Chapter 50
Chapter 50
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 50
Chapter Title: Slaying the White Death God
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The White Death God gripped the armrest.
Creak—
His fingers dug deep into the iron armrest, shattering it.
"You strut around relying on your meager skills."
His words came out as if he were chewing each one. His eyes began to turn pure white, and soon a chilling energy erupted from his entire body, one so intense it made bones ache.
Whoosh!
His snow-white hair surged like waves amid the exploding energy, and the still air began to rage violently.
The floor beneath the jade throne cracked open with a sharp snap.
Cracks then spiderwebbed out from around the White Death God. The floor sank about an inch in an instant. The White Death God rose from the jade throne atop the subsided floor, lowering his blank white eyes to stare at Cheonhwi.
Snow-white, unnatural pupils.
By the time Cheonhwi turned his head to meet that gaze, the White Death God spread his left hand wide.
It was a gaunt palm, as if only skin and tendons clung to bone—like the hand of a corpse, pale and devoid of life.
'It's been a while since I've felt this level of pressure.'
Cheonhwi sensed the massive energy gathered in that palm.
The indescribably immense and vicious demonic energy contained in that withered hand.
'Yes. You need to be at this level to be called the hegemon of a province.'
Cheonhwi's eyes sank calmly.
The White Death God was strong.
Even compared to the masters Cheonhwi knew, he was in no way inferior.
He had at least reached the Heavenly Martial Realm—no, he was proficient in it.
'Hyeondo wouldn't even be a match.'
As he compared him to Hyeondo—
Flash!
A pale blue-white glow erupted from the White Death God's hand, followed by a shockwave explosion.
Boom!
White Ghost Castle shook as if struck by an earthquake, and a fierce blast swept through the chamber.
Moments later, as the dust cleared, the room's interior was utterly transformed.
Shattered walls and pillars riddled with cracks.
Smashed decorations.
In the now completely wrecked room—unlike at the start—only the White Death God and Cheonhwi remained unchanged.
But the atmosphere between them had shifted dramatically, just like the ruined room.
Killing intent rippled between them.
Their murderous resolve aimed straight for each other's throats.
At that moment, Cheonhwi parted his lips, breaking the tense silence.
"If I hadn't blocked it, I'd have taken internal damage."
Cheonhwi, now gripping his sword, recalled the White Death God's ferocious palm strike from moments ago and shook off the lingering energy from his palm.
It was considerably sharp qi.
He had blocked it easily enough, but the energy still lingered in his sword hand.
'What technique is that?'
Before Cheonhwi, who was eyeing the White Death God with gleaming eyes, could finish his thought—
Swoosh—
The White Death God's left hand moved again.
His swung hand, like an eagle's talon, gleamed with light as it tore through the air.
At the same time, the White Death God kicked off the ground.
Thud!
The Nine Springs Eagle Claw Strike hadn't even reached Cheonhwi before the White Death God instinctively propelled himself forward.
A symphony of two techniques unfolding simultaneously.
Their speed surpassed lightning.
Bang!
As Cheonhwi deflected the Nine Springs Eagle Claw Strike, he indifferently twisted his sword upon seeing the White Death God charging at him.
Rather than dodging, he stepped forward toward the White Death God.
Step—
The distance between them: a mere three paces.
And at that range, the White Death God's Nine Springs Eagle Claw Strike and Cheonhwi's sword blazed to life, moving to kill each other.
Clang!
An unbelievable metallic clash rang out from hand and sword, sparks flying dozens at a time.
Their killing intent, relentlessly targeting throats, hearts, and vital points, was utterly ruthless and ice-cold.
How many exchanges had they traded?
The White Death God furrowed his brow.
'A killing sword without the slightest hesitation! Is this truly a Mount Hua Sect Daoist?'
A sense of wrongness dominated his body.
The swordsmanship felt less like that of a righteous sect Daoist and more akin to an evil faction's.
No, it wasn't quite that either.
A killing sword meant to subjugate the opponent.
'It feels just like...'
Suddenly, a certain sect flashed through his mind like lightning.
But his thought was cut short.
The sword was already at his nose.
Thud!
Sword and hand clashed once more.
A resonance transmitted from the White Death God's palm as pale blue-white demonic energy rose to target Cheonhwi's upper body.
Crack!
Cheonhwi's left eyebrow twitched.
'I can't win an internal energy clash.'
Blocking head-on transmitted the full shock.
'In that case...'
He immediately pivoted on his left foot, channeling his rotational force.
As the White Death God's intense strike scattered into the air—
Whoosh!
Cheonhwi spun further, tracking the White Death God with his eyes as he prepared the next attack, thrusting his sword at his brow.
"...!"
Startled by the unexpected counter, the White Death God hurriedly whipped his left hand like a lash.
Boom!
The resulting shockwave belatedly rocked the chamber violently.
The ceiling creaked as if it might collapse any second, and beneath it, Cheonhwi and the White Death God locked eyes.
Cheonhwi shook off his sword.
'Strong... he is strong.'
Just a few exchanges were enough to gauge the White Death God's prowess.
He wasn't called the hegemon of a province for nothing.
Not even eighty percent of White Ghost Castle's forces could match him.
"But that's about it."
Cheonhwi muttered, his gaze turning indifferent.
Hegemon of a province?
It meant nothing to him.
Who was he?
The hegemon who had surpassed a single province—the ruler of the Nine Provinces and Eight Sovereigns of the martial world.
That was him.
His impassive eyes chilled, a red aura flickering within.
Whoosh—
The Plum Blossom Divine Art that Cheonhwi had created began devouring the White Death God's presence and aura filling the room.
Watching the change, the White Death God's eyes shifted.
"So Mount Hua Sect was deceiving the world."
His voice dripped with killing intent.
"I wondered why it was so quiet. You hid yourselves in near seclusion to raise a monster like you."
Cheonhwi, seeing the mistaken White Death God, felt no need to correct him. He simply lowered his sword without a word.
Seven Ultimate Plum Blossom Sword, Third Form.
Plum Shadow Heavenly Thunder Dance.
Red thunder qi coated Cheonhwi's sword, striking down like thunder.
Rumble!
"...!"
In that instant, the White Death God's pupils convulsed, his expression twisting.
The sword swinging at him felt like it would cleave him in two.
Grit—
The White Death God ground his teeth.
Exuding vicious demonic energy, he unleashed qi from both hands and merged them.
The swirling pale blue-white glow formed as he executed the Nine Springs Annihilation to shatter the red thunder sword.
The Nine Springs Annihilation, infused with intense demonic energy, shot toward the descending Plum Shadow Heavenly Thunder Dance.
Leaving a vivid deep blue trail, as if defying lightning.
And moments later, they collided.
Swoosh—
No explosion, no shockwave.
The room fell into utter silence, as if time itself had frozen.
Yet the White Death God's form revealed the clash's outcome.
Snap—
The tie holding his hair snapped, his white locks cascading down.
Through the shoulder-length hair, his blank white eyes gleamed ominously.
"...It's been a long time."
The murmuring White Death God's body trembled.
"When was the last time this throne felt such humiliation?"
"Was that a qi binding technique?"
Cheonhwi revealed himself.
He looked the same as before, but his eyes sparkled like stars.
"To think a qi binding technique had such power."
Recognizing the technique the White Death God had just used, Cheonhwi grew intrigued.
A lost art that, even at great completion, merely sealed an opponent's movements.
That was the qi binding technique.
But the one the White Death God had executed was different from what he knew.
Not only did it draw in the Plum Shadow Heavenly Thunder Dance—it completely annihilated it.
'Tempting.'
Grinning greedily, he eyed the White Death God.
"You dare mock this throne."
Misinterpreting the smile, the White Death God shuddered with humiliation and unleashed his aura.
Whoosh!
His disheveled white hair shot skyward, the air vibrating.
The manifestation of the Nine Springs White Bone Art.
One of the pinnacle evil ultimate arts bared its fangs, making the air—the world—tremble in fear.
And those fangs moved to bite Cheonhwi's neck.
Sneer—
Cheonhwi's lips twisted further.
Feeling the unique demonic energy pressing bone-chillingly on his body, his eyes narrowed like a serpent's, pleased.
'This is the martial world.'
The moment he drew his sword again—
Whoom—
The White Death God's aura amplified further.
The bone-chilling Nine Springs White Bone Art's demonic energy permeated the room, slowly compressing Cheonhwi.
Whoosh—
Like a candle snuffed out, the White Death God vanished.
Moving at a speed imperceptible to the eye, he flanked Cheonhwi and thrust his right fist.
Clang!
The moment Cheonhwi blocked with his sword—
"This space is now this throne's domain."
The White Death God's eerie voice echoed.
Intense demonic energy had already gathered in his hand.
The ultimate technique that crushed foes with overwhelming demonic pressure, turning them to bloody pulp in an instant: Nine Springs Crushing Prison.
The Nine Springs Crushing Prison drew in the space as if the underworld had manifested here.
The shattered walls, pillars, and even Cheonhwi.
Everything was pulled together, compressed—
Crunch!
Soon, a massive sphere the size of the White Death God's height formed.
Drip—
A trickle of blood ran from the White Death God's lips, his face contorted in agony.
"...The worst."
The White Death God wiped the blood with his sleeve.
He appeared fine outwardly, but inside, internal injuries ravaged him.
The Nine Springs Crushing Prison was the most aberrant and destructive qi binding technique he knew, but its backlash was unparalleled.
"Still, at this price, it's a bargain. I nipped the bud before it could grow further."
The White Death God's eyes turned to the sphere created by the Nine Springs Crushing Prison.
His young Daoist foe—no, that monster—was freakishly strong.
Imagining facing him again later, after more growth, sent chills down his spine.
Even now, he pressured him like this—what if he grew stronger?
It was beyond fear—utterly terrifying.
But that wouldn't happen now.
He was already bound by the Nine Springs Crushing Prison's power, slowly dying.
The White Death God withdrew his gaze from the sphere and began regulating his internal injuries.
"But the damage is severe."
His gaze drifted afar.
The presences outside were mostly lifeless souls.
"If only I hadn't listened to the Military Strategist and opted for all-out war instead of the Mount Hua Extermination Plan, a monster like him wouldn't have appeared in Mount Hua Sect."
He gnashed his lips.
The grand Mount Hua Extermination Plan had collapsed in an instant, and White Ghost Castle, built over years, lay in ruins.
"It'll take time to recover our strength. But with the Military Strategist, faster than before..."
That was when.
Crack—
An ominous sound came from the sphere, fine cracks forming.
"What is this...?"
The wide-eyed White Death God gaped at the unprecedented sight.
Crack!
The sphere shattered, and an irresistible absolute energy flowed out.
"That was quite the qi binding technique."
Hearing the absolute voice that forced even a bow, the White Death God's hands trembled, his face pale with panic.
"Impossible! How can someone your age wield such energy...?"
As he denied reality, shaking and shouting—
Splash!
Blood sprayed across his vision, his severed left arm floating in the air.
"To pressure me, even for a moment."
The cold words struck his ears as Cheonhwi appeared before him. He looked unchanged, but upon facing him, the truth dawned.
A monster yet to fully grow?
Nonsense.
The monster had already matured.
As an absolute being!
The White Death God's pupils quivered.
The pain of his severed arm was utterly overshadowed by Cheonhwi's presence.
"Who... are you?"
Cheonhwi's lips twisted.
White teeth gleamed between red lips, stealing the White Death God's gaze and wits.
"If you're curious, ask Yama."
As his chilling voice paled the White Death God's face—
Slash!
Cheonhwi swung the sword in his hand, and a sword-dark plum blossom bloomed.
The plum blossom bloomed prolifically, as if devouring the world, piercing deep into the White Death God's heart to guide him to death.
Drip—
Blood flowed from the White Death God's mouth.
Staring down at the sword through his heart, he muttered with a hollow expression.
"Kuk, to end up like this before even drawing a blade on him..., guh."
He spat blood with a groan.
Gurgle—
Blackened dead blood dripped down Cheonhwi's embedded sword to the floor.
Staggering from the shock, the White Death God—
Perhaps sensing death's approach.
His unfocused eyes sharpened on Cheonhwi as bloodied lips moved.
"You are... strong. You'll grow even stronger later. But you too will eventually writhe like me. In the palm of their hand... the Eight Divine Martial Gods'..."
His body twisted mid-sentence, collapsing before finishing.
Thud!
An ignoble end, hard to believe for the hegemon who had single-handedly elevated White Ghost Castle to the ranks of the Six Supremes and dominated Shaanxi.