Apocalypse: Master of Soul Beasts

”What’s... What’s your name again?”

”Sir... Sir, my name is Wang Yuu...”

”Hmm, when did you join the military?”

”I enlisted in 2008. Before the apocalypse, I was the commander of Cathay’s 5th Special Forces Division...”

That explains it...

”Go back and tell Fran to inform Lin Haifeng that I don’t need their guidance on how I do things.”

Wang Yuu remained silent for a moment. Feeling the pressure on him gradually dissipate, he swallowed heavily.

”Understood, sir...”

The advantages of the Sea King control plan were obvious—the Human Race had taken control of the Sea Clan, firmly securing their status as Earth’s masters. But could the subsequent impacts of the Sea King control plan be explained in a mere sentence or two?

At this moment, at least, some drawbacks of the Sea King control plan had already surfaced—Tang Haofei’s grievances against Lin Haifeng were now far from trivial.

The strict military system had slowly fractured into two distinct factions due to the rift between Tang Haofei and Lin Haifeng. One was led by Tang Haofei, comprising the original Independent powerful experts, and the other by Lin Haifeng, representing the established Cathay military hierarchy.

Of course, under the leadership of these two ’great individuals,’ Tang Haofei and Lin Haifeng, the tension between their factions was buried deep. So deep, in fact, that even powerful experts of slightly lower rank were unaware of the hidden rifts between the military’s two giants.

But a broken mirror cannot be truly mended.

Still, a rift is just a rift. With Tang Haofei and Lin Haifeng present, they absolutely would not let these personal matters affect the greater cause of the Human Race.

As for the future, however, not even Fran could foresee it clearly.

「Heavenly Palace... Eleventh Floor!」

The entire Eleventh Floor of the Heavenly Palace was, quite simply, a floating continental fragment.

What was different about this continental fragment was that over three-quarters of its area was covered by a vast, palace-like structure.

This had once been the bedchamber of the Almighty Immortal Emperor; now, it served as his tomb.

And after countless eons, this land finally welcomed its first guest.

He gently tightened his worn-out Daoist robe. Even though it was an SSS-Class item, it could not withstand the ravages and corrosion of time. A simple movement was enough to tear a large gash in the robe, revealing the withered skin beneath.

The skin under the robe was like decayed wood; the aura of desolation and death it exuded told everyone one thing: the owner of this body did not have much time left.

Actually, to say he didn’t have much time left was slightly inaccurate. The owner of this body was, in fact, already dead. It was only through the enhancement of the Origin Energy from the Universe of Immortals and Heroes, and the supreme power of a Level 8 Breakthrough Achiever, that his physical form had been preserved from decay.

The current owner of this body looked at the robe he had just torn, then at the decayed flesh beneath it. His cloudy eyes slowly began to clear.

As if lost in reminiscence, the old man, his face like withered wood, slowly extended a finger and lightly touched the exposed skin.

The dry, yet undeniably real, flesh seemed to ignite some deeply buried emotion within the old man’s heart.

An intense emotional fluctuation erupted from the old man’s eyes, awakening something unknown hidden within the Eleventh Floor of the Heavenly Palace.

In the next second, boundless Demonic Qi surged forth, and it was as if the entire Eleventh Floor of the Heavenly Palace had plunged into darkness.

Sensing the familiar aura in the Eleventh Floor of the Heavenly Palace, the old man sighed softly.

”Physical body... Demonic Qi... Dominator... Tongtian...”

”Ah, I’ve slept too long; I’ve forgotten how to talk...”

Muttering a few incomprehensible words, as if in self-mockery, the old man gently waved his hand.

The surging Demonic Qi instantly grew calm, as if encountering its master. Then, like birds returning to their nest, it swiftly burrowed into the old man’s body.

From the old man’s perspective, at his level, Demonic Qi was actually no different from spiritual energy or the like—both were simply forms of energy.

Power, in itself, possesses no inherent good or evil. Even Demonic Qi, abhorred by countless worlds, can also have its ’benevolent’ side.

His withered flesh began to plump, wrinkles diminished, and the old man’s features gradually grew younger, as if he were aging in reverse.

By the time all the Demonic Qi in the Eleventh Floor of the Heavenly Palace had been absorbed by the old man, the once wizened figure had transformed into a vigorous and handsome man who appeared to be only around thirty years of age.

”Well, this isn’t bad.”

The ’old man’ nodded, seemingly approving of his current physical appearance, then lightly clenched his fist.

A sense of immense power surged forth, testament to how profoundly the Demonic Qi had transformed this body.

However, this ’strength’ was not what the ’old man’ had hoped for...

For this Demonic Qi belonged neither to him nor to the Demon Realm...

Shaking his head, the old man cleared his mind of distracting thoughts, closed his eyes, and briefly sensed the concentration of Demonic Qi in the air.

After a moment, the old man opened his eyes and nodded slightly.

With Wen Yu’s strength, this concentration of Demonic Qi shouldn’t affect him. What comes next... depends on that young fellow Tongtian...

With this thought, the old man began to walk towards the nearby tomb of the Almighty Immortal Emperor.

The entire tomb was plain and unadorned. After the death of the Almighty Immortal Emperor, it had evidently been modified by the surviving humans of the Universe of Immortals and Heroes—it was less a tomb and more a war fortress.

He slowly advanced down the solid and sturdy passage. Countless jewels of unknown material lined the way, illuminating the entire passage as brightly as day.

Innumerable skeletons of varying ranks lay strewn across the ground, silent testament to the ferocity of the final battle.

Of course, these things held no interest for the old man. He himself had personally ordered that final battle—not to satisfy the Demon Tribe’s lust for slaughter, for no race kills merely for the sake of killing. It was purely for the continuation of their own kind.

When it came to the survival and interests of entire races, calculations were starkly evident. The Universe of Immortals and Heroes and the Demon Realm had been locked in a life-or-death struggle. The sheer power of the Universe of Immortals and Heroes still inspired a lingering dread within the Demon Tribe. Even after their incursions into countless worlds, the runes technology, the traditional Cultivation System of the Universe of Immortals and Heroes, and the heroic, almost arrogant, bearing of the Almighty Immortal Emperor—all remained seared into the collective memory of the Demon Realm.

With a casual wave of his hand, a fierce gust of wind swept rapidly through the tomb of the Almighty Immortal Emperor.

All the skeletons on the Eleventh Floor of the Heavenly Palace, whether belonging to the natives of the Universe of Immortals and Heroes or the Demon Tribe, instantly turned to dust, scattering into the air and vanishing without a trace.

These bones on the ground might have been a minor impediment to the plan he and that young fellow Tongtian had been scheming for who knows how long.

Perhaps? the old man thought uncertainly.

After traversing the long passage for an indeterminate period, the old man finally reached the very heart of the tomb.

It was a spacious, palace-like hall. The surrounding Stone Pillars, jewels, and murals all bespoke the former glory of the Universe of Immortals and Heroes and the magnificence of the Almighty Immortal Emperor.

Slowly turning his head, the old man surveyed the content of the surrounding murals, a faint smile touching his lips.

That young fellow Tongtian certainly had some interesting quirks. Even in death, he didn’t forget to have his accomplishments carved out... What is this called? Showing off? A warning?

The old man, who knew the Almighty Immortal Emperor’s temperament well, didn’t believe that fellow had these murals carved to reveal the truth to posterity. In fact, revealing any truth was not part of the plan between the Almighty Immortal Emperor and himself.

Nevertheless...

The old man sighed. ”It’s just as well, it’s just as well. The truth... Hah... there’s no longer any need to keep it hidden... At this stage, it’s unimportant, truly unimportant...”

He then continued his steps, heading deeper into the grand hall.