Desolate Era

Within a region of space that was completely cut off from the rest of the universe. This was a region that was filled with endless blood flames that seemed to form an entire ocean. Every single flame possessed awesome might and was capable of easily incinerating a Daolord of the Fourth Step. At the very center of the flames, there was an imperial throne that seemed to have been carved out of white bone. The enormous white bone throne hung there, and above it stood a silver-haired man whose hands were resting on the armrests. The man stared at the endless flames, and his heart and mind seemed to be completely one with the world.

“Gorsch.” A voice suddenly rang out within the empty region. “Come forth.”

The silver-haired man was startled. Ever since learning that his most talented progeny, Gorho, had been recruited by the Brightshore Kingdom, he had felt much at ease. He had temporarily chosen to enter their racial lands to train; why was it that he was now being ordered to come out?

“Coming,” the silver-haired man said respectfully. Whoosh. He disappeared from atop the throne of white bone, which continued to eternally hang there above the endless sea of blood flames.

……

The silver-haired man appeared within a beautiful, ancient palace. The throne of this palace was occupied by an exceedingly handsome youth who was dressed in gaudy black robes and whose eyes seemed to contain the vast cosmos within them.

“Emperor,” the silver-haired man said respectfully.

“Gorsch, I just received word that Voidsea Jadeseals have appeared within the Waveshift Realm of the Dao Alliance’s Badlands Territory.” The icy-faced black-robed youth spoke in an extremely calm voice. Although he looked very young, he was actually the oldest and most venerable Eternal Emperor of the entire Aeonian race. He was perpetually stationed within the core palace of the Aeonian Kingdom, and it was his responsibility to watch over their ancestral lands.

“Voidsea Jadeseals?” The silver-haired man revealed a stunned look.

“You’ve reached the Verge of the Daomerge long ago, and you are fast approaching the great limit,” the black-robed youth said coldly. “You are, at present, the most powerful Daolord of our race! Although the jade seals are not strong enough to allow you to fully experience the complete Daomerge, you’ll at least be able to experience part of it. This is a rare opportunity for you and your Daomerge. However, word of this has already spread and all six of the major powers of the Endless Territories have been informed. I trust that many Verge-level Daolords are already on their way. What’s worse, you are an Aeonian while Emperor Waveshift was of the Dao Alliance. It is entirely possible that he might’ve prepared something nasty for our race there. If you go, you’ll take on a certain degree of risk.”

“You can choose for yourself whether or not you wish to go,” the black-robed youth said.

“Everyone in the outside world refers to me as King Gorsch, but in the end I’m just a king, not an emperor.” The silver-haired man said in a low voice, “My limit approaches, and I have no confidence in my Daomerge chances at all. Although this opportunity is filled with peril, I still have to give it a try. If I can acquire one of those seals, my chances at the Daomerge shall become much greater.”

“Right.” The black-robed youth nodded.

……

The Brightshore Kingdom.

A figure suddenly appeared out of nowhere atop an ordinary-looking wasteland. It was a white-bearded old man who was dressed in snowy white robes and who had six horns on his head. He stood there atop the lands, then opened his mouth: “Ninestone.”

Rumble… the vast wilderness began to shake as the earth itself began to bulge upwards. An enormous four-legged stone behemoth that was covered in countless sharp spikes emerged from beneath the ground, leaving behind an enormous crater that was over a hundred million kilometers in circumference. The Brightshore Imperials were all Chaos Godbeasts, and they were legendary for their size.

“Hegemon.” The four-legged stone behemoth stared at the almighty Hegemon.

“You merged yourself into the earth itself to better understand the Dao of Earth. Of the Brightshore Imperials, you are closest to the lifespan limit. Are you confident in your Daomerge chances?” the Brightshore Hegemon asked.

In truth, the almighty Hegemon was quite worried. Although the Brightshore Imperials had many generations of Chaos Godbeasts, thus far only a single one had become a Hegemon – himself. Fortunately, he was powerful enough all by himself to overawe the entire Endless Territories. However, the fact that his race had yet to produce a second emperor meant that he was forced to continuously kidnap some of the geniuses of the other races of the Endless Territories.

Palace Lord Dawnstar, Bertulu, Ji Ning… all of them had been kidnapped. They now belonged to the Twelve Palaces of Brightshore, which were actually more powerful than the Brightshore Imperials themselves. But of course, they were no match for the Hegemon.

“I am not confident,” Ninestone rumbled softly.

“Voidsea Jadeseals have appeared within the Waveshift Realm of the Badlands Territory! You might have a shot at one of them,” the almighty Hegemon said. “However, this will be filled with danger. These seals were fashioned by the most skilled Numerancy expert the Endless Territories has ever seen, Emperor Waveseal, and he had to use up his supply of voidsea jade in order to create them. There’s only a few of the seals, and they’ve aroused the attention of quite a few Verge-level Daolords. Many reclusive, normally low-key Daolords have all made their appearances.action

“You can choose for yourself whether or not you wish to go.” The almighty Hegemon disappeared into thin air after speaking.

“Waveshift Realm of the Dao Alliance?” Ninestone’s body blurred as he transformed into a human shape. He now looked like an incredibly muscular black-armored man whose eyes were as still as a pool of dead water.

Ninestone was known amongst the Brightshore Imperials as the Ninth King.

……

“Voidsea Jadeseals have actually appeared?” Daolord Skyaxe and Daolord Soleman were seated within a flying vessel in the void.

“What’s this?” Daolord Soleman called out with surprise.

“Voidsea Jadeseals have appeared in the Waveshift Realm,” Daolord Skyaxe said. “I just received word of this. I imagine the Brightshore Kingdom should receive word soon as well.”

“Let me ask.” Daolord Soleman nodded, then soon nodded a second time. “The Twelve Palaces have just received word as well. The jade seals really have appeared.”

“Shall we go?” Daolord Skyaxe looked at Soleman.

“Of course!” Soleman nodded. “This is our best shot at the Daomerge.”

“Let’s go.”

The two immediately changed their plans, turning around their flying vessel and sending it towards the Waveshift Realm instead.

……

Within an ordinary mortal city. Countless mortals lived in this region for up to a hundred years. They lived ordinary lives and had to work hard for their living.

This city had a famous blacksmith who was very skilled in creating weapons, especially sabers. However, he only smithed when he was in the right mood, and his smithy was only occasionally operational.

“I’ll give you two golden vastluck coins. Help me forge a suitable saber for me.” A youth and his servants were present, and they spoke and acted in a very arrogant manner.

“Two golden vastluck coins?” The ordinary-looking blacksmith, dressed in hemp clothes, called out in astonishment, “Each of these are worth as much as ten thousand ordinary gold coins, right?”

“Precisely,” the youth said proudly.

“What a fortune! But… haven’t you heard? When I don’t want to work, no one in the world can force me.” The blacksmith snickered, “Run along home, kid.”

“Two golden vastluck coins aren’t enough? How many do you want?” The youth was anxious now.

The blacksmith was about to speak when he suddenly paused. “The Hegemon is saying that Voidsea Jadeseals have just appeared? This is probably the best chance that I, Dawnstar, will have to improve my Daomerge odds.” The blacksmith’s eyes became as tranquil as the sea as he glanced at the youth and the others. “Cancel it all.”

Whoosh. The entire city – in fact, the entire world – all vanished into motes of glittering, astral saber-light. All of the living beings had been nothing more than incarnations created by saber-light, not actual living beings. This was nothing more than a training mechanism he engaged in.

“Waveshift Realm, eh?” He sheathed his machete into the scabbard on his back. He had a look in his eyes that was calm but which could bring fear to countless cultivators. Moments later, he vanished into thin air after taking a single step.

……

The Dao Alliance, the Aeonians, the Brightshore Kingdom, the Aberrants, the Ancient cultivators… all of them quickly received word. Even the powerful Daolords of the Dark Kingdom were intrigued.

The Aeonians were on rather bad terms with the Dao Alliance, but for the sake of the Daomerge, King Gorsch and several other Verge-level Daolords decided to brave the risk and give it a shot.

The same was true for the Dark Kingdom. Verge-level Daolords, for the sake of completing their Daomerge, were absolutely fearless. They began to stealthily move towards the Badlands Territory as well.

……

Even the most powerful of Daolords would feel despair when faced with the Daomerge. When the legendary Voidsea Jadeseals, the most supreme Daomerge treasures, suddenly appeared… countless Daolords were intrigued and agitated. There were many Daolords who were low-key, but that didn’t mean they were weak.

Emperor Heartsword was a classic example. He was very low-key, and only fought after becoming a Daolord of the Fourth Step due to an irreconcilable grudge. He gained great fame through that battle, and when he succeeded in his Daomerge he became the most dazzling Eternal Emperor in existence. Even now, people whispered stories about him.

Another example was Daolord Everstarter of the Sword Palace of the Brightshore Kingdom. He had also been a very low-key figure who lived in the Sword Palace and rarely went out adventuring. However, when the Ancient cultivators went too far in their actions and forced his hand, he consecutively slew three of their Verge-level Daolords and then defeated one of their Emperors. He was publicly acclaimed as the most powerful Daolord of the Endless Territories in his time.

Clearly, the appearance of these seals caused many of the normally low-key but incredibly powerful Daolords to make their appearances.

None of them would hesitate over something which could increase their chances at completing their Daomerge. Not even death could stop them!