980——————==

Soul of the Evil God

Uwoo!!

So, I brought my allies back to the Imperial Palace. After settling Great Monk Seo San and Yu Jeong in the Inner Palace, I called the Zhuge clan to inform them about Krishna’s whereabouts. Zhuge Bu listened thoughtfully before he spoke.

“The mad emperor of the Arasa Empire is currently undergoing theosis and has been remodeled by an evil being. That being is likely to be one of the Eight Parts of the Divine, with the Celestial being being the possible mastermind behind it.”

“Uh-huh.”

“In other words, Krishna may have some connection with the Celestial of the Eight Parts of the Divine, or he might be off negotiating something with that being.”

It was a keen analysis. Following Zhuge Bu, Mangnyang added:

“Then we need to be cautious. If Krishna turns against us along with the Celestial and starts a battle, even if the Heavenly Spirit Pill has many holders, we could be in danger. The Celestial is the strongest sorcerer among the Eight Parts of the Divine, and they might be able to craft a trap that could wipe us out.”

“Hmm!”

“If, by chance, we find ourselves in a situation where the White Lotus Sect’s Master and the Dharma Guardians are annihilated by the Eight Parts of the Divine, it would be better for you to consider suicide and start over.”

“But we can’t avoid encountering Krishna, who is the variable in this situation, can we? Plus, we have no guarantee that Krishna is on the side of the Celestial.”

“That’s true. So let’s employ the safest method.”

“The safest method?”

Zhuge Yulong suddenly spoke up.

“I have the link to the Eight Parts of the Divine. I’ll contact them and express my desire to meet Krishna.”

“…!! Isn’t that dangerous?”

I was aware that Zhuge Yulong still maintained his alliance with the Eight Parts of the Divine, but that was from our standpoint; the possibility of him being regarded as a traitor by them was very high. Since we had yet to make contact, I couldn’t read their thoughts, and stepping into communication carelessly could get us caught in a double trap.

“Recently, the Yacha from the Eight Parts of the Divine has been reaching out to me.”

“That guy is still alive?”

Zhuge Yulong nodded.

“The Yacha wants me to act as a double agent in the Imperial Palace, and I accepted that request.”

“…A double agent.”

“The Eight Parts of the Divine are already watching us. However, as long as I act as a double agent, they won’t march straight to war and will act cautiously. I plan to use that position to arrange a meeting with Krishna.”

I frowned.

“That’s like asking the Eight Parts of the Divine to dig a pitfall in the capital of Arasa, right? If I were them, I’d use that opportunity to set a trap for sure. That would be pointless.”

“If you know there’s a trap, it’s simple to counter it. And I will adjust accordingly as a double agent, so you won’t incur any losses.”

“Hmm, got it. I’ll leave it to you.”

I felt like luck was on my side.

By having Zhuge Yulong as our ally, I could use him as a mediator, managing to avoid major conflicts even if we diverge from the Eight Parts of the Divine. Originally, Zhuge Yulong was supposed to become their pawn and push me into a corner, which would have been a major hassle; now that he was helping us, I felt significantly relieved.

Zhuge Yulong continued.

“Now that we’ve secured a connection with the Moon Sovereign, what’s next…”

“Should we go free the Fire Spirit? That way, we’ll have the Moon Spirit, Fire Spirit, and Water Spirit all in our hands.”

“No. If we do that, we’ll surely attract intense scrutiny from the Celestial Realm. Two members of the Seven Luminaries are more than enough to contend with the Rule of the Jin.”

“Hmm.”

“We have matters to attend to right here in Luoyang.”

I headed to the underground area of the Shangwan family in Luoyang. I immediately applied the Palace Examination Technique to draw out the Fire Dragon Sword, awakening the spirit of the Fire Dragon Incarnate through Yeodong-bin, with Zhuge Sa, Great Monk Seo San, and Yu Jeong’s help to swiftly re-seal it.

Once that task was completed, I held the Fire Dragon Sword in my hand. However, with its seal having been used for centuries, it had become weakened and could not be wielded effectively. To use it properly, I needed to break the seal placed on the Guardian, Konggong, and absorb some fire energy along with it to achieve a twofold benefit.

Doing so would allow the Fire Dragon Sword to gain its maximum power.

‘However, it’s too premature to free the Fire Spirit right now.’

Doing that would mean directly clashing with the Celestial Realm, and I knew their strength would surge as the stakes heightened. I needed to control the pace; for now, it would be best to simply obtain the Fire Dragon Sword and handle the rest calmly. Though weakened, the Fire Dragon Sword was still one of the top-tier treasures and a significant power boost.

Upon returning to the Imperial Palace, Zhuge Yulong said:

“The response from the Yacha has returned.”

“What does it say?”

“The Yacha said it doesn’t understand what ‘Krishna’ means…”

…Huh?

I was taken aback.

“Could it be that it noticed you turned against them and is hiding information?”

“No… That’s not it. Instead, it asked me if Krishna is really in the Arasa Empire.”

“Are you saying that the Yacha knows Krishna to some extent?”

“That would seem to be the case. After all, that man is a friend of Asura.”

I recalled past memories at Zhuge Yulong’s words.

[Is it the mercy of a warrior?]

[I didn’t win with my own strength. You should at least have the chance to say your final words to me.]

[Kuuk… My name as a human is Pasun, the ruler of the Tianzhu Martial Arts… If you return from Dark Heaven Village, please let my friend Krishna know that I have died… I beg you.]

[Who is Krishna?]

[The protector of Tianzhu… at the temple in Gujarat…]

[Okay.]

Oh right…

“…..”

As I fell silent, Zhuge Sa, who had been watching, grinned.

“This trash… Asura asked you to convey his final words to Krishna, but you forgot to do it.”

“Ah, no, it’s just that I spaced out! I didn’t intentionally omit it or anything… Just how many things happened in that life that I could remember them all…”

Zhuge Sa chuckled at my flustered defense.

“Well, it doesn’t matter. Wasn’t he the guy who came to assassinate you under Changhi’s orders? It’d still be more absurd to hear the final words of an enemy you fought to the death. At least we’re lucky to have obtained some clues about Krishna.”

“You said he’s Asura’s friend, right?”

“Yes. The ‘friend’ Krishna mentioned to Jin So-cheong is most likely Asura. From that statement, one could infer that Asura is in a precarious mental state, having lost its lord and is on the verge of mass slaughter.”

“But that’s a bit strange.”

I crossed my arms and said.

“At this point, if Changhi has disappeared, Asura will likely be hired as a mercenary by the forces of the Western Emperor Peng Zuo, invading from the East years later. They don’t give off the vibe of being on the verge of mass slaughter.”

“Krishna hasn’t interfered in previous lives before. Doesn’t it ring a bell?”

“What do you mean?”

“It means there’s been another variable that twisted your early reincarnation. Although this life appears to be similar to the last in many ways, it’s different.”

“……”

“The reason is likely because you became the emperor and unified the White Lotus Sect and the Imperial Palace… or perhaps the Four Great Spirit Deities had something to do with it.”

Zhuge Sa continued.

“Anyway, getting back to the main point, it seems that Krishna is not allied with the Eight Parts of the Divine.”

“Hmm. I guess it was wise not to charge in immediately.”

“Baek Woong. For now, we need to assess the situation, so join up with the contingent of the Eastern Orthodox Church near the capital of Arasa. And awaken the Black Dragon.”

“The Black Dragon?”

“You can receive compensation from Merlin again, or feel free to handle it however you like. Just take what you can while you can.”

“I got it.”

Paat!

I followed Zhuge Sa’s strategy and headed to the coalition of the Eastern Orthodox Church, which was stationed to subdue the mad emperor near the Arasa capital. There, I furiously infused my Spirit Power to awaken the Black Dragon, trapped in ice.

Kugugugu.

Just like before, two types of voices echoed in my head simultaneously.

[Stop! Do not unleash calamity upon the world!]

[Hoo… Hoo… Are you trying to set me free?]

[What do you desire? Whatever it is, as the royal sorcerer and the restorer of the Holy Sword, I shall grant it! Stop the release of my seal.]

[Keep going… If you free me, I shall impale your enemy on a bloodied stake.]

I was aware that the one demanding to stop was Merlin, while the one wanting to be freed was the Black Dragon, Count Dracula.

‘I’ve had the chance to choose both options before…’

It seemed impossible to pick a fresh choice. Naturally, it would be better to stick with Merlin’s recommendation and keep him sealed since Dracula was basically a fiery, temperamental creature that would only end up wanting to fight me. Previously, I had used the Soul Exchange Technique’s secret, the Soul Shift, to ensnare the dragon’s soul, which I had used as a precious treasure and offering.

Honestly, I found it tough to choose between Merlin or Dracula. Both options felt quite similar.

‘…Let’s go with Dracula this time.’

Something about Merlin just rubs me the wrong way.

Ignoring both of their requests, I infused my power and broke Dracula’s seal, and soon, the mighty dragon erupted with laughter.

[Khah hah hah! You’re freeing me.]

This time, I wouldn’t trouble myself with contracts. I coldly smirked as I shattered the seal, and Count Dracula was freed without any constraints or the effects of the Soul Exchange Technique.

Kwah-king!!

Once the Black Dragon Count Dracula was released from the ice, he landed atop a mountain and looked down at me as he spoke.

[I’ll spare your life in exchange for your assistance. Now, leave me be.]

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

[Don’t you understand? Hmph… You’re a pitiful one…]

“Starting now, you’ll be the one begging for your life.”

[What…? Kkhhh, you’re throwing away your own chance!]

Kwahhh!

The Black Dragon flapped his massive wings and lunged at me. But at that moment, I utilized the Thunder Sword technique of the Absolute Realm and severed one of his wings.

Skaak!!

[Urrrgh!! Is this the renowned martial art of the East?! But is that all you’ve got!!]

Chuwakk!

Count Dracula instantly regenerated his wing from his shoulder, showcasing regeneration skills that matched his reputation as a top-tier demon beast. He then began to chant his wicked spell, preparing to attack me once again.

Bboom!!

[Kwaaagh.]

I charged at him at tremendous speed and landed a kick to his belly, causing him to scream as he was propelled backward. Although he looked like he took the hit, the dragon regained his composure, and with a realization dawning on him, he frantically flapped his wings and soared into the sky. I leaped after him and continued my assault.

Kuakwaqwaang!

Boom!

After frantically attacking him for roughly two hundred seconds, Count Dracula was battered and worn out. Despite possessing an unmatched scale durability and regeneration ability, he couldn’t withstand my relentless assault. As I reached for another punch to strike, Dracula suddenly cried out.

[Wait!!]

When I hesitated at his plea, Dracula disclosed,

[You’re… not human, are you… you possess terrifying strength! What do you desire?]

“My wish…?”

[Exactly! State it, and I shall grant it.]

Upon the dragon’s proposal, I clenched my fists and declared.

“My wish is… for you to beg for your life.”

[Wait a moment…]

Pehk!

[Kakaak.]

I struck the dragon’s head, sending him crashing to the ground, then applied the Thunder God Lineage’s technique to keep pummeling. Sure, I could use the Fire Dragon Sword and end it all right away, but I couldn’t forgive this ungrateful beast since it had betrayed me before.

Poff!

Boom!!

‘This guy is way sturdier than any human…’

Even a Dharma Guardian would have dropped dead from this beating. As I kept pounding away at him, finally, Dracula roared:

[Sa-save me! Please, save me!!]

“Now that’s what I like to hear!”

I grinned widely.

“I’ll spare you, but you’ll become my subordinate!”

[Su-subordinate?]

“Exactly. It’s easy enough to simply kill you and take your soul, but I’d rather see if you can be of use as a subordinate.”

Though the dragon’s spirit was a valuable offering, such treasures could be acquired from other sources as I pleased. I deemed it necessary to assess whether this Black Dragon would be useful, so I resolved to prove the difference in power and make him my subordinate.

After I roughly explained my name, position, and situation to him, moments later the Black Dragon knelt before me and, in a tone of command, swore:

[I, Count Dracula, swear to be the subordinate of the Emperor Baek Woong until the day I die, without betrayal…]

“Great!”

I climbed onto the back of the Black Dragon and commanded,

“Fly!!”

Whoooosh!

Riding on the black dragon, I thought to myself.

‘Since I’m on a dragon, I might as well scout the capital of Arasa.’

Utilizing the Palace Examination Technique and the National Seal, I could easily pinpoint Krishna’s location while soaring through the skies nearby.