Snowflakes with six-petaled patterns drifted down one by one, everywhere presenting a silver-white, frost-covered landscape.
“It’s snowing…”
Wu Ming stretched out his hand, letting a snowflake land on his palm, allowing his body heat to melt it away.
“The New Year of Genesis Calendar 9996… It’s been a year since I arrived in the Illusion Spirit World…”
At this moment, he was sitting inside a merchant’s carriage, heading toward the next city while opening the window to admire the snowy scenery.
“This year has been very fruitful, and I’ve recovered much of my strength…”
Wu Ming tallied his illusion spirits: “The elite breed, low-level Battle General—Xie Lang; another elite breed, low-level Battle General—Tie Chi Jin Diao; the mid-level Battle General—Shen Ming Jie Huan Ling, also known as the Divine Fortune Star; and finally, the recently acquired silver breed, peak-level Battle General—Rong Yan Bao Jun… In terms of combat power now, ordinary general-level spirit tamers are no longer my match…”
For other spirit tamers, this might be the peak of their entire lives, but Wu Ming achieved this in merely a year!
“Now, I should be almost strong enough to plot against the Chosen One of Fate, right?”
The unrest happening across various regions now was merely the beginning; the true peak of chaos would arrive in the year 10000 of the Genesis Calendar, a sacred calamity that would affect the entire Illusion Spirit World! The Four Divine Spirit Tamers would emerge as the destined sons of heaven!
Wu Ming’s goal was to disrupt this process and secure the greatest benefit for the Temple of the Main God!
Previously, due to insufficient strength, he dared not intervene recklessly, but now he felt he finally had some capital to attempt it slightly.
After all, even the Divine Spirit Tamers could not match his terrifying rate of progress!
“The Divine Spirit Tamer of the Flame Continent, though he debuted at the King level, was later rumored to have appeared during a major historical event!”
Wu Ming slowly clenched his fist tightly.
“At the New Year celebration of the Genesis Calendar 9996 in Jushu City!”
Ju Shu Cheng was the capital of the largest nation on the Flame Continent—the Forest Alliance!
The Flame Continent, in terms of its shape, could roughly be divided into three core regions. The small city-states in the northeast were mostly family-ruled, similar to Giant Stone City, fragmented and scattered.
The central region included Zhongzhou City and numerous commercial alliances.
As for the west, it was the massive Forest Alliance, occupying nearly one-third of the Flame Continent.
Unfortunately, due to the highly fragmented terrain of the Flame Continent, along with various other factors and the objective presence of dangers, no empire had ever succeeded in unifying the entire continent throughout its history.
The reason Wu Ming remembered Ju Shu Cheng was because this year was known as the “Bloody New Year!” A significant event occurred in Ju Shu Cheng that changed the entire continent’s trajectory!
It all started with the assassination of the Alliance’s Chief Chancellor, and the entire Ju Shu Cheng was reduced to ashes, igniting the great chaos across the Flame Continent!
This tragedy in the future would be considered one of the two landmark events marking the beginning of great chaos, comparable to the fall of the Star and Moon Empire on the Wind Continent!
“It was precisely after this landmark event that the Divine Spirit Tamers began to emerge… Speaking in terms of novels, it’s like the wheels of history starting to roll forward…”
Wu Ming touched his chin, somewhat amused: “Compared to that, now I finally have a slight opportunity to get involved…”
“Master!”
The carriage door opened, letting in a gust of wind mixed with flurries resembling willow catkins. Zuo Linlin looked excited: “According to what the merchants said, we will enter Ju Shu Cheng tonight…”
“Good!”
Wu Ming nodded: “According to Jia Kongming’s notes, one of his laboratories was located near Ju Shu Cheng. We can search for clues related to the ancient Xian Shu legacy when we arrive there…”
“Thank you… Master…”
Zuo Linlin’s face showed gratitude; she naturally didn’t know about the Bloody New Year, assuming Wu Ming had come here specifically for her.
Creak! Creak!
Accompanied by the rolling sound of the carriage wheels and the loud warnings from ahead, the carriage slowly climbed up a steep slope. After passing through a continuous mountain range, a magnificent giant city immediately came into view before Wu Ming.
Unlike Zhongzhou City, which embraced all rivers, Ju Shu Cheng was built on an immeasurably huge tree stump!
Surrounding it, the vegetation was lush, and a hazy green glow filled the entire sky. Illusion spirits of the wood element could receive a certain level of enhancement here.
“Legend has it… during the Dark Age, over 9,900 years ago, this place was the territory of a wood-element King-class illusion spirit… but later, during the world-destroying chaos, an enraged divine illusion spirit destroyed everything here, not even sparing that King-class illusion spirit, leaving behind only this massive tree stump…”
Wu Ming spoke with a tone of admiration.
“Master… you mean…” Zuo Linlin obviously hadn’t heard of this secret before, and her eyes were filled with astonishment as she looked toward Ju Shu Cheng.
“That’s right… that King-class illusion spirit was once an ancient tree, and even now, its enormous remains are still here…”
Wu Ming revealed the truth, his eyes also showing amazement.
Although he categorized it by the strength of a Reincarnator, this King-class illusion spirit was only a fifth-level Reincarnator, similar to an Earth Immortal. However, even if he came here in his original form, he probably couldn’t achieve such a feat.
Leaving aside other factors, just this body would make even the Celestial Immortals of the Great Zhou World stare in disbelief.
The reason for this was naturally due to the world itself.
“This Illusion Spirit World greatly supports illusion spirits… thus, compared to the Great Zhou World, although the energy levels might be the same, the destructive effects of illusion spirits are significantly enhanced, as if undergoing a layer of amplification…”
A gloomy light flashed in Wu Ming’s eyes.
In the Great Zhou World, even a Celestial Immortal couldn’t destroy the world unless it was their own personal realm.
But here, the entire world nearly got destroyed by the Four Divine Illusion Spirits!
This wasn’t a difference in strength, but rather in the world’s support. This Illusion Spirit World suppressed the Immortal Dao and other external forces but was very lenient toward the power of illusion spirits.
“This kind of influence…”
He murmured, a glint of resolution flashing in his eyes, as if he had made an important decision.
“Master…” Hou Yong also came to the side of the carriage: “We’ve arrived at Ju Shu Cheng…”
“Alright!”
Wu Ming responded, lightly jumping off the carriage.
Only upon arriving here did he realize how incredibly high the walls of Ju Shu Cheng were, seemingly remnants of the former King-class illusion spirit, extremely sturdy. Many sections of the walls even had green sprouts and vines growing on them, exuding a sense of vibrant life.
“Those entering the city must remember to abide by the city’s order. Out-of-town visitors must register and reside in designated commercial inns. Anyone encountered at night will be considered a thief and sentenced to hard labor!”
Before the massive wooden gate, a squad of Forest Alliance guards was loudly announcing the rules.
“This must be the western Forest Race… quite rare indeed…”
Wu Ming carefully observed these soldiers.
Among them were both spirit tamers and ordinary people. Regardless of their strength, they had very distinctive features—delicate facial features, fair and smooth skin, slightly leaning towards an androgynous appearance, with ears that seemed slightly pointed.
Overall, they somewhat resembled the elves Wu Ming had heard about in his previous life.
“Legend has it… the humans living here migrated after the death of the Ju Shu, a King-class illusion spirit. Over thousands of years of evolution, they gradually absorbed the original King’s spiritual energy, undergoing physiological transformations…”
This transformation was naturally not earth-shattering yet, at most akin to the differences between East Asians, Africans, and Caucasians in Wu Ming’s previous life.
However, the common people living in this region gave themselves another title—”Forest Race,” claiming to be a people favored by the forest.
“Obviously… this kind of self-proclamation of superiority, almost attempting to separate themselves from the human race, wouldn’t sit well with other humans…”
This was just one aspect; the other was the accumulation of long-standing conflicts, which finally erupted in this New Year… The assassination of the Alliance Chancellor led to the entire Ju Shu Cheng being set ablaze, plunging the Forest Alliance, which occupied nearly a third of the Flame Continent, into war, thus marking the beginning of the great chaos across the Flame Continent…
Wu Ming dutifully paid the fees and entered the city with Hou Yong and Zuo Linlin, his eyes still flickering with thoughts: “This landmark event involved the appearance of Duke-level, even King-level spirit tamers. I should keep a low profile…”
“Remember, the instigator of this incident was later the rebel army that roamed the Forest Alliance. Legend has it they were led by a King-level spirit tamer who later emerged many talents. Of course… in the end, they were destroyed by that Divine Spirit Tamer, merely serving as stepping stones…”
“Of course, I don’t need to get involved in the open conflicts between these two major forces right now. I just need to quietly observe and wait for the Chosen One of Fate to appear…”
…
As Wu Ming settled down, far away, a spirit tamer with shining eyes held a portrait, his gaze burning with fiery determination, as if making a final decision: “Dongfang Suoming!”
“I know… I’ve already told you, please let me go…”
Beside him was a young man from the Dongfang family. Looking at his face, it was actually Dongfang Song, who had once trained with Wu Ming in the Xingying Mountains!
Right now, he looked pitiful, clearly having suffered greatly.
Although Wu Ming possessed the Divine Fortune Star, rendering any divination ineffective, he had previously exposed Xie Lang and Tie Chi Jin Diao in Feibao City. Combined with his unmistakable appearance, this allowed Lan Daren to track him all the way here.
“Where is he?”
Lan Daren asked his final question.
“I know… I remember he told Dongfang Dieyu that he was heading to the Forest Alliance!”
Dongfang Song immediately shouted.
“Since that’s the case, you’re no longer of any value…”
Puff!
A look of extreme terror appeared on Dongfang Song’s face, a crack opened on his forehead, and he slumped to the ground lifelessly.
“The Forest Alliance?”
Lan Daren took one last deep look at Ju Shi Cheng and turned to leave.
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