Forty Millenniums of Cultivation - Chapter 1999
Chapter 1999: Meeting the Fist King at Great Iron City!
Great Iron City, which was practically a skyscraper, pushed forward at a much higher speed than before. Occasionally, a lot of people who were tied to chains would rappel from the top of Great Iron City to knock the gears and rune arrays on the shell and perform lubrication and cleaning.
The obstreperous black markets and arenas were shut. To appease the many tough bandits, the Fist King provided a lot more basic resources, including ammunition and standard boxes of spiritual energy, for the gangs and forces without bothering about the cost.
The claws that were extended in all directions were retracted one after another, and the siege on Liberty City became tighter and tighter every day. The Fist King’s battle formation grew ever stronger. Flags where the emblems of different gangs were depicted flew in the camp and looked truly overwhelming and intimidating.
Liberty City, in comparison, was silent and lifeless, like a fortress of the dead.
All the signs indicated that the Fist King’s army was about to attack the city!
The ‘Red Viper Squad’ was also given the privilege of meeting the Fist King in person because of their distinguished performance.
In the past month, although they were at the camp of the great dominator in the Land of Sins, neither the Red Viper Squad nor Li Yao had ever seen the Fist King himself, not even catching a glimpse of him from afar. They only heard a lot of rumors about the Fist King from other people.
Some said that the Fist King once practiced punching against a mountain thousands of meters tall. His fists blew bottomless holes in the rocks after each punch, and he kept punching, blowing, digging, and pressing forward, making his way ‘through’ the mountain with the brutal force. Eventually, a human-shaped tunnel was left behind him!
Some said that there was once a time when the Fist King could not find a suitable human-shaped shell for his use at all because the power of his soul was so strong that any human-shaped shell covering his soul would be blown up after a single punch. He had to conceal himself in a shell in the form of a tank and use two turrets with unbelievable firepower as his arms!
Some said that the Fist King destroyed four cities and more than twenty gangs in a row in only five years just to find enough powerful components for himself so that he could build an unparalleled artificial body that could support the punching of his fists, which was equivalent to the bombardment of heavy cannons!
Some said that the noises they heard from ‘Great Iron City’ every day were not caused by the engine system of the giant machine but by the Fist King training himself inside!
The ridiculous rumors that bordered on legends made the Fist King’s image even more mysterious and dominating.
Even Li Yao could not hold back his curiosity and attempted to sneak into Great Iron City with Neltharion. It was exactly during the adventure that he had come across a ‘game master’ who was lurking in the darkness. He was so scared that he had sweat engine oil. Finally, he dropped the idea.
Today, he finally had the chance to meet the dominator in the Land of Sins in person.
On the pedestal of Great Iron City, dozens of enormous gears more than three meters in diameter were revolving slowly, revealing a dark gap.
Li Yao—together with shuddering Han Te, Liu Li, and Xin Xiaoqi—lowered his head and followed the Red Viper Squad while they walked into the smoking Great Iron City under the guidance of a team of warriors from the ‘Godly Fist Union’.
The gears slowly closed behind them. The air in the room was hot and suffocating, mixed with the smell of sulfur and metal, as if they had just walked into a furnace. Gears that bit each other, bearings that were revolving quickly, levers with many branches, and chains that dangled down from the ceiling were everywhere inside Great Iron City. Countless tall shadows were dancing merrily on the gears, bearings, levers, and chains.
Occasionally, when their iron shells were illuminated by the light, it would be easy to notice that they were all spectral Cultivators and spiritual puppets. Thousands of spiritual puppets supported the complicated internal framework of ‘Great Iron City’ and maintained the high-intensity functioning of the war fortress.
The Fist King was a ghost. Ever since his rise, he had always been searching for greater artificial bodies. Therefore, he had unusual interests in other ghosts and even spiritual puppets. He was an out-and-out collector of spiritual puppets, which was a fact that everybody in the Land of Sins knew.
What Li Yao saw today proved the theory. The place was essentially an ocean of spiritual puppets.
The floors that they saw on their way while they were slowly pulled to the top of Great Iron City on a crude metal platform by chains were mostly occupied by spiritual puppets of various forms.
Those in the shape of humans, those like lions and tigers, those in the form of spiders or scorpions, and those built into tractors and turrets. Some were large, and some were small, but they were equally amazing.
Among them, there were the battle puppets of the latest model, which were glamorous and athletic, with a crystal processor that was even more powerful than the ‘Grand Illusionary Soldier’ in Li Yao’s memory. There were also antiques that were rusted, riveted, and riddled with holes. It was like a museum of spiritual puppets.
BAM!
The metal platform was raised to the top of Great Iron City. Through the observation window there, it was possible to see everything that was happening in the hundred square kilometers around.
Almost a hundred spiritual puppets of the latest models were placed in the room. Like a group of silent warriors, they protected a throne at the center that was piled up with gears.
An artificial body that was more than three meters tall sat on the throne of gears majestically and stared at the Red Viper Squad in deep thought.
Looking at the guy’s metal body that was almost perfect, Li Yao’s soul constricted violently.
What a beautiful artificial body!
The artificial body was in the most standard appearance of a human being. Every limb and every joint were in the golden cut. It was almost as if the most immaculate expert in the universe was doubled in size and made into an iron statue!
On every piece of shell on his body, dense rune arrays had been carved, which enshrouded him in vague redness all the time. He was wearing a simple, brown windbreaker, but it was spluttering although there was no wind as if it were the armor of an emperor!
Li Yao could tell at first glance that the artificial body could not have been manufactured in any factory. It was designed and assembled with the components of countless artificial bodies, spiritual puppets, and crystal suits.
The components and rune arrays of almost a hundred different origins had been combined flawlessly. It appeared as natural and immaculate as anything could!
The one who designed and produced the artificial body was certainly an expert among experts.
According to the rumors, the Fist King always attended to his body himself.
Li Yao immediately changed his attitude toward the dominator in the Land of Sins.
The impeccable artificial body alone suggested that the Fist King was much more than a simple expert in the Nascent Soul Stage. He could not be more careful when he was dealing with the sky!
“It’s an honor to meet you, Fist King!”
The three Immortal Cultivator players bowed deeply to the iron statue on the throne of gears pretentiously. They were apparently more curious than respectful about the dominator in the Land of Sins.
Han Te, Liu Li, and Xin Xiaoqi were deeply awed by the Fist King, their legs shaking hard.
Li Yao, naturally, did not say anything. Standing behind them in silence, he considered the possibility that the Fist King might have a piece of ‘high-molecular layer-by-layer scanning magical equipment’ if the guy was a brilliant refiner.
“There are no unnecessary formalities in the Land of Sins. This is not an honor at all.”
The iron statue rose and stepped forward unhurriedly. He was not stomping, but the floor seemed to be shaking under his feet.
The Fist King stood before everywhere and said in a low voice, “Red Viper Squad? I’ve never heard the name before. Then again, no heroes are ever heard until they distinguish themselves. After the war, your name will certainly resound all over the Land of Sins!”
“Of course!” Red Viper raised her head high. “Chances are that we will be faster than the Fist King to chop off the leader of Liberty City’s head!”
‘Fist King’ Lei Zonglie was slightly dazed. Red Viper’s words apparently fitted his temper. He burst into laughter and said, “Good, good! You have performed remarkably in the battles over the last few months. I cannot help but wonder what kind of miracles you will create in the battle to take the city!
“In case you blame me for not giving you an opportunity, I am preparing to deploy you in the east flank when our army officially attacks Liberty City tomorrow. You will attack the west defense line of Liberty City together with my most skilled team from the Godly Fist Union. As long as you can break the west defense line of Liberty City and destroy the pivot of the defense arrays there, you can ask for whatever you want from me!”
“We are not interested in the west defense line.”
Looking at the crystal cameras on the Fist King’s metal skull that was as dark as ink, Red Viper said, one word after another, “We have come here after a long journey only because we want to fight side by side with the Fist King and see how incredible the strongest fists on the entire Land of Sins are! The operations over the past month should be enough to prove our capability and loyalty. Please give us a chance to follow you and take part in the most dangerous and arduous missions!”
“You want to fight by my side?” ‘Fist King’ Lei Zonglie laughed aloud. “Then, let’s see if you are capable enough!”
Hu!
The cape on him immediately expanded into a ball before it was split apart in hissing sounds. Spiritual energy surged out like tides and rushed at the Red Viper Squad!
The three Immortal Cultivator players were long prepared. They simply kept their hands behind their back and focused their spiritual energy in their legs, standing still on the iron floor without moving at all.
Greatly alarmed, Han Te and Liu Li hurried to summon their spiritual energy to defend themselves.
Li Yao was rather shocked. ‘Fist King’ Lei Zonglie was almost a lunatic. He had unleashed such an overwhelming force when it was only supposed to be a test, not caring if he would heavily wound his own people!
Without alarming anyone, Li Yao transmitted two streams of energy through the floor into Han Te’s and Liu Li’s feet, helping them through the difficulties.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The Fist King’s spiritual energy bombarded everybody’s heart like a tsunami.
The three Immortal Cultivator players all grunted and shook hard.
Han Te and Liu Li were even forced almost ten steps back. They collapsed onto the floor and vomited blood.
Li Yao also pretended that his internal circuits were damaged. Cracking noises echoed from inside his iron shell.
“Huh?”
Out of his expectations, after a moment of surprise, the Fist King moved his eyes that were as keen as a hawk at Li Yao.
