Days passed, and the world slipped from weeks into an uneasy month.
By then, Mingyin had entered the Awakening Realm and survived countless adventures and battles. His first move had finally sent ripples through every corner of the mortal world.
Lord Renewal had awakened and raised an army. The Culprit of Fate had joined him, each pursuing his own interests. Neither seemed to understand the danger their alliance posed—or that their actions were pushing the entire mortal world toward catastrophe.
Then Sun Tzu, one of the most powerful and revered immortals alive, returned from the dead.
His revival mirrored Renewal's, and the timing was enough to unsettle every continent. To make matters worse, the Supreme Elder and his adviser had been gone for several days without explanation.
The world was no longer waiting for disaster.
It had already begun.
Immortal Continent
A massive fleet stretched across the horizon, its ships built from dark native wood. Ancient arcane drawings covered their polished surfaces, shimmering beneath the light.
Behind the enormous vessels followed countless smaller ships.
Some were connected to glass spires wrapped in fossil-like roots. They floated high above the ground while glass spheres revolved around their centers, carrying immortals within them. Others descended until they hovered just above the water, gliding silently across the waves.
Then the largest ships began to creak.
Creak!
Creak!
The hull attached to one of them descended on thick ropes tied around its corners. It struck the water with a heavy impact.
The rudder scraped across the surface.
Splash!
A wave rolled outward as the rear of the ship settled into place.
Several immortals stood on a broad platform a few meters from the wooden gate. Below them, the smaller vessels approached the larger ships, their fronts sliding along the wooden hulls.
Narrow platforms had been built into the rear of the larger ships, each one deep enough for several smaller vessels to dock. One after another, the ships flew toward them and landed.
The rest of the fleet followed.
Inside the main ship lay a massive storage realm. Countless barrels and wine bottles covered the floor and lined the walls, glittering beneath the lamps.
The smaller vessels rose into the air, then descended into a long, narrow opening carved into the earth. Floating lamps drifted overhead, illuminating the passage as immortals stepped out and moved forward.
Beyond it was a large hall with three wide-open doors, each leading down a separate path.
A sign stood beside the first:
[Breakfast and Evening Meals]
The second was marked:
[Outside View]
Immortals could use that route to reach the top of the ship, survey the surrounding area, or attend to personal matters.
The third path was the most important:
[Headquarters of the Elder]
It was strictly forbidden.
Only matters of the highest importance were handled there.
"Idiot, are you trying to kill yourself?"
A short young woman in purple silk stared ahead, her pale eyes flickering with annoyance.
Author's Note: She is the same person who spoke with the Supreme Elder about Renewal's revival in Chapter 42.
She crossed her arms.
"You almost blew our entire team off the map, and you even tore your toes off."
"Ahh, yes, sister. I know. Stop being such a pain in the ass."
"Sorry for caring about you for once in my lifetime!"
"Hey, who is that?"
A nearby immortal stared at the pair in shock while helping several others stand.
"Isn't that the Supreme Elder's adviser from the Region Continent?"
"Yes. She survived, and she's quite strong. Even if I were a peak expert at Stage Three, she would still beat me into jelly beans!"
"That's true… Wait, there's also the captain of the Crane Fleet! He's one of the strongest forces on the continent!"
The short woman and the adviser of the Region Continent held her brother back.
"Ahh, you've grown a bit?"
A tall young man stood before them in a black robe. His feet were wrapped in bandages, blood seeping through them as he winced in pain.
"Come on, let's get you treated—no, I mean, let's get you healed!"
"Okay, brat. Ahh—stop holding my chest!"
"I thought you were hiding an artifact again!"
"I'm not immature anymore!"
"Yeah, yeah."
"Stroud sister, you're always annoying, Kiruma!"
…
After Kiruma's brother was taken to another ship for special treatment, she returned to her duties.
She was responsible for preparing the entire army for the coming battle against the Region Continent. Before that, however, she needed to continue her own training and address the Force Sect's weaknesses.
She would speak with the First Force about its flaws, discuss its shortcomings with the Region Continent's representatives, and help investigate Renewal's revival.
There was little time left for herself.
Sometimes, she returned home and collapsed onto her bed, sleeping for more than nine hours. Other times, she sat down with a book on integrity and read until exhaustion overtook her.
Today was one of the few days she had to herself.
Tomorrow, the preparations would begin again. She would organize supplies, strengthen the army, and speak with the Supreme Elder.
Kiruma stood on the deck, gazing down at the sea as the wind tugged at her hair.
The water below was unnaturally still.
The fleet drifted across it without resistance, yet the waves seemed to stop several meters from the ships, as though something beneath the surface were holding them back.
Kiruma looked up and held her arm.
Hmm… It has been three days since the Supreme Elder left. If he doesn't return by the second week, a search party will be deployed. Hopefully, he is still well.
A cold gust slipped beneath her sleeve.
She glanced toward the dark horizon.
For an instant, she thought she saw a thin black line standing upright in the distance.
Then the wind shifted, and it was gone.
My brother will probably be forced to return home because of his injuries…
A faint creak sounded beneath the deck.
Kiruma lowered her gaze.
The ship continued moving.
Nothing appeared to be wrong.
Yet the creak came again.
This time, it sounded farther away.
Then closer.
Kiruma's fingers tightened around her arm.
Ahh, but I wish things were always this simple.
She held a newspaper in her hands, then tore it into pieces and released them to the wind.
The scraps rose into the air.
Instead of scattering immediately, they hung there for a moment, trembling against the night breeze.
Then they drifted toward the sea.
Not with the wind.
Against it.
Kiruma watched them vanish into the darkness.
A faint ripple appeared below.
It spread beneath the scraps, widening in perfect circles.
Then the water became still again.
As she turned away, she passed several people.
The newspaper had depicted a large hill where dove-like beings soared through the sky, arrows flying toward them from behind while monstrous silhouettes loomed overhead.
It was propaganda.
Whenever a global crisis erupted, propaganda followed close behind. Sometimes it created hatred between continents. Other times, it destroyed the reputations of innocent people.
There was even a hidden Propaganda Sect whose sole purpose was to spread false information and publicly disgrace others.
Many people had been framed for minor incidents.
This crisis centered on the Region Continent.
After Renewal awakened, the world learned that the leader of the Region Continent—and the continent itself—had played a role in his revival.
Now, they were supposedly attempting to suppress the Immortal Continent.
The Immortal Continent was furious.
Propaganda spread rapidly, accusing the Region Continent of murdering children, mothers, and fathers and committing countless atrocities.
The entire region descended into chaos.
Students from the Region Continent were even bullied in schools across the Immortal Continent.
But life continued.
At least, that was what everyone told themselves.
Kiruma entered a wooden house on the deck and closed the door behind her.
The moment the door shut, the sounds of the fleet faded.
No footsteps passed outside.
No voices drifted through the walls.
Even the wind disappeared.
Kiruma remained still, one hand resting on the door.
The silence pressed against the room.
Then, from somewhere beyond the walls, came a soft knock.
Once.
Twice.
She waited.
Nothing followed.
Night had fallen.
This would be her last day of rest for the week. After tonight, she would once again prepare for the coming war.
At least she could finally sleep.
She turned off the lamp beside her and began to settle down.
The darkness inside the room felt thicker than it should have.
Kiruma opened her eyes.
For a moment, she heard breathing behind her.
Slow.
Wet.
Close enough to brush against the back of her neck.
She froze.
The sound stopped.
A moment later, she flinched and turned around.
Nothing stood behind her.
Only the dark room.
She stepped backward.
Her heel struck the floorboards, but no sound came from the impact.
Kiruma's expression changed.
She tried to move again.
Her body suddenly locked in place.
The darkness in the corners of the room began to spread, crawling across the walls like ink poured into water. The lamp beside her flickered once, twice, then went completely black.
A pressure closed around her chest.
Darkness engulfed her.
She tried to scream, but the sound caught in her throat.
What is happening? Who is… Ahhh—hhmm!
Something cold brushed across her cheek.
Kiruma's eyes widened.
The room began to dissolve.
The walls stretched into black strands. The floor beneath her feet lost its shape. Beyond the window, the deck vanished piece by piece, swallowed without a sound.
The darkness did not move like smoke.
It moved with purpose.
It passed through the walls, slipped beneath the floorboards, and spread across the ship in widening veins.
For one brief instant, Kiruma saw the outline of the door.
Beyond it, the fleet was still there.
Then the outline folded inward.
The deck vanished.
The ship vanished.
The world outside vanished.
For one brief instant, a single thought flashed through her mind.
No one knows I'm gone.
Then Kiruma disappeared.
The Disappearance of LO22
On the deck of one of the ships, an old watchman walked beneath the night sky with a lamp in hand.
He was responsible for watching for anything suspicious.
The fleet was quiet.
Too quiet.
The usual creaking of the ships had stopped. The waves no longer slapped against the hulls. Even the floating lamps seemed dimmer, their flames trembling inside their glass casings.
The watchman slowed.
He looked toward the neighboring vessels.
One ship was missing.
At first, his mind refused to understand what he was seeing.
There was no wreckage.
No broken wood.
No scattered cargo.
No lingering spiritual energy.
Only an empty stretch of black water where the ship had been.
The watchman raised his lamp higher.
The flame bent toward the empty space.
Not with the wind.
"What?"
His breath caught.
He stepped closer to the railing.
The light reached across the waves, but it found nothing.
Not even foam.
"Where is Ship LO22?"
His voice sounded small beneath the open sky.
The words traveled across the water.
Then stopped.
No echo returned.
Something moved beneath the surface.
The watchman jerked backward.
A dark ripple spread across the sea, widening in perfect circles.
He stared at it.
The ripple stopped.
A second one appeared farther away.
Then a third.
All of them formed around the place where LO22 had vanished.
Panic seized him.
He sprinted toward the mast, where a large bell hung from its frame, and grabbed the rope.
His fingers slipped once.
Then he pulled with all his strength.
Bang!
Bang!
Bang!
The alarm echoed across the entire fleet.
"What is happening?!"
People woke inside the houses on the deck. Workers in the hull heard the bell as well.
The atmosphere changed instantly.
Doors flew open.
Bare feet struck wooden floors.
Weapons were drawn before anyone knew what they were fighting.
"Everyone, don't act lazy! Get up and prepare to fight!"
Sleeping immortals jolted awake.
This was supposed to be their time to rest, but everyone knew what the bell meant.
Something serious had happened.
Figures began appearing across the decks. Anger, exhaustion, confusion, and fear spread through the fleet, infecting even those who had not yet learned what had occurred.
Several immortals looked toward the sea.
One of them whispered, "Why is the water so still?"
No one answered.
Then several Supreme Leaders appeared.
As the Supreme Elders took their positions aboard the ships, one of them announced the news:
"LO22 has dissolved into darkness!"
Silence followed.
The words seemed to hang in the air.
Then panic erupted.
Immortals crowded the decks, staring at the empty space where LO22 had once been.
The vessel had been an important part of the fleet, originally intended to travel toward the Region Continent.
Now it had vanished overnight.
No explosion had been heard.
No defensive formation had activated.
No distress signal had been sent.
It had simply disappeared.
"Kiruma!"
Her younger brother pushed through the crowd and rushed to the railing.
He stared at the empty sea, his face turning pale.
"Sister… stop hiding…"
His voice cracked.
He looked behind him, as though expecting her to step out of the crowd and scold him for panicking.
She did not.
"Sob… please don't die!"
Others searched the surrounding area in terror.
They released spiritual senses, summoned tracking artifacts, and scanned the water below.
Every technique returned the same result.
Nothing.
Not a trace of LO22 remained.
Then one of the tracking artifacts began to tremble.
Its needle pointed toward the empty water.
A thin layer of frost spread across its surface.
The artifact cracked.
"Begin a search party immediately!"
Second Leader Mo Qing shouted while wiping sweat from his forehead.
Nearby immortals obeyed at once and spread across the sea.
They searched beneath the waves.
They searched the sky.
They searched the surrounding space for cracks, distortions, and hidden formations.
Some even dove into the darkness below the fleet, but they returned pale and shaking, claiming that something had been watching them from the depths.
One immortal refused to speak at all.
He only kept staring over his shoulder.
Seven days passed.
The Supreme Elder still had not returned.
The entire continent fell into shock and terror.
"What happened to the Supreme Elder of the Immortal Continent…?"
A second search party was ordered.
They searched for two days with barely any rest, exploring ancient ruins and dangerous regions. Many immortals died during the search.
Some vanished inside abandoned formations.
Others were found with their souls torn from their bodies.
A few returned without memories of where they had been.
Still, the search continued.
"Hey, what is that?"
"Isn't that the Great Rock Heaven Divine Mountain Spirit that was once taken by our ancestor—"
"Shut up, Cai Rui!"
"Sorry, boss… I'm just interested in the mortal world."
"Shut the heck up!"
"Sorry…"
Inside a jungle, a group of immortals stood before a massive mountain path leading upward.
At its peak was a large, decayed circular platform.
The trees around them were unnaturally silent. No insects chirped. No leaves rustled. Even the mist hanging between the roots remained perfectly still.
Cai Rui, a young immortal with an ordinary appearance and a reputation as a "loser genius," looked around nervously.
He only wanted to learn more about the mortal world.
Unfortunately, his uncle had forced him to join the search party.
Standing before him was his commander, Han Feng.
"Everyone, get into position!"
The immortals nodded, summoned their artifacts, and flew upward.
Everyone except Cai Rui.
He hesitated while choosing an artifact.
A faint black mark appeared on the surface of the decayed platform above them.
Cai Rui did not notice it.
When his commander turned around, Cai Rui panicked.
He accidentally released his soul force energy into the artifact.
BAM!
The commander was shot backward and crashed onto the path.
CRACK!
The ground shook.
For a moment, the black mark on the platform pulsed.
Then it vanished.
Cai Rui dropped to his knees.
"Oh, shit…"
"I have the Gravity Soul Core Formation… It can crush anyone's bones. I can't believe I messed up again!"
"CAI RUI!"
"This is the sixth time!"
A tall female immortal sighed.
She was beautiful and powerful, with markings covering her legs and wrists. A veil concealed the lower half of her face.
"Uncle, let me explain—"
"No! This is the seven-hundredth time!"
Before he could finish speaking, Cai Rui sneezed.
"Don't you dare—!"
GUSHHHH!
A burst of soul force exploded outward, creating a massive wind shockwave.
The commander froze.
Tears formed in his eyes from sheer frustration.
And then—
BAM!
The wind suddenly rebounded violently.
The commander covered his face.
To his surprise, he wasn't hurt.
He was completely unharmed.
He slowly exhaled in relief and looked forward.
A familiar man stood before them.
His appearance shocked everyone.
Sun Tzu.
The Supreme Elder.
Beside him stood his adviser and Huan Xin, the Second Supreme Elder of the Empire Continent.
Sun Tzu stepped forward with a faint smile.
"You don't need to search for us anymore."
Behind him stood the Supreme Elder.
He was holding his bloodied body and looked furious.
It seemed he had recently lost a battle, but no one dared to ask what had happened.
The group immediately rushed toward him.
"Quickly! Heal the Supreme Elder!"
"Don't let him die!"
"Cai Rui, hurry and call a healer!"
"Y-yes, sir!"
Sun Tzu smiled.
But inwardly, he laughed.
Fufufufu… Supreme Elder, you have to resign yourself to the fate I have prepared for you.
He looked upward, his eyes settling on the road leading toward the platform.
His expression slowly turned cold.
You will never become the Dancing Plague.
…
On a distant mountain peak, Sun Tzu stood silently.
Before him stood a tall young man dressed in a beautiful tunic, adorned with jade accessories and a jeweled crown.
His name was Pai Hui.
He smiled as the world around him trembled.
"No one from the mortal world can defy fate."
And above all…
A war against fate was about to begin.
Pai Hui turned forward.
His eyes glistened like stars.
Before him hung a crack in the air, as though reality itself were twisting around its surface.
Within the crack spiraled a vortex of light.
Pai Hui sneered.
"Sun Tzu… you're doing nothing but courting death."
Before him stood a young man, glaring angrily with his fists clenched tightly.
"Where is the Mortal Ruler?!"
Sun Tzu stood before him, injuries covering his back.
He coughed up blood.
The battle had only just begun.