Chapter 350: The First Generation Ninglan City Lord
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 350: The First Generation Ninglan City Lord
I pressed forward against the relentless wash of powerful energy. The figure ahead seemed to grow more solid, its entire body appearing as if woven from threads of golden light.
Is there a "hidden mentor spirit" living inside this Luck Seed?
That was my first thought. After all, this thing was the core vessel for Ninglan New City’s Luck. For a place like Ninglan New City to stand tall amidst the ruins for a thousand years, I didn't believe for a second that it lacked a hidden foundation. It was just that the nature of this foundation was shattering my preconceptions step by step.
Initially, I simply thought the City Lord’s succession was strictly controlled, especially regarding the cultivation of the next generation. But Ninglan Qiuyu’s appearance broke that theory. Later, after encountering Transcendent techniques, I assumed the City Lord maintained stability and survival through a monopoly on absolute force. The existence of the Underground District broke that theory, too.
Then I encountered Luck—the Luck of Ninglan New City. I thought it was a form of divine protection. Now, a figure had popped out from the very core of that Luck, telling me that the thousand-year heritage of Ninglan New City was actually the "portable grandpa" trope...
It was honestly a bit of a mind-trip.
Still, I wasn't entirely sure who stood before me. Could it be... the First Generation Ninglan City Lord?
"Who are you?" I asked once I had closed the distance.
The figure seemed slightly moved by my question. The torso-only silhouette turned around, revealing only the faint outline of a face—no features, no expression, nothing distinctive at all.
"Are you... speaking to me?"
"I am," I nodded.
"You can actually hear me..."
"Are you not supposed to be able to speak?"
"I have tried to communicate with everyone who has ever come into contact with me, but no one could hear what I said."
"Hmm?"
Subconsciously, I glanced back at the others. They didn't seem to hear a thing; they were still instinctively shielding themselves with their arms or bodies against the powerful energy surges.
Once he pointed it out, I realized something—I didn't actually "hear" him speak either.
It was synesthesia. I quickly realized what was happening. The being before me was no longer a normal person and could not produce sound.
His "speaking" was merely what he perceived as speaking. No "sound" was carrying his words, but the information he intended to convey was being captured by my Spirit Vision.
Combined with my current Five Senses cultivation as a Body Cultivator and the data gathered by Spirit Vision, my mind performed an instinctive synesthesia. It translated the information into a format I could understand. Because I perceived this as a conversation, my brain interpreted the data as "heard" speech.
It seemed the "bug" was functioning in a most peculiar fashion...
"It seems you are special."
"Maybe. You could say that," I nodded, offering no further rebuttal.
I didn't feel like explaining my theory to him. It would be a hassle to explain, I wasn't even sure if I was right, and besides, wasn't the ability to communicate enough?
"I'm curious. Who are you?"
"Me? My name... is Ninglan..."
"Let me rephrase. Are you the First Generation Ninglan City Lord?"
Seeing him struggle to answer, I pivoted. I had already reached this conclusion earlier; the First Generation Ninglan City Lord seemed to have been a Child of Destiny himself.
"Ninglan New City... Ninglan New City! I remember Ninglan New City. Yes... I am the First Generation Ninglan City Lord..."
"Then that settles it. Can you tell me what you're doing right now?" I pointed to the massive blood sphere behind him. He was absorbing its power at a frantic pace.
"I am... protecting Ninglan New City..." he said slowly.
"In your own way?"
"Yes."
"But you are absorbing the flesh and blood of your own citizens," I said, frowning.
"They shall become the nutrients of Ninglan New City, contributing to its continued existence."
"You knew?!"
As I spoke those words, I was prepared for him to lose his mind or fall into a fit of denial. I never expected him to accept it so calmly!
No... it wasn't just acceptance. The height from which he viewed the world had already discarded the value and sacrifice of individuals within Ninglan New City. To him, the city's survival was the only thing that mattered.
"Yes..."
"And what do you plan to do next?" I continued.
Since this so-called Transcendent item had come here specifically to gorge on energy, it clearly needed that power for a purpose.
"Yang Yuehan! What are you over there muttering to yourself for?!"
"Huh? Such a big..."
I turned my head to snap back at that Dream Demon, but I quickly realized that the First Generation City Lord’s body was woven from Luck. Ordinary people couldn't see Luck.
Therefore, they couldn't see him, nor could they hear what he was doing or saying.
"Expel all invaders..."
The First Generation City Lord’s voice reached me again. Understanding his intent, I felt a headache coming on. "Invaders"... that included far too many things. Dream Demons, Nightmares, and... us Outsiders!
In the next instant, the First Generation City Lord erupted with countless chains condensed from Luck, linking all the Children of Destiny present in an abstract fashion.
The move nearly made my heart skip a beat. Only when I saw that they weren't being mind-controlled—their eyes remaining clear—did I breathe a small sigh of relief. But my guard remained up.
"What is this!"
Before he could answer, a violent spatial fluctuation rippled nearby. This was definitely not something an ordinary Teleportation Spell could achieve. I had never seen a teleportation channel that required such a complex ritual, such precise anchoring points, and such a bloody amount of energy and soul essence to drive it.
It was hard to imagine how vast a distance—or how many worlds—this fluctuation was crossing.
I knew very well that we were in the Main World. The Dream Demon was opening a path to the Abyss. Between them lay two worlds and the Void that separated them...
Despite the massive commotion, the opened channel wasn't even as tall as I was.
And now, the opened Abyssal channel began frantically devouring the flesh and blood energy, instantly suppressing the City Lord’s absorption speed.
The flesh energy began to dwindle at a visible rate.
Then, several figures scrambled out of the channel with lightning speed—the Dream Demons who had been waiting in the Abyss!
"Haha! The Main World! I've finally made it!"
"Now it's my turn to bring terror to the Main World! Where are the enemies?"
"Sister, you were too slow. Why did it take so long to open the path?"
The moment they emerged, the Dream Demons couldn't wait to announce their arrival. Clearly, they had no idea what the current situation actually was.
"Sisters... stop talking and watch out for this one! We have to work together to take her out, or we're all dead!" the Dream Demon who had summoned them shouted.
Though Dream Demons were nominally part of the Abyssal Demon race, they didn't have individual names. They only had their collective name: Dream Demon.
This was because their form of existence was not recognized by "Life." It was similar to the sense of superiority humans felt toward animals. Take a rabbit, for example; a rabbit is just a rabbit. Individual rabbits don't have names, and giving them names is meaningless to humans. Only if one becomes a human pet might it be given a name, but even then, the name is ultimately hollow—at most, something to brag about within the warren?
That was the status of Dream Demons among Abyssal Demons. It was one of the reasons they were so desperate to cling to the powerful.
"This... a Witch?!"
Once the group of Dream Demons locked onto me and saw my attire, they had an immediate stress response.
"It's just a Little Witch from the Main World! What are you afraid of? There are so many of us!"
Seeing these Dream Demons, I actually felt relieved. Though there were many of them, they still couldn't really hurt me.
My gaze remained on the First Generation City Lord. His manipulation of Luck just now had left me stunned—visually, at least. Since the others couldn't see Luck, they couldn't witness such a spectacle.
But even now, I couldn't tell what the purpose of those Luck connections was.
However, when I saw him trying to use Luck to sever the summoning teleportation array, I spoke up to stop him.
"Luck is not Transcendent energy. It cannot be used as a means to cut off the supply of Transcendent energy."
The First Generation City Lord, who could only manipulate Luck, wouldn't be able to close the portal. By the time the flesh energy ran out, he himself would likely dissipate.
I could tell that this Luck Seed encased in white crystal—the whole entity—was converting flesh energy into a type of energy I didn't understand to keep itself running. The First Generation City Lord before me was composed of Luck, soul essence, and that converted energy.
But the City Lord ignored me, stubbornly continuing his attempt.
"I say, aren't you ignoring us a bit too much?"
"Am I?"
I turned around. I was already surrounded by Dream Demons, with no apparent way to escape. A quick glance revealed at least a dozen of them had arrived.
"Sisters, kill her! The rest are nothing to worry about!"
"Is that what you think?" I looked at the Dream Demon who had shouted. It was the one I had beaten up earlier. She was egging the others on while backing away herself.
It seemed her fear of me couldn't be completely erased, even with so many of her sisters present.
"She's just a Little Witch. I heard those who come from the Main World do so through dreams. Isn't this our home field?~"
One Dream Demon sneered and lunged first, completely ignoring the warnings about how dangerous I was.
"Wait! Don't be careless! That maniac sent her main body over, don't—"
Before she could finish, the Dream Demon who lunged first took a direct gut punch from me. Then, I slammed her into the ground with a crushing kick.
The other Dream Demons only felt the ground tremble as the first one's head shattered the floor into a web of cracks.
Faced with this sudden reversal and the fate of their unlucky sister, they realized I was a handful. They swarmed me at once, choosing to mob me.
But numbers are meaningless in the face of absolute, crushing power. Isn't that the philosophy of combat I've always practiced?
Fight! Cool!
Though I hadn't formally trained in Body Arts, simply utilizing my physique allowed me to exert terrifying combat power. I could easily perform moves I wouldn't have dared to dream of before. This was the power of absolute mastery over one's own body, not to mention the Body Cultivator's ability to channel Transcendent energy through the flesh.
Every strike looked like an ordinary punch from my not-so-imposing frame, but the damage they dealt was very real.
The contrast made them realize just how much they had underestimated me.
And within a dream, my power was even more terrifying. After all, my Dream Rewriting Spell wasn't just for show.
"No... this is impossible. How can she achieve perfect synchronization between the dream and reality? Our innate talents..."
"She's a Body Cultivator... and a Witch... she hasn't even used a spell yet..."
Dream Demons knew very well how terrifying the Witch race was. The spellbooks they possessed allowed them to learn magic with almost no barrier to entry. Some of the most fearsome Witches were Body Cultivation Witches or those who had dabbled in it. They focused their energy on physical training, yet their spells remained just as potent. A Witch who combined magic with Body Cultivation was an invincible existence.
After the initial clash, they fully recognized the reality of the situation. None of them could win a one-on-one fight against a Body Cultivation Witch. Even if she was just a Little Witch and not a Transcendent Witch, her spellbook was real, her Body Arts were real, and her combat power was undeniable.
"Damn it! Clear out the small fry first! I don't believe a single Witch can handle all of us!"
Realizing they were outmatched, they immediately changed tactics. They had come here to flex their muscles, not to get humiliated.
They turned their sights on those they deemed weak.
I watched as the Dream Demons, who had been so focused on me just moments ago, scattered in a comical display of cowardice. No sense of martial honor at all...
I subconsciously clenched my fist and let out a small laugh.
But now, the students from the Transcendent academies were in trouble.
Still... this was their choice. They had to bear the consequences.
"They won't last long..." the First Generation City Lord’s voice drifted over.
"Isn't your Luck linked to them?"
"Precisely because it is, I know they cannot hold out for long."
"What exactly does this ability of yours do?" I asked.
This ability to link Luck didn't seem to exert any forceful influence on those connected. So what was its purpose?
"At first... I did not know either. But through my explorations... you call this 'Luck,' yes? A fitting name. I can guide Luck to steer all things toward a favorable outcome. I can predict their actions and decisions, but..."
"So that's how Ninglan New City made it this far. You guided every City Lord onto the right path," I interjected.
"That is essentially it... but they truly are at their limit."
"You don't seem worried. If they can't hold out, those Dream Demons will tear your Ninglan New City apart."
"You will have a way..."
"No, I don't have a cloning technique. I can't help them all. If those Dream Demons really want to run, there are too many of them. I can only kill a few before the rest escape."
"You will have a way. I will provide the guidance..."
"So you're really putting it all on me, huh!" I turned to the First Generation City Lord with a look of exasperation.
Of course, I knew I had a trick up my sleeve: the Primitive Rune Ritual, the technique I had named the "Nightmare Spell." It could forcibly pull Nightmares into a dream. If the Dream Demons lost their ability to phase between reality and dreams, they would be utterly crushed by those geniuses from the Transcendent academies!
I had no doubt about their combat strength; they were simply being outplayed by the Dream Demons' tricks.
But there was one fatal flaw: with the Nightmare Spell, I couldn't pull all those Dream Demons into a dream at once. If they were determined to flee and broke the spell's forced effect, they wouldn't be restricted at all.
Unless... I derived a new form of the spell.
Actually, the moment the First Generation City Lord said he was relying on me, I knew it was a sure thing. The driving force of Luck was incredibly potent. The momentum of a "Script" could even sever the connection between Fool's Dreams and Nightmares—that alone proved its worth.
And the moment he promised to provide guidance, I had already mapped out my entire combo.
A derivation of the Nightmare Spell, guided by the concept of a Domain—the Nightmare Domain.
Just like the Meteor Shower of Fire Domain spellbook I possessed.
Let's see how an expert in manipulating Luck uses its power to give me a boost.