Chapter 139
Chapter 139
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 139
Chapter Title: Dark Heaven Village
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I felt no need to hold back in this fight. Knocking down that guy would essentially end it all, so I decided to play all my cards.
*Yeo Dongbin. You think the same, don't you?*
The tentacle monster—once the Imperial Guard Commander mutated into a demon—was bellowing right in front of me. Yet Yeo Dongbin still showed no sign of descending. That meant, in her eyes, I could handle this opponent on my own.
Crackle!
The decisive essence of Thunder Roar surged through my body. At the same time, the Baek Woong Formula circulated, simplifying the flow and calculation of my true energy. The synergy of the two amplified my combat power several times over in an instant.
"Haaah!"
Boom!
As I shouted and charged, the tentacle monster—its body now five paces wide—was sent flying by a single sword strike. The alchemist watching from the side whipped his head around in shock, and by then, my sword flame was already streaking toward his neck like an arrow.
Swoosh.
*Teleportation?*
I flinched as the alchemist vanished in a blink. But sensing his presence elsewhere immediately, I realized it wasn't true spatial relocation like the Dimensional Shift—it was a short-range movement ability. I kicked off the ground again to pursue him relentlessly.
Flash!
"Urgh... Take this..."
The alchemist suddenly summoned a massive staff from his hand and condensed crimson flames around it. Dozens of flaming orbs swirled in the air. They seemed more for defense than attack, meant to keep me at bay. I had to make a split-second decision.
*Test the flame orbs first.*
Boom!!
I unleashed a sword beam at them. The orbs split in two momentarily before exploding midair. The blast radius was about one pace—impressively potent. Dodging the tentacle monster's pursuit from behind with Thunder Shadow Step's Heavenly Pivot Kill, I fired another sword beam at the cluster from mid-range.
Kaboom!
Thick smoke billowed up, and amid it, the alchemist had resummoned a horde of flame orbs. He cackled, apparently thinking himself safe.
"Do you think my magic can harm me?"
Annoying sorcery. The orbs reacted to anyone approaching, exploding on contact while leaving the caster unscathed—pure defense. Even I couldn't tank dozens of those blasts without fatal, crippling injuries.
Groooar!
Thud!
The tentacle monster bellowed again, launching a heavy assault. This time, it extended its tentacles fully, clearly recognizing me as the enemy. Evading while I pondered.
*Take out the tentacle monster first, or the alchemist?*
I'd go with the former. Better to eliminate the easier target quickly than risk a lethal wound challenging those flame defenses head-on. With that resolve, I executed Thunder Shadow Step's Heavenly Pivot Kill, leaving an afterimage as I retreated backward instead.
Using agile lightness skill, I scaled a pillar in the darkness like a spider, steadily refining my energy. I'd already drawn a needle from my bosom, heightening my focus. The alchemist's laughter echoed.
"Uhahaha! Can't handle it, so you're running with your tail between your legs?"
Ignoring his mockery, I calmly examined my meridians and acupoints. Then, I pierced three secret acupoints to further activate Thunder Wind Palm. Unused internal energy dormant in my dantian surged forth violently.
Rumble.
Thunder Roar, Baek Woong Formula, and now amplified energy boiled within me. I leaped from the pillar with a shout. My eyes locked on one target: the lumbering tentacle monster.
"Eyaaap!"
Ten Thousand Chariots Sword Art
Secret Technique
Thousand Slashes, Ten Thousand Cuts
White light blurred. My body spun like a whirlwind, unleashing crescent sword beams in rapid succession, accelerating to terrifying speeds. This was the Sword God Style's secret swordsmanship, usable only after fully mastering Swift Formula, Illusion Formula, and Variant Formula—a deceptively simple barrage of continuous slashes.
Ping.
It seemed to pause. In truth, my sword speed had exceeded limits, the white light sublimating into sword flame that devoured even sound as it unleashed horrifying continuous thrusts. Amid the sizzling, beastly wails rose from the slashes. The white sword light intensified to a milky glow, severing dozens of tentacles in a single breath.
Slash slash slash!
Three hundred slashes in a flash. The white light had become thunder light, enveloping the five-pace tentacle monster's entire body. The distant alchemist stood dumbfounded, unable to process the sudden turn. Ignoring him, I poured my all into pure cutting.
Spurt.
Seven hundred slashes.
Eight hundred slashes.
Nine hundred slashes.
Spurt kaboom!
The swirling sword light resembled clouds spewing lightning.
Clang!
The finale.
Sheathing my sword, I turned my back on the mangled tentacle monster.
It lashed out tentacles in a final spasm.
My eyes half-lidded in peak focus. Sinews writhed in my forearms.
I murmured softly.
"Thousand Slashes, Ten Thousand Cuts."
Whirr.
Light poured from my back. In reality, it gathered the momentum of all prior slashes into a finishing sword light blast. Simultaneously, the tentacle monster that had endured nine hundred slashes split in two.
Boom!!!
Its body shattered into tens of thousands of fragments within the light, accumulated slashes detonating at once to pulverize the foe. Pride swelled in me—this was the first real combat use of the Ten Thousand Chariots Sword Art secret technique I'd drilled to death.
Rustle rustle...
With the tentacle monster exploded, the alchemist watching from afar panicked. He bellowed.
"This can't be... How do you have that kind of power?"
"Why do you think!"
Exuding thick killing intent, I drew a dagger from my bosom and hurled it like lightning.
Swoosh—bang!!
"Graaaah!!"
Infused with my internal energy for devastating propulsion, the dagger severed his arm and slammed the alchemist into the wall. His flame orb defenses proved useless—I'd targeted his weakness from over a dozen paces away. Just as I'd suspected, his barrier spells were vulnerable to ranged throws.
Impaled in the wall, the alchemist writhed, spewing blood. His struggles soon weakened. I watched impassively, then raised my sword.
*No need for openings. Straight for the neck.*
I had no intention of clumsily interrogating him. He was too dangerous for that. Any slip could allow a reversal, so I clamped my mouth shut and charged silently.
He seemed half-unconscious already.
"Die!"
Clang—!!
That instant, as I moved to finish him, something blocked my path. It was a talisman spirit wrapped around him like an orb, effortlessly blocking my full-force strike. Recognizing the figure, I gritted my teeth.
"Zhuge Bu...!!"
"You've forced my hand, after all."
Zhuge Bu had somehow entered the palace. He'd heard my earlier declaration and rushed here to the throne room. He snapped his fingers, activating a pre-cast spell, and I felt my body crushed under immense pressure again.
"Hup!"
Boom.
Unleashing my internal energy burst, the spell shattered without a trace. Startled, Zhuge Bu grabbed the alchemist and teleported ten paces away. From that distance, he looked genuinely shocked.
"Impressive... Shaking off an advanced spell with sheer force of will."
I caught my breath. To extract information, I raised my sword and demanded of Zhuge Bu.
"Zhuge Bu. Why protect him? Isn't taking him down all that's needed?"
He tossed the alchemist to the ground like trash.
"You know nothing. He's just a pawn."
"What?"
"Killing him would only make the forces of darkness scoff. They'd strike back more lethally and covertly."
"But we can't let the alchemist run wild."
I glared and growled at Zhuge Bu.
"Out of my way!"
"......"
His sunken eyes met mine.
"I can tell you. Follow me."
Swoosh.
Zhuge Bu suddenly headed deeper into the palace core. I glared at his back, then approached the alchemist and sealed his entire body with acupuncture. I'd planned a killing blow earlier, but with Zhuge Bu negotiating, better to ensnare him with Miho's enchantment for intel. Fully suppressing his mind and body with the Golden Needle Great Method, I stuffed him into my neck pouch.
Tap tap.
Following Zhuge Bu deeper into the palace darkness, unease crept in.
*What? Is this palace really this big?*
I'd deactivated Thunder Roar to conserve energy, but my lightness skill was top-tier. We'd gone far enough for any normal palace to end. Yet we kept descending underground—immense scale.
Soon, I realized the palace was formed by spells making the inside larger than the outside, like the Twelve Rites Master's abode. Massive doors loomed in the gloom; Zhuge Bu opened them, and I followed.
Finally, a vast abyss-like space appeared, with a long spiral staircase winding down its walls. Strange bubbles and bizarre structures dotted everywhere. Zhuge Bu called from afar.
[This way.]
We leaped down the spiral stairs for ages. After descending dozens of paces, light appeared below—the abyss floor. Zhuge Bu stood gazing up at an altar.
Whirr.
Whirr...
"This is?"
I stared, awestruck, at the massive green crystal floating above the altar. A full pace across, it pulsed with life-like light. I'd never imagined such a huge crystal, radiating immense, hypnotic magic.
Zhuge Bu said.
"This is the Philosopher's Stone the alchemist was creating."
"Philosopher's Stone?"
"You don't know."
He fixed a solemn gaze on it.
"Precisely, this stele inscribed with the method to create the Philosopher's Stone, brought from the West by the alchemist. Summoned from foreign lands, he's obsessed solely with deciphering it to forge the stone."
I frowned. Explaining after treating him as an enemy felt off.
"So what? What happens if it's made?"
"Three things, fundamentally."
Zhuge Bu continued slowly.
"First, immortality."
"......!!"
"Second, infinite power source. The stone can serve as an endless energy well."
"Hmm."
"Third... genesis of all things. Through it, anything can be created or transmuted. The dream realm of Western sorcerers."
I let out a groan. The Philosopher's Stone was a cheat artifact. Unlike the first summoned foreign sorcerer, this alchemist's fixation made sense.
*If that's true, even a pebble could turn to gold?*
But something felt off. That alone wouldn't compel the emperor, with all worldly wealth and power, to aid him. Noticing my suspicion, Zhuge Bu smirked.
"You've caught on. Yes, immortality is trivial. Most foreigners are inherently immortal; implanting a demon body like the Imperial Guard Commander grants it easily. The emperor obtained it effortlessly with the alchemist's help—though his soul-devouring death was unforeseen."
"What's the second contract?"
"......"
A glint in Zhuge Bu's eyes. He said.
"You're sharper than I thought."
Unsure if praise or insult, he answered.
"Indeed. The emperor's greed didn't stop there; he sought dominion over all existence. Aiding the stone's creation, he gathered the Seven Luminaries. With their power, the stone completes easily."
"What do the Seven Luminaries or the stone have to do with world conquest?"
"Do you know Grand Eunuch Zheng He led seven expeditions across the world?"
"......?"
I didn't. Tilting my head, Zhuge Bu explained.
"By then, the forces of darkness had built gates linking worldwide. Zheng He's voyages served that from the start—to teleport Ming troops and conquer foreign lands effortlessly."
"What?!"
"The stone provides infinite power and opens those 'gates' freely. Completion means the Ming Empire dominates the world."
I was stunned.
How had the story ballooned to this scale?
It was so vast, I couldn't grasp the plot. Then realization hit.
*Infinite power source... Did the first sorcerer who performed human sacrifice also offer lives to evil gods for gate-opening energy?*
Plausible. Glaring at Zhuge Bu, I said.
"You've failed summoning a foreigner before, haven't you?"
"How did you know?"
"...I see. That's why the alchemist was summoned second."
Frowning, I accused.
"You've been waiting for him to complete the stone."
"Yes."
"Then you'd claim it."
"Naturally."
I understood Zhuge Bu's scheme.
Unlike his spells, only magic could forge the stone—the alchemist's domain. So Zhuge Bu lurked, guarding the emperor, poised to seize it upon completion.
His standoff with the Imperial Flame Army was weighing options: ally with the alchemist or back the army for status while secretly completing the stone.
Infuriated, veins bulged in my neck.
"You bastard!! Don't you know what foreigners are like, scheming only for yourself?! Don't you know how they'll massacre and torment the people? All this time, safeguarding your interests, bystander when you could stop them!!"
"I knew, but..."
Zhuge Bu replied nonchalantly.
"Once I have the stone, I can stop them. Just a matter of timing."
"You care nothing for humanity."
"Perhaps."
Now I knew the alienation from our first meeting.
He held no interest in humans. No emotions.
Everyone but himself was just a tool for his intellect.
His mindset was closer to a foreigner's—I'd faced many, instinctively sensing it.
Seeing my dismay, Zhuge Bu chuckled softly.
"But... you might be different."
His proposal made me clamp my mouth.
"I'll lift the palace wards and yield the realm to Grand General Hwang Yeon. In exchange, we whisk away the alchemist and finish the stone together."
"......"
"I can support you perfectly. You'll claim the stone and become lord of all."
A tempting offer.
Acquire the Philosopher's Stone!
Despite compromising with Zhuge Bu, for a reincarnator like me, it was a massive opportunity rolling in.