Free Web NovelChapter 1267: Chapter 82: The Trial
The disappearance of the Bartara Clan was, of course, noticed by the Ancient Undead Clan, but Akes was simply too strong—so strong that he drove the Ancient Undead Clan to despair.
Over a dozen years later, the Ancient Undead Clan was still the Overlord of the Xiya Continent, while Akes resided in the Annihilation Law Hall, which is now the Ruins of the Annihilation Law. This temple was built for Akes by the Bartara Clan. Back then there were no statues inside; that was the peak time of the Shadow of Annihilation Law.
Akes descended upon the World of Xiya not to bully the local natives, but to resolve the imminent collapse of the Elemental System.
Sixteen years later, the World of Xiya finally adapted to Akes—at least, Akes could walk around freely without causing space to collapse.
There were, of course, levels of strength among the Shadow of Annihilation Law. Within the Shadow of Annihilation Law, Akes’ power was absolutely in the top ten—of those Shadows of Annihilation Law who were alive at that time, that is.
After he could move freely, Akes began to solve the looming collapse of the Elemental System. What was causing this impending collapse was the Necromantic Spells used by the Ancient Undead Clan; that was a spell combining Dark Element + water element affinity.
It wasn’t long before the Necromantic Spells of the Ancient Undead Clan were cut off, or rather, this marked the fall of a Dynasty, a Dynasty named the Xiya Dynasty.
After Emperor Xiya died, the Human Race became the Overlord of this world. Who ruled this world was something Akes didn’t care about at all; he only needed to keep the Elemental System in balance.
After solving the Elemental System problem, Akes did not exterminate the Ancient Undead Clan, but Teleported them to a desolate nearby planet. With Necromantic Spells already severed, whether these Undead Clan members lived or died no longer mattered.
At this time, a Human stepped forward. Risking his life, he followed Akes. This Human was named Adelaide Herbert.
A few days after following Akes, Adelaide Herbert returned to the Human world. He claimed to be an Envoy sent by Akes. While securing massive financial support, he began to recruit troops. In just a few short years, this speculator gathered a large group of poor people and started overthrowing the tyranny of the five great Kingdoms.
Obviously, Adelaide Herbert succeeded. When he founded the Holy Sodding Kingdom, he set the Royal Capital on the original site of the Xiya Dynasty and built the Royal Palace atop the Xiya Temple. The Ancient Undead Clan members who had originally been imprisoned in the Xiya Temple were furious, but their Necromantic Spells had been taken from them. Their broken bodies could neither live nor die; this was a punishment more cruel than Death.
Not long after, Akes left this world and left behind a Puppet Mechanism in it. His Puppet Mechanism possessed part of the Shadow of Annihilation Law’s Ability and had its own consciousness, similar to Alchemical Creatures.
The Puppet Mechanism had always guarded the Annihilation Law Hall; the rise and fall of Human Dynasties had nothing to do with it, until one day many years later, those exiled Undead Clan members accidentally opened a Space Channel and returned to the World of Xiya. The location was Dark Moon Marsh. The term "Undead Clan," strictly speaking, was not something the Iron Crown King coined; rather, he inherited an old name.
The history of the Xiya Continent that Su Xiao learned previously starts from when the Iron Crown King established his Kingdom. History is like the defeated man’s wife; the victor can play with her however he wants.
Only now did the Undead Clan become the Undead Clan of the present day. They had body shapes similar to Humans, intelligence comparable to Humans, and even creativity surpassing Humans. They no longer had much to do with the Ancient Undead Clan. On that barren new world, they had evolved generation after generation.
The reborn Undead Clan knew of the existence of the Annihilator, and clinging to the idea that only "Magic" could defeat "Magic," they developed an Ability similar to Blue Steel Shadow. What they didn’t know was that Blue Steel Shadow was only one of the Annihilator’s Abilities.
The reborn Undead Clan marched to the Annihilation Law Hall full of swagger and fervor, where the Puppet Mechanism inside "entertained" them. From then on, the Annihilation Law Hall became a forbidden ground for the Undead Clan.
This time, the Undead Clan was completely terrified by the Annihilator’s slaughter; yet the one who massacred them was merely a Mechanical Puppet casually left behind by Akes.
Realizing they were no match, the Undead Clan turned their rage toward Humans. They couldn’t beat the "Annihilator," but surely they could beat Humans, right? Don’t forget, these guys used to be just Farmers, planting sweet vegetables and plump grains for the Undead Clan.
After several clashes, the Undead Clan were surprised to discover that they actually weren’t that able to beat Humans either. This was suffocatingly frustrating. Although Humans were no match on the frontal battlefield, they had sheer numbers. What shocked the Undead Clan even more was that Humans had actually built a massive wall that separated the two sides’ territories. To this day, the Undead Clan still can’t figure out how Humans managed to build that wall.
The once Overlord Undead Clan were infuriated, but they could only accept reality. However, they never forgot one thing: their Ancestors were suppressed beneath the Human Capital. They had to rescue their Ancestors and restore their former glory, so they attacked the Wall of God without pause, all for rescuing those Ancestors.
After reading the murals and the text beneath them, Su Xiao fully understood the grievances between Undead and Humans. The Long Knife Handler · Void, the Spirit of Battle Armor, and others he had encountered in the Xiya Temple earlier were all Ancient Undead Clan, very different from the Undead Clan now living on the continent.
Su Xiao had previously wondered why the Human Royal Family built their Royal Palace atop a tomb. Now it seemed that Humans had voluntarily taken it upon themselves to guard the Xiya Temple. This was obviously flattering the powers-that-be.
And what lay within the Xiya Temple were the original masters of the Xiya Continent. They had once established an extremely flourishing Dynasty—the Xiya Dynasty. Relying on the power of Necromantic Spells, the Ancient Undead Clan dominated the Xiya Continent, until the descent of the Shadow of Annihilation Law.
The arrival of the Shadow of Annihilation Law was a catastrophe for the Xiya Dynasty, but the Xiya Dynasty didn’t know that if they continued to use Necromantic Spells, the planet they lived on would collapse, and all Life on the planet would be annihilated.
As for the current bickering between Humans and the Undead Clan, it was a mix of racial hatred and old grudges. As for the current Relic of the Annihilation Law, part of it was rebuilt by Akes. As for the statues and the like, they were imitations made by the Puppet Mechanism that had been in charge of guarding this place. It returned to the Void and learned that the age of the Annihilator had already passed, so it returned to the Xiya Continent again, built these statues, and then went back to the Void once more to fight the Spellcasters to the death, eventually dissipating.
[Hint: Hunter has reviewed the remnant history of the Xiya Continent and obtained 5% World Source.]
...
With this unexpected gain, Su Xiao no longer paid attention to the murals on the stone door and instead looked at the three stone doors. He took out the Stone of Extinction and the Stone of Magic; as for the Shadow Stone, it wouldn’t be needed for now.
The Stone of Extinction floated up from Su Xiao’s hand, flew straight to the first stone door, and embedded itself into the door.
Ka-ba, ka-ba...
Large cracks spread over the stone door, which then collapsed. The Stone of Extinction floated amid the rubble, and Su Xiao grabbed the Stone of Extinction into his hand.
Beyond the shattered stone door was pitch-black Darkness; all Light was Devoured by the Darkness within the doorway, and a dense Malice emanated from inside.
"Get lost."
"Roll out!"
"You are not qualified to enter here!"
It seemed that multiple terrifying consciousnesses lurked within the doorway, rejecting Su Xiao’s entry.
Marvin Hwaltz’s gaze swept toward that doorway from afar. He had lied to Su Xiao earlier: there was actually no danger behind the three stone doors—or rather, there was no danger to a Shadow of Annihilation Law entering them.
The three stone doors were three kinds of trials: courage (Door of Destruction), Wisdom (Door of Magic), and Potential (Door of Shadow). Every time he passed a First Level of trial, Su Xiao could receive the gift of Destroyer·Akes—the gift of a previous generation Shadow of Annihilation Law.
Akes arranged all this before he left, prepared for any Shadow of Annihilation Law who might reach this place in the future. From this, it could be seen that relations among the Shadow of Annihilation Law were relatively amicable—they at least didn’t trip each other up, and were very united internally.
Which makes sense. The Shadow of Annihilation Law already had a whole pile of sworn enemies. If they weren’t united inside, they would have been wiped out long ago, instead of being dragged down by Human Sea Tactic.
