Wielding the Light, As My Divine Descent!

Elder Winged Serpent's massive form hovered in the sky, soaring amidst billowing clouds and mist. Its foul, blood-red forked tongue flicked in and out, chilling the onlookers to their very souls. Zhan Lei and Fourth Uncle Tu were consumed by dread. "Damn it, is this where I kick the bucket today?" Fourth Uncle Tu spat out a mouthful of phlegm. The might of a peak Earth-rank weapon wielder was far beyond them; even joining forces, he and Zhan Lei were simply no match. Just as Zhan Lei and he had overwhelmed Black Crow moments ago, Winged Serpent would now brutally crush the two of them. "Winged Serpent! Before I die, I just want to know—why did you come here?" Fourth Uncle Tu shouted at the top of his lungs. He was genuinely mystified by Winged Serpent's arrival. For an expert of its caliber to slip into the State of Ning carried immense risk; it could easily face an ambush by multiple Earth-rank weapon wielders. Furthermore, the item Black Crow had handed over to Winged Serpent piqued Fourth Uncle Tu's curiosity. He couldn't shake the feeling that some conspiracy was at play. Could it be targeted at the State of Ning? A wave of deep worry washed over him. "Are you trying to stall for time?" Winged Serpent could not be bothered to waste words. "In the Rakshasa Country of the Central Plains, there is an old saying: villains die from talking too much." Elder Winged Serpent was well aware that in the mouths of those sanctimonious hypocrites, its actions were deemed villainous. As soon as the words left its mouth, its body swooped downward in a violent dive. A piercing gust shrieked through the air, whipping violently enough to sting the eyes. Zhan Lei slammed her massive iron sphere skyward with all her might. Alas, she trailed Elder Winged Serpent by nearly two minor realms. *Clang!* The iron sphere rang with deafening force, hurled backward so violently that it nearly dragged Zhan Lei through the air with it. The clash was decided in a single breath. The two were fundamentally not on the same level! If translated to the State of Ning's standards, Elder Winged Serpent was fully qualified to rank among the top thirty of the Earth Ranking—a figure worthy of being hailed as an Earth Ranking grandmaster. Zhan Lei swallowed back a mouthful of blood, her face deathly pale. Seeing this, Fourth Uncle Tu was beside himself with anxiety, yet utterly helpless. "Tu brat, if you hadn't plotted against me, perhaps only you would have died today. Now... two more will keep you company," Elder Black Crow sneered with malice. Third Young Master Tu was frantic, terror gripping his heart. A peak Earth-rank combatant... The Tu family possessed only a single expert of such caliber, and that ancestor was in permanent secluded cultivation, completely oblivious to what was unfolding here. "I..." Third Young Master Tu gritted his teeth, his future looking bleak. At this point, only that figure from the Shen family might be able to save him if they appeared. Yet just like the Tu family's ancestor, that person from the Shen family was locked in deep seclusion; how could they possibly show up? Suddenly, an idea crossed his mind. Driven by desperation to throw caution to the wind, he produced a lightsaber in his hand. Light and shadow coalesced into a crystal-clear blade that glinted with cold radiance. "An amusing little trinket." Elder Black Crow offered his appraisal with a glance, promptly sneering, "Who would have thought a mere Mystic-rank weapon wielder would dare take up a sword in defiance?" Third Young Master Tu was nearly out of his mind with panic, remembering Qi Yuan's words. His heart pounded frantically. *Senior, please don't let this be a lie! Don't trick me!* *I want to walk sideways across Ning!* *Don't let my ten thousand taels of silver go to waste!* He muttered frantically under his breath. And yet, ten thousand taels of silver truly could not hire a peak Earth-rank weapon wielder to intervene. Even so, he gritted his teeth and bellowed: "God... Summoning!" *The special ability activated by spending ten thousand taels of silver—please let it be real!* The spectacle caused Winged Serpent to glance sidelong in amusement. "The ant... is unleashing its ultimate move?" Its tone dripped with mockery. Elder Black Crow chuckled mockingly as well. Only Fourth Uncle Tu looked on with admiration. "As expected of the Tu family's seed! Stand tall and don't lose face! Hack at it with the sword, and show them that the men of our Tu family don't have soft bones!" Fourth Uncle Tu's words fired Third Young Master Tu up so much that he nearly drew his blade and charged, only to be struck dead by a sweep of the serpent's tail. Third Young Master Tu stared intently at the lightsaber, his heart brimming with anticipation. Alas, the light and shadow remained completely still. Nothing out of the ordinary occurred. Could it be... that man had lied to him after all? On second thought, summoning an avatar of a god for ten thousand taels—and three times, no less—who in their right mind would actually believe such a tall tale? Despair surged within his chest. Yet right at that very instant, the clouds across the firmament suddenly parted, and a streak of flowing light descended from the heavens. Right in front of Third Young Master Tu, a brilliant sphere of light materialized, radiant and blinding. An aura of majesty, divinity, and purity flooded the surrounding area. The sphere of light was not particularly large, roughly the size of a grown person. It shone a pure, luminous white, obscuring its precise features, yet the divine aura radiating from within was unmistakable. The gazes of Elder Winged Serpent, Elder Black Crow, and everyone else present were involuntarily drawn to the shimmering figure of light. "What is that?" Winged Serpent grew wary. "This light fell from the sky..." Black Crow hesitated. Just then, a majestic voice rang out abruptly. "When the world knows no light, behold the Divine Descent!" *Boom!* The light shattered instantly! A tall, imposing figure strode out from the bath of brilliance, its steps firm and powerful. Cast entirely from light and draped in radiant armor, it glittered with celestial splendor, resembling a god descending upon the mortal realm. Dragon scales and phoenix feathers were woven into its form, adorned with ancient totems. The luminescence shifted between blazing brilliance and gentle warmth, embodying both domineering might and tender benevolence. "It's real! It's actually real!" Third Young Master Tu muttered to himself, his eyes burning with excitement. "What on earth is that?" Black Crow's wariness peaked. "Tricks and charades!" Winged Serpent scoffed coldly, unsettled by the fact that it could not see through this suddenly appearing figure. Fourth Uncle Tu and Zhan Lei stared at Third Young Master Tu, their faces filled with utter bewilderment. Third Young Master Tu scrambled to his feet and roared at the figure of light, "I beseech the god to descend from heaven and slay these two fiends!" As his voice fell, the gaze of the radiant silhouette locked onto Winged Serpent and Black Crow. In that single gaze, Winged Serpent saw countless things: divinity, absolute detachment, and an unyielding sense of justice and order. "What... what kind of monster are you?" Winged Serpent's scalp tingled. The State of Moshan was, after all, an isolated land where even Heaven-rank weapon wielders were exceedingly rare. What was unfolding before its eyes far exceeded its comprehension. Yet connecting it with Third Young Master Tu's words, a terrifying suspicion dawned in its mind. *Divine Descent... are you the avatar of a god?* A chill ran straight down Winged Serpent's spine. Gods existed solely in legends. Rumor had it that in the Rakshasa Country of the Central Plains, above the Heaven-rank weapon wielders, there existed another tier of beings known as gods! Yet gods were far beyond their reach. How could this... possibly be the avatar of a god? At that moment, the urge to retreat took hold. The mission and the item took priority. What if this truly was a divine avatar? It glanced at Black Crow, locking eyes with him. The two old monsters arrived at the exact same conclusion. *Flee!* Without a shred of hesitation, both bolted madly toward Kunling Ferry. Kunling Ferry was notoriously difficult to navigate; even a peak Earth-rank weapon wielder could not cross it unharmed. However, that restriction did not apply to members of Thorn Blood. Their plan was simple: use Kunling Ferry for cover, and then make good their escape. The divine silhouette of light stood quietly, utterly silent. It made no move to pursue, merely watching them as though allowing them to flee at will. Watching this, Third Young Master Tu grew perplexed. *Could this be a defective product... just summoning an illusion to scare people off?* The thought flickered through his mind. Still, even if it were an illusion, scaring off Elder Black Crow and Elder Winged Serpent meant he had already gotten his money's worth. Just then, Fourth Uncle Tu walked over, his face painted with astonishment. "This thing..." Before he could finish, a startling transformation erupted. "As my Divine Descent!" A voice of supreme majesty issued from the figure of light. It sounded as though tens of thousands of devout believers were chanting in unison. The avatar of light and shadow began to expand rapidly. Three meters, six meters, two zhang, three zhang... In the end, it towered at a staggering ten zhang! A terrifying figure over thirty meters tall stood wielding an incomparably sacred lightsaber. Towering, magnificent, and pure. This blade embodied justice, order, and the very laws of the world. A vast, awe-inspiring proclamation resonated through the air: "Bearing the light, I banish the night! Where injustice reigns, call upon my Divine Descent!" The sound did not seem to come from the phantom itself, but rather from the lightsaber in its grasp. The terrifying ten-zhang entity moved, bringing the lightsaber down in a tremendous vertical cleave! There were no flashy flourishes or intricate techniques—only a single, overwhelmingly powerful strike! And then... *Boom!* A colossal burst of light erupted across Kunling Ferry. The earth shook, and the mountains trembled! It was as if dragons and serpents were churning the land! When the earth stirs with killing intent, the sky overturns; when a god stirs with killing intent, all things wither! Inside Kunling Ferry, the misty waters evaporated instantly, water weeds were pulverized, and all traces of miasma and poisonous vapors were slashed to ribbons. The formidable energy of the lightsaber swept through Kunling Ferry, howling across the quagmire. Sheer horror contorted the faces of Winged Serpent and Elder Black Crow. The searing brilliance of the sword aura engulfed both of them in an instant. "Ah... No!" Agonized shrieks tore from their throats, accompanied by relentless, sizzling crackles. Earth-rank weapon wielders possessed bodies as indestructible as vajra; ordinary blades could not leave a scratch on them. Yet beneath the overwhelming power of this strike, their indestructible flesh proved as fragile as paper, cleanly severed in two. The terrifying heat reached unimaginable temperatures, melting and vaporizing them where they stood. "Ah!" Elder Black Crow's shriek cut off abruptly. "No!" Elder Winged Serpent held out slightly longer; during the vaporization process, one could even see its scales melting away. In the span of a breath, two Earth-rank weapon wielders had fallen. Meanwhile, within Kunling Ferry, several hundred nurtured guiling were awakened by the tremendous strike. Tragically, the moment they opened their eyes, they were greeted by the ruthless, blazing sword light. Without even time to utter a shriek, they were wiped out en masse, bringing a swift end to their miserable lives. Having delivered this devastating strike, the divine avatar seemed to have exhausted all its energy, quietly dissipating into the world. "Th-this... this strike..." Third Young Master Tu was struck dumb with shock. "I doubt even a strike from a legendary Heaven-rank weapon wielder could surpass this," Zhan Lei remarked, crossing her arms over her chest, which accentuated her voluptuous figure. "To slay two Earth-rank weapon wielders and hundreds of guiling in a single stroke... this is simply too terrifying!" "What is going on here?" Fourth Uncle Tu turned to Third Young Master Tu, completely baffled. "This... this artifact is something I bought at the ghost market for one thousand taels of silver," Third Young Master Tu swallowed hard, not daring to conceal the truth. "The stall owner told me that spending ten thousand taels would unlock a special ability called God Summoning, which could call upon an avatar of a god up to three times. I just... gave it a try. I never expected it to actually work!" "Ten thousand taels?" Fourth Uncle Tu stared at him with deep suspicion. "Only a fool like you would believe such a story! If it were me, I'd have hacked that stall owner to death on the spot!" Though his mouth scolded, his eyes were brimming with awe. "Ten thousand taels to summon such a terrifying entity... that's an absolute steal!" Fourth Uncle Tu marveled. "Is that stall owner still at the ghost market? Does he have any other artifacts?" "There were two other lightsabers, but at the time... I ran out of money and didn't buy them..." Third Young Master Tu confessed nervously. "You prodigal waste!" Fourth Uncle Tu cursed, though his eyes shone with excitement. For an artifact this terrifying, let alone ten thousand taels, they had to secure it even if it cost a hundred thousand or a million taels! That had been a peak Earth-rank weapon wielder, shattered in a single blow. The power of that strike had arguably reached the realm of legendary Heaven-rank weapon wielders. "Ah... it seems my lightsaber was damaged... I can't use it for now," Third Young Master Tu said anxiously. "Summoning such a formidable avatar requires an enormous amount of energy. It probably needs to be nurtured for a period before it can be used a second time!" Zhan Lei offered her assessment. Hearing this, Third Young Master Tu breathed a sigh of relief. "I wonder how long it will take." "Even if it takes a hundred years, it's still worth it! When you die, it can become our family's heirloom treasure!" Fourth Uncle Tu muttered. "Just what kind of sacred being is that stall owner?" As he spoke, he looked toward Kunling Ferry ahead. "What a pity. Although that strike killed Winged Serpent and Black Crow, we still can't enter Kunling Ferry. Who knows what Black Crow handed over to Winged Serpent?" "Let's head back first, report this to the elders, and then... go to the ghost market!" Fourth Uncle Tu urged anxiously. He wished he could rush to the ghost market this very second to buy the remaining two lightsabers. "Let's go!" Without hesitation, the three figures vanished into the distance. *** Elsewhere, Qi Yuan's face was chalk-white. "I've grown stronger, but I've also been drained hollow." His complexion was as pale as paper. His aura was so feeble that a gust of wind seemed capable of knocking him off his feet. Just moments ago, Third Young Master Tu had used God Summoning. Qi Yuan had unleashed As My Divine Descent. The divine avatar had descended and cleaved that incredibly stylish blow. However, that strike had placed a massive burden on Qi Yuan. Right now, his vital energy was entirely depleted, and his spirit was completely drained. That strike had slain two Earth-rank weapon wielders and hundreds of guiling, granting Qi Yuan a colossal amount of experience. He had vaulted roughly forty levels in one go, reaching Level 96. Converted to this world's metrics, that made him an early Earth-rank weapon wielder. Indeed, he had bypassed the Mystic rank entirely, leaping straight from Yellow rank to Earth rank—an astonishing feat. Yet that single strike had also hollowed out his body. For the foreseeable future, he would be entirely unable to exert the true strength of an Earth-rank weapon wielder. "As expected, hard work is worthless before raw talent," Qi Yuan mused with feeling. He had worked so diligently, grinding laboriously to climb past Level 90. How much sweat and blood had that cost him? Yet against Divine Descent—awakened with merely thirty percent roleplay progression—a single strike could have wiped him out. And Divine Descent, forged by Sheng Nü, was born a divine artifact. It had been top-tier from the moment of its creation. "Bearing the light, I banish the night. Where injustice reigns, call upon my Divine Descent!" "Was this the hope Sheng Nü held when forging Divine Descent?" Qi Yuan pondered. To roleplay Divine Descent, one had to grasp the lore behind it. That proclamation just now had not originated from Qi Yuan, but had resonated from within Divine Descent itself. In Qi Yuan's eyes, this was the very reason for Divine Descent's existence. *Sigh, cultivation really can't compare to roleplaying. If the progression increases a bit more, I can just summon myself. Wouldn't that let me chop a Heaven-rank weapon wielder to death in one stroke?* *Roleplaying just requires acting the part, whereas cultivation involves so many headaches—and I still have to hunt guiling.* *Still, I'm an adult. Why choose when I can have both?* "Old man, hurry up and carry me to Kunling Ferry! I need to go loot the corpses!" Qi Yuan said to Chen Kangbao beside him. He was so weak right now that even walking took monumental effort. "Young Master... this old servant's frail body..." Chen Kangbao grimaced. "It's fine, I've blessed you!" Qi Yuan spouted nonsense. Upon hearing that, Chen Kangbao beamed with joy. "Young Master, I'm bursting with energy!" With that, he hoisted Qi Yuan onto his back and sprinted toward Kunling Ferry. His legs moved like the wind—hardly resembling someone in his seventies or eighties. Qi Yuan couldn't help letting out a sigh. "To think that my first mount in this game world would be an old geezer like you. What a shame, what a pity." Qi Yuan felt somewhat disappointed. For some reason, he still felt an inexplicable urge to ride that icy woman. That impulse felt almost innate, yet also born from his heart. *Could I be an old pervert?* Qi Yuan wondered. He was lustful, and he readily admitted it. But an *old* pervert? Never. He was still young!