Chapter 352
Chapter 352
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 352
Chapter Title: Shifting Tides (1)
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The former military strategist of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, Yagul Hwan, was deep in thought.
A dragon vein was absolutely essential for the ritual, but all the noteworthy powers had already staked their claims on them.
Now that he had secured command over most of the detached units operating externally for the operation, forcibly seizing one wouldn't be too difficult if he so desired...
'The larger the dragon vein, the greater the ritual's effect. But the stronger the faction holding a prime spot, the more formidable their forces will be.'
Losses were inevitable in the process.
Should he target weaker spots to minimize damage at the cost of reduced efficacy, or pour everything into claiming a superior one to maximize the ritual?
Simply occupying a dragon vein wouldn't end things—resources and time for utilizing it were limited, so this demanded careful choice.
'...No, is there really a need to seek a new dragon vein?'
Suddenly, a certain location flashed through his mind.
Wasn't there one place, unmatched in scale across the world, left abandoned without any occupying faction—saving him the need to expend forces?
"Dragon Heart."
Beijing, where the ruins of the now thoroughly dilapidated imperial palace lay.
It wasn't far from his current position, so he could save time as well.
'Moreover, now a thoroughly cursed land, it reduces the risk of exposure.'
Though its central core had been forcibly ripped out, rendering it completely inert, it had once been the continent's most potent sanctuary of energy.
Now, like a bottomless jar draining the world's qi, it had become so barren not even ants could survive—but its symbolic weight remained unchanged.
'I'm not planning to commune with otherworldly gods for a deal anyway. No need to insist on an intact dragon vein.'
What he sought was to fully absorb the Dragon God's energy dwelling in the Dragon Children.
As long as the altar met the qualifications, performing the ritual at the now-reversed Dragon Heart wouldn't be a major issue.
'No, it might even be better. Taking the gods' ordained Dragon Children from the world's center, robbed of function by the Dragon Heart's seizure...'
What sorcery could offer a more perfect karmic alignment!
The Dragon Children were born precisely to restore the Dragon Heart, so holding the ritual there would undoubtedly amplify the effects manifold.
This was an opportunity.
He had bided his time in the Heavenly Demon's shadow, safely building strength—but that method required ages to accumulate the necessary karma.
Yet if he could leap realms in one go with this approach...
"Heh heh heh, luck's smiling on me in my later years. When the Heavenly Demon died, I thought all my efforts had gone to waste."
Yagul Hwan burst into hearty laughter, his eyes crinkling softly.
Deep wrinkles framed his crescent-moon folds.
At the center of those pitch-black pupils, a reptilian, vertically slit golden iris gleamed ominously.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Heavenly Demon Divine Cult's Blossom Palace, private laboratory.
"Heavenly Mechanism Demon Immortal. So he's gathering all the Dragon Children in one place."
Hans tilted his head, stroking his chin beard as he withdrew his hand from the head of a pitch-blackened corpse.
Dozens more blackened bodies littered the floor beside him.
All were Heavenly Demon Divine Cult warriors who had clashed with Hari far from this province Shin-gang—finally returned to their homeland via Avatar Cloud, albeit not in the form they desired.
"Tch, such presumptuous greed. If they'd surrendered quietly, it would've been easier for everyone."
He could easily guess their intentions.
To one versed in demonic arts like him, the Dragon Children were no different from legendary spirit elixirs.
Having yielded to the Heavenly Demon all this time, it was natural their eyes would roll at a chance to monopolize them all.
'Still, it's odd. Even if the ritual succeeds, he knows he can't overcome this body that slew the Heavenly Demon. Does he have that much confidence?'
Recalling what he knew of Heavenly Mechanism Demon Immortal Yagul Hwan, nothing particularly stood out.
Exceptionally intelligent as a strategist, with sorcery attainment among the cult's elite—he had racked up brilliant feats even in wars against yokai.
"Hm, did he think he'd drive me out after claiming the Dragon Children? Or maybe simple loyalty, refusing to serve the slayer of his cult leader."
Hans frowned after pondering awhile.
With tasks piling up, this extra annoyance sparked sudden irritation.
'I need to retrieve the Dragon Children, including Jegal Hye-mi and Ju Kang-in, before he starts the ritual. The transporters seem to be the only ones who knew their destination—these guys knew little. ...Well, even if they did, the location's probably been changed by now.'
In the information-scarce Kang Hwan Realm, this was a headache.
No matter how capable he was, avatars alone had limits.
'If Olivia and the ghost bodies were here, no such worries. Or if I could actively tap the local factions' intel networks... Hm? Wait.'
Mid-thought, Hans paused.
Thinking of other factions made him realize he didn't need to rack his brain alone.
'Why am I agonizing over this solo? Issues with Dragon Children and Dragon Heart are this realm's affair—shouldn't the locals step up more proactively!'
He knew Golden Crow Island was working hard, but their covert operations fell far short.
'Time to rope in every faction. The more who join, the smoother it'll go.'
Their solo struggles so far were understandable.
With the imperial house vanished in the cult's long-prepared scheme, trust was scarce.
'But things are different now.'
Their wary target, the cult, was already devoured by him.
Not every external agent was eliminated, but without headquarters' support, their schemes had limits.
Especially skulking like now, they'd lack the leeway.
"Kukuku—alright, let's get started right away."
Compared to Outerica, his time in Kang Hwan Realm was short.
Intel networks were rudimentary, foundations nascent, unknowns plentiful.
'Start with Golden Crow Island.'
Yet he wielded power surpassing all that.
Power to sway this world.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Golden Crow Island hadn't agreed to the plan from the start.
But after cross-verifying Horus's grim intel, realizing the crisis's gravity, they had no choice but to concede it was best.
The stakes were too high; they accepted some risk.
And the results were immediately evident at Yungjung Mountain, where Hugo resided.
"Greetings. I am Cheonggwan of Mosan Sect. I come unannounced with urgent news, presuming upon your hospitality."
A Daoist in worn robes bowed politely, as usual.
His sudden visit left the Zhuge Clan side stunned, but they had no choice but to let him in.
Initially chaotic, they nearly turned him away—until his words made it impossible.
"This concerns Jegal Hye-mi and the cult that abducted her. A vital matter—please spare a moment."
Though both were pillars of sorcery, unlike the active, vast Zhuge Clan, Mosan Sect was infamous for seclusion.
The Zhuge Clan, slightly behind in martial arts but robust overall, thrived on broad activity.
Mosan Sect focused solely on sorcery, growing via commissions for ritual aid over territorial expansion.
Outwardly incomparable in might, but in sorcery alone, Mosan edged public perception—irking the Zhuge inwardly.
Thus, Cheonggwan's words as Mosan representative hit like a thunderbolt.
"...So, our Hye-mi... and those called Dragon Children... were born as sacrifices to rebuild the Dragon Heart?"
Amid the clan's core members.
Patriarch Zhuge Ho-won asked gravely.
Not just him—the others' faces were grim too.
How could they not be?
Long-cherished family predestined from birth for worldly sacrifice? No joy there.
Pride stung too.
Peers in sorcery uncovering what they missed? Hard to swallow.
Yet raised prizing reason over emotion, they calmed and deliberated.
Analyzing gathered intel and data, conclusion: Cheonggwan's claims highly plausible.
Decisive: Shaolin's imperial scion, sharing symptoms with Jegal Hye-mi, abducted same day by cult.
"The cult uses them to boost personal power. We've confirmed the Heavenly Demon's recent realm surge from sacrificing several Dragon Children already..."
Cheonggwan continued.
Zhuge faces hardened.
This transcended Hye-mi's fate alone.
The Heavenly Demon's Shaolin prowess was legendary: severing a divine monk's arm amid Buddhist-Daoist wards, dominating even 2v1 against a new Transcendent.
Now, further empowered by sacrificing more—
Worse, those victims essential to normalizing chaos—
"...Hoo, this isn't ours to solve alone."
Restoration later.
Even if demanding their sacrifice eventually, halt the cult first, by any means.
"That's why I'm here. With Zhuge Clan's aid, spreading this to major factions won't be hard."
This world's mystic mainstay was martial arts, but others knew sorcery's utility.
Just too constrained for easy mastery.
Zhuge Clan, with networks and infrastructure, could swiftly disseminate intel continent-wide.
"...Agreed. Let's start immediately. Already swamped—now dying under the load."
"Our Mosan Daoists across the continent can aid the ritual. Relay via them minimizes distance drain."
"Excellent. Then we have a deal."
Long-range comms were laborious, rarely used—but with Mosan help, far smoother than expected.
Thus, based on the sorcery world's twin peaks' alliance, word spread to realm-dominating factions.
Of the cult's plot, Heavenly Demon peril.
And hope to end the chaos.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ 'Good, progressing smoothly.'
Heavenly Demon's death unknown save cultists—perfect pretext to stoke crisis, unite them.
His Shaolin feats famed universally.
'Continent's eyes focused, they can't hide forever. Traces will surface somewhere.'
Undoubtedly, hearing rumors, some would scheme selfishly for Dragon Children now.
Potentially sparking new tragedies...
'Doesn't matter.'
Hans ignored such trifles.
Not callously abandoning Dragon Children.
Simply, truly irrelevant now.
The solution just finalized.
"Rise."
His low voice reverberated softly.
Tremble—
The figure on the bed twitched in sync.
Sporadic at first, then convulsing rapidly.
Then, abruptly still.
Whoosh—
Next instant, it knelt gracefully before Hans.
Its glossy, sclera-less black eyes gleaming.
"...Glory to the Lord of Death. Bestow your command."
The Heavenly Demon, devoured by karma after consuming countless sins—now consumed by it himself.
From his corpse, a new undead born: a dagger honed against fate's foe, Oath of Reverse Heaven's Lord.
Provisional title: 'Karma Jiangshi'.