NOVEL NEXT Chapter 775
Chapter 775: Dark Heaven Village
“Shwiiing!!”
I was continuously unleashing the Great Destruction while blessed by the Guardian of the Momentum, cutting through enemies without the passage of time. It was as though it reset, allowing only me to move while thousands of foes fell one after another.
After about eighty-five thousand of them had been slain, their numbers were halved, and I felt no weariness whatsoever.
Zziiiiing!
My speed began to accelerate even more. Initially, I was striking down about ten foes in one blow, but realizing I didn’t have to worry about energy depletion, I expanded the strength of my blade, cutting down hundreds and then two hundreds in one swing.
Eventually, I was capable of cleaving down two thousand with a single slash. If someone were to see me from the outside, it would look like a storm of swords whirling abound.
I relentlessly continued to slice through my enemies until none were left alive. The moment I ceased my assault, the effect of the blessing ended, and I took a moment to catch my breath. Even if I had unleashed the Great Destruction, it would have taken a significant amount of time to deal with so many foes, yet I had dispatched them in the blink of an eye. Truly a remarkable blessing.
The Celestial Sage seemed astonished that I had slain over a hundred thousand from among the great army, but he appeared to catch on that it was due to the blessing. He approached me and said, “There’s no time. We must eliminate Nahoo.”
“Great Sage, just a moment.”
I could hear Zhuge Bu’s voice echoing in my head.
[It’s not too late. Grab the Flame Elemental Sword. All you need is the Seven Luminaries.]
Following Zhuge Bu’s guidance, I seized the Flame Elemental Sword, sensing that through the Soul Exchange Technique, Zhuge Bu was controlling my body to perform some kind of magic.
Illusionary Demon Summoning.
Inner Gate’s Hundred Techniques.
Kooohh!
Using the power embedded in the Flame Elemental Sword, Zhuge Bu appeared to cast some kind of powerful spell. As his technique unfolded, a never-before-seen Illusionary Demon materialized in the void, surely a creature that only existed in the Phantom Realm. After a moment, the Illusionary Demon ignited itself, letting out a loud scream.
Breeeeek—
After the Illusionary Demon burned, the air warped, creating a distortion. This distortion shimmered for a while before suddenly spewing out a small stone.
Ta-daht!
Zhuge Bu quickly moved my body to snatch that stone and said, [We succeeded. It’s fortunate that it’s within the realm of spell casting.]
[Could it be…?]
[This is the Philosopher’s Stone that was contained within the Divine Portrait. The Philosopher’s Stone is the most perfect material, so it can ensure our safety in the sea of chaos.]
[Honestly, I thought we’d never find it in the sea of chaos. How did you pull it off?]
[Using the top-tier Illusionary Demon technique, Inner Gate’s Hundred Techniques can summon a desired target here. Naturally, as a top-tier Illusionary Demon, it wouldn’t have been possible with a mere sorcerer’s power to summon it, but with the aid of the Seven Luminaries…]
[…….]
[With this, we can restore the Spirit Summoning Technique, which should at least incapacitate one of either Nahoo or the Boundary.]
What a colossal entity this was. Although both martial arts and spells were at the highest level, I had thought it was vague since neither achieved an absolute realm. Yet, the truth was that it was like an all-purpose being once the barriers were shattered.
Moreover, with Zhuge Sa’s enhancements and the power of the treasure now in his possession, Zhuge Bu became the strongest ally I could command.
[But right now, it’s urgent to dismantle Nahoo rather than restoring the Spirit Summoning Technique. Inject your intent into this Philosopher’s Stone.]
[Inject my intent?]
[The Philosopher’s Stone isn’t just a lifeless object; it possesses its own will. Therefore, when you inject your intent, it will respond and channel power to you.]
I attempted to convey my intent as Zhuge Bu advised. As I asked for power, suddenly, lightning surged from the Philosopher’s Stone.
Zziiing!!
“……!!”
Did my physical abilities increase again while in the Great Destruction state?!
I trembled at the unbelievable amplification of power. Since Great Destruction unlocked all the sealed doors of my body, I had thought there wouldn’t be any greater amplification than this, yet to think I could further expand my martial arts here!
It felt as if the entirety of nature itself was becoming mine. I had the strange feeling that I could do anything right now. However, I also realized that this amplification would last only for a fleeting moment and roared at Nahoo with all my might.
“Haaaaaaaaaaap!!”
Boom!
The Fire Dragon Sword struck horizontally while the Flame Elemental Sword descended vertically.
The cross slash cut through Nahoo, and I turned my back to it, momentarily falling silent.
After a moment, Nahoo’s rotation noticeably slowed, and it began to thrash violently.
Crrrunch!
Crrrunch!!
Crash!
In front of Nahoo, where I had made the cross slash, a scar remained. Unlike before, I’d delivered a definite blow to Nahoo! Immediately realizing that my attack had wounded Nahoo, the Celestial Sage followed with a powerful strike infused with Demon Power to further destroy the cross scar.
Bang!
With that additional attack, Nahoo’s rotations slowed even more and eventually came to a halt. The Celestial Sage panted heavily and said, “Just one more!! Then it’ll break from the inside.”
“Yes!!”
“This time, let’s attack together!”
Ta-daht!
I charged in alongside the Celestial Sage to strike Nahoo.
Kwoosh!
As we did so, Nahoo’s structure cracked like a spider’s web and began to convulse even more violently. The Celestial Sage shouted in alarm, “It’s going to explode! Get back!”
In the next moment, I rode on the Celestial Sage’s War Chariot and flew dozens of li away, just as a thunderous explosion erupted from directly behind us. The explosion was so immense that even while riding the War Chariot, I could still feel the heat radiating from behind.
It was such a colossal explosion that the sound didn’t reach us properly; even the sea of chaos seemed to be swept away, with tsunami-like waves crashing in all directions.
Whoooosh!
The wind brushed against my cheek. The Celestial Sage, still riding the War Chariot, gazed forward and asked, “How long can you maintain that incredible power?”
Clearly, he was inquiring about the duration of the Great Destruction.
“…Half a season. Ah, about one or two brief spans before it reduces.”
“Cutting it close, huh? We should quickly move to the Boundary and do it like before.”
The Celestial Sage seemed genuinely anxious, staring at the sky while grinding his teeth.
“The light of the Wood Element has been revealed.”
“…….”
Thus, the Celestial Constellation of the Moon, Fire, Water, and Wood, portraying a dragon, was complete. With only the Golden Crow and Earth Element remaining, the time limit was pressing.
I couldn’t help but grumble tremendously.
‘Damn it! That Zhuge Liang! He took so many of the Seven Luminaries and now what is he doing to me?!’
Upon the Celestial Sage’s suggestion, Zhuge Liang was allocated five pieces of the Seven Luminaries. Excluding the Flame Elemental Sword in Jin’s possession, that was more than enough. Given that Zhuge Liang was the most powerful force among us, Zhuge Bu probably believed he could manage everything alone while suggesting a strategy to first deal with that eyesore Qin Shi Huang before heading to Nahoo.
However, even after taking time to deal with Qin Shi Huang and smashing through to Nahoo, the boundary itself still hadn’t shown signs of being destroyed. I had no clue as to why.
‘No matter how powerful the Great Destruction and Fire Dragon Sword are, even with the help of the Philosopher’s Stone, it wouldn’t be as strong as Zhuge Liang with the five pieces of the Seven Luminaries. Yet Zhuge Liang still hasn’t shattered the boundary?’
Something was clearly amiss.
Then, as the War Chariot blinked, we reached the position of the Boundary.
Woooooo—
The Boundary wasn’t rotating. Instead, it emanated a mysterious light, almost as if it were suspended in the air like an orb made of light. Above the Boundary stood Zhuge Liang, arms crossed, watching over us.
“Zhuge Liang!! What are you doing?! Hurry up and destroy the Boundary!!”
“…….”
Zhuge Liang quietly stared down at my cries, arms still crossed. Then he replied, “Is breaking this Boundary really the answer?”
“What?”
What kind of nonsense is this?!
When I asked in disbelief, Zhuge Liang responded, “Nahoo is one thing, but this Boundary is a star that genuinely exists within the Galaxy Constellation; it only manifested in this space. That’s why it was rotating as soon as it was summoned.”
“So what does that mean?! So, if Nahoo and the Boundary become the eyes of a dragon, then the end is certain. What choices do we have other than destroying it!”
“If we destroy Nahoo and the Boundary… a blind dragon will be summoned.”
“What does that mean?”
“If a blind dragon rampages, won’t the outcome be the same? The deity spirit of the Sun shining through creates the Seven Luminaries dragons, so sight is meaningless to such beings. They will annihilate everyone in one strike.”
“……?”
What on earth was he trying to say? Suddenly, Zhuge Bu’s voice echoed in my head.
[Time waste. From now on, I will speak with him.]
[Understood.]
Agreeing with Zhuge Bu’s words, he voiced my thoughts through me.
“Are you suggesting that we dominate the Boundary with your magic and, when the Seven Luminaries dragon is summoned, slip inside its eyes? No matter how strong the Seven Luminaries dragons are, they won’t have the intention to attack their own eyes.”
In response, Zhuge Liang’s expression showed genuine surprise.
“…Baek Woong, when did you become so clever? Surely there are no strategists around you, and yet you immediately grasped my intent?”
“I guess that confirms it. So, how much control do you have over the Boundary?”
“Thanks to borrowing the power of the Seven Luminaries, I’ve reached about sixty percent… Once I completely harness the star’s magical power, we should be able to enter the inner domain of the Boundary.”
“That’s a decent plan, but it feels off.”
“What?”
“If you’re going to use a strategy like that, you should’ve sent a spell messenger to inform us. Still, you stayed silent, doing just your thing while we dealt with Nahoo. Whether we succeeded or failed, you planned to outlive us all.”
“…….”
When Zhuge Liang fell silent, Zhuge Bu continued speaking.
“Zhuge Liang, are you not afraid of me? How many times do you need to protect your petty pride before you feel satisfied? If you are not afraid of an eternity of torment in hell, then from now on, you must follow my orders completely.”
“What…!! How dare you speak to me…!!”
“Remember, this death is not the end for me but merely the beginning. Your fate rests in my hands.”
“…….”
Zhuge Liang quivered in place, then finally spoke.
“I understand….”
“Good. Before grasping the Boundary, there’s something we need to do first.”
Zhuge Bu tossed the Philosopher’s Stone to Zhuge Liang and said, “Recover the Spirit Summoning Technique with the Philosopher’s Stone, and then destroy the Golden Crow Constellation. After that, it won’t be too late to take control.”
“Alright.”
Wooosh!
After receiving the Philosopher’s Stone, Zhuge Liang unleashed the Spirit Summoning Technique, releasing a tremendous power towards the Golden Crow.
Boom!
What should I say about Zhuge Liang? He was now swift and forceful, obliterating the planet effortlessly compared to when he was barely scratching the surface of the Water Element planet. As the Golden Crow shattered, the echoes of Ghost Valley resonated.
Uooooo—
Oooohhhh—
What on earth was that sound?
As I pondered, Zhuge Bu said in my head.
[Those must be the Amatsukami sealed within the Golden Planet.]
[Ah!]
[If this trial is akin to destroying a planet of the Seven Luminaries, it’s only natural. The Amatsukami will be cast into the cosmos when their sealed planet is destroyed, and unless they find some host body, their extinction will follow soon.]
[…….]
[Of course, the likelihood of finding a body in that vast cosmos is slim to none.]
Should I call this pity?
But based on what Seimei told me, the Amatsukami were entities that engaged in heinous human sacrifices and cruel demon arts since primordial times, so pity was uncalled for. They could only curse their unfortunate fates. Zhuge Bu spoke with a hint of regret.
[This trial was a matter of swift resolution, and the early stages were the most crucial. Since the Water Element is the smallest planet among the Seven Luminaries, had we destroyed it first, the rest would’ve been a breeze. But it’s unfortunate that the smallest and easiest planet was the one to be revealed first.]
[So that’s it.]
After Zhuge Liang shattered the Golden Crow, he once again tapped into the recovery power of the Philosopher’s Stone.
Though it seemed unlikely he could restore the Spirit Summoning Technique, it appeared he significantly amplified the control over the Boundary, with its shimmering speed accelerating.
Kiiiiiing—
As the Boundary began to emit its colorful light, I took Zhuge Bu using the War Chariot to bring him here. Zhuge Bu spoke.
“Baek Woong, to be honest, it seems like our plans are becoming less applicable from now on. We’ve somehow destroyed one of the Seven Star Guardians by combining strategy and strength, and we’ll infiltrate the eyes through the Boundary, but truth be told, the achievement content of this trial isn’t very favorable. We should’ve destroyed at least three constellations to have a chance of passing the trial.”
“…….”
“We’ve flunked. We should have weakened the dragon’s power by over half, but we needed to prepare a bit more….”
“Why start to sound all foreboding now?”
As I grumbled, Zhuge Bu smiled wryly.
“…Baek Woong. If we all perish, just call for him.”
I widened my eyes at the name that came from Zhuge Bu’s lips.
“Oh right! Should I just call him right now?”
“No. It won’t do much to call him now. If we are to do it, it has to be when variables present themselves. When there is a glimmer of hope in passing this trial; until then, it’s better to choose to perish.”
“What kind of thoughts are you having?”
He said in lament, “About the dynamics of the gods. After all, the Emperor chose to set up a trial in this form; I’m banking on whether he’ll sit back and relax…. If it’s a failed exam, we must wish for it to fall apart!”
Suuuuu—
The light of Earth Element began to illuminate slowly. Zhuge Bu said, “The Seven Luminaries dragon has been completed.”
The Constellations began to resonate.
Simultaneously, the radiant hues adorning each of the Seven Luminaries stretched forth, connecting to the Constellations.
“Let’s go!”
At that moment, we dashed toward the Boundary, and Zhuge Liang opened the door to the Boundary, pulling us inside.
Whoosh!
The Boundary leaped towards the sky, transforming into the eye of the dragon. We surveyed the environment inside the newly formed eye, which resembled the innards of a living creature. Outside the eye, the Seven Luminaries dragon exhaled its breath, incinerating everything in sight.
Frrrrrrr!
The dragon’s breath, in a single strike, was ablaze enough to purge everything in the world. There was no place to hide. The prediction that the challenger would fall upon summoning the Seven Luminaries dragon was spot on. I heaved a sigh of relief and said, “Now, we just need to destroy from within the dragon’s body.”
At that moment—
[You’ve used a trick, haven’t you?]
The guardian of the Sun, the Heavenly Mysterious Woman of Nine Heavens, appeared before us.