NOVEL NEXT Chapter 740
Chapter 740: The Dark Heaven Village
I knew that the first thing I had to do was to retrieve the Seven Luminaries. Everything else could wait; this had to come first. Otherwise, the deaths of my comrades would have been in vain!
I immediately swung my Ruyi Staff and shouted, “Celestial Sage! Please come!”
Kugugu!
Though the Sorcerer Cheon Gong-pyo had been sealed within the Ruyi Staff, the staff itself still belonged to me, allowing me to contact the Celestial Sage. As I infused a bit of Yin Spirit Power into it, the Ruyi Staff reacted instantly, sending a signal to the Celestial Sage who resided in the Celestial Realm. Before long, the Celestial Sage appeared before us, riding his cloud.
Paat!
The Celestial Sage descended like a bolt of lightning and spoke, “Huh? What’s going on? This corridor is…”
As he tilted his head in confusion trying to gauge the situation, I quickly spoke up, “Celestial Sage! There’s no time! The Moon Sovereign and Wood Sovereign are in the Underworld; we need to hurry and find them!”
“What?! Have you found that Master of the Twelve Joules?”
“He’s dead! And the Seven Luminaries have fallen into the Underworld, so we need to retrieve them quickly!”
“…!!”
“There are two methods. We can either pass through the open dimensional portal at this lake, or we can break through Northern Mourning Mountain. What do you think?”
I asked hastily, causing the Celestial Sage to momentarily appear startled. After scanning the silvery lake with his Fire Eye Golden Spirit, he said, “No! This place is too dangerous. While the portal to the Underworld is still open, entering it means we might not return. In fact, we might not even reach our destination and become lost in the dimensions.”
“Then we must break through Northern Mourning Mountain.”
“Then we should…”
Just as the Celestial Sage was about to respond, his gaze sharpened in an instant. With his Fire Eye Golden Spirit glowing red, he created over a hundred clones and let out an enormous roar.
[You bastard!! Get lost.]
Kwahwa!
The Celestial Sage attacked the empty air, but unexpectedly, the Sorcerer Cheon Gong-pyo was hovering right there. Indeed, the Sorcerer had been monitoring us continuously. It seemed he had been eavesdropping and chose the moment to appear. Seeing the clones of the Celestial Sage charging at him, the Sorcerer spoke with a calm demeanor.
[Heh heh. I’ve received the information well. Then I will go collect the Seven Luminaries.]
Whirrr!
“Ugh, Six Demon Transmigration…”
The Sorcerer’s sword form suddenly transformed into a water arrow, aimed at the silvery lake. The Celestial Sage uttered a choked sound as he tried to defend with his clones, but all attacks were rendered ineffective as they passed right through! Even Jin So-cheong and Tang San’s strikes, utilizing the martial arts of Absolute Realm, did not faze the Sorcerer.
‘Is that the unique technique of the Master of the White Lotus Sect?!’
That technique seemed so refined that it appeared to be beyond the Celestial Sage’s ability to halt. Just at that moment, Cheon Woo-jin clenched his fists and yelled, “Emergency Distortion of the Dimensional Portal! Distort the dimensions!”
Pazzik!
[Ugh! You little…]
With the anguished scream of the Sorcerer sounding out, a ripple disturbed the silvery lake, causing his figure to completely vanish from the scene. Cheon Woo-jin, his keen eyes sparkling, stated, “This is troubling. With my power distorting the portal to the heart of the Underworld, even the Master of the White Lotus Sect should struggle to reach easily, but… he’s the strongest sorcerer currently alive, and there’s still a chance he could make it.”
Cheon Woo-jin’s last resort to distort the portal would hinder the Sorcerer, but it was insufficient. I nodded and said, “That Sorcerer has been eavesdropping on us from the beginning, so this was inevitable. At this point, we have no choice but to breach Northern Mourning Mountain beforehand to arrive at the Seven Luminaries before him.”
We had the option to dive into the lake together, but considering the distorted dimensions created by Cheon Woo-jin, recklessly entering would mean death for us all. Unless one possessed the same prowess as the Sorcerer, that path was no longer viable.
“However, even if we breach Northern Mourning Mountain, it would still take at least several months to cut through the center of the Underworld.”
There was no time to get caught up in explanations. I turned to the Celestial Sage beside me. “Celestial Sage, would it be okay to offer this?”
“Yeah, go ahead.”
The Celestial Sage nodded and generously permitted it. The Ruyi Staff wasn’t essential to his strength, and being unusually sharp-witted, he had caught on to my intentions. After receiving his approval, I addressed Cheon Woo-jin.
“Prepare the Offering Ceremony immediately. Hurry!”
Swish!
As I presented the Ruyi Staff, Cheon Woo-jin appeared startled. Then, with a puzzling expression, he remarked, “… You’ve changed.”
Oooowww!
A short while later, Cheon Woo-jin prepared a simplified Offering Ceremony, with the Ruyi Staff presented. As a result, the Heavenly Mysterious Woman of Nine Heavens was summoned, floating in the air, radiating light as she spoke to me.
[It’s the Ruyi Staff. This should suffice as an offering.]
“The enemies are the Southern Dipper Star Lord and Northern Dipper Star Lord. Do I need to be cautious of anything while fighting them?”
[They can use the Register of Life and Death of the Underworld. Even I or the Celestial Sage would be harmed if written in their register, so it’s crucial to annihilate them in one strike.]
“Thank you very much.”
Paat!
Before long, we all moved in unison towards Northern Mourning Mountain. Upon arrival, we could see the various Underworld officials, guards, and divine beings watching us with intense scrutiny. The Heavenly Mysterious Woman invoked the Corpse Dissolution Technique and shouted, [Step back!]
Kwooo!
The divine beings were unable to withstand the Heavenly Mysterious Woman’s magic, crumbling into pieces, while the guards vanished without a trace. Seeing this unfold, the Southern Dipper Star Lord and Northern Dipper Star Lord stepped forward, shouting.
[Heavenly Mysterious Woman!]
[What nonsense is this?]
The Heavenly Mysterious Woman spoke angrily. [Step aside. You are sinners who have done nothing while the Underworld is in chaos. Isn’t it your duty to manage the reincarnation processes? To let innocent souls be devoured by the [Old Ruler] is truly unacceptable!]
The Southern Dipper Star Lord and Northern Dipper Star Lord appeared taken aback. Then, the Northern Dipper Star Lord spoke up.
[How you came to know that, I do not know, but that does not justify your rampage! And, Heavenly Mysterious Woman, know that you are fundamentally… not related to this matter!]
[……]
[We have been alive since the dawn of the Underworld… Unlike a mere immortal from the Celestial Realm, we know your origin. You are not a creation of the Emperor; your essence is similar to that of the Shenglong.]
[You know.]
[To us, the souls of mere humans are trifles. Reincarnation or the afterlife is not an issue for someone like you. This is overstepping your bounds!]
What nonsense is this?
As I pondered the meaning of the Northern Dipper Star Lord’s words, the Celestial Sage scratched his ear in annoyance and said, “Shut your mouth! Get hit, and you won’t be able to talk back!”
[What?!]
Kwah!
“Take that!”
[Keugh…!]
In that moment, the Celestial Sage charged forward and punched the Southern Dipper Star Lord right in the face. The Southern Dipper Star Lord staggered back, and taking advantage of that opening, the Celestial Sage assaulted him with relentless blows all the way to the horizon’s edge.
Kwahwahwah!
[I shall seal you!]
[Crk!]
With a torrent of dust and an earthquake echoing, the Heavenly Mysterious Woman unleashed the Corpse Dissolution Technique, sealing the Northern Dipper Star Lord in an instant. The Corpse Dissolution Technique seemed to bypass incantations, summoning, and all forms of requirements, successfully able to seal even divine beings. It was a remarkable sight to see beings of lower divine status and dimensional beings easily suppressed in that instant.
The Heavenly Mysterious Woman said to the Northern Dipper Star Lord, [You must immediately surrender to the Southern Dipper Star Lord. If not, I will erase you here and now.]
[… Understood.]
A moment later, both the Southern Dipper Star Lord and Northern Dipper Star Lord were bound by the Heavenly Mysterious Woman’s magic and made to kneel. I suggested to the Heavenly Mysterious Woman, “Wouldn’t it be better to just kill them?”
[No, that won’t do. While suppressing them is one thing, killing them will significantly consume my Law of Cause and Effect. Plus, erasing a divine being would be a troublesome matter with your current strength.]
I see.
“Then, can you keep them tied up?”
[As long as I don’t perish, the seal placed upon them will be maintained.]
“Understood.”
Assuming the Law of Cause and Effect limits the extent of the Heavenly Mysterious Woman’s intervention in the world, taking down two of the Underworld’s high-ranking officials and lower divine beings at once would be a considerable burden. Thus, instead of trying to forcefully kill them, I decided to move on quickly.
“Then let’s head to the Underworld.”
Wooooo…
As we entered the invisible portal to the Underworld from Northern Mourning Mountain, I felt time slow down for a moment. When we arrived on the other side, unexpectedly, we found ourselves not in a desolate field, but rather in a vibrant, lush mountain filled with life. The cheerful sounds of singing mountain birds resonated in the air.
What’s going on?
Shouldn’t the Underworld, being the world of the dead, be filled with death energies?
As I frowned in confusion, Cheon Woo-jin explained, “It’s not strange. If the cycle of reincarnation in the Underworld were functioning as it ought, this place would be desolate. But currently, souls are endlessly entering someone’s belly. Because of that, there’s no need to sustain a place for souls to reside, and the dimensional powers are not being consumed. Of course, once you go inside, it will be more desolate due to the death energies of the Underworld guards.”
“Hmmm. I see.”
I nodded before turning to the Heavenly Mysterious Woman. “Heavenly Mysterious Woman, please use the Corpse Dissolution Technique to search for the Seven Luminaries and teleport us there.”
[……]
“Why so hesitant?”
[Another powerful presence is crossing into the Underworld… Likely the Eight Parts of the Divine.]
“……!!”
[Three in total.]
I gritted my teeth.
‘So they are coming after all.’
I knew that Changhil kept watch over the Heaven and Earth from anywhere, sending his eyes to monitor everything. He must have noticed the anomalies occurring in the Underworld and dispatched his subordinates, the Eight Parts of the Divine, for reconnaissance. If they intervened, it would become an extremely troublesome threat following the Sorcerer.
But I didn’t let myself panic and said, “Even so, we have our tasks to complete. Please, lead us quickly.”
[Yes.]
If we encountered the Eight Parts of the Divine or the Sorcerer here, there was no time for strategy meetings. If we did meet, then we would have to improvise or fight at that moment. The important thing was to arrive as quickly as possible to secure the Seven Luminaries.
‘First and foremost, obtaining the Seven Luminaries is essential! Everything else can wait for later.’
Paat!
In the next moment, we arrived at the ruins.
‘It’s magnificent.’
The scene was eerily similar to a battlefield in silence.
Hundreds of thousands of Underworld guards, goblins, spirits, and divine beings lay scattered across the vast field. They were already dead, yet their gruesome demise seemed contradictory. However, because they were slain by the Seven Luminaries, it was an inevitable fate. They would soon cease to exist.
Before us stood the crumbling palace of the Wheel-Turning King, which had once been as grand as a mountain.
The Mangnyang had been roaming the Underworld for months, hiding in the heart of this palace.
Yet, there was no need to venture further inside now. Right in front of us, laying just ten paces away, were two of the Seven Luminaries.
Moon Sovereign and Wood Sovereign.
Two Luminaries lay abandoned, having lost their masters.
I had seen the Moon Sovereign before, but this was my first glimpse of the Wood Sovereign. It resembled a small seal adorned with a bird that had three legs on top. My heart raced as I instinctively wanted to dash forward for them, but I maintained my composure and said to the Heavenly Mysterious Woman, “Heavenly Mysterious Woman, please recover the Seven Luminaries.”
Swoosh!
Just as the Heavenly Mysterious Woman’s Corpse Dissolution Technique activated to retrieve the Luminaries, a strange sound erupted.
Pachink!
An eerie sound rang out, and suddenly the space around the Seven Luminaries was engulfed in darkness. My brows knitted together as I thought, ‘As expected, there was a trap.’
Had I simply dashed in, it would have resulted in disaster. While maintaining the power of the Corpse Dissolution Technique, the Heavenly Mysterious Woman raised her hand and the Seven Luminaries started to rise into the air. She addressed the empty space on the other side.
[Master of the White Lotus Sect. Your skills are truly impressive. I would imagine that the distorted portals of the Underworld had hundreds of distortions, yet how did you arrive here almost simultaneously with us? Normally, one would become a dimensional lost soul eternally…!]
At that moment, the Sorcerer Cheon Gong-pyo released his invisibility, appearing directly across from us with fierce eyes.
[Step back! Those Seven Luminaries are mine! I will not concede them!]
In response, the Celestial Sage remarked displeased, “You think you’re the only one who won’t concede? If you insist on clinging to the Seven Luminaries, I’ll sincerely crush you, you rotten bastard!”
Kugugu!
In an instant, the three powerful beings flared their energies, creating a tense standoff. I thought, ‘Should I use the Seal of the Supreme King?’
It was an enticing situation. However, I quickly composed myself; it wasn’t the right time to use it yet. Indeed, for a power comparable to that of the Tower of Muwang, it was not something I could utilize freely. Moreover, deeming the Sorcerer as the final adversary felt premature given the scale of the situation.
Instead, I calmly stepped forward and shouted at the Sorcerer, “Sorcerer! Can we talk for a moment?”
[What do you want? What nonsense is a powerless fool like you spouting here?]
Though the Sorcerer retorted with condescension, I pressed on without concern. “What do you intend to do with the Seven Luminaries once you obtain them?”
[… I believe I’ve mentioned this before! I seek to obtain true divine status!]
“Right. You want to gain the balance of the world, and in doing so, you must reach a singularity where the realms of existence entangle and understand the junction where reality and illusion overlap.”
[You have a good memory. But you don’t even know what you’re speaking about.]
“No, I understand.” I glared at him. “The fact that you are trying to become just like the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors!”
[……!!]
“What do you desire to achieve in this world? Is your only goal, having been born with unparalleled talent in human history, simply to become a god?”
I cursed.
“What a pathetic little brat!”
The Sorcerer appeared deeply shocked by my words. [Wha… What do you mean, just a god? What are you talking about?]
“Is becoming the [Old Ruler] and looking down upon the world such an impressive accomplishment? Wasn’t your bluster about saving humanity just the result of having power and seeking to act?”
[No! I will attain power to become equal to the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors, and then I will save humanity! Of course, I’m not talking about the humanity of the current world, but resurrecting the powerful ancient humanity!]
As the Sorcerer shouted angrily, I scoffed at him. “How ridiculous! What makes you any different from Changhil? I mean he at least grasped the intentions of your kind long ago. And was he not enjoying watching you getting beaten by the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors while you roamed about? In comparison, you’re the inferior one!”
[Th… This…!]
Swirling!
“Sorcerer!!”
The moment the Sorcerer made a desperate move to draw his Sabre Sword and Six Demon Transmigration, I took the Obsidian from my pocket. As the Sorcerer’s gaze fixated upon it, I declared, “If you claim to act for the ancient humanity, then heed the words of the Heavenly Ruler of Tai Xu!”
He paused.
The Sorcerer, caught off guard and momentarily distracted, stared at me as if he had seen a ghost. [Wh… What do you mean by the words?]
“Indeed. The last knot of the Ruyi Staff you were trapped within, the final seal contains the Heavenly Ruler of Tai Xu’s words. He hoped you would see this message, but regrettably, I have been unable to convey it until now.”
[……]
“This obsidian is the magic of the Great Race. It has the ability to store memories. If you accept this, you will know what he desired of you.”
[…I can’t shake the feeling that you’re trying to deceive me.]
I glared at the Sorcerer. “I swear on my name. This promise, if this statement holds false, I will hand over all Seven Luminaries, techniques, and treasures I own to you!”
[You madman! Do you not know the gravity of a name’s oath?]
I yelled, “Shut your mouth and just take the Obsidian! Are you telling me that the Master of the White Lotus Sect is this cowardly?!”
[……!!]
The Sorcerer looked as though he had been struck. I was clearly dominating in this confrontation. The Sorcerer exhibited visible signs of discomfort, as if there was nothing he could retort.
[… …]
Finally, he seemed to weigh his options and reluctantly extended his hand. [… Hand it over.]