doubt, each one of these central mainlands was the liveliest place of the entire great world. For instance, Immemorial Imperial City was situated in the central mainland of the True Martial Great World.

But in the wild universe, one rarely saw such vast central mainlands. Instead, what replaced them were galaxies.

These galaxies were giant beyond compare. Their arms were rivers of stars that extended for quintillions of miles.

Within these galaxies, there were millions and billions and trillions of planets. The breadth of space they occupied was beyond description.

According to the information gathered by the saints, the galaxies in the wild universe were originally the ‘central mainlands’ of this universe. But, billions of years ago these central mainlands were destroyed by some exceedingly dreadful strength and had completely imploded. The fragments of these mainlands had drifted away, spreading out far and wide, but remained revolving and spinning around each other through the strange interaction of gravity and other mystical forces, thus forming these galaxies.

And at this time, the Blue Horn Galaxy that the saint martial artists headed towards was one such galaxy.

Within his inner world, Lin Ming had hypnotized the unlucky saint race martial artist to obtain all this information. Upon learning it, even he was shocked.

If the information gathered by the saints was true, then just who was it that destroyed the central mainlands of the wild universe?

Such a giant land that was countless trillions of times larger than Sky Spill Planet was actually destroyed like this…

This level of destruction surpassed Lin Ming’s imagination. Let alone an extreme True Divinity, would even the Asura Road Master have such capabilities?

Lin Ming couldn’t confirm whether or not the Asura Road Master could really achieve something like this. But, Lin Ming intuitively felt that the destruction of these mainlands involved the great calamity that occurred 10 billion years ago.

In the past, the intelligent races lived throughout the 33 universes, and each universe had its own brilliant and glorious martial arts civilization. However, after that one great war, the intelligent races only occupied 16 universes.

As for the other half of the universes, they had become wildernesses. Was the reason the population fell so drastically in the past related to the destruction of these central mainlands?

If so, if one had to compare the war between humanity and the saints to what occurred in the past, then it simply wasn’t anything at all.

After all, the saints would be unable to exterminate an entire race in such a short period of time.

“The great calamity of 10 billion years past…” Lin Ming mumbled. It was only after those events that humans, saints, and spiritas had been able to develop. Just who was it that was able to serve as opponents to the all-powerful god race of 10 billion years ago?

Could it have been the abyssal demons?

And just what sort of world was the Dark Abyss that the abyssals resided in? What secrets were held within?

Lin Ming didn’t know these matters and neither did the Ancient Elysium Seal artifact spirit. Perhaps only the two old men that guarded the final trial would know. But when Lin Ming asked them before, their reply was that he would find out the truth when he was able to control his own destiny and become a player instead of a chess piece. Otherwise, it was likely he would draw some disaster onto himself if he were to know these secrets.

By this time, Lin Ming had gone with the forces of the saints and long since departed the entrance to the wild universe. The ships leapt towards Blue Horn Galaxy, again and again.

According to gathered intelligence, humanity had an influence that was hidden within Blue Horn Galaxy.

When the wild universe’s central mainlands were destroyed, it had caused terrifying space storms and eruptions that swept out for quintillions of miles, forming a chaotic space where these dangers still existed. There were distortion force fields, black holes, wormholes, and all other confusing space environments. To hide in this galaxy would be far too easy.

It was exceedingly difficult for a martial artist’s sense to penetrate into these spaces. Even a True Divinity powerhouse would have to spend an inordinate amount of time and energy to search these galaxies.

And there were far, far too many galaxies within the wild universe. It was impossible for the True Divinities of the saint race to search all these galaxies one by one, thus humanity was given more time to breathe and recuperate.

When this fleet of ships reached the midpoint of the wild universe’s entrance and the Blue Horn Galaxy, Lin Ming stood up and walked outside the spirit ship.

Several days ago, Lin Ming had obtained information from the mouth of that unlucky saint race martial artist. But, this information was far from satisfactory. He needed more detailed intelligence so that he could better determine the location of Xiao Moxian, Divine Dream, and the others.

As for an exact position, Lin Ming didn’t have any hopes of finding out. If Xiao Moxian and Divine Dream were really discovered by the saints, then it was possible that the Good Fortune Saint Sovereign would personally arrive.

And to obtain this information, there was a shortcut – that was to grab hold of someone even stronger.

Outside, Lin Ming’s divine sense instantly spread outwards, covering the entire fleet.

……………

One day later, after another spatial great void shift, a skinny old man was sitting in a chair within a chamber in the fleet’s flagship, staring at a pile of scarlet flesh and blood, his eyes in a daze.

This chamber resembled the workshop of an alchemist. There was a large pill furnace, as well as tables that were covered with pill bottles and other precious medicinal herbs.

At a corner of one these tables, there was a medicinal cauldron that was still boiling and emitting green bubbles. The medicinal soup inside seemed as if it would boil over due to the heat.

But, the old man didn’t care about any of this at all. Rather, he stared at the pile of red flesh and blood in front of him. His appearance was wizened and decrepit and he was skinny like a monkey. He wore a dark green robe that fell flat all over his body, making him seem increasingly old and rickety.

“The flesh and blood of Famine; it is indeed marvelous.”

The old man spoke to himself. His filthy eyes were brilliant as they stared at the mass of flesh and blood. He couldn’t help but open a jade box, and then take out a fist-sized mass of red meat from it.

This mass of meat had been preserved using special methods in order to guarantee absolute freshness. After taking it out, it gently trembled, pulsating with blood.

This was a heart, a human heart.

The old man took out this heart that he had personally taken from a human World King and brought it towards that mass of Famine’s flesh and blood. In the blink of an eye, that unmoving mass of Famine’s flesh and blood suddenly wriggled and shot out like a shark, wrapping around this heart.

Hualala - !

Famine’s flesh and blood fiercely wriggled. A moment later, it had completely swallowed that heart, turning it into a part of itself!

The skinny old man calmly released his sense and pondered for a moment. Then, his filthy eyes flashed with a miraculous light. “To swallow the heart of a human World King and turn it all into its own nutrients, this has clearly strengthened Famine’s flesh and blood. If I were to fuse with it and then continue to swallow others, then even though my life is nearing its twilight, I would still be able to extend my lifespan for tens of millions more years, and maybe even break into the middle Empyrean realm in the future.

“Although if that happens, I will become a monster that relies on swallowing others to live. But, this isn’t important. The crucial point is that after fusing with Famine’s flesh and blood, I will become a servant absolutely loyal to the Good Fortune Saint Sovereign. Such a price is far too heavy… The Good Fortune Saint Sovereign granted me Famine’s flesh and blood and he wouldn’t have done so for nothing. He will surely keep something hidden within me…”

All of these thoughts instantly flashed through the skinny old man’s mind. However, the temptation of living for several tens of millions of years was something he couldn’t erase from his mind. He hesitated for a moment and then shouted to the outside, “Come in!”

A moment later, the door opened and a meek and handsome youth entered the chamber.

“Go the human prison camp and bring out six pairs of men and women. They need to be 18 years of age or younger and have decent talents.”

The skinny old man wanted to verify just how much life essence the flesh and blood of Famine would give him after swallowing someone else. He wanted to know just how much he could delay his aging.

But at this time, he felt that something was off.

“What are you still dawdling about for, how come you haven’t left…”

The skinny old man suddenly looked up, his sharp eagle-like eyes looking towards this youth. But at the moment he looked up, the youth had moved.

His speed was like ghosts and gods. A black spear appeared in his hand, thrusting straight towards the old man’s throat!

This spear was far too fast, fast to the point that even the skinny old man found it difficult to follow!

However, he was still an Empyrean powerhouse. In this critical life or death moment, terrifying black flames erupted from within his body. These were vital life flames he had cultivated within himself through his years of being an alchemist, and it also served as his best trump card.

The moment these flames appeared, the entire chamber that was boosted by array formations instantly melted to molten metal. Everything within the chamber, besides the pill furnace and Famine’s flesh and blood, instantly disintegrated to ash!

The damage had been minimized in breadth because the flames were highly condensed. Otherwise, the entire spirit ship would have exploded.

But as these black flames swirled about and started to take the shape of a growling dragon, a black spear suddenly pierced through that flame dragon!

Peng!

Black flames burst apart. The skinny old man’s protective astral essence exploded like glass. With utter disbelief in his eyes, the spear had pierced his heart.

With a twist of the spear, the skinny old man’s body shook. All of his meridians were shattered by an overbearingly tyrannical strength!

“You…” The skinny old man vomited a mouthful of blood. But, the youth didn’t say a word. Instead, the youth formed seals with his fingers, shooting out mysterious Asura Law runes that bound the skinny old man in layers upon layers, sealing away all the energy in his body!

This youth was Lin Ming.

Lin Ming looked at the skinny old man with no trace of mercy in his eyes.

The skinny old man’s meridians had been wasted and his heart and been pierced. With the energy being locked within, the old man was now nothing more than a walking bag of ruined meat. But, because he was a saint Empyrean that had tempered his body, he would still be able to maintain a few years of life in this state.

Lin Ming didn’t kill him because he had other uses for the old man in mind.

The skinny old man could no longer speak. His eyes were blood red, so wide that they nearly popped out of his head. He looked at Lin Ming with hatred.

But at the same time, he was also dumbfounded. Who was this youth and just why was his strength so great!? Was he the human race’s Emperor Shakya?