Chapter 699

Chapter Title: Dark Heaven Village

The moment they charged at Zhurong, the Three Deva Commanders of the Eight Divisions Heavenly Beings were swept not by passion, but by worry instead of excitement.

Was this truly the right choice?

However, the deep bonds forged among the Eight Divisions over countless ages did not allow them to simply turn tail and flee from this place. Even if victory seemed unlikely, there was a faint hope that Zhurong had not manifested with a proper karmic law.

'We'll drag this out into a prolonged battle.'

Scattering and fleeing would only heighten the risk of total annihilation anyway. Better to pool the power of the Devas to buy time and force Zhurong to exhaust his karmic law.

Garuda roared upon witnessing the Gandharva being devoured so gruesomely.

[How dare you!! Eat this!!]

Kuoooo

Garuda drew in a massive breath, his chest swelling to twice its size, and in the next instant, a pillar of light erupted from his maw.

Divine Flame!

[Oooo...!! Not bad.]

Zhurong could not ignore Garuda's true form Divine Flame, summoning a blue barrier with his own hand. The blue barrier clashed against the Divine Flame pillar, unleashing a colossal explosion as the flash spread infinitely. A thirty-li radius was engulfed in a blaze, scorching the ground deep into the earth.

Ku-kwang!

A mushroom cloud bloomed into the skies above the Divine Capital, heralding the catastrophe on the surface. Amid the shockwave that obliterated everything, Garuda spotted a blue flame streaking through the dust cloud.

'This is nothing!'

Kwang!!

Garuda unleashed another Divine Flame from his mouth, colliding with the blue fire. But strangely, unlike before, it did not cancel out; the flame writhed like a serpent, coiling around Garuda's body.

Shiiishishik!

[Kraaah.]

Garuda screamed, spewing Divine Flame from his entire body, but the blue flame had already lacerated him like a thorny whip. As Garuda staggered, bleeding profusely, Zhurong's boisterous laughter echoed through the field.

[Good, it's decided. Garuda, I'll spare you and make you my pet.]

[Kraaa!! Don't get cocky.]

Diriring

Garuda roared and lunged, but the Mahoraga's melody soothed him. Garuda flinched to a halt, and the Mahoraga quietly addressed him.

[Garuda. Only your Divine Flame can harm Zhurong. We must support you for even the slightest chance of victory.]

[Ugh.]

[If you fall, we have no hope. We'll end up devoured by Zhurong like the Gandharva. Stay calm.]

[Understood.]

Soon, the three of the Eight Divisions formed up, carefully regulating their breaths, causing Zhurong to furrow his brow. Even if the Eight Divisions were weaker than him, facing them in full defensive formation made them not so easy to dispatch.

The Deva Commander spoke.

[Zhurong. What desire brought you to the mortal realm?]

[You crave to see your master's face, don't you?]

Zhurong narrowed his eyes and continued.

[Killing you all one by one should draw him out...?]

A chilling killing intent permeated the air.

The Deva replied calmly.

[How long can a summoning fueled by a single human sorcerer last? You should worry about your own future.]

[Kekeke. Such presumptuous concern.]

Zhurong chuckled heartily, then suddenly thrust both hands toward the sky.

[Lord Zhuanxu. Lend me your power.]

Paaat!!

A light from the Myriad Ghosts Hall pierced the black cross in the void, shining down upon Zhurong. At that moment, the Eight Divisions sensed almost simultaneously that Zhurong's karmic law had greatly increased. Possessing divine power in their true forms, they could detect it.

[.....!!]

[The karmic law limit!]

The Eight Divisions were stunned. Zhurong said.

[Emperor Zhuanxu takes great interest in this matter. Especially from the moment that fool mentioned the Seven Desires, he agreed to bear some loss and allocate more karmic law.]

[Ugh... Impossible.]

[Now, speak.]

Zhurong said magnanimously.

[Hand over the Seven Desires if you have it, or tell me its location.]

[And if we refuse?]

[Kekeke...]

Zhurong merely smiled coldly. It was as good as implying a gruesome fate regardless. Recalling the Gandharva devoured moments ago, the Eight Divisions felt their hearts grow heavy, yet they did not falter.

The Deva cried out.

[Don't underestimate us!!]

He seemed determined to fight, whether to live or die. Victory was slim, and agony at Zhurong's hands likely, but it mattered not.

Ku-kwang

Moments later, the clash between the Eight Divisions and Zhurong ignited the Divine Capital. The Deva chanted spells as the Mahoraga supported with melodies, and Garuda assaulted Zhurong. Zhurong deflected their attacks with consistent leisure, but as the intensity escalated, he began to show strain.

[Ugh...]

Had he underestimated them?

Zhurong realized Garuda's offensive power exceeded his expectations. It seemed the torrent of emotions amplified his strength, sending far fiercer flames than before. As a flame giant, he could withstand direct Divine Flame hits without grave injury, but his pride was evidently wounded.

Zhurong's eyes gleamed.

[Don't get cheeky. I know all your weaknesses.]

Zuooo

From his mouth flowed an ancient incantation, a primordial curse no human tongue or scripture could utter. Simultaneously, immense demonic power surged from his body, consumed in a frenzy.

[No!]

[Block it.]

Spotting the spellcasting, the Eight Divisions surged their joint assault in alarm, but it was too late. As the curse resounded, bizarre characters numbering in the millions floated into the air, enveloping them, and the Eight Divisions staggered in unison.

[Kugh...]

[Ughhh.]

The Mahoraga, mentally shaken, fumbled and dropped his instrument; Garuda bowed his head in agony. Even the Deva stiffened, halting his incantation. With the Eight Divisions crumbling in an instant, Zhurong roared with laughter.

[Kahahahaha!! Praise Emperor Xuanyuan the Yellow Lord.]

[Damn it... Even the first script... If we'd stuck together...]

The Deva muttered bitterly, but the situation was already ruined.

A single curse had halved their strength; they no longer had the power to overcome Zhurong. Knowing this best, he did not rush, flashing a sly grin.

[The Myriad Ghosts Hall was dreadfully dull, but this is entertaining for once.]

Zhurong swung the whip wreathed in blue flame.

[Let's enjoy it.]

Zhuge watched the battle between the Eight Divisions and Zhurong through his familiars, pondering.

'The first script.'

The world's inaugural script, created by Cangjie.

The script Huangdi Xuanyuan ordered as proof of 'promises.'

Baek Woong's past life experiences had already revealed it as the Eight Divisions' weakness. Yet, offered directly to Huangdi Xuanyuan upon creation, even the great races could not collect it. Thus, they could only clash with raw power.

But Zhurong knew the first script.

That was why, despite the power gap between him and the Incarnation of the Flame King being narrow, Zhurong overwhelmingly suppressed the Eight Divisions.

'As expected.'

Zhuge had surmised this when Zhurong was recommended in the Myriad Ghosts Hall as the subjugator of the Eight Divisions. No matter his status as second-in-command, his composure against eight demon-lord class beings was too relaxed. By power balance, even as mighty Ryoga Zhurong, he should have been tense under karmic constraints.

Thus, Zhuge formed one hypothesis.

Zhurong knew the Eight Divisions' greatest weakness: the first script.

That was why Zhuanxu hesitated not to send only Zhurong, confident he could crush them all. No hard proof, but the circumstances sufficed.

Yet borrowing the summoning ritual, Zhuge had no intent to rout the Eight Divisions outright. It brought no gain to Baek Woong's group anyway. And upon meeting the White Lotus Leader and Twelve Laws in the main base, confirming their utter lack of trust, he orchestrated mutual destruction.

The mutual destruction ploy stood on the premise that Zhurong alone could smash the Eight Divisions. Baek Woong's group drew Cangjie's attention too; dismantling the White Lotus Twelve Laws wouldn't earn the Eight Divisions' mercy. They had to fall regardless.

Had Zhuanxu not committed fully in the Myriad Ghosts Hall, Zhuge might have allied wholly with the Twelve Laws White Lotus. But with ample power pledged, he betrayed them without hesitation for his own gain.

But one question lingered.

Why did Zhurong know the first script?

Offered directly to the Emperor by Cangjie?

Only the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors should know it. Zhurong, a deputy deity, did not rank among them. Had one of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors taught it to him?

Strong suspicion pointed to Zhuanxu, yet even that was uncertain. As secrets of the Divine Era—tied to Chi You and the giants—complex ancient history obscured the truth.

"......"

No state to ask him now. Amid mental calculations, Zhuge maneuvered familiars to survey the terrain meticulously. Spotting a black-haired youth standing, he sighed in relief.

"Impressive skills. Unscathed in that chaos?"

Jin So-cheong, who followed under guise of escorting Zhuge, stood unharmed. Amid titanic clashes, he had protected himself. Zhuge wondered if Jin So-cheong had grown stronger. Even Absolute Realm was remarkable, but unscathed through dozens of divine power blasts was odd.

'That guy's talent isn't even human.'

Zhuge, acclaimed genius who witnessed many prodigies and masters, deemed Jin So-cheong peerless, overflowing with talent. Especially his absurd gift of enlightenment mid-battle—never seen in anyone else.

In that instant, something clicked for Zhuge.

Resolve burned fiercely in Jin So-cheong's eyes.

Could Jin So-cheong be...

His true purpose.

"No way."

But instinct proved true; moments later, Zhuge poured power into his unseen eyes and shot to his feet. Though inaudible to Jin So-cheong, he bellowed.

"Jin So-cheong!! Where are you going!"

He did not hear.

Through the familiar's gaze, only the back of a black-haired man gripping a spear, approaching the titans.

"Stop right now!! Come back!! Damn it all!"

For the first time since enacting the plan, Zhuge faced an unpredictable variable, thrown into one of his life's greatest panics. Always cool-headed beneath feigned surprise, even he lost composure now. An utterly unprecedented event.

Soon, trudging footsteps halted before the familiar as Jin So-cheong addressed it.

"I've found the clue. And now is the chance... I must grow stronger."

Familiars could not convey intent.

Possible if Zhuge's demonic power brimmed, but in his depleted state, with scant soul-binding chances left, impossible. Zhuge sat dumbly in hiding, hearing Jin So-cheong's words.

"See you if we survive."

With a whoosh, Jin So-cheong activated Thunder God Earth Soul, streaking away. The light trail headed straight for the battlefield where Demon God Zhurong and the Eight Divisions clashed.

Thud

Zhuge felt mental focus shatter, familiar's vision cut.

Intense phantom pain had threatened to split his skull, yet he'd maintained sight; the shock broke it. In pitch darkness, gasping, Zhuge muttered.

"You... bastard... That works? You think that'll work?"

Zhuge gnashed his teeth.

"Crazy fool!! Come back now."

Indeed.

Jin So-cheong's true reason for following Zhuge was not guarding the summoning ritual.

Enlightenment amid life-or-death struggle!

He chose the Warrior God's path: advancing Absolute Realm enlightenment in a hellish, dire battlefield where he could truly stake his life.