Chapter 81: God of Destruction (1)

’In the end nothing impulsive happened… You are too focused, my disciple.’ Nineorigin couldn’t help but think this looking at his composed expression. Despite all the earlier teasing, Heifeng Jiansui still wasn’t fazed by her.

“Anyway, I said that I’ll give you an opportunity to complete a Nine Origin Formation. So it’s time for you to go to meditate before the Origin of the Heavenly Dao of this Chaosworld, the World Tree.” Nineorigin gave him a white token before continuing. “Crush it and you’ll appear there. It is a spiritual realm that I cannot enter, but as years pass, it will fuse into me and allow me to control Heaven and Earth in this Chaosworld. For now, you’ll be going alone…”

Heifeng Jiansui was surprised at her offer. The World Tree was a place where the Heavenly Dao gathered. If he condensed the World Sprouts here, then… “I owe---“

Suddenly, his words were interrupted. “I am your master after all. This is simply some good fortune being bestowed by me.” Nineorigin’s voice was gentle.

In response, he simply nodded his head and crushed the token. A power surpassing spacetime surrounded him, warping him away from the material world to a more mysterious one.

+++

Heifeng Jiansui found himself in a multicolored space. Nine colors of nine elements were prominent here, the Supreme Dao thick like pillars while other, lesser Laws, Principles and Daos formed a tapestry of multicolored threads of dazzling light.

Heifeng Jiansui ignored all this and unrelentingly walked forward, not hesitating even when the strange lights flashed and blinded his eyes. Finally, the strange lights disappeared and the world returned to normality. All the myriad Dao were silent and all there was before him was a great tree.

It stretched out to the Heavens and even higher, Heifeng Jiansui’s eyes unable to follow. It was ancient, far surpassing any ordinary tree in lifespan. Even so it was vibrant, evergreen and perennial. Its brown bark was sturdy and its young leaves were green. It was like all the trees that existed but reminded him of none of them.

The World Tree looked as impressive as expected. This was the Origin of the Heavenly Dao after all.

Heifeng Jiansui longed to sit down and gather a Sprout from the fountain of Laws and set up a Nine Origin Formation within himself. But within the Sea of Laws surrounding him, Heifeng Jiansui spied something that made his blood chill.

“…Black Dragon, you undying calamity, how did you take refuge in the World Tree?” Heifeng Jiansui’s eyes were on some blackened leaves that looked like the shed scales of some dragon.

The scale like leaves fell like falling ash. A transformation that ignored physical laws occurred, and a black haired beauty with a nine-pointed star between her eyes appeared. “Heh, it seems that your perception is intact after being weakened so much.” The snide voice seemed amused at being caught.

Heifeng Jiansui didn’t care about her amusement. He could believe her survival after their battle but he didn’t expect her to infiltrate the World Tree. “I thought your soul was turned to dust with that technique.”

“That is true. This is only a remnant of my truesoul sealed in this virtual space around the World Tree. The physical body was formed by the Heavenly Dao to bind my undying soul. Since I cannot cultivate here, a century later my body will die and my soul will shatter. Since it was too boring, I went to sleep. Thankfully, you arrived to entertain me.” The smiling expression on the Black Dragon’s face was disconcerting. Heifeng Jiansui immediately drew Nineprime.

Heifeng Jiansui realized the reason why Nineorigin didn’t inform him of her existence. The Heavenly Dao was not under her control, so she couldn’t interfere in tribulations. Similarly it was possible that she didn’t know of this Black Dragon’s imprisonment.

Of course, it was entirely possible that Nineorigin knew and sent him here as a test. His enemy was only mortal now, and he had the killing technique of a Perpetual Emperor. His defeat was impossible.

In this space around the World Tree, it was impossible to externalize qi or soul. Controlling the Dao was impossible as well. All fighting would be restrained to the level of mortals.

“I spent some time fashioning a spear to play around with. How does it look?” The whitish-gray spear was formed from a fallen branch of the World Tree. Seven foot long with a sharpened point to pierce with, it didn’t seem fearsome but was capable of killing.

“Come then.” Heifeng Jiansui took a defensive posture saying this.

The Black Dragon took the invitation and thrust out. Heifeng Jiansui ignored footwork and slashed out, locking weapons to test her strength. They clashed for a few minutes before retreating. Clearly, their strength was nearly equal.

“You have become weaker, haven’t you? Because I certainly haven’t become stronger…” At his taunt, the cold faced girl thrust out again.

Spear and sword collided again and again, yet no clear victor appeared. Both of them were still concealing their killing techniques of their bloodlines. Thus, they arrived at an impasse.

Heifeng Jiansui still had the card of the World Tree Sprouts granted by his acquaintances to play, a killing technique that was impossible to avoid. And thus, he didn’t mind playing around. But he was getting sick of this meaningless struggle.

“It looks as if you are unsatisfied… It seems that I’ll have to step up. By the way, did you even tell me your name, Sword Immortal?” Seeing the interest on her face, Heifeng Jiansui answered.

“Heifeng Jiansui.” This was the name he had taken this era.

“Black Phoenix, huh? You are fortunate enough to gain a mighty bloodline in your rebirth.” The girl realized why his mortal body had surpassed the limits of humans.

“My name… is Nakshatra Shivaputra. Oh, in the style of your language it should be Shivaputra Nakshatra.” A bloodthirsty smile shone with that admission.

“Lunar Mansion, Child of the God of Destruction… You are the descendent of a God?” Heifeng Jiansui knew a scant few phrases from the language that the Black Dragon derived her name from. But it was enough to comprehend the meaning behind her name…

What exactly was a God? Heifeng Jiansui didn’t know that. All that he knew was that the path of gathering faith lead to deity-hood. Heifeng Jiansui had never met a deity or a god. But was a deity and a god the same?

“Hahaha… You are correct. Shiva, the God of Destruction is my ancestor. Did you get that from the memories you gleaned from my soul before I destroyed it? So, you should know what technique I am going to use.” Hearing Heifeng Jiansui’s depth of knowledge, she was crazily laughing.

“Tandava… the Dance at the World’s Destruction…” This was the only bloodline technique that Nakshatra Shivaputra could perform. As a calamitous Black Dragon, this move was only used to gain insight into the laws of Destruction. However, with a mortal body, this was killing technique capable of destroying him!

Heifeng Jiansui resisted the urge to use the World Sprouts within him and blast the remnant soul. No matter what, it was a sure-kill technique granting him complete immunity. As such, it would only be correct to play some more before killing…

Nakshatra Shivaputra’s dance was utterly breathtaking, a final sight for worlds to take in before accepting death. The spear in her hands struck out from unfathomable, untraceable trajectories. But Heifeng Jiansui still held on, his feet dancing as well.

The untraceable spear could not break through the steadfast sword. The dance of Heifeng Jiansui’s feet was incomparable to the Destruction God’s child in grace and speed. But it was still a dance that could keep up with her!

The power of a Black Phoenix was not of Fire and Darkness, neither that of Chaos and not even Immortality. It was something comparable to it, the power of Undying!

Heifeng Jiansui had completely read through the inheritance of the Black Phoenix Great World and obtained the Black Phoenix Nine Daos. By analyzing the techniques, he found a common thread and focusing on it, created a technique. Undying… was something unknown to him in his past. So this technique was quite rudimentary.

Naming it Black Phoenix Undying Ascent, it was a technique Heifeng Jiansui created as a base to improve on further. It was not something he planned to battle with. But who would have expected the attack of Nakshatra Shivaputra?

Facing the power of Destruction, there was no greater resistance than Undying!

Black Dragon and Black Phoenix, their sword and spear clashed in a dance of destruction. A battle incomparable to their previous one years before, yet it held something of its own.