THE MARTIAL KING - Season 8 Episode 100

The crystal ball was already cracked all over the surface and just one touch would surely shatter it to pieces.

Mist’s wild laughter came through from the crystal ball but it had been laced with something akin to desolation as if it came from some powerful master who had once known great joy but also suffered great pain in his twilight years.

“Sir…” Zen murmured, pursing his lips as he mulled over the reason why Mist had let out such a hysterical laugh.

The laughter from the crystal ball continued, almost as if ignoring Zen. After a few minutes, Mist let out a few wheezes and finally calmed down, “The fate to lead the great world of chaos!

Lead the great world of chaos!” he had exclaimed with a booming, disembodied voice. “It’s the fate to lead the world of chaos!”

Zen was puzzled but as Mist told him his fortune, the cyan dragon had already been talking with his brother. “It seems that we do not need to consult our eldest brother anymore. This immortal has already confirmed our suspicions through Purple Star Astrology,” he said. “It seems like Zen really has the fate to lead the great world of chaos!”

The red dragon nodded his head at his brother’s words, “Indeed,” he agreed.

“Since this young man has such fate, and now that the great world has fallen, he will surely be the star of this era!”

The cyan dragon hummed, “If that’s the case, there might still be a chance for us nine brothers. We are fortunate to reside in the brain of someone with such a grand fate.” A chance for a turnaround – the thought greatly lifted the cyan dragon’s heart with hope.

The red dragon heaved a deep, melancholic sigh, “Perhaps…”

Despite this moment between the two dragon brothers, Zen was still standing completely dumbfounded at the current state of things. Just what kind of fate had Mist foretold for him? The fate to lead the great world of chaos? He had never heard of such a thing before, not even from the cyan dragon.

Zen furrowed his brows, “Sir, what do you mean? What does leading the world of chaos mean?” he asked.

Mist turned a deaf ear and ignored his question, “Ha! Two thousand years!” he exclaimed. “Two thousand years I have waited for a person with a strong destiny. Who would’ve thought that it would be you?! Such a great destiny, truly a great fate!”

“Sir…” Zen was starting to get a bit impatient. Mist kept talking and mumbling nonsense to himself, not giving Zen any clear answer to what it all meant and what it all entailed for him.

“Wait!” Mist suddenly shouted in the midst of his incoherent mumbling.

“Something is wrong. Since you have such a strong destiny, where is your guide?”

Zen was taken aback, “Guide?” he repeated before throwing his hands up in resignation. “I don’t know.” In his mind, however, he cursed at the old immortal, ‘I have no idea what the hell you’re even talking about!’

The crystal ball floated back and forth in front of Zen, almost as if it was pacing in front of him, “Let me see, let me see,” Mist repeatedly mumbled to himself, lost in his train of thought. “You!” he suddenly stopped and faced Zen. “You have a younger sister!”

Zen rolled his eyes but humored the old man, “Sir, you are truly accurate!”

“Your sister is your guide! Where is she now?” Mist asked, the crystal ball floating closer towards Zen, eager for an answer.

The question suddenly rang bells in Zen’s mind, ‘I almost forgot!’ he thought to himself. ‘The person in front of me is the one who constructed this very celestial tomb and Eddie is still in it. If I ask him to kill Eddie…’

Zen had never feared of anything, even it was Eddie whom he had to face. It was true that Eddie was a strong warrior at the Life and Death Realm, but Zen was determined to advance his strength and skills to eventually surpass and defeat him. This challenge had never daunted him and he was sure as long as he reached the peak of the martial arts, no one would be a threat to him.

However, Eddie had taken away his sister and this crime did not warrant him a clean, fair fight. For Zen, he would be willing to pay whatever price and do whatever needed to be done to end Eddie’s life because it was only through his death that he would be able to save Yan.

The sect-protecting array he had set up at Cloud Hall had been one of the methods that he devised to kill Eddie, specifically, using the Mad Trap.

However, Eddie seemed to have the innate ability to avoid danger and was able to get away at the last moment. Zen knew he still had a long way to go before he could defeat Eddie in a fight.

The clock was also ticking and he had to narrow the gap between them before Eddie found another Purple Power Body and enacted his grand plans. Moreover, it was not only Zen who was training to get stronger. Eddie was also dedicated to increasing his power and eventually breaking through to the next realm. If he managed a breakthrough, then Zen was afraid that the sect-protecting array he had set up in the Cloud Hall wouldn’t be enough to defend against Eddie.

Killing Eddie here and now would be best. With his current strength at the Life and Death Realm, he wouldn’t be able to resist the killing force from the Wheel of Fortune.

He didn’t care if it was dirty or if it was the easy way out. As long as Eddie died, Zen would be happy.

Cupping his hands politely, Zen spoke to Mist, “Sir, my sister’s name is Yan but she was kidnapped by an evil person,” he began. “That evil person is inside the Wheel of Fortune. If it’s possible, can you help me kill him?”

Zen stared intently at the crystal, expectantly waiting for a reply.

Mist had become silent for a moment before replying, “Ah… I cannot do that. I’m sorry.”

This answer took Zen by surprise. “Why?” he asked in disbelief.

Mist cleared his throat and said, “The Wheel of Fortune had already been set in place two thousand years ago before my death. The first person that passes through it will automatically be sent to this place. The second, third, fourth… all the runner ups will be taken to their own paths in order to obtain their prizes. My purpose had been to select the warrior with the strongest luck, not to kill anyone,” the immortal explained. “Eddie is just like an ant in the Life and Death Realm to me. But right now, I am nothing but a fragment of a soul, only lingering on with my last breath of life. I do not have the ability to help you kill anyone.”

Zen’s heart fell with disappointment, “I understand…”

But in truth, the immortal had lied to him. Of course he could change the Wheel of Fortune’s rules and kill Eddie.

However, he was proficient in the Purple Star Astrology and he did not want to do anything that might mess with Zen’s destiny. Since Yan was Zen’s guide, she was also the person driving him forward towards excellence. Saving Yan and killing Eddie were Zen’s motives.

Therefore, Eddie actually played a significant role in Zen’s fate.

If Mist took Eddie out now, it was highly likely that Zen might lose his way since he would be without the propelling force that would drive him to achieve his higher goals.

The immortal thought for a moment before once again speaking to Zen, “Your enemy is a Life and Death Realm master,” he remarked. “But you are only at the seventh level of the Illuminating Soul Realm. The difference is great but it is not impossible for you to make up for the difference in a short period of time…”

Zen’s eyes lit up. “How, Sir?” he asked, eyes flashing with hope.

It was then that Mist finally revealed his true agenda, “At the back of this world is a continent on par with the four divine kingdoms,” he told Zen. “It is a land of chaos and in its center there is a tower buried deep underground known as the Tower of Sin. Climb down this tower until you reach the bottom. Once you have done this, you may return and finally stand a chance to defeat your foe.”

This revelation had Zen’s shoulders aching with the weight of heavier responsibilities. He had thought that there would be a miraculous and quick way to defeat Eddie but there truly were no shortcuts in this world.

Things were already set in motion: Eddie was already gathering followers to build up his own divine kingdom while Zen had just killed a divine kingdom prince. The Central Region would see some changes soon while the Holy Maiden of the divine kingdom would be sure to hunt Zen down.

Staying in the Central Region to cultivate would only give him trouble and he knew that as soon as he stepped out of Cloud Hall’s sect-protecting array, Eddie would seek him out and kill him. In that case, it was next to impossible for him to venture out of the Cloud Hall and seek more opportunities in the Central Region to improve himself.

However, he could not hope for any breakthrough in his strength if he only confined himself to Cloud Hall.

Earlier, when he was still in the Wheel of Fortune, Zen had already considered whether or not he should cross the Chaotic Ocean of Stars to reach the divine kingdoms. But that was impossible now since he had already killed a prince and angered the Holy Maiden. Moreover… crossing the Chaotic Ocean of Stars was not an easy feat.

Mist’s suggestion was actually not a bad one and might actually be the best course of action for Zen, however…

“What is truly your purpose? Why do you want me to go there?” he asked directly. The immortal had spent a great deal of effort building this celestial tomb and also designing the Wheel of Fortune to search for a man with a great destiny. The lengths with which he had also gone through to preserve this last shred of his soul were no joke. There was an ulterior motive behind this.

Mist did not give him a half-assed excuse and addressed his question righteously, “There is a huge secret hidden underneath the Tower of Sin. I need you to take inheritance of that secret.”

Zen raised an eyebrow, “Why didn’t you go when you were alive?” he asked curiously but also with a hint of sass. Mist sighed, “I can’t go to that place,” he murmured sadly. “Don’t ask me why! You’ll know when you get there!”

With that, the huge coffin behind them suddenly started shaking before slowly opening. Mist turned to Zen, “These are the rewards I had planned to give to those who pass the Wheel of Fortune. Since you are the first, you can freely choose what you want. The rest will go to the runner-ups. I’ll let you give out their rewards.”

The array of treasures that lay in the coffin had Zen’s eyes flashing with excitement, “You want me to decide?”