The Empire XXIV - The Mine's Secret, 13 vs 1
This Chapter has 1773 Words! :D
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Shi Changmao had worked as an Overseer for over a year now. It was quite a profitable job, for someone at the Nascent Soul Realm. He was also admired by the normal Miners as his tax was very low, and he always went to kill the Beasts they encountered. He was the only Overseer who had zero Miners die under their watch.
'Even after all this time here, I still don't understand why I couldn't find this mine the first time…' Those were thoughts that always filled his mind. Changmao had decided against using his abilities as an Archon to uncover the truth, trying to find it out while being limited was way more interesting he thought.
His thoughts wandered to the next matter at hand 'Should I announce I advanced to the next Realm?' They all knew he was at the peak of the Nascent Soul Realm, and only a little push was needed. 'Hm… I'll wait till the next strong monster appears and then reveal it.'
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A small Group of Miners was tracking further down then they ever had before. Many of the upper Spirit Stones had already been mined and they hoped to find a hidden place deep down. "Hey Tim, are you sure we will find it?" "Yea Tom… Im certain there is one spot with countless Stones!" "But what about the Beasts? What if we encounter one?" "Hey Tom! We will survive! And if not, we will all go down together!"
They went further till one stopped. "stop! Listen closely, do you hear that?" "I hear nothing, Ron…" "Silence Tom!" They all hold their breath and stood still.
*drip*
*drip*
*drip*
"Is… is that water?" "That's what I thought Tom." "Doesn't that mean there is a river or lake down here?!" "Yes! And do you know what that means?" "Ron… oh my! We need to find it!" Filled with motivation again, they ran further down, stopping every so often to see if they came closer.
Finally, they reached the end of the path they followed. "We can't go further here…" "listen!"
*DRIP*
*DRIP*
*DRIP*
The sound of water dropping had become louder. Only a short distance separated them. "It's right behind this Wall! The path has finished, so we will make our own! Get your pickaxes ready!" *CLANK* *CLANK* *CLANK* and so the group began doing what they could best: mine
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The workday ended, and the miners returned. They gave their Tax and bought food. Soon after they went to sleep after a day of mining. Changmao was walking through their quarters, he always made sure everyone he was responsible for returned.
'Are that all?' he took out a list and checked the numbers again 'Wait… three are missing! They have to have gone further down!' he shook his head 'I warned them all not to go too far from the others…'.
Changmao took flight and soon reached the part of the mine he led. It had a few dozen tunnels, but only one was unexplored as there were nearly none Spirit Stones. 'They have to went there.' He thought and shot down.
His ears picked up a dripping sound after a few minutes. Back when he first explored this tunnel there wasn't one. 'That must have gotten their interest!' he too concluded that there had to be water down there.
Finally, he reached the tunnel's end. A small path had been mined trough the Wall. Stones covered the Ground. He followed the path the Miners made, and a blinging light entered his vision. His eyes were used to darkness. A few moments later he could see the other side.
It was a gigantic cave, dwarfing even the main cave! The walls, the ceiling, the ground, everything was covered in countless Spirit Stones radiating Qi and light. A massive Lake filled its interior. It was completely infused with Qi. A single drop had so much, Mortal Kingdoms would fight a total War to gain it!
He looked around; the three missing Miners had to be here. He soon found them, they were swimming trough the Water to its center, there the brightest Light within the cave shone. Changmao took flight again and rushed towards them, but the others were a little bit faster. One touched the lights Source, and a domineering Aura spread out.
The Water began boiling; Changmao spread his Domain and moved the three into Lingyu. Within moments the cave began shaking and all the Spirit Stones lost their light. But the thing within the Center became brighter and brighter. Its Aura rouse stronger and stronger, then the cave broke apart!
All the Qi near it got swallowed! Every single Spirit Stone crumbled, not even a speck of dust was left! 'What is that?!' thought Changmao who now had to resort to his Archon power to even Stand still!
The same could not be said about the other Cultivators there, they lost all their Qi within moments!
Suddenly the Aura changed!
*BOOM*
The Cave's Celling was blown apart, a Heavenly Lighting had descended down to the Earth!
The Ground shook, and Changmao finally knew what it was! It was a Spirit Stone Root! Its Quality greater than the one he found!
He felt how another Archon's Domain locked onto the Root, he had to get it! Changmao too expanded his Domain, instantly both were Clashing.
Another Heavenly Lightning discharged and shattered the Root's Outer Layer, its Light Illuminated the whole Fallen Dynasty! The endless night that had befallen it was gone.
He felt how more and more Archon Realm Domains neared the Mine, it would not be long before they all would start fighting. The countless shards of his Root pushed out purple Qi in an unstoppable fashion, a flood of purple filled the deep hole, surrounding the new Root.
His Qi tried to penetrate into the Root, but it didn't work. The Root was too strong! 'It has to have power similar to an Archon!'
He had to give up as two Archons assaulted him now, it still only were their Domains, but soon that would change.
Fire began burning trough his Domain and powerful Fist Techniques broke apart large Areas! The Domain's Owners had reached him!
Changmao closed his Eyes and focused wholly on his Qi. His other senses were shut down. As if he was his Qi itself, his Will commanded it. Floods of purple Qi rose upwards and formed a gigantic sphere around him.
Seven Archons were attacking him now, they all wanted to get the Root! Changmao was what stopped them, and so they coordinated like they had when they fought their Ruler.
*BOOM*
Countless cracks formed on his Domain. The Earth of the whole Dynasty trembled, the miners all long dead.
*BOOM*
*CRACK*
His Domain shattered and the Earth split!
The only thing protecting him now was his Qi. The last Archons reached the place, a total of thirteen vs one.
They all focused their Domains upon Changmao, pressing the Qi together. But Changmao did nothing. He didn't try to reform his Domain. His mind was only focused upon his Qi.
Their Domains got closer and closer, only a dozen meters away from him.
Then the purple Qi exploded outwards, pushing the Domains away. Dozens of entities left the Qi, all attacking the Archons. It were humanoids, each with a massively compressed Spirit Stone as their Heart. Their power at the peak of the Lord Realm!
They jumped onto the Archons, fighting with their Qi and bodies. Once the Archons destroyed them explosions filled the Sky. More and more of them left the purple shroud of Qi surrounding Changmao. Soon hundreds of them fought the Archons!
*BOOM*
The shattered Earth got deformed and devasted even more, soon it was nothing more then a wasteland of death.
While all the fighting was going on, another Heavenly Lighting discharged and once again shattered the Root's outer layer. What once was dozens of meters large, was now only a small Sphere.
*BOOM*
A hundred of the Humanoids all focused upon one Archon, within moments his Domain was shattered. Like Suicide Bombers they all shot towards him and exploded their Core.
*BOOM*
The first Archon had fallen!
Like a flood the Sphere of purple Qi expanded outwards, covering two Archons who desperately tried to defend themselves. They would never leave the Shroud of Qi.
Two others were gone!
One of the Archons saw how desperate the Situation was and decided to flee, she focused all her energy on moving. But Changmao wouldn't let her go. A hundred Humanoids shot after her, each burning their Core for a boost of speed!
They caught up with the defenseless Archon, she didn't even stand a few seconds before her Body was destroyed and her Soul shattered.
Nine Archons were left. They gave their all trying to defeat the swarms of humanoids. Dozens of them were destroyed but more came back. It was as if the shroud of purple had an endless supply of them!
*BOOM*
One of the Archons had begun burning his Soul for a boost in power! It was an irreversible action; he would die in a few minutes! Soon two others followed and shot into the shroud!
*BOOM*
Massive amounts of Qi were annihilated; their Domains expanded within and pushed the shroud apart! It revealed a human floating within the Center of it all. Purple Qi was radiating from him, like Water that fell down a cliff.
The human didn't move, he had his eyes closed.
The three all used their strongest Attacks, a Torrent of Fire, a Spear of Qi, and a Fist with the power of the Earth! They combined into something greater than the sum of its parts, their target the human at the center.
All of the purple Qi shot back, surrounding its Source. Something formed moments before the attack hit.
*CRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK*
*BRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOOO*
What once was a Territory, was no more.
The Soul of the first of the three was burned up and his body fell. Soon the others followed.
All the humanoids had been destroyed and most of the Archons strongly wounded.
The smoke settled down. The light produced by their fight was gone, and the Fallen Dynasty once again entered an endless, silent, night.
*CRACK*
A sudden sound broke the Deadly Silence.
*CRACK*
Once again.
*CRAAAAAACK*
A purple flash of light appeared, its origin the center of the attack.
The Archons who thought all was over suddenly had a strange feeling. Moments later a swarm of humanoids shot towards them.
*BOOM*
The six remaining Archons… were dead.
Now a truly Deadly Silence filled the Fallen Dynasty.
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That… was long…
I hope the fight was great.
Btw: Tim, Tom, and Ron will get their own chapter someday…