It didn't take long for the clear sky to be completely engulfed by black clouds of unknown origin.
Boom
Even the hardened veterans of the Demonic Cult couldn't help but stare at the sky in astonishment.
Despite Beijing's notoriety as a demonic realm, such a phenomenon was unheard of.
"…What is that?"
Ya Yulhwan, the Heavenly Horse Immortal, also gazed at the sky with a grim expression, interrupting his preparations for the ritual.
Manipulating weather on this scale wasn't something easily achieved. To bring about such a drastic change so rapidly…
He mentally reviewed the possible culprits.
Only one remained.
Hadn't he heard of a similar phenomenon recently? He had dismissed it as an exaggeration, having only heard of it and not witnessed it firsthand…
"The Demon King."
The self-proclaimed Demon King who had not only slain the Heavenly Horse and seized the Demonic Cult's headquarters but had also completely absorbed its remaining power base.
The appearance of this unexpected variable heightened his vigilance, sharpening his senses.
'…This isn't just a magically induced phenomenon. This dense demonic energy is coercing even natural phenomena. How can such pure demonic energy exist in this world?'
Sensing the thick energy within the dark clouds, his alarm bells rang. It wasn't just ordinary demonic energy; it was closer to the essence of death itself, a power that belonged in the depths of hell.
Yet, it was here, in broad daylight.
Rumble
Ya Yulhwan had no time to formulate a countermeasure. His specially established communication link with his subordinates outside Beijing began to sever, his eyebrows twitching.
"Huh, a formation…? No, wait. Did he use those clouds to construct a formation in the sky?"
A spatial disruption caused by artificial means.
Those trapped beneath the black clouds could neither call for outside help nor leave without the caster's permission.
He gasped at the sheer scale of this mystical display.
["Indeed, you have a discerning eye."]
As if responding to his murmur, a strange voice echoed throughout the space.
["Kuh-huhu— I never expected to find you all gathered here."]
A chilling laughter, as if rising from the depths of hell.
The gazes of those looking skyward were forcibly drawn to a single point in the air.
They had no choice.
A chill ran down their spines.
When had he arrived?
Beneath the cloud-covered sky, an absolute being floated serenely, looking down upon them with arrogance.
"······!"
"…Hmm."
Sensing the overwhelming presence exuding a different density of space, they involuntarily stepped back. Even these demonic cultivators, hardened by hellish training and subjected to various procedures to suppress fear, weren't immune. Their bodies stiffened, cold sweat trickled down their backs, and goosebumps erupted across their skin.
This wasn't just a sense of mortal danger; it was a primal fear, a response to an unknown threat that resonated within their very souls.
["Now then."]
In the chilling silence, the being spoke again, its tone laced with amusement.
["Entertain me, you insignificant insects."]
The Demon King from another world and the last remnants of the Demonic Cult had finally met.
There's a common portrayal of final bosses in fiction. They possess overwhelming charisma, exude an aura of authority, rarely move themselves, and delegate most tasks to their subordinates.
'It wouldn't be fitting for a boss with competent subordinates to handle everything personally. It's inefficient, too.'
And that was precisely Hans's current approach.
"Demon Sealing Formation, activate!"
[Graaaah—!]
"Kuh, what is that?! What sorcery is this?!"
[Kill! Only death awaits those who defy the king!]
"What the…! Not only is it using its living martial skills, but it's also retaining its ego?"
[Kill! Kill!]
A large-scale battle erupted in the uninhabited demonic realm.
Demons clashed with undead, jiangshi against jiangshi.
Amidst this chaos, Hans remained aloof, arms crossed, observing the situation with a casual nod.
'I'm not quite there yet. It feels close, but…'
Immortal King Hans was unique among his avatars. His combat prowess was already among the highest, but his true strength lay beyond individual combat ability: the vast undead army under his command.
It wasn't just a large number; it was a tremendous force that included even those who had reached the pinnacle of their respective dimensions, even Transcendent beings. This was his true power.
The previous Immortal Kings had been able to challenge the continent thanks to this ability.
'Of course, unlike Auterica, which inherited the legacy of its predecessors, the undead I can command in Ganghwangye is limited…'
But that was no longer the case.
The Demonic Cult, the largest, strongest, and most notorious faction in Ganghwangye.
By absorbing their entire force, which had grown even larger after absorbing the Blood Cult, renowned for its jiangshi techniques, he had more than compensated for his previous limitations.
"Kuh, they're breaking through! Deploy more jiangshi!"
"Impossible! Our cult's jiangshi techniques are the best in the world! With the same materials, we shouldn't be losing… Why, why is there such a difference?!"
"Wait, isn't that a yokai jiangshi created by our cult? It was made with the same process, but what is this disparity?!"
The Demonic Sect's sorcerers, who prided themselves on being the best, were screaming and tearing at their hair, clearly shocked.
They couldn't help it.
Jiangshi that looked similar at a glance clashed, but each time, only the jiangshi they controlled were being one-sidedly destroyed.
'I'm afraid they're not the same.'
To be precise, the materials were the same. The jiangshi he commanded were mostly from the Blossom Palace's stockpile in the main base of the Demonic Cult, which he had plundered.
The difference lay in the additional processing.
'If I could use Auterica's magic reagents, they'd be even more powerful, but it's not a big deal. I have the power of the Abyss, which is practically panacea for the undead.'
The reagent process wasn't suitable for mass modification anyway.
He infused the jiangshi with the power of the Abyss, which he now wielded with ease, and used it as a medium to enhance them with necromancy.
That was the secret behind the current situation.
'And… I've gained a new ability in the process.'
-Name: Hans
-Race: Undead (Immortal King)
-Common Traits: 「Mind Hub」, 「Persona」, 「Superhuman Strength」, 「Hypersensitivity」, 「Xenoglossy」, 「Sturdiness」, 「Limit Break」, 「Mimicry」
-Individual Traits: 「Undying Heart」, 「Unholy Sage」, 「Forbidden Truth」, 「Path of Magic」, 「Eyes of the Abyss」, 「Mana Dominance」, 「Lord of Heaven's Defiance」
-Special Notes: Inherited the "Undying Heart" imbued with the essence of the Abyss, becoming the Immortal King, a calamity of Auterica. Has begun to awaken divinity, with faint signs of godhood emerging. 「Lord of Heaven's Defiance」 mitigates all restrictions on undead.
「Lord of Heaven's Defiance」 was the ability he gained after researching the corpses of the Heavenly Horse and the Scribe, and subsequently delving into jiangshi creation.
This skill, instrumental in completing the Karma Jiangshi and modifying the Blossom Palace's jiangshi, granted his undead subordinates increased resistance to holy power, their usual weakness.
'…And perhaps, later, I can bypass dimensional barriers and transfer undead from other worlds.'
Whether the acquisition condition was gaining divinity as an undead, mastering the other world's undead creation method, or both, it didn't matter now.
"Oh? It's finally working."
Thanks to the skill mitigating 'all' restrictions, he could now do this.
"Huh? Wha—! Gaaaah—!"
"What?! Why is our jiangshi suddenly…!"
"That fool lost control! Everyone, stay alert! Use the Soul Suppression Talisman if necessary! We'll lose all our jiangshi at this rate!"
Chaos erupted in the Demonic Heavenly Horse Cult's ranks.
A group of jiangshi suddenly rebelled, tearing apart the sorcerers who had been controlling them.
But it was short-lived.
The sorcerers deployed talismans, unleashing black flames that disrupted Hans's jiangshi hacking.
'A consumable that temporarily strengthens control. Well, fine. Increased difficulty means faster skill proficiency gain. Let's see how long you can last.'
The cult's capabilities had already exceeded his expectations. This was Beijing, a demonic realm. Once a blessed land, the heart of the world where the Dragon Heart resided, it was now a cursed land, a black hole draining the world's energy.
"Hmm, but they don't seem affected by it at all."
He didn't use internal energy, so it didn't matter to him, but they were beings of this world.
Using 「Eyes of the Abyss」 to observe their energy, Hans quickly understood.
'…I see. This is also an effect of sacrificing the Dragon Children. I recall hearing that the cultivators opposing the cult at the Shaolin Temple also experienced internal energy fluctuations.'
This seemed to be an extension of that effect.
Narrowing his eyes, he scanned his surroundings with his enhanced senses.
'Found them. Zhuge Huimei and Zhu Gangin are both safe. And others too… a total of seven? They gathered quite a few.'
Since he needed to find the Dragon Children anyway, this saved him the trouble.
Having located his targets, he shifted his gaze. To where the powerful figures of this place were gathered. The one-eyed old man he had encountered at the Shaolin Temple, the One-Eyed Demon Sword, and the other masters dispatched outside the cult's headquarters were all here. Along with the high-grade jiangshi that had been deployed.
'That's… I see. That's the jiangshi the Blossom Palace Lord created using the Blood Demon? There seem to be five or six Transformation Realm level jiangshi. Just how long have they been preparing for this?'
This was a world of constant conflict, where death was commonplace.
Masters who would have lived long lives in peaceful times perished frequently in battles.
Acquiring high-grade corpses wouldn't have been difficult.
'And that's the Heavenly Horse Immortal, Ya Yulhwan.'
Hans's gaze settled on the old man staring back at him with a hardened expression. He had the appearance of an immortal, with a long, flowing white beard.
However, the power emanating from him was not to be underestimated. The sheer quantity of energy felt greater than even the Heavenly Demon.
Even considering that he was a sorcerer, not a martial artist, it was excessive.
"I see. You're not human."
Hans easily discerned the reason. Yayul Huan's lips twitched at his arrogant declaration.
"Hahaha, the same could be said for you. You're not human either, are you? No, you're even less so. You don't even seem alive."
The old man's pupils turned a vibrant yellow, slitting vertically and gleaming with an eerie light. Hans tilted his head, surprised that his carefully crafted disguise, which even the Heavenly Demon had struggled to see through, was instantly recognized.
"Hmm? Are you a dragon? Why is a dragon with the Demonic Cult instead of the Golden Island?"
"I could ask you the same. You seem to be from another world. Why are you here? This world is crumbling. There's nothing for you to gain."
They continued their exchange, questions met with more questions, never answering each other.
Hans frowned. It was natural for enemies to avoid answering each other's questions. This conversation was perfectly normal.
He understood that.
However…
'…This is annoying.'
He often appeared relaxed due to his overwhelming power, but his patience wasn't infinite.
He usually obtained answers through his own means, rarely needing patience.
'Why am I even bothering with conversation?'
If he wanted answers, he could force them out. If that failed, he could simply pry open their minds as usual.
Reconnecting with his original purpose, Hans nodded firmly. There was no need for further delay.
'Come forth.'
As his will moved—
Churn
The ground below, shrouded in shadows, trembled violently.
Then, a figure slowly emerged from the darkness.
'The Heavenly Demon.'
With a face and physique all too familiar to those present, impossible to mistake.
The unexpected appearance froze everyone, their attention previously fixated on the strange sky.
"It's been a while, Strategist."
"…Cult Leader? I heard you were dead…"
"You seem to have been misinformed. We should rip out the tongue of whoever brought you that news. As you can see, I'm perfectly fine."
Ya Yulhwan, his strategist, was no exception.
The Heavenly Demon, looking exactly as he did in life, smirked and glanced around. As if showing off his continued existence to his frozen subordinates.