Apocalypse Circular-Chapter 434: Ashbringer

"Lord Dan Kun has arrived."

The personnel within the hollow tree greeted the man in the gray robe.

"Hmm."

The gray-robed man, their leader, sounded somewhat gloomy, as if he wasn’t in a good mood. Seeing him like this, the others lost interest in continuing the conversation.

As Dan Kun walked deeper into the hollow tree, his mind lingered on Wu Liji’s resoluteness.

No matter what, Wu Liji had done what she ought to have done. As a princess, she had gone as far as she could, and he had nothing more to say. I hope she will be safe. Her status as a princess should be a layer of protection, after all.

Dan Kun had some affection for Wu Liji, but their different social statuses, coupled with the age gap, had always kept him from speaking up. They were over a decade apart in age, and Wu Liji was a princess. Even if he confessed his feelings, it was unlikely that anything could come of it between them.

If we knew there would be no outcome, it was better not to start anything at all. We all have lofty ideals. Affairs of the heart should be set aside for now.

Dan Kun entered a secluded room deep within the hollow tree. There was no one else in the room, only an old man with white hair and white clothing sitting cross-legged.

"You’ve arrived!"

"Yes, I’ve come."

"Where is Wu Liji?"

"She stayed behind, covering our retreat. If it hadn’t been for her, I might not have been able to return."

The old man smiled. "Perhaps she didn’t want to leave? Do you really think you can see through that girl’s mind, Dan Kun?"

"Eh? That’s impossible. Wu Liji is always focused on every mission. She is a trustworthy partner. Elder, I don’t think you should speak of her in that way."

When it came to Wu Liji, Dan Kun’s attitude became much firmer, and he did not wish for anyone to slander her in this matter. However, the old man didn’t care at all. Time had made him lose interest in romantic relationships. Now, he only pursued the goals of the gray-robed Pilgrims.

"Did you bring the item?"

"I did. Comrade Wu Liji went through a great deal of effort to obtain it. Elder, do we really have to do this?"

At that moment, the old man finally opened his eyes, looking intently at Dan Kun with his cloudy gaze. "If it is for a great ideal, then a reasonable sacrifice is necessary. Without enough chaos and power, we will never be able to overthrow the rotten rule of the Imperial. So many of our brothers have died; are you still hesitant?"

The old man’s words pierced Dan Kun’s heart like needles. Remembering the civilians from his hometown who had died resisting the Inspection Department of the Imperial, he silently clenched his fists.

I understand, it’s my fault. At such a time, I shouldn’t harbor such benevolent thoughts.

"Let’s begin, Elder."

Dan Kun placed a jar he was holding down. Seeing the jar, the old man’s eyes sparked with a faint light.

"Very well, the soul of the Imperial Family is indeed the best nourishment for the Sealer. With them, the Sealed can break their seals. A Bizarre King will be enough for the Inspection Department of GuiXi District to deal with. That Zhang Changming, he might even die here! Hehehehe."

The old man’s laughter was strange; at an angle invisible to Dan Kun, his eyes gleamed with a loathing light. He held the jar in his hands and slowly walked deeper into the hollow tree.

"Come with me, Dan Kun. You’ve never witnessed the opening of the seal after all this time, have you? Some things are ready to be passed on."

Although Dan Kun had always been a high-ranking officer among the gray-robed Pilgrims, this was his first time dealing with the breaking of a seal. He had heard stories of the Bizarre King ever since he was young, but he had never actually seen it. This time, it was probably the first time he had come so close to the Bizarre King.

"Elder, what does the Bizarre King look like?"

"Look like? You’ll know once you’re over here."

The Elder’s expression was gloomy, which made Dan Kun somewhat uncomfortable.

The two of them, one in front of the other, walked further into the depths underground until they reached the very bottom of the tree hole. It was a small lake that emitted a blue glow. The two followed the tree roots and stopped right above the lake.

"Is this the Land of Seals? Is it the tree, or the lake?"

Looking at the lake, the Elder slowly began to speak, "It is both the tree and the lake. Hei Tengxi, an Exotic Species Monarch from a thousand years ago, was pierced by the Imperial Family with thirty-one bone nails through her thirty-one vines. She was thrown into this Lake of Moonlight. With the power of the Lake of Moonlight, her energy was completely cut off, and she was suppressed by the blood tree to quell her life force. She has been sealed here generation after generation, until forty years ago when a young man named Bu Ke discovered her."

Bu Ke? Isn’t that the Elder’s name? Come to think of it, after all this talk, was he just referring to himself? And what of the Exotic Species Monarch? Shouldn’t it be the Bizarre King?

"Are the Exotic Species the same as the Bizarre?"

"Yes, the Exotic Species are the Bizarre; Bizarre is just what people later on called them. In ancient times, all mutants, creatures altered by Dark Energy, were known as Exotic Species."

Upon hearing this, Dan Kun became even more puzzled. What was Dark Energy?

"Er, Elder, I have quite a few questions, but I still want to ask, what is Dark Energy?"

"Dark Energy is Spiritual Energy. Spiritual Energy is just a more palatable name given by the Imperial Family. However, the threat posed by the Imperial’s Spiritual Energy is not as high as before. The Dark Energy of the past was indeed turbulent. If ordinary humans lived in an environment with Dark Energy for a period of time, there was a risk of mutation."

"That’s outrageous?"

"What’s more outrageous should be that such a great country is controlled by such a decaying Imperial Family, right? Haha, don’t worry about Wu Liji. Even if she is dead, she died as deserved."

Something in Dan Kun’s heart felt off, but he didn’t say much.

Things have come this far; their ideals are unstoppable and unquenchable.

"Elder, what should we do now?"

"Just watch. Observe every step here clearly. Maybe in the future, you might find it useful."

The Elder placed the jar at the very tip where the roots extended. In such a completely uneven environment, the jar stood there perfectly, without any intention of falling over. As the Elder opened the jar, the lake at his feet suddenly began to quake. The small lake, which was not very large, suddenly surged with waves. One wave after another, as if some force wanted to break out of the lake. The oppressive feeling filled the space beneath the tree, and Dan Kun nervously clenched his fists.

"Hei Tengxi, a thousand years of hatred has already condensed into evil, and the beads of evil are the best tools to break the waters of the Moon Lake. Inside this are all the souls of your enemies. Savor this feeling well!"

With that said, the Elder tipped over the jar. A greyish-white spiritual substance poured out from the mouth of the jar. These spiritual entities appeared confused and terrified as they desperately floated upwards. But once they lost the protection of the jar, it seemed they had no escape.

CLANG!

A slender black vine suddenly broke through the water, piercing instantly into the body of a spirit. With the penetration of the vine, the spirit rapidly lost its strength. The substance that maintained its form was absorbed by the vines in an instant. Without this force to sustain it, the spiritual body quickly withered and shriveled.

Then, more black vines lashed out, performing a massacre on the souls floating over the lake!

"Seeing the destruction of these royal souls is a wonderfully exquisite sight. Isn’t it?"

The Elder’s psyche has twisted, Dan Kun knew. Not all of the Imperial Family deserved to die; at least Wu Liji should not have met with trouble.

Dan Kun glanced in the direction of the city, growing more worried by the moment.

After a few leaps, Lu Luo had already arrived in front of the gigantic tree. Despite the distance just now, he had already sensed something special about this ancient tree.

This is a tree that can shield Sequence Fluctuations. The marvels of nature truly are fascinating!

[Something is happening below, and it doesn’t feel good, but I can’t judge exactly what it is. You’d better be cautious.]

Something bad happening? For the Observer to give an extra reminder at this time, it must be no small matter! I got it.

Lu Luo walked slowly up to the ancient tree and, following the previous records from the Observer’s Eye, stood where Dan Kun had been. He knocked on the old tree and began murmuring incantations, "Gluttony, waste, addiction, drunkenness, hoarding, all things that should not exist in this world. Only a true heart can find peace."

There was no change in the ancient tree, leading Lu Luo to think he had failed. He was about to pull out a weapon to strike the old tree when it suddenly moved.

"Although I’m not sure where you got the incantation, you’ve passed, stranger."

This tree... seems somewhat like a smart device?

[It’s alive, at least in my perception, it has life. Its strength is roughly equivalent to a Fifth Tier Exotic Species?]

A Fifth Tier Exotic Species?

While Lu Luo waited, the ancient tree slowly opened a tree hollow for him. Because there was no light, Lu Luo couldn’t see what was beneath the tree hollow clearly.

Could there be danger...

[There are energy fluctuations, strong, but suppressed by something. It poses a certain risk.]

Risk, huh? Now that I’m here, I naturally can’t leave. I’ll go down and take a look; it should be safe for now.

Lu Luo proceeded down into the tree hollow, finding the environment unusually comfortable. It was very dark but not damp at all. The wooden walkway was like a wooden floor, comfortable to step on.

After Lu Luo walked down a long passage, the Observer alerted him again:

[There are people ahead.]

Lu Luo nodded, put on his mask, and walked out of the passage to where the gray-robed Pilgrims were.

"Who are you?"

Lu Luo was spotted as soon as he appeared.

But this is the secret spot of the ancient tree; how could anyone other than those in gray robes be here?

"Me? I’m the leader from your external station, here to inspect your work."

???

Lu Luo’s explanation left all the gray-robed people utterly bewildered. Seeing Lu Luo continuing inward, they immediately became vigilant. "Who are you really? Identify yourself, right now!"

"Ugh, isn’t it good to be alive?"

BOOM!

Before these people could react, a violent explosion occurred in the center of the room. This explosion was Lu Luo’s steam explosion. There was no burning effect, but in such an enclosed environment, it was an effective way to clear the room.

Lu Luo dusted off his clothes and continued deeper into the tree hollow.

Underground, Dan Kun and the Elder heard the explosion above them clearly. Dan Kun frowned slightly and looked upwards. "Elder?"

"An intruder."

The Elder did not seem particularly concerned; he looked down at the lake with a pleased expression, watching the Imperial souls struggle and despair in it, and the power brewing beneath the lake. The Elder’s mood was incredibly elated, a joy that came from within.

In the GuiXi district, nothing can stop the destruction caused by an Exotic Species Monarch. Not even Zhang Changming from the Inspection Department.

"Elder, should we go and disperse the intruders?"

"You don’t even know the strength of the invader; how can you be sure you can dispel them? Moreover, is there any need to dispel them now? Things are almost done; let’s get ready and leave." 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

The Elder turned and walked in another direction away from the lake. His attitude made Dan Kun even more uncomfortable.

"Elder, are we just going to leave like this?"

"What else? Hei Tengxi is about to awaken. Do you want to stay and keep her company?"

Of course, Dan Kun did not want to die. He could die for his ideals, but not here, not at the hands of a bizarre creature.

"But there are many brothers here, aren’t there? They’re all comrades, partners in our shared goal."

"Yes, I know they are comrades, but significant achievements do not concern themselves with trifles. At times, necessary sacrifices are inevitable. Alright, if you’re not leaving now, in a moment Hei Tengxi will wake up. Are you still going to hesitate?"

Dan Kun was very uncomfortable inside; he felt that today’s Elder was time and again challenging his limits. And once Hei Tengxi came out, she would surely wreak havoc on the surrounding cities. By then, Wu Liji might also be in danger.

"I..."

"What, are you still thinking about that woman? Grow up, Ah Kun. This world isn’t just about men and women; there are people who suffer and those who enjoy. We’ve already suffered too much, while those who enjoy remain oblivious. To change this, we need the world to feel pain. Do you understand?"

The Elder had already exited the bottom of the tree hollow. After a moment of silence, Dan Kun finally followed.

"I understand."

Lu Luo’s whip kick snapped some of the tree’s supporting structures. The tree trembled continuously, seemingly in great pain. But Lu Luo’s actions did not stop; his speed accelerated, and where he passed, no grass grew. When he finally reached the inner secret point, there was no road to continue forward.

[There’s energy fluctuation below, very strong.]

Below?

Lu Luo looked down at the wooden floor beneath his feet, raised his hand like a knife, and spiral energy began to erupt at his fingertips.

BOOM!

With a strike, the hard wooden floor was ruptured by Lu Luo, revealing a hole large enough for a person to pass through. Lu Luo looked down and saw a pale blue lake below. The water churned continuously, and the small lake seemed to generate waves as formidable as roaring seas. This lake emitted a pale blue fluorescence, illuminating the entire hollow. Lu Luo was uncertain about the purpose of this place.

[The thing is coming out of the lake.]

Something was coming out?

Lu Luo used a steel wire to secure himself to a tree branch, then glided toward the surface of the lake. Touching the lake’s water with his fingertip, a cold chill instantly entered his body. The chill seemed to seal the power within his body. However, it wasn’t to such a degree as to be a concern.

[You’re quite superstitious, you know? That’s why the water of Mirror Lake can’t affect you.]

Alright, the effects of being an Unbeliever were often more absurd than he imagined.

Just as Lu Luo was about to conduct a deeper investigation...

A black tendril suddenly stretched out from the water. The tip of the tendril, sharp as a sword, thrust straight towards Lu Luo’s chest. Lu Luo stared at the vine; the Observer finally provided information.

[Unknown Eighth Order Exotic Species appendage, weaker than Bizarre King strength; specifics unknown.]

Eighth Order?

BANG!

A large splash of water erupted from the lake, and a mass of black matter writhed and twisted in the center. Numerous tendrils stabbed towards Lu Luo, intent on killing him!

CLANG, CLANG, CLANG!

The sound of steel clashing resonated around Lu Luo’s body.

[Your Constitution and Unbeliever status have rendered you immune to this attack.]

[Your Constitution and Unbeliever status have rendered you immune to this attack.]

The strength of the tendrils increased, and at this rate of growth, even Lu Luo’s defenses would eventually be breached.

"Damn it, these vines are so annoying. Ah... GLUG GLUG GLUG!"

Lu Luo was dragged under the water again, and at the bottom, he finally saw the full appearance of the monster.

A plant puffball with a woman’s face? Well, perhaps tens of thousands of times larger than any ordinary puffball. An Eighth Order Bizarre, yet not quite at the strength of an Eighth Order Monarch. So... could it be killed?

"GLUG GLUG GLUG GLUG GLUG!"

SHIT.

Lu Luo was dragged up and then into the water again; the repeated turmoil causing his morale to crumble. Had it not been for Zhang Changming’s repeated cautions not to use Sequence Energy, he would have turned the tables by now.

[This is not working!]

"GLUG GLUG GLUG GLUG GLUG! DAMN IT! You can’t go easy on these kinds of weeds!"

Lu Luo’s eyes rapidly darkened, and an aura not inferior to that of Hei Tengxi burst forth from him. Countless black tendrils extended from Lu Luo’s back, immediately entwining with the vines of Hei Tengxi.

"I’m really annoyed when people mess with me like this, got it?"

Having emerged from the water, Lu Luo was finally able to speak. But his mood was clearly not good, and the energy of the Sequence fluctuated wildly. A red eyeball appeared at the center of Mirror Lake. Its red glow mixed with the original blue of the lake, turning it into an eerie purple hue.

"Who, are, you?"

Hei Tengxi finally spoke up. Just as Lu Luo had guessed, Exotic Species of such rank definitely possessed wisdom. But at this moment, Lu Luo had clearly lost all interest in conversation. He could obviously feel that Hei Tengxi was not strong, at least not strong enough for now. Her power was slowly recovering, but this process of recovery might not be so fast.

"I’m your daddy!"

"What?"

Before Hei Tengxi could comprehend the meaning behind Lu Luo’s words, a bolt of lightning accompanied his fist and had already struck down.

Deliberate Bombardment Fist - Thunderclap!

In the outskirts, the Elder and Dan Kun had already moved a certain distance away from the ancient tree. They felt the vibrations from the ancient tree, which greatly pleased the Elder.

"Progress is fast!"

Suddenly, a loud boom came from the direction of the giant tree, which sounded a bit like thunder, surprising both the Elder and Dan Kun.

"Elder, that sound just now?"

"It was thunder."

"But there’s no thunderstorm now? It’s a clear sky."

"It’s the infiltrator. He’s fighting with Hei Tengxi."

Someone who can fight an Eighth Order Exotic Species? Dan Kun suddenly felt somewhat relieved; thankfully he had left early. If they had encountered such a person, would they have been totally wiped out?

"Perhaps the newcomer’s strength isn’t enough, but Hei Tengxi, who just broke the seal, is probably not in her complete state either."

"Then, Elder?"

"No worries. Even a Seventh Tier can’t possibly be a match for an Eighth Order Monarch. In the beginning, both sides might exchange blows. But as soon as Hei Tengxi rids herself of the seal, her strength will recover swiftly, and by then, the newcomer will undoubtedly die."

The Elder spoke with certainty, which somewhat reassured Dan Kun.

"Hopefully, everything we’ve done is worthwhile."

[This guy’s strength is increasing, you’ve got to step up your game. Take advantage of her weakness now and suppress her quickly.]

Getting stronger, huh... Got it.

Lu Luo retreated to the top of the cave, and dark energy continuously spilled out from his body. A faint disc phantom emerged from him. Upon seeing this phantom, Hei Tengxi’s expression suddenly turned to one of terror. Her look made Lu Luo chuckle. "Recognize the Doomsday Disc, huh? Seems like you’re not that young!"

The Doomsday Disc should be a relic from a thousand years ago. The fact that Hei Tengxi in front of him could recognize it meant she too was a product from a thousand years ago.

Lu Luo’s gaze gradually sharpened, as he clenched his hands tight, his body writhing.

Sequence S-02, Devourer of the World’s Core! The Demon of Thousand Tentacles.

In an instant, twelve massive tentacles burst from the ground, each several times thicker than Hei Tengxi’s vines, even up to a dozen times. They coiled around Hei Tengxi all at once, with sharp spikes and tentacle mouths constantly shredding the seaweed-like vines. Lu Luo let out a muffled grunt as the immense power of the tentacles continued to pull Hei Tengxi upwards. As Hei Tengxi resisted, she also kept screaming miserably. The struggle between them was fierce, with a multitude of vines being torn apart during the fight.

It seemed that Hei Tengxi knew she couldn’t go on like this, and she began retracting her vines, wrapping herself up. At the same time, swarms of black parasitic bugs emerged from inside her. These parasites crawled up the mouths of the Devourer’s tentacles and into Lu Luo’s body, causing waves of itchiness to appear within him.

"You’ve got quite a few little tricks up your sleeve!"

Netherflame!

A wave of purple fire swept past, burning to death a vast number of parasites. The transmission of the Netherflame did not stop there. Instead, it continued to burn, reaching the main body of Hei Tengxi and began scorching her life.

Hei Tengxi had not anticipated that, having just broken the seal, she would encounter such a formidable adversary. If things went on like this, she might actually be killed!

This couldn’t go on.

"Phantom plants!"

BOOM!

Around the giant tree, countless tree demons rose from the ground, powerful and evil. They began marching toward the ancient tree with heavy footsteps. And the ancient tree itself? A pair of black eyes suddenly opened in the center of the trunk. This gargantuan ancient tree itself was an extension of Hei Tengxi’s will. After all the tree demons awoke, all the trees surrounding Lu Luo began to attack him. The wood transformed into wooden figures, their weapons into wooden swords and spears. This greatly annoyed Lu Luo, who was already struggling with Hei Tengxi.

"What the hell is this!"

Lu Luo kicked away a wooden figure. Even though the attacks of the wooden figures on him were met with CLANGS of immunity, once there were too many tree people, it really would affect his fight with Hei Tengxi. By now, the overhead planks had turned into a sea of tree people. More and more tree people climbed up the vines, reaching Lu Luo’s tentacles. These wooden figures were lifeless, and it would be troublesome for Lu Luo to use the Devourer to destroy them, or even to burn them with Netherflame. If this went on, he would be dragged down, and whether he would be dragged to death was still unclear.

"Damn annoying!"

[Suggest using Slash Strike, make an opening first.]

Lu Luo also knew that bursting through with a Slash Strike was the best choice in this situation. But right now, he really had no suitable weapon at hand. After Fenrir Type VI broke, he typically used mass-purchased standard greatswords and machetes. Such weapons really couldn’t withstand Lu Luo’s strength. They were low-powered, failed to bring out his fullest potential, and were bothersome to use. So recently, Lu Luo hadn’t been using those weapons much. Annoying. However, it seemed impossible not to use them now.

Lu Luo reached into his Noah’s Star, and as his fingers touched the standard greatsword he bought, they suddenly were burned. With Lu Luo’s current Constitution, defensive power, and the effect of the Unbeliever, there really weren’t many things that could burn him.

"What is this?"

[Remember the broken iron piece Qiao Xing left for you?]

The broken iron piece Qiao Xing gave him? Lu Luo indeed had a faint memory of this object. At that time, Qiao Xing...

"When you really need a sword, perhaps it will appear then?"

"If you don’t want to give it, then don’t."

"Tsk, these are all my collectibles, how could I give them to you!"

This memory left a deep impression on Lu Luo. Back then, when he asked Qiao Xing for a sword, Qiao Xing was unwilling to give him one. As a master, and a master collector of a cabinet full of swords, that was just too much.

With mixed emotions, Lu Luo took out the iron piece. As he touched the iron piece, a sensation like holding molten lava surfaced in his heart. This iron piece? It suddenly made a noise!

"Damn it, Qiao Xing was a waste himself, and now he’s chosen an even greater waste as his disciple, not even at the Seventh Tier."

This sarcastic tone, were it not for the other party’s words, Lu Luo would have thought it was Qiao Xing who intentionally left a backdoor.

"Uh, this... senior?"

"Forget it, it won’t last much longer anyway. Since Qiao Xing chose you, you must have something special about you. So, young man... do you really need a weapon?"

After pondering for a moment, Lu Luo slowly nodded.

"Yes, I do. I really need a weapon, a greatsword!"

The voice did not appear again, but to Lu Luo’s amazement, the iron piece began to elongate. To be accurate, the iron piece began to melt! It was absorbing the surrounding matter, energy, and some unknown substances. Even a part of Lu Luo’s own Sequence Force was absorbed by the iron piece.

"What the hell is it doing?"

[The supreme artifact. Feel the power of an item forged by Sequence Force.]

A large portion of Lu Luo’s body’s Netherflame was drawn away by the iron piece, leaving the source of the Netherflame looking like it might extinguish at any moment. The four great Sequence Forces continued to merge into the iron piece. The power of the Fusioner ensured that these Sequence Forces did not repel each other, preventing mutual interference. Based on the Unbeliever, with Observer as its mouthpiece, Devourer plundering, Fusioner merging.

The purple Netherflame, after being stripped and merged of other forces, slowly began to change color. From its original purple, it gradually turned into a dark red color. This dark red, almost black color, was similar to the color of the Observer. The red flames lost the power of life and death they originally had, but regained the burning power a normal flame should have. And this burning power was even more terrifying than that of regular flames, being capable of devouring while burning.

The wooden figures that were originally entangled around Lu Luo started turning to ash from the moment the red flames appeared. They were burnt to cinders almost instantaneously. Everything around turned into nothingness. The Hei Tengxi beneath his feet didn’t dare to come close at this moment either!

At this time, the tree spirits had reached the side of the ancient tree. Although they could not do anything to Lu Luo in the red flames, they could use this moment to pull out the Hei Tengxi from the center of the lake. Each tree spirit grabbed one of Lu Luo’s Devourer’s tendrils, finally helping Hei Tengxi to be freed from the entanglement of the Devourer.

The Hei Tengxi, once on the ground, greedily bathed in the sunlight. With the nourishment of the sun, her power also recovered faster!

"Finally, out!"

As she absorbed sunlight and regained her strength, she fixed her gaze on the tree base where Lu Luo was. Once her power was restored, the first person she would kill would be Lu Luo!

However, Lu Luo did not care about these things at all. At this moment, all of his attention was focused on the black and red greatsword before him. The iron piece was still writhing, but Lu Luo could feel that the sword seemed to lack something.

Does it need my blood?

Lu Luo’s blood was no longer ordinary blood. Though he received no response, Lu Luo still cut open his wrist, allowing a large amount of fresh blood to spill onto the greatsword. When the blood poured onto the greatsword, it was immediately absorbed by the blade. And after absorbing the blood, the greatsword grew even more rapidly.

This process lasted a long time, and finally, after about nine minutes, a black and red greatsword appeared in Lu Luo’s vision. The feeling of a blood connection was extraordinarily clear. And from the moment this sword was born, Lu Luo knew its name.

The Dawn Sword of Ending Exotic Species.

Ashbringer.