Volcanic Age

Second Form, Arc Flower Rain!

Thrum—!

A sword swung underwater. Although it was slow due to the water resistance, the sword technique was clearly displayed.

The aura enveloping the blade unraveled like a tangled thread unspooling before fanning out.

However, the technique wasn't complete because it had been used underwater. The bundles of sword qi that should have been densely packed were stretched and spread out by the resistance, weakening its power slightly.

Gurgle!

The Head Archivist foamed at the mouth and desperately tried to move. However, his movements were limited because he was underwater.

He tried to dodge, but the Arc Flower Rain still hit him. His skin split open, releasing a mist of blood into the water.

Ugh!

He knew he could retaliate with the Thunder God Fist, but underwater, his ability to channel qi was limited. A single misstep could disrupt his circulation, leaving him severely injured. He had to be cautious.

Zhou Xuchuan also headed to the surface for the same reason.

Although the Divine Phantom Art allowed him to fight without needing to breathe, Zhou Xuchuan’s ability to launch such powerful attacks underwater was only possible because he had taken proper breaths beforehand.

While he could do something once or twice in a row, the power of his blows would be halved. So, there wouldn't be any need to push himself too hard.

"Puha!"

Zhou Xuchuan and the Head Archivist broke through the surface of the water almost at the same time, gasping for air.

The current had carried them slightly away from their allies, but not too far.

"I'll kill you!" the Head Archivist roared, kicking off the water’s surface to return to land. Zhou Xuchuan followed him and unleashed a barrage of sword strikes.

Woosh, woosh, woosh!

Dozens of clusters of sword qi, sword flowers, bloomed from the tip of his sword, surging forward like firecrackers.

"The Twenty-four Sword Forms of the Plum Blossom!”

As soon as the Head Archivist turned his back, he recognized the technique immediately and crossed his arms.

Since his qi reserves were vast, he effortlessly formed a defensive qi barrier to block the Raining Plum Blossoms.

"Hmph!"

Zhou Xuchuan stuck out his tongue in frustration.

Even with his back turned and his body wounded, the Head Archivist had effortlessly blocked his attack. He truly was an annoying opponent.

As soon as the Sixteenth Form of the Twenty-four Sword Forms of the Plum Blossom, Raining Plum Blossoms ended, the number of plum blossoms blooming from the tip of his sword didn't decrease but increased instead.

The shadows of the plum blossoms above his head filled the area around the Head Archivist. It was the Seventeenth Form, Blossom's Shadow Become Rivers.

"Useless!"

The Head Archivist stamped his foot. Air burst out from under his foot, creating a circular barrier around him with electricity flowing through it.

Blossom's Shadow Become Rivers rushed toward a single point. However, it dissipated as soon as it hit the aura barrier.

Bang, bang, bang, bang!

Every time there was an explosion, a dazzling light flashed. The violet and blue scenery was incredibly beautiful.

However, before anyone could even enjoy the dazzling display, a sword and fist collided in mid-air several times, tearing through space.

The Head Archivist’s expression darkened as the battle dragged on.

After exchanging dozens of blows, the two stepped back to catch their breath.

"This is impossible!" the Head Archivist shouted in disbelief.

"You're only a mere junior. How is it possible for you to reach this level? This can't be happening!"

It was already a miracle that someone like the brat in front of him had reached the Harmony Realm at such a young age.

At first, he had assumed that even if the brat were a Harmony Realm Master, he would merely be at the initial stage. However, now that he had actually fought him, the Head Archivist realized that wasn't the case at all.

Zhou Xuchuan had reached the Completion Stage of the Harmony Realm and was on the verge of reaching the next Realm.

What was even more surprising was that his battle experience didn't match his age.

The Head Archivist hadn't underestimated Zhou Xuchuan because he was young. The Head Archivist, blinded by fury after being provoked, had abandoned much of his reason and attacked with the sole intent to kill.

Sometimes, he would attack directly, while other times, he mixed in feints.

However, for some reason, Zhou Xuchuan, a younger generation talent of Mount Hua, was able to respond skillfully without getting surprised.

He almost seemed like a seasoned veteran who had been through trials and tribulations.

How difficult.

Zhou Xuchuan also felt burdened by the Head Archivist.

While he's not a good match for me, I'm also at a disadvantage here, unlike when I fought against the Stars…

The situation had been on his side when he had fought Vast Gate and Twisted Melody.

Vast Gate had been incredibly overconfident and had let her guard down, while Twisted Melody had been focused on the Evil Valley Master and had left an opening for a surprise attack.

In contrast, Zhou Xuchuan had no such advantage against the Head Archivist in this battle.

He had been on guard from the beginning because he had been trying to escape, and most importantly, due to his strong cultivation and his vast qi reserves, he didn't back down in a battle of qi. It was incredibly difficult, and Zhou Xuchuan hadn't expected him to be this strong.

No.

Zhou Xuchuan tightened his grip. He felt the familiar weight of the hilt of his sword in his palm. He closed his eyes briefly before slowly opening them.

I've just been lucky.

The Dark Heavens Association.

They weren't to be underestimated. They had once pushed the entire Central Plains to the brink of destruction.

On the contrary, it was only that he had a little luck along the way, which led to good results.

It's impossible for them not to be strong.

His fragmented memories began piecing themselves together to reconstruct the past.

An era of unprecedented warfare.

A person who had been drinking the day before was dead the next day.

Every time he opened his eyes, one of the heroes of the Righteous Faction had met a heroic end, and an expert the world had put their hopes on had died.

Elite units of the Righteous Faction, whose identities were unknown, lay cold and lifeless on the ground.

The combined power of the Righteous Faction, Evil Faction, and even the Demonic Path had fought back and somehow won. However, it was a victory no different than a stab to one's chest.

Knowing how great that power was, Zhou Xuchuan was wary, afraid, and prepared. He waited for the fateful day of battle while building up his strength.

It was the same for him now. He was still resisting while learning various things, training, and building up his strength.

"Thank you, Head Archivist."

Sssss!

A faint haze began to rise from under his feet. One strand of qi became two, two became four, and eventually, it multiplied into hundreds of lines that gathered together.

"Thank you for awakening me from my complacency once again. I had momentarily forgotten how incredible you all are."

"I wasn't sure of it at first, but as expected…"

Earlier, he had been so out of it, and he hadn't been able to see it properly because its color was so faint. But it was different now.

That was definitely violet.

Even if one searched all of Mount Hua Sect or the entire murim, there was only one martial art with that violet hue. The great foundational Divine Art, only reserved for the Sect Master of the Mount Hua Sect!"

“The Violet Haze Divine Art!”

There were many things he wanted to say, but his mind was tangled with conflicting thoughts and emotions.

No matter how legendary a hero of the Righteous Faction he might be, unless he was confirmed to be the next Sect Master, he couldn't learn the Violet Haze Divine Art.

But what the hell was that?

If he had been designated as the next successor, there was no way that the Dark Heavens Association wouldn't have known. It was impossible for something like that to have remained a secret.

What was even more unbelievable was that Zhou Xuchuan was so skilled in displaying the Violet Haze Divine Art. A divine art wasn't easy to learn. One had to be in their thirties at least in order to display its full power.

“Head Archivist.”

Zhou Xuchuan bent his knees slightly, lowering his upper body. His eyes were still as fierce as an eagle’s.

"The Seven Horned Serpent."

A spiritual beast from Poisonblood Valley that was on the verge of becoming an imoogi.

"No, no! That can't be!" the Head Archivist muttered, feeling uneasy.

A memory of the past suddenly came to mind.

The king of Poisonblood Valley and its highest-ranking spiritual beast. The Head Archivist had been managing it, thinking about harvesting it one day for its neidan.

However, its horn had been cut off by Duan Hecheng and his party, who had been trying to gain the approval of his elder disciple brothers.n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

To make matters worse, the ceiling of its cave had collapsed, crushing it to death.

It had been obvious what had happened at that point. He had just assumed that the Seven Horned Serpent would have been eaten by the other spiritual beasts after they realized it was no longer dangerous.

“This can’t be happening!”

His chest tightened as realization dawned. His heart pounded like a drum, and an ominous chill crept down his spine. The Head Archivist had been managing cultivation resources long before the Archive had been established as a department, even after becoming a member of the Dark Heavens Association.

He had never settled down in one place and had spent his time traveling around the Central Plains tens, if not hundreds of times, without resting.

The amount of effort that went into cataloging and gathering cultivation resources was nothing to be scoffed at.

Realizing that an unknown entity ruined all of that hard work, he couldn’t contain his anger.

Moreover, it wasn't just once, but twice?!

“It was delicious.”

“Aaaah! You son of a bitch!”

He desperately hoped it wasn't true. No, it couldn't be.

One person had stolen from him twice. The moment he realized that, his anger surged.

His patience had completely vanished.

In its place, a red flame erupted around him. His body temperature rose due to the emotional turmoil, and his blood circulation also increased.

The Thunder God Fist was a Yang Art. As such, it was hard for him to hold back when his emotions were stimulated.

Reason warned him to regain his composure. He couldn't let his mind wander in front of a master like Zhou Xuchuan.

Logically, he knew he needed to regain control. But his heart wouldn’t listen. Consumed by bloodlust, his soul burned with unrelenting rage.

I've been waiting for this!

Zhou Xuchuan’s eyes sparkled with anticipation.

Crack, BOOM!

A thunderbolt struck. It was a thunderbolt filled with rage. His determination to kill was clearly evident.

BANG!

There was a blazing blue light.

The figure of the Head Archivist flickered before disappearing.

To be exact, he hadn't disappeared. It just appeared that way because he was moving at a speed that one's eyes couldn't follow.

Violet Haze Sword Sutra!

Before, Zhou Xuchuan was able to see the Head Archivist, albeit barely. But not this time. He was simply too fast for his eyes to catch.

The Head Archivist was moving at a speed beyond human limits. Still, Zhou Xuchuan could tell where the Head Archivist was coming from.

He could track the Head Archivist’s movements by using other information, such as the aftereffects of the power tearing through the air, the vibrations in the wind, and how the air itself split apart under the force of the attacks.

Violet Haze Dawnbreaker![1]

Thrum!

As Zhou Xuchuan stretched out his sword, a fiercely rotating aura shot out.

Arc Flower Rain!

His sword's aura spread out like a fan. The straight line of aura split into several lines and shot out all at once.

However, unlike before, it was directed toward the sky. This was the third form.

Third form, Plum Blossoms Hide in a Crimson Haze!

Dozens of swords that had been shooting upward simultaneously turned downward, gathering together and pouring down like a waterfall.

BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM!

It had been a critical mistake for the Head Archivist to abandon reason and give in to his instincts.

Even when he was thinking clearly, most of the Thunder God Fist's forms were simple and easy to read despite being powerful. Now blinded by rage, it was as if he was declaring to the world, 'I'm going to attack like this!'

He carefully calculated the path, analyzed the forms of the Violet Haze Sword Sutra, and poured everything into executing his strike at the perfect moment.

"AGH!"

A rain of swords poured down on the Head Archivist's shoulders. The dazzling violet waterfall was dyed red with blood.

The sight was breathtaking. Even those watching silently couldn't help but exclaim in awe.

Although the Head Archivist charged straight ahead, he wasn't able to escape unscathed. The waterfall of swords pierced through his entire body, leaving holes everywhere.

It was a situation where anyone could tell that he wouldn't be left unharmed. Although the Head Archivist put up a defensive qi barrier, it couldn’t withstand the relentless barrage. Struck directly and repeatedly, the barrier shattered under the pressure.

Everyone assumed that would be the end of it.

However…

Zhou Xuchuan didn't let his guard down.

Zhou Xuchuan didn't feel at ease.

Zhou Xuchuan didn't let himself become complacent.

Fourth Form.

The moment the red-tinted waterfall hit the ground, the heavens and earth shook.

The ground beneath them didn’t just crack—it completely collapsed. The massive shockwave generated by the concentrated aura exploded through the air, shaking everything around them.

Then, the waterfall piercing through the Head Archivist's body dropped to the ground. However, instead of disappearing, it rose back into the air.

"Snatch Fate From the Heavens."

Even as his consciousness faded, the Head Archivist's eyes rolled back as he vomited, screaming in resentment and rage.

"You, you brat… Zhou Xuchuan…"

The name that he could never forget.

"Zhou Xuchuan…!!"

WOOSH!

The waterfall shot upward, merged into the clouds, and soon heavy raindrops began to pour down in a steady shower.

BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM!

His body was torn apart. One of his arms was severed and shredded into countless pieces, reduced to mangled chunks of flesh.

His entire body, riddled with hundreds of holes, was torn beyond recognition.

1. I am considering changing this translation. I know it's really late in the book. Please let me know if you prefer this or its more literal translation, Violet Haze Opens the Dawn. It's a reference to how the violet haze only appears at the break of dawn. ☜

Cyncoco's Thoughts

Actually, I wanted to ask this. Do you all prefer the more wordy, poetic names for techniques or the shorter, more action-focused wording for techniques?

Take the Violet Haze Sword Sutra, for example.

Violet Haze Dawnbreaker, as expressed above, literally translates to Violet Haze Opens the Dawn.

Arc Flower Rain is more literally A Rain of Blossoms Fans Through an Area.

When we first translated it, we thought that having something like Dawnbreaker, which is a more active translation, would be cooler. But I've recently been reading older murim for nostalgia and have been really feeling the super poetic 15-word translations of techniques haha.

Let me know!

P.S. Book 9!!! Love you all