Chapter 575
Chapter 575
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 575
Chapter Title: Dark Heaven Village
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Paat!
As I brought everyone to Mount Hang where the Zhuge strategist was, the White Lotus Church members and Twelve Rites experts looked somewhat bewildered. The White Lotus Church Leader surveyed the surrounding scenery and spoke.
[This place is filled with dark energy. Even more so than Mount Yeo just moments ago...]
"This is Mount Hang."
[Why have we come here? Don't tell me...]
I looked at the White Lotus Church Leader and said.
"The ultimate portrait apparition is being forged right here."
[I see... Explain a little.]
"There's no time for that. And even if you knew, it wouldn't change anything, so let's first take down the Vermilion Bird and then figure things out."
When I spoke firmly, one of the Twelve Rites' Three Sages—the Cloud Sage—chimed in from the side where he had been listening.
"He's right. The ominous energy at the mountain peak is gradually drawing out the dragon vein, so we must settle this within one hourglass."
Mangryang posed a question at those words.
"Cloud Sage, what do you mean by dragon vein? Does that mean the ritual on the mountain is manipulating even the dragon vein?"
"From what I sense, yes. It's even drawing in tremendous power from an enormous range. At least twelve hundred li of earth's power is converging on this Mount Hang."
"Hmm... This ultimate portrait apparition must be something else. Does it mean it's awakening divine blood by pulling in an entire dragon vein?"
It was while Mangryang was expressing admiration.
[Baek Woong. What's going on? Why did you bring all these guys here?]
A transmission from the Zhuge strategist reached me through the telepathic link. As expected, the Zhuge strategist and Yi Cheongun had been lying in ambush nearby, but they hid themselves upon suddenly spotting the White Lotus Church Leader and the Twelve Rites. I briefly explained what had just happened to the Zhuge strategist, who pondered deeply before replying.
[I see. So your instinct told you the Vermilion Bird still has one more trick up his sleeve.]
[Sorry. If my judgment was wrong, I'll take responsibility...]
The Zhuge strategist cut me off decisively.
[No need for such talk. You are our king. If you deem it right, then as your strategist, I will do everything in my power to assist.]
[Hmm...]
[This place lacks the complex Yin-Yang Twin Reversal Formation like at Mount Yeo, and there are no heretics or demon kings. Just a dark barrier protecting the altar at the peak, so make use of the Twelve Rites' Three Sages.]
[Got it.]
[Yi Cheongun and I will join the fray when the opportunity arises.]
I organized the strategy in my mind and shouted to everyone.
"Follow me!!"
Pababat!
The large group began moving along the mountain path of Mount Hang. In truth, I could have used Dimensional Transference to reach the Heavenly Altar at the peak instantly, but it was obvious a barrier would block it, so I had descended at the base of Mount Hang. Since Mount Hang was quite tall, it felt like scaling a cliff barehanded, but none among those gathered here would struggle with cliff climbing, so it proceeded smoothly.
Tadat!
Had half a shichen passed? The entire group halted before the cloud bridge just short of the peak. Then the White Lotus Church Leader gazed toward the opposite side of the cloud bridge and said.
[A powerful barrier.]
Sure enough, the barrier the Zhuge strategist had mentioned appeared. Having prepared countermeasures, I shouted to the Three Sages who had come along beside me.
"You lot, break it!"
"Understood."
Woo-ooong!
The Three Sages chanted an advanced incantation, and as the chant concluded, bizarre characters emerged in the air and flew toward the dark barrier. The barrier crackled and distorted, and after some time, it began bursting open, forming a swirling hole.
Peoverbung!
Among the Twelve Rites' Three Sages, the Cloud Sage suddenly collapsed to the ground, as if drained of strength, and said.
"...We'll stand by here."
[What's the scheme?]
At the White Lotus Church Leader's question, the Cloud Sage shook his head.
"No scheme. We used up all our strength breaking that barrier, so it's obvious we can't help— we're resting, Church Leader."
[......]
The Church Leader fell silent. Because with all three sages depleted and sprawled out like this, it meant the Twelve Rites' maximum combat force was sealed away. If the Church Leader attacked now, it would be a tremendous gain. With even their leader dead, killing the Three Sages would deliver a fatal blow from which the Twelve Rites could never recover.
However, the Church Leader turned his head sharply and said.
[Yongbitian. Stay behind and watch these guys.]
"As you command."
The Church Leader seemed to judge that forcing his way through the interference of the Twelve Rites experts and me here to kill the Three Sages would bring more loss than gain. So he left one guardian warrior behind to ensure the Three Sages couldn't pull any tricks.
Pababat!
The peak soon came into view. And an unexpected sight unfolded atop it.
"......!!"
The white-haired portrait apparition.
The enigmatic enemy I had encountered countless times across my reincarnations but never truly understood was seated upon the altar. He wore an expression as if he had just awakened, and beside him stood the Vermilion Bird, Zhuge Yuryong.
'It's complete!'
Too late to seize it after all?
I had read the Vermilion Bird's plan, but I couldn't keep up with his pace. The Vermilion Bird glanced our way and said.
"Perfect timing. Just the right sparring partners."
"......"
"Consider it an honor to die to this being who is endlessly close to divinity."
Worst case. Forced to fight the ultimate portrait apparition...!!
'Huh?'
As I squeezed my eyes shut bracing for death, I realized something was off. It was a similar intuition to before—the very situation of the Vermilion Bird standing before us felt strangely incongruous.
No matter what, could we really arrive so perfectly timed?
Given the Vermilion Bird's personality, wouldn't he have prepared faster?
And why had the Vermilion Bird prepared nothing beyond the dark barrier? He could have deployed astronomical observatories, dragon formations, absolute barriers, and more.
"......"
No. This situation wasn't checkmate.
From my experiences getting backstabbed by the Vermilion Bird, this was surely another deception.
I quickly pieced together the Vermilion Bird's intent in my mind and transmitted to the Zhuge strategist via telepathic link.
[Zhuge strategist! You know where we are, right? Is that Zhuge Yuryong real?]
[Kukuku! Indeed... What an incredible instinct you have. I just realized it myself moments ago.]
The Zhuge strategist laughed merrily before replying.
[Naturally, it's not.]
[Good!]
Pababat!
I blocked the White Lotus Church experts charging toward the visible Vermilion Bird and shouted.
"Don't!"
[What nonsense is this?]
"This is another trap."
I glanced at Mangryang beside me. He made a face of sudden realization with a "Ha!" and gathered all his sorcery power before shouting.
"I beseech the Eye of Illusion-Breaking! Fivefold Vision, One Manifestation!"
Weeeing!
For a moment, the entire space rippled. Seeing that, Jeon Wuchi beside him seemed to catch on and shouted in unison. As the two senior sorcerers pooled their power, a massive blue light formed in the air.
"Fivefold Vision, One Manifestation!"
It seemed their power fell short as lightning crackled and sparks flew, beads of sweat dripping from their foreheads. Then Hong Gildong and the Twelve Rites sorcerers nearby simultaneously chanted incantations, applying pressure across the entire space.
Pang!
Suddenly, the scenery before us shattered like illusion, leaving only a desolate altar strewn with bleached bones and corpses. And in the place where Zhuge Yuryong and the portrait apparition had stood were piled enormous mound-like things. The mounds were so massive they seemed at least two zhang high.
No, not mounds. As Hong Gildong of the Twelve Rites approached and inspected the heap, he grimaced.
"Gunpowder."
"Gunpowder?!"
Geukho exclaimed in shock beside him, and the White Lotus Church Leader crossed his arms.
[If we had attacked with qi blasts, it would've been total annihilation. Even a guardian warrior's protective qi couldn't withstand this much gunpowder.]
I nodded.
"He tried to lure us with an advanced illusion formation indistinguishable from reality."
The White Lotus Church Leader expressed great admiration.
[Impressive. I can ignore most formations with my Primordial Spirit power, but this one is at the level of a Great Law Immortal... I didn't detect it at all until just now. But Baek Woong, how did you see through it being fake?]
Indeed. This was likely the Vermilion Bird's final trap, approaching the level of illusions cast by Namhwa Nosun or a Great Law Immortal in the past. Even our senior sorcerers had to go all out just to dispel it, so its power was no joke. The Vermilion Bird had clearly poured everything into it, yet I had pinpointed his intent at once.
I scratched my head.
"Just a hunch."
[......]
The White Lotus Church Leader stared at me wordlessly before saying.
[Truly, I have no desire to make an enemy of you today.]
Bbeonjjeok!!
It was then. Suddenly, from the peak of another ridge about one li away, massive lightning struck in an instant. Not once, but five times in succession—the sight of enormous bolts crashing down was like lightning come alive. At the same time, the Zhuge strategist's urgent transmission arrived.
[Baek Woong!! Found the real one. Hurry over.]
[Got it! Yi Cheongun is currently fighting Zhuge Yuryong...]
[No! Not Zhuge Yuryong. But the portrait apparition has awakened.]
[......!!]
The portrait apparition?!
No time to hesitate.
"Let's go!"
Pabat!
When we arrived at the next ridge, Yi Cheongun was fighting the 'portrait apparition' using Thunder God Possession, but the situation was quite one-sided.
Peoverbung!
Thunder Flash Thrust with Thunder Flash Qi!
Dazzling attacks like flashes of light continued. Each of Yi Cheongun's strikes held potential beyond ultimate techniques that ordinary martial artists would call killing moves, with power enough to fell even Dokgo Jun in one blow. With such continuous assault from Yi Cheongun, it was normal for anyone to crumble.
But the one withstanding that overwhelming onslaught was the white-haired portrait apparition. Though wearing a somewhat dazed expression, it was blocking Yi Cheongun's attacks.
Or rather, should it be said to be blocking?
Yi Cheongun's attacks landed squarely on the white-haired portrait apparition, turning it into a bloody mess at times. But in that instant, as if it were an illusion, the wounds and blood vanished entirely, restoring it to pristine condition.
Neither blocking nor dodging.
It simply took the hits without falling.
'What the hell is that?!'
It was too bizarre for super regeneration. No matter how fast regeneration, a master's dynamic vision would catch its speed, and the sense of intent would detect it clearly. Thus, even super regeneration was merely an annoying monster to kill.
Deolgeureok.
Deolgeok.
But the portrait apparition's recovery was strange. As if that moment never existed, it rattled back to original state continuously. That wasn't achievable through physical regeneration.
It was as if a vortex of time was inherent within it!
Yi Cheongun seemed to realize this too, retreating after pummeling the portrait apparition. He turned toward me and shouted to everyone.
"Church Leader! Baek Woong! All-out joint attack on that thing with maximum power."
[So Yi Cheongun, you survived after all?]
"Not the time for that. This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance!"
The ever-relaxed, smiling Yi Cheongun.
Now his face was clearly tense and flustered. Having dominated hundreds or thousands before, yet he felt a massive threat from the portrait apparition before him. Yi Cheongun gritted his teeth and shouted.
"That thing's power is slowly awakening. If it fully awakens, we can't handle it. Kill it before then!!"
Yi Cheongun's cry was desperate.
'What is it?'
What exactly did Yi Cheongun sense from that white-haired portrait apparition that just took the beating?
But the White Lotus Church Leader nodded calmly and issued the command.
[All White Lotus Church members, exterminate the portrait apparition before us.]
Kukwangkwangkwang!
The next moment, the guardian warriors and divine emissary experts unleashed a frenzy of internal energy attacks as if they had been waiting. As the overwhelming infinite internal energy poured out at once, the entire ridge crumbled.
I turned to Jin So-cheong, the Sword Demon, and others and said.
"We wait until the White Lotus Church's attack ends, then finish it off..."
Then Jin So-cheong interjected abruptly.
"Baek Woong. Doesn't feel like the time for that."
"Hm?"
"I have a bad feeling. Like something outrageous is about to happen..."
"......"
Truth be told, I felt the same unease Jin So-cheong described. That's why I wanted to jump into the White Lotus Church's joint attack and pummel it together right away, but getting caught in that wide-area assault would only hinder them, so I held back. As I pondered what to do, the Zhuge strategist spoke.
"Baek Woong. You'll have to trust your instincts."
"Hmm..."
"What do you think we should do? We're past the point of schemes."
I stated firmly.
"If that thing survives this attack, I'll talk to the portrait apparition. I want to know what it's thinking."
Does the portrait apparition have humanity?
I must find out.
Only then can my future reincarnation plans solidify.