This Human Immortal Is Too Serious-Chapter 528 - 526: The Heavy Pressure of the Candle Dragon, The Decennial Taboo
Wu Wang had to admit that his sneak attack on the Wind God indeed contained an element of gamble.
But clearly, the Goddess of Fortune sincerely stood on their side!
This strike, he had prepared and planned for a long time; it was far more complex than a mere infiltration behind enemy lines by Wu Wang alone. The "meticulous" deductions of the Heavenly Dao, the forewarnings of the Eastern Emperor's Bell that spanned the river of time, and the most stable trump card of all—if the incarnation failed, then the true body would wage war. These were preconditions that others could not replicate.
According to the deductions of the Heavenly Dao, the Martial God possessed the strength to kill the Wind God in one blow, but the conditions were extremely harsh. It required the Martial God to unleash a desperate strike, and the Wind God had to be unable to deploy his life-saving Divine Arts in time. Simply put, if the Martial God struck with all his might, it was almost certain that the Wind God would be severely injured and forced to flee.
The question then became, where would the Wind God choose to appear when he fled. In Wu Wang's initial estimate, there was a fifty percent chance the Wind God would flee far away. There was a forty percent chance he would appear amid the formation of the many gods present, prompting Candle Dragon-Emperor Shun to take the stage and request Candle Dragon to suppress the Martial God. The remaining ten percent chance was for the Wind God to have a lapse in judgment, or for his own strength to be too weak to withstand a full-force strike from the Martial God.
In the end, the Wind God chose a path that ensured Wu Wang's earlier efforts were not in vain. He chose to appear among the gods while severely injured, intending to request Candle Dragon to manifest and suppress the Martial God.
And then…
There was no "then."
The situation on the scene seemed to be paused. The gods on both sides were somewhat dazed, staring blankly as the long spike pierced through the body of Yinyinhu, the Wind God… They watched as that unfamiliar yet somewhat intimidating Divine General calmly put away the blue Treasure Bead that represented the Wind God's true form.
All the gods were stunned into silence.
All living beings were deeply shaken.
This scene seemed to exceed their understanding. One by one, the Innate Gods "crashed" until a minor god close to the Wind God shouted in a distraught voice, "Lord Wind God…"
"Lord Wind God!"
A shrill scream cut through Heaven and Earth.
Ten or so Innate Gods of the Wind God's lineage were initially taken aback. Then, furiously enraged, they prepared to rush forward. They wanted to flay and pulverize this Divine General who had sneak-attacked their reliance, their pillar, their backbone!
But!
The Martial God's divine might had arrived, enveloping the attacker. The one who had ambushed the Wind God erupted with a dense aura, identical in origin to the Martial God's, and it summoned the protection of the Martial God's Great Dao!
The Martial God bellowed, "Who dares advance!"
All the gods shuddered. The image of the Martial God cleaving the Wind God with his sword was fresh in their minds, snapping them to attention. Most importantly, the Wind God, who could have resisted the Martial God here, was now dead…
"Quick, escape!" an Innate God shouted. Dozens of Innate Gods scattered like birds and beasts in an instant.
Wu Wang ignored the Divine Generals around him, their faces etched with shock and bewilderment. He turned to look at the Innate Gods. Raising his hand to his forehead, he pulled off the mask he wore, revealing his true face. His body crackled like popping beans as he grew slightly taller and thinner. These few changes alone made him seem like a completely different person.
"Martial Artist Qing Shan!"
"This is the Martial God's scheme! The Martial God's disciple ambushed Lord Wind God!"
"Everyone! The Wind God is dead!"
Wu Wang declared loudly, "The Land Beyond the Skies has its own destiny! The gods from the Outer Sky must rely on their own strength!"
He shouted these words twice. The sky around him was already clear and empty. In fact… since the Martial God had uttered, "Who dares advance," not a single attack had come their way. This left Wu Wang's prepared stylish escape moves with no stage on which to perform.
Just as Wu Wang was about to turn and face the Martial God, his body suddenly froze.
In that instant, the Martial God's expression changed. The Sword God and the Martial God's other subordinate gods immediately rushed forward, wishing they could crush Heaven and Earth to appear instantly before the Martial God.
The fleeing Innate Gods and Divine Generals also seemed to sense something. They each turned back, looking above the head of the being who had ambushed Lord Wind God.
There…
An impossibly enormous dragon head had eerily appeared high in the sky. The clouds beneath it were evaporating at a visible rate. Dragon whiskers danced, and draconic might filled the heavens! Red and cyan Divine Light reflected in a pair of dragon eyes, their color like a furnace. His breath carried endless radiance, and the sound was like bells and drums. Behind the dragon head, an undulating divine body could vaguely be seen, stretching from the zenith of the sky into the void, its length vast and inestimable.
Candle Dragon!
Wu Wang's incarnation felt a tremor in his heart. Looking up and locking eyes with Candle Dragon, he covertly grasped a mass of Immortal Light in his left hand. If Candle Dragon sought battle today, he would not hesitate to engage in a decisive fight right here. To shy away from battle for a reason like "too many living beings will be harmed" would be overly cautious and a misplacement of priorities.
WHOOSH!
Several figures suddenly appeared above Wu Wang, intercepting Candle Dragon's oppressive aura. It was the Martial God, arriving with the Sword God, Shield God, Spear God, and Blade God!
In that moment, Wu Wang's thoughts raced. He made an instant decision. His body trembled, he bowed his head, and spat out a mouthful of blood, his complexion turning deathly pale. Candle Dragon's gaze shifted away from him, while the Martial God's eyes, filled with concern, fell upon Wu Wang.
"Teacher, I'm all right!" Wu Wang roared, looking up at the dragon head above. He truly felt the crushing pressure from the strongest divine body since the Third Age of Gods.
It's… it's not that impressive…
PFFT—
Wu Wang turned his head and spat out a screen of blood.
At that moment, several more streaks of Liu Guang shot over from the side, most of them landing behind the Martial God. Sword God, Blade God, Spear God, Axe God, Bow God, Halberd God, Shield God, Hammer God—the Eight-Blade God!
Three Goddesses appeared beside Wu Wang: The Goddess of Liuli, Feiling Goddess, and Frost Veil Goddess. The three Goddesses extended their hands, casting beams of Divine Light. However, all had pale faces, clearly struggling under Candle Dragon's pressure. A tender hand now held Wu Wang's arm, its fingers still trembling slightly.
It was… Jin Wei.
Wu Wang looked up. Jin Wei had her eyes tightly shut, her eyelashes trembling, her lips firmly pressed, and her nostrils slightly flared. In the face of Candle Dragon's overwhelming heavenly might, her stunning beauty seemed somewhat diminished. But Jin Wei was firmly supporting Wu Wang. Even as she herself was nearly overcome by Candle Dragon's imposing aura, she kept her head bowed and pressed close to his side.
"Brother…"
Wu Wang reached back to grasp Jin Wei's wrist, infusing streams of pure Spiritual Power into her smooth skin, helping to stabilize her Divine Soul.
At this point, someone with low emotional intelligence might have complained, Why did you come here?
But Wu Wang already had a rich emotional life, having accumulated experience with women over time. He simply held her in his arms and said softly, "Don't be afraid."
Jin Wei nodded lightly, merely lifting her head to gaze at Wu Wang's face, as if everything happening above was no longer important.
In the sky, Candle Dragon's head hovered above a thin layer of clouds, its aura blanketing the land, its eyes fixed on the Martial God below. The Martial God stood tall and bloodied, his wild, imposing figure exuding untamed power.
Fight?
Then let it be a fight!
The Martial God suddenly let out a thunderous roar. Waves of visible energy surged skyward, blasting the thin clouds apart!
True · Strike First.
Candle Dragon's head appeared clearly before the eyes of all beings.
On the other end of the Heaven and Earth Seal, the Head Manager and Earth God, leading the strong gods of the Celestial Court, stood in readiness, closely monitoring the evolving situation in the Land Beyond the Skies. In the depths of the Martial God World, the Water God and the Goddess of Fortune stood atop a high tower, gazing at the northern sky. From various places in the Land Beyond the Skies, gazes converged on Candle Dragon.
The likelihood of a great battle erupting was now infinitely close to one.
Firstly, the Martial God was not at his peak. Having just taken a hit from Yinyinhu's Divine Arts, he now had an obvious weakness.
Secondly, the army Yinyinhu had previously assembled was still present. Candle Dragon had dozens of Divine Spirits here, and the various armies had not yet dispersed.
Thirdly, Yinyinhu was dead.
Although there were several strong gods under Candle Dragon's banner, none were completely trustworthy. If Candle Dragon showed weakness, they could defect at any moment to whichever side offered them the most benefit. To Candle Dragon-Emperor Shun, Yinyinhu was equivalent to what the Head Manager was to Emperor Shun when Wu Wang was idling in the Human Domain. If Yinyinhu were ambushed and killed by the Martial God and his disciple, and Candle Dragon still chose to forbear, it would undoubtedly damage Candle Dragon's prestige. It would cause the gods of the Land Beyond the Skies to suspect that Candle Dragon was now merely a figurehead, a paper tiger.
Therefore, today, Candle Dragon was compelled to fight the Martial God…
"Martial God." Candle Dragon's voice rumbled down from the sky. "You plotted against Yinyinhu."
"Indeed," the Martial God replied, looking up. "Since he invaded my Divine Realm, I could not tolerate him!"
"Very well." Candle Dragon slowly exhaled these two words.
The Martial God clenched his fists, the Eight-Blade God by his side poised for action!
But Candle Dragon showed no intention of attacking. His draconic eyes were incredibly calm, yet this calmness sent shivers of unease through the hearts of the gods of the Land Beyond the Skies.
Candle Dragon said, "I give you ten years to set your affairs in order. Ten years from today, the Martial God World shall become a wasteland."
With these words, an explosion of red and blue light burst from Candle Dragon's eyes. His immense form vanished in an instant. The sky was empty, clouds slowly drifting in from the distant horizon.
It all seemed like a collective hallucination of the gods and living beings. But as the cool wind swept past, countless beings slumped to the ground, drenched in cold sweat. Those Divine Spirits, regardless of their allegiance, mostly had pale faces, with beads of sweat the size of beans on their foreheads.
Ten years later?
Wu Wang's mind raced, suspicion after suspicion arising in his heart. The Heavenly Dao had already begun to calculate the various schemes Candle Dragon-Emperor Shun might be plotting. There was definitely deceit involved here.
「An hour later, in a secluded mountain forest within the Sword Domain, inside the Temple of the Sword God.」
PFFT.
The Martial God sat down heavily on a stone stool. The brawny man, so imposing moments ago, now resembled a deflated balloon. He sat there gasping for breath, muttering a few coarse curses.
"Damn it! For a moment there, I thought Candle Dragon was going to swallow me whole!"
The Martial God's subordinate gods within the Temple chuckled softly. The Goddess of Liuli, no longer needing to be discreet, walked past Wu Wang and Jin Wei to the Martial God's side. She placed her palm on his shoulder, expressing her support.
The Martial God patted her hand, signaling he was fine, then turned his gaze to a corner. The brute's eyes suddenly lit up, a wide grin spreading across his face. He called out warmly, "Qing Shan? Come, Qing Shan."
Jin Wei, clad in a pale golden dress, standing tall and slender, released Wu Wang's arm. Wu Wang immediately took two steps forward, clasped his hands in greeting, and produced the Wind God's true form from his sleeve—the cyan Treasure Bead. He smiled at the Martial God.
"Teacher! Your disciple landed an extra blow for you!"
"Hahaha! Excellent! Hahaha! A brilliant strike! Hahaha!" The Martial God roared with laughter, unable to close his mouth. A few nearby Innate Gods couldn't help but gather around, marveling at the Wind God's "remains," their voices filled with admiration and emotion.
Such a powerful Wind God, slain just like that. It was truly incredible, almost surreal.
The Sword God couldn't help asking, "Qing Shan, about today's events…"
"I was the one orchestrating things from behind," Wu Wang admitted frankly. "I had someone spread the rumors in the Wind God World. I just didn't expect the Wind God to take the bait so easily and actually lead some Innate Gods to Candle Dragon to request orders. Killing the Wind God today was pure luck. If he had fled with all his might after taking Teacher's blow, no one could have stopped him, and Teacher would have revealed such a trump card for nothing. I didn't expect the Wind God to try and play the victim to get Candle Dragon to appear. He can't blame me for striking him down then."
The Sword God stroked his beard and chuckled, his eyes glinting with thoughtful Divine Light. Several Innate Gods chimed in, asking Wu Wang when he had infiltrated the enemy camp and where he had found the courage to ambush a Strong God like the Wind God.
Wu Wang answered each question, revealing everything except details concerning the Heavenly Dao and his own identity. When the gods heard how Wu Wang had challenged powerful experts, consumed precious Spirit Fruits like regular meals for rapid growth, and endured years of suffering from the explosive surge of Spiritual Power, they were all deeply moved.
When he left the Martial God World, his strength had just entered the Martial Emperor Realm. Now, returning to the Martial God World, he brought with him the remains of the Outer Sky Strong God, the Wind God, and a body covered in battle scars.
"Sigh!" The Martial God rose from his stone seat. The gods around Wu Wang quickly made way for their leader.
Wu Wang couldn't help but feel a twinge of apprehension, wondering if he should tell his teacher the truth about his identity. Yet, he worried that if he revealed it now, his teacher might accidentally let it slip later…
'My disciple, Eastern Emperor Taiyi! WAHAHAHA!' The image of the Martial God, hands on hips, shouting this, was already vivid in his mind. Wu Wang decisively dismissed the thought.
"Qing Shan!" The Martial God placed his large hands on Wu Wang's shoulders, his voice thick with emotion. "You've suffered! It's Teacher's fault for being useless, for not being able to defeat Candle Dragon yet. Otherwise, you wouldn't have had to endure such humiliation!"
"Ah, this… Disciple doesn't really feel humiliated…"
"Forcing yourself to reach such a realm in such a short time, isn't that humiliation?" The Martial God's eyes reddened as he spoke. He suddenly pulled the young man before him into a hug, thumping his back forcefully a few times.
"My disciple should be cultivating peacefully, enjoying the joy of cultivation, not making 'becoming stronger' his mission and duty, not rushing forward so hastily that he misses the scenery along the way… Sigh, I still don't know how to step into that realm. It is my failing."
Wu Wang: …
What should I do? I'm actually a little touched.
A water-blue radiance flashed nearby. The Water God's ethereal form quietly appeared, his voice soft. "Martial God, Qing Shan, come quickly. We need to discuss matters."
The Martial God pushed Wu Wang away and instructed the surrounding gods to remain vigilant against Candle Dragon's potential return.
Wu Wang also exchanged a glance with Jin Wei. They hadn't seen each other for so long, and now, after only a brief encounter, he was about to set off again. Jin Wei simply smiled and winked at Wu Wang, softly calling out, "Brother, I'll make you some delicious food. I'll wait for you to come back."
"Mm," Wu Wang replied. He followed behind the Martial God, and together they stepped into the water-blue circle of light left by the Water God. Both figures flickered and reappeared in a stone chamber, which was actually not far away.
Inside the chamber, the Water God, the Goddess of Fortune, the Frost Goddess, and several Innate Gods from the "Martial-Water Alliance" all rose to greet them. The only figure who did not rise, possessing an enchanting and captivating beauty, was Yun Zhongjun's Outer Sky incarnation.
"This is my disciple! Hahaha!" The Martial God's first words were to push Wu Wang forward. He announced proudly, "He already has the strength to slay Innate Gods!"
Wu Wang, somewhat embarrassed, repeatedly clasped his hands in greeting. The gods returned the gesture.
Then… Yun Zhongjun gracefully rose to her feet and gave Martial Artist Qing Shan a captivating smile.
The Martial God suddenly remembered something. Back when he, Liuli, and Little Jin Wei were watching his disciple from the sky as he headed to the border to deal with the Celestial Fox Tribe, this Sister Yun seemed to have met his disciple. Sister Yun had even said she was his disciple's childhood friend, that they had grown up together, and so on.
This?
The Martial God's bell-like eyes widened. He looked from Yun Zhongjun's incarnation to Wu Wang, and a small lightning bolt seemed to flash in his mind.
Wu Wang sighed inwardly. It has come to this. I might as well admit it. Although it will affect my future plans, the secret is clearly out, and Teacher has already connected the dots…
"Aha!" The Martial God yanked Wu Wang behind him, glared at Yun Zhongjun's incarnation, and stated firmly, "Eastern Emperor Taiyi has had his eyes on my disciple for a long time?"
Yun Zhongjun gave a wry smile and calmly resumed her seat.
Wu Wang: …
Leave it to fate. Whether my identity is revealed or not, just leave it to fate.
The Water God spoke gently, "Martial God, you're here. Where were we in our discussion?"
The Martial God pulled Wu Wang to the main seat, placing Wu Wang behind him. His proud demeanor was much like that of a general who had just won a great victory.
Yun Zhongjun chuckled. "We were just discussing why Candle Dragon didn't strike today and instead proposed a ten-year agreement. There must be several layers of malignant intent hidden within."
"What intent?" the Martial God frowned. "Today, I could feel that Candle Dragon was on the verge of erupting. But the strange thing is, he actually managed to hold back."
"This indicates that the one controlling Candle Dragon's body is Emperor Shun." The Water God patted his round belly and lamented, "In recent years, Candle Dragon's schemes, his methods of dividing and ruling the gods—they are all too similar to Emperor Shun's."
The Goddess of Fortune sighed. "Candle Dragon probably has no control left at all."
"How do you think Emperor Shun managed it?" Yun Zhongjun asked. "He was ambushed by His Majesty Eastern Emperor Taiyi within Heaven and Earth, yet in the Land Beyond the Skies, he managed to bind Candle Dragon and make a comeback. Thinking about Emperor Shun's trajectory, though despicable and utterly shameless, I can't help but feel a degree of admiration. What an incredibly thick skin, and what a profound desire for power, to enable him to achieve such a thing."
All the gods fell silent.
Wu Wang said, "Candle Dragon said he would turn the Martial God World into a desert in ten years. Could he be using this to divert attention, to conceal his true objective?"
The Water God laughed. "Qing Shan, your words make a lot of sense."
The Frost Goddess, who had previously provided Wu Wang with a large quantity of "supplies," now frowned lightly. "Qing Shan's words have reminded me of something. Those four Divine Realms that turned into deserts overnight were undoubtedly Candle Dragon's doing, intended to intimidate the gods of the Outer Sky. He achieved his purpose; the Divine Guards and Divine Generals painstakingly cultivated by the gods are now gathered under Candle Dragon.
"Today, facing the Martial God, Candle Dragon should have been assured of victory. After all, the Martial God was already injured. Furthermore, at one moment, the Eight Auxiliary Gods had not fully reached the Martial God's side. With Qing Shan behind the Martial God, Candle Dragon had absolute assurance if he chose to strike. But Candle Dragon chose to retreat and left behind that harsh ten-year ultimatum. Thinking carefully, there are only two possibilities."
The Frost Goddess paused for dramatic effect. Seeing the thoughtful expressions on the faces of the gods present, she continued slowly, "The first possibility is that Candle Dragon himself has a problem. The second possibility, just as Qing Shan said, is that Candle Dragon is doing this intentionally, secretly arranging some major event that requires ten years, or perhaps several years, to complete."
"Indeed," the Goddess of Fortune calmly brushed aside the mixed black-and-white strands of hair from her forehead. "The ten years might be a feint. Perhaps he can complete his arrangements in half a year, or a year."
Wu Wang silently gave these two goddesses a thumbs-up from behind. Their considerations were indeed comprehensive, saving him a lot of explanation.
Wu Wang knew exactly what Emperor Shun was planning. It was nothing more than two things:
First, to ignite the flames of war in the Land Beyond the Skies, slowly simmering the Power of Living Beings.
Second, to set up a major Formation as a contingency. Then, when the timing was right or if it became necessary, he would directly use this Formation to refine the Land Beyond the Skies.
The first was overt; the second was covert.
If Candle Dragon were to devour the Martial God at this moment, it would certainly provoke the Heavenly Dao to suppress him, regardless of the casualties among living beings. This outcome would not align with Candle Dragon-Emperor Shun's plans. Emperor Shun was gambling that the Heavenly Dao would not be able to detect the Formation he was setting up.
Indeed, Wu Wang and the Heavenly Dao had almost been deceived by Emperor Shun. But what Emperor Shun didn't know was that Wu Wang's arsenal of "cheats" included a gatekeeper, a "sweeper"—Little Zhong!
The gods discussed for the better part of a day. Although they knew Candle Dragon was hiding a conspiracy, they couldn't devise an effective countermeasure. They could only agree to meet again in half a month.
The Martial God pulled the Water God into a corner and whispered with him for a while. Wu Wang vaguely overheard them discussing the "relocation of living beings from the Martial God World." Clearly, the Martial God didn't want to gamble with the lives of the citizens of his Eleven Realms. He planned to evacuate the Martial God World in advance and then go all out in a do-or-die battle with Candle Dragon.
The Water God looked troubled but still nodded in agreement to the Martial God's request. The Martial God, who usually had an informal and playful relationship with the Water God, now wore a solemn expression. He raised his hands above his head, clasped them in a salute, and bowed deeply to the Water God.
The Water God accepted the gesture calmly. Settling so many living beings from the Martial God's Eleven Realms involved not just moving them but also providing an environment where they could survive—a tremendous challenge in itself. In the Outer Sky, the Water God was likely the only one capable of such a feat.
「That night, the stars in the Sword Domain seemed to sparkle with a hint of sharp intent.」
In a quiet courtyard, Wu Wang, dragging his weary body, returned. Jin Wei, who had been bustling about inside for half the day, opened the door to welcome him. Ignoring the gazes of the surrounding guards and Maidens, she lifted her cumbersome skirt and ran towards Wu Wang, crashing heavily into his arms.
"Brother! I missed you so much!"
"You smell so nice," Wu Wang sniffed deeply.
Jin Wei smiled, her lips pursed. She looked up at Wu Wang, couldn't resist standing on her tiptoes, and then subconsciously bit her lower lip. "This is a girl's rouge and powder!"
Wu Wang looked down, their foreheads gently touching. "Let's go back inside. I want to rest for a while. There are still many things waiting for me to do."
"Mm," Jin Wei replied softly. She sensibly released Wu Wang's waist and took his arm. "But after you've rested, you have to tell me about what happened outside."
"I've saved up a lot of stories."
"Then tell them to me one by one, until dawn."
"Forget dawn; even three days and three nights wouldn't be enough to tell them all…"
"HEE HEE! Brother, you're the best."
Watching the young couple enter the house, the guards and Maidens exchanged smiles. The former continued their patrols, while the latter busied themselves bringing some Cha Ming and snacks, hoping to catch snippets of the stories from inside.
Bamboo shadows swayed gently, and the night breeze whispered.
