Chapter 308
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“So the ruler of the Demon Subduing Hall is descending?”
With Jin So-cheong by my side, I was completely baffled by the implications of that statement. The black mask must refer to some divine being coming down to this land? However, Cheon Woo-jin’s face turned rigid as he spoke,
“Brother, isn’t the Master restraining ‘that’?”
“True. This appearance isn’t even ‘that’ entity’s original form. It can only manifest once the Vermilion Bird’s purpose unfolds and the Imperial Palace becomes a force that reaches the world, while the powers of the Evil Gods grow immensely.”
“So what you’re saying is…”
“It’s the [Old Ruler] directly managing Daji. The one who controls the Imperial Palace most directly.”
“Hmm.”
I had zero clue what the two sorcerers were muttering about, so I asked Mangnyang,
“What are you talking about? Explain it better…”
Mangnyang continued with a devastated expression,
“Baek Woong, you did remarkably well. To have accomplished this much without me means you possess the qualities of a ruler already. However, what’s about to unfold is inevitable, and it’s a despair we should have faced earlier.”
“What…?”
“Listen carefully. The Vermilion Bird’s scheme is like this.”
He took a deep breath before elaborating,
“The Vermilion Bird predicted you, Baek Woong, would somehow gather forces to rise against them. They anticipated even pulling in the White Lotus Sect. That’s why, considering the possibility of the forces of the Imperial Palace losing due to the White Lotus Sect and the Seven Luminaries, they prepared another scheme.”
“Another scheme?”
“Yes, a plan to directly summon the Divine.”
“……!!”
“Of course, the Vermilion Bird merely had a plan laid out, and wasn’t overly intent on executing it. But now that Daji has been defeated and the Emperor is dead, they’ll definitely put it into action.”
As Mangnyang’s words sank in, I began to understand. It meant that the [Old Ruler] itself would descend onto the Imperial Palace, right? If a hyper-powerful Evil God, who was even revered in the Celestial Realm, were to appear, the entire battle situation would surely turn upside down. Nevertheless, I asked Mangnyang for clarity,
“Hold on! They’ve already summoned Daji, right? They would have made significant preparations and offered sacrifices there. To have the monumental Divine figure, known as the [Old Ruler], descend, they must have sacrificed something massive, right?”
“Oh, there’s definitely a cost,” Mangnyang sighed.
“No… They already sacrificed during the Offering Ceremony. Overcome by the madness for power, they’ve done the unthinkable.”
“What did they sacrifice?”
“Thirty percent of the Central Plains!”
“……?!”
I was taken aback by Mangnyang’s sudden mention of thirty percent. But then, a recollection of the Emperor’s conversation with the White Lotus Sect Leader flashed in my mind.
[White Lotus Sect Leader, let me say this again. If you join hands with me now, I will recognize Gansu, Qinghai, Sichuan, and Guizhou as your territories, and appoint you as Prince Consort and National Master. I will also grant you permanent autonomy over those lands and recognize the White Lotus Sect as the foremost Sect of the Central Plains, offering our utmost support.]
Yeah, the Emperor had indeed proposed that to the Leader of the White Lotus Sect.
I hadn’t thought too much about it then, but Gansu, Qinghai, Sichuan, and Guizhou were lands in the western regions of the Central Plains. Judging by their size, they accounted for roughly thirty percent of the entire Middle Kingdom territory. It seemed shocking to think that such enormous land would be granted to a mere sect.
But as I linked the Emperor’s words with Mangnyang’s, a chilling conclusion flashed before me. I trembled in disbelief.
“No way… Are you saying… they’re offering humans from the lands of Gansu, Qinghai, Sichuan, and Guizhou…?”
I couldn’t believe it myself.
Could they really be that insane?
“Huh… Looks like the Emperor and the Vermilion Bird had already set a trap with that.”
“They were trying to bait the White Lotus Sect Leader!”
“Then that’s exactly what you think, Baek Woong.”
“Are you serious?! They really sacrificed that during the Offering Ceremony?!”
When I questioned him, Mangnyang solemnly nodded.
“Yes! The Emperor and the Vermilion Bird’s faction already offered Daji and the Evil Gods of the Demon Subduing Hall as a price. They were committed to sacrificing every human’s body and soul existing in Gansu, Qinghai, Sichuan, and Guizhou!”
“……!!”
“At least millions of souls will unknowingly be offered to the [Old Ruler]. They will suffer eternally and be devoured…”
Everyone’s expression around us turned icy.
Mass human sacrifices in the millions! Who would have expected such a horrific act to happen in an age when human civilization has advanced so much? I felt my mind blur from the sheer magnitude of what was being discussed. My thoughts returned vividly to the calamity in Taekyung Village—a ghastly and grotesque mass sacrifice where not hundreds but millions of humans would go mad and die. It would undoubtedly be a disaster beyond comparison to any war.
‘So that’s why the Celestial Realm hastily granted Miho the Moon Sovereign to try and take out the Emperor!’
The Celestial Realm must have sensed the Imperial Palace’s intentions far before we did. And to stop those mass sacrifices, somehow, Miho was made to eliminate the Emperor, coincidentally allowing us to unite with the White Lotus Sect Leader.
It struck me as such an incredible twist. It was as if the Emperor was generously dividing the territories when he was actually setting up that land to be devastated! If the White Lotus Sect Leader had accepted the Emperor’s proposal, he would have been waiting for the end in that region.
Cheon Woo-jin spoke,
“Brother, let’s ask for Master’s help. If the [Old Ruler]’s descent is certain, this is out of our hands.”
“The Priest… The Master is using all his power to seal the Outer God. He’s unlikely to lend us even a fragment of strength. You know the situation of sealing ‘that’ is already a miracle…”
“Ugh…”
Cheon Woo-jin hung his head in despair. Even that arrogant, confident genius seemed to recognize how dire our situation was. Clenching my teeth, I said,
“Mangnyang, with two powers of the Seven Luminaries and the White Lotus Sect Leader plus the Dharma Guardians, even the [Old Ruler] must—”
Mangnyang interrupted painfully,
“Baek Woong, don’t think like that. It’s already a flawed premise; gods are beings of a different caliber. If you try to confront them, you will surely meet your doom!”
Seeing the distortion in Mangnyang’s expression, my spirit jolted. He was clearly despairing, tears welling in his eyes. That indicated he truly believed our current situation to be beyond recovery.
Wiping his tears, Mangnyang said,
“Baek Woong, I originally intended to uncover the truth of the Three Sovereigns through the Offering Ceremony and gradually gather the strength of the Seven Luminaries. I thought if I could amass at least the powers of the Water Sovereign, Moon Sovereign and minimally the Fire Sovereign, we could engage the Imperial Palace properly. However, I was captured, and now it has led to this rueful state.”
“Don’t blame yourself…”
“Baek Woong, under no circumstances should we dream of a face-off with any god without gathering at least four of the Seven Luminaries. Remember this strictly…”
Mangnyang, mumbling in a daze, spoke up.
“The best strategy now is to gather all forces and flee from the Imperial Palace. Especially you and Miho must not be caught!”
“Flee?”
“There’s no time to discuss further. Let’s move quickly!”
Just then, Jin So-cheong, who had been listening, asked in panic,
“Wait. If we run, what will happen to the millions of humans in those four provinces?”
“……”
Neither Mangnyang nor Cheon Woo-jin replied. I felt a chill run down my spine.
There was no way to stop it.
No way to prevent a massacre on the scale of millions!
‘How did it come to this?’
I was in a daze. In this life, I thought I was progressing well, moving according to plan without any major setbacks. Just moments earlier, after defeating Daji, I was floating in the atmosphere of victory. But in reality, I had already lost before even storming the Imperial Palace.
In a sense, the Vermilion Bird had executed the adage of fighting ‘after winning.’
This life was entirely a defeat against the Vermilion Bird.
I clenched my teeth.
“Not yet… Not yet.”
I’m not defeated. As long as I’m alive, there’s still a chance to fight and win.
After the discussion, I took the three of them and hurried to the Great Dragon Hall. I swiftly informed the Sword Demon and Dokgo Seong’s group, who were gathered in front of the hall,
“There’s no time to explain. Quickly head inside the Wooden Armor!”
“What?! What’s happening…?”
“We need to evacuate, now.”
I briefly explained and hastily moved my allies into the Wooden Armor. Then I looked at the experts of the White Lotus Sect around me. The experts from the Su Shin Sect, Wind Spirit Sect, and Fire Spirit Techniques were resting in various spots.
‘We need to evacuate them too.’
If we left them here, they’d become the prey of the [Old Ruler]. I couldn’t bring myself to let the White Lotus Sect members suffer such a horrific fate, so I felt an urge to persuade them.
When I approached an elder-level expert of the Fire Spirit Techniques and urged him to enter the Wooden Armor, he adamantly refused.
“Are you insane? How can I trust you to go into such a technique trap?”
“We’re in serious danger right now. It’s a massacre waiting to happen!”
“Don’t kid me. We only heed the orders of our Sect Leader and the Dharma Guardians.”
“Cough.”
I realized that I needed the authority of the Sect Leader and the Dharma Guardians to persuade the White Lotus experts.
“Then I have a request. First, gather everyone in one place.”
“Why should I do that?”
“It’s an order from the Dharma Protector of the Thunder God Lineage. This command should be sufficient, right?”
I pulled out the badge of the Dharma Protector I received from the Sect Leader. The elder of the Fire Spirit Techniques licked his lips.
“Fine.”
For now, it would be impossible to evacuate even the members of the White Lotus Sect. So, I had no choice but to use the Golden Lamp technique to transport my allies as far away as the underground base of the Shadowless Sect in Henan Province. After leaving the people at the Shadowless Sect’s base, I attempted to head back to the Imperial Palace.
But the Sword Demon and Dokgo Seong stopped me.
“Don’t go!”
“What?”
“Didn’t you say a Divine is about to descend? Then stay here! Why would you want to walk into a death trap?”
I sighed.
“I don’t want to throw away my life either, but if the Leader and the Dharma Guardian become prey, it’ll be a horrible situation. There won’t be a single force left to oppose the Imperial Palace.”
“Gah…”
“Please wish me luck.”
“Sigh. What do you think death is…”
The Sword Demon spoke bitterly. He seemed to believe I was taking on too much risk. Struggling to find the right words, I scratched my head and used the Golden Lamp to head straight to the Imperial Palace.
Bang!
Arriving at the Imperial Palace, I shifted my gaze to the five-story hall where the Sect Leader and the Dharma Guardians were heading. My main mission was to get them to retreat quickly, no matter what. As I gathered my resolve and started walking forward—
“Hey! You really intend to go there?”
A strange voice resonated from nowhere. I sensed an unusual stealth technique I couldn’t perceive and flinched, realizing that with my current martial arts, I couldn’t defend against the opponent’s stealth and surprise attacks.
‘What a tremendous master!’
Was there still a master I couldn’t handle? I hesitated for a moment before replying.
“I am.”
“Why?”
“Because if a Divine descends, we’ll all die.”
Then the mysterious voice muttered,
“Just like the predictions of the Rhythm Master. I have tasks here, after all.”
“What…?”
The voice echoed through the air.
“Go on.”
“What?”
“Hurry up. Didn’t you say you were in a hurry?”
Keeping my mouth shut, I hastened my steps. An unexpectedly appeared mysterious master seemed to want to assist me, so I decided to accept the help for now. After all, I couldn’t predict what would happen next.
Bang!
Upon entering the first floor of the hall, I found the Sect Leader, Dharma Guardians, and Miho gathered at one spot, staring at something. There, a dark sphere was swirling ominously, appearing about three times the size of a person, with a gray whirl circling around it.
Perhaps sensing my presence, the Sect Leader spoke up,
“Baek Woong, do you know what this is?”
“What are you doing?”
“I searched this entire five-story hall, and this is the only peculiar thing. An unknown power is rotating within.”
A chill ran down my spine. I shouted at the Sect Leader,
“Sect Leader! We need to escape! That’s likely the [Old Ruler] descending!”
It had to be true!
The reason this hall appeared after the Great Dragon Hall was destroyed was clear. This was the altar where the [Old Ruler] would descend. At any moment, the Divine could show themselves from that dark sphere. Just thinking about it made my mouth dry.
“What…?”
“We need to lead the White Lotus followers out right now! If the Divine descends, we won’t have a chance!”
“……”
“Sect Leader!”
I urged, but the Sect Leader continued to stare at the black sphere in silence. He then said,
“This is good.”
“What?! What do you mean?”
“I came to confront the Divine from the very beginning. I intended to negotiate with ‘it’ to obtain the Law of the Non-Birth Mother. After the Divine descends, I’ll have a word with them.”
“Th-That’s insane.”
I realized the Sect Leader was serious. Earlier, when he talked with the Vermilion Bird, I thought he was simply bluffing, but he truly intended to negotiate with a god! How far gone must a person’s mind be to entertain such thoughts? Having personally witnessed the terrifying power of Itaka descending on the Water Sovereign, I found it incomprehensible.
I quickly turned to Miho. I sent her a secret message.
“Miho! Let’s get out of here! We’ll die if we stay! If we perish here and the Seven Luminaries are taken from us, it’ll be disastrous!”
“What about the Sect Leader?”
“Screw that! Let him do what he wants! If he wants to die, what can we do?!”
My growing irritation spilled over. The Sect Leader’s madness was coming off as so irritating that it was almost offensive to me. Maybe sensing that she shouldn’t be there, Miho nodded in agreement.
“Let’s go.”
Before I left, I sent a secret message to Han Baek-ryeong.
“Han Baek-ryeong! If you care about your life, escape! A god is not something a human can confront!”
Han Baek-ryeong then looked my way.
“As a Dharma Guardian, I will share my fate with the Sect Leader.”
I sensed something from those words. Could it be that Han Baek-ryeong knew she would perish fighting a god but stayed behind? That demeanor wasn’t unique to her; even Yong Bi-cheon and Dokgo Jun appeared relaxed. The Dharma Guardians were fundamentally bound to follow what the Sect Leader decided.
‘Damn it.’
I tried to grab Miho’s hand and lead her away from the scene.
But in that moment.
Woosh—
Crack.
That was it. A rain of blood blew through the air.
Dokgo Jun, the Dharma Guardian of the Su Shin Sect, was crushed into bloody fragments by a finger that abruptly emerged from nowhere, a finger resembling a frog’s digit covered in slime. The incident happened so quickly that no one in the hall could react in time. Dokgo Jun didn’t even get to scream before meeting his end.
No—should I even call it a finger? It was more like something bizarre that had shot out from the air and couldn’t be countered even by a high-level Master like Dokgo Jun.
But I realized something was wrong. This wasn’t just speed. It wasn’t merely speed that allowed the Vermilion Bird to kill Dokgo Jun like that. The opponent used some bizarre power to obliterate Dokgo Jun in one strike.
“Hah!”
The first to react was the Sect Leader. He quickly activated the Tai Chi as he had during the battle with Daji, conjuring a space of the Wise Calamity to restrain the bizarre entity. The effectiveness of the Sect Leader’s power seemed momentarily effective as the frog-like palm froze, unable to move.
‘So, the Sect Leader is formidable… huh?’
Yet I soon sensed the situation was not good.
Slosh.
Bloody water began to flow out from under the Sect Leader’s stealth barrier. Moreover, blood began to pour from all over the Sect Leader’s body. I stared in shock as he screamed,
“Divine One! Please listen to me!”
Bang.
The Sect Leader pushed forth his energy and intent into the Tai Chi, attempting to forcefully repel the palm, but this time he lost both his ears in the process. It was a horrific sight, where he continuously lost limbs as he confronted the power of the Divine.
Amidst that sight, Yong Bi-cheon, the Dharma Guardian of Wind Spirit Sect, lost all will to fight and yelled in confusion,
“This is not what we agreed on! I was promised to be saved…!”
Was that guy colluding with the Imperial Palace after all? But it seemed the Vermilion Bird had no intentions of sparing even Yong Bi-cheon, mentioning nothing of the Divine’s descent at all.
Thwunk!
The frog-like palm seemed bothered by Yong Bi-cheon and suddenly flicked its finger, severing his head. Thus, two Dharma Guardians died.
Han Baek-ryeong gritted her teeth, brandishing her twin swords against the Evil Deity’s palm.
“Twelve Extremes Dragon King Slash!!”
A dozen fiery dragons, born of intent, emerged and came into view. It seemed like all of Han Baek-ryeong’s energy was poured into this technique, and her body looked ready to collapse at any moment. Yet, the massive attack equaled the secret technique of a Peak Expert, aimed at the Evil palm.
Yet at that moment, it felt like time and space had flipped somehow. Han Baek-ryeong’s technique shrank and got sucked into the palm’s grip. It was something so unfathomable that Han Baek-ryeong turned pale, collapsing in dismay.
“Ugh…”
Miho trembled, her lips quivering.
“N-No way… We have to run…”
I felt myself on the brink of insanity.
Is this the power of the [Old Ruler]?
It was far beyond the level I’d imagined. I thought I could at least escape, but it seemed that would be impossible now. I quickly scanned the surroundings and instantaneously activated the Golden Lamp, taking Miho and Han Baek-ryeong to another location.
Bang!
“Wha…?”
Something felt off.
There was a void…
Then in the next moment, I realized my legs were gone.
“Aaaaaaaaaah!!!”
I screamed as if being torn apart. I had no idea how this had happened, but upon arriving with the Golden Lamp, my legs had vanished—both of them! It felt like something had playfully grabbed and ripped them off. The excruciating pain and sense of loss drove me to madness.
As I gasped for breath, I felt my consciousness slipping away. At this rate, I would bleed out and die from losing my legs. In a panic, Miho summoned the power of the Moon Sovereign, casting healing spells on me.
“Stay with me! No!”
It hurt so much. The shock of my legs being torn away felt unexplainable. The greater problem was the fact that I could hardly comprehend what had struck me. It felt as if I would be unable to detect it until the moment of the strike.
‘Where… where is this?’
Where I had moved was the Heavenly Altar of Mount Tai, a place I had visited in the past. I wondered why I hadn’t gone to a location with my comrades, but I subconsciously understood.
Only the [Old Ruler] could pursue the location I aimed for with the Golden Lamp.
It was absurd, yet that was the nature of a Divine Being.
If I moved to the Shadowless Gate, my allies might be slaughtered. Hence, I had instinctively made a decision to go to the Heavenly Altar of Mount Tai.
At that moment.
“Foolish mortals… Your defeat was determined before this battle even began. Why do you try to defy a god?”
The voice of the Vermilion Bird, Zhuge Yulong, echoed. Miho bit her lip in anger and glared at him. I had no idea why Zhuge Yulong was here, but apparently, he had the technique to move to Mount Tai at any moment.
He gazed fixedly at us and said,
“Hand over the Seven Luminaries, and I’ll grant you a swift death.”
“Don’t… make me laugh…”
I struggled for breath. With my legs gone, fighting was impossible, but I couldn’t let the Vermilion Bird possess the Seven Luminaries. If they succeeded in summoning the [Old Ruler] and acquired the strength of the Seven Luminaries, the catastrophe that could occur was unimaginable. Surely not just millions, but even tens of millions might die!
Bang!
Without warning, Miho unleashed the power of the Moon Sovereign, releasing her powerful Moon Shadow at the Vermilion Bird. Given Miho’s skills had risen tremendously, it would normally be impossible for the Vermilion Bird to withstand her original martial arts technique. However, suddenly, a protective barrier emerged around the Vermilion Bird.
Bang!
“What?!”
Miho was taken aback. The Vermilion Bird chuckled smugly.
“Who shows their cards at once? Just now, I had to lure you into the depths of the Imperial Palace, which involved some allowances. But now, there’s no need to conceal my strength.”
“What is this barrier?!?”
As Miho snarled, the Vermilion Bird answered,
“As you can see, it’s the power of the Eight Trigrams. The primal Eight Trigrams’ strength. The power borrowed from the Earth Star Eight Trigrams Diagram.”
“……!!”
Miho and I were shocked. Could the Vermilion Bird truly be the master of the Seven Luminaries?!
“Don’t look at me like that. I wish I were the master of the Seven Luminaries, but I simply borrowed this power from the Demon Subduing Hall. Consider it a transaction to serve a god.”
Boom!
The Vermilion Bird swung one hand. Simultaneously, the Eight Trigrams filled the sky, and black lines twisted through the realm. The overwhelming sight of the earth being enclosed by the Eight Trigrams wasn’t ordinary; Miho launched her Moon Shadows everywhere trying to break free from the grasp of the Eight Trigrams.
But the Moon Shadows were extinguished in the air.
“Ah!”
The Vermilion Bird responded dryly,
“The Eight Trigrams are the roots of heaven and earth. The supreme system of sorcery created by Fuxi. With the Earth Star Eight Trigrams, one can unleash the Eight Trigrams Formation and seal all martial arts!”
“Cough.”
“Then it’s over.”
The ultimate crisis was approaching. If I died at the hands of the Vermilion Bird, I would lose the Seven Luminaries, and everything would come crashing down. Despite the pain of losing my legs, I thought over and over, sending Miho a secret message,
“Miho, move me to the Heavenly Altar!”
“What are you planning?”
“Quickly!”
With urgency, Miho quickly tapped into the power of the Moon Sovereign, carrying me to the Heavenly Altar. Even now, perhaps still sealed by the Earth Star Eight Trigrams Diagram, it seemed like Miho couldn’t use even one-tenth of her original strength. The Vermilion Bird looked at us with disbelief, smirking.
“What do you intend to do on that altar? Do you think it’s a good grave?”
“Well…”
I replied, my face pale from blood loss, slumped on Miho’s back.
“Since I’m bound to die anyway, I might as well cause a ruckus…”
“What?”
I continued,
“The altar is a connection point to the Celestial Realm… I said it was the only link… so if we released the Seven Luminaries and caused a full explosion here… what do you think would happen?”
“……!!”
The Vermilion Bird’s expression stiffened. I laughed weakly.
“The barriers set by Jeon Wook would disappear… and the Celestial Realm might descend into this world directly…?”
“You crazy fool! Do you even know the consequences of such actions?”
“Not at all…”
He screamed in apparent panic.
“The true Three Sovereigns will descend anew! And this time, they won’t spare anything; they will wantonly destroy everything without caring for any delays! Their essence is no different from the [Old Ruler]! The destruction they can create will be a hundred times more horrifying than the future conjured by the Demon Subduing Hall. Don’t engage in such insanity!!”
He apparently realized he could not stop me and Miho. No matter how much he sealed my movements with the Earth Star, he couldn’t block our activation of the Seven Luminaries—it could all happen in an instant.
“I see…”
This could very well happen.
The world might end.
‘Damn it.’
But I didn’t truly care anymore. I was about to die soon anyway; if that bastard killed me, what did I care? Would it be worse to die unfairly while they got off scot-free? I decided it was better to pull him down with me.
I stared at the terrified expression on the Vermilion Bird’s face, wearing a grin.
“Hehe… Miho.”
“What is it?”
It was a situation I could hardly stand.
Yet there was no choice.
“Die with me…”
I felt miserable speaking those words. This wasn’t what I had originally envisioned. I had wanted to enjoy storming the Imperial Palace, and afterwards, rekindle my connection with Miho. Yet here I was, asking to die together, feeling pathetic as tears began to flow.
“……”
Miho’s back trembled slightly.
She chuckled in a voice that seemed to be holding back,
“… Ahaha. I’ll die with you.”
Ah.
This is how it ends, huh?
Endlessly changing.
Drip.
Unable to hold back, I let the tears flow onto Miho’s back. Miho snapped at me,
“Don’t cry, you fool. You’re a man.”
“And you’re a woman?”
“… Fool.”
Miho’s voice quivered too; it seemed she was also holding back tears.
The Vermilion Bird roared in fury,
“You lunatics!! Hand over the Seven Luminaries…”
In that moment, Miho and I drew out the Seven Luminaries as though we had promised each other.
The blue light from the Water Element Divine Sword and the silver light from the Moon Sovereign’s Divine Tools shone through. The Vermilion Bird’s face clouded with panic as he rushed toward us, summoning the Eight Trigrams.
“Aaah!”
The Vermilion Bird’s body was engulfed in light, exploding into fragments.
Shattering!
A tempest of light stormed through the Heavenly Altar as dimensions visibly ruptured.
Through the maelstrom of light flashing before me, I glimpsed eight colossal shadows rising from thrones beyond dimensions. Each radiated the might of a true emperor, adorned with crowns.
The boundary between heaven and earth dissolved, and the primordial existences arose.
‘Those are… the Three Sovereigns…’
This is how it all ends?
That marked my seventeenth death.
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