Bab 76: Fang Huang
In the beginning, there was no light, no sound, and no form. It was a world of pure chaos and potential, where the very fabric of reality was malleable and ever-changing. There was nothing. It opens up a realm that is filled with possibility. Even the laws of physics and nature were yet to be defined. Some people referred to this Era as the Age of Absence.
Within this chaotic realm, the gods of the Major Arcana were born, powerful beings who wielded unimaginable forces and possessed knowledge beyond mortal comprehension. They are being that existed outside the boundaries of time and space. As any other creature, they have grown bored overtime. They became architects that shape the universe that we know today. Thus, the Primordial Era begins.
As the Major Arcana gods rose to power, they began to shape the universe around them, bringing order to the chaos and creating the many worlds that would come to be known as the multiverse.
Each of them ruling a universe, keeping the balance and peace.
Among the countless worlds the Arcana gods created, there was one that would become the crown jewel of the multiverse: Yggdrasil, the World Tree. Its birth has become a turning point of the Primordial Era, for it defied even the laws created by the gods of Major Arcana. It seemed to emerge from the chaos of the universe, fully formed and imbued with a power that is beyond comprehension.
Yggdrasil was not merely a physical structure but a manifestation of the very fabric of reality itself. It was a bridge that connected the many planes of existence that made up the multiverse, a nexus point where the powers of the universe converged. Its roots stretched deep into the underworld, connecting it to the realms of death and darkness. Its branches reached high into the heavens, touching the planes of light and divinity. And its trunk spanned the entirety of the cosmos, holding together the very essence of the multiverse.
To gaze upon Yggdrasil was to witness a miracle of cosmic proportions. It was a symbol of the Arcana gods' immense power and their mastery over the universe's fundamental forces. And yet, for all its grandeur, the tree was also shrouded in mystery. Its true nature and purpose remained a matter of debate among the gods, with some believing it to be a tool for achieving ultimate power and others seeing it as a source of cosmic wisdom and enlightenment.
Regardless of its true nature, one thing was certain: Yggdrasil was a cornerstone of the multiverse, a sacred entity that would shape the destiny of the cosmos for eons to come. Its existence was a constant reminder of the vastness and complexity of the universe, and of the gods' never-ending quest for knowledge and power.
However, this era of peace and harmony was not to last.
As the power and influence of the gods grew, so too did their ambitions and rivalries.
The War of the Gods erupted a conflict that would shake the very foundations of the multiverse and lead to the destruction of Yggdrasil.
During the war, the gods battled fiercely for dominance, using their divine treasure to unleash devastating attacks upon their enemies.
In the chaos that ensued, Yggdrasil became a target for those who sought to gain an advantage over their opponents.
Some gods sought to control the tree for themselves, while others sought to destroy it in order to gain an upper hand. That includes the Chaos Striker eating the root of the World Tree.
In the end, it was believed that the Yggdrasil disappeared. No one knew what happened. Together with the disappearance, the road between the different planes and realms has been severed. Some said that the remaining tree's roots and its branches were casted into the void, scattering across the multiverse.
Juanxiu's mind raced as the Chaos Striker narrated the legend of the World Tree. Could this mean that they could open the road that connects to different realms? He quickly hid the piece of World Tree root into his spatial pouch, knowing that it would be dangerous if anyone found out about it. He didn't want to attract any unwanted attention.
Juanxiu then communicated telepathically to the Chaos Striker, "Make sure no one finds out about it." The Chaos Striker replied, "Of course. You don't have to remind me."
...
Juanxiu retraced his steps, moving through the dense bamboo forest as he made his way back to the Wandering Stairs. The air was thick with the scent of pine and wet earth, and he could hear the distant sound of birds singing in the trees.
As Juanxiu approached the Wandering Stairs, he heard loud noises coming from the direction of the Wandering Stairs. His heart sank as he recognized the sound of people shouting and fighting. He quickened his pace and soon found himself in the middle of a chaotic scene.
He saw his fellow students from Hongpuhui being beaten up by a group of students from Irexerra University. Wang Shaojun was hugging Ban Zhao, trying to protect her from the blows. Zhang Heng and Liu Xie were on the ground, being kicked repeatedly by the attackers. Yan Zhenqing and Li Bai were fighting together with one of the students from Irexerra University, and they were both covered in blood and dirt.
Juanxiu felt his blood boil as he saw his friends being hurt. He stepped forward and yelled, "What's going on here?" But his words were drowned out by the sounds of the fight.
In the midst of it all, Fang Huang was sitting on a nearby rock, with a smirk on his face as if he was enjoying the show. Juanxiu's fists clenched as he realized that Fang Huang must have instigated this attack.
Yan Zhenqing tried to reason with the students from Irexerra, "We did not cheat," but they scoffed and sneered at him.
"Ha! Like we'd believe you!" one of them said. "A bunch of low-level cultivators like you passing Senior Fang Huang? Impossible!"
Li Bai stepped forward, his eyes blazing with anger. "We did not cheat," he said firmly. "Are you saying that we are too powerful to cheat on the Wandering Stairs? That doesn't make any sense."
The students from Irexerra laughed at him. "Oh please? Perhaps you begged and groveled at someone's feet to show you a way to bypass the stairs!" one of them jeered.
Furious, Zhang Heng stood up and stepped forward. "You dare insult us like this? We will not stand for it!"
The students from Irexerra simply laughed harder, and before anyone could react, they lunged forward, attacking the students from Hongpuhui University with brutal force. The sound of fists and kicks echoed through the air, but Juanxiu, who intially had been watching from the sidelines, has parried all their attacks. They were shocked.
Juanxiu stepped forward, pushing his way through the crowd of students until he was standing in front of Fang Huang, who sat on a nearby rock with a self-satisfied smirk on his face.
"If you are so great that you think no one's allowed to surpass you, stand up and show me," Juanxiu said, pointing a finger at Fang Huang. "Don't let your dogs do the job for you."
There was a moment of stunned silence as everyone looked from Juanxiu to Fang Huang. The senior student's eyes narrowed, his pride wounded by the challenge. He had always been praised as the strongest cultivator of his generation. However, his pride has been shattered when Juanxiu reached higher steps than him. Moreover, this upstart from Hongpuhui University was also able to do that. He could not allow them anymore to step on his pride.
"I see how it is," Fang Huang sneered. "You can't win a fair fight, so you have to resort to trickery and lies."
He gestured to his fellow students, who were still beating on the Hongpuhui students. "Finish them off," he ordered.
But Juanxiu was too quick for them. With a swift movement, he drew his sword and blocked the first attack aimed at him. "Stop this madness," he yelled, his voice ringing out over the chaos. "This is not how cultivators behave."
Slowly, the other students began to back away, their fists lowering as they stared at Juanxiu. It was clear that he had won their respect and admiration with his bravery and quick thinking.
Fang Huang, however, was not so easily swayed. "You think you're better than me?" he spat, rising to his feet. "You think you can take me down?"
Juanxiu remained calm, his sword held loosely at his side. "I just want to put an end to this senseless violence."
But Fang Huang was beyond reason. With a roar, he charged at Juanxiu, his fists clenched and his eyes wild with fury.
Fang Huang attacked Juanxiu with a burst of qi, hoping to catch him off guard. But Juanxiu was too quick for him, dodging and countering with his own attack. The two exchanged blows, their qi clashing and creating a powerful force that sent shockwaves through the air.
Fang Huang was aggressive, his attacks wild and uncoordinated. Juanxiu, on the other hand, was calm and collected, effortlessly dodging and countering each of Fang Huang's attacks.
The other students were shocked to see that the senior they had revered was being toyed with by someone from Hongpuhui. They had always believed that Fang Huang was unbeatable, but now they were seeing firsthand that there were others out there who were just as skilled, if not more so.
As the fight continued, Juanxiu's movements became more fluid and graceful, while Fang Huang's attacks grew more desperate and erratic. Finally, with a powerful blast of qi, Juanxiu knocked Fang Huang to the ground, leaving him bruised and defeated.
The other students stared in awe, unable to believe what they had just witnessed. Juanxiu had not only defended his fellow students but had also proven himself to be a formidable opponent, even against someone of the same rank.
As the fight came to an end, Juanxiu turned to the other students from Irexerra University, shouting at them to make sure that they heard his words. He wanted them to know that the Wandering Stairs didn't measure their true worth or cultivation. He knew that the accusations of cheating had been unfounded and he wanted to make sure that everyone else knew it too.
"Listen up!" Juanxiu shouted. "The Wandering Stairs doesn't measure your cultivation. And there was no cheating involved. Are you saying that this bizarre realm created by a master could be easily tricked? You are all so dumb for believing that!"
He then turned to his fellow students, pulling out pills from his spatial pouch to help heal their wounds. "Here, take these pills. They will help heal your wounds. We have no time to waste. Time for us to go. Pick up your items."
The other students from Hongpuhui University gathered their things and prepared to leave. Juanxiu knew that they needed to make haste and reach the location with the highest concentration of qi before the Xuanwu realm closed. The others nodded, understanding the urgency of the situation.
But just before they could leave, Fang Huang suddenly pulled out a small dagger, coated with a deadly poison, and hurled it towards Juanxiu. Yan Shenqing, sensing the danger, quickly pushed Juanxiu out of the way, taking the full force of the dagger himself.
Ban Zhao let out a horrified shout as Yan Shenqing fell to the ground, writhing in pain. The other students from the other universities looked on with disgust at Fang Huang's underhanded trick.
Juanxiu rushed over to Yan Shenqing, trying to help him up. The poison was already coursing through his friend's veins.
Juanxiu's mind raced as he recognized the poison coursing through Yan Shenqing's veins. The Howling Vampire Gloomonster was a deadly beast plant known to feed on the vitality of its victim until they were drained completely. The only alchemist known to have tamed such a creature was Lai Xiaoli.
As realization dawned on him, Juanxiu's expression turned grim. If Irexerra was connected with the Grand Echo Continent, then their intentions might not be as simple as they seemed. He knew that he needed to warn his fellow students and report this discovery to Hongpuhui University.
He looked up at Fang Huang, his eyes burning with anger. "You will pay for this," he said, his voice low and dangerous.
Fang Huang sneered. "You can try," he said, pulling out another dagger.
Hadiah
-- Hadiah diterima Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone