1063——————==

Soul of the Evil God

The King of Destruction Carphadok seemed to take a bit of interest in Zhuge Sa’s words. Perhaps that was why he slightly moved the body of the Black Dragon forward, his reptilian eyes glimmering as he spoke.

[Well, this is amusing. Did you bring the Fragment of Dharma Technique?]

Zhuge Sa responded.

“Due to special circumstances, I had no way to bring the Altar that sealed the Fragment of Dharma Technique.”

With a gesture from Zhuge Sa, the leader of the White Lotus Sect began to chant something in the language of demons. Although he wasn’t fond of using magic, he had impressive knowledge of the path of demons, allowing him to use advanced spells. Once his incantation ended, a small dimensional rift formed in front of them.

Swoosh…

“There it is, the Fragment of Dharma Technique.”

Inside the rift that seemed ready to suck in anything, the Altar of Heavenly Darkness of the White Lotus Sect was visible. This was magic that applied clairvoyance and dimension distortion. The moment the King of Destruction confirmed the altar, he grinned widely.

[I shall take it well.]

It seemed he considered outright plundering preferable to any negotiation with humans.

Uwooo!!

Suddenly, the King of Destruction opened his mouth and began to cast the [Old Ruler]’s language spell. This cosmic-powered spell had the ability to warp fate, rendering the mere time and space of the material world insignificant. It was clear he intended to summon both the Fragment of Dharma Technique and the altar right before him.

Sss…

Sure enough, as the King of Destruction desired, the Altar of Heavenly Darkness was summoned whole. He smiled slyly as he said,

[How commendable of you to offer me such treasures. Seeing your sincerity, I shall devour it without pain.]

“……”

Sagong Lin, who had come along, wore a look of shock.

Could it be that we were really going to go from negotiation directly to plundering without even a word? Sagong Lin, who had held some expectations for the being referred to as [God], found it utterly absurd.

‘How can one be so selfish and evil… Is that the way of the [Old Ruler]?’

At the same time, she recognized that everything was flowing exactly as Zhuge Sa had intended. She didn’t want to admit it, but Zhuge Sa was indeed the most knowledgeable expert in the path of demons among all the reborn companions. Just when she was letting out a secret sigh, an unexpected turn of events occurred.

Krazzziish!!

[Urk?!]

The King of Destruction’s two front legs suddenly collapsed. This was caused by the bizarre magical energy emanating from the Altar of Heavenly Darkness. In a hurry, the King of Destruction exerted his powers and sent the Altar back to its original place, but in the next moment, his physical form in the material world completely vanished.

Boom!

It was a truly bizarre phenomenon, one that defied explanation. Even as the King of Destruction attempted to brace himself, it seemed there was no time for it.

Silence.

In the blink of an eye, everyone could only watch in stunned silence as the [Old Ruler] disappeared. What on earth just happened? Moments later, a twisting darkness began to seep out of the void, and the King of Destruction reappeared in physical form.

Uwooo…

The King of Destruction, appearing furious, opened the mouth of the Black Dragon and shouted.

[How dare those insects play tricks on me!! I will kill every last one of you!]

Just as the King of Destruction seemed poised to attack his own allies, Zhuge Sa spoke to him with perfect timing.

“Oh great king, we can deactivate the defensive functions of the Altar of Heavenly Darkness and present you with the Dharma Technique.”

The King of Destruction froze for a second.

After a moment, he spoke, his reptilian eyes sparkling.

[Explain it in detail.]

“The Altar of Heavenly Darkness was crafted by Dharma. At the time, Dharma’s power reached the Three Sovereigns, and it is a sealing altar that he put everything into. What just attacked you consisted not only of the magical power within the Dharma Technique but also the power of the altar itself… Thus, even for the [Old Ruler], it can’t be obtained by ordinary means and must be deactivated through the correct method.”

[Speak of the method.]

“The method involves inserting another piece of Dharma Technique into the altar. When all the shattered pieces gather, the altar will restore the Dharma Technique, and the completed technique will appear. This is Dharma’s design and the role of the altar.”

[Oh… is that so.]

Zhuge Sa then slyly added to the King of Destruction, “In fact, the [Ruler] of the Great Bear Empire has also proposed to us. He asked if we would not give the Altar of Heavenly Darkness to him…”

[……]

“But simply giving it up for favor would not do. We came seeking a benevolent choice, hoping to appeal to another.”

[Hahaha… to dare incite competition among the [Old Rulers]. What an arrogant mortal you are.]

The King of Destruction laughed heartily, but he didn’t seem displeased. Most of what Zhuge Sa said was true, and there had been no harm to the King of Destruction thus far. After a moment of contemplation, the King of Destruction said:

[Very well, I’ll grant you a conversation. What do you desire?]

“As I mentioned before, we will transfer ownership of this altar and the fragment of the Dharma Technique within it to you. In return, please take full responsibility for acquiring the techniques that exist in the Aiternum Mundi. We promise to serve you with all our divine beings until you have obtained every Dharma Technique.”

[Aiternum Mundi… yes… I have heard rumors that fragments exist there.]

Hoo…

The King of Destruction murmured and flapped his wings for a moment. After a brief pondering, he spoke.

“However, if I just kill you now, the ownership will become mine, won’t it? I know where the altar is located; I could take the rest and think about it later.”

“Do as you wish. We have no way to resist. However, the Altar of Heavenly Darkness cannot be obtained without following the prescribed methods and orders.”

[Hahaha… do you think I can’t do it?]

“We mere insects only act like insects. Whether you kill us or save us is entirely up to you.”

[……]

The nonchalance of Zhuge Sa left the King of Destruction bewildered.

‘How can such a human exist here?’

Even if one were a Demon Sorcerer with a resistance to magic, they wouldn’t be able to think properly the moment they were exposed to the King of Destruction’s power. No matter how insane a Demon Sorcerer was, they couldn’t stand up to the presence of the King of Destruction. Yet here, the human sorcerer exhibited a calmness as if taking a stroll, which was utterly baffling.

Sensing something was off, the King of Destruction used magic to examine Zhuge Sa. As he realized Zhuge Sa’s true identity, a sly smile spread across his face.

[Ah, I see… You’re on the verge of promotion. You’ve worked hard to pretend to be a human.]

What on earth did that mean?

Both the Master of the White Lotus Sect and Sagong Lin simultaneously stared at Zhuge Sa, but Zhuge Sa displayed no change in expression. As the silence dragged on, the King of Destruction finally spoke.

[Fine. I accept the contract. Do you have it with you?]

“It’s right here.”

Zhuge Sa glanced at the Master of the White Lotus Sect, who pulled out a human skin contract he had prepared in advance. This contract had been passed down since the age of Dharma and was considered quite high-quality in the realm of demon contracts. On the living, vibrant human skin contract, Zhuge Sa pricked his finger to write the agreement, and once done, the King of Destruction read the contract for a while before swallowing it whole.

Gulp.

After swallowing the contract, the King of Destruction’s eyes shone with light.

[If you break the contract, you shall pay a price beyond your imagination.]

“I will keep that in mind…”

Bang!

As soon as he finished speaking, the King of Destruction vanished. He felt no need to linger in the material world any longer and departed to another realm. Once the Master of the White Lotus Sect released the magic holding the Altar of Heavenly Darkness, Zhuge Sa smiled at him.

“Looks like we’ve somehow made it through this crisis. Don’t you think?”

[What a crazy act it was. To seek equal negotiations with such a warlike [Old Ruler] manifesting… Zhuge Sa, how did you maintain your calm?]

The Master of the White Lotus Sect had a valid question.

Zhuge Sa’s strategy was to use the characteristics of the Altar of Heavenly Darkness to draw in the King of Destruction! Instead of offering the fragment of the Dharma Technique, they aimed to involve the [Old Ruler] in the conquest of Aiternum Mundi. Even if they lost the fragment of the Dharma Technique, they could pursue a strategy akin to Iijie, making it extremely efficient.

However, the problem with this strategy lay in the fact that the aggressive [Old Ruler] could decide at any moment to disregard negotiations and either massacre them or seize the techniques first, and Zhuge Sa’s strategists could see no solution to this problem. For, even the Master of the White Lotus Sect was nothing but an insect before the real [Old Ruler], lacking any means to physically restrain him; maintaining composure before such a ruler was close to impossible.

Yet Zhuge Sa executed this mad strategy successfully. The Master of the White Lotus Sect couldn’t help but be curious about Zhuge Sa’s technique. Zhuge Sa retorted.

“Isn’t it exhilarating to be able to outsmart the most chaotic existence in the world? It’s the ultimate experience a Demon Sorcerer can have. Hehe…”

[……]

As the Master of the White Lotus Sect fell silent, Sagong Lin spoke.

“Zhuge Sa. What did that existence mean by your promotion earlier? Are you saying you might become an [Old Ruler]?”

“If becoming a transcendental being was that easy, the sorcerers of the world wouldn’t suffer so much. To become the constellation ruling over the evil of the universe isn’t something that can just be done at will. But to shed a few words about the promotion, I inadvertently started down that path during my duel with Simon Magus.”

“…Elaborate more.”

“I’m afraid I can’t do that. I’m still in a fight, and I have many secrets to keep….”

Swoosh

Just as those words finished, Zhuge Sa’s form slowly began to disintegrate. He was disappearing into another dimension again.

“Wait!”

Sagong Lin hurriedly tried to stop him, but the Master of the White Lotus Sect grabbed her hand to hold her back. When Sagong Lin turned to look at him, Zhuge Sa had already vanished, and the Master of the White Lotus Sect spoke.

[As a fellow Demon Sorcerer, I can understand. In this world of treacherous demon magic, a single wrong word can lead to losing everything. Moreover, given that we are about to challenge a demon king who has reached the peak of landlord doctrines, it’s not something we should rashly interfere with.]

“But Zhuge Sa seems too suspicious now. While it’s true that he is providing us with strategies and information that we need, how can he do that? It’s hard to believe he can only bring the most appropriate options for the situation.”

[……]

The Master of the White Lotus Sect understood Sagong Lin’s words. In fact, he too had privately doubted Zhuge Sa, but he simply chose not to reveal it outwardly. No one in this world would be more suspicious than the Master of the White Lotus Sect.

Yet he knew from experience that if one acted recklessly in such a situation, they could incur significant losses. He also understood that it wouldn’t be of any benefit to show that suspicion. So he calmly replied to Sagong Lin’s words.

[Let’s watch for now. Trusting Zhuge Sa means trusting the Baek Woong… and that’s a different issue altogether.]

“…Understood.”

Eventually, they returned to the Great Bear Empire. They reorganized their forces and selected personnel to challenge Aiternum Mundi, with Zhuge Yulong stepping forward to speak.

“We definitely cannot challenge with everyone putting everything on the line. While our ultimate goal is to assist the reborn Baek Woong in the conquest of Aiternum Mundi, we can’t risk it all in that pursuit. No matter how much assistance we get from the [Old Ruler]….”

[I understand.]

“If the [Old Ruler] were to take the front in the conquest, then we mortals wouldn’t need to put in much effort ourselves. Therefore, I think it’s wiser to reduce our numbers as much as possible.”

[Hmm… Do I want to withdraw from the conquest of Aiternum Mundi?]

Noticing the Master of the White Lotus Sect’s intention, Zhuge Yulong nodded.

“Of course. You’re the focal point and peak of this empire. The moment you die, the Great Bear Empire would effectively cease to exist.”

[Then how much strength do we need?]

“The Portrait Immortal, Zhuge Sa. That’s it. Nothing more.”

[Are you really letting almost no one enter? You’re truly leaving it all to the King of Destruction, aren’t you? The Portrait Immortal is needed to observe the situation indirectly and gather information.]

“That’s correct. Why should we deploy the main force into a dangerous location? Even if we fail, focusing on gathering information alone is the best approach.”

[……]

Zhuge Yulong’s plan made sense. After all, they managed to draw out the assistance of the [Old Ruler] through bold negotiations, so it was only logical to conserve their allied forces.

The Master of the White Lotus Sect pondered deeply. Then he said.

[No, that’s not enough. If you play it too safe, you’ll gain nothing. That’s my gut feeling as the leader of our organization.]

Zhuge Yulong’s eyebrows twitched.

“Master! Are you really thinking of tossing precious resources into a hellish place based solely on your gut?”

[We cannot win through straightforward methods. We’ve been taking risks after risks. If Zhuge Sa’s military tactics are extraordinary, we must adjust our strategies accordingly. You know that much yourself.]

“I understand, but executing it is a different matter. If we all die before Baek Woong arrives, it means nothing.”

The Master of the White Lotus Sect’s eyes sparkled.

[Then I will make the final decision in your place. If anyone wishes to challenge Aiternum Mundi, step forward voluntarily! I will not stop even if you decide to volunteer.]

Silence lingered in the meeting room.

They were about to face hellish trials that even the [Old Ruler] would find hard to manage, accompanying the [Old Ruler] while facing nightmarish trials in another realm under a time limit! It seemed no one would be willing to raise their hand.

After a moment… one person raised their hand.

“I’ll go.”

The one raising their hand was none other than Sagong Lin. As eyes turned toward her, she opened her mouth with a calm expression.

“If someone has to do it, I will stake my life.”

[Is that truly the only reason? Do you understand that it’s a path leading to death? You’re not just risking your life; you’re going to discard it. I’m sure you understand that the success of the conquest relies heavily on the King of Destruction, and your chances of dying are quite high.]

To the Master’s retort, Sagong Lin closed her eyes and replied.

“It seems like you want me to say that I’m not dying for Baek Woong.”

[You seem to want to voice your thoughts freely.]

“In truth, there’s another reason. Like the Master of the White Lotus Sect, I have a feeling that this challenge will require significant risks to gain rewards. I can’t explain this feeling, but it seems that the [voice] I’ve been hearing for the last little while is subtly influencing me.”

[Very well. Do as you wish. Are there no others that wish to volunteer?]

Just then.

A young man suddenly appeared in the assembly hall and shouted with a clear voice.

“I’m going too!!”

[Cheon Woo-jin.]

Cheon Woo-jin gritted his teeth and said.

“Sagong Lin, it’s because of you that I’m going to hell too. You realize that, right?”

“That’s quite the compliment.”

“Damn it!!”

Cheon Woo-jin could no longer hold back his burst of frustration. After watching anxiously as his comrade made the choice to head into danger, he realized this decision could ultimately lead to a defeat for the reborn ones. He could not allow Sagong Lin or anyone else to be left to die.

His objective wasn’t the conquest of Aiternum Mundi; it was to rescue those likely to become sacrifices to this form of self-destruction.

The Master of the White Lotus Sect said.

[We will depart three days from now. This coincides with the time Zhuge Sa promised the King of Destruction.]

Cheon Woo-jin thought to himself.

‘…I need to gain even a little of my Master’s favor.’

His objective wasn’t the conquest of Aiternum Mundi. It was to safely escape to prevent futile sacrifices, and based on his current abilities, achieving that escape seemed unlikely. Therefore, he set off to seek Master Mangnyang.

“Hey. Follow me.”

After a moment, as Cheon Woo-jin rose from his chair, he spoke to Sagong Lin.

Uwooo

Cheon Woo-jin went to find Master Mangnyang together with Sagong Lin. The moment they entered the village of Master Mangnyang, Cheon Woo-jin could see his Master standing right before him.

“It’s an honor to meet you, Master.”

Like a flowing mirage.

The form of the cat he saw in dreams was definitely not present here. Cheon Woo-jin had always seen his Master, now the demon lord Mangnyang, as if in dreams or illusions, and there had never been a fixed form to him. Upon seeing Cheon Woo-jin arrive, Master Mangnyang spoke.

[My disciple. I have seen into your fate.]

“……?”

[Until the time of the end, you will work tirelessly like an ox…]

“…….”

Cheon Woo-jin’s expression turned grim. He scratched his head in frustration.

“M-Master, I really didn’t want to hear that kind of prophecy…”

[It’s inevitable. That is your fate.]

Cheon Woo-jin kneeled, shedding tears of despair.

The bitter feeling of having to work when all he wanted was to play was unbearable.

“Ugh!!”

[For some reason, you seem more sorrowful than when you faced the challenge of Aiternum Mundi.]

“Did you know?”

[Do you want to receive a blessing?]

“Of course, or else it’ll be impossible to survive. And since prophecy is about reading the future, I must first stay alive to work like an ox, right?”

[My disciple. Do not place blind faith in the inevitability of the future. The reason why gods often fail when trying to read the law of cause and effect is precisely due to that blind faith in inevitability.]

Master Mangnyang continued with a stern warning.

[Cheon Woo-jin, I have already decided upon the blessing I will grant you.]

“It’s not the Blessing of the Sky, is it?”

[Of course not. Instead, I shall grant you Wuwei’s Anchor.]

Boom!!

Light flashed and an erratic circle of disorder began to swirl chaotically around Cheon Woo-jin. As he observed the darkening chaos in the air, he muttered.

“Master, I don’t feel confident in applying the anchor. This is too high-level a power.”

Cheon Woo-jin was a genius who had reached the limits of sorcery, and he instantly recognized the kind of power Wuwei’s Anchor possessed. However, its extremely high-dimensional principles made immediate application difficult. Even Cheon Woo-jin, a master of illusion, felt helpless, unable to make effective use of this blessing.

[Indeed, it is difficult to find a way to apply it. It is weaker than the Blessing of the Sky, but it’s extremely challenging to use. However, it is the best blessing I can offer you while adhering to the law of cause and effect. There is no way I can provide a higher blessing.]

“…I suppose I’ll have to give it a try.”

[Additionally, Sagong Lin will also be affected by your blessing, so feel free to think of your future as something you can shape.]

“That may well be a choice regarding the future of the universe, but giving it to me might skew the universe’s law of cause and effect, don’t you think?”

[It doesn’t matter. Because after the reborn ones return, all of this will truly start…]

“……”

[Your actions are inevitable, yet that’s merely a process. You do not have the power to decide the results.]

“That’s quite ruthless. So, in the end, this could all just be a life-risking endeavor, right?”

[As a disciple, it’s better to be honest with you.]

“Ugh, it’d be better if you just told me a lie. I really don’t want to work.”

[No.]

“……”

I genuinely dislike my Master.

Thinking that, Cheon Woo-jin shook his head and said.

“…By the way, what has Jin So-cheong been up to lately? Since you took him on as a disciple, he has been absent for a while.”

[I cannot tell you.]

“Why not?”

[He has already been entwined in the law of cause and effect. He is destined to make a ‘choice’ far in the future.]

“Understood. I will not pry further.”

[Then, you may go.]

Hooosh

Finally, Cheon Woo-jin emerged outside with Sagong Lin. As soon as he stepped out, he peeked at Sagong Lin and spoke.

“Sagong Lin. There’s something you must accomplish before the third day.”

“What is it?”

Cheon Woo-jin glared at her with doubtful eyes.

“You must spar non-stop from now on. You have to be able to cut me at least once with your illusion techniques to pass. If you can’t do that, there’s no chance of surviving.”

And three days later.

After their intensive training, Cheon Woo-jin and Sagong Lin returned to the main force, and thanks to the powers of the Portrait Immortal, they reached Aiternum Mundi located at the South Pole. Upon arriving at the threshold of Aiternum Mundi, Lingua Diavoli, Zhuge Sa revealed himself before them.

“Hehe!! As expected, you have appeared with the blessing of Master Mangnyang. I didn’t think you would join the conquest. I was half-skeptical when I heard from the Master….”

Cheon Woo-jin shot back gruffly.

“How lovely. Are you planning to summon him within the Mundi since you are the King of Destruction’s contractor?”

“Of course. If I summon him in Lingua Diavoli, he’ll immediately be itching to consume flesh.”

“…But if it doesn’t work, I’ll simply run away.”

“Why do you ask? Even if you tell me not to run, I’ll just run.”

“You annoying brat.”

“Hehe.”

They then entered Lingua Diavoli. Once inside, the [Ancient Race] blocked their path, but Zhuge Sa communicated in the language of the [Ancient Race] and shouted.

[We are here to challenge Aiternum Mundi.]

One of the guardians stepped forward and said.

[You are one who made a contract with the [Old Ruler]. How foolish… ]

[Formal challenges cannot be impeded.]

[Indeed. But let me tell you that attempts like yours are not new… ]

Boom!

The guardians then guided the three to the entrance of Aiternum Mundi. The head guardian cast a spell, and shortly afterward, they entered the interior of Aiternum Mundi.

Swoosh!

As they entered, Zhuge Sa looked around. He murmured.

“As the deity spoke, this is indeed an infinite space of all colors. And is that the location of the seal of the Six Realms?”

Arriving at the spot where the seal of the Six Realms was to be inserted, they immediately noticed six doors forming all around them. To open Aiternum Mundi and obtain the fragments of the Dharma Technique, they would need to conquer the passages from the 1st to the 6th realms.

“Zhuge Sa, where do you plan to start your conquest?”

“…….”

And then, Zhuge Sa made a shocking declaration.

“We won’t be conquering. This ends here.”

“What…?!”

As Cheon Woo-jin questioned, Zhuge Sa plopped down on the spot and grinned.

“The time limit for the conquest of the Six Realms starts the moment you enter one of the realms. In other words, as long as we remain here, no time limit will occur. That’s the difference from the Trials of the Seven Luminaries.”

“What a loophole. But what’s the point? If you really aren’t going to conquer, why show up here in the first place?”

“Hehe. Have you really not figured it out yet?”

“What?”

Swoosh.

In the next moment, Zhuge Sa’s form began to shift and change until he completely transformed into an ancient sorcerer clad in ceremonial robes. Cheon Woo-jin and Sagong Lin instinctively went on high alert, both recognizing the figure.

That figure smiled.

“Mortals. It’s a pleasure to meet you for this endeavor.”

It was Demon King Simon Magus.

Zhuge Sa’s master and the one who had continually claimed that Zhuge Sa was in control of the situation.