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750——————==

Dark Heaven Village

‘Right before my eyes, the body of Jeogok was being summoned, surrounded by celestial immortals. And since Dalgi is one of the three guardians, that leaves two more. Plus, all the Eight Parts of the Divine have awakened from the main body.’

What a bewildering situation! Sure, I smashed the Imperial Palace out of frustration, and that decision had no downsides, but now comes the real dilemma. In this jumbled mess where friend and foe are indistinguishable, what am I supposed to do with Dalgi’s body?

With a sly grin, I leaped upward and swung my tail to hit the two remaining guardians.

[Eat it!]

Boom!

[Ugh! You…]

Gin Nara and Yacha let out short screams as they got smacked by Dalgi’s tail. Normally, such attacks wouldn’t work on them, but Dalgi’s body was so powerful that they couldn’t possibly dodge it in their stunned state. That tail swipe felt like it could topple a mountain in one go.

I felt somewhat relieved after just that one hit.

‘Hehe. Take that, annoying pests.’

However, after swinging my fist, I realized I couldn’t use Thunder God martial arts in this body of Dalgi’s. It felt completely different from a human and the bloodline was wildly unique. Not to mention, there was enormous chaos swirling inside, making it hard to move my Qi at all.

But then something strange happened.

Hmm?

‘Wait, I think I get it.’

Just as I was feeling defeated about not being able to use martial arts, I found out I could somewhat control the spirit energy flowing through Dalgi’s body. Unlike martial arts or basic Qi techniques, it felt as if I knew instinctively how to move this body – like I could wield this spirit energy as easily as breathing. It was an unfamiliar sensation, and suddenly Miho’s words came to mind.

[Haha. You struggle with martial arts and sorcery, yet seem to have a natural knack for spirit energy.]

[Honestly, using spirit energy is as easy for a monster as swimming is for a fish. The weird thing is how naturally you’re using it, considering you’re human…]

“……”

Miho.

I suddenly missed her. There was no way to rescue her now since she’s just a fragment of the Queen Mother of the West, purposely separated from the reincarnation adventure. How could I reunite with her? With Dongyoung on the verge of destruction, is Miho safe?

These random thoughts flowed through me for a moment, but I shook my head and shouted,

[I fight for myself!]

Murmurs filled the battlefield –

Suddenly, a bewildered atmosphere enveloped the place. The celestial immortals were perplexed by Dalgi’s unexpected declaration, and the Eight Parts of the Divine looked equally dumbfounded. Just then, Jeogok, who had just finished more than half of his divine manifestation, began to speak in a playful tone.

[Ha! This is quite amusing…]

One of the divine guardians, a celestial, shouted in shock at me.

[Dalgi the Apostle! What are you doing? Wasn’t your divine patron supposed to cooperate with us? What is this betrayal?!]

I smirked at the celestial and replied,

[That’s not happening!]

[Oh no…]

The divine guardians were clearly flustered. Even Gin Nara, the advisor, couldn’t grasp the sudden shift in Dalgi’s attitude. The celestial immortals seemed equally confused, fluttering around me without daring to launch an attack.

Then, a booming voice echoed in my head.

[…Mortal… Did you steal my apostle’s body with your powerful sorcery…?]

A shiver ran down my spine at the words that felt like they were directly probing my brain. It could only be the Old Ruler who dominates the Imperial Palace behind the scenes, able to communicate directly with an apostle and exude this level of pressure. Clearly, the original owner of Dalgi realized something was off and decided to reach out.

In my mind, I replied,

[Now that we’re here, how about making me your apostle? I mean, I’m basically in Dalgi’s body.]

It’s a gamble. Better to say something rather than nothing.

[…]

[I can handle myself well, you know… for real.]

After a long pause, the Old Ruler responded,

[The Great Chaos… even toys with us… fine… I shall not interfere.]

[Huh?]

[You may do as you wish with that body…]

Boom!

In that instant, I noticed the oppressive sensation vanishing, and several powerful blessings that had enveloped me disappeared. While Dalgi’s innate strength remained intact, the divine powers granted to him were gone. However, the connection to the Law of Cause and Effect remained intact, leaving me momentarily confused.

‘Huh?’

But soon I figured it out. The Old Ruler of the Imperial Palace must have sensed something suspicious and decided to withdraw the blessings rather than aiding me. Yet, it seemed they left the qualification of being an apostle untouched. Of course, that didn’t mean he had appointed me as a new apostle.

Was the Old Ruler interpreting this situation differently?

Why withdraw?

‘As if someone’s watching him…’

But I didn’t have the luxury to think about that right now. Regardless, since my combat ability hadn’t massively decreased, I felt more confident and shouted,

[I’ll do as I please!]

[……!!]

At that moment, from the side, the Apostle Natahta who had been watching the situation glared at me, then yelled and charged at me.

“What kind of trashy fox monster are you to act all high and mighty here?!”

Boom!

Natahta threw his Kwon-Shape Sphere, a legendary artifact worshipped even among immortals, right at me. It had enough power that a normal celestial could be immediately obliterated by its force. In an instant, the sphere grew hundreds of times larger until it was the same size as Dalgi, flying straight at me.

The full force of Natahta’s attack!

In my original body, facing this level of assault, I would have been gasping for breath, barely managing to survive. That, too, would have required me to draw out the full strength and blessings of the Dragon King and the Fire Dragon Incarnate. Normally, this kind of pressure would have me staring death in the face.

However – it felt odd.

With Dalgi’s body, I found this attack from the Kwon-Shape Sphere utterly unthreatening. In fact, it looked as if the giant sphere was moving in slow motion, and I felt like I could smash it into pieces at any moment. And when I moved my hands shortly afterward, I understood why I felt that way.

The immense chaotic power flowing through Dalgi’s body – it underestimated Natahta’s capabilities and began to instinctively control the spirit energy flooding into me.

Wham!

At that moment, I swiped my paw at the side of the Kwon-Shape Sphere. It shattered into countless pieces, sending spirit energy swirling around like powder.

“Oh no?!”

Natahta looked dumbfounded as the sphere smashed apart. I seized the opportunity and lunged at him, biting down for all I was worth.

Crunch!

“Grahh!!!”

Natahta screamed as his body twisted, but I ignored his cries and kept chewing, gripping his neck and swinging him side to side. I needed to be careful since he was an Apostle and a legendary artifact user; I wouldn’t swallow him whole without a thought.

‘Yikes. Tough as nails.’

Is he really an Apostle? Even with Dalgi’s jaw strength, biting down hard didn’t seem to be damaging him, merely causing him pain. This must be what they meant by being as hard as diamond.

‘Well, he was an artifact created during the Fengshen War, after all…’

It felt akin to gnawing through a tough outer shell. But as I kept chewing, I felt him starting to break a bit. Enjoying the taste of blood for a moment, I spat it out.

[Thooey!]

Boom!

Natahta fell to the ground, completely drenched in blood, and fainted. I couldn’t believe I easily took out a high-level Apostle like that; it truly had been a simple fight. Natahta’s normally swift attacks were moving so slowly that they felt easily predictable.

Even the Eight Parts of the Divine, who witnessed the battle, seemed shocked, hesitating in their movements. The Thief Gang watching on the sidelines whispered in awe.

[Incredible… Dalgi… taking on that powerful Natahta.]

Whoosh!

The celestial immortals, now genuinely terrified, backed away quickly, while the Eight Parts of the Divine hovered in mid-air, gazing at me in shock. Looking down at the city of Luoyang, a strange feeling swelled in my heart; most of the beings here were now afraid of me.

This is the power of a strong individual!

As intense pride and exhilaration surged within me, Jeogok, nearly done with his divine manifestation, spoke up.

[This is interesting. You’re not the true owner of that body yet you’re wielding it so freely… Where do you come from?]

[……]

So, Jeogok has noticed my presence?

He must have caught on that I had possessed Dalgi’s body but didn’t seem to recognize that I was Baek Woong. Jeogok began to speak, appearing as a peculiar white giant adorned with thousands of wings.

[However, do not run amok anymore. That body is of great significance… It must be returned undamaged to Nüwa.]

That creature knows.

Jeogok is aware that Dalgi is actually a runaway clone of Nüwa! Considering he’s also a member of the Three Sovereigns, it’s odd he didn’t know, but that explains why Jeogok hasn’t attacked me recklessly.

Given that fact, should I find a way to fight against Jeogok?

‘No… that’s unnecessary.’

After all, Dalgi had been summoned to fight as a guardian and apostle against Jeogok’s main body. Fighting him here wouldn’t change anything. Not to mention, it would turn out to be a detrimental decision for me.

I glanced around the area. Spotting Jin So-cheong and my allies, I sent them a telepathic message.

[Protect the humans as best as you can. This could turn into a chaos zone.]

Jin So-cheong nodded, replying telepathically.

[Don’t worry. The celestials and I have already collaborated to evacuate over half of humans in Luoyang. We’ll also take action to minimize casualties.]

As expected, Jin So-cheong is reliable.

I turned my gaze back to the Imperial Palace. Although it was mostly aflame, the Sky Gate and the Emperor’s palace remained intact. That means a powerful barrier was still protecting those places even from Dalgi’s flames.

‘So, where…’

Boom boom!!

[Crush it!]

I kicked the Sky Gate and the Emperor’s palace, feeling the barrier shatter and a rush of excitement surged through me as I continued my attack with a flurry of kicks.

[……]

[……]

Boom!!

Finally, the Sky Gate shattered completely! The barrier weakened significantly, and powerful magical energy erupted from within. It’s definitely that ‘guardian’ Jin spoke of reacting to the outer situation.

‘Got it! Now getting back in will be easier.’

If all goes well, I might be able to find Cheon Woo-jin or one of the magic-savvy allies who can sense Tydaht. Everyone in the hall was silent, shocked that I’d unexpectedly targeted the Imperial Palace again. Glancing around, I declared,

[I’m not fighting anymore, so you can handle it!]

Swoosh!

However, the Eight Parts of the Divine and Apostle Natahta quietly moved in closer, likely to restrain me given my current uncertainty.

‘Tsk! Are they trying to subdue me?’

I sensed that this next attack wouldn’t come easy, and at that moment, all nine of my tails suddenly twitched.

Boom…

A huge rumble echoed from the Imperial Palace, and a brilliant light shot from within, striking my head. I turned to see something from the Heart of the Palace and felt a sudden chill run through me.

‘W-what is that?’

An overwhelming presence!

With instinct etched into Dalgi’s body, I realized that ‘thing’ was definitely not to be underestimated. That gaze was like that of a snake, charged with a sinister energy.

‘A snake…? Is it a snake?’

Trying to collect the chaos churning within Dalgi, I managed to get a clearer view of the creature’s identity. A massive black snake coiled around the throne in the Heart of the Imperial Palace, radiating clear hostility toward me.

The light from earlier was a warning.

It was a clear indication that if I acted recklessly, I would be attacked.

‘Hmm… Attacking Jeogok is a bad move here. Yet I’m too weak to fight them all off, including the snake and the Eight Parts of the Divine…’

Desperate, I turned toward Jeogok and asked.

[Jeogok, if you had a way to remove the mask, what would you do?]

It would be a hassle if Jeogok attacked me. If he really was the strongest single entity here, bartering first would be wise. [……!!]

At that moment, the atmosphere shifted dramatically. A surge of magical power radiated from Jeogok, which caused the already chaotic energy in Luoyang to ignite further.

Grrrr…

The immortals found themselves nearly choking on Jeogok’s overwhelming power, and dimensions twisted chaotically around. From far away, the area around the moon was visibly warped, and the path of the meteors began to tilt dangerously.

I thought to myself that civilians would be wiped out if this kept up, so I urgently drew on Dalgi’s chaos to prevent the shockwave from spreading too far.

Jeogok’s white body radiated a hauntingly dark light as he spoke.

[Think wisely and speak your words… What method do you propose?]

I felt far more relaxed facing Jeogok as Dalgi than I did when confronting the Three Sovereigns as a human. The chaos contained within Dalgi made it easy to mitigate Jeogok’s magical pressure, and at that moment, I felt as if I was conversing with an old neighborhood acquaintance. It was almost a friendly atmosphere.

[As you can imagine, I’m headed toward the Emperor’s Divine Temple.]

In that instant, it seemed Jeogok had put the pieces together.

[…I see. You’re the one trying to collect the Seven Luminaries.]

[Therefore, I’d like to propose something.]

[What is it?]

I grinned and suggested,

[Do not interfere with me. And also, do not prevent me from obtaining Tydaht. Once I ascend to the Divine Temple, I’ll propose to the Emperor that you all drop your masks.]

[……]

[Isn’t that a beneficial suggestion for both of us?]

Jeogok seemed to ponder my offer heavily. Suddenly, he spoke up.

[You understand perfectly well the significance of releasing the Six Needs to reach the Seven Luminaries, don’t you?]

[Surely I can understand that much.]

[Good… Just now, I communicated with the Five Emperors, and they’ve all agreed to your terms. Since you understand our objective, there’s no need for us to hide anything anymore. We acknowledge that Tydaht belongs to you.]

I regarded Jeogok warily.

[You won’t try to take it back, right? No flip-flopping, okay?]

When I inquired, Jeogok appeared faintly flustered.

[What?! How dare you disrespect the Three Sovereigns… No, that’s not going to happen.]

[Thank you.]

[I’m looking forward to what happens next…]

It worked!

The moment Jeogok accepted my proposal, Gin Nara, one of the Eight Parts of the Divine, flew forward exclaiming,

[How foolish! Why are you making a deal with the Three Sovereigns? By ceding control to them, humanity will forever suffer.]

I coldly retorted at Gin Nara’s outburst.

[But we can’t trust your sovereign either. Good luck!]

Go and fight the main body of Jeogok!

Boom!

In that moment, I drastically altered my form and teleported. I had learned the Golden Crow’s technique which Cheon Gong-pyo had taught Dalgi, allowing me to utilize the bloodline powers written into Dalgi’s essence.

I arrived inside the Imperial Palace. Contrary to what I expected, collaborating with the Three Sovereigns wasn’t a fixed agreement, so I didn’t need to suggest that they take off their masks when reaching the Divine Temple. From the Three Sovereigns’ perspective, my ability to gather the Seven Luminaries as per their design was more than enough.

Dalgi’s human transformation was indeed breathtaking. However, unlike Miho, this form was eerily fierce, yet alluring and far more dangerous. After transforming according to the stored technique, I felt somewhat uncomfortable in the ancient Yin Dynasty garb.

Reaching the earlier spot, I noticed Jin had withdrawn the Eight Trigrams Diagram technique he set up. It seemed that Jin had recovered it in light of the outer scenario not unfolding to his liking. While I was curious about Jin’s intentions, I proceeded deeper into the palace.

Now was not the time to reunite with my companions. With powerful Dalgi’s strength at my disposal, my best course of action was to navigate this alone. Plus, this technique was reversible, allowing me to return to my original body if necessary.

Now, where could the guardians be?

I recalled the earlier sight of the ‘snake.’ Following the aura I had sensed there, I found the location complete with Changhyi’s throne.

‘Jin’s not here.’

Swoosh—

A massive pitch-black snake lay coiled, waiting for me. The snake’s eyes glinted, and it spoke.

[You dare… trying to assassinate the King… traitor…]

“It’s not like I want to kill the King. Just hand over Tydaht and step back peacefully.”

[Tydaht… that’s with the doll… why are you here…?]

Doll?

In that moment, time seemed to freeze completely. Inside that temporal loop, my body felt immobilized against my will, and through the paralyzed space, Jin appeared.

Jin summoned a swirling mass of chaos, hurling it directly at the snake.

Thump!

The snake’s head exploded upon impact with the chaotic orb, yet it couldn’t escape or defend itself.

‘Is the Portrait Immortal Jin freezing time?’

With this level of time-stopping ability combined with Dalgi’s chaos, one would normally be resistant. How could this occur? I attempted to move, but my body refused to cooperate. Meanwhile, the snake exhaled some kind of wave despite its obliterated head.

Whoosh…

Chaos began to reverse. To be precise, the snake’s power of chaos manipulated the Small Cycle. Since it could control the cycle, this snake must surely be at least a Demon King level.

“Activate.”

But when the snake attempted to restore its form by reversing time, Jin reached out and unleashed a One Palm technique at the snake. In that instant, the snake halted its swift recovery.

Whoosh…

The Small Cycle briefly spun before stopping. Observing the frozen pitch-black snake, I realized I was free to move once more. I summoned Dalgi’s spirit energy and glared at Jin.

“You… what exactly are you?!”

This was absurd. To meddle with a mythic being’s Small Cycle, thwart its recovery, and freeze it?! Even catching Jin, the silver-haired Portrait Immortal, off guard, I could state with certainty that up until now, he had never showcased such abilities!

Simultaneously, I felt grateful I hadn’t brought my allies here. Considering the temporal manipulation capabilities he possessed, they would’ve been utterly immobilized and helpless.

With a glare at Jin, he smirked and said,

“Changhyi is just ahead. Follow me.”

“Shut it! First, reveal your true identity.”

“I told you, I’m Jin.”

“Quit lying. Give me Tydaht!!”

I sensed danger. Getting rid of the guardians here would only lead me into a trap.

At this moment, I needed to effectively deal with the creature before me or face annihilation. Securing Tydaht was more urgent than encountering Changhyi!

Jin sighed helplessly.

“Ugh… you’re really making things troublesome. I never expected you’d take an apostle’s body. You truly are unpredictable.”

“……”

Jin said,

“Alright then, let me tell you where Tydaht is.”

Swoosh!

Slowly, Jin’s hand moved towards his right chest. Almost as if drawing water, he gracefully slipped a hand inside and began to pull something out from within his heart.

Thump.

Thump.

It felt as if a heart was pounding vigorously but that wasn’t it. The pulsating organ seemed to harbor a familiar scroll, tangled in thick liquid. Recognizing the scroll from previous moments, my eyes widened in shock.

“……!!”

“Here it is.”

Jin cackled playfully.

“My heart holds Tydaht, haha!”

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