Chapter 101
Chapter 101
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 101
Chapter Title: Black Dragon (3)
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His eyes burned with such intensity, it was like staring at an asura from the legends.
The aura emanating from the Omniscient One was beyond imagination, so much so that Ouyang Jue reflexively circulated his Purple Mist True Energy.
‘Is this the power of the Omniscient One?’
Then why was he just playing around, wearing something like the Black Dragon's mask?
“This is worth listening to.”
As Ouyang Jue assumed an attentive posture, the Omniscient One smiled in satisfaction.
“To return to our previous conversation, immortals and heroes like Lü Dongbin wandered the nine provinces alone, fighting countless demons.”
The Omniscient One paused, his brow furrowing in sorrow.
“But their mortal lifespans were limited, so they could not defeat them all. Eight remained. In this day and age, they are called the Eight Evils or the Eight Sovereigns.”
Ouyang Jue naturally interjected.
Perhaps considering the situation, his tone had, at some point, become respectful.
“If such beings exist, why have they not appeared in the annals of history?”
“Because the heavens placed a restriction. Including on me, who was just a child at the time.”
‘Normally, even mentioning them is forbidden,’ the Omniscient One added, stroking his own cheek as if still finding it strange.
“But strangely, as spring arrived this year, that restriction has been weakening. The laws of causality are being twisted, allowing the Eight Sovereigns to rise.”
The unsettling word made Ouyang Jue furrow one of his brows.
“...The laws of causality?”
“When those who should die do not, those who should live die, and events do not follow their natural course but defy the heavens—that is what it means for causality to be twisted.”
“………!”
Ouyang Jue was greatly startled, but he forced himself to maintain a composed expression. Yet, he could not quell the pounding of his heart.
‘Does this mean everything I’ve done until now has been a catalyst for awakening these evils?’
Ouyang Jue grasped his turbulent heart and recalled what he had heard at the Martial Alliance.
Black Dragon.
He had definitely heard that a villain by that name had appeared on Mount Mao.
...Connecting this to the current situation, could it be that the Omniscient One is guarding this place because an evil being called the Black Dragon is here?
Ouyang Jue parted his dry lips.
“Then are you saying that because the laws of causality have been twisted, an evil being called the Black Dragon has appeared on Mount Mao?”
“That’s right.”
The Omniscient One reflected on the killings he had committed over the past months.
Soon, a deep anguish and regret settled upon his face.
“Did you not become wary after seeing me kill a member of the Martial Alliance?”
How taken aback he had been, seeing the Omniscient One stomp on the Taoist’s chest.
Ouyang Jue gave a slight nod.
“Anyone would have been.”
“I don't know how this will sound, but it couldn't be helped. If I had left them, they would have become offerings for the Black Dragon.”
At those words, a question arose in Ouyang Jue's mind.
“...Let me ask one thing. Have you ever worn the mask you just showed me and claimed to be the Black Dragon?”
“Because I believed you would come.”
Seeing the Omniscient One’s expression, Ouyang Jue momentarily lowered his head.
It was as if he were seeing another side of the Omniscient One—not the recluse he had known since his past life, the one who was always at ease.
“I believed that a talented swordsman like you, a righteous warrior, would find your way to Mount Mao. I also had to let the world know that the Black Dragon had reappeared. It was an incredibly painful and difficult task for me.”
The Omniscient One murmured in a calm tone.
But in the end, unable to overcome his anguish, he bit his lower lip.
“Isn’t it laughable? That I, the Omniscient One, who desires peace in the Central Plains, would resort to killing people and then speak as if I were justified.”
“……”
“It seems no one else besides you will be coming. Since the Martial Alliance was formed, it appears the people of the world have become set in their ways.”
In truth, the Martial Alliance members who had come here were only from small and medium-sized sects in Jiangsu.
The kind of master the Omniscient One hoped for was affiliated with the Martial Alliance, their access restricted.
Moreover, no sect had the luxury of sending such a master to a dangerous region.
The Omniscient One knew this. Still, to prevent the Black Dragon from entering the martial world, he had even resorted to methods he had forbidden himself from using.
The only relief was that the owner of the Severing Manifestation, which he had released into the world, had found his way here, but...
The Omniscient One’s expression turned solemn.
“Ask no more, and go back down.”
“...?”
“No matter how desperate I am for help, I cannot allow a young Taoist like you to become involved.”
At those words, Ouyang Jue gazed at the Omniscient One with a profound look.
“Weren’t you staring at the Severing Manifestation because you needed my help?”
The Omniscient One remained silent.
But Ouyang Jue did not back down easily.
“But now you tell me not to get involved, that a young Taoist like me is not suitable... You think you can send me away with such words.”
Having said that, Ouyang Jue’s expression hardened as he approached the Omniscient One.
“Just as you have your great cause, I too have a reason to confront this being called the Black Dragon.”
Even if the talisman held some meaning, even if the Severing Manifestation had some other power.
That wasn't important right now. If he wanted to know, he could always ask again later.
To cut down the one called Black Dragon. That was the clear answer given to Ouyang Jue.
Ouyang Jue’s lips parted slightly.
“My friend.”
Ouyang Jue smiled as he looked at the Omniscient One, who was more haggard than in his past life, tormented by the sin of taking lives.
“For the sake of my friend, I must slay the dragon.”
“What nonsense is this...!”
At first, the Omniscient One looked dumbfounded and recoiled, but he eventually sat on a flat rock, seemingly lost in thought.
After a long while, the Omniscient One finally spoke.
“You asked what power the talisman holds, didn't you?”
Ouyang Jue gave a slight nod.
“I did.”
“That talisman is a kind of protective charm.”
The answer was completely unexpected, and Ouyang Jue couldn't help but ask again.
“A protective charm?”
“It seems you were thinking something different.”
Struck by the remark, Ouyang Jue's lip twitched.
If the talisman didn't have some special power, how could he have avoided the Heaven-Bearing Asura's technique and lived this new life?
‘Was I wrong?’
Confusion began to cloud Ouyang Jue’s mind.
Meanwhile, the Omniscient One continued speaking calmly.
“To be honest, I thought so as well. I heard the Plum Blossom Sword Hero was eighteen this year, but after meeting you in person, that doesn't seem to be the case.”
“……”
Seeing Ouyang Jue listening in silence, had he found an answer of his own?
The Omniscient One explained what power the talisman held.
“It is both an invocation to the spirits to avoid evil, and a protective charm to fortify the body and mind. In short, it’s a mixture of the talisman arts of the Mount Mao lineage and the incantations of the unorthodox sects of the East.”
“I don’t know what that means, but it sounds impressive.”
As Ouyang Jue played along, the Omniscient One let out a cynical laugh.
“Yes, as you say, it is indeed a ‘remarkable talisman.’ At least in the current martial world, there is no one who could draw such a thing.”
The Omniscient One looked at Ouyang Jue, who had frozen like a block of ice.
“Moreover, in the martial world of today, there is no need to draw such a talisman. One would rather draw another talisman to attack or seal the Black Dragon.”
Then there is only one answer, the Omniscient One murmured in a soft voice, looking at Ouyang Jue.
“Have we... met before? Sometime, or somewhere...?”
Friend.
When Ouyang Jue had said that, the Omniscient One had sensed sincerity in him.
Of course, his first reaction was the cold thought that the boy must be mad.
Going by words alone, it was a case of an eighteen-year-old of the younger generation calling an immortal Taoist his friend.
He naturally took a step back.
After that, he was able to think calmly.
Swordsmanship unbecoming of an eighteen-year-old, talisman arts known only to the Mount Mao lineage, a technique for dispelling energy circulation similar to his own.
On top of that, he had even brought the Severing Manifestation, which had been sent away to find its master.
This was no ordinary connection. The number of links alone was far beyond the norm.
‘Could it be that the reason he hasn’t shown his full martial arts is that he was afraid I would recognize him?’
“...No, let me be direct.”
The Omniscient One asked Ouyang Jue, who stood with his head lowered in silence.
“Have I ever drawn such a talisman for you?”
As the sole successor of the Mount Mao lineage, the Omniscient One was fairly certain of the answer to this question.
Not long after he asked, Ouyang Jue’s lips trembled.
“...What a relief.”
Ouyang Jue recalled the Omniscient One’s final moments from his past life.
How he had wailed upon finding the Omniscient One skewered to a giant, shattered tree by hundreds of golden ropes.
But this time, there was no need for that, and Ouyang Jue felt a sense of relief.
It was his turn to repay the kindness, the debt, he had received since his past life.
“At least this time, there will be no need to draw that talisman.”
What the Omniscient One had just told him made it clear.
Even in his past life, the Eight Evils were destined to be released.
And the reason he was living this new life was not due to the talisman.
If so, he had a guess.
‘Could it be that the Plum Blossom Cave, and the bloody history with the old Demonic Cult, are also related to this...?’
Ouyang Jue felt as if he had come face to face with a much larger secret he had never known.
Just as Ouyang Jue was piecing things together, the Omniscient One’s expression hardened.
“That bastard is finally trying to break the golden ropes.”
“That bastard? You don’t mean—!”
“We’ll talk about the Severing Manifestation and how to deal with the Black Dragon on the way!”
No sooner had he finished speaking than Ouyang Jue sensed a colossal presence and drew the Severing Manifestation.
Ruuuumble...!
The entirety of Mount Mao trembled, and all the animals cried out in terror.
* * *
Meanwhile, the mask of the Little Flower, who had been dozing off while seated at the round table, suddenly shot up.
“Good heavens.”
At his words, Yama, who had been sitting in silence at the head of the table, glanced at him.
“Little Flower, what is it?”
“The Black Dragon is stirring. It looks like he’s trying to escape Mount Mao.”
“...That madman. So he’s decided to act on his own after all.”
Yama shuddered, recalling the ferocity the Black Dragon had displayed last time.
One wrong move and that bastard could bring their grand cause to ruin. And this was at a time when not all of the Eight Evils had yet awakened.
If the Taoist and Buddhist sects were to join forces early on, not even the Eight Evils could withstand them.
Yama thought of the absent mask of Asura and bit his lower lip.
It had come to this. He had to send the Demonic Doctor to assess the situation.
‘Even that Black Dragon should know it’s too soon... So why?’
The Black Dragon loved to fight and grew sick with boredom, but he knew how to tell right from wrong.
Yama knew that, which was why he disliked but did not ostracize him. But what was this behavior now?
‘Has something come up that requires him to act?’
Yama turned to the Demonic Doctor, Heavenly Dragon, with a grave expression.
“Demonic Doctor!”
“Yes.”
“Pack your things and depart for Mount Mao at once. See what the Black Dragon is doing, and hold him back until Asura arrives.”
“I will obey your command.”
It might seem like an impossible task, but if the Black Dragon's seal was not yet fully broken, the Demonic Doctor should be more than capable of subduing him.
Perhaps due to his training over the past few days, the Demonic Doctor's eyes held a particularly deep glint.
Before departing, the Demonic Doctor cautiously asked the Little Flower.
“By any chance, is there a Taoist in robes there?”
“Yes.”
At the Little Flower's reply, the Demonic Doctor bowed his head and walked out of the hideout.
After walking for more than an hour and leaving Yama’s sight, the Demonic Doctor muttered to himself.
“I spotted a high-class tea house nearby...”
A sly smile touched the Demonic Doctor's lips.
“I suppose I can enjoy a leisurely drink before I go.”