1048——————==

True Martial Home

The Sword Light seemed to slice through Arjuna’s body. The intent of the Sword Demon relentlessly targeted Arjuna, yet it only pierced through as if nothing was there. Just when the Sword Demon’s attack failed, Arjuna placed his hand on the Sword Demon’s chest and, before he could react, a resonance echoed.

Thrum.

In that moment, the Sword Demon lost consciousness. Arjuna had seen from the start that among the experts of the Absolute Realm, the Sword Demon was the most unsettled and quickly took him down with a counterattack.

However, at the moment the Sword Demon was subdued, the Formless Poison of the secretive Tang San surrounded Arjuna, and while he hesitated, Dokgo Seong unleashed his lifelong Sword Light with the Unity of Body and Sword.

Ting!

“……!!”

Dokgo Seong was engulfed in despair when he saw Arjuna lightly flicking his finger to deflect the tip of his sword. He confirmed once again that the opponent had not used his full strength until now. However, he quickly regained his composure and shouted.

“This isn’t the end!”

Shadowless Sword Technique.

Swish!

The Shadowless Sword Technique that followed right behind Dokgo Seong suddenly mixed with his Sword Sect and released his own sword faction. From the beginning, he planned to share information with Dokgo Seong and launched a surprise attack while the Sword Demon was down, unguarded. The Shadowless Swordsman had also reached the Absolute Realm in the past, and the soundless blade of Shadowless cut through Arjuna’s throat.

Splurt.

“Guh….”

The Shadowless Swordsman realized at the tip of his sword that he felt nothing and opened his mouth wide. His first thought was about the indestructible golden steel, but even now the Shadowless Swordsman could leave some scratches if it were indestructible. Moments later, he noticed a black line merely drawn across Arjuna’s throat, and there was no injury on his skin.

Crash!

“Gack.”

“Ugh.”

Dokgo Seong and the Shadowless Swordsman got hit by Arjuna’s dual fists, blowing blood from their mouths as they flew backward. While flying, the Shadowless Swordsman thought about why it hadn’t worked, but could find no cause. As a pure martial artist, he could never fathom that Arjuna folded the dimension itself to prevent the attack from landing.

In an instant, three experts from the Absolute Realm fell, and Tang San’s body went stiff. The pressure from the gap intensified, making someone who clung to life feel even greater fear. As Tang San staggered, Arjuna chuckled and said.

[Pathetic….]

Thunk!

Arjuna’s palm knife had already pierced through Tang San’s abdomen. If he had devoted himself to defense, he could have dodged or managed somehow, but in a frenzy, he couldn’t evade Arjuna’s speed.

“Gah….”

As blood trickled from Tang San’s mouth, Arjuna withdrew his palm knife and said.

[Even multiple martial artists at the extreme level can’t handle me. I’m an immortal and the avatar of battle…. You mere mortals can’t contend with my existence.]

With a thud, Tang San collapsed to the ground. He wasn’t dead, but the blow to his spirit was severe enough that he suffered mental trauma. In reality, after this battle, Tang San could not recover from his injuries for over thirty years and retreated into solitude.

“Why?”

Now, the only one still standing in the arena was Sagong Lin, and next to her stood Wei Zhi-hun, who had lost both arms and was bleeding. Sagong Lin gritted her teeth with a furious expression.

“Until now, that powerful being [Old Ruler] has shown no intention of falling…. He just blocks our way! Aren’t you the one who claims to be order and good?!”

[…….]

“You hypocrite!!”

Arjuna, after pausing for a moment, replied.

[I don’t consider myself good. The order of the universe cannot be judged by such criteria. It’s just that your actions to disrupt order and accelerate a world of chaos don’t align with my sense of justice.]

“Utter nonsense.”

Sagong Lin muttered briefly, then focused all her intent. She knew that her opportunity was just a single moment. There was no way to buy time or counter with any other means. With desperate eyes, she glanced at Wei Zhi-hun, who could grant her that moment, and sent a message.

[Just hold on for a moment.]

Whether Wei Zhi-hun heard the message or not was unclear. However, Wei Zhi-hun smiled faintly and summoned his Insightful Sword Heart to aim at Arjuna. Arjuna looked at the two who hadn’t lost their fighting spirit with a vacant stare and spoke.

[Meaningless struggle. Now, what use is it to land a strike against me? Your hopes of the Master of the White Lotus Sect, Seo Mun-hye, and Portrait Immortal are still far from recovery.]

“Don’t be arrogant; come at me.”

[Ha ha, sure. You’re making it interesting.]

Boom!

The next moment—Arjuna charged in, seemingly provoked by Sagong Lin’s fighting spirit. Rather than using his long-range divine art, Astra, he seemed to have decided to engage physically. Sagong Lin thought it was fortunate and concentrated all her energy and intent into a single point.

In such high-speed combat, concentrating while facing an opponent is tantamount to suicide. If one does so, it’s typical to create plenty of openings for the opponent first before finding leisure in it. Nevertheless, Sagong Lin began to concentrate because she was certain that Wei Zhi-hun would grant her that moment of reprieve.

Crack!

Arjuna summoned the Iron Hammer of Yama, swinging down with tremendous force. This heavy weapon was laden with the energy of death, making it likely for an average human to become nothing but a corpse even without direct contact. As a fighter, it possessed immense strength, capable of rending a mountain in two with this single blow.

At that moment, upon sensing the incoming Iron Hammer, the Master of the Teng Yu Alliance Wei Zhi-hun’s eyes widened.

Tai Chi Insightful Sword.

Peerless Technique!!

The powers of Yin and Yang clashed against the Iron Hammer of Arjuna.

Wham!

And at the moment of impact, Wei Zhi-hun felt an overwhelming force as the energy of death transformed into violet and clung to his arm. Indeed, as it was the force of a myth, and due to the special effects of the equipment alone, even the Peerless Technique couldn’t fully block it.

Arjuna had strategically penetrated the opening of the inexperienced Peerless Technique with the Iron Hammer of Yama. The energy of death would reach Wei Zhi-hun’s heart, resulting in his instantaneous death.

‘Ah….’

Clear air.

The full moon above while lying in the thicket.

As death approached, Wei Zhi-hun felt the landscape of Wudang Mountain arise before his eyes.

In his childhood, he had lost his parents and was abandoned before Wudang Mountain. Although he possessed celestial martial talent and could have been raised as a disciple of the main palace, he had to leave the families due to killing evil while trying to do righteous deeds. However, for Wei Zhi-hun, Wudang Mountain had always been the hometown of his heart and the source of martial arts.

Crunch!

Wei Zhi-hun’s Peerless Technique was a success, but the energy of death continued to encroach upon his heart. If he died like this, the Iron Hammer of Yama would regain strength and attack the focused Sagong Lin, smashing her head.

That must not happen.

With a focus unseen in his lifetime, Wei Zhi-hun attempted to gain life.

And at that moment, when everyone thought no one could escape death, Wei Zhi-hun conceived a genius idea.

‘Death is Yin… Then…. Life is Yang. If life and death are also Yin-Yang, then… death can also be resisted with Yin-Yang!’

Transforming all of my Intent Heavenly Pillars into life energy.

Peerless Technique.

Wuwei Transformation.

All the martial power and intent that Wei Zhi-hun possessed transformed into pulsating life energy. And when that life energy surged towards his heart like threads, it collided directly with the energy of death. The energy of death seemed to resist for a moment when it collided with the life force on the complete opposite side but eventually succumbed to the concept of Yin-Yang that Wei Zhi-hun had envisioned in his mind, slowly starting to change.

Boom….

In this one moment, Wei Zhi-hun lost all the achievements and internal power he had cultivated throughout his lifetime, yet he did not lament or worry. Instead, within himself, a new Tai Chi arose, bubbling like a microcosm.

Righteous Sky Tai Chi.

It was the moment when a new possibility, similar yet different from the Peerless Technique, revealed itself to the world.

Ding!

Soon, a pure light began to radiate from behind Wei Zhi-hun, enveloping his entire body in the flow of Tai Chi.

[……!!]

Up until now, Arjuna had never been startled in battle, but his eyes widened at the sight of this Tai Chi. As a god, he instantly understood how this Tai Chi had been created. He even forgot to attack and shouted.

[You’ve attained both life and death through human martial arts….]

The devoid craving embodied as Wei Zhi-hun gazed at Arjuna.

His gaze seemed to say:

God. How can you break the Tai Chi that embraces both life and death?

[Arrogant…!!]

Arjuna threw away the now useless Iron Hammer of Yama and instead extended his palm to confront Tai Chi directly. He intended to obliterate the concept of Tai Chi with divine power. A mere mortal must not dare to showcase absolute defense against the power of a god!

Crash!

[Ugh!!]

Arjuna’s expression turned to one of utter defeat. His one palm strike, infused with all his divine power, couldn’t withstand the transformation into life that Wei Zhi-hun’s Tai Chi manifested, and was knocked back. It then dawned upon him that the Tai Chi before him transcended Yin-Yang and was materializing true equilibrium, thus couldn’t be shattered by absolute strength.

‘But if I use Ghandiva, no matter how much this Tai Chi….’

Arjuna finally felt the need to get serious and intended to summon his strongest weapon, Ghandiva. But just as he was about to draw Ghandiva, Sagong Lin, having exhausted all her concentrated strength in the Absolute Realm, was already descending upon him.

Absolute Supremacy!

Sagong Lin’s single sword cut from Arjuna’s chin to the crown of his head. At the moment of impact, Arjuna attempted to deflect it just as he did with the Shadowless Swordsman’s attack with dimensionalization, but soon realized that this attack was imbued with enough power to tear through dimensions, causing his gaze to shake.

Boom!

[Ugh.]

Arjuna activated his regeneration but felt a crushing sense of humiliation. While he had expected the attack to be powerful, he had never anticipated it would be this strong.

“Die…!!”

Sagong Lin erupted with overwhelming killing intent, her eyes radiating golden light. As she utilized Absolute Supremacy once more, a golden mist emanated from her sword tip.

Absolute Realm, Absolute Supremacy.

This was an unbreakable state Sagong Lin achieved while training in the ultimate three swords of the Gongsun Sword Technique. The foundations of the three ultimate swords were the Chiyou Kill, the Lord of Ten Thousand Demons, and the Eternal Dance, which were perceived to be weakened techniques that lacked practical application.

However, for some reason, while practicing the ultimate three swords, Sagong Lin felt as if the fragments that had been separated came together in her mind. And the more she practiced the ultimate three swords, the faster her martial achievements became, and her internal power surged to an unimaginable level. It was almost reminiscent of Baek Woong, who had repeatedly consumed the Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng.

It was strange. Others had also learned the Gongsun Sword Technique and recited its foundations, but this phenomenon occurred solely with Sagong Lin.

Absolute Supremacy was the method of manifesting the foundation of the second sword, the Lord of Ten Thousand Demons into Intent Heavenly Pillar. And the true effect was—

Slice!!

[Argh.]

With a sound reminiscent of cutting flesh chunks with a saw, Arjuna’s right arm soared into the air. Sagong Lin’s eyes, drenched in Arjuna’s blood, turned completely golden, and as if feeling thirst for blood, she licked her lips and stabbed towards Arjuna’s heart once more.

[This…!!]

Arjuna realized. This was a martial art that evolved continuously with the user’s awakening! Contrary to his initial expectations, it possessed enough power to slice even a god. Then, he couldn’t counter it with the dimensional tricks and should quickly retreat to avoid it.

Swish!

Sagong Lin chased after Arjuna, leaping into the air.

As she did so, Sagong Lin noticed that Wei Zhi-hun’s movements had halted before her. The Essence Tai Chi remained, but Wei Zhi-hun had likely lost his breath. With a bitter heart and tears threatening to fall, Sagong Lin thrust towards Arjuna’s heart.

Clang!!

Arjuna’s summoned most powerful weapon and bow, Ghandiva, deflected Sagong Lin’s sword. Using Ghandiva to regain his balance, Arjuna spoke in a solemn voice.

[Absolute Supremacy, huh? An absolute realm that nullifies all special abilities and dimensional manipulation? It’s as if you had this in mind from the start of your existence….]

“…….”

[But that’s…. Not a martial art nor is it martial artist behavior. In the end, you will awaken from the egg….]

Thunk!

Yet, Arjuna could not finish his sentence. Suddenly, Sagong Lin’s sword had already pierced his heart. As Arjuna gazed in horror at his chest, Sagong Lin coldly stated.

“If it can be nullified, then it can also be manipulated in the opposite direction.”

[Gah…!!]

Reverse Causality!

A technique often used by divine beings to toy with mortals was now something Sagong Lin could use too. While she didn’t yet grasp what that meant, Arjuna realized he could truly die. If the being before him genuinely awakened from the egg, even Arjuna could perish in that place.

As the sword lodged in Arjuna’s chest caused him to stagger.

Corpse Dissolution Technique.

Seal!

Just until now, Mangnyang, who had been healing and waiting for a chance, cast the Corpse Dissolution Technique, imposing the soul-binding seal on Arjuna. Originally, Arjuna’s spell defense was too heighted that even the Corpse Dissolution Technique wouldn’t dare approach; however, Mangnyang noticed that Arjuna’s strength had greatly decreased the moment Sagong Lin’s Absolute Supremacy took effect.

Clank clank!

Invisible iron chains bound Arjuna’s body, preventing him from moving. As Arjuna struggled, Mangnyang sighed and said.

“Phew. Arjuna…. You’re certainly a being more powerful than the Sea God. I thought I had the power to bring down even the Sea God, but I never expected to be pushed back this much. Yet with that power, why do you not stand against the being you claim is evil as the [Old Ruler]? Why do you only block our path? Why…is there a reason you cannot speak your true intentions?”

[Mortal! Do not presume to speculate on the will of gods.]

“I’ll take a guess. Order and chaos are not what’s important. As you said, you appeared just to obstruct us. To you, human civilization doesn’t matter greatly. You have a hidden master who has commanded you, and that being, for some reason, commissioned you to check the Great Bear Empire.”

[…….]

“I’ll correct my previous statement. You are the evil that holds order. And it’s not just you, but all ancient gods are like this.”

At Mangnyang’s words, Arjuna smiled sadly.

[Even if I perish, it will only be the end of the avatar. If my true body is intact, do you really intend to contest me till the end? What can an ant do against the despair of this world?]

“We live to fight against despair. You, who are but a mere self-serving being, why linger on in this world that stands on the brink of destruction, so foolishly yielding?”

[Ha ha ha. Truly…. Do you genuinely wish to change the world?]

Arjuna shook his head in astonishment.

And at that moment, the Master of the White Lotus Sect, Portrait Immortal, and Seo Mun-hye, who had fully recovered from Mangnyang’s healing, stood up. As Arjuna gazed upon their recovery, he remarked.

[So you turned them back in time before their demise with the Corpse Dissolution Technique…. Even against my divine power, there’s a way to heal like this.]

“You’ve lost. Yet, if you reveal the name of the one who forced you to act like this, I will let you go.”

[Hehe, what good would it do to say….]

Whoosh!

The Master of the White Lotus Sect approached, raising his strength. He murmured fretfully.

[If my power had been stable, I could’ve faced you fairly.]

Then Arjuna replied.

[Your source of power is the utmost chaos; yet you seek to control it and use it like a human? Such unbearable arrogance….]

[Be quiet.]

The Master of the White Lotus Sect’s hand gripped tightly around Arjuna’s head. And Sagong Lin also approached, her golden eyes lit up. Now was the time to ‘finish’ Arjuna. Sensing his impending doom, Arjuna spoke.

[Without Baek Woong, you are nothing. You too will die, and then die again, leaving nothing behind.]

Thud!

The Master of the White Lotus Sect smashed Arjuna’s head apart.

[I know that, but….]

There’s no way to turn back now.

The Master of the White Lotus Sect swallowed those words. He felt that saying it would lead to despair.

As the battle came to a conclusion, Baek Woong’s previous life companions gathered their allies and fled to Paris. However, all the experts of the Absolute Realm either died or were injured, and even the Portrait Immortal was half-destroyed, needing a complete remake. Moreover, Seo Mun-hye’s injury wasn’t healing well, requiring urgent transport to Luoyang for comprehensive treatment.

Now, in this conflict, Wei Zhi-hun and the Shadowless Swordsman had fallen. Though their presence hadn’t been conspicuous in daily life, they had been precious assets who had reached the Absolute Realm over prolonged warfare, yet they were deceased. Sagong Lin, who vividly remembered Wei Zhi-hun’s last moments, was deeply disheartened.

Immediately after the battle in Paris, the Great Bear Empire launched an attack on the British Empire. The assault, initiated by Zhuge Sa’s powerful assertions, broke through to the heartland within three days and began an all-out war with the demon sorcerers of the British Empire.

Crash!!

A portion of the sky was illuminated. In that spot, the Master of the White Lotus Sect, emanating an overwhelming power resembling a divine being amidst chaos, fought fiercely against Peng Zuo, who borrowed the power of the [Old Ruler] using human sacrifice.

Zhuge Sa watched the battle from the terrace of the British Empire’s Governor’s Office and muttered.

“If I just kill Peng Zuo, there won’t be anyone left to interfere. Once this battle ends, the Great Bear Empire will complete its world conquest….”

He stole a glance at the mysterious woman standing behind him.

“What brings you here, Master?”

In the shadows stood Simon Magus, the Demon King of the Landlord Doctrines.

Simon Magus chuckled and replied.

“Zhuge Sa. I will now execute the contract of demon rebirth.”