Chapter 3870 Obsidian Citadel
Chapter 3870 Obsidian Citadel
The sun had just begun its ascent, casting a golden hue across the vast expanse of the capital city of the Obsidian Crystal Turtle Minor Realm.
The morning air was aromatic, tinged with a faint chill that clung to the skin, yet the warmth of the rising sun promised a day of intensity and excitement.
The capital, known as the Obsidian Citadel, was a sprawling metropolis of towering black-crimson pagodas, majestic marble palaces, and ancient stone temples. In the heart of the city, there were many places, but one of the locations was called Execution Square.
It belonged to the imperial family of the Obsidian Crystal Turtle Clan and was used to execute their enemies and those who deserved capital punishment. It was a massive open space flanked by grandiose structures, their walls decorated with the intricate carvings of turtles, symbols of the clan's glorious bloodline.
At the center of the square stood a raised platform made of black obsidian, gleaming ominously under the morning light. This was the execution stage, a place where the will of the imperial clan was enforced and where today, three individuals would meet their end.
Surrounding the platform were towering stone pillars, each engraved with runes of power that crackled with barely contained energy, a reminder that even in death, there was no escape from their might.
Right now, there is clamor all over the city.
Millions had gathered to witness the event, a sea of people stretching out in all directions, filling all the streets.
The atmosphere was charged with a mixture of anticipation and dread.
Today, they had gathered here for the execution. However, their eyes were focused on only one thing. To see how an Anarchic Divergent was going to be killed.
It was a once-in-a-lifetime event of the Heaven's Warriors ending the life of a walking calamity, a being who wore the same clothes and flesh as them yet was said to be a demon in disguise. How could they not witness it?
"Everyone, leave. Please watch the execution from your homes through the projections that are broadcast. No one should be near the core region."
Despite the Heaven's Warriors constantly telling the people to scram, the flood of people was simply too strong to stop.
Heaven's Warriors didn't have the right to stop the people from getting in. They could not harm people without a justified basis. As long as the people weren't near the execution grounds, it wouldn't become grounds for obstruction.
It was up to the realm officials to stop them from entering the core region, but they seemed burdened with billions of people trying to enter the city. They had formed a blockade, but that was broken by rogue cultivators and other grand characters alike who didn't care for safety and wanted to witness the execution of the era that was going to drag a demon from its hiding.
Regardless, people came as close as possible to watch with their own eyes.
They gathered near the edge of the core region, waiting for two days straight, even though the execution was only going to happen today when the sun was at its highest point.
It was early morning right now, yet the silence was palpable, broken only by the occasional murmur or the rustle of robes as people shifted their weight. The crowd was a blend of all classes—nobles in silk and gold, citizens in simple tunics, and elegant cultivators with their flowing robes and powerful auras. All had come to witness the spectacle, to see the downfall of an Anarchic Divergent.
The three condemned people were standing on the platform with chains made of a star-like metal that was known to restrain even the powerful Empyreans. Their once-proud faces were now pale, devoid of energy, but they held their heads high, defiance still burning in their eyes.
Each wore the traditional white robes of the condemned, a stark contrast against the dark platform. However, there were certain patterns indicating their status and origin.
One had green patterns and had the symbol of a wolf.
It was none other than Fenren Jadelight.
The other two had red and black patterns, as well as the symbol of the golden crow and an obsidian turtle. They were none other than Soaren Goldsun and Andiron Blackryst.
They were all Patriarchs of their clans in another world, enjoying much prestige and reputation but now-
"Heh!" Amidst the silence, someone couldn't help but sneer.
It was an old man who appeared to be an Empyrean. He was clad in white robes and appeared to be a Level Three Empyrean from an unknown power. With everyone's attention on him, he continued.
"These fools thought themselves invincible, siding with a demon who feasts on the souls of the dead. Their arrogance blinded them to the destruction they'd brought. Such betrayal cannot be forgiven—death is too lenient for their crimes. Their entire family needs to be put to death."
"Well said, Elder Zhetu Ten."
A blue-robed female cultivator on the other side said, her tone laced with contempt, "They dared to embrace the darkness, allying with a creature of pure evil. The calamities they unleashed have stained this land with blood. They deserve not only death but eternal suffering in the abyss."
"True!" A golden armored man's voice boomed, his cultivation at Level Three Autarch Stage.
"These traitors threw away their honor and loyalty. For what? For the false promises of a demon! How many lives were lost because of their treachery? Their end here is but a small price for the destruction they invited upon us. Behead them already!" He spoke with righteous anger visible on his face.
"Aha~" A scantily clad, crimson-robed woman laughed ever so lightly, her melodious voice causing the men around her to go stiff.
Her hands danced before her, her velvety lips moving as a seductive voice echoed, "They thought the power of a fiend would elevate them, but instead, it condemned them. How could they betray our world, knowing the chaos an Anarchic Divergent would unleash? Even I, a publicly known demoness, wouldn't go too far, as I know who to have relationships with."
"That's right!"
"Kill them!"
"Behead them already!"
The people were suddenly so impassioned, like they were cast a spell by the righteous words of those four cultivators, that they started screaming with anger and even hatred visible in their faces.
Right now, they wanted nothing more than to watch the three prisoners killed.
"…!"
Patriarch Fenren Jadelight's expression churned. His pale face, devoid of strength, was flushed with rage.
"You bastards! How dare you tarnish-"
Bang!~
His head sank as blood splattered.
Something had hit his head, perhaps a metal similar to a rod. He bled a lot, the drops of crimson plopping on the ground.
Despite that, Patriarch Fenren Jadelight raised his bloodied head and looked behind. The other two also glanced back, their gazes cold.
Behind them, an executioner stood, a towering figure clad in black armor that seemed to absorb the light around him. His face was hidden behind a fearsome turtle mask, and in his hand, he held a massive glaive, its blade as sharp as the finest silk and etched with ancient symbols that glowed faintly with a crimson light.
The air around him seemed to hum with suppressed transcendental power, indicating that he was an Autarch but the level was unknown.
"Shut your mouth. You haven't been given permission to say your last words."
He pulled back the back of the glaive and kept walking around them as though he were also guarding them from contingencies.
Patriarch Fenren Jadelight's gaze flickered.
He turned to look back at the crowd, whose ferocious and murderous chanting had quietened down. What was left was the snickering and curses that they muttered with each breath of their mouths.
His eyes turned cold.
He thought he had prepared himself for death, but this kind of humiliation just didn't sit well with him. However, he understood one thing, knowing his sworn brother Davis was the recipient of such malicious gazes and insults every day.
He began wondering who the evil people were, even though the end was near.
His eyes couldn't help but look into the distance.
The buildings surrounding the square loomed like silent sentinels, their windows and balconies filled with onlookers. He viewed the giant floating palaces, tall spires piercing the skies, or the wide palaces that were no different than being inside the shell of a turtle.
Patriarch Fenren Jadelight's gaze scanned almost all the buildings and the sea of faces, his heart pounding as he scanned the entire area, his wolf-like gaze sharpening with each second. The faces blurred together—a mass of humanity consumed by their bloodlust and self-righteousness.
It didn't help him one bit; his heart was seething with rage.
Yet, amidst the chaos, he sought a single silhouette.
He knew that finding this person might be futile, yet he couldn't help but search. The humiliation gnawed at him, and he wanted nothing more than to rampage with this person. However, he couldn't help but reveal a wry smile.
'Right… The universe is so vast. How could he be here? Even if he wanted to, he couldn't…'
Patriarch Fenren Jadelight shook his head, his head raising as he spat on the ground.
"Alright, fuckers. See you all in the underworld when he eventually lays waste to this city…"
He muttered, looking unrelenting.