923——————==

True Martial Home

I was taken aback by those words.

‘Dalma?!’

When it comes to Dalma, isn’t he the founder of the White Lotus Sect and the most powerful Demon Sorcerer who created the Dharma Texts in the past? Moreover, I had heard stories from the prophet that Dalma used the Four Great Spirit Deities to maintain the rituals of the Dharma. My mind raced.

‘Dalma… Could he be the guide? A clue to obtain the Four Great Spirit Deities? If not…’

He might possess all the Four Great Spirit Deities!

My heart pounded. What an unexpected opportunity to possibly find the Four Great Spirit Deities! But at the same time, a chilling thought crept into my mind.

‘If Dalma has the Four Great Spirit Deities… Can I even take them from him?’

The true power of the Four Great Spirit Deities remains unknown. From what I had seen in Yeodong-bin’s memories, they could transform a human into a manifestation of the natural spirit itself, allowing powers beyond that of the Heavenly Spirit Pill, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Besides, I would be standing against Dalma, the strongest Demon Sorcerer capable of performing a Demon Ritual that could shock all the Old Rulers. Could I fight him now and seize the Four Great Spirit Deities?

“……”

No way.

That’s impossible.

From what I heard about Dalma’s power from the prophet, even a hundred people charging at him wouldn’t stand a chance. He would undoubtedly surpass the Demon King. That’s just the baseline; maybe according to my previous standards of power, it couldn’t even be measured.

That said, I couldn’t just call upon the Giant God and ask him to take down Dalma. Nothing is certain yet. Even if I could physically defeat Dalma, what if he was the guide holding critical clues?

‘Anyway, charging in recklessly would be foolish.’

As my mind cooled down, it became clear what I had to do. I carefully used Stealth Technique to eliminate any aura and hide, and instead of continuing inside, I utilized the Fire Eye Golden Spirit’s foresight ability to assess the situation within.

‘First, let’s hide my identity and find out what’s happening inside.’

The dark path created by the Primordial Void leads directly into the inner sanctum, but I couldn’t confirm its destination right now.

Ohhh

The situation inside had progressed. The being known as Dalma, draped in a cloak, bowed his head to So Yeon, who claimed to be the Emperor, and spoke.

[Greetings.]

“……”

So Yeon seemed briefly perplexed, then burst into laughter.

“Ha! Just as I heard! They say you speak the tongue of a monster, not a human. Yet you don’t show deference to me, the Emperor… I wonder how you dare act that way.”

To this, Dalma replied.

[After you see what I will show you, you will realize that human laws do not apply to me.]

“Hmm? I don’t understand what you mean… But you definitely have a unique charm. Still, do take a seat.”

So Yeon dismissed Dalma’s oddity and sat in the chair of the audience chamber, and Dalma followed suit. A moment later, as Sibi brought tea, a silence hung between them, stirring unease in my heart as I watched.

‘… Alien language.’

No doubt about it.

What Dalma just spoke in place of human language was unmistakably an alien tongue, or what they call a chaotic language. It was one of the many spoken by the various Otherworldly Races dwelling in darkness in this world. Having encountered countless beings using such language throughout my adventures, I was well aware of it. Chaotic languages differed entirely from human phonetics, containing sounds humans couldn’t produce, which rendered humans utterly incapable of speaking it.

If that’s the case…

Has Dalma already become a being of the alien kind, like the Master of the White Lotus Sect?

But since he’s surrounded by his cloak and I can’t directly gaze upon him with the Fire Eye Golden Spirit, I couldn’t discern his essence.

‘I’ll have to keep watching…’

The first to speak among the two was Emperor So Yeon.

“… They say you possess wondrous divine abilities, able to resurrect the dead, turn rivers into wine, make the cripple walk, and enrich the fields. Is that true?”

Dalma paused for a moment before responding.

[It is true.]

“How is it you can wield such power? In my Liang Empire, where many talented individuals and adept practitioners reside, none can perform miracles like you. The best they can do is read fortunes and soothe hearts… How do you…”

As Emperor So Yeon gazed at him in wonder, Dalma slowly spoke.

[What is your wish?]

“Ha! Do you really intend to grant it if I say it?”

[By summoning me to the palace, I intend to grant one wish. Speak your desired wish.]

“……”

Dalma had been exceedingly rude to the Emperor since earlier, but So Yeon seemed entranced, hanging onto his words. The mystical energy radiating from Dalma appeared to create this atmosphere naturally. After a brief moment of thought, So Yeon spoke.

“… I wish to eradicate the Northern and Eastern Warlords… All the petty kingdoms thriving in this chaotic era, and to unify China.”

[……]

“Ha! So it’s as I expected. No matter your divine power, a wish like this…”

[Your wish is too trivial.]

“What?!”

So Yeon was shocked, and Dalma continued.

[If you unify the continent…? You may experience fleeting joy from the satisfaction of unifying the world. After you age and close your eyes in the twilight of your life then… What wish will you make then?]

“… I would ask for immortality.”

[Let’s assume I would grant your wish for immortality. Immortality must have its limits in this world, and sooner or later, as per the principle of growth and decline, it will fade away. When that time comes, what wish will you make?]

“How could I wish for anything? That would mean I have experienced everything this world has to offer, with no lingering attachments.”

[After you die… If the final stage of life and death is truly the purity of nothingness, then yes. But what if, after dying, endless eons of suffering await you… What then?]

“……”

It seemed the Emperor had lost his words. Then, in a trembling voice, he asked.

“What kind of world do you see?”

[The world you have never seen. The world of darkness…]

“Are you suggesting your divine abilities were also acquired in the darkness?”

[There’s no need to overshare. You, Emperor, seem to have nearly believed my words already.]

“Umm… What is it that you desire?”

Then Dalma replied.

[What I want are two things. First, prohibit the consumption of meat by the Forbidden Monks. Second, acknowledge the White Lotus Sect as the only human religion.]

“… That isn’t too difficult. But if I grant these two conditions, does that mean you will grant my wish as well?”

[A promise is a promise.]

“Ha! Just saying it makes me feel better. You wouldn’t actually…”

So Yeon chuckled, brushing off Dalma’s words. He seemed to think that what Dalma called a ‘wish’ was mere talk and appeared willing to grant his request. This indicated that So Yeon held a certain favor towards Dalma but didn’t really believe in his divine power. However, he had been internally overwhelmed by Dalma and perhaps held some trusting belief in his words.

But in the next moment –

Whoooosh!!

Suddenly, the surrounding scenery shifted. So Yeon cried out in panic.

“Ahhh?! The Imperial Guard!!”

He called for the guard, but they didn’t come. Instead, Dalma reached out to Emperor So Yeon amidst the chaos descending upon the palace.

[Watch closely… This is the truth of the world… The despair that only I have realized in this world…]

Boom

Light burst forth. I felt the memory apparition summoned by Dalma vividly reveal itself to me at the same moment.

In the primordial world – there was nothing, only emptiness. With order and chaos tangled together, the essence of the world was born. Within that, chaos gained the upper hand, tuning the world with change and disorder, creating a myriad of living beings. Chaos expanded endlessly, growing strong and enveloping the world, while within the infinite universe, countless civilizations and lives experienced birth and demise.

Then, the great chaos rampaged and mercilessly tormented mortals. They had no reason to be strong, yet they were stronger than any other entities, and they were called the Old Rulers. The rulers reveled in cruelty, enjoying their feast while toying with all sentient beings until the day the universe would meet its end.

And the world meets its annihilation.

By the will of the Great Father.

It disappears.

“……”

Emperor So Yeon stared vacantly at the beginning and end of the universe. He looked as if he had half-lost his mind, the light gone from his eyes.

‘Hmm. Dalma seems to know the truth of the world… I thought as much.’

I watched it all with indifference since I already knew these things, yet for an ordinary human like him, it was truly shocking realizations.

Dalma spoke.

[Even in this world, dark races and deities have infiltrated, mocking our destinies since before human birth. Not a single god looks over humanity, and the great and wise Ancient Gods have withdrawn from this world since the powers of order were far too weak. They would only think to employ their powers in the next Great Cycle.]

“Ha, huff… huff….”

He murmured in lament.

[The biggest problem is… the only credible power the humans trust is the Demon Path. If a deity existing to bless humanity had even the slightest leeway… a moment of time, I would not have had to make such extreme choices. If only humans had even the minimum instinct to protect themselves… Heh. In the end, that too is part of my fate.]

“What… what are you… saying…”

[Let me put it simply, Emperor. All the power I wield is from the powers of the Demon Path. I contracted with as many Rulers as possible to obtain this level of strength.]

Bang

Dalma clenched his fist tightly and continued.

[At this level, I could destroy the entire human civilization of this world in the time it takes to take three breaths. The opposite is also possible.]

“……!!”

[In my eyes, such wishes as yours seem exceedingly trivial.]

Emperor So Yeon suddenly screamed, collapsing to the ground.

“Ahhh!! This can’t be real!!”

[Do you wish to go mad? That would be expected. You ought to be, but you cannot afford to lose your sanity as you are of use to me. Maintain your clarity and accept this reality.]

“……!!”

It seems Dalma had used some form of spell to stabilize So Yeon’s mental capacity. Dalma spoke slowly.

[Ensure you fulfill the demands I made earlier… and if you promise to grant one more request, I will ensure your soul is saved.]

“What… what do you mean…”

[You will soon unify the entirety of this land through the power I grant you. You will expand your influence as much as you desire, overpowering the world. Once you dominate the world -]

Dalma’s finger gently touched Emperor So Yeon’s chin.

[Offer up one hundred million living sacrifices to the White Lotus Sect… Do you understand?]

“……”

After a moment, Emperor So Yeon nodded with trembling eyes.

“I will do so…”

[You thought well.]

Swoosh

As soon as Dalma finished that sentence, he seemed to activate some strange technique intending to vanish from the spot. It looked reminiscent of the magic used by Simon Magus, as if scattering like sand.

I was pondering whether to strike Dalma now or not.

‘Damn it! Should I attack now? Or continue to observe until the end…’

If I strike now, I might get at least a hint to follow. But if I’m not careful, I could just trigger his wariness, leading to my own demise. As I contemplated my next move, I made up my mind and gritted my teeth.

Boom!!

One Slash!!

I covered my entire body with Spirit Power and charged out, pouring all my life’s energy into beheading Dalma. My thrust infused with Thunder Sword was lethal enough that even the Golden Crow Island’s elite wouldn’t be able to evade it if they underestimated me, especially not now that I was channeling my full concentration. I was confident even Yeodong-bin couldn’t easily withstand this strike.

‘I have no choice but to kill him!!’

I lacked a rational reason for making this decision, but the instinct of a Reborn Person flashed through me, warning that missing this opportunity would be akin to closing the stable door after the horse has bolted.

In that instant, my sword connected with Dalma’s neck. And I drew back to finish the cut.

Swish!!

‘I did it!!… or not?!’

Was that an illusion!?

I thought I had beheaded Dalma, but it seemed only an illusion. I hastily looked around, confirming that the dark path of the Primordial Void extended toward Dalma. However, that path abruptly changed direction, seemingly leading somewhere else, implying his true self was elsewhere.

At the same time, I could hear Dalma’s ominous alien language echoing in my ear.

[Are you my singularity?]