Chapter 1642
Having previously snatched the body of the The One Who Turns the Stars near Mirror of Clarity, I had a rough idea of how that guy would react next.
‘He thinks losing his body is some kind of disrespect to the Evil God, and he can’t stand it. No matter the condition I present, he’d surely agree to negotiate.’
Knowing this, I casually addressed The One Who Turns the Stars, who had now entered my body.
“You want your body back? If you meet my demands, I might consider it.”
As I began our negotiation, The One Who Turns the Stars dripped dark Evil Qi from my body and replied.
“Do you think you have absolute superiority? Even with a body swap, my soul’s power hasn’t diminished. I could kill you all under these conditions.”
[…….]
I couldn’t help but flinch at that. Yet, I scoffed.
“All talk. You had four guys on your side and now you’re just a half ghost. You think you can annihilate us in that state?”
In response, The One Who Turns the Stars silently lifted one hand as if stretching toward the sky.
Super Divine Invocation
Millennia’s Guillotine
Clang!
In the next moment, a blade was shackled around the necks of all the apostles, including me—
‘Huh…?’
Whack!
Before I could even react, our heads were cleanly sliced off, as if just the tops had been effortlessly shaved off a piece of wood.
[Cough!]
My head nearly followed suit, but thankfully, it just felt a monumental pain. It seemed the body of the Old Ruler was pretty durable after all.
[Graaah!]
[Ugh.]
As everyone’s heads flew off, there were screams of pain erupting. Though they were apostles and had transcended human limits, decapitation didn’t immediately mean death, but the pain was still very real. In particular, the Asura gritted his teeth and shouted.
[You bastard! I’ll just reattach my head right away.]
He grabbed his severed head and tried to reunite it with the cut-off surface using his demon lord’s legendary Super Regeneration but looked bewildered.
[What? Why won’t it stick?]
[…….]
Watching this unfold, I addressed The One Who Turns the Stars.
“You’re telling me you can cast such a powerful spell with just a puny human body?”
“I told you, my soul’s power remains intact. Combined with my physical body, it’ll be even stronger; I could wipe you out easily in this state.”
[…… No bluffing here.]
It struck me that this guy truly wore his title as a monster well. Just one spell had severely injured us all and thrown us into chaos. I could barely fathom what he’d unleash with his full power. It was clear he was no mere Demon; he was a true Demon God who mortal beings couldn’t contend with.
The Zhuge Sa nudged in my mind.
‘Quit stalling and negotiate. You still have the upper hand, but who knows what waiting will bring?’
‘Understood.’
Deciding it was too dangerous to provoke The One Who Turns the Stars further, I calmly spoke again.
“Creating chaos hasn’t changed the situation. I could escape without negotiating with you.”
“Escape? I don’t envision a person as passionate about saving their comrade as you would make such a choice.”
“I’m a Reborn Person. I can be colder than you, if need be. Didn’t you say that about the Evil God?”
“Hmmm…”
“I’ll give you ten seconds. If you don’t agree, I’ll use your body to commit further disrespect against the Evil God.
“Disrespect?”
I grinned ominously.
“You know I can do whatever I please when I set my mind to it, right?”
Flinch!
At my words, The One Who Turns the Stars displayed a genuine look of panic. The change in his expression was evident; he was clearly disturbed at the thought of committing such an affront against the Evil God.
[One… Two… Three…]
Eventually, he relented, seeming like he had no other choice.
“Stop! I’ll negotiate.”
“Thought wisely. Then, in the spirit of negotiation, release your spell.”
“As you wish.”
Poof!
After a brief moment, the blades shackling our necks vanished, and our heads flew back to their rightful places. It was such a surreal phenomenon that everyone looked dumbfounded. Especially the Master of the White Lotus Sect, who was ruefully feeling around his neck.
“Even after becoming this strong as an apostle, you couldn’t resist the magic. Is this the power of a cosmic being?”
From his reaction, it was apparent that despite the apostles being strengthened, they were still worlds apart from real top-tier Demon Gods. Watching him, I thought to myself.
‘Looks like winning against a cosmic deity by simply increasing the number of apostles isn’t feasible… What should we do?’
Not just The One Who Turns the Stars, but the other Demon Generals too. Without my intervention and the aid of divine relics, there was no way the apostles could tackle the Demon Generals alone.
As I was troubled about how to strengthen our forces, The One Who Turns the Stars spoke up.
“Speak. I’m willing to listen to your proposal.”
“It’s simple. In exchange for restoring your body, you must agree to not attack, block, or interfere with us in this realm of the World Tree. Also, you must tell me where Seo Mun-hye is, who’s guarding her, and how to rescue her.”
“Heh. What a disadvantageous proposition for you.”
“Don’t try me. I’m holding back from wreaking havoc right now.”
“Fine. You win. I accept that proposal.”
“Hmm?”
Surprised by how readily The One Who Turns the Stars accepted my proposal, I felt slightly baffled. I had expected him to drag it out a bit longer, considering he still retained battle potential, yet he quickly yielded.
“But can you handle it? You’re going to face greater hell in the next realm.”
“Don’t talk nonsense, just say what you need to.”
“Alright. Pay attention.”
The One Who Turns the Stars continued explaining.
“Seo Mun-hye is, as you predicted, on the highest level of the World Tree. She’s trapped in a spell that absorbs her into the World Tree and will completely merge with it in 666 days, becoming its nutrients. To protect her, there’s a summoning circle laid out, and that circle will activate as soon as you set foot on the highest layer.”
“What? What’s being summoned?”
“Le Rue.”
[……!]
“All Demon Gods who can be summoned from there will arrive. Not all of them, but I’ll tell you this: at least ten superior-ranking Demon Gods will be present.”
[Wha… What?!]
A sense of shock washed over me.
‘The Demon Gods from Le Rue?!’
Le Rue! It is said to be a nightmarish city submerged underwater, where hundreds of Demon Gods serving the Evil God lie in eternal slumber. Until now, I had never faced the Demon Gods of Le Rue head-on, yet here I was, faced with the likelihood of their summoning during the trial of the highest layer of the World Tree!
Moreover, The One Who Turns the Stars’ words felt overly boastful, making me unable to suppress my skepticism.
“You can’t be serious. You expect me to believe that ten high Demon Gods stronger than you are lurking in Le Rue?”
Given that The One Who Turns the Stars was an impressive cosmic Demon God, someone capable of holding his own against the mighty Jeon Wook, it seemed absurd to think that another ten beings stronger than him could reside in Le Rue. I simply couldn’t envision that power level.
Then, The One Who Turns the Stars chuckled softly.
“I’m honored that you value me so highly. However, I’m no top-tier being in Le Rue… True and mighty figures who can help destroy the world are far beyond someone like me. They are illustrious beings summoned by you through the vast continuum of time and space.”
[……!]
“Also, Jeogok has been enchanted by the formidable presence in Le Rue and opted to stand with us. I wonder if you can indeed overturn the imbalance of power and rescue your comrade?”
As I mulled over his words, I clenched my teeth.
“Don’t lie.”
I refused to believe it.
So long as the Evil God was powerful, wouldn’t the rest of Le Rue be filled with only weak Demon Gods?
If what The One Who Turns the Stars said was true, then Le Rue was already a mighty force capable of annihilating the grand universe, apart from just the Evil God. The only conclusion I could reach is that The One Who Turns the Stars was simply blustering.
At that moment, Zhuge Sa intrusively spoke in my mind.
[Don’t get swept up in unnecessary fear, Baek Woong. Stay calm.]
[Zhuge Sa.]
[Whether his words are true or false, what we need to do doesn’t change. And he’s purposely avoiding one critical fact.]
[What fact?]
[The more powerful beings you summon, the more massive the law of cause and effect required. He’s conducting a resurrection ceremony to use the World Tree to resurrect the Evil God, but if he wastes too much of the law of cause and effect by summoning excessively powerful Demon Gods, it will turn upside down. Attempting to eliminate us will only delay the Evil God’s resurrection. There must be some loophole in the defensive system of the top level.]
[Ah!]
[Also, the problem isn’t the mere summoning of powerful Demon Gods. Our goal is to rescue Seo Mun-hye, not to defeat them. So as long as we strategize smartly, we still have a fighting chance.]
[Ah, right.]
Thanks to Zhuge Sa’s logical insights, I somewhat regained my composure. I glared at The One Who Turns the Stars and demanded.
“Tell me how to rescue Seo Mun-hye! How do we break through where she’s trapped?”
“It’s not complicated. There’s a magic circle inscribed with the Six-Watching Star on the highest level. Just set fire to all the angles of that magic circle. To ignite it, you’ll need powerful magical energy to burn the wicks. Then, at its center, Seo Mun-hye’s image being absorbed by the World Tree will be revealed.”
“That’s it?”
“That’s it. But when you try to ignite the magic circle, the summoned Demon Gods will attempt to stop you. I trust you’ll find a way around that, heh.”
[…….]
Though the words didn’t seem false, I still felt uneasy even after hearing the whole plan. It was crystal clear how incredibly difficult it would be.
‘Even if I avoid a frontal battle, the moment I try to set fire to all the wicks, a conflict will be inevitable. In the end, I’ll have no choice but to fight the summoned Demon Gods.’
A particularly malicious trap!
Perhaps trying to avoid a clash with the Demon Gods would land me in an even grimmer situation.
As my thoughts spiraled, Zhuge Sa added more advice in my mind, prompting me to speak to The One Who Turns the Stars.
“Now I’ll revert your body. And the moment you get it back, you’ll leave the World Tree.
“Cunning, I like it.”
Poof!
As I swapped bodies using Technique of All Things, The One Who Turns the Stars flapped his bat wings and laughed as soon as he acquired his Demon body.
“There’s no lie or exaggeration in what I say. The chances of you rescuing Seo Mun-hye are infinitesimally small, so enjoy the show… Hahaha!”
Poof!
Upon The One Who Turns the Stars vanishing from the hall, a heavy expression crossed my face. It hit me that I truly had to dive into an incredibly difficult trap. Just then, Zhuge Sa’s voice intruded into my mental space.
“Baek Woong. Make me a body too. Given the trap you just heard about, having one more piece on the board would be advantageous.”
“Understood.”
I quickly combined my divine force and Trimurti to create a body for Zhuge Sa again. As he revived in that body, he gave a wry smile and asked.
“Baek Woong, do you have any inkling about how to handle this 31st encounter?”
“…….”
“One thing’s for sure… The Evil God that emerged as strong can no longer be dealt with by our power alone. This time, we’re forced to throw eggs against rocks. If we want to improve our odds, we’ll need to find a different way starting from the next encounter.”
“A different way…?”
“Think it over later. Now let me explain this strategy.”
As I nodded, Zhuge Sa continued.
“All apostles, including you, will simultaneously ignite the angles of the Six-Watching Star. After that, you’ll retrieve Seo Mun-hye using Technique of All Things and immediately escape the highest level.”
“…….”
I looked around. “That makes five of us, including me. We’re one short for the Six-Watching Star.”
We had managed to defeat the Demon Generals, but at the cost of most of our expedition team, all that remained was me, Zhuge Sa, the Master of the White Lotus Sect, Asura, and Miyamoto Musashi. Certainly, each had grown to above Demon Lord level, but the crucial issue was the six in Six-Watching Star, and that meant we were missing a person.
Then, Zhuge Sa casually said, “Just create another apostle.”
“No… it’s not that simple. How can I make one now? If I waste more divine force in this situation to create an apostle… I wouldn’t be able to withstand in front of a powerful Demon God.”
Honestly, I didn’t want to think that way, but if The One Who Turns the Stars was right, then there was a possibility that an even more powerful monster could emerge at the highest tier to block us. Against such a creature, even with all my divine force in play, the odds wouldn’t be favorable. If I summoned another apostle and drained my energy, my future would be uncertain.
“You’re not thinking straight. If you’re worried about using your power, why not use someone else’s?”
“Huh? Someone else?”
“The Master of the White Lotus Sect! We’ll offer up all the treasures left at the White Lotus Sect to the deity. So use a spell to connect the law of cause and effect to me. Is that alright?”
Suddenly calling on the Master of the White Lotus Sect made me taken aback. Upon hearing Zhuge Sa, he seemed to sense something.
[Will he actually act? The stakes have grown far too high.]
“Hehe. Leave that to me. Right now, I need the forces of the White Lotus Sect.”
[…… Let’s gather as much as possible.]
For a moment, the Master of the White Lotus Sect started chanting spells like a chant. I watched him mumble incoherent phrases for a long time, and it reminded me of him being a Demon Sorcerer.
After a considerable time had passed, during which he was casting the major ritual, the Master of the White Lotus Sect raised both hands high and exclaimed:
[All disciples of our sect! The great god, Baek Woong, faces a challenge and needs your aid… Burn all treasures and riches you possess immediately! Prove your devotion through this offering!]
As soon as his words finished, I felt an overwhelming flood of thoughts from numerous devotees of the White Lotus Sect rushing into my mind.
[Ohh! Sect Leader…]
[I’ll burn all my jewelry!]
[I’ll set fire to my house!]
[I’ll torch all the money from the warehouse where I work!]
[I’ll incinerate all my family’s wealth amassed over a hundred years!]
[The treasure vault of the White Lotus Sect is burning!]
[We’ve burned the imperial vault!]
……?!
They’re really torching everything?!
I was taken aback, receiving the shared memory of all the devotees of the White Lotus Sect who, without exception, were setting their riches on fire across the entire Central Plains. I never anticipated the zeal of their fanaticism to be this overwhelming, sending chills down my spine.
‘Gosh… The White Lotus Sect has infiltrated nearly all the martial arts factions, forces, and government offices in the entire Central Plains! Are they insane?!’
Rumble…
Along with that, I felt an enormous surge of power accumulating from the Master of the White Lotus Sect, radiantly shimmering. He extended his hand toward Zhuge Sa, who grinned at the contact.
“You’ve been watching, right? You’ve done ample offering of law of cause and effect, so please, grant us a formidable apostle… oh, great Jeon Wook!”
Poof!
In the next moment, a bright flash erupted from Zhuge Sa. And when the light faded, two formidable entities appeared before him.
Rumble…
These two entities emanated overwhelming power. One was adorned in military armor, resembling a formidable general, while the other donned the cap of a civil minister. It seemed as if both a general and a minister had been summoned, and I already knew who they were.
After a brief moment, the two entities that appeared sequentially spoke.
[Second-in-command of Ten Thousand Ghosts Palace, Ryeo. I answer the lord’s call.]
[Third-in-command of Ten Thousand Ghosts Palace, Yeol. I answer the lord’s call.]
Seeing them, I gasped.
“……!”
The one in armor, Ryeo! He is indeed one of the ancient giant races and the current high-ranking Demon God of Ten Thousand Ghosts Palace, Zhu Rong!
And Yeol was also the most powerful Demon God just next to Ryeo!
‘If they’re joining the battle…?!’
And while I stood stunned, a booming voice echoed in the hall.
[You’re quite adept at fighting… Although the offering of the law of cause and effect was minor, I’m sending my subordinates, believing you have a fighting chance.]
With that grave remark, Zhuge Sa bowed his head.
“I am just deeply grateful, oh Jeon Wook!”
At that, Jeon Wook smirked coldly.
[Fight with all your might… and thwart the plans of the Evil God!]
Indeed.
Jeon Wook, contracted through Zhuge Sa, had sent the most powerful Demon Gods from Ten Thousand Ghosts Palace to assist us.
