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“I quietly grabbed the Suspicious Fishhook while moving with the group of Twelve Joules.”

Through this mental connection, I initiated a conversation with Mangnyang.

[Mangnyang.]

[I can hear you well.]

[As for the current situation…]

I explained everything that had happened so far. After a brief silence, Mangnyang seemed to be discussing something with Zhuge Sa when he spoke to me through the Suspicious Fishhook.

[Baek Woong. Zhuge Sa is getting annoyed.]

[…]

I felt a jolt of concern.

[But I believe the danger is not imminent. For now, let us follow the Joules’ lead to seal it, and only if things go south, should we use the Golden Lamp to escape.]

[Understood.]

[And one more thing, this comes from Zhuge Sa…]

I nodded, taking in Zhuge Sa’s advice.

[Got it.]

Tydaht

In no time, the elite of the Twelve Joules and I arrived at Pirate Island through a wind passage created by Wind Master. This place, once ruled by the Blood Blade Group, lay barren with decaying corpses and scattered bones, all thanks to my earlier rampage. The leader of Twelve Joules gave orders.

“We’re storming in. Clear the path!”

Then, Yun Sa stepped forward, arms outstretched, chanting a spell. As his incantation wrapped up, the ocean in front of Pirate Island slowly began to part, revealing the sea floor beneath.

The waters continued to split, eventually forming a clear path.

What an insane sorcery!

Boom!

The elite of the Twelve Joules sprinted ahead, and I followed, only to be suddenly attacked by bizarre shadows leaping from the parted waters.

[Kyaak!]

Swish!

The response was immediate. The Joules’ leader utilized an invisible Qi Technique, swiftly dispatching the assailant. Upon seeing the splatter of blue blood, he grimaced.

“What!”

Clearly, the blood was toxic; the ground where the monstrosity fell emitted foul smoke. Glancing at the deceased, I realized it was one of the Merfolk I’d encountered before.

The Twelve Joules murmured, “Warriors among the Sea God’s kin live with toxic blood. Be careful not to let any hit you when you slay them.”

“Understood!”

Sure enough, from either side of the path, Merfolk charged at us wielding tridents, spears, axes, and swords. The sight of dozens rushing forward was quite the spectacle, as Merfolk blocked our way ahead. Their numbers seemed to be in the thousands.

I, overwhelmed, exclaimed, “Why are there so many?”

Even while I swiftly severed five heads with the Thunder Blade, it barely registered against the tide of enemies. It felt like stepping onto a battlefield where hundreds of thousands once clashed. The Twelve Joules replied calmly, “These Merfolk reach adulthood and become capable of combat within two years. There are at least ten thousand here.”

With a slosh, the Merfolk met their demise, splattering everywhere. From the defensive technique that he had cast, they turned to mush.

Ka-ting!

Whizz!

[Kweeek.]

“Die, monsters!”

The leaders of the Twelve Joules and the elite of Manha Spiritual Gate were all peak experts. They unleashed their martial prowess against the overwhelming number of Merfolk soldiers. Yet, it remained true that we were outnumbered, so I shouted, “Can’t we just use the Sorcery of the Three Masters to teleport directly to that city over there?”

“I wish we could, but the area near the city is protected by the Sea God’s power, so we must dispel the barrier directly!”

As he spoke, the leader of the Twelve Joules suddenly took out the Cosmic Fragment.

Wiying!

“By the name of the Sea God, I command you to freeze them all!”

The Cosmic Fragment emitted an azure glow, granting life to divine magic. As it writhed like a living thing, it spun in grand spirals, unleashing its might.

Tsze-tsze!

In an instant, the Ice Dragon frozen the air, causing the exterior of the path to the horizon to solidify completely! The Merfolk that leaped from the seawall were encased in ice, falling to the ground, as were the Merfolk horde blocking our way. They all became Merfolk statues.

The frozen ground was eerily beautiful. What was even more remarkable was that even amidst the chaos, the Twelve Joules hadn’t harmed any of their allies with the ice magic, showcasing incredible precision.

‘Incredible power…’

I trembled at the might of the Cosmic Fragment. For it to freeze the ocean all the way to the horizon meant it surpassed even the prowess of the Dharma Guardian’s Heavenly Spirit Pill. When activated, the Cosmic Fragment seemed to channel an invincible strength.

“Let’s go!”

With a solid thump, the elites of the Twelve Joules began to bash the frozen monsters with their weapons, following Ha Eun-cheon. Taking down frozen foes was child’s play. I joined in, unleashing my inner power to smash dozens at once, shocking myself to find that the Merfolk were frozen solid and shattered to pieces. The icy chill was strong enough to freeze their organs instantly.

I soared ahead with Light Body Technique and shared the power of the Cosmic Fragment with Mangnyang. He seemed genuinely impressed.

[That’s a power rare to find, even among treasures. The Cosmic Fragment appears to be quite special.]

[Can Ha Eun-cheon unleash such abilities repeatedly?]

[I wouldn’t know without asking him, but seeing him chant the spell suggests there’s a limit to its use.]

We soon spotted the altar of the Human Sacrifice that the leader of the Blood Blade Group had mentioned. Human bones were buried all around, indicating the Merfolk had gruesomely devoured their victims alive. Coldly, the Twelve Joules leader ordered, “Break it.” “Yes.” The leaders of the Twelve Joules blasted the large altar to pieces, causing dark smoke to billow out, leading us to create yet another pathway through the ocean.

Eventually, we reached the Merfolk city that the leader of the Blood Blade Group had spoken of. With the depths being so immense, eerie shadows loomed as Sorcerers summoned lights to illuminate the darkness. Among the Joules, the Azure Dragon Sect Leader adjusted his blade over his shoulder, muttering in shock.

“The height of both walls is incredible… how deep must this abyss be?”

The leader of the National Defense Alliance glanced up and replied, “I’d wager it’s more than fifteen leagues deep.”

The Azure Dragon Sect Leader gasped, “Good heavens… how do these monsters live down here and build cities?”

“That is why they’re monsters,” I added, as the Twelve Joules exchanged bewildered remarks about the outlandish scenery. The leader of the Twelve Joules instructed, “I’ll break the barrier, so you all ensure not a single one escapes by casting a new barrier.” “Understood.” “And listen closely, elite members of the Twelve Joules and the Manha Spiritual Gate.” As all attention turned to him, he scanned the group before declaring, “Today, we will annihilate every single monster here without leaving a single trace behind. Remember, if one of those beasts survives, ten commoners will fall to it!”

The leaders of the Twelve Joules inclined their heads and thundered in unison, “Understood!!” “Understood!!” “Understood!!”

With a resounding crack, the leader of Twelve Joules swung the Cosmic Fragment with immense force, shattering the transparent barrier surrounding the giant otherworldly city. As one, the leaders of the Twelve Joules and the elite of Manha Spiritual Gate surged into the city, beginning their massacre.

[Kweeek!]

[Kyaak!]

The Merfolk shrieked grotesquely as they rushed in or tried to flee, but all assembled here were peak experts with tremendous martial skills, making resistance utterly futile. Even if the Merfolk had strong basic physical capabilities, how could they stand against such a horde of peak experts? Plus, the Sorcerers from Manha Spiritual Gate provided backup with their superior sorcery, ensuring not a single gap could form.

I stood witness as blue blood spilled and Merfolk limbs flew about in the slaughterhouse.

Suddenly, the leader of the Twelve Joules approached and asked, “Do you dislike the massacre?”

“What’s wrong with killing monsters? I consider it cleaning up.”

“We’re on the same page.” I hesitated, adding, “But if it’s going to be like this, wouldn’t bringing in the Goryeo army be more efficient?”

My honest thought leaned towards efficiency rather than sheer slaughter, considering the clearly visible Merfolk must number at least in the thousands. Even if our power was strong, tiring ourselves out slaughtering tens of thousands didn’t seem optimal. Calling in an army of thousands or tens of thousands from Goryeo might be the better option.

Yet the leader of the Twelve Joules responded, “This is the first battle, and it’s a ritual.” “A ritual?” “While the Joules are seasoned fighters against the Otherworldly races and have strong martial skills, they lack the resolution to face the Sea God, the leader of the Otherworldly races. We must hack down enough enemies to make it clear that we are [at war].”

“At war…”

“If we don’t, the longer we fight, the higher the chance our minds will succumb to the vile energy of the Otherworldly races. By honing our mental strength in the frenzy of battle and the feast of blood, we can stave off corruption.” “I see…”

I agreed that the leader of the Twelve Joules had a point. The Merfolk, being Otherworldly, surely possessed an indescribable aura capable of driving humans insane; even the strongest experts might falter after prolonged encounters. Thus, the leader devised a strategy to protect the minds of his warriors through the blood-soaked frenzy of slaughter. I couldn’t deny understanding that vile energy after firsthand experience.

“But still. Shouldn’t we begin to focus on efficiency?”

As over a thousand corpses littered the ground, the leader of the Twelve Joules raised his hands to the sky, shouting, “Phoenix! Purify the darkness in this land!”

The heavens opened.

Simultaneously, a sacred ‘something’ emitting colorful glimmers slowly revealed itself from the previously gloom-filled sky. However, its appearance was far from what I imagined a Phoenix to be, resembling rather a glowing mass in the shape of a bird. In due course, the Phoenix descended, crashing directly into the heart of the Merfolk city.

Wham!

[Kweeek!]

[Kyaak!!]

A titanic wave of light rolled forth from where the Phoenix landed, sweeping away the surrounding Merfolk. Those hit by the wave burst apart, while others turned to ash instantaneously. Even the sinister constructions made by the Merfolk crumbled to dust.

The surprising part was that this wave of light had no effect on humans; rather, we felt invigorated as our strength and spirit energy began to replenish.

“…!!”

I quickly drew the Fire Dragon Sword. As the wave of light from the Phoenix flooded into the Fire Dragon Sword, I distinctly felt the weapon regaining its strength. Surely being a divine beast of the Celestial Realm, the synergy was impressive.

‘It seems like it’s about to awaken…’

The Fire Dragon Incarnate must not have regained its strength; its eyes remained shut. However, it was clear it would awaken soon. As I focused on reviving the Fire Dragon Sword, I began to slice through the enemies.

I slashed for a while.

About half a moment later, the battle reached its conclusion. The experts of the Twelve Joules wandered about, dispatching even the hatchlings of the Merfolk without mercy. When the work finished, the leader of the Twelve Joules gazed at me.

“We need to seal it.”

Nodding in response to his gaze, I raised the Fire Dragon Sword high. I then drew upon the power of the National Seal, channeling it into the sword and awakening its might. Soon, immense flames erupted from the blade as its power intensified.

The leader of the Twelve Joules, receiving the spirit energy of the sword, began sealing along with the Three Masters. The sealing process concluded about half a moment later. Exhaling a sigh of relief, the Twelve Joules leader muttered, “That’s one. No Merfolk will appear in this area again.”

“Do we have to do this four more times?”

“Yes. But this was merely the first one, so it was particularly tedious.”

After sealing the first Merfolk city, we made our way to the next destination. The next target was Tamra Island, close to Goryeo where Merfolk still swarmed. I began once again channeling the Phoenix’s strength to recover the Fire Dragon Sword and lending my aid to the sealing process.

As we completed seals on five locations, the sun began to set. After nearly six moments of continuous fighting the Merfolk without rest, exhaustion gripped everyone. Naturally, after slaughtering tens of thousands, that was to be expected.

‘Will we finally rest today…’

Pausing for a moment to contemplate hunting down more monsters, the leader of the Twelve Joules remarked, “We need to recover.” “Recover?”

Without any further ado, the leader of the Twelve Joules reached his hand to the ground.

With a resonant sound!

The area around the leader of the Twelve Joules pulsed with green light, and moments later, a source of green light flourished, enveloping the people. As the green glow ebbed away, to my astonishment, it seemed like the exhausted experts of the Twelve Joules and the elites of Manha Spiritual Gate had fully restored their strength.

I was flabbergasted and unable to hold back my question. My own energy and internal power also surged back, compelling me to inquire, “Uh, how did you do this?”

Though I possessed considerable knowledge of sorcery, I was unaware of any technique capable of simultaneously rejuvenating such a multitude of people. Even Zhuge Mangnyang and Taepyeong Sorcery lacked such a method. “The Sacred Altar Tree connects to the ley lines of the earth around the world. I found the ley line and temporarily connected it to the Sacred Altar Tree. Even from this distance, I can draw upon its power,” the leader said casually.

“…….”

“Though it will inevitably be weaker than using it near the tree itself.”

It was easy to say, but drawing upon ley line power was a feat only a Grand Sorcerer could accomplish. Most sorcerers would be grateful just to be able to train atop the ley lines. Moreover, utilizing it as a medium for the Sacred Altar Tree was a tremendous skill level.

‘Don’t tell me he summoned the Phoenix because of this…’

I realized I had uncovered something truly remarkable. As the leader said, he was practically invincible as long as he fought on the earth! As long as he was on the ground, he could summon the power of the Sacred Altar Tree whenever and wherever, performing incredible feats of sorcery while also restoring vitality at will. He clearly possessed abilities rivaling those of the Master of the White Lotus Sect.

I also discerned another point.

‘Don’t ever engage the leader of the Twelve Joules near the Sacred City!’

If the leader of the Twelve Joules was in the vicinity of the Sacred City, his power would surely peak. Even without the Three Masters present, he would be nigh unstoppable. While I stuffed this newfound information into my head, the leader of the Twelve Joules said, “Since we’ve started, we need to finish it off quickly. If we give them time, the Sea God will start interfering.” “We’ve already destroyed five cities and annihilated tens of thousands of Merfolk; that’s enough of a trigger, right?”

“No. Those cities are merely a fraction of the many spread across the sea. We haven’t dealt a significant blow.”

“…….”

“We must conclude this before the Sea God awakens to take interest in our activities.”

I turned to the leader of the Twelve Joules, inquiring, “Where is the Sea God?”

“I don’t know. I only know he randomly moves between cities, deeply slumbering wherever he lands.”

“Hmmm…”

Previously, when I saw a vision of the Golden Lamp, I witnessed the Sea God resting in a city near the Blood Blade Group. Yet, in my recent enounters, I hadn’t spotted the Sea God anywhere. Regardless, since the leader of the Twelve Joules was going to fight him, I kept that thought to myself, though it seemed likely that each city had its own time frame for the Sea God’s presence.

Eventually, we arrived at the last Merfolk city. As before, we stormed in, slaughtering all the Merfolk and sealing the city. Just then, the Fire Dragon Sword began to emit a shrill ringing.

Jing-ling!

[… Protector!]

The Fire Dragon Incarnate had awakened and started to speak to me. I quickly responded.

[You’re awake?]

[I’ve been gradually regaining consciousness and watching your actions. Soon, I shall be fully restored.]

[That’s great news.]

[You truly are a great hero for striving to annihilate the Sea God’s race for the sake of humanity!]

The Fire Dragon Incarnate admired my efforts yet added, [However, it appears the time to accept responsibility for that choice has come.]

[What do you mean?]

Suddenly, a massive rumbling echoed through the wrecked Merfolk city.

It felt as if the city itself were writhing, filling the void with an overwhelming pressure. While the Sorcerers illuminated the surroundings with their light, the radiance suddenly extinguished in an instant, as if something far more potent had blanketed the area.

The darkness seemed to be stepping closer.

The people stood frozen, overwhelmed by the atmosphere.

“……”

The leader of the Twelve Joules murmured, “It’s here…”

What exactly did that mean? While I tilted my head in confusion, the Fire Dragon Incarnate spoke.

[Protector! Today’s battle will become a significant event in the annals of history! I take pride in having you as my protector.]

[Huh?]

Suddenly, a vision of Yeodong-bin appeared before me, his expression stiff and oddly tense. Given that he had never shown any sign of anxiety even in front of the Master of the White Lotus Sect or the Guardian, this was highly unusual.

I sensed something ominous approaching.

[My Master, must we truly face that being? You know very well the magnitude of their existence, don’t you?]

Yeodong-bin hesitated before responding. Just then, the spirit of the Fire Dragon Incarnate appeared before him with a grin.

[Haha! Haven’t we taken down the world-ending giant dragon together?]

[But this is… a major incident that could change the balance of the heavens and the earth.]

[I called you here because I trust you. Will you not assist this master?]

[……]

Signed with a heavy sigh, Yeodong-bin finally said, [I will assist you.]

I quickly interjected, [Yeodong-bin! What do you mean? What are you…]

Shishishishi!

Both Yeodong-bin and the Fire Dragon Incarnate suddenly descended upon me. Gripping both the Fire Dragon Sword and the Fire Spirit in my hands, I began to unleash the maximum power I could muster. I could hear the Fire Dragon Incarnate speaking to Yeodong-bin in my mind.

[I will handle divine-grade summoning and magic. Yeodong-bin, you must eliminate them with the Heavenly Escape Sword Technique.]

[It’s been a millennium.]

[Hoo hoo!]

Slowly, the footsteps of darkness drew near. When those steps finally fell silent, I realized the world beyond us was engulfed in darkness, and a colossal giant, stretching several leagues, suddenly filled our vision. It was so massive that even the Immortal I had seen in the spiritual realm paled in comparison.

The giant gazed down at us silently, its scales shifting in the shadows. Merely its stare paralyzed most of those present, leaving them speechless. Even the peak experts among the Twelve Joules stood there wide-eyed like fish out of water, captivated by the titan’s overwhelming presence.

The abyss devours humanity.

Indeed.

That being was – an existence beyond the comprehension of mortals.

Born a god from the very beginning.

Thus, ordinary humans could never confront it.

Only the leader of the Twelve Joules, the Three Masters, and I remained intact. One of the Three Masters had utilized spatial magic to thrust everyone else away, while Ha Eun-cheon retrieved the Cosmic Fragment.

Ha Eun-cheon spoke, visibly tense, “I didn’t expect the Sea God to arrive so soon.”

[The Old Ruler] has commenced the initial battle against the Sea God.

 

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