Chapter 83

Thousands of years before,

there was no concept of a ‘nation’.

At that time, the Human Race lived in tribal forms, consuming raw flesh and blood, dwelling in all corners of the world.

In that incredibly distant Ancient Times, there appeared an Ancient Godly Being.

They walked among the worlds, observing all things.

Ultimately, they sacrificed mountains and rivers, merging and refining the four seas.

Forcefully, in between heaven and earth, they forged a hundred weapons of war.

These hundred weapons were a manifestation of the intrinsic laws of the universe, wrested by that Ancient Godly Being from the world itself.

Without that Ancient Godly Being, the hundred weapons could not possibly have broken free from the control of the universe and become separate entities.

And these hundred weapons were what later became known as the ultimate Divine Weapons.

“You be the eldest, you be the second, you be the third….”

The face of the Ancient Godly Being was blurred as they looked at the hundred weapons floating between heaven and earth, emitting vast spiritual fluctuations.

At that moment, Lin Yuan’s point of view originated from a long spear.

The Sun and Moon Spear.

The Sun and Moon Spear was the eighteenth weapon that the Ancient Godly Being had forged.

So, it was also called ‘Old Eighteen’.

Who knows how much time passed.

That Ancient Godly Being once again came before the hundred Divine Weapons.

“I am leaving.”

“From now on, you will be the only ones left in this world.”

After saying those words, the Ancient Godly Being vanished.

Years flew by like a shuttle afterward.

The Ancient Godly Being never appeared again.

And the spiritual wisdom of the hundred Divine Weapons became increasingly perfected.

Until one day,

they discovered that the qi and spirit of the Human Race were of great use to their growth.

Therefore, they began harvesting humans.

However, later, the leading tower-shaped Divine Weapon realized

that at the rate the hundred Divine Weapons were consuming the Human Race,

it wouldn’t take many years before the humans on this land

would become extinct, and afterwards, all Divine Weapons would have no humans to consume, causing their growth to revert to an exceedingly slow phase.

So, this tower-shaped Divine Weapon began to curb the other Divine Weapons.

This action won the approval of some Divine Weapons and the opposition of others.

In the end, the hundred Divine Weapons still reached an agreement.

To pen all the humans within a certain area, and select a portion of them to consume at regular intervals.

This was the rudimentary form of what would later become the Central Plains Thirty-Six Kingdoms.

Another thousand or two thousand years passed.

Some Divine Weapons found that certain Divine Weapons were consuming more humans than the rest.

This uneven distribution led to a great battle among the hundred Divine Weapons.

In that battle, sixty-four Divine Weapons were shattered.

The most powerful thirty-six Divine Weapons enjoyed all the humans.

…

Within the Underground Palace,

Lin Yuan slowly opened his eyes.

Having browsed the ‘memories’ of the Sun and Moon Spear, Lin Yuan had gained a certain understanding of that Ancient Godly Being.

It was clear.

The strength of the Ancient Godly Being was at least Fourth Rank to start,

and perhaps even at the peak of Fourth Rank.

As for why they ventured over mountains and rivers, roamed the world, and contested with heaven and earth to forge those hundred Divine Weapons,

Lin Yuan speculated that they too were after the intrinsic laws of this world.

In forging the hundred Divine Weapons, the Ancient Godly Being was also comprehending the myriad laws within the weapons.

Although the Ancient Godly Being’s comprehension certainly couldn’t compare to Lin Yuan’s, time was on their side.

The Ancient Times that began ten thousand years ago lasted for at least several thousand years.

Over such a prolonged period, combined with the Ancient Godly Being’s position as the forger of the weapons, they surely benefited tremendously.

“True Divine Weapons indeed…”

With thoughts tumbling, Lin Yuan’s gaze once again fell upon the Sun and Moon Spear.

Even though the Sun and Moon Spear was currently suppressed by Lin Yuan, with its consciousness in a deep slumber,

its innate resistance alone was enough to shatter hundreds or thousands of Blood Refining Martial Saints.

Of course, such resistance was insignificant for Lin Yuan.

“The sun and the moon…”

Lin Yuan reached out, gently touching the spear, feeling its textures and laws, as countless sparks of inspiration burst forth in his mind.

[Your comprehending nature is defying, observing and touching the complete intrinsic laws of this world, and you have touched upon the rules of the sun and the moon….]

…

[Your comprehending nature is defying, observing and touching the complete intrinsic laws of this world, and you have touched upon the rules of the sun and the moon….]

…

[Your comprehending nature is defying, observing and touching the complete intrinsic laws of this world, and you have touched upon the rules of the sun and the moon….]

…

In just a brief moment, Lin Yuan felt the path ahead became much clearer.

“Worthy of being a Divine Weapon…”

Lin Yuan couldn’t help but express his admiration.

Compared to those damaged Evil Soldiers, the help from the Divine Weapon was akin to a qualitative change.

Especially the essence of the sun and moon contained within the Sun and Moon Spear matched perfectly with Lin Yuan’s Taiji Dao.

The sun and the moon were parts of Taiyin and Taiyang; understanding the essence of the sun and the moon also had a significant effect on supplementing the Taiji Dao.

“It’s a pity….”

“There is only one Divine Weapon….”

Lin Yuan looked at the Sun and Moon Spear, but his mind was on the other thirty-five Divine Weapons.

How wonderful it would be if all the Divine Weapons were laid out before him for enlightenment?

But Lin Yuan also knew that for now, that was just wishful thinking.

As for imitating the method used to suppress the Sun and Moon Spear and continuing to suppress other Divine Weapons…

It was nearly impossible.

The thirty-six Divine Weapons were mutually responsive to each other.

Lin Yuan had isolated Heaven and Earth to suppress the Sun and Moon Spear, indeed avoiding detection by the other Divine Weapons.

But once the aura of the Sun and Moon Spear completely disappeared and the other Divine Weapons could no longer sense its presence over a long period,

they would certainly become vigilant.

If Lin Yuan continued to act, it’d be bad enough to come up empty-handed, but there was a good chance he would fall into the trap set by the other thirty-five Divine Weapons.

Beware not to underestimate the Spiritual Wisdom of a Divine Weapon; with the growth of ten thousand years, their intelligence may not be on par with that of the Main World’s smartest brains, but it’s infinitely stronger than that of ordinary people.

“But one Divine Weapon is enough.”

“The essence of the laws it contains is enough to push me to the Fourth Rank.”

Lin Yuan felt very satisfied. Being able to successfully suppress the Sun and Moon Spear had met his expectations.

After pondering for a while, Lin Yuan’s thoughts stirred, and he put away the Sun and Moon Spear, his gaze glancing towards the outside of the palace.

At the moment, Sikong Lun was still waiting respectfully outside; without an order from Lin Yuan, he dared not step into the grand hall.

“Come in.”

Lin Yuan said aloud.

His voice was not loud, yet it rang clearly in Sikong Lun’s ears.

“Yes.”

Sikong Lun took a deep breath and walked into the palace.

“My lord.”

“This is an Evil Soldier.”

“Following your previous instructions, to collect as many Evil Soldiers as possible…”

Sikong Lun held out the wooden box in his hand with increased reverence.

“I understand.”

Lin Yuan nodded slightly.

Now that he had a Divine Weapon in hand, he naturally looked down on mere Evil Soldiers.

But even the smallest mosquito was still meat; while the rule essence contained in the Evil Soldiers was fragmented, it was still somewhat useful to Lin Yuan.

“Then I shall take my leave…”

Sikong Lun left the wooden box behind, ready to retreat respectfully.

“After all these years, you must know who I am, right?”

Lin Yuan suddenly spoke.

It had been decades since he subjugated Sikong Lun, but Lin Yuan had never revealed his identity to him.

Upon hearing this, Sikong Lun’s heart jolted.

If previously he had only suspected in his heart, then just now, upon seeing Lin Yuan handling the Sun and Moon Spear—originally one of the Greater Yan Dynasty’s Nation-Protecting Divine Weapons—

Sikong Lun was almost ninety percent certain.

He confirmed that his ‘lord’ was indeed the Emperor of the Greater Yan Dynasty.

Although such a conjecture was incredibly unbelievable, as the Flame Emperor was the ‘spokesperson’ chosen by the Divine Weapons, not subject to consumption like ordinary civilians,

“I’ve seen your Majesty…”

Sikong Lun steadied his spirit and said respectfully.

“Correct.”

Lin Yuan nodded slightly.

For Sikong Lun to guess his identity was not a difficult task.

In the years passed, the Defying Divine Society had often cooperated with the Greater Yan Dynasty in secret.

Outsiders were unaware of these matters, even the royal descendants were oblivious, but Sikong Lun, who was in charge of the Defying Divine Society, had some awareness.

“Next, incite a decisive battle based on the ideas of those Evil Soldiers.”

Lin Yuan sat cross-legged on the ground and said indifferently.

To completely resolve the issue with the remaining thirty-five Divine Weapons, he needed to draw all of them out.

If he dealt with them one by one, once the other Divine Weapons observed Lin Yuan’s true strength, they would surely refrain from appearing.

And with one Divine Weapon seeking to hide, with its ability to blend into Heaven and Earth, Lin Yuan would have no solution.

His time in this World was limited; he couldn’t afford to wear down the Divine Weapons indefinitely.

Even though Lin Yuan could isolate Heaven and Earth, his range was limited.

Lin Yuan’s plan was to have the Defying Divine Society and many Evil Soldier Wielders shake the rule of the Central Plains Thirty-Six Kingdoms, thereby forcing the thirty-five Divine Weapons to act.

After all, the Central Plains Thirty-Six Kingdoms were the Divine Weapons’ breeding grounds. If the Defying Divine Society rebelled, those Divine Weapons would undoubtedly be the first to be intolerant.

“Good.”

Sikong Lun nodded.

If it were in the past, he would not have held any hope for such a decisive battle, fearing a recurrence of the ‘Calamity of Arms’ from thousands of years ago.

But having seen Lin Yuan handle the ‘Sun and Moon Spear’ just moments earlier, a sliver of extravagant hope suddenly rose in Sikong Lun’s heart.

“Additionally,”

“Bring in some people with strong souls.”

“I will personally train some Evil Soldier Wielders.”

Lin Yuan spoke again.

This time, the Evil Soldier Wielders he aimed to train would be top-tier with at least ninety percent integrity of the Evil Soldiers.

Evil Soldiers, being fragments of Divine Weapons from the past, cannot heal themselves, which explains why no Evil Soldier has been restored to a complete Divine Weapon in eight thousand years.

Yet while Evil Soldiers couldn’t heal themselves, Lin Yuan could.

With the many Evil Soldiers currently at his disposal, Lin Yuan could completely assemble two to three complete Divine Weapons.

Of course, the assembled Divine Weapons, with their combat power far lesser than the present thirty-six Divine Weapons,

would still pale in comparison to their peak during The Ancient Times because they had just recovered from grave injuries.

Add to that, the current thirty-six Divine Weapons had further strengthened their power over eight thousand years by reaping the growth of countless lives.

But complete Evil Soldiers could at least sweep all formidable beings below Divine Weapons.

They even had the potential to force the remaining thirty-five Divine Weapons to appear.