“Spirit of the Evil God!”

Seong Jin spoke to Hye Ga in a trembling voice.

“Brother… how can you say such things?! You know our Master has staked everything on True Martial Home! To say he will fail…”

“……”

“And this temple wasn’t built overnight! When exactly did you start constructing this Shaolin Temple?!”

The scale of the temple and the monk’s skill level were both remarkable. As an outstanding sorcerer, Seong Jin realized that the monks here had achieved significant Buddhist powers, showing they weren’t ordinary high monks. The Divine Energy flowing from the entire Shaolin Temple was enough to surpass the presence of common demons. Such exceptional Buddhist monks couldn’t be gathered in just one night.

As Seong Jin couldn’t hide his agitation, Hye Ga spoke calmly.

“I told our Master beforehand, and he granted permission. It’s already been over ten years since the founding of Shaolin.”

“Whoa… granted permission?! Wasn’t it a principle that all our insights and assets go to the White Lotus Sect!? We should concentrate everything to assist our Master’s True Martial Home!”

“There are complicated circumstances that a Priest like you wouldn’t know… Our Master has understood this from the beginning.”

“What do you mean…”

“Priest.”

Hye Ga looked at Seong Jin with deeply focused eyes.

“Deliver my earlier words to our Master without alteration.”

“… Understood. But.”

Seong Jin shot Hye Ga a resentful glare.

“If our Master reincarnates again because of you, I will blame you until the day I die!”

“Do as you wish.”

Hye Ga continued, closing his eyes.

“But our Master will never give up this time…”

What could that mean?

For a reborn person, the True Martial Home was like a final destination. If such a significant undertaking shouldn’t encounter a single error, it would be wise to start anew at any sign of danger. Of course, from the perspective of Master Dharma, watching his years of hard work and the offerings he had compiled vanish would be a pity, but that’s better than suffering a major failure.

Yet, Hye Ga spoke as if he was utterly convinced that Dharma would not attempt again. Seong Jin wanted to understand Hye Ga’s thoughts, but he sensed that Hye Ga wouldn’t disclose anything.

Reluctantly, as Seong Jin couldn’t bring Hye Ga and returned, Dharma responded as if he had anticipated this.

[Very well… do as you please. There’s nothing more to teach Hye Ga.]

“Master, are you planning to start over again…?”

Seong Jin asked cautiously, but Dharma firmly answered.

[No. We will proceed as is.]

“I’ve never seen Hye Ga so decisive in my life. Something must be seriously wrong with the plan…”

[Seong Jin.]

“Yes, Master.”

[As I’ve said before… I’ve led you to this stage more than 49 times. Yet, each time new obstacles emerged, and I’ve judged it difficult to eliminate those factors, so I chose to restart… I’ve always tried to reduce the interruptions.]

“……”

[Yet ultimately, I couldn’t prepare a perfectly pure True Martial Home… The grand task of world-destruction carries immense cause and effect, and thus disruptions are inevitable. Moreover, as different powers have developed immensely, superhumans and superior beings multiply… my job has become even harder.]

Dharma placed a hand on Seong Jin’s shoulder.

[Don’t worry… let’s proceed this time. Even if I somehow fail, I can reincarnate and start over again.]

“… Understood.”

From that remark, Seong Jin knew that an unspoken conversation had already occurred between Dharma and Hye Ga. Regardless of the secret they were hiding, they had already promised to do what they needed to do, success or failure. It would be pointless to probe further in this situation.

Upon returning to where the other disciples were, Hwang Wu awaited him. Seong Jin said to Hwang Wu.

“Brother. Where are Ayuta and Ho Wol?”

“They went for a sparring session.”

“Sparring?”

“Seems Ayuta’s martial skills have improved during this time. Ho Wol agreed to spar without using the Apostle’s power.”

That would make sense.

Seong Jin mused. The Princess Ayuta, the youngest among the five disciples, had started her training the latest but possessed such exceptional talent that she grasped martial arts and techniques remarkably quickly. Seong Jin was talented himself, but compared to Ayuta, he felt like an average talent. Moreover, with the help of the reborn Dharma, she had gained several fortuitous encounters, so there weren’t many experts on earth who could compare to Ayuta.

At that moment, Hwang Wu said, “Hey… what did Hye Ga say? Spill the beans.”

“What?”

“What do you mean by ‘what’… since you didn’t come together, Hye Ga must have turned you down. I’ve known all along that Hye Ga created this Shaolin Temple. I want to know what kind of scheme she has up her sleeve.”

“Um… Hye Ga…”

Seong Jin relayed to Hwang Wu what he had overheard between Hye Ga and Dharma without much thought. As Hwang Wu listened intently to their conversation, a grin suddenly spread across his face.

“… Ha. Got it. Cool.”

“Brother. You’re not thinking anything malicious, are you?”

“Fool. Do you think a bad guy would advertise himself as a bad guy? Let’s not forget I’m the chancellor of a country and used to control one hundred thousand merchants. If I wanted to deceive you, I wouldn’t flaunt it like this. Besides, being this naive? No wonder royalty can’t understand the hearts of commoners.”

Hwang Wu continued, “But my gut tells me Master will fail this time. Hye Ga would never speak foolishly!”

“No way…!”

“So I’m gonna distance myself from True Martial Home.”

Seong Jin was taken aback.

“… What?! Brother, what do you mean…?”

“Anyway, if Master dies, it’s a total restart, right? That means we all die at the same time. So, I’ll do what I want until I die.”

“W-Wait a second…”

“Let’s meet again in the next life! Hahaha.”

Whoosh!

Hwang Wu vanished in the blink of an eye, a trick made possible by his illusionary art. Seong Jin could’ve stopped him but was too shocked to move after such a sudden occurrence.

“……”

Only a few moments were left before True Martial Home, and two out of the five disciples had already fled!

Feeling devastated, Seong Jin lowered his head.

Yet, it was pointless to try to capture those whose hearts had strayed, so he reluctantly reported Hwang Wu’s escape to Dharma. Dharma nodded without much reaction.

[That’s so.]

“Master, what will you do about Hwang Wu’s betrayal…?”

[Betrayal? What he said was entirely right… And I’ve watched over Hwang Wu’s essence throughout countless reincarnations. Though he might make practical choices, betrayal is not in his character.]

“Isn’t it… isn’t it betrayal?”

[If you also wish to leave, you are free to do so.]

“I will NEVER do that! I won’t give up!”

Seong Jin felt a surge of anger. He had received countless fortuitous encounters and immense grace from his Master, yet he was thinking of leaving just before True Martial Home! The thought of killing a brother if the Master commanded it crossed his mind. But Dharma’s reaction was distinct.

[Seong Jin. Don’t do that.]

“What?”

Dharma spoke with unprecedented kindness.

[You’re not a reborn. For a mortal, giving up can also be a valid choice. I don’t wish for my disciples to become infinitely unhappy…]

“……”

[Don’t worry, I’ve already prepared catalysts for the Ancient Gods who will descend for such situations as well.]

“But.”

[The time has come. I will wait at the altar, so fetch the others.]

Dharma vanished after leaving those words. Seong Jin remained, pondering for some time.

‘Mortals can choose to give up…’

Seong Jin mulled over the meaning of that phrase. Then, he headed towards the Altar of Heavenly Darkness, bringing along Ayuta and Ho Wol, who had just finished their spar.

Kugugugug…

The ground was piled high with monsters and demon sorcerers’ corpses. The mana flowing from those corpses began to transform into black blood, which was absorbed into the altar. As mana surged from all around, a horrific Ghost Valley echoed inhuman sounds that no human mind could endure.

Kyaaah!

Kraaah-!!

With mana gathering at the center, Master Dharma, standing on the Altar of Heavenly Darkness, began to radiate power. While enhancing his own strength from the absorbed mana, he spoke.

[Ho Wol.]

“Yes, Master.”

[The Eight Parts of the Divine have arrived. You will handle them.]

“Understood!”

Boom!

The moment Ho Wol spoke, he vanished. Seong Jin worriedly stared at the spot where Ho Wol had been.

‘Can Ho Wol really deal with the Eight Parts of the Divine…?’

Seong Jin had seen the Eight Parts from a distance before. He confirmed they all wielded power on the level of demon kings, amplifying his fears. Originally, those beings only acted in humanoid forms, and revealing their true selves was rare, but given that True Martial Home was a world-destructive ceremony, they would undoubtedly charge in without regard for the Law of Cause and Effect.

Seong Jin turned to Dharma, asking, “Master, what should we do now?”

[……]

“Master?”

Lost in thought, Dharma finally commanded Seong Jin.

[Even though there’s enough mana, the Four Great Spirit Deities are not resonating. Go check on each one.]

“Yes!”

Seong Jin hurried to one side of the altar, heading toward where the weapons for the Four Great Spirit Deities were lodged. As he followed Dharma’s instruction, he confirmed that the weapons weren’t resonating with the mana.

‘That’s strange. The ancient gods should be getting sucked in and trapped in the Four Great Spirit Deities…’

Just as Seong Jin cautiously examined the Four Great Spirit Deities, a sudden powerful gust blew!

“Uwaaaag!!”

A dark wind erupted unexpectedly, and Seong Jin was expelled from the altar. As he collected himself, he found he was in the midst of a fierce battle between Ho Wol and the Eight Parts of the Divine.

Kuakwaquang!

Bang!

“Come on, Priest!”

“Brother!”

“Stay alert and protect yourself. There’s no one left to shield you!”

“… Yes!”

When Seong Jin looked around, the three Eight Parts of the Divine had revealed themselves and were surrounding him and Ho Wol. Among them, a strange entity resembling a light person with no facial features spoke.

[I, the Celestial of the Eight Parts of the Divine, have seen many things in my life, but this situation is unbelievable. Are you truly human? To fight here against our true forms… Could it be you are an Apostle?]

Ho Wol burst into laughter.

“Kkhaha! What nonsense are you garbage beings spouting, giving up your humanity!”

Absolute Realm!

Great Dragon of the Reflecting Sun!

Boom!

Is it a mad dragon rampaging? Ho Wol’s dual palms exploded with tremendous energy, forming what looked like wings. The moment his hands came together, the dragon-shaped energy surged forward like a blast. The Celestial attempted to create a defensive barrier with his techniques, but Ho Wol twisted his hands, manipulating the dragon-like energy.

Great Dragon of the Reflecting Sun!

Secret Technique!

Thunder Light Slash!

Suddenly intensifying its cutting power, the thunder slash pierced through the Celestial’s barrier like paper, sending him tumbling back while the nearby Mahuraga and Gin Nara were also injured.

[Kraah.]

[Ugh!]

Gogogogog

‘I’d known Brother possessed the Absolute Realm, but was he this powerful?!’

Could that be truly the Apostle’s Power?

Ho Wol, already strong, was now amplifying his power several-fold through an unknown unification force. In truth, Seong Jin didn’t even understand how Ho Wol was activating his power. What was obvious was that no matter how skilled one was in the Absolute Realm, one couldn’t naturally wield power like Ho Wol’s.

With Ho Wol gaining the upper hand through the Great Dragon of the Reflecting Sun, he landed a powerful hit on Mahuraga. In an instant, multiple clones of Ho Wol appeared, and hundreds of fist shadows flew.

Eight Parts Clone!

Thunder Dragon Infinite Strike!

Bam!

[Kak…]

“Die! Die!”

Bam, Bam, Babbam!

[Stop…!]

As Mahuraga was being hammered by Ho Wol’s vicious strikes and teetering on the edge of consciousness, Ho Wol suddenly halted his attack and retreated at remarkable speed, his gaze locked onto a newly appeared swordsman. The swordsman’s overwhelming killing intent and intent area were keeping him in check.

Seeing the swordsman, the Celestial frantically yelled.

[You finally arrived, Asura!]

“Hmm.”

Ignoring the Celestial’s words, Asura crossed his arms and gazed at Ho Wol. Then he spoke.

“Peerless Master, was there such an absolute being in the Central Plains?”

“……”

“As the Celestial Supreme Martial Artist, I wish to engage you, but my Master’s command takes priority, so I’ll fight with all my strength.”

Bang!!

Having transformed into his true form with released mana, Asura summoned a weapon to his hand. With a stern voice, he said.

[Peerless Master, draw your True Weapon!]

“… Is it alright?”

Ho Wol subtly gripped the spear behind him, unleashing a radiant glow.

“When I wield a spear, I become ten times stronger!”

[Ha ha, that’s a good joke!]

Kugugugu

At that moment, light gathered at Asura’s forehead, and a divine light erupted, casting a spell.

Nirvana of the Absolute!

The blade of the Eight Parts of the Divine Asura emitted a brilliant light. From six arms, different ultimate techniques unleashed an overwhelming attack toward Ho Wol.

Even Ho Wol, though powerful, found it tough to face the Nirvana of the Absolute head-on; he stepped back, letting the strikes flow. As he created an opening, the other Eight Parts of the Divine unleashed their techniques and assaulted Ho Wol.

Seong Jin shouted.

“Brother! Watch out…”

[Not a chance!]

Boom!

‘No!’

As Seong Jin tried to use the cloud technique to protect Ho Wol, the Celestial simultaneously unfurled his own technique, nullifying Seong Jin’s approach in mid-air. It was the worst crisis for Ho Wol, and Seong Jin widened his eyes at that moment.

From Ho Wol’s eyes, a fierce light emanated. As six rays of the Nirvana of the Absolute began to engulf his body, he slowly extended the spear forward and thrust it.

Lan!

Pookwang!

[……!!]

Two of Asura’s arms were simultaneously severed, and the other members of the Eight Parts of the Divine stumbled back. The Nirvana of the Absolute vanished without a trace, leaving only Ho Wol standing, maintaining the basic stance of spear techniques. The muscular man, with a calm gaze, seemed to stand against intertwining demon beings only with his spear.

[……]

Asura silently observed his severed arms, then attempted to reattach them using telekinesis. However, when the severed ends caused no reaction, he simply discarded them.

[It doesn’t stick.]

[What? You Asura should also possess the regeneration granted by Master Changkhi…!]

The Celestial exclaimed in surprise, but Asura didn’t respond, instead glancing at Ho Wol.

[Hey, have you encountered that Martial God?]

Ho Wol chuckled.

“Who knows? You must not have met him.”

[Kekekek… Are you trying to provoke me? Very well.]

As Ho Wol taunted, Asura genuinely grew furious, a bloody light emitting from his eyes.

[Even if I perish, I will kill you today!]

“Why don’t you give it a shot.”

Swish!

This time it turned into a battle between the Eight Parts of the Divine and the Four Great Spirit Deities. Ho Wol also seemed to think he was at a disadvantage and sent a secret transmission to Seong Jin behind him.

[Priest, go back to our Master. I’ve got this covered.]

[But Brother! You can’t win alone against those demon kings. Plus, I was just accidentally blasted out of there…!]

[Master deliberately let you exit.]

[Huh…?]

Upon hearing the unexpected words, Seong Jin dazedly replied.

[No matter how powerful Changkhi is, the barrier of True Martial Home was created to fend off countless gods. The fact that minions of Changkhi can invade so openly signifies one thing.]

Seong Jin’s face stiffened at Ho Wol’s continued words.

[Hurry! Master is confronting that black mask alone and sent you out, but you need to help him…!!]

[Yes!!]

Ta-dat!

“Come on, bring it on, divine minions!!”

As Ho Wol unleashed a battle cry and engaged the Eight Parts of the Divine, Seong Jin slid out of the way and made his way back toward the altar. Unlike before, the barrier had grown thinner, almost like an abnormal phenomenon.

‘Please… please…!!’

And the moment Seong Jin arrived at the Altar of Heavenly Darkness, he witnessed an indescribable [darkness] staring face-to-face with his Master, Dharma.