Necropolis Immortal

Although Lu Yun had established the Formula Dao Academy in Fairylands, the Dao King didn't stop creating his world of the mind. The only difference was that he was no longer in a hurry and could fashion this world according to his preferences.

Lu Yun didn't take back the eleven creation seeds either. The Dao King could do as he wished with them. He also smoothly became headmaster of the Formula Dao Academy.

After the academy opened its doors to the entire fourth realm, no one dared to really join it. Thus, the institution's halls stood empty for quite a while in the beginning. There were numerous teachers, but almost no disciples. Therefore, the teachers were delighted to have such an easy workload.

The academy was located in a small world of formula dao that Lu Yun had created himself. Formula dao coursed through the land in a massive path and one saw double the results with half the effort. It was a perfect place to cultivate.

Despite the slow acceptance from the general public, the academy wasn't entirely without disciples. Wandering cultivators unaffiliated with any faction or sect were among the first, hesitant pupils. As for the Star Sect, it was the origin of formula dao in the fourth realm. There was no need for them to enroll.

Thus, Lu Yun didn't even raise a ripple in the fourth realm when he started the academy. That didn't matter since he wasn't in a hurry. Formula dao had a foundation in the fourth realm with the institution's establishment. It could openly appear before others without being subject to fear or suspicion.

Meanwhile, immortal dao was beginning to fully replace the Hongmeng's great dao. Formula dao also developed at a steady pace in the fourth realm; everything proceeded in a measured fashion.

Lu Yun shut himself away in closed door cultivation. Whether it was the third or fourth realm, his business was at a temporary end. His primary goal now was to seclude himself and raise his cultivation level.

When it came to either the immortal or formula dao, both were in motion on the proper path. They were on track to become great daos on the level of the fourth realm. Lu Yun's cultivation and his hell dao would continue to grow if he followed the immortal dao.

Both Qing Yu and the little fox were with him; all three were in closed door cultivation in the Star Sect. Only here could they remain completely undisturbed.

……

The borders of the fourth realm, Mount Astronomia.

Dusk tinged the mountain as an enormous sun slowly set over it. Yueyi and the Sun Sovereign King sat at the peak of the landmass, silently gazing upon the descending sun. Fading celestial radiance warmed their faces, imparting tranquility and peace to the scene.

"How nice would it be if our disciples could leave and learn formula dao at the Formula Dao Academy. They wouldn't need to spend their days here, at risk of losing their lives at any second." The Sun Sovereign King was a young man with brilliant red hair scattered over his shoulders. He wore resplendent armor that glowed with a sun's vivid rays.

"I'll petition my martial forefather, he'll let the Luminaries into the academy." Yueyi looked askance at the sovereign king, not understanding why he was speaking like this.

"You've spent too much time in the Hongmeng… Mount Astronomia is no longer what it once was," the sovereign king responded moodily. "You are the only one left who can leave the mountain and go wherever you'd like. No one else can leave for an extended period of time."

"Huh?" Yueyi frowned, a foreboding feeling rising in her heart.

"The darkness grows stronger and all of our disciples, including myself, have incorporated our life force into the mountain to strengthen the Sky Sovereign King's nascent spirit…" the Sun Sovereign King explained with a melancholic air. "This is the only way to continue fighting against the gloom's encroachment. Though we can still leave, our life force will wither if we are away for too long.

"If our lives wither, then Mount Astronomia will no longer be able to withstand the darkness and collapse."

Yueyi stared blankly at the Sun Sovereign King, not knowing what to say. What did one say to such an awful development after she took a single trip to the Central Hongmeng?

"...how does one incorporate one's life force into the mountain?" she asked.

"No!" her peer shouted. "You can't do that! The mountain's hold over us grows stronger by the day. There may come a future in which we cannot leave at all. Thus, the Luminaries need someone who can freely come and go. If something develops here or there is danger, they need to be able to spread the news."

Rumble!

The mountain shook as soon as he finished speaking. Darkness descended with abrupt swiftness and devoured the light in the surroundings. Life forms like bats darted out of the shadows, covering the mountain in the blink of an eye.

They were the size of a palm and their eyes blood red. Piercing shrieks rang from their mouths and reverberated through Mount Astronomia.

Everything happened too quickly for Yueyi or the Sun Sovereign King to react. It only took the barest hint of a breath for countless souls to die beneath the ghastly shrieks.

Hummmm.

A blazing sun appeared and slammed its reddish-gold splendor against the darkness, beating it back a few inches. The Sun Sovereign King stood up and manifested a sun over his head, throwing his strength into withstanding the darkness.

On Mount Astronomia, Luminary disciples retreated into the sun's light in orderly fashion. However, the bat-like creatures were so strong that they could filter through the light and slaughter disciples inside.

Half of the Luminaries were dead in a short period of time.

"Yueyi, go to the outside world for help. I can't hold on for long." The sudden attack took the Sun Sovereign King completely off guard. He hadn't thought that the darkness would ambush them with no forewarning or signs whatsoever!

Mount Astronomia trembled and emanated a profound power to support the sun. It held the creatures at bay—if not, the mountain would already be razed to flat ground.

"Go to the Star Sect and find your martial forefather!" the Sun Sovereign King added. "We Luminaries are infamous in the realm. No faction trusts us and no one will come help us. Only your martial forefather will come!

"Go!" he roared when he saw that Yueyi was hesitating and seemed to want to help him. "The Luminaries do not need the Moon Sovereign King on the field, we need allies and the trust of the Boundless Planes!"

etvolare's Thoughts

I'm suddenly getting Battle of Helm's Deep vibes. At dawn, look to the east.