TRWSB – Chapter 166 Shadows of the Fallen Realm

Qi Shaorong really wanted to ask Yoda: if sea beasts weren’t the most dangerous things here, then what was? But before Qi Shaorong could open his mouth, a strange fluctuation swept over them. In that moment, he felt as if the very fabric of space had shattered into countless fragments.

When the disturbance passed, Qi Shaorong found only Zhuang Hao remaining at his side.

“What’s going on?” Qi Shaorong looked around in confusion. The scenery was entirely different—clearly, they had been transported far from where they entered.

“We must have encountered a spatial storm,” Zhuang Hao said.

“A spatial storm?” Qi Shaorong repeated, puzzled.

“I heard that spatial storms are common in the Ancient Battlefield. Once one breaks out, everyone caught in it gets randomly transported.”

Qi Shaorong scratched his head, sighing with regret. “I was hoping we could rely on Senior Yoda for protection, but that’s clearly out of the question now.”

“Senior Yoda has too many people to watch over. We shouldn’t have counted on him anyway,” Zhuang Hao replied, seemingly unfazed.

“Good thing you didn’t get sent elsewhere,” Qi Shaorong muttered.

He touched the mark of the contract on his hand. There had been a time when he resented this bond, but over time, he’d grown used to it. Deep down, he believed it was because of this contract that he and Zhuang Hao had been transported together.

In a place like this, having someone familiar nearby was a comfort beyond words.

Zhuang Hao suddenly paused, the corners of his mouth curving into a smile.

Qi Shaorong forced a small smile of his own, then voiced his worry. “I wonder where Liuyun ended up.”

“No need to worry,” Zhuang Hao said. “When the spatial storm hit, I saw him get transported with Hailing. With his sea-tribe blood and the protection of the Mermaid’s Heart, he’s probably better off than we are.”

“That’s a relief,” Qi Shaorong nodded.

Suddenly, he raised his head. “I sense something in that direction.”

Zhuang Hao nodded. “Let’s head that way.”

As they walked, Zhuang Hao suddenly stopped and quickly pulled Qi Shaorong back with him.

“What’s wrong?” Qi Shaorong asked.

From the sand rose a massive scorpion.

“A Primordial Giant Scorpion!” Qi Shaorong’s eyes widened.

It was massive, its sand-colored body having perfectly blended with the surroundings. He hadn’t noticed it at all.

The scorpion lunged, its massive pincers snapping at them. Zhuang Hao leapt behind it, taking Qi Shaorong with him.

Enraged at missing its prey, the scorpion roared and turned to chase them.

Its cry sounded to Qi Shaorong like death’s own summons.

He swallowed hard. According to records, the Primordial Giant Scorpions were extinct outside. To encounter one in the Fallen God’s Domain—it was said that their venom was so lethal, even one bite was fatal.

By the seventh time Zhuang Hao had dodged its attack, the creature was on the verge of a frenzy.

Zhuang Hao’s eyes flared with a bright light. The intense glow stunned the scorpion briefly. Just as it snapped out of its daze and lunged, Zhuang Hao raised his sword and struck, repelling the attack. Slowly, the beast settled.

Its eyes dimmed, and a unique sigil appeared on its back.

“You formed a contract with it?” Qi Shaorong asked.

Zhuang Hao nodded. “Yes. Thankfully, though the sea beasts here are different, they’re still contractible.”

“That must’ve been difficult?”

“It was manageable.”

Qi Shaorong thought to himself, That guy Junshang keeps worrying about me, but Zhuang Hao is the real threat.

As a golden beastmaster, Zhuang Hao could form contracts with beasts above his level. Already a level-nine master, he could control multiple sacred-tier beasts. Even the royal family’s most prized beast was only level nine.

Qi Shaorong touched the burning mark on his hand. As Zhuang Hao’s power grew, so did the strength of their contract.

Zhuang Hao turned to him. “Are you okay?”

Qi Shaorong shook his head. “I’m fine.”

“Let’s ride.” Zhuang Hao helped him up onto the scorpion’s back. Once they were stable, the beast began to sprint.

“There’s someone up ahead,” Zhuang Hao said.

Qi Shaorong saw a spider-man—one of the companions from before—locked in combat with a lobster-like beast.

“That spider guy is in trouble. He’s about to be dinner,” Qi Shaorong joked.

Zhuang Hao chuckled at Qi Shaorong’s dark humor.

The spider-man, Seler, was clearly struggling. He’d already been through one tough fight before this. Now, fatigue was showing.

When Seler noticed them approaching atop the giant scorpion, his heart lifted—only to sink again when they simply watched without helping.

“Are we going to help?” Qi Shaorong asked.

Zhuang Hao crossed his arms. “Sea tribes value honor. Interfering in a warrior’s duel is an insult. Let’s wait and see.”

Seler heard every word and nearly coughed up blood.

Sure, sea tribes didn’t like interference—but context mattered! Didn’t they see he was in bad shape?

“You two little brats, get over here and help already!” Seler shouted, abandoning pride.

“He’s asking you for help,” Qi Shaorong said to Zhuang Hao.

Zhuang Hao smirked. “That’s a funny way to ask for assistance.”

Still, he unsheathed his sword and struck the giant lobster, leaving a deep gash in its shell.

With Zhuang Hao’s help, Seler quickly finished off the beast.

As it fell, Seler exhaled deeply. “Not bad, kid. No wonder Lord Yoda brought you along.”

Zhuang Hao simply nodded.

Seler finally took a closer look at the scorpion under Qi Shaorong’s feet—and his eyes widened. “A Primordial Giant Scorpion, fully tamed? Zhuang Hao, did you really contract a variant sea beast?”

“I just subdued it for now.”

“I heard you’re a beastmaster—impressive,” Seler said sincerely.

“Where are you headed now?” Zhuang Hao asked.

“No idea. This place is too strange. What about you?”

“We’re just wandering.”

“Have you seen the others?” Qi Shaorong asked.

“No. You’re the first I’ve run into,” Seler replied.

Qi Shaorong nodded, a little disappointed. “I see.”

“Well, since I’ve got nowhere to go, I’ll tag along,” Seler added, coughing awkwardly. He’d sustained injuries in the fight and needed time to recover. With these two around, at least he had backup.

“You can come,” Qi Shaorong warned, “but don’t slow us down.”

“You brat! Watch your mouth,” Seler snapped.

“I’m just laying it out up front,” Qi Shaorong shrugged.

Seler grunted, then shrunk himself to palm size and hopped onto the scorpion’s back with them.

“Can you still sense the direction?” Zhuang Hao asked.

“Yes—toward the east,” Qi Shaorong replied.

“What are you looking for?” Seler asked.

“Not your business,” Qi Shaorong shot back.

Seler: “…”

Soon, they came across half of an octopus’s corpse.

“Isn’t this the one that came in with us? What happened to the other half?” Qi Shaorong asked, frowning.

“Spatial storm,” Seler said grimly.

Qi Shaorong blinked. “That earlier one?”

Seler nodded. “Spatial storms scatter people, but that octopus was unlucky. It got split in half, each part sent to a different place.”

Qi Shaorong felt a chill down his spine. He recalled what Senior Yoda had said: the most terrifying thing in the Fallen God’s Domain wasn’t the beasts. Powerful beasts could be fled. But a spatial storm? That was pure luck.

“Something’s coming. We need to hide,” Zhuang Hao suddenly said.

“What’s coming? I don’t sense anything. Are you sure—” Seler began.

Zhuang Hao stomped the ground. A pit opened beneath them, and he and Qi Shaorong jumped in.

Moments later, a deafening, ghostly wail echoed across the land. It sounded like thousands of spectral troops galloping past.

“Phantom army,” Zhuang Hao muttered, listening to the howls above.

Seler let out a breath. “Good thing you reacted quickly. If we’d run into them head-on, it would’ve been a disaster.”

“What are phantom soldiers?” Qi Shaorong asked.

“No one really knows,” Seler said, shaking his head. “Some say they’re the rage of fallen warriors. Others say they’re the souls of the dead.”

Qi Shaorong: “…”

“What happens if we encounter them directly?”

Seler frowned. “Madness. Three years ago, a Saint-level expert from the Sea Dragon Tribe encountered them. Not long after returning, he went insane—killed his own son during an episode. When he regained clarity and realized what he’d done… he took his own life.”

Qi Shaorong: “…”