Chapter Twenty: Ambush at the Southern Descent

The Ark of the Water God.

Nanluo sat alone upon his throne, gazing at the divine mountain of Buzhou, so near yet separated by countless miles, as the unease in his heart grew ever stronger.

Since Nanluo had sailed his vessel into the realm of Buzhou Mountain, he suddenly felt an invisible murderous intent enveloping his heart, constantly warning him of danger and urging him to leave at once.

Nanluo knew this was a benevolent warning from the will of heaven, yet what was a so-called benevolent warning if not a malicious hint?

Those who walk the path of the gods must endure three tribulations before ascending the nine heavens and ruling the universe.

The three tribulations are the Divine Tribulation, the Silent God Tribulation, and the Sacred Tribulation.

The Divine Tribulation is the necessary ordeal for a demi-god to transform into a true god, becoming a noble divinity.

Yet Nanluo, as a primordial god-demon, bypassed the Divine Tribulation entirely, emerging as a chief god from birth.

The Silent God Tribulation is the essential trial for a god king to ascend as a god sovereign. During this tribulation, the will of heaven automatically rejects the tribulant, who can no longer borrow the power of heaven and earth. At the same time, the will of heaven will arrange for living beings to assassinate the tribulant.

The Sacred Tribulation is the required ordeal for a god sovereign to be reborn as a god emperor.

Nanluo was now but a humble god king, so the will of heaven had not revealed anything about the Sacred Tribulation to him.

Now, Nanluo was about to face the Silent God Tribulation.

Because Nanluo was destined to be the future leader of the god race, favored by fate, the will of heaven opened the gates of convenience for him, allowing Nanluo to skip the Silent God Tribulation.

Thus, the will of heaven offered its benevolent warning for Nanluo not to enter Buzhou Mountain.

Yet, is a god sovereign who has not endured the Silent God Tribulation a true god sovereign?

What is a benevolent warning if not a malicious hint?

If Nanluo became a god sovereign without enduring the Silent God Tribulation, his true power would only amount to half that of other primordial god sovereigns, such as the Ancestral Dragon.

Although Nanluo could wield the power of heaven and earth bestowed by the will of heaven, possessing strength equal to or even greater than other primordial god sovereigns, such power would be no more than castles in the air, unable to withstand a single blow.

Moreover, Nanluo would henceforth be manipulated by the will of heaven, reduced to its puppet.

Nanluo was a peerless primordial innate god-demon, bold and unyielding, supremely noble and proud—how could he allow himself to become a puppet of the will of heaven?

Furthermore, crisis is merely the chance for a primordial god-demon to grow stronger!

How could Nanluo shrink from danger and not ascend Buzhou Mountain?

Thus, Nanluo came to Buzhou Mountain nonetheless.

A cold gleam flashed, and a divine halberd slowly appeared before Nanluo.

As the halberd manifested, an icy chill spread across the grand hall.

In an instant, the resplendent and warm hall was transformed into a palace of crystalline frost.

The divine halberd was three zhang and nine chi long, gleaming with cold light, as fluid as water, its entire body forged from Lunar Crystal, its blade crafted of Xuanming Crystal, known as the Supreme Water Halberd.

A suit of Xuanming Crystal armor slowly and automatically appeared upon Nanluo.

The chilling aura emanating from the Xuanming Armor froze the only untouched object in the hall—the throne—turning it into an ice-sealed seat of kingship.

Within the crystal palace, Nanluo sat alone upon the frozen throne, clad in Xuanming Armor, his hand closing upon the Supreme Water Halberd before him, feeling the bond of blood and lineage. He smiled softly, “Long time no see, old friends. This time, let us revel in the slaughter.”

The Supreme Water Halberd trembled with joy, and the Xuanming Armor shone even colder and more forbidding.

The Ark of the Water God, unaffected in appearance and untouched by the chill, continued its calm journey toward Buzhou Mountain as ever.

The Eleventh Elder of the Xuanming Black Serpent clan, accompanied by more than a dozen god kings, lurked not far from the Ark of the Water God, watching Nanluo intently.

Seeing the ark gradually enter the attack zone, the Eleventh Elder reported to the Seventh Elder, who held the central command, “Ready! Nanluo has entered the attack zone!”

“Is the formation prepared?” The Seventh Elder asked calmly, addressing the Ninth Elder who was in charge of the formation.

Around the Ark of the Water God, dozens of battle flags fluttered in the wind.

The Ninth Elder, along with thirty god kings, had already laid out the Black Serpent Killing Formation around the ark and replied serenely, “The formation is ready.”

The Seventh Elder’s fierce gaze focused upon the approaching Ark of the Water God, issuing a stern and cold command, “Prepare!”

Seventy god kings clad in black Black Serpent Armor slowly aimed their serpent spears at the Ark of the Water God, awaiting the command to unleash a fierce and mighty assault.

Ten superior god kings, also clad in black armor, drew their pitch-black bows taut, nine black arrows nocked, all aimed at the Ark of the Water God, ready to loose their deadly shots the moment they saw Nanluo.

“Attack!” The Seventh Elder shouted abruptly, staring at the Ark.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The Black Serpent battle flags whirled, summoning endless black clouds, forming a vast curtain that blotted out the blazing sun, turning day into night.

In the darkness, over a hundred god kings of the Xuanming Black Serpent clan, their serpent pupils glowing dangerously blue, raised their spears in unison and shot streaks of pitch-black divine light at the Ark of the Water God.

Over a hundred black beams melded together, forming a single, highly compressed and powerful ray that flashed like lightning, striking the Ark in an instant.

Bang!

The Ark of the Water God was struck by the black light and exploded violently without resistance.

“Where is Nanluo?!” The Seventh Elder and the other god kings found no sign of Nanluo on the ark and stared wide-eyed in disbelief.

Danger!

All the god kings of the Xuanming Black Serpent clan sensed the peril, spreading their divine senses and scanning each other, wary of Nanluo’s ambush.

But, faced with overwhelming disparity in strength, the ordinary god kings of the Xuanming Black Serpent clan had no power to resist.

“Ah!” “Ah!” “Ah!”

A huge cold gleam swept through the night, accompanied by three wretched cries.

Nanluo, wielding the Supreme Water Halberd, slew three god kings of the Xuanming Black Serpent clan with a single blow, his entire body radiating intense cold light, making no attempt to conceal his presence.

Seeing Nanluo gleaming in the distance, all the god kings of the Xuanming Black Serpent clan brandished their serpent spears and rushed at him.

“Kill!” The god kings of the clan hurled black beams at Nanluo.

A hundred beams merged into one, forming a compressed black ray that shot straight at Nanluo.

The black light sped like lightning, reaching Nanluo in a flash, but he tore open space and vanished instantly, evading the attack.

“Ah!” “Ah!”...

Nanluo teleported directly to the midst of the god kings, swinging his Supreme Water Halberd in a blaze of cold light and unleashing carnage.

“Damn it! Seventh Elder, what do we do now?” The Eleventh Elder suddenly appeared beside the Seventh Elder, watching Nanluo slaughtering with urgency and worry.

“Nanluo is far too cunning. He refuses to engage us head-on, and our attacks cannot lock onto him while he uses spatial laws. Now, we can only let Nanluo rampage unchecked.” The Ninth Elder’s disgruntled voice echoed beside the Seventh and Eleventh Elders.