“What the hell is that thing!?” Someone screamed.

The Grand Elder announced. “Death Armour Archaic Soldier.”

****

“It is an old and ancient thing.” Grand Elder Jin Ya answered. He didn’t pay any more attention to Violet Flame Noble, considering this thing to be treated with paramount importance.

He then continued. Its legend is steeped in mystery and its exploits are equally jarring.”

The Death Armour Archaic Soldier was given this name because these were its most notable characteristics.

All around it was a miasma of death that induced despair in the most stalwart beings. An armour, black and imposing covered it from head to toe. Whether it was stained by the miasma or made like this would forever remain unanswered.

The armour itself was a style of some bygone era, one much too old to be traced back. This existence eternally wandered the continent through era after era.

Sometimes it would appear generation after generation and there were times it would disappear for so long that it would be relegated to myths and scarce tellings.

No one knew its goal or purpose. It simply wandered the continent aimlessly.

One thing that many people knew was that it shouldn’t be disturbed or hindered in any way. Doing so would be considered unwise as it could lead to death or even worse, clan extermination.

Ancient ancestors were aware of a time when a powerful cultivator attacked Death Armour Archaic Soldier and it actually paused in its travel, something that shocked the entire continent as this never happened before.

It was defined by its aimless journey, so a hush fell over the continent because of this. All eyes fell on it to see what it would do and how long this would last.

Days turned into weeks, and weeks became months, which then transformed into years. Eventually, people stopped paying attention to it and its tales ceased before it faded into obscurity once again.

Then one day, one that was just like any other, its once immovable frame trembled and it did something that it had never done since its actuality.

Its feet snapped in a different direction. Once its new path was laid out and people discovered this, a furore erupted on the continent. People started paying attention to it once more.

This was significant because even though the journey of this being was seemingly without purpose, it always proceeded forward. It may drift to the right, or lean to the left, but onward was its theme.

For it to take a hard turn was something that it had never been seen doing. Once its destination was discovered, the furore on the continent reached a new height.

It arrived before the sect where the expert that paused its travel hailed from.

The warning bells of this sect blared, but the Death Armour Archaic Soldier advanced. The sect’s defensive formation activated, but the Death Armour Archaic Soldier continued on.

It arrived before the formation and corroded the defences of the sect, and the members of the sect descended upon it to destroy this intruder.

People from all over paid attention to this battle. The Death Armour Archaic Soldier walked towards the expert from before, ignoring the attacks from everyone else.

However, when it reached a certain level, its target magnified.

By the next day, that sect no longer existed in this world. Dead bodies were strewn all over and elders, deacons, and guardians were all massacred without exception.

The citizens of the continent felt a chill when they investigated the remains of this once-great power. The scene was cruel and inhumane.

Sometime after, a similar thing happened when a campaign was launched against it by several powers all at once.

They wanted to wipe out this scourge, this potential sect destroying disaster once and for all. Apart, none of these sects could stand up to the sect it destroyed before, but together they posed a threat.

All the top masters of this sect besieged it, but alas, every one of them fell to its blade. These sects then trembled in anticipation of their inevitable end.

But to everyone’s surprise, it never came. These sects were spared, confusing everyone even more.

Some people who had an interest in it and studied the Death Armour Archaic Soldier longer than others noted that it didn’t pause in its travel this time despite the besiegement. It only attacked when provoked, which was nothing new.

People realised that this thing had a mysterious bottom line, but as long as it wasn’t touched, then living wasn’t a problem. It was also bizarre in that no powerful existence has been able to take it down, yet any cultivator could challenge it and come out alive regardless of their cultivation levels.

Therefore, whenever it appeared, which was rare in itself, cultivators who wished to make a name for themselves would challenge it and would be ranked based on how long they could last against it. Of course, this carried a fair deal of danger all the same, so only those who were courageous would undertake this task.

When the junior generation learned of this, their admiration for the Seven Heroes and the Five Nobles grew. This was especially so for Heavenly Sun Noble who was able to last as long as she did against it without falling.

Mad Sword Haoran saw as Death Armour Archaic Soldier closed in on them and assumed a fighting stance to defend his master. Heavenly Sun Noble wasn’t his master in the same vein that Violet Flame Noble’s master was to him.

It was more a case where one was royalty and the other was the subordinate. Nevertheless, he would defend this master of his no matter what.

Jingyi Yu was also beside and an invisible wind kicked up around as she readied herself to attack if the need arose.

Curiously, however, Death Armour Archaic Soldier didn’t spare them a glance and still trudged forward. Its steps were like an old mortal on his last legs, but no one dared to underestimate it.

“Open the main city gates!”

A powerful and imposing voice echoed from within the depths of Golden Lion Gate.

“Golden Lion Gate’s sect master!”

Many of the experts here had an idea of who gave this order. This was the existence that wielded the greatest authority in Cang Bian City, Golden Lion Gate’s sect master. An existence at the level of a martial grandmaster.

Creak!

The massive city gates of Cang Bian City swung wide to allow Death Armour Archaic Soldier passage. The city gates that Long Di and the others went through were for individuals and normal people.

The main city gates, in this case, were the large gates that allowed entrance to important characters such as Kings and so on.

“Grand Elder Jin Ya, why is the sect master allowing Death Armour Archaic Soldier to enter the city?” One Golden Lion Gate disciple asked.

The Grand Elder answered while staring at the marching entity. “It must not be hindered, nor obstructed. It seeks to wander the continent. As long as unrestricted passage is allowed, then no enmity or harm will be incurred.”

“I see,” the young disciple nodded.

They now understood that it would pass through peacefully. It was an ominous existence, sure, but there were ways to deal with it.

Everyone’s eyes were glued to it as it slowly made its way through the city. The streets were desolate, as it was absent of both cultivators and mortals.

The atmosphere was tense and dark. Even though it was night right now, the darkness this being brought with it, overshadowed that with a blackness that was lonely and eerie.

A slow and chilly wind drifted through the streets. It rattled the doors and windows. The entire phenomenon made the city seem like a ghost town.

Kakaka…

Suddenly, the frame of the Death Armour Archaic Soldier trembled, rattling the bones within, and it paused.

It.

Stopped.

Everyone’s breath got caught in their throats.

The grand elder and the rest of the elders widened their eyes, and cold sweat immediately covered them.

This was a disaster!

It should be known that this thing has never stopped unless destruction is upon the horizon by its own hand.

Even throughout the besiegement of the past and its battle with Heavenly Sun Noble, it remained constant with its pace and wandering.

Barring the few times in the past when it paused, its pace was also the most powerful indicator of its peerless prowess.

No one could make it slow down or speed up. So then why now!?

It turned around and directed its gaze on the city walls. Every single person felt their hair exploding on end.

“Aaaaah!” A scream of pain broke the deadlock of terror as everyone looked over to a specific section of the wall.

They saw a larger-than-life cat shielding from them what was being done. It was then that they realised that Death Armour Archaic Soldier was looking at whatever it was that was being done.

“Brat!”

Killing intent immediately flashed in Grand Elder Jin Ya’s eyes, and he took a step forward in response.

Kakakakakakaka…

Vhwoom!

He froze as the sound of bones rattling followed by a fiendish, murderous intent assaulted him.

He slowly and carefully turned his head to see Death Armour Archaic Soldier, and he nearly shat and pissed on himself at that moment.

He found the gaze of Death Armour Archaic Soldier fixed squarely on him!