Chapter 472
We headed to the vast plaza of the Imperial Palace where Han Baek-ryeong was waiting. The chaotic echoes of battle were just fading away, and the temperature was dropping.
Not long ago, the Sword Demon had been fighting with Mangnyang’s support, but now the powerful Dharma Protectors had swarmed in, overpowering the palace guards as if they were ten men in one. To make matters worse, the palace side, possibly demoralized by Han Baek-ryeong’s overwhelming power displayed through the Heavenly Spirit Pill, was scattering like ants. Ultimately, the commanding officers, from low-ranking officials to generals, ordered a retreat, and I could see their backs as they fled.
What a display of strength from the Dharma Protectors!
Though they seemed like elite warriors, it was quite an achievement to defeat a unit meant for protecting the Imperial Palace. However, I couldn’t focus on that right now, so I turned to Han Baek-ryeong and asked, “How do we defeat that monster?”
“……”
Grrr… Grrr…
Han Baek-ryeong, arms crossed, stared intently at the massive tentacle monster that had been expanding its tendrils in the distance. The creature had grown even larger, dwarfing a small hill. Han Baek-ryeong spoke up.
“Deung Gwak. Did you anticipate this?”
Swish!
Deung Gwak, covered in blood, flew over with impressive light body technique. He must have wreaked havoc while “organizing” the Duke of Guanzhong. He spoke in a hushed tone, “… I never thought such a thing existed.”
“Hmph. So they intended to drag us into this mess from the start.”
“Now isn’t the time to discuss that. Do you know what that monster is?”
“I don’t!”
Han Baek-ryeong turned to face me, her expression serious.
“Baek Woong. I know you brought a sorcerer ally. Where is he?”
Thud!
Mangnyang stepped out from behind me and bowed to Han Baek-ryeong, “I, Mangnyang, pay my respects to the Dharma Protectors.”
“It’s you, huh?”
“Unfortunately, I also do not know what that creature is. All I know is that it seems to originate from the path of demons, a truly vile summoned creature.”
“How do we defeat it?”
Mangnyang pondered for a moment before replying, “We could either perform an inverse summoning with a corresponding demon technique, eliminate its core, or destroy it with physical force exceeding its regenerative capabilities. Alternatively, we could seal this area and starve it out. Just so you know, the first option is beyond my abilities.”
Han Baek-ryeong groaned in frustration. “There are four methods, but none are of any use.”
“But you need to decide quickly. If things continue as they are, that thing will expand its influence outside the palace, feeding on humans and growing stronger. I believe now, while it’s still sprouting, is our chance.”
“I know that.”
Han Baek-ryeong appeared to be hesitating. Then, as if having resolved something, she said, “Mangnyang, can you find its core?”
“It has such a thick shell that I can’t tell right now, but if we can sufficiently destroy it, we might be able to locate it through sorcery.”
“Understood.”
She quickly began coordinating the Dharma Protectors for a retreat outside. Simultaneously, she ordered Deung Gwak to lead the scholars out of the palace. It seemed Deung Gwak understood her intentions, as he wasted no time in following her orders. Soon, only Han Baek-ryeong, the three of us, and the creature remained in the hall.
“Cheon Woo-jin.”
Sssshhh!
As Han Baek-ryeong spoke softly, the form of the masked Dharma Protector Cheon Woo-jin appeared from thin air. He had concealed his formidable power in the sky, achieving remarkable feats against the imperial forces. The helper sent by the White Lotus Sect was none other than Wind Spirit Cheon Woo-jin. As he emerged, he arrogantly addressed Han Baek-ryeong.
“I know what you want to say. You want to combine our strengths?”
“That’s the only option.”
“Hehe… I’ve never seen such a monster in my lifetime either.”
Even Cheon Woo-jin appeared taken aback by the sight of the tentacle monster. No matter how seasoned a Dharma Protector he was, facing a demon from the darkness was no small matter. He gave us a quick glance and then issued commands.
“Sword Demon. Baek Woong. Protect Mangnyang. Your role is to ensure that he can use his sorcery to find the core without getting caught up in this.”
“Understood.”
“I’ll try to minimize the damage on that side, but you must protect Mangnyang at all costs.”
Boom!
In the next instant, both Han Baek-ryeong and Cheon Woo-jin took to the skies with their martial arts. They soared upwards, more than just leaping normally, shooting up over a dozen yards toward the tentacle monster. The two Dharma Protectors focused their power into their twin swords, releasing an overwhelming wave of energy like a beam of light.
Wiiing!
Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom!
“……!!”
This wasn’t even a martial technique; it was simply a powerful release of energy combined from the Heavenly Spirit Pill. However, the light that sped towards the tentacle monster converged at a single point, creating a blinding flash that shook the air, and an explosion rippled outwards, affecting an area over a hundred yards wide. The Sword Demon and I executed our techniques to shield Mangnyang amidst the storm. The aftermath was overwhelming.
Ruuuuumblle…
Indeed, the Heavenly Spirit Pill’s power was immense. With that strike, the tentacle monster twisted and writhed as holes began to form all over its body. Seeing this, the Sword Demon muttered, “Do you think we won’t need any help?”
“No, we’re not out of the woods yet.”
“Huh?”
Mangnyang’s complexion grew pale. “… Baek Woong, what on earth did that alchemist summon? That thing… it possesses a built-in barrier!”
The moment Mangnyang finished speaking, the tentacle monster suddenly began convulsing, regenerating more tentacles from its wounds. As the black liquid, dripping like blood, fell to the ground, it began morphing into unknown vile monsters. It struck me that their appearance was similar to those the Guardian of the Moon had summoned.
Kreeek…
The little monsters screeched bizarrely and began to unfurl their wings and scatter. While the Dharma Protectors soaring above seemed unconcerned about those small fry, Mangnyang was different. He clasped his hands and formed a seal, shouting, “The Realms of Zhuyou (取坎填離)!”
Boom!
With a tremendous roar, a massive door suddenly manifested and crashed down around us. That door seemed to function as a barrier, preventing the small monsters from charging forward. The Sword Demon and I started taking out each of the monsters that attacked us. Apparently, they were indeed made of demonic energy, requiring at least a sword technique to defeat them. After managing to squash a few of the encroaching creatures, I turned to Mangnyang and asked, “What do you mean by a built-in barrier?”
“When that thing’s body got smashed earlier, I saw inside it. It possesses two different bodies: one for the material world and another for the spiritual realm. When one gets destroyed, the other compensates. The reason this is possible is that it has a built-in barrier connecting the two realms internally. That’s a formidable high-level technique!”
Boom!
As I continued to destroy the small monsters with the Seven Star Thunderbolt Technique, I shouted, “I don’t get it—could you just explain it to me simply!”
“So, its body is twofold! We need to destroy both the physical and spiritual bodies simultaneously, otherwise, we will never get rid of it!”
“What!?”
“The core is also in the spiritual realm. So…”
BOOM BOOM BOOM!
While Mangnyang was yelling, Han Baek-ryeong and Cheon Woo-jin unleashed a fresh wave of fire and wind bullets. This attack seemed even stronger than before; the tentacle monster screamed, looking as if a good portion of its body was being burned and ripped apart. While it was evident that we were dominating, watching the monster regenerate was unnerving.
With one of the small beasts’ backs split into six pieces, the Sword Demon calmly remarked, “Even if the Dharma Protector forces it into ashes, will it keep reviving?”
“Exactly.”
“Isn’t there any way to avoid that?”
“Not at this point. The creatures birthed from the monster’s blood will attack surrounding living beings to supply it with vitality, so we can only block that with our barrier. If we don’t, it will gain regenerative abilities and power that surpasses the Dharma Protector’s destruction speed.”
Clearly, calling Mangnyang was the right decision. Had I not brought him along, we wouldn’t have been able to prevent the small monsters from spreading around, leading to uncontrolled growth of the tentacle creature. Moreover, Mangnyang had given us valuable insight on how to tackle the beast!
The Sword Demon pondered for a moment and asked, “How long can that barrier hold?”
“This is a battlefield barrier, and it won’t hold long under my strength. At most half a moment…”
“We need to take it down in that time!”
While I and the Sword Demon might have stronger direct combat abilities than Mangnyang, we couldn’t cast the barrier as extensively as he could. We had to figure out how to take down that monster while Mangnyang was maintaining his barrier.
Confused, I remarked, “That thing seems more difficult and powerful than the Guardian of the Moon, doesn’t it? How can that be?”
“I suspect that it started preparing for this moment the instant Zhuge Yulong and Zhuge Bu went missing. Having lost the Crystal Stele and the Nameless Ritual Book, it probably thought it would rather enhance itself into a demon to enjoy immortality before being killed.”
“Huh?”
I grasped an absurd revelation from that statement. “Wait—are you suggesting that this beast is not a summon from the alchemist, but the alchemist himself?”
“Precisely.”
“The Great Demon Sorcerer, Saint Germain, carefully modified himself for several months, resulting in such a supreme demon being spawned.”
“This is insane…!! Why would he make such a choice?”
“……”
Mangnyang shook his head. “Now isn’t the time for such thoughts. Let me think of a way to destroy the body in the spiritual realm. You need to hold out as long as possible.”
“Understood.”
Boom! Bang!
For a while after that, amidst the empty sounds of destruction and rays of light pouring down the battlefield, the Sword Demon and I swung our swords like madmen. If Mangnyang were to die or be harmed, the barrier would shatter, so we needed to protect him at all costs. While maintaining the barrier, Mangnyang was desperately racking his brain to find a way to counter the tentacle monster.
It seemed even Cheon Woo-jin, who was unleashing overwhelming power to overwhelm the tentacle monsters, sensed something strange. Han Baek-ryeong rushed over to us and said, “Why doesn’t it want to die?”
“That’s…”
I explained the situation to Han Baek-ryeong. She appeared incredulous. “This truly is a ridiculous fight.”
“But this is reality.”
“Hmm…”
Han Baek-ryeong furrowed her brow and said, “As I mentioned, I’ll hold out until that barrier is broken. But fighting beyond that would be foolish, so we’ll need to consider other options once the barrier collapses.”
“What do you mean…”
“I’m not going to waste time battling an immortal monster for thousands of years. Consider the option of abandoning Luoyang.”
“……!!”
Before I could respond, she flew back into the sky to launch another attack on the monster. I couldn’t help but realize that Han Baek-ryeong’s suggestion might also be the more rational choice. As Mangnyang was brainstorming ways to tackle the monster, what if there was simply no solution? In that case, abandoning the fight to seal or contain the creature might be the best course of action.
‘Damn it, but then Zhuge Sa… but…’
If the Demon Sorcerer Zhuge Sa were around, he might find a way out. But right now, Zhuge Sa was in the middle of a ceremony with the Nameless Ritual Book, and we couldn’t risk contact. One misstep could lead to catastrophic consequences; I couldn’t gamble at this point.
As I continued to contemplate, I turned to Mangnyang and said, “Mangnyang. I’m going to cast the Evil God’s spell on that thing.”
I had already confirmed that invoking the powers of the Evil God could break through the opponent’s magical defenses, as it had worked on the Apostle Daji. There was a high chance that this beast’s spiritual body would be destroyed as well.
“No!”
Mangnyang was horrified. “That spell can only be used once in your life, and it’s effective against beings of the Apostle level. Using it here would be such a waste! You could find something of greater value than a treasure across the world.”
“But if we really have no choice…”
“Wait! There’s definitely a way! Let’s consider that as a last resort.”
“Alright…”
Just as I felt a sense of frustration and grabbed both my treasures, the Fire Dragon Sword and the Fire Spirit, a sudden change grasped my heart.
Thud!
“Huh!”
My heart began to race powerfully, and I could feel a lava-like blood coursing through me. The intense energy of extreme yin was leaping wildly within me. While I was bewildered by the sudden transformation, my vision shifted, and I found myself in a strange mental realm.
A hellish landscape filled with hot springs and flowing lava!
On the opposite side of that land, I could see some presence. It was clad in ancient robes, holding the Fire Dragon Sword in one hand. Its absolute beauty, painted like a picture, gazed at me with a cold stare.
[Chosen one of the Apostle. I have watched you for a long time.]
The being pointed the Fire Dragon Sword at me and continued, [I must make a decision. I need to assess if you can fight for justice. However, no matter how I think about it, you are neither good nor evil—rather something closer to chaos… I couldn’t hastily grant you power until now.]
I asked in a hopeful tone, [Are you the Fire Dragon Incarnate?]
[Correct.]
Her eyes glittered as she answered, [I am the Incarnate of the Hawk Dragon, the Great Immortal of the Celestial Realm, the Fire Dragon Incarnate!]
[……!!]
Kugugugugu…
In the next moment, the human form vanished, and dozens of massive fire dragons appeared before me. The dragon scales writhed, showcasing a tremendous strength. Seeing a real dragon for the first time, I couldn’t help but gawk in awe. The fire dragon let out a breath of flame and spoke.
[That monster is a crisis for the human realm. Therefore, I, the Fire Dragon Incarnate, acknowledge you as my beneficiary and will bind our fates. I will remain with you for eternity. The Apostle Baek Woong, harness my power to overcome this crisis!]
Pwaah!
The fire dragon transformed into sparkles of light that soon found their way into my hands, grasping the Fire Dragon Sword. I snapped back to reality.
This is…
As I returned from the mental world, I felt a significant change in the two treasures I held—the Fire Dragon Sword and Fire Spirit. Until now, I had been forcing my grip on them, feeling only a faint warmth, but now, I sensed only a chilling cold on the handles. Moreover, the communication with the Fire Dragon Sword and Fire Spirit vanished, and an immense wave of heat swirled into my body, concentrating into the sword.
The Fire Dragon Incarnate possessed my mind, speaking to me.
[Apostle Baek Woong, surrender your body to me! I will show you how to wield the Fire Dragon Sword.]
I thought that would be the right approach. This could be an opportunity to see the true power of the Fire Dragon Incarnate. Yet hesitation crept in, so I stammered out.
[Umm, wait a minute.]
[What is it?]
[Well, if I’m the Apostle of Jeon Wook… doesn’t that make me superior to the Fire Dragon Incarnate? So why do you keep…]
[Are you complaining about speaking casually?]
When I nodded, the Fire Dragon Incarnate confidently stated, [I am the divine being blessed by the Sovereign of the Three Sovereigns. Even if you are an Apostle, you are still just a mortal, so I have no obligation to lower myself to you!]
[……]
Feeling like a fool, I embraced the Fire Dragon Incarnate’s will.
What was I even expecting…
