Ten thousand years ago.
The concept of 'nation' did not exist yet.
At that time, the human race lived in tribes, eating raw meat and drinking blood, residing all across the world.
In that incredibly distant ancient era, a divine being emerged.
This being walked the world, observing all things.
Eventually, they offered sacrifices to the mountains and rivers, and forged the four seas.
The divine being forcefully crafted a hundred weapons within the world.
These hundred weapons were manifestations of the essence of the Heavenly Laws, which the ancient divine being had seized from the world.
Without this ancient divine being, the hundred weapons would not have been able to break free from the world's control and separate.
These hundred weapons would later become the most powerful divine weapons.
"You are number one, you are number two, you are number three..."
The face of the ancient divine being was blurred as they looked at the hundred weapons floating in the world, emitting vast spiritual fluctuations.
Lin Yuan, at this moment, saw through the perspective of a long spear.
Sun and Moon Spear.
The Sun and Moon Spear was the eighteenth weapon crafted by the ancient divine being.
Therefore, it was also called 'Eighteenth'.
Time passed unknowingly.
The ancient divine being returned to the hundred divine weapons once more.
“I am leaving.”
“From now on, this world will only have you all.”
After saying this, the ancient divine being vanished.
From then on, time flew by.
The ancient divine being never reappeared.
Meanwhile, the intelligence of the hundred divine weapons grew.
Finally, one day.
They discovered that the blood and souls of the human race significantly aided their growth.
So, they began harvesting humans.
However, a leading tower-shaped divine weapon realized that if the hundred divine weapons consumed humans at their current rate, it wouldn’t be long before the human race on this land was driven to extinction.
At that time, there would be no humans left for the divine weapons to devour, and their growth would slow to a crawl once more.
Therefore, this tower-shaped divine weapon began to restrain the other divine weapons.
This move garnered support from some divine weapons and opposition from others.
Ultimately, the hundred divine weapons reached an agreement.
They confined all humans to a certain area, selecting a portion for consumption at regular intervals.
This would later become the prototype of the Thirty-Six Nations of Central Plains.
Another one or two thousand years passed.
Some divine weapons noticed that certain divine weapons consumed significantly more humans than others.
This unfair distribution led to a grand battle among the hundred divine weapons.
In that battle, sixty-four divine weapons were shattered.
The thirty-six strongest divine weapons enjoyed all of humankind.
Inside the underground palace.
Lin Yuan slowly opened his eyes.
Through browsing the 'memories' of the Sun and Moon Spear, Lin Yuan had gained a fair understanding of the ancient divine being.
It was clear.
The ancient divine being’s strength began at at least the fourth tier.
They might even have been at the peak of the fourth tier.
As for why the ancient divine being traversed mountains and rivers, walked the world, and battled the world to forcibly craft the hundred divine weapons, Lin Yuan speculated that the ancient being had set their sights on the essence of this world’s rules.
By crafting these hundred divine weapons, the ancient being was also gaining insight into the many laws within the divine weapons.
Although the ancient being's comprehension might not surpass Lin Yuan's, they had the advantage of time.
The ancient era from tens of thousands of years ago lasted at least several thousand years.
Over such an extended period, coupled with the ancient divine being being the weapons' creator, they surely reaped considerable benefits.
"True divine weapons."
Thoughts surged as Lin Yuan's gaze fell once more on the Sun and Moon Spear.
Even now, with the Sun and Moon Spear suppressed by Lin Yuan and its consciousness in slumber, just the weapon's instinctive resistance would suffice to shatter hundreds or thousands of Blood Refining Martial Saints.
Of course, this resistance was insignificant to Lin Yuan.
"The Sun and the Moon"
Lin Yuan extended his hand, softly caressing the spear shaft, feeling the textures and laws within, his mind sparking with countless inspirations.
[Your heaven-defying comprehension has been touched by the complete laws of this world while observing and caressing them, leading to insights into the rules of the Sun and the Moon.]
[Your heaven-defying comprehension has been touched by the complete laws of this world while observing and caressing them, leading to insights into the rules of the Sun and the Moon.]
[Your heaven-defying comprehension has been touched by the complete laws of this world while observing and caressing them, leading to insights into the rules of the Sun and the Moon.]
In just a moment, Lin Yuan felt the path before him became much clearer.
"As expected of a divine weapon."
Lin Yuan praised slightly.
Compared to those fragmented cursed weapons, a divine weapon brought Lin Yuan considerable transformative help.
Especially the essence of the sun and moon contained within the Sun and Moon Spear, which complemented Lin Yuan's path of Taiji well.
The Sun and the Moon are inherently parts of the moon essence and sun essence.
Gaining insights into their essence also significantly supplements the path of Taiji.
"What a pity."
"There is only one divine weapon."
Lin Yuan thought, eyeing the Sun and Moon Spear, while pondering over the other thirty-five divine weapons.
It would be wondrous to have all the divine weapons before him for insight.
But Lin Yuan knew this was currently just wishful thinking.
As for using the method of suppressing the Sun and Moon Spear to continue suppressing other divine weapons, that was almost impossible to achieve.
The thirty-six divine weapons had mutual connections.
Lin Yuan isolated the world to suppress the Sun and Moon Spear without alerting other divine weapons.
However, once the aura of the Sun and Moon Spear vanished, and it couldn’t be sensed for a long period, the other divine weapons would surely become wary.
If Lin Yuan made another move, with no results it would be hard to achieve, and it’s very likely the other thirty-five divine weapons would lie in wait.
One should not underestimate the intelligence of divine weapons; they have grown over ten thousand years.
While not comparable to the mind of a super-intelligent brain, they surpass ordinary humans by countless levels.
"However, a single divine weapon is enough."
"The laws within it are enough to push me to the fourth tier."
Lin Yuan felt content.
Being able to smoothly suppress the Sun and Moon Spear this time reached his expectation.
After gathering insights for a while, Lin Yuan's thoughts moved, putting away the Sun and Moon Spear, and glanced towards the outside of the hall.
At this moment, Sikong Lun was respectfully waiting outside, not daring to step into the hall without Lin Yuan's order.
"Come in."
Lin Yuan said aloud.
His voice was not loud, yet it clearly resonated in Sikong Lun's ears.
"Yes."
Sikong Lun took a deep breath and walked into the palace.
"Master."
"This is the cursed weapon."
"As per your previous instruction, I collected as many cursed weapons as possible."
Sikong Lun handed over the wooden box he was carrying with increasing reverence.
"I see."
Lin Yuan nodded slightly.
Now, with a divine weapon in hand, he naturally disdained the mere cursed weapons.
Yet, even a small mosquito has meat; though the law essence within cursed weapons may be fragmented, they still hold some usefulness to Lin Yuan.
"Then I shall take my leave."
Sikong Lun left the wooden box and was about to depart respectfully.
"After all these years, you should know who I am by now."
Lin Yuan suddenly said.
Since subduing Sikong Lun until now, several decades had passed.
Lin Yuan had not revealed his identity to Sikong Lun.
Upon hearing this, Sikong Lun’s heart shook violently.
If earlier, he only guessed in his heart, recently, after witnessing the Sun and Moon Spear, originally the nation-guarding divine weapon of the Great Yan Dynasty in Lin Yuan’s hands, Sikong Lun was almost ninety percent sure.
He deduced that the 'master' he served was none other than the emperor of the Great Yan Dynasty.
Though this hypothesis was incredibly unbelievable, as the Great Yan emperor was the 'spokesperson' chosen by the divine weapons, not needing to worry like ordinary people about being devoured by divine weapons at any moment.
"Greetings, Your Majesty."
Sikong Lun steadied his mind and said respectfully.
"Correct."
Lin Yuan nodded slightly.
Sikong Lun realizing his identity was not a difficult matter.
Over the years, the Godslayer Society had often collaborated secretly with the Great Yan Dynasty.
Outsiders didn’t know these matters, not even the members of the royal family, but Sikong Lun, the manager of the Godslayer Society, was somewhat aware.
"Next, use the cursed weapons' ideas to instigate a decisive battle."
Lin Yuan sat cross-legged and said calmly.
To completely deal with the remaining thirty-five divine weapons, the only way was to draw them all out.
If facing them one by one, once the other divine weapons witnessed Lin Yuan's true strength, they would surely avoid appearing.
When a single divine weapon wants to hide with the trump card of merging into the world, Lin Yuan also has no solution.
His time in this world is limited; he cannot afford to spend it confronting those divine weapons.
Even though he can isolate the world, the scope is limited.
Lin Yuan's plan is to have the Godslayer Society and many cursed weapon masters shake the control of the Thirty-Six Nations of Central Plains, forcing the thirty-five divine weapons to take action.
After all, the Thirty-Six Nations of Central Plains are the human confinement ground for the divine weapons.
If the Godslayer Society rebels, those divine weapons will certainly not tolerate it for a second.
"Okay."
Sikong Lun nodded.
In the past, he never held any hopes for such a decisive battle, fearing it might repeat the catastrophic events of several millennia ago.
But after seeing Lin Yuan possess the 'Sun and Moon Spear' body just now, a subtle hope rose in Sikong Lun’s heart.
"Also."
"Find some people with strong souls."
"I will personally cultivate some cursed weapon masters."
Lin Yuan added.
The cursed weapon masters he intended to cultivate this time must be top-notch, with at least ninety percent completeness of the cursed weapons.
Cursed weapons were fragments of the once divine weapons, unable to heal themselves.
This was why not a single cursed weapon had restored to a complete divine weapon over the past eight thousand years.
But, while cursed weapons cannot self-heal, Lin Yuan can.
With his current collection of numerous cursed weapons, Lin Yuan is entirely capable of piecing together two or three complete divine weapons.
Of course, the patched-together divine weapons would nowhere near rival the thirty-six divine weapons of today in power.
After all, a freshly healed wound cannot compare to the peak period eight thousand years ago.
Moreover, given that the current thirty-six divine weapons have grown significantly over the eight thousand years of harvesting, their power has undoubtedly increased further.
But a complete cursed weapon can at least sweep away all opponents below the divine weapon level.
It might even force the remaining thirty-five divine weapons into appearing.
(End of this chapter)