Setting Out for the Abyssal Rift / War Against the Undead Empire
Lu Jun slowly suppressed his fluctuations, his brows furrowing slightly. With his control over magic, a breakthrough in a minor realm should have been silent, yet it still leaked quite a commotion. It seems the influence of his Calamity Talent is growing stronger.
Just like now, outside the airplane window, the clouds are dense, and the ancient western Ancient Capital, which rarely receives rainfall, seems to have its Call Wind Summon Rain talent activated with his arrival, and there is a faint tendency for it to rain.
"Oh well, I'm used to it."
Lu Jun remained calm, silently sensing the cultivation levels of both the Death and Life systems. A smile appeared on his lips as both advanced simultaneously, progressing side by side.
This was the first time I had ever experienced such a rapid breakthrough in my cultivation.
The Intermediate Level 3 Death Element -Soul Summoning - Death Howl, compels the spirits to unleash a howl, capable of inflicting a powerful mental attack.
It's better than nothing, Lu Jun doesn't need this little bit of emotional damage.
Next is the Intermediate Level 3 Life Element. The Life Sprite can now summon three. There's not much to say about that. The Life Sprite evolves into the Healing Butterfly, providing invincible group healing. Combined with the buff effects of the Super Rank system, it becomes even more outstanding.
The reason Lu Jun devoted himself to cultivating the new Super Rank awakened element during his trip to the Ancient Capital was twofold: firstly, his four Super Rank Four Elements had reached a bottleneck, and secondly, he had a premonition that a great war would break out in the Ancient Capital.
The Life Element and Death Element are undoubtedly the right remedies; to elevate him to a higher level, their help will be no less than that of other Super Rank Magic System.
"Let's try to advance both systems to the Super Rank during this one or two-year gap in the Ancient Capital. Anyway, with the Ancient King Armor Robe and the Healing Divine Soul, there are no bottlenecks."
Lu Jun thought to himself, the Pacific Empire's silence is just the calm before the storm.
Having learned its lesson, the Sea Monster's next offensive will be a thousand times more ferocious. The memories from the original story are no longer reliable. The battles of the Twin Stars in Xiamen, Magic City Sea King Skeleton in Shanghai, the rampage of the Demon Capital, and the rampage of the Dragon Ant in Qingdao—it's unclear whether these will happen again...
He could only respond to all changes by remaining unchanged.
In addition, Lu Jun, while stationed in the Ancient Capital, also wanted to collect a massive amount of essence to complete the goal of achieving the High-level Four and the Primary level five of all Intermediate Level -level Magic System.
A short while later, the plane landed.
Before Lu Jun had even stepped outside, he saw through the window that all the high-ranking officials of the Ancient Capital were waiting at the airport, remaining solemn and attentive even as a light drizzle began to fall.
Upon seeing this, he was slightly taken aback at first, but then he realized that their status and position were different now, and strength was also crucial.
Han Ji and Lu Huan were at the head of the group, went up to him with smiles and said, "Lu Jun, it's been a long time."
"Long time no see, you two are still as sharp as ever!"
Lu Jun glanced at the dense crowd, then stopped, saying, "No need for such a big fuss, it's not my style."
Han Ji said gently, "After all, you are a benefactor of the Ancient Capital, and now you are my superior."
Despite saying that, Han Ji still dismissed the irrelevant people, leaving only a few familiar faces.
Mo Fan and Ling Ling then bid farewell and left, heading towards the nearby Qinling Mountains.
Lu Jun didn't try to stop him. Watching Mo Fan's retreating figure, he sighed inwardly, "I hope the search for the Oath Fruit goes smoothly."
He held the fruit of the Heavenly Crown Purple Linden Tree in his hand. If he could combine it with the fruit of the Oath Tree, he might be able to glimpse the secret of the Mind Curse and seize the opportunity to break through to the Super Rank.
Chapter 550 Heading to the Abyss of Calamity
Lu Jun came to his senses and asked Han Ji about the situation in the Ancient Capital while walking.
At this moment, Han Ji, the president of the Magic Association, dared not be negligent and sighed, "The situation is very bad. The undead have become active again, and attacks on humans are happening frequently."
"If the undead were only active at night and would occasionally attack the city, it wouldn't be a problem. But since the battle of the Ancient Capital Abyss of Calamity, those attacking undead have been appearing during the day, unafraid of sunlight."
"They seem to possess intelligence and know tactics. They appear and disappear unpredictably. Often, by the time the patrol arrives, the spirits have already vanished, leaving no trace of the victims' bodies. In one instance, an entire village was wiped out."
Upon hearing this, Lu Jun's eyes sharpened, and he exclaimed, "A village massacre?!"
"That's right," Han Ji took a deep breath and said, "Open attacks are easy to deal with, but hidden dangers are hard to handle. Now the people of the Ancient Capital are in a state of panic, and people are constantly moving away to seek refuge with relatives in other places. The local economy is paralyzed, and it looks like it will become a ghost town."
Lu Jun understood that the Ancient Capital's Abyss of Calamity incident had already caused great psychological trauma to the people, and now that another disaster had occurred, they were like people who had been bitten by a snake once and were afraid of a rope for ten years, which is why they fled one after another.
"But in such a vast world, with Chaotic World looming, where can one hide? The coast faces the Pacific Empire; within three years, the Ancient Capital will be the best place to live. I reckon we'll have to return."
He slowly shook his head, but the massacre of the village was indeed horrifying. He wondered which Undead Monarch had carried it out, and the ringleaders must not be spared!
However, having the information from the Nine Nether Queen, Lu Jun wouldn't blindly believe either the humans or the dead, but rather listen to both sides to gain a clear understanding. He calmly asked, "Then what's the story behind my hearing that some hunters are robbing tombs?"
Han Ji pondered for a moment and replied, "It is indeed true, but the tomb raiders come from all over the Nine Provinces, making it difficult to control. We are already doing our best to contain them."
"The locals of the Ancient Capital hold ancient tombs in high esteem because of the spirits of the dead. Even if the spirits no longer appear at night, they will not walk on the road at night, so it is highly likely that the crime was not committed by a local."
"Out-of-towners, without the protection of the spirits of the dead at night, are quite bold."
Lu Jun said thoughtfully, "It seems that it is indeed true."
In his view, this problem was easy to solve. First, restore the appearance of the undead at night. Apart from prohibiting unauthorized attacks on cities, let anyone who wanted to die be fed to the undead.
Secondly, he personally met with the eight Undead Monarch, captured the Undead Monarch had attacked and killed humans, and had their bones crushed and scattered to the winds, thus quelling the bloodshed.
Finally, Lu Jun turned his attention to the Egyptian Undead Empire, gathering troops for a counter-invasion to counter the undead's bloodthirsty nature; after all, prevention is better than cure.
"The day belongs to humans, the night to the dead, and all is well."
Lu Jun pondered that he had left in a hurry during the incident in the ancient Ancient Capital and had not thoroughly resolved the hidden dangers.
There was no other way; the price he paid for transforming into Undead Emperor was too high, and his own strength was relatively weak, so he lacked the confidence to issue orders in front of the Eight Directions Undead Monarchs.
This return to the Ancient Capital is different. Lu Jun's cultivation is extraordinary, and he has transformed into God Ascension. Even if the Great Monarch attacked together, what could they do? He suppressed them all.
At his level, does it matter whether he's Ancient King or not?!
"Ultimately, it's just a delaying tactic. With humans migrating westward and the population skyrocketing, the living space of the Forbidden Lands of the Dead will inevitably be squeezed."
Lu Jun pondered for a moment, then concluded that the only solution was to expand the territory!
He considered the Undead Forbidden Zone his private domain.
He set his sights on this vast territory stretching from the Hexi Corridor to the Western Regions. What was once a lush, vibrant forest has now become a desolate desert, with vegetation destroyed, soil erosion rampant, and the Yangtze River turning into the Yellow River.
"Restore soil and water, and rebuild the Kitsuchi Plateau and the Western Regions."
Lu Jun recalled his youthful fantasies, his gaze slightly narrowed, and his mind peered into a yellowish-brown, sun-like Heart of the Earth of the earth within his Portable Space, its surface dull and lifeless.
This earth-fire dual-element Heart of the Earth needs to absorb a massive amount of heaven and earth elements to restore its peak, which requires a long process.
Coincidentally, the drought in the Western Regions and Ancient Capital was caused by an excessively strong Fire Element.
If Lu Jun were to set up an array to gather the vast fire and earth elements of this region and inject them into the Heart of the Earth, it would not only accelerate the revival process of this thing, but also alleviate the drought in the west.
"Then, with my talent for Call Wind Summon Rain, I will set up Water Cycle Great Formation and a void diversion array to draw moisture from the Pacific Empire in the east to the west, thus recreating the land and water."
Lu Jun was ambitious, and thus the Scorching Plains in the northwest corner of Dunhuang would become history, transforming into a lush and verdant pearl on the frontier.
Of course, the specific operations are not that simple, such as adjusting the life and death energy of the land and balancing the four basic elements.
However, he diligently studied magic arrays under Dean Xiao, overcoming these challenges one by one. Furthermore, his sister Lu Mei's mastery of the method to reorganize Earth Fire Wind Water, and to evolve chaos, was also crucial.
Let's take it one step at a time.
Lu Jun's mind raced, while Han Ji beside him continued, "I heard from Leader Hua that you want to establish Bing Ce Fu in a territory. Which region do you want?"
Upon hearing this, Lu Jun shook his head and said, "Forget it. The Ancient Capital has been developed for a long time, and the good locations are all owned by various powerful forces. The disputes among them are too troublesome. I'll just cultivate my own territory in the Forbidden Land of the Dead."
"Oh, this..."
Han Ji hesitated, unsure whether to stop him. Lu Jun was right about one thing: the Great Noble Families and high-ranking officials in the mainland had long ago closed off all aspects of the Ancient Capital. It would be very difficult for outsiders to find a way in, and it would lead to bloodshed.
The old monk said solemnly, "If you have confidence, then go for it. If it doesn't work, then try something else. You are a benefactor of the Ancient Capital, and I will risk my life to protect you."
"Haha, it's alright. I won't hesitate to help if there's any trouble."
Lu Jun nodded with a smile, then turned to Jun Yaojin and Lu Wei Xi and instructed them, "Since you two are skilled in the Light Element, recruit a group of members in the suburbs of the Ancient Capital, acquire land, and go to the Zhao family's Chamber of Commerce. They will provide the funds for construction."
The two had no objections, but Lu Mei hesitated and asked, "What about you, Lu Jun? Where are you going?"
"I'm going to see my 'old' subordinates."
Lu Jun gazed into the distance, looking towards the depths of the Ancient Capital Undead Forbidden Zone.
Upon hearing this, Lu Mei understood and asked solemnly, "Do you need my help?"
"Need not."
Lu Jun declined, acting swiftly and decisively. Upon arriving in the Ancient Capital, he set off without even resting. With a thought, he sketched Space Element Constellation and initiated a void leap to the Abyss of Calamity.
He wanted to find the Eight Directions Undead Monarchs, lock onto the new undead force attacking humanity, and eradicate them in one fell swoop.
Buzz buzz buzz!
With several flashes, Lu Jun drew closer and closer to the Abyss of Calamity. He was clad in Ancient King Armor Robe, which seemed to draw him in from the shadows.
Boom! The next moment, everything went black before his eyes as a torrent of black and red blood- Killing Aura surged forth, distorting his mind and filling his ears with terrifying and resentful voices.
The familiar wailing of a million Vengeful Souls was none other than the surface of the Abyss of Calamity.
Once you pass through this level, you'll reach the Ancient King's palace!
Chapter 551 The War of the Undead Empire
Roar!
Lu Jun felt as if he had passed through a membrane, and heard deafening howls of ghosts in his ears.
However, this time he was not overwhelmed by the resentment of the billions of corpses and fell into a coma. A bright silver sun remained fixed between his brows, with the immortal Soul Shadow standing tall and unmoving in the center.
He opened his eyes as he plummeted downwards, surrounded by a dense mass of writhing, intertwined, layer upon layer of undead. They fled in panic, as if terrified by some horrific creature.
In an instant, Lu Jun looked down and saw a vast and boundless land emerge. It was an independent plane within the Abyss of Calamity. In the center of the gray world, there was a pale palace, majestic and grand.
The Ancient King's White Tomb Palace!
However, compared to the tranquil scene when he entered the Abyss of Calamity in the past, this scene now appears noisy and bloody.
Unbeknownst to anyone, countless undead beings had appeared across the boundless planes, slaughtering each other in a brutal and horrific atmosphere. Blood splattered everywhere, limbs flew through the air, poisonous mist blotted out the sky, and devastating Ground Wave continued to expand.
The undead are relentless, their mutilated corpses rising again after defeat to fight their enemies, only to be destroyed once more, endlessly repeating the cycle, forever and ever, terrifying the living.
The blood-red battlefield was roughly divided into two armies.
One side is centered around the White Tomb Palace, with Eight Directions Undead Monarchs standing amidst Corpse of the Mountain Peak, Bone Dragon, and Ghost Shadow, commanding armies of skeletons, zombies, and ghosts.
On the other side, a towering pillar of chaotic light pierces the sky at the edge of the continent, guarded by a colossal Sphinx Beast with the body of a lion standing tall. On either side, terrifying creatures such as the proud and rugged Dark Sword Master, the enormous and clumsy Nether Lord Frog, the Ghost Child, and the Mummy Monarch are lined up in a row.
Their army was also peculiar, consisting of boatmen and servants, the remains of snakes and scorpions, and elite, Fierce Sword Attendant.
Lu Jun immediately recognized the two armies, whose styles were clearly distinct: the local Undead Empire of the Ancient Capital and the Pharaoh Empire of Egypt.
"Pharaoh has indeed invaded the Nine Provinces."
Lu Jun recalled Nine Nether Queen's words, his eyes turning icy. "Those who offend Jiuzhou, though far away, shall be punished!"
With a buzzing sound, his figure materialized, stirring up a void storm that attracted the attention of the Eight Directions Undead Monarchs of the White Tomb Palace. One of them, a woman in a white dress with a graceful figure and mature demeanor, chuckled softly, and her semi-transparent shadow drifted over.
Nine Nether Queen glanced at the battlefield and smiled charmingly, "Your Majesty, you've finally arrived. This is the current state of the Ancient Capital. We're at a stalemate, waiting for you, the Savior, to turn the tide."
Upon hearing this, the Supreme Monarch's Corpse of the Mountain Peak, towering like a mountain range, appeared; the Agate Corpse King, whose flesh was only half-formed and translucent; the Mist Ghost Commander; the ferocious Bone Dragon Skeleton Lord; Ghost King, Ghost Shadow in the Skeleton Nether Lord.
Two tiny Humanoid Undead, the Corpse General White Corpse King and the Red Skull Demon Lord, also cast scrutinizing glances over.
With the gazes of the Eight Directions Undead Monarchs fixed upon him, Lu Jun remained unfazed, raising his head to survey the scene before declaring without hesitation, "These mere Egyptian Undead are easily crushed with a flick of the finger."
The Undead Monarch present remained silent. They sensed a vast and powerful force lurking within the human man before them, constantly emanating waves of danger, and even a kind of kingly authority, with death bowing at his feet.
Finally, it was the White Corpse King who spoke first, his voice hoarse, bowing respectfully like an ancient person. "This humble general obeys your command."
After it spoke, the several Undead Monarch hesitated. When the Corpse of the Mountain Peak moved its head and bowed, causing the mountain to shake, the other Undead Monarch were shaken and submitted one by one.
The Mist Ghost Commander said in a low voice, "If you can lead us to repel the invasion of the Pharaoh Pyramid, how about Appoint you as King?!"
"Alright! It's a deal, a promise is a promise!"
Lu Jun glanced at the Eight Directions Undead Monarchs, a satisfied smile playing on his lips, and solemnly said.
His journey went smoothly; with his cultivation and strength at this level, it made no difference whether he wore the Ancient King Armor Robe or not.
Then, Lu Jun's figure slowly rose, hovering high in the sky, looking down at the distant Egyptian Undead, attracting the attention of the Demon Beast that was feigning sleep.
Rumble! The Sphinx awoke, its entire body radiating golden Nether Radiance that soared into the sky, illuminating the dark heavens and turning them into a golden expanse, accompanied by a terrifying supreme pressure that swept across all directions.
It stared at Lu Jun and said in a sharp voice, "Hehehe, so you are the human whom the Nether God ordered to be killed? No one can escape the punishment of death after offending the Nether God."
"Kill!"
Lu Jun's eyes were indifferent, two crystal Beads surrounded his body, and endless water elemental magic energy surged out from his body. Instantly, the celestial Feng Yun, and rolling dark clouds gathered, vying with the golden Nether Radiance, each occupying half of the land.