Chapter 308
Chapter 308
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 308
Chapter Title: The Descent of the Demon Subduing Hall's Ruler
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Heavenly Realm
The ruler of the Demon Subduing Hall is descending?
Jin So-cheong and I were utterly baffled, unable to grasp the meaning of those words. In any case, it meant the black curtain was descending, so did that mean a divine being was coming down to this land? But Cheon Woo-jin, who was with us, had his face stiffen rigidly as he spoke.
"Senior Brother. Isn't Master suppressing 'it'?"
"Correct. What appears this time isn't even 'its' true body. It could only manifest once the Vermilion Bird's will had spread the Ming Empire across the world and the evil god's power reached its zenith."
"Then what Senior Brother means is..."
"It's the [Former Ruler] who directly oversees Apostle Danggi. It's also the entity that manipulates the imperial palace most directly."
"Hmm."
I had no idea what the two sorcerers were talking about. So I asked Mang-ryang.
"What are you saying right now? Explain it properly..."
Mang-ryang continued with a despairing expression.
"Baek Woong. You've done exceptionally well. To achieve this much without me—you already possess the caliber to rule a nation. But what unfolds from now on is an inevitable force, a despair we should have faced after buying more time."
"What..."
"Listen carefully. This was the Vermilion Bird's plan."
He took a deep breath before speaking.
"The Vermilion Bird predicted you would somehow gather forces and charge in. It even accounted for you dragging the White Lotus Cult into it. That's why it prepared for the possibility of defeat against the White Lotus Cult Leader and the Seven Luminaries, with a backup plan."
"A backup plan?"
"The plan to summon a god directly. The overseer who rules the Demon Subduing Hall."
"......!!"
"Of course, the Vermilion Bird seemed to have merely prepared it without much intention of executing it. But with Danggi defeated and the emperor dead, it will enact that plan now."
Hearing Mang-ryang's words, I roughly grasped the situation. In other words, the [Former Ruler] itself would manifest in the imperial palace? If an immensely powerful evil god revered even in the Heavenly Realm appeared, it would undoubtedly reverse the entire tide of battle. But something didn't add up, so I asked Mang-ryang.
"Wait! They've already summoned Apostle Danggi, haven't they? That must have drained them considerably and required sacrifices. For a colossal divine being like the [Former Ruler] to manifest, wouldn't it demand an equally colossal price?"
"There is a price."
Mang-ryang sighed.
"No... they've already offered it in the summoning ritual. Consumed by madness for power and authority, they committed the unforgivable."
"What did they offer?"
"A third of the Central Plains!"
"......?"
Mang-ryang's words struck me as out of nowhere. Why suddenly mention a third?
But at that moment, my mind flashed back to the earlier conversation between the emperor and the White Lotus Cult Leader.
[White Lotus Cult Leader. I say it once more. If you join hands with me now, I shall recognize Gansu Province, Qinghai Province, Sichuan Province, and Guizhou Province as your territory, enfeoff you as a royal prince and national preceptor, and grant permanent autonomy over those lands. Furthermore, I promise to recognize the White Lotus Cult as the foremost cult of the Central Plains and provide maximum support.]
Right. The emperor had indeed proposed that to the White Lotus Cult Leader.
At the time, I hadn't thought much of it, but Gansu, Qinghai, Sichuan, and Guizhou were lands in the western reaches of the Central Plains. In terms of area, they comprised about a third of Chinese territory. I remembered being shocked that he would cede such vast lands to a single cult.
But connecting the emperor's words to Mang-ryang's, I reached a horrifying conclusion in an instant. Unbelieving, my hands trembled.
"N-No way... The people of Gansu, Qinghai, Sichuan, and Guizhou..."
Even saying it myself felt absurd.
Surely they hadn't done something so insane?
"Hoo... It seems the emperor and Vermilion Bird had set that trap already."
"...They were baiting the White Lotus Cult Leader."
"Exactly as you think, Baek Woong."
"Really?! You've already offered that as a sacrifice in the summoning ritual?!"
When I pressed him, Mang-ryang nodded gravely.
"Yes! The emperor and Vermilion Bird's group already offered it as payment in the summoning ritual—not just to Changhil, but to the evil gods of the Demon Subduing Hall. The bodies and souls of all humans in Gansu, Qinghai, Sichuan, and Guizhou provinces!"
"......!!"
"At the very least, millions of souls will be offered to the [Former Ruler] without knowing why. They will suffer eternally as they are devoured..."
Everyone in the room had faces frozen in chill.
A human sacrifice on the scale of millions!
Who could imagine such madness occurring in this era of advanced civilization? The sheer magnitude made my mind reel. In my head, the Tae Kyung Village massacre replayed vividly. Not hundreds, but millions in a wretched sacrifice where all abandoned their humanity, descending into madness and death. It would be a catastrophe beyond description by any war.
'No wonder the Heavenly Realm hastily granted Mi-ho the Moon Yao to kill the emperor!'
The Heavenly Realm must have detected the imperial palace's plan far earlier than us. To stop that mass sacrifice of millions, they must have maneuvered Mi-ho to assassinate the emperor. By coincidence, that led to her allying with me and the White Lotus Cult Leader.
Thinking about it, it was ingenious. The emperor seemed so generous ceding territory to the White Lotus Cult, but it was land already doomed to desolation as a sacrifice. Had the Cult Leader accepted, they would have been trapped in Gansu, awaiting only the end.
Cheon Woo-jin said to Mang-ryang.
"Senior Brother. Let's seek Master's aid. If the [Former Ruler]'s descent is certain, this is beyond our control."
"Junior Brother... Master is expending all power sealing the outer god. He can't spare even a speck for us. You know that too, don't you? The fact that 'it' is sealed at all is a miracle..."
"Urgh..."
Cheon Woo-jin, uncharacteristically, hung his head in despair. Even this arrogant, confident genius was breaking, signaling how dire the situation was. Gritting my teeth, I said.
"Mang-ryang. We have two Seven Luminaries powers, plus the White Lotus Cult Leader and Dharma Protectors. Combining these forces, even against the [Former Ruler]..."
Mang-ryang cried out in anguish.
"Baek Woong, don't even think that. The premise is wrong. Gods are beings of a different order. Challenging them leads only to ruin!"
Seeing his expression, I flinched. Mang-ryang's face was contorted, tears of despair even streaming down his cheeks. It meant he truly judged the situation irrecoverable.
Wiping tears from his eyes, Mang-ryang said.
"Baek Woong. I originally planned to uncover the truth of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors via the summoning ritual, gradually gathering the Seven Luminaries' powers. With Water Yao, Moon Yao, and at least Fire Yao—three in total—I thought we could confront the imperial palace head-on. But my capture derailed everything. It's utter failure."
"Don't blame yourself..."
"Baek Woong. At minimum, gather four Seven Luminaries before dreaming of facing a god directly. Remember that..."
Muttering dazedly, Mang-ryang said.
"The best strategy now is to rally all forces and flee the imperial palace. Especially you, Baek Woong, and Mi-ho—you must not be captured!"
"Flee?"
"No time for more talk. Move quickly!"
Jin So-cheong, who had been listening, asked in panic.
"W-Wait. If we flee, what about the millions in those four provinces?"
"......"
Neither Mang-ryang nor Cheon Woo-jin answered. Their silence sent chills down my spine.
There was no way to stop it.
No way to halt a massacre of millions!
'How did it come to this?'
I was stunned. In this life, I'd thought everything was proceeding smoothly without major setbacks. Just moments ago, after defeating Apostle Danggi, victory seemed assured. But in reality, we'd lost before even breaching the imperial palace?
The Vermilion Bird had truly embodied "fight after victory."
This life was a complete defeat to the Vermilion Bird.
I gritted my teeth.
"Not... yet."
I hadn't lost yet. As long as I lived, there would be chances to fight and win ahead.
As soon as the talk ended, I led the three to the front of the Great Dragon Hall. I urgently told Geom-ma and Dugoseong's group gathered there.
"No time to explain. Get into the Wooden Armor first!"
"What?! What's happening..."
"We must evacuate first."
I briefly explained and quickly herded our allies into the Wooden Armor. Then I looked at the White Lotus Cult's Four Guardian Divisions experts nearby. Experts from Water God, Wind God, and Fire God Divisions were resting here and there.
'I need to evacuate them too.'
Leaving them in the imperial palace would make them fodder for the [Former Ruler]. Letting the White Lotus followers suffer such a fate went against my conscience, so I felt the need to persuade them.
Approaching a Fire God Division elder-level expert and telling him to enter the Wooden Armor, he flatly refused.
"Are you mad? How can I trust you and enter some sorcery device?"
"It's truly dangerous right now. We'll all be massacred any moment."
"Don't make me laugh. We follow only the Cult Leader and Dharma Protectors' orders."
"Urgh."
I realized convincing the White Lotus experts required the Cult Leader and Dharma Protectors' authority.
"Then, a request. Gather the people in one place first."
"Why should I grant you that?"
"It's an order as Thunder God Division Dharma Protector. Obey this much?"
I drew the Thunder God Division command token granted by the Cult Leader. The Fire God elder smacked his lips.
"Fine."
Evacuating the White Lotus followers right away was impossible. So, using the Wooden Armor, I first transported my allies far to the Muyoung Sect's base in Henan Province. After dropping them off, I prepared to return to the imperial palace.
Geom-ma and Dugoseong blocked me.
"Don't go!"
"Pardon?"
"You said a god is about to descend? Stay here then! Why head to that death trap?"
I sighed.
"I don't want to die either, but if the Cult Leader and Dharma Protectors become its prey, it'll be catastrophic. No forces left to oppose the imperial palace."
"Urgh..."
"Wish me luck."
"Sigh. What do you even think death is..."
Geom-ma said bitterly. He seemed to think I was too recklessly risking my life. At a loss for words, I scratched my head and used the Wooden Armor alone to return to the imperial palace.
Flash.
Arriving at the imperial palace, I turned my gaze to the five-story palace where the Cult Leader and Dharma Protectors had gone. Dead or alive, my top mission was to get there quickly and evacuate them. As I steeled myself and stepped forward.
[Hey! You really planning to go there?]
An odd voice echoed. It came from empty air. Sensing it was some stealth technique beyond my detection, I startled. It meant my current martial arts couldn't counter the opponent's concealment or ambush.
'An incredible expert!'
An expert beyond my level still lurked?
I hesitated briefly before replying.
"Yes."
[Why?]
"Because everyone dies when the god descends."
The mysterious voice muttered.
[As the Discipline Master predicted. Said I'd have business here, and it's true.]
"What...?"
The voice resounded through the air.
[Go ahead.]
"Wha..."
[Quickly. Weren't you in a hurry?]
I shut my mouth and advanced rapidly.
A mysterious expert appeared out of nowhere! No time to clash with him. Seemingly here to help, I decided to accept the aid for now. The situation was utterly unpredictable anyway.
Tatatak.
Entering the first floor of the palace, I found the Cult Leader, Dharma Protectors, and Mi-ho gathered. They stared at something: a swirling black sphere. About three zhang in size, gray spirals whirled around it ominously.
The Cult Leader, sensing my presence, spoke.
[Baek Woong. Do you know what this is?]
"What are you doing?"
[We searched every floor up to the fifth, but this is the only anomaly. An unknown power is rotating within.]
A chilling sensation gripped me. I shouted to the Cult Leader.
"Cult Leader! We must flee. That's likely where the [Former Ruler] is descending."
No doubt!
The reason this palace appeared after the Great Dragon Hall's destruction was simple. This was the altar for the [Former Ruler]'s descent. The god could emerge from that black sphere at any moment. The thought dried my tongue.
[What...?]
"Lead the White Lotus followers out of the imperial palace now. No hope once the god descends."
[......]
"Cult Leader!"
Despite my urging, the White Lotus Cult Leader silently watched the black sphere. Then he said.
[Perfect.]
"Yes?! What do you mean?"
[I came to settle things with the god from the start. To negotiate for the No-Mind, No-Body scriptures. Once it descends, I'll speak with it.]
"Ridiculous."
I realized the Cult Leader was serious. I'd thought his earlier talk with the Vermilion Bird was bravado, but he truly intended to parley with a god! How arrogant must a human be to conceive such a thing? Having witnessed Itaqua's terrifying might when it descended via Water Yao before, I couldn't comprehend it.
I hurriedly turned to Mi-ho and sent her a transmission.
[Mi-ho! Let's flee. Staying means certain death. If we die here and lose the Seven Luminaries, disaster follows.]
[What about the White Lotus Cult Leader?]
[Damn it, leave him! If he wants to die, what can we do?!]
I couldn't help snapping. The Cult Leader's arrogance grated on me unpleasantly now. Mi-ho, instinctively sensing she shouldn't stay, nodded.
[Let's go.]
Before leaving, I transmitted to Han Baek-ryeong.
[Han Baek-ryeong! If you value your life, flee. Gods are beyond human opposition.]
Han Baek-ryeong glanced at me.
[As Dharma Protector, I share the Cult Leader's fate.]
Something dawned on me from her words. Did Han Baek-ryeong know fighting the god meant death, yet stayed? Not just her—Yong Bi-cheon and Dugojun seemed composed too. Dharma Protectors were bound to follow the Cult Leader unconditionally.
'Damn.'
I grabbed Mi-ho's hand to leave first.
But then.
Wooooo—
Crack.
That was it.
Blood rain scattered.
Water God Division Dharma Protector Dugojun's body was crushed by a bizarre finger protruding from somewhere, reduced to chunks. It happened so instantly no one reacted in time. Dugojun perished without even a scream.
No—could it be called a finger? It felt like a membrane-covered frog finger bursting from thin air. For even a supreme expert like Dugojun to fail to react, it was eerie.
But I sensed something off. It wasn't speed. No mere speed could let even the Cult Leader kill Dugojun like that. The foe had used some grotesque authority to slaughter him in one strike.
[Haat!]
The Cult Leader reacted first. Like against Danggi, he summoned Taiji and created a Wise Tribulation space to bind the bizarre form. His power seemed effective; the frog-like palm was momentarily immobilized.
'As expected of the Cult Leader... Huh?'
But I soon realized the situation was dire.
Drip.
Blood trickled from beneath the Cult Leader's faceless mask. Suddenly, blood flowed from his entire body. Staring in shock, I heard the Cult Leader shout.
[O God! Hear me out!]
Boom.
The Cult Leader poured more qi and intent into Taiji, pushing harder. The frog palm slowly receded. The blood from his body seemed to lessen slightly. Tense and awed, my throat parched.
'M-Must... flee...'
The Cult Leader wasn't pushing back the god. No matter how I saw it, it was like a small animal desperately shoving, and the god yielding like indulging a pet's play. Even to me, ignorant of Cult Leader-level arts, the frog palm from the void wielded immense power. Its overwhelming might made my limbs tremble.
Was this a god's power?
As the Cult Leader strained, the power extending from the dark sphere momentarily subsided. Silence fell briefly.
Then some [will] permeated the room.
Insect.
Just that one word.
It seemed the sole will of the Demon Subduing Hall's ruler.
Boomph!
[Urgh!]
The Cult Leader groaned. Somehow, one arm was torn off massively. No—by now, questioning "why" was pointless. The overwhelming gap defied description.
Only then did the Cult Leader seem to realize something was wrong. He gathered strength throughout his body, swelling to twice his size. The enormous Cult Leader spread vast Six Harmonies Formation energy through the room.
[Everyone, flee!]
Zing.
Dozens, hundreds of mandalas floated around the Cult Leader's body. His form blazed with immense spiritual energy, like a flame about to extinguish. Clearly, even against Danggi, he had conserved max power; now he unleashed his peak realm. I didn't know the technique, but it was beyond what peak experts could imagine.
Rumble.
[Heart Heaven Immeasurable!]
Intense vibrations surged as the frog palm struck again. The Cult Leader blocked in midair lotus position with mandala shields, but both ears burst off. The horrific sight: limbs detaching as the price of directly opposing the god's power.
At that spectacle, Wind God Division Dharma Protector Yong Bi-cheon lost his will to fight and cried out in confusion.
"Th-This isn't what we agreed! You said you'd spare me..."
So he had colluded with the imperial palace? But the Vermilion Bird never intended to spare him, omitting the god's descent.
Boom!
The frog palm, annoyed by Yong Bi-cheon, flicked a finger, exploding his head. Now two Dharma Protectors dead.
Han Baek-ryeong gritted her teeth, drew her twin swords, and charged the evil god's palm.
[Twelve Limitless Dragon King Slash!!]
Roar.
Twelve flame dragons manifested from intent. Drawing all her intent and true essence, Han Baek-ryeong looked ready to collapse. Her supreme killer technique, equivalent to twelve peak strikes, shot toward the frog palm.
Swoosh.
But then. Space-time twisted bizarrely. Han Baek-ryeong's technique shrank tiny and was sucked into the palm's center. Defying all reason, her face paled, and she collapsed on the spot.
"Urgh..."
Mi-ho's lips quivered.
"N-No... We must flee..."
I felt like going mad.
Was this the [Former Ruler]'s power?
It far exceeded my imaginings. I'd thought there'd be a chance to escape with my body intact, but now even that seemed impossible. Scanning the room quickly, I instantly used the Wooden Armor to grab Mi-ho and Han Baek-ryeong and teleport elsewhere.
Flash.
"Huh..."
Something was wrong.
Something... felt empty.
The next instant, I realized both my legs were gone.
"... Aaaaagh!!!"
I screamed in agony. Somehow, after teleporting via Wooden Armor, both legs were severed! Not just gone—felt like something toyed with me and ripped them off. Overwhelmed by excruciating pain and loss, I screamed insanely.
Panting, consciousness fading. I'd bleed out from the severed legs. Mi-ho urgently summoned Moon Yao's power, casting healing sorcery on me.
"Stay with me! No!"
"Hah... Hah..."
It hurt so much.
The shock of legs torn off like an insect's defied words. Worse, I didn't even know what hit me. It was undetectable until the strike.
'Wh-Where... is this.'
I'd teleported to Mount Tai's Heavenly Altar from before. Why not to my comrades, but here? Instinctively, I knew.
The [Former Ruler] could track my Wooden Armor destination.
Absurd, but that's what gods were.
Teleporting to Muyoung Sect might doom my comrades, so momentary judgment brought me here.
Then.
"Truly foolish... Your defeat was sealed before it began. Why challenge a god?"
Vermilion Bird Jeon Gal Yu-ryong's voice rang out. Mi-ho glared, lips pursed. How he was here, I didn't know, but he seemed to have sorcery for instant travel to Mount Tai.
Jeon Gal Yu-ryong eyed us coolly and said.
"Hand over the Seven Luminaries. Then I'll let you die painlessly."
"Don't... make me... laugh..."
I gasped. Legless, I couldn't fight, but I wouldn't yield the Seven Luminaries to him. If these summoners of the [Former Ruler] gained their power too, unimaginable calamity would follow. Not millions, but tenfold might perish!
Flash.
Mi-ho abruptly unleashed Moon Yao's power, blasting powerful Moon Shadows at him. Her abilities had grown immensely; his original martial arts couldn't withstand it. But suddenly, a barrier rose around him.
Bang.
"What?!"
Mi-ho panicked. The Vermilion Bird chuckled.
"Who reveals their full hand at once? Earlier, I had to lure you deep into the palace, so I endured some losses. But now, no need to hide."
"What is that barrier...!!"
Mi-ho growled, and he replied.
"As you see, power of the Eight Trigrams. The innate Eight Trigrams. Borrowed from Earth Yao's Eight Trigrams Chart."
"......!!"
Mi-ho and I were aghast.
Was the Vermilion Bird a Seven Luminaries master?!
"Don't look at me like that. I'd love to own one, but this is just borrowed from the Demon Subduing Hall. Power lent as tribute to the god, shall we say?"
Whooo.
He swung one hand. Instantly, Eight Trigrams filled heaven and earth, black lines crisscrossing wildly. The trapped world looked dire; Mi-ho fired Moon Shadows everywhere to break the encirclement.
But they vanished in the air.
"Ah!"
He answered calmly.
"The Eight Trigrams are heaven and earth's origin. Supreme sorcery system created by Three Sovereigns' Fuxi. With Earth Yao's Eight Trigrams Chart, I deploy Eight Directions Formation, sealing all sorcery."
"Urgh."
"It's over."
Maximum crisis approached. Death here meant losing Seven Luminaries and total ruin. Amid leg pain, I thought frantically and transmitted to Mi-ho.
[Mi-ho, move me to the Heavenly Altar!]
[What do you plan?]
[Quickly!]
Whir.
Mi-ho swiftly used Moon Yao to carry me atop the Heavenly Altar. Even now, Earth Yao's Eight Trigrams sealed her power; she wielded less than a tenth. The Vermilion Bird sneered mockingly.
"Haha. What now atop the Heavenly Altar? Think it's a fine grave?"
"Who knows..."
Pale from blood loss, carried on Mi-ho's back, I retorted.
"Since we're all dying anyway, might as well cause maximum chaos..."
"What?"
"The Heavenly Altar is the link to the Heavenly Realm... the sole connection... What if we resonate and fully detonate the Seven Luminaries here...?"
"......!!"
The Vermilion Bird's face hardened. I smiled weakly.
"The boundary Emperor Uk set vanishes... The Heavenly Realm might descend directly...?"
"Insane talk! Don't do something mad."
"Anyway... Your summoned [Former Ruler] won't rampage freely..."
Power dynamics worked that way.
Even a thug holds back if equals or superiors abound. I'd come to Mount Tai considering that.
The Vermilion Bird shouted fiercely.
"Do you know what happens? Heavenly boundary gone—what that means?!"
"No idea..."
He screamed, face twisted, dignity lost.
"The true Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors descend again! No mercy, no reprieve—they'll destroy everything without care! Their essence isn't different from the [Former Ruler]!! Far worse than the Demon Subduing Hall's future—don't be mad!!"
He rationally grasped he couldn't stop us. Even sealed by Earth Yao, resonating Seven Luminaries took an instant.
"Is that so..."
Such a thing could happen.
World's end.
'Die.'
But I truly didn't care. I was dying soon; what did it matter after he killed me? Unfair if only I died? Better to screw him over too.
Grinning at his horrified face, I said.
"Hehe... Mi-ho."
"Why call?"
It truly sucked.
Sucked completely.
But I had to say it.
"Die... with me."
Saying it filled me with pathos.
Not what I'd planned. I'd envisioned looting the palace pleasurably, then rekindling bonds with Mi-ho. Not begging to die together here pathetically. I pitied myself; tears welled.
"......"
Mi-ho's back trembled faintly.
She giggled, voice strained as if holding back.
"... Ahaha. I'll die with you."
Ah.
So this is it.
Ending like this...
Drip.
I couldn't hold tears; they fell on Mi-ho's back. She grumbled curtly.
"Don't cry, idiot. You're a man."
"And you a woman?"
"... Idiot."
Mi-ho's voice shook too. She held back tears.
The Vermilion Bird bellowed.
"You mad fools!! Hand over the Seven—"
That instant, Mi-ho and I simultaneously drew our Seven Luminaries as if by promise.
Cyan spirit light leaked from Water Yao's Dark Night, silver from Moon Yao's Three Divine Tools.
Charging with Eight Trigrams, the Vermilion Bird's face filled with horror; next, the world-shattering sound rang.
"Uwaaak."
Seeing his body consumed and burst by light was satisfying.
Crack.
Light storm raged over Heavenly Altar; dimensions visibly cracked.
In the light's mad torrent, as my body disintegrated, I glimpsed eight colossal shadows beyond dimensions slowly rising from jade thrones. Each exuded imperial majesty, crowned.
Heaven and earth's boundary vanished; primordial beings rose.
'Those... are the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors...'
Is this how it all ends?
That was my seventeenth death.