Chapter 108: Knight of the Firmament, Fallen [First Update]

Memories from the past surged repeatedly through his mind, tears streaming down his face.

“Qinghai people! Damn them.”

Watching Shu Mingyuan’s figure disappear into the distance, one of the Sandian men cursed under his breath and wanted to stop him.

“No need to chase! That guy is also an enemy of Enel now. If I’m not mistaken, he’s headed to save that girl on Angel Island. Once he ventures deep into this divine forbidden land, he’ll confront the priests serving Enel. Those guys are not to be trifled with. Let’s return first. Even if we take action, we must discuss and decide together.”

...

Shu Mingyuan dashed wildly through the forest. The live sacrifice ordeal involved sending offerings swiftly along the Cloud River using the Sky Island’s ultra-fast shrimp to the northwest sacrificial altar. There lived a gigantic python nearly 400 years old, colossal in size comparable to a giant sea king, revered by the Sky Islanders as the Lord of the Sky. The so-called live sacrifices were prepared as its food.

If he didn’t hurry, Conis’s frail body would stand no chance against the Lord of the Sky. Shu Mingyuan charged like a bolt of lightning, cleaving through anything obstructing his path with a single stroke of his sword.

Suddenly, the air thickened and his speed slowed imperceptibly, as if countless threads were tugging at him. His jet-black pupils transformed into three-comma tomoe Sharingan, and the world before him sharpened into crystal clarity.

Countless nearly invisible threads filled the air. Recklessly invading this place, his entire body was already entangled in these threads, like a snow-white cocoon. All the threads converged toward a single corner.

“Is this the Thread Cloud?”

Squinting, Shu Mingyuan plucked one thread between his fingers and felt its incredible toughness. A single thread might break under force, but once bound into a bundle like this, breaking free by sheer strength was nearly impossible.

“Impressive for a lone warrior from Qinghai. To penetrate a thousand meters into my Thread Cloud domain before halting. You must have realized this place is different now. With your body wrapped in my Thread Cloud, you cannot move and are at my mercy.”

A sinister laugh echoed from the sky. A man with pristine white wings wielded a spear, perched atop a mottled large bird, circling midair. “Welcome to my domain—the Trial of Threads, where survival rate is only 3%! Qinghai man, you defy the will of the god. The god decrees your death!”

“Winged birdmen are gods? What a cheap god.” Shu Mingyuan mocked.

He looked up at the Sky Islander riding the bird and recognized him instantly: Asura, the Azure Sky Knight, one of Enel’s Four Great Priests, master of the 3% survival Trial of Threads.

“Qinghai man, bound by my Thread Cloud, you still dare speak insolently to a god!” Asura bellowed, spear pointed at Shu Mingyuan.

“Thread Cloud? You think such trash can trap me?” Shu Mingyuan’s expression was indifferent, utterly dismissing the countless threads wrapped around him.

“Foolish Qinghai man, even as a god, I would be helpless if bound by so many Thread Clouds. What are you then?” Asura sneered.

Shu Mingyuan grinned mockingly, “Because, in my eyes, you are trash too.”

Enraged, Asura shouted.

In the next moment, brilliant lightning erupted wildly from Shu Mingyuan’s body, engulfing the Thread Cloud that bound him. Simply stretching his muscles and loosening up, the threads snapped one by one amid Asura’s disbelieving gaze.

Asura’s face showed utter astonishment. He had never expected anyone to break free from so many Thread Clouds, nor to wield the power of lightning.

Isn’t lightning supposed to be the unique power of their god Enel?

This was what unsettled him most, what he found utterly incredible.

“Birdman, if possessing the lightning of judgment makes one a god, then... I am your god too.” Shu Mingyuan bathed in thunderlight, his gaze solemn and commanding.

“You brat, how dare you be so insolent! The dignity of a god must not be defiled!” Asura roared.

The great bird left a fleeting silhouette in the sky as it charged, spear aimed violently at Shu Mingyuan.

Calm and unruffled, Shu Mingyuan met the attack with his sword. The tips of spear and sword locked precisely.

“You brat, prepare to die!”

Asura’s fury erupted. His mount opened its beak and unleashed a sudden jet of flames.

“Fire Spear!”

Wrapped in flames, the spear ignited anything it touched.

“Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!”

Shu Mingyuan retreated explosively, forming hand seals as a colossal fireball over twenty meters in diameter blasted from his mouth, engulfing Asura and his bird in flames.

Screams echoed from within the fire as the mottled bird flapped out, carrying Asura, though both looked battered and disheveled.

“Dual wielder of lightning and fire?” he exclaimed, his eyes growing more grave. In their first encounter, he had been completely overwhelmed.

“I have no time to dawdle with you here. Better to end this quickly.”

Shu Mingyuan said coldly. Looking at the mottled bird in midair, he slammed his foot onto the ground, leaped high, and raised the Thunder Cutter sword above his head. Clasping it with both hands, all the lightning within him surged into the blade, releasing a violent electric aura.

Asura stared at Shu Mingyuan now radiating wild lightning, seeing Enel’s shadow within him. A deep-rooted terror flooded his entire being, and he instinctively wanted to flee on his bird.

“Too late to run now, isn’t it?” Shu Mingyuan said disdainfully, then slammed his sword down fiercely.

“Heavenly Thunder Slash!”

A thirty-meter-long streak of lightning sword energy blazed forth, carrying the overwhelming might of thunder and wind that threatened to cleave the very heavens and earth. The ground below cracked open in a hundred-meter-long fissure.

After the sword slash, the air was instantly vacuumed, forming a brief void. Asura rose on his bird but was cut in two midair by the lightning blade, blood spraying across the sky.

Shu Mingyuan sheathed his sword, the Thunder Cutter’s gleam vanishing once more. He cast a cold glance at the Azure Sky Knight’s corpse, then resumed his mad dash toward the altar.

At the shrine on the divine island of Apayado, Enel suddenly opened his eyes. He sensed the disappearance of one of his Four Great Priests—the Azure Sky Knight Asura was dead!

At the same moment, in the hidden Yun Village.

A little girl suddenly exclaimed something in shock, shaking all the Sandian people.

The “Wrath” among the symbols of joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness—the voice of the Azure Sky Knight Asura, one of the Four Great Priests, had vanished...

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