The Dawn of the New World



The fire was real because Hao Xuan had said it was. The pain was real because it had to be. How else would it make any sense?

Hao Xuan watched the silver warrior scream until his lungs gave out. And just when it was about to be too much he took away the pain with a single thought.

"Stand," he decreed and the Silver Warrior's body obeyed.

He was pulled up to his feet like a puppet while his simple mind tried to comprehend what form of hell he had just been put through.

"Follow."

Hao Xuan turned around and walked back up the stairs.

"Open the cells, all of them."

The silver warrior got to work while Hao Xuan continued on his way towards the exit. But when he was about to pass through the stone doors a barrier sprung up and blocked his path.

Hao Xuan extended a hand to exert some pressure and saw the countless runes light up like the night sky. The barrier was connected to the entire dungeon and a part of the city. He would have to destroy everything connected to it to force it open.

He took in a deep breath and used [Umbra] once more, making the X-shaped design rotate once within his eyes.

"Come to me."

Followed by the sound of the heavy footsteps the silver warrior lumbered up the dimly lit staircase, stopping right behind Hao Xuan.

"W-What have you d-done to m-"

"Open this barrier."

But unexpectedly he remained still.

Hao Xuan turned his head halfway to glance at him and he immediately started talking.

"I-I can't, I swear! It can only be opened or closed from the outside!"

"Did you turn it on?"

"No! It would lock me in too, why would I do that? That bastard must have done it after I came down."

"The one with the golden armor? Where did he go?"

"To the i-inner city to look for his brother. He thought there was something suspicious about you."

Hao Xuan straightened his head, "Then he's a little stronger than I expected, no matter. It won't change anything."

"...."

A few seconds passed and Hao Xuan didn't make a move or say anything so the silver warrior hesitantly spoke up.

"Aren't you going to try and escape? His brother is a peak-stage Spirit Realm cultivator that has been trained by Lord Dai Zhi himself, you won't have an easy time dealing with him."

"We'll see soon enough."

Barely a couple of minutes passed and the golden warrior returned with another person in tow.

This was a bald-headed man in his late twenties, dressed in the all-white garb that belonged to Dai Zhi's personal warriors. He held an unsheathed broadsword in his hand that was overflowing with spiritual energy.

They both stopped five meters away from the gate, looking at the silver warrior with furrowed brows. The golden warrior stepped forward, "Where is the captain?"

The silver warrior's eyes shifted to the right for a second, "W-What do you mean? Do you see him anywhere?"

The golden warrior shook his head disapprovingly, "No you idiot, that's why I'm asking. I told you to stay close to him!"

"O-Open the barrier you a-asshole! Why did you lock me in?!"

The golden warrior walked up to the stone doors without noticing anything was a miss. He placed his hand on the side, "Yeah yeah, I'm opening it- Argh, did you fall into a shitter? What the hell is that smell?"

The bald-headed man on the other hand kept his distance, watching silver warrior's every move from afar. But by the time he noticed his panicking eyes gesturing towards the space in front of him, it was already too late.

"NO STOP-" he shouted just as the golden warrior rotated the hidden dial.

The barrier flickered and immediately disappeared but the bald-headed man was quick to react. The broadsword lit up with a golden aura that shot forward in a straight line, exactly where the silver warrior was looking at.

A fountain of blood suddenly dyed the stone doors bright red as Hao Xuan's figure came to light. The golden warrior jumped back and withdrew his blade.

"WHO THE HELL ARE YOU?!" he screamed.

There was a bad gash on Hao Xuan's shoulder. Just a few inches to the left and it would have decapitated him completely.

The wound diverted his attention just enough to weaken the effects of [Umbra] and allow the silver warrior to break free.

He sprinted out at full speed while warning the others, "DON'T LOOK AT HIS EYES!"

The bald-headed man immediately adjusted his vision and avoided looking at Hao Xuan's face completely but the golden warrior did the exact opposite.

"YOU FOOL!"

The silver warrior picked up a handful of dirt and threw it at his comrade's face, blinding him momentarily.

The golden warrior rubbed his eyes while yelling, "Argh! Why?! Why not throw it at him?!"