Desolate Era (Book 16 - Book 18)

Book 18, Chapter 29 - Openly And Honorably


“Subhuti…” Daofather Crimsonbright stared at Subhuti. He couldn’t resist from saying, “Is this really true?”

“Do you think I’d lie to you about something like this?” Subhuti sat there, calmly drinking his wine. “You shouldn’t be so shocked. We’ve already had multiple Realmwars against the Seamless Gate within the Three Realms. It isn’t odd for one to have begun within your Crimsonbright realm.”

Daofather Crimsonbright nodded slowly. Only now did he sit down, then sigh, “Right. Sooner or later, a Realmwar was going to come to my Crimsonbright Realm. But now that it really is happening…I still feel pained. My disciples…my students…they’ve been by my side for countless ages. They are all like my own children. But now, I’m going to watch them fight within a Realmwar…watch them die, one by one…”

Subhuti nodded slowly.

He, too, had many disciples; he knew exactly how Crimsonbright felt.

They were all born as True Gods of Primordial Chaos, and as such had no actual children. Their cherished disciples were as important to them as actual children were to ordinary mortals. This was amplified by the fact that they would often spend countless ages training and accompanying their disciples, resulting in extremely deep relationships.

Perhaps, as major powers, they would have the mental fortitude to watch one of their disciples die without interfering…but when nearly all of their disciples were facing possible death, of course they would truly feel heartache and panic. How many of them were truly willing to suddenly become alone and bereft of all their loved ones?

“Subhuti.” Daofather Crimsonbright nodded solemnly. “Thank you for your warning. If it wasn’t for you…Xiamang’s side would’ve been doomed.”

Subhuti just chuckled, lifting his cup of wine and continuing to drink in a leisurely fashion.

“Right. Since they plan to ambush Xiamang’s forces,” Crimsonbright suddenly said, “Should I do the same? I can openly send some limited reinforcements, while secretly prepare a vicious little trap for them. Shall we give them a taste of their own medicine?”

“Impossible.” Subhuti shook his head. “You know exactly how formidable the Seamless Gate’s intelligence network is. It is far too difficult for you to mobilize your forces without the Seamless Gate finding out! Even if we really were so lucky as to avoid discovery…do you have any idea as to how many Empyrean Gods and True Immortals the Seamless Gate has actually sent?”

“How many?” Crimsonbright immediately asked.

“Sixty-six,” Subhuti said calmly. “They include the six Diremonster Gods of Mount Tonglian, and the Nine Cloudmist Fairies…”

Crimsonbright’s face instantly became ugly to behold.

“They also number amongst the ranks the three Diremonster Gods of Mount Dragoneater, who recently caused the Buddhists to suffer catastrophic losses,” Subhuti said.

“What? They came as well?” The look on Crimsonbright’s face completely changed. “But…but…this is merely a war against my Crimsonbright Realm. For the Seamless Gate to summon the six from Mount Tonglian and the nine from the Cloudmist Creek is one thing…but they even summoned the three from Mount Dragoneater?”

Unless a Daofather acted against them, it could be said that those three mighty Diremonster Gods were nigh-invincible.

“How should I know?” Subhuti shook his head. “No matter what, the three Diremonster Gods of Mount Dragoneater have indeed gone to the Grand Xia.”

What Subhuti didn’t realize…

Was that the reason why the Godking had sent the three Diremonster Gods of Mount Dragoneater was because he wanted to neatly and cleanly get rid of the troublesome Ji Ning. As the Godking saw it, Ji Ning had already mastered a soul heartforce technique; once he became a Pure Yang True Immortal, his Heaven Punisher would probably be a match for those three Diremonster Gods, all by itself.

In truth, the Godking had guessed wrongly; the number of figures within the Three Realms who had truly mastered a soul heartforce technique could be counted on two hands. No matter how monstrously talented Ji Ning was, and despite him having been taught the [Heart Sutra] of Old Man Yuan, he had only been able to just barely gain a basic level of skill in the technique. He couldn’t even be considered as being an expert in it, much less have mastered it!

However, this decision to get rid of Ji Ning was indeed the right decision for the Seamless Gate. This was because, although Ning had only just reached a basic level of skill, as time went on his skills in the soul heartforce technique would only grow more and more profound, and he would prove to be a greater and greater threat.

“I’ve said everything I came to say,” Subhuti said. “Crimsonbright, deal with this information as you see fit.” After speaking, Subhuti disappeared into thin air, and the distorted field of space once more went back to normal.

Daofather Crimsonbright waved his hand, collecting the table of wine in front of him, then glanced downwards.

The Empyrean Gods and True Immortals seated below him could now see him again. They were all very puzzled, but none of them dared to ask.

“You’ve all seen the Winesun Realm’s Realmwar,” Daofather Crimsonbright said, pointing towards the round mirror of light.

Everyone present was puzzled.

What of it? Were they about to be sent as reinforcements?

“Your peaceful, relaxed days have come to an end. Our Crimsonbright Realm’s Realmwar has begun!” Daofather Crimsonbright continued calmly, “The major powers of the Seamless Gate have already sent a large group of Empyrean Gods and True Immortals to descend upon the Grand Xia. They include the six Diremonster Gods of Mount Tonglian, but we can discuss those details later. All you need to know for now is that their reinforcements include more than just the Twin Jueming Immortals; rather, their reinforcements include a total of sixty-six Empyrean Gods and True Immortals, including the three Diremonster Gods of Mount Dragoneater!”

Everyone’s faces changed.

Sixty-six?

Including the forces that the Seamless Gate already had within the Grand Xia, such as True Immortal Whitepole and Azurefox…didn’t that mean a total of nearly eighty would take part in the war? Eighty Empyrean Gods and True Immortals…what a terrifying force that was!

Could it be…

“This is now a Realmwar!” Daofather Crimsonbright looked downwards. “No one can escape it. Go and make your preparations for your various worlds. Protect them all securely. Any remaining forces are to be pooled together and sent to the Grand Xia.”

“Yes!” The Immortals and Fiendgods all assented solemnly.

The Xia Emperor’s body was covered in cold sweat. The Twin Jueming Immortals were actually…actually just a fa?ade for the sixty-six Empyrean Gods and True Immortals? The Xia Emperor felt terrified just thinking about what would’ve happened.

“Those who do not need to go summon their armies or arrange for various logistics should head out immediately.” Daofather Crimsonbright began to give orders. “Head straight to Xiamang’s ‘Eight Dragons Cloudcity’ in an open, aboveboard manner. Put an end to the Seamless Gate’s fantasies of ambushing us!”

“Yes!”

……

Daofather Crimsonbright did have more than a hundred Empyrean Gods and True Immortals under his command, but battles were currently occurring on various other major worlds as well; he had to leave some of them behind to protect his other major worlds. If he left none behind, the Seamless Gate would be able to effortlessly take them over. Thus, the number of individuals which Daofather Crimsonbright could employ was actually limited.