Chapter 162: Drastic Change (1)
Crack!
The fingers of the green-armored wooden puppet gouge into my skull.
Inside the skull, within my upper dantian, my soul is felt being grasped by the puppet's hand.
‘Ugh...!’
Flash!
At the same time, the teleportation array activates, and we begin to cross through space.
Whizz!
A beam of light flows, and we are transported towards the Human Territory.
However, I can't help but be horrified.
‘It's still following...!’
Crunch!
The puppet holding my soul is using its Four-Axis stage cultivation to cross through space, following the teleportation itself!
Wo-woong!
‘My soul, it's being pulled out!’
The problem isn't that my head is being grabbed.
Even if my head is cut off, it will grow back, but the puppet at the Four-Axis stage burrowed its circuits into my soul.
If this continues, my soul will be pulled out, leaving only my body to be transported, and without a doubt, I will wake up in the next life.
‘No, it's not the next life, but I could also end up captured by the Mad Lord....’
That's the real worst-case scenario!
“Damn whether it's Prince Seo or Crown Prince....”
Crack, crackle!
While being enveloped in the light of teleportation and crossing through space, I grab both hands of the Four-Axis stage puppet that is still clinging on.
"I dislike both options...."
Zing!
Using my soul, I begin to take control of the puppet's circuit in reverse.
“So just get lost...!"
Wo-woong!
Crack!
Gradually, my power pushes the puppet's hands away, and the puppet's body begins to be pushed out beyond the light of teleportation.
However, the puppet, with all its might, screams trying to push its body back into the light of teleportation.
"Ahhhhhhh!"
And when I push the puppet away with my own scream.
Boom!
From behind me, a thick hand and a thin hand.
Two hands grab the puppet respectively.
It’s Oh Hyun-seok and Kim Yeon.
"Get lost!"
"Return to the Mad Lord!"
Oh Hyun-seok, with his brute strength obtained from body refining methods.
Kim Yeon, by connecting to the puppet through the Wonderfully Mysterious Innate Heart Canon, to gradually push the puppet away
In both ways, the two come to my aid.
Thump, thump, thump!
That isn't all.
"A mere plaything of the Mad Lord, you will not take my juniors...!"
Cheongmun Gyu, along with the senior brothers and senior sisters of Azure Heaven Creation Sect who are being teleported in the light with us, lend their strength.
Their thick forearms push the puppet away.
Finally.
Bang!
The puppet's hand falls from my head, and I squeeze out my spiritual power.
"Azure Wing!"
Kugugugu!
Three wings sprout from my back.
A blue vortex swirls around my right hand.
"Azure Wing Heavenly Shatter!"
Boom!
A vast light flings the puppet outward.
The puppet, created from the wooden man of the Four-Axis stage with green armor, finally falls out of the light of teleportation and flies off into the void.
Whizz!
And finally.
Flash!
We return to the main headquarters of the Human Race Grand Alliance, at the teleportation array in the Heavenly Human Island.
The short yet long mission against the Mad Lord has ended.
Swoosh―
The night wind blows across the land
In the wasteland near the Light Spirit Pond, the Mad Lord, supported by [Her], stands up.
Within his eyes, the glow of madness and rationality alternate, and he grimaces in pain, clutching his head.
"...He, knew about Yeon’s Play..."
"Catch and remodel, tear apart the skull to see..."
"No, there's no need for that..."
"That he took my disciple, now trying to complete the Yeon’s Play, how is he planning to fulfill those absurd goals, only if..."
"Stop! Stop! Quiet! Ugh! Anyway, if he knows about the Yeon’s Play... it's actually a good thing. Rather than activating Yeon’s Play under the training of an insane old man like me, if she properly cultivates and elevates her realm to activate Yeon’s Play..."
Ssshhh....
As the Mad Lord's soliloquy continues, the madness in his eyes subsides each time he convinces himself.
"...Ah. Yes, I can see it again. That moment..."
The Mad Lord gazes endlessly at the moon floating in the sky, fiddling with [Her] hand that is supporting him.
"...Please hold on a little longer, everyone... Yeon’s Play is not far off. The day when all of our long, strange, and beautiful connections will be resolved..."
Caressing [Her] hand, the Mad Lord closes his eyes and smiles.
"...To see the Matching Wings Spear in the hands of such a person. I’m grateful for bringing back memories after such a long time..."
Muttering a word of thanks to the already fled Seo Eun-hyun, the Mad Lord once again comfortably sinks into madness.
Human Territory, Temporal Fate Island.
We arrived at Temporal Fate Island, where ascended humans come to verify and obtain their identity plaques, and verified Kim Yeon's identity.
However, due to the reputation of being 'the disciple of the Mad Lord,' Kim Yeon had to be called to the Grand Alliance on Heavenly Human Island for a detailed investigation.
I thought everything would end after the investigation.
"...Excuse me, Master, what do you mean?"
Not just me, but Oh Hyun-seok also frowned and asked back at the words of Azure Tiger Saint.
That's how unwelcome Azure Tiger Saint's words to us, who brought Kim Yeon, were.
Azure Tiger Saint who delivered the message also seemed quite displeased.
"...I'm not exactly thrilled either, but what can we do? Honestly, moving her elsewhere might indeed be better for her."
The situation is as so.
'The disciple of the Mad Lord' Kim Yeon's return to the Human Race is known throughout the Human Race.
There’s no problem up to that point, but now the Black Ghost Valley and Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect, who know about Kim Yeon's talent through previous investigation, are demanding she be handed over to them.
"Our people from the Azure Heaven Creation Sect took on the mission and saved her with the power of our sect, but what have they done to demand Kim Yeon?"
"...Sigh, they said they will offer considerable compensation, and tried to explain it with all sorts of flattery, but their real intention must be this."
Azure Tiger Saint crumples the letters from the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect and Black Ghost Valley, clearly displeased.
"Having Oh Hyun-seok, who possesses the Unique Holy Body, and you, Seo Eun-hyun, who ascended alone despite not even being in the Qi Refining stage, under the Azure Heaven Creation Sect is enough to make them green with envy. Now that Kim Yeon, who was a disciple of the Mad Lord, has also joined our side, it's enough to make them die with jealousy. So, they want us to share with them fairly."
"..."
Crunch....
I felt irritated by their behavior of treating people like objects.
"I don't like it either. But if we don't send Kim Yeon to one of those two sects to maintain fairness, they threaten to spread the talents of Oh Hyun-seok and Kim Yeon, and the secret of Seo Eun-hyun, who ascended alone with a body not even in the Qi Refining stage, everywhere."
"...Putting pettiness aside..."
I continue, holding back my anger.
‘We cannot send her to those two sects.’
One sect is doomed to be annihilated soon, and the other will be destroyed within 500 years due to Kang Min-hee's rampage.
"What's stopping us from revealing that they possess the Heavenly Golden Thunder Body and the Ghostly Yin Transformation Immortal Root among their talents?"
"...That would lead to mutual destruction. Especially now, when Integration stage old monsters are swarming in the Human Territory, revealing such talents would turn the entire Human Territory into a battlefield."
Azure Tiger Saint sighs.
"Well, I don't like it, but to be honest, our sect doesn't have many methods suitable for Kim Yeon to learn. Honestly, if we try to train her in the Five Elements Enduring Origin Scripture, I guarantee she will try to escape from the Azure Heaven Creation Sect in less than ten days."
"..."
"Until now, we could catch those who ran away because they were in the early stages of Qi Gathering and Qi Refining, but it won't be easy to catch someone with the consciousness of a Four-Axis stage cultivator if they run away."
I sigh.
After all, Kim Yeon had just barely escaped the Mad Lord's threat of modification.
Given that her Red Spirit Body is of Earth and Wood attributes, she is likely to undergo brutal training and live burials, and nine out of ten times, she will flee from the Azure Heaven Creation Sect in terror.
'If she can't stand Azure Heaven Creation Sect anyway, it’d be best to hand her over to Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect and Black Ghost Valley...'
Handing her over to another sect is also an option, but none of those sects are on par with Black Ghost Valley or Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect.
Kim Yeon choosing one of the two sects is her best chance for growth.
Of course, it’s unpleasant that a person saved by the Azure Heaven Creation Sect is being taken as a disciple by another sect, but they promised compensation, and Azure Tiger Saint said he knew the two sects well enough that they wouldn't mistreat their disciples.
But I can't let her go to those two sects.
‘A True Immortal is expected to attack the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect in about 20 to 30 years.’
Actually, I’m not sure about the accuracy of this.
In my past life, I was merely confined into General Seo, only hearing what Kim Yeon passed on.
Kim Yeon wasn't in a position to obtain accurate information either.
For all I know, Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect might disappear next year.
But I can't say that.
'If only I could keep her with me until the True Immortal strikes...'
Then, Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect will be gone and Black Ghost Valley will be too busy investigating the safety of their Nether Crossing Ship after the disappearance of the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect due to the Heavenly Lightning Banner.
"...Master might not be aware, but actually, Kim Yeon is..."
"I know. Didn't you say you liked her on the first day of ascension?"
"Ah, yes..."
"You want to stay with Kim Yeon, don't you?"
"...Yes."
I don't want to send her to those dangerous sects.
"Hmm, but if those two sects make a fuss..."
"Then."
I look at Azure Tiger Saint and ask.
"Could you allow us to stay together for just 50 more years?"
"50 years..."
Hearing my words, Oh Hyun-seok, who is listening, looks shocked.
"What do you mean by 50 years? Would those two sects even agree to..."
"Well, fine. After all, she's someone rescued by people from the Azure Heaven Creation Sect, so keeping her for another 50 years, if they have any conscience, shouldn't be too objectionable."
"Master...?"
Oh Hyun-seok looks bewildered, not understanding Azure Tiger Saint's decision.
'It seems he still doesn't grasp the sense of time among cultivators.'
Azure Tiger Saint is over a thousand years old.
To an entity who has lived for more than a millennium, a mere 50 years isn't considered a long time.
"Ah... It seems I still don't quite understand the sense of time..."
"Hahaha, you'll get used to it soon. Anyway, if you're going to spend another 50 years with that child, Kim Yeon, we'd better have a good reason."
Azure Tiger Saint continues with a smile.
"Didn't I assign you two missions before, to chase after the devil and to spy on the Mad Lord?"
"Yes, that's right."
“The devil was caught within five years. However, there was evidence that the devil attempted to summon a Blood Yin Realm's Star Shattering stage Heavenly Fiend, leading the Human Race Grand Alliance to hold the True Devil Realm accountable. The fear was that the devil could have inadvertently summoned a terrifying entity from the Blood Yin Realm.
The True Devil Realm is currently being targeted for invasion by the Human Race Grand Alliance using this incident as a pretext. You, along with Kim Yeon, will serve as the vanguard in the invasion of the True Devil Realm for the next 50 years.
"Invasion of the True Devil Realm..?"
Thus, I, Oh Hyun-seok, and Kim Yeon, following Azure Tiger Saint's proposal, became part of the expeditionary force invading the True Devil Realm.
True Devil Realm.
Secluded River Domain, a meeting place for high-ranking devils.
A place where a dark river of shadows flows.
A conference was being held in the Secluded River Castle, located beneath that river of shadows.
"One of your Horned Devils foolishly crossed over to the Bright Cold Realm, attempting to summon a Shattering Star existence from the Blood Yin Realm into the Human Territory!"
"Damn it! How was I supposed to know that the bastard was a spy for the Heavenly Fiends of the Blood Yin Realm! How am I supposed to counter the Blood Yin Realm's Fiends creating spies with all kinds of their bizarre and sinister devilish arts!"
"You must take responsibility! Now the despicable humans are using this as an excuse to declare war on the Devil Realm!"
"Those filthy humans. During the Bright-Devil Great War, other races from the Bright Cold Realm made countless colonies in the True Devil Realm, but they're the only ones who failed to do so, and now they're throwing a tantrum!"
Inside the meeting hall of Secluded River City, sinister devils exuding dark devilish energy are holding a worried discussion.
"This is not the time for us to be fighting amongst ourselves. Although it's said that the humans couldn't fight us directly during the last Bright-Devil Great War because they were supporting from the rear, thus failing to make colonies in the True Devil Realm... I've heard that humans are as vicious and cunning as the fiends from the Blood Yin Realm, a terrifying race."
"Right. Despite being able to speak and possessing intelligence, just because of being a different race, humans are known to grind up numerous races to make their elixirs."
"Such abominable beings!"
"The Devil Realm must unite to fend off these abominable humans. Otherwise, countless devils will be captured by human cultivators and turned into mere handfuls of elixirs!"
A horned devil from the Horned Tribe, leading the meeting, rallied the devils to unite.
After the meeting concluded, the devils left Secluded River City, each returning to their own territories.
Among them, a representative of the Horned Tribe, a mysterious devil clicked his tongue.
"Tsk tsk, the current state of the True Devil Realm is misguided. It’s not even the Bright Cold Realm, but the Human Race of the Heaven Tribe that are invading, yet they’re all trembling like fools.”
His appearance is somewhat human, but where humans would have ears and eyes, horns protruded instead.
Wo-woong!
The horned devil flew back to his territory, pulling out a storage scroll.
Inserting his hand into the scroll, he pulled out a heart-like object and crushed it in the air.
Wo-woong!
Darkness enveloped him, blocking the view from outside.
Then, a red chamber appeared before the mysterious horned devil.
"Halu (Governing Skull) of the Horned Tribe pays respects to Shattered Bell Esteemed One."
Whispers seem to emanate from beyond the red chamber.
The horned devil, Halu, inclines the horns on his ears to listen to the whispers.
Soon, the whispers translated into various pieces of information in his mind.
"Earth Tribe... Dragon King... Cooperation... Blood Yin Realm... Descent... Bright Cold Realm... True Immortal... Revival... True Immortal Realm Secrets... Infinite... Glory..."
Halu recited the information conveyed by the whispers and bowed to the red chamber.
After a while, the scene within the red chamber disappeared.
"I will not disappoint the Esteemed One’s expectations...!"
The veil of darkness that enveloped Halu lifted, and he looked in the direction of the Bright Cold Realm.
'If what the Esteemed One has said truly comes to pass, our Horned Tribe will enjoy infinite glory by following the Blood Yin Realm's lead and obtaining the coordinates to the True Immortal Realm. Then, we can overhaul this pitiful True Devil Realm that strains to appease the Bright Cold Realm under the name of our Horned Tribe...!'
The mysterious devil Halu smiles as he gazes at the purple sun rising over the True Devil Realm.
