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“So, you’re telling me we can topple the imperial palace with just the four of us?”

It was early morning, and I had taken Dokgo Seong, the Sword Demon, and Zhuge Sa to the quiet outskirts of Luoyang—no people, just the sound of the wind and maybe a bird. Underneath a willow tree, the Sword Demon raised an eyebrow.

“Do you really believe we can do it?”

Zhuge Sa, tired and a bit weary-looking, cleared his throat. “Before I answer, may I ask something?”

“Go ahead,” the Sword Demon replied.

“What if we just wiped out all the people in Luoyang? Wouldn’t that make things easier?”

All three of us stared at him, wide-eyed. Seriously, did he just suggest that? Sure, people from the Heretical Sect often talk like this, but suggesting a massacre in Luoyang? That takes it to a whole other level.

Dokgo Seong was flabbergasted. “You’re nuts.”

The Sword Demon shot a glare at Zhuge Sa. “You knew I wouldn’t go for that, right? You trying to play mind games to get what you want?”

Embarrassed, Zhuge Sa lowered his gaze. “I apologize if it seemed trivial, but it is crucial.”

“Umm, no. There shouldn’t be any innocent deaths.” The Sword Demon was ruthless but had a code. He wouldn’t just kill millions. Very idealistic for a guy who wields chaos.

Then Zhuge Sa pressed on, “If we could eliminate everyone in the imperial palace, would that be acceptable?”

The Sword Demon squinted. “Are you including the lowly guards and the regular soldiers in that scenario?”

“Absolutely,” Zhuge Sa responded confidently.

The Sword Demon paused. “Well, if it’s absolutely necessary, I suppose… But why exactly do we need to erase them?”

Zhuge Sa plucked a leaf from the willow and said, “My plan will draw a lot of attention from the Heavenly Realm. The fewer witnesses there are, the better. This way, we can avoid any future troubles.”

“Heavenly Realm, you say?”

“Yes. Since we’re borrowing the power of the Old Ruler, it’s likely that beings from the Heavenly Realm will interfere during our cleanup phase. At least Earth Immortal-level beings will show up. We need to finish everything before they crack the source of our magic.”

The Sword Demon furrowed his brow. “So, you’re saying the Immortals can actually interfere with the human world?”

“Of course,” Zhuge Sa affirmed. “But if we finish quickly, say, within half a moment, we shouldn’t have to worry. This whole mess has the blessing of the Old Ruler, so they won’t dare harm us if we play dumb.”

“And how strong are these Immortals?”

Zhuge Sa delivered his response flatly, “If they were humans, there’s no way anyone could take them on. Especially if they’re at the Earth Immortal level—meeting one would be a calamity.”

“… Tsk.” The Sword Demon pinched the bridge of his nose. “Master, make the call.”

He crossed his arms, contemplating for an eternity, then finally addressed me. “Baek Ho-beob, it’s up to you.”

“Huh?”

“Though I carry the title of Sect Leader of the Shadowless Gate, it’s you who brought this plan here. And you took the risk by providing Zhuge Sa with resources, including that Water Element Divine Sword. Thus, you have the right—and the obligation—to make the final decision.”

Zhuge Sa nodded silently in agreement, waiting for my response.

“Hmm.” I was torn. Should I really let Zhuge Sa go on with his idea? Would it leave a curse on the next generation? But then, I gathered my thoughts and spoke firmly.

“Only eliminate those in league with the demons and their underlings in the palace. If you do that, I’ll support you in full.”

Zhuge Sa erupted into laughter. “Hahaha! You always pick the toughest routes, huh? But I like it.”

“Can you do it?”

“Of course! It’ll just be a bit annoying.” He boasted, holding up a Golden Box in one hand. “Everyone, no matter what happens next, don’t be surprised or agitated. Head straight to where the Emperor is in the palace. Don’t engage with summoned creatures or adversaries along the way.”

“What are you planning?”

“Summoning Technique.”

“Summoning Technique?”

“A fun little summoning technique.”

Suddenly, the Golden Box began to glow, slowly cracking open and releasing a grotesque darkness. Zhuge Sa levitated the box, starting a chant. “Chaos, my dark crawling mist… I borrow the power of the irregular polyhedron, grant me the ability to dominate the constellations.”

At that moment, the skies began to darken as thunderclouds rolled in. The once clear sky of Luoyang turned ominous beneath a dense shroud of darkness, unlike any rain cloud. It felt eerily still.

Echoing through the darkened sky, Zhuge Sa’s eerie voice surged. “Oh, Sleeper of Enkai, I wield your followers. Formless offspring, rise! Let the festival commence!”

From above, shadowy blobs began falling, causing chaos among the locals who were bewildered yet sensing something unusual had begun to descend.

The air filled with eerie sounds, echoing like wails. People scrambled with fear as Zhuge Sa continued to chant. “Spirit of Huashan, born from eternity, I call upon your name! Bless my servant with your favor…”

Then, Zhuge Sa burst into smoke and vanished, taking the Golden Box with him.

Left in this eerie and ominous Luoyang, filled with shadows, we stood there, unsure of what to do next. After all, even peak experts aren’t used to surreal, mystical occurrences all too often. The once bustling streets grew silent as people locked their doors, hiding from the chaos.

A chilly wind swept past as if it was sucking the life out of everything. Dokgo Seong grumbled, “Damn it. Looks like we have no choice but to follow through.”

“We need to head to the palace.”

Tydaht.

We dashed toward the imperial inner city, bypassing rooftops and the towering gates. Just fifteen li more, and we’d reach the palace in no time.

The bizarre scenery along the streets was concerning. Crystalline, gelatinous ‘things’ that fell from the sky were amassing in droves, heading toward the imperial palace like a tidal wave. Though they lacked a clear form, they bore a strong resemblance to the tough Demon Beasts we had previously encountered.

Bam!

Upon reaching the main gate, a crimson bolt of lightning struck down like a spear. Zhuge Sa was definitely in battle somewhere. We considered how to neutralize the gate soldiers, but the instant we arrived, we were taken aback.

“Are those statues…?”

Indeed, once bustling with life, the guards protecting the palace were now petrified—turned into lifeless stone. They had all been turned to statues as if they were made of rock. The sight of animated stone soldiers sent shivers down my spine.

“Looks like Zhuge Sa has petrified them with some spell,” the Sword Demon murmured.

“But this is way too powerful,” I lamented. Even if Zhuge Sa’s skills were top-notch, there’s no way a standard spell could immobilize an entire company of soldiers who had trained hard to resist magic.

“If there’s really a technique that can petrify hundreds of trained guards, then what’s the point of train—”

“Didn’t he claim to borrow divine power?” Dokgo Seong interjected. “If that’s the case, it’s more like he’s using divine strength instead of regular sorcery.”

“Hmm… could be.”

“Those transparent monsters seem to be ignoring us on purpose, don’t they? Let’s get moving. It’s getting on my nerves.”

As we pushed forward, the transparent creatures that continued to swarm weren’t attacking us, as if Zhuge Sa had told them not to. But the ominous presence they exuded was hard to ignore.

We passed through the palace gates, pressing further inside, and were met with even more bizarre scenes.

[Kiiiiieeek!!]

From all around, demon beasts and dragon people were rampaging. The numbers were staggering, at least fifty. Using their incredible physical prowess, they crushed the stone floors and tore down walls while moving about.

Crash!

Boom!

And those demon beasts seemed to be attaching themselves to the transparent monsters, biting and clawing at them. A single demon or dragon was surrounded by dozens of those creatures, and even superhuman soldiers couldn’t stand a chance against that many.

Crack! Crack!

[Kieek… Kruheek…]

One dragon person collapsed, and the sound of something being ripped apart echoed through the air. It was like a cruel orchestra of nature—they were devouring him alive.

The transparent monsters summoned by Zhuge Sa were effortlessly overpowering the palace’s superhuman guards. Several of them met their end, ripped apart and consumed.

“What the hell are those monsters?” Dokgo Seong muttered in disbelief.

“Probably demons summoned from Dark Heaven Village,” I replied.

“Hmmm…” Dokgo Seong couldn’t hide his discomfort. As an expert, he could gauge the power of the dragon people and demons. If they all charged at us, we might very well meet our end. The sight of superhuman soldiers being devoured so easily was genuinely mind-boggling.

Tydaht.

As we continued, heading toward the deeper palaces, I spotted the Great Dragon Hall and the Inner Imperial Pavilion—where the Emperor resided. The clashes among the monsters grew fierce, indicating a last line of defense. More and more dragon people and demons rushed in to fight those transparent beasts.

Crash!

Boom!

[Kieek!!]

The battle was a stalemate. Each time a dragon or demon unleashed their black aura, more of the transparent monsters would disintegrate into nothingness. The Sword Demon observed from the rooftop, then turned to me.

“Baek Ho-beob, you should head into the Emperor’s quarters and meet with Zhuge Sa.”

“Understood.”

With that, the Sword Demon and Dokgo Seong jumped into the fray, unleashing their Qi and Sword Strength to begin slaughtering the superhuman soldiers of the palace. I quickly turned and dashed into the Great Dragon Hall.

Having been here before, I felt a sense of familiarity. The eerie absence of human presence remained unchanged. Remembering my past, I made my way toward the Emperor’s throne room.

Just as I opened the door to the throne room, I heard Zhuge Sa’s voice. “Baek Ho-beob, things’ve become quite troublesome.”

At his feet lay the mangled corpse of the Emperor, and he held up the neck of an alchemist, clearly amidst a grisly execution.

I looked at him, knowing full well that a massacre had taken place. “Interference?”

Zhuge Sa giggled ominously. “Hehehe. What a cruel fate…

His gaze drifted to the shadow behind the pillar. Upon closer inspection, a figure was partially hidden. Using stealth techniques, they had managed to evade detection until now. The figure stepped into the light, revealing a familiarity that sent a chill down my spine.

“I thought you were dead, and yet here you are, alive and kicking.”

That calm voice came from a figure I couldn’t mistake.

I felt my heart drop. “Hahaha… I’m more surprised than you. I thought you were just wasting away in Jinrang Valley. When did you learn such powerful Ox步法?”

As the figure emerged from the shadows, he stared at Zhuge Sa. “I’ve been training really hard.”

“Training hard alone isn’t enough to learn how to use a treasure like that in just seven or eight years.”

“I had a good teacher, plus some fortuitous encounters.”

With a flourish of his robe, he raised the Seven Fires, Seven Golds Line high. Its flames began to flicker menacingly, reminiscent of the heaven’s fire.

“Mangnyang, by the command of the Heavenly Realm, I shall purge this evil tainted by the Demon Path!”

Indeed, this young Taoist aiming to bind Zhuge Sa and incinerate him with the flames of the Seven Fires, Seven Golds Line was none other than my most trusted ally and companion—Zhuge Hyun.

 

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