Chapter 390
“It felt like time stood still the moment I stepped into the Sect Master’s wooden armor.”
And then, as soon as I was pulled out by the Sect Master, it felt like the world around me had flipped upside down.
“So this is what it feels like!”
Was this the feeling of everyone I had seen enter and exit the armor before? Without knowing the whole situation, you’d definitely feel like a ghost just possessed you. Looking around, it was surprisingly not a horde of Su Shin Sect experts crowding, but the Sect Master, me, two Dharma Guardians, and only Dokgo Seong standing there. Having just seen dozens of Su Shin Sect masters placed inside the armor, I felt a bit perplexed.
Then, Zhuge Sa chuckled softly.
[The Sect Master is no fool. He’s here under the pretense of exchanging grimoires, so he won’t needlessly call forth excess forces to stay alert. He’ll only reveal them when the fight begins.]
[Hmm…]
The Sect Master looked around at the Dharma Guardians.
[Do not move until my order is given.]
[Yes, Master!]
The Moogun Bridge was a tranquil spot on the outskirts of Luoyang. The Sect Master crossed the street as if nothing was amiss, while our group, wearing masks, definitely drew attention. I wasn’t wearing a mask because, being a child, it wouldn’t matter much if I was recognized.
“Plus, it’s kinda uncomfortable wearing a mask.”
Feeling that there was some ritualistic significance behind the mask was unavoidable. Arriving at Moogun Bridge, there was no presence of life around—it was eerily quiet. It was more than just quiet; it was obviously a place cleared out by the Imperial Palace.
On the bridge stood a mysterious man in a conical hat.
“You’ve arrived, Sect Master.”
Under normal circumstances, I wouldn’t have known who he was, probably questioning why a stranger showed up instead of Zhuge Bu. However, during my rebirth, I uncovered his identity: the real mastermind of the Imperial Palace, the Evil God known as Vermilion Bird Zhuge Yulong.
It seemed Vermilion Bird recognized that things were spiraling out of control and decided to take matters into his own hands rather than just putting Zhuge Bu forward. The Sect Master, perhaps having guessed Vermilion Bird’s identity, responded without any signs of surprise.
[Do you have the items for exchange?]
“No.”
It seemed at that moment, Vermilion Bird smirked faintly.
“This is your grave.”
BOOM!!!!
As soon as Vermilion Bird finished his sentence, a terrifying explosion erupted around us. I was so startled by the sheer magnitude of the blast that my hairs stood on end.
“……!!”
This was not an explosion caused by martial arts—it was gunpowder!
An insane amount of it—it had to be hundreds of thousands worth! I could smell the gunpowder and sulfur, and there were clouds of smoke rising.
“Urrrghhh!!”
I hastily gathered my Protection Energy Technique to shield myself, but the barrier I formed was quickly destabilized.
BOOM!!!
“I’m… I’m losing it.”
The explosions kept coming relentlessly, my defensive energy shattered, and my internal power plummeted! With this kind of force, a typical martial artist wouldn’t stand a chance.
No, if things kept going like this, I would definitely die!
As the ominous sensation of death filled me, my throat felt like it was closing up.
Whiiiiiirrrr
Suddenly, the shockwave of explosions subsided around me. Before my eyes, a strange green translucent barrier had formed. When I looked at the Sect Master in surprise, he was floating in mid-air, one arm raised.
“Are you alright?”
“Y-yeah.”
I gave a startled reply, but I was internally freaking out.
“He’s definitely not human…”
The Sect Master’s barrier was enormous, likely composed of hundreds of protective layers! It nullified the explosive power that seemed to exceed a million crowded dimensions as if it was nonexistent. The ability to manifest such a shield was beyond the realm of mere martial arts—it belonged to the domain of divine power!
As the explosions calmed and the area turned into a hellish inferno, visibility became nearly impossible, engulfed in the haze of soot and vapor. I gathered with the Dharma Guardians around the Sect Master, keeping an eye out for nearby threats.
The Sect Master stared intensely ahead and commented.
“Thoroughly prepared, that guy…”
WHOOSH
As the smoke cleared, we saw that we were surrounded by numerous phantoms. Every one of them radiated strong demonic energy, indicating they were demons crafted by the Imperial Palace through fusion with the Otherworldly Race. These demon entities were powerful enough to threaten peak experts with pure physical abilities!
Moreover, some of these demons were actually Dragon People. The Imperial Palace hadn’t just shared the sorcerous techniques with the Wind Spirit Sect; they had also been creating Dragon People themselves!
With this level of force, sweeping away half of the martial world would be a piece of cake!
“What’s going on? They couldn’t have produced demons and Dragon People this fast before…”
Zhuge Sa chuckled.
[Zhuge Bu must have panicked and used restricted sorcery to quickly produce forces. He likely borrowed considerable power from the Crystal Stele…]
“What? Is that even possible?”
[Zhuge Yulong is one of the greatest sorcerers in the realm. Strengthening his forces through some trick is easy for him.]
What genuinely scared me was the presence next to Vermilion Bird. There stood expressionless handsome men and women, staring at us. They looked somewhat ordinary at first glance, but I recognized them all too well!
“Portrait Immortals!”
Artificial beings created through the fusion of Eastern and Western sorcery! They could either serve as offerings or become terrifyingly powerful modified humans when fully completed. There were a total of four of them. That might seem few, but they threatened even the Dharma Guardians with their mysterious techniques.
Vermilion Bird crossed his arms, gazing at the Sect Master.
“So, you are indeed the Master of the White Lotus Sect. I never expected you to survive that explosion…”
The Sect Master quickly glanced at our surrounding ambush and asked, “Is this your plan?”
“Yes. Even Master of the White Lotus, it won’t be easy for you.”
“…By the way, I haven’t heard your name yet.”
Vermilion Bird seemed surprised.
“Hmm…?”
“I am the Master of the White Lotus Sect, Dokgo Uncheon. I’d like to know the name you go by as the true mastermind behind the Imperial Palace.”
“……”
Why is he introducing himself all of a sudden? I found the Sect Master’s behavior quite perplexing, but Vermilion Bird pondered for a moment before responding, raising his authority.
“I am Zhuge Yulong, the current head of the Zhuge Clan and the Vermilion Bird of the Evil God.”
“Zhuge Yulong… So you were hiding your claws from the Martial World all this time.”
The Sect Master’s comment made Vermilion Bird smirk sarcastically.
“What’s the big deal about the martial world anyway? It’s just a lid on top of the human realm.”
“I see… So that’s why you could be the leader of the darkness…”
“Stop pretending to know me. Let’s settle this.”
SNAP!
“Uooooooooo!!”
As Vermilion Bird snapped his fingers, the nearby Dragon People and demons roared, lunging at us. Their incredible physical capabilities had reached a level that pure human muscle just couldn’t compete with. Even with the Dharma Guardians gathered, we would face significant challenges.
But in that moment of heart command—
“Hehehe…”
I could sense the Sect Master’s lightly mocking tone.
“Is this all the Imperial Palace can muster?”
“Is this all?”
Before I could even grasp the Sect Master’s arrogance, his first move began.
[Shift.]
Seven Great Techniques, Lord of Spiders!
The Sect Master unleashed beads of energy from his entire being, like jewels spilling out. What looked like beads were actually huge orbs of Qi, and there were hundreds of them! The finger-sized orbs throbbed before breaking through the heart command momentarily, shooting forth long beams of light!
SHHI WHACK!
As hundreds of beams finished their trajectories, every piece of meat caught in their path was sliced apart! The charging Dragon People and demons couldn’t even scream and just fell apart like meat chunks. It was surreal seeing blood splatter across the air.
But the jaw-dropping part didn’t end there. Once the light created a web in the air, it twisted and turned in every direction, forming a spiral. The spiral began to gyrate in motion, greedily consuming everything in its path!
WHIRRR
As it expanded three-dimensionally, the web of light had enough power to slice through Dragon People like tofu, securely annihilating every enemy caught in its path without even a chance to resist.
WHIP WHAP!
The Sect Master swung the Lord of Spiders’ web a few more times, and every enemy within a fifty-foot radius was wiped out. While the explanation was lengthy, the whole event happened in the blink of an eye.
Monster corpses flew through the air like trash.
“Koooh?!
“Kaaaahhh!!!”
The Dragon People and demons, having retained at least some common sense and instincts, looked terrified at the sheer slaughter brought by the Sect Master. I was equally shocked.
“The Seven Great Techniques?! Did he just combine them to create that insane skill?”
The Sect Master’s words weren’t mere chatter. That Lord of Spiders was indeed a refined martial art, comparable to the Three Treasure Technique!
THWACK!
As I took all that in, Portrait Immortals surrounded the Sect Master. I couldn’t quite piece together what had happened; it appeared the Portrait Immortals ambushed him.
“That guy!”
A white-haired Portrait Immortal boy thrust a dagger right before the Sect Master’s throat. I recall feeling the same when Xiang Yu had descended before; the abilities of these Portrait Immortals are definitely separate from martial arts. After all, how could they sneak up so close to the Sect Master, seamlessly avoiding being noticed by me, a peak expert?
But the Sect Master neither blocked nor dodged it; the dagger paused just an inch away. Thanks to his terrifying Protection Energy Technique, they couldn’t penetrate any further!
Nonchalantly gazing at the blade, the Sect Master murmured, “Interesting ability. Had it been complete, it would have been a real threat.”
FLIP!
That was the end of it. The four Portrait Immortals were swept away in an instant by one of the Sect Master’s moves. A fresh wave of blood poured forth, surrounding the Sect Master.
In a mere five seconds, the massacre was complete!
The Imperial Palace forces were nearing total annihilation. The Dharma Guardians didn’t need to resort to drawing forth the Heavenly Spirit Pill’s boundless internal power.
“Th-the Sect Master took them all down by himself…”
While there were still a few Dragon People and demons left, it was plain they couldn’t threaten the Sect Master. What chance did they have against a monster that just wiped out a hundred demons in a single move?
True, the Sect Master was powerful, but this level was unprecedented. It seemed he had truly undergone a terrifying transformation after learning the Seven Great Techniques.
As the outcome of the battle became clear, Vermilion Bird looked somewhat flustered.
“What the…?”
Everything unfolded almost instantaneously, so even Yeodong-bin seemed hesitant to manifest. The Sect Master, with a cold demeanor, pointed one hand at Zhuge Yulong.
[Now, it’s your turn.]
FWOOSH!
That was Vermilion Bird Zhuge Yulong’s last moment. He was torn apart by the Sect Master’s palm without even a chance to resist! Yet, I knew that losing just one physical form meant he could always use his spare body to resurrect, so I wasn’t as relaxed.
After exterminating Zhuge Yulong, the Sect Master commanded us.
[Clean up the leftovers.]
[Yes, Master!]
And so, the Dharma Guardians began sweeping away the remaining Dragon People and demons. Countless blasts of energy soared, creating thunderous resonances.
“Kaaaah!”
The enemies screamed and charged, but Dokgo Jun and Han Baek-ryeong possessed such overwhelming combat power that it was futile. Dokgo Seong returned to the sect after studying the Seven Great Techniques and confidently dispatched five demons all by himself. I also pitched in, slashing at the remaining Dragon People.
Once everything was cleared up, I cautiously addressed the Sect Master.
“Sect Master…”
Before I could even warn him, the white lotus Sect Master gazed up at the sky and muttered, “Hmm… now the real game begins.”
“Huh?”
WHUMP!
The sky turned blood-red. Intense demonic energy radiated from the heavens, enveloping the entire world in a menacing aura. I bit down on my lip, fully aware of what was about to unfold.
“Daji!”
If the Apostle of the God Daji descended, what was I supposed to do?
Of course, given our current strength, perhaps we could somehow fend him off. Although I lacked the necessary resources now, I felt if I could perform the Sorcery of Evil Spirits for the Sect Master, Daji’s defensive sorcery would fail. Then, I had this feeling the Sect Master could handle it somehow.
But if I invoked sorcery, the Sect Master would immediately suspect me.
“Yet, there’s no allowing Daji to just kill me… If I can’t break through Daji’s sorcery defense, no matter how strong the Sect Master is, it wouldn’t matter!”
WHIRR!
Time was running out before Daji’s arrival. As I pondered deeply, Zhuge Sa spoke up.
[Hey. Just watch.]
“What? If the Sect Master loses to Daji…”
[The Sect Master already knew that the Imperial Palace was being backed by the Demon Subduing Hall. He was also aware that he would have to fight the Apostle. Still, he willingly accepted today’s lure from the palace. That means he has confidence in defeating the Apostle.]
“Hmm.”
[It looks like something exciting is going to unfold.]
Though skeptical, I decided to heed Zhuge Sa’s words.
And as expected, just as Zhuge Sa had said, “exciting events” began to unfold.
As the blood sky emerged, a massive bubble formed, revealing the Great Demon Daji. The white lotus Sect Master suddenly withdrew a halberd from the wooden armor. I was astounded by its shape as I recognized.
“That… is the Self-Controlled Moon Blade!”
Indeed, the Sect Master’s Self-Controlled Moon Blade, obtained through exchange from the Master of the Twelve Joules, appeared out of nowhere.
[Engaging the Apostle of the God without proper planning would be foolish. This was thoroughly expected.]
The Sect Master pointed the Self-Controlled Moon Blade at Daji.
WHOOSH!
The Sect Master untied the five strands of black silk attached to the blade. There were a total of nine strands previously, and having untied five, that left four remaining. With preparation completed, the Sect Master shouted.
[Then let’s send you back.]
The Self-Controlled Moon Blade glowed with a bluish light. In an instant, the blood sky that had enveloped us faded away as if washed clean!
SSSHHHH!
Did I just hear something rewind? And then a haunting scream echoed through the air like a lingering memory.
“AAAHHHHHHH! Just you wait!!”
That was it.
The atmosphere had shifted to one where Daji appeared ready to descend, but now she seemed to be swirling amidst a tragic vengeance as she was sent back to Golden Crow Island. The sky returned to its clear state.
“……”
Stunned, I looked at the Sect Master as he placed the Self-Controlled Moon Blade back into the wooden armor while saying, “With your four strands remaining, it’ll take an extraordinary amount of time and effort to fill the remaining five strands. However, it was well worth the cost to take down an Apostle.”
“W-what does that mean?”
[That’s the true usage method of the Self-Controlled Moon Blade.]
After replying, the Sect Master surveyed the area. The Imperial Palace forces in our vicinity had already been annihilated, leaving no signs of life except for us. Indifferently looking at Zhuge Yulong’s corpse, the Sect Master declared.
[Let’s go. It’s time to kill the Emperor and seize the Imperial Palace.]
