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I felt a chill at the thought that the Queen Mother of the West recognized me. I might just be stuck here, unable to do anything, facing death. But of course, I had set up a barrier to fulfill Pangu’s command, so it was to be expected. I calmly pondered if I could break through this barrier. Either way, what I needed to do remained unchanged.

‘First, sheer force…’

With a clang, I summoned the Immortal Sword Technique and wielded the Fire Spirit in my hand, preparing my Twin Sword Technique. True, I had gone through a lot, and I hadn’t properly practiced the Twin Sword Technique, but the combination I unleashed was capable of delivering a lethal blow, so I could definitely manage it with the single sword feel. I could distinctly sense the presence of two Great Immortals reinforcing my strength.

Could I do it?

‘No, I must!’

I pushed aside my wavering thoughts and entered a state of perfect clarity. Since I had been training in martial arts, it was easy to clear my mind and take the stance of Unity of Body and Sword. As I focused, time seemed to freeze, and my body leaped up, ready to strike.

Thunder God Lineage

One Slash!

Like lightning, my slashes pierced the barrier one after the other. First, the Fire Dragon incarnate pooled the power of the Fire Spirit and struck the barrier hard, creating a significant impact. As the reverberation echoed, Yeodong-bin’s sword thrust through the gap. The swordsmanship exploded in a fierce tempest as the Heavenly Escape Sword Technique unleashed the Wind and Cloud techniques simultaneously, ripping the barrier apart.

Shwaaa!

“……!!”

However, the impact had only cracked the barrier halfway. Luckily, it didn’t seem to be recovering, but I was moved by disbelief. Even with the force of the Seven Luminaries and the Fire Spirit bolstered by Yeodong-bin’s ultimate swordsmanship, it couldn’t break through?

This barrier was said to be several times stronger than the Kunlun Twelve Great Immortals’ barrier. To think there was such a powerful barrier left in the end! While I was baffled, the Queen Mother of the West’s voice rang from within the barrier.

“Yeodong-bin… Fire Dragon incarnate… It saddens me that capable and outstanding immortals would rebel against me. I never thought you’d bring along the Seven Luminaries. But even if you unleash techniques in an unreleased state, you cannot surpass the level.”

“……”

“The rebellion ends here. Bow your heads and step back. The sins of today will be addressed when Pangu’s command is over.”

Calmly declaring my failure as if it were obvious, the Queen Mother of the West stated with conviction. After pouring nearly my full power moments ago, it was clear I wouldn’t be able to unleash such force anytime soon, and it was obvious our army would perish in the meantime.

As evidence, the spirit energy flowing from Yeodong-bin’s sword had significantly decreased, and the Fire Dragon incarnate was catching its breath. Having expended all its power temporarily, it needed time to recover.

But I felt a surge of emotion and yelled out. All the pent-up frustration burst forth.

“Rebellion? Who do you think you are to call this rebellion?! Damn you!”

“Hmm…?”

The Queen Mother of the West responded as if surprised. It seemed she hadn’t even regarded someone like me as an issue but had simply forgotten. I wasn’t going to stop there; I angrily continued my tirade.

“You twisted woman! Is it delicious to feast on innocent immortals? Do you enjoy scheming and mocking the Celestial Realm? You act so noble while scheming like an old hag!”

“You…”

I shouted with my eyes wide open.

“Don’t move. I’ll behead that pig-like neck and pickle it in salt.”

“……”

Falling into silence as if stunned, the Queen Mother of the West soon burst into laughter.

“Heh heh heh… Look at the little bug barking.”

Did she still think the gap between us was hopeless? Even after taking my insults, she calmly ridiculed me, but I wouldn’t lose my fighting spirit.

And then, I thought.

‘The time has come…’

This was the method I hadn’t wanted to use until now. If I could break through with the Immortal Sword Technique and Fire Spirit, I’d just break Pangu’s command, rescue Seo Mun-hye, and escape back to the surface. Even though I was prepared to die today, surviving as long as possible was my top priority.

However, given my evident lack of ability, I had no choice. Ultimately, I had to summon a chaotic realm predicated on my death here. Before starting my plan, I turned to Yeodong-bin and the Fire Dragon incarnate.

“You two. I’m sorry. The method I’m about to use doesn’t align with the righteous path, but… If I don’t use this method, I can’t win.”

Yeodong-bin replied calmly.

“Master Yanja, you know the method you received from that Demon Sorcerer. I was also present there. Indeed, that method is one that should never be permitted for a Great Immortal of the Celestial Realm.”

“……”

“But the Queen Mother of the West has abandoned the Celestial Realm. And with the justice of the Celestial Realm also forsaken, then I too will abandon the Celestial Realm and pursue my own justice…”

“Yeodong-bin.”

“Master Yanja, have courage. I, Yeodong-bin, will follow you wherever you go.”

Then, the Fire Dragon incarnate spoke.

“That’s my disciple! My maiden has said what she wanted to say, you mischievous disciple.”

“Fire Dragon incarnate.”

“Go! Even if the Celestial Realm perishes today, believe that the path you choose is right. That is the true way!”

“…Thank you.”

I gained courage from the words of the two immortals. With that, there was no longer any hesitation. After firming my resolve, I slowly raised my right hand to retrieve the Wooden Armor.

“Here lies the offering.”

Recalling the forbidden magic and ritual methods I learned from Zhuge Sa, I began to chant the spell. Although it was a simplified version, in this spiritually rich Celestial Realm, it should be much easier to perform the offering ceremony than in the mortal realm. As I completed the spell swiftly, I poured the ‘offering’ from the Wooden Armor into the sky.

“Accept this soil and descend upon this land!! Gong Gong!!”

Crack!

The next moment, the incredibly large amount of soil I had gathered at Mount Huang burst forth from the little Wooden Armor as if it were alive. This was the grace bestowed by the divine that allowed the legend of Jeon Wook to control floods, the Soil of Breath! Naturally, it held enough spirit energy to cultivate spiritual pills and divine artifacts, and I had stuffed as much of it as I could into the Wooden Armor in a short period of time.

A magic circle hovered in the air, quickly consuming the Soil of Breath. Suddenly, as the soil spiraled and was engulfed, ice and flames crossed each other overhead, and a beam of light descended.

Crraaack!

“The Law of Cause and Effect has been established. I, shall descend upon you!!”

As Gong Gong’s words rang in my ears, blue lightning crackled and surged from my body. At the same time, I felt my consciousness pushed back for a moment as an immense divine being descended upon me. The spirit of the Giant was enveloping my body.

Hoooowww!

As Gong Gong descended into my body, he glanced at the Immortal Sword and Fire Spirit in my hands before chuckling and neatly placing them into the Wooden Armor. The spirits of the two Great Immortals seemed unable to resist Gong Gong’s power and followed his will.

“You don’t need anything grand to break a measly barrier like this.”

Then Gong Gong moved my body and stomped down fiercely upon the barrier beneath my feet.

Thud!

In an instant, despite having only broken halfway through, the barrier shattered entirely under Gong Gong’s strike, and the backlash caused the immortals chanting Pangu’s command to scream as they collapsed.

“Kreeeah!”

“Aaaah!”

Even an immortal could feel pain, especially from the violent gust born of Gong Gong’s divine power. Some of the flying immortals died, while many others lost consciousness and became spiritual forms.

Gugugugu!

Gong Gong crossed his arms and slowly descended, facing the being enveloped in the five-colored clouds at the center of the center Jin. Tethered amidst those clouds, the Queen Mother of the West seemingly astonished said in a trembling voice.

“What…? Gong Gong, how could you…?”

“Hahaha. Are you that surprised to see me?”

Gong Gong grinned cruelly and continued.

“Little did I know that for thousands of years, such a noble being was playing at child’s play.”

The flames and ice surrounding Gong Gong converged to transform into hundreds of spear tips. With a nod, Gong Gong launched the ice-fire spears toward the Queen Mother of the West, and that attack seemed utterly unavoidable, as if time itself had ceased much like when Jeon Wook attacked Gin Nara.

Burrrr!

In an instant, Gong Gong’s attack pierced through the five-colored clouds, skewering the Queen Mother of the West. I wondered if the conclusion would be reached in one blow, but evidently, it was not the case, as her five-colored clouds vanished, and the ice-fire spears disintegrated alongside it.

Shhshhh!

As the five-colored clouds receded, the Queen Mother of the West emerged, appearing dark and filled with some ominous energy. It seemed as if the very air around her was stained black. She stared down at Gong Gong with a slow and deliberate gaze and said.

“Well then. It’s convenient. After all, when the Seven Luminaries are unsealed, your death is inevitable, so I’ll deal with you right now.”

“Kuhuh! Well said. Isn’t it you who hid behind the Emperor when you were unable to deal with Chi You?”

“So what? Your power hardly matches that of Chi You.”

Calmly countering, the Queen Mother of the West continued in a voice filled with killing intent.

“To reveal yourself here, you must be yearning for death, Gong Gong. If your wish is to die, I shall grant it.”

“But wouldn’t your power be halved since Pangu’s command was broken?”

As Gong Gong mocked her, the Queen Mother of the West let out a triumphant laugh.

“Gong Gong, from the very beginning, our levels have been different. Do you really think that just because a measly command is broken, I would weaken?”

Chikichiki!

Five purple orbs floated into the hands of the Queen Mother of the West. Gong Gong, seemingly alarmed, spoke to me as I observed from within.

“Baek Woong, if you have any tricks up your sleeve, use them quickly.”

“Is it impossible to defeat her in direct combat?”

“Don’t be absurd. If you take a hit from the Heavenly Ten Thousand Ghosts, even I would die instantly. We’re not at the stage to go down together yet.”

Heavenly Ten Thousand Ghosts?

It seemed that was what the Queen Mother of the West was referring to with her current technique. Regardless, Gong Gong wouldn’t make such a fuss for nothing, so I had no choice but to employ the hidden techniques I had saved up.

Temporarily taking control of my body back from Gong Gong, I pulled out the Nameless Ritual Book from the Wooden Armor. Holding it up, I began to chant.

“I call upon this book; O lion of the north wind, you who walk upon the winds! Aid me in this moment.”

Flame!

In that instant, the Nameless Ritual Book ignited. At the same time, the ‘Old Ruler’ I had once seen in the Arctic unexpectedly materialized right there, looking quite bewildered as he glanced at me.

“Why am I in the Celestial Realm…?”

Ka-boom!

“Kreeeah!”

The skeletal figure of the ‘Old Ruler’ suddenly shattered into pieces when struck by the Queen Mother of the West’s Heavenly Ten Thousand Ghosts, but perhaps because he was a deity, he seemed to quickly regenerate. Nonetheless, it seemed he had sustained significant damage.

With agony etched on his face, the ‘Old Ruler’ glared at me.

“Dare you use me as a shield! I shall curse you.”

Indeed. Zhuge Sa had given me the Nameless Ritual Book to teach me to summon the ‘Old Ruler’ connected to Xuyou, saying it would be unnecessary when the world was facing destruction.

Although it was a one-time use, there were certainly not many who would refuse a top-tier grimoire like the Nameless Ritual Book, so he had sent a manifest to assist me. But the truth was, it was merely meant to serve as a shield against the Queen Mother’s Heavenly Ten Thousand Ghosts.

Gong Gong once again took control of my body and spoke to him nonchalantly.

“Cursing my servant will do nothing. Don’t take your anger out on the one who was hit. Didn’t you eat the grimoire? Can’t you at least manage that?”

“Gong Gong!”

It seemed that the ‘Old Ruler’ now recognized Gong Gong. After suppressing his anger for a moment, he turned his glare at the Queen Mother of the West.

“You. To attack me is quite reckless, don’t you think?”

“I didn’t expect you to show up.”

The Queen Mother of the West responded with an expression of surprise.

“But what are you glaring at me for?”

“What do you mean…”

“Get lost. This place is my domain. Don’t meddle in others’ affairs.”

Watching the scene unfold, I couldn’t help but feel astonished. That ‘Old Ruler’ from the Arctic had the power to overthrow the Celestial Realm when he had possessed me in the past. But did the Queen Mother of the West not recognize that strength?

However, even more unexpected was the next moment when the ‘Old Ruler’ retorted, calming his rage.

“No matter how great you are, are you going to flaunt your might with a manifest? After all, you Three Sovereigns will become insignificant post-revelation, yet you’re continuing to act so boastful.”

You Three Sovereigns.

Hearing that, the Queen Mother of the West replied nonchalantly.

“If you won’t leave voluntarily, I suppose I have no choice but to push a bit.”

Suddenly, the Queen Mother of the West’s spirit rose effortlessly and let out a thunderous roar toward the west.

The call sounded three times—matching the number mentioned by the Lamp Fragrant Daoist.

Rumble!

The Queen Mother of the West’s figure began to grow massively, losing her human form. With disheveled hair holding a hairpin and a leopard’s tail with tiger teeth, she began to take on the form of a half-beast, half-human creature—a terrifying beast resembling the ‘Old Ruler’ rather than a noble goddess.

The Queen Mother of the West looked down upon the ‘Old Ruler’ and Gong Gong.

“This world belongs to me, the Mother of Earth. Pick up the trash and throw it out.”

Thunk!

In the next moment, the Arctic ‘Old Ruler’ was swatted by the beastly Queen Mother of the West and disintegrated into nothingness.

Can such feats even be possible, even as a manifest?

It all happened so fast that while I was still dazed, Gong Gong spoke nervously.

“She finally revealed her true colors… Nüwa?”

 

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