1153——————==

Soul of the Evil God

No more words needed.

The Asura’s Dark Night Slash extended out just as Xiang Yu’s Overlord Fist collided with it, happening at exactly the same moment. I couldn’t see the moment Xiang Yu threw his punch, but I understood he twisted causality using the power of [Small Cycle]. What blew my mind was how the Dark Night Slash accurately blocked the advance of the Overlord Fist right at their midpoint.

Bang!

Crack!

In the next instant, the Asura’s body flew back, and his sword shattered into pieces. He quickly unleashed a divine technique to stabilize himself, but it was clear he was being pushed back by Xiang Yu. Yet, the Asura didn’t seem the least bit downcast.

“What a shame for the renowned Five Great Swords, Danlu! I had never broken it since I got it.”

The legendary Five Great Swords, Danlu!

‘That’s definitely the thing Zhuge Sa possessed back in my previous life at the slave market!’

While not a divine sword, all the swords labeled as the Five Great Swords were crafted with the best balance and quality among ordinary swords. Being a warrior myself, I had often coveted it, but since it was certainly not a Seven Luminaries weapon, I didn’t make much effort to chase after it. It seemed the Asura stumbled upon it somehow during his life. But what was truly remarkable was that he had managed to block Xiang Yu’s Overlord Fist without sustaining any injuries. I was absolutely astonished.

‘How on earth?’

Xiang Yu’s overpowering force was ridiculous. Even when I pooled all my energy, I only managed to inflict a small scratch. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that had I been fighting him seriously, I would have died from just one hit. The Sword Demon must have felt completely helpless against his power, too. With just a thought, Xiang Yu could easily split the continent in half.

But how did the Dark Night Slash manage that?

The Dark Night Slash is an absolute realm with special qualities, right? How could it embody such tremendous strength?

As I stared at this baffling scene, Xiang Yu spoke up.

“Interesting. Have you truly reached the pinnacle of swordsmanship…?”

“Too flattering.”

“Is there really someone like you in this pathetic world?”

“Oh Overlord, there’s always a peculiar one when you live long enough.”

“Very well.”

Swish!

Crack!!

Suddenly, Xiang Yu reached into thin air, and from nowhere, a giant sword appeared in his hand. The massive sword bore beautiful jade-like patterns on its sheath, with a vivid red gem embedded in the blade. Holding his giant sword for the first time, Xiang Yu took a stance and said,

“I’ll face you with my sword skills.”

…What?

I looked at him in disbelief and shouted,

“Xiang Yu!! Your strength lies in your martial arts, not swordplay!”

“I simply found it bothersome to find a sword that could withstand my power.”

“……”

With a swift motion, Xiang Yu aimed the sword point at the Asura.

“But Asura, someone of your caliber deserves to be dealt with my Constellation’s blade.”

A sword made from the Constellation, huh?

Upon closer inspection, that sword appeared translucent, as if it didn’t exist in the material world. It had to be a blade manifested with overwhelming power from the Constellation, representing the Constellation itself. Without it, no divine blade would be able to withstand Xiang Yu’s power. Naturally, manifesting such a sword would deplete a significant amount of energy.

Whooooosh!

Watching Xiang Yu emit an incredible aura, the Asura remarked,

“I see. Is that your ancient sword technique, the original of Yeodong-bin’s Heavenly Escape Sword Technique? Now that’s a rare treat.”

“……!!”

In that moment, I recalled the memory of Yeodong-bin from the past.

[I got tired of the Celestial Realm and decided to take a trip down to the Human Realm to slay demons with my Fire Dragon Sword. While wandering the world and hunting monsters, I stumbled across the tomb of the Overlord Xiang Yu and acquired the ancient sword technique he wielded.]

[That sword technique was the most exquisite I had ever seen, probably because it was the royal family’s swordsmanship of the Chu Kingdom. However, Xiang Yu’s innate power was so strong that he didn’t evolve the sword technique further, leaving it unfinished.]

[The Fire Dragon Incarnate refined Xiang Yu’s ancient sword skills.]

[Yes, it took about a hundred years to compile it into what is now known as the Heavenly Escape Sword Technique.]

A conversation between the Fire Dragon Incarnate and Yeodong-bin. Originally called the Heavenly Escape Sword Technique, it wasn’t conceived by Yeodong-bin; rather, it was developed over a century based on the ancient sword skills of the Overlord from the Chu royal family. Hence, the technique was indeed nicknamed the Overlord’s Sword. The fact that Xiang Yu was now wielding the original sword skills, the royal family’s swordsmanship of Chu, was astounding!

Gulp.

I couldn’t help but swallow hard.

‘Simply with his power, Xiang Yu is invincible. If he gains mastery over swordsmanship, it truly will be like a tiger gaining wings…’

Could the Asura really endure this? Xiang Yu, seeming overwhelmingly confident, declared,

“The name of this technique is Overlord Swordsmanship, the Sword of Heavenly Destruction.”

“…Heh.”

“Get ready to receive it…”

“Heh, heh, heh!”

Out of nowhere, the Asura burst into a loud laugh that echoed through the air.

“Hahaha!!!”

“……”

“The Sword of Heavenly Destruction? Kekekeke… Hah… Haha!”

It was clear the Asura couldn’t contain his laughter. While Xiang Yu looked on with hardened eyes, the Asura wiped his eyes in amusement.

“Didn’t see this coming, did you?”

“Why are you laughing?”

The Asura shot me a glance.

He wanted my sword, so I handed over all my Moon Sovereigns to him, but the Asura only picked the Heavenly Gathering Cloud Sword. For some reason, Sagong Lin seemed reluctant to take any Seven Luminaries weapons, so I handed the remaining two Moon Sovereigns to Cheon Woo-jin.

“Oh Overlord, how about this then?” His next words sent ripples of excitement through the crowd.

“Try to come at me with your Overlord Swordsmanship. I shall sever your arm within three basic strokes.”

An unexpected declaration! Xiang Yu responded with an icy glare.

“Die.”

Boom!!

The next instant, Xiang Yu swung his sword with incredible speed. It was so fast that I doubted I could follow it even with all my strength, seeming to possess powers and speed that reached the limits of material reality. As he unleashed such absurd force, a translucent force from the Constellation filled the sword, and it felt as if the sky was gradually ripping apart.

It stung just to look at. How could a human possess such strength? It was as if I was looking at the [Old Ruler] himself.

No holds barred violence!

It felt like a boundless killing intent capable of slaying even gods.

Swish!

The Asura’s sword moved slightly late. I instinctively thought he would get shredded to pieces by Xiang Yu’s incredible sword force. It was far too late to wrap himself in Protection Energy or to attempt an escape.

Unified Sword of Return (归一剑解)

Reverse Scale Annihilation (逆鳞殲)

For a brief moment, it appeared as if eight transparent arms emerged from the Asura’s human form. These eight various sword forms combined at the center and finally manifested the overwhelming technique known as Reverse Scale Annihilation.

‘No way. That won’t work…’

No matter how impressive the Reverse Scale was, the power Xiang Yu wielded was on a different dimension. Even the power to tear apart a Dharma Guardian would be insignificant against Xiang Yu’s might. With my Infinite Slash, I could destroy typical Reverse Scale techniques, so I thought the Asura’s might be torn apart. However, what unfolded shortly after defied all logic.

Unified in a Nine Palaces (九宮一如)

Overlord Kill (覇王殺)

Pow!

With a sharp piercing sound, a radiant light shot through the area where Xiang Yu’s sword force was swirling. In that fleeting moment, it seemed like a storm dissipating, and striking before Xiang Yu could regain his composure, the Asura naturally slashed down with the Heavenly Gathering Cloud Sword.

Swish!

Xiang Yu’s sword sailed through the air, and his arm spun with it, flying into the sky.

The sound of impact brought reality crashing back.

Taking three steps back and pointing his sword at Xiang Yu’s fallen arm, the Asura calmly stated,

“Well, sorry about that. That was meant to be a single strike, not three.”

“…!!”

I couldn’t keep my astonishment in check at the sight of Xiang Yu’s fallen arm.

“Wha… How could this be!!”

What in the world just happened?! The power contained in the Asura’s sword was negligible compared to Xiang Yu, so how in the universe did he use Reverse Scale to nullify Xiang Yu’s strength and directly sever his arm?!

As I stared in disbelief, Xiang Yu regarded his severed limb and said,

“Indeed, you don’t stand a chance against swordsmanship…”

The Asura shrugged.

“I figured as much from the start. Even if it’s called Overlord Swordsmanship, it pales in comparison to Yeodong-bin’s Heavenly Escape Sword Technique; it’s merely a mortal-level technique. Compared to the Spirit Sword, it’s just garbage. Even with your tremendous power, I could still dismantle it with my eyes closed.”

“……”

“Your swordwork simply doesn’t cut it.”

No, Asura, you’re the exception here…

Just now, it felt like the only option left was to block that last attack using a Peerless Technique…

“Just swinging your fists to fight would be tough to match, so why this mismatch in your choice of moves?”

“It was merely for fun.”

Whoooosh!

The next instant, Xiang Yu’s severed arm smoothly returned to its original place. It must have been a recovery employing the power of the Constellation. With a slightly subdued gaze, Xiang Yu confessed,

“I acknowledge you as the world’s best Sword God, but this fight has only just begun.”

“Hmmm… What a headache. Why do you need such a competitive spirit when you’re an Overlord?”

“You’re someone worth competing against.”

The Asura flashed a mischievous grin.

“Well, if you focus your attacks on me, I’ll try my best to draw attention. That’s my role as the squad leader.”

“Receive this!”

Wham!

This time Xiang Yu charged forward unarmed, extending a punch without summoning the blade from the Constellation. The speed and power were no different from before, but this time, the Asura couldn’t utilize the Unified Sword of Return to counter and swiftly evaded with the Three Treasure Technique, launching a massive Dark Night Slash.

Slap!

Another impact echoed through the air. I heard the Asura muttering,

“This is getting tiresome…”

Bam!

Having been pushed back, the Asura began dodging or deflecting Xiang Yu’s overwhelming strikes with all sorts of bizarre maneuvers and yoga-like styles. Despite being gradually forced back for about ten seconds, the Asura was defiantly resisting Xiang Yu’s attacks without a single injury. I couldn’t fathom what trick the Asura was pulling. I knew many of his techniques were based on the Three Treasure Technique, but the Asura’s martial arts were incredibly different from what I knew.

‘Wait, is that really a technique of the Absolute Realm?’

How on earth could the Asura manage such feats against someone who could obliterate the last Talisman with one hit?

Whizz!

Just then, Cheon Woo-jin extended his hand forward and quietly murmured,

“Phantom Shadow Resonance (幻暗精奏).”

Xiang Yu’s entire being seemed to be enveloped in clouds, suddenly vanishing from sight. Where he once stood, darkness appeared as if it was devouring the space itself, and moments later, Xiang Yu’s fist broke through dimensions, reappearing once more.

Boom!

Seeing this, Cheon Woo-jin grimaced.

“Although it’s only half my power, [it’s boundary-controlling magic, yet you manage to break through with pure strength… Even if you regained your peak, I doubt you could halt that monster.]

Cheon Woo-jin glanced at Sagong Lin and said,

“I won’t be much help at this point, Sagong Lin. It’s time to brace yourself and join Baek Woong in a joint assault to bring him down.”

“……”

At that moment, while watching the Asura fend off Xiang Yu, Sagong Lin finally spoke up.

“I suppose we have no choice. Very well.”

Bang!

Sagong Lin’s Golden Eyes shone brightly. At the same time, with the powers of the Heavenly Demon awakened, she plunged into the battlefield, and I immediately followed suit, drawing out my Seven Luminaries weapons to charge in.

As both of us attacked simultaneously, Xiang Yu turned and unleashed the power of the Constellation from all over his body. Just summoning that power brought forth a faintly shimmering five-colored barrier, and I had no choice but to rapidly invoke my Great Liberation to break through it.

Bang!

With the resonance of our weapons, a cross-shaped mark appeared. Thankfully, the barrier was shattered instantly, but in the blink of an eye, Xiang Yu formed another protective barrier around himself.

‘Damn it…!!’

The level of power was different! What is this, like an [Old Ruler]? This is insane?! I only barely felt exhausted breaking the first barrier, yet Xiang Yu’s unbelievable potential was laughable. Just then, Sagong Lin left a fleeting thought as she dashed toward the front line where Xiang Yu was.

[Well done, Baek Woong.]

A one-on-one duel between the Heavenly Demon and the Overlord!

[Prepare yourself!]

Sagong Lin’s strike extended out to pierce straight towards Xiang Yu.

[Here I come!]

Xiang Yu watched intently and threw a punch to engage directly, while Sagong Lin’s sword glimmered with such brilliant golden light that it almost hurt to look at.

Bang!

A sudden surge of divine power! Accompanied by tremendous waves, Sagong Lin’s entire arm radiated light. Her sword glowed with a greenish hue while the image of a living yellow dragon became evident on the blade. I stared at it, wide-eyed.

‘That sword is…!!’

Wasn’t that the sword Sagong Lin summoned during her battle against the Master of the White Lotus Sect for the title of Emperor of the Great Bear Empire?

Soft light flowed from Sagong Lin’s eyes.

Indomitable Three Swords (无敌三劍)

Eternal Dance (永劫之舞)

Boom!

With terrifying speed, I saw Xiang Yu’s fist strike toward Sagong Lin’s face.

“No!”

In that moment, I gasped in shock, yet the next instant I witnessed Xiang Yu’s form stagger dramatically before crashing down to the ground.

Kaboom!

Once he hit the ground, Xiang Yu remained motionless.

‘Did he just take a counterattack?!’

Could it be that I would live to see the day where Xiang Yu lay defeated?

‘This is the power of the Heavenly Demon…’

Then a baffling phenomenon unfolded before me with Sagong Lin, having struck Xiang Yu directly.

Shush!

Only Sagong Lin’s face had entirely vanished. In its place, chaos lingered, yet she returned to her original form moments later as if nothing had happened. It felt like what I had just witnessed was merely an illusion.

I yelled out to Sagong Lin,

“Sagong Lin! No way… did you discard your humanity and become a demon practitioner…?”

“No, Baek Woong. This is the Indomitable Three Swords, Eternal Dance. I can’t afford to hold back against Xiang Yu.”

“What?”

She smiled wryly.

“The chaotic dance that disrupts the laws… The Master of the White Lotus Sect’s description fits the Eternal Dance perfectly.”

After saying that, Sagong Lin slowly approached the downed Xiang Yu. Then she said,

“Still, don’t you think that’s a bit unfair…?”

Unfair, you say?

I understood the meaning of that when the next event unfolded.

Kugugu!

Woosh!

Multicolored light enveloped Xiang Yu’s body, and he began to rise slowly from his position. It looked as if an invisible power was forcing him to stand. Regaining consciousness, Xiang Yu scowled in displeasure.

“Damn it… Get out!! How dare you interfere with such a wretched maneuver in a duel…”

Then, out of nowhere, a mysterious voice echoed in the air.

[I just realized you deliberately refused my support and fought with your own strength, Xiang Yu. However, the contract of the Trial Tower is not that easy. If you continue to act this way, your wishes shall not be granted!]

[Now, accept the power of the Divine Seat… and show absolute despair.]

“Shut up… it will never be according to your will…”

[You can’t refuse… the source of your power lies in the Constellation… ultimately, that power belongs to the Divine Seat.]

At that moment, Sagong Lin, holding the sword etched with a yellow dragon, pointed her blade at the sky.

“Unfair, you say? If Shizho Shin Nüwa shows up in this manner, what was the point of creating the Trial?”

[……]

“Why not just descend yourself and obliterate everything? This isn’t a trial at all.”

Exactly.

A situation where the Creator Goddess, Nüwa, intervenes in the trial!

With Nüwa’s power infused into Xiang Yu, he was several times stronger than his original self, rendering it impossible under normal circumstances to win against him. This situation arose because Xiang Yu forced himself to fight with just his strength and inadvertently invoked Nüwa’s forced intervention. With boundless support from Nüwa, Xiang Yu had unleashed all the powers of the Constellation! This was a nightmarish scenario.

[It is indeed a trial.]

Nüwa’s voice echoed.

[What I wish to see from you… is potential that can face even the cunning wisdom of the heavens… potential capable of contending against overwhelming and absolute power…]

“……”

[If you cannot transcend this level… I cannot resolve Nüwa’s fate… Because her adversary transcends what you perceive as dimensions…]

Nüwa sighed, then snapped with haste.

[And you, Heavenly Demon… You have no right to speak to her like that… You are already the proof of an emperor… you clearly hold a significant role.]

“I am not involved.”

[Not possible… Heavenly Demon. You are one of my greatest obstacles.]

“……”

[No matter how powerful you are as the strongest card of the emperor, Nüwa would have the means to suppress you.]

After a moment of silence, Nüwa’s voice started to fade away.

[Now… can you do it…? I shall observe what you do against a power of a different caliber!!]

Kugugu!!

“Grrrr… GAAAAAAAH…!!”

A bloodthirsty aura exploded from Xiang Yu’s entire form as if it were insane. I trembled at the sight.

‘This surge is at least ten times more powerful than before… this… this is now…’

Nothing I can handle.

This is an [Old Ruler]. In other words… it’s a being of the level that has overwhelmingly crushed us till now. A cosmic nightmare had finally arrived!

No way I can win.

With trembling hands, Xiang Yu forced the bloodlust down and said to us,

“Run… this isn’t what I desire…”

Sagong Lin remained entirely unaffected and calmly replied,

“Even if we run, it won’t matter. We have less than an hour until Baek Woong dies anyway, so it’s all the same.”

A moment of silence passed.

Then, our entire team assumed battle stances, and Xiang Yu, with a resigned expression, partially closed his eyes and said one last thing.

[…Fine? If you’re destined to die at my hand… I won’t stop you…]

Whoosh!

With his consciousness clouded, Xiang Yu charged forward with terrifying momentum once more. At the same time, Sagong Lin cast Eternal Dance again, facing Xiang Yu head-on, and the next instant, the bloodlight emitted from Xiang Yu swept over the location where Sagong Lin stood.

Crackle!!

[Kek… Nüwa… Xiang Yu…]

Sagong Lin’s body shone golden. Hovering in a state of chaos mixed with that light, she donned an expression of losing her composure. Behind her, an enigmatic beast was summoned, indicating she was drawing upon all her powers as a Heavenly Demon.

‘I need to help her!!’

Despite Sagong Lin trying with everything she had, the foe’s combination was so powerful that she seemed unable to hold out in a direct confrontation for long. I urgently turned to the Asura and Cheon Woo-jin.

“Asura! Cheon Woo-jin! Let’s all join our strength for a Joint Resonance!”

“Okay.”

Having hesitated to use the Joint Resonance out of fear of bursting, now that I distributed my Moon Sovereigns and dispersed the force, I could definitely assist in this struggle!

Asura and Cheon Woo-jin seemed to agree, raising their Moon Sovereigns in preparation. But unexpectedly, a melodious voice interjected.

[That won’t do.]

I turned to see who owned that voice and shouted.

“Zhuge Liang!”

Zhuge Liang fluttered his white fan and said,

[Baek Woong. Are you following the prophecy, or trying to overcome it?]

“What on earth are you talking about?”

[“Tomorrow”, you will die. Therefore, does dying in battle mean one thing, or could it involve other factors leading to your death?]

“…I… I don’t know.”

[But you’ve chosen the former yourself.]

Whoosh!

Zhuge Liang pointed the tip of his fan directly at me.

[Do you believe this is possible? Even I can see all signs lead to death. You are unconsciously selecting a situation where you will die against Xiang Yu. Isn’t it merely luck if you manage to win?]

“……”

[This fight is practically tantamount to fighting Nüwa. I have determined it’s unwinnable, so the best option is to walk away.]

Zhuge Liang calmly explained.

[There’s still time. The Heavenly Demon can hold out to a degree, so see if you can find an alternate route.]

“Alternate route?”

[Just do as I say.]

With that, I quickly left the battle and made my way to the Black Pawn. Using it, I made my wish.

“O Gods, please change my state to that of not being in the 99th floor of the Celestial Tower!”

Given what had happened, I already knew someone would be up there! I regretted using the Black Pawn, but being on the verge of death left me no choice!

[How amusing… Wait a moment…]

Crackle!!

In that instant, something like Nüwa’s projection appeared before the Ruler, quickly vanishing.

They seemed to exchange words, and ultimately, the Ruler seemed flustered.

[She’s sensitive… She doesn’t want to battle some useless entity over your wish… It cannot be granted, so leave.]

“What do you mean, fight? What did Nüwa say?”

[Your trial depends on her entire being… I can’t interfere with it clumsily.]

“Wait one second, then I will offer Seven Luminaries in exchange…”

[Offering a mere sacrificial piece would likely put you at risk… Go.]

Wham!

I was violently expelled from that space. I abruptly returned to the battlefield on the 98th floor of the Celestial Tower. Zhuge Liang lamented,

[What a shame; that was the most efficient strategy for the next cycle. However, just having used it now means I’ve at least gathered minimal efficiency.]

“What’s with this efficiency talk? What are we even doing?”

[Listen closely. If there’s a next time, use the Black Pawn like this.]

As I heard Zhuge Liang’s strategy regarding the Black Pawn, I shouted out of exasperation.

“…Ah, I should have used it like this when fighting! So you really mean to throw away this battle?! What the hell…?”

[Either way, now that Nüwa has intervened, it would bear no fruit. Even if I broke it with the Ta Shin-pyeon, Nüwa would effortlessly restore everything, making it pointless. I’m saying to do that when the next chance comes when Xiang Yu is unprepared.]

“Alright. But what do you mean by ‘next’…?”

[No time! We’ll execute the final strategy.]

Zhuge Liang examined me for a moment before continuing.

[From now on, use all of the Heavenly Secret Technique and summon Hidden Piece… With that, you will…]

Whoosh!!

In that instant, Xiang Yu’s blood light surged toward us. Zhuge Liang could not evade in time and was directly obliterated, while I just barely dodged. Watching Zhuge Liang perish without even a scream sent me into a panic.

“Zhuge Liang!!!”

I hastily shared my Moon Sovereigns with my allies. The Asura let out a small chuckle.

“What a pity. Truly, the greatest genius of the ages, Zhuge Mu-hu… If only he had a bit more time, he might have genuinely figured a way out of this situation.”

“…Can we still win?”

“No, it’s impossible. That’s no longer Xiang Yu; that’s practically Nüwa now. You’d need to endure through at least three more rounds before Xiang Yu could be a challenging opponent to your allies.”

“……”

The Asura aimed the Heavenly Gathering Cloud Sword directly at Xiang Yu.

“I’ll offer my own advice, Baek Woong.”

“What is it?”

“Next time, when facing Xiang Yu, bring Yeodong-bin along. It’ll be a different story if you have the insight of someone who’s clashed blades with him.”

“No, wait a minute…”

Boom!!

Suddenly, with a loud explosion, Sagong Lin’s form was sent flying back. It looked like she was finally unable to resist after striving to hold her own against Xiang Yu in a one-on-one duel. At the same time, Xiang Yu’s blood light filled his gaze, now directed towards us.

Whoosh!

“He’s coming.”

In the next moment, the final battle began.

Crack.

“Cough… Hack…”

Xiang Yu plunged his hand into my chest, piercing my heart. Moments later, I could hear him gnawing on my still-thumping heart. I stumbled backward and fell, looking around to see the lifeless bodies of my comrades strewn about.

Asura, Cheon Woo-jin, and all the Portrait Immortals we had brought along were dead.

A sea of blood.

Something feels… off…

I fought to the very end, but… why is Sagong Lin’s body absent?

I had witnessed her dismemberment at Xiang Yu’s hands during our confrontation earlier…

Why…

Swish!

Before I could fully ponder that question, I felt a shadow cast over me. Xiang Yu seemed to have lost all reasoning, becoming a mere bloodthirsty [Old Ruler]. Should the world remain after my death, it would likely fall victim to an absolute despair that would haunt the universe.

“……”

This is so unfair…

How could this happen…

“How could you wake up…”

Nüwa, you despicable creature…

Crack.

That marked my 28th death.

……?

Huh…

This isn’t the barn?

As I pondered what was odd, a familiar voice echoed in my ear.

[Baek Woong. Did you really think this way?]

In the perfect darkness.

Moon Palace Amphora smiled and looked at me.