1069——————==

Soul of the Evil God

Out of nowhere, Sagong Lin demands the throne of the Emperor!

Both the Master of the White Lotus Sect and Cheon Woo-jin turned to look at her. Finally, the Master responded.

[What if I refuse…?]

“Why would I refuse?”

[You’re quite brazen. Isn’t it strange that someone would readily offer the throne of the Great Bear Empire, the most powerful empire in the world? The current power of the Great Bear Empire has multiplied several times compared to the Great Ming Empire.]

“Is that all?”

[…….]

Sagong Lin looked straight at him and said.

“You are unable to control your own malice. If things continue this way, a catastrophe will occur. Before that happens, relinquish the throne and find a way to control that power.”

[I have sufficient control over my killing instincts. This is not an everyday occurrence; it merely releases pent-up desires that gather over years.]

“Even someone like you is making pathetic excuses. You must already suspect that the symptoms will only worsen.”

[Don’t jump to conclusions. We’ll see when that time comes.]

“When that time comes, it will be too late. If you become a Demon King, no one will be able to stop you.”

Swoosh

Sagong Lin slightly lowered her posture. Her hand was near the sword at her waist, and the Master of the White Lotus Sect, seeing this, spoke.

[That’s the stance of the Gongsun Sword Technique. Are you saying you want to try it?]

“Master, the sooner you make a choice, the better. Delaying will only empower your inner demon, and you should be curing the side effects of the Primordial Spirit instead. If you focus solely on the treatment, surely you’ll find a way.”

[…No way.]

“Why not?”

The Master of the White Lotus Sect held onto his throne firmly.

[Nobody but me can carry the weight of this vast empire left by Baek Woong… Who else could do it? Though I defeated the Eight Parts of the Divine, many hidden dark forces still exist in this world, and even the power of the Twelve Joules has vanished.]

“…….”

[When they finally reveal themselves, I alone will be able to counter them in this empire…!! I can’t entrust that burden to anyone else.]

Sagong Lin shook her head.

“That’s not true.”

[No, it is!! I am the one and only Emperor of the Great Bear Empire. I am also the supreme being of the White Lotus Sect.]

The Master’s eyes emitted a strange light.

[If you want to take my throne, then prove that power, Sagong Lin!! If you can!]

Crackle!!

The energy of the Master of the White Lotus Sect and Sagong Lin collided in the air. The struggle created an intangible wave that crackled like a wall in the void, and for a brief moment, Sagong Lin released her stance and looked at Cheon Woo-jin beside her.

“Cheon Woo-jin, you currently have no power and must be exhausted from your arduous journey.”

“Huh? You can’t be serious.”

“Go back to your lodging and rest.”

Sagong Lin gathered strength in her hand and cast a spell.

“Wait a minute…”

Boom!

In the blink of an eye, Cheon Woo-jin realized he was inside a luxurious residence. This place was built exclusively for the relaxation of high-ranking officials, and the handmaidens waiting there bowed to him respectfully.

“Welcome. We shall prepare you for a bath.”

“…Hey, wait a second.”

Cheon Woo-jin was flustered, but the next moment, the palace maidens began to undress him.

“Yikes!! What are you doing?!”

“Please remain still.”

Cheon Woo-jin struggled, but the handmaidens were all first-class experts trained in the martial arts of the White Lotus Sect. So, there was nothing he could do, and he soon found himself in a warm bath, staring blankly at the sky.

“……”

Sigh!

In the tub, Cheon Woo-jin felt a sharp pain at the nape of his neck where Zhuge Sa’s mark was etched. He realized that the power left by Sagong Lin was fighting for him against that pain. That realization sent chills down his spine.

‘Zhuge Sa sealed the Heavenly Demon just earlier, and yet, I can already use divine powers so freely?’

Cheon Woo-jin thought he needed to stop the fight between the Master of the White Lotus Sect and Sagong Lin.

“I… I have to stop it.”

If he wasn’t careful, the two powerful beings might end up destroying each other. However, even trying to get out of the tub, Cheon Woo-jin discovered he lacked the strength to lift even a finger. Just as Sagong Lin said, he had indeed reached his limit.

“…I’m so sleepy….”

Plop!

Finally, due to extreme fatigue and physical exhaustion, he slipped into a deep sleep. Meanwhile, as Cheon Woo-jin was moved to a bedroom, a pair of eyes watched over him. Zhuge Bu had instructed the palace maids.

“Take the utmost care of him. Soon, physicians will arrive to assess his condition.”

“Understood.”

“Don’t worry, Cheon Woo-jin. I’ll risk my life to prevent them from fighting.”

Zhuge Bu murmured to himself as he walked away. He had witnessed the exchange between Cheon Woo-jin and Sagong Lin through his spells. Just then, Zhuge Yulong appeared at the opposite end of the corridor.

“Father.”

“The battle between the Master of the White Lotus Sect and Sagong Lin has begun.”

“……!!”

“We can do no more than watch.”

“What do you mean there’s nothing we can do! If they perish together, everything is over….”

“Let’s observe the situation through the spirit vision first.”

Woosh!

Using spirit vision, Zhuge Yulong projected a sphere into the air. Despite having nearly lost his magical capabilities due to the conflicts with the Eight Parts of the Divine, he regained his powers through rigorous training. As Zhuge Bu was monitoring the battle, his expression froze in shock.

“……”

“Now do you understand?”

“…I, I can’t believe it.”

“What can we, mere sorcerers, do in a situation like that? Even an Immortal would perish.”

“Then…”

Zhuge Yulong closed his eyes and said.

“A battle of a different dimension. Both have surpassed mortal levels, so the duel to determine the supreme being of the Great Bear Empire must simply be observed….”

Boom!!

The sky above the Imperial Palace of the Great Bear Empire was filled with darkness. Thunder roared through the night like a beast’s breath, and amid the thunder, flashes of blood-red lightning struck down. For a moment, the figures of the Master of the White Lotus Sect and Sagong Lin appeared amid the blood lightning.

[Craaaash!!]

The Master of the White Lotus Sect unleashed a devastating fist, channeling the power of chaos of the Primordial Spirit, slamming it directly into Sagong Lin’s face. It was a powerful strike that could deal significant damage even to the very essence of the Eight Parts of the Divine.

Kaboom!!

With a thud, Sagong Lin was sent reeling by the Master’s fist, flying and crashing into the earth as if shot from a cannon. Her body pierced through several mountains and soared beyond the horizon, while a furious Master of the White Lotus Sect chased after her with incredible speed, hands clasped together as he invoked his ultimate technique.

Heart of Heaven’s Abundance

Great Mandala

Three circles floated around the Master of the White Lotus Sect’s body. Each circle was intricately adorned, resembling a finely crafted mandala. As dark mist began to rise from his body, the three circles started to rotate simultaneously. From within this rotating trio, the Master of the White Lotus Sect’s form emerged again.

“……!!”

Suddenly surrounded by three forms of the Master of the White Lotus Sect, Sagong Lin was taken aback. The Master, radiating light from his eyes, emitted intense energy from all three bodies.

ZZZAAAAAAMMM!!

Boom! Boom! Boom!

As the Great Mandala burst forth, an unknown mountain over three hundred li away from Luoyang vanished in an instant. The shockwave alone could obliterate an entire nation. This was no ordinary energy but an attack enhanced dozens of times by Heart of Heaven’s Abundance, obliterating everything in contact.

Thud…

The Master of the White Lotus Sect floated in the air, not dispersing the chaos. He stared at the ominous sphere in front of him, stating.

[That was the strongest attack I could unleash at this moment. Even the fullest strength of the Eight Parts of the Divine Asura would surely perish if struck by it…!!]

The Master murmured with awe.

[Oh… Could it be that you withstood that without a scratch…? You’ve truly become a monster, Sagong Lin…?]

Swish

As the black sphere dissipated, Sagong Lin appeared unscathed before him. Unlike before, she wore a cold expression, one hand enveloped in black darkness. Gazing at her left hand, now inky black, Sagong Lin flicked it lightly, and dark, powder-like chaos poured away from her fingers, returning to her original snowy white hands.

Sagong Lin spoke.

“I see what Zhuge Sa meant. The Primordial Spirit indeed has great power, but it comes with significant weaknesses. Besides its uncontrolled eruption, that is. Thanks to that weakness, I could easily counter it.”

[…….]

“Even without me stating it, you must already comprehend. Yet you stubbornly cling to the throne of the Great Bear Empire because of personal ambitions?”

[No… That’s not it. As I just stated, I believed that no one but me could handle the dark forces.]

“…That resolve has been acknowledged. It’s not for selfish gain.”

Swoosh

Sagong Lin extended her hand to the side. Her gaze had turned even colder.

“Then, I shall sever your lingering attachments with the power of the Heavenly Demon.”

Swish!!

From her outstretched hand, a sword was summoned. It looked like a rather ordinary long sword, but it shimmered with a blue glow, featuring an engravement of a living yellow dragon on the blade. The Master of the White Lotus Sect asked.

[What is that sword?]

“It’s a summoning ability passed down through my blood. I don’t know the name of the sword.”

[Then I would like to test its quality….]

“Please do.”

Boom!!

Sagong Lin’s sword clashed against the Master of the White Lotus Sect’s blade in the air. As if recalling the Overlay Technique, their strikes collided in a furious exchange, and the Master realized that Sagong Lin’s sword path was slicing through his mandala as if it were a living thing.

‘But this is still nothing special.’

The Master of the White Lotus Sect had seen many individuals at Sagong Lin’s level before. While she was remarkable within the absolute realm, she was hardly at a tier where she could challenge the strongest or the top martial artists. That’s why he thought he couldn’t pass on the imperial throne to her.

However – just as Sagong Lin’s sword path unfolded halfway, the Master suddenly felt his chest pierced by the Sword of the Yellow Dragon.

Puh-wack!

[……?!]

What the heck just happened?!

He couldn’t comprehend how he had been struck by the Sword of the Yellow Dragon. Even with the powers of the Primordial Spirit and Heart of Heaven’s Abundance, he had not sensed Sagong Lin’s attack. Even the defenses of his Heart of Heaven’s Abundance mandala were cut like parchment, leaving him feeling naked and exposed to the sword’s edge. As he realized his predicament, the Master screamed.

[Is that the Absolute Supremacy?!]

Sagong Lin’s absolute realm, Absolute Supremacy!

The officials of the Great Bear Empire were well aware that Sagong Lin’s Absolute Supremacy could attempt to distort causality against divine beings. That’s why she had been treated as a trump card all this time.

‘What power is this…?!’

However, the Master of the White Lotus Sect was shivering with the overwhelming might and versatility of Sagong Lin’s version of Absolute Supremacy, far beyond what he had previously witnessed. For Sagong Lin’s usual strength couldn’t possibly deliver a true blow to the Master at full strength.

Clash!

Just as the Master hastily channeled his energy to shake Sagong Lin off, she flung the Sword of the Yellow Dragon, shaking off the Master’s blood from her blade.

“No, this isn’t Absolute Supremacy.”

[Then what is it?]

“Absolute Supremacy is, in essence, the second sword, Lord of Ten Thousand Demons, of the Gongsun Sword Technique. However, what I am unleashing with the Sword of the Yellow Dragon is the manifestation of the third sword, Eternal Dance.”

[Eternal Dance…?]

“I haven’t named this technique yet, but let’s call it Eternal Dance for convenience. The result, as you can see, is invincible. If it can affect you, I doubt anyone in the mortal realm can withstand this technique.”

The Master of the White Lotus Sect looked baffled.

[Sagong Lin, aren’t you being too careless? Is it allowable?]

“……”

[Are you too attached to your own martial arts?]

Sagong Lin fell silent for a moment, then replied with a hint of sorrow.

“Well, it’s not really martial arts… I’ve only just realized that.”

[What did you say?]

“I’m sorry that it has come to needing to prove this power, Master.”

Swoosh

In the next moment, Sagong Lin attacked with the Sword of the Yellow Dragon in a union of body and sword. Even though the Master of the White Lotus Sect thought her attack was lacking compared to powerful masters of the absolute realm, he remained cautious due to the effects of Eternal Dance. He concentrated his thoughts fiercely in that fleeting moment.

‘Eternal Dance? What kind of effect does that have? It must surely involve manipulating causality, but it’s different from Absolute Supremacy. Absolute Supremacy merely swaps causality in a fleeting moment, while such a simple effect can be blocked by my Heart of Heaven’s Abundance mandala. My Primordial Spirit can counter such distortions….’

However, Eternal Dance blatantly ignored the power of the Primordial Spirit.

Determining whether or not it was possible to uncover why was crucial to discerning victory or defeat in the duel against Sagong Lin.

‘…I might have to take the hit and counterattack!’

Finally, the Master of the White Lotus Sect decided to endure Sagong Lin’s strike. He deliberately refrained from using his hands, observing her attack to the very end.

Chchchzz

When Sagong Lin’s strike finally sliced through the Master of the White Lotus Sect’s skin, penetrating bone and breaching close to his heart, he opened his eyes wide, channeling all his strength in a single palm strike.

Kuuuuuu—

The blow of the Master of the White Lotus Sect, infused with all his might, unleashed a destructive force matching that of the Great Mandala, flooding the world in warmth. In the chaotic space filled with light and flame, Sagong Lin extended her sword towards the Master’s heart, backlit by the glow.

[Cough….]

The victor and loser had been determined. As the Master of the White Lotus Sect coughed up blood, Sagong Lin’s cold expression was reflected in the shadowy ceiling.

“This is where it ends.”

Though the Master had prepared for mutual destruction, Sagong Lin succeeded in piercing his heart with her hilt, ignoring his desperate counterattack! Seeing Sagong Lin unscathed, the Master wore a blank expression, slowly realizing something.

[So… It seems… Eternal Dance is… a chaotic dance that shakes principles…!! To catch that dance… this method won’t suffice…!!]

“……”

[My sight…!! I need an eye that rivals the Eternal Dance.]

Sagong Lin looked surprised. Then she said.

“Impressive. To grasp the principles of Eternal Dance with a single clash.”

[Heh…. How futile…. Truly… it is not martial arts…. Cough!]

Fwoof

As the Master of the White Lotus Sect continued to cough up blood, Sagong Lin elegantly withdrew her sword from his heart. She sheathed her blade, saying.

“I am not even close to the level of your martial arts. But even so, I am far stronger than you. Do you acknowledge that?”

[Hehehe… Yes… I acknowledge it….]

“Have you severed your attachments?”

Swoosh

The Master of the White Lotus Sect’s body reverted from chaos, returning to its original form. Perhaps due to long maintaining chaos, he appeared somewhat aged, energy visibly depleted. After coughing for a while, the Master finally retrieved the National Seal and handed it to Sagong Lin.

[Take this… While it is not the National Seal, it symbolizes the imperial authority of the current Great Bear Empire.]

As Sagong Lin accepted it without a word, the Master spoke sternly.

[Heavenly Demon… I entrust the Great Bear Empire to you.]

“Understood. Please rest well.”

[Ugh… Is this… the gap caused by fate?]

The Master of the White Lotus Sect turned his head sadly, somewhere feeling regret.

[The disparity between the divine demon and the human… Can Baek Woong truly bridge this gap…?]

“I hope so. I plan to explore the means to overcome Eternal Dance myself. I will remember this confrontation and leave it for future generations.”

[I would appreciate that.]

Sagong Lin also replied, her expression indicating she felt weary.

“…If Baek Woong were to return at the level he vanished, he would not be able to break my Eternal Dance.”

That very day.

The Emperor of the Great Bear Empire changed.

Dokgo Uncheon, Master of the White Lotus Sect, voluntarily stepped down from the throne and returned to the sect, while Sagong Lin ascended as the third Emperor. No one knew why the Emperor was replaced, but the entire Great Bear Empire buzzed with the birth of a new ruler.

Soon after Sagong Lin took office, she welcomed an envoy from a foreign country.

“Congratulations on your ascension as the new Emperor of the Great Bear Empire.”

“Welcome from afar.”

Sagong Lin glanced at the envoy group before her and spoke.

“Envoy of the United States.”

Just three months after her ascension, the envoy from the United States arrived!

As Sagong Lin contemplated their intentions for visiting the Great Bear Empire, the head of the envoy knelt before her, speaking earnestly.

“Your Majesty, the reason we have come to your country is for nothing less than true world peace.”

“True world peace?”

“If everyone becomes one, there will be no need for further conflict.”

The atmosphere in the hall stiffened at the envoy leader’s words.

“We come to propose the establishment of a single world government under the President’s mandate (New World Order).”