The Desolate Era

Roughly ten million kilometers away, in the imperial capital of the former Qi Empire. Within the imperial palace.

Within a lavishly decorated palace hall. Beautiful female attendants carried in platters of exquisite food and Immortal nectar, delivering them to the twelve tables, including the main table at the front of the hall.

“Come, drink.”

“Big brother, I toast you.”

“Ninth brother, it has been a thousand years since we met. Come, come, come; let us brothers have another cup together!”

Carefree laughter rang out. High-pitched, low-pitched, screeching...every single voice carried a dominating aura.

The monsters in the form of female attendants all felt their hearts tremble. They acted with the utmost caution, terrified of offending one of the monster kings. They knew that the twelve gathered here in this hall today were the Twelve Monster Kings of the Eastern Flows; the likes of them could not risk offending any of these twelve. If they accidentally irritated one of the monster kings, the results would be disastrous.

One of the maidservants had, due to her nervousness, splattered some of the wine from her platter atop the Jadetoad King, one of the twelve monster kings. The Jadetoad King had rolled his eyes, opened his mouth, and devoured the maidservant into his belly.

In the center of the hall, there were beautiful human maidens and monsters who were engaging in dance. Naturally, there were also musicians who were beating the drums and playing the flute.

“Alright, all of you can leave for now.”

After a long time, the Flamewing King, seated in the host position at the front of the palace, ordered the servants to depart.

“Yes, your Majesty.” The many servants, dancers, and musicians all immediately withdrew, leaving behind only the twelve monster kings within the hall.

“Third, you invited all of us brothers here today. Whatever important matter this is regarding, hurry up and speak.” An extremely muscular monster king whose entire body was covered with golden fur and who had the head of a grizzly bear spoke out in a booming voice. This was the leader of the twelve monster kings, the Goldfur Bearking.

“Big brother.” The tall, skinny, black-robed Flamewing King laughed, “Haha, I invited all of you here to take part in a joyous affair. Seventh brother came earlier, and so I’ve told him already. If you don’t believe me, you can ask him.”

The other monster kings all looked over to the azure-armored, hawk-eyed Skysoar King, who nodded. “This is indeed regarding a joyous affair.”

“Oh?” The other monster kings all looked back towards the Flamewing King with curiosity. Although they were friends due to their similar temperaments, they were famous for their savagery. If they found anything good, they would usually keep it for themselves. Why would one of them now be willing to share with the rest of the brothers?

The Flamewing King, seeing their looks, smiled. He waved his hand and a black leather scroll flew out and unfurled in the air before them. On the leather scroll there was a complicated map, as well as a diagram.

“What is this?” The other monster kings were puzzled.

“The map to a treasure trove!” The Flamewing King said.

“Treasure trove?”

“A map to a treasure trove?”

“Are you joking? A ‘treasure trove’? To the likes of us, even the treasures of a Celestial Immortal are nothing. The treasures of a True Immortal or an Empyrean God might barely qualified as a ‘trove’.”

All of the monster kings spoke out. They were the Twelve Monster Kings of the Eastern Flows, who even Celestial Immortal Patriarchs were unwilling to offend. For them to acknowledge a collection of treasures as a ‘treasure trove’ was extremely hard.

The Skysoar King spoke out, “My fellow brothers, third brother hasn’t deceived you. The place marked by this map as having treasures can indeed...be described as a major treasure trove.”

“Oh?”

“A major treasure trove?” The other monster kings all began to ponder. For even their seventh brother, the Skysoar King, to acknowledge this place as being a treasure trove meant that there really might be something to this.

“Third brother, can it be that this has something to do with the Qi Empire?” The short, chubby, green-skinned Jadetoad King growled out.

The Flamewing King, seated at the head of the hall, nodded. “This does indeed have something to do with the Qi Empire. When I acted against them and destroyed them, it was because I heard some news regarding this treasure trove. I suddenly attacked without giving them any notice and seized a group of important figures of the imperial Qi clan. Then, I used soulscouring and other methods to learn more about the treasure trove, then acquired this treasure map from the imperial Qi clan as well.”

“Since you already have the treasure map, you can go by yourself, third brother.”

“I refuse to believe you are truly so generous, third brother.”

“Haha, third brother, what are you plotting? Speak up and be honest. Everyone here knows what type of person you are.”

All of them were renowned for their savagery; they knew what sort of individuals the other monster kings were.

The Flamewing King chortled. The nearby Skysoar King said, “Third brother did indeed go twice. The first time he went, he came back with nothing to show for it; he wasn’t able to go deep inside at all. The second time, he made more ample preparations and forced his way inside...but was trapped within the region for twenty years, just barely surviving and coming back. He just escaped a short while ago.”

“What? Trapped for twenty years?”

“Third brother, you couldn’t even use a Greater Teleportation Dao-talisman to flee?”

“It was that dangerous?”

The monster kings were all astonished. The Flamewing King immediately said, “Listen to me describe in detail. This treasure trove region...”

The Flamewing King spoke nonstop regarding what he had experienced. He knew quite well that by relying on his own power, there was no way he would be able to make it any deeper; he had to have the rest of the twelve join him if he wanted to have any chances of success.

As the Flamewing King spoke, looks of astonishment and seriousness gradually began to appear on the faces of the other monster kings. This place was indeed both dangerous and terrifying...the Flamewing King’s descriptions alone indicated how mysterious and frightening this place was. Most likely, even Celestial Immortals who ventured there would perish.

“Only if the twelve of us join forces do we have any chance,” the Flamewing King said.

“What in the world is within this treasure trove?”

“I feel quite eager to find out.”

All of them felt tremendous desire towards this treasure trove.

The founding emperor of the Qi Empire had already scoured the outer perimeter of this treasure trove, and he had acquired Ki Refining Techniques, divine abilities, and secret arts from it. These techniques were all truly top-tier techniques; otherwise, the Qi Empire wouldn’t have been able to expand so rapidly. Given that the outer perimeter already possessed such incredible treasures...what did the depths of the trove hold?!

“We have to plan this out carefully,” the top-ranked Goldfur Bearking said solemnly. “We cannot be rash.”

“Yes, we must make ample preparations.”

“An extraordinary place.”

Just as the monster kings were discussing and planning, a long-necked elder appeared at the entrance to the hall.

“Majesty, Majesty!” The long-necked elder called out repeatedly.

“Enter.” The Flamewing King frowned.

The long-necked elder entered, then immediately said with respect, “Your Majesty, the three companies of Flamewing Guards led by those three Loose Immortals which we sent out...they all died. None of them escaped to make it back.”

“They all died?” The Flamewing King suddenly jumped to his feet.

“Right. All of them.” The long-necked elder nodded repeatedly, worry in his eyes.

The Flamewing King’s face changed. Hundreds of Flamewing Guards, led by three Loose Immortals...how powerful was the enemy, to be able to wipe them out so cleanly and let none survive?

“What’s wrong, third?”

“Third brother, what happened?”

The other monster kings began to query him. The Flamewing King responded solemnly, “To tell the truth, brothers...there are still a few survivors of the Qi Empire who are running around. However, the strongest of the imperial Qi clansmen is a mere Wanxiang Adept. One of my squads of Flamewing Guards found and attacked them, but the squad was wiped out. I felt this was strange, and so I sent three full companies to attack, but all of them were killed as well. None of them survived.”

“Three full companies? Hundreds of Flamewing Guards in a Dao-soldier formation...they would be able to wipe out even a supreme Loose Immortal.”

“To kill hundreds of Flamewing Guards without letting even one escape...that is quite difficult.”

“This is an extraordinary foe.”

The monster kings knew each other’s forces quite well; they knew how strong the Flamewing King’s forces were.

“Hahaha, why worry about this matter? It is quite rare for all of us to be gathered in one place; let us pay a visit together, then, and see what the survivors of the imperial Qi clan have up their sleeves.” The Goldfur Bearking let out a loud laugh. “When all of us join forces...there truly are few in the entire Star continent who are a match for us.”

The supreme powers of the Star continent only held Celestial Immortal Patriarchs amongst their ranks. When the twelve joined forces, they truly did have nothing to fear from Celestial Immortals.

“Let us go together.”

“Third brother, let’s go take a look and see who has dared to antagonize the Twelve Monster Kings of the Eastern Flows.”

“Wiping out the Flamewing Guard...they gave you no face at all, third brother. Giving you no face is the same as giving all of us brothers no face.”

“Let’s go take a look together.”

The Flamewing King immediately roared with laughter. “Hahaha, fine! With so many brothers here...it doesn’t matter who is protecting the imperial Qi clan. That person will die!”

“Let’s no waste time. We’ve already eaten and drunk our fill; let us go out and fight!”

“Let’s go out and fight!”

The Twelve Monster Kings of the Eastern Flows were decisive in their actions. They immediately led thousands of monsters in an awe-inspiring wave from the imperial capital of the former Qi Empire.

......

At the top of a mountain peak. Ning was seated next to a cliff. He was holding a gourd of wine in his hand, drinking in a leisurely manner while staring at the clouds and the sea. He had just consumed six hundred thousand kilograms of liquefied elemental essence, causing his true body to break through as a Ki Refiner from the peak Primal level to the early Void level! He would now be able to more perfectly control his Immortal-ranked magic treasures.

“My true body can use the Thousandbull Sword, the Darknorth swords, and other magic treasures. My Primaltwin will use the [Heavenraker] sword formation.” Ning nodded to himself. His power had reached the maximum level it could reach for now.

“Flamewing King, I killed hundreds of your Flamewing Guards...I imagine that you will personally come seek me out, right?”

Ning was waiting eagerly. Given that he was protecting the imperial Qi clan, the Flamewing King would definitely be lured over here!

“Ten major sinners. First I will kill the Flamewing King, and then I’ll go deal with the others one by one,” Ning murmured to himself. Given his current level of power, when his true body and his Primaltwin fought together, it shouldn’t be too hard for him to kill a monster king.

As Ning was drinking and waiting leisurely by the cliffside, suddenly...

“Eh?” Ning suddenly stared into the distance. An enormous cloud was soaring towards his direction, and atop the cloud there was a dense cluster of countless figures. There were many monsters there, and in front of the countless monsters were twelve mighty figures whose auras filled the heavens, causing Ning’s face to change.

“Twelve?” Ning’s face couldn’t help but blanche as he stared at the twelve figures standing in front of the countless monsters atop the massive cloud.

Such powerful auras...these were definitely no ordinary Loose Immortals. The formless ripples of might caused even Ning to feel surprised. In addition, these twelve figures stood shoulder-to-shoulder in front of the countless monsters; clearly, there were no differences in rank here.

“Are you the Twelve Monster Kings of the Eastern Flows?” Ning called out loudly, his voice echoing and filling the heavens.

“Little child, who are you? Is it your master who is protecting the imperial Qi clan?” The tall, thin, black-robed Flamewing King called out back, “Hurry up and have your master come out. We twelve brothers would like to see exactly who it is that has the audacity to annihilate hundreds of my Flamewing Guards with one breath.”

Ning cursed to himself with resignation. “All I wanted to do was fight against a single Flamewing King. Why the hell have all twelve shown up?! The Twelve Monster Kings of the Eastern Flows all come from their own separate territories; why have they all gathered here today?”

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