Chapter 136
Chapter 136
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 136
Chapter Title: The Emperor of the Western Heavens
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‘…If the Soul Descent Grand Law had been even a little slower, it would’ve been a disaster.’
The body of the North Sea Sect Leader had crumbled into a handful of dust and died.
Resurrection was no longer possible.
But as the Dark Venerable had said, for experts at the Saint Realm, death did not necessarily lead to true death.
The soul, with its nascent dual spirits beginning to emerge, could break free from the body’s control and survive for a short time.
And what if a ritual for resurrection were performed at that moment?
Perhaps revival might even be possible?
In his final moments, the North Sea Sect Leader had activated the grand law in a mad gamble on that very thought.
Even if it was imperfect, wouldn’t it work on himself?
Thus began the Soul Descent Grand Law, an unfinished technique derived from the Prime Soul Possession Grand Law.
Fortunately, unlike his fears, the grand law seemed to have succeeded without issue.
While the Prime Soul Possession Grand Law was imposed by another’s will, the Soul Descent Grand Law proceeded entirely by one’s own volition.
Thanks to that, the Soul Descent Grand Law bypassed any prohibitions or brainwashing by a sorcerer.
Though it came with the side effects of never being able to use a perfected body again and a severe degradation of the soul’s quality during the process—
‘Far better than tumbling into the cycle of reincarnation.’
The North Sea Sect Leader’s spirit body gazed down from the sky upon the earth.
He could see the gods, who had resisted to the bitter end even when cornered, now collapsing in despair at his death.
Some even wailed outright and chose suicide.
Even as a spirit body, tears of blood seemed to well in the North Sea Sect Leader’s eyes.
‘Your martyrdom… I will never forget it. I shall repay every drop of your blood with a hundredfold from theirs…! As for my sins, on the day we meet again on the other shore, I shall gladly accept the punishment I deserve.’
Fortunately, he had gleaned much information about the Dark Venerable and Dang Unhwi as well, which would greatly aid his future plans.
The thought of treading that arduous path once more to ascend to the Saint Realm filled his chest with dread, but the North Sea Sect Leader resolved to accept it positively.
‘Let’s start from the beginning again. It’s a path I’ve walked before, so I know exactly how to navigate it. I’ll correct my past mistakes, and this time, even an imperfect Saint Realm will become a perfect one.’
The North Sea Sect Leader turned his body toward the opposite direction and gazed at the vast expanse of sky.
The murky darkness still blanketed the heavens.
From some distant place, he heard a voice calling to him.
There, a body prepared for his revival would await.
As soon as he willed himself toward it, his spirit body was pulled along automatically.
Moments later, the North Sea Sect Leader appeared above the Nine Dragons Branch Family’s grand estate.
And then.
「……」
Whoosh!
The demon horse flapped its wings vigorously and shot off in the direction where the spirit body had vanished.
* * *
“Uwaaaah…! Finally!”
“It’s finally over!”
“We’ve repelled all the Demonic Cult bastards!”
After the fierce battle, as the last remaining demonic fiend frothed at the mouth and collapsed, cheers erupted from somewhere.
Exhausted, the people flopped onto the ground or tossed their weapons aside, howling wildly.
Their reactions varied, but smiles played on all their lips.
Of course, not all fighting was over yet.
They still needed to pursue the Demonic Cultists who had broken through the Nine Dragons Golden Seal Formation in a desperate bid to escape, and decide on the fate of those who had surrendered or been captured alive—soon.
The events of this battle needed to be compiled and spread across the martial world.
After all, the Demonic Cult’s emergence after six years of seclusion was a massive event in itself.
It might even lead to the reconvening of the long-dormant Martial Alliance, stalled for over a decade.
But whatever came next, people were simply happy to release the tension.
The earlier murmurs about forming a special unit to subjugate the Demonic Cult had already vanished.
“Congratulations on the victory!!”
“Congratulations!”
“From the very first punishment of the enemy leaders, to claim such a grand triumph—this is proof that the Young Cult Leader is the true master of the Divine Cult, personally chosen by the Great Demon God himself!!”
“We too have a full ship this time! We shall train and educate them to become the Young Cult Leader’s faithful servants!”
The wraiths were utterly triumphant.
Though they regretted losing the power of the Origin Ghosts as the Evil Ghost Hell Formation was dispelled, they were now too elated to care.
“Full ship” was apt; their ranks below were brimming with fresh wraiths.
“You lazy bastards, what are you dawdling for?! Do you want to taste the full fury of this elder’s Justice Rod?!!”
“Roll left, roll right!”
“Fall into tearful ranks! Execute!!”
“From now on, forget your old names and pasts—you’ll be called by numbers! Understood? Starting with you: Seventeen, Eighteen—”
Numbers Fifteen and Gu Min-chae had volunteered as instructors for the new wraiths.
Especially Gu Min-chae’s training was impressive.
He’d somehow procured a bright red hat and was sternly commanding the recruits, making me wonder if this was the same guy I knew.
Just before the battle, he’d been rigid with tension—why the sudden change?
“It seems the Young Cult Leader’s… ahem! No, the awe-inspiring might he displayed while tormenting the Black Bone Death King left a deep impression on him.”
“Impression?”
“Yes. He must have realized that a single misstep could land him in an even worse state. Haha!”
“He even asked to be called Number Sixteen from now on!”
A hollow laugh escaped me.
Talk about a swift about-face—Flying King level.
“Plus, he doesn’t want to be treated as the lowly baby of the group compared to Number Fifteen, so he’s hustling like that to get some newbies under him—”
“Number Fifteen is jumping around like a madman for his own reasons, determined not to get screwed over again this time.”
The wraiths watched as if it were prime entertainment.
“Y-Young Master! How can you serve as a vanguard for these traitors—!”
“You wretchhh! We were the traitors! How dare you spout such nonsense before the Young Cult Leader?!”
“True education! Real disciplininggg! My Justice Rod howls!!”
For any rebellious wraiths, Numbers Fifteen and Sixteen (as he insisted on being called, so we’d oblige) would pounce together and thrash them mercilessly—it was like they were soul-bound twins.
Fine. Play your hierarchy games among yourselves. Who am I to interfere? Handle it.
Just then, from the opposite direction, toward where people were resting, two familiar faces approached.
The Lion Blade King and Tang Hosan.
Having fought a major battle, their clothes were in tatters.
But the sharp glint in their eyes shone more brilliantly than ever.
Though unseen, the elites under their command must have been as ferocious as the Black Bone Death King.
“Pahaha! What did I tell you? My brother-in-arms is far more mature than the Branch Leader gives him credit for, eh? Look! He led us to this massive victory!”
“……”
For some reason, the two seemed quite chummy now.
The Lion Blade King did most of the talking, with Tang Hosan nodding silently, but there was no sign of rejection.
A pairing that seemed utterly incompatible for life—they must have found some common ground amid the battle.
“I heard the two of you took down the Yin Demon Evil Ghost and the Blood Wolf Seven Fiends. Congratulations on your victories.”
The Yin Demon Evil Ghost and Blood Wolf Seven Fiends were supreme experts classified as elders even in the Demonic Northern Sea Sect.
The Yin Demon Evil Ghost in particular was known to have reached the pinnacle of the ranking stele.
Just capturing them would send shockwaves through the martial world.
“We only nabbed some backroom old fogeys. The real star was our Young Master, wasn’t it? The more I see, the more amazing he is!”
The Lion Blade King clapped my shoulder heartily in praise.
Tang Hosan nodded silently beside him.
Thanks to that, the gazes directed at me now held not just enthusiasm, but envy and respect.
Exactly as I’d hoped.
“With this battle, Young Cult Leader, you’ve gained in one stroke the fame that would have taken ten years to build.”
“No one will dare belittle you as a bastard son any longer. You’ll naturally secure your position in the new Stormwind Brigade as well.”
“Everything is proceeding according to the Young Cult Leader’s plans!!”
The four characters of “Resurrection Half-Evil” and the three of “Dang Unhwi” would now spread from Sichuan across the entire martial world.
“But some will sincerely congratulate the Young Cult Leader—”
“While others, driven by petty jealousy and envy, will not be few. We must ponder how to deal with them first.”
Those near Dang Gyujin nodded with genuine joy,
While those near Bi Cheonho watched me with expressionless eyes.
Distinguishing friend from foe wouldn’t be hard.
But what truly concerned me was elsewhere.
Yi Cheolsan.
『The pick of the bunch, as expected. I knew Brother Tang’s worth would shine through to the world right away. You’ll soar to even greater heights. Congratulations.』
If I had wrapped up this battle, then Yi Cheolsan had shone the brightest.
Infiltrating deep into enemy lines with Dang Gyujin, slaughtering their leaders, shattering their formations—it was a display of might.
Even amid the chaos, he’d rushed to rescue those in peril.
His selfless chivalry, heedless of personal safety, had moved everyone from elders to low-rank warriors, young and old alike. His fame as the Qingcheng Divine Sword already pierced the heavens.
Yet he showered such praise on me without reservation—a true mark of his magnanimity.
In the upcoming Stormwind Brigade, he’d make an excellent stimulant and friendly rival.
I returned the gesture with a formal fist salute of thanks.
And then…
Step.
As someone’s footsteps echoed, the boisterous noise fell silent.
The Dark Venerable appeared slowly, hands clasped behind his back.
“Well now! I hope this old man hasn’t clumsily interrupted the young ones’ afterparty.”
The playful smile still lingered on his lips, most striking.
But the people’s reactions were anything but.
As if by prior agreement, they all rose, knelt on one knee, and bowed their heads.
There was no distinction by affiliation—Tang Clan’s Green Attendant Corps, Nine Dragons Branch Family’s Upright Wind Squad, Lion Gate’s Blade Division, and more.
Yi Cheolsan of Qingcheng Sect knelt first.
Liu Sumin of Emei Sect bowed with a smile, and Sima Sword Intent of Blue Flower Sword Manor paid his respects.
The master of Geomchang Sect, the Heavenly Barrier Monk of Heavenly Dragon Monastery, Hong Ryeo of Thunder Sound Temple, rogue sword immortal Hyun I-jin, Five Poisons Sect, Qilian Mountain Sect, Mount Hua Sect—even the Educational Elder of Kongtong Sect, who had always opposed the Dark Venerable—did the same.
The sects whose names graced the guestbook and the luminaries who attended the banquet now bowed to the Dark Venerable with one heart and mind.
Of course, this was not submission or a pledge of loyalty.
Bound to their sects, they could never consider defecting to the Tang Clan.
It stemmed closer to admiration, respect, and reverence for martial prowess.
But precisely because of that, their voluntary deference felt all the more profound.
For these Central Plains folk, brimming with loyalty to their sects, to offer such heartfelt obeisance meant the man’s charisma—no, his magnetic allure—was extraordinarily potent.
The Dark Venerable had become the emperor of the western martial world, transcending Sichuan—the Emperor of the Western Heavens.
And this would form a grand foundation for the alliance he so desired.
Unlike them, however, I did not kneel but stood tall.
My knee was reserved for one person alone in this world.
Thus, in this place, only the Dark Venerable and I remained standing—two people.
“……”
“……”
Our eyes met.
The Dark Venerable smiled faintly.
His inscrutable smile, as always.