A Modern Man Who Got Transmigrated Into the Murim World

Chapter 85

The shock was so great that Jie Gal-Woon’s voice cracked as he screamed.

“That doesn’t make any sense!”

Jie Gal-Woon was well aware of how difficult it was to break through the ranks and reach the seat of the highest position. It required an immense amount of training and boundless enlightenment.

The Six Gods of the Dharma had devoted more than a thousand years of extreme effort to attaining the highest seat, yet even these legendary warriors failed to reach it.

The Six Gods, who were both experiments and disciples of Dharma, were more powerful than the Three Gods, the legendary figures of the martial world.

These otherworldly warriors, who had reached the peak, still couldn’t achieve the level of the seat. Yet, the number of beings who had attained such a level was said to be ten times the number of all people in the world!

It was impossible for Jie Gal-Woon to accept such an unbelievable claim. Situations should at least be somewhat believable, but this was completely unrealistic.

“It’s the undeniable truth.”

To Jie Gal-Woon’s frustration, Zhou Hui remained completely calm and spoke with a steady expression.

If Zhou Hui, the cold and rational individual, spoke with such conviction and a serious tone, it was undoubtedly the truth.

But no matter how much Jie Gal-Woon trusted Zhou Hui, this was simply too much.

“Then isn’t this a fight we can never win from the start?”

In response to Nam Gung-Jang Ho’s serious question, Zhou Hui nodded with his usual calm expression.

“That could indeed be the case.”

“No!”

Jie Gal-Woon, who had been about to argue, fell silent. He knew all too well that the one who had accumulated countless lives and karma to ensure victory in this hopeless war was none other than Zhou Hui.

Just then, a sudden voice interrupted them.

*BEEP—*

The disk that Zhou Hui held in his arms suddenly emitted fluent Central Plains speech.

Zhou Hui’s companions were taken aback, their mouths agape in shock.

From their perspective, it was as if an inanimate object like a sword or a blade had suddenly started speaking, and that was enough to make anyone faint.

Zhou Hui gave a bitter smile and tried to calm his companions.

“It’s a Dharma treasure.”

Right. It was a Dharma treasure!

The Dharma treasures of the Divine Dao were imbued with unimaginable powers.

Zhou Hui’s companions, while groaning in disbelief, somehow accepted the situation.

Now, the only question was what the voice from the disk had said.

“Now that I think about it…”

Jie Gal-Woon’s mouth slowly dropped open.

He had learned through Zhou Hui’s bizarre memory transmission technique about Zhou Hui’s long history of waging wars against all the cosmic constellations to protect humanity.

The ‘Being Who Denies Existence’ had fought against all the other constellations, excluding himself.

But now, hearing this claim, it was no longer something that could be taken lightly. The truth behind the number of constellations was finally beginning to make sense.

It was something too unbelievable.

“You… How strong are you?”

This was not just a personal curiosity, but a question of great importance for the survival of Central Plains civilization, something that Zhou Hui’s companions needed to know.

The ancient principle of military strategy was to first assess your own strength before considering the strength of your enemy.

Zhou Hui, with a perplexed expression, finally muttered bitterly.

“I… have a special ability that no other constellations possess.”

The ability of ‘The Being Who Denies Existence’ was something that no other countless constellations in the universe could replicate.

His great power could rival that of the creators themselves, which was why he was called the God of Gods, the Seat of Seats, the Divine Seat.

Generally, the power of a Divine Seat would reflect their title.

“I am the one who denies everything. And that includes even the cosmic laws.”

“C-Cosmic laws?”

As Jie Gal-Woon swallowed nervously and asked again, Zhou Hui calmly looked up at the sky and spoke.

“The most absolute constant in the laws of the universe is space-time. Among them, I have an exceptional ability to negate time.”

To negate the absolute law of the universe—time?

Jie Gal-Woon couldn’t even begin to comprehend such a concept.

“What happens when you negate time?”

“Literally, I negate time.”

At that moment, an indescribable and mysterious energy emanated from Zhou Hui’s entire body.

“I can negate someone’s time.”

Jie Gal-Woon, with his sharp intellect, immediately shuddered at the implications of those words.

To negate *my* time?

For a person, time was everything—every memory, every experience, every accomplishment.

The realization of what it meant to be able to negate all of that was a terrifying concept.

“I’ll show you.”

Zhou Hui then walked over to Yeom Sang-Rok, who stood motionless, and extended his hand toward him.

In an instant, *pop*—

A faint sound, like the breeze, echoed as Yeom Sang-Rok literally vanished in an instant.

While everyone stood there stunned and confused, Zhou Hui regained control of the time-negating power he had just exercised.

Yeom Sang-Rok, still unaware of what had just happened, stared blankly at Zhou Hui.

“I just negated all of his time.”

“Huh…!”

“That’s… impossible!”

“Amitabha…!”

Zhou Hui’s companions—Moo Hwang, Man Bak-Ja, Woo Nae-Sam-Hyeop, and others—were all in utter disbelief, doubting their own eyes.

Negating someone’s time wasn’t just an abstract concept.

It meant negating even the physical passage of time, including the body’s time!

Just now, Yeom Sang-Rok’s time had been negated all the way back to before he even existed—before he was even a fetus.

“How could…!”

Negating someone’s time wasn’t just a matter of erasing them—it was the same as their complete obliteration!

Jang Il-Ryong was the first to voice what everyone else was thinking.

“Hehe! Does this mean no matter who the opponent is, as long as they stand before you, they’ll be dead?”

Zhou Hui shook his head.

“Not quite. The time I negate is only negated as long as my will remains. Once my will disappears, it will return to normal.”

“So, the source of that power is your divine power—or rather, your very existence?”

At Nam Gung-Jang Ho’s blunt question, Zhou Hui silently nodded.

“Then, theoretically, if your existence were to manifest infinitely, the opponent would essentially be obliterated?”

“That’s right.”

“Huh…”

At last, Nam Gung-Jang Ho fully realized that Zhou Hui was a ‘Divine Seat.’

He now understood why the great constellations of the universe feared Zhou Hui so much.

“Anyway, there’s no one in the universe who can face you directly.”

Zhou Hui did not deny this. It was true.

Countless cosmic seats had tried to attack him, but with the power to negate time, Zhou Hui had thoroughly destroyed them all.

“But my existence isn’t infinite. If all the constellations were to descend upon the Central Plains at once, I would have no way of dealing with them.”

“That’s enough. That should be sufficient.”

Finally, Jie Gal-Woon felt a sense of hope.

The person standing before him had fought a mad war against all the constellations in the universe. Moreover, the very power to ignore the laws of the universe had been demonstrated before him.

“If humanity awakens according to your plan, then it seems we might actually stand a chance?”

“The possibilities are much higher.”

Suddenly, Jang Il-Ryong voiced a question.

“Then, if we succeed in awakening, does that mean each of us can face off against those ignorant constellations?”

Zhou Hui shook his head.

“That’s not the case. Those who have just awakened, like Senior Woo Nae-Sam-Hyeop, are still no match for the constellations.”

Woo Nae-Sam-Hyeop’s face immediately hardened.

To think that even they, who had broken through natural limits and reached the realms beyond human capacity, were still no match for the constellations!

“Then we have no chance at all!”

“The key is the True Awakened Ones.”

“True Awakened Ones?”

Zhou Hui spoke with an even more serious tone.

“Among the True Awakened Ones, there were some who awakened superhuman abilities.”

“You must be referring to the time of the past annihilation,” Jie Gal-Woon said.

Zhou Hui silently nodded before continuing.

“There was one person, known as the *Burning White Flower*. He possessed the *Mind Fire* ability, which allowed him to simultaneously burn dozens of the Seats to nothing. Those caught in his pure white flames had no hope—everything, even their noble souls, was obliterated.”

“…What?”

The Seats, also known as immortals, were supposed to be impervious to death.

How could their souls be destroyed?

“Then there was the one called *New Ashura*. He wielded the *Blade of Devour*, a blade that absorbed all the existence of those it cut, reducing them to lower forms. The Seats hated and feared him more than anything, for his power was a humiliation worse than annihilation.”

Zhou Hui continued to recount countless heroes, their names, and their abilities—beings of unimaginable power that his companions could never have imagined.

“The reason I chose the Central Plains as the site to prevent the annihilation was because it is the era with the highest probability of the birth of a True Awakened One. And…”

After hearing Zhou Hui’s words, everyone understood that the outcome of the war humanity would face during the annihilation would depend entirely on the number of True Awakened Ones.

The era of the Central Plains, the martial world, was a time when True Awakened Ones were most likely to emerge.

This had been Zhou Hui’s decision after years of frustration and trial and error.

“If only we had around 100,000 True Awakened Ones on our side… We might have been able to prevent the annihilation at least once.”

At this point, his companions all wanted to confirm their own potential.

Nam Gung-Jang Ho silently walked over and picked up one of the Neuralink chips piled up like a mountain.

Without hesitation, he attached the chip to his forehead.

In that instant, a powerful force surged from the earth.

It was as though an ancient spirit of the earth had been waiting for this very moment, wrapping around his body.

Zhou Hui’s expression twisted with a mix of awe and excitement as he watched Nam Gung-Jang Ho.

“Could it be… Nam Gung is…”

All of Nam Gung-Jang Ho’s clothing vanished without a trace. His body began to transform into something monstrous, too large for any clothes to withstand.

Zhou Hui’s voice came out like a groan, confirming what was happening.

“True Awakened…!”

A giant figure with a massive physique.

Muscles bulging to an almost insane degree.

He looked like a giant from ancient legends.

Jang Il-Ryong stared in awe at the transformation, muttering almost hypnotically.

“Is… is that really Nam Gung?”

In an instant, Nam Gung-Jang Ho had transformed into something resembling a celestial being.

A divine protector who guards the gates of the heavens.

Zhou Hui nodded enthusiastically with both admiration and a sense of nostalgia.

“Truly amazing. Nam Gung is a Titan!”

“A Titan? What does that mean?” Nam Gung-Jang Ho asked, still absorbing the magnitude of the transformation.

Zhou Hui smiled proudly.

“In the Central Plains, we’d call it a *Giant God*. Nam Gung is the archetype of a combat-oriented True Awakened One. A versatile type that can exert immense power in any battlefield.”

Jie Gal-Woon stared up at Nam Gung-Jang Ho in disbelief, muttering almost to himself.

“What… what are we humans?”

Even though they had awakened through a catalyst, how could humans transform so quickly into a completely different kind of giant?

“We can’t say for sure. Only the creators would know. But what’s certain is that humans possess the most amazing talents, abilities, and potential in the universe. It’s almost as if the creators created us as a secret weapon to defeat the Seats.”

Just then, a booming roar echoed through the air, like a mountain’s cry.

The Giant began to perform the battle form of the *Chang Gong Wu Ai Sword*, a technique passed down through the Nam Gung family.

With a stern face, Nam Gung-Jang Ho checked his body, his eyes glowing like the stars in the sky.

Zhou Hui smiled contentedly.

To see a Titan using the royal sword techniques of the Nam Gung family! Truly, this was the martial world!

Zhou Hui gritted his teeth and stared at the heavens.

“This time, it’s going to be a real challenge.”

—

Everyone stood there, mouths agape, staring in awe at the colossal presence of Nam Gung-Jang Ho.

Despite his enormous size, he moved with the agility of a creature far lighter, executing the *Imperial Sword Style* with ease.

It was as if they were watching the giant race of ancient legends.

“Truly incredible!” someone gasped.

After completing the sword form demonstration, Nam Gung-Jang Ho exhaled heavily, his body trembling with excitement.

With each breath, steam poured from his nostrils.

An unimaginable force surged from deep within him, as though he could destroy anything at will.

It felt as if the world itself was too small for him.

If he stretched his arms wide, it seemed like he could destroy everything in the world.

Then, after equipping the *Dalmajin-Gyeong*, his senses expanded infinitely, and suddenly, a voice like that of a deity echoed in his mind.

His body responded as if it were awakening, and in that fleeting moment, he fully transformed into a giant.

In the midst of the overwhelming sense of power and the confusion that came with it, when Nam Gung-Jang Ho regained his composure…

“Wow, is this for real, Nam Gung?”

As he looked up at Zhou Hui, Nam Gung-Jang Ho’s face turned pale, and he immediately covered himself in embarrassment.

“Ugh…!”

What a crazy thing to do!

Had he been so caught up in inspecting his new body that he hadn’t realized he was exposing himself to everyone?

The sight of his monstrous size moving wildly had caused him to almost lose his mind.

“Nam Gung… I never knew you were *that* kind of man…” Jinhae said, her face red as a ripe persimmon.

“Wait, wait! That’s not what ‘kind of man’ means!” she added, trying to cover her embarrassment.

“Wow, this makes Sima Zhong look like a kid!” Bai Hua-Rin exclaimed.

Hearing this, Sima Zhong furiously shouted back.

“That’s cheating! I can’t accept it! Hey, Sword Master, go back to normal!”

As everyone laughed, Nam Gung-Jang Ho stomped his enormous foot and disappeared into the distant mountain.

Yeom Sang-Rok clenched his teeth, holding onto a *Dalmajin-Gyeong*.

“Then… do I too…?”

That damn Nangong guy had turned into a celestial god and there was no way he could lose now.

At that moment, Yeom Sangrok pressed the Neuralink chip to his forehead.

He too was experiencing an extraordinary sensation he had never felt in his life, as his abilities expanded infinitely.

After about half a breath, the overwhelming sense of omnipotence became unbearable, and he quickly activated his movement technique.

*Pah!*

He disappeared from sight like a flash, leaving his comrades staring in disbelief.

However, only Zhou Hui clicked his tongue in slight regret.

“He’s from the acceleration class.”

“Acceleration?”

What he had just done—moving like a streak of light—was something that couldn’t be explained by any known martial art technique in the Central Plains.

Not even the famous “Swift wind, cloud, dragon’s journey” (Speedy Wind Cloud Dragon Walk) could reach such a level.

“An acceleration-type ability user is fairly ordinary. He’s not a True Awakened one.”

In fact, Yeom Sangrok had more achievements in his combat techniques, particularly the “Shura Lightning Wind” (Asura Lightning Wind), than in other areas.

The Neuralink chip had maximized his potential and awakened his capabilities to the fullest.

*Pah!*

With a light sound of tearing air, Yeom Sangrok appeared again and muttered in disbelief while looking at his comrades.

“I’ve circled the whole way around!”

Zhang Yilong, his face full of curiosity, asked, “Where did you go?”

“I circled Po Yang Lake completely!”

“What!?”

The circumference of Po Yang Lake was so vast that it could rival the boundaries of a province. To have circled it in less than half a breath was impossible to explain.

It couldn’t be explained by any martial arts techniques in the Middle Kingdom.

Perhaps the legendary Taoist “Shortening method” (Earth Shrinking Method) could, but not this.

Everyone stared at Zhou Hui, not understanding why he would downplay such an extraordinary ability.

They now realized just how incredible a True Awakening (Authenticity) really was.

“Hehe, then I too…”

At that point, Jin Gahee, with a curious expression, began attempting her own awakening.

She had always shown exceptional abilities, and Zhou Hui’s comrades were watching her with anticipation.

In an instant, a strong, pungent scent of blood filled the air.

The eerie sound of something whistling through the air grew louder.

Soon, a blood-red mist began to swirl around her body, caressing and teasing her.

Zhou Hui’s eyes widened in surprise.

A power beyond comparison was emanating from her.

However, the form of her awakening was unlike anything Zhou Hui had ever encountered before.

Jin Gahee was still standing in the center of the thick, blood-red mist, confused.

“Who are you?!”

Just like Nangong Zhanghu, she was also being tormented by strange voices.

She was startled by the mysterious sounds coming from all directions.

Zhou Hui’s expression hardened further.

The presence she was exuding was growing unimaginably stronger.

At this level, it was comparable to beings like Chao Re Bai Hua (Scorching white flowers) or Shin Ah Shura (New Asura), who once terrified even immortals.

Zhou Hui rushed to Jin Gahee and shouted.

“What kind of sensation are you feeling right now?”

“Zhou Hui oppa? I can feel all the blood in the world!”

“Blood…?” Zhou Hui furrowed his brow in confusion.

“What does that mean? What can you do with that blood?!”

“Ugh, come on!”

Jin Gahee slowly began to rise into the air.

“Blood is the promise of life bestowed by the heavens! What other meaning could it have?”

“A… promise of life?”

Jin Gahee was feeling the life force of all living beings in the world, the flow of nature’s blood.

For a moment, Zhou Hui himself felt overwhelmed by the intensity of her presence.

As her presence soared to unimaginable heights, Zhou Hui quickly stepped back.

Her blood mist, like a mirage, spread outward and enveloped all her comrades.

“Ahhh!”

“What… what is this?!”

All the comrades were shocked and panicked, but Zhou Hui alone recognized the power and was horrified.

“Buffer?”

No, this was no mere buffer.

The blood flow was wildly pulsing.

Her heart was beating ferociously.

The moment the blood mist touched their bodies, an overwhelming vitality surged, healing them to their optimal state.

Even the scars from previous battles vanished without a trace.

It was as if they had been reborn, their skin as fresh as a newborn’s.

This kind of mass healing was something they had never experienced before, not even in any past reincarnation.

There was no doubt about it: Jin Gahee was a True Awakened one.

She was an incredible wide-area healer, boasting the highest efficiency on the battlefield!

True Awakened healers were extremely rare, and their rarity and value were unparalleled.

But a transformation that felt blood?

Zhou Hui couldn’t help but think, “It’s just like Jin Gahee.” However, he didn’t show it outwardly.

“A True Awakened healer—this will be a huge asset for our side.”

“I think so too, oppa! I feel like I can heal everyone, like, all of them!”

Jin Gahee, still surrounded by the blood-red mist, was exuding a passionate energy that made Zhou Hui feel strangely amused.

“How many people do you think you can heal at the same time?”

“I don’t think the number matters. Hmm…”

Jin Gahee closed her eyes for a moment, contemplating, and then answered with a confident look in her eyes.

“As long as they are within my line of sight, I can heal everyone.”

“Line of sight? Everyone?”

“Yep!”

“Ho…!”

She could indiscriminately heal all allies within her line of sight!

This was no ordinary ability; it was an overpowered skill.

From now on, her presence on the battlefield would be something they had to account for before anything else.

Zhou Hui’s comrades, who had been listening carefully to the conversation between him and Jin Gahee, were trembling with awe.

In military tactics, the loss of soldiers was an inevitable and painful part of the strategy.

But if Jin Gahee’s awakening ability was indeed true, it would eliminate this dilemma instantly.

Healing all allies within her sight—it sounded impossible, but the surge of vitality emanating from her was undeniable.

Zhou Hui, like the others, couldn’t help but accept the reality of her power.

“I’ll test it too!”

“Me too!”

As Jin Gahee and Nangong Zhanghu evolved into such extraordinary beings, the remaining comrades hurriedly grabbed their Neuralink chips and began their own awakenings.

However, unlike the incredible evolutions of Nangong Zhanghu and Jin Gahee, the awakenings of the others were unimpressive.

Kang Biwoo and Sima Zhong’s abilities merely saw an increase in their martial skills, similar to the basic level of the “Three Heroes of Wuan” technique.

The only notable awakening was Baek Hwa-rin.

However, her evolved ability was a shape-shifter. The problem was, such a transformation wasn’t particularly useful on the battlefield.

“……”

Baek Hwa-rin, now a pure white cat, flicked her tail in delight.

“So cute!”

Jin Gahee, unable to resist the cuteness, moved to hug her, but the white cat (Baekmyo) hissed and scratched Jin Gahee with its tiny paw.

*Meow!*

“Ouch!”

Zhou Hui chuckled as he glanced back and forth between Zhang Yilong and Zhou Geun.

Now, only the two of them remained.

“Aren’t you two going to try?”

“We, we should.”

“Y-Yes, we will!”

With awkward movements, Zhou Geun and Zhang Yilong picked up the Neuralink chips.

Why was it that their instincts were screaming warnings, and a chill was creeping up on them?

The feeling was so unsettling, it was almost terrifying.

Eventually, Zhou Geun squeezed his eyes shut and pressed the Neuralink chip to his forehead.

With a strange thudding sensation, his senses began to expand.

“Aah! Ah! This… this is!”

Zhou Geun exhaled with excitement, but contrary to his expectations, the reality was harsh.

“What… what is this?”

His body felt smaller, fragile.

He felt an odd desire to be protected, an unfamiliar sensation.

Zhou Hui sighed and shook his head.

“You wanted to become a woman, didn’t you?”

“No, I didn’t!”

Occasionally, those who denied their true identity and longed for another gender would experience such a transformation as their awakening.

Of course, such a transformation was considered one of the most useless abilities.

“Tch… no wonder you’ve always spoken like a woman.”

“No, that’s not it!”

*Clink.*

The Neuralink chip in Zhang Yilong’s hand fell to the floor.

“I… I’m not doing it.”

* * *

There was a place called Urumqi on the route connecting the Central Plains to the outside world.

It was a bustling hub for the silk trade.

It was home to the people of Xinjiang and the lifeblood of the Celestial Horse Sect.

The streets were always crowded with merchants, and long lines of carts passed by in a seemingly endless procession. Yet, strangely, a thick silence had enveloped the area.

The *Fengma Order*.

It was an absolute command from the Celestial Horse Sect that banned all trade routes in and out of Urumqi. This had not happened in the hundreds of years since its inception.

Stopping the silk trade with the outside world, even for a single day, would result in tremendous losses.

In the bustling area, camels were exchanged and traded in the vast markets.

The last place where the Central Plains currency could be exchanged for the physical currency of the Western Regions, such as pure gold and silver, was Tongjinjeon (Communicate money).

Among the places hit hardest was the Liquefied Valley (Ryūsui Taniguchi), a merchant procession selling water.

If merchants traveling along the Silk Road were to stop consuming, the local residents would inevitably face devastating losses.

Moreover, the Celestial Horse Sect had also been affected by the halt of the tolls, which had once been a formality in the past, rendering the *Fengma Order*—an absolute decree—virtually meaningless.

However, such a decree was now being re-enforced after centuries, and the people of Urumqi had no choice but to watch the unfolding events in silence, gripped by confusion.

What could possibly be the reason for the Celestial Horse Sect, which had been struggling financially, to tighten its own neck with such a drastic order?

Sssss-

Amidst the tense atmosphere in the center of Urumqi, suddenly, ghostly figures emerged using a mysterious technique. These figures were none other than the top elites of the Celestial Horse Sect.

The Six Great Bishops, the Eight Left-Magicians, and even the terrifying Ma Lingzhu (Demon Lord) and his subordinates, the Black and White Double Demons, along with the infamous Ming Tian Magic Sword, appeared.

One by one, the Celestial Horse Sect’s supreme masters flaunted their divine status in the main street.

The merchants, witnessing their overwhelming demonic aura, were horrified, feeling as if they might suffocate from the sheer fear.

The appearance of just one of these high-ranking figures would be enough to cause an uproar across Urumqi, but now all these powerful beings appeared together. The merchants couldn’t believe their eyes.

But the surprise didn’t end there.

With a thick black cloud and an abyssal aura of dark magic, a supreme demonic figure appeared.

As soon as he appeared, all the top figures of the Celestial Horse Sect lowered their bodies and knelt in reverence.

“Master, Master of the Sect?”

“Ah, Am Cheon…!”

The merchants’ eyes filled with intense fear as they realized who had arrived.

He was none other than Am Cheonma, the leader of the Celestial Horse Sect, who hadn’t formally ascended to the throne of the Celestial Horse but had in practice already begun to wield the sect’s full authority.

– *Shin Gyo Cheon Ha, Man Ma Ang Bok!*

The voices of the high-ranking members, paying homage to him, made it clear that he had truly ascended to the rank of the Celestial Horse.

Am Cheonma, with a calm and composed face, looked at each of the top figures before speaking in a low voice.

“Execute it.”

– *Zon Myeong (Respect Command)!*

At the command, dozens of demonic figures scattered in all directions like shells, their black robes fluttering.

At that moment, one of the kneeling top figures, Old Ma Du, suddenly rose and blocked Am Cheonma.

“Please reconsider, Master of the Sect!”

Old Ma Du, a grizzled and stern figure, was one of the few dignified members of the Celestial Horse Sect.

“Are you defying the sect leader’s orders?”

“No, that’s not it…”

“Then I will kill you and your entire family, making an example of you to the sect.”

“Master!”

Old Ma Du’s long gray beard trembled as if he were shaking like a leaf in the wind.

He had been a respected elder in the Celestial Horse Sect long before Am Cheonma rose to the position of leader. He believed that no matter how powerful Am Cheonma had become, he, as an elder, should not be looked down upon.

But for him to threaten the death of both himself and his descendants for merely asking the leader to reconsider the command?

This would spark rebellion among the elders of the Demon’s House (Housekeeper).

The highest-ranking Left-Magician among the Bishops, Hon Ma Zuo, cautiously rose and approached Am Cheonma.

“This incident might jeopardize the very survival of the sect.”

“Survival? Did you just say survival?”

Am Cheonma found it laughable.

The fact that the Celestial Maiden had publicly designated the descendant of the Sword Saint as the Celestial Horse had already shaken the entire sect, and now the very authority of the Celestial Maiden, which had been absolute for the past thousand years, was crumbling like a sandcastle.

And now, here they were, discussing the survival of the sect?

In Am Cheonma’s eyes, the Six Great Bishops and Eight Left-Magicians of the Celestial Horse Sect were nothing more than stagnant, rotting water, just like the Celestial Maiden herself.

If it weren’t for the substantial power and influence they had built over the last thousand years, he would have eradicated them long ago.

“Master, how can you serve any other deity? According to the teachings of our sect, only the Celestial Horse can be worshiped. Please do not follow such unholy beings any longer.”

“Shut up!”

As soon as Am Cheonma’s body emitted an unimaginable, terrifying dark energy, the air around him crackled with intense power.

“Grrr!”

“Ugh!”

The Left-Magicians were vomiting mouthfuls of crimson blood, as if their hearts were being split in agony.

The Elder Left-Magician, Mingzon Zuo-sa, gritted his teeth, trying to maintain his composure.

The infinite demonic power emanating from Am Cheonma was enough to send chills down even the spines of the top-ranking members of the sect.

However, that power was not the Celestial Horse’s, nor the sect’s strength.

It was the perverse power he had gained after abandoning the traditions of the Celestial Horse Sect and began to worship an unknown entity.

His strength exuded an otherworldly aura that no human could possibly wield.

“The sacredness of our sect has already been defiled by the Celestial Maiden! Now, we shall return to the original law of our faith!”

The origin of the Celestial Horse Sect, the law that had been passed down since the dawn of time.

Am Cheonma was invoking the first law of the Celestial Horse Sect—the law that revered the essence of demons and absolute power.

But no matter how ancient this first law was, it could never take precedence over the core doctrine of the sect: the worship of the Celestial Horse.

“Has that being ever shown us their divine nature, even once? As for us, we cannot yet accept their divinity.”

“That being has told us that many sacrifices are needed to reclaim the divinity!”

As they watched Am Cheonma, now consumed by madness, shout and rave, the Left-Magicians were filled with a cold, detached energy.

The Am Cheonma they once knew was no longer the sect leader, nor a follower of the Celestial Horse.

The Am Cheonma who had once emerged from his retreat, claiming to be possessed by the voice of a new god, was now viewed as a heretic by the faithful.

According to the traditional doctrine of the Celestial Horse Sect, no other divine being could exist besides the Celestial Horse. For the sect leader, who was supposed to be the embodiment of the Celestial Horse, to become a follower of another god?

This was an issue that the sect’s followers, who had long awaited a true Celestial Horse, could never accept.

“Then why must the people of Urumqi be the sacrifices?”

“At least they are not the followers of our faith!”

“Hmm…!”

The people of Urumqi were, after all, Celestial Horse believers.

If they had no reverence for the Celestial Horse, how could they have respected the Fengma Order so completely?

If they saw the people of Urumqi, who lived outside the city walls, as mere sacrifices, then Am Cheonma was no longer fit to be called the leader of the Celestial Horse Sect.

“Then, beyond doctrine, what good does our faith bring? If we slaughter all the people and offer them as sacrifices, Urumqi, the intermediary for trade, will cease to exist. The very financial roots of our sect will vanish.”

Am Cheonma sneered.

“Do you think the fate of our sect depends on a small place like Urumqi? It is people like you—weaklings—that have caused our sect’s decline!”

At that moment.

Kraaaack!

One merchant, trembling in fear as he watched the scene, was split open from the top of his head with an unthinkable force.

Whoooosh!

This marked the beginning as the Celestial Horse Sect’s direct demonic force, the True Demon Shura Team (True Demon Shura Team), surged like a tide, descending upon the merchants.

Wherever they passed, only flesh and blood were left behind.

The merchants, thrown into confusion by the sudden carnage, fled in panic, but could they escape? The True Demon Shura Team was known as the strongest military force of the Celestial Horse Sect.

“Ahhh!”

“Please, have mercy…! Krahhh!”

As Am Cheonma watched the ruthless slaughter, he trembled with ecstasy.

Since he had begun to accept the power of ‘That One,’ he could now see the souls of the people who had been killed by the True Demon Shura Team.

Their souls ascended like smoke, soaring toward the heavens.

Soon, countless souls began to merge together.

Then, suddenly—

Sssssss!

The sky itself ripped open horizontally, and like a predator, it began to devour the souls greedily.

Am Cheonma was shocked.

So it was true, as ‘That One’ had said.

Was this the “Harvesting Rift”?

If this gap could be filled with souls, as ‘That One’ had told him, they would descend and assist him in his quest.

Now, the dream of conquering the Central Plains and establishing a true Celestial Horse Sect was no longer a fantasy.

Aaaahhh!

Kraaack!

All the top-ranking members of the sect, including the Six Great Bishops and Eight Left-Magicians, watched the scene of horrific slaughter with heavy hearts.

They, too, were notorious for their cruelty and ruthlessness. But to witness the destruction of Urumqi, the very foundation of the Celestial Horse Sect, was a tragedy beyond words.

No more merchants would pass through Urumqi now.

The Celestial Horse Sect had truly reached its end.

At that moment, Mingzon Zuo-sa, who had been biting his lips so hard they bled, charged toward Am Cheonma with his own body.

“This is madness!”

Perhaps they had communicated telepathically.

The other Left-Magicians exchanged glances and, in unison, drew their personal weapons and charged toward Am Cheonma.

It was a rebellion.

“Kha ha ha ha!”

Am Cheonma, with a look of contempt, easily repelled their attacks with just his left hand, using the demonic energy he had summoned, causing the kneeling figures to look up in shock.

Who were the Eight Left-Magicians?

They were the supreme leaders of the Eight Great Demon Families, the very foundation of the Celestial Horse Sect.

Any one of them, if they entered the Central Plains, could easily become the ruler of an entire region — these were the most powerful demons!

No matter how strong Am Cheonma was, he could never repel their attacks with sheer force alone.

The high-ranking members of the sect, who had long sensed that his demonic energy had mutated into something strange and sinister, were utterly bewildered.

Then, at that moment.

*Puff!*

All the top-ranking members froze in shock.

Am Cheonma, who had been smiling arrogantly and preparing to strike, suddenly had his head explode.

“W-What is happening?”

The Left-Magicians looked at each other, trying to determine who had launched the attack, but no one had an answer.

“Wh-What was that?”

“How could this happen?!”

Where Am Cheonma’s head had once been, a *gap* began to tear horizontally across the air.

Soon, the gap began to widen, like a mouth opening.

—Hello? Human species.