Chapter 652: Chapter 559 Empty City Chapter 652: Chapter 559 Empty City “I haven’t had any contact, so I can’t speculate,”
Uma answered cautiously.
“Has the Mountain Woman contacted you again?”
“You need to get a little stronger…”
The enchanting voice seeped into the ears.
Automatically Shielding what Uma was about to say next, Roger immersed his mind in the comprehension of swordsmanship.
The Sword Technique System of Sunrise was intricate and sophisticated, with each sect having different emphases. The more he studied and understood, the deeper his insight became.
That feeling of constantly growing stronger was intoxicating.
As darkness retreated, Roger pushed open the door of his room; snow adorned the entire world in silver and white. It was only upon looking up that he noticed, hovering above the snow-covered eaves, was a silver-haired woman dressed in a white robe.
Her hair and attire blended with the world around her, and her eyes shimmered with an icy blue luster as she nodded at Roger.
“Can we set off now?”
“You’ve been waiting here all night?” Roger asked, his face a mix of surprise and confusion, but Yuuki Nao did not answer his question. Instead, she flicked her finger lightly, and the fluttering snowflakes gathered to form a palm-sized Ice Butterfly.
The Ice Butterfly spun around the two of them, lifting Roger along with it into midair.
Instead of a carriage, the descent from the mountain was on the back of a bird with wingspan stretching over seven meters.
Through the dancing snowflakes, the bird passed through the sea of clouds, and when Roger’s sight returned to normal, he found they were suspended over a massive walled city.
He looked back into the distance, where Snow Mountain loomed, partly hidden by the clouds.
It was still early; the first rays of sunlight fell on the cobblestone streets where figures were already visible, moving in pairs or groups.
The mechanics of this world were different from any period in human history. The pressure of survival from monsters allowed this world without the concept of nations to operate harmoniously.
Roger could feel the defensive power enveloping the city even before they were close.
“In Everworld, every city is a link in a vast Array, city after city, countless ordinary lives come together, teeming with vitality. Then through the amplification of the Onmyoji Array, they form the key resistance against the power of Everworld,”
“That this world exists and has not been devoured by monsters is not because of us, but because of the countless ordinary people struggling hard to survive.”
“Without these great cities, without this confluence of vitality, even if the number of Cultivators were to double, they could not withstand the encroachment of Everworld’s power.”
“Once the balance is broken, that power would quickly invade reality, and at that point, not a single sanctuary would remain, and all would become food for monsters.”
“Every city has one or more heritage sects guarding it, and cities can move between each other through the Onmyoji Array.”
“The city beneath your feet is the one closest to Sword Pavilion and, over the past few decades, has expanded to its current size through development and growth.”
Having said that, she led Roger down to the streets of the city. Oddly enough, the people around them seemed to see right through them as if they were invisible. Yuuki Nao guided Roger through the streets and alleys.
They soon arrived at a courtyard in the center of the city, which, by its decorative style, reminded Roger of the Black Tower he had seen on the summit of Building Furnace Mountain.
As they approached, Roger noted the badge he wore giving off a black luster. The air rippled like water, and with one step forward, the surroundings had changed when he came back to his senses.
In a pitch-black cylindrical room, Roger looked up; it appeared to be the inside of a tall tower with no visible end.
The walls were covered with yellow Talismans, scrawled with indecipherable black liquid Runes that had dried, leaving an imprint. From these, Roger sensed an odd fluctuation.
“That seems to be Black Spirit Water…”
Roger murmured under his breath. Yuuki Nao, standing beside him, nodded in confirmation, then stretched out her left hand from which an Ice Butterfly emerged.
The butterfly fluttered its wings as if to fly, then shattered in an instant into mottled specks of light. All the specks converged to form a circular pattern about thirty centimeters in diameter in mid-air.
At the same time, the Talismans on the wall lit up one by one, as a formidable power rose from the ground and shot skyward.
“Wait a moment!” Roger suddenly said.
“Even though there is an order from above, I don’t know anything about this world. It’s best to follow your lead,”
Roger wasn’t clear why Yatagarasu Kensumi had issued an order that seemed somewhat absurd, but he had no desire to concern himself with these trifles. His energy would be better spent on cultivating swordsmanship.
A flicker of surprise crossed Yuuki Nao’s exquisite face, but she quickly regained her composure and nodded.
“Next, we’re visiting a medium-size inheritance sect. Daisuke Kishio is a Fourth Tier at the same stage as us.”
“Their Guardian Spirit is the Blue Toad…”
Roger nodded in acknowledgement.
Here, tiers above Fourth Tier were roughly divided into four stages. An Onmyoji just entering Fourth Tier would merge with their Guardian Spirit, and this was known as the First Stage.
The rapport between the Onmyoji and their Guardian increased from weak to strong, and upon reaching perfect harmony, one would advance to the next stage.
The first three stages essentially corresponded to beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels. When reaching the pinnacle, an Onmyoji with dreadful power would be termed a Divine Master, while the equivalent in Sword Pavilion would be a Sword Master.