NOVEL NEXT Chapter 569
Chapter 1 – Dark Heaven Village
“That bastard!”
Even though I was merely watching through my clairvoyance, I could feel my hands itching to kill him. As I stared at the screen with murderous intent, the White Tiger slowly opened his mouth.
“Master of the White Lotus Sect, our Dharma Protectors will pour every ounce of our strength to stop you.”
Instead of getting angry, the leader of the White Lotus Sect replied with a sense of futility.
[How meaningless. Do you truly believe this will end at the level of mere mortals? The Emperor and the power of the Imperial Palace are nothing but trivial matters in the Underworld. Your devotion will ultimately be insulted and utterly meaningless.]
“……”
Suddenly, the White Tiger bared his white teeth and laughed.
“Heh heh heh!! Did you think you had aligned with us not knowing this?”
[……?]
“Khakhakhakha!!”
The White Tiger burst into a fit of mad laughter.
“Devotion… We’re not fighting for something like that. I have already obtained an immortal body and tremendous dark power. Once I win this battle, I shall enjoy glory in the eternal kingdom of immortality for a thousand years. Who would not choose this easy path?”
[You’re trash.]
The Master of the White Lotus Sect spoke to Yongbi Cheon with disgust, as if even conversing with him was repulsive.
[Guide that fool to the Yellow Springs.]
“Your Excellency!!”
Boom!
As soon as Yongbi Cheon finished speaking, he launched a direct strike, firing a Wind Bullet that was terrifyingly large, with a diameter of six feet. There was no way to dodge or block such overwhelming power in this narrow corridor. Even if one attempted to block it, the powerful winds would shred even steel.
Sure enough, where the Wind Bullet tore through, pieces of the White Tiger began to flutter and rain down. Yongbi Cheon sneered disdainfully,
“How dare the commander of the Golden Eagle Guards…”
And in that moment, just as Yongbi Cheon confidently stepped forward—
Swish!
Swish!
“Ah!”
Suddenly, dark tentacles burst forth from the White Tiger’s severed remnants. Those tentacles shot up with tremendous force and attacked Yongbi Cheon. Yongbi Cheon scoffed at the tentacles and fired another Wind Bullet in counterattack, but something strange happened at that moment.
Boom!
Whoosh!
The tentacles couldn’t withstand the air pressure and exploded, but the clumps of black goo that scattered seemed to explode as if they were living creatures, branching out bizarrely once again. It was so shocking to behold that Yongbi Cheon gasped in horror and shouted,
“What… what in the world is this?!”
Boom!
Yongbi Cheon hastily erected a massive wind wall to block the onslaught of the tentacles, but the situation was spiraling into chaos. The tentacles outside the wind wall continued to writhe and grow.
Creeeak!
With every wave, it seemed like madness was swirling around. The atmosphere was filled with the violent presence of evil spirits. A hellish realm with souls wailing was flashing like a red beacon.
The Master of the White Lotus Sect, staring at the terrifying scene and stroking his mask, murmured,
[They’re multiplying.]
“Master! What is that monster…”
[It seems they have completely fused with the descendants of the Evil God. How absurd…]
After pondering for a moment, the Master of the White Lotus Sect shockingly declared,
[Everyone retreat except the Dharma Guardians.]
“……!!”
Most in the room were aghast.
The current battle strength of the Master of the White Lotus Sect was undoubtedly stronger than that of the Great Immortal, and he was the best of the best in martial arts. Everyone had thought it unimaginable that such a power would choose to avoid conflict. However, Mangnyang seemed to understand the leader’s decision and shouted to the Bancheon Alliance members,
“Retreat swiftly! Don’t even look back!”
Boom!
The Dharma Guardians unleashed their infinite internal power, blocking the multiplication of the tentacles as the rest of the group fell back. The Master of the White Lotus Sect seemed to be watching the situation rather than joining the fray. I observed the whole scene through my clairvoyance, puzzled as I said,
“Is that White Tiger dead or what?”
“He’s transformed into a creature of darkness.”
“He used to be pretty weak…”
Yong Woo-jin glanced at me and said.
“Yeah, right now, you could easily take him down in a face-off. But he has become a being fused with demon power, so his combat prowess cannot be measured by human standards. He’s essentially become a vicious ancient demon race.”
“Did the Sect Leader order a retreat considering that?”
“Without a doubt. But I’m not certain if the Sect Leader will choose to fight or completely avoid it.”
“……”
Swish!
Swish!
The endlessly multiplying tentacles showed no sign of stopping. Surely, the Dharma Guardians were pouring their endless internal power into eliminating them, yet they seemed to regenerate as if it was all a lie. Bathing in a backseat view, the Master of the White Lotus Sect commanded the Dharma Guardians,
[Step aside. I can handle this.]
Boom!
“……!!”
Suddenly, the atmosphere around the Master of the White Lotus Sect shifted.
A horrifying power of chaos flowed from his body, seeping into the skin like a thick gray mist. This light soon began to shine brilliantly like a star and shortly after transformed into a massive whirlwind. His human form still remained, but the light bubbling up from him danced as if it were alive.
‘That’s…!!’
Woooooo!
The swirling black and white mixed chaotically, forming his blood vessels and skin. In his eyes were twisting symbols resembling a taiji. The Master of the White Lotus Sect’s body began to transform entirely into a combat form amidst this swirling darkness.
‘Fusion of chaos and primordial void!’
This was the second time I witnessed it firsthand! In the past, the leader had obliterated three Great Immortals from the Celestial Realm by assuming this form. Remembering that overwhelming sight, I couldn’t help but swallow hard.
Transformed, the Master of the White Lotus Sect roared loudly,
“Sabaha!”
At that moment, the mystical language of destruction erupted, and I suddenly felt a direct path open up ahead. Until now, even with constant attacks from the Dharma Guardians, the multiplying tentacles had only continued to grow endlessly, but they suddenly halted and writhed in pain as if set on fire.
Screech!
The Master of the White Lotus Sect didn’t stop there; he summoned thousands of transparent figures while in a merged state. Each one of these figures shimmered with the symbol of taiji, blending into the space, and soon, the chaos of the leader surged forth, releasing the figures.
Heart of Heaven’s Abundance!
Master of the Twelve Joules!
Ooooohhh!
The figures sped ahead, suddenly transforming into waves of tornado-like power. I couldn’t precisely explain it, but it felt like the very force of his words distorted space as if shifting dimensions. Realizing the might of the Master of the Twelve Joules, I had to swallow again.
‘Has he converted the power of the Primordial Spirit directly into sorcery?’
If so, the leader could unleash the supreme grand sorcery whenever he wished without needing to cast specific spells. As the wave of the Master of the Twelve Joules reverberated and spread, the once-multiplying tentacles began to vanish like burnt grass on a scorched plain.
[Truly Master!]
It was at that moment, when the Dharma Guardian Dokgo Jun was amazed.
Snap!
[Ugh.]
[Ah, Master!!]
Suddenly, dark lightning crackled, and the Master of the White Lotus Sect returned to his original state, staggering heavily. Dong Woon, supporting him, heard the leader breathe hastily and say,
[…I cannot maintain this power indefinitely.]
[Are you alright?]
[I was unable to completely eradicate the being. It will undoubtedly resurrect soon, so be prepared for an ambush.]
The atmosphere became tense. After pushing so hard, there was still a possibility of the White Tiger’s resurrection? Han Baek-ryeong, who had been silent, finally spoke to Yongbi Cheon.
“Stop hesitating and send out an illusion. Are you going to let the Master of the Twelve Joules take the lead?”
“Ugh… don’t give me orders.”
Yongbi Cheon gritted his teeth, but he had no choice but to summon his clone to send forward. The reason for sending out the clone was that even if the main body was stuck here, the clone could scout situations in other areas, and among them, the one most skilled in illusions and clones was none other than Yongbi Cheon of the Wind Spirit Sect.
Boom!
As the clone’s illusion faded into the darkness, the White Tiger awkwardly regained his human form and resurrected. He smiled that unpleasant grin and said,
“Heh heh heh… I, who could have wiped you out easily, am now holding back the Master of the White Lotus Sect and the Dharma Guardians. Isn’t the power of darkness indeed astonishing?”
Then, the Master of the White Lotus Sect, supported by Dokgo Jun, stared at him blankly,
[What impressive power. Did the Vermilion Bird make a pact with the Evil God?]
“Hehe… Why would I tell the enemy?” Ha ha ha!!
[The Master of the Twelve Joules must also be fighting someone like you right now.]
At the leader’s words, the White Tiger chuckled.
“The Black Tortoise is holding him back. And since the Black Tortoise received training comparable to mine, you lot won’t pass through here easily.”
[……]
The Master of the White Lotus Sect pondered for a moment before saying,
[How amusing to see you enjoying yourself while being used///]
“Speak as you will. You are all destined to become my tentacle’s prey. Khaha!”
Whoosh!
Once again, the White Tiger’s human form melted away, and he began to multiply into tentacles. If this continued, the exhausted upper echelon of the White Lotus Sect would fall prey to the White Tiger. But at that moment, the Master of the White Lotus Sect raised his hand dramatically.
Boom!
[Khahaahh!!]
Miraculously, this time the White Tiger was engulfed in flames and screamed! The Master of the White Lotus Sect then released himself from Dokgo Jun’s support, gazing at the tentacle mass with satisfaction.
[How foolish you are, to receive the blessing of the Evil God while being unaware of the nature and restrictions of that power… It may be a powerful blessing, but it certainly has weaknesses.]
[Haaah! Aahh!!]
The White Tiger, transformed into a gigantic tentacle, screamed as it burned fiercely. The essence of humanity seemed to have fully vanished, now just a tentacle. As the White Tiger was screaming, engulfed in hellfire, the Master of the White Lotus Sect continued,
[I infused the curse of the spirit of the Illusions when I unleashed the Master of the Twelve Joules. If you had proper demon sorcerer knowledge, you would have realized immediately and left this place to mitigate the effects of the curse. But alas, you’ve been graced with a blessing far beyond your capabilities.]
[Haaah! Save me… save me… it’s too hot…]
[In life or death, it’s still hell… You too are burning in the sins of demon sorcery.]
Flare!
No further responses were heard. The Fear Fire of the Spirit of Illusions had surely burned the White Tiger’s very soul. Although the Master of the White Lotus Sect still seemed to be recovering, he spoke calmly.
[We’ve taken down the Guardian, but now we need to remain on standby. Jun, you should contact the Bancheon Alliance. Only by joining forces can we surely defeat the Vermilion Bird.]
[Your Excellency.]
[Yongbi Cheon, report on the conditions you scouted with your clone…]
Yongbi Cheon silently bowed his head. He seemed no longer able to muster the courage to defy the Master of the White Lotus Sect’s majesty.
“Understood.”
Watching them, I realized that the current Master of the White Lotus Sect had reached his complete form. Even against the bizarre regeneration abilities of demon creatures, his calm judgment and latent potential undoubtedly surpassed that of the Great Immortal and had now crossed into the realm of the Apostle.
Moreover, the leader possessed an exceptional wealth of demon sorcery knowledge. Knowing the curse bestowed upon him by the ancient ruler ‘Wong Yeon’ was not something one could learn with mere reading. He must have spent decades diving deep into demon books, accumulating vast knowledge.
At that moment, Yong Woo-jin spoke.
“I’ve found the standoff situation with the Twelve Joules.”
“Show me!”
Boom!
The clairvoyant image displayed the scene where the Master of the Twelve Joules and the Black Tortoise were locked in confrontation.
Unexpectedly, a sight lay before us.
“A descendant of the Evil God? What a surprise.”
The Master of the Twelve Joules grumbled. Then one of the clan members beside him laughed mockingly.
“Why the long face after catching it so easily?”
“Well, I just wrapped it up after Musashi did most of the work, so it feels a bit off, you know.”
“That thing’s meant to destroy a whole nation, and you’re still being greedy.”
“I’ve always been greedy.”
Hahaha!
The clan members laughed. Even though they were all cloaked in dark robes, their ability to laugh in such dire circumstances indicated that each one of them was a phenomenal powerhouse. Moreover, the fact that the Guardian faced the Black Tortoise suggests that they somehow bypassed the Vermilion Bird’s Qimen Formation!
‘That clan member represents the true elite of the Twelve Joules’
It struck me that I might have to clash with them in the future.
The Master of the Twelve Joules scratched the head of his puppy-shaped companion.
“If it weren’t for the Cosmic Fragment, I would’ve struggled too.”
The Black Tortoise, once a fellow Duke of Guanzhong, was now frozen solid.
The entire mass of tentacles had turned into a massive block of ice, clearly formed by the natural element, capturing the entirety of the chaos within. Hearing the Master of the Twelve Joules, one member from the clan said,
“So you were scared and brought out the Demon Beast to back you up?”
Absolutely, the Master of the Twelve Joules’ canine companion was clad in demonic armor, unlike its original form. The luminous silver armor particularly hugged its limbs snugly, something I had never seen before. The Master of the Twelve Joules, irritated by the comment, retorted,
“Stop messing with me, Hong Gil-Dong. Just because you’re a bit stronger doesn’t mean you can speak to the Master of the Twelve Joules like that…”
The one called Hong Gil-Dong replied nonchalantly,
“Admit it, you were scared.”
“… Yeah, I was scared.”
“Ho ho!”
“What’s so funny?”
The disgruntled Master of the Twelve Joules continued,
“A descendant of the Evil God? That doesn’t make any sense. It’s an extraordinary ancient race, and merging such a thing with a human… why aren’t the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors doing anything about this?”
At that moment, one of the Three Masters spoke up.
“Master, someone appears to be spying on us through clairvoyance. We’ve faintly captured it through our detection barrier.”
Startled, the Master of the Twelve Joules gasped.
“Really? I was so caught up in the battle I had no idea. Thanks!”
“Shall we block it?”
“Hmm. If they’re capable enough to breach the barrier, it’s safe to assume their sorcerer skills are quite formidable. Let’s see… It might be that Illusory God Cheon Woo-jin, Abe no Seimei, or even a wandering Jew.”
Muttering something, the Master of the Twelve Joules suddenly shouted into the void,
“Don’t just watch; help out! If you don’t help, there won’t be any soup left!”
Of course, there was no reason for either me or Yong Woo-jin to respond to that. Moments later, the barrier of the Three Masters seemed to strengthen, and Clairvoyance was suddenly cut off.
Boom!
As the clairvoyance severed, Yong Woo-jin took a moment to catch his breath before stepping back and said,
“As expected… the two great powers of the human realm are impressive. The Three Masters’ barrier is no joke either.”
“……”
I too sat there in a daze.
Both the Master of the White Lotus Sect and the Master of the Twelve Joules were truly monsters. Having obliterated the White Tiger and Black Tortoise, strengthened by the powers of demon creatures, could be called a calamity. If our Bancheon Alliance were to face them alone, we might’ve been completely wiped out. There was evidently a substantial gap in power.
Yong Woo-jin glanced at me and said,
“Do you think you’ll ever be able to combat such monsters equally?”
“Damn it. What’s the point of thinking about it now?”
I shook my head.
“Reconnect Clairvoyance. We need to find the right moment to enter.”
“Understood.”
Now was not the time to dwell on the gap between us and them. Instead, I needed to focus on living this life to the fullest while I could!