Chapter 408
Whoosh!
As soon as the words from the Southern Flower Immortal finished, the heavens and earth turned upside down. In that split second, I saw the Master of the White Lotus Sect conjure a space of calamity, resisting the powerful techniques of the Great Immortals. The overwhelming gravitational force I felt left me dumbfounded.
Everything was flipped around, and I was soaring towards the sky! Bodies and land alike were caught in a whirlwind, swirling away like leaves in a storm. I hurriedly cast the Heavenly Ground Summoning Technique, but oddly enough, it didn’t work! With no other choice, I summoned the strength of the Moon Sovereign.
As the Moon Sovereign’s light spread around me, everything returned to normal.
“…….!!”
Was this all just an illusion technique?
I couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed. Gaining the power of the Moon Sovereign meant I could nullify most illusions with ease. I had even managed to shatter the barrier created by Cheon Woo-jin just once by harnessing the strength of the Seven Luminaries. Yet here I was, completely caught up in a trick despite owning such power!
At the same time, I saw the Master of the Sect launch forward with incredible speed, like a bolt of lightning, and smash the Southern Flower Immortal’s head. The Master moved so fast that all I could perceive was the aftermath.
Whoosh
What an incredible force!
But the Southern Flower Immortal’s figure, which I thought was destroyed, quickly morphed into smoke and vanished into thin air. Moments later, he reappeared about ten feet away in mid-air. I realized that even the Master had fallen victim to the Southern Flower Immortal’s tricks.
‘Insane! It seems even the owner of the Primordial Spirit can be caught in an illusion…’
I nearly choked in disbelief. Right now, what I was seeing was merely an illusion that disguised its true essence. I felt a chill run down my spine as I had never encountered such a phenomenal trickery. An ordinary martial artist—no, even a Peak Expert—would fall prey and meet their end within this illusion! Casting an illusion on the Master of the White Lotus Sect held extraordinary significance.
Noticing that the Master was aware of the situation, he glanced at the Great Immortals surrounding him and remarked,
“So, it truly is the Great Immortal of the Celestial Realm… it certainly feels like you have transcended humanity.”
The one who responded was Ugi, hovering to the left of the Master.
“Master of the White Lotus Sect, I am Ugi. You will never overcome our Great Peace Technique.”
“Why not? This is ultimately just an illusion. You cannot kill me.”
“Then by all means, try to kill me.”
Swish—
Ugi raised his right hand and swung a golden chain.
“This is the Heart-Piercing Chain! Pierce the heart of the sinner!”
Bang!
In the next moment, the golden chain pierced the Master’s left palm. Out of nowhere, it appeared right before the Master’s heart, striking him before he could react. It seemed like he had judged that he couldn’t block the attack with his Protection Energy Technique, so he chose to defend with his own hand. Blood gushed from the palm impaled by the chain.
‘…What on earth just happened?!’
What kind of power does this treasure possess? The Master had ample time to counter the attack or dodge before Ugi swung, yet he stood frozen in place to take the blow. I couldn’t fathom what was happening in this exchange.
Then, Zhuge Sa spoke up.
“The Master probably attacked the Great Immortal countless times already. But with no response, he’s decided to feel the power of that treasure first.”
“What the heck…”
“The treasure is different from martial arts techniques. If this continues, the Master could actually die.”
Die? That Master?
“No way.”
I found it hard to believe and stared at the Master. If I acted recklessly, it might hinder him more than help, so I decided to only shield myself with the Moon Sovereign for now. My actions would depend on what the Master would do next.
Then, Zhang Jiao raised his arm and shouted.
“Summon the Demon’s Call! Strike down with lightning!”
Zap!
“Grrr!”
I screamed as the pressure drove me into the ground. If I hadn’t summoned the Moon Sovereign beforehand, I would have surely turned into barbecue! In an instant, a colossal bolt of lightning struck a radius of five li! This lightning surpassed the power of typical elemental techniques.
‘These guys… this is too much…’
I gritted my teeth. The Master was merely focusing on defense; he didn’t show any inclination to counterattack. It seemed the unexpected assault shocked him into a purely defensive position. The Master fidgeted with his hands and said,
“Southern Flower Immortal. What is your treasure?”
The Southern Flower Immortal didn’t answer. He merely watched the Master with a ghostly, unclear figure. Filling the silence, Ugi and Zhang Jiao continued unleashing their terrifying techniques, and each time the treasure rang, Spirit Energy spewed from it.
Bang!
Bang!
The Master, with the calamity unfurled, continually summoned a strange black Protection Energy to block all the relentless attacks. It seemed even stronger than his usual Protection Energy as he suffered no effective hits after summoning it. Yet, it was clear that the techniques of the Great Immortals were impressively powerful, as I could see cracks forming on the Protection Energy with my own eyes.
The Master’s choice to pull back the owners of the Heavenly Spirit Pill was a wise one. No matter how formidable a Dharma Guardian’s Protection Energy may be, it could not withstand such continuous assaults.
“Huff… huff… damn it!!”
The real problem was me. Though I was using the Moon Sovereign to protect myself, I could still feel as if I were being punched in the face by every attack. If I hadn’t obtained the Seven Luminaries, I would have been killed by their spells earlier. Now, I felt the overwhelming need to fight back against the Great Immortal.
‘This is the real rebellion against the Celestial Realm, but it can’t be helped!’
Am I about to die? Who cares? As long as I still have the chance to save face, I was willing to fight tooth and nail. Zhuge Sa sneered.
“You’re making decisions so quickly. Haven’t you gotten too arrogant?”
“What nonsense!?”
“Think it over. A treasure is a significant item that could immediately open the path to immortality for an ordinary sorcerer. For the Great Immortals to bring it out themselves and only now you decide to risk your life? Are you kidding me?”
“……”
“If you’re going to stay still, keep doing so. It seems the Master is finally about to make a move.”
Zhuge Sa’s words were spot on.
Suddenly, the Master concentrated his energy intensely, bursting into laughter.
“Ha ha ha…!! I finally understand what a treasure is!”
“……”
“To use concepts to illuminate the eternal heavenly principles and forge the ultimate law body! Is that what a treasure is?!”
As the Master shouted out his revelation, the assaults from the Great Immortals momentarily stuttered. The Southern Flower Immortal in front wore a surprised expression on his face as he responded to the Master.
“Indeed! Knowing that it depends on concepts… you possess a surprising depth of cultivation for someone of the Demon Path.”
“Heh… Even among the countless texts of the White Lotus Sect, there’s no record of a direct encounter or research on treasures. Now that I finally dissolved my curiosity.”
The Southern Flower Immortal spoke coldly.
“But knowing this changes nothing. Your Primordial Spirit gathers limitless power, but concepts can suppress your strength from another dimension. No matter how strong your Qi Wave is, you cannot destroy our barrier.”
His words were steeped in absolute confidence. Clearly, they had come to this place thoroughly prepared. Staring blankly at the Southern Flower Immortal, the Master suddenly opened his mouth.
“In the end, concepts originate from the Tai Chi. Nothing is absolute. Therefore, as Great Immortals, you can never become gods.”
“Ha ha! Such a foolish claim. Who wouldn’t know that? There’s only one being who transcends the Tai Chi throughout the entire universe, making it meaningless to discuss!”
Despite the Southern Flower Immortal’s ridicule, the Master continued.
“Great Immortal, the Qi of heaven and earth varies greatly in gathering and dispersing—”
Zoom!
Suddenly, a brilliant light erupted from the Master’s body. The blazing light turned dazzlingly bright like a star and soon transformed into a massive whirlwind. His human form remained, yet the light surging from his being seemed to writhe as if alive.
“Ah… no.”
“What is happening?”
From the moment that light burst forth, the spells cast by the three Great Immortals were entirely engulfed in chaos, vanishing without a trace. The flames released by the Heart-Piercing Chain and the lightning bolts from the sky were all caught up in the chaos surrounding the Master’s body. It wasn’t just neutralization; it felt more like the very essence of ‘reality’ was being consumed.
Boom!
Moments later, as the Master turned completely white, it seemed he transformed completely into something unrecognizable. The swirling black and white danced within chaos, forming his bloodlines and skin. In his eyes, the writhing Tai Chi was etched deeply. And from the thrashing darkness, the Master’s form began to morph into a fighting stance, becoming ever more nimble. Black shadows writhed visibly behind him.
“Great Harmony has no limit as they collide and stretch within one another!”
Thud!
As the Master clenched his fist, a loud bang resounded from an unexpected direction, and the spirit of Ugi flew away. Zhang Jiao gasped in shock.
“Ah… no, Ugi!”
The Master spoke mockingly.
“The soul of the Great Immortal belongs to the Celestial Realm, destined to return to the Sealing Blood of the Divine.”
“You bastard!!”
Zhang Jiao swung the Summon Demon’s Call vigorously. This time, he mustered all his power, condensing lightning that appeared blue as if it were a fierce flame. It must have combined the strength of the earlier large-scale lightning strike, and its destructive power was undoubtedly terrifying.
But the Master simply read the trajectory of the bolt, dodging playfully before instantaneously attacking Zhang Jiao with one blow.
Bang!
Zhang Jiao didn’t even scream before his spirit was sent soaring.
“Two down.”
The voice of the Master of the White Lotus Sect expressed a hint of exhilaration. And who could blame him? Seeing the arrogant Great Immortal torn to pieces by his own hands would surely bring joy.
“That was the power of the Old Ruler.”
With just the Southern Flower Immortal remaining, he maintained his composure and stared intently at the Master. Without hesitation, he spat out,
“That’s not your power. You, a slave of the Demon Path.”
“Heh… a sharp observation.”
“To sacrifice your soul to the Throne of Chaos… you must truly have lost your mind. But… even so, your strength will never be sufficient to contend with the Celestial Realm!”
“Great Immortal, that’s not your concern. Ha ha ha…”
The Master of the White Lotus Sect responded with unrestrained joy.
“And… this power, while a privilege, is a talent granted solely to humans. Isn’t that enough?”
“……”
“Now, go.”
With a flick, the Master’s Primordial Spirit unleashed black and white energy, instantly tearing the Southern Flower Immortal apart. It was so effortlessly done that I almost questioned whether this was truly a competition. Even a Great Immortal was helpless against the Master in the material world.
The Southern Flower Immortal’s spirit immediately began to rise toward the Sealing Blood of the Divine when Zhuge Sa shouted from within me,
“Capture it with the Soul Exchange Technique!”
I jolted awake at those words and quickly reached for the fleeing soul. But the moment I tried to draw it back, an overwhelming pressure made me feel like my arm would be yanked off, forcing me to abandon the technique.
“Ugh! Too strong.”
With the technique halted, the soul of the Southern Flower Immortal shot upwards, slipping away in the presence of the treasure. As I stared helplessly at the scene, Zhuge Sa licked his lips.
“Tch… as expected. To consume the soul of a Great Immortal, you must master the Soul Exchange Technique completely.”
“Why are you throwing out remarks like that now?!”
“If you’re going to lose, it’s just a loss. A fool like you who hasn’t perfected the technique is the real idiot here, not me making poor advice.”
Zhuge Sa continued bluntly.
“This confirms it. You still haven’t fully digested the powers gained from the Moon Sovereign, National Seal, and Demon Beast Bracelet… you need more training to unleash your full power.”
Swish!
At that moment, the Master of the White Lotus Sect returned to his original form. He appeared to be quite fatigued as he slowly performed the Six Harmonies Assembly.
“Baek Woong, let’s head to Luoyang.”
“Are you alright?”
“I’m fine. There’s no choice but to use the power of the Primordial Spirit.”
“The power of the Primordial Spirit?”
The Master nodded and said,
“Let’s hurry. There’s something to do in Luoyang.”
It seemed he was relying on me without using his Golden Lamp, indicating his body condition might be precariously unstable.
“……”
Glancing at him, I felt an urge to betray him. This Master using the power of the Primordial Spirit looked undeniably weakened. Although it seemed his infinite internal power remained intact, his once-menacing spirit was faint. To this, I thought it might be worth a shot if I could push the strength of the Moon Sovereign to its limits.
But I quickly pushed those thoughts away, letting out a sigh as I called upon the Four Great Spirits.
“Sigh… understood.”
Having come this far, I couldn’t act treacherously against the Master. I needed to repay the loyalty he had shown me before I could entertain any thoughts of betrayal.
