The Lord of Wuji
Boom—!!
On the black reef, Chen Ling's Great Crimson Theatrical Robe flew in the howling wind. His eyes stared intently at that roaring giant wave that came crashing over. His hands within the sleeves slowly raised...
In his mind, he recalled Ning Ruyu's movements just now, making his palms as gentle as possible. At the same time, he closed his eyes, trying to capture the so-called "belief."
Belief... Belief...
In front of Chen Ling's eyes, it was pitch black.
The roaring giant wave was like a ferocious beast, surging over to the front of the reef. Chen Ling's skin could clearly feel the pressure brought by the splashing water droplets and the sea wave. He knew he had to strike.
His palm pushed in mid-air, and the next moment, the towering giant wave heavily crashed onto the reefs, emitting a thunderous boom!
Chen Ling only felt a massive force hit his body. His entire person was sent flying backward from the reef, engulfed by the water current and swept into the bottom of the sea. Suffocation locked down his body. He opened his eyes and saw the sea surface full of reefs getting further and further away above him...
Following what Ning Ruyu said, Chen Ling didn't use any skills or Spiritual Power. Under this wave, he was unceremoniously sent flying. He could only continuously swim in the seawater, drawing closer to the surface bit by bit.
Right at this moment, a lifting force suddenly surged from beneath him, as if an undercurrent proactively wrapped around his body, pushing him towards the sea surface bit by bit, completely without him needing to exert a single bit of effort himself.
"Is this the undercurrent First Senior Brother mentioned?" Chen Ling felt his continuously floating body, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes.
Not even a dozen seconds passed, and Chen Ling's body was sent between the reefs on the sea surface. Chen Ling took the opportunity to jump up using the momentum and stood steadily on the reef.
Wet seawater dripped from Chen Ling's hair ends and the corners of his clothes. He looked up towards the horizon and saw yet another sea wave rushing over from afar, blocking the sky and the sun.
Chen Ling finally understood why Ning Ruyu kept saying that practicing [Sleeve-Hand Pushing Heaven] carried risks. On one hand, the force of the sea waves was extremely strong. Without using any skills and Spiritual Power, it was very hard for the body to withstand the impact. Most crucially, after being swept into the bottom of the sea, one still had to expend a massive amount of effort to swim back.
Once or twice was fine, but if one continuously repeated the process of being sent flying, swimming back, and being sent flying again, the person would become increasingly tired, inching closer and closer to their limit, while the sea waves would only get stronger and stronger. Ultimately, there was a high probability he would drown from exhaustion or directly get crushed to death.
And after Ning Ruyu's modifications, the undercurrent saved Chen Ling a large portion of effort, allowing him to face the sea waves more calmly and use more energy to feel the "belief," maximizing all the best conditions that could be fought for Chen Ling!
Chen Ling stood on the reef, took a deep breath, and the fighting intent in his eyes burned fiercely!
Ning Ruyu had already done this much for him. If he still couldn't master [Sleeve-Hand Pushing Heaven], what face would he have to see him... Chen Ling had no way of retreat. He stared fixedly at the second sea wave coming head-on, the palm in his sleeve raising once more:
"Again!!"
...
Wuji Domain.
Pattering light rain drifted down from the hazy gray sky, flowing down the uneven stone brick road surface towards the sewers. As the dim yellow streetlights overhead flickered slightly, a figure cloaked in a black robe appeared like a ghost on the deserted street.
"The rain carries the smell of rust and fresh blood... and also a faint burnt smell."
Beneath the black hood, a pair of deep blue eyes swept around. That was a young man with black hair, the palms of both his hands engraved with mysterious symbol Markings, currently hidden within the black robe's sleeves, fluttering in the wind amidst the cold rain.
"Two large districts, tens of thousands of people, all Vanished Into Thin Air overnight. Only the Church of Truth can perform such large-scale alchemy... Have they gone mad?"
"With so many people dead, the Witchcraft Association actually hasn't taken any action either. The Wuji Domain is truly getting more and more chaotic."
After pondering for a moment, he immediately changed direction, walking towards the tallest and most mysterious Church in this city.
Along this way, occasionally pedestrians could also be seen appearing, but most were holding umbrellas, hurrying past on the road, carrying large bags of daily necessities in their hands. Visually, it was enough for half a year's worth. Clearly, they didn't plan on going out often.
Some people saw the black-robed figure walking over under the streetlights, and their expressions invariably changed. With incomparable vigilance, they detoured in a large circle, then quickened their pace even more, as if they had encountered some terrifying evil spirit.
Seeing this scene, the brows of the man beneath the black hood furrowed tighter and tighter.
As he gradually approached the Church, numerous figures donning Silver Armor immediately stopped him. The cold glint of their Long Swords reflected the man's deep blue pupils, and a terrifying oppressive feeling emanated from the eyes of these people.
"Who goes there?"
Rusty-smelling raindrops hit the surface of the iron armor covered in Curse Runes, producing clinking sounds, like an interwoven wall of steel.
Just as the man was about to say something, a voice rang out from the Church entrance:
"Oh~ Durand, you're finally here!"
The one who spoke was a Middle-Aged Man wearing a robe with a red background and gold patterns. He walked down from the towering steps step by step while raising his jewelry-laden hands, speaking with a smile, "Quickly, invite him in. This is our most genius alchemist, a guest of honor of the Association, he absolutely must not be slighted."
"Brand, why is it you??" The black-robed young man said in a deep voice. "Where is Shang Shaoquan?"
"President Shang encountered an accident a few days ago and has already passed away... Now, I serve as the acting president of the Association." The man called Brand said with a face full of regret.
"How is this possible..."
A hint of astonishment flashed through Durand's eyes. At the same time, the steel wall blocking him also proactively parted to both sides, making way for a path leading to the Church.
He pondered on the spot for a long time, but still took steps to walk towards the Church.
"I'm really happy to hear you're back, Durand." Brand enthusiastically patted his shoulder. "It should be two years since we last met... No, three years? The Wuji Domain has undergone great changes, and so has the Witchcraft Association. After you see some things, you will definitely be greatly shocked!"
"What's the matter with those two vanished districts? Is someone conducting large-scale Human Alchemy? I also can't contact anyone from the mystic school, and the atmosphere on the streets seems very strange... Just what happened in the Wuji Domain?"
"Rest assured, Durand, I will definitely give you a careful explanation. Come with me first."
Brand turned around and walked towards the depths of the Church. The red-backed, gold-patterned robe reflected on the marble floor. His smile became increasingly bright. "...I'll take you to meet someone."
"Who?"
"A legend who subverted the Alchemy School, a great man who is about to create an eternal kingdom, a King of Matter who transcends truth and logic!"
Brand forcefully pushed open a heavy set of doors. Within the luxurious and empty Church space, a massive ball of mercury resembling a moon was silently suspended in mid-air. Dense ripples vibrated on its surface, as if something was about to break out!
"He is... the Lord of Wuji!!"