1065——————==

Soul of the Evil God

The moment the swirling pitch-black strings wrapped around Cheon Woo-jin, he felt as if his entire body was being sliced away. Not physically, but rather, it felt like the space he occupied was vanishing, as if cut out and shifting to another place.

Suga Gap

The sensation of the universe’s probabilities constantly fluctuating sent chills down his spine. There was no pain, but the fear that a single moment of mistake could erase him from the Law of Cause and Effect sent shivers through his body.

The “Anchor” was a symbol of the fixed point of chaos.

Unlike the Blessing of the Sky, Wuwei’s Anchor was a contradictory blessing that simultaneously utilized the regularity and irregularity of chaos. Chaos, no matter how identical the initial conditions were, would develop irregularities and disperse freely as time progressed. However, if the dispersion of chaos reached an extreme, it paradoxically gained regularity.

“And the fixed point of regularity arising from the extreme of chaos… that’s called ‘Wuwei.’”

Cheon Woo-jin recalled the theory of chaos he had learned from Master Mangnyang in the past.

Tsu Tsu Tsu

The pitch-black strings surrounding Cheon Woo-jin and Sagong Lin soon wound around their bodies like a cocoon. It appeared somewhat restrictively sealed, yet they felt no physical constraint. Instead, Cheon Woo-jin sensed a profound emptiness and buoyancy wash over him and gritted his teeth.

“Wuwei’s Anchor is nullifying all the powers of chaos! I succeeded in manifesting the blessing, but…”

Wuwei’s Anchor was a blessing that could negate the powers of chaos by utilizing the stability of Wuwei that arose from the extreme of chaos. In theory, if one used Wuwei’s Anchor, no matter how powerful the abilities of the Old Ruler, they could be ignored, protecting oneself. At least, no existence that could not surpass Master Mangnyang’s powers would be able to break through the protection created by Wuwei’s Anchor!

However, the downside of this blessing was its instability.

If the state of Wuwei was even slightly disrupted, the pitch-black strings that enveloped them would instead be consumed and vanish. The strings were chaos itself in this world and probabilities as well.

The absolute defensive barrier came with the risk of existence probability fluctuating into nothingness!

That was Wuwei’s Anchor.

In truth, the existence of this blessing was something Master Mangnyang had never taught anyone other than his disciples, and the moment it became known, it would attract very suspicious glances.

The Old Rulers were born from chaos and breathed the laws of the universe, so they never felt the need to intentionally teach the nature of chaos to mortals. The Ancient Gods, derived from order, also felt the same way, which is why no one had been able to teach the nature of chaos as if it were a subject until now.

But somehow, the only one in the entire universe capable of teaching mortals in an understandable way was Master Mangnyang. Thanks to that, Cheon Woo-jin could apply chaos in his martial arts. Even the Great Immortal of the Celestial Realm would surely face annihilation if they attempted to use Wuwei’s Anchor. Just like how Simon Magus utilized the Union of Demiurge, Wuwei’s Anchor was also something only Cheon Woo-jin could wield in the entire universe.

Wuuu…

Cheon Woo-jin desperately mobilized his genius martial arts sense to fix the inflection point of chaos into a state of Wuwei. The dispersion of chaos possessed infinite irregularity, but the practitioner merely needed to read its final state and stabilize the probability. However, if he made a mistake even once, he would surely perish as if he had never existed in the first place.

Drip

Cheon Woo-jin sweated profusely from the tension. He thought to himself.

“Damn…. Chaos is causing a maelstrom. This is it….”

The basin created by the boundary of chaos became increasingly vast and began to emit madness. In assuming the role of an “Observer,” Cheon Woo-jin instinctively realized he couldn’t maintain this blessing for long. Countless explosive variables bubbled up like they were boiling, and with every observation, new waves of chaos erupted from the strings. That turbulence was truly maddening.

Chaos cannot be controlled artificially. Cheon Woo-jin felt his stamina almost depleted after just thirty breaths. There was a reason Master Mangnyang had evaluated this as a “difficult blessing to utilize.”

“Cough! Hah… Hah….”

Beads of sweat formed all over Cheon Woo-jin’s body, dropping to the ground. Sagong Lin, watching him from the side, spoke up.

“I think I can help.”

“…What? How can you help? Do you even know what’s going on?”

“It’s Wuwei’s Anchor. The blessing of chaos received from Master Mangnyang….”

“What good is just knowing the name? You can’t control this, so stay out of it.”

Cheon Woo-jin spoke roughly, but just then, Sagong Lin extended her hand forward.

Swaack!!

At that moment, the chaotic strings enveloping Sagong Lin like a cocoon wrapped around her right hand as if being sucked in.

“……!!”

When Cheon Woo-jin’s eyes widened, Sagong Lin naturally raised her arm, which was entwined with chaos, over his shoulder, and in that moment, Cheon Woo-jin felt the chaotic turbulence greatly subside and gradually find tranquility.

“Hah… Hah… Hoo….”

“Isn’t it much better?”

“…….”

Not just a bit better; it felt like he had a miraculous escape. Cheon Woo-jin looked at Sagong Lin with a complex expression. He was struggling to control this blessing, yet she was managing it so easily!

“How did you do that?”

Upon Cheon Woo-jin’s question, Sagong Lin appeared slightly bewildered.

“I just sent my thoughts to move as I wished, and the strings responded to my will. Just got this feeling I could do it earlier….”

“What…. really.”

“First, I’ll keep myself hidden until this fierce battle is over. That would be best.”

“…Fine.”

Cheon Woo-jin was about to say something but stopped mid-sentence. After all, it would be pointless to question Sagong Lin if his understanding of the situation had already become meaningless. Moreover, in that moment, Cheon Woo-jin couldn’t help but realize that he had completely lost control of the situation. There was a good chance he could no longer think about rescuing Sagong Lin.

As they endured the aftermath of the fierce battle, the King of Destruction let out a massive breath to the front.

[Prepare to receive the strike that burns the stars!]

Whooooooo!!

A vast range of dragon breath erupted, engulfing the entire world in the light of that breath. It was the most intense and expansive attack among all the fights so far, causing the Old Rulers who were working together with the King of Destruction to crouch and assume a defensive posture.

Pa-pi-ji-ji-ji!! Pa-ji-ji-ji!!!

As time and space shattered, the light of chaos swirled ceaselessly. Endless energies of emptiness surged through the shattered time and space, and what appeared to be a deep sea of magic power created artificially seemed to arise. Watching the King of Destruction sweep the world with his breath, Demon King Simon Magus murmured.

[You can summon the Nihil Imperium from your body, huh…? Truly an unimaginable thing. So indeed, the Old Ruler who burned a hundred stars.]

The breath released by King of Destruction Carphadok just moments ago was a direct manifestation of the emptiness that originated when the universe was born. More precisely, it was about summoning the void within his own body, refining it, and then spewing it out; though it sounded simple, no civilization of mortals could even begin to mimic such a feat.

The power was tremendous. In this attack by Carphadok, two or three of the Old Rulers sustained significant injuries and staggered backward. Even the “One Who Ascends with Sorrow,” as an Old Ruler, had to briefly shift dimensions to escape after more than half his body was destroyed.

[Krahhhh…!]

[Pretty strong, huh.]

While the situation seemed to be leaning in favor of the King of Destruction, Simon Magus didn’t appear to be pleased. It was no surprise since that recent attack was powerful enough to instantly sweep and explode a dozen stars, yet the Old Rulers had merely sustained injuries. Meanwhile, the King of Destruction had expended considerable Law of Cause and Effect in unleashing his ultimate power, making it difficult to use that technique again.

Even beings with the strength to massacre billions of mortals, when it came to the fight among the Old Rulers, it was merely a simple exchange of techniques. Simon Magus couldn’t help but feel envy, thirst, and greed toward the overwhelming power of the Old Rulers.

He slyly suggested to the King of Destruction.

[Oh King of Destruction, please share your magical power and authority with me.]

[What? Are you out of your mind?]

[I speak truth. The assistance from the external order is limited… Wouldn’t it be better if a mage like me directly intervenes on the battlefield to hold off a few? If I’ve reached the realm of a Demon King, I certainly have the confidence to handle the Old Rulers using that magical power.]

It was a reasonable suggestion, but the King of Destruction scoffed.

[Ha ha ha. The likelihood of you munching on my power and then bolting is pretty high. I’d rather lose than take your offer.]

[Of course, that’s what you would think. However, if we win this battle, you’d obtain two wise laws in an instant…. Have you ever imagined what a high position you could seize in this world without the Three Sovereigns?]

[…….]

[With the Evil God also missing now…. You might take a leading position in the upcoming Revelation of the End. With the magical power of the laws, you could easily obtain the power of an Absolute Being, a ruler like Emperor Gong Sun Xuanwen.]

[Pathetic. You dare to tempt me with your greed….]

[Perhaps so. But surely you know this story possesses enough reality?]

The King of Destruction fell silent. His greed was interfering with rational judgment, even if the proposal was transparent. The intellect of the Old Rulers surpassed that of mortals, but the infinite greed and malevolence that inherently came with their roles as constellations of chaos sometimes made them emotional. Especially, the King of Destruction was originally aggressive, so that greed would naturally manifest openly.

After a moment of inner conflict, the King of Destruction spoke.

[…I’ll split the contract, so engrave it upon your soul as well. The additional clauses will be that betrayal and escape are impossible. Then I will share my power with you.]

[How cruel. Do you not trust your subject?]

[I don’t consider you my subject. You’re a back-stabber waiting for the opportunity to strike me, so let’s just mutually trade what we desire.]

[Ha ha… very well.]

Swaack!!

A moment later, the King of Destruction spat out a contract made of parchment from his mouth, and Simon Magus absorbed the contract back into his body. Because they were transcendent beings, it was possible to directly form contracts in this manner. And the moment they exchanged the contract, the King of Destruction transferred a portion of his power to Simon Magus.

Kugugugu…!!

[Woooooo…!! Such powerful chaotic force…!!]

Simon Magus trembled with joy. Even he, who proclaimed himself a Demon King, was feeling an overwhelming power that he had never even contemplated before! It was merely a part of the King of Destruction’s strength, yet he felt his standing elevate significantly. It was not just because the King of Destruction was a powerful Old Ruler, but also due to the enhancement in magical absorption rate provided by the external order being present.

Once he obtained all the power, Simon Magus seemed to become overjoyed and immediately chanted an ancient spell from the Mythological Age to attack the nearby Old Ruler.

Crash!

[Ugh….!!]

The result was surprisingly an injury to an Old Ruler. Although it wasn’t from his primary strength, it implied that Simon Magus had grown strong enough to bite at the Old Ruler’s level. He shouted.

[You who precariously call yourselves the constellations of chaos maintaining the balance of the universe! This world is inherently filled with destruction and chaos, so that arrogance in becoming a savior shall judge you!]

Boom! Bang!!

As Simon Magus charged into the battlefield, the tide of battle turned instantly. Though there were six Old Rulers, making them numerically advantageous, they couldn’t unbind their laws of cause and effect due to the time-limit rules tied to their main bodies. With the boost from the King of Destruction’s magical power and the assistance of external orders, Simon Magus’s attacking power and strength were sufficient to reach the Old Ruler level, which left the King of Destruction in a significant advantageous position.

Before long, the “One Who Ascends with Sorrow,” healed and returned, shouted in anger.

[Do you think we guard the laws of the universe for the sake of balance?! You foolish Demon King, knowing one thing but not the other! If you know nothing, just shut up!]

[Heh heh. Though you claim to be an Old Race, you are merely a mortal genus. Isn’t it shameful for such a race to take on the burdens of protection that don’t even fit you as Old Rulers?]

[…You truly have no idea what the laws are, do you? Foolish….]

[Even if the universe faces destruction, I care not. Ultimately, upon rising to the celestial realm, I shall become the Demiurge, and that’s all that matters… hehehe!!]

[…….]

The “One Who Ascends with Sorrow” seemed to grasp something from Simon Magus’s words. Then, he muttered with a cunning smile.

[Kuhuhu… sure… he’s one who thinks too conveniently. It seems a fool is indeed the easiest to manipulate….]

[Shut your nonsense!]

Kugugugu…!!

The battle intensified further. They soon surpassed a half-moment of time, and the clash accelerated, distorting and bursting time and space itself. Even the Old Rulers had their limitations in a battle as perilous as this, and eventually, an end began to approach.

Bang!

[Die!]

The King of Destruction crushed the “One Who Ascends with Sorrow” with a bite, similar to a three-headed serpent. The Old Ruler thrashed about, realizing he could no longer survive, and with glowing eyes, cast a curse of life and death.

[I, ‘One Who Radiates the Azure Wheel,’ bestow upon you a curse of weakening!!]

Boom!

Immediately after that declaration, the “One Who Radiates the Azure Wheel” exploded. It was not the King of Destruction that caused it to burst, but a self-detonation. Simultaneously, a clear mark of the curse was engraved on the King of Destruction’s forehead. Even though he was an Old Ruler, he had to succumb to the curse because the other Old Ruler willingly risked their life to cast it. The King of Destruction only scoffed in response.

[Heh heh, what of the curse? In any case, you’ll just crawl around during your resurrection period until the end…!]

Once the united front faltered, the King of Destruction maintained an upper hand thereafter. Shortly after, he took down another Old Ruler to bring them to the brink of obliteration.

Bang!

[Kahhhh!!]

The next Old Ruler taken down also perished cursing the King of Destruction. After two curse marks were inscribed in total, the King of Destruction finally began to feel some burden as he staggered heavily. He sensed his whole body aching with agony.

[Ugh… Khaaaah…. Aaargh!!!]

In truth, fights among Old Rulers rarely occurred. Even if they fought, the outcome was not easily determined, and even if they killed each other, they would simply be resurrected thousands of years later due to their immortal nature. While proxy wars using their subjects were common, there was little gain from clashing directly, making significant life-and-death battles occur only once in a few million years. Thus, the King of Destruction did not consider the curse engraved upon him particularly seriously.

However, the pressure from having the second mark inscribed was immensely powerful. Only then did the King of Destruction realize something was wrong.

[This wasn’t supposed to be so bad… Why are these weaklings…?]

As the King of Destruction felt confusion, the “One Who Ascends with Sorrow” mocked him.

[How foolish… You should’ve smarter just to skip the fight. You’re heading toward self-destruction by pushing your luck.]

[Don’t be absurd. Even if I obtain six marks today, I will consume all of you!]

Kroooow!

With a thunderous roar, the King of Destruction surged forward again, causing the “One Who Ascends with Sorrow” to speak in disbelief.

[A ruler who lives for aeons is this aggressive…?]

Boom!

While confusion spread through the King of Destruction’s mind, the current grip of battle swung even more favorably toward him. He managed to kill yet another Old Ruler and mangle its neck. Having hunted three Rulers now, on inscribing the third mark, a fierce glint sparkled in the King of Destruction’s eyes.

[The curse is passed on!]

Shushsh!

The mark was being inscribed from the King of Destruction’s forehead onto Demon King Simon Magus’s. In an instant, Simon Magus was startled by obtaining the death’s mark of an Old Ruler.

[What… is this nonsense?!]

[You shared a contract with me earlier. Naturally, a deep bond of cause and effect was established between us, so as a superior, I can pass on the curse to you… Ha ha ha.]

[If I perish, you’ll bear the consequences as well, thus the outcome remains the same. Do you not realize how pointless this circular allocation is?]

[If you dislike dying together, hurry up and find a way to lessen this curse, sly Demon King.]

[……]

Simon Magus couldn’t help but realize he had underestimated the King of Destruction. He’d thought he would eventually destroy the Old Rulers in a fit of rage, yet now it was apparent the King was shifting the curse onto him to sacrifice him.

Calmly reevaluating his thoughts, Simon Magus declared.

[It would be good to transfer the curse onto the mortals watching from out there.]

[Those guys seem to be under some tremendous blessings. Neither I nor you can touch them.]

[Right. So I’ll make it so they’ll automatically unbind their blessings.]

[Hurry. The external order hasn’t got much time left.]

[Then….]

After concluding their discussion, Simon Magus suddenly approached Cheon Woo-jin and Sagong Lin. Then he said to Cheon Woo-jin.

[Cheon Woo-jin, how about we form a contract?]

“Get lost.”

Cheon Woo-jin spat at Simon Magus.

[If you join our side and unbind the blessings, I’ll return Zhuge Sa’s body to you….]

“Just shut up already.”

[You’ll also receive the laws.]

“I’m not buying it!! Get lost!!”

[……]

As Simon Magus hesitated at being treated like a traveling merchant by Cheon Woo-jin, the latter bluntly responded.

“What’s the best thing when you’re bartering with you Demon Path scumbags? It’s to completely ignore their nonsense and kick them out! If you don’t budge, they can’t do anything. You son of a b!”

[Heh heh, well said.]

The scoffing Simon Magus continued.

[Fine. You’ll be fine being protected by the blessings, but what if I declare an attack and erase your Great Bear Empire once this battle ends? Wouldn’t it be better not to drive me to anger?]

Cheon Woo-jin flipped Simon Magus off.

“Don’t make me laugh. Do you think just because you said no, I won’t do it? I’ll attack the Great Bear Empire out of sheer spite for Zhuge Sa. Don’t play the good guy now.”

[Heh heh… A contract isn’t for show. If you fight alongside us, I swear by this contract I will never attack the Great Bear Empire.]

Cheon Woo-jin crossed his arms and firmly declared.

“Yeah, not happening!”

[……]

“Get the f* out~~~!!”

Cheon Woo-jin yelled as he covered his eyes and ears, causing Simon Magus to lose his words. Flustered, he muttered.

[How can a mage who has reached the rank of a Demon King be this childish? Let’s be serious… ]

Cheon Woo-jin seemed to be enjoying himself, grinning while teasing.

“Fine. I’m not buying your seriousness! Scammers like you can get lost!”

[You pathetic little…!!]

Just as Simon Magus was about to explode in anger.

“I’ll accept that proposal.”

Sagong Lin stepped forward. Simon Magus’s face instantly brightened as he said rapidly.

[Oh! Now you have effectively accepted. The contract is established!]

“……!!”

The moment Cheon Woo-jin realized the Blessing of Wuwei’s Anchor slowly dissipating as Sagong Lin took on the attitude of accepting the contract, his face turned to shock. According to Simon Magus’s words, the very moment they express acceptance, the law enforced the dissolution of blessings.

“Are you insane?!”

“No, I’m not insane. I will join the battlefield as well.”

“That’s what people say when they’re insane!”

“Cheon Woo-jin….”

Sagong Lin brushed past him for a moment. And in that fleeting instant, she whispered a single word to him, causing him to freeze.

“……”

Cheon Woo-jin couldn’t move after hearing that insane utterance.

Perhaps it was due to the brief glint from the golden eyes that flickered in Sagong Lin’s gaze.

[…Alright, let’s make a temporary verbal contract like this and follow along.]

“Let’s go.”

[Hehehehe!!]

Pa-at

Cheon Woo-jin stood dumbfounded, watching Sagong Lin soar off with the Demon King Simon Magus after they made a temporary verbal contract. He recalled the insane line she just whispered to him.

I plan to gain everything.

He realized he had missed something in the current flow of events.

And that was likely – the change in Sagong Lin.