Translator: CinderTL
Buzz!
As the Blazing Sun crashed to earth, flesh and bone shattered into fragments.
The Heaven's Fall completely breached the last vestiges of the blood hell's blockade.
The magnificent pyramid ark floated through the air, its surging air currents tearing through the cloud layer and sweeping across the earth.
The Serpentfolk corpses were reduced to mere scraps, mingling with the swirling dust and soil, leaving no trace of their former existence.
"That must have been an angel," Chen Feng remarked.
"The Winged Serpent King... it seems to be that one. He's one of its subordinates."
Chen Feng had returned to the central control room, where the Star Spirit's phantom reappeared. A new 3D projection materialized on the light screen before him.
It depicted a colossal Winged Serpent, its wings spanning the sky, radiating a power capable of destroying heaven and earth.
With a single glance, Chen Feng recognized it as the crimson phantom of the Winged Serpent King he had encountered earlier.
"Him?" Chen Feng raised an eyebrow, sensing the Star Spirit's deliberate avoidance of the Evil God's name.
"The ease with which the angel's power descended, coupled with our previous destruction here, indicates that chaos has long corrupted and dominated this place."
"Its control over this world far surpasses that of other realms. Uttering its true name would easily draw its attention."
Chen Feng nodded thoughtfully at the concise explanation.
The Star Spirit then projected images of the Serpentfolk from earlier, accompanied by a stream of data analysis.
"These Serpentfolk are quite peculiar."
"Some of the lower-ranking members of their race share striking similarities with humans in their fundamental life essence. However, as their life stages advance, these differences become increasingly pronounced."
"This is likely due to the corrupting influence of that chaotic power. As for the so-called Serpent-Folk Tribes..."
The Star Spirit paused, turning to Chen Feng.
"They may once have been human."
As the words fell, Chen Feng's gaze sharpened.
He had indeed entertained a similar hypothesis from the beginning.
Based on his understanding and the secret knowledge shared by the Holy City, the Serpentfolk of this world were essentially human, transformed by the Serpent God's Blessing into their serpentine forms.
The Serpent-Folk Tribes, on the other hand, had gradually formed through the Serpent Spirit Bloodline—a higher-tier blessing of power.
"Of course, this is merely speculation."
"The Heaven's Fall's intelligence is damaged and dormant, and its database is incomplete."
"However, I have made a new discovery."
The Star Spirit shrugged, then shifted to another topic that piqued Chen Feng's interest.
"Though we were defeated in the past, we managed to prevent the Black Tide's complete invasion, allowing some survivors to escape to other star realms."
"They inherited fragments of our legacy and established a new Ancient Taiduo Empire."
"The Heaven's Fall left behind extensive records on this matter."
Oh?
Chen Feng's gaze shifted, surprised.
This revelation finally resolved a long-standing question he had harbored.
He had always been puzzled by the relationship between the Ancient Taiduo Empire and the Ancient Taiduo Civilization.
The two were clearly very similar, yet they existed in different eras.
"So, the Serpent Spirit Secret Realm was once one of the worlds you ruled, and the Ancient Taiduo Empire here is actually a remnant force of your civilization."
"They preserved the final glory of Ancient Taiduo until their complete annihilation a thousand years ago."
"That understanding is correct."
The Star Spirit nodded gently. Dozens, even hundreds, of light screens surrounded her, yet she remained unfazed, effortlessly processing all the information within them.
"They were likely one of the legions under the nine kings, and they enthroned a descendant of the nine kings as the empire's ruler."
"Unfortunately, they ultimately reenacted our own tragedy, and their annihilation mirrored ours."
The Star Spirit's tone carried a complex mix of melancholy and regret.
Through her explanations, Chen Feng began to piece together the hidden truths of the Serpent Spirit Secret Realm.
The Ancient Taiduo Empire, the Serpent-Folk Tribe...
Perhaps long ago, they had all been one unified entity.
But later, some were corrupted by the Evil God, transforming into Serpentfolk and instigating rebellion.
Ultimately, caught in a pincer attack from within and without, the human empire that had inherited the crystallized essence of the Ancient Taiduo Civilization was utterly annihilated.
A moment of silence fell. The Small Stone Statue, having been teleported into the Heaven's Fall, fluttered over and landed on Chen Feng's shoulder.
During this time, the Star Spirit had completely absorbed all the data from the Heaven's Fall.
Her expression grew visibly more complex, reflecting the loneliness and desolation of witnessing the annihilation of her own kind.
The excitement of discovering the world ark faded, and Chen Feng could sense her almost human-like melancholy.
"Let's head south together," Chen Feng suddenly said, drawing a puzzled look from the Star Spirit.
As their eyes met, he thought of the Holy City in the southernmost reaches of the world.
It was the last human sanctuary, and the three Legion Commanders had subtly hinted that the Holy City was connected to the former Ancient Taiduo Empire.
"This empire may not have been completely destroyed," Chen Feng said earnestly, turning to gaze at the outside world through the light screen.
Across the vast earth, black dots were fleeing in panic.
It was a Serpentfolk Army that had bypassed the treacherous canyon terrain. Terrified by the earlier commotion, they were now retreating frantically.
If he was right, the Serpentfolk Army had likely launched their final assault and were now besieging the Holy City.
Seeing this, the Star Spirit's eyes lit up, and the blue light forming her virtual expression flickered several times.
The data from the Heaven's Fall was merely historical, not current.
Moreover, she suspected Chen Feng had already entered this world multiple times and likely knew more about certain matters than she did.
"Alright!"
Without hesitation, Star Spirit agreed.
If a remnant of Ancient Taiduo's civilization truly remained here, she would no longer be the last survivor.
Furthermore, repairing the Heaven's Fall required vast quantities of rare materials.
If this world still held remnants of civilization, there was hope the ark could be fully restored.
Buzz!
Without another word, the Heaven's Fall shuddered, and a blazing, light-like tail flame erupted from the pyramid's base.
In addition to that...
"I haven't forgotten my promise, you know," Star Spirit said with a smile. Chen Feng immediately felt a white halo flash beneath his feet.
His center of gravity shifted, and he was instantly transported to an unfamiliar chamber within the Heaven's Fall.
His gaze swept across the room, revealing rows of cryogenic capsules.
Through the glass, he saw vials filled with some kind of advanced serum, their silver bodies gleaming with a metallic sheen.
Though some had lost their energy and Spirituality, eroded by time into ordinary liquid, others still retained faint sparks of energy.
Subtly, Chen Feng could sense his Cosmic Flame stirring within him, a primal hunger for nourishment.
Buzz!
At the southernmost tip of the Serpent Spirit Continent, a blue Light Shield Barrier enveloped a vast expanse of land.
Within this barrier stood a magnificent city built against the mountainside, resembling the last giant on the horizon.
The white-gray city walls, seemingly forged from the world's most durable stone, were etched with blue runes that had been fully activated, sustaining the massive blue light shield's continuous operation.
The ceaseless roar of rushing water echoed through the air as silver waterfalls cascaded from the mountain cliffs, splashing against the city walls and flowing into the surging moat that encircled the city.
The high stone drawbridges had long been retracted, creating a perfect, unbroken defensive loop. The Holy City had activated its absolute, impenetrable defenses.
Yet, against all odds...
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The earth trembled violently, and rocks shattered.
Columns of dust and smoke erupted into the sky, revealing the far bank of the moat.
The once-impregnable black city walls that had stood before the Holy City, like an indestructible fortress, had collapsed into ruins.
In their place surged a tidal wave of Serpentfolk.
Scales and armor in silver-frost, dark-gray, and bright-blue hues shimmered in the light, accompanied by eight banners fluttering fiercely in the wind.
This was the true allied army, led by the five great northern tribes, united with the remnants of the three great southern tribes, and encompassing and commanding all other small and medium-sized Serpentfolk tribes.
The Serpentfolk Army marched forward, a formidable force composed of heavily armored warriors wielding meteor hammers and heavy shields, as well as ranged archers and stealthy assassins who melted into the shadows.
Serpentfolk figures stretched in orderly ranks, their numbers seemingly endless.
At the heart of the formation, over a hundred giant lizards and colossal two-headed serpentfolk, some towering seven or eight meters tall, guarded special siege engines crafted from massive logs and boulders, relentlessly advancing.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Dust billowed as the once-smooth terrain, the Holy City's final buffer zone, was reduced to a wasteland.
The densely packed Serpentfolk Army surged forward, undeterred by the cliff-like moat that barred their path.
From above, the moat, a river-like chasm dozens of meters wide, was already choked with corpses.
Yet even this grim sight failed to deter the massive serpentfolk and giant lizards, who pressed onward with unwavering resolve, showing no fear of death.
Thud!
Thud!
Thud!
The earth trembled as special siege engines were deployed, unfolding into massive bridges to span the moat and erase the barrier.
The city-circling river surged relentlessly, its waves trembling despite the protection of the blue light shield, sending shivers down the spines of those watching.
On the White Ash City Wall, the Holy City's defenders—the elite of the Three Legions and other young warriors—stood with grim faces, gripping their weapons tightly as they observed the scene.
They yearned to intervene, but before orders could be issued, a cold, piercing shout echoed across the battlefield from within the Serpentfolk Army:
"Release the arrows!"
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
In an instant, tens of thousands of arrows rained down from the Serpentfolk ranks, led by the Huorong and Giant Spear Tribes, forming a dense, sky-darkening barrage.
The blue barrier was forced to materialize, blocking the arrow storm.
This forced the Holy City's warriors to hold back their counterattack.
Ripples spread across the blue barrier, giving the Serpentfolk outside an opportunity to deploy their siege vehicles and attempt to construct a bridge by force.
At that critical moment:
"Kill!"
The White Ash City Wall, its blue runes glowing brightly, suddenly shuddered and split open, revealing rows of dark openings.
Swish! Swish! Swish!
Heavy arrows shot through the air, followed by specially designed javelins hurled skyward.
The tearing roar of their passage shattered the air, leaving trails of lingering white vapor in their wake.
The sickening thud-thud-thud of flesh being pierced echoed continuously as the giant serpentfolk and giant lizard beasts, used as living shields, were impaled and slaughtered on the spot.
This gruesome scene repeated endlessly, yet the siege vehicles meant to form bridges remained stubbornly undeployed.
More and more serpentfolk perished.
Their corpses either plunged into the moat, sinking relentlessly, or sprawled across the cratered, fissured earth, staining the ground crimson and imbuing the windblown sand with the stench of blood.
Yet the Serpentfolk Army seemed tireless, relentlessly repeating their siege maneuvers.
The priests and elders of the various tribes, stationed behind the main Serpentfolk Army, along with the core leadership of the Serpent God Temple, maintained impassive expressions, showing no signs of disappointment.
In stark contrast, within the seemingly impregnable Holy City, beneath the Blue Light Barrier that enveloped its walls—from the outermost ramparts to the central palace at its highest point—elite warriors and Legion Commanders wore grim expressions, their faces etched with anxiety and worry.
"The serpentfolk have abandoned their plan for a decisive assault."
"They're trying to wear us down, deliberately chipping away at our defenses, constantly harassing us to drain our energy and resources..."
"If this continues, we'll be slowly dragged into the mire, losing any chance to counterattack," several commanders warned gravely, including Guard Captain Olon, clad in silver armor and wielding a massive greatsword.
Hearing this, Corps Commander Di Yan of the Earth Rock Corps, whose massive shield pressed against the city wall like a mountain, wore a grim expression.
If the Serpentfolk Army had launched a reckless assault, they could have attempted a gradual counterattack, breaking through their lines at weak points.
But now, the enemy was overwhelming them with sheer force, sealing every exit from the Holy City, advancing relentlessly, and draining their resources.
While their supplies were substantial, they were finite.
Whether it was arrows, blades, armor, healing potions, or rations, everything would eventually run out.
If it truly came to that...
A wave of ominous thoughts surged through their minds. On the White Ash City Wall, Molly's face paled.
Gazing at the dark mass of the Serpentfolk Army on the horizon and their tireless siege, even her unwavering resolve began to waver.
Is the Holy City truly doomed to be destroyed by the Serpentfolk?
If Master Feng Chen were to appear, would there still be hope?
A flicker of desperate longing flashed in her brown eyes. Several months had passed since their expedition to Heaven's Fall Mountain.
He had left this world, and Little Stone had vanished with him.
It was as if they had truly departed forever, never to return.
For a moment, her expression grew distant, a sentiment shared by many around her.
As if this were the breaking point, someone soon succumbed to the crushing weight of despair, their voice urgent as they spoke.
"Lord Yan Le, can Lord Adams truly break through?"
The question rang out, drawing all eyes to the speaker—a Fourth-Tier elite legion vice-commander.
Normally stoic and composed, his face was now pale, with veins throbbing visibly beneath his skin.
A glimmer of hope ignited in his eyes. Molly and the others reacted with a jolt, their faces lighting up with a spark of renewed hope.
The laws of the world dictated that Saints were the pinnacle of power.
But with the gradual descent of the Serpent Angels' power, the very fabric of reality had begun to subtly shift.
If Lord Adams could break through his shackles and become an angel, this war might not be a lost cause after all.
Immediately, all eyes turned to Corps Commander Di Yan of the Earth Rock Corps.
The man, as massive as a mountain and bearing a colossal black shield on his back, didn't answer immediately. Instead, his expression complex, he turned and gazed up at the central palace atop the mountain peak.
Elite guards from the Falcon Corps stood watch there, including Kali, the Thorn Legion Commander, who was also guarding the sacred site.
That place was the Holy City's last hope, their final refuge after Lord Feng Chen's complete departure, leaving no trace or connection behind.
His expression conflicted, Yan Le opened his mouth.
"Perhaps..."
Boom!!
Before he could finish, the Blue Light Barrier shuddered violently, its surface rippling with intense, ceaseless tremors.
The crowd's faces paled, and Yan Le hurriedly turned to face the Serpentfolk Army outside.
Within the endless tide of enemy forces, a colossal figure had risen into the air, its cold gaze sweeping down upon them.
(End of the Chapter)
---
📖Read (MF) on Pa.treon@CinderTL - c614. [+5.3k]
🔑Early Access at $5.
💥Translated (6) Series, (4.6K+) Chapters, (6.7M+) Words.