NOVEL NEXT Chapter 570
Chapter 570 – Dark Heaven Village
After the Bancheon Alliance joined forces with the White Lotus Sect, Mangnyang used sorcery right on the spot to gather tentacle fragments into a tiny vial. It seemed he felt a need to study the tentacles. Slowly, the group began advancing when suddenly, Yongbicheon shouted.
“Whoa!”
He froze, then stiffly turned to face the Sect Leader. The Sect Leader nodded slightly, as if he had heard the preceding transmission, and spoke.
[ Up ahead is the Demon Domain. ]
Mangnyang responded to this.
“Are you saying that a realm tainted by evil is summoned here in its entirety?”
[ You understand quite well… ]
“Without resistance against demonic energy, we won’t be able to move forward.”
[ Indeed… You would either fall to the wicked power of the [Old Ruler] or undergo a transformation. ]
Mangnyang looked around and spoke.
“Our Bancheon Alliance has contingency plans.”
[ What kind of contingency plans? ]
“We plan to enhance our resistance to demonic energy with sorcery and create a barrier. This way, we can prevent power depletion while fighting inside.”
[ Excellent… With your skills, I assume you can cast spells for our side as well? ]
Hearing this, Mangnyang carefully surveyed the members of the White Lotus Sect. Then he responded.
“Perhaps it’s best to just send the Elder Council back.”
At that, Ilro and Samro from the Elder Council displayed clear displeasure. Ilro was a Peak Master, having mastered Half-Transition, and Samro was equally formidable.
“Who does a rookie think they are…?”
“Evil is not something that can be recklessly challenged with the martial arts we have honed. The members of our Bancheon Alliance are ready to move in a unified manner according to my orders, but aren’t the members of the Elder Council different? We ordinary humans must follow the path of sorcery to avoid corruption.”
“……”
“If you can follow my orders, I will cast spells for you.”
“Ugh!”
It seemed Ilro thought Mangnyang’s words were nonsense, as ominous energy gathered in his left palm. Normally, his personality would have led him to attack and kill Mangnyang right then and there. But the next words from the White Lotus Sect Leader were harsh.
[ That is quite a reasonable thought. ]
“Sect Leader!!”
[ The Elder Council will return to the main sect immediately. Is it possible to break through the Great Army? ]
“… We can do it. Please protect your health…”
The masters of the Elder Council had no choice but to escape the labyrinth. Once the Absolute Formation was disrupted, they would no longer be able to use it, so they could exit, but the task of breaking through the encirclement of 450,000 soldiers remained. However, given that each of them was a Peak Master, it wouldn’t be too difficult.
The White Lotus Sect Leader crossed his arms and looked at Mangnyang.
[ Leader of Bancheon Alliance… You seem to be quite knowledgeable about sorcery and magic. Which sorcerer did you learn from? ]
“I’m sorry, but I cannot disclose that information.”
[ You pointed out the weak mental resistance of the Elder Council, but you didn’t mention anything regarding our Su Shin Sect masters… What do you know? ]
Of course, Mangnyang was already aware that the masters of the White Lotus Sect had negotiated with the Sea God’s clan to accept demonic energy into their bodies. However, he skillfully dodged the question.
“Hmmm… What are you saying? It seems you, Sect Leader, are also quite accustomed to the Demon Path.”
[ The same could be said for the Vermilion Bird… ]
Subtly changing the subject, the White Lotus Sect Leader continued.
[ A hundred steps ahead, you will encounter the swirling madness of the Demon Domain. Those consumed by madness must be killed, so remember this. The words of the fallen will be extremely miserable, and ending their lives is an act of kindness. ]
A chilling atmosphere followed the Sect Leader’s words.
What kind of hell lay ahead?
Grrrrrrrrr
About fifty steps further, the ground ahead glowed a dreadful crimson. However, that red hue resembled blood far more than flames. Mangnyang, sensing something, immediately cast sorcery on his companions.
“Odo Iliguanji!!”
A blue light enveloped his allies. The Sword Demon, standing nearby, excitedly remarked.
“I just zoned out, but now my mind feels clear.”
“Be cautious. The warnings from Sect Leader Baek Ryun are not to be taken lightly. This is a place that fully summons the dominion of the [Old Ruler], surrounded by wicked energy.”
“Seems like it…”
“You can only last half a moment in here. After that, my sorcery will no longer hold up, so we must escape at once.”
“Understood.”
Step by step.
Step by step.
“……!!”
Boom!
Finally, as everyone stepped into the Demon Domain, the surroundings transformed into a horrifying blood-red. The ground felt as if something alive was writhing, and veins and bloody tissue throbbed ominously. And the protruding eyes scattered around stared wide open, exuding sheer terror.
The floor and ceiling seemed alive. You could feel the pulsing as blood coursed through veins.
As he surveyed the ghastly sight, Gukho remarked.
“It looks like human intestines.”
Indeed.
This location wasn’t natural; it felt as though they were stepping into the innards of a colossal creature. The eerie sensation of walking on top of pulsing veins brought a sense of unease to everyone. The White Lotus Sect Leader looked into this place and murmured.
[ The Blood Shadow Flower is blooming… ]
Where the Sect Leader’s gaze fell was a massive flower adorned with horrific human faces and writhing tentacles. Whether to call it a flower was questionable, but after spotting the Blood Shadow Flower, the Sect Leader warned his allies.
[ Heighten your senses and remain vigilant about your surroundings. Especially stay away from the Blood Shadow Flower; being attacked by it could be dangerous. ]
“What is that?”
[ A weed that blooms in the Master’s garden, but one that particularly enjoys human flesh. ]
“We should be cautious…”
To relish humans probably meant to feast on their flesh as delicacies. Then Gukho muttered to himself.
“There’s one of those every twenty steps, huh…”
Just as Gukho said, there were quite a few Blood Shadow Flowers, those suspicious eyes, and veins. If each of those were traps, overcoming them would be nearly impossible for a typical expert. The Sword Demon chuckled at Gukho’s comment.
“Gukho, stop whining. You’ve got the skills to handle that, don’t you?”
“Well, I suppose.”
“Try breaking through first as a test.”
“Ugh.”
After being egged on by the Sword Demon, Gukho had no choice but to cast a secret technique.
Soul Removal Technique
Heavenlight
Flash!
“……!!”
Everyone was astonished. In that instant, a brilliant flash spread out, and Gukho instantly dashed past a hundred paces without a single error! It was truly a lightning-fast divine technique, and the Blood Shadow Flower, caught in the trajectory of Heavenlight, reacted too late and exploded, but it was already too late. Gukho landed lightly on the opposite side and shouted.
“Something’s off! Watch your breathing!”
At those words, Yongbicheon extended his hands to control the air currents.
Whoooosh!
With Yongbicheon’s wind power, the entire atmosphere was sucked in, creating a temporary vacuum. Then, when Yongbicheon thrust the air spear into the gut-like ceiling, clumps of blood bursts forth.
Splurt!
[ Breathing in will root spores in human intestines. As I’ve heard, the Blood Shadow Flower is an extremely dangerous creature… ]
The White Lotus Sect Leader muttered, gathering the power of the Primordial Spirit to clear the grotesque blood clumps far into the distance. Not only the White Lotus Sect Leader but other Dharma Protectors also slowly removed the hazards as they advanced, thanks to Gukho, who had found a safe path by exploding the Blood Shadow Flower. At last, when the entire group arrived safely on the opposite side, Mangnyang let out a sigh of relief.
“Phew! Just how cursed is this place…?”
[ I sense a strong power nearby. ]
The White Lotus Sect Leader glanced ahead. The area resembling intestines came to an end, and another abyss-like darkness flickered back into view. From beyond the abyss, something was emanating a presence, but only the White Lotus Sect Leader seemed capable of accurately measuring that power; he appeared to ponder for quite a while.
At last, the White Lotus Sect Leader spoke.
[ Let’s go. ]
The abyss-like darkness stretched far ahead. Within it, rainbow-like colors splattered as if decorating a path, but it didn’t come off as beautiful at all. In fact, the unnatural colors painfully scraped at human emotions. As they walked along the path, Jin So-cheong murmured.
“This light disturbs the spirit…”
“This is the color of the universe.”
“Color of the universe?”
“It’s said to be a phenomenon that occurs when the withered magic of constellations seeps down to the human world. Of course, it’s harmful to humans.”
Step by step.
When they finally pierced through the darkness of the abyss and stepped outside, ominous creatures were waiting everywhere in the still atmosphere, and in the middle of the spacious area stood a grand altar. Standing at the center of the stairs of the altar was a woman donning white robes.
From the opposite corridor, the Master of the Twelve Joules and his group appeared. Upon seeing the Sect Leader of the White Lotus Sect, the Master of the Twelve Joules remarked.
“It seems that monster is our final obstacle, huh?”
[ Indeed… It shall be a formidable opponent. ]
“We should join forces, right?”
[ As long as we don’t betray one another, we might stand a chance. ]
“Hmm.”
Their gazes were concentrated on the woman in white. She donned ancient attire that appeared reminiscent of the Han Dynasty and had a beauty that could only be described as breathtaking. At the sight of her face, I felt a strange sense of déjà vu.
‘Huh… I feel like I’ve seen her somewhere…’
After pondering for a while, I realized something.
‘That’s right! She looks like Miho!!’
Of course, her appearance wasn’t identical to Miho in her transformed state, but the vibe was quite similar. To differentiate, Miho’s transformed look leans towards playful allure, while that woman exuded an entirely unhuman aura. I recognized this fact and a serious expression washed over my face as I stared into the distant realm and spoke to Cheon Woo-jin.
“Everyone is in danger! I have to get over there…”
“Hmm. Looks like you’re observant. But you can’t.”
“What?!”
While maintaining the technique of foresight, Cheon Woo-jin coldly declared.
“If what you think about that being is correct, there’s a high chance even your current self would get taken down in a single blow.”
“Before that, I could neutralize her…”
“Is that the purpose of this mission? It shouldn’t be.”
“…..”
“You can only utilize the spell of the Evil Spirit once, and defeating her isn’t the aim either. I’ll let you know when it’s the right moment for you to intervene, so just stay put.”
“Alright.”
Reluctantly, I took a step back when the atmosphere in the hall shifted ever so slightly.
The woman in white gradually took one step forward. She spoke to the assembly with a beguiling demeanor.
“Insignificant creatures. You dare venture all the way to the seat of nightmare. Do you even realize the recklessness of your actions against the divine?”
Her voice rang clear, yet it seemed mixed with a considerable amount of power, causing her to falter slightly. The fact that she could imbue such strength into such a light voice indicated how formidable she truly was. The White Lotus Sect Leader regarded the woman in white and replied.
[ If I could, I would love to tear that god apart with my own hands. ]
“Ohoho… such arrogance… Do you think you’re any different from the other insects simply because you harbor chaos within you?”
As the woman in white laughed, her body began to inflate dramatically.
The perception that she was inflating was merely an illusion; in reality, her transformation unraveled, returning to her essence. The transformation ended instantaneously, and soon enough, a colossal Tai Chi emerged, with a massive demon unleashed.
Crack!
[ Ahahahaha! ]
Bam!
This demon was too colossal to merely be dubbed a mere demon! It seemed as if the cave itself was small in comparison as the gigantic demon stretched and made a grand entrance, altering the very space around it. As Mangnyang watched the transformation in awe, he yelled.
“She widened the dimension with pure demonic power…!!”
As the demon’s form was fully summoned, it matched the size I was well aware of, and the spacious area noticeably expanded. Nimbly swaying its silver-furred nine tails, its crimson gaze shone majestically among the demon’s presence.
[ Fearless insects! You shall serve as my meal, Dalgi’s feast! ]
The apostle of the deity, Dalgi, descended to the realm of mortals!
Though this was something we had anticipated, both the White Lotus Sect Leader and the Master of the Twelve Joules appeared quite shocked upon hearing her true identity, quickly taking defensive positions as the battle commenced. And just as Dalgi’s first strike commenced with a lash of its tail—
Boom!
It was merely a lash of its tail, yet even with the White Lotus Sect Leader and the Dharma Protectors blocking it, they staggered back, visibly shaken.
[ Ugh! ]
The Master of the Twelve Joules seemed to have chosen to evade head-on, making a hasty retreat. However, they couldn’t escape unscathed as the sounds of blood spattering echoed from various locations. Even a single tail lash almost led to our obliteration.
Whooosh!
[ We must give it our all. Dharma Protectors, assist me! ]
The White Lotus Sect Leader prepared to unleash his full power, illuminating the symbol of Heaven’s Abundance. Simultaneously, the Master of the Twelve Joules dodged, sensing the surge of energy from Wolhajeongya and Cosmic Fragment. It was the moment where humanity’s strongest forces were ready to engage in an epic showdown against the deity’s apostle, Dalgi.
Watching this scene from behind, Mangnyang turned to his fellow Bancheon Alliance members and shouted.
“Now’s the time! Now’s when you need to step up!”
Mangnyang yelled.
“Go, Jin So-cheong!”