Chapter 668
“Something feels off.”
`How can that guy use the Mind Control Technique?`
As I caught sight of the Nirvana of the Absolute, I felt with certainty that it was the Martial Arts of the Absolute Realm.
Having just witnessed the Light of Enlightenment funneling into the sword shard and creating six Mind Control Techniques, I couldn’t help but be bewildered. Normally, only a human can properly manage and wield that intent, yet here was the Asura, the avatar of the Demon King, the Eight Parts of the Divine, capable of using the Mind Control Technique at the level of the Absolute Realm? It just didn’t add up.
No, I had sensed something strange for a while. It was odd how Geol-seon had been able to wield martial arts at will in the past. The avatars of the Demon King seemed to handle the human-given power of intent with unnerving ease. Supposedly, those belonging to chaos have a hard time managing the power of intent from the Primordial Void, so what was going on?
While I pondered this, the Fire Dragon Incarnate spoke.
[Are you bragging about reaching the peak of martial arts?]
[Ha ha ha, you’ll find out for yourself.]
After launching the Sword Flying Technique, the Fire Dragon Incarnate glanced at the sorcerer next to him.
[If you have any secret techniques, use them quickly. This isn’t an opponent you want to hold back against.]
[Don’t order me around.]
Gooooh!
The Fire Dragon Incarnate seemed to pour his strength into both the Fire Dragon Sword and the Water Spirit, creating a massive fire dragon that shimmered like an illusion. He was using up all the spirit energy he possessed to avoid losing in this power struggle. The Asura, realizing that the Fire Dragon Incarnate was also a master of martial arts, didn’t recklessly charge in but instead seemed to gauge the distance.
Swish!
[So this is where your secret technique lies.]
The sorcerer looked at the Water Spirit and suddenly reached out his power, pulling it towards himself. When the Fire Dragon Incarnate shot a wary glance at him, the sorcerer chuckled.
[You really intend to use something this good just for the Sword Flying Technique? You have no idea of the true value of the Seven Luminaries.]
[Stop it. That’s a dangerous game.]
[Hmph! What nonsense.]
[Do you not understand what freeing the Seven Luminaries in Dark Heaven Village means?]
[Who cares about that?]
The sorcerer scoffed and began to take control of the Water Spirit. Her spirit body started to chant the Absolute Teachings spell, and the seals began to gradually lift. I was taken aback.
`No way?! She can break the seal by herself?!`
Wasn’t it only the Three Sovereigns or Divine Beings that could free the Seven Luminaries? Had the ancient master of the Absolute Teachings possessed such martial prowess? The light began to swirl and pour out from the Water Spirit, abruptly growing stronger and exuding bizarre chaos. It seemed the sorcerer intended to release the seal and tap into that power.
Just then, the Asura watching from the front adopted an aggressive expression.
[You dare to lift the seal of the Seven Luminaries before me? That I cannot stand for!]
[Ah ha ha ha, what a trashy guy.]
The sorcerer burst into laughter.
[You say you’ve claimed superiority through martial arts? What nonsense in front of this divine power.]
Bam!
In that instant the sorcerer swung the Water Spirit.
Water Moon Heavenly Ice
The technique unique to the Water Spirit completely froze time and space as it surged toward the charging Asura. Though the ice realm created by the Water Spirit’s Cosmic Fragment was indeed impressive, the Water Moon Heavenly Ice unleashed by the sorcerer seemed to turn the Heaven and Earth Sea white in an instant. It was a level of power that matched the Fire Dragon Incarnate’s full-strength Fire Spirit World.
`Right… this level of power when the [Old Ruler]’s avatar unfolded it.`
Pipiping!
However, the Asura, having mastered the martial arts of the Absolute Realm, evaded the attack with remarkable speed and agility, dodging as if floating like beams of light soaring through the sky. Simultaneously, as the Mind Control Technique attacked again, it was my side that found itself on the receiving end of a counterattack.
[Hah!]
The Fire Dragon devoured the Mind Control Technique! In that moment, the Fire Dragon Incarnate used the Dragon King’s power embedded in the Fire Dragon Sword to deflect the Asura’s counterattack. She had known from the start that given the Asura’s ability, even wielding the Seven Luminaries would not prevent a counterstrike, and had prepared accordingly. As the sorcerer managed to transfer the attack, a twisted smile appeared on her face.
[Ah ha ha! Now it won’t be easy.]
She seemed to intend to end it with just the Water Moon Heavenly Ice, further strengthening the Water Spirit’s power.
[Suffer and die!]
Boom!
In an instant, it felt as though the sky had filled with a glacial river. A radius of several li became entirely encased in terrifying cold, as white light surged up. The stillness from the Water Moon Heavenly Ice’s power began to grow oppressive, muffling the surrounding noise.
Crash!
Breaking the silence, one of the Asura’s weapons pierced through hundreds of meters of glacier, flying toward my heart with the Invincible Sword Technique. Given the sheer intent infused in it, there was no way my original skills could block such an attack. Just as a chill ran down my spine, the sorcerer was chanting again.
Bam!
The weapon struck the Ruyi Staff. Though it was shattered into pieces, the Ruyi Staff suffered not a scratch. The sorcerer mumbled with mild annoyance.
[That Asura, attempting to snipe instead of fighting like a true warrior? Seems you’ve figured out you won’t be borrowing this Baek Woong’s body for long.]
[We need to finish this quickly. I’ll defend, you attack.]
[You don’t even need to tell me that.]
[Then…]
The Fire Dragon Incarnate’s eyes gleamed as she activated her powers.
Heavenly Dragon Summoning Clouds
In that moment, ethereal clouds swirled around the Fire Dragon Incarnate, propelling her forward like a beam of light. It was as if she instinctively knew where the Asura was hiding, and within seconds, she charged several li, striking down on the Asura’s head.
Bang!
The collision of their weapons caused a small tremor as the Asura and Fire Dragon Incarnate rapidly exchanged blows. While the Fire Dragon Incarnate possessed a high level of mastery, it was incredible that she could stand against the Asura, a top-tier warrior of the upper realm. The ability of Heavenly Dragon Summoning Clouds seemed to temporarily elevate all of the Fire Dragon Incarnate’s abilities.
Kakakang!
The Asura, appearing enraged, swung his weapon and shouted,
[Get back, Dragon King! I’ll take out that presumptuous Great Immortal first!]
It seemed the Asura was incredibly annoyed by the fact that the sorcerer was using the Seven Luminaries to attack him. In a fit of rage, he had completely lost the calm demeanor typical of a battle-hungry warrior, and the sorcerer laughed mockingly.
[Hehe. I wonder if you can even do that. Eat this!]
Vroom!
The thunder rumbling shot through the air.
The sorcerer had somehow conjured the Ruyi Staff, Sabre Sword, and Water Spirit all at once around him, each of them reacting to the incantation of the Absolute Teachings and gradually intensifying their glow. As I watched her handle multiple treasures at once, the conversation we just had replayed in my mind.
[This is my innate ability. I possess an infinite mental retention and have no energy expenditure when using any spells or treasures. I can also understand any technique the moment I see it.]
When she had been handling the Sabre Sword earlier, I hadn’t thought much about it…
Could it be that it’s not just four but rather that she could handle six treasures at once, including the Sabre Sword and the Ruyi Staff?!
As I stood there shocked inside, the sorcerer spoke the spell.
Six Soul Banner.
Grab!
Suddenly, without warning, a dark veil, or perhaps a drape of some kind, rose near the Asura. Though he was battling fiercely with the Fire Dragon Incarnate, the Six Soul Banner manifested, and even as a high-level master of the Absolute Realm, the Asura seemed to dodge like light. Yet, inexplicably, the Six Soul Banner grew even quicker, flowing through the air like liquid. The Asura’s panicked cry echoed out.
[What the—?!]
The sorcerer chuckled.
[No matter how fast your techniques are, a treasure made specifically for the Master of the Sky like the Six Soul Banner will always be faster than you running away.]
[…!!]
[You relied on dinky human techniques and neglected your powers, and now you pay the price.]
Crash!
Finally, the Six Soul Banner wrapped itself around the Asura’s arms, binding them tightly. Although the Asura attempted to unleash his divine power to break free, it wasn’t so simple. After all, it was a treasure exclusive to the Master of the Sky and a sealing artifact that even the Eight Parts of the Divine would struggle to escape from.
Seeing him bound, the sorcerer smirked triumphantly.
[Once caught by the Six Soul Banner, even a Great Immortal will lose all their power and die in under half a moment. It’s a win-win situation.]
Bang!
Again, using the Heavenly Dragon Summoning Clouds spell, the Fire Dragon Incarnate lunged at the Asura. Yet the Asura’s expression shifted to one of delight.
[Heh heh… I would have preferred to attack before we combined forces, but… this isn’t half bad. A crisis like this, after thousands of years?]
[Oh? Thirsty for blood?]
The Asura raised his weapon in the Intermediate Stage.
[I’ve put so much effort into learning human martial arts, yet that Martial God has never shown himself before me… I was ready to explode with frustration. Among the warriors that died by my hand in Tianzhu, I even met a few a couple of times.]
[…]
[With the Dragon King and Master of the Sky as adversaries, I will transcend this life-threatening crisis and elevate my martial arts to new heights.]
Upon hearing the Asura’s words, even the Fire Dragon Incarnate looked baffled by his absurdity.
[Have you lost your mind? You intend to gain enlightenment in the midst of this peril to reach the Extraordinary?]
[Ha ha ha ha!!]
[Do you think you’re some kind of protagonist from a novel?]
The Fire Dragon Incarnate shouted at him, yet the Asura only laughed wildly as he gripped his weapon.
[Bring it! This is so much fun!]
He truly was a madman.
No martial artist would intentionally throw themselves into hardship just to encounter a Martial God. An impossible scenario for any human but this guy, with thousands of years of honing his skills, had become thirsty for this very confrontation.
Yet, as I observed the Asura, who had almost forgotten my commands and was focused solely on his battle, I found myself feeling a strange affinity.
`That guy is a Divine Being. Yet… that obsession and longing are so very human.`
The most human side of the Asura filled me with a sense of intrigue.
The sorcerer, looking at the Asura with disdain, waved her hands once more. Just like before, the Ruyi Staff, Water Spirit, and Sabre Sword surrounded her again. Waving her hands again, the Sabre Sword split into four.
[Preparations are complete. The Protagonist’s Sword, the Six Killing Sword, the Absolute Immortal Sword, and the Trapping Immortal Sword will attack one by one, and with the Ruyi Staff and Water Spirit, you’ll be splattered against the wall. Try and block it if you can.]
The sorcerer calmly pressured the Asura as he replied with a smile.
[I don’t need to be told that!]
[Then.]
In an instant, as her finger flicked, the four Sabre Swords unleashed their spirit energy, surging toward the Asura. These were not mere techniques but carried enough force to slice even a Great Immortal in half, and there was no way simple deflections could stop them.
As the Asura activated his Heart Command Technique, I saw the Absolute Realm manifest.
Nirvana of the Absolute!
A golden halo rose behind him, filled with the wisdom of a lifetime as he began to wield his martial arts. I could sense the Martial Tradition nestled within his blade writhing and erupting.
Condensing techniques specialized for simultaneous deployment of powers from the Absolute Realm!
Moon Blade Reflection Dragon Wave!
Thousand-Hand Guanyin!
Self-Reliance Shifting Techniques!
Flying Celestial Energy Jewel!
Explosive Destruction Sword!
Asura Breaking Heaven!
Each of these was legendary martial arts among the Tianzhu region, a technique of the Seven Luminaries. The Asura, after thousands of years of training, had successfully digested each of the Mind Control Techniques and had strenuously worked to unleash these formidable abilities simultaneously. And thus, the legendary Nirvana of the Absolute was born.
[Oooooooh!!]
The absolute martial arts descended like threads woven together!
Dragon-shaped spirit energy from the Moon Blade Reflection Dragon Wave collided head-on with the Protagonist’s Sword, the Thousand-Hand Guanyin’s stunning thousand slashes blocked the Six Killing Sword. The Self-Reliance Shifting Techniques radiated the blade shadows that deflected the Absolute Immortal Sword, as the Flying Celestial Energy Jewel unleashed ethereal light to devour the Trapping Immortal Sword.
Four powerful Mind Control Techniques successfully repelled the Sabre Swords, but the real trouble came afterward. The fierce energy of the Explosive Destruction Sword met the advance of the Ruyi Staff, but the potency fell drastically short, causing the entire Mind Control Technique to shatter. The Ruyi Staff unexpectedly grew enormous, piercing through the Asura’s chest.
Thump.
[Gurgh.]
The Asura’s technique, Asura Breaking Heaven, erupted with destructive force as it attempted to counter the Water Spirit’s Water Moon Heavenly Ice. Even this proved insufficient; the power of destruction fizzled out upon the thousand-year glacier, drenching the Asura in his own blood. Thousands of ice shards pierced him, and the Fire Dragon Incarnate mercilessly swung the Fire Dragon Sword, severing his head clean off.
Chop!
From the three heads of the Asura, two were lopped off, yet the central head remained untouched. The Asura, now a pitiful sight, looked at the Fire Dragon Incarnate with a solemn gaze.
[Is this the mercy of a warrior?]
[I didn’t win on my own. You deserve at least a last word.]
It seemed the Fire Dragon Incarnate understood that she had only technically triumphed. With his naturally principled demeanor, he felt an inner debt towards the fallen warrior. The Asura then smiled faintly.
[Cough… My name as a human is Pasun, ruler of the martial world of Tianzhu… If you return from Dark Heaven Village, tell my friend Krishna that I’ve died… Please.]
[Who is Krishna?]
[The Guardian of Tianzhu… in the Gujarat temple…]
[Alright.]
[Hah… it seems even the Nirvana of the Absolute is incomplete… If only I could meet a Martial God.]
The Asura’s eyes closed, and the Fire Dragon Incarnate took off his head.
Shuk!
As the Asura’s head fell to the ground, the Fire Dragon Incarnate glanced at the sorcerer next to her and spoke to me through an inner voice.
[Baek Woong.]
[What is it?]
[The sorcerer already possesses power beyond the Eight Parts of the Divine. She has surpassed the Great Immortal. She wields techniques comparable to the Three Purities and the Jade Emperor.]
[…!!]
The Fire Dragon Incarnate’s next inner voice left me greatly shaken.
[If she is released into the world, it will be a calamity. Look for a chance to seal her. She must never be returned to reality.]
