Chapter 140
Chapter 140
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 140
Chapter Title: Dark Heaven Village
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0140 ----------------------------------------------
Dark Heaven Village
I looked at him and said,
"I refuse."
"Hoo..."
Zhuge Bu responded as if surprised. However, his expression remained unchanged as he asked me,
"Why do you think that?"
"One reason."
I gripped my sword and pointed it at him.
"I can't trust you."
There were advantages to joining hands with Zhuge Bu: learning the secrets that had happened so far, having an easier time controlling the alchemist, and receiving help from the wisdom and sorcery of someone hailed as the guardian of the Central Plains. Considering all that, my current choice might seem foolish.
But I couldn't trust him. I'd seen his true nature plainly, and I knew he was the type who could stab me in the back whenever it suited him. Sure, he'd handle things reliably if his own interests were at stake, but that wasn't worth the risk of me dying or being betrayed.
Moreover, if Zhuge Bu betrayed me, there was a chance I'd survive without even reincarnating, left alive only to be tortured or controlled. Given his personality and tendencies, it wasn't impossible. Factoring in that danger, it would be arrogant of me to rashly ally with him thinking I could control him.
Zhuge Bu said,
"I'm not asking you to trust me—just to use me as long as it benefits you. You don't even understand that?"
"No, I understand perfectly."
I chuckled and continued,
"I know my own limits. With my current wisdom and capacity, I can't handle someone like you."
"......"
"So, someone like you—I kill!"
Flash!
I unleashed a bolt of sword light like lightning. With Thunder Command and White Bear Bond activated, unlike before, Zhuge Bu couldn't easily evade with sorcery. My movements were incredibly fast now, flickering with Thunder Shadow at every instant.
Zhuge Bu gathered the power of his previous Asura Heaven-Light Great Law into his palms and deflected my sword flame. But he couldn't fully deflect it—a cut appeared on his arm and leg. For that instant, my martial arts' power and speed had vastly surpassed his.
"Urk."
Zhuge Bu grimaced in pain for a moment before unleashing sorcery again to retreat far away.
Swoosh
Suddenly floating in midair, Zhuge Bu said to me,
"You're straightforward to a fault. But... that's what makes you harder to deal with."
Muttering self-mockingly, Zhuge Bu suddenly drew a pure white feather fan from his robes. I tensed, realizing the real fight was just beginning. Zhuge Bu unfurled the fan and declared,
"Treasure White Feather Fan, unleash your power!"
A treasure?!
I was startled by the sudden incantation.
Treasures were artifacts no human could create—only immortals could craft and wield them. They possessed power on a different level from those used by human Taoists. According to Mangnyang, only a scant few such treasures existed in the world. And Zhuge Bu was using one?
Whirrrrr
Suddenly, dozens of golden-glowing incantations floated around Zhuge Bu's body. Having studied sorcery, I recognized each bizarre incantation as Sanskrit from Tianzhu. Sorcery tied to Sanskrit wielded tremendous power, so I realized clashing head-on with Zhuge Bu here would be suicide.
'Damn it, evade!'
I immediately used Instantaneous Evaporation to teleport to the entrance of the hall and dodge. Then I felt a pure white light erupting from behind me.
Flaaash—
"......!!"
A massive blaze of white heat poured from behind. Turning to look would blind me, so I hurriedly protected my eyes with internal energy while dodging behind a pillar. As the light faded, I peeked out.
'No way that sorcery attack filled the entire hall?'
A chill ran down my spine. Without Instantaneous Evaporation, I'd have died on the spot.
I inwardly cursed Zhuge Bu's absurd strength. Peak transcendent martial artist, and a grand sorcerer wielding a treasure! Compared to Mangnyang's laborious efforts to meet conditions for Five Fires and Seven Golds Powder—it was worlds apart. I hated to admit it, but Zhuge Bu was undoubtedly the Central Plains' greatest prodigy.
But if I didn't defeat him, suppressing the palace would fail. Hiding my presence with Ghost Ears Great Law in the palace's shadows, I bought time until he reappeared, pondering countermeasures.
'If he uses that treasure White Feather Fan for close-range attacks like before, I'm done for.'
A ridiculous area attack spanning hundreds of feet. Rashly facing it would mean instant death. But fleeing outside the palace would trap me in the Eight Formations Diagram—surrendering myself to Zhuge Bu's grasp.
What to do?
As I pondered, an idea struck. I quickly pulled the alchemist from my neck pouch and lightly roused the unconscious man, drained from blood loss. Bound by prohibitions, he seemed dazed, but as not purely human, his mind wasn't fully suppressed.
"Ugh... you... bastard..."
I stared straight into his eyes and said,
"Listen well. Zhuge Bu's about to annihilate us with the treasure White Feather Fan."
"......!!"
"No time. If there's no way out, speak now. We survive first."
All or nothing.
My only option was fleeing the palace or Luoyang to our main camp, but that would let Zhuge Bu hold my comrades hostage or kill them without hesitation. Desperate to avoid that, I needed a move now.
The alchemist coughed up blood violently and said,
"Cough... The unfinished Transcendent奇人... is in the Azure Heaven Chamber... That can stop Zhuge Bu."
"Transcendent奇人?"
"...Yes... A secret weapon fusing Eastern and Western sorcery... Awaken it."
Come to think of it, Zhuge Bu had mentioned the Transcendent奇人. I wanted details on its power, but no time. I pressed urgently,
"Where's the Azure Heaven Chamber?"
"...From the throne room, turn right twenty-some feet to the blue door chamber..."
"Got it—back in!"
"Ugh..."
As soon as he finished, I shoved the alchemist's head back into the neck pouch. He flailed weakly but couldn't move, so he had no choice. Looking bewildered, but I rushed to the Azure Heaven Chamber without delay.
Piiiing—
"Urk!"
Feeling something white flying from behind, I swiftly slashed with Half-Moon Sever of Myriad Victory Sword Arts. A talisman fluttered in midair, and five more came—annoying.
'Self-tracking sorcery?'
Truly troublesome. I'd thought sorcery had weak direct attack power, merely auxiliary, but a master sorcerer was this terrifying. Worse, this attack revealed my position, so I dashed faster with Thunder Command.
Thud thud thud
Bursting through the Azure Heaven Chamber door, opening two or three more inner doors, I found a massive stone altar. Atop it lay a delicate girl who seemed a spirit.
'Is this girl the Transcendent奇人?'
Her beauty was eerily artificial—inhuman doll-like perfection. You'd believe her a masterfully crafted doll. Yet she lived; I sensed her breathing.
Beside her were empty stone altars. Production of Transcendent奇人 seemed just begun.
I quickly pulled the alchemist from the neck pouch again.
"Ugh..."
Dazed from repeated trips in and out, I grabbed his collar and demanded,
"We're here! What now?"
"Urk... Say the activation phrase and infuse mana into her body..."
"Huh?! Activation phrase? Mana?"
"So release me... Only I can do it..."
The alchemist wore a faint mocking smile, as if daring me. But trusting him was impossible, so I glared, pondering.
'Damn it...'
I decided to stick to my guns. Lunging, I severed his legs.
"Arrrgh!!"
Splurt
The severed legs mutated into tiny tentacle monsters. I crushed them underfoot. As the alchemist screamed and writhed, I pressed my blade to his throat and said,
"Better to just kill you!"
"You... madman! What the hell are you thinking? Why are you so reckless?!"
I snarled,
"Who cares! We're dead anyway—might as well take your head and die satisfied."
Half-serious, milky sword aura flared from my blade. The alchemist paled, his attitude flipping as he blurted,
"Fine, fine! You win! I'll submit completely! Just—don't kill me!"
"So... what now?"
Spitting curses, the alchemist glared and said,
"I swear by my god! Place your hand on the Transcendent奇人's heart and say [$&*@$%]."
"......"
My god.
A heteromorph swearing by their god was likely true. Strangely, hearing his oath stirred unease in my mind. Swearing to a god felt viscerally repulsive.
"As a human, you can't comprehend it. Release me, and I'll do it right."
Odd.
'Huh...?'
He was right. I couldn't grasp the activation phrase's pronunciation or meaning—probably the Dark Heaven Village freaks' monstrous tongue. Yet instinctively, I knew I could [speak] it, even if I didn't understand.
Enraptured, I approached the Transcendent奇人 girl. Placing my hand on her heart as instructed, I spoke softly.
[Ph'nglui Mglw'nafh...]
Rumble rumble rumble
Time stopped.
Incomprehensible, but it did.
Time around me halted.
[Cthulhu R'lyeh Wgah'nagl Fhtagn...]
The rest flowed naturally from my lips. A [word] no human could pronounce or comprehend, yet I knew how to [speak] it. No idea why, but so it was.
Rooooar
Roooooooar—
A terrifying surge poured forth.
Starlight pierced heaven and earth.
A colossal 'power' rode the words, seeping into the Transcendent奇人 girl before me. It felt drawn from beyond this world. Instinctively, I sensed an unknowable 'vast entity' lending me its strength.
'What is this?'
Suddenly, the watching alchemist wailed madly.
Even heteromorph mental fortitude couldn't withstand the shock.
"Aaahhh!! Him, Him...!! No ritual, no sacrifice, no price... Bestowing a constellation's blessing!!! On a mere human!!"
"......"
"Unbelievable! What are you?!!"
I ignored him. Didn't care.
The weeping alchemist seemed like an insect.
Focusing solely on awakening the Transcendent奇人, he laughed maniacally.
"Ehehehehe...!! An unfinished Transcendent奇人, not even 10% complete... its power filling rapidly... Impossible even with the Philosopher's Stone... Ehahaha... In this world..."
No.
He'd already gone mad.
Borrowing final sanity, the alchemist uttered his last words.
"I've lived in despair from the start...!!"
Spluuurt spluuurt
Instantly, his body tore apart, mutating into an unrecognizable tentacle monster rampaging. As an ancient heteromorph, he'd masked his nature in human form, but losing reason reverted him to an immortal-yet-mindless beast. He was as good as dead.
Screeeee
But I had zero worry of the tentacle monster attacking. For some reason, it recoiled from me in terror, fleeing the Azure Heaven Chamber.
And inexplicably, I felt absolute confidence no such worm would attack me.
Boom!
Moments later, outside, the 'alchemist' tentacle monster exploded under Zhuge Bu's sorcery. No match even in human form, let alone against a treasure-wielding Zhuge Bu.
Simultaneously, the girl on the stone altar slowly opened her eyes and rose. With emotionless doll eyes, she gazed at me and said,
"Give me your orders, Master."
Snap—my mind cleared. Rationality returned abruptly; I gasped heavily.
"Hah! Hah! Huh...?"
I'd been entranced, focused only on infusing her with power. Shaking my head, I steadied my breath. Process unclear, but I'd secured the palace's secret weapon: the Transcendent奇人. I ordered quickly,
"Kill the rampaging Zhuge Bu outside!"
"Understood."
The Transcendent奇人 girl vanished instantly. Seemed like teleportation, but different from sorcery. As I moved to exit, a massive explosion roared.
Kaboooom!!
Zhuge Bu stood in the corridor to the Azure Heaven Chamber, glaring desperately my way. Facing him was the Transcendent奇人 girl, floating midair, hand extended toward him.
Zhuge Bu glared at me, emotions clearly rattled.
"How did you activate the Transcendent奇人? It's barely drafted—no power source—how?!"
"Who knows. But it's enough to kill you."
"It's just a doll. It can't withstand a treasure."
Self-hypnotically shouting, Zhuge Bu swung the White Feather Fan wide. Instantly, dense golden talismans filled the air—hundreds of thousands, impossible to dodge.
Zhuge Bu chanted with full power.
"Falling Soul Star..."
Thud!
That was it. The floating Transcendent奇人 girl was suddenly behind him; his limbs and neck disassembled. Ended before sorcery could manifest.
Plop plop
Zhuge Bu's dismembered corpse fell limply.
'What? What just happened?'
I was stunned by the incomprehensible victory. I couldn't see the Transcendent奇人 girl's movements. Less 'speed' than time itself being erased upon awareness. Even I could roughly sense peak guardian-level speed; this defied understanding.
A chill hit me simultaneously.
One completed Transcendent奇人 slew treasure-wielding Zhuge Bu like an insect. Considering adjacent altars, once Seven Leaves' power and Philosopher's Stone completed them en masse—they'd be unstoppable.
"Whew, win's a win..."
Sighing, I began sorting the situation. First, I rummaged Zhuge Bu's robes, claiming the White Feather Fan and various sorcery aids.
Then, Instantaneous Evaporation to the underground crystal stele in the hall's depths. Inscribed in monstrous script like Seven Leaves ruins, I could roughly read it. Narrowing my eyes, I calmly deciphered.
Fourteen clauses, poetic and metaphorical. I wondered if this alone enabled Philosopher's Stone creation. Scratching my head, I pondered.
"Hmm... memorize it first."
Not fully translated, but worth committing to memory. So thinking, I stood there long, reciting the crystal stele over and over. Strangely, despite benefiting from rejoining Mangnyang now, I was entranced by the stele's magic.
"......"
Something's off...
Feeling unwell.
'What?'
I staggered and collapsed. Head splitting in agony. Nausea surged; I knelt, writhing as flu-like malaise enveloped me.
Something hazy visible.
Something calling me.
Abyssal darkness.
The deepest, greatest one.
Unconsciously, I flailed.
"Hah... hah..."
The entity that lent me power beckoned. No price demanded, yet it wanted me to come. Its twisted 'kindness' was absurd.
Intense mana ensnared my body, seducing. An unprecedented impulse gripped my soul.
Unbidden, I murmured again.
[R'lyeh Wgah'nagl Fhtagn...]
No.
This—absolutely not.
Better to have lost to Zhuge Bu? The thought came.
From the abyss, something hooked my soul, yanking fiercely.
I gritted my teeth. Eyes blazing defiance.
Like hell I'd yield my soul.
Never submit to the likes of you.
Human pride on the line!
Stab!!
Next instant, I'd drawn my sword and pierced my throat.
Vision blurring, but the mana cloaking me ebbed like tide, dominion weakening. Whatever colossal incarnation possessed me withdrew.
On death's door, body trembling, I grinned. Euphoria drowned the agony.
Suicide protected my soul from the ancient ruler.
Thud
Body slumped forward; consciousness faded.
That was my thirteenth death.